Chapter 72: Heart is Buddha, Buddha is Heart

Chapter 72: Heart is Buddha, Buddha is Heart

The afternoon sun cast a soft glow, scattering its rays across the ground.

Remnants of the recent battle—scattered stones and withered leaves—still littered the area, leaving a chaotic scene.

"Are you also searching for the Buddha Demon?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Indeed," Li Wei Zhen replied with a humble smile. "I searched around the Peony Ridge in the south and asked several spirit creatures, only to learn that it was the Buddha Demon causing trouble. After inquiring at the Demon Suppressing Commandery, I continued my search deeper into the mountains."

It seemed that around the time Li Wei Zhen set out, Nie Yanian had mentioned an elderly Taoist causing trouble, and he had gone to assist Zhang Gui Nian.

"The mountains are vast, and after several days of searching in the south without success, I decided to come here to take a look. As fate would have it, I stumbled upon you." Li Wei Zhen smiled, "We are connected by destiny."

"Are you looking for my wet nurse?" Xiang Ling suddenly asked.

"She often listens to my teachings, so she's like my half-disciple." Li Wei Zhen smiled at Xiang Ling and said, "Since she's missing, it's only natural for me to search for her."

"The wet nurse was eaten by Wolf Big," Xiang Ling gestured, "A long time ago!"

Li Wei Zhen remained silent.

Seeing this, Meng Yuan spoke up, "Brother Li, do you want to interrogate them?"

"Since you captured them, you should do it," Li Wei Zhen said, appearing more like a Confucian disciple than a Taoist.

Meng Yuan didn't decline and first questioned the red and white foxes, and then turned to Wolf Two.

Through this comparison, they learned that after Great Tail Venerable, another White Ape Elder had arrived, and his Buddhist teachings were also impressive.

This White Ape Elder opened the doors of convenience, imparting Buddhist teachings, and instructed Wolf Two and the others to recruit disciples, determined to spread the glory of Buddhism far and wide.

The red and white foxes, along with the green fox matchmaker, were all from the same family. They initially had no intention of getting involved, but the White Ape Elder sought them out, branded them with a mark, and forcibly converted them.

As for the White Ape Elder's cultivation level, Wolf Two and the others couldn't provide a clear assessment. However, there was no doubt that he was no less capable than Great Tail Venerable.

Moreover, under his guidance were the Four Great Guardians, each with exceptional abilities.

"I intend to eradicate these demons. Would you like to join me?" Li Wei Zhen asked with a smile.

Xiang Ling craned her neck to look up at Meng Yuan.

Meng Yuan, despite his desire to eliminate the Buddha Demon, considered his own strength and felt it best to return and inform Teacher Nie and Zhang Gui Nian, letting them handle the matter.

"Let's go together. You've shown great care for Miss Xiang Ling, and I'm willing to protect Brother Meng as well." Although Li Wei Zhen was disheveled, his sincerity was evident. "You can observe the situation and report back to Zhang Gui Nian and the others."

"Brother Li is from Tranquil Void Temple, so he's not an outsider. Since you've asked, I can't refuse your request! But let's agree beforehand that my abilities are limited, and if we encounter danger, I may not be of much help." Meng Yuan's implication was clear: if you need my help, I'll assist, but if I can't, I'll withdraw.

"Agreed," Li Wei Zhen smiled and accepted.

"May I ask Brother Li's martial rank?" Meng Yuan asked, still feeling uneasy.

"If it's a Sixth Rank martial practitioner, I should be able to handle one or two without issue," Li Wei Zhen replied humbly.

Meng Yuan felt somewhat relieved.

After reaching an agreement, they had Wolf Two and the two foxes lead the way.

The mountain forest was quiet, with occasional birdsong breaking the silence.

After traveling for over ten miles, Xiang Ling spoke up, "If we continue, we'll encounter more formidable and vicious demons! Sometimes they even come down the mountain to eat people! If they can't finish, they hang them on trees to dry and eat them later, all stinky!"

After advancing another ten miles, it was already evening, and Xiang Ling had dozed off.

"This is the place," Wolf Two said, already exhausted from his previous injuries.

Ahead was a dense bamboo forest, where mountain winds stirred the bamboo, revealing flickering firelight within.

