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墨書 Inktalez
The Serpent Cult, known since ancient times for its mastery of Evil Fire techniques, implanted Evil Fire within its disciples, turning them into bloodthirsty warriors capable of scattering an army of a thousand with just a hundred. Later, as various sects suppressed them, the Serpent Cult retreated to the desolate western regions and built the Refining Fire Hall to worship an Ancient Fire Serpent. From the essence of this fire serpent, they refined the primordial demon fire, which was further developed by a person named Taiyi, instilling fear in the Daoist Sect. Once infected by this fire, there was no cure, and everyone trembled at its mention.
The True Fire of Taiyi is toxic and is also known as the Five Poisons Divine Fire. Among the various types of fire recorded in the Daoist Sect, Chaotic Fire ranks first, followed by Great Crimson Fire and Vermilion Bird True Fire. The True Fire of Taiyi is the only one accessible to cultivators, making it unmatched by any other sect in terms of fire techniques.
Zhang Xing heard that Dongfang Jiu intended to collaborate with Nangong to forge a Divine Weapon and asked, “Master, if we cooperate with Nangong, it would mean making the forging of the Divine Weapon public.”
“What else can we do? It’s better to be open than to destroy everything,” Eastern Nine replied.
Zhang Xing said, “But Nangong might not agree to work with us.”
Eastern Nine responded, “You don’t understand Nangong. He gets greedy when he sees treasure; he will definitely agree. Go to the Sword Pavilion Treasure Vault and retrieve a treasure. You must personally go to the Divine Serpent Cult Headquarters and not mess things up.”
“What do you think would be a good gift for Nangong?” Zhang Xing asked solemnly.
“Giving a gift is just a superficial bargaining chip; any piece of scrap metal will do. I have my reasons for inviting him, and he has his reasons for coming. Do you really think he cares about other treasures? Once the Divine Weapon is forged, he will be the first to snatch it up!” Eastern Nine explained.
“Understood, Master. I will take care of it right away,” Zhang Xing said as he exited the Sword Furnace. Before leaving, he cast a calm glance at the Sword Cauldron where the Ten Famous Swords had already been refined. The Sword Soul struggled and howled, trapped by a special sword-ritual barrier.
At that moment, near Moon Well in Dunhuang Desert, a monk hurriedly approached and said, “Brother Yang Hao, Sister Yunxi, Sky Master wants you to come over; the Three Divine Monks have emerged from seclusion.”
Yunxi and I turned around. I said, “Got it; you can head back now.”
The monk acknowledged and turned back toward Leiyin Temple. Yunxi supported me as she said, “The Three Great Monks possess profound Buddhist teachings; they will surely be able to heal your Injury of the Dao.”
“Mm.” I coughed lightly as we returned to Leiyin Temple together.
In front of the Ten Thousand Buddha Grotto, the Beast was playing with Douding, both of them occasionally teasing Qiongqi, who was basking in the sun in the Pavilion. Qiongqi's muscular wings had grown strong, and flying was no longer a problem for it. Under the influence of the monks at Leiyin Temple chanting scriptures, it had learned to control its murderous instincts well. Every day, there were monks specifically responsible for Qiongqi's diet.
When Douding saw me and Yunxi return, he stopped his antics and laughed heartily, "Brother Yang Hao, Bubble is getting more mischievous! Today it even learned to pee like me; it seems like a male!"
I patted Douding's bald head and said, "Teach Bubble some good things."
Yunxi and I entered the Ten Thousand Buddha Grotto. On the altar, Withered Leaf, Dead Tree, and Withered Heart had just emerged from their retreat. The Three Divine Monks were arguing about something while Master Wuhe Haideng was in the midst of it all. I asked, "What's all this commotion about?"
Everyone turned to look at me as I approached. Haikong addressed the Three Divine Monks, "Three Shifu Uncles, Benefactor Yang Hao has arrived; please take a look."
The oldest Holy Monk, Withered Leaf, glanced at me and frowned. "It truly is an Injury of the Dao."
"Master can tell it's an Injury of the Dao?" I asked.
Withered Leaf nodded and replied, "My Grandmaster once sought to penetrate the Dao as well. However, he did not use the method of unifying the Three Souls and Seven Spirits; instead, he aimed to understand all sentient beings and reach a state of no-self."
