Swordsman the Wanderer
Ch 57's. The Southern Star Kingdom
After traveling for 3 days, Zhang En finally reached the territory of the imperial capital, the sunlight that shone on him was dazzling. The air seemed to be very fresh making a sense of fatigue during the trip gradually recovered.
Zhang En then reached the gate of the sect and went inside to his residence. As soon as he finished doing what he had to do, Zhang En returned to his room and rested. He chose to recuperate for a few days and would not be out of place other than eating and practicing.
•••
The sunlight shone brightly as Zhang En prepared to immediately go to the mission hall to collect the sect's contribution for having completed the mission.
Zhang En finally arrived at the sect hall building. Because he had been here before, so he was already familiar with this place. After entering, he headed straight towards the old man on the first floor.
He glanced briefly at the stairs to the second floor and thought that next time he would definitely come here again and would be able to get the mission from the second floor.
However, Zhang En discovered there was something strange. The place looked very quiet and somehow the Sect Mission Hall was so empty today? Did everyone stop doing missions?
While Zhang En was walking towards the old man, the old man smiled back in a friendly manner and said, "Look at your face, it seems like you must have come to earn the constribution of the Sect."
"Tell me the mission you've completed and then hand over your token to get your sect's contribution." The old man smiled kindly. When he saw the young man who had come to him after working so hard for the Sect, he felt very happy. As an Elder who had given up his entire life to the sect, he felt extremely proud to every disciple that came to him.
Zhang En honestly gave an explanation of the mission without hiding anything, nor did he exaggerate anything. The elder calmly listened to Zhang En recount his mission and simply nodded from time to time.
He did not try to ask if what Zhang En said was right or wrong, as he believed the disciples would not dare to lie. After all, the assigned disciples would go investigate and find out the truth of it.
After Zhang En finished speaking, the Elder said, “The reward for this mission was originally 800 sect contributions. However, seeing how you eliminate a bunch of trash and take the initiative of destroying them, I'll give you 1,200 sect contributions. Hand over your tokens."
After a while of shock, Zhang En quickly handed over the token representing his identity to the good-looking old man. He continued to say, "Thank you, Elder."
Zhang En thanked the old man and immediately left the place and returned to his residence.
•••
3 Days passed quickly.
In these three days, Zhang En tried to spend more time by practicing, Chairman Xin Long came to him and gave a mission to him.
"Son. I'd like to give you a special mission and train you out there,"
"Special Mission?" ask Zhang En.
"Yes.. I want you to go south, that place is the South Star Kingdom. You must find a cave there called the cave of life."
Chairman Xin Long then told the location of the South Star Kingdom which was located in the south and said that the kingdom was still under the control of the Ming Empire.
Chairman Xin said that the South Star Kingdom was built by a monk named Tien Du about a thousand years ago and he had been lost a long time ago. The person controlling the South Star Kingdom right now was his disciple named Hong Bei.
Hong Bei was born with an Innate Buddha Physique, with a Buddha jade in his mouth that recorded a great skill that only himself could perform with an Innate Buddha Physique.
Chairman Xin also explained that if outsiders wanted to enter the Cave of Life, first, they would have to bring the Life Token. The Life Token could only be obtained when meeting with Hong Bei and giving it to him personally.
"Good Teacher.. I'll get ready soon and leave tomorrow"
•••
The next morning, Zhang En departed and paid his respects to Chairman Xin Long.
Half a month later, he had finally arrived at the territory of the Southern Star Kingdom and this City was not as big as the Ming Imperial City.
On the way, Zhang En passed through the many cities he passed through, most of the structures of his buildings were related to Buddhism. There is at least one Buddhist temple on almost every street, some shops even have various designs of Buddha carvings at the entrance.
Throughout the entire South Star Kingdom, one could feel a deep core of Buddhist teachings that was as thick as the smell of incense sticks seeping through the air as it passed through.
When Zhang En arrived in the Kingdom, he asked the information to the person he met and asked about the Life Token the moment he entered South Star City.
The Cave of Life was a forbidden land, especially for outsiders. Even so, the Southern Star Kingdom City was growing rapidly. Upon entering the city, Zhang En was greeted with endless views of long gates and a bustling sea of pedestrians, ranging from kasaya-robed monks to commoners with a variety of different clothing styles, daoist priests in Daoist robes, even nuns.
After Zhang En entered the city, he stopped as he passed a restaurant and entered the place then picked a table by the window, he sat down and then ordered his food.
"You didn't hear wrong, the Holy Altar appeared again!”
“Holy Altar has reappeared! It has been over three hundred years since it last appeared!"
“Yes, every time the Holy Altar appears, it means that a change is bound to happen inside the Cave of Life. I wonder who is so lucky to be chosen by the Buddha this time, I also heard that the person chosen by the Holy altar can meet our Great King and be granted one wish!"
At this moment, the sound of a frenzied discussion rang out in Zhang En's ears.
His curiosity increased, his heart was tempted.
"Holy Altar? What is that place?!"
"Servant," Zhang En then called the servant.
"Young Master, how can I help you?" the servant rushed over to Zhang En because the young man called out to him, he then bowed and smiled politely.
Zhang En threw a pouch of money containing several hundred gold coins at the servant, and asked: "Holy altar they are talking about, what place is it?"
The servant then caught the bag containing the gold coins, the maid and a bright smile appeared on her face, “Young Master must be from somewhere outside the South Star Kingdom, right? The Holy Altar is something left behind by the founder of our kingdom, King Tien Du, appearing every few dozen years or several hundred years. Whoever is chosen by the Holy Altar will get a chance to meet King Hong Bei who is currently the ruler of the South Star Kingdom, also the chosen one can ask him one request and he will grant it!"
Zhang En listened to all the stories of the servant and he also asked a few more questions related to the Sacred Altar. A while later, the maid left to continue the work while Zhang En seemed to be thinking of something.
According to what the servant said, the person chosen by the Holy Altar would undergo a sanctifying ritual by the Buddhist holy energy within it, not only increasing one's cultivation, but also increasing one's cultivation, but it is also beneficial to one's cultivation path in the long run.
Sorry to be late because of the busyness at the end of the year. Do not forget to give the rate, like and comment. See you next chapter!