Longzang

Chapter 1232 The True Meaning of the Mortal World
Northern Xinjiang, on the edge of an unknown secret realm.

The mountains here are low and undulating, with terraced fields at their foot. Villages are sparse and the population is small. If a powerful person were here, they would see that the spiritual energy here is barren and the earth's veins are dry, making cultivation here much less effective.

This is because there is a secret realm established by a grotto nearby. Over thousands of years, the secret realm has continuously absorbed the spiritual energy of the surrounding area, and gradually the surrounding area has become a barren place.

As a result, there were very few Dharma Aspect cultivators in the entire prefecture. Even the prefect had to rely on the Spirit Gathering Array set up in his mansion to make a slight improvement in his cultivation, but the speed was as slow as a tortoise crawl.

It was noon when a tall, thin monk walked slowly along the dilapidated county road, suddenly appearing a hundred feet away.

He walked along, taking in the scenery. An old man and a boy were resting by the roadside. Upon seeing the monk, the old man stood up shakily and bowed.

Upon seeing the man's impeccable manners, the monk knew he was a lay Buddhist who had practiced diligently for many years and had attained the true essence of Buddhism. He felt a sense of goodwill and returned the greeting.

The old man hurriedly ordered the boy to fetch the food basket, took out two cornbread buns, and stuffed them into the monk's hands, muttering to himself, "Judging from the master's robes, one can tell that he once vowed to cultivate himself asceticly. This little bit of food is to help the master stave off hunger, and it is also my way of accumulating some good karma for my grandson."

The tall, thin monk initially didn't want to take it, but upon hearing the old man's words, he knew that a high-ranking monk must have given him guidance. He believed that all beings delighted in seeing the image of a Bodhisattva, emphasizing asceticism and practice.

To him, giving even a bowl of porridge or a meal was a great act of merit, an offering to the Buddha, and the giver would surely receive great blessings. That someone could wait for him here, even if it was due to guidance, was simply a matter of fate.

The tall, thin monk glanced at the boy again and saw a mixture of fear and expectation in his expression. He noticed traces of cultivation on his body, as well as signs of incense offerings and prayers. Although his sea of ​​consciousness was not yet open, it shone with a faint, precious light, clearly indicating great fortune. However, a layer of black mist shrouded it, suggesting a major calamity was about to befall him, with little chance of surviving.

The tall, thin monk knew in his heart that the young man was seriously ill, his condition terminal. Without his intervention, the young man wouldn't live much longer. However, the vast, precious light within the young man's sea of ​​consciousness stirred a sense of appreciation in the monk. Once this young man overcame this hurdle, his great fortune would erupt; if he joined the Pure Land, he might very well become a seed for Buddhist cultivation, capable of inheriting a certain Dharma form.

Thinking of this, the tall, thin monk accepted the two steamed buns, put his palms together, and said, "Benefactor, you will surely receive blessings for making offerings to the Buddha."

The old man's face was lined with wrinkles as he smiled, constantly rubbing his chapped hands, so happy that he couldn't speak.

This sight pleased the monk more than anything. He said nothing more, simply bowed, and drifted away. The black mist in the boy's sea of ​​consciousness was merely a mortal's calamity; he had taken two steamed buns, enough to dispel the illness, and perhaps in the future, he could even have another disciple to inherit the golden body.

Thinking of this, the monk sighed, "The workings of fate in this world are truly wondrous. Who could have imagined that such a peerless genius would live in a place like this for a hundred years? The three Imperial Realm experts in that secret realm probably never dreamed that a tiger was sleeping next to them. Their brutal exploitation of spiritual energy over the years has been seen by others... They will inevitably be held accountable in the future."

The monk actually knew why the secret realm was so eager to absorb spiritual energy, even disregarding the lives of the people in the entire prefecture. Only immortals could establish secret realms, and this sect had clearly not produced any immortals since the passing of its previous immortal ancestor. As the number of people living in the secret realm increased, the demand for spiritual energy also grew. Over the past hundred years, it had obviously been unable to make ends meet, and the secret realm was on the verge of collapse, which was why it had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.

Little did they know that cause and effect are cyclical; the more they did this, the more severe their karmic retribution became, and the faster the secret realm collapsed. That Sky-Supporting Spear Saint chose to cultivate his breakthrough right under their noses, intending to hone his spear through battle upon emerging from seclusion.

With three Imperial Guardians offering their spears in the secret realm, their spear intent, if not unprecedented, is not far off.

An ordinary small town, an ordinary courtyard.

Two plots of land in the courtyard were planted, and the vegetable seedlings were growing quite well. A middle-aged man with a full beard was intently carving cups out of tree roots. Half of the courtyard was piled with tree roots; this was how he made a living.

The carved root cup had an ancient and elegant shape, but it was somewhat crooked and irregular. He adjusted it little by little, but after carving for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, his strength waned, and he made a slightly deep cut.

He frowned and began to work on the knife mark.

"A fine cup!"

The man frowned, looked up at the tall, thin monk in the courtyard, and then his gaze fell on the greasy rag in the monk's hand.

The tall, thin monk still held the rag in his hand, minimizing contact. The man stood up, took the rag, and surprisingly held it under his nose, taking a deep breath!

The tall, thin monk was taken aback. The cloth was utterly disgusting; even he, who had practiced asceticism for many years, found it unbearable. Most importantly, it was covered in the fat monk's sweat and grease, the smell of which even Mahayana Buddhist teachings couldn't neutralize. The Gun Saint's nose was enough to completely convince him.

