Ye Qing's resistance left Shijia speechless, but Fu Qingping beside him chuckled softly. He had heard Ye Qing talk about Shijia's antics before, so he wasn't surprised by the current situation at all. This Shijia was too unreliable, if it were Fu Qingping, he definitely wouldn't help Shijia anymore.
"What's so funny!" Shijia waved dismissively at Fu Qingping, one hand placed on Ye Qing's shoulder, while the other firmly grabbed Ye Qing's arm, preventing him from leaving. Then, he leaned close to Ye Qing's ear and whispered, "Young Ye, this matter is of great importance, no matter what, you must help me. If you don't help me, you'll be the main culprit in bringing calamity to the world!"
"Give me a break, you have the nerve to say I bring calamity to the world? I'm about to be ruined by you!" Ye Qing replied irritably, "Don't even start, no matter what it is, I won't get involved."
"That won't do, this matter, you have to handle it no matter what!" Fu Qingping draped an arm around Ye Qing's shoulder, dragging him outside. When they reached a corner and confirmed Fu Qingping inside the room couldn't see them, he leaned close to Ye Qing's ear and whispered, "Young Ye, don't you want to know what the Buddha's Golden Body you possess is actually used for?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Qing's heart skipped a beat. So this old bald donkey Shijia knew about the Buddha's Golden Body. This was no small matter. According to the True Buddha, once the Buddha's Golden Body was assembled, it could lead to finding the Buddha's Golden Body. And when the Buddha's Golden Body reappears, it would mark the day of chaos in the world. The True Buddha had once entrusted Ye Qing to keep this Buddha's Golden Body safe, and additionally, instructed Ye Qing on a task, once he passes away, to find another nine Buddha's Golden Bodies and gather them all together to invite out the Buddha's Golden Body.
However, when the True Buddha mentioned this, he only conveyed that collecting the Buddha's Golden Body could lead to finding the Buddha's Golden Body, without explaining what exactly the Buddha's Golden Body was for. And now Shijia had brought up the matter, sparking Ye Qing's curiosity. Could it be that Shijia actually knew the use of the Buddha's Golden Body?
Ye Qing looked at Shijia, feeling that this old bald donkey was too cunning, his words not to be trusted. Was he trying to trick Ye Qing, or did he genuinely know the secret of the Buddha's Golden Body? If there was another secret behind the Buddha's Golden Body, what could it be?
Seeing Ye Qing looking at him like that, a mysterious smile flashed across Shijia's face. He knew that Ye Qing's curiosity had been piqued, and thus he had gained leverage in the situation.
Just as Shijia felt everything was under control, Ye Qing suddenly said, "Sorry, I don't want to know!"
"What!?" Shijia's eyes widened in shock. Now it was his turn to be astonished; Ye Qing didn't want to know this matter? How could that be? Anyone else would be eager to learn about this. The Buddha's Golden Body is the essence of Buddha's power and memories, and Buddha is the founder of the Buddhist Sect, who wouldn't want to learn about him? If one could uncover the secrets within the Buddha's Golden Body, maybe they could even discover the most powerful cultivation technique of the Buddhist Sect, and that's the crucial part.
"Didn't you hear me clearly? I said, I don't want to know about the Buddha's Golden Body!" Ye Qing waved him away and said, "Do you have anything else? If not, I'll go handle other matters first."
Shijia was stunned, watching as Ye Qing neared the door. He dashed forward, grabbed Ye Qing, and exclaimed anxiously, "You... you really don't want to know about the Buddha's Golden Body?"
"That's right, I don't want to know." Ye Qing paused and smiled, "Actually, I already know, so there's no need to use this matter to bargain with me."
"You already know?" Shijia froze again, staring at Ye Qing intently, trying to discern whether he was speaking the truth.
Ye Qing remained calm and composed, showing no signs of deceit, which made it difficult for Shijia to read his mind. After a moment of silence, Shijia said seriously, "That's impossible. The purpose of the Buddha's Golden Body is known only to me. Who could have told you this? Ye Qing, if you're trying to deceive me, at least find a better excuse!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Qing's heart raced. It seemed that Shijia indeed knew many things others did not, including things even the True Buddha didn't know. Could it be that the Buddha's Golden Body had other crucial secrets?
"Is that so?" Although surprised, Ye Qing maintained his calm expression and said, "Not necessarily. The matters regarding the Buddha's Golden Body were told to me by the True Buddha. The True Buddha sees through all worldly affairs; anything you know, the True Buddha can know. Anything you don't know, the True Buddha also knows. What secrets do you have that I wouldn't already be aware of?"
