In the second year of the Baoying era, the An Lushan Rebellion ended. Although the country was at peace, the local military governors still held military and political power, and foreign invaders were also on the rise. The once Tang Empire was now in decline and teetering on the brink of collapse.
The world is about to descend into chaos, people's hearts are like demons, their desires are insatiable, and demons are rising up everywhere.
In a temple in Jiujiang, Jiangxi.
A young monk, holding a broom, sighed as he swept the area.
He clearly intended to go to the Way of the Celestial Masters at Dragon Tiger Mountain, so how did he end up entering a temple and becoming a monk?
Amitabha Buddha, what a sin!
Li Su silently shed tears, unable to help but complain about her situation.
What the heck?
Entering Buddhist Sect is one thing, but then his Dharma name is... well, it's... it's Fahai?!
What the hell?
Will Leifeng Pagoda collapse and West Lake dry up?
Is this asking me to suppress Little White? To be teased by Xiaoqing? And to casually mention the Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon? The second one is quite good. Li Su has rarely admired anyone in his life. He has only admired three people: Xu Xian, Dong Yong, and Ning Caichen. One dared to sleep with a demon, one dared to sleep with an immortal, and the last one didn't even spare ghosts.
However, Li Su quickly realized what was going on.
If this were the White Snake, then it wouldn't be right.
Fahai is a major character; when entering the World Fragment, only major characters are not possessed.
Soon, Li Su pulled out his World Book. After glancing at it, he breathed a sigh of relief, but his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
I was wondering why there was so much Yao Qi in Zhejiang; it turns out it was because of this.
World: A Chinese Ghost Story.
World resolution: 15%.
A Chinese Ghost Story character resolution: 60%.
Story analysis accuracy: 100%.
A little disappointed, the talent bonus didn't even exceed 200, that's terrible!
He wondered if that Yao Qi belonged to the Thousand-Year Tree Demon or the Black Mountain Demon. If it was the latter, Li Su would breathe a huge sigh of relief; if it was the former, that was just awful. Thousand-Year Tree Demon this powerful? Just how strong must the Black Mountain Demon be?
The only thing that comforted Li Su was that although he had been forced to transmigrate to a Buddhist temple, it was not a small temple in Dragon Tiger Mountain, but Pure Land Sect!
The Pure Land Sect may Greater Purity to most people, but it is undoubtedly extraordinary!
Buddhism has three schools: Chan (Zen), Esoteric Sect), and Pure Land Sect (also known as Lotus Sect).
Although the Pure Land Sect he belongs to is naturally different from the Pure Land Sect in his previous life, since there are indeed demons here, Buddhism also exists here, so it is very powerful, undoubtedly powerful.
You ask, how could the Pure Land Sect, a leading branch of Buddhism, be located in Dragon Tiger Mountain, a sacred site of Daoism?
Dragon Tiger Mountain certainly doesn't have it, because the Pure Land Sect is located on Mount Lu!
That's right, he went to the wrong place.
Remember when Li Su complained that Yingtan in Jiangxi was shrouded in Yao Qi, near Fujian?
Yes, that's Dragon Tiger Mountain over there!
Some might ask, why is there such a strong Yao Qi on Dragon Tiger Mountain?
Because Daoism is associated with a strong sense of killing intent!
In Daoist cultivation practices, demons and monsters are treasures in themselves: their corpses, blood, inner elixir, and even their ghosts are valuable.
So, many demons were crippled and imprisoned at Dragon Tiger Mountain, where their blood, flesh, and inner cores were extracted.
Even from hundreds of miles away, one can see thunder rumbling in the sky above Yingtan in the east, and every now and then, Daoist priests carrying demons and monsters fly towards that direction. Naturally, the atmosphere of demons and monsters there is very strong.
As for the Pure Land Sect, they cultivate Amitabha Buddha and pursue the Pure Land of Bliss, the eternal Buddha Land. They usually chant sutras together when they have nothing to do. These sutras have a built-in effect of deliverance. Demons and monsters feel uncomfortable when they hear them, and ghosts and monsters will ascend to heaven on the spot. Unless they are stubborn, they basically don't come here. So the atmosphere of demons and monsters is very weak.
Faced with this outcome, Li Su had no other options.
Even if you've been to World Fragment once, and the next time you find a place with an overwhelmingly strong demonic atmosphere, would you dare to go?
This is fucking ridiculous!
Letting out a breath, Li Su swept the leaves off the trees in front of the gate and sat down on the steps.
He is a disciple of the "Fa" generation, a fourth-generation disciple of the Pure Land Sect, and above him are the "Shan" and "Cheng" generations. He is undoubtedly a big shot among us, incredibly powerful.
