Wizards begin with Occlumency.

Human nature is inherently selfish.

The prosperity of the world is for profit; the hustle and bustle of the world is for profit.

When the Elemental Saint pulled out six "possession" artifacts, Link did not completely believe the Elemental Saint's words.

Whether they bypassed the defense system of the three great suns of the remnants of Buddhist civilization and infiltrated behind enemy lines through "body possession," or whether they reached a tacit understanding with the three Buddhas of the remnants of Buddhist civilization, remains to be seen.

Link does not have preconceived notions or "prejudices".

Instead, we observe as we go, think as we observe, and adjust our plans as we think.

That's why we have the situation we have now.

When the unrest in the habitable world of Buddhist remnants, which Forrest and Medici had "possessed," was quelled; when Iris and Lotusno withdrew voluntarily in different ways; and when Jasmine was still trying to fan the flames...

The "I" that Link and Iris Clark refer to are stuck in this extremely large, vast, yet extremely small and unique space, observing the changes in the outside world.

He neither thought of adding fuel to the fire, making the already turbulent situation in the two habitable worlds even more unfavorable to the remnants of Buddhist civilization, nor did he think of how to stir up turmoil in the other nine unaffected habitable worlds.

It seems that for Link, the Elemental Saint's mission of infiltrating behind enemy lines and coordinating from the inside and outside is of no importance at all.

Is that really the case?

Yes, that's exactly right.

There were some problems that Link had chosen to avoid in the past for various reasons, not because he was unaware of them, nor because he had not discovered them.

Once Link decides to comply with the demands of all parties and his own inner desires, and decides to confront his "predestined fate," he will no longer avoid these problems that he previously avoided.

When did the constraints or guidance imposed on Link by "predetermined fate" become more obvious and "unbridled"?

Since entering the special ruins world for the second time.

After learning of the prophecy made by the mystical wizard Saint Nostrodam before his demise.

Furthermore, after Iris Clark underwent the trials of the special ruined world.

Everything that followed was closely related to the special ruins world.

The special ruins world was brought to the Wizarding Civilization universe by "me," who is currently locked in a stalemate with Link.

Therefore, for Link, facing "predetermined fate" means facing the "me" standing before him.

The various forces that push Link to confront the "me" before him also provide him with plenty of hints in the process.

The High Council of Wizarding Civilization decided to intervene in the ninth trial that Iris Clark was undergoing, allowing Link to enter the world of human-immortal martial arts.

In the world of human immortals and martial arts, there is the existence of Taoist sects, as well as some traces of Buddhist civilization.

Even the cultivation system of human immortal martial arts is remarkably similar to the system of Buddhist martial monks.

This is a subtle hint.

After the Supreme Council interfered with the ninth trial of the Special Ruins World, the biggest villain boss that emerged was none other than Iris Clark, who transformed into the White Lotus Mother who had destroyed countless worlds.

The intervention and guidance measures taken by the Celestial Master's Mansion, represented by Celestial Master Xujing, and the immortal civilization represented by the Celestial Master's Mansion, were to leave behind imitations of the Yangping Zhidu Gong Seal and the Jiulao Xiandu Seal.

The purpose of the two imitations is not to destroy the White Lotus Mother, but to help Iris Clark sever her countless clones or fragmented thoughts and purify her true spirit.

After years of lying low, Link never stopped thinking.

Since entering the universe of the Celestials and Gods, Link has been observing the situation.

As Lotte Snow went to find the stars and that light, Link kept a close eye on all aspects of the Celestial civilization's movements, current state, and history.

Just like the wizarding civilization has a mortal enemy in its own universe: the civilization of gods.

The civilization of immortals and gods also had a mortal enemy: the civilization of demons and monsters.

The wizard civilization and the immortal civilization mutually developed each other's universes, which meant that the wizard civilization attacked the demon civilization, and the immortal civilization attacked the god civilization.

Many people, including Dean Forrest, who was known as a wise man, failed to notice a detail.

Based on some memories from his past life and some unseen guidance, Link noticed it.

The "demon" in the demon civilization originates from the fallen "Buddha".

Therefore, the originally more powerful civilization of immortals, gods, and Buddhas has become a remnant of the civilization of immortals, gods, and Buddhas and the Buddhist civilization.

Link also noticed another detail.

The concept of the "Dharma-ending Age" originates from Buddhist civilization, initially from the central Buddha and the present Buddha: Shakyamuni Buddha.

The celestial beings and deities of the immortal civilization accepted this statement without any rejection and responded actively.

What does this indicate?

This shows that since immortals, gods, and Buddhas have merged in the past, they can certainly merge again in the future.

The premise is that the "Buddha" relinquishes and purifies himself, first eliminating the internal "demons" and then eliminating the external "demons".

