Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 118 - 115: Lay down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha on the spot

Chapter 118: Chapter 115: Lay down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha on the spot

"Oblivion Melody," this sound technique, Zhou Ping’an had already experienced several times.

He knew that with Green Lady’s current skill level, not only could she play tunes that made one forget all sorrows, but she could also reverse the effect, bringing up troublesome emotions deep within one’s soul.

If one had no distracting thoughts and was a person without flaws, naturally, they would not have much of a reaction upon hearing it.

But if one’s spirit was flawed, and they were two-faced, they would undeniably reveal their weaknesses under the extraordinary and direct assault of the music on their soul.

That was why he had set up this test.

Mainly because he did not want to subjectively determine the good and evil, right and wrong of others.

In his heart, he harbored a speculation that was too dreadful to utter.

Moreover, if his speculation were true, he would only have one chance.

Either he would strike to kill, or he would not make a move at all.

If he guessed wrong and killed the wrong person, he would not be able to get past that hurdle in his heart.

Logically speaking, the best way to resolve the doubts in one’s heart was to investigate the back yard of the County Yamen.

But when he approached the Yamen under the cover of night, he could sense a profound crisis welling up in his spirit.

Without asking, that old monk of the True Qi Realm from King of Light’s Temple must be residing within the County Yamen.

He must not act rashly and alert the enemy.

Li Yuankang steadied his cup with shaking right hand.

The cordial demeanor he had earlier vanished, with his eyebrows furrowed tightly and his face twitching madly, as if he was forcibly enduring something.

Zhou Ping’an’s gaze grew slightly colder, and seeing this, the Qi-Blood throughout his body began to circulate quietly, a hint of murderous intent concentrating between his fingers. Hundreds of Mind Threads in his mind were primed to strike.

"Thud..."

A soft sound.

It was like the twilight drum or the morning bell, intruding upon the variations of music, confusing the melody, while the young monk’s slightly childish voice recited in the ear: "Thus have I heard, Siddhattha promoted to Brahma at that time, together with his entire assembly including Ananda..."

As the scripture entered their ears,

everyone’s intoxication, grief, and lamentations were swept away in an instant.

Miss Qing sighed, "Such profound Buddhist nature in this young monk, able to chant the divine sounds, is truly commendable."

Although she had only used thirty percent of her Tianyin skill, the soul-stirring intention within the music was also extremely subtle and by no means harmful.

Yet, this little novice monk, who was only eleven or twelve years old and not even as tall as her armpit, was able to handle it.

Thinking about it, even among the budding talents of the Buddha Sect, no matter how one ranked them, he was definitely an excellent "Buddhist Disciple" seedling.

Which temple or monastery would be willing to let such a promising seedling travel throughout Jianghu?

Aren’t they afraid that before he grows up, he’ll be harmed by "demons and evil spirits"?

After this disturbance,

Li Yuankang suddenly came to his senses.

He covered his face with his sleeve and said, "Li has a low tolerance for alcohol and must take his leave now. Please forgive me for any disrespect, and I hope the gentlemen and Miss Qing will excuse my abrupt departure."

He stood up, his eyes filled with apology, cupped his hands in a bow, and then said, "Miss Qing’s musical talent truly lives up to the name ’Immortality Seeker,’ and even possesses the ability to question one’s heart, reminding Li of a friend."

He gave a self-deprecating smile, flipped his sleeve, and rose.

The several people present all felt that it was natural.

Watching Li Yuankang’s retreating figure, they couldn’t bear to say more.

Zhao Mengbai sighed, touching his forehead, "No wonder Yuan Kang is heartbroken. If my childhood friend also disappeared without a trace, I’m afraid I’d be even worse off than him."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone nodded in agreement.

Of course, Zhou Ping’an also understood what Zhao Mengbai was referring to.

There were rumors that Li Yuankang had a close childhood friend, born into the prominent Liu Family of Guangyun.

Not long ago, the Liu Family met with disaster, and Miss Liu encountered misfortune.

What was most painful was that this happened while Miss Liu was on her way to visit Li Yuankang.

When Li Yuankang went to meet her, he was met with a group of corpses, reportedly harmed by evil beings.

Since then, Li Yuankang has been indulging in poetry and wine at various establishments, with his spirits greatly dampened.

Of course, whether this was true or not was not easy to say.

Zhou Ping’an only cared about whether the other party was the person he suspected.

After the merriment dissipated, the others hurriedly dispersed.

Zhou Ping’an also took leave early, leaving the Washing Flowers Pavilion, making a few turns, and under the waxing moonlight, he had just stepped onto Yongfu Street when he found a carriage to ride.

The carriage went straight to the County Yamen.

Taking in the scent, Zhou Ping’an knew that he had found his target.

Within the Huanhua Water Pavilion, the delicate fragrance of the incense that was burning was very pleasant to smell. One stick was extraordinary, a prized item from Green Lady’s collection, named "Soul Attracting Incense."

If someone was tainted with this controlled incense, no matter how much they bathed, it would be impossible to wash away the scent within a short period.

It was as if it clung to the soul itself.

Zhou Ping’an especially remembered this scent and covertly followed it.

Naturally, he would not mistake the person.

"It’s here again."

Zhou Ping’an transformed into a shadowy figure, silently trailing behind, looking down the street, his heart was already nearly certain.

But at this time, there was no need to hurry.

An enemy exposed was no longer a threat, and there would always be a good opportunity to make a move.

In the plan, "Seven Emotions Heavenly Sound," combined with "Soul Attracting Incense," had no other functions but one, to bewilder the mind and evoke a peculiar desire in people’s hearts—the desire for "possession."

