"As the Dao and the mortal world are now in decline, I do not know about the state of the demon realm, but it should not be too prosperous either," said the Demon Emperor, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Indeed, not many top experts have emerged."

He kept staring at Kong Ming with interest, but the monk's cool gaze never turned towards him. "The mortal world and the world of heart demons are interdependent and share the same origin, dividing the fortune. When heart demons thrive, the mortal world declines."

At these words, the listeners fell silent.

Master Kong Shan continued to methodically clear Chen Weichen's meridians, but Chen Weichen gently withdrew his hand.

"What do you mean by this, Benefactor Chen?" the master asked kindly.

Young Master Chen frowned in pain, but still shook his head. "I thought about it again. Either way, I can't be reborn, so even if the master removes the Buddhist energy for me, it may not make much difference. I might as well accept it. Since Brother Kong Ming said that all paths lead to the same destination, there may be some opportunity for change."

Master Kong Shan looked at him and sighed softly. "So be it."

A moment later, he added, "If Benefactor Chen has a heart for the Buddhist Dharma, you can come find this poor monk."

On the other side, after hearing Kong Ming's words, everyone pondered for a while. Finally, the Demon Emperor let out a disheartened remark, "If the world of heart demons wants to compete with the mortal world for fortune, what can we do?"

Kong Ming closed his eyes. "I don't know."

Xing Qiu leaned casually against a pillar to the side. "Monk, don't worry. If you don't summon me, that thing that might be my heart demon naturally won't run out."

Kong Ming's tone was calm. "This poor monk only worries about the living beings in the world."

Xing Qiu: "..."

Master Kong Shan stood up, walked to the Buddha statue in the main hall, and joined his palms, saying, "The Sutra on the Extinction of the Dharma states that the world has a limit of three periods: the True Dharma, the Semblance Dharma, and the Dharma-Ending Age. When the Dharma-Ending Age arrives, the True Dharma will not exist, the world will be chaotic, sentient beings will give rise to the Three Poisons, and the Five Impurities will flourish. Evil teachers will expound the Dharma, numerous as the sands of the Ganges. There will be no peace in the human world, like a burning house."

As Master Kong Shan spoke, the scenes of the human world resurfaced in everyone's minds. In war-torn areas, the flames of war raged. In peaceful places, people indulged in extravagance and debauchery, causing a chill in their hearts.

Xie Lang said, "If it is indeed as the master said, that heart demons are thriving while the human world is declining, and the Dharma-Ending Age is approaching, what solution is there?"

The master shook his head. "As my junior brother said earlier, we also do not know. What our Buddhist sect can do is to do our utmost to uphold the great Dao and universally save the people of the world."

Ye Jiuya said, "Previously, Lord Lanshan invited me to discuss matters. How about each sect opens its doors, widely accepts disciples, and restarts the Southern and Northern Sword Conference and the Dao-Buddhist Dharma Conference?"

The master nodded. "This would be of great benefit. After the Battle of the Heavenly River, the vitality of the various sects was greatly damaged, so they stopped holding them. Now, debating the Dao can help the Daoist cultivators realize their realms and boost their fortune. Since Swordmaster Ye and Mister Lanshan already have this intention, it is naturally for the best. I wonder what Marquis Langran thinks?"

The young Daoist scratched his head. "I need to discuss with the elders at the monastery, but they will definitely agree as well."

Everyone looked at Xing Qiu.

Xing Qiu was quite confused and tugged at Kong Ming beside him. "What do we need to do?"

Kong Ming said indifferently, "Although Daoists and demons do not get along, if there are no evil intentions, they can still accommodate you."

Xing Qiu came to his senses, curling his lips into a slightly wicked smile. "This state preceptor is well-versed in countless scriptures and methods of the demon realm. If you want to learn from me, of course you can."

Kong Ming: "Speak carefully."

Xing Qiu: "... If you all want to debate the Dharma, I am willing to participate on behalf of the demon realm. Since all paths lead to the same destination, perhaps it will be beneficial."

The attendants looked at each other. "..."

Their state preceptor was so obedient, which was unprecedented.

They had solemn respect for Kong Ming.

Over there, they began to discuss various major matters of revitalizing the Dao. Xie Lang sent a letter to the Qingjing Temple, and another one using a formation as a guide to seek his master who was wandering the four seas.

"The fortune of the Dao may be saved, but the mortal world can only rely on their own fate."

"No need to hope for the fate of the imperial dynasty," State Preceptor Xing Qiu sneered. "Unless you choose someone to level the imperial city and become the emperor himself."

The attendants were extremely frightened to hear such treasonous words.

Xing Qiu raised his eyebrows. "The emperor told me yesterday that he wants me to display heavenly auspiciousness, and he will take the opportunity to grant a Chan title to demonstrate orthodoxy and stabilize the people's hearts."

Chen Weichen opened his fan and said lightly, "It's indeed absurd. It's better to persuade my father to retire from office as soon as possible."

The Feng Shan ceremony, offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, is a great undertaking. Ordinary emperors cannot do it. Only a wise and enlightened monarch, with heavenly auspiciousness revealed, can initiate it.

Now, with foreign enemies and a muddled ruler inside, although the land is fertile, the taxes are unbearably heavy. Although it has not yet reached the point of people being unable to make a living, there are complaints everywhere. The emperor is probably uneasy in his heart and eager to prove that he is a wise and enlightened Son of Heaven. However, he neither has the confidence to send troops to recover lost territory, nor is he willing to reduce taxes to benefit the people's livelihood. After much thought, only if the will of heaven is manifested and the Feng Shan ceremony is initiated can he appease the people.

