Ji Xiang was in the midst of a breakthrough when he suddenly felt an external force enter. The spiritual energy wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, more like a probe, and it was pure Buddhist power.
Simultaneously, Buddhist chants echoed:
"Where Vinaya exists, the Dharma also exists.
Namo Amitabha Buddha."
These chants caused some disturbance to Ji Xiang's breakthrough. After a brief assessment, he judged the opponent's cultivation level to be that of an Arhat, comparable to the Earth Immortal realm he was currently breaking through to.
Both were fruits attainable only after reaching the tenth realm.
"Namo Amitabha Buddha, is he a monk from the Pure Land Sect?"
The Dao had its various schools, and Buddhism also had its various sects, all stemming from differing philosophies. It was akin to how, after Confucius's death, Confucianism split into eight schools, and after Mozi's death, Mohism had three branches. Often, after the founder of a school passed away, their teachings were understood differently by various wise individuals, gradually giving rise to other factions with slight deviations from the original doctrine.
After the Tang Dynasty, the most influential force in the realm was Chan Buddhism, followed by the Pure Land Sect. Their distinction lay in the fact that Chan Buddhists did not chant "Amitabha Buddha!"
Any monk who chanted "Amitabha Buddha" was undoubtedly from the Pure Land Sect!
The teachings of Chan Buddhism were simple: no need to memorize scriptures, no need to delve into profound Buddhist theories; one only needed to believe. Thus, whatever the ancient Buddhist gates forbade, Chan Buddhism permitted. The Buddha said that to become a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or an Arhat, one must cultivate the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment of Mahayana Buddhism. Chan Buddhism, however, stated that if you possess Buddha-nature, you are already an Arhat, a Bodhisattva, and a Buddha.
This led to the saying: "Here, there is no Buddha, no Dharma. Bodhidharma was a lecherous old man; the ten-stage Bodhisattvas are dung-carriers; the perfect and equal enlightenment are transgressing monks; Bodhi and Nirvana are mere donkey-tethering stakes; the twelve divisions of scripture are ghost registers and toilet paper; the Buddha is an old piece of dung."
As for the Pure Land Sect, they emphasized chanting the holy name of Amitabha Buddha. It didn't matter if you didn't understand Buddhism; as long as you chanted the Buddha's name, upon your death, you would ascend to the Western Paradise, where Amitabha Buddha would personally tutor you, and then you would understand.
Its nature was roughly akin to believing in "Sister Chun" for eternal life.
"This is not good. Why is this Pure Land monk attacking the Zhenwu statue? It seems something has happened outside. Could it be that my breakthrough into Earth Immortal within the statue has imbued it with some divine quality..."
"So, they intend to eliminate me as a monster?"
Ji Xiang's consciousness was focused within his own body, temporarily unable to observe events outside the statue. He thought to himself:
"I am at a critical juncture of refining my Golden Core. I cannot be disturbed by this Buddhist monk. Although he might have good intentions, I apologize!"
"I am not a monster!"
With that, Ji Xiang began to chant the Peacock King Mantra!
At the mere utterance of the words, the white-robed monk outside felt as if a heavenly thunderbolt had struck his mind, and rays of Vajra light descended, manifesting a scene of the Western Paradise in his eyes. He quickly withdrew his hand, his face filled with alarm:
"This is Buddhist Dharma?!"
His shock did not last long. The white-robed monk's figure suddenly flickered. All thoughts in his mind began to vanish, as if he were entering a state of sudden enlightenment. However, because he was the recipient of the Buddhist mantra's influence, not its caster, he would not achieve enlightenment. Instead, he would briefly enter a state of "a blank mind."
This was the severance of all worldly troubles and desires, leading one into a state of peace and tranquility, where no further conflict or killing intent would arise. Only the Great Bright King's mantra possessed such power.
