Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 195 - 188: Nirvana for a Future Life Connection

Chapter 195: Chapter 188: Nirvana for a Future Life Connection

But Wukong’s eyes shed two rows of blood tears, with a loud cry that thundered like a rumbling.

The Bodhisattva was slightly startled, but still brought her hands together in prayer, slowly chanting the Buddhist Scriptures. Even though it felt like thousands of ants gnawing at her heart, she refused to betray her true nature. The more she chanted, the more tears she shed.

Seeing this, Wukong felt a chill in his heart and said, "Do you truly refuse to awaken?"

The Bodhisattva remained silent, continuing to chant the Buddhist Scriptures.

Wukong sighed, "Bodhi is inherently treeless, and the bright mirror is not a stand. Originally there is nothing, where can the dust alight? Buddha is Buddha, why try so hard to become one; the world is the world, why take such care to deal with it? Sitting is meditation, walking is also meditation, a single flower opens a world, a single leaf is a Buddha. With boundless prajna inherently within the heart, why torment it, forcing oneself to pursue the false path of Buddha?"

After saying this, Wukong also brought his hands together in prayer and sat down cross-legged, his body suddenly shone with golden light.

Transforming into the Victorious Fighting Buddha, he was draped in a gold-plated Kasaya, his head crowned with a five-Buddha treasure crown adorned with pearls, agate, and jade, all utterly magnificent and luxurious beyond compare. His appearance was dignified, hands together in prayer, and he spoke slowly, "All Buddhas! From the Western Direction. Beyond ten million Buddha Lands there is a world named Ultimate Bliss. In that land, there is a Buddha by the name of Victorious Fighting."

"All Buddhas! What say you? Why is that Buddha named Victorious Fighting? His light shines immeasurably, illuminating the countries in all directions, obstructed by none. That Buddha’s will overpowers the desolation in eight directions, shaking the universe, invincible wherever he goes. Thus, he is named Victorious Fighting!"

The face of the Victorious Fighting Buddha was grave as he proclaimed, "If you turn toward Buddha, then I shall descend from Buddha to demon!"

Having said this, he was already performing the Great Nirvana Technique, ready to enter Nirvana and leave.

She finally stopped, opened her eyes, and said, "Why are you doing this? Who are you, and who am I?"

Victorious Fighting Buddha replied, "I am the Victorious Fighting Buddha."

Unable to restrain herself, the Bodhisattva said, "But were you not just called Wukong?"

The Victorious Fighting Buddha smiled, "I am Buddha, he is not. I am only here temporarily."

Upon saying this, the Kasaya and Buddha Crown of the Victorious Fighting Buddha gradually disappeared as he transformed into the likeness of Wukong.

The Bodhisattva asked, "What is going on?"

Wukong said, "The Buddha said that upon laying down the butcher’s knife, one can become a Buddha on the spot. Even great sinners can instantly become Buddhas, so why not I? If I now say I am Buddha, would you believe me?"

The Bodhisattva brought her hands together in prayer and said, "The Buddha is merciful, I have seen the Victorious Fighting Buddha."

Wukong reached forward and seized her hands, saying, "Have you not awakened yet?"

With a puzzled look and a flush of crimson rising to her cheeks, seeming to struggle yet recalling his words about not betraying one’s true nature, she did not resist further and said, "Awaken? Have I ever slept? I have always been awake, have I not?"

Wukong let out a long sigh and placed a wooden carving into her hands, "If you are awake, then entrust your True Spirit to it."

The Bodhisattva exclaimed, "What are you going to do!"

Then she saw Wukong leap up, crying out, "Great Nirvana Technique!"

Seven-colored flames burst forth, as Wukong sat cross-legged in midair, hands in prayer, slowly saying, "The Buddha is merciful! To end one’s life in front of a loved one, the pain is only momentary, but the happiness is eternal. Xuan Ming, you may awaken; if not, in the next life, I shall return to liberate you!"

In the moment of Buddha Nirvana, naturally, there came the elegant demeanor of a smile while holding a flower, a Mandala flower bloomed from Wukong’s fingertips, slowly unfurling. Wukong’s smile was serene and composed, and in this moment, he seemed to grasp the feeling of Xuan Ming’s demise... How deeply must such torment penetrate the heart?

She felt as if her mind had exploded, as memories from past lives surged into her consciousness like a waterfall.

The seven-colored flames had extinguished, and although Wukong said it was Nirvana, in reality, he had died, waiting for the next reincarnation. But she had already awakened, there was no need for another life.

"Indeed, this contingency plan I left behind really did come in handy," Xuan Ming said with a slight smile, examining the wooden carving in her hand, "It’s quite beautifully done!"

Waking up this time was extremely difficult, having gone through two lifetimes before fully awakening, and the last sight of Wukong using the Nirvana Dharma to die in front of her reminded her of the moment she smiled before her own death. Perhaps, that smile was the cause, and naturally, it bore the fruit of that very smile.

