Knife splashing

Chapter 314: The Beating and the Refining of the Heart
The mysterious realm of Baotong Zen Temple is called the Lianxin Hall.

It is somewhat similar to the Leihuo Refining Hall on Mount Wudang. Both are a wonderful area formed by special terrain, special buildings and coincidence.

The same is true for some inherently dangerous places.

This Heart Refining Hall has a total of five checkpoints to deal with five "obstacles". As long as you pass a level, you will get the opportunity and enter a state of enlightenment.

And Li Yan has passed four levels!
The level is in the form of an illusion, reflected on the spiritual consciousness, and consumes a lot of energy. With Li Yan's Taoism, he can support it until now, which is a miracle in the eyes of several old monks.

One of the old monks frowned and said, "This boy is a martial artist. Could it be that he is overdrawing his spirit with his will? This is dangerous."

Tongxuan pondered for a moment and picked up a stick from the side.

This stick was forged from natural treasures. It was crystal clear, like colored glaze, and had the three characters "Deshan Stick" engraved on it. It was obviously not an ordinary item.

Tong Xuan held the stick and said in a deep voice: "Don't worry, this boy's blood and qi are still full, it doesn't seem like he has overdrawn his soul. If necessary, I will wake him up in advance."

"There are very few people who can overcome this habit barrier. If he can break through it, it will be an opportunity for him..."

At the entrance of the Mahavira Hall, Li Yan's pupils dilated, his clothes soaked with sweat, his feet trembled, but he still couldn't step over the threshold...

……

On the other side, in the illusion.

Li Yan was breathing heavily and staring straight ahead.

There was also a him in the yard ahead, with a Duanchen Knife in his hand, a cold look in his eyes, and he paced slowly, occasionally making provocative gestures.

"What a coward!"

Li Yan couldn't help but grit his teeth and cursed.

In the first four levels, he broke through the obstacles of knowledge and views, and the obstacles of afflictions. Although he was a little tired, it was also a kind of training of his mind and he gained a lot.

He subsequently suffered from karmic obstacles and retribution, and experienced the three evil paths and the three evil paths and eight difficulties. It was like a hard training, and he relied on the recovery of his Daluo Dharma body to get through it with difficulty.

But this level really gave him a headache.

He already vaguely knew that this was the "habit obstacle".

The so-called "habit obstacle" is an extremely subtle obstacle to knowledge, which is the negative impact caused by habits developed over a long period of time in the past.

We all have habits, and sometimes you don't even notice them.

To give an inappropriate example, when someone is studying or working, he needs some small tricks, such as listening to music or making a pot of tea, to get into the state...

For example, when fighting with others, I always like to make the first move.

This habit can sometimes be a strength and help you achieve your goals, but it can often become a hindrance if you want to go further.

This thing is the "habit obstacle".

When in the Phosphate Mine Canyon, Li Yan encountered a Tibetan master, and later specifically inquired and collected intelligence from him.

This "habit obstacle" is particularly important in Tantric Buddhism.

I didn't expect it to be so difficult.

The "he" opposite knew all of Li Yan's moves and habits very well, even better than he himself.

Every time he fought, he would be caught at a flaw, and the fight would be even more frustrating than facing Zhang Xiaoshan.

But this is also an opportunity.

The problem is like a backpack. Many people can easily see the problems of others, but few people can see their own problems clearly.

The "him" in front of me is like a mirror, revealing all his flaws nakedly.

For example, when starting out, you are too rigid, always using the Pi Gua Zhang to break through, and then using the Trick Die or Thunder Method to solve the problem.

Once blocked, they will rush to use the soul-catching rope.

These trump cards had unknowingly become obstacles to his further advancement in martial arts. Li Yan felt a little scared when he thought about it.

Thinking of this, he growled again and pounced forward.

This time, he did not use the chopping technique, but directly used the Heavenly Thunder Hammer. Electric arcs squeaked above his fist and smashed down with a loud bang.

Sure enough, the change of tactics took effect immediately.

The opponent dodged quickly, revealing a flaw.

But Li Yan did not fall for it and directly attacked with thunder magic.

If he were an ordinary person, he would definitely change his tactics, seize this flaw, and use Yin Lei or Diao Da methods.

But it is not necessary to find flaws.

All things are impermanent, winning is a good move!
Bang!
With a loud bang, the figure flew several meters away, but as it rolled on the ground, the scars on its body were completely healed.

Li Yan followed closely behind and chopped down fiercely with his Duanchen Sword.

But as soon as he made a move, he realized something was wrong.

When he used his sword skills, he was too particular about routines. He habitually attacked with the sword, and lacked variety in his finishing moves.

Sure enough, "he" on the ground seized the flaw, raised his head, and used the Nine Rolls and Eighteen Falls Technique of Red Fist. He simply separated his feet, stood up and flipped his elbow.

Bang!
Li Yan was hit on the head by an elbow, feeling dizzy, stumbling and falling to the ground, his eyes becoming blurry again.

He knew that this was due to excessive consumption of his spirit and soul.

