The Buddhist Dharma Aspect (Six-thousand-word chapter)

I ran into an acquaintance; I'm going to check on them.

Xu Qi'an left a sentence behind, then turned and went downstairs, discreetly bypassing the crowd from a distance, and approached the old lady in a simple dress and hairpin.

Chu Yuanzhen's gaze followed him, and upon seeing that his target was an older woman of average appearance, he immediately burst out laughing:

"Xu Ningyan's hobbies are somewhat unique."

Hengyuan frowned, about to say a few words in defense of Lord Xu, when he saw Xu Qi'an in the distance shamelessly revealing a lecherous smile and chatting with the woman.

The woman ignored him and even rolled her eyes at him, but Lord Xu didn't care and continued talking incessantly.

Seeing this, Hengyuan immediately lost his confidence to argue, and said dryly, "A young man's romantic escapades may not necessarily be a bad thing."

Chu Yuanzhen laughed heartily, "The courtesans of the Imperial Academy of Music are beautiful, but they always seem to lack something. These married men, on the other hand, have a lot of charm."

Hengyuan was helpless; all they could do was lament their misfortune and resent their lack of ambition.

Lord Xu is good in every way, except for his womanizing and philandering, which is a source of criticism.

Thanks to No. 1's propaganda within the Heaven and Earth Society, Xu Qi'an's lecherous persona has deeply penetrated the hearts of those who possess the Earth Book fragments.

"Auntie, what brings you here again? Judging by your attire, you don't look like a wealthy woman. Aren't the daily necessities of life good enough? All you ever do is come out and watch the excitement."

Is that man on stage your man?

"How much silver did you take with you today? Don't let anyone steal it. Come, come, let me take you to a less crowded place."

Aside from that initial coquettish eye roll, the older woman ignored him completely, letting him chatter on and on in her ear.

He showed great disgust towards Xu Yinluo, who was handsome and talented.

Xu Qi'an, though embarrassed, wasn't angry. He simply stopped talking and focused his attention on the two fighters on the stage.

This time, Monk Jingsi no longer held back and chose to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the sixth-rank martial artist who possessed a body of copper and iron, with each punch landing squarely.

Ding ding ding.

The resounding clang of their fists and kicks was like the continuous tolling of a bell, or the hammering of a blacksmith, as dazzling sparks occasionally flew between them.

The onlookers cheered and applauded enthusiastically.

A child, engrossed in the game, ran excitedly towards the ring, shouting excitedly.

"Get lost!"

Xu Qi'an swept his leg and kicked him away. The child flew lightly several meters and landed in the arms of a man, who seemed to be his father. The man glared at Xu Qi'an with surprise and anger, but dared not do anything rash.

"Are you injured?" the man asked anxiously.

"It doesn't hurt," the child said with a grin.

The older woman glanced at Xu Qi'an, then turned back expressionlessly, watching the competition on the stage intently.

The battle on the arena didn't last long; the outcome was decided after only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. The sixth-rank martial artist was struck in the chest three times by Monk Jingsi, and finally couldn't hold on any longer, breaking his hard skill.

"The Buddhist School Vajra invincibility lives up to its name."

The man cupped his hands in apology, seemingly too ashamed to stay any longer, jumped off the stage, and hurriedly left.

The old lady gently stomped her foot.

Xu Qi'an was somewhat surprised. This older woman, how should I put it, always showed some of the mannerisms and expressions of a young girl.

My aunt does this occasionally, but not as much as she does.

This is an auntie who has no idea about her age. Xu Qi'an made up his mind and said with a smile:

"It's like two knives clashing. If the brute force is roughly equal, the one with better quality will win. The Vajra invincible technique of Buddhist School is said to have originated from the Buddha, while the copper skin and iron bones of martial artists vary in 'quality.' Their loss is not unjust."

The old woman turned her head and said disdainfully, "You talk a good game, why don't you go up on stage? Didn't you kill a sixth-rank martial artist with a single stroke before?"

Xu Qi'an squinted and asked, "Huh? Didn't you leave then? How did you know I killed a sixth-rank cultivator with a single strike?"

