Shrouding the Heavens

"Beast, absolute beast! That kid is even targeting a nun!" Li Heishui howled.

"She's just a little nun, only fifteen or sixteen! So beastly!" Tu Fei widened his eyes.

"You shouldn't be too much like Ye Fan, daring enough to go after nuns at such a young age. It makes us feel ashamed." Liu Kou stared intently.

"This kid is truly indiscriminate; that's the princess of the Great Xia Dynasty." Jiang Huairen clicked his tongue.

Wu Zhongtian was a bit worried and walked forward. He feared Ye Fan might cause great trouble, as such an Ancient Dynasty is even more terrifying than the Sacred Lands.

"That is the princess of the Great Xia Dynasty. Born alongside the Buddha Flower, she entered Buddhism. Although she has become a nun, she's still Emperor Xia's most cherished daughter. He better not cause any trouble."

The five moved forward, closely watching ahead.

How could Ye Fan not be amazed? He had heard that there was Buddhism in the Western Desert and even monks in the Central States. He had long wanted to investigate.

The Buddha originated from the Paramita beyond the Starry Sky. He was a figure from two thousand five hundred years ago, and it could be said he came from the same place as Ye Fan.

He was eager to know if this Buddha was the one from the Great Thunderchant Temple, whether he originated from Earth.

If so, then there is a glimmer of hope for me!

He was so eager to understand all this. If this Buddha was a sage who could traverse the Starry Sky, then there would be hope for him to return to his homeland.

Although he could soar through the heavens and tunnel through the earth in this world, possessing great strength, he would rather be a mortal, quietly enjoying the warmth of his home instead of living this kind of life.

Siddhartha Gautama, a figure from over two thousand years ago, founded Buddhism, which reached a peak of prosperity and had an immense influence on later generations.

In the past, Ye Fan merely thought of him as an ancient person with great wisdom and never considered him a god.

He believed that the so-called Buddha was merely a spiritual state of being, not a manifestation of Divine Ability. He did not believe anyone could exhibit divine mystical arts.

However, when the nine dragons pulling the coffin departed from Mt. Tai and brought him to a mysterious and unfathomable world, all his cognitive understanding was overturned.

He had no choice but to regard that ancient wise man as a god, a cultivator with limitless magical power—this was a profound shift in his understanding.

He couldn't forget the ruins of the Great Thunderchant Temple on the Firefly Ancient Star. He desperately wanted to know where the Buddha had gone.

This world had Buddhism. It was highly likely the Buddha had come here.

For this world, two thousand five hundred years was not very long; there were still living people from that time. However, for the Paramita beyond the Starry Sky, it seemed an incredibly long time, stretching back to the Pre-Qin era.

The Buddha had achieved enlightenment in that era, but his true cultivation base was unknown.

Whether he came to this world following the Star Gates left by ancient people or traversed the Starry Sky relying on his own strength, Ye Fan couldn't ascertain.

Ye Fan felt a dreamy, illusion-like sensation. Figures from the Paramita beyond the Starry Sky, from two thousand five hundred years ago, should have long returned to dust. Yet, he might converse with them in the future.

"Who goes there? Halt!"

Up ahead, the Prince and Princess of the Great Xia Dynasty were surrounded by guards, all clad in Iron Armor, enveloped in Divine Radiance, their Combat Power surging intensely.

These people guarded tightly, scanning all directions, and naturally blocked Ye Fan upon seeing him charge forward.

"I want to meet the little nun." Ye Fan was somewhat excited, hence his words were slightly improper.

"How dare you! Would you offend the Princess?" The armored guard wielded his sword horizontally, blocking Ye Fan's path.

"No, what I mean is, I wish to see the little master, your esteemed Princess." Ye Fan steadied himself and looked ahead.

The Prince of the Central State Great Xia Dynasty had hair like a waterfall and eyes resembling stars. His aura was outstanding, like a son of the Heavenly Emperor descending to the mortal realm, extremely valiant. He wore Divine Iron Armor, and with every move, Emperor Qi swirled around him, forming dragon shapes that radiated dazzling light.