"So you're talking about what the True Buddha knows, huh? Hahaha..." Shijia suddenly laughed heartily, seemingly relieved, which further puzzled Ye Qing. Did it mean that Shijia's information and what the True Buddha said were not the same?
However, Ye Qing didn't speak directly, waiting for Shijia to elaborate. Otherwise, he'd be in a passive position.
Shijia said, "I know, the True Buddha must have told you that gathering the nine Buddha's Golden Bodies would lead to finding the Buddha's Golden Body, right?"
Ye Qing nodded. Shijia knew even this part, which indicated he was quite familiar with matters regarding the Buddha's Golden Body. But what was the secret Shijia was going to reveal? Admittedly, Ye Qing's curiosity was piqued again. After all, anyone experiencing so many mysteries would inevitably become intrigued. Ye Qing indeed harbored many doubts and desperately wanted someone to help clarify them.
Looking at Ye Qing, Shijia asked, "Do you think what I'm about to say is the same thing the True Buddha mentioned?"
"If you don't say it, how would I know if it's the same?" Ye Qing took a deep breath and said, "But whatever it is, I don't want to know. Whenever you seek me out, nothing good ever comes of it. Who knows if I'll survive if I help you, why should I care about anything else!"
"Hey, that's not fair to say." Shijia said, "The matter I need your help with is not difficult at all for you. Listen to what I need help with first, and then you decide whether to help or not. Moreover, if you help me with this, I'll immediately tell you everything about the Buddha's Golden Body. I might even reveal some secrets about the Taoist Sovereign to you!"
Hearing this, Ye Qing became interested. Shijia finally spoke some sense, being straightforward for once. Since Shijia was clear about the task, Ye Qing could assess the danger himself. With that, he could decide on his next move. If there really was no danger, helping Shijia with a trivial task in exchange for so many secrets would be quite a bargain for Ye Qing.
After a moment of silence, Ye Qing looked at Shijia, nodded slowly, and said, "Alright, speak. But remember, if there's any danger involved, no matter what you offer, I won't help you."
Shijia said, "Don't worry, the task I have for you is simpler than having a meal."
Ye Qing quipped, "You could at least give me something a bit harder, like eating whole meals instead."
"Stop kidding around," Shijia quickly waved his hand, took a deep breath, and said to Ye Qing, "This is very simple. All you need to do is take me to the deepest part of the Demon Hideout Cave and ensure my safe entry and exit. That's it."
"What?" Ye Qing was momentarily stunned. Shijia wanted him to lead him into the Demon Hideout Cave? This task might be as difficult as reaching the heavens for others, but for Ye Qing, it really was very simple. For him, the Demon Hideout Cave posed no danger whatsoever. Once he entered, even the Devouring Demon Flower and the Heart Demon Great Array wouldn't attack him. Moreover, the demon pet controlling the entire Demon Hideout Cave had a great relationship with Ye Qing. Bringing someone into the Demon Hideout Cave was extremely easy for him and posed no danger.
Shijia clapped Ye Qing on the shoulder and said, "See, this task isn't dangerous for you at all, right?"
"Why do you want to go into the Demon Hideout Cave?" Ye Qing asked, intrigued. Although there was no danger, Shijia's sudden desire to enter was indeed puzzling.
"It's a long story," Shijia sighed and whispered, "I suspect Patriarch Bodhidharma left an important clue in the Demon Hideout Cave."
"What clue?" Ye Qing was again taken aback; this involved Patriarch Bodhidharma, indicating it was no trivial matter.
Shijia said, "A clue regarding Patriarch Bodhidharma's final whereabouts."
"Patriarch Bodhidharma's final whereabouts?" Ye Qing looked at Shijia in surprise and said, "Didn't he pass away peacefully? Are you referring to where his body went?"
"Just his final whereabouts in general," Shijia replied.
"Why look for his whereabouts?" Ye Qing asked, intrigued.
"Because he was involved in a very important matter for the Buddhist Sect," Shijia waved his hand and said, "Enough with the nonsense, will you take me in or not?"
Ye Qing said, "Taking you in is fine, but I need to understand things first. You're already beyond a peak master yourself, surely you can enter the Demon Hideout Cave alone? Also, you say Patriarch Bodhidharma might have left an important clue inside, are you really certain? We could make the trip for nothing, and you'd say I didn't complete the task for you; wouldn't I be unfairly blamed?"
Shijia's eyes widened, "Nonsense! What you're describing is what a scoundrel would do, do I look like a scoundrel to you?"
Ye Qing shook his head and said, "Not like one, you are one!"
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