Chapter 3

He raised his head to look at the sky shrouded in twilight.

If this were true, it would mean that if he accumulated a hundred years of lifespan, burning through those hundred years would instantly make him a top expert.

Of course, with the physical condition of this body, even cultivating under the special state of the Time Wheel Pagoda, a hundred years would probably still not be enough to become a top expert; he would need more lifespan.

He needed to find a miraculous technique to change his constitution, cleanse his body, and improve his aptitude.

Moreover, the speed at which he accumulated lifespan was too slow, increasing by twenty-four days a day, and twenty-four years a year.

More than four years was still too slow.

He desperately wanted to become a top expert immediately; even the safety of the Vajra Temple couldn't compare to the security of possessing top-notch martial arts.

He returned to the wooden house and sat on the bed all night, deep in thought.

One thought after another arose, only to be extinguished one by one.

He didn't sleep all night. At the moment the morning star shone in the east, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he sensed a path in the darkness.

That night, he learned another wonderful use of the pagoda—storage.

He could move things in and out of the pagoda at will without burning any lifespan, and time inside the pagoda would be frozen.

He didn't pay much attention; lifespan was the key.

The next day, after eating breakfast, he left the Medicine Valley and went to the Prajna Hall of the Vajra Temple.

The Prajna Hall was a specialized hall within the Vajra Temple dedicated to the study and practice of Buddhist teachings, gathering many of the temple's elders.

Most of these elders were over a hundred years old, at a stage where their physical strength was waning, and they no longer handled secular affairs, focusing solely on the cultivation of Buddhist teachings.

According to Fahong's understanding, it was essentially a retirement home.

As soon as he stepped into the gate of the Prajna Hall, he heard a powerful and angry shout: "Get out—!"

Immediately, a handsome and slender young monk ran out of the main hall like a streak of smoke, his feet barely touching the ground. As he passed Fahong, he glanced at him sideways.

"Fahong Senior Brother."

The young monk smiled, clasped his hands in greeting, but didn't stop. After saying this, he disappeared at the gate.

"Fawu Junior Brother."

Fahong clasped his hands in return, bowing to the empty gate.

Because he had been taken in by Yuanzhi since childhood and entered the Vajra Temple, he had a very high seniority among the "Fa" generation.

Unless they were much older, most of the "Fa" generation would call him Senior Brother.

This Fawu Junior Brother was the top cultivator of the "Fa" generation, with astonishing insight and superior aptitude.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort, and a short and thin old monk emerged from the main hall, standing on the steps with his hands behind his back, coldly staring at Fahong.

The gray monk's robe was particularly loose on him, like a child wearing an adult's clothes, making him look even smaller.

His snow-white eyebrows drooped to the corners of his eyes, making his face appear more ruddy and infant-like.

His eyes shot out two cold, piercing beams that made people dare not look directly.

"Grandmaster." Fahong clasped his hands in greeting.

Venerable Huinan, Yuanzhi's master and thus his direct grandmaster, was one of the closest people to him in the Vajra Temple.

Venerable Huinan was extremely dissatisfied with Yuanzhi, and their master-disciple relationship was tense. The original owner had only met Venerable Huinan once, and this was the second time.

"Why are you here!" Venerable Huinan said coldly.

Fahong replied, "Grandmaster, I want to cultivate Buddhist teachings."

"Not practicing martial arts anymore?"

"Grandmaster, I've heard that there are two paths to achieving the Vajra state, both leading to the same destination. I want to try the other path."

"Hmph!" Venerable Huinan sneered.

Fahong looked at him calmly.

Venerable Huinan said, "You, it's better to focus on growing medicine."

"Grandmaster, does the path of cultivation also require sufficient aptitude?"

"What do you think?"

"Do I have no hope at all?"

Venerable Huinan pursed his lips and waved his hand. "Follow me."

He descended the steps, his sleeves fluttering as he walked, passing through the moon gate to a small courtyard.

Bamboo groves lined three walls, the green bamboo swaying gently.

The courtyard was peaceful and serene.

A handsome young novice was sweeping the courtyard but was waved away by Venerable Huinan.

Venerable Huinan came to a small pavilion in front of the bamboo groves, sat at a stone table, and pointed to the stone bench opposite him.

Fahong clasped his hands in greeting, sat on the stone bench opposite, and looked at him respectfully.

"It seems your master hasn't told you anything." Venerable Huinan shook his head. "This Yuanzhi..."

"My master told me not to think about cultivation and to focus on studying medicinal herbs."

"Hmm, that's not wrong. With your aptitude, it's better to focus on studying medicinal herbs."

"Grandmaster..."

"Who told you that the Vajra Temple has two paths?"

"Devoting oneself to the Vajra Sutra, can one not achieve the Vajra state?"

"Ah..."

"Please enlighten me, Grandmaster." Fahong bowed solemnly.

"Do you know that we are in the Dharma Decline Period?"

"Yes." Fahong nodded slowly.

He had heard his master Yuanzhi say that people were obsessed with martial arts and no longer believed in Buddhist teachings, which was the Dharma Decline Period.

"When the founder of our temple established it, there were indeed two paths: the Prajna Vehicle and the Vajra Vehicle."

"The Prajra Vehicle can achieve the Vajra state through wisdom and meditation, step by step, like climbing stairs, to reach the Vajra realm and attain the indestructible body."

"Four out of the six indestructible bodies in our temple were achieved through the Prajna Vehicle."

