Liaozhai: Immortality Begins with Becoming Yan Chixia's Apprentice

Chapter 194 Two Bodhisattvas

"This is a magical artifact that I hid before I was sealed away. It's called 'Phoenix Feather,' and it's a keepsake left to me by my master."

"A wisp of my master's divine consciousness is sealed inside. Only by finding it can I completely get rid of my inner demons."

Zhou Ning picked up the jade pendant and examined it carefully.

He could sense an extremely faint fluctuation of divine consciousness within the jade pendant, but the fluctuation was so weak that it was almost dissipating.

Where is it?

Jingchen said, "It's in the Central Plains. I can't sense its exact location."

"But I can sense that it is protected by a powerful seal somewhere in the Central Plains."

"That seal is of the same origin as the 'Nine Heavens Divine Seal' that sealed me back then. Only my blood can break it."

Zhou Ning frowned: "Why didn't you go find it yourself?"

Jingchen smiled bitterly: "Because my aura is too strong. As soon as I step into the Central Plains, I will be discovered by the experts of the righteous sects."

"They'll think I'm going to do evil and they'll gang up on me. I don't want to be their enemy, at least not now."

Zhou Ning was silent for a moment, then said, "You asked me to help you find it, aren't you afraid I won't give it to you after I get it?"

Jingchen smiled: "You won't. Because you are a righteous person with a strong sense of justice. People's hearts can deceive, but a strong sense of justice cannot, especially a person with a strong sense of justice who can defeat the extraterrestrial demons."

"Furthermore, once you obtain the 'Phoenix Feather,' you'll find it's useless to you. It's only effective for Buddhists."

Zhou Ning asked, "Why choose me? Just because my reputation as a chivalrous hero is widespread?"

Jingchen asked, "With your Dao Integration cultivation, can you really not sense it?"

"Sensing what?"

Jingchen smiled and said, "What if I told you that Jingchen Bodhisattva and Wine and Meat Bodhisattva are my two forms of Bodhisattva?"

Zhou Ning's eyes narrowed, and his spiritual eye seemed to see two mutually repelling auras on Jing Chen's body.

Right!

One evil one!

It is precisely for purifying the dust.

Evil is wine and meat.

"You sensed it? I don't know how long I've been suppressing it. Perhaps the next time we meet, I'll be a completely different person."

Zhou Ning hesitated for a moment, then returned the jade pendant to her, saying, "Let me think about it. Give me three days."

Jingchen nodded gently and put the jade pendant away.

"I'll be here waiting for your answer in three days."

Zhou Ning stood up and left Zuixianlou.

Ashu followed behind him and whispered, "Young Master Zhou, are you really going to help her?"

Zhou Ning said, "I don't know. But the 'phoenix feather' she mentioned might really be the key to her overcoming her inner demons."

"If she can repent and reform, it would be more meaningful than eliminating her, after all, she was once a Bodhisattva who practiced Buddhism."

Ashu was silent for a moment, then said, "You're right. But be careful, she might be using you."

Zhou Ning nodded: "I know."

The two returned to the inn.

Zhou Ning sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, going over the events of the day in his mind.

How much of what Jingchen said is true, and how much is false?

Is she really just trying to find her master's belongings, or is she plotting a bigger conspiracy?

He took out the communication jade talisman given to him by Yan Chixia and reported the events of the day to his master.

Yan Chixia remained silent for a long time before replying, "The words of the 'wine and meat bodhisattva' cannot be entirely trusted."

"But the Phoenix Feather does exist. I have seen records of it in ancient books. It is a relic of Cihang Bodhisattva, the master of Jingchen Bodhisattva. Cihang Bodhisattva was a great Buddhist master from a thousand years ago, and his cultivation was unfathomable."

"Before entering the Pure Land, she sealed a trace of Buddhist intent in the 'Phoenix Feather' and left it to Jingchen."

"If Jingchen can obtain the Phoenix Feather, her strength will increase greatly, and she may even break through to the Tribulation Transcending stage instantly."

Zhou Ning felt a chill run down his spine.

"Then we absolutely cannot let her get it."

