Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 935 Why is it still you?
Therefore, when this "fellow Daoist" came and asked him to find a way to detain Fu Tianchou who was passing by, although he felt that this matter was somewhat against the principles of a monk, he still agreed in the end because of past kindness.

So far, the logic of his story seems quite smooth, and although there are some doubts, it is still self-consistent.

only……

At this point, the old monk was already in tears, the turbid tears streaming down his aged face and dripping onto his dust-stained robes.

"But... ever since I started cultivating... all of this might have been an illusion."

Meng Longtan's voice trembled violently as he recounted a terrifying turn of events that exceeded everyone's expectations.

His Buddhist faith was on the verge of collapse, and his tone was filled with immense fear and endless sorrow:

“I…I don’t remember when or how I obtained the ‘Dragon Pool Temple,’ a rare treasure that can change size at will and accompany me on my travels.”

"All I know is that it was there after I finished a certain period of seclusion and cultivation, and I naturally accepted its existence as if it was meant to belong to me."

"The reason I have never visited other Pure Land sect disciples is that every time I had the thought, I would always happen to encounter 'demons causing trouble' on the way, or there would be 'a predestined person in urgent need of enlightenment', or... I would suddenly receive 'definite news' about my master's whereabouts, which would lead me elsewhere..."

"The White Lotus Sect's pursuit, the Taoist's rescue... Looking back now, each one was a chilling coincidence, as if an invisible hand was precisely manipulating my destiny..."

"My life over the past few decades... what I thought of as spiritual practice, wandering, enlightenment, and seeking a master..."

"Perhaps I'm the one who's been living in a fantasy woven for me by others all along!"

This story sent a chill down everyone's spine, including the well-informed "Three Wonders"!

How terrible this is!
His life was filled with extraordinary encounters, spiritual practice, friendships, adventures, and even enemies...

They have everything perfectly under their control, making people live in a false world without even realizing it!

What an ingenious and vicious tactic!

Xu Xuan listened to Meng Longtan's tearful words, but his face did not show much emotion.

Why has the Illusionary Transformation Sect consistently struggled to produce a truly outstanding figure with a perfect and harmonious Daoist mind, standing at the pinnacle among the many schools of Buddhism?
That's the root of the problem.

Its theory originated from the Prajna school, which was an important early school of Mahayana Buddhism, but many of its core concepts had inherent flaws.

Like an unpolished gem, it is constantly absorbing the essence of Central Plains culture and undergoing a difficult "evolution".

The "Six Schools and Seven Sects" are among the fastest-evolving groups that attempted to integrate with Chinese thought.

But this is like the Hundred Schools of Thought in the Spring and Autumn Period. Some of their theories got stuck in a rut and became less "normal," or even anti-human.

Master Jizang once sharply criticized the extreme view of the Illusionist school, which claimed that "all dharmas are illusions," in his commentary on the Madhyamaka-karika.

It is believed that it completely confuses the boundaries between real people and illusory people, and fails to accurately grasp the true Middle Way meaning of Prajna Buddhism's "illusory existence and emptiness".

Their excessive materialization of spiritual phenomena has created a fundamental conflict with the core tenet of Prajna Buddhism, namely, "no-self."

Even among the "six schools and seven sects" with varying levels of theoretical understanding, the Illusion Sect is often regarded as one of the more extreme schools with a lower level of theoretical understanding.

Those who practice this path become obsessed with illusions and transformations all day long, and their own minds are easily affected and corrupted by these illusions.

If one loses control, one's cognition will gradually become distorted, extreme, and eccentric, ultimately losing one's way between reality and illusion, becoming a slave to illusion rather than its master.

Of course, Menglongtan's situation is more unique.

His foundational practice is the relatively orthodox Pure Land Dharma, and the reason he was gradually and quietly guided to his current state is by no means a natural evolution.

Rather, it is a deliberate act by a mastermind behind the scenes, or someone who is extremely knowledgeable about the methods of the Illusionary Sect and the weaknesses of human nature.

The purpose behind spending so much time and making such an elaborate plan to "cultivate" such a person must be extraordinary.

Therefore, Xu Xuan's gaze passed over the weeping Meng Longtan and landed on the young novice Xinsheng, who had quietly retreated to a corner of the Buddhist hall and was standing quietly under the dim Buddha statue.

His voice was calm, yet it resounded in Meng Longtan's ears like a thunderclap:

"So you don't know exactly when you took this disciple as your apprentice, right?"

Meng Longtan suddenly looked up, following Xu Xuan's gaze to the seemingly ignorant and timid little monk who had been by his side all along. His eyes were first blank, then turned into utter shock and understanding!

