Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 274 A Fortuitous Gift

As for Ji Rui, his hat was almost standing on end; his dragon transformation was progressing by leaps and bounds, and he seemed to be doing it willingly.

"Alright, alright, next one, and the next one after that. Sigh, where did the goddess go?"

"Old monk, I want to see the goddess."

Zao didn't know what his friend had seen that made such a commotion, but he couldn't stand the stares from those around him, so he slapped the guy to wake him up.

The first thing this guy did upon waking up was to save face, but he inadvertently made a mess of things.

"Ahem, this painting has a magical power; only those with a strong mind can view it."

The scene was silent.

These words put the young people who were still observing in an awkward position, leaving them unsure how to react.

The aristocratic scions, who had lost their composure and were brought back to their senses by being beaten, joined in the commotion, their reluctance to look being seen as a sign of weak will.

Next, the first Xunyang Courage Test began. As more people became engrossed in the test and revealed their embarrassing moments, those in front breathed a sigh of relief.

The people downstairs were having a great time, and the big shots upstairs were also enjoying the show.

It's a good thing I didn't go to see it, otherwise I would have been incredibly embarrassed at my age.

After all, one's mind doesn't necessarily grow stronger with age; one's desires might even increase.

Xu Xuan observed from the outside for a long time, and it seemed that tonight's calamity was destined to befall this painting.

So I went downstairs to make contact. If it was just temptation, I could accept it without worry.

He parted the crowd and said, "Let me see."

When Instructor Xu came out, the three heroes were still able to maintain their composure, participate in the banquet and make friends, which is an essential part of their study tour.

Sanqi panicked a bit. The three of them had just come to have fun, and each of them had even eaten a bowl of rice. They wondered if anyone had seen them.

Someone chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I saw it all."

We'll deal with you guys when we get to Bailu Academy. For now, let's take a look at this amazing painting.

With his spiritual awareness awakened, the white lotus Dharma image began to operate, its eyes radiating a restrained, piercing light.

Look up.

The goddess moved without wind and began to transform.

With her rosy cheeks, willow-leaf eyes, cherry lips, and delicate chin, she was charming and adorable.

Her hair was piled high like clouds, and her phoenix-shaped hairpins hung low, making her even more stunning than when she was a child.

Then there are her shoulders, sculpted like those of a sculpted figure, and her waist, slender and graceful. Her neck is long and elegant, revealing her fair complexion. She needs no adornment, nor does she wear any cosmetics.

Lolita, beautiful woman, goddess, switching between various forms, her posture constantly changing, countless times more exciting than the short video girls of later generations.

Even so, it did not break through Xu Xuan's defenses.

I am a renowned holy monk, with a heart of steel and a mind as pure as a child, do you understand? You think a mere erotic picture can disturb my Buddhist mind? You don't even have the right to help me with my cultivation!
Finally, the goddess image completely collapsed, entering its final evolution.

The figure in the painting is neither a celestial being nor a demon, but a monk.

"Illusions are created by people; this saying is similar to that of those who understand the Way. When people have lustful thoughts, they create illicit realms; when people have illicit thoughts, they create terrifying realms. Bodhisattvas enlighten the ignorant, and a thousand illusions arise. All of these are caused by the human mind."

"By seeing through all illusions, one can obtain opportunities."

A beam of white light flew out and was about to land between his eyebrows, but Xu Xuan intercepted it halfway and put it into his jade pot.

The outside world went from looking at the painting to coming to their senses in the blink of an eye, and everyone was amazed by the high level of mind that Teacher Chongqi possessed, which was truly admirable.

The three heroes and three extraordinary individuals are not surprising; Master Xu is no ordinary person.

"Can you smell smoke?"

"It's on fire! The painting is on fire!!!"

In the firelight, Xu Xuan watched as the goddess showed a horrified expression, then her flesh peeled away, leaving only her bones, before she was burned to ashes.
White Bone View?
No wonder he can conjure up many beautiful women; this is a visualization practiced to extinguish attachment to the physical body.

However, this reverse application is somewhat sinister; if someone becomes addicted to it, they may die from exhaustion, refusing to eat or drink. It's not like a righteous method.

