Teaching According to Aptitude, or Ranking People in Tiers

"This is my manifestation; when this manifestation moves, heavenly fire descends, the True Solar Fire even the most powerful enemies, from tangible, bright fire to intangible, formless True Solar Fire, from light to darkness!"

The Buddha was the first monk to display the Heart Sutra in his thatched hut, revealing the True Solar Fire he had attained through his practice.

Flames swirled behind him, seemingly burning but never actually reaching any part of the hut, not even igniting the grass.

He displayed it generously and did not mind Zhang Xuezhou watching and studying it.

Just like Zhang Xuezhou's generous display when he first met Buddha, Buddha's attitude was extremely open and easy to like.

"My form can dispel confusion, agitation, and restlessness, and it also possesses the ability to heal wounds. By transforming these forms into formlessness, I have attained the state of formlessness. As for the realm of formlessness and formlessness, I have not yet fully comprehended it!"

Wu Chao hesitated for a few seconds before chanting, causing a blue light to appear behind his head.

As soon as this blue light appeared, everyone's gaze inevitably turned to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

"The radiance of my mental power generated by the Nirvana Sutra is inferior to that of the Buddha's disciple at Wu Chao!"

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva pressed his hand to his brow, and the white light that Zhang Xuezhou had seen before reappeared, as if a bright moon was hanging behind Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva's head.

Although Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's practice is more profound, the effect of this power of thought is singular and does not have the comprehensive power of the form manifested by the Wu Chao.

"My flames are far inferior to those of the Buddha's disciple," Samantabhadra said with a somber expression.

"Since you're all like this, then I'm certainly no exception. My Great Illumination that sees through weaknesses might not work on some people!"

Even the swordsman Manjushri Bodhisattva had a somewhat ashen expression, but he could arrive at a rough comparison in his mind simply by thinking about it.

Their cultivation to this point is not something that can be achieved overnight, so it is almost impossible for them to correct what they have learned through this.

This comparison is undoubtedly hurtful.

"Three Bodhisattvas, there is no need for impatience. Our teachings have twenty-two scriptures, totaling nine thousand three hundred and forty-seven volumes. It is impossible to practice them all. Only by focusing on the most important and delving deeper can one go far," the Buddha's disciple comforted him. "The Master teaches according to aptitude. What we see as the best may not be the most suitable for ourselves!"

"Even so, our scriptures... alas!"

Each person displayed their mental power, involving many scriptures such as the Nirvana Sutra, which also contained methods of cultivation. However, compared to the orthodox lineage of the two founders of the Western Sect, these scriptures were clearly inferior.

Just as the Technique Method of Jambudvipa (the Southern Jambudvipa Continent) distinguished between A, B, C, and D, the sense of hierarchy in the Western Sect is also a process of differentiation.

Grade B techniques may not be devoid of great masters. For example, Zhang Xuezhou's Supreme Purity True Technique is a Grade B superior technique, which he has cultivated to an extremely profound level, making it suitable for a very wide range of people.

However, the probability of producing a master is higher for those with top-tier skills.

Of course, Zhang Xuezhou was also well aware of the many drawbacks of Grade A techniques. While Grade A techniques possess extraordinary power, they are extremely difficult to cultivate. Some people who obtain Grade A techniques spend their entire lives without ever successfully mastering them.

The arrangements made by the two Western religious leaders may indeed have been tailored to individual students, but this ranking of abilities into different categories is truly disheartening.

The higher one's level of spiritual cultivation, the stronger one's conviction becomes. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and others do not believe that they lack the qualifications for better spiritual cultivation.

"When Vishnu and the others arrive, we'll see what kind of mental power they display!"

Wu Chao's face paled slightly, and then he pointed to the three members of the Western Sect's small group.

While mental power isn't the most important aspect of cultivation, it accounts for a significant portion of overall strength. In fact, the Buddha even used the True Solar Fire as a trump card for turning the tide of battle.

"I've seen them use their telekinetic powers; each one has its own unique style, and they all look quite impressive!"

