Chapter 4

"Is there any gain?" Huinan stood with his hands behind his back at the small pavilion.

"Grandmaster, I wish to study another Buddhist scripture."

"Which one?"

"Let Grandmaster decide."

"Hmm... then the *Amitabha Sutra*."

Huinan took out a yellowed Buddhist scripture from his robe and handed it to Fakong: "The *Diamond Sutra* is the fundamental scripture of our Vajra Temple. Other scriptures are supplementary, to assist in enlightenment. Don’t put the cart before the horse!"

"Yes."

...

Fakong flipped through the *Amitabha Sutra*, closed his eyes, and after a moment, opened them again: "Grandmaster, are there any other Buddhist scriptures?"

"Wait a moment." Huinan looked at him, ultimately asking nothing, and turned back to the room to take out ten Buddhist scriptures and spread them on the stone table.

Fakong flipped through a scripture and closed his eyes, then opened them again and flipped through another, closing his eyes once more.

After flipping through eighteen scriptures, he shook his head in disappointment.

The *Diamond Sutra* had such miraculous effects. Was it because it was written by the patriarch, or because it was inscribed on the leaves of the Sijia tree, or for some other reason?

He then asked Huinan if there were any other scriptures inscribed on the leaves of the Sijia tree.

"What do you think the leaves of the Sijia tree are?" Huinan said irritably: "A legendary item!"

He then explained that in the Great Snow Mountain, only four temples had scriptures inscribed on the leaves of the Sijia tree: the Great Thunder Sound Temple, the Vajra Temple, the Bright Moon Hermitage, and the Flying Heaven Temple.

There was no way to see those four temples' scriptures, as they were kept secret. Even if he were to lose face, it would be of no use.

Fakong shook his head in self-mockery.

Indeed, there were no such good things in the world, and he had been too optimistic.

He quickly regained his composure and adjusted his mindset: gaining 48 days of lifespan per day was not bad!

Accumulating 100 years of lifespan in two years, gritting his teeth, and burying himself in work, he could get through it.

He revived his spirit and asked: "Grandmaster, do you know any Buddhist mantras?"

"You want to learn Buddhist mantras."

"Yes."

"Which one?" Huinan asked with a cold laugh and a sarcastic tone.

"All of them!"

"..."

Fakong smiled at him: "Grandmaster, do you think I can't learn them? My martial arts talent may not be great, but my intelligence is sufficient."

"Hmph, intelligence? Fine, then listen!" Huinan didn't want to say more: "The Great Light Mantra!"

...

"The Pure Heart Mantra!"

...

"The Great Compassion Mantra!"

...

"The Rebirth Mantra!"

...

"The Spring Return Mantra!"

...

Buddhist mantras require the unity of body, speech, and mind. One must form the mudra, recite the mantra, and visualize, all in perfect harmony.

It's a subtle state of being both scattered and focused, which cannot be taught but must be discovered through one's own efforts. Some people never find it in their entire lives.

Buddhist mantras are the mantras chanted by the Buddha.

The Buddha's chanting can affect the external world and even the ten directions, but unfortunately, there is no Buddha in this world.

Ordinary people chant Buddhist mantras, visualize the Buddha, and assume the Buddha's posture, hoping to harness a bit of the Buddha's power.

For cultivators, Buddhist mantras are a form of self-blessing, effective only within one's inner world, not influencing the external world.

Seeing that Fakong could remember and learn them at first sight, Huinan, not believing in his abilities, taught him 36 Buddhist mantras in one go.

The small pavilion was quiet.

A gentle breeze blew over the wall, and the green bamboo rustled.

Huinan stared at him thoughtfully.

Fakong slightly closed his eyes, his slender fingers forming mudras that changed continuously, his lips moving silently.

After reciting the 36 mantras again, Fakong opened his eyes and said: "Grandmaster, there are three true mantras."

Huinan laughed: "True mantras?"

Fakong nodded slowly and seriously.

Huinan, though bad-tempered and sharp-tongued, had a good heart. He spoke the truth and taught the true things, even showing him the invaluable Sijia leaf scriptures, clearly treating him as one of their own.

Fakong, in return, shared his discovery.

The Medicine Buddha chanted the same mantras as him.

An intuition arose.

These three mantras, with practice, could be used, while the other 29 were useless.

Huinan wanted to laugh but, seeing Fakong's serious expression, swallowed his sarcastic words and said with a snort: "You are indeed somewhat intelligent, but unfortunately, your talent is lacking. Better focus on growing herbs!"

He genuinely felt a sense of regret, such intelligence was rare.

Unfortunately, the timing was wrong, the Dharma-ending Age, the Prajna Vehicle had been severed.