The troupe leader on the periphery was quite disappointed to see the painting burned, but he didn't suspect anything.

As for hallucinations, they're nothing to someone who frequently takes Wushi San (a type of sedative). It's probably just something added to the paint—a clever and interesting idea combined with a painting of exceptionally high quality. After listening to the music and admiring the painting, everyone dispersed.

At night, Xu Xuan took out the white light to examine it.

After pondering for a long time, he used his robe to protect himself, then crushed it with force, and his eyes narrowed when he saw the object in the light.

The opportunity presented by the painting of the goddess is truly extraordinary.

A white lotus petal with a familiar scent
Yes, we do have a causal relationship with these demons, but we shouldn't do it so frequently.

Are there no other evil forces or heretics on this vast continent of China?!

Why do you keep chasing after me?!

What bad luck.

In the effort to eradicate the White Lotus Sect, Xu stood on the same side as the righteous heroes.

Unsurprisingly, the information hidden in the petals was the White Lotus Sutra, which the White Lotus Sect practiced.

The orthodox methods of the spiritual path can lead to the cultivation of celestial beings.

After careful comparison with the original version used in my own practice, I found that the simplified version of the scripture is extremely easy to learn and requires almost no talent.

The level of spiritual cultivation one can reach depends entirely on one's own opportunities and circumstances; the more experiences one has, the higher one's level of spiritual cultivation.

This is truly a cultivation method suitable for everyone to use as a staple food.

The White Lotus Saintess truly lived up to her reputation as a peerless demon; her death was entirely deserved. Xu's understanding of his own background as a second-generation white-collar worker became increasingly clear.

That means they will die if exposed to light.

I wonder if anyone in the White Lotus Sect knows this fact. If they do, they'd probably turn the world upside down just to kill the Holy Father.

The monk probably wasn't a proper monk. He dared to sell paintings in Xunyang City, which shows his skill and audacity. He didn't know that this place was so close to the headquarters of the Pure Land School that it was just a short walk away.

It's like a mouse sleeping in a cat's den, completely oblivious to its own fate.

It seems I absolutely have to visit the ancestral temple.

There must be a powerful villain behind this heinous incident. For the sake of the safety of the cultivation world, he had no choice but to report it, even though it was painful.

At the very moment the white light shattered, there was also movement in the space beneath the Pure Land School's Meditation Pool.

This is where monks who have fallen into demonic possession are imprisoned, as well as where Buddhist artifacts have been corrupted.

If Ruoxu hadn't brought Xu Xuan here, normally many Pure Land disciples would only know about the Demon-Suppressing Ground beneath the Vajra Platform.

I was unaware of the special prison beneath the Tranquil Pool.

It's not that there's some kind of powerful demon here, but rather that most of the people who have lived here are "our own people".

When Bai Lian left, she took many followers with her, but many of them were later captured and brought back.

When Xu Xuan's master, whom he had never met, created this space, he hoped that his fellow disciples would come to their senses, but the result was not good.

A massive wall, five zhang long and one zhang high, is locked here. Judging from the cut marks on the left and right sides, it was taken from a courtyard wall somewhere.

The painting above is exquisite, with lifelike figures. The palaces and pavilions are layered, seemingly no longer of this world. An old monk sits on a preaching seat, surrounded by a large crowd of people who look around him.

Suddenly, a wisp of green smoke appeared on the still painting, revealing a celestial maiden scattering flowers kneeling on the ground.

The old monk's clasped hands turned into a lotus mudra, and the mural, which was clearly a painting, began to make a sound.

"Amitabha Buddha. How could it have failed?"

"I have sat here for fifty years, meditating on the Buddha's teachings and sincerely repenting for my past mistakes."

"Having finally deciphered the fourth level of the White Lotus Sutra, how could I possibly have misjudged one person?"

The old monk was truly puzzled, so he decided to go out and take a look.

The Pure Land School's practices are inherently related to the White Lotus Sutra, and fifty years is enough time for them to leave this tranquil pool.

As the chanting of Sanskrit lingered, the chains gradually loosened.

(End of this chapter)