The Grandmaster of the Three Divine Monks was none other than Master Xu Yun, the foremost figure of the Buddhist Sect. Although Master Xu Yun did not cultivate Buddhist powers, his understanding of Buddhist law was boundless. After his death, his body transformed into a Seven-Colored Relic that was stolen. For many years now, Leiyin Temple had been searching for the Seven-Colored Relic in hopes of adding another Living Buddha to the Buddhist Sect. No one had ever heard that Master Xu Yun once sought to penetrate the Dao.
Yunxi asked, "Holy Monk, since you know about the Injury of the Dao, do you know how to remedy it?"
Withered Leaf shook his head. "Though my Grandmaster lacked Buddhist powers, his understanding of Buddhist law was vast. His realm had long surpassed the Tribulation Realm; if he could not resist the Injury of the Dao, then I fear..."
Wudao interjected, "Dry Leaf Monk, although Master Xu Yun is a titan of the Buddhist Sect, he never cultivated Buddhist powers. However, Haozi possesses Martial Dao Classic knowledge and understands various Daoist Arts and Ultimate Techniques from different sects. Perhaps he can break this curse of the Dao?"
"Breaking the Dao is no easy feat. Throughout history, many brilliant masters have fallen to the Might of the Dao. Perhaps in the past, Martial Sage Zhang Sanfeng overcame this challenge, and even the Sword Saint might have unraveled the Dao," Withered Leaf said.
Yunxi replied, "Holy Monk, there is something I have never understood. Why do these Saints, who are already in the Tribulation Realm, not Transcend Tribulation and ascend?"
Withered Leaf responded, "The Nine Divine Thunder cannot be resisted. When the divine thunder strikes, the entire realm falls silent. Many predecessors have tried and failed. This path leads nowhere."
Withered Heart added, "Indeed, the Tribulation Realm is the final stage of the Daoist Sect's Nine Major Realms. No one can cross it; it is a punishment from above for those who dare to defy. However, Hai Kong, Benefactor Yang Hao's Injury of the Dao may not be impossible to heal. My Buddhist Sect possesses an ancient method called the Buddha's Reincarnation Spell. It can purify all malevolent energy and restore the Buddha body. Although you are a Taoist Sacred Body, you share a common origin with Buddhism; perhaps it is worth a try."
The other two Holy Monks nodded in agreement. Withered Heart continued, "However, while Buddhism and Taoism share a common origin, they are ultimately distinct paths. No one has ever attempted this before; it could cause Hai Kong, Benefactor Yang Hao to immediately dissolve into the Dao, his soul scattering."
"This is murder, not salvation!" May Day exclaimed anxiously at Withered Heart's words.
"Calm down. If my Shifu Uncle wasn't confident, he wouldn't say such things," Master Hai Deng said.
"I appreciate the efforts of the Three Divine Monks," I said.
The Three Divine Monks nodded and took their places around the altar, gesturing for me to sit in the center.
Within the Buddha Wheel, radiant light burst forth in a splendid display as powerful Buddhist teachings flowed into my body.
Suddenly, the golden figure opened its eyes wide, attempting to repel this overwhelming light of Buddhism. I immediately controlled it not to resist and allowed the light to shine freely. Under its illumination, cracks on the golden figure began to slowly heal, showing signs of recovery. But soon after, Dao Qi within the golden figure overflowed; the energies of Buddhism and Taoism clashed violently. The wounds reopened instantly as the golden figure let out a terrible scream. The Dao Qi surged outwards, dispersing the Buddhist light.
The Three Divine Monks halted their efforts. I opened my eyes as well, my face pale with shock.
"Looks like it still won't work," Withered Leaf said. "Though Buddhism and Taoism share the same origin, they lead to different ends. We can no longer attempt to repair the Injury of the Dao."
Wudao responded, "The Three Divine Monks, Haozi possesses the Martial Dao Classic and can master all Cultivation Methods in a short time. Why not pass on the Buddhist techniques from the Scripture Repository to him? Perhaps he can find a way to repair the Injury of the Dao himself."
The Three Divine Monks turned to Sky Master. Haikong said, "It's not that I, Leiyin Temple, am unwilling, but there truly are no Buddhist Sect Cultivation Methods left in the Scripture Repository. Years ago, Master Xu Yun ordered that all members of the Buddhist Sect cease practicing Buddhist techniques that harm sentient beings, leading to the destruction of all such teachings. Therefore, what we practice at Leiyin Temple has been passed down orally through generations. If Hai Kong, Benefactor Yang Hao wishes to learn, I will transcribe a few basic volumes of the Buddhist Sect's Cultivation Methods for him. After he learns them, he can study the Buddhist teachings in the Scripture Repository; it may be helpful."
