Chapter 129: Buddhist Essence

The Western Chu Ridge was located in the northwest of the country of Yunyang. Due to the proximity of the Western Chu Ridge to the forest at the northern border of the Yunyang country, Big Gold and Little Gold had arrived in the Western Chu Ridge and settled in the Lost Forest in the central ridge.

The distance from the Chu royal city to the Yunyang imperial city was similar to that from the Chu royal city to the hometown of the two golden-crowned eagles. Nonetheless, the distance was much further than that from the Chu royal city to the inferior Yunfeng prefecture.

"Little Gold, you are too slow... if Big Gold doesn't have to take care of you, we'll save two to three days on our journey to your hometown," remarked Zhou Donghuang condescendingly. He sat cross-legged on Big Gold's back as he glanced at Little Gold flying alongside them.

Since leaving the Chu royal city, they had taken ten days to reach the rugged mountainous range beyond the northern border of Yunyang country. After Big Gold had achieved Great Consummation of the Qi-Gathering, not only had its inner qi been enhanced, but its body had also undergone morphogenesis. Even if it did not use its inner qi to fly, it could still fly much faster than before. If Big Gold did not need to take care of the Petty Consummate demon, Little Gold, at its current speed, they would be able to reach at least two or three days earlier.

"Young Master, give me two more months, I'll be able to achieve Great Consummation!" Faced with derision from the young man, Little Gold's eyes shone as it promised.

"Two months?" Zhou Donghuang shook his head as he replied condescendingly, "You're really worthless!"

"Young Master," said Little Gold with a bitter smile. "Two months is already an ambitious target, given my current progress... my talent is definitely far from yours, but it's comparable to my brother's. Of course, if we manage to successfully defeat or drive away that Connate red goshawk and take over that treasured land... perhaps in less than a months' time, I'll be able to achieve Great Consummation!"

As it spoke, its eyes glinted with greed.

"Are we almost there?" asked Zhou Donghuang calmly. Hearing Little Gold mention that land again, Zhou Donghuang's eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance.

Of course, despite his calm appearance, he was rather emotional...

In the past, when he stood at the top of the world, a site like this where a monk had attained nirvana would hardly appeal to him. In fact, even if he had gone past it, he would be too lazy to enter. Monks that required a location to attain nirvana were merely at the Dharma Laws stage. Those that were beyond the Primordial Soul stage had already converted the Buddhist essence into the Primordial Soul; even if their body deteriorated, as long as the Primordial Soul was kept alive, they could easily abandon their current physical body to find a new one. Hence, monks of that level did not require a location to attain nirvana at all. Even if they felt merciful and did not wish to rob someone's body, they did not require a physical location to attain nirvana because once their bodies died, the Primordial soul would turn into ash as well.

"Almost," responded Big Gold. "At our current speed, we'll reach within a day and night."

"Alright," said Zhou Donghuang with a nod. He shut his eyes and returned to his practice.

Sitting on the back of the golden-crowned eagle, although he was faced with blowing wind, it hardly affected him. After taking the concentration elixir, he could easily go into a focused state of practice. Using the Lord of the Four Supremes, he could make incredible progress.

An afternoon passed.

A night passed.

It was the next dawn when Zhou Donghuang opened his eyes again. According to Big Gold, in another two hours, they would be able to reach the treasured land where the red goshawk had taken over the site of nirvana of the monk. "When you first met the red goshawk, it was just in the early Connate stage?" asked Zhou Donghuang. Although Little Gold had mentioned it before, Zhou Donghuang still had to make sure.

"Young Master, for eagle demons like us, an early Connate adept can reach wingspans over ten meters. In the middle Connate stage, wingspans can reach over twelve meters. In the late Connate stage, they can be over fifteen miters. And in the penultimate Connate stage, wingspans can be over twenty meters," explained Big Gold. "When we saw that red goshawk, when it opened its wings, it was slightly more than ten meters... hence it must have just achieved the Connate stage not long ago. It has been almost ten years since then. Now, we can't be certain of its level. Perhaps it is still in the early Connate stage, or in the middle stage... but because it is one of the inferior breeds among the demons, even with the help of the treasured land, it can definitely be unable to attain the late connate stage or even the penultimate stage!"