The old woman responded with a cold laugh, "I'm neither deaf nor mute, unless there's still a silver gong in the south of the city that day."

"Hey, weren't you the one who called people to beat me up that day? Auntie, whose wife are you, and what department does your husband work in?" Xu Qi'an dropped the pretense and asked bluntly.

On that day, the sixth-grade man dressed as a Jianghu man came to the stage to provoke him without any reason, and challenged Xu Qi'an by name. He could have arrested him directly, but in order to pretend to be a saint in front of others, he chose to challenge Xu Qi'an.

Afterwards, before he could even interrogate him, the martial arts master was taken away. Who could pull someone away from the Nightwatchers's office?

Xu Qi'an guessed that it was "one of their own," either someone from the military or a retainer of some important figure.

Just now, Xu Qi'an saw a martial artist of the same sixth rank go on stage and saw an old lady mixed in with the crowd. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he remembered that he had indeed offended someone.

This older woman's identity was definitely not as simple and ordinary as her appearance suggested. And I had indeed offended her that day. Although it wasn't a big deal, a woman's pettiness was another matter.

Xu Qi'an had reason to suspect that the sixth-rank martial artist that day was acting under the instructions of this old woman.

Hearing Xu Qi'an's question, the old woman smiled broadly, "Go up on stage and chop this little monk down, then I'll tell you."

Xu Qi'an shook his head.

"Scared?" Her contempt deepened.

I was afraid. I had finally managed to extricate myself from the sight of the Buddhist School delegation, and I didn't want to have too much involvement with Buddhist School monks. But Xu Qi'an couldn't help but press his hand on the hilt of his sword and pondered:

I cannot break through his invincible body.

"It'll let you know there's always someone better!" The old lady pursed her lips, her eyes filled with a complex mix of disappointment and pride.

At this moment, a swordsman in a green robe leaped out from the nearby tavern and landed lightly on the arena.

When the onlookers saw that someone else was challenging the young monk, they immediately perked up, ready to enjoy the drama and discuss who the green-robed swordsman was.

Chu Yuanzhen

Xu Qi'an heard the old lady mutter something.

She knows Chu Yuanzhen? Oh, Chu Yuanzhen was, after all, the top scholar in the Great Feng. If the top scholar Chu makes a move, it's probably a sure thing.

Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief.

The young monk Jingsi has been monopolizing the arena, which is also embarrassing for the imperial court.

"Little monk, I will only strike once. If you can block it, then I will admit defeat." Chu Yuanzhen smiled and calmly looked directly at Jing Si.

The boos started again. Seeing the arrogant swordsman in the green robe, the surrounding onlookers' impression of him plummeted.

This young mage from the Western Regions was unbreakable, as everyone could see. The green-robed swordsman's arrogant words easily led people to think of him as an opportunistic martial arts figure eager for instant fame.

"Please, benefactor!"

Jingsi clasped his hands together, undaunted and fearless.

"Interesting." Chu Yuanzhen smiled, his eyes showing no competitive spirit, but rather more of a desire to join in the fun, just like the crowd around him.

Then, Chu Yuanzhen made a gesture that no one could understand: he stretched out his hand towards the sky, palm open.

The sword on his back remained motionless.

Just as everyone thought he was bluffing and was about to laugh at him, someone saw a pebble fly up from beside their feet.

More and more pebbles rose into the air, surging towards the palm of the swordsman in the green robe like a honeycomb.

With a series of loud thuds, the pebbles fit together perfectly, forming a sword hilt. As the pebbles converged, a four-foot-long stone sword took shape.

Wow.

A commotion erupted around them; most of the crowd were just there for the spectacle, and the more flashy and elaborate the device, the more impressive it seemed to them.

Chu Yuanzhen's move was quite flashy, turning stones into a sword—it was practically divine skill, far more interesting than the Western monk who only took hits from beginning to end.

"Sharp!"

The older woman's eyes sparkled, and she couldn't help but cheer.

