Chapter 480 — Realms in Fusion

This was Shen Mu's first time here. Knowing that he had once toppled Little Tathagata's Buddha statue, he intended to take a detour. Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came to him, saying in surprise, "Why is Sect Master Shen here?"

Shen Mu looked toward the voice and could not help but start. He smiled and said, "Brother Xu is here as well? What a coincidence!"

Xu Shenghua and Jing Yan each carried a bundle on their backs, following behind a large, fat monk. Shen Mu's heart turned solemn — that large, fat monk, with his imposing and extraordinary build, was none other than Little Tathagata of Little Thunderclap Monastery!

He had once seen Little Tathagata in a village in the Barren Ruins. Little Tathagata had challenged Daoist Lingjing to battle, and they had fought fiercely in the night. Shen Mu had been right there at the time!

Little Tathagata had a fat head and large ears, a countenance far from common. He treated Xu Shenghua with great courtesy and was inviting the two to be his guests in the mountains. This large, fat monk looked toward Shen Mu, and Shen Mu suddenly felt everything before his eyes turn dazzlingly bright — that was Little Tathagata's gaze.

"So it is Sect Master Shen."

Little Tathagata's voice was like thunder. He extended an invitation. "A guest from afar is a guest indeed. Though I have had my differences with Sect Master Shen, you have come from far away, and I cannot but receive you with all hospitality. Sect Master, please, come up the mountain and sit awhile."

Shen Mu hesitated a moment, then said, "Brother, you are too kind. I have an urgent matter and was just on my way to Yin Mountain..."

Jing Yan smiled and said, "Young Master Shen is going to Yin Mountain? We have just returned from Yin Mountain ourselves. Come to think of it, what a coincidence — you and the great monk meeting at Yin Mountain would yield great gains."

Shen Mu was astonished and looked toward Xu Shenghua. Xu Shenghua nodded and said, "Yanzi and I were traveling about and came to Yin Mountain, where we saw the great monk subduing and refining a god-devil's primordial spirit, locked in a stalemate. So we stepped forward to assist, and by good fortune took that god-devil's primordial spirit. What does Sect Master Shen go to Yin Mountain for?"

Shen Mu's mind was greatly shaken. He blurted out, "You took a god-devil's primordial spirit at Yin Mountain? This primordial spirit — did it call itself Kui Wu Shen?"

Little Tathagata said in surprise, "Sect Master Shen's divine foresight has reached such a degree? This old monk encountered that demon at Yin Mountain and saw that it was trapped, yet bound about with countless vengeful souls. Knowing it to be my merit, I was moved to deliver it, and so I acted. Yet though the demon was suppressed by another, its divine powers were vast, and several times it nearly turned on me. Fortunately, Young Master Xu happened by and aided me with the arts of the Upper Heaven."

Shen Mu was utterly dumbfounded. Then he suddenly laughed aloud. "Then there is no need for me to go to Yin Mountain. To speak frankly, I too was going to Yin Mountain to subdue this god-devil's primordial spirit. Since the Tathagata extends an invitation, I should of course go up the mountain as a guest. I thank you for your hospitality!"

Little Tathagata looked at him and said, "People all call me Little Tathagata. Why does Sect Master Shen not add the word 'Little'?"

Shen Mu smiled and said, "Tathagata is a realm. When the realm is reached, it matters not whether one is great or small."

The great monk praised him. "Sect Master Shen has a Buddha's heart. If you could take refuge in the Buddhist faith, you would surely become a Tathagata in the future. Please."

Shen Mu followed them up the mountain. He looked at Xu Shenghua and Jing Yan and smiled. "You two make a fine couple, free and at ease, roaming the mountains and waters. Not like me — a life of toil, running about every day. By the way, have you two cultivated the Primordial Spirit Guide?"

Jing Yan's face reddened slightly. She nodded quietly.

Shen Mu laughed heartily.

Xu Shenghua said leisurely, "The Primordial Spirit Guide was created by you, Sect Master, was it not? It has indeed brought me great advancement. From the Primordial Spirit Guide I developed a complete cultivation method for the Six Harmonies realm, and going further still, I have now opened through both the Seven Stars and Six Harmonies divine treasuries, merging them into a single divine treasury."

Shen Mu's heart was greatly shaken. He looked at Xu Shenghua, and after a moment exhaled a breath of turbid air. He praised, "Worthy of a Pseudo-Overlord Body — only a tiny bit inferior to me."

Xu Shenghua smiled faintly. "The fusion of the Seven Stars and Six Harmonies divine treasuries into one brings about a mutation in the great Dao of heaven and earth no less than the Primordial Spirit Guide, does it not? Sect Master, your Overlord Body may well be female."

Shen Mu smiled slightly and said leisurely, "Though I have not achieved the fusion of the two divine treasuries, during this time I have created the Eighteen Sword Forms."

Xu Shenghua's pupils abruptly constricted.

Little Tathagata turned back to look at the two of them, his mind greatly shaken. He said, "Not long ago, this old monk sensed two disturbances of the great Dao between heaven and earth. Could they be connected to you two benefactors?"

Yin Mountain.

A streak of sword light flew in. Ban Gongcuo cried out in pain and fell to the ground, clutching his left leg and rolling back and forth, sweat pouring from his forehead like rain.

"This is the price for deceiving me."

Xing An said indifferently, "Your master's primordial spirit is not here. Great Honored One, you had best reattach both deer legs and walk on deer legs from now on."

Ban Gongcuo endured the pain and said in a hoarse voice, "My master's primordial spirit has been taken by someone! But his primordial spirit still exists. As long as I activate the Dharma, I can sense its location!"