Celestial Master： I Have an Otherworld-Chapter 80 - 36: Buddhist Skill
One day gone, and the fierce ghost that Sun Die has become is growing more grotesque.
Its fangs protrude, its eyes are blood-red, and the barely formed fetus it's cradling in its arms is even more terrifying. Mother and child lay motionless across Yuanxing.
They seem to be consuming something.
Yang Energy?
Watching Yuanxing now, it's clear every move is a struggle, as if he's bearing a great mountain. Even just raising his head is visibly difficult.
But he is unaware of any wrong, desperately kowtowing:
"Master, have mercy!"
In the blink of an eye.
Yuanxing's face was already covered in blood, the cold stone steps soaked with his blood.
"Whoosh..."
Master Wuyuan's expression turned grim. He swung his kasaya, forcefully casting aside the approaching Yuanxing, and walked toward the mountain without looking back, coldly demanding:
"Awaken and seek me on the mountain!"
"If you cannot awaken..."
"Cien Temple has no pupil like you!"
"Master!" Yuanxing raised his head, but he could only see the resolute back of Master Wuyuan. No matter how he shouted, there was no answer.
In a flash.
The backside vanished from sight.
"Junior Brother."
A monk in the crowd couldn't stand it any longer, stepped forward and whispered:
"Why are you doing this?"
"Master said you have profound wisdom, among all the brothers, he liked you the most. Just say something nice, and surely he will forgive you."
"Indeed!" Another spoke to persuade:
"Beauty most easily confuses the heart, who hasn't erred? As long as you sincerely repent, Master will surely pardon you."
"Yes, yes!"
A few monks urged continuously.
"Master..."
Yuanxing seemed not to hear them, staring blankly at the spot where Master Wuyuan departed, and kowtowed heavily again.
Muttering softly:
"Namo Amitabha Buddha, do tagatha Buddha... Amrita pavikalan Buddha..."
"You!"
Hearing his chant, the monks' faces slightly changed, one of them even stamped his foot hard:
"Stubborn as a mule!"
"Let's go!"
They left one after another, leaving Yuanxing alone kneeling there.
He chanted the scriptures, struggling to move his legs, kowtowed again, inching toward the mountain top.
"Daoist." Fang Zheng's eyes flickered:
"What now?"
"Up the mountain." Zhang Mingrui brushed the Magic-Slaying Sword and stepped forward:
"The fierce ghost has entangled Yuanxing, killing the ghost will kill him too. Yuanxing erred in stealing but does not deserve death. There is likely another reason; better see Master Wuyuan first."
"Alright." Fang Zheng hurried to follow, bypassing Yuanxing. Once far enough away, he asked:
"What was Yuanxing chanting just now?"
"Rebirth Spell." Zhang Mingrui replied:
"Clearly, he hasn't realized his mistake, still obsessed with Miss Sun, forgetting that the essence of cultivation is himself."
Fang Zheng frowned slightly.
He felt Yuanxing was already repenting, but such repentance was not what Master Wuyuan desired. Monks seek purity of the six senses.
Yuanxing is now too obsessed, his mind entirely on Sun Die.
Up the mountain.
"Two gentlemen."
The guest monk clasped his hands, saying:
"These few days, the abbot is not available for visitors."
"Not available?" Zhang Mingrui frowned:
"Did you mention Daoist Zhang from Three Purities Temple is here?"
"I did." The guest monk smiled wryly:
"The abbot said if you two plan to stay for a while, you may rest in the guest rooms."
"Hmm..." Zhang Mingrui touched his chin:
"Alright, we'll wait here."
"Does Young Master Fang have any place to go?"
"Let me think..." Fang Zheng considered that going down might attract the fierce ghost's attention. With Master Wuyuan and Zhang Mingrui present, safety was assured here.
Just the right time to inquire about talismanic magic.
He nodded immediately:
"I'll stay here for a few days too."
*
*
*
Three days later.
"The Daoist Canon says: When Heaven and Earth first divided, Yin and Yang changed, forming the Breath of Three Prime and Five Virtues, becoming the Flying Book of Heaven, later compiled as the Dragon Chapter in the Bright Light of the Phoenix Script."
"The Dragon Chapter in the Phoenix Script, naturally with the Breath of the Mystic, constructing texts out of emptiness, forming a square foot, supporting all within."
"The Three Prime thus established, Five Elements all present, three and five in harmony, known as the Eight Meetings, the text of Heaven and Earth's formation."
"After came Dragon Chapter, Phoenix Script, Jade Scroll and The Golden Book, Crimson Book and Ink Talisman, all derived from this."
"If one doesn't comprehend its meaning, understanding its mysteries is hard!"
Fang Zheng frowned tightly, trying to grasp the meaning behind Zhang Mingrui's words.
