Chapter 1 The Missionary

The dark blue-clothed missionary also saw the leader of the Fajiao.

He didn't recognize him, although he had come to this land many times, each time only the Thunder King had greeted him. The other party seemed to be a top figure who controlled the entire South China Sea's beliefs, the most important and largest sect in Fajiao.

"Hello, may the Lord's gospel protect you."

The missionary greeted the leader, and he could also see that the aura on this leader's body was no longer something a human could emit.

So that's how it is.

The Thunder King didn't appear because he had now reached a higher level, and felt he should go to see him...or perhaps, he was also troubled by something, and could only let outsiders welcome him, but couldn't be too impolite....

This was actually quite grand.

"An immortal."

The missionary's mouth "split" slightly: "This is the first time I've seen someone on this land reach the [Tiansheng] level."

The split mouth wasn't really terrifying; the Fajiao leader had seen many gods and ghosts. What he was wary of was that there was no trace of cultivation on the other party's body, yet he felt extremely dangerous.

This premonition of danger came from nowhere, but an immortal's hunch is almost "certain" compared to that of a mortal; nine times out of ten, what they foresee will happen.

He felt that this person was dangerous.

Then he must be dangerous!

Although he had become an immortal through trickery, and probably wouldn't have another chance to break through that new Primordial Demon Trial, the immortal realm was still the immortal realm; even the worst immortal couldn't be compared to a mortal.

"Those apostles possessed by angels don't have much cultivation themselves; some don't even have any, relying entirely on the power of angels to perform various miracles and authorities."

"But this person...if he was just an apostle, he wouldn't give me such a dangerous feeling."

After a moment of silence, the leader of the Xitian Sect returned the greeting to the dark blue-robed missionary, and the two walked side by side.

"Is this the first time you've seen a blue-clothed Christian monk? It's because I inherited the position of Saint Francis Xavier, so it's like this."

The missionary said, "The Thunder King asked an immortal to welcome me; has something major happened?"

"Is he unable to get away?"

One should still be polite in front of others. Now, the Westerners and the Fajiao were allies, so of course he wouldn't ask if they looked down on him, which would only escalate the conflict. Of course, the missionary was very satisfied with how things were developing.

"The Thunder King is indeed unable to get away, only because someone is about to go south."

"Oh?"

The missionary's blue eyes under the hood shone faintly.

"Has the Thunder King now become an immortal?"

"He is dozens of times stronger than I am."

"That's incredible; in our place, someone like that could probably be compared to an archangel, right? But it's impossible to cultivate to the level of an archangel with our methods; they are creations of God, and we are merely devout believers who borrow the power of God."

The missionary was modest, but the Xitian Sect leader scoffed at these words, and didn't continue the conversation. The missionary then asked, "Who is coming here that the Thunder King would personally receive?"

"Or...is it a terrible enemy? As if facing a great enemy...is that how you say it?"

"Very terrible. He is a crippled immortal, who is probably returning to the immortal ranks now. It is said that he once scared away an Dengjue Bodhisattva (near-perfect Bodhisattva)."

The missionary's eyes showed a hint of shock at this moment.

Regardless of the great sect, the pinnacle representatives of the transcendent and holy realm, in Eastern countries like Ming, Japan, and Korea, were called Flying Immortals. Buddhists call them Dengjue, and other sects also have various names, but their influence isn't very great. In fact, their cultivation paths cannot escape the grand framework of the Three Teachings or the Way of Ghosts and Gods.

Just like the Fajiao leader in front of him, although it's called an independent religion, it's actually just an offshoot of a great sect.

"Isn't this like an archangel being scared away by an angel? Can the difference in level be easily crossed?"

The missionary didn't understand, but the Xitian Sect leader said, "Well! We cultivate the laws of this life, but it is said that there were more other cultivation methods in ancient times. This crippled immortal is someone from over a thousand years ago. It is said that at that time, the golden elixir path wasn't popular, and they didn't cultivate the earthly immortal path."

"Different cultivation paths bring different improvements, and the key points to be cultivated are also different. I only learned about this from a Tantric master after entering the immortal realm. For example, the various schools of Buddhism, although they all reach Dengjue, and are called Dengjue Bodhisattvas, the focus of their own cultivation is different."

The missionary smiled: "Ah, these heretics can always find some crooked ways, and then keep pace with the orthodox religion. It seems that the person who is about to come here is extremely terrifying. Is the Thunder King afraid of not being able to beat him? If you want me to help, you may have to pay a heavy price."

"We came to Haojing'ao this time to negotiate with the official of Ming, of course, if you intend to go to war with the imperial court, we can immediately support you."

The Xitian Sect leader frowned: "You want to divide the land? Can't wait any longer?"

"What's the difference between here and dividing the land? The South China Sea is under the control of your Fajiao, and even extends to the southeast coast. The governor and the chief secretary have taken our benefits. The Portuguese law can continue to be implemented in Haojing'ao. There are actually two laws in one land?"

The missionary said this, and the Xitian Sect leader retorted: "You can't say that. At most, it can be said that you have been given the treatment equivalent to a Prince of the Commandery. The Prince of the Commandery also has his own laws on his own fiefdom. The rules of our Fajiao are also recognized by the people here. In the final analysis, this is our territory. Recognizing part of your laws is only because those laws are beneficial to us."

