The Eternal Way-Chapter 172: Enchantment

Upon reaching the fifth floor, all the strange phenomena disappeared.

Here, it truly became an ordinary wooden tower, devoid of anything that had intimidated Li Qi below.

However, this wooden tower was luxuriously decorated with gold and jade on all four sides, a sandalwood cover, walls painted with lingzhi grass, and a canopy adorned with floral buds. Below were numerous clay sculptures.

Clay sculptures of canopies, pipas, demon-subduing vajras, nine-ring staffs, cloud supports, treasure bottles, pagoda bells, lotus petals, conch shells, dragon-patterned pearl plates, banners, square flags, hand drums, and kapala bowls.

None of these were real; they were all clay sculptures painted and baked to resemble the originals.

Underneath these sculptures, there was a Buddha seat with a shrine, throne, and bed inside.

In the shrine, a small Buddha statue, less than a foot tall, was enshrined.

Though small, it used many intricate materials. Li Qi could identify broad glue, alum, green powder, vermilion, orpiment, realgar, yellow pigment, gamboge, rouge, red gold, and yellow gold.

These materials were ground into powder and made into liquid, painted onto the Buddha's skin, making it lifelike as if it were a real person, with skin that looked touchably soft.

The Buddha statue wore a headband, flower crown, earrings, bracelets, anklets, and necklaces, all exquisitely crafted, almost lifelike.

Around the shrine, colorful murals were painted in gold lacquer, depicting roaring lions, elephants, divine horses, mules, cows, foreign figures, arhats, bodhisattvas, and monks.

The paintings depicted a harmonious scene where all beings coexisted peacefully, centered around the monks, amidst mountains, trees, bridges, colorful clouds, and landscapes.

Various sacred beasts extended outward, including tigers, leopards, bears, dogs, sheep, wolves, cranes, warblers, and parrots, gradually spreading out until the end of the mural.

The entire shrine was six feet wide, two feet deep, and three feet high. In front of the shrine stood two people.

One sat cross-legged with an open scripture before him, his eyes closed in a state of trance, emitting golden light.

He wore official robes, seemingly too eager to sit here without changing clothes.

The other man stood, dressed in white with cloud patterns, holding a scripture and reading carefully.

This handsome young man, standing elegantly, even made Li Qi feel inferior. His white robe accentuated his unparalleled demeanor, though his attire didn't resemble anything from Bailing or Baiyue.

His accessories, cloud patterns, and design were unfamiliar to Li Qi, but undeniably beautiful.

Moreover, his handsomeness added to the refreshing aura he exuded.

Compared to the middle-aged official who seemed lost in meditation, unaware of Li Qi's presence, this young gentleman immediately put away his book upon seeing Li Qi arrive.

"Ah, someone managed to pass through the first four floors. Interesting. Who are you?" The elegant young man placed the book on the shrine's offering table and approached Li Qi.

As he came closer, Li Qi felt an intense pressure.

It was like...

What was it?

Li Qi couldn't describe it.

But he felt restrained, instinctively so when facing this man.

It was akin to how one feels free and relaxed alone but becomes more reserved during important meetings, paying attention to posture and speech.

He felt himself instinctively straighten his back and lift his head.

This feeling was uncomfortable, causing Li Qi's expression to change. He activated his martial arts inner energy, forcibly breaking free and disheveling his hair and collar.

Originally neatly tied, his hair now hung loose, creating more "chaos" than "order," instantly dispelling the sense of restraint.

Breaking free from this constraint, Li Qi remained vigilant.

"Who are you?" Li Qi subtly stepped back, cautiously observing the man.

"I am Wang Baisan. Sorry for startling you. I was just surprised to see someone pass through the lower floors," the young man said.

Wang Baisan, curious, stood before Li Qi: "The lower floors test your purity of heart, karma, mental fortitude, and patience. Only the scriptures lacked protection but still tested one's resolve."

He continued to observe Li Qi: "Passing through without anomalies shows no ill will or karmic ties, strong mental endurance under Buddha's light, and not being tempted by scriptures. If you're not a natural Buddha child, you must be exceptional. You don't seem high-ranking, with calloused hands, indicating hard labor, not soft-skinned."

"I guess you rose from humble beginnings, seized opportunities, and excelled. Your talent is evident," Wang Baisan remarked.

Li Qi felt embarrassed but focused on his mission: "I have urgent business. Is this the Guangyang Sīmǎ?"

He pointed to the middle-aged man engrossed in the scriptures.

Observing this man, Li Qi sensed he might also be at the Ninth Rank, but his cultivation path was unknown—neither martial nor shamanistic, nor Daoist.

Yet, the restraining sensation felt familiar.

Fortunately, it wasn't enough to truly suppress him.

"Yes, he is the Guangyang Sīmǎ, but he's deeply immersed in Buddhism, uninterested in worldly affairs. You probably can't wake him," Wang Baisan said.

"Wake him?" Li Qi frowned, ignoring Wang Baisan and pushing the Sīmǎ.

A gentle push did nothing; the man remained in a meditative state.

Using more force, Li Qi tried again, but the protective golden light repelled him, sending him back several steps against the wall.

"As I said, you can't wake him," Wang Baisan observed.

"How can this be? Golden light protection usually indicates entering a critical stage of cultivation," Li Qi noted, landing from the wall, his expression grave.

This was bad. The golden light meant self-imposed protection during crucial cultivation phases, indicating the Sīmǎ deliberately blocked external disturbances.

"What's your urgent matter?" Wang Baisan asked curiously.

Li Qi had no time for idle talk: "Military urgency. Excuse me, I must leave."

He rushed down the stairs to find Chan Zhi.

Finding Chan Zhi, Li Qi expressed his frustration: "Chan Zhi Master, the Guangyang Sīmǎ is lost in Buddhism. Can you help wake him? It's a matter of life and death for tens of thousands."

Chan Zhi listened attentively: "Tell me more about this matter. Without specifics, I can't judge whether to assist."

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Li Qi explained: "Demons attacked Guanzhen, forcing an emergency evacuation. We need grain supplies from Guangyang, requiring the Sīmǎ's approval. But he's in meditation."

Chan Zhi agreed: "Indeed, this is urgent. Let me help you wake him."

Chan Zhi quickly went upstairs, waking the Sīmǎ: "Sīmǎ Qian, wake up!"

The golden light burst forth but was swiftly dispelled by Chan Zhi, who then shook the Sīmǎ awake.

"Who?! How dare you!" The Sīmǎ roared, rising abruptly.

Li Qi and Wang Baisan backed away, fearing the wrath of a Seventh Rank cultivator, which could severely harm their cultivation.

Seeing this, Chan Zhi chanted a Buddhist mantra, summoning golden light and various miraculous manifestations, calming the Sīmǎ.

"My apologies, Master. What do you need?" The Sīmǎ regained composure.

Chan Zhi turned to Li Qi: "The Sīmǎ is awake. Please explain your situation."

After thanking Chan Zhi, Li Qi presented his credentials and documents: "Please sign these documents so I can obtain supplies."

"Just for this? You interrupted my meditation! Next time, go to the Situ!" The Sīmǎ signed reluctantly, returning to his scriptures.

Li Qi sighed, descending the tower to bid farewell to Chan Zhi.

Wang Baisan tried to engage him, but Li Qi politely excused himself, heading down the mountain, riding Old Horse toward the military granary.