Chapter 1128: Chapter 719: A Disagreement Turns Hostile

Xuan Ye, the Sect Leader of the Celestial Lotus Sect, has lived for ten thousand years and is the strongest in the Eastern Province Buddhism.

This Xuan Ye has always been formidable, and under his leadership, the Eastern Province Buddhism has become increasingly unified. Although it still cannot compare to the East Sea Dragon Court, it holds a steady second position in the Eastern Province.

Xuan Ye possesses immense cultivation and high status, interacting as an equal with the East Sea Dragon King.

Even though Ao Jiuni is skilled in dealing with people, in front of this formidable sect leader, he can only follow the other’s lead.

Just like when the other didn’t use the normal entrance but forcefully entered Celestial Dragon Island directly, Ao Jiuni was displeased but could only endure it.

Hearing that Xuan Ye wanted to see Gao Xuan, Ao Jiuni was quite pleased.

Gao Xuan annihilated all the Buddhist experts in the Northern Province, so they couldn’t even find an appropriate Buddhist expert to send an invitation to.

Xuan Ye always considered Buddhism as a whole, and when trouble arose in the Northern Province Buddhism, it’s said Xuan Ye also sent people to investigate.

In the end, for some unknown reason, Xuan Ye didn’t go to the Northern Province to settle scores with Gao Xuan.

This encounter on Celestial Dragon Island, Xuan Ye, to assert his position in Buddhism, couldn’t let Gao Xuan go.

However, his eagerness to find Gao Xuan right after arriving at Celestial Dragon Island surprised Ao Jiuni a little.

Xuan Ye, being the strongest in Buddhism, manages multiple religious sects; he has dozens of Golden Body Arhats under his command.

Such a powerful figure, even if he was eager to exact revenge on Gao Xuan, should maintain his composure. Being so impatient seems somewhat ungraceful.

Ao Jiuni pretended to be troubled: "Master and the esteemed monks under your command have come from afar, enduring the travel fatigue. I have arranged rooms for you all to rest first..."

Xuan Ye waved his hand: "No need to say more, lead the way."

"Alright then, Celestial Master Gao resides at Cyan Cloud Residence, I’ll take Master there now."

With Xuan Ye being so assertive, Ao Jiuni didn’t try to persuade him, he just led the way.

If the two powerful figures end up fighting to the death, that would be great!

Ao Jiuni summoned a cloud mass, carrying Xuan Ye and several Buddhist experts to Cyan Cloud Residence.

Following Xuan Ye were several monks from the Celestial Lotus Sect. Even if Ao Jiuni hadn’t met them before, he could recognize them by their appearance and poise.

The Eastern Province is vast, but Human Immortal-level strong practitioners can still be counted on one hand. Especially Buddhism, which has developed rapidly over the past one to two thousand years, amassing a large number of followers and increasing in strength.

The higher-ups of the East Sea Dragon Court pay close attention to Buddhism, and though Buddhism as a whole is still far less powerful than the East Sea Dragon Court, given time, it could threaten the court’s dominance.

Being in charge of external affairs, Ao Jiuni is particularly concerned about these issues.

Among those following Xuan Ye, the most striking was the black-robed nun, Jin Xiang.

Even though she was a woman, she stood eight feet tall, half a head taller than Ao Jiuni.

It’s worth noting that Ao Jiuni, in human form, is already very tall, standing out in any crowd. Yet, he seemed a bit short next to Jin Xiang, indicating her extraordinary height.

At the Human Immortal level, one’s physical form can be altered, but the true form must align with one’s power.

The height Ao Jiuni took in human form was reached after thousands of trials, determining the most suitable human shape for himself. It wasn’t randomly chosen.

Jin Xiang was originally Human Race, yet so tall, partly from birth, partly from cultivation.

Ao Jiuni had long heard of Jin Xiang’s reputation; she cultivates the Vajra Power King Scripture. Her Vajra Invulnerability is unmatched.

It’s said she traveled through the Eastern Province, single-handedly destroying three Demon Kings. She also sparred with various major sects, yet met no equal.

