Maiden Galaxy

Actually, Su Xing had never not cultivated Dharma. When he was on Earth, his family elders had connections to Buddhism. Su Xing still remembered the Buddhist classic, “wind moves, flag moves, mind moves.” Su Xing remembered that even now, and he originally wanted to show-off, but thinking that it was too childish, he nonetheless stopped. However, Su Xing was still fundamentally an atheist. He believed deities, demons, and God were too fantastical. Since this was so, hearing dharma today made Su Xing ponder if he had a slight change of view towards this religion. At the very least, he would no longer snort at it, but the two Buddhists really were too cryptic, which made Su Xing have a sort of fear that if he used this method to bloom the Meditative Mind Lotus Seed, he would go mad.

The rain stopped, and Chan Master Jia Ye urged the group to stay for dinner.

Chan Xin declined, and Su Xing also refused.

Exiting the front gate, only then did they discover that the temple was large beyond reason, overly refined.

Outside the temple, the stars were already emerging, and the bright moon was rising.

“That Chan Master Jia Ye did not make you satisfied?” Su Xing could discern that Chan Xin and Chan Master Jia Ye had discussed for a day, but she was still bewildered. He saw the girl’s pointed brows were twisted, her pupils still as calm as a dry well when he first saw her.

“Chan Master Jia Ye is the Ancestral Master of Buddhism Great Way, but the Way that Chan Xin seeks is not the same. There is no connection.”¹ Chan Xin was absolutely calm.

“Honestly, it is a profound mystery.” Su Xing’s head hurt. Buddhism’s seemingly specious arguments honestly made people’s heads hurt.

“For today’s Chan discussion in the rain, Chan Xin thanks you for and takes her leave.” The girl put her hands together, directly and efficiently turning around.

Su Xing had even wanted to have Chan Xin stay. The words had yet to leave his mouth, when at this time, Chan Xin had already disappeared into the bustling crowd of people. Instantly, he lost any trace of her, left only with the glittering Chan speech that was fainter than fireworks.

When night fell, the Feast of All Souls began. Su Xing saw this and returned home with Gongsun Huang.

Along the road.

“Little Huang, I want to ask you a question.”

“Your Highness, please ask.”

“Do you want to be my little sister?”

“…”

“Daughter?” Su Xing said these words diffidently.

“…”

Su Xing was defeated by Gongsun Huang’s accusatory expression: “But wouldn’t treating you as my wife get us censored.² You’re only six or seven years old, wouldn’t I be treated as a weird uncle…”

“We do not have ages.” Gongsun Huang broke the heavenly mystery with one sentence.

“That’s fine then.”

“As Your Highness wishes.” Gongsun Huang kissed Su Xing.

Returning to the room, he saw the girls had already dressed up and groomed themselves, and they were just waiting for him to come back.

Su Xing then spoke about the matter of discussing Chan in the rain.

“Chan Master Jia Ye is the Chan Master of the Jewel Blue Temple,³ one of the Buddha Kingdom’s Six Ancestors.” Wu Xinjie said in surprise.

“So he was a Six Ancestors. No wonder his tongue was so flowery.” Su Xing suddenly understood, and then he asked about matters concerning the disciple that Buddha West Approaches will pass his robe and alms bowl to. Outside the room, at this time, a firework blossomed. Shi Yuan shouted in excitement from beside the window: “Let’s go see the Central Celestial’s Feast of All Souls.”

The Central Celestial was the center of the Buddha Kingdom’s Eighteen Celestials. It was very comparable to the status of the Great Liang’s capital Bian City. In this Central Celestial, there reportedly were several million residents, from those streets that could line ten chariots up side-to-side, to the surroundings of unending streams of people.

In the pitch-black night sky, the fireworks blossomed with every sort of gorgeous position. From time to time, there were dragons and phoenixes, and occasionally, there were meteors filling the sky. The pitch-black sky was illuminated by these sorts of multi-colored fireworks, instantly glittering bright.

Furthermore, the brightly lit river lanterns of the Central Celestial’s River Ganges floated on the river’s surface in the darkness. Tens of thousands of boat lanterns illuminated this night like stars circulating across the entire sky, appearing very magnificent.

Fireworks, delicacies, prayers for blessings, cultivation of Chan, and the river lanterns were all characteristics of the Feast of All Souls.

Apart from this, the temple fairs and Buddhism’s “Universal Offerings”⁴ each had their own highlights, tireless to look at.

