There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 259 Taking the Lead?

The Buddha's light surged forth, illuminating the internal organs and the flow of Qi and blood!

Instantly, Chen Qing felt an urge to purify and transform his thoughts into Buddhahood!

His worldly desires were suppressed by this Buddhist light, giving him a sense of detachment from worldly affairs!

"This place is indeed related to that Demon Buddha's Dao Fruit! It has actually manipulated the Demon Buddha's image in my heart to such an extent!"

Chen Qing's eyes narrowed, and the Qingqiu Fire and Samadhi True Fire Talisman in his Purple Mansion burned brightly at the same time!
"call!"

The flames burst forth, and supported by his own thoughts, they instantly overwhelmed the Buddha's light. Then, the flames spread to all parts of his body, instantly neutralizing and annihilating the Buddha's light in all places, and forcibly suppressing the restless Buddha's phantom, thus stabilizing his Daoist mind.

"Since this place evokes Buddhist teachings, we must investigate it thoroughly!"

With this thought in mind, Chen Qing no longer hesitated, stepped forward, and went straight into the mist!
But after a few steps, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. In the hazy atmosphere, an invisible force blew like a gale, not affecting the body, but eroding the mind.

In the next instant, countless thoughts uncontrollably arose from the depths of his mind!

These ideas are ever-changing and each has its own emphasis.

There were plans for the foundation of Mingxia Mountain, considerations for the cultivation progress of disciples such as Bai Shaoyou and Fang Da'ao, deductions about the predicament of the Dream Immortal Dynasty, and even glimpses of Liu Shuang'er, Xu Zhaoying and others in between. There were also reflections on his own path to cultivation and vigilance against unknown risks...

It was a chaotic mess, yet it seemed to have received resources and grew wildly like weeds.

"cut!"

But Chen Qing's mind was as firm as iron. He first suppressed all his distracting thoughts, then turned the Samadhi True Fire Talisman around. His intention was as sharp as a blade, and he was about to cut off these distracting thoughts as usual, turning them into pure thoughts that would then fall back into his heart.

However, perhaps because of this strange nature of the place, with each step he took, it seemed as if the power of time was washing over him. Those suppressed thoughts not only did not dissipate, but instead absorbed some mysterious power, rapidly growing stronger and solidifying! Then one by one, they broke free from the shackles of the Purple Mansion and manifested their forms in the gray mist!
Immediately, figures appeared one after another.

A figure looked worried, sighing deeply about the future of the sect.

A figure, exuding murderous intent, was devising a plan to destroy a powerful enemy;
A figure stood calmly and wisely, seemingly analyzing the profound mysteries of the cultivation technique;

Another figure stood aloof and indifferent, as if nothing in the world mattered to him...

There were more than a dozen of them, all of which were "incarnations of miscellaneous thoughts" formed from Chen Qing's own thoughts!
As soon as these incarnations appeared, they each used their own methods, such as invoking whispers of inner demons, performing supernatural arts, or setting up illusions and deceptions, to attack Chen Qing's true form from all directions!

“I have devoted myself to planning for the sect, while you have been carefree every day, taking a nap every three days and sleeping soundly every five days. What virtue or ability do you have to occupy the position of leader?”

"Indeed! We cultivators are courageous and diligent, clearing paths through mountains and building bridges over rivers! How can we be afraid and stand still? But you, upon seeing difficulties, secret realms, or opportunities, retreat at the slightest danger and fall asleep. How laughable! You should not be the master of this body!"

“Cultivation requires complete concentration, yet you are always distracted by other things, your mind is fickle, and your lifespan is limited. If this continues, how can you achieve enlightenment? You should step down and yield your position to a more worthy person!”

……

Supernatural powers and magical arts, along with the brilliance of thoughts, shone brightly, and many voices echoed from within!
However, upon seeing this, Chen Qing shook his head and said, "I came here only to retrieve the item, not to play this trial trick with you."

Before he finished speaking, he didn't bother to distinguish which thoughts were useful and which were useless, nor did he get entangled with them. He simply raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning!
The lightning flashed like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, igniting three or four of the closest distracting thoughts, turning them into wisps of green smoke!
At the same time, a strange feeling welled up inside me.

