Chapter 612
Each Heads to Their Own Supreme Dojo
Chapter 612 Each Heads to Their Own Supreme Dojo
Inside the Bodhisattva's sacred site, though it was a ruin, a faint golden light still emanated from it, making it seem quite extraordinary in this barren place under the vast darkness of night.
Qin Ming asked, "Does the Buddha of Wonderful Truth know how long it takes to escape from the cycle of reincarnation?"
In the Seven Treasures Pond, the water ripples gently, golden waves spread in layers, the black lotus is deep and serene, and a faint fragrance wafts on the night breeze, making people's minds clear and tranquil.
Miao Di, with his rough skin resembling that of an ascetic, replied, "There is no fixed number; it varies from person to person. The two fellow Daoists on the path of reincarnation are quite remarkable. Normally, they should be freed from their predicament soon."
Qin Ming raised his eyes and asked, "What if it's not normal?"
There's always the fear of "what if," so he left Yujing and risked traveling to distant lands to find his two brothers, determined not to allow anything to happen to them.
Miao Di said, "The last leg of a journey is the hardest. You need to be extra vigilant and attentive to the last part. If you are not careful, you may not be able to get out."
Qin Ming asked, "I've heard that one can use the silk spun by dream insects to fish out those lost in the Black Lotus of Reincarnation."
He pondered to himself whether to use his own golden thread to guide her, or to try to contact Meng Zhiyu through his three newly sworn brothers, and then obtain the dream thread to rescue her.
But what can be said about this? As the fifth brother, he hasn't even formally paid his respects to the eldest sister yet, and he's already making demands, asking her to spit out a mouthful of Dream Silk... Won't that be seen as frivolous and having ulterior motives, and end up getting a beating?
Miao Di shook his head and said, "The Dream Silk is indeed miraculous and can save people, but interrupting the cycle of reincarnation in this way may ruin the opportunity for the two of them."
Qin Ming frowned. This wasn't working? Thank goodness, he hadn't gone directly to ask that older woman to spin silk.
Beside her, the Buddhist nun Miaoyin, dressed in white with an unparalleled beauty, stood in the hazy Buddhist light, ethereal and otherworldly, and said, "Our Great Thunderclap Temple has a method that can be of some help and may be able to guide the two out without any hidden dangers."
Of course, it's hard to say exactly how effective it is.
Qin Ming cupped his hands and said, "Please enlighten me, Buddha."
Miaoyin said, "This method is not of much help to our cultivation. It is usually only monks and old bodhisattvas who study it while exploring various scriptures in order to achieve a complete understanding of Buddhism."
She said that the sutra was called the "Guiding Sutra," and that she had heard it when the golden-bodied Arhat was giving a sermon.
She was very frank, saying, "I haven't comprehended it yet. This scripture is very difficult. If the Great Sage wants to save people, he can try to understand it."
Qin Ming looked surprised and asked, "I am not a Buddhist disciple, how can I comprehend this scripture?"
Miaoyin smiled slightly and said, "Among the various methods of the Great Thunderclap Temple, there are many universal methods that all sentient beings can comprehend, and anyone with wisdom can master them."
Qin Ming said, "The ancient Buddha is compassionate."
Several guardian deities had not yet left.
They have been recruited by the government. After some time, the Great Thunder Temple may reopen the road connecting this place, at which time they will have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage.
At this moment, several powerful demons gathered around upon hearing this, also wanting to comprehend the Dharma.
After all, even the golden-bodied Arhats had read this sutra.
"It seems I really can't improve my cultivation level." The six-tusked white elephant was slightly disappointed.
"This... is very difficult." Even as a grandmaster, Nanming E'niao struggled to comprehend it. He frowned deeply and looked up at the night sky.
"Ok?"
The Buddhist nun Miaoyin and the Buddhist disciple Miaodi both showed surprise. They discovered that Qin Ming had already sat down cross-legged, and his body was emitting a faint golden Buddhist light.
"This... he has already entered the first stage?" An old monk who had returned to the Bodhisattva's temple stood up, looking astonished, and felt that this young man indeed had amazing wisdom.
Nanming E'niao was lost in thought. Even as a grandmaster, he found it difficult to study this method, yet a young man had comprehended it directly.
What else could he say but exclaim, "Truly worthy of being the future Great Sage!"
