Chapter 580 Discussion
Wang Wei teleported to his mansion, where he saw a maid waiting for him. She immediately bowed to him before notifying him of the visitor's identity. Wang Wei then frowned before entering the guest room.
He saw a shave-headed monk sitting in the cross-legged position with a pot of tea and vegetable meal before him. Wang Wei walked to the table and waved his hand to make it disappear along with the drink and food.
"Young Master Wei, I'm sorry for the late-night inconvenience," said Monk Wuzhi, not minding the latter's rudeness.
"Monk, I don't care for your flowery words. State your purpose."
"Benefactor, what is the hostility? Have I done anything to harm you? If so, tell me, and I will gladly apologize," said Monk Wuzhi with the utmost sincerity.
"If you were about to be dragged into something you did not want to, you would also feel as I did," replied Wang Wei.
"Benefactor, you should not see it as 'dragging.' Everyone is bound by their actions and decisions, so everyone must pay their karma."
"You're right. But there is a difference between willingly paying it and being forced to do so."
"You have free will, benefactor. So, no one can force you to do anything."
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"Do you genuinely believe that?" asked Wang Wei, staring deep into the monk's eyes. "Does your word have weight, or are you just spewing nonsense to get what you want?"
Monk Wizhi began to sweat secretly after hearing this question. He could see an invisible karmic balance dangling above his head. The balance prevented would determine his fate based on his reaction.
If he lies, he will receive a backlash for lying and allowing his words to have no weight or significance. And if he told the truth, he would enter into a binding agreement where Wang Wei could decide not to intervene in the upcoming conflict and choose when to pay his karma.
As such, Monk Wuzhi felt like a few seconds was like an eternity. After swallowing a gulp of saliva, he recited some scriptures in his mind to calm down: "I mean every word I said."
As soon as he said these words, he sensed the balance disappearing, and the weight of the world vanished from his shoulder.
Monk Wuzhi also learned a valuable lesson from this encounter: always minding his words before a Karma Master. Otherwise, they will be used against you.
"Is that so? In that case, I'm sorry for my rude behavior; it seems I misjudged your character," said Wang Wei, before returning the previously disappearing table, this time with even more food.
"This is one of the specialty dishes I've prepared specially for you; I'd like to think you've never eaten this before, but I could be wrong. So, enjoy."
Monk Wuzhi wanted to reject the offer. After all, as someone from the upper dimension, what great and unique food he had not tested–especially for a man of his status.
However, after smelling the unique fragrance of the meal, he decided not to be rude as a guest. So, he took a bite, and the taste was heavenly; that's the only way he could describe it.
Although the ingredients were not nearly as good as the ones he was used to, the combination, the spices, and the techniques used for the preparation were sublime. Furthermore, he had never tested this recipe before.
Monk Wuzhi then enjoyed himself. The only downgrade to the meal was the tea, as he considered it subpar. However, after taking out his tea, everything was perfect.
Wang Wei had to admit his tea was nothing compared to the upper dimension. So, after exchanging the meal's recipe for some more tea, the two got along as they talked over the dinner.
And when they finished a few hours later, they finally got to business.
"Little Wuzhi, what brings you to see me today?"
The monk was now used to the latter's shamelessness; he did not even care when his seniority was reduced to a younger brother despite being older than the latter by a few hundred thousand years.
"I need your help keeping Feng Heng safe."
"I guess it would be related to him," Wang Wei replied casually. "Does that mean Zhang Yucheng wants to eradicate him?"
"Yes, and I cannot allow that to happen."
"I cannot directly help you," said Wang Wei.
"If you are worried about picking a side, I don't think you have much choice."
"I'm fully aware of this. But there is a difference between active and passive participants."
"So, you can help me but not directly," reiterated Monk Wuzhi. "So, how do you plan to help?"
"I can promise to help spread Buddism in the lower dimension. And if something happens to Feng Heng, I will officially take his place after proving the Dao. You can give me an honorary Buddha Title or something to help me better lead the faction."