The man chuckled and said, "Let me ask you, what's so good about my cup just now?"

"Returning to simplicity, without a trace of artifice or craftsmanship..." The man shook his head: "Of course there is craftsmanship. It's the level and deliberate effort that an ordinary craftsman should have at this stage, whether it's a bit high or a bit low, it's all the true meaning of life. But to make sure there's no artifice in the work, that's just the beginning."

The man waved the sweat-soaked, oily rag in his hand and said, "It's a good thing you didn't wash this cloth. This cloth is covered in the smell of the mortal world."

The tall, thin monk, however, was somewhat unconvinced and said, "The world is vast and has countless forms. Why is this piece of cloth the only thing that represents the mortal world? If I grab a handful of dirt and pluck a few blades of grass by the roadside, is that also the mortal world?"

The man said calmly, “Those are the mortal world, and yet they are not the mortal world. They are not the mortal world I am looking for, the one that leads directly to the Great Dao. As for your senior brother Fa Mi, his character is exceptional, and his comprehension is unparalleled. In the future, when he attains enlightenment, he should be by the side of King Buddha and Great Sun. But perhaps he has other ideas.”

What was he thinking? The tall, thin monk suddenly realized a possibility: if he couldn't even find a place for himself beside the Buddha King or the Tathagata, then where else could he be? Even replacing the Buddha King or the Tathagata in the distant future was something he couldn't even imagine!

The tall, thin monk suddenly felt a sense of dread, as if he had committed a heinous crime, and in an instant, he was drenched in cold sweat. His lifelong wish was simply to be on the upper level of Mount Ling, to be closer to the two supreme beings at the very top.

Upon seeing this, the man's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery, but he did not say anything.

The tall, thin monk's expression changed several times in a flash. Suddenly, he let out a long breath, sweat pouring down his face. His expression showed both regret and relief. He smiled bitterly and said, "This humble monk is dull-witted and has no great ambitions. I'm afraid my guidance, senior, will fail."

The man wasn't surprised. He said calmly, "You ascended to the highest level of enlightenment, but you missed the process of tempering yourselves in the world. That's why those guys in the Pure Land are all of questionable character, some even quite wicked. They may have achieved temporary success, but they've ended up on a dead end. If one day you ascend to the lotus throne on Mount Sumeru, who do you think will sit on that lotus throne? And who will be the one to be reincarnated after attaining enlightenment in this life?"

The tall, thin monk's expression changed slightly, and he said, "There is no self, no person, no sentient being, no life span. All bodies are one, and yet none of them are it."

The man sneered: "You might be able to fool the little monks with these words, but since you are Fa Mi's junior brother and have the opportunity to interrupt my meditation, how can you say such a thing?"
The Buddha said: "Originally there is nothing, so where can dust settle? Having attained enlightenment and achieved perfect physical form, one is naturally untouched by dust. But you are the dust of countless lifetimes of reincarnation."

The tall, thin monk paused for a moment, then chanted a Buddhist prayer, saying, "This humble monk lacks the wisdom to comprehend it. But the golden body is but a lifetime, and so is the dust..."

Before he could finish speaking, the man interrupted him: "That's what everyone thinks."

The tall, thin monk paused for a moment, then sighed, "This humble monk truly cannot fathom it. But such a rare opportunity has presented itself, and I have many unresolved doubts in my heart. I hope you, senior, will enlighten me."

"Go ahead."

“I see that you, senior, have lived in seclusion here and have deeply understood the meaning of worldly affairs. My senior brother also sent me a piece of your robe, which you said was the true meaning of the mortal world. What I don’t understand is, why is this matter so important?”

The man finally showed some approval and said, "Although none of Fa Mi's fellow disciples have achieved much, the fact that you can ask this question shows that you are much better than your peers."

He pointed to the pedestrians passing by the courtyard gate and said, "What is the Great Dao? Heaven and earth are the Great Dao, and all living beings are also the Great Dao. Immortals are living beings, and mortals are also living beings. How many immortals are there? How many mortals are there? Compared to mortals, all the cultivators in the world combined are but a drop in the ocean."

We cultivators have traveled far and wide, observing the heavens and the earth, comprehending the mysteries of the universe. We have long since seen through the world above, but what about below? What about these billions of living beings? Who truly understands them? Who knows their thoughts and feelings, who can truly empathize with them?

The tall, thin monk said, "This humble monk once practiced asceticism for ninety-nine years..."

The man scoffed, "Your ascetic practices are far from genuine empathy; they're just empty formalities. Let me ask you, if you had no food, would you die after a few days of hunger?"

The tall, thin monk was speechless; clearly, he wouldn't die no matter how many days he starved.

The man concluded, "Without truly becoming one of them, one simply cannot understand, and the Great Dao insight will lack this crucial link, always falling short of perfection."

Even on a powerful being, Fa Mi's robes could completely retain their earthly essence, untouched by any trace of worldly aura or karma. At this moment, Fa Mi had almost completely transcended this world. And I…”

He paused for a moment, then said, "Back then, I lived entirely as a mortal, but I died in a violent accident seven years later. After being resurrected, I discovered that even with the means to be resurrected, I was still separated from the mortal world. So I gave up all my supernatural powers and cut off my path to reincarnation, and have been living here for 103 years now."

(End of this chapter)