Who let him join the Sword Sect!

Chapter 501 Artificial Monk, Fragments of Memory, and the Robe

Zhang Ze himself did not want to comment too much on the fact that he was also an extremely durable fighter.

Therefore, he abruptly activated the skill [Sword Sect's Topic Diversion].

"Hey, what were you just saying to your apprentice? What did you mean by seven times tonight?"

"Of course, it's before tomorrow morning. I'll infiltrate my memories seven more times to help you find a way into Baiyujing."

"What else could it be?"

The little monk glanced at Zhang Ze, giving him an expression that said, "I know what you're thinking, but I'm not going to say it out loud."

After giving an awkward laugh, Zhang Ze asked, "How do we infiltrate?"

"It's hard to explain, I can't quite make it out, and you might not be willing to listen anyway. Just watch me demonstrate."

The young monk spoke while making hand gestures.

At the same time, the large hands on the lotus platforms also began to move, repeating the little monk's actions.

The scene was somewhat eerie.

Meanwhile, Ah Li was not idle either. She had already flown to the side of the magic artifact furnace, sniffing the severed hand that was preserved in the furnace.

Although his hands were withered, they were pure white, like warm jade, without a trace of decay.

It's less a corpse and more a magical artifact.

So this thing is somewhat strange to Ah Li, who doesn't eat people.

For a moment, it couldn't tell whether it was brown sugar cake that tasted like poop or poop that tasted like brown sugar cake.

Seeing Ah Li's expression as if she wanted to stuff her whole body inside, the little monk coughed lightly, "Ah Li, be careful, that thing is my hand."

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, Ah Li was stunned for a moment, then quickly swam back behind Zhang Ze, keeping a distance from the severed hand to avoid accidentally causing trouble.

After Ah Li left, the little monk continued to cast the spell, and partly out of boredom and partly out of explanation, he talked to Zhang Ze about himself.

"In the period following the East-West War, besides restoring order in the Eastern Continent, the six sects spent most of their time trying to find out what had happened."

"Digging up graves, arresting and interrogating people, exploring deep into the Central Continent, and then suspecting each other after obtaining clues—that was roughly how sect missions were back then."

The young monk stared at the severed hand in the furnace, seemingly lost in memories.

"To put it bluntly, it's fortunate that there are those idiots from the Hundred Demon Sect, otherwise the six sects might have started fighting amongst themselves."

"After all, it was a chaotic era, and it was normal for anything to happen."

"And my master, the former head of the Buddhist sect, found me in the wasteland of Central Continent, or rather, he found that palm."

"After discovering that the hand was not completely dead, the master brought it back to the Buddhist temple and placed it in the [Wonderful Existence Boundless Golden Wheel Dharma Realm], hoping to find out something from the hand."

As the young monk made the final hand seal, the Buddhist kingdom, named "The Boundless Golden Wheel Dharma Realm," shone with golden light.

The core furnace also began to deform, eventually transforming into a golden wheel.

The young monk looked at the golden wheel and continued, "The six schools of Buddhism have different paths. Buddhism pursues self-transcendence and the eternal cycle of reincarnation."

"This Dharma realm was created for this purpose, and at that time it was almost perfect, but for various reasons it could not be verified."

"When Master puts his hand into it, it naturally means he is also verifying the results."

"So, it was a success?" Zhang Ze asked.

However, the little monk who was supposed to be Zhang Ze's straight man didn't immediately respond. He remained silent for a moment and then asked Zhang Ze an unrelated question.

"Who do you think I am?"

Zhang Ze knew this question wasn't a Zen riddle, but rather something that meant exactly what it said, yet he didn't know how to answer it for a moment.

According to rumors, the young monk was actually the illegitimate son of the abbot from back then.

The most bizarre thing is that Zhang Ze heard this gossip from his own sect leader, making it impossible not to believe.

But if that's the case, what about the hand?

The little monk looked back at Zhang Ze's expression, knew what he was thinking, gave a helpless laugh, and shook his head.

"This is both right and wrong. It's wrong because my master and I are not related by blood, but it's right because my birth is indeed related to my master."

Ah Li perched on Zhang Ze's shoulder, waving her fingers. She didn't quite understand what the little monk was saying, but she didn't ask any questions and continued to listen attentively.

Zhang Ze understood what the little monk meant, "Failed?"

"It can't be said to be a complete failure, but in terms of the result, it's somewhat different from what we expected," the young monk said, his hands behind his back.

"【The Boundless Golden Wheel of Dharma】failed to complete the palm; instead, it created a completely new artificial divine soul."

"This artificial soul is anchored to that severed hand and is bound to this mortal world."

"If one cannot achieve eternal life through reincarnation, one will be unable to be reborn for ten lifetimes."

The young monk shrugged and said, "This is the truth about that high-ranking monk in Buddhism who has been reincarnated."

"As for why it got the way it was," the little monk scratched his head awkwardly, "it's my fault. I casually called my master 'father' back then."

