Chapter 557: The Buddha of Dual Cultivation

"How did you get in here?" Emperor Feng glared daggers at Xiao Nanfeng.

He hadn't been paying attention to what Xiao Nanfeng was doing during their conversation. How had they suddenly ended up within the Buddha's Grotto? He was almost certain that Xiao Nanfeng had some tremendous secret that he was hiding from him.

"The senior in my mindscape led me in," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Although he might not be able to hide his candleflame powers from Emperor Feng for long, any delay was preferable to none.

Emperor Feng continued eyeing Xiao Nanfeng. Although it was possible that the black lotus had led Xiao Nanfeng in, he continued to suspect that Xiao Nanfeng was lying to him. Even so, if Xiao Nanfeng refused to tell him, there was little he could do.

"It's dangerous here. We'll talk later," he finally said.

Then, Emperor Feng claimed the crescent sword before he looked toward his environment.

The air was filled with pink fog. Both cultivators reined in their aura, not daring to probe their surroundings with spiritual power.

A huge temple seemed to appear from the fog in the distance.

"Did the cursed effigies here not discover us the moment we trespassed?" Xiao Nanfeng wondered.

"Something must have attracted their attention. Let's go and have a look."

The two cultivators rushed toward the temple. No monks were around; they entered with ease.

As they drew near, they could hear bouts of sobbing around them.

The two cultivators glanced at each other, shrouded themselves in fog, and walked in—only to find prisons where they had expected prayer rooms. Women were trapped in the cells, some weeping quietly by a corner, and others meditating with their eyes closed. As the two figures shrouded by fog entered the temple, all the women turned toward them, fear and panic in their eyes.

Neither Xiao Nanfeng nor Emperor Feng stopped or cast errant glances around. They continued heading deeper into the temple.

The deeper into the temple they went, the more shocked Xiao Nanfeng became. There were simply too many women within. Those by the outskirts of the temple seemed to be in good shape, but those deeper within were in partial undress or even unclothed entirely. None seemed ashamed. Their faces were flushed, their pupils dilated, their bodies writhing almost uncontrollably.

"Have they all been drugged?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed. "Is this a Buddha's Grotto, or a demonic one?!"

"It's the Buddha of Dual Cultivation's Grotto," the black lotus suddenly said.

"Who is he?"

"A perverse Buddha who serves the Buddhas of Three Aspects. He was once a lecher who somehow obtained a remarkable dual cultivation technique that accelerated the advancement of his cultivation by a tremendous extent. Later, the Three Buddhas took him as a subordinate, but he remained no less perverse. He researched similar dual cultivation techniques from antiquity and created one of his very own; thereafter, he would capture female cultivators from all over to aid in his cultivation. These must be some of the cultivators that he's captured. His 'dual cultivation' technique is really just a sinister, pseudo-demonic technique that he uses to harvest yin qi from females."

"But isn't he a cursed effigy now? Can cursed effigies cultivate such harvesting techniques?" Xiao Nanfeng wondered.

"Don't cursed effigies have physical bodies of their own?" the black lotus countered.

"But cursed spiritual avatars are different from physical bodies, aren't they?"

"They can reincarnate to possess physical bodies of their own, possess other cultivators' bodies, or even live in symbiosis within another cultivator. There are plenty of techniques or methods by which they can acquire their own bodies. What makes you think that a cursed spiritual avatar is sufficient? Why do you think all the ones you encountered wanted your physical body?"

"Cursed effigies need access to physical bodies?"

"Not all of them; it depends on their needs. Just as you benefit from having an avatar, cursed effigies benefit from having physical bodies. Some techniques need a physical body for cultivation. Cursed effigies largely have plenty of resources and techniques available to them, so why wouldn't they get a physical body of their own?"

"I see." Xiao Nanfeng nodded gratefully.

"The Buddha of Dual Cultivation was particularly vile in his prime. He would catch countless female cultivators and force them into dual cultivation. If they possessed unique constitutions, he would forcefully keep them by his side as his disciples, then impart them his dual cultivation technique to control their bodies and minds—slaves, or perhaps even puppets. If the females were otherwise ordinary, he would cultivate with them a few times, draining all their yin qi and cultivation and leaving them dead."

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened. "So all that bone ash and bloodstained ground outside—could those be women that the Buddha of Dual Cultivation tortured to death?"

"It's likely."

"How could someone like this be considered a Buddha? He's the worst of demonic cultivators!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"As far as the history of Buddhist cultivation goes, there were plenty of past eras of righteous, just monks; benevolent ones; and charitable ones. The era of the Three Buddhas, of the golden lotus hoods, is the darkest, most shameful period in Buddhist history. You might think the Buddha of Dual Cultivation bad, but that's because you haven't seen how the other Buddhas of the era turned the human world into hell. Of the countless eras laid to waste by the heavens, that of the Three Buddhas deserved it most. All of them ought to die."