As a large number of distracting thoughts were forcibly extracted, manifested, and defeated, he felt as if his consciousness had been stripped of layers of burdens, becoming clearer and calmer than ever before, viewing all things as straw dogs and himself as a mirror lake.

This feeling... is seven or eight parts similar to the state of consciousness about to leave when I was in the celestial court in my dream!
His eyes became empty and indifferent, and his emotions became less and less volatile. A pure aura emanated from him.

A doubt arose in my mind.

Chen Qing felt that he was very familiar with the current state, but the next moment, even the curiosity disappeared. His eyes were no longer fluctuating. Facing the siege of the remaining distracting thoughts, his figure was elusive, and every move he made was exquisite.

Whether it's a fist, a finger, or a palm, there's nothing fancy, only the ultimate efficiency.

"Oh!"

"laugh!"

"Crack!"

Fists flew everywhere, finger beams pierced the air, blood shadows pounced, and lightning swords raged!

One after another, the manifestations of distracting thoughts were blasted, shattered, and scattered!
Chen Qing strolled leisurely among the many avatars, leaving trails of wisps of smoke in his wake, moving with effortless ease!
However, those distracting thoughts that he had defeated did not completely dissipate, but instead transformed into pure streams of intent that lingered and lingered.

As these "impurities" were removed, Chen Qing felt his Dao heart being cleansed, experiencing a sense of clarity and spiritual purity, as if he were drawing ever closer to the origin of the Great Dao. Just then, a whispered message sounded in his ear, carrying a gentle and persuasive tone—

"By discarding unnecessary entanglements and distractions, the Dao heart will become increasingly pure, approaching the Dao itself! This is the opportunity for transcendence; why not seize it all now?"

But at this moment, Chen Qing, in a strange state of oblivion, had his mind reflecting the essence of all things.

He instinctively sensed something was wrong, and then recalled the key points of the subsequent realms, and immediately had a moment of enlightenment.

"These distracting thoughts should perhaps be completely discarded and expelled from my body! But that's not something I, at my level, should do!"

Then, before the whispers had even faded, Chen Qing suddenly opened his mouth and took a deep breath!
"call--"

Like a whale sucking in water, those pure thoughts and light seemed to transform into streams, which he swallowed back into his belly!
Chen Qing's indifferent and empty eyes regained their liveliness and brilliance, and a vibrant energy returned to him.

He looked up ahead, and although he had retrieved many thoughts, the ethereal state he had just experienced still lingered in his heart, waiting to be explored.

"I will walk my own path. How to cultivate myself and what to choose are up to me."

After speaking, he waved his sleeve, and the surging gray mist in front of him suddenly parted to the sides, revealing a deep stone path.

"Looks like we passed the test, but where did that whisper come from? It seems like someone set up a formation here. Does that mean someone was here before? That Demon Buddha Dao Fruit..."

Upon realizing this, Chen Qing felt a connection with the cause and effect intertwined with the Demon Buddha, which gave him a vague sense of kinship.

Then, he took a step forward!

"Are these the manifestations of distracting thoughts?"

In another corner of the gray fog, Yun Wuchen's figure flickered, and the ring on his hand shone with Buddhist light, releasing a thin halo that protected his physical body, barely resisting the intangible and formless erosion of his mind.

He frowned slightly, feeling that his hidden greed, anger, and delusion had been stirred up, but he quickly suppressed them with the cool sensation emanating from the ring.

“Senior Ancient Buddha,” Yun Wuchen communicated with the ring through his divine sense, “Last time we investigated, we confirmed that the trial here is extremely dangerous. If we rush in, we may risk having our Dao heart clouded or even being assimilated. Why are you in such a hurry this time? Although the Buddha Fruit is important, one must be alive to enjoy it.”

From within the ring, the aged voice slowly resounded: "Foolish child, you only know one aspect. The Buddha's fruit is related to transcendence, and it is something that must be fought over. I let you settle down before because the time was not yet right. Even with luck protecting you, you cannot be completely safe when you travel alone in dangerous places. But now, changes have occurred."