Li Wei Zhen reached out and offered a pill, "I have a sugar pill that can nourish your spirit and body."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Xiang Ling quickly took the pill, sniffed it under her black nose, and then stole a glance at Li Wei Zhen's hand. Despite her education, she didn't disdain the disheveled old Taoist, but instead blew on the pill, rubbed it clean, and then placed it in her mouth, "I can't taste anything yet, give me another one."

Entering the bamboo forest, they continued for about a hundred zhang before reaching a small mountain stream.

Crossing the mountain stream, they saw a gathering of thirty to forty spirit creatures of various sizes in front of a temple hall.

The hall's entrance was illuminated by bright torches, and three dried corpses hung on the door, their desiccation time unknown.

Xiang Ling's head drooped in her garment, fast asleep.

"The battle is imminent, and blood will fill the sky," Li Wei Zhen said.

Meng Yuan tucked Xiang Ling entirely into his garment, hand on his sword, observing the spirit creatures. He felt that these creatures had a more malevolent aura than those at Peony Ridge, and they showed no fear of humans.

"Venerable!" Wolf Two stumbled forward, kneeling before the temple hall's entrance and then lying down, "I've been wronged by an evil person!"

The white and red foxes also knelt beside Wolf Two, calling out for the Venerable.

In front of the temple hall, a group of strange creatures had gathered, but none of them seemed flustered. They all turned their heads to look, and some even pointed and whispered amongst themselves. After a few words, they divided up Meng Yuan, but they all avoided Li Weizhen, thinking he was too old.

Meng Yuan and Li Weizhen didn't say a word, merely observing the temple hall.

Soon, a bull demon emerged from the temple hall.

The bull demon was tall, about ten feet in height. He wore a dark robe and draped a large red kasaya over his shoulders, with two horns protruding like steel blades from his head.

Behind him, he carried a wooden staff as thick as a water barrel, about the same height as him.

Meng Yuan had already asked Lang Er about this bull demon, and upon seeing him, recognized him as one of the Four Great Vajras under White Ape Elder, a skilled martial practitioner who had entered the seventh stage. However, he had chosen the path of martial arts, and his Buddhist cultivation was not as profound.

"Where is the Elder?" Lang Er asked.

The bull Vajra took a step out of the temple hall, joining his palms together in greeting, but he didn't acknowledge Lang Er. Instead, he recited, "The Master said: Heart is Buddha, Buddha is Heart. I observe the Guanyin, who observes the Self."

The group of strange creatures repeated the bull Vajra's words.

The bull Vajra's eyes reddened slightly, and he joined his palms together in greeting to Meng Yuan and Li Weizhen, "Esteemed patrons, you have traveled far. Please wait a moment while I recite the sutras, and then I will address your concerns."

Seeing the bull Vajra's courtesy, Meng Yuan smiled and said, "Please."

The bull Vajra sat down and said, "The verse goes: Mist veils the ancient forest, and the old stones lie by the stream. Wind brushes the bamboo, and the moon reflects in the pond. Cast aside illusions and seek the true meaning, for the heart is like a clear glass, and spring is everywhere."

After reciting this verse, the bull Vajra looked around at the group of strange creatures and continued, "People do not understand, and only recognize the senses as the heart. They are covered by what they see, hear, and know, and so they do not see the essence. But if one is not sincere, the essence will reveal itself."

With each word the bull Vajra spoke, the group of strange creatures followed along, even Lang Er and the red and white foxes joined in the recitation.

However, the bull Vajra's recitation became faster and faster, and the group of strange creatures followed suit, reciting faster and faster.

In that moment, the Buddhist singing had lost all its Buddhist nature.

Meng Yuan could see what was happening. The group of strange creatures were clearly delusional, thinking that by reciting the sutras over and over, they could achieve Buddhahood. So, they recited faster and faster, hoping to advance more quickly on the path to Buddhahood.

There are indeed shortcuts in the world, but if this continued, it would only lead to impatience and greed, and an increasingly hidden sinister atmosphere.

Meng Yuan placed one hand on his sword and the other on the chest of the sleeping Xiang Ling. He glanced at Li Weizhen, but he was shaking his head slightly, lost in thought.

After two quarters of an hour, the recitation finally stopped. The bull Vajra's eyes were even redder, and his body was emitting heat.

"Tilling the fields, I do not complain of sorrow, for the years carry the weight of spring and autumn. With a yoke on my head and a plow on my back, I trudge through wind and rain without pause. I do not complain, so why do you cry of bitterness?"

