Upright Origin and Right Enlightenment

At this moment, the mantra recited by Aji allowed Zhou Yang to discern the different fluctuations of the nine strands of Mindfulness within his mind without needing to perceive them carefully!

He had a gut feeling that this mantra might be a method for cultivating a Upright Heart mind!

Zhou Yang's Mindfulness had already reached its limit, but no matter how many dangerous trials he went through afterward, his Mindfulness never seemed to coalesce into Upright Heart mind.

He had previously thought that he was unable to cultivate Upright Heart, or that the time was not yet right.

Now it seems that this may not be the case.

--Cultivating Upright Heart also requires specific methods.

Zhou Yang had been groping his way forward in the dark, completely unaware of the existence of such a method!

The rhyme recited by Aji lit a lamp for Zhou Yang.

This allowed him to see the road ahead more clearly!

The mantra recited by Aji would only leave ordinary people feeling confused and unable to gain anything from it.

But someone like Zhou Yang, Mindfulness had reached its peak, could sense a strange fluctuation from this mantra as soon as he heard it. This strange fluctuation permeated Zhou Yang's mind and soul.

This caused nine different Mindfulness to fluctuate between Zhou Yang's eyebrows, intertwining like ropes and gradually twisting into a single rope!

The different fluctuations emanating from the nine strands of Mindfulness gradually adjusted and tended to converge as the rope began to take shape!

"Whoosh!"

At the same time, the Ghost Rhyme blood and fire covering Zhou Yang's entire body surged forth!

Zhou Yang's Mindfulness, which were twisted into a rope, were instantly moved and caused ripples in the Fat Mirror Lamp!

In that instant, he transformed into a human-shaped mirror!

The mirror's brilliance shone, dispelling the Ghost Rhyme and blood-red flames that swirled around him!

Previously, Zhou Yang's Fat Mirror Lamp, once invaded by this blood-fire Ghost Rhyme, immediately showed signs of collapse.

But now, as Aji chants the incantation, he twists the nine strands of Mindfulness into a single rope, and with this, and by using the Fat Mirror Lamp, he can endure for a while amidst the Ghost Rhyme and blood fire swirling around his body!

This is the meaning of "first burning oneself in bad luck"...

"Using one's own Mindfulness as a piece of iron, one can transform the Ghost Rhyme of the outside world into a furnace fire. With the help of this blazing furnace fire, one can completely refine the fragmented and scattered Mindfulness into one! "At present, my nine strands of Mindfulness have only been temporarily twisted into a rope, and have not yet reached the point of 'returning to one.' Once the pressure brought by the Ghost Rhyme of the outside world disappears, or the Ghost Rhyme erupts and breaks through the limit that Mindfulness can withstand, this rope will once again break apart from one into nine."

"It requires repeated tempering and refining to make the nine strands of Mindfulness a unified whole."

"After that, one can begin the next step of cultivation: 'Setting lofty goals and making great vows'..."

Zhou Yang's mind raced.

He never expected that Aji would possess this method of cultivating Upright Heart.

According to Zhou Yang's observations in this region, the local people's character is constantly influenced by the secret sect. With the secret sect's pervasive influence, the local people's character tends towards the development of "Esoteric Nature." Those who possess Esoteric Nature find it difficult to even communicate with the Tsen Demon.

Since the people here primarily practice Esoteric Nature, it is impossible for them to develop a path of Mindfulness practice.

In this situation, Aji happened to know this method of cultivating Upright Heart mind.

Although the instructions do not mention Upright Heart, the purpose of cultivation is to attain "Upright Origin and Right Enlightenment."

However, this "Upright Origin and Right Enlightenment" is exactly the same as the fundamental principle of Upright Heart; it is simply another way of expressing the Upright Heart.

Aji was merely the son of a silversmith from a humble background. All the spiritual knowledge he shared with Zhou Yang came from the "Luodu Terma Mind Consciousness." Could this mantra for forging Upright Heart mind also originate from the Luodu Terma Mind Consciousness?

