From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 302 Sacrificing Oneself to Become a Buddha
The night was deep, and there was no wind or moon.

A clear spring flowed by, and Zhihe sat cross-legged by it, his black robe torn, the blood spurting from his mouth staining his clothes red.

The thatched house had long since vanished, leaving only a scene of devastation.

Dugu Ying stood ten steps away. She was petite and had a sweet face, but her eyes were very cold.

Meng Yuan stood behind Dugu Ying, his aura constantly swirling around Zhi He.

Just now, Dugu Ying made the first move, and Meng Yuan followed closely behind, forcing Zhihe to unleash the Buddha's Mountain and River.

This divine power of heaven is truly extraordinary; its might is indeed earth-shattering and continues unabated.

This single move alone reveals the profound skill of this "Zhi" generation monk. Meng Yuan and Dugu Ying were left only with the ability to defend themselves. If they hadn't opened the screen and seized the opportunity to attack, it would have taken them much longer to defeat him.

At this moment, Meng Yuan dared not relax in the slightest. Although this old monk was only at the fifth rank of martial arts, he was old and still alive, and who knew what forbidden techniques he might still have up his sleeve.

"Amitabha." Zhihe examined Jie Kaiping for a long time before saying, "So it is the Peacock Venerable under Qingguangzi."

He undressed, his hair disheveled, but was still recognized. He was clearly frightened. He opened his mouth, wanting to make excuses, but not wanting to break the precept against lying, so he said, "Senior, do you know me?"

“I know her, I know her.” Zhihe nodded slightly, his face stained with blood but still smiling. “How could I not know about the great things you did in Songhe Prefecture? Besides, I also know Xiyao Nu.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan and Dugu Ying exchanged a glance, both unable to resist looking at Jie Kaiping's expression.

"So it turns out he is my mother's lover." Jie Kaiping never cared about such things. He even wanted to introduce Meng Yuan to his mother. So he quickly acknowledged the relationship and respectfully put his palms together, saying, "It's a pity that she was harmed and can no longer be with the master in harmony."

"Amitabha!" Zhihe smiled faintly. "This old monk is a monk and does not indulge in women. However, your mother caused trouble in Ping'an Prefecture in the past, and this old monk drove her away once. We had a brief encounter."

"I see." The message was unfurled.

“The flickering lamplight illuminates the books, the desolate landscape enters the thatched hut.” Zhihe didn’t bother with Jie Kaiping’s words, but turned to Meng Yuan and said, “Bodhi and the path to annihilation arise in the heart, with a compassionate heart, and a willful and stubborn spirit, which is the most heroic and intense. Therefore, each person has his own power.”

He nodded slightly to Meng Yuan and praised, "Your words flowed freely, reminiscent of an old friend's style. May I ask your honorable title? And whether you have any dealings with the Ying family?"

"He is Meng Yuan, Meng Feiyuan, a bodyguard under Miss Ying San," Jie Kaiping introduced.

“If Bodhi’s cessation of the path is to have the power to extinguish the path, then one must see that the ‘path’ is no longer ancient. Those who practice this method in Lanruo Temple mostly have to go out and travel to see the suffering of sentient beings in the world.” Zhihe sighed and said, “It seems that Benefactor Meng is no ordinary guard.”

“Under the Songhe Prefecture, I once witnessed the Holy King of Light proving his Dao,” Meng Yuan said.

"I see." Zhihe clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and said with a compassionate expression, "Your eyes may be clear of dust for now, but you should still be cautious and careful, and wipe them clean from time to time."

Zhihe, being very insightful, added, “Benefactor Meng is a young and outstanding talent, and his understanding of the path to enlightenment is indeed somewhat aligned with yours. However, the path you seek is not here; you must look elsewhere.”

"This junior has learned much!" Meng Yuan bowed, holding his sword.

Zhihe finally looked at Dugu Ying.

There was no wind at night, and blood kept gushing from Zhihe's mouth, indicating that he had suffered a serious injury.

