From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 315: On the battlefield
I wiped the knife twice and packed my things.

Upon exiting the door, Lin Yan, along with Zhou Ying, Fan Ye, and Wang Buyi, were already waiting.

After several days of snow, the weather has finally cleared up today.

The snow melted, causing clouds and mist to rise from Wulou Mountain, with rays of light weaving through them.

The sky seemed even colder. After eating a vegetarian meal in the dining hall, the group headed to the meditation platform.

"I was thinking of finding you a girl to warm your bed last night, but Zhou Ying wouldn't agree!" Lin Yan said with some regret.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ying immediately retorted sarcastically, "You only have the guts to tell me this. If you're so capable, go and talk to the nuns at Yunshan Temple!"

Lin Yan ignored him, clearly not daring to.

The group, rambling on and on, arrived at the meditation platform.

The more the scriptures are debated, the clearer they become. Buddhism highly values ​​giving alms and spreading the Dharma, hence the prevalence of sutra lectures and debates. This meditation platform was built in response to this need. It occupies a vast area and was the result of over a century of hard work by Lanruo Temple.

The meditation platform is paved with bluestone and surrounded by pine trees. It is not only a place for debating scriptures, but also a place for martial monks to practice their skills.

At this time, there was no snow water left on the Zen platform, and people from all walks of life had already gathered there, including Confucianists, Buddhists, and Taoists, but there was little noise.

The monks of Lanruo Temple arranged the area, while the people from the Demon Suppression Bureau patrolled the perimeter. They had not yet seen any important figures appear.

The Zen-Inquiry Platform sits atop the mountain, shrouded in mist. To the southeast of Lanruo Temple flows a river, where the rumble of spring thunder is heard, interspersed with the sounds of ancient poems and bells.

A moment later, Abbot Zhiguan of Lanruo Temple and Master Jiujie of the Western Buddhist Kingdom arrived hand in hand.

Others include Master Ren from the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, Master Yun Zaitian from the Qingyang Palace of the Three Great Daoist Schools, Master Chen from the Tianyan School, Master Mo Wenshan from the Lingxiao School, Mr. Zhou from the Qingya Academy, and the three academies leaders of Lanruo Temple: Zhiqing, Zhiwen, and Zhilai.

People from various Buddhist temples in Ping'an Prefecture also came, and even the Taoist Master Xuanjizi came in person, joining the nuns and people from Yunshan Temple.

Wang Er of the Demon Suppression Division was nowhere to be seen, nor was Xiao Taotao, and Ding Chonglou was nowhere to be found either.

Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism were all present, but the Arhat Wusheng did not appear; instead, all 108 of his disciples and grand-disciples were there.

Meng Yuan didn't deliberately try to find out who Jin Hai was, as he considered today's events to be ordinary.

Abbot Zhiguan waved his sleeve, and immediately the mountain wind stirred, the clouds and mist dissipated, and the sky cleared.

The Zen-inquiring platform remains tranquil and serene, with few human voices heard except for the rustling of the mountain winds, echoing the distant sounds of flowing water and thunder.

Dugu Ying and Mingyue were also there, one wearing a red cloak and the other a green Taoist robe, following beside Abbess Liaoxian of Yunshan Temple.

Master Liaoxian was the abbess of Yunshan Temple. She wore a monk's hat and, although she looked old, she had a serene air about her. It was unclear what she was talking about with Xuanjizi.

Although Dugu Ying was hidden in a red cloak, she was not very tall. Standing next to the slender Su Wen, they looked like the older and younger sister.

"Junior brother, the pills I gave you last time, you..." Lin Yan saw Meng Yuan staring at Dugu Ying and was about to mock him.

But before he could finish speaking, he stopped and turned around.

Meng Yuan's heart stirred, and he turned around to look back where he had come from.

A woman dressed in white slowly walked into the arena.

The woman was of medium height, with bright eyes and white teeth. As she stepped on the bluestone, it seemed as if she were walking on the heavens, her steps light and graceful.

In an instant, everyone in the room turned their attention to the woman.