Although Aji is in a weaker position compared to Luodu, due to the influence of a certain secret, Aji has also become a key to unlock the "Terma consciousness"? While their positions differ in power and status, both function as keys to Terma consciousness and are essentially equal in function.

Was this "Terma consciousness" something that Luodu originally possessed, or did he acquire it from the "Esoteric Treasury Domain" adjacent to the Nengsheng Liberation Temple?

These questions, however, can only be gradually answered after we first understand Luodu's identity and know who he really is!

As Zhou Yang's thoughts raced, Luodu's voice, constantly repeating the secret mantra in his ears, grew increasingly high-pitched and shrill until finally, it transformed into a woman's voice, a needle-like sound that roared fiercely!

The flames of blood surrounding Zhou Yang's body erupted completely!

Bloody arms grew out of the flames, soft like blood-red bandages, tightly binding Zhou Yang's body!

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

In an instant, Zhou Yang heard the sound of the mirror shattering!

The radiant light emanating from his body was shattered at that moment by the Bloodfire Ghost Rhyme!

Following closely behind, Zhou Yang's Mindfulness, which had been converging in a single, unified state, became chaotic once again!

The Mindfulness that was once twisted into one rope was once again dispersed into nine strands!

"Whoosh--" Zhou Yang's blood-soaked arms, wrapped all over his body, were swept by the wind in mid-air, and then spread out like seaweed in an instant.

In the palm of each hand grows a mouth, filling this dreamlike world with the sound of chanting secret mantras:

"The Lion-Faced Dakini with extreme ferocity and rage."

"By the power of your mantra recitation;"

"Suppress all threats from the enemy!"

May all great achievements be attained!

The blood-fire arms that stretched out around Zhou Yang Zhou Yang's body surrounded him, resembling a wheel of Zhou Yang.

This flaming wheel, exuding a viscous, ghostly Ghost Rhyme and dripping blood, suddenly seemed to transform into a "magnet" —Zhuoma, who had flown into the distant sky and become a black dot, suddenly flew back from the distant sky!

It was carrying the clay figurine of Sangsang in its mouth, and although it had been flapping its wings and flying forward, it was now affected by the Ghost Rhyme emanating from Zhou Yang and was retreating at an extremely fast speed!

It was as if an invisible rope was wrapped around it, dragging it over!

Luodu summoned Ghost Rhyme with a secret incantation, which was like water without a source—yet this water without a source shattered Zhou Yang's Fat Mirror Lamp several times, and still displays a terrifying power, maintaining its dominant position!

If Zhou Yang hadn't truly experienced several perilous trials, he would likely have completely collapsed under Luodu's seemingly endless methods, losing all will to resist. Fortunately, Zhou Yang had already been tested and refined in Guan Village.

All of this, however, is not enough to break him!

Is your power truly limitless?

"Is it truly possible to borrow the power of ghosts without paying any price in this way?"

I don't believe it!

"A single consciousness cannot rely on a physical body. If it goes astray, it will immediately face eternal damnation. You are so greedy, wanting to seize the ' Primordial Right Consciousness ' that has been purified through my hands. I will never let you have your way!"

Zhou Yang's thoughts frequently vibrated outwards.

Between his brows, nine strands of Mindfulness intertwined once more, gradually weaving into a rope.

The rope, now re-woven, is even stronger than before.

The moment the Mindfulness rope coiled around, the shattered Fat Mirror Lamp on Zhou Yang's body solidified once more!

The arms that had coiled into flames around Zhou Yang's body could only retract as well!

Little Zhuoma, who had been pulled towards Zhou Yang, was no longer drawn by the invisible force and soared into the distant sky. This happened several times!

The rope woven by Zhou Yang's Mindfulness Ghost Rhyme, each time becoming stronger than the last. Conversely, the Ghost Rhyme and blood fire coiling around him grew increasingly weak and feeble.