"And this matter is like mud falling down your pants, there's no way to explain it, so it's become what it is today."

“Indeed,” Zhang Ze nodded.

"Speaking of which, monk, what will happen after your ten reincarnations end? Freedom?" Ah Li interjected.

Without a second thought, the young monk replied, "No, I will be completely annihilated, and a new soul will be born again in this Boundless Golden Wheel Dharma Realm."

“A brand new soul that inherited my memories.”

"And what about that big black monk?" Ah Li asked again.

The little monk sighed, "My disciple was also unlucky. He had an accident during his second reincarnation, and he was implicated by me and is now tied up here."

"But when I turn to ashes, he will be free to die wherever he wants."

After listening, Zhang Ze was speechless for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

After all, profound philosophical questions like "Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Who killed me? And whom did I kill?" are not his forte.

Of course, this was also not the little monk's forte, so he and Zhang Ze tacitly skipped the topic.

The young monk was once again lost in his memories.

"My master is compassionate. After discovering the situation, he did not force me to read the memories in my palm, nor did he interrogate me. Instead, he adopted me and taught me cultivation."

"However, I guess it's a stupid thing of mine, but I don't really like this arrangement."

The young monk sighed and began to confide in Zhang Ze.

"My first life was relatively normal, but starting from the second life, I suddenly began to hate myself. This feeling is hard to describe and may seem a bit incomprehensible to you."

"I want to die, but I also want to live forever."

"So from my second life onwards, I started running around everywhere and doing things that could lead to my death."

"Of course, when I'm courting death, I always do it under the guise of proving the Way, because only in this way can I legitimately run around everywhere."

"However, I can't always escape. Most of the time they want me to stay in the temple and practice diligently."

The young monk looked up at this Buddhist paradise, thinking, "Because as long as it exists, my path of cultivation will not be hindered in the slightest until I reach Mahayana."

"This is great, what's there to be upset about?" Ah Li asked, puzzled. In her opinion, this was something many people dreamed of.

What could a Mahayana cultivator with ten times the lifespan possibly have to be unhappy about?

“Because it’s the end, right?” Zhang Ze seemed to understand. He looked at the little monk and patted A-Li’s head.

“That’s right, because it’s the end.” The little monk looked at Zhang Ze with an expression that said, “You are indeed my soulmate.”

"This artificially created soul is ultimately flawed. When a normal person ascends to the Mahayana stage, they are faced with endless unknowns and countless paths waiting to be explored. Although dangerous, they are also full of hope."

"But there was nothing beneath my feet, I could neither move forward nor turn back, I was like a monkey trapped in a box."

“Every day after Mahayana Buddhism has been torture for me.”

Zhang Ze nodded, then offered a fair assessment, "Although I understand, I still think you're just a pretentious jerk."

The little monk laughed after hearing this.

He wasn't angry at all; instead, he chuckled and admitted, "That's right, I'm just a pretentious jerk."

"But that was me in the past, and it has nothing to do with me now."

"I recently decided that from now on I will live well and live as long as I can."

Zhang Ze swallowed back the words he had intended to say to the young monk, and asked curiously, "Why?"

"Because I saw a variable, and that variable is you." The little monk's eyes were sincere, radiating a kind of Buddhist light that made Zhang Ze's scalp tingle.

Zhang Ze, "..."

Zhang Ze gave the little monk a disdainful look and took a step back. "If you were a Taoist nun, I would be much happier saying this to me, but unfortunately you are bald."

The young monk gave Zhang Ze the middle finger, and at the same time, all the large hands in the Buddhist kingdom gave him the middle finger in unison.

"Little monk, I'm telling the truth, because since you came along, this unchanging world has suddenly changed and become interesting."

"All sorts of changes arise because of you."

Zhang Ze, "So you've decided to work hard, to join this variable, and to try to break free of the box that's trapping you?"

The little monk said, "No, I plan to lie down and have you help me smash this 'box'."

Zhang Ze, “.”

"Ahem, just kidding." The little monk scratched his bald head. "I wasn't completely lying down; I did get some serious work done."

The young monk, having poured out his heart, was clearly much better.

“I had always been reluctant to talk about this hand, and the Buddhist masters who knew the inside story never forced me to do so.”

"Perhaps so much time has passed, even by the age of cultivators, at least two generations have changed, and the current Buddhist sect no longer has the obsession of my master's generation."

I don't know if this counts as Zen philosophy.

"When everyone decides to let go, it becomes easier to pick it up again."

"I decided to remember who 'I' am."

After saying this, the little monk's eyes turned golden again.

The power of the Boundless Golden Wheel Dharma Realm was bestowed upon him, and at the same time, he grasped Zhang Ze's wrist and looked at that withered hand that was as beautiful as jade.

It was similar to the time he was pulled into a dream by Ah Li, but this time what he saw was more fragmented, and he was also unable to move freely.

In his fragmented memories, Zhang Ze saw Bai Yujing from back then.