Could it be that drawing talismans requires learning some special script like the Cloud Inscription Bright Chapter?
Such a script can connect with the power of heaven and earth?
But it doesn't seem so. Although the characters on the Evil-breaking Talisman are somewhat unrecognizable like a dragon's flight and a phoenix's dance, the core character of the talisman is the word 'Zheng'.
Zheng can break evil!
"When drawing a talisman, the flow of breath must be smooth, the beginning and end must align, and the heart must be sincere, otherwise, one cannot draw a Spirit Talisman."
While speaking.
Zhang Mingrui retracted his Talisman Brush, and the Evil-breaking Talisman had already taken shape. The entire action was smooth like flowing water, with its own unique rhythmic beauty.
"All done."
"Now this talisman possesses the Dao charm of breaking evil and exorcism, but to activate the Dao charm within, it requires spirituality to guide it."
"Spirituality?" Fang Zheng asked:
"What kind of spirituality?"
"The simplest, naturally, is blood." Zhang Mingrui smiled and said:
"The blood of the person casting the spell is the most effective."
"Not good!"
At this moment, shouting was heard from outside:
"Yuanxing is not going to make it!"
"Hmm?"
Zhang Mingrui paused his actions:
"Let's go take a look."
Fang Zheng nodded.
The Fierce Ghost is attached to Yuanxing, and once Yuanxing dies, its next target is likely to be himself, of course, it depends on how Master Wuyuan handles it.
If he can subdue and slay it, that would be ideal.
......
In front of the temple gates.
A figure that looked like a skeleton crawled up the stone steps, trembling and kowtowing, chanting scriptures in a low voice.
His legs and arms had long since been worn away to bones, revealing ghastly white bones, his forehead's skull caved in, his eyes dull and lifeless.
His voice was hoarse.
Yet the chanting of the scriptures did not pause.
"Zhiduojia Lisuopohē..."
"Foolish child."
Master Wuyuan appeared at the scene at some unknown time, bowing his head to look at Yuanxing, who appeared neither human nor ghost, with eyes showing compassion:
"Why do this?"
The stone steps were difficult to climb, and to kowtow at every step was even more challenging, especially for Yuanxing in his current state, each step exhausting his body to the limit, now tortured beyond recognition.
But he,
Still climbed up the mountain driven by his obsession.
"..." Yuanxing's body trembled, he slowly raised his head, then heavily kowtowed:
"Master, have mercy!"
"I cannot save her," Wuyuan shook his head, his face bitter:
"Now, I can't even save you."
Even though he is a mage with profound Buddhist skills, there were still too many things beyond his control.
"Master, have mercy!" Yuanxing only frantically kowtowed, as if trying to release all his strength with this action.
"Yuanxing."
Master Wuyuan's voice was desolate:
"If I hadn't let you descend from the mountain back then, would today have been avoided?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
"..." Yuanxing stopped his action, his voice indistinct:
"Disciple has no regrets!"
"No regrets?" Master Wuyuan raised an eyebrow, suppressing his anger, he asked:
"I ask you, Miss Sun and the Buddhist skills, which is more important?"
"Disciple fell in love with Miss Sun." Yuanxing said:
"Just like I once fell in love with the Buddhist skills."
"She led you astray!" Wuyuan's expression was severe, a murderous look in his eyes.
"No." Yuanxing shook his head:
"It was Miss Sun who fulfilled me."
"Unworthy child!" Master Wuyuan's eyebrows rose, he suddenly struck the Zen Staff in his hand, an invisible pressure made the surrounding trees sway wildly:
"Even now, you remain incorrigible, do you know you are beyond saving!"
"Amitabha Buddha." Yuanxing's body shook, with only white-bone hands slowly coming together in front of him, body curled up kneeling on the ground:
"Disciple loves Miss Sun, and has no regrets dying."
"No regrets in this life, should there be an afterlife, I wish to read scriptures for her in every lifetime, just hoping Miss Sun's grievances are resolved, not suffering the pains of this mundane world."
"Master, have mercy!"
"Bastard!" Wuyuan roared low, taking on the angry Vajra:
"You kowtow ten thousand times, just for a woman?"
"Chanting scriptures for three days, torturing yourself to this state, for a woman as well!"
"The ultimate Buddhist skills, in your eyes, are it not more important than a woman you once shared a passionate night with!"
"Yuanxing!"
"You are beyond saving!"
"Since this is the case, let me personally send you on your way!"
"Hoo..."
The Zen Staff was raised high, an invisible power entwining it, crashing down on Yuanxing's head like a thunderbolt, he showed no mercy, intending to kill with one blow.
"Da..."
The void stilled.
A Ghost Claw, silently shielded above Yuanxing's head.