Yan Chixia said, "Not necessarily. If she can truly refine the 'Phoenix Feather,' she can inherit Master Cihang's Buddhist nature and suppress her inner demons."

"By then, she might actually be able to turn over a new leaf. But if she's just using the power of the 'Phoenix Feather,' the consequences will be unimaginable."

He paused, then continued, "This is your decision. But remember, whatever you do, be careful."

Zhou Ning replied, "This disciple understands."

He put away the jade talisman and closed his eyes in deep thought.

Ashu brought in a bowl of hot soup and placed it on the table.

"Young Master Zhou, have some soup. You haven't eaten all day."

Zhou Ning opened her eyes, looked at Ashu, and suddenly asked, "Ashu, if you were me, would you help her?"

Ashu thought for a moment and said, "I will help her. But not because I trust her, but because this is an opportunity to understand her and get closer to her."

"Only by delving into her world can you find her weaknesses."

Zhou Ning nodded: "You're right."

He picked up the soup bowl and took a sip.

The soup was very delicious; it was made by Ashu using spices from the Western Regions, and it had a unique aroma.

"A-Shu, your cooking skills are getting better and better."

A-Shu laughed and said, "Following Young Master Zhou, there has to be something useful to be done."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Three days later, Zhou Ning returned to Zuixianlou.

Jingchen was still sitting in that corner, holding a wine pot in her hand. When she saw Zhou Ning, she smiled slightly.

"Have you thought it through?"

Zhou Ning nodded: "I agree to help you find the 'Phoenix Feather'. But I have two conditions."

Jingchen said, "Speak."

Zhou Ning said, "First, you must not harm anyone before you find the 'Phoenix Feather.' Second, after you find it, you must seal your power and return with me to Lanruo Temple to be supervised by my master."

Jingchen was silent for a moment, then said, "I can agree to the first condition. As for the second condition... I'll think about it."

Zhou Ning said, "You have no choice."

Jingchen looked at him, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.

"You're so stubborn, it's not very likable."

She stood up and handed a jade talisman to Zhou Ning.

"This is the method I use to sense the 'Phoenix Feather.' Take it. Once you find it, use this method to notify me."

Zhou Ning took the jade talisman and put it away.

"Remember your promise."

He turned and left Zuixianlou.

Ashu followed behind him and whispered, "Young Master Zhou, where do we go next?"

Zhou Ning said, "Go find the 'Phoenix Feather'."

After leaving Zuixianlou, Zhou Ning did not set off immediately, but stayed overnight in Jinling City.

He needs to sort out his thoughts.

The sensing method that Jingchen gave him required him to be able to sense the aura of the "Phoenix Feather" within a radius of a hundred miles.

In other words, he had to travel all over the Central Plains, searching inch by inch.

This is a massive undertaking; it's impossible to know how long it would take him and Ashu to find it on their own.

"A-Shu, are you familiar with the Central Plains?" Zhou Ning asked.

Ashu shook his head.

"I've only been here a few times, spending most of my time in the Western Regions. However, I know some friends in merchant caravans who travel all over the country and are very familiar with the terrain of the Central Plains. Perhaps I can ask them for help."

Zhou Ning thought for a moment and said, "No need. The fewer people who know about this, the better."

"The remnants of the 'Blissful Religion,' a sect of 'wine-and-meat bodhisattvas,' are everywhere. We don't know who her informants are."

"If word gets out, she might take the 'Phoenix Feather' first."

A-Shu nodded: "Young Master Zhou is right. Shall we find it ourselves?"

Zhou Ning took out a map from his bag and spread it on the table.

This is a complete map of the Central Plains that Yan Chixia gave him, showing everything from mountains and rivers to towns and villages.

He drew a line on the map with his finger, starting from Jinling, heading north through Yangzhou and Xuzhou, then west to Luoyang and Chang'an, and finally south to Jingchu and Bashu.

"We'll start from the area around Nanjing, then head north, then west, and finally south. This way we can cover most of the Central Plains."

Ashu looked at the map and said, "At this rate, it will take at least several months."

Zhou Ning said, "No rush, Jingchen can wait."

After agreeing on their route, the two rested separately.

The next morning, before dawn, Zhou Ning and A-Shu left Jinling.