Walking amidst the throngs of celebration, Su Xing had seemingly returned to a familiar place. As a soldier, he had originally did nothing out of the ordinary all year round outside the service. After Su Xing came to Liangshan, he very quickly adapted, but this time, he could not help but evoke a homesick mood. After a sigh, Su Xing’s thoughts returned to this place.

Wu Xinjie and the others already were attracted by every sort of lively thing of the Feast of All Souls. Lin Yingmei was being called back and forth between every sort of Buddhist treat by Wu Siyou, and Shi Yuan was in the middle of relaxing, that pair of round eyes spinning around somewhat evilly. This Best Thief Under Heaven actually had a sort of headache inducing feeling of professional ethic. As far as being stretched taut like a bowstring year round under the Star Duels, this actually was very difficult to relax for.

Slowly, even Yan Yizhen was attracted by the various verses and riddles on the lanterns of the festival.

“Little Huang, you won’t go take a look?” Su Xing was also very happy seeing all of the girls have such a good time.

The Leisure Star was very leisurely, or it could be said that she was exceedingly refined to a certain realm. This sort of liveliness did not make Gongsun Huang give rise to the slightest bit of interest, as if in all the world, the only thing she wanted was Su Xing’s shoulder.

Licking the tanghulu⁵ that Su Xing bought for her, Gongsun Huang shook her head.

Suddenly, Gongsun Huang pointed a finger, as if she was saying, Your Highness, go look over there.

Su Xing increased his pace and walked over.

This place had a few merchant booths that came from the Western Regions. The Western Regions and Far West Buddha Kingdom were very close, both sides commonly dealing with the other. Su Xing did not feel this was odd, yet the things these Western Region merchants were selling made his eyes shine.

On a piece of silk was a transparent rock, the inside of which appeared iridescent.

It was a diamond, and a colored diamond at that.

In actuality, Liangshan Continent’s precious gems were too numerous to mention. Stones like rainbow-colored glass and such made people dazzled. This colored diamond sold on Earth would be priceless, yet here, it was worthless. It could not even compare to ivory or amber and the like.

“Xiao’er.”

Su Xing suddenly noticed a familiar figure.

Xiao’er was pursing her lips, looking anxiously at a couplet on the surface. Suddenly, someone patted her shoulder. The girl instinctively turned around and punched, a golden light startling away the surrounding people. Su Xing was taken aback. Immediately, he stepped backwards, dodging light as a feather. Gongsun Huang pointed a finger, and a bolt of magic shot forth.

Xiao’er deflected it with a fist, her figure just like a dragon.

“So violent.”

When Xiao’er saw that it was Su Xing, her figure stopped, and she put her hands behind her back, voluntarily smiling: “Long time no see, Su Xing.” Glancing at Gongsun Huang, a bewildered expression flashed past Xiao’er’s eyes. She then said: “You fickle man, you have switched to a Little Sister? Could it be that Lin Chong could not satisfy you?”

Why did Su Xing sound that strange.

“This also my Wife Little Huang.” The corner of Su Xing’s mouth rose.

When Gongsun Huang saw she was not an enemy, she again sucked on the tanghulu.

Xiao’er wanted to laugh. Any way she looked at it, they were like a father and his daughter, “A child bride? Ha, ha.”

“Xiao’er, why would you have interest in running over to the Buddha Kingdom?” Su Xing walked over.

The other people saw that there was nothing wrong and very quickly settled down. Numerous people maintained odd appearances, but this nevertheless could be overlooked.

“The Feast of All Souls is so lively, of course Xiao’er would come. Also, Xiao’er’s good luck truly is great, to surprisingly encounter the legendary Buddha West Approaches’ disciple succession.” Xiao’er smiled.

“You also want to go for the selection?” Su Xing was astonished.

“Why not go?” Xiao’er smiled and countered.

Su Xing was silent.

“Oh, even if it was us, listening to dharma is very helpful in advancing cultivation realm, particularly those powerful adepts that can reach Transforming Star of Annihilation.” Xiao’er talked and walked, her pace light and quick.

“On the contrary, why would you appear here? What about Lin Chong and the rest?” Xiao’er asked. Su Xing hinted at the beauties that were not too far away. Xiao’er showed an expression of surprise. Then, she smiled and shook her head, as if she could not believe this.

“I came to the Buddha Kingdom also to hear dharma.” Su Xing said.

Xiao’er’s eyes seemed to say that perhaps things were not so simple, but the girl did not ask. She merely smiled leisurely. Suddenly, she recalled something, and her eyes glinted at Su Xing: “Since you can contract the Skilful Star, your literary talent must be outstanding, correct? Come, quickly come save Xiao’er…” The girl pulled Su Xing and ran towards a booth. Her movements attracted the other beauties over.

