Jiang Liu found a secluded cave in the valley, sealed the door, and eagerly took out a book from his storage space. He then ignited a flame in his palm, turning the book to ashes.
After burning more than a dozen books, Jiang Liu shook his hand, revealing a piece of paper with a slightly dark gold color in the ashes. It was covered with small characters and pictures, seemingly made of gold foil. Even Jiang Liu's powerful "Burning Heaven Flame" did not damage it in the slightest.
The material is like silk, smooth and very comfortable, and as thin as a cicada's wing. It looks like a big piece, but if you crumple it into a ball, it is no bigger than a fingernail and has no weight at all.
With a surge of divine sense, a scroll, about one meter square, appeared before Jiang Liu. It was covered with dense text, and in the center was a golden Buddha statue, seated in the void, with countless suns, moons, and stars revolving around it.
These three words are in the upper left corner of the scroll.
"It really is the 'Past Amitabha Sutra'! One of the three most treasured sutras of the Great Zen Temple, mysterious and unfathomable, a supreme technique for cultivating the soul! Good... good... good!"
Jiang Liulian uttered three "good"s before suppressing his overwhelming joy. Although he had been mentally prepared, he still couldn't contain his emotions when the scripture was displayed before him. This thin scripture played an indispensable role in the protagonist Hong Yi's achievement of transcending the other shore.
The introduction is simple, but the content is far from simple. Dachan Temple is an ancient temple with a history of thousands of years. It was a place where masters gathered, and before it was destroyed, no matter what sect in the world, they had to admit that it was the number one temple in the world, a sacred place for the highest achievement of cultivation.
The highest secret of spiritual practice at the Great Zen Temple is recorded in three volumes of scriptures: the past, the present, and the future. The past is, the present is, and the future is.
It is the supreme cultivation technique for the soul, and the path to immortality in martial arts. It is the most mysterious and unpredictable. Legend has it that if you combine the three books and comprehend them thoroughly, you can transcend the sea of suffering in this world and truly reach the other shore.
The scripture floated in front of me, square and three feet long and wide. The characters on it were very small, in tiny regular script, but very clear, as if carved with a knife, without any blurring.
Moreover, the font possesses a deep-seated power, giving the viewer the feeling that these small characters might come alive and fly. The characters have acquired a kind of spirit.
Although these words record the secret methods of cultivating the divine soul, the truly important thing is the great Buddha in the center. The golden Buddha sits in the void, surrounded by countless suns, moons, and stars, bestowing their radiance upon this golden Buddha.
This golden Buddha has its eyes slightly closed, sits cross-legged, and its hands are in mudra. Its expression is serene, but unlike the majestic Buddha statues in other temples, it exudes a kind of warmth and familiarity.
Jiang Liu even had a feeling that this Buddha was his past life, the origin of his thousands of lifetimes.
"The path of cultivation leads to the unity of all methods. Although I am a Taoist and a Qi cultivator, I can still draw upon the cultivation methods of Buddhism... There is no Buddha in this world; Buddha is the Tao. This Tao is not the Tao of Taoism, but the Tao of Heaven and the Great Tao. The demeanor and temperament of the Buddha resonate with me and have the potential to lead one to Buddhahood."
As Jiang Liu contemplated the golden Buddha, his whole body trembled, his primordial spirit and soul vanished, as if he were about to transform into the Buddha and depart.
Jiang Liu abruptly closed his eyes, his soul gradually returning to its place. After putting away the scripture, Jiang Liu couldn't help but feel a little scared. If he hadn't guarded his mind just now, he would definitely have been converted by this Buddha.
"I'm using you to cultivate, not to be converted by you. But you are indeed very strong and very powerful... I like it! Contemplating and cultivating in front of this Buddha every day is like facing the Buddha all day and listening to his sermons, which is very beneficial to cultivation. Hong Yi's ability to cultivate immortality of his soul and thoughts is indeed justified!"
Jiang Liu then unfolded the scroll again, not looking at the Buddha, but only reading the text.
"Thus have I heard..."
After reading it once and then again, pondering it for over a day, Jiang Liu finally grasped a glimmer of understanding. He thought to himself, "This is a method of visualization, allowing practitioners to cultivate the form of Bodhisattvas, Arhats, or even Buddhas. This is a path to Buddhahood... Unfortunately, no matter how powerful the visualization, it can only infinitely approach Buddhahood, never surpass it. I can use it as a reference, but I cannot use it as the fundamental method for cultivation! After all, this is someone else's path; I can borrow it now, but I cannot copy it verbatim..."
