The Golden Lotus State was precisely where the Glazed Tower watched over by Zen Master Qing Yuan was located. This land was truly blessed with profound fortune. In past Buddhist Assemblies, the number of fated individuals it sent to the Great Virtue Temple was always among the highest. This time, they had even produced a Holy Child who was a Bodhisattva's reincarnation!

Another Holy Child!

Zen Master Qing Nan couldn't help but glance at Yang An behind him. While a pang of jealousy for Qing Yuan's luck struck his heart, he also couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

If this had happened before, forget the Holy Child; the sheer number of fated individuals—thirteen of them—would have been enough to leave him speechless.

Compared to the Golden Lotus State, the Cyan Lotus State's fortune was simply incomparable.

But now, he had brought a Holy Child of his own.

'So what if he's a Holy Child reincarnated from a Bodhisattva? The one behind me is a Holy Child reincarnated from the True Buddha!'

However, since this was the reception for the other Holy Child, there was no need to rush and finish what he was saying. He would wait and see.

With this in mind, Zen Master Qing Nan had no choice but to lead Yang An to the side, planning to make his announcement later.

Hearing the two words "Holy Child," a strong sense of curiosity stirred within Yang An as well.

'I can't even tell if my own status as a Holy Child is real or fake. It's most likely fake.'

'After all, even that "Finger-Burning Offering to the Buddha's Kingdom" was just a fabrication I created using the Lighting Technique and my own blood.'

'But now there's a real Holy Child right here. If I can learn something from him, I can make my own disguise even more perfect.'

Joining the procession to welcome this so-called Holy Child, Yang An craned his neck in anticipation.

Before long, the sound of Sanskrit chanting drifted from the distant horizon, growing closer. At the same time, a magnificent carriage pulled by three massive Flood Dragons sped from the sky and landed on the ground.

The Flood Dragons and carriage vanished as if into thin air, replaced by more than a dozen people marching in neat formation toward the Great Virtue Temple.

Leading them was an old Monk in a white Monk's Robe with gold-trimmed sleeves and collar. Judging by his attire and the aura of his Cultivation Level, he was an Abbot at the Corpse Transformation stage.

Following leisurely behind the old Monk was a young man who appeared to be around twenty years old. Though he wore his long hair in a crown, he was also dressed in a gray monk's habit, his face filled with piety.

Bringing up the rear were more than ten Cultivators with curious expressions. They must be the fated ones from the Golden Lotus State who had passed the Buddhist Assembly.

Yang An's gaze immediately locked onto the young man behind the old Monk. As expected, this had to be the Holy Child that Zen Master Qing Yuan had just mentioned.

'This guy is a Cultivator on the verge of stepping into the Visceral Stone stage. To possess such talent at such a young age is truly extraordinary.'

However, Yang An couldn't see anything particularly special about this so-called Holy Child. He could only wait and observe.

When the group drew near, Zen Master Qing Yuan led the others forward with a warm expression to greet them.

"Zen Master, I, De Shuang, have brought the Holy Child and the thirteen fated ones," the old Monk said respectfully to Zen Master Qing Yuan.

"Excellent, excellent! Martial Nephew, you have worked hard, traveling thousands of miles to bring the Holy Child and the fated ones. If you are weary, go rest in the Golden Wheel Hall. After I have escorted the Holy Child and the fated ones to the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall to pay respects to Hai Shu Bodhisattva, we can gather again."

"Yes!"

The old Monk named De Shuang immediately complied, stepping aside and entrusting the Holy Child and the fated ones to Zen Master Qing Yuan and his retinue.

The crowd of Monks and Gami who had come to greet them all began chanting scriptures in unison. This seemed to be the highest Buddhist rite for welcoming a Holy Child.

The young man, basking in this high-level treatment, showed no signs of stage fright. He followed behind Zen Master Qing Yuan with a beaming smile, walking toward the vast Great Virtue Temple.

Everyone followed behind them, escorting the Holy Child into the Holy Land.

Yang An watched all of this in silence, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. However, he did hear a sharp, cold sneer escape from Zen Master Qing Nan beside him.

'This old Monk...' Yang An was speechless.

'What a time to be sneering. Just look at them.'

'They prepared such a grand spectacle to welcome their Holy Child, with so many Buddhist Cultivators in attendance. For the journey alone, they used a Flood Dragon Carriage pulled by three real Flood Dragons.'

'And then look at me. I'm all alone, following this old Monk. The Flood Dragon we rode was just transformed from his Kasaya. We got here, and he didn't even get to finish a sentence before being ridiculed.'

'Compared to the Holy Child being welcomed, I'm like some random bystander on the sidelines.'

'No wonder this old Monk Qing Nan is looked down upon. He deserves it. His level of service isn't even in the same league as theirs.'

Of course, complaining was one thing, but Yang An wasn't suicidal enough to let these thoughts show on his face.

However, even though he said nothing, Qing Nan was self-aware enough to realize his own mistake.

"I have been negligent," he said softly to Yang An. "A matter of this importance should have been reported to the temple in advance, and you would have been received with the proper welcoming ceremony. Instead, you've been given the cold shoulder."

He whispered to Yang An. The truth was, he had been too eager. Upon learning that Yang An was a Holy Child and a True Buddha Reincarnation, he had rushed to bring him here directly, neglecting the proper etiquette.

It couldn't be helped. After all, the Cyan Lotus State hadn't produced a single fated person in nine years, which was why he had been momentarily careless.

"Come with me. We will go to the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall together to pay our respects to Hai Shu Bodhisattva. Don't worry too much about these tedious formalities. Once your identity is known, the Bodhisattva will surely compensate you."

He offered a word of comfort, then led Yang An to follow behind the group of Monks, also heading into the Great Virtue Temple toward the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall.

A Monk like Qing Nan, with a Zombie God Cultivation Level, was called a Zen Master. It went without saying how powerful someone who could be called a Bodhisattva must be.

'That must be a Great Power at the Insect Dao realm!'

'Getting into the Great Virtue Temple really isn't easy. You have to pass the test at Yan'an Temple, then get through the Glazed Tower, and only then do you reach the Great Virtue Temple.'

'It's not easy being an undercover agent. It's even harder being an undercover agent in an Overlord Level power.'

'But now that I'm here, there's no turning back. I can only succeed; failure is not an option.'

Yang An took a deep breath and quickened his pace to catch up with Qing Nan.

As he walked, he looked up at the countless Sanskrit inscriptions and Buddha statues on the dark ceiling, at the four striking golden words for "Great Virtue and Goodness" that seemed to radiate an infinite Buddha's Charm, and at the majestic temple grounds before him—the heart of ten thousand Buddhas.

Deep within Yang An's heart, a wave of surging emotion arose.

'Great Virtue Temple! Here I come!'