The pure energy emanating from the Three Lives Stone, or rather, the energy surrounding the Three Lives Stone, slowly rotated into a vortex channel.

Following the order of past life, present life, and future life, Li Changzhou will emerge from the vortex in his present life.

The accumulation of time has shaped Li Changzhou's "present life".

As long as Li Changzhou harbors even a sliver of curiosity, future memories (two words that should be conflicting) will be instilled into his mind through the Three Lives Stone.

Li Changzhou stepped aside.

"Benefactor, are you admitting defeat?" Daoji asked, waving his fan.

"Do I look like a fool or a brute?" Li Changzhou glanced at the monk. "If I were desperate, I might try, but it's not worth the risk to deal with you, the Arhat Subduing Dragon."

Daoji was not angry at Li Changzhou's belittling.

That's true.

Although he was an Arhat, and his title was the all-powerful "Dragon Subduer," even if he was Li Changzhou's opponent, he could not possibly defeat the four of them.

He asked Li Changzhou with great interest, "You have no interest in the future? The Three Lives Stone can grant you memories of your future."

“It is precisely because I am interested that I stepped aside,” Li Changzhou said. “I am not a person with much willpower. The best way to avoid being curious is not to be curious. Alright, enough nonsense, Arhat Subduing Dragon, let’s continue, let’s see who has the higher magical power.”

"The most valuable quality in a person is self-awareness." Daoji shook his head, waving his fan. "If you avoid the Three Lives Stone, why would I, a monk, take the initiative to seek you out?"

"Are you going to run away?" Li Qianxia asked curiously.

“You can run away, but you can’t hide. If I leave, Lingyin Temple, Jingci Temple, and Lin’an City will all be finished.” Daoji said, “Your brother has a lot of murderous aura. He has killed at least five million people, if not ten million.”

"You won't fight, you won't leave, what do you want?" Li Changzhou asked.

“Monk, I’m offering you this golden statue,” Daoji suddenly said.

"What?" All four of them were somewhat shocked.

Surrendering one's golden body is tantamount to surrendering.

“But you must also promise me one thing,” Daoji continued, “From now on, no matter which Arhat or Bodhisattva you go to, you must not use the people as a threat again.”

Li Changzhou had no reason to agree to his request; Ji Gong had no right to negotiate with him.

“Okay,” he said.

He doesn't even know where the Immovable Arhat and the Demon-Subduing Arhat are, so how can he threaten others?

As for randomly picking a city and saying, "If you don't come out, we'll kill you all"... how many cities have been slaughtered already? Which Arhat or Bodhisattva has ever intervened?

As for Guanyin Bodhisattva, having Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing by her side is enough.

As long as they can kill Guanyin, Li Qianxia and Yaochi's mission will be completed, and the two will not be punished in any way—Li Changzhou himself is unrestrained and it doesn't matter if the mission fails.

"Living Buddha Ji Gong, are you really going to hand over the golden statue?" Li Qianxia asked again.

“A monk does not lie,” Ji Gong said with a smile.

Li Qianxia was silent for a moment: "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to."

Ji Gong's smile deepened: "Don't feel guilty because I've done a few good deeds. There is unseen evil in good, and good that is not recognized in evil. Even Arhats and Bodhisattvas cannot escape disasters and calamities. Killing them is not necessarily a bad thing."

"Is there anything else you wish for?" Li Qianxia asked.

"The affairs of the world are never truly over, so why bother to finish them? The so-called 'leaving things unresolved' is itself the solution." Ji Gong sat cross-legged, layers of Buddhist light emanating from his body.

He looked up at the sky, then down at the world, his face showing a mixture of a smile and a cry.

"After cultivating for 2,666 years, I, a monk, still cannot achieve the Bodhisattva's state of being free from all attachments. One must either attain great enlightenment or be heartless and carefree. Unfortunately, I, a monk, cannot reach either of these two extremes. Amitabha."

Ji Gong seemed to be smiling bitterly, or perhaps mocking.

The next moment, his whole body froze, lifeless, leaving only the three-zhang-tall golden Arhat body, as if cast in gold.

When~

When~

The bells of Lingyin Temple and Jingci Temple rang, and in the distance, the setting sun illuminated Leifeng Pagoda in a fiery red glow, making it look like a lit candle.

Li Changzhou accepted the golden body of the Arhat Subduing Dragon and also put the Three Lives Stone into his pocket.

Yaochi summoned a precious chariot, which carried the group away into the air.

The carriage was spacious and luxurious, with six separate bedrooms and a large conference hall.

The four people, along with two snakes—one white and one green—were discussing matters in the conference hall.

“Fighting with monks always makes things a bit mystical,” Li Changzhou said.

"What nonsense!" Li Qianxia said, displeased. "Didn't you learn anything from the actions and last words of the Living Buddha Ji Gong?"

"What did I learn?" Li Changzhou thought for a moment, "The weak will be beaten; even Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas cannot escape this principle."

Li Qianxia rolled her eyes at him.

Yaochi looked at Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing.

A woman dressed in white, with an ethereal air and a touch of compassion, it's no wonder that in some supernatural tales, mortals mistake Bai Suzhen for Guanyin in white robes.

Although Yang Qinglan was also dressed in white, the two had vastly different temperaments; she was exceptionally beautiful and refined.

Even if there were a hundred people, not one of them would think she was Guanyin Bodhisattva. Ninety percent of the time, the first impression that comes to mind is that of a fairy or Chang'e.

Xiaoqing was also beautiful, wearing a bright green dress, with a graceful figure and smooth skin.

I don't know if it's because they are both snake demons, but their waists seem particularly thin, making it hard to look away.

"Lady White Snake," Yaochi said with a smile, "we won't make things difficult for you. Just tell us how to see Guanyin, and we'll let you go."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!