The old monk nodded and said, "If you enter my Buddhist sect, you will have the bearing of a Bodhisattva."
Miaoyin gave away the Scripture of Reception in order to create a good connection. She never expected to witness firsthand what a Great Sage-level talent was. He comprehended such a difficult scripture as soon as he picked it up.
Miao Di was also lost in thought. He was a Buddhist disciple and his understanding of the scriptures far surpassed that of ordinary people. However, in front of Zheng Guang, he felt that the aura around him had dimmed.
He sighed softly, "I thought he had a special physique and amazing innate talent, which is why he became a grandmaster in his twenties. I never expected that his comprehension would be even more terrifying."
Qin Ming sat in meditation, and the Buddhist light around him gradually intensified, causing the Buddhist disciples, the old monks, and the Dharma protectors to become lost in thought.
Regardless of whether the one who attained enlightenment could hear it, the six-tusked white elephant immediately flattered him, saying, "Truly worthy of being called a Great Sage, such enlightenment is truly astonishing."
Nanming E Bird nodded and said, "The Upright Ape Demon is a royal family among our demon race, renowned for its comprehension."
Then, he looked serious and said, "Why do I feel that his aura is stronger than before?"
A night passed, and Qin Ming opened his eyes.
"Brother Zhengguang, could it be that you have recently broken through the barrier again?" Miaodi asked, looking at him.
Qin Ming nodded and said, "I've made some progress, and now I'm taking another small step forward."
He confirmed it himself; Miao Di's expression was slightly sluggish, and golden light flowed through his rough skin, indicating that he was not at peace.
Miaoyin also opened her beautiful eyes wide, and in a daze she could already see a giant rising.
"Great Sage!" The six-tusked white elephant stepped forward, almost bowing down in worship. Its eyes were full of longing, wanting to follow Qin Ming and willingly become his exclusive mount.
Nanming E'niao was lost in thought. This person had actually advanced further. If it were a real battle, he could already pose a threat to him, right?
"In his early twenties..." he murmured, this age is too much.
Even the old monk fell silent for a moment.
Qin Ming said, "It was just luck."
Miao Di shook his head and said, "There is no room for luck on the path of cultivation."
Surrounded by auspicious Buddhist light, Miaoyin smiled and said, "I seem to see the Great Sage Zhengguang rising into the sky in the future Night Fog World."
Overnight, Qin Ming mastered the "Guiding Scripture" to a minor level.
Several days later, he had fully comprehended the truth and felt a great light in his heart, which maintained his peaceful state of mind.
This scripture is indeed of no help in improving one's spiritual practice.
However, Qin Ming felt that it was not an ordinary scripture, but a supplementary scripture. If it were combined with certain secret Buddhist scriptures, it might have extraordinary power.
Even so, he also realized that this sutra was extraordinary.
When he enters a meditative state, he chants this sutra and silently operates it. He himself is like a pagoda, radiating great light, as if he can guide the creatures deep in the night fog.
Qin Ming pondered, "For whom is this scripture meant to guide us?"
If a group of monks chanted together, would countless rays of light rise up and form a magnificent, boundless tower of Buddha light standing between heaven and earth?
"He has completely mastered it." In the Bodhisattva's sacred space, those people clearly saw a halo appear behind Qin Ming's head, bathing him in holy Buddhist light.
Qin Ming pondered for a long time, then dissolved the Buddhist aura, and immediately a rich Buddhist light entered the chaotic energy.
During this process, Fo Guang resisted strongly.
In a daze, Qin Ming seemed to see an ancient Buddha sitting cross-legged in the void.
However, in the end, those Buddha lights were still refined into the heavenly light.
Qin Ming's calligraphy on silk still shines with golden light, but it seems different now, lacking the aura of Buddhism.
"If it can be dissolved, then there's no problem."
For the next two weeks, Qin Ming sat cross-legged by the Seven Treasures Pond, chanting scriptures, regardless of whether it was effective or not, and began to guide the two brothers there.
More than ten days later, the Black Lotus of Reincarnation began to stir.
"Who's outside?" Xiao Wu's voice came from outside.
Qin Ming said, "My name is Zheng Guang. A friend surnamed Qin asked me to take care of you."
