Two Realms: Modern Invasion of Cultivation

Zhengyi and Quanzhen are the two major schools of Taoism.

Shangqing also belongs to the Zhengyi sect, and like the Zhengyi sect, it focuses on the cultivation of talismans and alchemy. It also allows people to marry and cultivate at home.

Quanzhen is another independent sect. They cannot marry, must become monks or nuns, must be vegetarian, and cultivate their own life.

Unlike the Zhengyi sect, which follows a single lineage, the Quanzhen sect practices a monastic system, with Quanzhen sect temples scattered everywhere like a jungle.

The Longmen School, Zhenwu Mountain, and others all belong to the Quanzhen School, but their specific cultivation methods differ.

For example, Zhenwu Mountain was founded by the famous Master Zhang, and its cultivation leans more towards martial arts, forming its own school, but it still belongs to the Quanzhen School.

These numerous and diverse sects of Taoist temples together constitute the Quanzhen School.

Among the many sects, Chongyang Palace Taoist Temple is one of the ancestral temples of the Quanzhen School.

Unlike Zhenwu Mountain, which was at its peak of development.

Despite being the ancestral home of the Quanzhen School, Chongyang Palace Taoist Temple has very few Taoists. There are fewer than twenty Taoists in the entire temple, which can be described as desolate and impoverished.

Afternoon, in the tea room.

"It's still so peaceful here, Senior Brother Li."

Yun Qingsong sighed and looked at the high-ranking priest of Chongyang Palace, a Taoist priest who was about the same age as Zhang Jingchu.

"It's better to have some peace and quiet."

Zhang Jingchu remarked with emotion, "The quieter the place, the more at ease one feels."

Zhang Yuxuan nodded.

Shen Yixuan remained noncommittal.

And so I saw this.

Li Zhixiu smiled and casually brewed tea, saying, "You are a Celestial Master, a Palace Master, a Temple Abbot, and a High Priest. What brings you all here today?"

Yun Qingsong chuckled and said, "I just happened to be passing by."

Li Zhixiu shook his head and said, "What's there to see in my poor place?"

Yun Qingsong smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true, Senior Brother Li. We, the Zhengyi and Quanzhen sects, are all Taoists, we're all on the same side. You can't lie to us."

Li Zhixiu chuckled and said, "What do you mean? What did I lie to you about?"

Yun Qingsong said no more and looked at his senior brother, the Celestial Master.

"Junior Brother Qingsong is just talking nonsense."

Zhang Jingchu laughed and said, "No need to pay attention to it."

It seems there's nothing supernatural about it.

Disappointed, Yun Qingsong said no more and quietly drank his tea.

Zhang Yuxuan remained calm and composed throughout.

Shen Yixuan slightly raised her eyes, understanding dawning on her.

It seems that the manifestation of the ancestral master is indeed unique to Longhu Palace and cannot be found anywhere else.

Why were Yun Qingsong and his disciples the first to witness the patriarch's manifestation?

To understand this, you should check out Yunlai.

So she followed.

She didn't want to miss this opportunity to enter the path of cultivation. Before leaving, she had consulted a divination, and the result indicated that her wish would be fulfilled.

But there's a price to pay; she'll lose something.

What could it be?

Shen Yixuan looked in the direction of Yunlai Temple, his thoughts wandering.

"Zhen Qi Xuan Zhi Xuan..."

When Li Zhixiu talked about cultivation, he sighed and said, "Although I forcibly opened the gate three years ago with the help of the Chongyang Patriarch's inheritance, that's all. I still haven't been able to cultivate a trace of magic power. The true qi is like looking at flowers through the fog, and I don't care if you laugh at me. Sometimes I doubt that the true qi does not exist and that it is all my imagination."

Zhang Jing pondered for a moment and said, "True Qi cannot be faked, there is no need to question it. However, while your Quanzhen School is extremely profound in cultivating life and spirit, do you really have no way to refine your magical power?"