After the stone sword was formed, Chu Yuanzhen held it forward and thrust it forward. In an instant, wind and thunder arose, and a gale rose from the ground, causing the surrounding people to sway from side to side.

The sword strike came too fast; Monk Jingsi had no way to dodge it. He clasped his hands together, neither retreating nor avoiding it.

Ding. Boom boom boom.

First came a piercing screech, followed by a muffled burst of air. Waves of air, like a raging tide, swept away the crowd in the distance.

Fortunately, the so-called fluctuations in energy had already occurred over the past three days, so the people dared not approach the arena as they had before, and no one was injured, although many people had blood on their ears from the shockwave.

Before the first sharp sound, Xu Qi'an covered the old lady's ears, and the subsequent explosion of energy pressed her firmly into Xu Qi'an's arms.

Having probably never been so intimately touched by a strange man before, the old woman struggled violently, stomping her feet hard on Xu Qi'an's insteps.

Once everything had calmed down, the swordsman in green and the young monk from the Western Regions stood on the arena. The young monk's golden body was no longer dazzling and appeared dull and lifeless.

Chu Yuanzhen no longer had his sword; between the two of them lay only a pile of sand.

"We lost."

Xu Qi'an thought regretfully, then saw the old lady push him away and slap him across the face.

Xu Qi'an raised his hand to block it, and said irritably, "You old lady, you still have such a temper at your age."

He didn't finish his sentence, but before him was a snow-white wrist adorned with a string of Bodhi beads.

"???"

A series of questions flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind. His gaze at the old woman slowly froze, gradually becoming strange.

He recognized the Bodhi bracelet. He had met Master Jinlian in the inner city that day and "won" the fragment of the Earth Book and the Bodhi bracelet from him.

The bracelet was bought by a nobleman sitting in a carriage made of golden nanmu wood.

Is that her?!

"Let go."

The older woman's voice rang out in shame and anger, her teeth clenched tightly.

Xu Qi'an obediently let go, and the old lady slapped him again before storming off.

No way, no way, the woman whom Master Jinlian praised as having "a very deep connection with me in the future" is her?!

She was entitled to ride in a carriage made of Phoebe zhennan wood, so was this elderly woman either Emperor Yuanjing's cousin or the wife of some prince?

What connection could such a woman have with me? No, no, I can't let my judgment slip. Perhaps she has a daughter, beautiful as a flower, with whom I have a connection? But with her mediocre looks, how could she possibly have a beautiful daughter?

Thinking of the older woman's good looks, Xu Qi'an interrupted his young mother-in-law's train of thought, thinking that having a connection doesn't necessarily mean marriage; it could be some other kind of fate.

"That being said, I've already seen her twice in just a few days, and her background is unclear. She's not in my life or career, nor in my social circle. Under such circumstances, the fact that we meet so frequently proves that Master Jinlian was right; we are indeed destined to meet."

At this moment, the surrounding audience recovered from the aftershocks of the fight, and some people kept slapping their ears and talking loudly.

Those who were lucky enough to avoid eardrum damage were filled with regret.

"You still didn't win?"

Are people from Western Buddhist School truly that powerful?

No one criticized Chu Yuanzhen, after all, that sword strike just now was already a divine skill.

Xu Qi'an led the mare, walking slowly with Heng Yuan and Chu Yuanzhen.

"Scholar Chu, how much of your strength did you use in that sword strike just now?" Xu Qi'an asked curiously.

Chu Yuanzhen shook his head, giving an irrelevant answer, "That little monk's path is both the same as yours and the opposite of yours."

Xu Qi'an suddenly realized that Chu Yuanzhen meant that the monk Jingsi only knew the Vajra Invincible skill, which was similar to Xu Qi'an, who only had the power of a single sword strike.

On the contrary, it's one attacking and one defending.

"Then, Scholar Chu, do you think my spear can break through his shield?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"You can!"

Chu Yuanzhen glanced at him, then smiled and said, "But you can't."

Xu Qi'an retorted with a stern face, "Scholars and Buddhist School monks are just as detestable."

