Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 226 The Source of Dharma: Seeking Alms, Without Intention or Form

The "十" character seal did not present any other problems, except for a lack of complete spirit.

In addition to practicing swordsmanship, Lu Wubing added another subject to his studies.

The bones, muscles, and tendons exert and retract force, causing deep tremors and bursts of blood...

He naturally gleaned a mysterious internal energy cultivation method from the paintings, which allowed his power to grow visibly little by little. At the same time, his body's muscles, bones, and blood vessels were also slowly undergoing a transformation.

"Strength and body are inherently one and two, yet also two and one, in the practice of self-cultivation. If we say that the most fundamental function of the 'Form' character seal is to cultivate one's original nature and strengthen one's foundation, then..."

Therefore, the greatest function of the "cross" seal is to unleash the hidden power within one's foundation in the most efficient way, transforming the body into its most suitable mode for attack.

"As long as you have enough foundation, it will be much easier to cultivate the [Ten] Seal. Unlike the [Image] Seal, which is impossible to cultivate at all."

If you continue practicing like this, it won't take more than a few days to master the "Ten" seal.

By then, my strength might have to double.

Lu Wubing understood the connection between each seal of the [Ten Directions Seal], and couldn't help but be deeply shocked.

At the same time, he was extremely satisfied with his innate talents and destiny.

Although this talent doesn't seem to be something that can be acquired quickly, it ultimately requires constant hard work and practice.

Furthermore, one cannot create something out of nothing to complete the missing techniques...

It looks somewhat unsatisfactory.

But in any case, the talent of "Heaven rewards diligence" is ultimately the most unreasonable ability I have ever seen.

It's like having a fixed, infinite level of understanding.

Once you've seen and practiced it, you can reach the other side directly. No genius can compare to this magical ability.

Even if others obtain the [Ten Directions Seal], those with low talent and comprehension will not be able to understand it.

Even if someone has good talent and comprehension and can grasp some things, it doesn't necessarily mean they can understand everything.

When it comes to certain rules and methods, even asking others for help is futile. You either know it or you don't.

This is a form of spiritual practice.

In Lu Wubing's memory, it was just like the mathematics he had learned in his previous life.

Those challenging problems that can drive you crazy are no match for your self-discipline or hard work.

If your mind hasn't reached that level, you won't even understand what you're looking at...

Sometimes a difficult problem can hold you back for a year, ten years, or even a lifetime, a century.

The "Ten Directions Seal" is just such a thing.

In principle, it is permissible for someone to want to obtain problem-solving strategies from others.

But even if there are a thousand or ten thousand geniuses, when faced with a single difficult problem, they still might not be able to solve it.

Regarding the methods devised by the person behind the scenes, Lu Wubing could only say that the person was grasping at straws in desperation and overthinking things, but he also expressed his understanding.

Because, without doing so, he couldn't think of any other way to fully comprehend any one of the Ten Directions Seals.

Human power is finite, but the way of Heaven is infinite.

To attempt to completely control the natural order of this world with human wisdom is, as one can imagine, incredibly difficult.

What kind of conjecture is this? Faced with such a difficult problem, it's probably no different from a primary school question.

Fortunately for Lu Wubing, he had a shortcut.

If you lack comprehension, your destiny can make up for it.

Rather than saying it's fate, it's more like a little back door opened by the will of Heaven.

He possesses a capability that is also a rule.

Effort will surely bring results.

No matter how long the journey, as long as you keep moving forward, you will eventually reach your destination.

Just as Lu Wubing had guessed, the problem at the rule level could only be solved by the rules themselves.

As for who is superior or inferior, in the same world, the upper limit is constant, and the rules of Heaven are supreme, so there is no question of one suppressing the other.

Because the upper limit is already fixed.

Unless this world is shattered, the Five Elements are transcended, and the Three Realms are broken, then a distinction can be made between superior and inferior.

……

It was already evening.

The crowd that had gathered on Suzaku Street, unable to contain their excitement, had long since dispersed.

The news that Lu Wubing had killed Yuwen Ba, the "Northern Overlord," with three sword strikes spread far and wide with the crowd.

As expected, the Northern Zhou army would soon find out.

