Chapter 480 — Realms in Fusion
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
This was Shen Mu's first time here. Knowing that he had once toppled Little Tathagata's Buddha statue, he intended to take a detour. Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came to him, saying in surprise, "Why is Sect Master Shen here?"
Shen Mu looked toward the voice and could not help but start. He smiled and said, "Brother Xu is here as well? What a coincidence!"
Xu Shenghua and Jing Yan each carried a bundle on their backs, following behind a large, fat monk. Shen Mu's heart turned solemn — that large, fat monk, with his imposing and extraordinary build, was none other than Little Tathagata of Little Thunderclap Monastery!
He had once seen Little Tathagata in a village in the Barren Ruins. Little Tathagata had challenged Daoist Lingjing to battle, and they had fought fiercely in the night. Shen Mu had been right there at the time!
Little Tathagata had a fat head and large ears, a countenance far from common. He treated Xu Shenghua with great courtesy and was inviting the two to be his guests in the mountains. This large, fat monk looked toward Shen Mu, and Shen Mu suddenly felt everything before his eyes turn dazzlingly bright — that was Little Tathagata's gaze.
"So it is Sect Master Shen."
Little Tathagata's voice was like thunder. He extended an invitation. "A guest from afar is a guest indeed. Though I have had my differences with Sect Master Shen, you have come from far away, and I cannot but receive you with all hospitality. Sect Master, please, come up the mountain and sit awhile."
Shen Mu hesitated a moment, then said, "Brother, you are too kind. I have an urgent matter and was just on my way to Yin Mountain..."
Jing Yan smiled and said, "Young Master Shen is going to Yin Mountain? We have just returned from Yin Mountain ourselves. Come to think of it, what a coincidence — you and the great monk meeting at Yin Mountain would yield great gains."
Shen Mu was astonished and looked toward Xu Shenghua. Xu Shenghua nodded and said, "Yanzi and I were traveling about and came to Yin Mountain, where we saw the great monk subduing and refining a god-devil's primordial spirit, locked in a stalemate. So we stepped forward to assist, and by good fortune took that god-devil's primordial spirit. What does Sect Master Shen go to Yin Mountain for?"
Shen Mu's mind was greatly shaken. He blurted out, "You took a god-devil's primordial spirit at Yin Mountain? This primordial spirit — did it call itself Kui Wu Shen?"
Little Tathagata said in surprise, "Sect Master Shen's divine foresight has reached such a degree? This old monk encountered that demon at Yin Mountain and saw that it was trapped, yet bound about with countless vengeful souls. Knowing it to be my merit, I was moved to deliver it, and so I acted. Yet though the demon was suppressed by another, its divine powers were vast, and several times it nearly turned on me. Fortunately, Young Master Xu happened by and aided me with the arts of the Upper Heaven."
Shen Mu was utterly dumbfounded. Then he suddenly laughed aloud. "Then there is no need for me to go to Yin Mountain. To speak frankly, I too was going to Yin Mountain to subdue this god-devil's primordial spirit. Since the Tathagata extends an invitation, I should of course go up the mountain as a guest. I thank you for your hospitality!"
Little Tathagata looked at him and said, "People all call me Little Tathagata. Why does Sect Master Shen not add the word 'Little'?"
Shen Mu smiled and said, "Tathagata is a realm. When the realm is reached, it matters not whether one is great or small."
The great monk praised him. "Sect Master Shen has a Buddha's heart. If you could take refuge in the Buddhist faith, you would surely become a Tathagata in the future. Please."