"Why would someone from the Dugu clan come to this desolate place instead of seeing the true Buddha at Lanruo Temple?" Zhihe clearly recognized Dugu Ying's identity.

"Is there a true Buddha in this world?" Dugu Yingsheng was obedient, and even her cold laugh lacked much of her aura. She continued, "Great monk, I have inquired about your character. You have never taken on any disciples or taught any doctrines in your life. After you achieved mastery of martial arts, you helped the government sweep away bandits in Ping'an Prefecture, provided disaster relief and raised funds, saving thousands of lives. You also advocated distributing the temple property to the tenants."

Dugu Ying concluded, "Great monk, you truly deserve to be called a virtuous and eminent monk."

Meng Yuan and Jie Kaiping exchanged a glance, only then realizing that Zhihe had such a past.

Judging from all these factors, this Zen Master Zhihe is far superior to many of those fat, big-eared people.

"Amitabha." Zhihe shook his head slightly. "It's all in the past."

“The Great Monk is right, this is indeed a thing of the past.” Dugu Ying stared intently at Zhihe, stepped forward, and asked, “Why did the Great Monk participate in the siege of Old Master Ying?”

"So that's why you've come, benefactor." Zhihe's face was ashen, clearly indicating that he was seriously injured. He still had a kind smile on his face as he replied, "This old monk is merely following the will of Heaven."

Dugu Ying frowned, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "What is destiny?"

Zhihe shook his head slightly and said, "He's dead, so he's not destiny."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Ying fell silent, while Meng Yuan and Jie Kaiping exchanged bewildered glances, neither of them understanding the meaning.

After a long silence, Dugu Ying finally said, "But you shouldn't have extinguished that spark."

“Even without this old monk, Master Ying would have had no chance of succeeding.” Zhihe did not think he was wrong at all. He said seriously, “At that time, foreign enemies were invading and internal strife was frequent. The whole world was against us! Master Ying was worthy of heaven and earth and the mission of Confucianism to establish a heart for heaven and earth, but he could not have succeeded.”

"Why?" Dugu Ying asked, puzzled.

"Perhaps he's missing his swords," Zhihe said.

Dugu Ying remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Is this your opinion?"

Zhihe shook his head and said, "This old monk is nothing more than a hermit from the mountains. He only knows how to perform rituals in a snail shell. When he does help the people, it is nothing but false compassion. How could he understand the principles of governing the world?"

"Who taught you that?" Dugu Ying asked again.

"I don't know either, it's like this idea just suddenly popped into my head," Zhihe said without hiding anything.

Dugu Ying looked at Jie Kaiping, the only two monks on the field, and they were both monks at the fifth level of the Buddhist realm, cultivating the Nirvana state.

“This is the work of someone who has planted a seed in his mind.” Jie Kaiping was the most knowledgeable about this. “He is a fifth-rank martial monk. The person who can silently change his thoughts must be above him, or it must be the work of a third-rank Buddhist master. If it were a fourth-rank master, it probably wouldn’t be possible to achieve this overnight. It would require gradual exposure and learning, but even then, the master must be someone with extremely high attainments!”

At this point, Jie Kaiping said with great certainty, "When I was under the tutelage of my master, I was influenced by him day and night, and even my temperament became similar to his."

Seeing the person involved speak out, Dugu Ying and Meng Yuan both agreed.

"How did you break free from your shackles, my friend?" Zhihe asked curiously.

"I don't know either." Jie Kaiping thought for a moment and said, "My master didn't trust me much in the past, saying that I was not good at being molded. Perhaps the path I seek is very different from my master's, or perhaps my master was busy with the path and was distracted, or perhaps the Nirvana I practice is the best for calming the mind, which is why I escaped my master's control."

“Amitabha.” Zhihe nodded slightly. “A mouse can be trapped in a hole for a while, but not forever. There will always be a time when it can come out of the hole.”