Without any hesitation, Li Yan used his Daluo Dharma body to repair himself quickly, then stood up and continued to fight the enemy.

Through the "him" in front of him, Li Yan seemed to be examining his past self. The habits formed from practicing martial arts and the routines summarized from fighting the enemies gradually became blurred in his mind.

It seemed as if all the moves had been forgotten.

He attacked faster and faster, using the Pi Gua, Red Fist, Yin Lei Shou, Demon-Subduing Hammer...all of them were used out of instinct, like an antelope hanging on a horn, leaving no trace.

Finally, after another loud bang, the "him" on the opposite side flew several meters away. After he stood up, their eyes met, and his figure gradually disappeared.

Li Yan then breathed a sigh of relief and took a step forward.

In an instant, the surrounding scene changed drastically.

He looked up and found that he had entered the main hall without knowing when. The sound of wooden fish floated in the air, Buddhist lamps were like stars, incense was bright, and in front of him was the tall statue of Sakyamuni Buddha.

The transition between reality and illusion made Li Yan feel like he was in a dream. His eyes went from empty to confused, and he was at a loss...

boom!
Just then, he was hit hard on the head with a stick.

But Master Tongxuan had come up behind him at some point, and after knocking him down with a stick, he shouted, "Hey! When you practice the deep Prajna Paramita, you will see that the five aggregates are empty!"

He held a stick in one hand and twisted his thumb and middle finger together with the other hand.

This is the seal for the Buddhist teachings.

Li Yan only felt a thunderclap in his head, as if a window was opened in the dark room, and spiritual light shone in, instantly making the room bright.

He realized something and immediately sat cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed. The insights from the illusion kept echoing in his mind.

It was unknown how long it had been before Li Yan slowly opened his eyes.

There was no one in the main hall. It was bright outside and it seemed to be past noon. The sky was blue and the clouds were white, with a gentle breeze.

Li Yan slowly stood up, touched the bump on his head, and said with a bit of a smile: "Is this the Zen stick shout?"

"The old monk is too honest..."

Having said that, a great joy rose in my heart.

Since leaving Lijiabao, he has either been fighting or practicing. He feels that his strength has increased rapidly, but there are still many hidden dangers. All Zhang Xiaoshan can teach him is the moves.

And last night was like a rainstorm, cleansing my heart and mending many spiritual flaws.

After walking out of the main hall, Li Yan stretched slowly, feeling his mind clear and his heart relaxed.

Those things that weigh on my mind no longer seem to be important.

"Amitabha."

At this time, a young monk came over from outside the hall, put his hands together and said, "Donor Li, Master Tongxuan wants you to come over."

"Ah."

Li Yan didn't waste any words and followed the other party through the corridors and came to a Zen room.

I saw Master Tongxuan sitting cross-legged with a rosary in his hands.

"Thank you, Master."

Li Yan quickly bowed and thanked him.

As if sensing the change in his aura, Tong Xuan nodded slightly, a smile in his eyes, "It seems that Mr. Li has gained a lot, don't take what happened last night to heart."

Then he explained the reason.

Only then did Li Yan realize that the opportunity was this Great Hall and the Refining Heart Hall.

Baotong Temple has a long history. It was originally built by Xiao Tong, the Prince of Zhaoming during the Liang Dynasty and was named "Donglin Temple". During the Southern Song Dynasty, it was also called "Chongning Wanshou Temple". It was the royal temple of the Daxuan Dynasty.

This place was originally a geomantic omen cave near Wuchang. Since its construction, some natural treasures have been used. In addition, it was destroyed in wars many times and rebuilt again and again, and gradually this mysterious realm of refining the mind was formed.

Of course, there are conditions for entering.

First, Buddhist disciples must set up a large formation to start it.

Secondly, he was not prepared in his heart, so he concealed it deliberately, and entered it unknowingly when he stepped into the yard.

The third is to use the Zen stick and scolding method to awaken and digest what has been gained.

Even the stick the old monk was holding was a Buddhist instrument left by Zen Master Huangbo. When Zen Master Linji Yixuan asked him for advice, Zen Master Huangbo did not say a word, but directly took out the stick and hit him to wake him up.

"Deshan's stick and Linji's shout" are very famous in Zen Buddhism.

Although the blow was very strong, Li Yan had gained substantial benefits, so he had no intention of complaining and simply bowed to express his gratitude again.

Zen Master Tongxuan smiled and said, "Donor Li has helped me many times. It's just a small matter, so don't mention it."

"May 13th is the birthday of the Buddha, the Protector of the Nation. We need to make preparations. I heard that Mr. Li will also refine a magic weapon on that day?"

Li Yan nodded and said, "That's right. This time I came to Wuchang for this matter. I would also like to thank your temple for helping us and lending us the precious land to refine weapons."

Zen Master Tongxuan pondered for a moment, "There is a King's Well in Wuchang City. It is said that it was opened by the King of Western Chu. It is somewhat similar to Zhuodao Spring."