After a brief silence, Xiao Wu sighed and said, "My brother Ming has sent an expert to pick us up?"
Then he called out urgently, "Brother Zhengguang, please continue chanting the sutra. If you stop, it will be pitch black again on my end."
"Thank you, brother!" Xiang Yiwu also transmitted his voice.
"It's me!" Qin Ming secretly communicated with the two of them using resonance.
"Brother Ming?!"
……
According to the two, the small black lotus seemed to be a world unto itself. The fine textures on its lotus leaves and the layers of lotus patterns resembled an endless cycle of reincarnation, containing mysterious power.
When the two of them were traversing the small cycle of reincarnation before, they briefly broke free, but were then swallowed up by the black lotus. Later, they fell into the great cycle of reincarnation, as if they had fallen into a real foggy path.
Xiao Wu said, "Brother Ming, you don't know, it feels like decades or even centuries have passed, my heart is filled with the vicissitudes of life."
Xiang Yiwu also said in a deep voice, "This place is really strange. It forms its own domain and is clearly just a lotus flower."
Qin Ming said, "The Great Thunderclap Temple has legendary magical methods such as the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm of Your Hand, and a fingerprint can contain mountains and rivers. This Buddha Lotus has been dormant and revived since ancient times, so it is not surprising that it has such a performance."
Xiang Yiwu said, "You know what, when I was confused, I felt that this black lotus really did look like a hand that was entirely black, rooted in the Seven Treasures Pool."
Xiao Wu quickly called for a stop, saying, "Da Xiang, don't talk nonsense, we haven't left yet."
Qin Ming said, "Let's hurry up and get out of this predicament."
Several days later, by the Seven Treasures Pond, a tall and imposing young man, as wide as two people, broke free. It was none other than Xiang Yiwu, with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
Then, Little Crow also leaped out and returned to the real world, breathing heavily and greedily, afraid of entering that dark cycle of reincarnation again.
In the Bodhisattva's sacred site, Buddhist disciples and powerful demons alike stared in astonishment as they witnessed someone successfully navigate the Great Cycle of Reincarnation.
"Is the 'Guiding Sutra' really effective?" The Buddhist nun Miaoyin looked surprised.
The old monk said, "In the past, a Bodhisattva mentioned that it had some effect, but it mainly depends on the person going through reincarnation. Only when they are close to the exit can they see the light of guidance."
Qin Ming nodded to the old monk, Miao Di, and Miao Yin, and said, "I'll take the two of them away for a moment and ask them if they'd like to go to the Great Thunderclap Temple."
Inside the Bodhisattva's sacred site, no one tried to stop them.
Qin Ming emitted a dazzling rain of light, enveloping Xiang Yiwu and Xiao Wu, and disappeared from this place at an incredible speed.
Deep in a mountain range, the three landed.
"Brother, it's been a long time!" Xiang Yiwu and Qin Ming gave each other a warm hug.
Qin Ming said, "Not bad. Your brute strength and tough skin and bones are as if you have mastered the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill."
Xiang Yiwu was even more shocked and said, "Brother, have you become a grandmaster?"
He was trapped in the Black Lotus of Reincarnation for about three years, and every day he was eroded, or rather baptized and purified by the power of reincarnation. He was essentially living through reincarnation, and his power was already terrifying.
However, when he saw Qin Ming again, he found that his strength was still inferior to Qin Ming's.
Xiao Wu first widened his eyes, then burst into laughter, saying, "As expected of my Brother Ming, he has already become a Grandmaster at just over twenty years old, just like back then, still leading the way."
Then, he patted his chest and said, "We are not bad either. We have accumulated a lot of reincarnation secret power in our bodies, which has settled into potential and can be quickly transformed into cultivation results in the future."
Most importantly, they altered their physical constitution, enhanced their endowments, and greatly increased their lifespan, as if they had been reborn and completed a great rebirth.
The latter, in particular, possessed a lifespan and vitality that even golden Arhats yearn for and pursue, which surged forth in the two young men.
Xiang Yiwu said in a low voice, "Our lifespan should have increased by several hundred years!"
This alone is enough to show just how much the two of them gained.
Xiao Wu said, "Brother Ming, do you have any wine? It's been three years, and my mouth is so dry it's practically tasteless. I've been struggling in the darkness, and the light in my heart has almost been extinguished many times."
