Wu Chao's Predicament

Zhang Xuezhou's time in the secret realm of Western Kunlun was difficult; areas beyond his comprehension unknowingly brought him high risks.

What seems normal to people in the secret realm becomes abnormal when applied to him.

He almost died from abdominal distension caused by taking Vanfalin.

At that time, Zhang Xuezhou only wanted to leave the secret place in Western Kunlun as soon as possible.

But after countless trials and tribulations in his cultivation, he realized that he lacked too much due to his insufficient strength and knowledge.

Having blindly pursued his spiritual practice, Zhang Xuezhou never truly understood the state of his own body.

He even struggled to understand the changes brought about by his Grain Avoidance regimen, and was unclear about the effects of these acupoints becoming open pathways.

Compared to the matter of being sleepy, his own well-being is of paramount importance.

Zhang Xuezhou listened intently, almost perking up his ears.

"Master, the 108,000 acupoints you mentioned are so different from the cultivation methods of our Great Han Dynasty. Haven't you considered making cultivation simpler?" Zhang Xuezhou asked tentatively, "For example, combining hundreds or thousands of acupoints into one, wouldn't that be much simpler!"

"The key to cultivating in a specialized field lies in the detail," Brother Tathagata explained. "When you reach the extreme of detail, you become invincible. While the situation you described makes cultivation easier, flaws in your body and Technique Method are unavoidable!"

"So, you mean your method of cultivation, with its myriad forms, is to compensate for the flaws in your body and Technique Method?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"You can understand it this way," Senior Brother Tathagata nodded, "Although this type of cultivation is complicated, the abilities it brings are at least three times stronger than others at the same level. However, whether a cultivator is willing to spend more time and energy to cultivate in a more specialized area is another matter."

"The way you're talking makes it sound like we want to have this kind of technique to cultivate," Wu Chao retorted.

"To possess may be a blessing, but not to possess is not necessarily a misfortune," said Brother Tathagata. "I have cultivated this method and combined it with my physical body for a hundred years, enduring countless hardships along the way, yet I can only dominate at the eighth realm. If I had not cultivated with such meticulous care, I would already be Ninth Realm cultivator, and defeating my current self would not be difficult."

"Master, what do you eat to maintain your youth?" Zhang Qian asked incredulously, "The physical body Qi and Blood only last for a short thirty years. How can a person cultivate their physical body for a hundred years?"

"The mystery of the physical cultivation technique with 108,000 acupoints lies precisely in this," Senior Brother Tathagata replied. "This kind of cultivation allows my physical body to cultivate for a much longer period of time than under normal conditions, and also gives me a lifespan that exceeds the normal range. If I were to reach the Ninth Realm, living another hundred years would not be difficult."

"That's so enviable!" Zhang Qian said enviously. "Will you share your method with others?"

"The Buddha saves people, and this method will naturally be passed on. As long as one has the corresponding qualifications and is willing to convert to my teachings, learning this art is not a problem," said Brother Tathagata.

"You should become a monk!"

Zhang Qian sighed in disappointment; his interest waned quickly.

After all, this monk claimed to be a cultivator of the eighth realm, and at this level, he was hard to beat.

If the monk tells the truth, Zhang Qian's use of force will be useless; he will be beaten down instantly.

If the monk is lying, then the other person's 108,000 acupoints are a joke, just pure deception, and would be useless even if obtained.

He had figured things out and had no more worries in his heart.

Zhang Xuezhou, on the other hand, was subjected to a barrage of questions.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't ask about cultivation techniques, but instead focused on understanding the 108,000 acupoints, and brought up various ingenious ideas for his senior brother, Buddha, to answer.

"Junior brother is rarely so enthusiastic about cultivation. Could it be that you have also learned the technique of 108,000 acupoints?"

Zhang Xuezhou asked questions so frequently that he didn't even acknowledge the sleepyhead, which made Wu Chao thoughtful.

Zhang Xuezhou was a successor of the Yin-Yang School and had benefited from the Venerable One's teachings. He was also instructed by Hongku for a period of time. Although these experiences were not particularly pleasant, Zhang Xuezhou's knowledge was genuinely enhanced.

Zhang Xuezhou thought it was good, and Wu Chao had little resistance to it.

He disliked his senior brother Tathagata's daily sermons, but he was willing to observe how fellow cultivators of his age made their choices and listen to their advice.

"So you should learn something from this cheap senior brother. That way you won't be at too much of a disadvantage and won't end up being controlled by the Western Sect forever!"

As Wu Chao's thoughts shifted, he began to pester his senior brother, Tathagata, urging him to say as much as possible.

"No matter how much you explain, it's all just a mirage, completely useless to you," said Brother Tathagata. "Without a divinely ordained destiny, all I have is hundreds of years of arduous cultivation like mine. This is not something ordinary people can endure, and such perseverance is meaningless to many!"

"Senior brother, I am intelligent. Even the sect leader said I am a talented individual with potential," Wu Chao recommended himself.

"Your talent is indeed exceptional, but you are not currently suited to cultivate such complex techniques," said Senior Brother Tathagata. "Only by resolving the issue of your cultivation level being blocked will the Sect Leader not retract this assessment!"

"Cut!"

"Don't neglect this matter," Brother Tathagata solemnly warned. "Over the past hundred years, at least dozens of Buddhist disciples have nominated themselves, but after the great wave of change, only the four of us remain. If you cannot resolve this issue, you will inevitably suffer the same fate as those others!"

"What's the meaning?"

"The Jia Mu Xing Zhe you accidentally killed was one of the nominees. If you can't stand out, you'll inevitably become a stepping stone for the other nominees!"

"You're raising poisonous insects! You're a cult! Let me leave!"

The Wu Chao were shouting loudly, while Brother Tathagata was chanting Buddhist scriptures softly.

After all that fuss, Wu Chao explained everything to Zhang Xuezhou without arousing any suspicion from his senior brother, Tathagata.

A hint of despair flickered in his eyes, as if he had stepped out of the pit of the Yedie River Holy Land and entered an even bigger pit.

For Wu Chao, gaining freedom is as difficult as reaching the heavens.

In the past, the only person he had dealt with was Hongku, a monk from the Yedie River Holy Land. But now, in order to regain his freedom, he needed to deal with his nearly invincible senior brother, Tathagata, who was in the Sole Self Realm of Selflessness, and there was even involvement from the Western Sect.

Gaining freedom is difficult, but surviving in the Western Sect is even more challenging.

Even the Buddha himself is having a hard time, let alone him.

Even if he successfully solves the problem and becomes the fifth Buddha's disciple, he is still extremely vulnerable to losing his life.

There is competition among the nominees, and the competition among the Buddhist disciples is equally fierce.

All Buddhists are well aware that the Western Sect has two leaders, and only two, or even just one, successors are needed.

The disciples of the Buddha will eventually have a battle.

Victory would naturally make one the master of a top-tier Sacred Land, but defeat would result in either death or severe injury.

Wu Chao's cultivation level was the worst, and he faced numerous difficulties even in competing for advancement among the nominees, let alone participating in the competition for the position of Buddha's disciple.

This is a dead end for him, so it's no surprise that Wu Chao wants to break away from the Western Sect.

His eyes darted around, clearly desperate to find a path that offered any hope of survival.