Chapter 678: So Many Prodigies

Lin Fan was utterly speechless at this bald monk. What kind of enlightened master was this? He was completely shameless.

Lin Fan even had the urge to just kill him.

But on second thought, he decided against it—he wasn't a murderous maniac.

"Benefactor, big brother, Great Emperor, please have mercy and restore me to normal." Venerable Shakyamuni was truly crying now. How could he face anyone with this body?

If it were just ordinary swelling, that would be one thing, but the key issue was that it was so excessive that anyone with eyes could see it.

"I have one more method, the last one. If you still don't agree, then there's really nothing I can do." Lin Fan hesitated for a moment, also fed up with the bald monk's pestering.

Venerable Shakyamuni's face lit up with joy, but then quickly returned to normal. The previous method had been so unreliable; how could this last one be any better?

"Please, speak. I'm listening." Venerable Shakyamuni said.

"Bald monk, I see your face is quite delicate. If you completely transform into a female body, it shouldn't be a problem. Since you can't cultivate to become a Buddha, why not become a Bodhisattva?" Lin Fan said calmly.

This was Lin Fan's last resort.

If the bald monk agreed, then all would be well. If not, then it would be a real pain.

Lin Fan also swore to heaven that from now on, he would only use 'Black Tiger Steals the Heart' on mortal enemies. The trouble it brought was impossible to shake off.

If the bald monk had just flown into a rage and attacked him, that would have been fine. But his persistent nagging was unbearable.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Shakyamuni's expression went blank, then he quickly shook his head.

"Forget it, I'll just follow you." Venerable Shakyamuni said without a second thought.

Transform into a female? Was that a joke? This Buddha was perfectly fine as a man; how could he become a Bodhisattva?

"Following me is useless. If you don't leave, do you believe I'll kill you?" Lin Fan was used to being alone, and more importantly, having a big-chested bald monk by his side would be embarrassing if anyone saw.

"Amitabha. This poor monk has already become a monstrous form and has no face to live in this world. To die at the benefactor's hands would be my fortune." Venerable Shakyamuni sat cross-legged on the ground, a Buddha light shining behind his head, as if he were about to enter nirvana.

Lin Fan: "..."

...

In the end, Lin Fan surrendered. He stopped arguing with the bald monk for now. Since he wanted to follow, let him follow.

But Lin Fan had another idea in mind: when the monk wasn't paying attention, he would knock him out with a brick and make a run for it.

Having learned from last time, Lin Fan was determined to conceal his aura completely and go invisible until the monk left.

"Bald monk, you're from the Buddhist clan, how can you eat meat?" By now, Venerable Shakyamuni had decided to stick with Lin Fan, so he sat there, eating meat in big mouthfuls. Seeing this, Lin Fan was somewhat speechless.

"Uh! If I don't eat meat, what do I eat?" Venerable Shakyamuni looked up in confusion, wondering what this human emperor wanted. Could it be that even meat was forbidden?

"Nothing." Lin Fan didn't want to say more. He had already realized that although the Buddhist clan was very similar to the Buddhism of his previous life on Earth, to put it bluntly, they were two different species.

There were probably some differences in doctrine.

"The demonic aura here is soaring to the sky. Very unusual." Venerable Shakyamuni savored the ancient beast leg, his gaze profound as he looked into the distance.

In Venerable Shakyamuni's eyes, endless dark green mist floated over this area, with demons and monsters rampant within.

"Heh, just a group of tree demons." Lin Fan didn't expect Venerable Shakyamuni to have such insight.

"No, there are many tree demons, but their strength is too weak. Yet the demonic aura surges upward, dense and undispersed. Clearly, there must be a powerful demon inside." Venerable Shakyamuni opened his heavenly eye, his originally pitch-black pupils flashing with golden light, seeing through things ordinary people couldn't perceive.

"Oh, looks like you have some skills after all." Lin Fan said with a smile.

"A mere trifle!" Venerable Shakyamuni smiled faintly and waved his hand lightly. Clearly, this praise struck a chord with him.

"Bald monk, can't you live without showing off? A little praise and you're on cloud nine?" Lin Fan was displeased by the monk's smug expression.

He acted one way in front of others and another behind their backs—Lin Fan hadn't encountered many like that.

"Someone's coming." At that moment, Lin Fan noticed several dazzling lights flashing in the pitch-black night sky. In an instant, they appeared before him.

The lights dissipated, revealing several figures in front of Lin Fan and Venerable Shakyamuni.

"Who are you?" Among the three, a man wearing a golden crown with an arrogant demeanor asked in a cold, somewhat hostile tone.

Venerable Shakyamuni, upon seeing those lights, had already taken a robe from his storage ring and draped it over himself, wrapping his strange body tightly so that no one could see the secret within.

"Heh, first come, first served. You came later, yet you ask who we are?" Lin Fan glanced at the three but didn't take them seriously.

But what puzzled Lin Fan was that there were so many strong experts in the Ancient Sacred Realm. These three were all at the seventh level of the Divine Heaven Realm, the Return to One Realm.

"How dare you!" The man in the golden crown, enraged, was about to strike but was stopped by the man beside him.

"Nangong Huang is here."

"Hmph!" The golden-crowned man shot a cold glance at Lin Fan, killing intent flickering in his eyes.

"Haha, Yu Liutian, Xing Wanjian, Jia Yongye, I didn't expect you to be here before us." A rift in the void opened wide, and two figures walked out from within.

One of them, with every step, seemed to embody the great Dao of heaven and earth, merging with the universe.

He was majestic and imposing, his aura deeply concealed.

...

Lin Fan and Venerable Shakyamuni exchanged glances, then began to discuss in low voices.

"I know these four. They are the true prodigies of the major sects. Each one is no weaker than me. I didn't expect four to show up at once. This place must hold some great secret." Venerable Shakyamuni said softly.

Lin Fan looked at the four, then turned his gaze to the man beside Nangong Huang.

That man's cultivation was also at the seventh level of the Divine Heaven Realm, but his hidden aura was like surging waves, extremely powerful.

"Nangong Huang, who is this person by your side? You should know we're not here for sightseeing." Yu Liutian and the other two said with slight dissatisfaction.

"Haha, this is Mu Manfeng. He is powerful and no weaker than us. With Brother Mu's help this time, we'll be even more assured." Nangong Huang said with a smile.

Nangong Huang knew Mu Manfeng's strength well; he was truly formidable. He could suppress Nangong Huang within thirty moves. With such cultivation, even Yu Liutian and the others were no match for him.

...