Chapter 690
The Black Fox King Has a Nice Figure
Based on his understanding, being an ascetic is really too tiring. If you want to be a qualified ascetic, it is difficult to achieve this in terms of mindset alone, and the behavioral aspects are equally challenging.
Su Chen felt he wasn't up to the task and preferred being a Taoist priest. A free and easy Taoist priest was fine, since there were no rules or conditions to bind him.
Despite being called a Taoist priest, he felt more like a wandering knight-errant, having only learned a few incomplete scriptures from both Buddhism and Taoism.
A mysterious power was born within him, and when released, it could cause astonishing destruction.
Su Chen suspected that he had entered an unusual world where he could actually cultivate Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and gain real knowledge.
Perhaps because he had come to ancient times and had nothing else to disturb him, he developed a strong interest in books and spent his days studying them or visiting wealthy families to read.
They all considered themselves to be highly accomplished spiritual practitioners.
He originally wanted to say that he had cultivated himself, combining Buddhism and Taoism, but when he thought that Buddhism seemed to only consist of ascetic monks, he really didn't want to reveal his origins.
He simply said he was a Taoist priest.
Unlike people in this world, he doesn't have many prejudices. He learns whatever is useful. He finds Taoist and Buddhist knowledge and principles quite interesting.
There are also some Confucian works that I wanted to use to learn some extraordinary powers, like a Confucian-Taoist fantasy book I once read.
Unfortunately it failed.
He believed that knowledge had no hierarchy.
Useful knowledge, or anything that benefits people, is a good thing.
Those who merely learn knowledge may not necessarily be.
Take the imperial examinations, for example. Scholars could easily influence the entire country with their actions, whether for good or bad. However, based on his memory, the bad influences often outweighed the good ones.
But why didn't they choose Taoist priests or Buddhist monks? Well, scholars are slightly better than religious figures.
Intellectuals help maintain stability, while religion is prone to extremism, especially among some religious figures who use the power of religion to portray themselves as gods.
"It's difficult to change even one person, let alone change the thoughts of everyone in the world. Religion can indeed easily change the mindset of many people in certain aspects."
Su Chen chuckled and said, "If I rely on my own strength and knowledge to create an extraordinary force that sweeps across the country, perhaps I can also make a name for myself in history."
It's not a good thing to just think about it without actually doing it, especially since the world isn't that chaotic yet. It's just that I don't understand what kind of era I live in.
Su Chen discovered that he had a clear understanding of some things and could often see through the phenomena to the essence of things, which allowed him to stir up a storm in this era.
"No, my idea is indeed terrifying. Perhaps it can actually achieve something, but without my own power, it will ultimately make me feel insecure. That is not the path I want to take."
With a wave of his hand, a fierce wind arose.
He mobilized his internal energy, and a mysterious power surged forth, covering his entire body and instantly radiating brilliant light.
This is what he is pursuing; he wants to transcend himself and cultivate his spiritual practice step by step to the limit he can reach.
As his cultivation deepened, Su Chen became increasingly curious about the first person to think of these Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian scriptures and principles.
Perhaps there was some mutual learning in ancient times, but there is always a source. That source is the first person to put forward similar principles and come up with similar ideas. How did they come up with these ideas and summarize them?
Su Chen admired those beings even more; they were truly remarkable.
Especially in this world, those beings may either ascend to become immortals, go to the Heavenly Court, or become Buddhas.
He is currently skeptical.
The people who created these things probably never imagined that many of those who studied them would go astray or fail to stay true to their original intentions.
Su Chen first learned about religion from the Shaolin Temple, a Buddhist temple; at that time, he knew nothing about other religions.
My fondness for Shaolin Temple stems from television dramas.
After learning about things like monks, my goodwill towards them vanished instantly.
Later, after learning more, I realized that I needed to distinguish between Buddhism and Buddhism. I found that Buddhist and Taoist scriptures are actually quite good. After learning more, I realized how rubbish these studies could be.
People can sometimes develop prejudices about things due to the influence of certain groups.
Just like literary figures, figures like Wen Tianxiang are worthy of admiration and have been remembered for thousands of years.
