Chapter 78: The Pure Land's Metamorphosis, the Marvel of Firm Foundation!

Chapter 78: The Pure Land's Metamorphosis, the Marvel of Firm Foundation!

As Ji Jingqiu once again stepped into the inner world, he discovered that this pure land had undergone a remarkable transformation.

The range of the pure land had broken through the previous limitation of three zhang and six chi, now extending over four zhang, more than three times the size of the previous day.

Within this four-zhang pure land, the Bodhi tree, though still sparse in branches and leaves, had thicker roots and a sturdier trunk, standing taller by over a meter. Ji Jingqiu could now sit under the tree instead of beside it.

The foundation had been firmly laid, awaiting the next offering from the Supreme Buddha Sect.

Beside the Bodhi tree, a shallow pool of water had appeared.

The water in the pool was from the Sea of Suffering, clear to the bottom, rippling with faint waves, giving Ji Jingqiu the feeling that something should be kept within it.

But what could survive in the Sea of Suffering without withering or decaying?

This was not the greatest change.

Outside the pure land, the previously collapsed sky dome was now covered by the illusory and clear Sea of Suffering, making it difficult to discern reality from illusion. The colorful reflections gave one the illusion that it might collapse at any moment.

Eleven pillars of heaven stood in various corners of the world, temporarily supporting this Sea of Suffering.

With his eyesight, Ji Jingqiu couldn't quite make out the true appearance of these eleven pillars of light.

But if he wasn't mistaken, these eleven pillars were related to the mysterious resonance he had sensed before.

Speaking of which...

Where had Fat Tiger gone?

Ji Jingqiu looked around but didn't notice Fat Tiger's figure.

Had this guy run off with the fourth blade?

As he pondered, a figure came running from the distance, none other than Fat Tiger!

Ji Jingqiu's face slowly showed surprise as he saw the fourth blade in Fat Tiger's mouth.

How long had it been...

How had the fourth blade suddenly appeared?

As Fat Tiger bumped into his embrace, nudging his head against Ji Jingqiu's chest to claim credit, Ji Jingqiu gently scratched its chin and granted it a day off as a special reward.

Then, to show his appreciation for Fat Tiger, Ji Jingqiu carefully inscribed a line of words on the fourth blade:

"Congratulations to Comrade Fat Tiger for winning the Advanced Individual Award in the Blade Polishing Contest."

He then solemnly handed the fifth blade to Fat Tiger.

After a brief moment of play, Ji Jingqiu continued to comprehend the changes in the inner world.

At that moment, the guardian deity, who had been in deep slumber, slowly awakened.

The face that could transform into countless forms finally converged into one, its aura becoming perfectly rounded and unified.

Ji Jingqiu gazed at the deity's face, feeling a sense of familiarity.

There were traces of Yang Shi, and perhaps even Cheng Yan...

"Please bestow a name, World-Honored One," the awakened guardian deity said with palms pressed together in reverence.

Bestowing a name...

Ji Jingqiu contemplated.

This deity, born from the origin of the Supreme Buddha, followed a similar path of self-salvation and salvation of others.

The Supreme Buddha sought the "One True Buddha," while this guardian deity's path was to "save all beings, end all suffering, and make all people Buddhas," the opposite of the Supreme Buddha.

This vow reminded Ji Jingqiu of the Earth Store Bodhisattva, who had made a grand vow.

Of course, he could only think of these few well-known and popular Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

In his past life, Ji Jingqiu had been a non-believer in Buddhism, and his understanding of Buddhism and Taoism was limited to what he had read in novels.

Bestow the name Earth Store?

Wasn't that too grand?

Ji Jingqiu hesitated for a moment, until he suddenly remembered a classic TV series from his past life.

Living Buddha Ji Dian!

He now had an idea.

He would give a dharma name and a dharma title! The dharma title would be Earth Store, representing vastness and grandeur, while the dharma name would be the opposite, something smaller and more ordinary.

His visualization chart was named "Fire Mansion Buddha Hell."

What is the Fire Mansion?

It represents the suffering and hardship of sentient beings in the mortal world.

Ji Jingqiu spoke solemnly:

"I first bestow upon you the dharma title of Earth Store, may you be as steadfast and immovable as the earth, and as profound and secret as a hidden treasure."

"I further bestow upon you a dharma name.

In the Three Realms, there is no peace, just like a fire mansion. I give you the dharma name of 'Fire Stick.'"

"May you enter the fire and extinguish it without being burned, and help others without suffering yourself."

Although this name was ordinary, it held profound meaning and aligned with Buddhist teachings!

The guardian deity pressed his palms together and said respectfully, "Thank you, World-Honored One, for bestowing a name. I also ask that you allow me to sever my final worldly attachments."

"Worldly attachments?"

Ji Jingqiu was curious but didn't stop him, nodding his head.

"Go."

The guardian deity rose, bowed once more, and then followed the line of causality, disappearing from the pure land.

...

...

Inside the martial arts academy, Yang Yan sat in meditation, his vital energy much weaker than before, a consequence of burning his life source that day.

He did not regret his decision.

The most painful thing in life is having no opportunities and lacking the ability to help his loved ones seek revenge.

He was already content with the current outcome; one shouldn't be too greedy in life, right?

But he dared not face one question: Had he truly avenged Tian'er?

The vision he had witnessed that day—was it a fantasy or a real sight? He was gradually becoming unsure.

Yang Yan was well aware that this doubt stemmed from the regression of his spiritual realm.

If his spiritual realm was not firmly established, there was a possibility of regression.