It was still that same principle.

If one’s mind was complete, without desires or wants, naturally one could resist.

But if some emotion is amplified, giving rise to demonic thoughts, then even if one flees to the ends of the earth, they would still be reluctant to let go.

’It’s not too good to take action within the city. If I’m not mistaken, the old monk staying at the County Yamen will be able to arrive soon. Unfortunately, the Five Desires Evil Art is extremely crafty, and this person has thick skin and flesh; he won’t be easy to kill. The only option is to lure him outside the city.’

Zhou Ping’an set up this trap.

He considered all sorts of details meticulously beforehand.

His patience had always been great. Seeing Li Yuankang crossing several long streets, almost reaching the County Yamen, he still did not wish to act rashly.

He just quietly followed behind, his external breathing turning internal, silent as a piece of wood.

Soon, the carriage came to a stop.

A voice, suppressing its tone, roared angrily, "Fa Yuan, don’t go too far. By allowing you to accompany me today, I’ve already given you great face. Even your master cannot command me."

Li Yuankang’s voice, long stripped of its warmth and depth, now sounded through gritted teeth, tinged with a hint of madness.

"Benefactor Li, the sea of suffering is boundless; turn back to find the shore. To overcome inner demons, indulging them is not the only path. I fear that in acting this way, master is indeed nurturing a demon for trouble."

The young monk’s head seemed to emanate a faint glow, and despite his young age, he exuded the aura of a highly venerable monk.

Looking out from behind the curtains, he firmly grasped Li Yuankang’s hand, his gaze resolute with a trace of entreaty.

"Hmph, easy for you to say. Is overcoming a demonic trial that simple? Moreover, when there is a shortcut that allows one to lay down the butcher’s knife and instantly achieve Buddhahood, why should I endure years of agony and trials? Young monk, I’ve tolerated you for a long time."

As he spoke,

A flash of blood-red light glinted in Li Yuankang’s eyes, turning them crimson.

With a slight flip of the hand, boom...

The muffled sound accompanied a lightning-fast palm imprint on the young monk’s chest.

The blow sent Fa Yuan’s short stature flying out of the sedan like a straw doll, landing on the long street.

An indentation from a palm print appeared on his chest cloth, and he spat out blood, yet his breathing remained unchaotic, a faint yellow light glowing across his face.

"Either you kill me today, or I will not let you go out to do evil," he stated.

Thinking of the two frail bodies he had seen in the bamboo garden of the County Yamen that very morning, Fa Yuan’s eyes were filled with pain.

It didn’t matter what he said, the other party wouldn’t listen, his master wouldn’t listen.

It seemed as if the whole world was different from him.

He wondered whether there was something wrong with the world, or with himself.

Or perhaps, was everything said in the Buddhist scriptures false?

"I can’t be bothered with you."

By this point, Li Yuankang’s eyes had turned completely blood-red.

Especially after he started using his cultivation, no longer concealing it, he felt the desire, the craving within his mind, burning like a flame.

As if it wanted to burn everything.

He turned and started for the Lin Residence.

"Fairy Huaiyu..."

His movements were elusive. With each step he took, he covered a distance of over ten feet, his skin turning a yellow-orange color, resembling not a living person but instead a bronze statue.

’This should be the King of Light’s Golden Body Technique. He is at the Copper Body Realm, and it looks like he has reached the Intermediate Third Level. How long has it been?’

Having not seen him for just a few days, Zhou Ping’an found that this fellow’s body had become much stronger than when he had first disguised himself as Gray Clothes Scholar.

Particularly, the swirling dark aura around his skin, clinging to his muscles and bones, had noticeably increased his strength.

"In two or three slashes, one probably can’t indeed kill him."

Seeing Li Yuankang in such a state, Zhou Ping’an also thought of Gao Jin back in the day, realizing that the latter might have taken a shortcut. Even if he reached the peak of the Intermediate Third Level Copper Body, the firmness of his flesh could hardly compare with the Young Master of the Magistrate he was witnessing now.

Could it be, there is some wondrous chemical reaction when Demonic Cultivation and Buddhist Cultivation are practiced together?

If this person were to temper the King of Light’s Golden Body Technique with the Five Desires Evil Art, reaching the peak of the Golden Body Realm, how unbreakable would his flesh be?

The more Zhou Ping’an thought about it, the more murderous intent he harbored.

From the conflict between the two just now, he had gleaned enough information.

He knew exactly how the Young Master of the Magistrate resisted the temptations of the Five Desires Demon.

He was actually taking the path of indulgence.

If it was greed, he would rob and murder everywhere, setting fires and stealing.

If it was lust, he would forcibly seize virtuous women, giving himself over to wanton pleasure...

This was identical to the methods some powerful families used to cultivate their scions, getting them so sick and tired, so fed up and satiated, that they would stop thinking about such things.

Thus, they could "let go."

’This, then, is the true meaning of laying down the butcher’s knife to instantly achieve Buddhahood. How can one speak of laying it down without having wielded it first? Once laid down, one sees the true nature of the mind, and Buddha’s heart becomes clear and bright...’

’So this is what the old monk had in mind...’

He wanted a disciple, and if Li Yuankang truly overcame this hurdle, his prospects would be vast, his cultivation would leap forward, and perhaps he could even attain King of Light’s Vajra Body Perfection...’

Indeed, a well-laid plot.

Zhou Ping’an had not only understood Li Yuankang’s antics but also comprehended why the devout monk was dwelling within the County Yamen.

Everything under the heavens is bustling for profit; every action in the world stems from the pursuit of benefit.

Even a high monk of the Buddha Sect would not engage in meaningless acts.