The white-robed monk's eyes saw an illusion of an eight-petaled lotus flower. Although no one appeared on the lotus, it still gave him a sense of solemnity, reverence, and tranquility, causing him to unconsciously chant the king's holy name:
"Maha Mayuri Buddha Mother Ming Wang Great Dharani..."
A portion of the white-robed monk's wisdom remained clear, but this clear wisdom could not impede his thoughts, his vision, or his physical actions. Thus, he quickly retreated. Using this last vestige of clear wisdom, he closed his eyes, covered his ears, and moved from the divine platform to beneath the statue, immediately sitting down cross-legged!
*Bang!*
His movement was quite significant. The Qian Tang county magistrate, the wealthy merchants of the Longyou Chamber of Commerce, the temple keeper, and the foreman all witnessed the transcendent white-robed monk in an extremely peculiar state. He leaped down from the Zhenwu divine platform and sat with his eyes closed, as if resting, yet he was covered in sweat, though his expression was one of joy.
"What... what happened to him?"
The temple keeper was perplexed. The white-robed monk's attire clearly indicated he was no ordinary person, likely a high monk from Lingyin Temple. But after placing a hand on the forehead of the Great Emperor Zhenwu, why did he himself become abnormal?
The Qian Tang county magistrate also wondered, "How should I know? He's the master, not me. If I could perform magic, why would I be a county magistrate? For the master to suddenly become like this must have its reasons."
The wealthy merchants whispered amongst themselves.
The monk's appearance was rather like someone in heat.
But they dared not say it aloud, lest they find themselves, ten meters from Lingyin Temple, being rushed out by monks and beaten into a pulp with Vajra scepters, to be served as a side dish.
The white-robed monk's suffering stemmed from his desperate attempt to break free from this state of forgetting troubles. However, his body and mind were separated from that part of his clear wisdom, as if telling him, "Why resist this state? Forgetting all troubles is precisely the state sought in Buddhist cultivation!"
It was like a struggle between consciousness and subconsciousness, between reason and desire.
Fortunately, Ji Xiang's mantra was only chanted once, and its impact was not profound. He soon broke free from the state, but felt a sense of loss, a feeling that terrified him. He stared at the Zhenwu statue, his expression filled with surprise and uncertainty. He circulated his spiritual energy, lightly shaking his body, and dispelled the sweat.
"That was... the Peacock King's Great Bright King Mantra!"
The white-robed monk developed a sense of reverence for the Zhenwu statue. He desperately wanted to know why a Daoist statue contained a Buddhist Ming Wang Mantra.
Zhenwu was a god of the Daoist school. Buddhist temples that enshrined Zhenwu were rare, usually only some of the larger Chan Buddhist temples. The Qingyun Temple during the Zhengde era enshrined the Great Emperor Zhenwu. However, even when enshrining Zhenwu, Zhenwu remained a deity of the Daoist school. Especially in such folk temples, it was absolutely impossible for a Zhenwu statue to contain Buddhist radiance.
Furthermore, the power of this mantra was not insignificant. Merely the sound of its circulation could shake the mind of a high monk like himself, who had reached the Arhat level, causing him to instantly forget his troubles and enter a state of emptiness. If this happened during combat, he would be completely defenseless and easily killed.
This statue possessed divine power; it must be investigated!
"County Magistrate, this Zhenwu statue is somewhat peculiar! Within this statue lies the power of my Buddhist Ming Wang!"
The white-robed monk's expression was solemn as he said to the Qian Tang county magistrate, "If possible, this humble monk wishes to move this statue out of the temple and bring it to my Lingyin Temple for further examination by other high monks."
Although the Qian Tang county magistrate did not understand what this "Ming Wang power" was, he understood the word "Ming Wang" and knew it was related to Buddhism. However, his face showed difficulty:
"This... actually, the Zhenwu statue is not that important. However, this statue is currently an item within this temple. Nothing belonging to this temple can be moved arbitrarily... otherwise, the temple's owner is not someone to be trifled with."