Xuan Ming’s fingers gently caressed the wooden carving, murmuring softly, "If it weren’t for my becoming a saint during the cycle of reincarnation, I wouldn’t have been able to preserve these six true spirits, and I would have truly died. But, he was conscientious, with such great determination, carving wooden sculptures for a lifetime and traveling for decades to see me."

The more she thought about it, the happier she laughed. Who would resemble someone who died once? It was as if even in death, she was happy about it.

Xuan Ming had become a saint within the cycle of reincarnation and naturally had a significant karmic tie with it. Fearing manipulations from others, she once destroyed the cycle completely, but later she glimpsed the changes in Heavenly Dao and knew she had to block that palm strike for Wukong, which resulted in her falling in line with fate and dying; thus, no saint could be enshrined upon the Deification Platform. Calculations upon calculations finally let her catch a glimpse of this sliver of a chance for life. While others might use reincarnation to scheme against her, was it not also her hope for rebirth?

Everything in the world has a dual nature, benefits, and drawbacks.

Holding the wooden carving, Xuan Ming sat down, with a smile lingering at the corner of her mouth, thinking to herself: "This one true spirit of mine has transformed into a Bodhisattva, he has Buddha in his heart, and in the dream realm, he became the Victorious Fighting Buddha, which is why he managed to awaken my true spirit after only two lives. As for the other five true spirits, it won’t be so easy. But from these two lifetimes, I can see his determination to save me is indeed staunch. The other five true spirits, I believe, he should be able to awaken."

She sat quietly for a long while, perhaps a month, or perhaps a year.

Gently standing up, she waved her hand, and a six-colored great wheel appeared in the sky. Holding the wooden carving, she threw herself into it, and then Wukong, who was in the Reincarnation World, was also cast into the great wheel to enter the next cycle within the Six Paths of Reincarnation to awaken Xuan Ming’s second true spirit.

There’s nothing difficult in this world for a determined mind.

Here, one life corresponds to one day outside. Even if one experiences three hundred and sixty-five lifetimes inside, it would only be a year outside.

These challenges seemed to have been deliberately set by Xuan Ming. If Wukong truly had the determination, he would eventually awaken her true spirit. If not... it would be eternal slumber then! Death is salvageable, but how does one save a dead heart?

Let us put aside Wukong’s search for Xuan Ming’s second true spirit for a moment, and turn to the long-absent Corpse King General.

The Corpse King General, born from Chaos and of the same origin as the Chaos Heaven Demon, was the first zombie in heaven and earth, the progenitor of all zombies. After his last uproar intending to destroy the sun and slaying Di Jun, he was squarely targeted by various saints and dared not leap forth again.

He hid himself at the edge of Chaos, which was exceedingly vast, surrounded by Chaotic Aura, making it difficult even for a Heavenly Dao Saint to scheme against him.

But this day, a great trial was upon him.

The sight of the Tong Tian Sect Master riding the Green Sword, cutting through the wind like the waves, in white robes fluttering, approaching the edge of Chaos came into view.

The reason the Tong Tian Sect Master could find General was due to a decree from Hong Jun Taoist Patriarch, instructing him to carry a talisman. It would inevitably lead him to General! He was then ordered to kill General and take his inner core, which, if refined, would greatly increase his mana.

The Tong Tian Sect Master was the youngest of the Three Pure Ones. After Hong Jun went to Suppress the void, he entrusted most of his following to the sect master to manage. Then, the sect master wanted to intercept the Three Thousand Great Paths and established Jie Taoist, ostensibly capturing a gleam of hope from it. Truth be told, the sect master was Hong Jun’s favorite disciple.

Otherwise, Hong Jun wouldn’t have handed over the Slaying Immortal Four Swords, used to slay three thousand Chaos Heaven Demons during the opening of heavens, to him.

The Tong Tian Sect Master entered the edge of Chaos directly, raised a talisman, which led the way, heading towards where General was.

The sect master pondered, "This General, born of Chaos, the first zombie in heaven and earth, likely harbors incredible mana in his inner core. If I refine him and gain insights into some of the most elusive aspects of the Chaos Dao, then I would have made it halfway through the journey of the Three Thousand Great Paths." He mused and then couldn’t help but mock himself, "That Sun Wukong truly has matchless luck, enviable fortune, to have traversed the Three Thousand Great Paths in just over a decade. Here I am, still struggling after tens of thousands of years!"

As the saying goes, "If it’s destined, it will happen; if not, no use in forcing it." That’s the principle.

With calculations in mind, the sect master thought, "My teacher favors me, giving me this task of dealing with General, letting me take his inner core. I must not fail my teacher’s expectations. This time, he must be slain here and now, or else who knows what craziness he might commit in the future!"

How this turns out, please listen to the following episode. (To be continued. If you like this work, please go to qiàn.com to vote on the recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qiàn.com.)