No... I have absolutely no memory of that period!
Just like the appearance of "Longtan Temple", this disciple seemed to appear naturally by his side one day.

They respectfully called him Master, and he accepted it so naturally, never bothering to investigate his origins.

Looking back now, I realize that over the decades, whenever he had doubts or was on the verge of touching the truth, it was always the people who seemed to unintentionally offer reminders and guidance, or even use various "coincidental" events to divert his attention...

They know themselves so well and can use that knowledge precisely.

A blinding thunderclap seemed to explode from the deepest part of my soul!

At this moment, all the clues were completely connected by that familiar aura from the same source, forming a chilling and complete picture!
The monk Longtan instantly understood everything.

This truth was a thousand times more painful for him than when he was immersed in a false life.

Looking at the young novice monk under the Buddha statue, his eyes no longer held fear, but rather endless sorrow and... a trace of relief.

He actually bowed slowly and solemnly to the young novice monk, his voice hoarse but calm:
"master……"

“You always say that this world is an illusion, and only by returning to that ‘true homeland’ can all beings find their final destination.”

"But... I feel that the land beneath my feet, the sound of the wind in my ears, and the joys and sorrows of all living beings in my eyes... these are the real and true ones."

"You and I...we are the ones who are immersed in the most illusory obsessions we have woven ourselves."

As soon as he finished speaking, a pure and dazzling golden light suddenly burst forth from the body of the monk Longtan!

That was not an aggressive Buddha light, but rather the original power of the Pure Land, symbolizing "emptiness and stillness of all things," which can only be manifested when one's Pure Land practice reaches a certain level.

This pure and desolate power of the Pure Land swept across the land as gently as ripples on water, yet irresistibly!

The next moment, the scene before everyone's eyes began to change dramatically!

The ancient Longtan Temple, like oil paint washed away by water, began to rapidly become transparent and blurred.

The gray-white courtyard walls have vanished, the layers of vines that entwined and covered them have vanished, the old plum trees with their gnarled branches and scattered petals like snow on the wall have vanished, the dark blue tiles have vanished, the tables, chairs, benches, incense, candles, offerings, and even the solemn and majestic Buddha statue in the inner hall have vanished...

All of it melted away like ice and snow under the sun, leaving no trace!

In the blink of an eye, everyone found themselves in a real wilderness!

All around was the deep night sky, the howling mountain wind, and the swaying shadows of the trees. Just moments ago, it all seemed like a wonderful illusion!

This is why Longtan Temple can appear anywhere – it's a fake.

Only the young novice monk Xin Sheng remained, not disappearing with the illusion. He stood quietly in place, slowly raising his bowed head, his eyes suddenly changing.

No longer is it fear and confusion as before, but rather a sense of vicissitude and gloom that comes from having experienced countless years and seen through the changes of the world.

His aura completely changed; his slender body seemed to contain a power capable of stirring up storms, and his brows revealed a hint of arrogance, as if he were the only one worthy of the world!

In a daze, one can almost glimpse the demeanor of that demonic giant who stirred up boundless storms beneath the Tranquil Pool of the Pure Land Sect in those days!

"My disciple..." the demonic monk who had taken over the young novice's body said softly.

The voice was old and filled with a seductive magic, "Between you and me, master and disciple, why must things be like this..."

"That year, I was originally going to guide the talented and insightful Scholar Zhu. You were just an ordinary person who accidentally followed me into the mural."

“Unlike Zhu Juren’s innate Daoist talent, my disciple, you had no foundation in cultivation whatsoever. If it weren’t for my supernatural powers to defy fate and plant that seed of cultivation in you, you would have lived a mediocre life and would have had no chance to even touch the gates of the Dao.”

"Your current level of cultivation, and your mastery of the incredibly profound and supreme illusionary art of painting walls... every step of this journey has been thanks to my meticulous guidance and paving the way for you?"

"Is it really that important whether it's true or false?"

"This debt of gratitude, this decades-long bond between teacher and student... can we really forget it so easily?"

The monk Longtan knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold mountain earth, his body trembling violently, yet he remained silent while kowtowing.

He can't pay it back.

This "gratitude" was too heavy, so heavy that it crushed his ability to distinguish between reality and illusion.

It was so heavy that he spent his entire life as someone else's puppet, yet he seemed to be deprived even of the right to resent.

However, before the demonic monk could continue his persuasive rhetoric, a lazy yet undeniably authoritative voice interrupted him rudely:
"Old man, we meet again."

Xu Xuan's illusory spirit body floated forward a few steps, his face bearing that signature expression, but his eyes were as cold as frost.

You little punk, trying to play moral blackmail in front of me? Putting on a melodramatic act?
Our Lao Xu Ke isn't one of those villainous bosses who lets the enemy launch into long-winded speeches and rants.