Jie Kaiping, Zhihe, put his palms together in a gesture of respect and said, "The martial monks of Lanruo Temple have an orderly lineage and strict discipline. The person who planted the seed for your senior brother has achieved results silently and without fanfare. It seems that the Buddhist teachings are profound and the Dharma forms they cultivate are also quite meaningful."

At this point, Jie Kaiping looked at Meng Yuan and asked, "Brother Meng is from the Demon Suppression Division, so you must know the abilities of the senior monks of the 'Zhi' generation at Lanruo Temple. Why don't you go back and inquire about it? Of course, it's also possible that this person didn't come from Lanruo Temple. But since he was able to become so well-versed in the art, he must have had a lot of contact with Senior Brother Zhihe. You should be able to find out some clues."

"Do you think this person is the same one who helped Qing Guangzi?" Meng Yuan asked. Jie Kaiping shook her head. "I don't know. I can't figure it out either. What benefit would that person gain from helping their master attain enlightenment?"

"We can always find out." Dugu Ying sneered. She stared intently at Zhihe and asked, "Back when you besieged the Ying family, seven people came from your Lanruo Temple. Besides you, two others are still alive. Who are they?"

"Only this old monk's broken body remains." Zhihe sighed, his cloudy eyes looking at Dugu Ying, and said, "Is the Dugu clan avenging the Ying clan?"

As he spoke, Zhihe looked up at the sky.

The night was deep, with no wind or moon, only a few scattered stars.

Zhihe stared for a moment, then forced himself to stand up. The kind smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a sinister look.

For a moment, Meng Yuan and his two companions were on high alert.

"This old monk is unworthy of the name of a high monk." The clear sound of flowing spring water was beside Zhihe, but his voice was extremely weathered and had a hint of madness.

Meng Yuan looked at Jie Kaiping, and Dugu Ying also frowned as she looked at Jie Kaiping.

According to the previous plan, after Meng Yuan and Dugu Ying seriously injured Zhi He, Jie Kaiping should take advantage of the opponent's weakness and confusion to disrupt his mind and make him lose his fighting spirit.

Unexpectedly, the person spat out a few mouthfuls of blood, spouted some profound principles, and even managed to get up in the end, clearly still having the strength to fight.

"This is forbidden magic!" Jie Kaiping had no time to complain; he retreated repeatedly. "He's going to fight to the death!"

Whether it was a martial artist fighting desperately, or a fifth-grade martial artist fighting desperately, Meng Yuan and Dugu Ying dared not underestimate it and retreated as well.

Meng Yuan had witnessed many powerful or strange supernatural abilities, but at this moment, he could not see any difference between Zhihe and others.

There were no outward signs of divine intervention, no changes in aura, and Zhihe seemed to show little abnormality.

"What about the methods used under Hulu Mountain?" Meng Yuan felt that Jie Kaiping was not good at helping him, but she was most effective at helping Qing Guangzi.

At that moment, Jie Kaiping unleashed his fury, and within three to five breaths, he managed to disrupt the mind of a sixth-rank martial monk, turning the tide of the battle in one fell swoop.

"How can you use it every few days? Do you think it's the same as using Bodhi to extinguish the path?" Jie Kaiping immediately feigned distress, "I'll try again when it really doesn't work..."

He was surprisingly composed!

"Who exactly is that person behind you?" Dugu Ying asked again.

Zhihe clasped his hands together and ignored him.

A faint mist finally emanated from his body, its seven-colored light dimming yet never ceasing.

Meng Yuan immediately felt a sense of unease, and all his thoughts vanished. He even seemed to forget to activate the method of burning his heart, and only one thought remained in his mind: to prostrate himself in worship.

When Qingguangzi attained enlightenment in Songhe Prefecture, there were unusual celestial phenomena, and Meng Yuan also had a desire to worship him. However, it is different from today.