Even if there's only one person left in the "Shan" generation and seven or eight in the "Cheng" generation, it's still quite remarkable. In the world of cultivation, the higher the generation, the greater the strength.
We're safe for the short term, but we can't let our guard down. Who knows how things work in this world? The Yao Qi was strongest in Zhejiang when we arrived, but that doesn't mean it wasn't present in other places.
Therefore, spiritual cultivation is undoubtedly the top priority right now. We must improve as soon as possible. No matter how long it takes for the events in Zhejiang to happen, self-preservation is the most important prerequisite.
Fortunately, being a member of the Pure Land Sect, the Buddhist teachings are not bad.
Putting aside other matters, the Infinite Life Sutra, the Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, and the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land—these three sutras and one treatise can be considered the fundamental teachings of the Pure Land Sect Buddha Land of Bliss.
Huh? You're asking how Li Su knew?
It's simple. He's currently studying the Amitabha Sutra, one of the three sutras and one treatise. He's been reading it quite a bit these past few days.
Sitting on the steps, Li Su's eyes flickered as she pondered deeply.
He's been here for a few days now, and he's learned a lot, and his understanding has undoubtedly deepened.
First, there's the difference between the Martial Arts Realm and the Dao Arts Realm, which he deeply felt after entering this place.
There is a fundamental difference between the two.
Martial arts cultivation involves using both dynamic and static techniques to induce bodily resonance, generating True Qi and forming Circulation Realm.
The Dao Arts Realm is different. It involves accumulating Dao Attainment fruits in the heart, then absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and introducing it into the body, transforming it into magical power.
In the Martial Dao Realm, the Circulation Realm is fundamental.
In the Dao Arts Realm, the Dao fruit is fundamental.
They are two completely different things. Therefore, if someone at his Martial Arts level doesn't enter this World Fragment, he will undoubtedly never be able to advance to the Dao Arts Realm. But once he enters, he can succeed immediately. There's no way around it; his talent is there.
At the same time, through his practice of the Amitabha Sutra, Li Su discovered the differences between Buddhism and Daoism.
The Daoist path leads to the enlightenment of all things in heaven and earth, which are then refined and Spirit Transformation, ultimately pursuing the Dao and following the natural way.
The Buddhist path to enlightenment is to contemplate one's own reflection in the heavens, thereby transforming into relics, and cultivating unwavering consistency from beginning to end.
Neither is inherently superior or inferior; they simply represent different directions.
Furthermore, Li Su discovered a problem: while martial arts techniques possess independence and uniqueness, Dao Arts Realm do not, especially the Dao Exposition, which is undoubtedly S-rank, right? It must be S-rank.
As a result, everyone in their lineage learned it, and not through inheritance.
Why?
It might be due to differences. Even with the same scripture, the results of each person's practice will be different.
For example, Li Su has been practicing the Amitabha Sutra several days, and the Dao Attainment in his body. It has now sprouted and taken root, but it has not blossomed. Instead, the roots continue to grow downwards and become thicker and thicker.
There's no way around it; reading it every day brings a fresh feeling. I feel like I missed something yesterday, and as I ponder and ponder, the Lotus stops blooming, but its roots grow deeper and deeper, becoming increasingly massive. ( Li Su said smugly, "I'm not smug at all.")
The little monk who called him that day had already blossomed, splitting into nine petals to Dao Attainment, generating magical power, and capable of performing spells.
Although the directions are different, the differences are not significant. After all, Li Su will eventually bloom, and perhaps it will bloom with nine petals and three layers? The Pure Land Sect's Dao Fruit is based on the Lotus, with nine petals being the ultimate, and three layers per flower, each flower representing a different realm.
The real difference lies in the supernatural powers they have attained.
The young monk sensed that words possess great power and can influence everything.
What Li Su sensed was not this; in fact, among this group of young monks, basically none of them were the same.
Moreover, although the Amitabha Sutra is presented to them in words, once they read the words, the sound that comes out will resonate with them, form a vision, and enter their hearts, as if Amitabha Buddha is guiding them and explaining the essential meaning of Buddhism.
This is probably the difference between it and martial arts; this thing has too many styles and is too unorthodox, so one person can't master it.
What was finally discovered was the connection between the Martial Arts Realm and the Dao Arts Realm.
As the roots of the Dao Fruit took hold, Li Su discovered that the place where it was rooted was none other than the location of his meridians, which corresponded precisely to the cultivation method he practiced and the source of the power transformed from the Arhat True Qi.
Faced with this result, Li Su's eyes undoubtedly lit up. He had a premonition that if he cultivated the Amitabha Sutra to perfection, it might combine with his Arhat True Qi after he left, causing a huge change.
And so, the young monk's impoverished life began once again.
He eats vegetarian food and prays to Buddha every day, sweeps the floor and carries water.