The woman's eyes were as black as ink, and she smiled slightly, making everyone in the room feel as if she were smiling at them.

The woman's temperament was particularly unique, possessing a natural charm amidst her radiance. Even dressed in simple white clothing, she exuded a myriad of allure.

The woman was followed by a man in a black Taoist robe, who was none other than Lord Cangshan.

The visitor's identity is self-evident; it must be Elder Miaoyin, the White Fox Elder of the Demon Kingdom.

After several body tempering sessions, Meng Yuan's mind became less susceptible to external disturbances, and he immediately regained consciousness.

Everyone around him was dazed, but Lin Yan's body was stiff, and there was no greed in his eyes. Instead, his expression looked like he wanted to lick the soles of their feet.

Meng Yuan wasn't surprised by Lin Yan's behavior, after all, Lin Yan liked to associate with furry demons.

To everyone's surprise, Zhou Ying, who was also a woman, blushed and gasped for breath, her chest heaving, her eyes filled with admiration and longing for the woman in white.

Looking around again, Meng Yuan realized that Elder Miaoyin was attractive to both men and women, not only seducing men but also women.

At this moment, Elder Miaoyin seemed to sense that Meng Yuan's mind was not on her, so she glanced in Meng Yuan's direction.

With just one glance, Meng Yuan seemed to see countless stars and all sorts of colors, and his desires rose up again.

Gritting his teeth and calming his mind, Meng Yuan suppressed the fleeting thoughts that crossed his mind.

Seeing this, Elder Miaoyin smiled slightly, ignored Meng Yuan, and stepped forward.

Cangshan Jun bowed slightly to Meng Yuan, and Meng Yuan returned the bow.

"Amitabha." Abbot Zhiguan softly chanted the Buddha's name, and instantly, like a spring breeze blowing across the earth, everyone in the room became fully awake.

Zhou Ying had recovered her senses, but she was still in a daze, just staring at Elder Miaoyin from afar, her thoughts unknown.

Most of the younger generation on the field did the same. Some, with a sense of shame, would watch secretly, while others, without any shame, would watch openly.

Elder Miaoyin was not exceptionally beautiful, but she possessed a unique charm that captivated people, regardless of gender.

Meng Yuan could see clearly that Mingyue kept looking at Miaoyin, and Suwen, who was always timid, also blinked her big eyes and moved closer to Miaoyin.

Dugu Ying remained steadfast, completely unmoved by Miaoyin's words. Instead, she sneered incessantly, seemingly disdainful of Elder Miaoyin's actions.

"Fellow Daoist Miaoyin has come from afar, and I am unable to personally welcome you. Please forgive me." Abbot Zhiguan bowed.

"Greetings, old monk." Miaoyin returned the greeting gracefully, then looked at the guests from the three Taoist families and Qingya Academy, and bowed to them in turn.

Finally, Miaoyin turned to Master Jiujie and said, "Little monk, your master's use of Flying Snow is truly remarkable. But why is he so elusive, never appearing and never coming to let us mortals pay homage to the true Buddha?"

"Amitabha." Master Jiujie said expressionlessly, bowing his head in return, "You are not yet qualified to see my master's image."

"I see." Elder Miaoyin, unperturbed, smiled charmingly and said softly, "My sister has invited a master to discuss the Great Dao with our esteemed master. However, our master refuses to see him. What should we do?"

“There are very few people in the world who can discuss the Dao with my master. The two eminent monks of Lanruo Temple have already seen it, and all of you fellow practitioners here have also experienced it. You should know that my master is the Dao.” Master Jiujie still did not give him any face.

Miaoyin smiled gently and said, "Little monk, you speak too confidently. That's not the proper conduct of a Buddhist monk."

She was innocent and charming, and with a smile she performed the Buddhist gesture of joining hands in prayer to Jiu Jie. Then she stepped aside, went to the gathering place of Yunshan Temple, bowed to Liao Xianyin, and finally looked at Xuanjizi, smiling and saying, "Old Taoist Master, it's been many years since we last met. Your demeanor remains as elegant as ever."