"Master, you must also know the temper of the temple's divine lord. Lingyin Temple would likely not wish to be sought out by her."
The white-robed monk fell silent for a moment, but still insisted, "If she comes looking, this matter will be entirely my doing, and no one else will be involved. If I can ascertain the origin of this Ming Wang mantra, I would die without regret even if I had to endure her three arrows."
The Qian Tang county magistrate was helpless. The white-robed monk did not intend to make things difficult for him. He walked to the statue and prepared to carry it away himself.
"As long as no one else interferes with the moving of the statue, the temple owner's retaliation will only be directed at me alone."
The commotion caused by the white-robed monk preparing to move the statue once again jolted Ji Xiang, who was hidden within it.
That Buddhist power surged back, but this time it seemed not to be targeting him, but rather to be moving the statue.
Ji Xiang felt something disappear from beneath him; he was being lifted. He thought to himself, "This won't do!"
"So annoying! I'm in the middle of a breakthrough, and where did this bald donkey come from, always causing trouble for me!"
Ji Xiang was slightly annoyed. He had influenced the other party with the Buddhist Ming Wang mantra, but unexpectedly, it had only piqued the monk's interest. Judging by the current situation, even though Ji Xiang couldn't ascertain the external circumstances, he could guess the general idea.
It was nothing more than moving the statue he was hiding in to a Buddhist temple.
In theory, it was a good thing, as Buddhist temples had more vigorous incense offerings. However, the problem lay in the fact that while Buddhist incense offerings were abundant, the share received by each Buddha statue was not as much.
In this temple, the temple owner herself seemed indifferent to the amount of incense she received, thus the Zhenwu statue where he was hiding became a "monopoly of incense."
If he were to go to Lingyin Temple, he would have to share the incense with numerous Buddhas.
How could he tolerate this!
Ji Xiang circulated a minor spell, operating the Five-Tooth Heavenly Book, and descended with earth element power!
*Boom!*
Just as he lifted the statue, the white-robed monk, who had done so effortlessly, was suddenly pressed to the ground by the Zhenwu statue!
The immense commotion caused the temple floor to crack. The Zhenwu statue seemed to be sucked into the earth, and the white-robed monk, pinned beneath it, felt as if he were carrying a small mountain on his body. He tried to get up, but the weight of ten thousand jin made it difficult for him to lift his head!
He did not possess the art of carrying mountains, and thus could not withstand the weight of the earth element. Even an Arhat's body was merely that of a "first-fruit Arhat," newly entered into this realm. To reach the level of the eighteen Arhats, one would need to be a great Arhat of the fourth fruit.
The white-robed monk frantically circulated Buddhist spells, manifesting a "Evil-Breaking Divine Ability." Instantly, an aura of righteous anger erupted around him, though it was not the fire of wrath. With this aura, he gradually lifted the Zhenwu statue and began to rise from the ground.
"Evil-Breaking Divine Ability Venerable, causing heaven and earth to rage, the earth to crack, Bahuolouzhi!"
The white-robed monk gradually overcame the power of the earth element. He passed through this earth element's might with his Evil-Breaking Divine Ability. Buddhist spells always had strange effects. Ji Xiang, within the statue, felt the earth element power being penetrated, and that Buddhist spiritual energy surged back, also provoking Ji Xiang's anger.
However, on second thought, Ji Xiang couldn't help but lament that today's events were due to his own failure to completely seal his breakthrough state, which caused an anomaly outside, leading a high Buddhist monk to investigate. This conflict was not because of the other party, but rather initiated by himself.
"Since that is the case, I shall not seal myself. My spirit will spread out. I will enter the Earth Immortal realm and form a Golden Core. This should cause great winds and thunder in the temple, and then you won't be able to leave even if you wanted to!"
Ji Xiang completely unleashed himself. His spirit no longer focused on this Buddhist power. As Ji Xiang let go, his state of mind ascended, weakening the divine fire that was burning the liquid essence. However, a wisp of golden nature was born.