The bull Vajra still didn't acknowledge Meng Yuan's group, instead turning to Lang Er and the red and white foxes, "You have studied the Buddhist sutras, yet your hearts are filled with scheming. When he is thirsty, you offer your blood for him to drink; when he is hungry, you cut your flesh for him to eat; when he wants to kill you, you offer your necks for him to cut! Even for minor injuries, you come to complain! Remember, those who follow the Buddhist path must be magnanimous to achieve greatness!"

These words left Lang Er bewildered, and Meng Yuan and Li Weizhen exchanged a helpless glance.

It was true that the Buddhist path advocated endurance, even to the point of cutting one's own flesh to feed eagles. But these strange creatures who had strayed from the path couldn't achieve such feats.

Meng Yuan clearly remembered how the group of strange creatures had been discussing how to cook themselves to be more delicious.

"You two patrons are also too harsh. The Elder is not here, but I will speak the truth. Enter the Buddhist path, and in the future, uphold the precepts, meditate, and cultivate. The rewards of such cultivation are boundless, and you will be able to escape the cycle of life and death. This is the method to achieve Buddhahood, so why don't you come and kneel before me?"

As soon as the bull Vajra started preaching, Meng Yuan drew his sword.

"Cultivation with the goal of achieving Buddhahood is false learning, and cultivation with the goal of seeking rewards is reciting funeral sutras."

Meng Yuan spoke loudly, "Your Buddhism is not quite right, and I cannot learn from you."

"Oh, you infuriate me! You are truly stubborn! Buddha will kill you! Throw you into a hot pot and slow roast you!"

Just now, this bull Vajra was talking about being magnanimous and enduring, but with just a few words, he couldn't contain his anger and stood up, tearing off his robe and kasaya. He turned around and grabbed a huge piece of wood, holding it in his arms.

The group of strange creatures started cheering, "Slow roast him! Slow roast him!"

"You are not like the gradual cultivation sect, nor the sudden enlightenment sect. You have truly strayed from the path," Li Weizhen spoke up.

"What gradual cultivation? What sudden enlightenment?" The bull Vajra danced with the huge piece of wood in his arms, "What about the rain nourishing the precious tree in the Brahma Heaven? What about the lightning sailing the boat on the sea? It's all bullshit! Heart is Buddha, Buddha is Heart!"

"Ohhhh!" A deep, bell-like bellow shook the tranquil forest, startling the birds and the group of strange creatures.

The bull Vajra's body was like a small mountain, his muscles bulging, and he looked like he was made of copper and iron. Holding the huge piece of wood, he charged forward, fast and fierce.

A hundred steps was not far, and a heavy bow would be useless at this range.

Meng Yuan decided to temporarily hold back, and as Li Weizhen was about to make his move, a golden figure appeared a hundred steps away, it was a deer demon.

This deer demon was also one of the Four Great Vajras, but he had chosen the Buddhist path.

Seeing this, Meng Yuan had originally wanted to pick an easy target, but he realized he was the easy target, and the bull Vajra was clearly coming for him. He quickly said, "I will deal with the bull Vajra!"

"Then I will handle the deer Vajra!"

Li Wei Zhen immediately responded and drew his sword, charging towards the deer demon.

The deer demon held a Zen staff, empowered by the Six Supernatural Powers, and its body emanated flickering Buddhist light.

Meng Yuan didn't have time to watch and sidestepped away.

As expected, the Ox Vajra didn't pursue Li Wei Zhen and only chased after Meng Yuan, howling incessantly about Body Tempering.

Meng Yuan observed clearly that the Ox Vajra was a Seventh-Rank warrior, but he hadn't displayed the Heavenly Art Technique. However, due to his robust physique, his strength and speed were not to be underestimated.

Moreover, his tough and thick skin, combined with the giant wood he carried, made direct confrontation impossible. Meng Yuan could only circle around, waiting for the Ox Vajra to exhaust its strength before attempting to defeat it.

"Before coming, Brother Li promised to protect me..." Meng Yuan held his sword, avoiding direct confrontation with the Ox Vajra. He fully utilized the Feather Dance Technique, circling once before charging towards the group of demons outside the temple hall's courtyard.

The demons continued to shout about Body Tempering and blocked his path.