He looked over, his dark eyes as deep as the ocean, and asked indifferently, "What is your business?"

Ye Fan spoke, "I, a mere Daoist, observed His Highness's majestic aura, enveloped in Dragon Qi, manifesting the dignity of an emperor. I couldn't help but step forward to glimpse the True Dragon's countenance."

The Prince of Great Xia smirked faintly and said, "You do have a way with words. Come forward and look closer."

"This guy sure can flatter. He clearly has his eyes on the Prince's sister!" Li Heishui muttered quietly.

"In the Central State Great Xia, competition among the princes is fierce. Such words are naturally welcome to him." Liu Kou whispered.

"This kid's really something... He's aiming for the Prince's nun-sister but talks about Dragon Qi and imperial dignity. What a piece of work!" Tu Fei pouted.

The armored guards let Ye Fan pass. Now close to the Great Xia Prince, he said, "I observe in Your Highness that the celestial court is like the sun and the earthly pavilion like the moon. Violet Qi soars to the heavens, and your eyes radiate Dragon Might. You shall indeed ascend the great throne someday, becoming an Emperor in all your glory." Your support at MV^LEMP^YR keeps the series going.

The Prince of Great Xia was naturally unmoved by his words and asked, "Little Daoist, what exactly have you come for?"

At this moment, Ye Fan was sizing up the Princess of Great Xia. She was indeed just a young nun, seemingly only fifteen or sixteen, dressed in white like snow. All her dark hair was gone, and she wore a white cap.

Though young, she was already tall and slender, gracefully poised with a natural elegance, carrying a slight touch of innocence that was charmingly attractive.

This little nun was truly pure and exquisite, with a touch of innocence. She was curiously looking at him, her big eyes bright and full of Spiritual Qi.

Although she had no flowing hair, it hardly diminished her captivating charm. Her bright eyes were expressive, pure and enchanting, a natural beauty, like something out of a poem or painting.

"Little master, your innate spiritual brilliance is profound, and your divine appearance is natural. You possess Immortal Bone and roots of wisdom. Your body is like a Buddha Flower, your heart like exquisite jade. You are indeed a Bodhisattva reincarnate," Ye Fan said earnestly.

The little nun's big, dark eyes darted around. She stole a glance at him without saying a word, looking very cute and delicate.

"Damn it. The more I look at this boy, the more he seems like a suck-up. He really knows how to spin a yarn," even the usually composed Wu Zhongtian couldn't help but say.

"This kid even dared to strip off the Flickering Light Sacred Lady's bodice; he's definitely bad news," Li Heishui sighed, then said, "Actually, I wanted to go over and say a few words too. This little nun absolutely must not fall for this beast's tricks."

Nearby, the Prince of Great Xia's face suddenly darkened.He sensed this little Daoist was after his sister. Any brother would find it hard to be pleased by this.

Ye Fan naturally noticed his expression. He recited a Daoist salutation, turned to face him, and said, "Your Highness, your power is already taking shape, your Dragon Majesty innately present. All you lack now is the cultivation of Emperor Qi."

The Prince of Great Xia said indifferently, "Do you have any suggestions?"He wanted to get rid of this Daoist, not wanting him to get close to his sister.

Having seen people from Buddhism, Ye Fan was unwilling to leave. He was eager to know if Siddhartha Gautama existed in this world.He said, "I wish to present Your Highness with a scroll of an ancient scripture, which will ensure you rule over Great Xia in the future."

"What does a Daoist like you know about the grand state of the world, or the great Dao of Emperor Qi?" The nearby Guard Commander noticed the Prince's displeasure and wanted to drive Ye Fan away.

"How could I not know? In the universe, there are Four Greats, and the Emperor is one of them. Can you not comprehend this?" Ye Fan retorted.

"You..." The Guard Commander was slightly angered.

"What are the Four Greats?" the Prince of Great Xia asked.

"Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the Emperor is also great," Ye Fan calmly replied, though his eyes glanced toward the little nun.