“Who is this Elder Sister?”

Shi Yuan, An Suwen and Tang Lianxin had never seen Xiao’er before and were confused, but they felt a sort of prideful dignity.

Wu Siyou whispered something, and the girls’s mouths hung agape when they heard.

“Xiao’er, why would you have interest in running here.” Wu Xinjie and Su Xing were both curious.

“Forget about this for now. Help me take a look at this first.” Xiao’er pointed at a lantern riddle.

To be able to make Xiao’er so vexed, everyone felt this was odd. After knowing things, they somewhat did not know whether to laugh or cry. As it turned out, Xiao’er had looked upon a qilin spice bag, but it turned out this booth owner was not selling it, that they needed to supply a response.

It was obvious from a look that this red-haired, blue-eyed shopkeeper was from the Western Regions, and his attitude was very stubborn, even a little arrogant.

But seeing that couplet, Xiao’er was nearly driven mad.

Everyone looked at the couplet, and they perspired.

“Draw upon the painting of the lotus flower monk.⁶ So long as you can answer Your Servant’s couplet, this spice bag is yours.” The red-haired man was gruff. That this man set up shop here showed he had some time, and seeing that he had set up an array, he was somewhat arrogant.

Others had the mind to waste their breath, nevertheless, they could not answer.

“Can you answer it?” Xiao’er’s eyes glittered, treating Su Xing as her savior.

“Is absolutely gifting it not too convenient?” Su Xing said.

“This spice bag is but a treasure of our Western Region Huoshu Kingdom's⁷ princess. Heh, heh, the couplet comes from very ancient writings, specially making Your Servant seek an answer.” The red-haired man said. “It is our famed national treasure, heh, heh, something certainly not to be requested.”

Wu Xinjie was speechless. This couplet was honestly too difficult. Su Xing also was unable to find a solution, so everyone asked Yan Yizhen.

The Skilful Star did not even need to think, saying: “Western Region’s spice bag is renowned in the west.”⁸

Everyone was shocked.

Even the red-haired man who was smug just a moment ago was flabbergasted.

“Little Yi truly is awesome.” Su Xing lauded her. Although it was not necessarily as fine, it perfectly used this spice bag renowned in the Far West to create an answer. The red-haired man was completely shaken to speechlessness.

“Praises, praises, Your Servant’s eyes are opened.” The red-haired man earnestly said. “Although it is somewhat lacking, based on Your Distinguished Self’s keen mind, the spice bag is yours.”

“Ha, ha, too awesome.” Xiao’er said excitedly. She extended her hand, “Bring this Fire Qilin spice bag here.”

“There is another absolute. If you can answer this one, not only will Your Servant offer this Fire Qilin spice bag, Your Servant will also gift all of this friend’s women a spice bag, how does that sound?” The man said.

Although he felt exchanging Absolutes For All Eternity for spice bags was somewhat a loss, seeing Xiao’er care so much, he thought that these spice bags were not ordinary objects. Moreover, this was merely answering couplets. Let alone Yan Yizhen going again, Su Xing could do it, too. To recount, his Absolutes For All Eternity were not few in number.

“Alright.”

Everyone did not have an opinion.

The Western Region man had probably been mighty for these days, for upon hearing someone had answered the absolute, the surroundings immediately were packed full of curious spectators.

The red-haired man chucked and brought out the next couplet.

The others saw and were hoarse.

When Su Xing saw, he wanted to laughed.

Author's Note:

PS: Just obtained my editor's notification. Next month, there will be a giant pile of letters. I'm stirred…Originally, I wanted three more chapters, tomorrow, there will be even more. I'll also need to write a pile of letters as thanks. I'm going to go hard.

1.  緣分, again this is a play on words for karma. 緣 can mean karma. ↩
2. The author is so meta. ↩
3. WHOA, haven’t heard that name since Chapter 119 ↩
4.  普施 ↩
5. 冰糖葫蘆, basically a sort of candied fruit snack, almost like a cross between a lollipop and a kebab ↩
6. 畫上荷花和尚畫, makes no sense in English. This is basically a tongue twister. Put the phrase into google translate to see the pronunciation. ↩
7.  火蜀國, transliterated since this is a Westerner. Not sure if this can be translated into an actual, sensible name. ↩
8. 西域香囊享譽西, again, makes no sense in English. ↩

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