He lamented that in the cycle of reincarnation, when he was hungry, thirsty, and lonely, he had only one choice: to eat lotus leaves. He felt like he had become a herbivorous cow or sheep.
Qin Ming took out some snacks to go with his drinks, such as Crimson God Worms and Dragon Silkworms. The latter, in particular, was so rich in spiritual energy that it startled Xiao Wu and Xiang Yiwu.
"Come on, let's eat and chat, and have some drinks!"
Xiang Yiwu lamented, "The supreme bloodbath, foreign wars, the killing of saints... In these past few years, we've missed out on so much."
Qin Ming said, "Others are envious of the two of you. You escaped the ravages of war and survived the Great Cycle. You have many benefits."
Xiao Wu said, "We were suffering terribly. We almost thought we were going to die. We were in utter despair, with no hope in the darkness." The two of them were very eager to talk, and their conversation was filled with tears.
Once the silkworm was roasted, they took a bite and immediately widened their eyes, not daring to swallow.
"This dragon silkworm is extraordinary, but we dare not eat it yet to avoid breaking through prematurely. We haven't digested the Reincarnation Secret Power yet, and we can't disrupt our rhythm!"
"Then let's put them away for now and save them for later. I have plenty here." Qin Ming took out a lot and gave them to the two of them.
Xiao Wu exclaimed, "Ten Thousand Dragons Carrying the Tomb, the strongest being of ancient times... Brother Ming, your experiences are truly fascinating."
Xiang Yiwu said, "Such a powerful tomb owner must be extremely dangerous. It's more suitable as a story. If we were to face it in person, it wouldn't be so wonderful."
Finally, the three of them were slightly tipsy.
Qin Ming asked, "What are your plans? Do you want to go to the Great Thunder Temple? Or return to Yezhou? Or come with me to the Tushita Palace?"
Xiao Wu said, "Brother Ming, since the Great Thunderclap Temple values those who have passed through the Great Reincarnation so highly, we want to go to that supreme place."
Xiang Yiwu nodded in agreement. Now that they had left Yezhou and wanted to explore the outside world, the two of them felt that the location of the Buddhist temple was a good choice.
Xiao Wu was a little worried and said, "There's just one thing. If the two of us head to that dojo, and some powerful figure uses their methods, will they find out about your true background, Brother Ming, through me and Da Xiang?"
Qin Ming reassured him, saying, "It's alright, you can go ahead. I've already started exploring the Night Fog World, living a nomadic life. What's there to worry about? Besides, in this harsh environment, the old folks will have an even harder time. In a few more years, I might have already broken through to a sufficiently high level."
He added, "I have no grudge against them. Unless I encounter some old monsters privately, they should not want to antagonize the rumored future Great Sage."
Normally, Xiao Wu and Xiang Yiwu should receive more care because they are brothers of a future Great Sage.
Xiao Wu said, "Brother Ming, don't worry. We've gained a lot of benefits from surviving the Great Cycle. We won't hold you back. We'll soon be transformed into combat power, and then we'll strive to stand shoulder to shoulder with you."
Xiang Yiwu doesn't talk much, but he's very confident at heart.
He remarked with emotion, "I never imagined that so many things would happen after we left."
Not long after, Qin Ming frankly told him that he wanted to borrow the "Tathagata Sutra" to read it.
Of course, he didn't just look at it for free; he had to exchange it for other sacred texts.
However, before he could take out any other scriptures, Xiang Yiwu had already begun to recite the Tathagata Sutra for him from memory.
"Can it be transmitted directly to outsiders?" Qin Ming was worried that there was a restriction in his consciousness.
Xiang Yiwu shook his head and said, "It's alright, I can pass it on."
Qin Ming opened his mouth, wanting to ask if he was the reincarnation of the Overlord from more than a hundred years ago, but in the end he didn't ask.
The three of them toasted each other, studied some sacred texts together, chatted about the past and the future, and exchanged a lot of valuable information, such as the various secrets about the Black Lotus of Reincarnation.
Qin Ming listened carefully and took notes.
No one can predict what the future holds. If his friend faces a lifespan crisis, Qin Ming might lead a group to venture into that mysterious and unpredictable Great Cycle of Reincarnation.
"Brother, are you leaving?" Xiang Yiwu asked.