As for the major powers in the capital, such as Dayuanguang Temple, Tongtian Temple, and even Baima Academy, they all knew about it.

The response from the Northern Zhou is currently unknown.

The reactions of the three major powers within the city were quite intriguing.

It is said that a large number of scholars at Baima Academy intend to take to the streets to petition because of Lu Wubing's purge of the court. Furthermore, they have contacted officials from various departments to manipulate public opinion and halt the handling of government affairs.

Before they even left the academy gates, the headmaster and instructors of Baima Academy, armed with sticks, drove them back. Furthermore, over thirty of them were expelled and forbidden from entering the academy again.

After that, the academy fell silent.

Those officials who were actually trying to blackmail the court were immediately dismissed and investigated as soon as they showed any sign of their intentions.

Lu Wubing didn't care what these people were thinking.

He only knew a little.

Three-legged toads are hard to find, but people who want to become officials are as numerous as cartloads.

Even a night watchman or a manure carrier on the road harbors dreams of becoming an official.

As for ability.

That would be ridiculous; being an official requires the least ability.

Those who actually do the work are the honest people who bury themselves in their work and don't even know which way the wind is blowing.

Do whatever they tell you to do...

These are the true pillars of strength.

The higher-ups at Baima Academy are all intelligent people.

They might be enduring it, or they might be observing it, but Lu Wubing didn't care.

Scholars, being detached from the power of the dynasty, could do nothing.

As long as I can maintain stability here, a large number of scholars will be begging to serve me.

If things can't be stabilized, there's no need to think about the future.

That's someone else's problem to worry about.

The White Horse Academy had fallen silent, making the Tongtian Temple seem rather strange.

Their incense offerings remained thriving, as if they hadn't noticed any changes in the capital.

What's somewhat striking is that the abbot of Tongtian Temple, Daoist Wuqi, still visits Emperor Ji Jiufeng's secluded retreat every day.

Only he had the right to freely enter the Fire Palace of the Imperial Palace, and it was unknown what he was up to.

As for Dayuanguang Temple...

Abbot Fayuan was quite alright; he chanted sutras and prayed for blessings every day, helping people to overcome difficulties and disasters.

The monk Wuxiang treated the sick every day, working himself to the bone and earning the deep respect of everyone.

As a result, the reputation of Dayuanguang Temple soared for a time.

But Lu Wubing knew that the true nature of that monk had already been revealed.

"right here."

Ten miles outside the city, on Cangyun Ridge, a magnificent Buddhist temple stands halfway up the mountain, its stone steps winding and turning...

From the foot of the mountain all the way to the temple, there were dense crowds of pedestrians.

Some people were walking while holding up incense sticks.

Some people knelt on the ground, kowtowing once for each step.

Their faces were full of piety, and beneath their tattered clothes were thin, bony bodies.

Lu Wubing sighed and didn't look at it any further.

He knew that defeating the bandits in the mountains was easy, but defeating the bandits in one's heart was the hardest.

In times of great hardship and difficulty, people need to have faith in something more.

It can be called hope, or it can be called fantasy.

If people don't even have any psychological support, they simply don't have the will to live.

Gods and Buddhas can bring them peace of mind, making them accept their suffering with a sense of sweetness.

At times like these, simply put, praying to Buddha or gods is a scam and is actually useless.

Unless, of course, the problem is found and the solution is found.

If people live happy and fulfilling lives, and know how to protect this hard-won happiness, then naturally, they won't crave too much... and their so-called faith will crumble without a fight.

He didn't come here to investigate whether the incense at Dayuanguang Temple was truly thriving, but rather to see what secrets the Wuxiang Monk's healing hut held.
After keeping an eye on things for two days, Senior Sister Xinzhu finally made a discovery today.

"We have to thank the cat for its nose. If it weren't for its exceptionally keen sense of smell, even if it had been guarding the bamboo grove, it would have been impossible to discover the monk's secret."

Shen Xinzhu looked somewhat somber.

She discovered the other person's secret, but wished she hadn't.

If you don't think about things carefully and don't keep a close eye on things from beginning to end, it's really hard to notice that something is wrong.

Even those believers who were cured would only be moved to tears and proclaim the great kindness and virtue of Monk Wuxiang to thousands of believers.

