Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 257 Master Jieyuan: I broke my vow of silence, but Buddha allowed it!

"Ho..."

Xiao Zi let out a low, inhuman roar, and the golden light around him suddenly transformed into a violent, crimson-gold flame.

"Great Merciful Hands!"

Xiao Zizai moved, no longer purely on the defensive. His figure moved like lightning, and he actually charged towards the Netherworld Ksitigarbha Dharma Image.

"Well done!" Aoki Zangfang was not surprised but delighted, and manipulated his Dharma form to meet the attack with a palm strike.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The two engaged in a fierce battle at the foot of Feilai Peak, behind Lingyin Temple.

Xiao Zizai's moves were fierce and domineering, turning Buddhist techniques into deadly weapons. Every strike was aimed at vital points and was full of destructive power.

His eyes had turned completely crimson, and his mouth even stretched uncontrollably, revealing his gleaming white teeth. He looked like a demon crawling out of hell, yet he was practicing Buddhist orthodoxy.

While responding, Aoki Kurō continued to provoke him with words: "Yes, that's it, release it, embrace it, this is your true self!"

"Why suffer in silence? Become my disciple, and I can let you kill all those who deserve to die, and enjoy the thrill of slaughter without any worries!"

"Shut up!"

Xiao Zizai let out a roar, his attack becoming even more ferocious. He unleashed a finger strike containing terrifying power, piercing through one of the Netherworld Earthly Treasury Dharma Images' fingers.

But his own breathing became increasingly heavy, clearly indicating that this state was putting a great strain on him, and his mind was violently oscillating between the desire to kill and reason.

Seeing that Xiao Zizai's attacks were fierce but he was unable to break through the final barrier of reason, Aoki Zangfang couldn't help but feel a little anxious. His eyes sharpened, and he decided to add fuel to the fire.

"Since you are so stubborn, then this humble monk will first convert that old monk and see how you will control yourself then!"

Before the words were finished, the Netherworld Ksitigarbha Dharma Image suddenly abandoned Xiao Zizai, and its huge palm, carrying overwhelming black energy, turned towards Master Jiekong.

The change happened so suddenly that even though Xiao Zizai rushed back to help, he seemed to be a moment too late.

It looked as the destructive palm was about to engulf Master Jiekong.

At this critical moment——

The crimson light in Xiao Zizai's eyes surged to its extreme, as if two balls of blood flame were burning. All the struggle and pain on his face vanished instantly, leaving only an absolute, cold killing intent!
"you wanna die!"

The crimson-gold Qi flames around him suddenly receded, no longer raging outwards, but instead condensed into a thin, dark red halo covering his body.

Xiao Zizai's movements were incredibly fast, leaving an afterimage in his original position before his true form appeared in front of Master Jiekong as if by teleportation.

Faced with the enormous, all-encompassing hand of the underworld that slammed down, he neither dodged nor evaded, but simply slowly picked up his right hand.

That hand, fair, slender, and with distinct knuckles, was now enveloped in a chilling aura.

"Great Compassion and Mercy - Thousand-Leaf Dharani".

Xiao Zizai whispered.

The original meaning of Dharani is "able to maintain," referring to the practice of using mantras to comprehensively remember and maintain virtuous practices and prevent evil practices. Its core function is to maintain virtuous practices from being lost and to prevent evil practices from arising.

It can be divided into two categories: one is wisdom or samadhi, which is to uphold the Dharma with wisdom; the other is mantras, which are short or long sentences with immeasurable meanings to achieve the functions of removing obstacles and increasing benefits.

The one Xiao Zizai is using now is the second type.

Xiao Zizai's eyes cleared briefly, but the dark red aura around him remained unchanged.

In an instant, his raised right hand seemed to transform into the arm of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin, with countless dark red palm prints, finger strikes, and fist winds condensed to the extreme, turning into hundreds of hand prints, surging upwards like a storm!

There was no deafening explosion, only a tooth-grinding, subtle hissing sound that seemed to tear space apart.