Xiao Nanfeng grimaced. "Senior, we should try to find the princess as soon as we can. She might have the Taiqing Grandmaster's praying mat to protect her, but I'm still worried for her safety."

The temple was particularly large. Deep within a secluded part of it was a pink barrier surrounded with pink fog. What looked like pink chains were binding a giant praying mat.

Mo Lengxuan stood beside them, along with a group of veiled women. They all possessed incredible beauty. Though Zhang Lingjun outshone them all, the difference was hardly significant. Their translucent, diaphanous gowns exuded a sensual charm.

They were standing respectfully behind a pink-clad monk, whom they looked toward with awe and adulation.

The pink-clad monk asked, "That cultivator we just caught mentioned Zhang Lingjun. Have we been discovered?"

"Please don't worry, Buddha of Dual Cultivation. That was my father's subordinate, who inquired why we captured Zhang Lingjun. I've sent him away."

The pink-clad monk, the Buddha of Dual Cultivation, laughed. "I didn't want to catch Zhang Lingjun, but I couldn't help myself. Given what you told me occurred on Thousand-Spirit Island, I deduced that the praying mat that Zhang Lingjun possessed would be an incredible treasure—and it is."

"What's so special about it?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that there was a cursed king within it?"

"It's a cursed effigy?!"

The Buddha of Dual Cultivation shook his head. "It's like a cursed effigy, but also unlike one. It's very special. I can sense that there's a tremendous secret hidden within it. According to your information, it might be related to the Taiqing Grandmaster, who lived ten thousand years ago. When I claimed the praying mat just now, I felt tremendous resistance—perhaps the will of that very man himself."

"Oh?"

"Although I haven't fully analyzed this treasure, I'm sure it's a supreme treasure of this era. I want it."

"Of course, Buddha of Dual Cultivation, but why haven't you killed Zhang Lingjun? Is she particularly special?"

"Of course. The fact that she was recognized by the praying mat is a clear sign that her constitution is extraordinary. In my prime, I would have sacrificed anything to obtain a woman like her. She would have boosted my cultivation at an incredible pace."

"Did the Taiqing Grandmaster accept her as disciple with such lascivious intentions in mind, too?"

"Perhaps not. Her constitution provides her with a tremendous array of other benefits. Perhaps the Taiqing Grandmaster wanted to possess her, to pass on his legacy without any malicious intent, or for other reasons entirely."

"Oh?" Mo Lengxuan was taken by surprise.

"This praying mat suffices for me. For helping me out, why don't I grant you this woman?" the Buddha of Dual Cultivation proposed, glancing at Mo Lengxuan.

"Grant her to me?" Mo Lengxuan tensed, certain that there was some deeper meaning to the Buddha's actions.

"I do want her, but she's been cursed. No cursed spiritual power can draw near, not even with a physical body as barrier. If I'm not mistaken, the Heavenly Emperor Yu Fuli must have cursed her himself to protect her."

"If you can't touch her, can I?"

"This curse only affects cursed effigies, and you aren't one. What's more, her kidnapping will surely cause trouble down the line. Why don't you share my burden? If you claim the woman for yourself, your father will help shield us from blame, and the Three Buddhas won't censure me unduly." The Buddha of Dual Cultivation laughed.

"But—"

"Mo Lengxuan, the deed is done. What are you hesitating about? I've trapped Zhang Lingjun within the Phoenix Hall and cast a curse of affection on her. Not only that, I've imparted my peerless dual cultivation technique to her. Spend a night with her and she'll be yours in heart and body."

Mo Lengxuan frowned, considering the danger of such a course of action.

"Don't worry. Once the curse of affection takes effect, no one will be able to undo it, and you'll be a couple thereafter. Your cultivation will surely soar. She's a woman of tremendous beauty—it's a bargain. Go on. My disciples will lead you there."

"Please follow me, Sir Mo." A woman behind the Buddha of Dual Cultivation stepped forward and beckoned to Mo Lengxuan.

Mo Lengxuan hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "In that case, please continue to guide me in the future, Buddha of Dual Cultivation."

"Haha, well said! Now, go!" The Buddha of Dual Cultivation laughed.

Mo Lengxuan nodded. A few of the Buddha's women led him through layers of pink fog to a remote hall of the temple. As they walked down a long corridor, Xiao Nanfeng and Emperor Feng, hidden in the darkness, noticed them.

"It's Mo Lengxuan!" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes suddenly lit up.