Meng Yuan paid them no heed and charged straight towards the group of demons. Then, with a swift movement, he dodged and headed towards the demons.

The Ox Vajra, with its red eyes, swung the giant wood in its hand. When it saw Meng Yuan change direction, it was too late to stop, and several demons were accidentally struck by the wood, their bodies crushed.

Wolf Two lay on the ground, but the Ox Vajra, already in a frenzy, didn't notice Wolf Two and inadvertently stomped on him, killing him.

Meng Yuan became more cautious, using the terrain to circle around and exhaust the Ox Vajra's stamina.

After undergoing two Body Tempering sessions, Meng Yuan's Energy Core had expanded, and his True Energy was abundant, far surpassing others of the same rank. With the Feather Dance Technique in full display, he could last for an entire hour, so Meng Yuan decided to engage in a battle of attrition, waiting for Li Wei Zhen's hand.

As expected, the Ox Vajra didn't conserve its strength, and after a quarter of an hour, it began to slow down. Meng Yuan, feeling increasingly in control, alternated between fleeing and chasing down the scattered demons.

The Ox Vajra was driven mad with rage but couldn't catch up. Even when it got within a dozen steps, Meng Yuan would suddenly change direction, leaving it behind.

After another quarter of an hour, the Ox Vajra was panting heavily. It stopped and grabbed a shameless sheep demon, smashing it against the giant wood. The sheep demon's head split open, and as it was raised, the Ox Vajra opened its mouth and caught the blood and brain matter, quenching its thirst.

Just then, an arrow flew swiftly towards the Ox Vajra. It swung the sheep demon's remains to block the arrow, but another arrow immediately followed, piercing its large eye.

The Ox Vajra howled in pain, its madness intensifying. Seeing Meng Yuan nocking another arrow, it charged forward, holding the giant wood.

Meng Yuan released an arrow, hitting the Ox Vajra's left arm, and then turned to flee.

The chase continued, and soon the Ox Vajra was exhausted again.

"Stupid Ox! Come and help me!" The deer demon, covered in blood, emerged from the bamboo grove, its Buddhist light completely gone.

The Ox Vajra opened its mouth to respond but felt a sharp pain in its throat as an arrow struck it in the mouth.

"I can't do it! He just runs, he won't fight me! I've never seen such a stubborn person! He's not a good person!" The red light in the Ox Vajra's eyes faded, and as it pulled the arrow from its mouth, it sat on the ground, wailing, "Elder, save me! Elder, save me!"

Before it could finish, another arrow struck its mouth, and as it pulled the arrow out, a chunk of flesh came with it. But another heavy arrow followed, hitting its other eye, and both its eyes were destroyed, leaving it howling in agony.

"Fool! You dropped your stick and chased him, and he got away!" The deer demon shouted angrily, "Hurry and think of a way to escape! That old dog is not simple, he knows the Descending Celestial Deity Heavenly Art Technique, and my Buddhist spells are useless! Let's go find the ape..."

Before it could finish, a faint glow appeared around the deer demon, and it was pierced through the chest by sword energy.

The deer demon coughed up blood but tried to recite its death verse, "The vast path of clouds and rivers, through many tribulations..."

Li Wei Zhen's sword moved, and the deer demon didn't even have time to finish its verse before it died.

"Brother Deer?" The Ox Vajra, now blind, howled, "Brother Deer! Elder! Green Light Son..."

Suddenly, a faint fire ignited on the Ox Vajra's body, quickly engulfing it.

Soon, the Ox Vajra turned into ashes.

Li Wei Zhen took a look and saw that the temple hall and its surroundings were in disarray, with the demons having already scattered. He then turned to Meng Yuan.

Meng Yuan felt exhausted, holding his sword with one hand and pressing his chest with the other.

After this battle, Meng Yuan felt that Li Wei Zhen wasn't entirely reliable. He had fought the Seventh-Rank deer demon for so long, yet his strength was questionable, seemingly far inferior to Teacher Nie.

If not for Meng Yuan's previous Body Tempering, the outcome might have been different.

Li Wei Zhen entered the temple hall, circled around, and emerged with a wooden box, "Here's a copy of the Celestial Diagram and a Great Medicine. Do you want them?"

"Yes." Meng Yuan felt that Li Wei Zhen was indeed reliable.

The next chapter will be posted very late, probably around 1 or 2 am, so there's no need to wait.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end