Chu Yuanzhen asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Xu Qi'an smiled and said, "Go decide for yourself."

Chu Yuanzhen immediately looked displeased, but a few seconds later, he suddenly understood, shook his head and chuckled, "Playing witty banter is indeed pointless; only those who think they're clever do that."

He paused, then offered a word of advice. "Your 'Heaven and Earth One Blade Slash' is very powerful, and after incorporating the techniques of the Heart Sword, it's even more flawless. But in my opinion, it lacks a soul."

Soul? Xu Qi'an rejected that word.

"What you wield is the Heaven and Earth One Slash, and that's all. What I wield isn't Swordsmanship, but my will. When I'm lazy, my Sword Qi is lazy too. When I'm gentle, my Sword Qi is gentle too. But once I'm enraged, my sword intent can pierce the heavens," Chu Yuanzhen said in a deep voice.

"This is spirit! This is soul! This is the true essence of a fourth-rank martial artist!"

Xu Qi'an recalled the "divine power" of the yamen's gong-beaters and nodded in realization, "But you also said that's the true essence of a fourth-rank martial artist."

I am merely a lowly Silver Gong at the seventh-grade Spirit Refining Realm.

"I can teach you how to cultivate your inner energy. Reaching a high level of cultivation is equivalent to gaining the abilities of a fourth-rank martial artist ahead of time. Of course, the effect will definitely be greatly reduced. However, combined with your Heaven and Earth One Slash, it will be enough to break through that Buddhist School Vajra."

"Mastering a unique skill is not something that can be done overnight," Xu Qi'an said.

What he really meant was, "Can I use your special skills for free?"

"Getting started is very simple!" Chu Yuanzhen laughed. "I figured out this technique a year after I started learning swordsmanship. It only takes two or three days to master it. It's just that reaching a high level is very difficult."

"Please enlighten me, Scholar Chu," Xu Qi'an said hastily.

"Let me tell you the trick first. It's not difficult. It's basically about integrating your own spirit into it, transforming it into Sword Qi or saber energy. It's just simple spirit, nothing more than joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness," Chu Yuanzhen said frankly.

"The Human Sect follows this path; I've essentially built upon that foundation and discovered a new trick."

Lingbao Temple.

In the quiet backyard, in a secluded room, Emperor Yuanjing and the Imperial Advisor played chess. The old emperor, his hair now black again, held a chess piece and sighed:

"Chu Yuanzhen has also lost."

The female imperial advisor had a dot of vermilion between her eyebrows, and her features were beautiful but not vulgar. She had a voluptuous figure and perfectly blended the beauty of a young girl with the charm of a young woman.

Both innocent and alluring.

She plays chess impulsively, without thinking, placing her pieces with a series of clattering sounds. Upon hearing this, she replied, "A casual move, what's the point of talking about winning or losing?"

Emperor Yuanjing nodded, "But regardless, it has enhanced the reputation of that little monk and the reputation of Buddhist School in the Western Regions."

Although Emperor Yuanjing was in the palace, he was fully aware of everything that happened in the capital, especially the information about the Western Regions mission.

"Does Your Majesty feel guilty?" Luo Yuheng frowned slightly, realizing she was about to lose as the game progressed.

So, during the conversation, the positions of the two pieces were subtly changed.

"In the wrong?"

Emperor Yuanjing chuckled, then sighed, "I am in the wrong, but more than that, I am helpless. The young monk is so young, yet his cultivation is astonishing. There are no rising talents in the capital. What can I do?"

"It wouldn't be right to send the best soldiers from the Imperial Guard into battle, wouldn't that be even more humiliating?"

Luo Yuheng understood that Emperor Yuanjing was blaming Chu Yuanzhen for holding back and not defeating the little monk decisively enough, thus becoming a stepping stone for the monk's fame.

"That bald monk has come with ill intentions; he probably won't return to the Western Regions easily this time," Emperor Yuanjing added.

"Your Majesty, please speak freely," Luo Yuheng said.