The terrifyingly powerful netherworld giant hand, faced with this condensed and frenzied torrent of attack, disintegrated and shattered inch by inch from its tip, transforming into the purest Qi, which was mercilessly devoured and annihilated by the dark red aura.

“Baojing…”

Master Jiekong called out softly with concern.

Xiao Zizai stood in front of Master Jiekong, patted his face to keep himself awake, and said, "Don't worry, Master, I'm fine."

"Amitabha!"

"Senior brother, Baojing's composure in the face of karmic obstacles—has she passed your test?"

As Master Jiekong finished speaking, an old monk dressed in a tattered robe, resembling a patchwork garment, leaped down from a pavilion.

He was slightly overweight, with a smiling face and clear, childlike eyes. He carried a gourd of wine in his hand, and his aura blended seamlessly with nature, making him almost undetectable unless one looked closely.

He was none other than Master Jieyuan, the senior monk of the previous generation who had lived in seclusion at Lingyin Temple for many years and the elder brother of Master Jiekong.

What is meant by "understanding the connection"?
To break free from attachment to self: People are tightly bound by the concepts of self, others, sentient beings, and life span. The first meaning of "to break free" is to unlock this prison of self.

Resolving "attachment to the Dharma": The Dharma and precepts are like boats to cross the river, but if one is attached to the boat itself, one will carry the boat even after reaching the shore, which will become a burden.

The word "缘" (yuan) means cause, opportunity, and encounter. It is like the path of Ji Gong's travels, where every place is a place of practice and every moment is a time for cultivation.

All things arise from causes and conditions, and cease due to causes and conditions; their nature is emptiness. For example, Ji Gong, who roamed the human world, punished officials, saved the people, and subdued demons, deeply understood how to follow the flow of causes and conditions and use these conditions to guide others. This "condition" is not destiny, but rather the vibrant opportunities of the present moment.

Not only should we resolve negative and adverse karmic connections and transform them into a means of spiritual practice, but we should also cultivate positive karmic connections to help all sentient beings.

Ji Gong's conversion of the monk Guangliang, his befriending of the scholar, and his enlightenment of the common people all demonstrate his masterful use of the concept of "karma." In his view, all karma is Buddhist karma, and all people are Buddhist disciples.

Those who can use "Jieyuan" as their name are those who have received the true lineage of Zen Master Daoji.

Master Jieyuan took a swig of wine and chuckled, "He barely passed. Although this kid has a heavy heart for killing, he was able to fight to protect his master at the crucial moment. He hasn't lost his moral character. It's not a waste of your years of teaching."

“My junior brother sacrificed himself to overcome calamity in the past, sowing the seeds of good deeds. Today, he is finally reaping the good results. How wonderful!”

He turned his gaze to Aoki Zangfang, whose face was pale, and shook his head, saying, "Outsider monk, you've gone astray on this path of 'crossing the world from the underworld.' Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva vows not to become a Buddha until hell is empty—this is a great vow and a great compassion, not something for you to do by force or to bewitch people."

“Buddha guides those with affinity, but not those with forced affinity. You are attached to appearances, deeply obsessed, and have entered the demonic path without realizing it.”

"Why not stay by my side and learn Buddhism for twenty or thirty years, so that you can cleanse the filth in your heart?"

Seeing another old monk with an unfathomable aura suddenly appear, Qingmu Cangfang was filled with suspicion and uncertainty. He said with a fierce but weak voice, "Hmph! Another preacher! Is all you Buddhist sects in China can do is bully the weak with numbers?"

Zen Master Jieyuan scoffed, "To deal with you, there's no need to use numbers against you."

He looked at Xiao Zizai with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes: "Baojing, how did you feel when you broke his Dharma form with the Thousand-Leaf Dharani?" Xiao Zizai took a deep breath, the crimson in his eyes faded slightly, but the cold killing intent still lingered. He said in a deep voice: "Reporting to Senior Uncle, I feel alright. But I still can't quite control the killing intent in my heart."

Zen Master Jieyuan nodded: "The intention to kill is a knife, and the Dharma is the hand that wields the knife. If the hand is weak, it will be wounded by the knife; if the hand is strong, the knife can cut away karmic obstacles."

