Listening to Buddhist Teachings

Zhou Cheng had the Ice Snow Phoenix revert to its original form.

Instantly, azure icy energy surged, and the surrounding ground became coated in frost.

Zhou Cheng leaped up, landing on the Ice Snow Phoenix. He had it carry him, descending the cliff bit by bit until they had dropped a hundred meters before coming to a halt.

Once down, that faint, flickering radiance became much clearer.

He saw the light emanating from a patch of tangled weeds; hidden within the mountainside was a small cave.

Zhou Cheng swung his Demon-Subduing Blade, a flash of light cutting through the air, and the tangled weeds were instantly sheared away.

With the weeds cleared, a small cave entrance was revealed.

The radiance was shining from within this small cave.

The cave was not large, only about a person's height, wide enough for two people to pass through.

Zhou Cheng leaped up, landed at the entrance, and began to walk inside.

The cave was dim, but Zhou Cheng's eyesight was excellent now, allowing him to clearly see the state of the passage. The walls were smooth, and although the floor was covered in dust, it was evident that someone had once maintained it. It seemed this cave had been inhabited before.

Zhou Cheng carefully moved forward.

After walking for about a hundred meters, a sudden brightness appeared before him, revealing a scene akin to a hidden paradise.

Before him lay an open space of several hundred square meters, filled with the sounds of birds and the scent of flowers, complete with a small bridge over flowing water, and stone tables and chairs. Zhou Cheng approached a stone table and saw a set of Five Elements Chess laid out upon it.

Five Elements Chess was popular throughout this Immortal Martial World, but the set before him was somewhat different from the versions common outside.

Zhou Cheng walked around and discovered that within this hollow space, there were four rooms carved into the circular mountain walls: a living quarter, a study, a training room, and an alchemy room.

The study contained quite a few books, numbering in the thousands, but many had already rotted away, covered in thick layers of dust.

However, there was no one to be seen; clearly, the original owner had left many years ago.

When Zhou Cheng reached the training room, he discovered a passage with a ventilation shaft. The wind force there was incredibly strong, emitting a wailing sound, far more intense than the gale during yesterday's rainstorm.

When Zhou Cheng approached the vent, the force of the wind made his breathing hitch, a testament to its sheer power.

"Your Wind-Facing Willow Steps are exceptionally excited in the gale, and your cultivation speed has increased significantly."

"Progress +1."

"Progress +2."

"Progress +3."

"Your Wind-Facing Willow Steps cultivation progress has reached 100%, breaking through to the Proficient stage."

Amidst the gale, Zhou Cheng's Wind-Facing Willow Steps quickly broke through to the Proficient stage.

With this, all three of Zhou Cheng's martial arts had reached the Proficient stage.

After the breakthrough, Zhou Cheng tried to execute the Wind-Facing Willow Steps. He felt as swift as a hare, his movements light as if he had no weight, and he was even able to drift in mid-air for several seconds before landing.

Now, when Zhou Cheng used the Wind-Facing Willow Steps, even if ten tenth-level body-refining experts surrounded him, they would likely be unable to touch the hem of his garment.

Looking at the gale continuously pouring in from the vent, Zhou Cheng walked inside.

Originally, among his three martial arts, the Wind-Facing Willow Steps had the slowest cultivation speed, but now, with this natural gale, it had become the fastest.

The wind was extremely fierce; an ordinary tenth-level body-refining expert would be unable to stand steady within it, but Zhou Cheng kept his feet firmly anchored to the ground.

However, after breaking through to the Proficient stage, the cultivation speed of the Wind-Facing Willow Steps slowed down significantly.

Coupled with the difficulty of breathing in the gale, Zhou Cheng had to step out every few minutes to get fresh air. Thus, after two hours in the wind, his Wind-Facing Willow Steps had only increased by 10.

Do not underestimate this 10; if one added the progress from his automatic daily cultivation, Zhou Cheng would be able to reach the Mastery stage in less than ten days.

Many martial artists spend twenty or thirty years and still might not be able to bring a single martial art to the Mastery stage.

Furthermore, cultivating martial arts depends on individual talent; some people can never bring a martial art to the Mastery stage in their entire lives.

Take Zhou Cheng's father, Zhou Wei, for example; he spent thirty years of bitter practice on the Crimson Sun Palm and only barely managed to reach the Mastery stage.

Two hours later, it was already two in the morning. Zhou Cheng rode the Ice Snow Phoenix with Qin Meng and the others out of the cave and returned to the Grand General's Mansion.

The next day.

The sun was bright.

Zhou Cheng woke up early as usual, swallowed an Ancient Body Refining Pill, and after finishing breakfast, he intended to head to the Heavenly Dragon Temple. However, the guard Chang Qing informed him that Abbot Huineng from Shaolin had arrived and wished to see him.

Zhou Cheng felt helpless; he had made himself very clear yesterday afternoon, yet this Huineng was still being persistent.

After some thought, Zhou Cheng decided to meet Huineng after all; after all, hiding was not a solution.

Arriving at the main hall, he found his mother, Luo Shui, speaking with Abbot Huineng. This time, only the Abbot had come; the head of the Martial Monk Hall and the others were absent.

As for his father, Zhou Wei, he had left early for the morning court and had not yet returned.

"Cheng'er, you're here. Come over quickly." Seeing Zhou Cheng arrive, Luo Shui beckoned him over with a smile.

Zhou Cheng approached and bowed to both Luo Shui and Huineng.

Huineng said to Luo Shui, "Madam Zhou, I would like to have a private word with Young Master Zhou."

"Very well," Luo Shui replied.

After Luo Shui left, Huineng and Zhou Cheng sat opposite each other. Instead of trying to persuade Zhou Cheng to join Shaolin, he began to speak to him about the Dharma.

"Due to listening to the profound Dharma of an enlightened high monk, your Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique has entered a state of epiphany, and its cultivation speed has surged."

"Surged by 2."

"Surged by 4."

"Surged by 6."

The Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique, which Zhou Cheng had only broken through to the seventh level yesterday, was improving at an astonishing rate.

Soon, it reached 90 percent.

Then, it continued to push forward.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations to the host, your Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique cultivation progress has reached 100 percent, breaking through to the eighth level!"

A golden Buddhist halo suddenly emanated from Zhou Cheng's entire body.

A second one, then a third!

Seeing the golden Buddhist halos suddenly appearing around Zhou Cheng, Abbot Huineng, who had been preaching the Dharma, was stunned.

"Amitabha!"

"Seeing one's true nature!"

"Becoming a Buddha through enlightenment!"

He held up his palm, exclaiming in excitement.

He was truly the reincarnation of a great Buddha; the moment he listened to his Dharma, he achieved enlightenment in his heart.

However, as Abbot Huineng grew excited, his preaching stopped, and Zhou Cheng's state of epiphany was interrupted.

"Congratulations to the host for breaking through to the eighth level of Body Tempering, you have received a realm breakthrough gift pack."

"Do you wish to open the realm breakthrough gift pack now?"

He had actually broken through to the eighth level of Body Tempering just like that!

But with Abbot Huineng by his side, Zhou Cheng was in no rush to open the gift pack.

Zhou Cheng looked at Huineng, his gaze shifting.

He hadn't expected that listening to the Dharma could also drastically increase the cultivation speed of his Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique.

"Abbot Huineng, I would like to continue listening to your Dharma, would that be possible?" Zhou Cheng asked.