What is the "demon" inside?

It is no longer pure Buddhism, it is monks who practice impure Buddhism, or in other words, the Buddhist community.

Influence is always mutual.

As the source of Buddhism, the Buddha must have had a profound influence on monks who practice Buddhism.

Conversely, monks who practice Buddhism can also greatly influence the source of Buddhism: the Buddha.

Because Buddha is in our hearts, Buddha is under our feet, Buddha is in all living beings.

If the remnants of Buddhist civilization, and if the three Buddhas, do not find a way to eliminate the "demons" within, the remnants of Buddhist civilization will cease to exist, but will instead degenerate into demons and merge into the demon civilization.

The civilization of immortals and gods naturally did not want to see their mortal enemy, the civilization of demons and monsters, become stronger.

The immortal civilization faced only two paths: one was to help the remnants of Buddhist civilization renounce and purify themselves before they degenerated into demons; the other was to destroy the remnants of Buddhist civilization and the demon civilization.

The second path, of course, is the path that the immortal civilization most wants to take.

A dead enemy is a good enemy.

However, the remnants of the demonic and Buddhist civilizations have survived the constant attacks from the immortal and divine civilizations, making it impossible for them to be destroyed by the immortal and divine civilizations in a short period of time.

The crisis of the "Dharma-ending Age" is once again looming.

The immortal civilization could only choose the first path, which was to help the remnants of the Buddhist civilization complete their self-relinquishment and self-purification.

Whether they merge or not, achieving this will indirectly weaken the demon civilization and strengthen the immortal civilization.

In this way, the civilization of immortals and gods can cope with the crisis of the "end of Dharma" more calmly.

From the very beginning, the Immortal and Divine Civilization had no intention of destroying the remnants of the Buddhist Civilization!

Having understood these principles, after Link "possessed" himself and entered the habitable world of the remnants of Buddhist civilization, he never had any thoughts of superficially stirring up trouble or subverting Buddhism. He simply wanted to eradicate the distorted Buddhism, which was almost a demonic sect, from its very roots.

Linke's approach to getting to the root of the matter is to revisit the three vehicles of Buddhism: the Śrāvakayāna, the Pratyekabuddhayāna, and the Bodhiyāna, tracing back to their origins.

Even though the Bodhi Vehicle is difficult to cultivate, perfect enlightenment is hard to achieve, and supreme perfect enlightenment is hard to attain, as long as you cultivate it, there will always be benefits.

As a second choice, one can cultivate the Hearer Vehicle, attain enlightenment, realize perfect enlightenment, and attain the Arhatship; this is also acceptable.

Alternatively, one may be self-sufficient in understanding, cultivate the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, and thus attain self-realization, realize perfect enlightenment, and attain the Pratyekabuddha fruition.

It's much better than the current Buddhist sect, which Link sees as almost demonic.

As it turned out, this was the right thing to do.

Although the remnants of Buddhist civilization have degenerated as a whole, almost to the point of demonic influence, they still have a basis for returning to their roots, and many monks are still willing to revive the Three Vehicles of Buddhism, especially the Bodhi Vehicle.

Baima Temple, Master Wusheng, and many other Buddhist temples like Baima Temple and monks like Master Wusheng have all considered self-redemption and self-purification.

Some Buddhist temples and some monks have gone astray.

Some Buddhist temples and some monks failed.

But the seeds of hope still remain.

Link transformed into the monk Liaofan, made a great vow to revive the Three Vehicles of Buddhism and practice the Bodhi Vehicle, and in the end only the monk Nengqing came forward to kill him, which is clear proof of this.

This indicates that with the reemergence of the Three Vehicles of Buddhism, the three Buddhas, who had been preparing for a long time, suddenly regained their influence and control over Buddhism and intervened.

To stand idly by while internal turmoil escalates and sacrifices increase, we must cut away the rotten flesh and usher in a new life.

This is what Nirvana is all about.

The problem is coming.

What kind of upheaval caused the three Buddhas—the Medicine Buddha of the East, the Shakyamuni Buddha of the Center, and the Amitabha Buddha of the West—to simultaneously lose control over Buddhism, leading to its decline?

In his mind, Link could only find one thing with a sufficiently large impact.

According to the Celestial Master of the Immortal and Divine Civilization, he once discovered two beams of light at the source of the Immortal and Divine Civilization's long river of time. These beams crossed the universe, passed through the Immortal and Divine Civilization's universe, and landed in the Wizard Civilization's universe.

The Supreme Council of Wizarding Civilization and the Will of the Wizarding World, through some unknown means, investigated and found out the origins of the two beams of light and the "I" standing on them.

The prophecy made by the mystical wizard Saint Nostrodam before his demise for an unprecedented upheaval.