Zhang Xuezhou chimed in.

He only participated in the discussion after he had thoroughly memorized all twenty-four volumes of the Heart Sutra.

Everyone has their own strengths, just like the differences between Dragon Elephant Combat Technique and Dragon Might Combat Technique.

The methods of practice used by bodhisattvas and Buddhist disciples are diverse, and the effects they produce are also varied.

This is indeed a cultivation technique with extremely high adaptability. Not to mention that Zhang Xuezhou has not yet figured it out, even if he had, Zhang Xuezhou felt that there would be very few people suitable for cultivating these various versions of the Heart Sutra, including Zhang Xuezhou himself.

He himself is a master of Mental Strengthening cultivation, and not just any spiritual cultivation technique can be used.

If Western Sect texts on mental cultivation are weaker, or require a long period of continuous practice, then they do not meet Zhang Xuezhou's needs.

The former could not enhance his spiritual power, while the latter was something Zhang Xuezhou could not afford to cultivate continuously for decades or even centuries.

"The differences in how one's spiritual practice manifests are not the real problem. The most important issue seems to be the incompleteness of the Heart Sutra. I have the same feeling when I listen to your explanations of the Nirvana Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Our cultivation level has not yet reached the Ninth Realm, so teaching more would be useless. It is normal that it is not perfect, so as to avoid having any wild thoughts in our minds," Tathagata said.

"The Buddha's disciples have not yet attained True Self; I have already achieved the Ninth Realm for decades," Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva said sadly.

"Perhaps you are right now..."

Even an outsider like Zhang Xuezhou could sense the imperfections in the cultivation manual, leaving Tathagata unable to smooth things over for the time being.

As everyone inside the thatched hut was lost in thought and the atmosphere became slightly awkward, a head suddenly peeked in from outside.

After getting a clear look at the people in the room, he left without a word.

Vishnu, why are you in such a hurry to run?

Zhang Xuezhou called out, and then he heard Vishnu's somewhat exasperated voice coming from afar.

"This room is full of people who have hit me. If you saw this, you'd run away in a panic too!"

As Vishnu looked at Avalokiteshvara's thatched hut, the small joy he had felt from winning first place on Vulture Peak vanished completely.

He agreed to let Zhang Xuezhou borrow the Heart Sutra to read, but Vishnu did not expect that his old nemesis was studying it. He felt a chill in his heart and did not want to speak for a while.

"What about the Heart Sutra by Buddha Son Shigong?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"I can't get it," Vishnu said dejectedly. "He's unwell right now and has no interest in anything. If you want to see his copy of the Heart Sutra, you'll have to go to him!"

"Oh?"

Vishnu arrived very late, clearly having used lengthy persuasion tactics, but even with their past relationship as a trio, he was unable to convince Buddha Son Shigong.

When he asked for help, he explained many details. Buddha Son Shigong wanted to meet Zhang Xuezhou, the holy son of Kunlun, and seemed to have a very clear need. Vishnu was unsure whether he would mess things up.

The mere thought of the agreements they had established caused Vishnu a headache, and the gathering of numerous bodhisattvas and Buddhist disciples to study the Heart Sutra only added to his anxiety.

His tone was also dejected when responding to Zhang Xuezhou's words.

"I can go too, but can I bring people with me?" Zhang Xuezhou pointed to the crowd and said, "I can't understand your Sanskrit scriptures, so I need them to explain them to me, otherwise I'll just be reading them without gaining anything!"

"Can!"

Vishnu gritted his teeth and agreed.

If he hadn't agreed to steal the Heart Sutra from the two cult leaders, Zhang Xuezhou wouldn't be here piecing it together.

Zhang Xuezhou's contributions at the event were genuine, and Zhang Xuezhou also possessed the ability to retaliate. In fact, Zhang Xuezhou even took away the two Law Treasure that were essential to his survival and never returned them.

Regardless of the many conflicts among Buddhist followers in the Western Sect, he now had to welcome these unpleasant people.