Techniques and Dao

Chapter 233 Jupiter Becomes Silk
Seeing Ruokong about to make a desperate last stand, Huasheng couldn't help but stomp his foot. He leaped up, raised his golden cudgel, and roared.

"I will never let you make the Jupiter Veil!"

To everyone's surprise, Ruokong blocked the golden cudgel with just two fingers and said, "Master, don't you know how? Your golden cudgel can't break through the brocade cassock!"

If Kong were to strike Hua Sheng with a single palm strike, and as Hua Sheng fell, he would simultaneously recite the Tightening Spell, causing the iron golden hoop chain on Hua Sheng's body to instantly lengthen, locking him firmly in place so that he could not move after falling to the ground.

Seeing this, Mieying used his Fire-Tipped Spear to try and pry off the iron golden hoop chain on Huasheng's body, but the golden hoop chain was firmly embedded in his flesh and bones and did not move at all!

"Never mind me, subdue him first! The brocade robe can't stop the fire-tipped spear!" Hua Sheng shouted, then chanted, "Hurry, hurry, as the law commands!"

The golden cudgel seemed to come alive and flew towards Ruokong, assisting Mieying, who was raising his spear to stab.

The golden cudgel and the fire-tipped spear emitted bursts of golden light, and the glazed tiles all over the ground reflected the light, illuminating the Daqian Zen Temple in a dazzling and magnificent display.

Blood dripped from Ruokong's clenched teeth as he desperately used his right hand to brace against the golden cudgel and his left palm to meet the fire-tipped spear.

With a soft "whoosh," the tip of the Fire-Tipped Spear pierced directly through Ruokong's palm. Ruokong's hand was instantly scorched by the flames, but he roared and, instead of letting go, gripped the burning spear tip tightly!

Seeing Ruokong so recklessly risking his life, Mieying was shocked. In that instant, Ruokong swung the Golden Cudgel at Mieying. Mieying reached out to block it, but the Golden Cudgel slammed heavily into his shoulder, and the Fire-Tipped Spear slipped from his hand.

In a flash, Ruokong freed his right hand and pulled the fire-tipped spear from his charred left palm with a soft thud. A large amount of blood splattered onto the snow.

He hurled the Fire-Tipped Spear at the flying Shadowless, and it pierced her left arm with a snap. Due to the force, Shadowless and the spear flew out together, and her left arm immediately burst into flames. She screamed and tried to pull the spearhead away, but she was pinned to a pillar and could not move.

At the same time, Ruokong pointed at the glazed tiles on the ground, and the tiles flew over and pressed heavily on Huasheng.

After the fight, Master Ruokong was unsteady on his feet. He clutched his chest and staggered toward Huasheng. He was about to speak when he collapsed, barely managing to keep his balance by bracing himself on the ground.

Hua Sheng saw an opportunity and tried to struggle, but the glazed tiles were clearly enchanted, rendering him unable to move.

Ruokong picked up the Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff) from the ground beside him with his right hand, stood up and whispered:
"The Jupiter Robe was forged in 108 days. It is still two days short. If I meditate and close my breath, I can last for another two or three days. You will not take the Jupiter Robe with you; the only thing you can take is this secret."

Suddenly, the white-haired shadow screamed. She had pulled the Fire-Tipped Spear from her arm and, before she even landed, hurled it at Ruokong!

If Kong used his golden cudgel to strike the fire-tipped spear with a clang, the spear would fly over the temple wall.

Ruokong turned and looked down at Huasheng, saying, "Without sacrifice, the world would not become a better place. This is the ultimate act of merit."

He raised the golden cudgel high and thrust it down with all his might towards Hua Sheng's forehead!
This blow will surely smash Hanamori's skull, causing his brains to splatter.

Just as the golden cudgel was about to miss Hua Sheng's forehead, a burst of Buddhist light suddenly shone in the night sky! Ruo Kong's golden cudgel flew out of his hand and flew more than ten feet away, where it slammed firmly into the ground with a thud.

The heavy snow in the night sky drifted in all directions, and the clouds and mist above Daqian Temple dispersed, making it as bright as day!
Using the light, Hua Sheng, who had narrowly escaped death, hurriedly looked around, only to see Mie Ying still lying on the ground. Clearly, it wasn't her doing; who had saved him?!

The glazed tiles and floor bricks of the entire Daqian Temple seemed to be boiling and pulsating.

At this moment, Ruokong's expression changed drastically, and he looked up at the sky in horror!

In the center of the night sky, a midday sun appeared, and within it, a slender figure emerged. The figure slowly descended, revealing itself to be a young man dressed in a plain white Buddhist robe with gold trim, barefoot and standing on a lotus flower.

The young man had a red dot between his eyebrows, a face as fair as jade, and was exceptionally handsome, just like a young man in his twenties.