The wizard civilization, under pressure from the god civilization, fought on multiple fronts and developed the parallel universe where the immortal and god civilization resided.

The civilization of immortals and gods also withstood the pressure from the civilization of demons and monsters, actively responding to the "crisis of the end of Dharma".

Ultimately, all of these things are the follow-up to the same event: "I" traveled across many universes to return to the wizarding civilization universe!

All the things the wizarding civilization did were aimed at stripping away the influence of "my" journey across numerous universes back to the wizarding civilization's universe.

The immortal civilization did so much to shed the influence of "my" journey across numerous universes back to the wizard civilization's universe.

Should the remnants of Buddhist civilization, which have been most affected, be stripped away?

of course yes!

The practice of the wizarding civilization is to prevent "me" from being successfully reincarnated.

The way the immortal civilization does it is to prevent "me" from being reborn smoothly with "past sins".

What are the practices of the remnants of Buddhist civilization?

Previously, Link was unsure.

but now……

Looking at the "me" who was locked in a stalemate with him, Link had a sudden realization.

"Chess piece...the pawn that has crossed the river..."

With a silent murmur to himself, Link adjusted his mindset and decided to fulfill his role as a pawn crossing the river.

Just like the trial in the world of human immortals and martial arts, where they finally faced the White Lotus Holy Mother who had destroyed countless worlds.

Link's role is to confront "myself".

Literally, to face directly.

By doing this, the five saints of the wizarding civilization, one saint reincarnation, and the will of the wizarding world—the five saints of the wizarding civilization who are pushing Link to confront "me," the celestial beings, celestial venerables, and the heavenly way of the immortal civilization, and the three Buddhas and Alaya consciousness remaining in the Buddhist civilization—will express their meanings and offer their choices to "me."

Before the stalemate began, Link said he "didn't want to kill" and "couldn't kill" "me," which was not an empty statement but a genuine sentiment.

He really just came to listen to what "I" wanted to say and to see what "I" wanted to do.

Because of my desire to be reborn with what the immortal civilization considers "past sins," I faced fierce opposition from the immortal civilization, despite the indifferent attitude of the wizard civilization.

Is it possible to be reincarnated and reborn?

Just don't try to understand the true nature of the White Lotus Mother.

The wizard civilization does not want to welcome a White Lotus Mother who has destroyed countless worlds, and neither does the immortal and divine civilization.

Therefore, the Lotus Society's concept of "unborn parents, a true homeland" was distorted, and the name of the Lotus Society no longer exists.

Even if the Lotus Society, which had become the "Five Pecks of Rice Sect," eventually succeeded in overthrowing Buddhism, it would not have established a "vacuum homeland" that "I" could rely on to be reborn with my "past karma".

Rather, it is the "Ground Kingdom" that has caused me great harm and restraint.

Therefore, even if "I" am eventually reincarnated, I will no longer be the same "I".

So why should "I" bother with all this trouble?

Having long accepted the choice given by the five saints of the Supreme Council of Wizarding Civilization and the will of the Wizarding World, I relinquished my "past sins," which is the Dao Fruit that "I" brought back from other universes, and was reborn.

Lotesno is the reincarnation of the Saint Nostrodam who relinquished his "Tao Fruit" from his previous life.

To regain his saintly status, he needs to start his cultivation anew and, more importantly, regain the approval of the wizarding world's will.

I don't want to or dare not do this.

Because "I" in other universes obtained the "Tao Fruit" in a rather opportunistic way, my position is not stable.

If I were to seriously relearn everything, without taking shortcuts or resorting to crooked methods, I might only be able to reach the level of a ninth-grade Great Sage.

Even someone like the great sage Michel, who obtained sainthood through trickery, might not be able to do it.

The emergence of Celestial Venerable Michel was the result of compromises made by the wizard civilization and the immortal civilization after several attempts to test each other.

It's something you can only encounter by chance, not something you can seek out.

It was under these circumstances that the remnants of Buddhist civilization, with utmost sincerity, offered "me" a new choice.

The main reason I want to be reborn with my past sins is that I am unwilling to give up the "fruit of the Dao" of my sainthood.

you can!

The remnants of Buddhist civilization are willing to offer the status of "Maitreya Buddha".

If you're talking about the Buddha's future attainment, I think it's just empty talk. You can refuse to accept it if you want!

The remnants of Buddhist civilization are willing to offer another position of nobility no less than that of "Maitreya Buddha".

Buddha Mother Great Peacock King!

As long as "I" can cooperate with the three Buddhas to help the remnants of Buddhist civilization cut off their rotten flesh, help the remnants of Buddhist civilization trace back to their origins, and help Shakyamuni Buddha complete another Nirvana.

Link waited for "me" to make a decision. (End of Chapter)