"Once you dare to promulgate laws that are not beneficial to us, then don't blame us for not being open. You don't want to be expelled, do you? Or, you don't want to continue to ally with our Fajiao?"

"I'll tell you the truth, the person who is coming this time is from the imperial court in the north. Even Flying Immortals don't dare to act presumptuously in front of him. If you want to go it alone, please do so, but then the Fajiao will have to join the imperial court."

The missionary laughed loudly:

"Don't be excited, we don't mean that! It's just that the cannon factory was suddenly acquired, and the East India Company is very unhappy about this. That's our industry, how can it be forcibly acquired by Ming? Doesn't the contract from the Jiajing Emperor's time work anymore?"

The Xitian Sect leader: "But now it's the Wanli Emperor."

Missionary: "Then you're being unreasonable."

Xitian Sect Leader: "But we privately hoard military supplies, bribe the chief secretary and governor, recruit Japanese Ronin and Wokou (Japanese pirates) as thugs, and build city walls and set up artillery platforms without the permission, and disregard Ming laws to trade with Japanese merchant ships."

"We have ulterior motives, and the imperial court knows about it, so they are being unreasonable."

The missionary patted him on the shoulder: "But you see, only when you are strong, have military supplies, have those guards composed of Wokou and Ronin, and have strong cities and sharp cannons, will the imperial court be willing to accept your allegiance. Even before that, they defaulted to your and our laws here."

"Those chief secretaries, governors, and county magistrates are all for money. We use money to station here legitimately and reasonably. If you want to say that we have ignored the law, it's not us, but these chief secretaries, governors, and county magistrates. They are officials of Ming, but they sell out the interests of Ming to us."

"But no matter what means are used, the contract for the land and the implementation of the law is in our hands. This is the initiative, and it is also the principle of this world. No matter if this agreement is a deception, or obtained by despicable means, at least the contract itself is still just and noble, and should not be betrayed, right?"

"Face your desires, and don't shirk them. Before the disaster comes, you should think of a way to deal with it...."

"However, in view of the fact that St. Paul's College is also here, in order to maintain the stability of the college, I am still willing to help you for free. If that person makes a move, I will help. Please tell the Thunder King."

The Xitian Sect leader was stunned, then shook his head: "That person said he was coming, and even demonstrated before, but we have not been waiting for him."

When the missionary heard that the person had not yet come, he decided to return to the college. However, when he turned his head, he suddenly saw a woman carrying a bamboo basket in the crowded street, and not far from the woman, there was also a traveling monk.

He blinked, and the two disappeared suddenly.

"Huh?"

The missionary turned his head again.

Everyone on the entire street suddenly turned into the woman carrying the bamboo basket and the traveling monk, and the two of them also turned their heads in an instant, and tens of thousands of eyes locked onto the blue-clothed missionary in an instant!

In the dark, it seemed that someone flicked their fingers, and the years were born and died, a moment of brilliance, Vajra Buddha statues, thousand-handed saintesses, golden lotuses gushing from the earth, eight-colored divine flowers falling from the sky, the sun and moon shining together, mountains and rivers changing, carp transforming into dragons.

All kinds of visions bloomed in his eyes, in his heart, and in his mind, and disappeared after the next birth and death.

"Oh...so that's how it is."

The missionary received the information in that instant.

He didn't expect that there would be such strong people here, and that such strong people were actually going to be enemies with the person from the north they were talking about!

"Warning me not to interfere. The strength of these two people is difficult to estimate. If they can be converted to Christianity, they should be able to become the strongest Tiansheng, right?"

"One person wants to win over the person going south, and the other person wants to kill the person going south, so in that case, I also want to convert the person going south."

"The Lord's gospel has reached here, so how can it not be spread?"

The missionary was not afraid of the threat from the two mysterious men, but became excited.

The more chaotic, the better. Not only must the cannon factory be taken back, but this land must also be completely colonized. The laws here can only be promulgated by them, and the people here can only believe in the Christian Lord.

But then, there was a commotion outside the port. The missionary turned his head and saw the Ming Dynasty's navy suddenly appearing in the far distance. They lined up and completely blocked the port.

"The port is locked?!"

The missionary's mind exploded.

At the same moment.

————

In the Thunder King's gate, the Buddha ghost suddenly felt a jump in his heart.

He looked at the traveling monk who suddenly appeared in front of him, the very person the missionary had just seen.

The Buddha ghost didn't understand why, and a great sense of warning arose in his heart!

This was an immortal's mansion. The Thunder King condensed the wishes and luck of tens of thousands of people in the entire South China Sea, and was very powerful. How could he not sense someone's intrusion?

Who is it!

The traveling monk's eyes brewed boundless golden light:

"Jiu Pantuo Wang (Kumbhanda), I know that someone has done great things for you, allowing you to return to the surface world, but the price is the loss of the Dengjue Bodhisattva's cultivation. Only a shell of an immortal path remains, waiting to return to your position after eighteen years, but now that I am here, I am afraid you will not be able to return."

"I want to borrow something from you."

The Buddha ghost laughed: "What does the great monk want to borrow from me, a small monk?"

Cold sweat broke out on his back, and the traveling monk said faintly:

"I want to borrow your body!"

As soon as the words were finished, the traveling monk took a step forward, and a great sunlight enveloped the Buddha ghost! The true body of the Great Sun Tathagata manifested in an instant, and all the great sunlight poured into the Buddha ghost's body!