"You now have the initial strength to 'grip the knife,' but you are still far from being able to use it freely without hurting yourself. You lack the technique to grip the knife."

"After this matter is settled, you will stay by my side for the time being and learn some skills. But for now, let this humble monk see what your foundation is like?"

"Yes!"

Xiao Zizai held one palm up in front of his chest and answered with his head bowed.

Then, Zen Master Jieyuan shook his wine gourd and said to Qingmu Cangfang, "Did you hear that? My nephew still needs a whetstone. You, the outsider monk, will have to work hard and practice with him. Don't worry, with this old monk watching over you, you won't die."

Aoki Kurō was so angry that he trembled all over. What kind of person was he? How could he be used as a tool to hone the younger generation?

"Too deceiving!"

He roared, and the black energy around him surged again, causing the Netherworld Ksitigarbha Dharma Image to re-condense, becoming much denser than before.

"Salvation from the Netherworld—Ten Thousand Buddhas Pay Homage!"

It's said that all Buddhas pay homage to the Buddha, but it would be more accurate to say that all ghosts pay homage to the Buddha.

Qingmu Zangfang activated the Dharma Image with all his might, and the Dharma Image immediately emitted a shrill ghostly wail. Countless dark, vengeful phantoms surged out from it, baring their fangs and claws as they pounced on Xiao Zizai and Zen Master Jieyuan.

The crimson light that Xiao Zizai had just suppressed in his eyes shone again, and before Zen Master Jieyuan could give any instructions, he took the initiative to meet him.

This time, his movements were less frantic and more refined and precise, and the dark red aura transformed once again into the golden hue of authentic Buddhist techniques.

Pure golden Qi coiled around his arms like a living thing, and with each strike, he perfectly dispersed a vengeful spirit or struck a point on the power of the Dharma form.

Zen Master Jieyuan watched with great interest, occasionally offering pointers:
"Take three steps to the left and attack his shoulder blade!"

"Qi flows through the Du meridian and reaches the fingertips!"

"Fool! Subdue it with the Vajrasattva mantra! Don't just think about fighting it head-on!"

Under the guidance of Zen Master Jieyuan, Xiao Zizai, though no match for his opponent, could at least hold his own. After all, his opponent was a master of the Ten Elders level, and Xiao Zizai was still some distance behind.

"Can't hold back any longer!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Aoki Kurō's eyes as he abruptly snapped the string of black prayer beads around his neck.

The black rosary snapped in response, and the 108 beads did not fall to the ground, but remained suspended in mid-air, emitting a shrill and piercing cry of an infant.

Each rosary bead wriggled and swelled, transforming into a ghostly infant spirit with a bluish-black face, bloodshot eyes, and an aura of intense resentment surrounding it. They shrieked and howled, their voices piercing the soul and shaking the very heart.

"Namo Myo-dharma-Lotus-Flower-Crossing-the-Netherworld-Honored One!"

Aoki Zangfang uttered a strange Buddhist chant and formed a mudra with his hands. As if summoned, the 108 resentful ghost infant spirits surged wildly toward the Netherworld Ksitigarbha Dharma Image behind him.

The Buddha's originally dignified and solemn face was instantly distorted, and the golden Buddha light was tainted by the filthy resentment, turning into a dark gold color.

His cheeks split open, revealing two secondary mouths covered with sharp teeth, emitting a strange "heh heh" laugh.

On the center of Faxiang's forehead, a huge, bloodshot vertical eye suddenly opened, its pupil reflecting countless struggling infant souls.

The hand that had been supporting the pearl now gripped a pitch-black tin staff formed from resentment, with nine wailing skulls hanging from its head.

His robes transformed into swirling black mist, within which the faces of countless infant spirits could be vaguely seen rising and falling, howling.

This is no longer the image of Ksitigarbha; it is clearly a terrifying evil being that crawled out of the Avici Hell and merged the images of Buddha and demon!
"The Venerable One Who Crosses the Netherworld - One Hundred and Eight Afflictions and the Appearance of the Infant Ghost!"