Xuanjizi seemed to dislike this woman very much and ignored her completely.

"I was too embarrassed to tell you this before," Lin Yan said, putting his arm around Meng Yuan's shoulder. "Look at the kind of people you've picked! Qingqing doesn't look like a woman at all, Jiang is still a child, and the girl in the red cloak looks like a little girl. Can this work? Today you'll learn something new. Women are like wine, the older they get, the better they become!" What is all this nonsense? Elder Miaoyin may be old, but she doesn't look old at all!
“What Senior Brother says is true.” Meng Yuan did not refute it.

"What a seductive woman!" Mo Tingyu tugged at Ning Qufei's sleeve and said, "Senior brother, you're amazing! You didn't lose your composure like others! If everyone in the world could hold fast to their principles like you, there would be peace for generations to come!"

"Don't talk nonsense. Elder Miaoyin has profound cultivation, so you must not speak disrespectfully," Ning Qufei admonished sternly.

At this moment, Abbot Zhiguan stepped forward and brought up the Buddhist scriptures again, discussing the concept of "no-self" with Jiujie.

According to the plan, today we need to have Zhi Guan and Jiu Jie discuss the Dao, then get to the topic of sparring, and only then will it be Meng Yuan's turn to appear.

Seeing that the two eminent monks were arguing endlessly, Meng Yuan simply closed his ears and ignored what was happening outside.

Everyone was initially excited, thinking they would hear eminent monks arguing again, but this time Zhi Guan and Jiu Jie discussed Zen, mostly using polite words, unlike the interesting discussion Jiu Jie and Jue Sheng had on "giving up" last time.

Before long, even those who diligently practiced would inevitably fall asleep.

The rambling continued until the clouds and mist on the mountaintop disappeared completely, and the distant Awakening of Insects became increasingly ethereal. Only then did the rambling come to an end.

"Junior brother, it's your turn." Lin Yan patted Meng Yuan, who was resting with his eyes closed.

Meng Yuan pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword, opened his eyes, and looked around.

All eyes were on him, whether they knew him or not. Their eyes held a mixture of encouragement, worry, and ridicule.

Meng Yuan simply got up and walked into the arena, ignoring everything and thinking of nothing.

As for whether the first battle was too brutal, whether subsequent battles would result in rivers of blood, whether it would cause a stir among the Arhats, and whether someone would try to subdue the Western Arhats, these were not issues that Meng Yuan cared about.

Today, I'm only here to kill the monk Jin Hai from the Buddhist Kingdom.

The Zen platform was spacious, and the area for dueling and exchanging skills was prepared. It was a stone platform as tall as a person, and five or six zhang long and wide.

At this moment, as Meng Yuan stood up and stepped onto the stage, another person behind Monk Jiu Jie also stood up.

The man was around twenty years old, unremarkable in appearance, and wore a brown kasaya. He had a monk's mark on his head and was of medium height.

Everyone who came here had actually come for this event, and they had already heard of Jin Hai's reputation, but only now did they realize that this person was Jin Hai.

He opened three dantians without prior knowledge of them, and had previously served as a lamp-bearer under the Buddha of Freedom. He had dealings with Xi Yisheng and had decisively defeated him.

That is why they targeted Meng Yuan for battle.

Without a doubt, this monk Jin Hai was extremely talented in martial arts and had a very high opinion of himself.

Similarly, Meng Yuan came from a humble background. He was discovered by the discerning eye of the Ying family and rose to prominence in the pig, sheep, and cattle pens. However, his talent was not to be underestimated, and his achievements were remarkable.

The two stepped onto the stage; Meng Yuan held the hilt of his sword, while Jin Hai came empty-handed.

According to the rules, the fight can be stopped if either of the two fighters concedes defeat.

Of course, where the truth lies, one will not regret even unto death. Meng Yuan had already received instructions from Wang Er and Zhi Guan, and Jin Hai would never stop there.

The arena was silent, both inside and outside, awaiting the start of the first round of the fight.

