Chapter Summaries

Lu Feng underwent Elder Mingli’s empowerment as a ghostly ritual unfolded around him, and the Ancient Scroll absorbed part of a Malevolent Ghost’s essence. After drinking the offering and breaking through the delusive barrier, Lu Feng opened his eyes but could see everything except the Yidam before him.

• A storm engulfed the village as an unseen eye appeared on Lu Feng’s Ancient Scroll, while Elder Mingli continued the empowerment.
• Elder Mingli’s body overlapped with a Plague Lord, who killed a Malevolent Ghost and crushed it, though some of its essence entered Lu Feng.
• A black goat charged into a wall and died, and Elder Mingli used its blood to bring the offering to seven qian before making Lu Feng drink it.
• Ghost Resonance began turning Lu Feng into a Malevolent Ghost, so Elder Mingli placed the goat’s head on him and chanted secret mantras.
• The milky barrier around Lu Feng dispersed, revealing that he had been meditating within the chakra beneath his navel as his Six-Syllable Great Brightness Mantra shone.
• Elder Mingli ordered Lu Feng to open his eyes and see him as the Yidam, but Lu Feng saw everything around him except Elder Mingli.

During the empowerment, Lu Feng saw through the false Elder Mingli and received a hidden transmission from the Abbot Dharma Venerable. The vision ended with Lu Feng beginning to cultivate Tummo, while the Abbot Dharma Venerable directed him toward Zajuben Temple to complete his Yidam practice.

• Lu Feng endured the strange empowerment in silence as Elder Mingli tried to make him visualize a Yidam Lama.
• When Elder Mingli asked what he saw, Lu Feng replied that no Lama appeared before him, and the figure began to crumble into sand.
• The fading voice ordered Lu Feng to recite the Diamond Sutra for fifteen years, observe four prohibitions, and seek the Treasure Tent Protector Mandala at Zajuben Temple if he could not visualize a Yidam.
• Elder Mingli returned and declared himself Lu Feng's Yidam Lama, but Lu Feng realized the true transmitter had been the Abbot Dharma Venerable.
• Lu Feng discovered that Tummo had taken root in his body and began guiding it to rise through his chakra.

Lu Feng attained the first perfection of the gradual path, gaining divine strength, then supervised the punishment of the attendant monks and carried them to a nearby village for care. He remained there with several old temple monks while the group prepared to leave for the next Wula Station that afternoon.

• Lu Feng circulated the fire and Great Compassion Resonance through his body until he achieved the first perfection, divine strength perfection.
• Lu Feng emerged at dawn and learned from Elder Mingli that attendant monks were to be whipped for failing their duties the previous night.
• Lu Feng watched the beatings without intervening, then used Great Compassion Resonance to soothe the unconscious monks.
• Lu Feng stopped the punishment monks from throwing the injured men into the dust and carried them to a nearby village, making six trips to bring everyone there.
• Lu Feng met several old monks from the temple while the group awaited its afternoon departure for the next Wula Station.

Lu Feng treated the villagers and monks at Sunrise Temple while learning about travel through the Secret Dharma Region. Elder Mingli prepared to leave that afternoon, warning that the route ahead was uncertain and that the Dakini’s morning winds could sweep travelers away.

• The villagers and monks prostrated themselves before Lu Feng, who asked them to heat water so he could bathe and told them he needed no offerings.
• Lu Feng reported his actions to Elder Mingli, who gave him ointment for fire sickness and allowed him to help the villagers.
• Elder Mingli told Lu Feng that the group would leave in the afternoon, described the dangers of traveling through the Secret Dharma Region, and warned that their servants might die repaying the day’s kindness.
• Lu Feng returned to the village, applied the ointment to the attendant monks, and had the Malevolent Ghosts chant the Six-Syllable Great Brightness Mantra to help treat them.
• Lu Feng questioned the monks about travel and conditions in the Secret Dharma Region, and they promised to answer everything they knew.

Lu Feng learned the dangers and customs of traveling through the Secret Dharma Region, then chanted mantras around a village and strengthened his great compassion resonance. As the group set out for Wula Station, Elder Mingli told him to subjugate an Obstacle Mara and use it as a mount.

• Lu Feng asked the monks about wilderness travel and learned to avoid the Dakini's breath, observe local taboos, and beware of untamed tribespeople.
• After bathing, Lu Feng refused to let the monks use his bathwater as medicine, then chanted mantras for the villagers as he circled their village.
• Lu Feng's great compassion resonance connected with the temple's Stone Pillar and grew stronger as he recited the Six-Syllable Great Brightness Mantra.
• The group packed and departed for the abandoned Wula Station.
• Elder Mingli told Lu Feng that he was ready to subjugate his first Obstacle Mara, and Lu Feng asked where he could find one.