"Mm," responded Zhou Donghuang with a nod. Although he had some knowledge of demons, he only had some general knowledge and had little understanding of the evolution of eagle demons. Eagles were just one type of the many winged demons. The Cloud Condor from the imperial court was of a similar level of the Qi-gathering as Big Gold and Little Gold then, but because it was a condor, it was much larger than the eagle demons. No matter what level they were at, condors were naturally of a larger size than an equally skilled eagle.

"Young Master," asked Little Gold, as if he had suddenly remembered something. "You said previously that the red goshawk had taken the site of nirvana of a monk... the golden glow around the place is the Buddhist essence from his body. If the red goshawk has already consumed that essence... then would that treasured land disappear?" Little Gold seemed worried.

Hearing this, Big Gold's eyes narrowed as it scolded uncontrollably, "Little Gold, you are a golden-crowned eagle, the king among the eagles, don't learn to be a jinx like those rotten crows!"

Zhou Donghuang smiled and replied Little Gold, "If it really swallows that Buddhist essence, that is in fact a good thing for us."

"Why so?" Little Gold was confused. "If it consumes that essence, then wouldn't it become a part of its stomach? Without the essence, that treasured land will just become an ordinary cliff."

Zhou Donghuang shook his head and answered, "If it wanted to swallow that Buddhist essence, it would have done so earlier... why would it wait till you discovered that place? Furthermore, back then, when you appeared there, it did not leave with the Buddhist essence, did it? It only chased the two of you away. The Buddhist essence, even if it was just left behind by an early Primal Core stage monk, would not be able to be swallowed by it... if it does, it would be destroyed by the power released by it. In fact, it may not even be able to go close to the Buddhist essence. Even if it were left behind by just an early Primal Core monk, any humans or demons beneath the Primal Core stage would be severely injured if they attempted to go too close to it! The Buddhist essence contains the culmination of a whole life's worth of gathered qi... as compared to the Primal Core or the Inner core, the Buddhist essence can continue to absorb the Spirit for a period of time after the monk has attained nirvana. After that, the essence will turn into dust after the power within disappears."

Zhou Donghuang had some understanding of the Buddhist essence. In his previous life, he had a senior who was a monk who had attained Separating Divinity. He had learned much about Buddhism from that senior.

"Senior Brother Qinghong..." As he thought of that senior, Zhou Donghuang breathed in deeply as he tried to suppress his rising emotions. In his previous life, that senior had died in the hands of two immortals because of him. Although he had taken revenge and killed the two immortals, his Senior Brother Qinghong could not be revived. Senior Brother Qinghong was both a brother and a teacher to him and was one of the few people he deeply respected.

"Since I have been reborn, in this life, I will not allow the same tragedy to happen again!" Zhou Donghuang's eyes were firm.

"Young Master, are you really from a small town in Yunyang country? Why does it seem like you know even more than most people?" Little Gold asked curiously as he heaved a sigh of relief after hearing his words.

Although Big Gold did not question, his sharp eyes were shimmering with curiosity.

"After living long enough, you'll naturally know more," Zhou Donghuang murmured, his eyes filled with sadness.

"Live long enough?" His words left both Big Gold and Little Gold shocked. As far as they were concerned, this young man was only seventeen or eighteen years of age, how could he say that he had lived long enough? Wouldn't that mean that they had lived for an even longer time?

"Young Master, we are here!" After two hours, Big Gold called out, bringing Zhou Donghuang back from his whirring emotions. Just now, when thinking of his Senior Brother Qinghong, he could not help but remember many things from his past life, his mind wandering.

"It's that cliff right in front!" cried Little Gold. Zhou Donghuang saw a tall peak pierce through the clouds, clearly prominent among the rest of the other surrounding mountains.

"Go straight there!" ordered Zhou Donghuang as he looked at the mountaintop, his tone emotionless.