The Ancestor of All Demons

Xie Shan knew that Xin Ru Nun had taken away the Seven Treasures Golden Banner and the Conch Leaf Talisman, and also knew that Master Fen Tuo had tried several times to get them back but failed.

However, he could never believe that Xin Ru Nun would intentionally harm Xie Ying, extract her soul, and even place the Red Flower Princess into Xie Ying's body.

He thought that a nun who had attained enlightenment in the Buddhist Sect should not be capable of doing such a thing!

His millennium of practicing Buddhism achieved nothing in lifetime after lifetime; it was also related to his character, his accumulated karmic ties, and being burdened by his two daughters.

He asked Master You Tan to help pull Xie Lin out of the Illusion Realm, while he went himself to seek out Xin Ru Nun to demand Xie Ying's Primordial Spirit and to ask her personally what exactly she intended!

Leaving Wuyi Mountain, Xie Shan swiftly flew to Jiuhua Mountain.

Xin Ru Nun chose Jiuhua Mountain as her dojo, comparing her great vow to that of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, gathering many Buddhist experts to jointly compose the "Xin Ru Bodhisattva's Vows Scripture," which she intended to spread to the world, often casting mana to create miracles since she resided here.

She made major modifications to Jiuhua Mountain, even transferring peaks from overseas to graft between the ridges.

In total, she created nine peaks, each taking the shape of a lotus flower, then cast a spell for spiritual energy to generate a sea of clouds, covering the mountains for thousands of miles, obscuring them, and then causing Buddha Light to emerge at each peak.

From below, one could see a circle of hazy radiance flashing over the nine mountaintops, illuminating the sea of clouds, as if the Buddha himself were present.

A large number of people devotedly believed, bowing in reverence, some even starting to kowtow from the moment they left their homes, prostrating step by step all the way to the mountain, worshipping the Buddha Light with utmost sincerity.

Xin Ru Nun also built temples on the mountain, with every peak having a large temple, and small temples between the mountains, each with its own presiding monk.

She had not yet gathered her top ten Great Arhats, and was currently recruiting and inviting people into the sect.

By the time Xie Shan arrived, she was in the palace talking with two nuns.

These two nuns were not unknown figures, one was called Cold Jade Fairy with the dharma name Guang Ming, the other nicknamed Lady Defender, with the Magical Treasure Guang Hui.

Master Guang Ming was the master of the Divine Hand Monk Wei Fengniang in those days. Wei Fengniang and the Western Demon Monk Brooyinca had injured her arm with the Black Crow Needle, forcing her to amputate and become a One-Armed Sword Immortal. Her temperament was intense, and joining the Buddhist sect couldn't extinguish the anger in her heart. Ultimately, she could only reincarnate once more.

But after reincarnation, she still carried the fiery disposition and resentment from her past life. After Wei Fengniang had crippled her arm, she appeared not to seek revenge, but in reality, her resentment was deep. She thought that shaving her head and becoming a nun would allow her to forget everything, but she simply couldn't.

In this life, while practicing Buddhism anew, during meditation, she frequently thought of Wei Fengniang. Every time she thought of Wei Fengniang, her arm would ache faintly, and her anger would rise!

She knew Wei Fengniang had become her heart demon. If she didn't resolve this grievance, she would never master Buddhism nor ascend to Nirvana.

So after mastering a spell, she repeatedly sought out Wei Fengniang for revenge.

At that time, Wei Fengniang was with Jifandu, jointly leading the Western Sect, virtually the Supreme Sect Master, having herself also become a Divine Demon, capable of transformation with considerable Divine Skills.

Master Guang Ming sought Wei Fengniang for revenge three times without success. The last time, almost succeeding with her junior sister, she had already sealed Wei Fengniang within a self-refined set of Buddha beads. However, the Western Sect was so powerful at that time, with Jifandu summoning the Cangxu God to intervene from afar, almost capturing her Primordial Spirit and dragging it westward.

The two sisters fled in disarray, retreating to the mountains for years, refining Magical Treasures in preparation for jointly seeking Wei Fengniang again someday.

As a result, the Western Sect was completely swept away by Shi Feiyang, with only the Xie Wang Sect remaining. Jifandu and Wei Fengniang were captured and have not reappeared since.

Although Wei Fengniang herself could no longer be found, she still frequently appeared in Master Guang Ming's meditative states.

Every time Master Guang Ming meditated, Wei Fengniang would appear in various forms. She visualized the Western Buddha, and in the meditative state, Amitabha Buddha would appear. As she sincerely chanted Buddha, mid-chant, the face of the Amitabha Buddha would transform into Wei Fengniang's. Subsequently, the faces of Guanyin Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta by the side would also become Wei Fengniang's...

She could impersonate even the Buddha, so what couldn't she do? She reflected on the karma creditors of her past lives, be it parents or children, regardless of the joys and sorrows involved, regardless of her efforts in teaching and chanting, in the end, they would all turn into Wei Fengniang.

Most terrifyingly, one day, she discovered that she herself had become Wei Fengniang!

It was not only her; even Master Guang Hui gradually exhibited such symptoms, and they grew increasingly severe over the years!

The two were at their wit's end, successively seeking advice from Master Fen Tuo and Master You Tan, who advised them both to "see through, let go, be free, follow fate, and chant the Buddha."

The problem was, they couldn't see through, couldn't let go, couldn't be free, and couldn't follow fate to chant the Buddha...