With this in mind, Jiang Liu looked at the back of the Amitabha Sutra. The Amitabha Buddha on the front is the largest and most powerful Buddha, while some visualization images are on the back of the sutra. There are many small pictures, each about the size of a palm, all depicting lifelike figures and environments. They are symmetrical to the text on the front, serving as illustrations to complement the text.
As the scriptures say, if you visualize the light of celestial stars entering three inches above your head, the Asura Hell will appear, and you can cultivate the Asura Dharma form.
On the back of the scripture, there is a detailed and terrifying illustration of the Asura Hell, designed to facilitate clear visualization.
According to the scriptures, visualizing the light of celestial stars entering deep into the space between the eyebrows will cause the appearance of a jade maiden.
On the back of the scripture is a stunning image of a beautiful woman that is so captivating that one cannot resist its allure.
There are also Yakshas, Rakshasas, Vajras, Acala, and other forms of spiritual practice. Of course, they cannot compare to the Buddha in the foreground.
Jiang Liu shook his head and flipped it over to the front. If he wanted to cultivate a Dharma Image, then he would cultivate the most powerful Dharma Image.
Visualize Amitabha Buddha, and attain the Buddha of Infinite Light, transforming into Vairocana Buddha!
Chapter 191 Protagonist Hong Yi
Having obtained the "Past Amitabha Sutra," Jiang Liu naturally contemplated it constantly every day, cultivating his spiritual powers. However, he was extremely careful, only contemplating for a few breaths each morning and evening, and immediately interrupting it at the slightest sign of trouble.
During the rest of the time, he also had exchanges with Bai Ziyue and Yuanfei, two of the eight great demon immortals.
Jiang Liu's martial arts cultivation all came from the "Dragon and Snake" world. Although he comprehended the fist intent and broke through the innate realm, if he were to be truly assessed, he would only be at the "blood exchange" realm of the initial stage of martial sainthood, far from being a human immortal!
In the previous battle against the Peacock King's clone, the clone claimed to have the cultivation of a Human Immortal, which was actually inaccurate. That was because he possessed the "Nine Provinces Cauldron" and the "Power of One Province" to enhance his power, thus his attack strength reached that of a Human Immortal, while his physical body was that of a Martial Saint.
However, Bai Ziyue himself was only a Martial Saint, and although he could offer Jiang Liu some insights into martial arts, they were not significant. Among them, the "Bull Demon Mighty Strength Technique" and "Flying Spirit Bone Forging Fist" were similar in principle to the "Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound" and "Pure Yang Qi" from the "Dragon and Snake" world, and were even a level higher.
Before we knew it, it was the dead of winter.
Those Dharma forms and supernatural powers cannot be cultivated in a short time; they require a great deal of time to slowly condense. While the Dharma forms of Yakshas and Asuras can be formed quickly, their power is far too weak compared to that of Amitabha Buddha, making them not worth cultivating.
Jiang Liu reminded them that the White Fox Clan was also preparing to relocate, and their destination was the Yuan Tu Empire. Bai Ziyue planned to take them with him.
As for the Fragrant Fox Queen Consort Yuan, she is still hiding in the Daqian Imperial Palace, and it is unknown what her intentions are.
As the group of white foxes left, the fox den gradually grew cold and desolate. Bai Ziyue had also left, and Jiang Liu couldn't help but think of the protagonist, Hong Yi.
"I stole the opportunity that should have belonged to him. How can he grow up now? Why don't I take him as my disciple?"
With this in mind, Jiang Liu headed towards Qiuyue Temple. This was the only temple in the Western Mountains, and it was extremely dilapidated. The Great Gan Empire favored Taoism and suppressed Buddhism, even destroying the Great Zen Temple, a sacred Buddhist site, so there was no reason for these small temples to flourish.
As dusk fell, Jiang Liu arrived outside the small temple. Inside, there was only an ordinary old monk guarding the temple. If he weren't so old that he couldn't go anywhere else, he would never have stayed to guard this drafty temple with so few worshippers.