Until the very end!

One by one, the flames of blood gradually died out!

At the same time, the voices from outside the dream became increasingly clear:

"Aji, Aji!" Gonpo called out anxiously.

Gemei angrily rebuked Jiekan:

"Jiekan! Remove the stick from his nostril!"

"He's been holding his breath for so long, are you trying to kill him?!"

"Aji, Aji!"

As the voices flowed into the dream like a tide, the dream could no longer continue—everything Zhou Yang saw and felt seemed to be stirred by the waves, gradually becoming distorted and blurred!

The Ghost Rhyme and blood-red flames that swirled around his body completely dissipated! At the same time, just as this dream was about to collapse, the last remaining wisp of blood-red Ghost Rhyme suddenly burrowed into a certain part of Zhou Yang's body, where it emitted an unusual fluctuation.

It was this fluctuation that made Zhou Yang concentrate his mind—the cracked Ghost Ruler instantly traveled all over his body and struck the source of the fluctuation!

"Buzz!"

The dream was shattered!

Zhou Yang opened his eyes.

One after another, anxious or worried faces came into Zhou Yang's view.

When Gonpo saw that Aji had opened his eyes, he was overjoyed. "Aji!"

"I'm awake."

Zhou Yang nodded in response.

"Very good!"

"Yes, they're finally awake!"

"Sangsang River's Tsen Demon was truly terrifying; you almost couldn't get back from your dream!" "It's alright now!"

The crowd cheered.

The couple, Jiekan and Zeweng, who experienced this dream with Zhou Yang, also looked relieved.

When they finally noticed the strange behavior on Zhou Yang, they immediately connected it to the Sangsang River Tsen Demon, never imagining that although it all started Sangsang River Tsen Demon, she was actually the victim.

Explaining these things to them is pointless; they probably wouldn't understand anyway.

Zhou Yang shook his head and, amidst the cheers of the crowd, opened the "Knife Credit Ledger".

Despite being under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zhou Yang's act of flipping through the book went unnoticed by anyone.

No one could see that he was holding a book in his hand at that moment.

"The final strike with the Ghost Ruler at the point where the wave originated, that must have hit its mark, right?"

"I don't know what I hit, or whether it had any effect?"

As Zhou Yang thought this, he saw his own resume on the first page of the "Knife Credit Ledger".

His Mindfulness status has not changed yet. But Zhou Yang himself can feel that he is now making great strides on the right path of cultivating Upright Heart.

In the ability section, Dalu Primordial Right Consciousness (Sangsang) and Zhuoma's Primordial Right Consciousness have both opened up a new line.

The Dalu Primordial Right Consciousness: Sangsang.

Mindfulness: 1.

The Dakini Incarnation Primordial Right Consciousness: Zhuoma.

Mindfulness: 2.

Having gone through this perilous ordeal, both of them truly developed Mindfulness.

Zhuoma's Mindfulness even reached level "2".

They developed Mindfulness much earlier than the living people around Zhou Yang!

Why is it that Tsen Demon is able to transform into "Primordial Right Consciousness," making it easier for him to cultivate Mindfulness than ordinary people here?

"Could it be that the reason these murdered souls became Tsen Demon is because they were chosen by the source of this place, by some kind of 'natural essence,' and they possess this source, thus enabling them to become Tsen Demon? And precisely because of this, when someone like me, with Mindfulness, liberates them and brings them back to purity, the primal power inherent in their nature will also be rectified, thus providing a foundation for gathering Mindfulness?"

"Then what exactly is this so-called origin?"

Filled with unresolved confusion, Zhou Yang turned to the third page of the Knife Credit Ledger.

On the third page, changes also occurred in Aji's Mindfulness section.

Zhou Yang's gaze fell on the page, and Aji's weak yet reverent voice suddenly rang in his ears:

"Abba Jnanpoche, I prostrate myself before you!"

"My soul has returned somewhat!"