Fakong was satisfied. Today's gains were significant, so he said: "Grandmaster, I want Fanning to help in the Medicine Valley."

"Fanning? You think too highly of yourself, get out!"

"Disciple takes his leave."

Fakong clasped his hands in a salute and turned to leave.

---

The sun set, the sky and the lake filled with rosy light.

Bathed in the rosy light, Fakong sat cross-legged on the green grass, facing the lake like a tapestry, and recited the Spring Return Mantra.

A fish in the lake, scales flaring, floated near the shore, belly up.

Reciting the Spring Return Mantra again and again, at first, there was nothing, but after 30 recitations, a jade bottle appeared in the air, visible only to him.

The jade bottle tilted, and the water inside poured over him.

The water flowed like a thin thread, continuous and unending, falling on him and then through his mudra to the fish.

After five recitations of the Spring Return Mantra, the fish's flared scales fell off, and it was restored to its original state.

It flipped over, flicked its tail, and disappeared into the green water plants at the bottom of the lake.

Fakong smiled.

The Spring Return Mantra was indeed effective, and more importantly, each recitation made it stronger.

Next time, three recitations would be enough to save the fish.

He tried the Pure Heart Mantra on another fish in the lake, and it worked.

The fish in the lake were not afraid of people. As he approached, they gathered around, hoping to get food.

He recited the Pure Heart Mantra on one fish, then another, and each recitation made him feel stronger.

This feeling was easy to get addicted to.

When Fanning came to deliver the evening meal, he was beaming.

Fakong stopped the Buddhist mantras, stood up, and patted his gray monk's robe, which, though dirty-resistant, he kept spotless.

"Brother," Fanning said joyfully, "Uncle Master Yuanming has agreed to let me help!"

Fakong smiled: "Uncle Master Yuanming finally agreed, sincerity can move even the hardest stone."

"Uncle Master Yuanming said it was because Grandmaster Huinan spoke up." Fanning smiled: "Did you ask Grandmaster Huinan?"

"I mentioned it." Fakong admitted.

"Brother, from now on, all the miscellaneous tasks in the valley will be mine. I only need to deliver meals to the Ten Thousand Buddha Peak twice a day, no other duties."

"Hmm? Ten Thousand Buddha Peak?"

Fakong frowned.

Fanning smiled: "Don't worry, Brother, nothing will happen."

"Those who got into trouble all thought like you." Fakong's face darkened.

When he frowned, an invisible pressure naturally emanated from him.

This was not due to martial arts but to the aura he had cultivated in his previous life.

Fanning quickly said carefully: "I volunteered."

"Nobody else dared to go, right?"

"A few brothers offered, but Uncle Master Yuanming rejected them and agreed to let me go."

"Be careful." Fakong shook his head helplessly.

It was too late to say anything now.

Going to Grandmaster Huinan probably wouldn't help either.

The Ten Thousand Buddha Peak imprisoned six top experts of the Demon Sect, and delivering meals there could easily lead to their influence.

Uncle Master Yuanming probably let Fanning go because of his pure nature and exceptional talent, making him less susceptible to the influence of the Demon Sect's martial arts.

"Brother, don't worry!" Fanning said carelessly: "By the way, Brother, we have a distinguished guest, a disciple of the Bright Moon Hermitage."

"A nun?"

"A lay disciple."

"What is she here for?"

"I haven't found out yet, I'll keep investigating. The Bright Moon Hermitage..."

He looked wistful.

"The Bright Moon Hermitage, unmatched beauty." Fakong smiled.

The Bright Moon Hermitage was famous not only because it was one of the top nine temples in the Great Snow Mountain, ranking higher than the Vajra Temple, but also because of its unique tradition.

The disciples of the Bright Moon Hermitage were all of ice-like skin and jade-like bones, with an extraordinary aura.

Even those who were not particularly beautiful were pleasing to the eye due to their unique aura and ice-like skin.

Fanning sighed: "Our two temples have a good relationship, but I've never seen a disciple of the Bright Moon Hermitage. They are too mysterious, and the disciples never leave the hermitage."

"Yes, it seems they truly live in seclusion." Fakong nodded.

The original owner had heard about the Bright Moon Hermitage from Master Yuanzhi.

The Bright Moon Hermitage had both lay disciples and ordained disciples.

The ordained disciples, except when ordered, never left the hermitage, isolated from the secular world.

The lay disciples, upon reaching the Tianyuan realm, would go down the mountain to the secular world to cultivate their hearts, until they saw through the secular world and grew tired of it, then they could be ordained.

Once ordained, they would be completely isolated from the secular world, devoted to the Buddha.

"Brother, before you go to the Ten Thousand Buddha Peak each time, listen to me recite the Pure Heart Mantra once, and once when you return."

"Ah?"

"It's decided!"

"..."