Chapter 101

That white-robed man was extremely handsome, with a vermilion dot between his brows. His black hair was tied into a topknot, secured with a jade hairpin. His sleeves fluttered in the wind, giving him an otherworldly aura. Only the string of prayer beads on his hand indicated his identity.

In fact, while monks could be Buddhist cultivators, not all Buddhist cultivators were monks. In ancient times, among the primordial deities, there were quasi-saints like Bodhi, Tara, Vajra, and Shakyamuni.

Although their power was not as great as that of Pangu and Nuwa, they still belonged to the ancient lineage. In addition to the demon heart and Dao heart established by the various gods, they also created the Buddhist heart sect. Later, although the ancient deities perished, the demonic cultivators, Dao cultivators, and Buddhist cultivators continued to be passed down.

The monks in charge of receiving guests at Lingtai Temple were just ordinary monks. As for true Buddhist cultivators, they cultivated the Buddhist heart, enlightened the mind and saw the nature, and blended in with the world. They did not deliberately adhere to the strict precepts that ordinary monks had to follow, such as shaving their heads.

However, what surprised Zhou Yin was not the man's identity as a Buddhist cultivator, but that he seemed to be only at the initial stage of the Nascent Soul realm, not even as powerful as Zhou Chen. Yet his five senses were so keen that he could immediately detect their peeping.

At this time, the two people's battle had reached a white-hot stage. The Daoist cultivator's duster and the Buddhist cultivator's tin staff were entangled in the air, and it was difficult to determine the winner for a while. The Buddhist cultivator seized the opportunity and suddenly appeared behind the Daoist cultivator, ready to strike with a palm.

But it was suddenly caught by a hand.

The Buddhist cultivator was both shocked and angry. He turned his head and saw that it was the white-robed man. His face instantly turned red.

The white-robed man separated the two, and with a light flick of his hands to the left and right, as if using four taels to move a thousand catties, the two weapons that were still entangled in midair instantly separated and returned to their respective owners' hands.

He pressed his palms together, a gentle and harmonious smile on his face, making people feel like they were bathed in the spring breeze: "Always act with a kind heart and eliminate hateful thoughts. Since it is sparring, it should be done with an ordinary mind. Qingchen, you have lost your ordinary mind. Even if you gained the upper hand for a moment, your state of mind has already lost."

Although his words were critical, his tone was kind, like an elder's earnest teachings to a younger generation. It did not make people feel like they could not accept it. The Buddhist cultivator he pointed out indeed looked ashamed.

"This disciple knows his mistake!" He also apologized to the cultivator he was fighting with. "I almost fell into demonic obstacles. I hope my Daoist friend will not take offense."

"Daoist friend" was a universal form of address. The Dao had its Dao, Buddhism had its Dao, and even the sword had its Dao. When applied to different people, it naturally had its own different meanings.

The other person had won against him, but he still apologized to him. The Daoist cultivator naturally hurried to be humble. In the eyes of others, although those with different Daos did not scheme together, they couldn't help but feel that the Buddhist cultivators of Lingtai Temple were not only profound in cultivation, but also peaceful and very fair in handling matters.

The white-robed man said again, "Today's sparring ends here. This poor monk is going to the front hall to give a sermon. Any Daoist friends who are interested can come and listen. If there are any areas where you can offer guidance, I would be extremely grateful."

A Nascent Soul cultivator being so humble was rare in the world, let alone one who was also the abbot of a temple. Naturally, many people followed, including many devout believers.

Seeing this, Zhou Yin and the others naturally already knew this person's identity.

The abbot of Lingtai Temple, Master Jiaye.

Here it is necessary to mention that in addition to cultivators, there were countless mortals on the Taichu Continent. Cultivators were divided into sects, and mortals naturally had their own beliefs. Some people worshipped Goddess Nuwa, some places worshipped the water god Gonggong, and in some places, deities like Bodhi, Tara, Vajra, and Shakyamuni were also enshrined.

Human will is a kind of mind power. The mind power of many people added together can form a kind of energy. Although it is not a tangible existence like spiritual power, this invisible and intangible energy can greatly benefit cultivators.

For example, a cultivator practicing in a graveyard filled with yin energy is completely different from practicing in a quiet and peaceful temple.

Another example is when the Shangxuan Sect was established. Why did they choose the Beidou Mountain Range, which was lush with spiritual energy and surrounded by mountains and rivers, instead of randomly choosing a plain or wilderness? In addition to the spiritual energy of the mountains and rivers themselves, it was also because in such an environment, many people practicing together could create an atmosphere of energy, allowing the sect to be better passed down through the generations.

Therefore, after many cultivators realized the benefits of the energy produced by this mind power, they also began to establish their influence among mortals. Around the Shangxuan Sect and Tianyan Sect, there were some small towns. The people were naturally sincerely loyal to these sects that protected them, hoping that the sects could exist for a long time. They even enshrined the portraits of some grandmasters of these sects, which could form a kind of mind power.