Li Zhixiu shook his head and said, "There is a barrier between heaven and earth. The transformation of true qi breaks through some of the barrier, but only slightly, and it cannot completely open the door to cultivation."

"But how is your situation, Master Celestial?"

"You have great talent; you already possessed true qi ten years ago. Have you made any breakthroughs since then?"

Upon hearing this...

Zhang Jingchu sighed again, "Ten years of cultivation are not as good as a single moment of enlightenment."

Li Zhixiu's eyes lit up and he said, "So you've made a breakthrough?"

Zhang Jingchu smiled and said, "It's not exactly a breakthrough, but rather a bit of progress. If you're interested and have time, you can come with us tomorrow; you might gain something from that too."

Li Zhixiu asked with interest, "Where to?"

Yun Qingsong smiled and said, "Come to my Yunlai Temple."

Li Zhixiu nodded.

Yunlai Temple isn't far away, and I don't have anything planned for tomorrow, so I can go take a look.

The discussion continued on cultivation and spiritual practice.

Yuncheng.

They were picked up and dropped off by a driver arranged by Zhou Mingze.

The monk Baoguang, along with his disciple Chengchen, arrived at a village and stood before a temple.

The temple was small and dilapidated; its name was Wufo Temple (Temple Without Buddha).

"Master."

Cheng Chen asked curiously, "Why didn't you talk to the abbot of the Great Buddha Temple more?"

Early in the morning, the two had already gone to the Great Buddha Temple in the city.

There are many temples called Dafosi, and there is also a Dafosi in Yuncheng. It is quite famous locally and attracts many worshippers.

"Because there is no Buddha in that large Buddhist temple."

Looking at the dilapidated, Buddhaless Temple before him, Monk Baoguang slowly said, "There is no Buddha in the Great Buddha Temple, but there is Buddha in the Buddhaless Temple."

Cheng Chen seemed to be deep in thought, and also looked at the dilapidated little temple in front of him.

This temple, which has no Buddhist temple, is located in a remote area and few people know about it.

They came here because they heard a worshipper at the Great Buddha Temple say, "It would be better if there were no Buddha Temple," and that's how they found out about it.

After tidying up his clothes.

Monk Baoguang and his disciple Chengchen entered the dilapidated little temple before them. Inside, there was only a main hall, a small courtyard, and simple dwellings on the left and right sides.

yard.

An elderly monk with white hair was sunbathing, while a young monk who looked no more than twelve years old was doing his homework next to him.

The old monk's robe was patched and mended, while the young monk's robe was simple but clean.

I heard a noise.

The young monk looked up, his eyes lit up, and he stood up, saying, "Greetings, Masters."

The young monk seemed to have difficulty walking; he stepped forward to greet them, his steps unsteady, but his demeanor was respectful.

The old monk, seemingly blind, listened intently, then slowly rose, supporting himself on a nearby table, and asked, "Child, is someone coming?"

The young monk quickly stepped forward to help him up, and said earnestly, "Yes, Master, two senior masters have arrived."

The old monk nodded and said, "Come, come, sit down and have some tea."

The young monk busied himself, finding stools and serving tea and water.

Cheng Chen stepped forward to help.

Monk Baoguang calmly took his seat, and with a compassionate expression asked, "This humble monk is Baoguang. May I ask how you should address my senior brother?"

The old monk chuckled and said, "Just call me Mingkong. That's the child I found; his name is Jing'an."

The little monk grinned and scratched his bald head.

Cheng Chen's eyes inexplicably reddened as she silently offered her help.

"Amitabha."

Monk Baoguang asked calmly, "How long have you been here, Senior Brother?"

The old monk clicked his tongue and said, "I can't remember, I've been living here since I was a child..."

The two started chatting.

We talked a lot and learned a great deal about the situation of this small temple.

There is no Buddha in the temple; it only enshrines the spirit tablets of the abbots of each generation.

Although the temple is small and dilapidated, it has a history of a thousand years.

The old monk was blind from childhood, and the young monk Jing'an was born lame.