The body no longer needs deliberate training; the constant glow of the Dao Fruit itself is an ultimate form of enhancement.
The only thing that bothered him was the Vajra Strength and Dragon Division Strength, two cultivation techniques also from the Buddhist Sect. He didn't dare to practice them, mainly because his Dao Fruit hadn't blossomed and his Dharma Form hadn't been formed. If he were to cultivate any of the two techniques and develop other marks, that would be very unpleasant.
As for the Longevity Formula, let's not even talk about it; he simply tossed it aside and didn't dare to even look at it.
I'm afraid that if I look at it, it will just die on its own, which would be a real mess.
Life went on day by day, and Li Su was quite calm. After all, she had cultivated for almost a hundred years in total, so a mere year and a half was nothing. Moreover, cultivation at the Dao Arts Realm takes at least ten or even several decades, doesn't it?
As for A Chinese Ghost Story and all that, let it be. Unless we can directly defeat the Black Mountain Demon, we'll just stay here.
That's right, this time he's prepared to lie low until he dies, and he'll be the real bastard!
Everything that happened in Twin Dragons still had a significant impact on him. At least in this world, he didn't intend to cultivate good relationships with anyone. He would leave quietly, just as he had come quietly.
Of course, there were also opportunities.
First, he needs to prevent it from blooming...
Then, the Pure Land Sect has geniuses!
That's right, a genius, a super genius, far stronger than Xuancheng, whom I encountered during the Heavenly Dragon era.
And that person was the young monk who had come to call him "senior brother" earlier.
The little guy has only just begun his training and is only at the very beginning.
His talent is truly remarkable. In just over two months, he achieved the Dao Fruit. Not only that, but his cultivation speed has been extremely fast, faster than anyone could have imagined. In just one year, this little guy has not only completed the first flower bloom, but the second one has also blossomed. The third flower in the pond is already just beginning to emerge, with dragonflies already perched on its tip.
Without a doubt, the entire Pure Land Sect was astonished.
They hailed him as a once-in-a-century genius, directly bestowing upon him a brown monk's robe and promoting him one rank.
Not only was his status elevated from a fourth-generation disciple to the treatment of a third-generation disciple, but in addition to continuing to cultivate the Amitabha Sutra, he also began to Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra. He was undoubtedly a prodigy and attracted much attention.
Becoming the chief of the "Fa" generation is just around the corner!
As for Li Su, having been used to being a genius, his current situation is undoubtedly rather miserable, and truly miserable at that.
He was already a year older Fazhao, and after more than two years of cultivation, his Dao Fruit still hadn't blossomed? Even the slowest cultivators would blossom after about a year, so Li Su was practically an iron tree, the kind that would never bloom.
Li Su naturally didn't want to explain, nor could she explain.
After all, he can't exactly tell people that although it didn't bloom, its rhizomes are really thick and huge, right? A dense, profusion of them could give someone trypophobia just looking at them.
Great, that's it. Nobody will care about me!
Li Su couldn't help but feel pleased with herself; this situation was quite good.
However, it's clear that his idea was good, but reality is often cruel.
The more you try to stop it, the more it comes!
"Senior brother, senior brother, I've grasped another supernatural power!"
But then came the first little genius of the Pure Land Sect, the little monk Fazhao, a Fazhao that appears only once every hundred years. He came running up to Li Su with a big smile on his face. His face was flushed and he looked very cute. He was full of Buddhist aura.
"Really? Congratulations! Junior brother, you truly have a bright future ahead of you! No wonder the Pure Land Sect has such high hopes for you!!"
Li Su secretly rolled her eyes, continuing to sweep the floor while offering a compliment.
However, the bulging veins beneath his hand gripping the broom unmistakably betrayed his true feelings at that moment. "Damn, what a mess..."
He'd already said he didn't want to form close relationships with anyone, let alone with Fazhao, the rising star of his sect.
How much attention and scrutiny will this attract?
Don't assume that Buddhist Sect disciples won't associate with powerful factions or form cliques.
No, I'm afraid to tell you, the more a sect claims to save all living beings, the more serious the situation inside will be!
After all, we're all human, not gods!
The older generation is alright; they've matured with time and gained wisdom, but their ambitions have faded.
The younger generation is different; right now, their minds are racing.
You must understand that this world is not safe. There are constant wars outside, and the end of a dynasty is extremely dangerous, not to mention the rampant demons. It can be said that if you go out and have even the slightest bit of bad luck, you will never return.
With Fazhao's displayed talent, there is no doubt that he will have a very high status in the Pure Land Sect in the future. For junior disciples who are not very good at cultivation, befriending him in advance will not only greatly increase their own safety, but also give them a certain status in the three temples of the Pure Land Sect in the future. So those fellow disciples with average talent naturally prepared to Fazhao. The result? Li Su became the biggest obstacle in front of them.
