“Boom!” He smashed it on the ground before she could react.
“Ah!” This prompted her to jump and shout after seeing the broken pieces.
One - it was her family heirloom. Two - he spent so much on it. 100,000,000 gone just like that.
“You… You…” She couldn’t form a coherent sentence while pointing at him.
Her mind became chaotic as she stared at the fragments. No words could describe her emotions right now.
Anger? Sadness? Lack of control?
This used to be her family heirloom but that was in the past. Li Qiye bought it and could do whatever he wanted with it.
“Why? Why did you break it?” She took a while before asking.
“So you can see why it is precious. The wooden carving itself doesn’t matter, just another effigy even if it was made by a progenitor. The thing inside is the real treasure.” Li Qiye said.
“Real-really?” She remained confused.
“Trust me, look around.” Li Qiye chuckled, seemingly aloof as if he didn’t just break an extremely expensive item.
Jinning looked through the pieces to find the thing he was talking about.
“I found something, is this it?” Jinning became excited and picked it up.
It was akin to a piece of ivory around the size of a finger phalanx. It had a yellow hue in some parts, seemingly having been burnt in the past.
“This is why it is precious?” She couldn’t confirm that it was precious judging by its appearance.
“Yes, that’s it.” Li Qiye looked at it and nodded.
“What is it?” She couldn’t see why this broken ivory was special. In fact, she preferred having the original wood carving over this.
“A finger bone. Perhaps Lankavatara Buddha’s if I’m not mistaken.” Li Qiye said.
“Really?!” Jinning was shocked and needed to take a deep breath.
“Yes, a blazing finger to show his will, this should be it.” Li Qiye nodded.
She has heard of this old story before, thinking that it was only a legend. No one really knew what it was.
“How can we conclude that it belongs to the progenitor?” She didn’t see anything peculiar about the bone.
Lankavatara Buddha was an incredible master. His Buddhist light once illuminated the realm. Alas, this finger didn’t have a Buddhist affinity in the slightest.
“Only a selected few can notice since its affinity is hidden very deep inside, hence the story.” Li Qiye said.
He grabbed the finger and began to channel his merit laws to derive the mysteries of the grand dao.
“Buzz.” Strands of Buddhist light emanated from the finger, seemingly opening a new world.
Within was a supreme figure with boundless techniques and power, capable of loving and saving all living beings.
“Lankavatara Buddha!” Bai Jinning was shaken after seeing this figure. She felt insignificant like a bubble in an ocean of Buddhist affinity.
Everyone would need to perform the highest ceremonial act to show reverence before it. She was about to drop down on her knees.
However, the light disappeared as Li Qiye recalled his technique. The finger became normal again, no longer resembling the finger of a master.
“You’re right…” Jinning became shaken. Earlier, she was a frog under the well.
That power earlier, once fully activated, would be immensely mighty and frightening.
She finally understood why the wooden carving was worth more than 100,000,000 stones. It was because of this finger bone inside.
“That’s why your ancestors said the carving can protect your clan. It is because of this boundless Buddhist power.” Li Qiye added.
“I see.” She took a deep breath, aware of the truth behind this now.
“Wear it on your neck, it’ll save you in dangerous moments.” Li Qiye gave it back to her.
She hesitated, not daring to accept the finger. The wooden carving prior at least had special significance to her clan.
But now, the finger of a progenitor was a different story. It had the same power as an unstoppable weapon. Which cultivator wouldn’t want to possess an artifact of this level?
That’s why she didn’t dare to accept it from him now after finding out the truth.
“Take it.” Li Qiye chuckled: “It’s just one finger. The whole body might make me think twice.”
She could see that he didn’t care too much about it so she bowed and accepted the gift.
“Leave now, I need to rest.” Li Qiye waved his sleeve and sat down, closing his eyes.
“I will get you on the list so that you can meet our commander.” She bowed and said.
Li Qiye smiled, not really caring about the list or whatever. Who would dare to refuse an audience with him?
He began meditating after she left and time flowed by.
One day, he opened his eyes and said: “Why is this thing here?”
With that, he flashed and disappeared from sight.
***
“Rumble!” One could hear loud banging on the wide streets of Sky Pass.
The pedestrians saw a black bull running around, breaking some walls and buildings in the process.
A dozen experts or so gave chase behind it along with several hundred regular disciples.
“Sorry, sorry.” Someone apologized for the bull and guaranteed: “We’ll pay for any loss incurred today, don’t worry. Our young master likes this bull and wants to make it his mount.”
“What’s going on?” A few didn’t get it. No one would dare to be so bold in Sky Pass, causing so much chaos.
“That’s a young noble of Strong Grass System.” A knowledgeable cultivator hurriedly answered: “They want to catch that bull but it ran here. That young noble still won’t give up.”
“It’s a very powerful auspicious beast.” One expert carefully looked at the bull before praising.
“Indeed.” Another expert agreed: “It is a great candidate for a mount.”