The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Chapter 1277 679: Filling a Mortal World

A thousand years ago... the story of the Moya Practitioner?

In the small courtyard, Zhao Douan and the Empress, among others, were stunned, each revealing a look of surprise.

The name of Moya Practitioner was well-known, a pioneer who brought Buddhist Law from the Western Regions to the Central Plains a thousand years ago, and the origin of the Divine Dragon Temple lineage.

If one were to speak of his greatest connection to Mubei Forest, it would be that he was the first cultivator to enter the area after it became a forbidden zone, wouldn't it?

As Zhao Douan was contemplating this, Ancestor Xu's weathered voice echoed in his ears:

"A thousand years ago, at that time, it was still the era of the Da Qi Dynasty's rule. Cultivators already existed on the land, but were scattered and few large cultivation forces had emerged.

At that time, the Buddhist sect had a foothold in the Western Regions, but was far from being powerful later on. The Moya Practitioner appeared in the region bordering Qi Country and the Western Regions; his exact origins are untraceable.

But it is said, he was a discarded infant found by a monk from the Western Region Red Sect walking in the Human World.

In the year of Moya Practitioner's birth, a major event occurred in the Human World. A red star with a flickering tail traversed the land from south to north.

After that, Mubei Forest was ignited by a massive forest fire, and after the fire, the forest area was engulfed in a powerful, near-Divine force, becoming a forbidden zone.

Any intruders, regardless of how strong their cultivation was, were severely suppressed, becoming food for the monsters within the forest."

Did the Disaster Star appear at the Moya Practitioner's birth?

...This largely matches the historical events Tuoba Weizhi mentioned... Zhao Douan was moved.

A thousand years ago is a vague timeframe.

Yet, the story told by Xu clearly described the sequence of many events.

Ancestor Xu continued:

"This event caught the utmost attention of the Da Qi Dynasty then, and in the decade following the appearance of the red star, earthquakes, floods, and droughts occurred frequently all over, and the Evil Gods were unrestful, thus, the star was identified as a 'Disaster Star', seen as ominous."

"And the Moya Practitioner, because he was adopted by a monk from the Red Sect, entered the monasteries of the Western Regions and became a novice.

The Moya Practitioner was extremely intelligent in his youth, enlightened very early, at a young age. He thoroughly read the scriptures within the temple, exhibiting extraordinary cultivation talent, and was thus nurtured all the way, becoming renowned in the Western Regions during his adolescence.

Then, the title of 'Dharma King' did not yet exist, yet he could debate scripture with leaders of the Five Directions sects without being overshadowed.

Thus, Moya grew into youth, but did not stay in the Western Regions to become a sect leader. Instead, he resolutely chose to enter the Da Qi Dynasty to proclaim Buddhist Law."

"At that time, Qi Country had strict control over magicians outside the court, especially viewing Divine beings from outside Qi Country as Evil Gods.

Thus, monks entering Qi Country were extremely dangerous.

Nonetheless, the Moya Practitioner still ignored warnings, resolutely moving forward. He entered alone, starting from the populace, while exploring paths and interacting with magicians and martial artists in the Martial World at that time, discovering cultivation mysteries, gradually gaining fame.

During the process, there were naturally many dangers, often perilous, but he managed to pass through smoothly.

Later, he seized an opportunity and was invited into the Qi Country's Imperial Palace to discuss the Dao with the court's chief magician.

Moreover, he was conferred by the Emperor at that time, allowing him to lecture in the Capital City, establishing the first temple, which was the embryo of the Divine Dragon Temple."

Zhao Douan interrupted, asking:

"Did Qi Country actually accept him at that time? Was it related to Qi Country's changing view on cultivation power then? I saw Qi Country's plan for deifying in the La Garden, and at the East Sea, I saw their dragon-slaying site from a thousand years ago."

Ancestor Xu nodded:

"You're correct. Strictly speaking, it was the impact brought by the Disaster Star that changed the Emperor's attitude at that time.

Qi Country's research into magic and Divine beings probably began from then.

Due to such research, they were willing to invite various magicians from the populace, including the Moya Practitioner, for exchange."

The Empress and Zhang Yan Yi also suddenly realized, finally sorting out the timeline clearly.

It turns out that Qi Country's later actions were all related to the Disaster Star.

Ancestor Xu continued:

"At that time, the Moya Practitioner was already quite old. With notoriety, he spent the following many years dwelling in the Capital City, where gradually, some monks inspired by him gathered around, becoming his disciples.

However, until his late years, the Divine Dragon Temple was still a very small and inconspicuous force.

Its true growth would take another hundred or two hundred years.

In his later years, the Moya Practitioner also became increasingly reclusive. He seemed to lose interest in Buddhist Law, instead obsessed with celestial observation.

He kept in close touch with Qi Country's Astronomical Observatory at that time, spending long periods under the night sky examining constellations, designing methods for calculating celestial phenomena."

Xu Zhenguan blinked, asked:

"Could the Moya Practitioner have been researching the Disaster Star?"

Ancestor Xu nodded:

"That's right. He indeed pondered the Disaster Star, and seemed deeply interested in Mubei Forest, only back then, there were too many people studying the Disaster Star, none achieving results. Moya was not too conspicuous among them. Until one day, the Moya Practitioner disappeared."

"Yes, he just suddenly disappeared, nobody knew where he went, nor when he left.

His disciples searched everywhere, yet found no clues, eventually discovering a startling answer within some of the writings he left behind.

Unexpectedly, the manuscripts included some descriptions of the environment inside Mubei Forest!

Moreover, hidden within was a truth that in his youth, the Moya Practitioner had entered that extreme northern forbidden zone!"