The Bizarre Indian Mythology: I Want to Exploit Bugs Too

Indian Mythology had a basic pattern.

Arduous cultivation—bestowal—beating up the Heavenly Emperor—the Trimurti exploiting a bug to get rid of the Asura.

The Asuras relied on their exceptionally long lifespans and endurance to undergo arduous cultivation. Then they received bestowals from the Trimurti and headed into the Heavenly Realm to beat up the Heavenly Emperor.

Because bestowals were powers of the world's laws, their strength generally far surpassed that of the gods. Sometimes even the Trimurti were troubled by the abilities granted through bestowals. Unless Shiva destroyed the world, even the Trimurti could not break them.

That was right!

Unless the Trimurti flipped the table, they could not break a bestowal either.

Destroying the world was not what the Trimurti wanted!

They could only exploit bugs to find the weakness in a bestowal!

Before a bestowal's weakness was discovered, Heavenly Emperor Indra was the stepping stone used to test its power.

The one getting beaten up!

An Asura King who had never beaten the Heavenly Emperor was not a qualified Asura King!

"Whoever wants this lousy position can have it!"

"What kind of Heavenly Emperor gets beaten up every day?!"

Indra's eyes shifted as he thought this.

Of course, he could not say that out loud!

Ahem!

He pursed his lips and coughed twice before hurriedly saying,

"Now that we have been cursed, I understand just how difficult it is to be the Heavenly Emperor. My will is not firm enough, and my arduous cultivation is not yet complete."

Indra looked solemn, clenching a fist against his chest as he answered with utter seriousness.

"You weren't like this before. I remember you always saying, 'As gods, it is only natural that we enjoy all the beauty of this world!' Why have you changed so completely now?"

Surya stared in disbelief. His dark face wore an expression that was impossible to hold back.

The proud and arrogant Heavenly Emperor Indra actually thought his arduous cultivation was insufficient.

Unbelievable!

"I have merely shed my former immaturity. I have comprehended arduous cultivation, and I have understood Dharma!"

Indra pressed his palms together, putting on a pious expression as he spouted nonsense.

He looked straight at the dumbfounded Surya and said, "Look at me now, dressed like a beggar. My arduous cultivation has already begun. I'll first accumulate some Power of Arduous Cultivation, then I plan to ask for the Golden Solar God Armor as a bestowal!"

As a law of the universe, a bestowal could grant power far beyond the recipient's own strength according to their Power of Arduous Cultivation.

In the future, there would be an Asura named Jiaosheng. He was Surya's most devout believer, and through arduous cultivation directed toward Surya, he obtained the Golden Solar God Armor as a bestowal.

This Golden Solar God Armor had a thousand layers.

To break the armor, one needed the Power of Arduous Cultivation from a thousand years of cultivation to pierce a single layer. Yet whenever an enemy shattered one layer, the armor would curse that enemy to death.

To break this Sun God Armor, Vishnu the Protector God sent out two incarnations—Nara and Narayana.

The two incarnations cultivated arduously for a thousand years. Using their Power of Arduous Cultivation, they shattered one layer of armor. When the armor broke, the incarnation died, and the other incarnation took its turn. Then Vishnu revived the dead incarnation, who continued cultivating arduously for another thousand years.

After repeating this for a million years, Jiaosheng Asura had only the final layer of Golden Solar God Armor left. So he decided to run, entering the cycle of reincarnation and being reborn as Karna, Son of the Sun God.

This was top-tier equipment!

A hundred Suryas combined could not fight as well as a single Sun God Armor.

It was utterly absurd!

Yet that was the law of the universe, the truth of this world!

That was also why Indra had come directly to find Surya.

Leaving aside everything else, the Golden Solar God Armor's defensive power alone made it one of the most troublesome bestowals. Even Vishnu the Protector God could only send incarnations to slowly grind through it.

With this Sun God Armor, he would have the confidence to face those Asuras.

"You really are different now!"

Surya gazed solemnly at Indra and raised a hand. "Once your arduous cultivation is complete, I will grant every bestowal you desire."

Boom!

At that moment, Indra suddenly felt that the suffering he had endured within himself seemed to receive a response. It surged up like flames, growing ever more vigorous.

His Power of Arduous Cultivation increased again!

Indra's eyes lit up.

It seemed his current appearance really did qualify as arduous cultivation.

After all, he was the Heavenly Emperor, King of Heavenly Gods, and ruler of the Three Realms. Now, dressed like a beggar, the Power of Arduous Cultivation earned from such a gap was far greater than what ordinary people could gain in centuries.

"Thank you. Praise Surya!"

"Then I'll be going back!"

Indra smiled and nodded.

"Praise Indra!"

Surya replied.

Within the Heavenly Realm, seas of clouds drifted through the air.

Before long, Indra flew toward his Heavenly Emperor's Temple.