"Deep in the Overlord Well, there was originally an underground cold spring. If it is combined with the spiritual water of Zhuo Dao Spring, the forged magic weapon can be more spiritual."

"Unfortunately, the Overlord Well has suddenly become turbid recently, and often gushes out yellow water with a fishy stench. I don't know what happened."

"The temple is short of staff and has no time to check. Donor Li can go and take a look when he is free. If the problem can be solved, it will be beneficial to both of us."

"no problem."

Li Yan agreed immediately, "I'll take a look when I get back."

After he left, Zen Master Tongxuan became thoughtful and took out a booklet from the bookshelf beside him. On it was Li Yan's information.

In the eyes of others, even if Li Yan had made a name for himself, he was still too young and far from having the reputation of suppressing a region and influencing the situation.

But being able to overcome the five "obstacles" is considered even more extraordinary by Zen Buddhists, and those who can do this when they are young all have innate potential.

A congenital master has a completely different meaning...

…………

"Overlord Well?"

In Yuquan Temple, Master Lu was a little annoyed when his work was interrupted, but when he heard that it was related to Overlord Well, he nodded and said, "It is true."

"Zhuodao Spring is located in Fuhu Mountain, and there are mineral veins underneath it. The water of Lingquan is Gengjin (Yang). Bawangjing is located in Wuchang City, and the underground water veins are connected to the river water, which is Xinjin (Yin)."

"Therefore, the water from Zhuo Dao Spring can temper the edge of a weapon, making it strong and murderous, while the water from Ba Wang Well is gentle and suitable for making jewelry and other magical instruments, and can also be used to increase the toughness of inlaid talismans."

"I once sent people to Overlord Well, but the cause was not found. It is very likely that the underground water veins were diverted. The cold spring water is icing on the cake, but it won't matter if it is gone."

"The people living around the King's Well have been offering incense and worshipping all year round. Baotong Zen Temple asked you to go and see it. Most likely they are short of manpower and don't want this incident to cause panic among the people..."

"I see."

After hearing this, Li Yan immediately understood.

It's okay to take a look at this kind of thing, after all, I really benefited from it this time.

When we returned to Wuchang City, it was almost dusk.

The daytime dragon boat race has ended, and the Zen monks from the three cities of Wuchang have set up the altar and performed the Yimakou ritual to liberate the souls of the dead.

In previous years, this kind of event usually started on the fifth day of May and lasted for three days before stopping, but this year it has lasted for ten days.

The common people did not understand why, but they would not miss such an event. Believers came from their homes one after another to pray and offer sacrifices.

Li Yan pinched the Yang Jue and could immediately smell some Yin energy looming and wandering around on the surface of the river.

By now, many things have become clear.

Yu Lanshan, the Feng Shui master with double pupils, plans to take advantage of the right time, place and people to suppress the evil Feng Shui bureau in one fell swoop.

Now that the two gods, the tortoise and the snake, have gathered together, the evil energy that has been accumulating over the Yangtze River for many years has appeared like sediment being stirred up, so it must be liberated every night.

Although it is cumbersome, it is like a thorough dredging. For a long time to come, the water from this section to the mouth of the Three Gorges will be calm and there will be no water ghosts causing trouble.

Therefore, both the royal palace and the Zen Buddhism were very cooperative.

Of course there are follow-up measures.

May 13th is the birthday of Guandi, and both the underworld and the common people will hold grand sacrifices to cleanse the evil spirits.

On May 15th, the "Duanyang Festival", the finals of the dragon boat race will be held during the day, and the "Carrying the Buddha" ceremony will be held in the evening.

This is a kind of parade ritual, whereby the statues of gods in the temple are carried out and paraded along the village and the river bank. The main force is the water god General Yang Si.

The Wuchang Palace has already issued an order that all villages, towns and docks along the Yangtze River will participate, and when the time comes, the Yangtze River will be connected in one fell swoop to suppress the evil spirits.

Not only can it break the White Tiger Evil in the Barbarian King's Tomb, it can also prevent flooding in the Yangtze River for several years, providing stability for the war situation in the southwest.

With such a large-scale operation and layout, there is naturally a shortage of manpower.

……

After returning to the Chamber of Commerce, Li Yan looked at the Tian family and found that nothing was wrong, so he set off for Ba Wang Jing.

There are many lakes near Wuchang, and the city is no exception. Apart from Wangfu Bi Bo Lake, Zi Yang Lake is the largest.

Ziyang Lake is one of the scenic spots in Wuchang City. Both Lu You and Huang Tingjian went boating on the lake and left behind the famous lines "Ten miles of pavilions and pavilions are filled with the fragrance of water caltrops and lotus" and "Leaning on the railing, ten miles of water caltrops and lotus fragrance can be seen".

The Overlord Well is located in the northwest corner of Ziyang Lake.

Li Yan was asked by Baotong Temple to check on the Overlord Well, so there was no need to hide it. The government office also sent several yamen runners to follow him and headed straight to Ziyang Lake...

　Second update later
　　
　
(End of this chapter)