Master Jingxian arrived at the meditation room, and a greater sense of restlessness suddenly filled his heart. This place was usually a place of extreme tranquility, where chanting scriptures and reciting Buddha's name always brought immense peace to the mind, cutting off afflictions, discarding greed, anger, ignorance, and hatred, and entering a state of emptiness, experiencing the wonder of freedom.
But today, as he entered, he suddenly felt that the meditation room was filled with filth. The dark corners, which usually did not even accumulate a speck of dust, now seemed to hide something demonic or monstrous in his eyes, be it phantoms or illusions born from the torment of his own thoughts.
In the meditation room was an old monk, Master Guandao, one of the Four Great Masters of Lingyin. He was reciting Buddhist scriptures, but as the sounds of Buddhist dharma echoed, Master Jingxian felt a growing pain in his head, and the melodic tones of the scriptures seemed different from the usual way of chanting.
"Brother Guandao, do you sense anything unusual in the meditation room?"
Master Jingxian's voice interrupted Master Guandao's chanting. He truly found the melodic sounds of his fellow monk's recitation to be too bizarre.
Master Guandao, with his white beard, full forehead, and wearing a light red kasaya, stopped chanting upon hearing Master Jingxian's voice.
"How can you interrupt the sound of Buddhist dharma when I am chanting?"
"What anomaly are you referring to, junior brother? There is nothing unusual here."
"Did you not go to the Temple of Silver Bottle Maiden to invite Lady Yue to accompany you to the Jade Dragon Daoist Temple to investigate the demonic presence on Phoenix Mountain? Why have you returned so soon? Have you already been there?"
Master Jingxian shook his head, his gaze fixed on his senior brother. "Using my Arhat's foresight, I learned that going to the Jade Dragon Daoist Temple would lead to an uncertain life or death. A surging demonic energy ahead blocked my glimpse into the future."
Master Guandao frowned. "Is there such a thing? The Jade Dragon Daoist Temple is a sacred site of the Quanzhen School of Daoism in the south. Although not as prominent as the Chongyang Palace in the north, it is still a gathering place for Daoist disciples. How could there be demonic energy?"
Master Jingxian: "The demonic energy may not originate from the Jade Dragon Daoist Temple; perhaps someone is interfering."
"Regarding the white-robed figure who descended upon Lingyin Temple that day, I do not believe he was a cultivator from the Jade Dragon Daoist Temple, but he did possess the aura of the Quanzhen School. His power is immense. Since that is the case, we can only go and verify."
"Therefore, I have decided to return and gather the strength of my three senior brothers, along with myself, to perform the Arhat's foresight."
As Master Jingxian spoke, he suddenly noticed that the image of Master Guandao before him flickered. He raised his hand, not to rub his eyes, but to activate his Buddhist Dharma Eye, and without a word, began to illuminate the meditation room inside and out.
"Junior brother, what are you doing?"
Master Guandao was also puzzled. Master Jingxian, having activated his Dharma Eye to observe the meditation room, watched intently. As he watched, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. In truth, his Dharma Eye had not detected any anomalies, but it was precisely this that made him tremble.
Because the corners that he had previously sensed as harboring hidden malice remained in the same state. Under the Dharma Eye, things that should not be seen were still unseen. This meant that either these were his own afflictions and delusions, creating illusory sights and sounds, or that this hidden malice was far stronger than theirs.
"To be frank, senior brother, I previously came into contact with the True Warrior statue in the Temple of Silver Bottle Maiden and heard the Buddhist mantra of the Ming King. With a single shout..."
Master Guandao casually replied, "It dispelled all your afflictions? How could the power of the Peacock Ming King be within the statue of Emperor Zhenwu? Perhaps that statue is a relic of a senior of our Buddhist sect, who poured his lifelong cultivation into it, awaiting someone destined..."
"No, it is not."