Lu Feng traveled with Elder Mingli’s party while studying secret scriptures about Obstacle Maras and the dangers near the uninhabited region. When unnatural rain clouds swept toward them, Elder Mingli ordered the party to abandon supplies and warned Lu Feng to trust no one but him once the rain arrived; enormous figures emerged within the storm.

• Elder Mingli gave Lu Feng esoteric scriptures describing Obstacle Maras, Dharma Protectors, and Malevolent Ghosts along the route.
• Elder Mingli explained how the Ganing Lineage’s Spirit Shaman witnessed the Abbot Venerable’s passing and reincarnation ceremonies.
• Lu Feng and Elder Mingli saw black clouds and rain approaching at unnatural speed, and the guide monk feared the rain god had come.
• Elder Mingli sent Zhiyuan and Zhian to make the monks discard nonessential supplies and sent Zhiquan ahead to check Wula Station.
• Elder Mingli warned Lu Feng not to speak to anyone who returned from ahead and told him to trust only Elder Mingli during the rain.
• The party hurried onward as enormous figures appeared within the storm clouds and rain.

Lu Feng and Elder Mingli's party endured a rainstorm filled with Outer Gods, but another dragon-type Wild God appeared and forced them to flee toward Wula Station. Elder Mingli carried Lu Feng away as the group scattered, while some monks fell and became Malevolent Ghosts.

• Elder Mingli warned the group to control their horses, and Zawa calmed Lu Feng's mare as Lu Feng told him to stay close.
• Lu Feng secured the scriptures in waterproof saddlebags, and Elder Mingli ordered the Dharma Protector Lamas to coat and light their torches with grease.
• Lu Feng and the others saw towering figures pass through the rain and a gigantic female body flicker among the clouds; some people were drained of moisture and reduced to flying sheets of skin.
• A drumlike sound made the rain slant, and Elder Mingli recognized another dragon-type Wild God and ordered the party to abandon the packhorses and flee toward Wula Station.
• Elder Mingli used his Malevolent Ghost to carry Lu Feng away, while several monks fell and became Malevolent Ghosts and the remaining Dharma Protector Lamas fled by their own methods.
• A creature flew low through the rain and sucked rainwater and muddy water upward into its body.

After surviving the storm, Lu Feng helped the monks recover at the abandoned Wula Station and learned that the Dakini had pursued Elder Mingli. He suspected the celestial phenomenon might have come for him or the Lama, and the chapter ended when someone wearing Endless White Pagoda Temple boots arrived.

• Lu Feng woke in a fortified tower, apologized to Elder Mingli for failing to protect the scripture and Buddhist treasure, and was told he was not to blame.
• Elder Mingli sent Lu Feng to distribute medicinal broth, count the survivors, and patrol Wula Station with Zawa and the others.
• Lu Feng found that the group had lost several attendant monks but had kept most of their packhorses, and Zawa explained that the Dakini had chased Elder Mingli away before vanishing.
• Lu Feng wondered whether the celestial phenomenon had been drawn to him or Elder Mingli while Monk Zhiyuan recorded their experience as secret text.
• Lu Feng heard hoofbeats and saw a figure outside wearing boots marked with the emblem of Endless White Pagoda Temple, prompting him to wonder if Monk Zhiquan had returned.

Elder Mingli performed daily rites to protect his scriptures and treasures, then prayed to King Mingzhu for guidance about his disciple Yongzhen and the Ganing Lineage. Outside the watchtower, Lu Feng lit his butter lamp and saw that the monks were carrying something on their backs.

• Elder Mingli sealed his wicker chest with mantras and offerings to protect its scriptures and ritual objects from intruders.
• Elder Mingli subdued the Yaksha King within himself through a vision of King Mingzhu, while attendant monks performed offerings and dances.
• Elder Mingli recalled that Yongzhen had few options beyond the Endless White Pagoda Temple, though Ganye Temple still retained its Qubilghan seat.
• Elder Mingli prayed to King Mingzhu for a revelation about Yongzhen, the Ganing Lineage, and the se he had seen.
• Lu Feng lit his butter lamp at the watchtower doorway and saw that the monks outside carried something on their backs.

Lu Feng attacked the Malevolent Ghost clinging to Monk Zhiquan, using the Six-Syllable Great Brightness Mantra to bind and burn it. Zhiquan stopped him, warning that the ghost was the Ubao God's companion deity and killing it would provoke the god's wrath.

• Lu Feng saw Zhiquan resisting a shape-shifting Malevolent Ghost while Elder Mingli and the other monks remained inside the watchtower.
• Lu Feng prepared his prayer wheel and Kapala rosary, then advanced while reciting the Six-Syllable Great Brightness Mantra.
• Lu Feng's compassion manifested as golden flames that formed a sword and struck at the Malevolent Ghost.
• Zhiquan used a Vajra Bell and secret mantra to force the Malevolent Ghost back as Lu Feng's flames bound and scorched it.
• Zhiquan grabbed Lu Feng and begged him to stop, warning that the Malevolent Ghost was the Ubao God's companion deity.