Braving the wind and snow, Jiang Liu knocked on the temple door, took off his raincoat and straw hat, hung them in the corner, and then sat down in front of the brazier to warm himself. The wind and snow had no effect on him; his vital energy was enough to dry his clothes. But on a whim, he wanted to take Hong Yi as his disciple, so he dressed up a bit.
"Great monk, give me a bowl of vegetarian noodles!" he said, taking out a few coins and giving them to the old monk.
The old monk was quite old, but fortunately still very healthy. He put his hands together and said respectfully, "It is a blessing that Buddha has come to Qiuyue Temple. I dare not accept it!"
If an ordinary person goes to a temple, the monks will call them "Bodhisattva" and will never call the worshipper "Buddha".
Jiang Liu visualized Amitabha Buddha, and his whole being exuded a touch of Buddhist charm. He sat cross-legged with a serene expression, but unlike the solemnity of Buddha statues in other temples, he emanated a kind of approachable aura.
The old monk had spent his entire life chanting Buddhist scriptures in front of the Buddha statue, so naturally he could discern something from it.
"Take it if I tell you to!"
"Thank you, Buddha!"
With that, the old monk went to the backyard and lit a fire in the stove with reverence.
Before long, a bowl of mushroom noodles was placed in front of Jiang Liu. Looking through the wind and snow at the still-lit lamp in the side hall, Jiang Liu said, "Is there any more? Give that scholar a bowl too. Oh, right, here's ten taels of silver. When the snow stops, I'll go to the city to buy some food and charcoal. If possible, I'll stay here for a few days."
Shortly after Jiang Liu finished his bowl of vegetarian noodles, a steady pair of footsteps approached. The person had delicate features and was extremely handsome—truly befitting the protagonist. He appeared to be between fifteen and sixteen years old, and his physique was already quite robust, clearly indicating he had begun practicing martial arts.
"I heard from the master that a Bodhisattva has come to the temple, and I, a scholar, have come to pay my respects." Hong Yi bowed to Jiang Liu and said in a humble yet respectful manner.
Jiang Liu sat cross-legged, showing no intention of moving. He slightly raised his eyelids, and like the large Buddha behind him, he looked at him and smiled, "The imperial examination is next spring, and you're quite diligent. This secluded temple is a good place to study, quiet and peaceful! May it help you achieve the top score in the spring!"
"Thank you for your kind words, sir!"
After exchanging a few more words, Hong Yi took his leave.
The north wind howled, and the snow covered the sky and earth, making the walls on all sides creak and groan.
In a small room in the side hall, Hong Yi adjusted the lamp wick and prayed, "Mother, if you have a spirit in heaven, please bless me to pass the imperial examination and restore your honor."
He spoke in such a soft voice.
Bang!
The lamp wick burst open and bloomed into a flower.
Shaped like a blooming lotus, the light suddenly became three times brighter than before, and the nearly extinguished charcoal in the basin...
The fire also emitted a sense of warmth. Outside, the cold wind howled and snow fell heavily, but the whole room gradually warmed up.
The heavy snow fell all night and finally stopped before dawn. The soft white snow adorned the world, with jade branches and leaves, a pure white landscape, truly a delightful scene of a bountiful year.
After getting up, Hong Yi wanted to stretch his muscles and bones. He had only recently started body training, and although it hadn't been long, his muscles and bones were getting stronger every day. The method of body training was taught to him by his half-sister, Hong Xuejiao. In the entire Wuwen Marquis's mansion, only that girl was kind to him.
With a creak, the wooden door was opened.
Hong Yi looked up and saw that everything was covered in silver, and the world was a pure white.
In the courtyard before him, the Buddha-like man he had met last night was practicing his boxing. His fists moved like the wind, his feet lightly touching the ground, like a wild goose treading on snow. Hong Yi looked at the pristine white snow, his pupils contracting sharply, and he gasped. There wasn't a single footprint on the snow!
Looking at Jiang Liu again, he soared into the air. On the large camphor tree in the courtyard, a flock of sparrows were foraging for food. Jiang Liu formed a circle with both hands, stretched out and caught one sparrow just about to take flight, gently holding it in his palm. The remaining sparrows didn't react at all, turning their eyes to stare at Jiang Liu. Only after he landed did a few of them chirp and fly up.
Without wind or intention, even a flock of alert sparrows couldn't sense his movements, which was truly astonishing.