No one would know that of the dozens of patients that Monk Wuxiang had taken in at Qingzhulin, more than ten had disappeared without a trace.

"I naturally trust the kitten's nose. And my senior sister's Seven Emotions Soul Locking Technique can lock onto the patient's emotional fluctuations, and it will never make a mistake."

"In that case, let's take action." This remote mountain area is rarely visited by humans, and no normal person would ever imagine that a secret is hidden there.

Even if someone harbors doubts and wants to venture inside to investigate, they will only find ancient trees stretching everywhere, thorns covering the ground beneath them, and snakes and insects roaming the mountains and fields; there is simply nothing worth exploring.

But Lu Wubing knew that everything before him was just an illusion.

They were able to transport so many patients from the bamboo grove of Dayuanguang Temple to the wild hills behind the temple without anyone noticing.

There is only one possibility...

The other party did not take the outside mountain path, but the underground passage.

Figure out this point of doubt.

The secret hideout of the monk Wuxiang was essentially exposed.

The secret is not on the mountain, but inside its belly.

Lu Wubing made a hand gesture, and someone down the mountain received the news.

Soon, Huang Chengzong of the Imperial Horse Administration, who had been waiting on the side, slowly ascended the steps under the shade of a parasol.

"I have long heard of the Venerable Monk Fayuan's profound chess skills, and have come here to seek his guidance."

After burning incense and praying to Buddha, Huang Chengzong did not draw lots or seek divination. Instead, he wanted to ask the monk Fayuan to play a game of chess.

"Since Eunuch Huang has such an honor, how could this old monk refuse to keep him company?"

The two set up the chessboard and began their battle.

Huang Chengzong appeared to be playing chess with all his might, but inwardly he was extremely anxious.

Playing chess was just an excuse, of course.

The real purpose was to stall the old monk.

Even if it only buys us a little bit of time, that's enough.

As for whether the old monk will give him that face?
As the abbot of Dayuanguang Temple, he had to give the government some face as long as he still had any requests.

Otherwise, his family's temple will face development problems.

Not to mention how prosperous the incense offerings are.

It's even possible that they won't be able to continue operating in the capital.

Therefore, even though Huang Chengzong knew that the old monk actually looked down on him, he was certain that the other party would be outwardly amiable and would not dare to refuse his small requests.

This has nothing to do with strength, but rather with rules.

……

"Can Eunuch Huang complete the mission?"

Shen Xinzhu, however, was not entirely sure.

Since her breakthrough in the Seven Emotions Heavenly Sound, her telepathic abilities have become extremely sharp.

Compared to Zheng Yuanbin and others, he has gone further in terms of spiritual realm.

The Great Yuanguang Temple is very large, with more than 300 monks. They also have emotions and desires, which are like stars shining in all directions, and their joys, sorrows and anger are very obvious.

Even the seemingly dignified and solemn-looking monk Wuxiang.

Shen Xinzhu could also sense the subtle fluctuations in the other person's heart.

But only the Venerable Master Fayuan could not sense anything...

In Shen Xinzhu's telepathic perception, the old monk's surroundings were like a black hole. Her seven emotions and thoughts probed into it, but found nothing, only emptiness.

Just as she was about to continue investigating, a sense of crisis overwhelmed her, and Shen Xinzhu dared not continue any longer.

She even suspected that the old monk had already noticed that she was secretly investigating.

It's just that I don't care.

She had only heard of such a level of cultivation in legends. Compared to that, Huang Chengzong's cultivation, though not bad, was far inferior.

"Yes, but it's not like I'm asking him to fight. You have to believe me, he's a professional at using someone else's power to intimidate others."

Lu Wubing laughed.

In fact, he didn't need Huang Chengzong to do much.

Just do your best.

He reached out and made a slight grabbing motion towards the air.

Five fingers pluck the strings, drawing strange arcs.

Like five long swords, they stirred up the strange energy in the mountains and forests.

Suddenly, five orange-yellow snakes rose up from the hillside, twisting and coiling, and condensed into a giant hand.

chi...

His palm plunged into the ground, several feet deep.

Hundreds of thousands of kilograms of soil, along with trees and thorns, shot into the sky.

