Chapter 45: The Method of the Golden Body

"I never expected that brother Chen An would still be unwilling to get along with me peacefully even after taking up Buddhism."

He certainly did not expect that the very first thing upon encountering the Dao-robed youth again would be facing an attack from this fellow.

What was even more bizarre was that once this fellow's power transformed into Buddhist Dharma, it had become abnormally formidable.

Looking at the golden body suppressing downward, Qin Changsheng slowly reached out and grabbed. A pair of Tai Chi Yin-Yang fish flew out from his palm toward the golden body, shattering it instantly right before his eyes.

The Dao-robed youth's pupils constricted.

He had not anticipated that Qin Changsheng would have become so powerful this time.

And terrifyingly powerful at that.

The golden body of this monk was not meant merely for bestowing benevolence; it was exceptionally proficient in combat.

Yet it had been crushed under Qin Changsheng's casual gesture!

In just an instant, Qin Changsheng struck at the Dao-robed youth once more, hurling a punch straight at him.

The Dao-robed youth's expression changed drastically. It was already too late to dodge, leaving him no choice but to cross the peachwood sword he held in his arms horizontally before him to block.

"Clang~"

As fist met sword, the Dao-robed youth felt a massive surge of force wash over him, sending his entire body flying backward through the air. Mid-flight, a mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.

Qin Changsheng looked at his own fist with some surprise: "Is my strength really this formidable now?"

He had merely wanted to test the Dao-robed youth's strength, so he had not used his full power—employing only a fraction of it, without even utilizing the laws to summon immortal energy. Yet as a result, he had directly blasted the Dao-robed youth flying.

Judging by the youth's appearance, he seemed quite heavily injured.

"You... what realm are you in?"

The Dao-robed youth climbed up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stared at Qin Changsheng in disbelief.

He was already at the peak of the Soul Formation stage, yet he had been beaten as casually as one picking vegetables at a market.

"Foundation Establishment," Qin Changsheng replied honestly.

"Foundation Establishment? Are you kidding me?"

The Dao-robed youth's mouth twitched. Even as a peak Soul Formation cultivator, he could not help but feel the urge to curse aloud right then and there.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator sending a peak Soul Formation expert flying with a single punch?

What kind of joke was this?

Moreover, judging by Qin Changsheng's demeanor, he didn't seem to have used his full strength at all, but rather seemed to have thrown that punch as casually as casually could be.

What kind of monster was this fellow, damn it?

The Dao-robed youth felt his worldview crumbling slightly. Having studied Buddhism for so many years, he had never encountered such an outrageous affair.

"Are you certain you're in Foundation Establishment and not a Saint?"

The Dao-robed youth could not help but ask again.

"I am quite certain."

Qin Changsheng nodded once more. "Why don't you come and check for yourself."

"......"

The Dao-robed youth fell silent.

If Qin Changsheng had claimed to be a Saint, he would have found it normal instead; but Qin Changsheng insisted that he was merely in the Foundation Establishment stage, which was something he found utterly unacceptable.

Since when had the Foundation Establishment stage become this terrifying?

"Brother Chen An, long time no see. Your strength seems to have regressed somewhat."

Qin Changsheng looked at the Dao-robed youth and said with a hint of emotional resonance.

Recalling when he first met the Dao-robed youth, the latter had been capable of hunting him down across thousands of miles, whereas now he was sent flying by a single punch from him. No matter who experienced such a disparity, it would not feel pleasant.

"It's not that I've regressed, it's that you've progressed far too quickly."

The Dao-robed youth shook his head and offered a bitter smile. "I originally thought that after cultivating Buddhism, my strength would surge and I should be able to measure myself against you. Now it seems I am still far behind."

"You cultivated Buddhism just to measure yourself against me?"

Qin Changsheng asked in astonishment.

"What else?"

The Dao-robed youth retorted, "Your two sword strikes back then filled me with a sense of utter helplessness. Consequently, while getting mutually corrupted by that little monk, I suffered a disadvantage and could only end up suppressed by his Buddhist power."

At this point, a trace of bitterness appeared on the Dao-robed youth's face.

"Later on, I simply took up the practice of Buddhist Dharma myself. To my surprise, it turned out to be quite powerful, and that fellow was likewise influenced by my Great Dao, gradually turning demonic."