At that time, it was because I was facing the "true Buddha" that I felt the urge to kneel down and pray for the Buddha's protection; but today, it is as if I have personally witnessed the true Buddha sacrificing himself to save all sentient beings, and that is why I feel reverence.

"If I don't go to hell, who will?" He untied the screen, clasped his hands in prayer, and said, "Senior brother is truly resolute."

"I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty!" Dugu Ying sneered incessantly. "This kind of person is either a fool or possesses great wisdom! Great monk, you are the former!"

"What kind of magic is this?" Meng Yuan didn't even have time to sigh; he just kept asking.

"To sacrifice oneself to become a Buddha!" ​​Dugu Ying's innocent face was full of disdain.

"Sacrifice oneself to become a Buddha?" Meng Yuan stared wide-eyed at the sight.

This self-sacrifice to attain Buddhahood is a unique skill of Lanruo Temple. If a martial monk wants to learn this method, it is even more difficult than learning the Buddha's power to move mountains and rivers or the Bodhi's annihilation of the path.

This method is simply too forceful and unreasonable.

However, its power is also extraordinary, stemming from immense perseverance, courage, and magnanimity, and a heart that believes in the inexhaustible nature of hell to save people from suffering.

Once activated, it is like a true Buddha descending to earth, fearless of all methods, undaunted by swords and spears, possessing strength as great as a dragon or elephant, moving like a shooting star, with an indestructible body and an immortal spirit.

This method has a huge backlash. Once the Heavenly Secrets Method can no longer be maintained, the consequences will range from severe injury to death on the spot, which is exactly what the word "sacrifice oneself" means.

"Amitabha." Zhihe's black robes moved without wind, and the spring water beside him flowed backward.

All around Zhihe appeared various kinds of Buddha light, sometimes surging and sometimes dim, emanating endless compassion, as if the true Buddha had descended, making those around him want to worship.

In the darkness, it seemed that only Zhihe remained. He appeared to have grown taller, and his already pale and fleshless face looked as if it had been drained of its flesh.

As the black robes billowed, a strange Buddhist light appeared in Zhihe's cloudy eyes.

Although the person has not yet made a move, their momentum is already unstoppable.

Meng Yuan had seen many masters, such as martial arts prodigies like Xi Yisheng, but this time he truly felt the pressure of martial arts realm and mental state.

Not daring to be careless, Meng Yuan immediately urged the gods to descend to the mortal realm, attempting to use the Taoist secrets of heaven to counter the Buddhist secrets of heaven.

"This old monk is already a hermit, but you three young friends insist on getting to the bottom of things. Don't blame this old monk for being so rude!" Zhihe's eyes shone brightly, showing no trace of the selfless monk who saves others, but rather extremely mad.

"What is the man behind you plotting that would make you risk your life for him?" Dugu Ying was still not giving up and kept asking.

"How could a little girl understand the Buddha's heart of saving the world?" Zhihe was already out of his mind and becoming increasingly frantic.

"Saving the world? Does that mean helping Qing Guangzi massacre the city? Is it about slaughtering all living beings?" Dugu Ying sneered.

"If we do not kill, hatred will never cease." Zhihe also mocked Dugu Ying, saying, "Our spirit of self-sacrifice, of killing to stop killing, is something you cannot understand."

"Killing to stop killing means killing tigers and wolves, killing those who oppress others, not the suffering beings." Meng Yuan couldn't bear it any longer. He held his sword horizontally in front of him, surrounded by light, and said, "Therefore, even if you give up your three lifetimes, you will still find it difficult to become a Buddha!"

Upon hearing this, Zhihe was immediately enraged, babbling incessantly, and suddenly unleashed a burst of Buddhist light around him, drawing the waters of the precious spring towards Meng Yuan.

Dugu Ying did not retreat at all and immediately went to meet him.

"I'm here to help you!" Jie Kaiping, utterly lacking the demeanor of a high-ranking monk, shouted, "You wicked monk, prepare to die!"

(End of this chapter)