At the same time, because of Fazhao's talent, he naturally attracted a lot of attention from the bigwigs of the Pure Land Sect. Since he was constantly coming to their place, it was inevitable that Li Su himself would also come under their scrutiny.
What's wrong with this little guy?
Looking at Fazhao, who was all smiles and sticking out his tongue, Li Su was stunned and felt utterly miserable.
Did I do anything to him? No, I didn't.
Why does this little guy look like the little lackey who used to follow you around when I led the team to steal bird eggs as a kid?
Li Su took a breath, looked at the extremely excited Fazhao, and couldn't help but shake her head. She pointed to the steps beside her and said, "Sit down and rest first, then recite the Amitabha Sutra twice. The Buddha teaches to understand one's true nature and cultivate the emptiness of the five aggregates. Having supernatural powers is a good thing; it's important, but it's not that important either. You can be happy, but you must remain calm. As the saying goes, 'If the mind is clear as ice, one will not be alarmed even if the sky collapses.' There is no mutual arising of things, and difficulty and ease complement each other. What you need to do now is not to be happy, but to carefully recall the feeling of the supernatural powers appearing, to capture that feeling, why it happened? What is the reason for its success? This is your foundation."
Knowing the method is simple, but understanding it is difficult. Supernatural powers are not something that ends once you have grasped them; you still need to study and understand them deeply.
Do you know?
"Yes, Senior Brother Fahai!" Fazhao took a breath, his smile shining brightly, his eyes sparkling. Sure enough, no matter when he came to see his senior brother, he always gained a great deal.
Watching the little guy obediently run up the steps and sit down, then begin chanting scriptures, Li Su nodded. While cleaning, he began to ponder.
Why? Why does this little guy cling to me so much?
What scent on him attracted the other person? After all, he was quite popular with dogs in his past life. Could it be that Fazhao also has this attribute?
Thinking of this, Li Su shook his head helplessly. If that was the case, there was really nothing he could do.
After all, this thing can't be changed.
It's alright, it's alright.
Although this attracted a lot of attention, he hadn't even flowered yet. He was being called an iron tree, and based on his feeling, it would take at least eighty or ninety years before it could bloom.
In eighty or ninety years, Fazhao would probably have already blossomed five, six, seven, or eight times, enough to become a leading figure in the Pure Land Sect.
As long as I'm careful and avoid the jealousy of my fellow disciples, I should be fine after this lifetime.
******
At this moment, not far away.
Two elderly Zen masters dressed in grey and white robes were watching this place.
"Is that Fahai?" one of the old monks asked.
"Yes, Master. He is Fahai. He has been cultivating for 'two years' and still hasn't blossomed. The younger generation even gave him a nickname: Iron Tree!"
"Haha... Iron Tree, what a brilliant name. I thought it was already a once-in-a-century event that the Pure Land Sect produced Fazhao, but I never expected that they would be hiding such a treasure. Iron Trees rarely bloom, their roots need to be very deep, they don't emerge from the ground for a hundred years, but overnight they are covered in flowers."
"Is that really so? I wonder what Dharma this little fellow has comprehended? Master, do you think it could be the fundamental Dharma? The Amitabha Sutra's teachings that all are Arhats?"
"It's hard to say. Its roots are unfathomable. Perhaps it's an even higher level of boundless light, or even the water of the eight virtues."
"Boundless Light? The Eight Merits of Light? Master, is it really that amazing?" The slightly younger monk looked astonished.
"Buddhism differs from Daoism; the attainment of enlightenment is not determined by the blooming and withering of flowers. This child possesses great insight. Have preparations made, and inform the Chan and Esoteric Sect that ten years from now, when the Buddha's treasure journeys westward, our Lotus Sect will send representatives to participate."
"Who does Master plan to send?"
The old monk smiled but said nothing.
The slightly younger monk paused for a moment, then looked at Fahai, who was still quietly sweeping the Fahai, calm and unmoved by external things. He couldn't help but laugh as well.
That's right. The journey to the West to deliver Buddhist treasures involves great karma and will inevitably encounter great calamities. Although Fazhao is good, his master never mentioned him from beginning to end. Only when he saw Fahai did he say that the Lotus Sect would participate. This in itself explains a lot.
" Amitabha Buddha!"
How could a sect with powerful figures like these, especially a cultivation sect, truly be blind?
So, Li Su, who was sweeping the floor, couldn't help but shudder. The hairs on his body stood on end for no reason, and he felt that something bad was about to happen. He quickly looked around in horror, but after finding nothing, he couldn't help but touch his penis.
What's going on???
The second update is delayed; I didn't sleep all night and had insomnia. I'll catch up during the day, by 10 PM at the latest.