However, the Feng Shan ceremony consumes an immeasurable amount of manpower and financial resources, roughly emptying half of the national treasury. It is truly a self-destructive act.

Young Master Chen smiled at the state preceptor. "You have become an accomplice."

Xing Qiu was very pleased with himself. "Either way, even without me, he can fabricate auspicious signs."

Chen Weichen: "How did you become the state preceptor?"

The state preceptor was very proud. "Outside, it's inevitable to encounter you Daoists. The imperial city in the mortal world is the safest. The emperor saw that I had some abilities, unlike doing magic tricks. I coaxed him a bit more..."

Kong Ming cultivated the path of transcendence and did not care about such matters. After Master Kong Shan and Xie Lang began to discuss various matters of the conference, they went to the meditation cushion under the distant Buddha statue and closed their eyes to meditate, turning the prayer beads in their hands.

Xing Qiu finished explaining his background and took a few steps past Kong Shan.

Although the attendants looked villainous, they were very perceptive and immediately pulled over a meditation cushion nearby.

The state preceptor sat down with a smile, his elaborate robes trailing on the ground like an extremely gorgeous deep purple flower.

"Monk," he said, "twenty years have passed, and you are still so boring. It seems that Buddhist teachings have not progressed."

The monk stopped turning the prayer beads in his hand. "You are also equally frivolous."

"In my demon realm, we follow our hearts, so naturally I appear frivolous in your eyes."

"The Buddhist path cultivates the mind."

"But if you don't open your eyes to see the red dust, how can you realize the truth?"

"The path of transcendence does not see the red dust."

"I see that you are afraid of the mortal world."

The followers were completely baffled, while the young monk beside them listened attentively - this was a debate between Buddha and demon!

"Only dread, not fear."

"Oh?" Xing Qiu drawled, "Then why don't you dare to open your eyes and look at me?"

"Beautiful appearance, only increases suffering, should be dreaded and feared."

Xing Qiu leaned against him and laughed.

"Monk," he breathed lightly in Kong Ming's ear, "then when will you dare to look at me?"

"At the time of Mahayana."

Xing Qiu's gaze went blank: "At that time during the Heavenly River War, I was lost in the snowy mountains, and you sent me back. I asked you when you could cross the Heavenly River to find me, and you said the same thing. Later, I fought my way to Xingluo Abyss and cultivated to the third level, thinking that the bald donkey should be at Mahayana by then, but I never saw you come - what exactly counts as Mahayana?"

The young monks behind them, who had just been earnestly comprehending Buddhist teachings from their conversation, now sensed something amiss and hurriedly closed their eyes, not looking or listening.

Kong Ming said, "Letting go of all worldly ties, not giving rise to thoughts, attaining bodhi, saving all beings."

Xing Qiu said, "I don't understand."

Kong Ming was silent for a while, then said, "At the time of Mahayana, seeing you is like seeing Buddha."

Xing Qiu stopped smiling and leaned against his shoulder in a daze, raising his eyes to gaze at the golden Buddha statue.

After a long time, he blinked hard, stood up, and left with a sweep of his sleeve.

The followers jumped up and down, shouting and following, "Lord State Preceptor, slow down, slow down, we can't keep up!"

The voices gradually faded away, and the prayer beads in Kong Ming's hand slowly started rotating again. There were one hundred and eight beads, engraved with the one hundred and eight kinds of worldly troubles.

Sunlight shone through the window, dust motes danced. Outside the hall was the demon emperor in purple and gold robes, inside the hall was the eminent monk in white cloth robes.

Xing Qiu looked back and gave the golden Buddha inside the hall a cold glance, his eyes filled with irrepressible fierceness.

Chen Weichen saw his departing figure and remained silent.

He closed his eyes and tried to guide his own qi, but to no avail. His whole body was in great pain.

At a critical moment, the qi in his meridians could neither advance nor retreat, his blood and qi surged, reaching a dead end.

He heard Ye Jiuya's voice, "Stop."

A hand pressed on his shoulder, shaking with true qi, forcibly interrupting his qi circulation, only then escaping danger.

Chen Weichen spat out a mouthful of blood, his breathing slightly rapid.

Over there, the discussion was nearing its end. Chen Weichen went to the temple's library and took away quite a few books, saying he wanted to create a cultivation method that combined immortals, Buddhas, demons and Dao, and needed to bring back some Buddhist scriptures to study.

The old monk still had kind eyes, "Since the benefactor does not wish to stay on the mountain, if there are any doubts in the future, just come back to Zhichen Temple."

Chen Weichen looked at his own wrist, "Either way, you've already made your move."

Ye Jiuya was not with him at this time, staying in the main hall, facing Kong Ming.

He recalled the Buddha seal on Chen Weichen's hand and drew it out in front of Kong Ming, "What does this mean?"

"The Seal of Guidance," Kong Ming answered him. "If engraved on a person's body, it is for people of the Buddhist sect walking the world. When they see someone with Buddha's affinity, they help them attain enlightenment. If engraved on the body of demons, ghosts, or evil spirits, it is discovering that this being is not good by nature but has not done evil. The seal is preemptively engraved, so that if evil thoughts arise in the future, they will be restrained by the Buddha's seal."