Fentuo Master suggested: "Your heart is tainted by anger and greed for the Buddha Fruit. The convergence of these poisons transforms Buddha and Bodhisattva into Wei Fengniang. When you encounter such situations, make vows wishing Wei Fengniang to attain enlightenment. Wish for her enlightenment, even before yourself, thus turning adversity into harmony, and malevolent conditions into favorable ones, transforming all hostility into peace."

Youtan Master suggested: "Do not seek the Tathagata through appearances. Constantly recite the Buddha's name, see Buddha in every moment, and perceive all beings in the vast universe as avatars of Amitabha Buddha. Regard Wei Fengniang as an avatar of Amitabha Buddha. No matter how she appears, just keep chanting and worshiping the Buddha. In time, your delusions will naturally dissolve, and you'll attain enlightenment and see your true nature."

The two returned and tried, yet still could not succeed.

They simply couldn't bring themselves to wish Wei Fengniang enlightenment, in fact, they wished her to hell!

Neither could they imagine Wei Fengniang as an avatar of Amitabha Buddha. How could Amitabha Buddha possibly be so vile, committing such acts of betrayal?

Unable to achieve their goal, they struggled for a long time. On this day, they forced themselves into meditation again and once more encountered Wei Fengniang, becoming infuriated.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a glow of Buddha Light appeared, within which emerged a ten-foot Golden Body Buddha, seated on a Lotus Platform. With just a wave of his hand, he eradicated "Wei Fengniang."

They hurried forward to bow, and the Buddha told them that he was Zhu Youmu, the Caiwei Monk. Now he had taken the tutelage of Xin Ru Nun on Jiuhua Mountain, learned her secret techniques, and achieved the ten-foot Golden Body. Soon, he would follow the nun in propagating teachings.

He said that Xin Ru Nun had attained perfect wisdom and supreme enlightenment, capable of alleviating all worldly suffering and extinguishing all afflictions. If they had any concerns or hardships, they could go to Jiuhua Mountain and seek Xin Ru Nun's help.

After emerging from the meditative state, the two gathered to discuss and saw it as an opportunity.

They knew Monk Caiwei Zhu Youmu and had heard of the great name of Xin Ru Nun. Having been troubled by "Wei Fengniang" for years, finding a solution would be as if Buddha and Bodhisattva had appeared in person.

So, they hurried to Jiuhua Mountain to pay their respects to Xin Ru Nun.

Xin Ru Nun sent her newly accepted disciple, Sleeping Nun Pan Du, to greet them and bring them to the Zen Hall.

They presented themselves to their host and recounted the troubles they had faced over the years. Xin Ru Nun smiled and said, "This matter is easy. I have a secret method called Locking Heart Refining God Demon Suppression, specifically devised for situations like yours. Within a meditative state, with a single thought, it can expel hundreds of demons and thousands of evils."

Upon hearing this, they were overjoyed. Pan Du invited them to join Xin Ru Nun's order, "Master is about to begin sharing his teachings. Would you like to help carry on the legacy of the Tathagata?"

Sleeping Nun Pan Du was also a renowned figure in Buddhism. Originally from the Buddhist sect, she was expelled by her master for violating the precepts of anger and killing, given her fierce nature and hatred of evil. She then found refuge under another Earth Immortal and wore Daoist garb, becoming a peer of Hundred Beasts Daoist Gongye Huang.

Now that Gongye Huang had "ascended," Pan Du, skilled in both Buddhist and Daoist practices, was still unable to ascend. With the great celestial disaster looming, she was in quite a panic.

Before Gongye Huang left, he was concerned about three important people: his wife Qin Yan, and two disciples, of whom one was Pan Du.

He left Pan Du a letter, advising her to seek help from Shi Feiyang if needed.

However, Pan Du, with her eccentric temperament, didn't think highly of Shi Feiyang, who hails from a different background. At the time, observing he opposed the Orthodox Sects of Buddhism and Daoism, mingling with evil on Star Constellations Sea, refining the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, she did not reach out to him. Only now, worried by the celestial disaster and seeing many Sword Immortals migrating to the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain, she pondered if she too should seek refuge.

At this critical moment, Xin Ru Nun approached her, enlightening her with Buddhist law, and telling her that the Daoist path she had taken over the centuries was misguided, and her future lay within the Buddhist tradition.

Finding this deeply resonant, Pan Du immediately rejoiced and followed, returning to Buddhist garb. True to her feelings, it felt like returning home, moving her to tears.

Guang Ming and Guang Hui, two senior nuns, upon hearing Pan Du's fame and wholeheartedly impressed by Xin Ru Nun, also immediately became disciples.

At this moment, Xin Ru Nun sensed Xie Shan's arrival and sent the junior nun, A Ying, to greet him.

A Ying led Xie Shan inside. Xie Shan tried his best to remain composed, though his voice trembled, asking Xin Ru Nun if his daughter, Xie Ying's primordial spirit, had been seized by her.

Xin Ru Nun pointed to A Ying: "Isn't this your little debtor? What's so endearing?"

Xie Shan was taken aback, looking at A Ying, whose features were completely unlike Xie Ying, yet upon closely examining her primordial spirit, she indeed was Xie Ying reincarnated.

Bursting with emotion, he reached out to hold A Ying.

But A Ying stepped back, evading, "Amitabha Buddha! Please, Zen Master, maintain your decorum."

Xie Shan halted, gazing at the girl, his tears finally falling uncontrollably, "Ying'er, don't you remember me?"

A Ying shook her head, "Amitabha Buddha, I have never met you in this life, though my master has spoken of you, saying you were my adopted father in a previous life. Now I am reborn, it wouldn't be right to address you as a daughter anymore."