Qin Ming said, "Seeing that you are both safe and sound and have received great fortune, I am relieved. You two can go to the Great Thunderclap Temple. If there are any ignorant people, just mention the name of the Five Great Saints. Don't feel ashamed. Even I have borrowed the prestige of the other four."
"Alas, our brief reunion is over, and we brothers must part again." Xiao Wu was saddened. He thought of his grandmother and the deep-seated hatred between them. He had no choice but to go far away, strive to improve himself, and become stronger as soon as possible.
"Is Chang Xi your aunt?" Qin Ming asked, referring to the woman from the temple.
"You could say she's my aunt. She's someone who ventured into this dangerous place from the outside. Ming-ge, you and her... you're not going to become my uncle-in-law, are you?" Xiao Wu's eyes widened.
He added, "Let's make it clear from the beginning that we each pay our own."
"What are you thinking about!"
Xiang Yiwu said, "Brother, I hope that in the future I can reunite with you as the Sixth Great Sage."
Qin Ming looked at him with utmost seriousness and said, "Don't easily touch Cao Qianqiu in the future. There might be someone else behind him. I'll go with you then!"
Xiao Wu said, "The waters in our Yezhou are quite deep."
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming thought of many things, such as the thirty-six Heaven-Stabilizing Divine Stakes, which were dug out from the ground in Yezhou, and the fact that Yujing had lingered for too long and was unwilling to leave.
More than nine hundred years ago, a few independent cultivators who built the rough framework of the silk calligraphy were suspected to have come from outside the region and had a very important background. In their later years, they agreed to meet in Yezhou to exchange the supreme scriptures.
"I'm leaving!" Qin Ming departed.
"Take care!" Xiang Yiwu and Xiao Wu stood in the Bodhisattva temple, watching him disappear into the night.
……
Several days later, Qin Ming discovered a desolate city on the road. It was lifeless, dilapidated, and there wasn't a single living person in it.
After he resonated with it, a cold glint appeared in his eyes.
Soon after, he triggered a beast tide, and the entire night fog was filled with green eyes, exuding a terrifying demonic aura.
To be precise, it was a rat swarm. He had alarmed the tribe deep in a mountain range, and swarms of huge rats, each as big as a dung beetle, rushed to the surface.
"They've really grown in influence; they even dare to massacre an entire city," Qin Ming said coldly.
In this region, humans are not a major race, consisting of only a few scattered cities and tribes. The dragon race is the most powerful and respected race in the area.
In addition, there are also the Beastmen and Giants, who are also very powerful.
Qin Ming sighed and said, "In all the worlds around Night Fog, if a clan doesn't have a powerful expert to protect it, the living environment is really bad."
A small human town was completely annihilated and eaten by the rat tribe.
All of this is because there are two grandmasters among the silver rats here, whose strength is extraordinary.
Now that they'd run into each other, Qin Ming decided to seize the opportunity to eliminate them.
He stood in mid-air, endless sword light shooting out, and screams rose and fell on the ground.
"Who dares to harm my people!"
Two enormous silver rats, each the size of an elephant, burst out of the underground palace; both were at the Grandmaster level.
However, the next moment, they trembled, suppressed and unable to move by the terrifying power emanating from Qin Ming.
"Could he be a Grandmaster? But why is he so young!"
The next moment, a pair of golden hands slammed down from the depths of the night sky. It was Qin Ming's Sky-Supporting True Form, which directly crushed the two Silver Rat Grandmasters.
Even the so-called divine soul could not escape and was quickly extinguished.
Subsequently, Qin Ming unleashed a barrage of sword energy, blasting the land apart and annihilating the rat swarm.
This is the power of a grandmaster; his true form soars through the night sky, swiftly annihilating an entire clan!
Two weeks later, Qin Ming fled in a frenzy.
He often walks at night, explores everywhere, and wants to intervene in injustices he encounters, but he's bound to get his shoes wet eventually.
Qin Ming encountered a crazed, ancestor-level monster, which put him in grave danger.
Fortunately, the giant beast had gone mad, leaving only half a head. It was injured by some unknown creature and was in a state of frenzy as its life drew to a close.
With each step it takes, it collapses a mountain peak.