It truly lives up to its name as the capital city.

Zhang Ze heard cheers rising in his ears. Looking up, he found himself mixed in with the crowd, gazing up at the top scholar appointed by the divine ruler.

After staring into the eyes of the top scholar for a moment, Zhang Ze found himself transformed into the top scholar.

Riding a dragon steed, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, he could no longer see the white mulberry flowers blooming beneath the snow-capped mountains. All he could see were the dazzling peach blossoms conjured by the immortal magic of "Flowers Falling in the Divine Capital".

When a peach blossom landed on the horse's head and was blown away by the wind, Zhang Ze's gaze shifted again.

His gaze, carried by the petals, left the top scholar and flew towards the imperial city, which could decide the fate of everyone in the Eastern Continent.

This time, he possessed the body of a young boy dressed in fine clothes, followed by a large group of eunuchs and palace maids, clearly a prince.

The prince stood by the pond, looking down at the child he had pushed into it.

Zhang Ze recognized the kid; judging from his features, it was Xiao Jing.

Clearly, he is enjoying royal bullying.

Zhang Ze looked down and noticed that Mr. Xiao had lice in his eyes.

It wasn't a typo; the prince had actually let someone infiltrate Xiao Jing's eyes.

Zhang Ze could only say that this prince was indeed somewhat inhuman.

In the subsequent battle in the imperial city, he deserved to be killed by Mr. Xiao with a single blow.

The scene then rarely shifts, focusing mostly on the prince.

Whether it was because this person's life was missing too many fragments of memory or because his life was truly boring, Zhang Ze's memories consisted of basically only two things.

He bullied Xiao Jing and practiced meditation.

Day after day, year after year.

Until one day, this prince was pierced through the heart by a thousand swords.

The grown-up Xiao Jing kicked him, who had been pierced by ten thousand swords, into the lake.

And his eyes were filled with lice.

The struggle for the crown prince position has always been like this.

Then the screen went black, and when Zhang Ze could see clearly again, he found himself suddenly in a third-person perspective.

The prince was dragged along a tunnel and led underground.

However, after watching for a while, Zhang Ze realized that he was actually still in a first-person perspective.

The reason they could float was because the prince's head had been cut off by Xiao Jing and was currently being held in someone's hand.

After walking for a long time, when the long, dark stretch finally came to an end, Zhang Ze saw a pool.

The pool was filled with black mud, which churned and surged, with ripples in the shape of human faces appearing and disappearing.

Zhang Ze saw Xiao Jing arrive at the edge of the pool and throw the mangled corpse into it.

He then used a dagger to slash his palm, and the bright red blood fell into the mud.

As the drop of blood dissolved in the pool, the mud began to churn again, and the corpse that had just been swallowed was pushed back to the surface.

However, only a withered hand was pushed up.

The flesh and blood in his palms had vanished, leaving only dry skin and white bones.

Xiao Jing sighed, gave some instructions to the masked man beside him, and then took the head and threw it into the black mud.

This darkness was rather long, perhaps because the remaining fragments of memory were too blurry and somewhat difficult to unearth.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Zhang Ze heard Ah Li and the little monk whispering in the darkness.

"What happened next? How did it end?"

"Don't rush, don't rush, it should be soon, just wait for me."

After the two voices disappeared, Zhang Ze saw the scene again.

This time, he became that withered hand, which was placed on a cabinet.

There are many similar items in the cabinet.

Most of them are parts of the body, but each one is incomplete, and they are all pieces.

It looks like a failed experiment.

The scene became intermittent again, but each time Zhang Ze opened his eyes, he found that there were more and more failed products in the cabinet.

The raw materials for these failed products were basically Xiao Jing's brothers from the same clan.

It seems that even after ascending the throne, the struggle for the crown prince continues.

Until one day, Xiao Jing pulled another version of himself out of the pool.

Xiao Jing admired his own body, and after a moment he reached out and gouged out the eyes of 'his other self'.

The screen abruptly stopped again.

The memory of Xiao Jing ends here, leaving only a single fragment.

And in these last fragments of memory, the path to the Jade Capital beneath the sea of ​​earth is recorded.

In the final fragment, Zhang Ze saw a calamity carrying the severed hand as it 'swam' out of the Jade Palace.

It circled around in confusion, then began to 'surface', and soon it 'surfaced' to reality along a certain path.

The Calamity, clutching a severed hand, stood atop the wasteland, its ugly face accentuated by the diarrhea-like sky.

But before it could utter its first roar, a powerful voice descended from the sky.

"The mighty Tianlong!"

Then there is no more.

A robust young monk, dressed in a naked robe, leaped down from the sky, swatted the calamity to death, and then picked up the severed hand.
The fragments of memory have been completely exhausted.

Zhang Ze was also freed from the confinement of the fragmented memories.

However, he did not leave or escape, but stood on this illusory wasteland, pondering a question.

"I understand a naked apron, but what the heck is a naked cassock!"

(End of this chapter)