“Amitabha. Jin Hai of Bodhi Monastery greets Benefactor Meng.” Monk Jin Hai put his hands together and bowed.

"Meng Yuan of the Demon Suppression Division." Meng Yuan, holding the hilt of his sword, asked, "May I ask the origin of your Buddhist name?"

In Buddhism, the original meaning of "golden sea" is the pure merit as vast as the ocean, or the boundless wisdom of Buddhism. It refers to the high level of spiritual practice, or even the state of perfection.

However, this still does not reach the state of "utmost emptiness" as described in Buddhism. Some say that when the golden sea is completely dried up, it means that one has severed the ties of the secular world and is no longer disturbed by various desires. This is a higher level of attainment, where the "golden sea" in one's heart has dried up, and one has reached the highest state of single-minded devotion to Buddhism.

“It was bestowed upon me by the Buddha of Freedom in a dream,” Jin Hai replied.

"It seems that the Free Buddha has made progress again." Meng Yuan smiled and then asked, "Do you know Qing Guangzi?"

"Who doesn't know the name of the Holy King of Light?" Jin Hai still clasped his hands together. He wasn't very tall, and he looked exceptionally serene under his robe.

"I've heard that Qingguangzi stole lamps to attain enlightenment. Do you have any dealings with Qingguangzi?" Meng Yuan asked again.

“Amitabha,” Jin Hai replied slowly, “That was before I was born. However, I was fortunate enough to meet the Holy King of Light and hear the Buddha’s teachings.”

"Has Your Excellency gained anything from listening to the Buddhist chants?" Meng Yuan asked.

“Only through the light.” Monk Jinhai’s voice was originally soft and gentle, but now his eyes shone brightly as he said, “Only when the Buddha’s light shines in all directions can we achieve a world of ultimate bliss and harmony.”

Meng Yuan drew his sword and said, "I only hope that you can save my corrupt body!"

“Amitabha, this is my duty.” Monk Jinhai still clasped his hands in prayer and asked curiously, “Where do you come from, benefactor?”

"A wanderer, traveling far and wide," Meng Yuan said.

"Where is Tianya? Is it far?" Monk Jinhai asked again.

“The ends of the earth are right beneath our feet, how can they be far?” Meng Yuan said.

"Amitabha." Jin Hai asked no more questions, his robe billowing, a faint Buddhist light emanating from it.

This person has opened up three dantians, truly a once-in-a-century genius.

The monk Jin Hai remained motionless, his hands still clasped together, and the Buddhist light around him grew even stronger, like flowing water from a high mountain, or the chanting of a crane.

In an instant, the onlookers felt that the image surrounding Jin Hai could evoke several emotions, including a sense of compassion for escaping all the chaos of hell, a sense of great perseverance in reshaping the world, and even a sense of joy and sorrow as a myriad of flowers bloomed in grandeur.

“You once killed Xi Yisheng with the Bodhi-suppressing-path doctrine. Today, this humble monk wishes to hear your teachings,” said Monk Jinhai.

Without further ado, Meng Yuan burst into flames, instantly engulfing himself in the inferno and obscuring his human form.

In an instant, Jin Hai rushed forward, disregarding everything, and the Buddha's light immediately enveloped the area around the meditation platform.

Those watching the battle all felt a sense of impending death, as if they themselves had taken Meng Yuan's place and fallen into a state of neither life nor death.

The flames around Meng Yuan were immediately obscured, and not a single spark could be seen.

Just then, flames suddenly surged forth from within the Buddha's light.

The flame was extremely faint, yet it contained a magnificent Buddhist light, and it was as unstoppable as a comet.

In an instant, the two beams of Buddhist light collided and exploded with a deafening roar, like thunder that never ceased.

"Is this a comet striking the moon?" Mingyue looked at Dugu Ying.

Dugu Ying closed her eyes and ignored it completely.

“One holds the Bodhi path to extinguish the cycle of rebirth, the other holds the path to transcending the cycle of reincarnation.” Master Liaoxian opened her eyes wide and said, “Are these two young people truly free from the defilements of the world?”

(End of this chapter)