Chapter 180 – The Staircase
While the carriage was heading towards the Great Buddhist Monastery, Yun Ling looked at his storage ring on his left hand.
"Young Master?" Snow Fang telepathically asked while raising a brow at him.
Right after he finished speaking to his master through his Divine Sense, the inside of the carriage was suddenly illuminated by a bright light, making them almost close their eyes. A second later, there was a long sword inside a sheath, resting on Yun Ling's hands.
Yun Ling slowly slid the sword off its sheath, curious on seeing the sword's real appearance since he had yet to take a look at it.
The moment the sword's blade came to sight, it suddenly glowed in bright, purple light, hiding the blade behind that same glowing light.
"That sword..." Yun Feng muttered as he observed the sword that his elder brother had just summoned from his storage ring.
The sword was none other than the sword that Yun Zhan gave to Yun Ling just before their departure. It was brought over by a disciple from the Black Forge Sect and only arrived earlier at around three pm. It was made by one of the best blacksmiths in the World of Terra from the titan race and one of the protectors of the Black Forge Sect. Yun Feng was sure that their father must've bled a lot of money to have that sword made for Yun Ling considering the status of the one who made that sword. Moreover, the sword's quality was among the best if he had to consider how it looked and felt to him.
In fact, everyone in that carriage felt some chills run down their spines as they laid their eyes on that sword, all excluding Yue Dongmei since she was unconscious on the stretcher.
Yun Ling had a cold smile on his face as he inspected the sword.
"What a good sword..." he happily praised. That was the first time he had seen his sword without its sheath since his father gave it to him just when they were about to leave.
He placed the sword back to its sheath and then returned it back to his storage ring since he noticed the discomfort it caused to his younger brother and most especially, to his seven students and daughter. That was just how great that sword was. It hadn't even done anything yet it was already making the people around him uncomfortable. Yun Ling now had high hopes for his new sword's potential.
"You're not going to look at it some more?" Yun Feng curiously asked.
"No... I'm going to take my time inspecting it later," Yun Ling replied. He was going to take a closer look later when there were no longer any people around so he could focus on inspecting it.
"Papa... what is the Great Buddhist Monastery like?" Yun Xia asked when she noticed that Yun Ling was finally done taking a quick look at his sword.
When the other children heard her question, they looked at Yun Ling, waiting for his answer. They were curious regarding the place where they were going as well.
Yun Ling turned his attention to his daughter and students and smiled.
"Well... for starters the Great Buddhist Monastery is the place where there are many monks around. All of them are practicing Buddhism, seeking to reach the state of nirvana— a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self. If they managed to reach that transcendent state, they will finally be released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It is the ultimate goal of Buddhism that every monk is trying to achieve," Yun Ling explained to them.
Yun Xia and the rest of the children understood some parts but got confused at the other parts especially since they were unfamiliar with some of the terminologies that Yun Ling had used.
Just as they were about to ask him some follow-up questions, Yun Ling raised his hand and told them, "Why don't we hold off those questions for when we get into the Great Buddhist Monastery? I'm sure that the Buddhist Monks there will be happy to answer any question you have."
Seeing that Yun Ling wasn't planning on entertaining their questions anymore, they could only do what he said.
"If I were in your position, I would just stay still and conserve my energy instead of asking me questions here."
"Why is that?" one of the children asked.
"You'll find out soon," Yun Ling said with a somewhat cold smile on his face as he looked at the children bar Yun Xia.
The seven children gulped when they saw that look on Yun Ling's face. Every time he looked at them like that, they usually end up in a bad shape.
"Now then," Yun Ling started. "I'm going to tell you what to do and what not to do in that place. Listen carefully..."
...
It was already evening when Yun Ling and the rest had arrived in the Great Buddhist Monastery.
The carriage stopped right at the foot of a huge mountain just in front of a long staircase that was leading the way to the monastery. As Yun Ling, Yun Feng, Snow Fang, and the children came down the carriage, Yun Feng and the children looked up the staircase and couldn't help but be amazed. They couldn't see an end to it with their eyes. The staircase was long and although it would only take a slight effort for Yun Feng to climb it, the children would surely have a hard time.
"This is... the Great Buddhist Monastery?" Yun Feng muttered to himself.
"You haven't seen anything yet," Yun Ling said with a somewhat cocky smile. "Only after climbing this staircase will you see the Great Buddhist Monastery."
"This is easy for me," Yun Feng said confidently. "But I'm worried that the children wouldn't be able to climb it."
Yun Ling merely smirked at him upon hearing his response.
"Easy for you?" Yun Ling said with a scoff. "I'm afraid you will have a bit of trouble in climbing these stairs..."
The playfulness on Yun Feng's face disappeared as he looked at Yun Ling seriously. The fact that his brother said that meant that there was something more to these stairs than he originally thought.
"What do you mean, Big Bro?"
"You'll find out later," Yun Ling mysteriously said.
After saying that, he went back inside the carriage and slowly got the unconscious Yue Dongmei out as she laid motionlessly on her stretcher. Then, Yun Ling gently placed the stretcher on the ground.
"Well... why don't we start climbing these stairs?"