"Variable? You mean the person who came later?" Yun Wuchen's eyes flashed.

"Indeed," the voice in the ring affirmed. "This person is capable of triggering the ancestral tree's phenomena; he is no ordinary individual. Moreover, the path of destiny is profound and mysterious. You possess a strong destiny, and if you venture out alone, it will be like a lone boat at sea. Although you may turn misfortune into good fortune, you will still have to face the storms head-on, relying on your own hard skills. However, if a competitor appears, the influence of the energy will shift, and your destiny will be altered. It will no longer be a simple adventure, but rather... a struggle to cross the sea!"

"Struggle to cross?"

"Indeed!" the aged voice continued, "In the struggle, those with abundant fortune can use others as fuel to ignite their own path! Those who come later may be your opportunity, the stepping stone to help you overcome this obstacle."

A glint flashed in Yun Wuchen's eyes, as if he had realized something, but he remained cautious: "Even so, the trials here are strange. What are our chances of winning if we just barge in?"

"This is your advantage." The voice in the ring grew more composed. "Although I didn't go deep last time, I did glimpse some of its mysteries. The gray mist here is actually a remnant of the Buddha Kingdom of Mind. Adhering to the principle of the birth of all laws, it will rapidly mature all thoughts in the hearts of those who enter, whether good or evil, obsessions or insights, using the remnant power of the Buddha Kingdom, turning falsehood into reality, and illusion into substance! Ordinary people don't know the details, so they either try their best to suppress it, eventually exhausting their minds and spirits, or they are trapped by the manifestation of their own impure thoughts, sinking into a bitter struggle."

As it spoke, its voice deepened: "But since I am here, I can help you see through illusion and point directly to the essence! Buddhist scriptures say: 'One should observe the nature of the Dharma realm, for everything is created by the mind.' One must 'transform the false into the true,' and also know that it is 'originally illusory.' Those who do not understand this principle, even the strongest may try to force it, but it will be much less effective. But if one understands the key, then… one can communicate with one's own mind, and use emptiness to control emptiness!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Wuchen perked up: "Please enlighten me, senior!"

The voice within the ring immediately imparted instructions: "Do not resist, nor indulge. Use your destiny bestowed by Heaven as a guide, supplemented by the Pure Mind Contemplation Method I have taught you, to concentrate your Daoist thoughts into one. Let the surrounding mental phenomena change, but remain unmoved. At the same time, sense the rules and patterns of the core of the trial, and find its weak points... Look!"

Guided by the ring's will, a golden light flashed in Yun Wuchen's eyes. In his spiritual perception, the surging gray mist in front of him was no longer a chaotic mess, but instead revealed countless subtle energy flow trajectories, like meridians, with some nodes being relatively dim and sparse.

"This way!" Yun Wuchen shouted, not getting entangled with any manifested or unmanifested mental avatars, and in an instant, he passed through a large area of ​​danger.

Looking up, I was surprised to see an ancient stone path!
"Wonderful!" He smiled and said, "With the guidance of a senior, I have gained the upper hand. This opportunity to obtain the Buddha's fruit is rightfully mine! Those later competitors are probably still struggling with their own distracting thoughts right now, aren't they?"

The words fell!

The stone path ahead crumbled inch by inch, and the broken stones, along with the gray mist, shot into the sky, condensing in mid-air into a giant Buddha's palm that stretched across the void. Its five fingers were as thick as mountains, and the swastika symbol in the palm rotated, carrying the power to suppress the universe, and pressed down on Yun Wuchen!
"The Great Extinction Bodhi Palm!" The voice from the ring was filled with shock and anger. "Someone has passed the trial of worldly desires and embarked on the path of Buddhism! Retreat!"

"Someone beat us to it?" Yun Wuchen's expression changed drastically, and he shot backward, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

With the guidance of an ancient Buddha, he can see through the truth and falsehood of this place and thus avoid misfortune and seek good fortune. Who can be one step ahead of him?
"Could it be the successor mentioned by the ancient Buddha? Just who is that person?"

(End of this chapter)