If you can take action, try not to argue. If you really have to argue, make sure you keep the momentum under your control first.

Of course, he was also somewhat moved: he had truly witnessed what the life-saving methods of a seasoned master cultivator were like.

Living a long time is just a hassle!

I clearly remember that I had completely eradicated the root of this demonic monk once at the Tranquil Pool, yet he managed to "grow" a new life thanks to the mural and some unknown contingency plan? Truly remarkable.

Judging from his current state, he is clearly trying to use the magic of the painted wall as the fundamental link to carry out the heaven-defying method of "borrowing the false to cultivate the true".

I wish I could live another life through this carefully cultivated "work" of mine, Meng Longtan!
The mechanism of its operation also contains traces of the familiar secret methods of the White Lotus Sect.

The demonic monk, interrupted by Xu Xuan, also sighed softly, his tone filled with helplessness and a deep sense of apprehension:

"Alas... I know the power of cause and effect is terrifying, but I never imagined it could be so terrifying, so relentlessly pressing, so persistent and lingering..."

"What...it's you again?!"

This is completely abnormal!

He had been planning for decades, every step meticulously calculated. How could he possibly have run into this jinx every time?!
His gaze unconsciously swept across the entire room, finally settling on Ji Rui, who was standing to the side, looking somewhat displeased that his limelight had been stolen.

In an instant, many vague sensations became clear.

Was it you... who triggered the most crucial thread?

Or is it you... who disrupted the predetermined fate?
That's right, the cause and effect of Ji Rui's "mini-episode" in the mural was not completely resolved.

He used the power of the painted wall to break through Xu Xuan's restrictions, and although he successfully "liberated" himself, he also violently stirred up the web of fate closely related to this place.

Now, it's time for the second act's conclusion.

The demonic monk's meticulously planned "rebirth scheme" also developed a fatal flaw due to the interference of this external variable.

No matter how angry and roaring he was in his heart, the demonic monk was in an extremely awkward situation at the moment.

The body that occupies the young novice monk is merely a seed of "thought" that he planted deep in the soul of the monk Longtan early on using the White Lotus Secret Method. It was only through the nourishment of the karma of the painted wall and Longtan's cultivation that it was able to manifest.

Before it completely devours and merges with everything of the Dragon Pool Monk, this thought itself has little real resistance.

So his mind raced, and he tried to use the life of the monk Longtan as his last bargaining chip: "Zen Master Fahai! You are the face of the Pure Land School. Although you have been possessed by demons, I know that you still have good intentions in your heart. You are a good monk! Longtan and I share the same fate. Are you really going to stand by and watch an innocent person be harmed?!"

He tried to bind Xu Xuan with morality and sect responsibility.

To everyone's surprise, Xu Xuan completely ignored the threat, not even bothering to lift his eyelids, as if he hadn't heard it at all.

Instead, he slowly extended a hand towards the kneeling, struggling monk Longtan, his voice calm yet possessing a strange penetrating power that reached the depths of his heart:

"To establish knowledge based on perception is the root of ignorance; to have no perception based on perception is Nirvana."

“Dragon Pool, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore. If you are willing to let go of this illusory body and attachments, I will grant you peace.”

"please."

Upon hearing this, the monk Longtan shuddered violently, and his struggle and pain miraculously subsided considerably.

He raised his head and looked into Xu Xuan's calm and unwavering eyes, which seemed to contain endless wisdom, as if he could see his distant hometown across the ocean through him.

Finally, a look of determination and relief flashed in his eyes, and he nodded heavily.

"I will respectfully follow the instructions of the Zen Master."

He actually began to reverse his cultivation method, drawing upon his own Pure Land origin and the power of the painted wall, which he had cultivated diligently for many years, to dissipate his power and return to nothingness!
Demonic Monk: "...Huh???"

He was completely dumbfounded! This development was entirely beyond his comprehension!

Who exactly is the demon?! How did you manage that?!

A few words were enough to make someone break free of their survival instincts and choose self-destruction?!
This is more terrifying than the most malevolent curse!
"Losing your power will lead to death." The demonic monk still maintained his aloofness, but his voice was filled with unbelievable shock.

He couldn't understand! This scene seemed so familiar!
Looking at his horrified expression, Xu Xuan showed a pure look of confusion, as if wondering why he was making such a fuss.

Our White Lotus Sect is a professional organization known throughout the world for its ability to bewitch people and manipulate thoughts.

Isn't it normal and reasonable that someone like me, a second-generation White Lotus, could personally "persuade" them to lay down their butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot?

You old devil, why do you look like you've never seen the world before?
(End of this chapter)