As for temples like Lingtai Temple, the more people who believed in them and the more people who came to offer incense, the more beneficial it naturally was for them. Therefore, whether it was Buddhist cultivators or Daoist cultivators, they would send some disciples down the mountain every year. In addition to slaying demons and eliminating evil, they would also debate the Dao and give sermons, in order to promote their own sect's Dao and methods, so that more people would believe in them.

Now, Jiaye was taking the route of an eminent monk idol. His preaching style was very unique. Unlike others who quoted scriptures and cited seemingly true but actually false Buddhist verses, he explained the principles through some vivid, interesting, and easy-to-understand stories.

He spoke in a captivating manner, and many people were entranced, as if intoxicated, and immediately regarded Master Jiaye as an idol and became believers.

Just as Lingtai Temple was surrounded by an unprecedented crowd and the scene was bustling, Zhou Chen silently sneered and pulled Zhou Yin out.

He asked Zhou Yin, "Did you notice anything wrong?"

Zhou Yin was sparing with his words: "Eyes."

Although Jiaye concealed it very well and appeared very gentle, Zhou Yin noticed that when he looked at those ordinary people or cultivators, there was an unshakable indifference in his eyes, like the Buddha statues enshrined in the temple, lofty and isolated from the world.

Zhou Chen squeezed his hand. "Do you know who he is?"

Seeing Zhou Yin look towards him, Zhou Chen smiled mysteriously. "He is the incarnation of Chengming."

Others might not know, but the appearance of an incarnation and the original body had a 70-80% similarity, and there was the aura of the original body on it. Zhou Chen had inherited the memories of generations of Vermilion Birds, so he naturally recognized it at once.

Zhou Yin was slightly shocked.

Chengming, a name that had appeared many times in Zhou Chen's mouth and was not unfamiliar to Zhou Yin, was the most respected existence in the upper realm. Zhou Yin had experienced too much in his past and present lives, and his mentality had long been different from ordinary people. He did not have the usual reverence for the Heavenly Emperor, but suddenly hearing this name still caused him to react.

According to ancient texts, to cultivate an incarnation, one must refine the spirit to return to emptiness, and possess great wisdom and supernatural powers. In plain terms, it means one must cultivate to the level of an immortal in the heavenly realm to possess an incarnation.

It should be known that an incarnation, as a branch of the original spirit, is like being remotely controlled by the original spirit, naturally consuming a significant amount of essence, energy, and spirit. More importantly, if the incarnation is injured, the original body will also be damaged.

Of course, the degree of damage depends on the cultivation level of the original body and how much of the original spirit is placed in the incarnation.

Why would the Heavenly Emperor casually place an incarnation in Lingtai Temple? Naturally, it can't be because he has nothing better to do after eating his fill.

The two had already stepped out of Lingtai Temple, away from the hustle and bustle. Zhou Chen, who had been silent, suddenly said, "This move of his is brilliant."

Without waiting for Zhou Yin to speak, he laughed and said, "Not only has he placed eyes and ears in the human realm, but he's also taking the opportunity to directly absorb the spiritual power of the human world through the incarnation to enhance his own cultivation.

"He can also use the identity of a Buddhist cultivator to win over people's hearts. Once Lingtai Temple becomes prominent, the surrounding Daoist cultivators will definitely become restless. He can also use this to provoke conflicts between Buddhist cultivators and other sects, causing the cultivators of the world to fight each other, making it impossible for them to unite against the upper realm. It's truly killing three birds with one stone!"

Zhou Yin didn't answer his question, but instead asked, "His incarnation also has the cultivation of a Nascent Soul. What about his original body?"

Zhou Chen said, "Even if his original body can't compare to Pangu or Nüwa, I'm afraid it's not far off."

Zhou Yin was silent for a moment. "In that case, it will be difficult to defeat him."

Zhou Chen shook his head. "Even the ancient gods would fall. In this world, there is no existence that is forever invincible. It all depends on the right timing, geographical advantages, and human factors."

Zhou Yin said, "Reveal the existence of the incarnation to the demon race."

Zhou Chen was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud and gave a thumbs up. "Ah Yin, that's a vicious move!"

They couldn't go after the incarnation now because although the incarnation's death would harm the original body, the damage wouldn't be significant. Instead, it would startle the snake in the grass and let the Heavenly Emperor know of Zhou Chen's existence, making him vigilant.

The demon race, on the other hand, had no such concerns. In the ancient war between immortals and demon beasts, the demon race had also participated. As a result, after the war, the spoils were not divided equally, and the demon race received the least benefits. They had to endure and concede due to the strength of the immortal race. Now that they knew Chengming had an incarnation here, it would be strange if the demon race didn't take action to cause some trouble.