It was called the Heavenly Emperor's Temple.

But under Sage Durvasa's curse, it had now become a dilapidated grass hut. The radiant Gandharvas who served the gods had also lost their handsome or beautiful appearances, sitting outside the Heavenly Emperor's Temple like a group of male and female beggars, basking in the sun.

"Sage Durvasa truly is formidable. As expected of Shiva's incarnation!"

"Once I have enough Power of Arduous Cultivation, I'll curse him too and let him taste what it's like to be cursed by someone else!"

Indra thought to himself.

The Power of Arduous Cultivation could not only obtain bestowals; it could also be expended to cast curses.

Sage Durvasa's curse was so powerful that it affected all the gods of the Heavenly Realm. It was not merely because he was Shiva's incarnation, but more importantly because his Power of Arduous Cultivation was strong enough.

"Praise Indra!"

"Praise Indra!"

"Praise Indra!"

Countless voices of praise came from the Gandharvas.

Dressed in ragged clothes, they all stood up together, their chant perfectly synchronized.

For a moment, Indra felt as though he were the leader of a gang of beggars.

These Gandharvas were also descendants of Kashyapa. They did not possess the divine power of the gods and Asuras, but they were highly skilled in music.

Fragrant and soft!

Indra and the other gods had thus brought the Gandharvas into the Heavenly Realm as attendants of the gods.

"From today onward, seal the Heavenly Emperor's Temple. I am going to undergo arduous cultivation. No matter who it is, I will see no one!"

Indra strode directly into the Heavenly Emperor's Temple, sweeping his hand grandly as he declared.

The surrounding Gandharvas immediately obeyed and began closing the doors.

Boom!

The Gandharvas pulled the gates shut from outside with a thunderous crash.

For a time, only Indra remained inside the decrepit temple, which looked like a straw shrine.

He scraped together a pile of dry straw from the ground, gathered it into his arms, and carried it over to his straw nest. Releasing it with both hands in a scattering-flower gesture, he bent his knees slightly and leaped onto the haystack.

"Hey!"

"I'm just going to sleep!"

Indra lay on the straw, crossed one leg over the other, hugged a bundle of straw to his chest, and rolled around atop the pile.

It was a little uncomfortable against his body, but he could make do.

He had set eight rules for his arduous cultivation: no drinking, no sitting on the throne, no wearing gorgeous divine robes, no living in a dazzling divine palace, no squandering wealth, no displaying splendor or luxury, no riding a mount, and no craving status.

Under Sage Durvasa's curse, he had no alcohol to drink, no throne, no divine robes, no wealth, no luxury, and even his mount could not fly.

He could now even give up the position of Heavenly Emperor, so he naturally fulfilled the condition of not craving status.

Every condition was met for arduous cultivation!

"Since my Power of Arduous Cultivation is increasing anyway, who cares? I'll deal with everything after I wake up!"

"First, I'll sleep for a thousand years!"

Indra closed his eyes and thought.

Brahma Realm.

There was an Ocean of Milk in the world, and above the Ocean of Milk lay the Three Realms: the Heavenly Realm, the Netherworld, and the Human Realm.

The Human Realm was home to humans, animals, Yakshas, Rakshasas, and others. The Netherworld was inhabited by Asuras, while the Heavenly Realm housed many gods, Gandharvas, Heavenly Maidens, and sages.

Yet above the Heavenly Realm, there was another space called the Brahma Realm.

It was where Brahma, the Creator God, resided!

The place was ethereal and empty, with drifting clouds and clear mist. A holy, pure aura permeated the air, and merely being there made one feel as though their soul had been cleansed.

Two lotuses stood high in this place, with figures seated upon them.

Brahma wore a crown, his beard and hair white, giving him the appearance of an old man. His skin was rosy, and he wore white robes. He had four faces and eight arms, holding the Vedas, lotuses, a water jar, and prayer beads.

The other goddess was graceful and beautiful. Dressed in white, with a crescent moon on her forehead and a veena in her arms, she looked like a twelve-year-old girl. Golden ornaments adorned her body, and she possessed clear wisdom and brilliant beauty.

She was Brahma's wife—Saraswati!

Also known as Saraswati, the goddess of eloquence, and Saraswati, the goddess of exquisite music, she was the goddess of wisdom.

From above in the Brahma Realm, one could look down and see all of the Three Realms, with every matter and every phenomenon entering one's sight.

"What is Indra doing?"

"Sleeping?"

Saraswati's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she looked down.

At a glance, she saw the filthy and disheveled Indra and could not help asking.

"No!"

Brahma's beard stirred slightly. Reflected in his eyes was a surging mass of Power of Arduous Cultivation. Indra lay on his side amid that flame-like power, continuously generating more of it.

"He is undergoing arduous cultivation!"