Monk Wuzhi pondered for a moment; he did not mind giving the latter an honorary title to lead the lower dimension Buddhism Sect. He also did not mind the latter being the leader and controlling Buddhism in the lower dimension.
Ultimately, he still had to ascend. And no matter what he did, the genuine leader of Buddhism will always be his master, Maitreya Mother Buddha. He only had one problem:
"Feng Heng cannot die."
"Oh, why is that?"
"He is the key to breaking the Absolute Beginning Magic. Once he dies, everything will go wrong."
"That's not an issue. After I have proven the Dao, I will break the Absolute Beginning Magic."
"It does not matter. Feng Heng cannot die."
Wang Wei squinted his eyes as countless thoughts rushed through his mind. He remembered some of the history lessons from Earth. After Buddhism arrived on the mainland from India, Taoism reinvented itself and included many concepts of Buddhism into its philosophies.
And Buddhism was also reorganized to be more suited to the time and the ancient culture. Now, something similar was occurring in this world.
Feng Heng's neo-Buddhism was deeply ingrained with Taoist ideologies. Furthermore, he connected their Qi Luck, making his new sect extremely precious. Once it spreads throughout the lower and upper dimensions, it will bring a fatal blow to Taoism.
And as the lynchpin of this new faction, Feng Heng's value was incalculable.
'I would not be surprised if the upper dimension prepared an alternative method for him to prove the Dao and become Emperor.'
This idea was not too far-fetched if he could devise alternate methods to make someone a Great Emperor.
After thinking for a moment, he asked: "How powerful are you and Zhang Yancheng?"
Monk Wuzhi did not answer.
"I know this is a sensitive topic, but I need to gauge your level of strength to determine if I'm getting over my head."
After pondering for a moment, the monk decided to be honest. "I have 7-Leaf Immortal Venerable strength, and Zhang Yucheng has peak 7-Leaf to 8-Leaf."
"7-Leaf? The only way to achieve such strength is through the Nine Extremity Foundation. Did you two fail your foundation establishment process?"
Monk Wuzhi smiled wryly: "There were some complications."
Wang Wei could guess what the complications were: these two's masters intervened in their process of setting up the Nine Extremity Foundation, leading to their failures.
"I have another question," asked Wang Wei with squinted eyes. "How do you know I have a Nine Extremity Foundation?"
"What do you mean?"
"The knowledge about Nine Extremity is scarce in the lower dimension. Yet, you were not surprised when I mentioned the name."
Monk Wuzhi became quiet. Wang Wei did not think the latter thought he was simply knowledgeable.
"Did your master tell you about me?"
"That's correct."
"Does that mean Zhang Yucheng also knows?"
"My master has done her best to hide your information. However, there is a high chance he knows or guessed something. But, I'm not sure."
Wang Wei frowned. His ancestors told him about the upper dimension's seven rulers and two supreme rulers. They also hinted that these two might have transcended the Paragon Realm.
The Sword Empress even hinted that he should not be too reliant on Wu Hong since she cannot protect herself from these two–let alone protect him.
'It seems like I owe Maitreya Buddha more karma than I thought,' thought Wang Wei, relieved for the protection and annoyed at being entangled so soon with all these almighty entities.
"What about Xiao Tiandi? How powerful is he? Did he succeed in the Nine Extremity Foundation?"
"Him? From what I know, he did not even try it."
"Why?"
"I do not know," replied the monk. He only knew it was a great sensation when the Innate Dao Source Physique owner did not try to establish the best foundation for cultivation.
"So, you two are stronger than him?"
"Well, not necessarily," replied the monk with slight embarrassment. "Xiao Tiandi only has 6-Leaf strength. However, he has mastered many secrets techniques that could elevate his power to 9-Leaf and beyond."
"I'm sure you two have similar methods."
"It's not the same," replied the monk. "He has mastered so many of them that it's unnatural. Furthermore, those secret techniques usually have a price to pay. But also mastered other secret techniques that negated the price."
The monk smiled wrily, lost in thought. "There is also a high chance he knows a secret technique that can nullify his opponent's secret technique. And If he does not, he can analyze and create one during battle."
"Anyway, we have never beaten him in battle."