"This kind of boxing technique is unheard of. My father was a martial saint who 'refined his marrow to frost and his blood to mercury,' his blood energy flowing like a vast ocean. Yet this person managed to suppress his blood energy to nothingness... One is hard, the other is soft! Hardness can kill, draw a nine-stone bow, and wield a great spear, but what can this extremely soft boxing technique do? No, the sages in the book said that hardness cannot last, and softness cannot be maintained. The combination of hardness and softness is the way of martial arts!"
Just as Hong Yi was in shock, Jiang Liu caught the sparrow and opened his palm. The sparrow immediately flapped its wings and took flight. However, in the instant the sparrow flapped its wings, a gentle, hidden force emanated from Jiang Liu's palm, neutralizing its fluttering flight.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, the sparrow landed on his shoulder.
He spun around, rising and crouching, while the sparrow flew erratically, clinging to him. Each time he took flight, he would precisely get close, pressing his body against the sparrow, unleashing a surge of internal energy to counteract its flight. The sparrow seemed to be endlessly circling Jiang Liu, never able to escape.
"Incredible... Killing a thousand or ten thousand sparrows is easy, but to do it to this extent is something Hong Xuejiao couldn't do, and few of the younger generation in Yujing City could do it either. This person doesn't look very old, so who could it be?"
"Whoosh!"
The sparrow flapped its wings and flew away into the distance.
Jiang Liu walked through the snow and reached Hong Yi in a few steps, saying, "Scholar, are you interested in cultivation?"
"Sir's boxing technique just now was truly miraculous. I watched it and still feel like I haven't had enough!" Hong Yi said.
"Haha... It's fate that we met. I see you have some talent for cultivation. Don't waste this opportunity. I have a set of scriptures here. If you're interested, take a look. If you don't understand anything, you can ask me. However, I may not be staying for long." As he spoke, he took out two sets of scriptures and a bottle of holy tomb lamp oil from the "Shushan" world, a treasure that helps people concentrate and enter a meditative state.
"This lamp oil will be helpful for your studies. Come and ask me for it when you run out!" After saying that, he walked towards the main hall with his hands behind his back to meditate.
"Thank you, sir!" Hong Yi returned to the house with the scriptures and lamp oil, lost in thought. The saying goes, "Those who offer unsolicited kindness are either up to no good or are thieves," but considering he had nothing of value, he banished such sordid thoughts.
In my spare time, I would take it out and watch it, and before I knew it, three more days had passed.
Over the past three days, Jiang Liu has watched Hong Yi grow day by day, especially in the realm of the soul. With the aid of spiritual oil, he has even reached the point of being able to leave his body and travel at night.
"Do you want to learn Taoist magic?" Jiang Liu, who had his back to the Buddha, suddenly asked. While others meditate and cultivate facing the Buddha statue, he sat upright in the hall just like the Buddha. At first glance, the Buddha and Jiang Liu looked exactly alike.
As soon as Jiang Liu finished speaking, a fleeting, ethereal human figure passed through the wall and entered the main hall. It bowed to Jiang Liu from afar and said, "I apologize for disturbing your meditation, sir. I will take my leave now."
"No rush, no rush. You have already grasped the basics of the Dao of the Soul and reached the realm of Night Travel. I will take you on a spiritual journey through the world. Are you willing?" Although he was asking Hong Yi, Jiang Liu's primordial spirit had already appeared, solidified as a physical entity, with a dignified and majestic appearance. Standing in front of Hong Yi, he felt like a great mountain, a vast ocean, or a thousand-foot-tall Buddha.
"Go!" In an instant, the river flow swept up Hong Yi's soul and soared into the sky.
Jiang Liu obtained the "Past Amitabha Sutra" and contemplated it daily. His primordial spirit had already acquired the characteristics of immortals and Buddhas. Although it was not quite as fast as the monkey's somersault cloud that could travel 13,000 miles, it could still "travel to the North Sea in the morning and to Cangwu in the evening" and travel a thousand miles in a single thought.
Chapter 192 Who Will Awaken First from the Great Dream?
He traveled across the vast territory of the Great Gan Empire overnight, and at dawn, his primordial spirit returned to its place.
Jiang Liu threw his soul into his body, and Hong Yi woke up with a cry of "Ah!" He looked around blankly, as if he had just woken up from a dream.
Who awakens first from the great dream? I know myself best.