Master Jingxian interrupted Master Guandao. "After touching the power of the Ming King, my afflictions grew even stronger. At first touch, it felt as if countless demons were in my heart, constantly murmuring. I recited Amitabha, and only after a long while did I regain my composure."
As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Master Guandao, who was also filled with confusion at this moment.
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Do you think I am a demon in disguise?"
"Junior brother, are... are you truly my junior brother?"
As they each suspected the other, Master Jingxian used his pháp lực to seal the meditation room door and then asked, "It is not that junior brother is overly suspicious, but rather that the situation in this meditation room is not right. I see this place as filled with filth everywhere, and those dark corners seem to harbor all sorts of demonic heads, spirits, and monsters. Yet, senior brother, you seem so serene while chanting Buddhist scriptures in such an environment..."
Master Guandao was astonished. "You say I am serene? When you chanted scriptures here a few days ago, weren't you the same as me?"
"It seems you believe a demon has infiltrated Lingyin Temple. How laughable, how laughable."
"What place is this? This is a place of reverence even among all Buddhist temples. The Arhat who subdued the dragon once cultivated here. What demon would dare to infiltrate this place?"
Master Guandao's anger flared, and he reprimanded Master Jingxian. "I think you have been influenced by the power of the Ming King. The Ming King is a manifestation used by Buddha to punish the wicked. Even the benevolent Peacock Ming King is still a member of the Ming King lineage."
"How can a Ming King be without wrath? When a Ming King looks at everything in the world, naturally, it all appears as a place of filth."
Master Guandao continued, "However, this might also indicate that you have excellent compatibility with the power of the Peacock Ming King. Perhaps it is a Buddhist affinity prepared for you."
"Perhaps to accept the power of the Ming King, one must sever all afflictions. Therefore, it first makes your afflictions grow, and you must undergo many trials..."
Master Guandao reasoned, and Master Jingxian also felt it made sense. However, a rift had formed between the brothers. Master Jingxian had not sat down to meditate, and at this moment, he suddenly asked again:
"So, senior brother, you truly cannot see the filth in this meditation room?"
Master Guandao shook his head. "What I see is a state of perfect harmony. For I have attained the Arhat fruit and overcome all evils, understanding ignorance and attachment. Therefore, I can perceive purity and affliction as one, thus achieving the perfect harmony of the Dharma realm, making all phenomena interconnected. At this moment, I can generate the five aggregates and six sense objects, and the five aggregates and six sense objects cannot defile me."
"You must be blinded by the power of the Ming King. You need to recite Buddhist scriptures and cultivate diligently to achieve liberation."
After he finished speaking, he began chanting scriptures himself, a faint Buddha-light emanating from him, making him appear transcendent and divine.
However, contrary to this divine aura, Master Jingxian's old eyes were filled with astonishment!
"Senior brother, what are you saying!"
Master Jingxian was almost terrified. Master Guandao's previous words were all normal, but now, when speaking of Buddhist dharma, he was speaking incoherently. Arhats generate evil, and ignorance and attachment should be destroyed, not perceived. How can purity and affliction be perceived as one? The five aggregates and six sense objects defile Buddhist dharma, how can they be generated by Buddha!
Master Guandao looked confused. "What is wrong with me? I am speaking of Buddhist dharma! Once one becomes an Arhat, there will be no cognitive errors in understanding Buddha's teachings, no doubt. An Arhat's enlightenment is the essence of the world! It can cease self-inflicted suffering!"
"Therefore, what I have enlightened is that the self can generate the five aggregates and six sense objects, and the five aggregates and six sense objects cannot defile me. After achieving liberation, all suffering ceases, and thus we become Buddhas of the world, capable of refining the forms of sentient beings. Is this not the very method we cultivate?"
"Thus, sentient beings are me, I am Buddha, sentient beings are Buddha. This is the attainment of the supreme true Buddha."
Master Jingxian was terrified and retreated from the meditation room. Master Guandao, however, looked confused, simply shook his head, and continued to cultivate his "Buddhist dharma."