His regression was mainly due to the withering and depletion of his life source.

He shouldn't have doubted himself.

What he had seen that day was absolutely correct!

He had truly seen Tian'er bidding him farewell!

Yang Yan sat cross-legged with closed eyes, forcefully entering a state of meditation to dispel the demons in his heart.

I don't know when.

In front of him sat another figure.

It was a face similar to his own, yet much younger.

He gazed at the aged man before him, his expression filled with compassion. Slowly, he closed his eyes, sat in the lotus position, and formed a mudra with his hands, like blooming lotuses, precisely the meditation seal used to guide others!

At this moment, a divine light emerged from within him, flowing into Yang Yan's body as the meditation seal took effect, while his own body gradually diminished.

With his own fundamental nature, he was helping Yang Yan break through the final barrier of firm foundation.

The original text is available in Chapter 69 of the book.

His assistance to Yang Yan was like a tiny sprout in the gentle spring rain, yet it opened a sliver of opportunity for the old man who had been trapped in this realm for years, allowing Yang Yan to glimpse the vast world beyond the door. In that fleeting moment of birth and death, he understood the impermanence of life.

Only those who comprehend the concepts of "constancy" and "impermanence" can truly grasp the mysteries of firm foundation.

Once one enters the state of firm foundation, their mind becomes like a solid rock, eternally unmoving, and there is no longer any need to enter or exit meditation.

Their mental cultivation remains forever in their heart, never to regress.

This generation, once they make a decision, is resolute in their will, and almost no one can change their minds, for they are a generation of unwavering determination.

At this moment, someone stood frozen at the door.

It was Yang Yao, holding a nourishing tonic soup.

He stared at his teacher, witnessing the transformative changes within his master's body, as if he had been reborn, with vital energy flowing like thunder.

Was this a martial arts breakthrough?!

No...

It was a breakthrough in mindset, an elevation of the spirit! Yang Yao's heart trembled, feeling the impact from the spiritual realm.

In his eyes, his teacher's figure stood tall and unwavering, as if he had unraveled the mysteries of the mortal world. A wave of spiritual energy emanated from his teacher, spreading outward.

Within the range of this spiritual wave, Yang Yao, who had entered meditation, felt an unparalleled sense of peace and harmony.

Faintly, he seemed to see a deity burning with divine light, illuminating the four directions, sitting before his teacher, eyes closed in recitation, guiding him on his journey.

That deity had the same face as Yang Tian, his brother, in his memory.

And in the end, the deity's figure seemed to have diminished, slowly rising, looking in his direction, nodding slightly, lips moving as if whispering instructions to take care of his teacher.

After a moment, the familiar face became blurred, and the deity turned and walked towards the distance.

...

Lower Level Area.

"Sister Chengxin, after my grandmother and I move out, this room will be yours."

In the dilapidated residential building, a boy whispered happily.

Chengxin smiled and bowed her head, "Thank you. Where are you and Grandma moving to?"

"To the temple at the seventh street intersection! Grandpa Zhuang said they're about to leave, and he wants me to take my grandmother to the small house next to the temple to help with cleaning and welcoming guests every day!"

The boy exclaimed excitedly, "Grandpa Zhuang is so kind. I go to the temple to help every day, just cleaning and throwing out the trash, and I can exchange it for nutritious meals! There are also books to read at the temple!"

Chengxin was lost in thought, her dark brown irises losing focus, as if she had returned to the past for a moment.

She knew that street and had been there several times. Vaguely, she remembered a temple located in one corner.

But at that time, no one told them, the siblings, that they could exchange food or even read books by helping out at the temple.

The environment and education they received since childhood were all about toughness. Only by being tougher than others could they survive.

The boy's chattering brought Chengxin back to reality from her memories.

She stared at the boy, seeing the light in his eyes, a glimpse of his aspirations for the future.

Chengxin reached out, ruffled the boy's messy hair, and said softly, "That's great. Seize the opportunity and don't be lazy."

The boy nodded firmly.

Suddenly, Chengxin felt a gaze from behind.

She patted the boy's head, signaling him to go back inside.

Only after the boy had returned to the room and closed the door did Chengxin calmly turn around.

"Who's there?"

Unexpectedly, it wasn't the police or security personnel she had imagined.

At the end of the narrow corridor stood a familiar figure with broad shoulders.

He walked slowly, his face illuminated by the light, but Chengxin couldn't believe her eyes and took a step back, afraid to approach.

It was her brother's face! But... her brother was...

The visitor said nothing and didn't move forward. Half of his body stood in the light, while the other half was shrouded in darkness, his gaze fixed upwards.

Chengxin, standing in the lower level, followed his gaze and looked up. In the narrow, crowded steel forest, a single ray of light shone through, revealing a starry sky that Chengxin had never seen from the lower levels, even if it was just a sliver.

The figure accompanying her remained silent, just like in her memories, a hard, unyielding stone that seemed to be guiding her:

Ahead, there is still a path.

...

...

Ji Jingqiu witnessed the actions of the guardian deity, seeing and understanding everything.

He watched as the guardian deity went on a journey, severing various earthly attachments, guiding others and himself, with insights flowing from his heart like a spring.

Guiding others is guiding oneself.

Ji Jingqiu slowly closed his eyes, and within his body, a sword's cry rose, reaching an infinite pitch.

At the moment of breaking through the fourth limit, Ji Jingqiu unexpectedly realized that this sword...

Seemed exceptionally sharp, breaking through without any hindrance!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end