"A few days ago, Master Du'e wanted to see the Supervisor, but he refused. The Supervisor has long resided in the Star-Gazing Tower and is detached from worldly affairs. If he ignores the eminent monk from the Western Regions, we will have to ask the Imperial Preceptor to intervene."

Luo Yuheng nodded slowly and then changed the positions of two more chess pieces.

Dejected after losing three consecutive matches, Emperor Yuanjing left Lingbao Temple. On his way back to the palace, he instructed the old eunuch, "Go and have Wei Yuan search for him. I don't want to see that little monk standing on the arena again."

Emperor Yuanjing remained expressionless, his face grim.

The old eunuch, head bowed and eyes submissive, replied, "Yes!"

South City, Health Center.

In the backyard, Xu Qi'an and Chu Yuanzhen sat cross-legged, listening to him explain the secrets of "cultivating one's mind".

Master Hengyuan didn't shy away from the situation and sat to the side to learn from the master.

"It doesn't sound difficult, but how do you infuse 'spirit' into the blade?" Xu Qi'an asked as he stood up and swung his black and gold longsword.

During the process, following the secret techniques taught by Chu Yuanzhen, he attempted to infuse his own spirit into the blade.

But it failed.

"Your emotions are calm, without joy, sorrow, worry, or anger. How can you cultivate your mind?" Chu Yuanzhen said helplessly.

"It's my fault. I was too calm and composed; I remained unfazed even when a mountain collapsed before me," Xu Qi'an said.

The so-called high spirits are essentially an emotion.

Chu Yuanzhen thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there's a quick way."

Xu Qi'an's eyes brightened slightly. "Please speak, Scholar Chu."

"Come here," the top scholar beckoned with a smile.

Xu Qi'an immediately went over.

"Smack!"

Chu Yuanzhen slapped him across the face.

"You son of a bitch, Xu Qi'an is angry! Brother Chu, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"

Can one break free from pride and ambition?

"Completely ineffective." Xu Qi'an rubbed the burning dough.

"That means it's not ready yet."

Chu Yuanzhen suddenly pounced on him, slapping him repeatedly. Xu Qi'an tried his best to resist and dodge, but he was still slapped more than a dozen times.

Faced with Chu Yuanzhen's relentless pursuit, he became completely enraged. At that moment, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he felt an urge to vent his anger.

Laugh!

An incomparably sharp blade of energy slashed out, distorting the air.

Chu Yuanzhen seemed unwilling to confront this sharp edge, tilting his head back to avoid it. The blade energy shot into the sky and slowly dissipated.

"It really worked!" Xu Qi'an was overjoyed.

That last strike exceeded the limits of his usual sword energy; if combined with the Heaven and Earth One Slash, its power would be even greater.

"You really are a genius," Chu Yuanzhen exclaimed.

He had said that it would only take a day or three days to learn, but Xu Qi'an only took an hour.

No, actually you're a genius at teaching, Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

"But if I have to take a hit every time I use this strike, wouldn't that be too much of a loss?"

Chu Yuanzhen replied, "That's why I say, it's easy to get started, but difficult to master. Your current spirit needs external stimulation; you can't exert it on your own initiative."

Ah, another Secret Method to cultivate. But I'm still that boy who waits to die after making one cut. Xu Qi'an felt that his cultivation path had fallen into some kind of irreversible state.

He learned more and more, but his methods of dealing with enemies remained monotonous and extreme.

"However, the power I can unleash is getting stronger and stronger. I wonder if there will ever come a day when I can truly become a master in the world, one whose strike cannot be blocked by anyone?"

That evening, as expected, Xu Qi'an overheard his second uncle talking about the battle at the South City Arena.

"It is said that even a highly skilled swordsman couldn't defeat that monk from the Western Regions," Second Uncle Xu remarked.

"There are so many masters in the capital, and they can't even beat a little monk?" Auntie remarked casually while eating.

"There are many experts in the capital, but it doesn't sound good if the strong bully the weak. There are quite a few young experts, but it is said that they possess the Vajra Invincible Technique unique to Buddhist School. Let alone those of the same realm, even those of a higher rank might not be able to break it."