"Incorrect knowledge, incorrect view! How can an Arhat be deluded by such muddled and evil dharma!"
Master Jingxian finally knew where that trace of affliction in his heart came from. He thought that the power of the Ming King had sensed the distortion of Buddhist dharma and was naturally enraged. He then went to find other Arhats and discovered that each of them had strayed from the path of Buddhist cultivation, yet they were completely unaware of it.
Because Arhats would never misunderstand Buddhist dharma!
Master Guandao, at this moment, did not understand why Master Jingxian had left. He walked to the door, looked at the sky, and called a monk.
"Zheng Kong, go and call your fellow disciples over. I will be giving a dharma lecture here."
Meanwhile, on the other side, Master Jingxian, holding a sliver of hope, went to see his other two senior brothers, Master Zhengxin and Master Chongben. They were also discussing Buddhist dharma.
"How is the Four Vows to be interpreted?"
"First, to deliver those who have not yet been delivered: I will control their minds, and their minds will turn towards my Buddha, thus being delivered and freed from suffering."
"Second, to liberate those who have not yet been liberated: I will bestow wisdom upon them, transforming their empty minds, thus eliminating all afflictions and evil karma, and achieving liberation."
"Third, to bring peace to those who are not yet at peace: I will embody the forms of sentient beings with my physical body. I will achieve myself and transform into Buddha forms using the images of sentient beings, thus bringing peace to sentient beings."
"Fourth, to bring Nirvana to those who have not yet attained Nirvana: After the Tathagata's passing, I vow to deliver all sentient beings. I will bring peace to sentient beings, and then I will enter Nirvana again, and sentient beings will enter Nirvana. Thus, all who have not yet attained Nirvana will attain Nirvana. When I am reborn, all sentient beings will attain Nirvana, transcending the karma of life and death, and capable of delivering infinite sentient beings..."
"This is a great act of compassion. The vow to deliver boundless sentient beings means resolving to deliver all attachments and concepts of one's own mind. Junior brother has already attained enlightenment. After achieving oneself, one can then carry sentient beings and enter Nirvana together..."
Masters Zhengxin and Chongben were earnestly discussing bizarre Buddhist dharma. Master Jingxian retreated in shock, then went to find his disciple, only to discover that his disciple was listening to Master Guandao lecture on Buddhism. He immediately went to stop him and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, took him away!
Master Jingxian asked, "Has Master Guandao lectured?"
The white-robed disciple replied, "Not yet."
Then Master Jingxian asked a few questions about Buddha-nature, and his disciple answered them all normally.
"Fortunately, it seems you have not been tainted by this muddled and evil dharma. Quickly, leave Lingyin Temple with me and go to the Temple of Silver Bottle Maiden to borrow the True Warrior statue!"
...
At the Jade Dragon Daoist Temple, this was supposed to be a sacred site for Quanzhen Daoist cultivation, yet no Quanzhen cultivators were seen. Instead, the white-robed immortal Chen Taichu was here. He was in the main hall of the Daoist temple, and before him stood a group of merchants of unknown origin.
"Has my medicine arrived?"
The merchants were from the Longyou Merchant Guild, but they were not here because of the previous disturbance at the temple. Instead, it was because this entire area was within the Longyou Merchant Guild's operational scope.
"I am Sima Shen. I heard you are waiting for the alchemist's medicine?"
Chen Taichu's brow twitched. "You mortal... are you sent by those alchemists to find me?"
"How would the alchemists send a mere mortal like you to deliver a message?"
Sima Shen, a prominent merchant of Longyou, smiled. "No, the person you are waiting for will not be able to come."
"But your medicine, we have brought it for you."
"This is the Essence of the Azure Candle, which can help you remain in the world and shed worldly attachments. However, it must be used with caution, otherwise, you will be invaded by nameless resentment..."
Chen Taichu's gaze paused as he looked at this mortal. "You are not one of those alchemists."
"You were not sent by them to find me, and it seems you know who I am waiting for. How did you obtain this medicine?"