"But in the Dharma Decline Period, generation after generation of karma has accumulated, and people's hearts are thoroughly obscured, like being bound by a thick cocoon. Wisdom alone cannot break through the karma, and the Vajra Vehicle is a convenient method."

"During the Flourishing Dharma Period, the Vajra Vehicle was a longer path, but in the Dharma Decline Period, it is the only path."

"For over two thousand years, only two patriarchs have achieved the indestructible body through the Vajra Vehicle, and no one has done so in the past thousand years. The longer path is still a longer path, but it is at least a clear path." Venerable Huinan said indifferently.

Fahong was still not giving up.

With the Medicine Buddha in him, he was always in a state of tranquility and peace, and with the Prajna Time Wheel Pagoda, it might not be impossible.

"Ah... give up, the lineage of the Prajna Vehicle has been severed, and it cannot be cultivated anymore."

Fahong frowned. "The lineage has been severed?"

"The Prajna Vehicle does not rely on written texts, only on the Vajra Sutra. The subtle and profound realms can only be transmitted through empowerment, and that lineage has been severed."

Fahong fell silent.

Without the lineage, it might be better to practice martial arts.

"Grandmaster, can people in this world truly become Buddhas?" Fahong asked.

The Great Snow Mountain was full of experts, and he had heard of the might of some high monks, but among the 108 temples, he had never heard of anyone becoming a Buddha.

Venerable Huinan shook his head. "In the Dharma Decline Period, it is impossible to become a Buddha in this world. Cultivation in this world is only for accumulating merit. If not in this life, then in the next, and so on, with unwavering determination, one can ultimately become a Buddha!"

"Why didn't the patriarchs who achieved the indestructible body remain in this world?" Fahong asked again.

The Vajra Temple emphasized immediate achievement, and according to the teachings, the Vajra state could last for eons without decay.

"These patriarchs are not unable to remain, but they do not wish to remain." Venerable Huinan snorted. "At the Vajra state, one realizes that there is nothing worth lingering for in this world, a filthy and corrupt swamp. How can it compare to the Western Paradise?... Freedom to come and go as one pleases is also a wonder of the Vajra state."

Fahong pondered.

"The Vajra Eight Extremes, when practiced to the ultimate level, transcend the realm of martial arts and enter the realm of Buddhist teachings. Continuing to cultivate can lead to the achievement of the indestructible Vajra."

"Grandmaster, I want to try studying the Buddhist scriptures." Fahong said slowly.

"Hmph, I spoke in vain!"

"Grandmaster, I want to try."

"Then let's start with the simplest." Venerable Huinan stood up, went into the house, and soon came out, handing Fahong a copy of the Vajra Sutra. "See if you can gain any insight."

Fahong took it with both hands.

The feel of the scripture was very strange, like a freshly picked leaf, full of vitality and greenness, even cool to the touch.

"This is the Western Gaya Leaf Sutra, personally recorded by our temple's founding patriarch when he heard the Buddha's teachings."

Fahong did not doubt it, only finding it wondrous. "How long ago was that?"

So long, yet it felt like a fresh leaf; this world was indeed wondrous.

Venerable Huinan glanced at him. "Don't believe it?"

"Such a precious Buddhist treasure, Grandmaster actually shows it to me..." Fahong showed a moved expression.

Venerable Huinan snorted. "This scripture cannot be destroyed or lost, so it's fine to show it to you."

"Grandmaster, can I take it back to the Medicine Valley to study it slowly?"

"What do you think?!" Venerable Huinan said irritably. "This scripture cannot be taken out of the Prajna Hall!"

"Then I will read it here." Fahong nodded.

As expected.

How could such a treasure be taken out of the Prajna Hall casually?

"Read it, study it, and don't give up until you hit a wall, just like your master!"

Venerable Huinan sneered and went back into the house, leaving Fahong in the pavilion.

Fahong closed his eyes.

In the vast, silent blue sky, the chanting ceased, and the Medicine Buddha, who had been meditating with half-closed eyes, slowly opened them, serene and peaceful.

He looked up diagonally.

Words of the Vajra Sutra slowly appeared in the sky, each character as large as a fist, shimmering with golden light.

The words on the leaf were exactly the same.

When all the words of the Vajra Sutra appeared, the Medicine Buddha slowly closed his eyes and began to murmur.

The chanting rose again.

Fahong focused, listening to the Vajra Sutra being chanted.

When the last word of the Vajra Sutra was chanted, one of the golden characters in the sky transformed into a golden flower bud, about the size of a fist.

After the second recitation of the Vajra Sutra, another golden character transformed into a flower bud.

...

When the last golden character transformed into a flower bud, all the flower buds suddenly merged and bloomed into a large golden lotus.

Golden light shone through the sky.

The golden lotus slowly descended to the Medicine Buddha, attaching to the base of his lotus throne.

Immediately, the lotus throne rose, from one layer to two, the first layer with eighteen petals, the second with nine.

The Medicine Buddha's appearance became even more solemn, and he began to chant the Medicine Sutra. After one recitation, two drops of nectar fell from the sky.

His mind withdrew, and he smiled.

From then on, he could gain forty-eight days of lifespan in a day!

What a wonderful Vajra Sutra, truly boundless in its wonders!

If one layer of the lotus and one drop of nectar are added for each Buddhist scripture, then reading more scriptures could increase the lotus throne by countless layers, adding over a hundred years of lifespan in a day.

A supreme expert could be achieved in an instant!

Thinking of this, his smile grew wider.

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