Second Uncle Xu was explaining things to his wife, who had long hair but short brains.

After hearing this, the aunt was furious and trembled with cold. "In such a large capital city, you can't even find a decent young man. It's only because my Erlang doesn't Martial Dao that he can knock the little monk unconscious with one punch."

Xu Erlang quickly waved his hands. "No, no, no, Mother, I can't do it."

He paused, then said, "The Western Regions delegation was indeed a bit arrogant. I was drinking with my classmates the other day, and we were all quite indignant about it. There's a monk in the northern city who chants scriptures and preaches every day, and thousands of people listen for one or two hours at a time. But those people are all poor; how can they afford to waste time?"

"And then there's that little monk from the south city. He's tough as nails and spouts nonsense, but the martial arts masters in the capital can't do anything to him. His classmates all say that martial arts masters are only good at bullying their own kind."

These words offended both Xu Dalang and Second Uncle Xu.

"You scholars are all talk and no action, yet you can spout off thousands of words without lifting a finger," Xu Qi'an sneered.

"Rational."

Xu Pingzhi praised his nephew, while also taking the opportunity to put down his wife, who was becoming increasingly arrogant after his son became the top scholar in the imperial examination. "Erlang is not cut out for martial arts. On the contrary, Lingyin, with her chubby arms and legs and plenty of strength, is much more talented than him."

Xu Lingyue glanced at her younger sister, who was engrossed in eating meat, and chuckled softly, covering her mouth. "At that point, we'll really eat the family out of house and home."

After chatting for a while, Second Uncle sighed, "Don't even mention scholars, which of my colleagues in the Imperial Saber Guard isn't resentful? Those Western monks are too arrogant."

The arrogance of the Buddhist School has its reasons; they came here to interrogate and punish them, Xu Qi'an said with a sigh.

Night fell.

The monk in the blue robe returned to the post station and went straight to see Master Du'e. He put his hands together and said, "Grandmaster Uncle, the Supervisor still refuses to see you."

In the orange candlelight, Master Du'e's wrinkled face was half illuminated by the candlelight and half hidden in shadow.

"Understood, you may leave."

The monks left.

Master Du'e closed his eyes again, and a golden light shot into the sky from the top of his head.

The golden light rose slowly, pierced the night sky, and disappeared. A few seconds later, dark clouds rolled and thunder roared in the night sky.

Amidst the rolling black clouds, a ray of golden light appeared, and then, a tidal wave of golden light enveloped the entire capital city.

The clouds trembled violently, revealing a Buddha's face with wide-open eyes and raised eyebrows.

This statue is enormous; its face alone is as big as half of the capital city.

Within the capital, the common people were completely unaffected, but all the cultivators simultaneously felt fear and trepidation, like small animals trembling in the spring thunder.

Xu Qi'an woke up with a start, his face pale, and rushed out of the room. He looked up at the sky and saw a golden Buddha face hovering over the capital.

This sight was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before; it was as if the Buddha had descended from the clouds and looked down upon the human world.

"Clang"

The doors to the east wing and the next room opened at the same time, and Second Uncle Xu and Xu Erlang rushed out, their legs trembling uncontrollably as they looked up at the sky.

"Father, elder brother, is the Buddhist School from the Western Regions going to make a move in the capital?" Xu Erlang asked in a trembling voice.

Xu Pingzhi was dumbfounded; he had never seen such a terrifying scene in his life.

"Supervisor, why do you dare not see me?"

At this moment, Faxiang spoke in human language, like a thunderclap, the sound echoing throughout the capital.

"Damn, the high-level combat power in this world is truly terrifying." Xu Qi'an exclaimed while shaking his leg.

PS: I finally managed to write a long chapter, but I figured updating with only three or four thousand words wouldn't be very interesting, so I kept writing after midnight last night, aiming for ten thousand words. But then I realized I had overestimated myself.

Two chapters today, no change. Consider this longer chapter as compensation.

Remember to help me correct any mistakes, I'm going to sleep now.