Upon seeing this, Kong Yi was instantly like a puppet with its strings cut, staggering back several steps and spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the ground, nearly collapsing.

The young man, with a radiant Buddhist light emanating from behind him, slowly said, "Ruo Kong, do you remember me?"

As soon as the young man spoke, the snow that had accumulated throughout the Daqian Temple began to melt, and grass started to sprout from the cracks in the ground, quickly turning the area into a field of blooming flowers. Ruokong gave a bitter laugh, clasped his hands together, and said, "Through my days chanting Buddhist prayers, how could I forget the sounds of the world? This unworthy disciple, Ruokong, pays respects to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva!"

Hua Sheng was shocked to see that it was Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva standing before him. It was truly a Bodhisattva incarnate!

Guanzizai asked, "If it is empty, can one know sin?"

Ruokong said, "This humble monk is guilty, and I am ashamed that I do not even know it."

Guanzizai said, "Back then, the Sandalwood Merit Buddha Tang Sanzang cherished your innate nature and sacrificed himself for you. He even went so far as to ask me to change the Holy Court's laws to save your life. Now that you are in charge of this Great Thousand Zen Temple for me, how can you do something that disgraces Buddhism?"

Ruokong's eyes were empty, and tears streamed down his face. He said, "The Bodhisattva does not abandon the suffering of the world, which is why I am fortunate to be born into this world. It is because of this karmic connection that I have been able to obtain the Jupiter Robe, so that all beings may forget their anger, ignorance, and old evils."

After listening, Guan Zizai sighed and slowly said, "Ruo Kong, you always think you are right. Have you ever thought that they don't always need what is right?"

Ruokong laughed loudly, saying, "I have already understood! I asked the Great Master why he sat backwards, lamenting that sentient beings are unwilling to turn back."

Guanzizai remained silent.

Ruokong said, "Bodhisattva, please don't laugh. I do this because I understand. The freedom of all beings should be as essential as air, yet now they are at the mercy of others everywhere. Why is the Bodhisattva unwilling to break down this damned wall!"

Guanzizai looked at Ruokong and said, "Ruokong, your heart is still that of a child from back then."

Ruokong smiled bitterly and put his palms together, saying, "This is the Bodhisattva's advice, so the price of my growth is my life."

Guanzizai said: "Even with the Dharma, if one has attachment, one not only commits the offense of attachment to self, but also the offense of attachment to the Dharma. The Dharma is inherently nothingness, so why be attached to what is missing in the world or in words?"

Ruokong stopped arguing, lowered his head and smiled, "This poor monk is nothing more than a candle. If I don't turn to ashes, who will? If I don't go to hell, who will?"

Suddenly he turned around and struck the Thousand-Year Incense Burner behind him with his palm. The earth shook and the incense burner shattered! A peerless magic weapon appeared, as if it wanted to compete with Guanyin for the light that illuminated the world!

Master Ruokong raised his hands high, as if carefully catching a newborn baby. Holding the object in his hands, tears streamed down his face, staining the item with a mixture of tears and blood.

Ruokong wept uncontrollably, saying intermittently, "Two days... just two days short! If I hadn't truly reached the brink of despair, if I hadn't been on the verge of death, how could I have stood by and watched this futile effort fail, letting the stars fade away!"

Hua Sheng was shocked when he heard this.

Jupiter becomes gauze! This is Jupiter gauze!
It turns out that Ruokong had been hiding the Jupiter Silk in the Thousand Worlds Incense Burner for so many days to condense it. He suddenly realized that the Jupiter Robe that Master Ruokong had always wanted had finally become what he called a half-finished product: Jupiter Gauze!
If that's the case, then when I broke through the Star Veil, I must have come into contact with the manuscript of "The Way of Arts" inside the Star Veil, which is why I was taken to that so-called "real world".

Then the cause and effect of all this can be explained!

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva said, “Ruokong, your life is now in grave danger, and you are burdened with sins. I hope you will rein in your horse at the precipice, let go of everything, and leave this place with me.”

Ruokong's eyes became muddled, as if he was losing too much blood and his consciousness was blurred. It was as if he did not hear Guanzizai's words at all, and only laughed bitterly at the sky.

"In this life, everyone is the same; we are born with no choice, and we leave with no choice. Although things are beyond our control, you have no right to judge me, Ruokong!"

He gazed into the distance with his eyes, which were gradually losing their luster, and sighed sadly.

"Listen! That is the sound of lotus blossoming, and also the sound of lotus weeping."

Having said that, Ruokong grabbed the Jupiter Veil and draped it over his body, which was as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind. It was as if he was determined to leave the realm of life and throw himself into a place of certain death.

After a flash of white light, the lonely and broken body disappeared into the river of time.

(End of this chapter)