"If you don't tell me, I might have to turn you into a flesh puppet."
Sima Shen smiled and explained, "Please listen to me first."
"The Pearl of Glimmering Light, by which even a hundred gods cannot conceal their spirits; the Medicine of True Intent, which even ten thousand sages cannot obscure their minds."
"The Crimson Victorious Pine, where snakes transform into dragons and old men into youths, possessing the power to save the world."
"Finally... supplemented by the legendary Azure Liver and Verdant Blood that emerges from loyal ministers and valiant generals after death, to expel the fire of the Song Dynasty and refine it into..."
Rumble!
The sky above the Jade Dragon Daoist Temple changed color. Chen Taichu glanced at Sima Shen, and Sima Shen's physical body immediately disintegrated. However, immediately after, the disintegrated body remained on the ground, and another Sima Shen appeared out of the void.
"The Pearl of Glimmering Light is easy to obtain, but the Medicine of True Intent is difficult to seek. The latter is formed by the aspirations of the common people. Without the people's favor, this medicine cannot be seen, and it also requires a process of refinement."
"However, regarding the Medicine of True Intent that you are waiting for, my lord wishes to tell you that we have it."
Chen Taichu narrowed his eyes. "Interesting. You can still revive? You are not a mortal?"
"The matter of my descent from the heavens is known only to the alchemists; no one else knows, not even the human world of this surface realm is aware of my existence. This is not merely having eyes everywhere; it is the ability to peer into the future, even more formidable than those Arhats and Bodhisattvas."
"You come here so brazenly. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
Sima Shen replied with a smile, "Although I am an ordinary mortal, I have been favored by my lord, who bestowed upon me the art of eternal life and immortality. Therefore, although I am mortal, I am also ageless and immortal. You cannot kill me. Even if you shatter me into pieces and my form is completely annihilated, I can still revive."
"I have consumed the Medicine of the Black Dragon, which is refined by the Black Dragon's Ganoderma, supplemented by the Divine Fire. Consuming it allows one to enter the realm of immortality, with a lifespan connected to heaven and earth... If you wish to kill me, you must first destroy a celestial region above your head."
"Moreover, although I am an ordinary mortal, these individuals beside me are all of great significance! You will surely be very interested in them."
Beside him were several warriors from the merchant guild, with patterns of dragons drawn on their arms. If seen by people from the imperial court, they would undoubtedly be arrested. Although their merchant guild could be called Longyou, ordinary people were not allowed to use dragon patterns.
These warriors from the merchant guild exuded a strong aura of vengeful spirits.
Chen Taichu sensed the condition of these warriors and narrowed his eyes.
"The body disintegrates and dissolves, relying on the affairs of ghosts and spirits! Turning people into aspirations, and aspirations into vengeful spirits. This is an ancient skill of the Fangxian Dao. Before the Qin Dynasty, even now, few Fangshi know this."
"So that's how it is. Your master behind you is that public enemy who was pursued by the Fangshi a long time ago."
"Xu Fu. What a truly astonishing ancient name. But if your master truly possesses the divine medicine of True Intent, then cooperating with you is not impossible."
Sima Shen seemed somewhat surprised. "You are not very surprised?"
Chen Taichu scoffed. "Although Xu Fu's name is ancient, what is he in the grand scheme of things?"
"Think about it yourself. Why has he remained overseas and dared not return to the Central Plains? There are people alive in this world who are older than him. Although the surface realm is weak, it is not so weak as to allow him to stir up trouble here at will. Therefore, even without those four Heavenly Hearts, he would not dare to show himself."
Saying this, he grinned. "Mortals are mortals after all. Only by becoming an immortal can one pursue the desire for eternal life. But even if the physical body does not die, the spirit and form cannot withstand the passage of time and will gradually decay. Hence, the art of transformation exists."
"What does your master look like now? Is he a man or a woman? A child or an old man, or perhaps some celestial dragon or divine spirit?"