Those are often rare exceptions, which is why they are so profound. Once you truly understand the writers, you will find that the filter is broken.
This place truly embodies the greatness of the unity of knowledge and action.
I wonder how Wang Yangming, the first person to propose summarizing and generalizing this idea, came up with it.
Su Chen strongly suspected that someone was cheating.
After he figured everything out, his former fondness for Shaolin Temple returned.
Yes, he likes the Shaolin Temple and the monks in the TV series, but he can draw a clear line between them.
There is no inherent superiority or inferiority among the various principles that have been passed down through the ages; it is only the people who inherit these principles who are different.
They cannot put their knowledge into practice, they have not truly inherited the tradition, and yet they wave that banner; naturally, they are rubbish and deserve to be despised.
To be honest, Su Chen felt he couldn't become a true ascetic monk, so he simply chose the less restrictive identity of a Taoist priest, which would help him with his cultivation.
Because his spiritual practice, centered on his memory, often combines mind and action, as well as some internally established goals. Perhaps these things will help him in his practice, and he will naturally not take them lightly.
And so, he traveled and practiced along the way, traversing the length and breadth of China. After several years, his final destination was Shaolin Temple.
After arriving at Shaolin Temple in the Central Plains, he visited Shaolin Temple as a wandering Taoist priest.
They were received by the abbot of Shaolin Temple.
Upon first glance in this direction, it seemed strangely familiar, which surprised Su Chen. After talking with the abbot, he found that the abbot gave him a very good impression. He wished he had known better and decided to visit this Shaolin Temple.
However, now that he has become an unfettered Taoist priest cultivating alone, he will not change.
In his eyes, this abbot was the true inheritor of this principle.
Although he may not be able to do these things, he will admire this kind of existence.
For example, some Taoist priests who came down from the mountains to resist the invaders out of a sense of national righteousness.
There were also monks who truly inherited the Buddha's teachings, and a series of literati with integrity, such as Lu Xiufu.
But despite his admiration and the desire to inherit the abbot's teachings, he still wanted to know just how powerful the abbot was and what level of cultivation he had reached.
This monk, whose full name was Sanzang, was very interested in himself.
She seemed kind and approachable, and after hearing his thoughts, she said that she was past the age of being competitive.
"Even the Abbot Sanzang has moments of competitiveness?"
"When I was young, I went down the mountain and subdued some demons." "Were they demons who had cultivated themselves into spirits?" Su Chen continued to ask, full of curiosity.
During his years of traveling throughout the country, he encountered some strange and unusual things, but he managed to get through them without any real danger thanks to his strong skills and good level of cultivation.
"A bunch of fire demons."
Fire demon! Su Chen had heard of it; he had seen similar spirits in some ancient books he had borrowed.
"Abbot Sanzang, may I borrow some scriptures, such as those that record things about spirits and monsters?"
Su Chen: "I've been interested in these things since I was a child."
Abbot Sanzang agreed.
Unlike many monks, he was not extremely averse to his Taoist identity.
Su Chen thus stayed at the Shaolin Temple, browsing through some classics and Buddhist scriptures. Of course, these were things he could see; some important things were naturally not shown to an outsider like him.
He found a dusty book in a corner and, after reading it, discovered that it described an extremely terrifying demon king named the Black Fox King.
This ancient demon was suppressed by three heroes from Shaolin Temple.
Su Chen frowned slightly, vaguely sensing something was amiss—why did he feel such familiarity? Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he remembered the relevant information.
Chinese Hero!
So this is the world I've come to.
A familiar world.
In his memory, Abbot Sanzang took in Xiaolan and two other male disciples, each of whom could summon their own Dharma forms and fight against the Black Tiger King time and time again.
I still remember some very scary scenes, but there was no ending; it seems like it ended later.
He also had some childhood traumas in his memory, and after thinking for a while, it seemed like a person had turned into a monster.
In any case, this is a worldview that I am familiar with from my memories.
Su Chen thought for a long time, but he still didn't know what this familiar world could bring him. Perhaps he could borrow that treasure book to see?