Daoist cultivation was about transforming from fiery nature to golden nature. Golden nature was indestructible, hence the attainment of longevity after forming a Golden Core.
This wisp of golden nature was crucial!
As the golden nature was born, the surrounding liquid essence rapidly condensed around this wisp, and the Golden Core instantly took shape. The outline of the sacred fetus formed in the fourth realm was then integrated into the shape of the Golden Core.
Within Ji Xiang's body, all his aura converged towards the Golden Core!
The Yuqing Hidden Book also began to operate autonomously at this time, generating wisps of heavenly demon energy!
The entire temple suddenly grew dim. A vast radiance emanated from the Zhenwu statue. The white-robed monk was startled back by the radiance. At this moment, even the Qian Tang county magistrate began to have doubts. When the white-robed monk finally broke free and intended to move the Zhenwu statue again, the Qian Tang county magistrate immediately blocked his path!
"Master, Master, you cannot move it anymore! This Lord Zhenwu seems to have ascended!"
"Please, Master, cease your actions. As for moving the statue, this official will wait for the temple's owner to manifest and then discuss it properly with her. There is no rush, no rush."
The Qian Tang county magistrate appeased the white-robed monk. The white-robed monk, however, was unwilling. The temple keeper added, "You monk, are you afraid we will move this Lord Zhenwu's statue away? As long as the temple owner agrees, I will send it to Lingyin Temple for you!"
The old foreman asked in surprise, "Are you really going to give it away?"
The temple keeper cursed in a low voice, "Nonsense! Haven't you seen how much incense Lord Zhenwu has brought to the temple these past two days? Can we give it to them? The people from Lingyin Temple are truly shameless, wanting to fight over this little incense."
The white-robed monk had excellent hearing, and the whispers of the temple keeper and the foreman did not escape his ears. He immediately felt a sense of shame, realizing that his actions were perceived by the temple's inhabitants as an attempt to snatch incense. He no longer had the face to discuss moving the statue. He could only chant Buddhist phrases and then say to the magistrate:
"If that is the case, the next time the temple owner returns, Your Excellency may inform this humble monk, and I will immediately come to this place to discuss it properly with the temple owner."
"This time, it was this humble monk's rudeness."
With that, he clasped his hands in apology towards the Zhenwu statue. However, winds and thunder began to swirl around the Zhenwu statue. The white-robed monk, believing it to be the Great Emperor Zhenwu truly manifesting his divine power in anger, dared not linger. He hastily retreated from the temple gate, though his heart remained filled with doubt.
Meanwhile, the temple was experiencing earth-shattering tremors, like an earthquake, forcing the mortals to retreat.
This tremor lasted for a full day. The five elements circulated ceaselessly within the temple, and a world-shattering aura surged into the heavens, soon dissipating.
Inside the Zhenwu statue, Ji Xiang felt a surge of power, his heartbeat seeming to resonate with the earth and all things!
This was the level of an Earth Immortal, truly detached from the mortal world, a cultivator taking the first step towards ascension.
At this moment, within Ji Xiang's inner vision, beneath the blank divine tablet, a trace of round golden light existed. Within it was a plump Golden Core, but its color...
"Huh?"
The power of the Jambudvipa gold had also integrated into the Golden Core. Ji Xiang was not stingy, using almost all the Jambudvipa gold he had previously obtained. After condensing a large amount of incense and wishes, along with the power of the Yuqing Hidden Book, a change occurred that even Ji Xiang himself could not understand.
"Jambudvipa gold is reddish-yellow in color. Even if influenced, how could it turn out like this?"
This was not a Golden Core of reddish-yellow, nor pure gold, but a purple-gold hue!
During the Qin and Han dynasties, alchemists spoke of the "purple-gold elixir," which, upon consumption, granted immortality and ascension to the heavens!