Aoki Zangbo's face was contorted, his eyes filled with fanaticism and cruelty: "You can be proud of yourselves for forcing this humble monk to use this treasure passed down through generations!"

The rosary worn around a monk's neck represents the 108 Samadhis in Buddhism, corresponding to the six senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind, each with six kinds of afflictions. Multiplied by the three times (past, present, and future), there are a total of 108 kinds of afflictions. Wearing it symbolizes eliminating distracting thoughts and pursuing liberation.

But who could have imagined that these neon monks would use infant spirits to forge artifacts and wear them on their bodies? They were practically demons.

At this moment, the evil Buddha's three giant mouths opened simultaneously, emitting a demonic sound mixed with Buddhist chants and ghostly howls. It brandished a black tin staff, carrying overwhelming resentment, and crushed towards Xiao Zizai and Zen Master Jieyuan.

Its power is several times greater than before!
Xiao Zizai's face turned pale, and the golden light around his body fluctuated violently under the impact of the resentment. His eyes flashed scarlet, and there were faint signs that the demonic sound had aroused the killing energy within his body, causing it to backfire on him.

"Baojing, step back!"

The ever-playful expression on Zen Master Jieyuan's face suddenly vanished, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and...anger!

He stepped forward, blocking Xiao Zizai's path. His seemingly disheveled body now appeared as dignified and imposing as a mountain, emanating a peaceful yet vast aura that naturally resisted the resentful pressure brought by the evil Buddha's appearance.

Master Jieyuan's gaze was like lightning, fixed on the evil Buddha image and the Qingmu Zangfang hidden behind it. His voice was as cold as iron as he spoke, word by word:

"One hundred and eight innocent infant spirits! Tortured and murdered by evil magic, their souls extracted and refined, sealed within magical artifacts, to suffer eternal torment by vengeful flames, never to be reborn!"

"Aoki Zangfang, you have committed such an heinous act that is outrageous to both heaven and man, and deserving of divine punishment! Each of these prayer beads carries immeasurable sins. You are utterly depraved and have no right to call yourself a Buddhist!"

Sensing the pure and chilling resentment, Zen Master Jieyuan was clearly angry, but he still had reason. After all, if it was the infant spirit of a Japanese person, it would only be internal self-destruction. He was simply a little disgusted by it.

Upon hearing this, Aoki Zangfang burst into wild laughter: "Hahahaha! How pedantic! While the Buddha is compassionate, there are also wrathful Vajras. These infant spirits were ignorant in life and resentful after death. This humble monk will refine them, impart Buddhist teachings to them, and make them guardian messengers of the underworld to help me cross over to the next life. This is a supreme merit, so what's wrong with it?"

"Strong words!"

Zen Master Jieyuan angrily rebuked, "The Buddhist path of salvation is to guide with compassion, dispel resentment, and help them achieve liberation and rebirth in the Pure Land."

"How can it be like you, using torture to create vengeful spirits, and then using violence to enslave and drive them?! This is clearly the behavior of a demon, no, it's even worse than the demonic path!"

Even the Quanxing sect wouldn't dare to do that. After all, while the people in the Quanxing sect are extremely wicked, they are also bound by the rules of the world of supernatural beings and dare not be too unrestrained.

But in Japan, this lawless and despicable land, it would be no surprise if any kind of evil trickery were to appear.

"Hmph! The victor is king and the loser is villain. When this humble monk uses the 'One Hundred and Eight Afflictions and Infant Ghost Forms' to convert you, it will naturally prove that this humble monk's way is the truth."

"I'm not afraid to tell you, most of these infant spirits were subdued by the previous abbot of my temple when the Divine Land was submerged!"

Aoki Zangfang grinned maliciously, activating his evil Buddha image. The pitch-black staff, accompanied by the wails of ten thousand ghosts, slashed down.

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Jieyuan's expression changed drastically, and he shouted angrily, "You little brat, I'll f*** you, you have some nerve!"

(End of this chapter)