Qin Ming avoided its sharp edge, sweat beading on his forehead. This dying giant beast ancestor was actually so terrifying; its hundreds-of-meters-tall body exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression.
It came flying through the air, and a huge hoof landed, crushing another low mountain, just like a peerless demon king being born and wreaking havoc on the world.
Then, it leaped up again, shattering the night fog and the thick clouds in the sky, and chased after Qin Ming.
In the end, Qin Ming escaped with great difficulty.
The main reason is that the behemoth has gone mad and its consciousness is confused; otherwise, it would be far more dangerous than it is now.
"Without the primordial energy, it cannot maintain its fighting state, and its spiritual field has been torn in half. It should die soon."
Qin Ming did not go far, intending to collect the beast corpse.
However, not long after, he felt a chill run down his spine, his heart pounded, and he sensed an immense danger.
Without hesitation, he placed his physical body into the tattered cloth, attaching himself to the old cloth to conceal all his energy, and silently departed into the distance.
He saw an old man, leaning on a cane, coughing up black ash, which was the man's aging blood; he was in very poor condition.
"Rotten gods!" Qin Ming exclaimed, his heart trembling violently.
He sighed inwardly. The world of Night Fog was vast and terrifying. In a desolate place, he actually saw a god hunting a patriarch-level behemoth.
"The old man was once a god of the seventh realm, but he has decayed and now sits in the ancestral master realm."
Qin Ming saw the old man tremblingly strike and kill the giant beast. He himself was panting heavily and remained motionless for a long time.
It wasn't until half an hour later that the old man began to devour the giant beast's blood essence to replenish the vitality of his decaying body.
A dozen days later, when Qin Ming was traveling through the clouds instead of on land, he actually encountered a ghost.
It was a corpse drifting in the strong wind, with a pale face and tattered clothes. It was not breathing and showed no signs of life.
Qin Ming, with his keen intuition, sensed an impending danger.
Even though they were still quite far apart, he felt uneasy and eventually, in a daze, he ran away, not daring to get any closer.
He clung to the old cloth, gazing into the far distance.
Two days later, a group of migrating winged people passed by the cloud and encountered the remains. Some winged people went forward to investigate, and as a result... the entire group of several thousand people exploded and turned into blood mist.
Faintly, Qin Ming heard weak breathing.
Does this creature exhale stale air and inhale fresh air only once every two days?
The surging blood mist seeped into the pale-faced remains.
"He possesses the power of an Earth Immortal, yet he is very weak and on the verge of death," Qin Ming concluded.
Suddenly, his expression turned serious; he sensed something was wrong.
"He's almost lifeless, yet he still possesses the power of an Earth Immortal. Could this be a decaying Celestial Immortal, clinging to life?"
Qin Ming's departure completely ended any thought of further investigation.
Normally, even if that being is a celestial being, it would only be at the level of an earth immortal now, and taking action would hasten its death.
However, Qin Ming was still someone you couldn't afford to offend.
This world is really too dangerous. You may encounter inexplicable monsters, whether on the ground or in the clouds.
Finally, he settled down, became honest and dutiful, stopped roaming around and exploring, and instead followed the safe route provided by the old furnace to head towards the Tushita Palace.
Sometimes, he needs to travel for a long time by riding the wind, and sometimes he has to pass through the fog gates one after another.
And so, after three months, Qin Ming arrived at the territory under the jurisdiction of the Doushuai Palace.
He simply couldn't fathom how far the actual distance between Jade Capital and Tushita Palace truly was. After all, his main task was crossing the Misty Gate, and he had already traveled for so long.
Once he arrived in this area, it was much safer. He saw magnificent cities, some situated on the ground, and others high in the sky.
This place has an ancient dynasty of immortals and dilapidated grotto-heavens hanging high in the sky. Compared to those regions where order has collapsed and there is no supreme Daoist temple to guard them, it is much more peaceful and serene.
Qin Ming continued his journey, carefully investigating in order to find the direct lineage of the Doushuai Palace and to see Li Qingyue as soon as possible.
"Have you come from afar?" an old man asked him.
The old man didn't speak coldly; on the contrary, he had a faint smile on his face. However, the strange look that flashed by revealed something.
Qin Ming felt a sense of alienation, as if he had become a poor relative seeking refuge with a wealthy and powerful family.
(End of this chapter)