Well, since I've come to this place and realized I'm in this world, I might as well let things take their course. However, I seem to recall that the Venerable Sanzang and other eminent figures were once controlled by a woman. That woman seemed to eat something that could maintain her youth and prolong her life. Perhaps I can obtain that thing.
Since that's the case, I decided to stay near the Shaolin Temple.
Aside from that Shaolin Temple movie, the Shaolin Temple in Chinese Heroes left the deepest impression on me.
The abbot also knew that he was a capable practitioner with a temperament and thoughts that were out of step with this era.
They were very interested in him and wondered if he was the reincarnation of the three heroes before they found them.
The Black Fox King had already run away. At first, they had suspected it, but later they discovered that the young man was not like that at all.
Regardless, Abbot Sanzang was quite reassured by the arrival of a young man like Su Chen. If the Black Fox King really came, one more person would mean one more fighting force.
During this process, Su Chen also asked Abbot Sanzang about cultivation. Abbot Sanzang felt that since he was so young and already had such cultivation, why should he be so obsessed with pursuing higher cultivation levels, which might turn into a demonic obstacle?
Those who are family know their own situation. Su Chen is very clear about himself. His pursuit of cultivation is a simple yearning to possess great power and to improve himself through cultivation. If he really reaches the point where there is no more cultivation to be made, he will put down cultivation and enjoy life. He will not pursue cultivation to the point of almost being obsessed.
I had a long conversation with Abbot Sanzang.
Seemingly sensing his thoughts and discovering that this young man was different from what he had imagined, they began to discuss cultivation issues.
After staying for a while, Abbot Sanzang couldn't help but want to test the level of the young people and see how outstanding they were, just like the younger generation surpassing the older one.
After the exchange, Su Chen demonstrated his skills: powerful physical and spiritual cultivation, the ability to cultivate both body and soul, and extremely solid fundamentals.
The abbot's eyes lit up with admiration, and he felt a deep sense of regret that the other party had not been able to join the Shaolin Temple.
Such a talented young man, if he can truly be guided onto the right path of cultivation, will surely be able to inherit my position.
“Abbot Sanzang.”
Out of curiosity, Su Chen asked, "How is this technique, which resembles the Dharma Body, used? Why does it transform into a tangible form?"
Abbot Sanzang smiled and said, "He can do it too. He can merge his will and soul into one. Young people like him can do it; they just need guidance."
Soon after, Su Chenzhen mastered a method to merge his will and soul with the world, transforming it into a tangible being.
He glanced at it, scratched his head, and was puzzled. How could it be a big turtle?
"This is?!"
Abbot Sanzang exclaimed in shock, "It's actually Xuanwu!"
Xuanwu? That can't be right. When other protagonists transmigrate, they are either Azure Dragon, White Tiger, or a real dragon, or a Qilin. How come they become Xuanwu in my place?
However, Xuanwu is no less impressive. As one of the Four Divine Beasts, it possesses the strongest defensive capabilities and is also long-lived.
Su Chen was satisfied with this, as it meant that even if he participated in the plot in the future, he would be the most likely to survive and would not be sacrificed by the main characters.
Bah! I'm here now, I'm the protagonist, and I'm going to get all the benefits I can get from my memories.
In order to establish a good relationship in advance, he first went to search the surrounding area and found Xiao Lan, one of the three heroes' reincarnations.
Why does it look so similar to the art style of the animated Mulan?
I never had this sense of déjà vu before, but now that I've come into this world, I'm finding that it really is that strong.
Xiao Lan wants to practice martial arts all day long and is very interested in the Shaolin Temple.
They were very interested in Su Chen, who possessed this ability and had traveled the world, and would pester him whenever they had free time.
"Tell me more about your demon-slaying stories, please!"
"Wait a minute."
Su Chen interrupted, looking in a certain direction, "There's a sneaky creature that slipped into Shaolin Temple."
Upon hearing this, Hua Xiaolan was thrilled and immediately followed.
The two pursued him relentlessly.
Black Fox King?
No, was there something wrong with my childhood?
The Black Fox King seems to have a pretty good figure~
Su Chen followed behind the Black Fox King, observing his figure. In his memory, the Black Fox King seemed to have possessed a woman.
(End of this chapter)