It was Ao Jiuni’s first time meeting Jin Xiang. While she was tall, her physique was well-proportioned and graceful. Her features were delicate, especially her eyes that were clear as water, exuding a calm and serene aura. Her height didn’t impose any pressure.

Noticing Ao Jiuni’s curious gaze, Jin Xiang politely nodded in acknowledgment.

Xuan Ye, with a proud smile, said, "This is Jin Xiang, a disciple under my humble guidance. She has natural talent and a boundless future."

For someone of Xuan Ye’s stature to say such words shows how satisfied he is with Jin Xiang.

Understanding the etiquette, Ao Jiuni quickly praised, "I’ve long heard of Master Jin Xiang’s great reputation on Celestial Dragon Island. Meeting her today, she indeed has an extraordinary demeanor..."

Xuan Ye suddenly asked Ao Jiuni, "How does Jin Xiang compare to Gao Xuan?"

This question left Ao Jiuni somewhat startled.

While Jin Xiang is naturally gifted, comparing her to Gao Xuan is overly arrogant.

Ao Jiuni has witnessed Gao Xuan’s Divine Power firsthand; even Xuan Ye probably falls short of Gao Xuan by a degree or two.

Of course, this is merely a subtle impression without any real standard of judgment.

He knows little about both Gao Xuan and Xuan Ye.

In comparison, Xuan Ye resembles a towering peak, grand and majestic, filled with immense power that inspires awe.

Gao Xuan, however, is like the bright moon, visible to all, yet untouchable.

This isn’t about power comparison, but Ao Jiuni’s intuitive sense of their presence.

Based on this subtle sentiment, Ao Jiuni feels Xuan Ye isn’t on par with Gao Xuan.

Xuan Ye understood Ao Jiuni’s meaning, realizing he thought there’s no comparing Jin Xiang to Gao Xuan, hence his expression.

Xuan Ye was somewhat curious, "Is Gao Xuan really that strong?"

To be honest, Xuan Ye doesn’t quite believe Ao Jiuni’s assessment.

Jin Xiang’s strength already rivals his, but her cultivation of the Vajra Power King Scripture conceals her power, making it unobservable to outsiders.

Nonetheless, Ao Jiuni is known for his competence among the many sons of the East Sea Dragon King. His high regard and slight dread for Gao Xuan indeed suggest Gao Xuan’s remarkable ability.

Ao Ming was killed, yet the East Sea Dragon King remained silent, indicating the Old Dragon also holds some apprehension for Gao Xuan.

Such a character cannot be taken lightly!

Upon thinking this, Xuan Ye became even more curious about Gao Xuan.

Ao Jiuni’s control over the clouds was swift, and within a few sentences, he had brought Xuan Ye and the group to the front gate of Cyan Cloud Residence.

Ao Jiuni was quite familiar with the place, and he took the initiative to go forward and call at the door.

Xuan Ye stood behind with Jin Xiang, waiting. The group of monks all had profound cultivation. Both Buddhism and Daoism emphasize temperament.

At this moment, everyone was quite composed.

After a while, the large door was opened from inside, and Ripples said to Ao Jiuni in a bad mood, "Why are you here again?"

These words were actually somewhat impolite. Ripples had a particularly poor impression of the Dragon Race now, as Gao Xuan had instructed her to be cautious of them.

She was straightforward and did not hide her thoughts towards Ao Jiuni.

Ao Jiuni was quite inscrutable; even though he faced disdain, he was not at all annoyed. He smiled and bowed, "Friend, the esteemed high monk, Master Xuan Ye from the Eastern Province Buddhism, is here to visit the Celestial Master. Please do inform."

Ripples glanced at Xuan Ye and the others, and was slightly surprised. At first glance, this group of monks seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, each had an extraordinary bearing, none inferior to hers!

Gao Xuan had decimated many masters of Buddhism in the Northern Province, creating deep enmity with them.

Now that they are here, it may not bode well.

Ripples restrained her temper and said to Ao Jiuni, "My master is resting, please wait for a moment, and I will inform him at once."

With that, she closed the door and went back to inform Gao Xuan.

Gao Xuan was playing chess with Yun Qingxia in the quiet room when he heard Ripples’ report. He had Ice Soul and Ripples bring them in.