I nodded and said, "Thank you for your efforts, Abbot. I will not damage any texts in the Scripture Repository."
I rose from the altar and bid farewell to everyone. Yunxi helped me out of the Ten Thousand Buddha Grotto. I instructed the beast to retrieve two Holy Medicines from the Holy Herb Garden and hand them to Douding for Sky Master.
Wu chased after me from within the Ten Thousand Buddha Grotto and said, "Haozi, there must be a way to save you. Once I master the Yin-Yang Technique, I can help you reshape your fate; perhaps there will be a ray of hope."
"It's fine, Wu. I'm at peace with it," I replied softly.
Yunxi assisted me to the edge of Moon Well. I said, "Yunxi, if I'm no longer here, let my Dao Fruit belong to you and take good care of Bubble for me."
"Mm," Yunxi replied.
Two days later, having mastered the basic Cultivation Methods of the Buddhist Sect, I sat in Leiyin Temple's Scripture Repository and practiced the essence of Martial Dao Classic. Clear Light enveloped the entire Scripture Repository. Now that I had reached the Dao Fruit Realm, I could memorize and comprehend countless Buddhist scriptures without destroying their texts.
After a moment, as Clear Light receded and the essence returned, a faint aura of Buddhist light surrounded me, and my presence became incredibly serene as I stepped out of the Scripture Repository.
Haideng remarked, "Indeed remarkable! In such a short time, your Buddhist nature allows you to merge and unify both Buddhism and Taoism's Cultivation Methods."
I said, "It's just the absorption of the Martial Dao Classic."
"Not quite," Haideng replied. "Even if one possesses the Martial Dao Classic, it depends on who is using it. If an ordinary person were to obtain the Martial Dao Classic and absorb so many diverse cultivation methods and texts, even if their mind didn't explode, they would surely become mentally unstable. Yet, Hai Kong and Benefactor Yang Hao not only remember so much but also integrate what they've learned. That's truly rare."
Yunxi asked, "Now that you've mastered Buddhist teachings, won't it be much easier to heal the Injury of the Dao?"
I shook my head and said, "Buddhist Sect cultivation methods cannot heal the Injury of the Dao; they can only delay its effects. There's no need to try."
Wudao suggested, "Perhaps Brother Yang might have a solution. He is well-versed in many things, and finding him might lead to a way to heal the Injury of the Dao."
I replied, "I've already mastered the Renewal of Withered Trees. If there were a way, I could heal myself without wasting effort. If you see them, don't mention my Injury of the Dao; I won't die just yet. I'm quite resilient."
Yunxi said, "Let me help you back to rest."
"Go check on Iron Bull; I think I have a way to wake him up," I said.
In a Meditation Room, Iron Bull had been in a deep coma for over three months. A few days ago, when I first arrived at Leiyin Temple, I examined Iron Bull's body and found his breath steady. There was a mysterious force within him protecting his heart veins, but there was also a clot of blood in his brain.
I didn't know if that clot was a seal left by Iron Bull's master or an injury from his past, but it severely hindered Iron Bull's cognitive development and often left him in a daze.
I approached Iron Bull's bedside and placed my palm on his forehead. The energies of Buddhism and Taoism flowed into his mind as I carefully purified the clot in his brain. Iron Bull's fingers twitched, and he opened his eyes to look at me, momentarily stunned.
I waved my hand in front of Iron Bull's eyes and asked, "In a vegetative state?"
"Iron Bull" swallowed hard and said, "It must be someone cooking; I'm so hungry."
Everyone burst into laughter. "Iron Bull" stood up, feeling a bit embarrassed, and nodded, saying, "Boss, sorry to make you laugh."
"Iron Bull" then glanced at "Yunxi" and exclaimed, "Boss Lady, you look really beautiful."
"Yunxi" chuckled lightly and replied, "You should let him stay in his daze; waking up just to be so smooth-tongued."
I said, "Iron Bull, while you were unconscious for three months, you have already advanced to the Dao Fruit Realm. After we finish eating, I'll give you a Holy Medicine to replenish the energy you've lost during that time."
"Holy Medicine?!" "Iron Bull" exclaimed with delight. "I've never tasted Holy Medicine before; what's it like? Thank you, Boss! By the way, why do you look hurt? Which scoundrel injured you?"
I replied, "I'm fine; just go eat. I'm a bit tired."
"Yunxi" helped me back to my room. Learning all the scriptures from the Leiyin Temple's Scripture Repository had drained a lot of my mental energy, and in my current state, it was hard to adapt.
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