Having cultivated for so many years, he had always been an outstanding figure among his peers and had never encountered a rival. Yet ever since meeting Qin Changsheng, he realized he was nothing at all.

"Tsk tsk, you two vicious and crafty fellows actually managed to drive each other to this state. Hahaha."

Qin Changsheng looked at the Dao-robed youth and said slowly, "It's just a pity that even with your Buddhist cultivation, you're still no match for me. Are you surprised? Are you startled?"

Having won the fight, Qin Changsheng did not press the attack further, knowing that even if he went all out, it would be difficult to kill the Dao-robed youth, so he simply couldn't be bothered to waste the effort.

He also wanted to see just how far this fellow's Buddhist cultivation could reach. Besides, since he couldn't achieve a fatal blow right now, attacking him today would only make the youth more vigilant, making it even harder to kill him in the future. Therefore, he decided to wait until he had absolute certainty before making a move.

"Now I realize a bald donkey's Buddhist Dharma isn't all that strong after all. Qin Changsheng, how about I follow you and learn your Dao of cultivation?"

The Dao-robed youth quickly adjusted his mindset and looked at Qin Changsheng with yearning. "Why don't you teach me your Foundation Establishment method? Let me give it a try too?"

"Sure, but you'll have to trade your trump card for it, and cripple your cultivation to rebuild your Foundation Establishment from scratch," Qin Changsheng replied very readily.

"Forget it then."

The Dao-robed youth shook his head, the bitterness on his face vanishing, replaced by a solemn and dignified aura. "Although cultivating Buddhism isn't great for fighting, its self-preservation effects are exceptional, and the status commands respect."

As he spoke, he manifested the Indestructible Golden Body that only the little monk could use.

Only then did Qin Changsheng realize that the punch he had landed on this fellow earlier, however flamboyant it looked, had actually not harmed his foundation at all.

"Cultivation is fundamentally for longevity, and exceptional self-preservation is indeed quite wonderful. Why don't you pass the cultivation method of the Indestructible Golden Body to me, and I'll tell you how to achieve Foundation Establishment? Anyway, I won't ask for your trump card, so you aren't losing out."

Qin Changsheng circled Chen An with considerable interest, thinking that with this golden body, he would probably be extremely resistant to beatings.

"Tsk tsk, you really are something." The Dao-robed youth was stunned for a moment. "Very well. It's the little monk's stuff anyway, so I won't feel any heartache giving it away. Who knows, perhaps when I die one day, I might be able to study your Foundation Establishment method."

To everyone's surprise, he actually agreed.

A strand of golden heritage was condensed by him and handed over to Qin Changsheng.

Qin Changsheng mastered it in no time.

In return, Qin Changsheng shared the method of awakening the world's foundation with the Dao-robed youth.

"First, you must find a secret realm possessing a World Origin, and then that secret realm must acknowledge you as its master. Coupled with reaching ninety-nine hundred and ninety-ninth layer of Qi Refining, once you have the right timing, geographical advantage, and harmony among people, you can establish a world foundation as powerful as mine."

Qin Changsheng was speaking the truth, though the Dao-robed youth found it somewhat hard to believe.

However, upon seeing the Yin-Yang Origin and laws in Qin Changsheng's hands, he concluded that it must be true.

Filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred, he glared at Qin Changsheng: "You fellow make people feel truly helpless. I hope you die early; by then, when that little monk goes through reincarnation, the entire cultivation world will be mine."

In reality, the Dao-robed youth had taken a loss on this exchange.

Yet he didn't mind. After all, the Indestructible Golden Body wasn't his to begin with, so parting with it didn't pain him. Moreover, cultivation could not cover every single aspect; he hoped Qin Changsheng would spend more time on self-preservation so that this fellow's lethality wouldn't be quite so terrifying, much like that little monk.

This was, in fact, another form of mutual corruption.

Having spent all these years scheming against each other, his methods of leading people astray were already consummate, and he was quite willing to pay a heavy price.

"Right, what are Brother Qin's plans for the future?"

The Dao-robed youth looked at Qin Changsheng and asked, "Would you like to return to Buddhism with me? Given your talent and strength, if you were to cultivate Buddhism, your future achievements would certainly surpass mine."

"Tsk tsk, I think I'll pass."

Qin Changsheng shook his head. "The entanglement between you and the little monk is your own affair; I won't meddle in it."