A deep pit was revealed on the spot.

On one side of the pit, a stone slab arches out into a circular cave.

Deep inside the cave, a faint light shone through.

……

"what……"

The monk Fayuan, who was deep in thought while holding the black pieces, suddenly twitched his ears and a very subtle fluctuation emanated from his body.

A vast and powerful aura, like a giant beast awakening, faintly appeared in the hall.

"The monk's chess skills are poor, and he is already at a disadvantage, but it is not without a chance to break the deadlock... If I were you, I would finish this game. Even a bad ending is better than no ending at all."

Huang Chengzong smiled calmly.

His heart was in turmoil, far from the calm he appeared on the surface.

He could clearly sense that the old monk's immense aura, if leaked even slightly, would crush him to dust.

But as he himself said, no matter how bad the game is, he has to finish it.

At this moment, you absolutely must not show any weakness.

It's one thing if the old monk discovers what Young Master Lu did.

However, if this delays the search for the character "形" (xíng), things will become very serious.

He couldn't even imagine how furious that seemingly ordinary young man would be if the trail ended with him.

Will they raze the Great Yuanguang Temple to the ground afterward, and incidentally turn themselves into mincemeat?

Huang Chengzong entered the palace at a young age, and he understood better than anyone that a eunuch who couldn't do his job well had no value.

"Eunuch Huang has come prepared. I wonder, is this His Majesty's intention, or that of the sick young master?"

Fayuan narrowed his eyes, suppressed his aura, and looked on with a slightly indifferent expression, just like the Buddha who was high above and looked down coldly.

"It's the imperial court's decision."

Huang Chengzong smiled calmly and said, "The Great Li Dynasty is still here."

Whether Dayuanguang Temple is a den of iniquity or a place of genuine compassion, we'll have to see for ourselves.

"That makes sense."

"Playing chess, playing chess. Dayuanguang Temple has been established for 150 years. Since its founding, it has been passed down through three generations of eminent monks who have worked diligently and conscientiously to share the burdens and difficulties of the people of Dali, which is why it has such a large number of believers and such a sea of ​​incense offerings today..."

Of course, if a revered monk also wishes to close the mountain and shut the temple away, like the Dafan Temple, indifferent to the rise and fall of worldly affairs, then there's nothing to say, as long as he can bear the consequences.

"If you want to know the cause of your past life, look at what you are suffering in this life. This old monk dares not... Dayuanguang Temple has no other desires but to seek good causes and good results, and to seek a bit of peace and tranquility in this world."

"Our family doesn't understand cause and effect, we only know one principle: everything has a price; if you want to gain something, you must lose something."

Do nothing and expect to reap the rewards? There's no such thing as a free lunch. If there were, our family would want it too.

“Your wisdom is profound.”

The old monk's long eyebrows twitched slightly, and he said no more. So he continued to sit quietly and play chess.

He decided to ignore the powerful fluctuations that had just come from the back mountain.

Nothing, no matter what it is, is insignificant compared to one's own family fortune.

……

"They really managed to hold them off?"

Shen Xinzhu was greatly surprised and couldn't help but look at the old eunuch with new respect.

She hadn't heard the verbal exchange that took place in the side hall of Yuanguang Temple, but with a little thought, she could understand that it was like a rabbit negotiating with a tiger.

Moreover, it's about preventing tigers from eating meat.

Being able to close a deal is what truly matters.

She glanced back, then ignored it all and followed Lu Wubing into the cave.

Ahead, the lights were bright, and tallow candles swayed gently in the wind. A monk stood in the underground hall and turned to look.

The monk had beautiful features and compassionate eyes. His white robes were spotless, and his bald head reflected the candlelight, making it seem as if he were draped in a layer of Buddha's halo.

If you only look at the monk's appearance, he looks like a Buddha descended to earth.

But if you look elsewhere, you won't think that way.

Hanging in the hall were dozens or even hundreds of naked corpses of men, women, and children, their bellies ripped open, skinned, and skulls cracked.

It was like hell.

A strong, pungent smell of blood filled the air.

The monk held a knife in one hand and his heart in the other, creating an inexplicably eerie scene.

Even the kitten couldn't help but take a few steps back in disgust.

……

(End of this chapter)