Once the Heavenly Emperor focused his attention on dealing with the demon race and had to divert his attention to the human realm, he would inevitably neglect his control over the upper realm. At that time, if Ning Chang stirred up some internal issues, it would naturally be much more effective.

Although this visit to Lingtai Temple was peaceful, the gains were not small.

With the plan decided, Zhou Chen sent out a message to have someone handle this matter. He then followed Zhou Yin to continue on the road to Fengling Plain.

Fengling Plain was famous for being the burial site of the last emperor of the Dongyue Dynasty. The mausoleum had long been razed to the ground by the flames of war. Later, someone planted many pear trees here. Every year in April and May, this place would be a sea of white, with petals fluttering in the wind.

Pear blossoms piled like snow, who will lean against the railing here next year?

It must be said that natural landscapes such as mountains, rivers, flowers, and trees are not only admired by literati and artists, but also because they contain endless flavors. If a cultivator is perceptive enough and has an exceptional nature, they can also discover many unexpected things in ordinary matters such as the sun and moon traversing the sky and rivers flowing through the earth, thus influencing their own cultivation.

Zhou Yin was currently in such a state.

Zhou Chen was the first to notice his unusual condition. As they walked, Zhou Yin suddenly stopped in his tracks. Zhou Chen turned his head and saw that although the man was still looking at the drooping pear blossoms in front of him, his eyes were empty and distant, clearly having entered another realm.

Such a sudden epiphany triggered by the scenery is a great opportunity for cultivators. If they gain something, they will leap to a new level from then on. If they gain nothing, they will simply remain the same as before.

But this is also very dangerous because if he is in an unsafe environment, then anyone can secretly attack him at any time.

Perhaps it was his subconscious knowing that Zhou Chen was by his side, so he could relax his body and mind. Zhou Chen naturally understood this and stood beside him, quietly guarding him, waiting for him to slowly comprehend.

Zhou Yin had indeed entered a very profound realm.

In front of him were pear blossoms, yet they seemed to be more than just pear blossoms.

One by one, they fell from the petals, as if still carrying the vitality of life.

From the beginning of life, it was just a seed.

The seed sprouted from the soil under the irrigation of rainwater and the nourishment of sunlight, gradually growing.

However, it still had to experience the ravages of wind and rain. Sometimes the wind was so strong that it could uproot trees, and sometimes the rain was so heavy that it could drown them.

In such trials, life, with its indestructible tenacity, grew in the wind and rain until the branches were full of flowers, until it became a towering tree.

The nectar was taken away by bees, and the petals withered and fell into the soil, making next year's life even more brilliant.

Some endings are just another beginning.

For a moment, Zhou Yin seemed to have completely observed the process of a life from birth to end and then beginning anew from the perspective of a bystander. For a moment, he seemed to have become a flower on the branch himself, from budding to blooming to falling.

The pulse of the tree, the nourishment of the rain, and the sound of the flowers blooming became extremely clear at that moment!

He suddenly understood why there were plant cultivators in the world.

Every blade of grass and every tree, all things have spirits. In the eyes of others, it may only be an insignificant life, a cyclical process, but for life itself, from the initial conception to the final growth, it already requires infinite wisdom. This is true for humans and also for plants.

What he had previously realized was that the way of heaven also had feelings in the human world. Now, by chance, he suddenly entered a state of meditation, which happened to coincide with his previous realization and even went a step further.

What is the Dao?

Seeing the subtle and knowing the obvious, a withering and a flourishing.

He had already bloomed to the extreme, the flower bud swaying in the wind, then reluctantly leaving the branch. When the spring rain came, he was soaked in the soil, gradually dissolving, yet his heart seemed to become more and more clear.

In the slow heartbeat of the soil, he felt that he had returned to the beginning of life.

Then, slowly, waiting for next spring to break through the earth again.

The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth. The named is the mother of all things. The beginning of Qi, yet unseen in form, is called Taichu.

Zhou Yin slowly opened his eyes.

He was still in Fengling Plain, and the pear trees were still before him, but something seemed different.

This feeling was very familiar, just like when he advanced to the Nascent Soul stage in his previous life, that sudden feeling of understanding everything... but it was also somewhat different.

Laughter came from beside him. "Congratulations, your core's stage has greatly improved, reaching a new level!" said Zhou Chen.

The advancement of core was not equivalent to the advancement of cultivation, but core was a very important step in the advancement of cultivation. Zhou Yin had now encountered a fortuitous opportunity, and his core had taken a big step forward. From now on, he only needed to focus on cultivating his body.

At least before the late Nascent Soul stage, he would not need to temper his core again, and the efficiency of his cultivation would also increase greatly. This could not be said to be anything but a great gain!