The Prince of Great Xia was beginning to grasp some meaning, but seeing Ye Fan's manner, he immediately felt a bit irked and asked in a deep voice, "Are these Four Greats related?"

"The Emperor is human; humans follow the Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows Dao, and Dao follows nature. I have a scroll of the Emperor Dao Heavenly Book, which emulates the Earth in its capacity to bear all, and emulates Heaven in its capacity to cover all. It can nurture Emperor Qi and can serve as a reference."

"A beast, truly a beast! To achieve his goal, his words truly blossom like lotuses; he'll stop at nothing," Li Heishui muttered not far away.

"He really knows how to spin a yarn!" Tu Fei also curled his lips.

"If you ponder it carefully, there is some truth to it," Wu Zhongtian mused.

"I think you came for the Princess!" the nearby Guard Commander said coldly.

"That's not correct. I am here for His Highness. However..." At this point, he paused slightly and said, "I also have a few questions for the little master."

"What do you want to ask?" the Prince of Great Xia asked plainly.

"I want to ask the little master, is Tathagata still in this world?" Ye Fan stared at the little nun with utmost seriousness.

The exquisitely beautiful little nun looked slightly panicked. She hid behind her brother, tilting her head and blinking her big eyes at him.

As soon as the word "Tathagata" was spoken, the expression of the Prince of the Central State Great Xia changed immediately. He said sternly, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

The word "Tathagata" seemed to possess some strange Demonic Qi. Not only did it cause the Prince of Great Xia's expression to change, but even the Flickering Light Saint Heir, who was not far away, showed a sudden change in countenance and began walking towards them.

He was as radiant as a blazing sun, with golden light streaming over his body, like an Immortal King gracing the mortal world. Even standing in a vast crowd, his uniqueness was apparent.

Ye Fan clearly sensed their change in demeanor. He was surprised. Could the word "Tathagata" possess some kind of demonic might?

Yao Xi also walked over.She didn't know what "Tathagata" meant, only sensed that something was unusual.She was like the first glow of dawn, like a bright moon shedding its brilliance, her lotus steps graceful.

At the same time, Ye Fan sensed another gaze from a pavilion in the Yaochi Immortal Stone Workshop. Their sacred lady was standing by the window, enveloped in mist, looking over in this direction.

"Seeing true reality, all dharmas are empty; sudden enlightenment in an instant, all laws are the same. Once the scenery can't be hidden, a naked encounter ensues." Ye Fan recited a Buddhist gatha, looked at the delicate little nun, and asked, "May I ask if Siddhartha Gautama still exists?"

The little nun, clad in white purer than snow, ethereal like an immortal, opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately closed it again.

The Prince of the Central State Great Xia, at this moment as imposing as a mountain, emitted dragon-shaped qi columns. His divine armor radiated with brilliance, like a Great Emperor descending upon the world, incomparably martial. He stared coldly at Ye Fan and said, "We only know of Buddhism. We have never heard of this name. Do not ask us!"

Is Siddhartha Gautama a taboo?Ye Fan began to suspect.

"Suddenly enlightened, the wondrous mind is the source. The shell of ignorance, once cracked, is all the same. In dreams, there are clearly the six realms of existence; after awakening, all is empty, neither sacred nor mundane." Ye Fan used a Buddhist gatha to test the little nun, finally asking solemnly, "Where is the Buddha?"

"There is Sumeru Mountain in the Western Desert. If you wish to know, you may go there to seek it," the Prince of Great Xia said coldly.

Hearing the words "Sumeru Mountain," Ye Fan was greatly stirred.Is it truly the Dao Field of Siddhartha Gautama?

"I want to hear you speak in detail about Tathagata and Siddhartha Gautama," the Flickering Light Saint Heir said to Ye Fan, his smile as bright as a spring breeze or the morning glow.

Ye Fan was shocked.He sensed that there was something wrong with Buddhism in this world; otherwise, why would the Prince of Great Xia and the Flickering Light Saint Heir react this way?