Xuan Ye was the top person of the Eastern Province Buddhism, and Gao Xuan naturally knew long ago. This sudden visit was unlikely to be for good news.

When Ripples and Ice Soul ushered Xuan Ye and the others into the central courtyard, Gao Xuan walked down a few steps from the platform and bowed in greeting, "I did not know Master Xuan Ye would visit, forgive the lack of hospitality, my apologies."

Xuan Ye put his hands together and softly chanted a Buddhist mantra, repeatedly saying he dared not.

Though the two came from different backgrounds, there was no telling whose status was higher. As a generation of champions, basic courtesy was never lacking.

While exchanging pleasantries, they were also observing each other.

Xuan Ye, Jin Xiang, and other Buddhist masters were quite surprised. This Gao Xuan indeed had unparalleled grace, standing there so freely and elegantly, seemingly unbound by anything.

Such demeanor indeed possesses a powerful charm to captivate hearts.

Although Xuan Ye harbored strong hostility towards Gao Xuan, he had to secretly admire, "Indeed, peerless grace, remarkable, remarkable!"

The other Buddhist masters, needless to say, although their expressions were calm, they were all shocked within.

This subtle change in aura was undeniable yet genuine.

Upon first meeting, Gao Xuan’s extraordinary demeanor immediately overshadowed the Buddhist masters.

Although Xuan Ye was upset, feeling their cultivation was too lacking, losing momentum without having acted, he could not erupt at the moment.

After some simple exchanges, Gao Xuan invited the group into the main hall to be seated.

Luckily, the Cyan Cloud Residence main hall was quite spacious, seating a dozen people did not seem cramped.

Once seated, Ripples and Ice Soul personally served tea. Though their cultivation was high, they were indeed Gao Xuan’s maids. Besides, with so many strong figures present, it was unwise for the less capable children to serve and disgrace themselves.

The Buddhist folks saw through it, the two elegant girls were both Nine-Revolutions Human Immortals. When receiving tea, they were meticulous in their courtesy.

Xuan Ye and the others secretly praised this; not to mention Human Immortals, even those at the Spirit Immortal level, who would serve tea and water?

It was said that the two maids at Gao Xuan’s side were enlightened by him through Divine Techniques, and now it seemed true.

Xuan Ye drank a sip of tea, it was indeed top-shelf Spirit Tea. Regardless of good or bad, this Celestial Master Gao had top-tier magnanimity.

Xuan Ye didn’t come to Gao Xuan for a fight or revenge; mostly, he wanted to see what kind of person Gao Xuan was.

Now seeing, Xuan Ye felt a bit troubled.

Such a character, truly if there was a fight, he had no certainty!

In ten thousand years, Xuan Ye encountered a formidable rival whose depth he could not fathom for the first time.

However, he couldn’t just let Gao Xuan go unchecked.

All of Buddhism was watching; before coming to the Celestial Dragon Dharma Assembly, the Buddhists had convened several times, unanimously deciding to look for an opportunity to eliminate Gao Xuan to avenge fellow sect members in the Northern Province.

Xuan Ye pondered and said, "Celestial Master, forgive my bluntness. I’ve heard that numerous high monks of the Northern Province Buddhism were all killed by the Celestial Master. Is this true?"

"Yes."

Gao Xuan readily admitted, "A few high monks had come together, determined to kill me. When it came to action, there was no mercy."

Xuan Ye’s face darkened, "This is just the Celestial Master’s side of the story. Even if many high monks made mistakes, they did not all deserve to die."

He said coldly, "The Celestial Master’s actions seem excessively domineering and ruthless."

Gao Xuan laughed, "If that’s how the Master sees it, so be it."

Xuan Ye felt somewhat at a loss for words, this guy just outright admitted it. It aroused more anger in him, such an arrogant fellow.

Jin Xiang suddenly stood up, "The Celestial Master is indeed domineering. Since that’s the case, let me witness the Celestial Master’s methods."

At that moment, Jin Xiang’s skin faintly glowed golden, his voice carried more metallic and cold hardness.

Upon speaking, Ao Jiuni’s ears buzzed.

Ao Jiuni was not shocked but pleased, it was about to get physical, splendid!