In fact.

Throughout history, the abbots and disciples of Wufosi Temple have all been born with disabilities. Because of their physical defects and disabilities, they were unable to do good deeds, so they came to Wufosi Temple to practice, carry on the tradition of this small temple, and pray for the well-being of others.

There is no Buddha in the hall, but the monks in the temple have Buddha in their hearts. After they die, their spirit tablets become Buddhas and are enshrined in the hall.

After understanding.

When Monk Baoguang arrived at the hall, he saw the densely packed memorial tablets and sat down to chant sutras.

The sound of chanting brings peace to the mind and body.

The old monk was deeply moved by what he heard, and in a daze, his blind eyes seemed to see something.

It looks like a Buddha statue.

"Grandma...no...she's blind, this is a Bodhisattva..."

"Is the Bodhisattva coming to take me away? Am I... about to leave...?"

The old monk was worried and did not want to leave.

Jing'an hasn't grown up yet.

We can't leave.

...

Yunlai Temple.

Xu Manzhu, who was taking a nap in her dormitory, seemed to sense something.

She opened her beautiful eyes, her mind paused, and then the Bodhisattva's divine will manifested, allowing her to see the existence of the Temple of No Buddha from afar.

The monk Baoguang is chanting sutras.

Chengchen was protecting the chanting of scriptures.

There were also two monks, one old and one young.

With her all-seeing eye, she saw the old monk's life and the young monk's past. Overwhelmed with compassion, she sighed.

Then, her gaze fell upon the numerous memorial tablets displayed in the hall.

Such a vast amount of meaning.

These intentions converged to form a Buddha statue radiating light, which was not surrounded by incense smoke, but rather by an inexplicable aura.

"These are the merits accumulated by the monks of Wufosi Temple over the generations."

The divine will of Celestial Master Song Yu manifested, and he embraced the Bodhisattva's divine will of the beautiful woman, saying with great interest, "I didn't expect there to be so many. It seems that the monks of Wufo Temple throughout the ages have been very pure and devoted to Buddhism."

Xu Manzhu leaned back, speaking softly, "Will these merits help them?"

Song Yu casually asked, "Help them with what? Cultivation?"

Xu Manzhu nodded slightly.

Song Yu laughed and said, "Of course you can. Merit can not only help with cultivation, but also avert calamities. Take your good fortune and bad deeds, for example. If you had discovered these merits a few days earlier, you could have used them to help Zhou Mingze overcome his misfortune without having to offer yourself to me."

"With these merits protecting you, Zhou Mingze may be able to enjoy your good fortune and grow old with you, living a healthy and happy life together."

Is that amazing?

Xu Manzhu, with an air of compassion and solemnity, said softly and calmly, "What's the use of saying all this now? This Bodhisattva of mine has already been completely taken advantage of by you."

Song Yu coughed and said, "But to be honest, even if I had discovered these merits beforehand, it wouldn't have changed my desire to possess you."

"Aunt Zhu'er, this Bodhisattva of yours can only benefit me and help me with my cultivation."

Hate.

Xu Manzhu gave a slightly reproachful look and said, "You're such a bad person."

Song Yu frankly said, "I don't deny it, but I'm honest about being bad, and what I said just now was just a hypothetical; there are no hypotheticals."

"If you don't become a Bodhisattva, I don't know when I will discover these merits. Even if I discover them in advance, I can't be so selfless as to give these merits to Zhou Mingze so that you can be happy for a lifetime."

"I'll take the merit, I'll steal and possess you, beautiful woman, all the benefits are mine, these are all my good fortune, what I deserve."

Bah, shameless scoundrel.

Fortunately, Xu Manzhu awakened her true self and her feelings for Zhou Mingze faded; otherwise, upon hearing these remarks, she would probably have hated this bad person to death.

"Alright, it's all yours."

She scolded him repeatedly, "No one's going to take it from you. You can keep all these benefits and treat your aunt like a tyrant."

Song Yu couldn't take it anymore, so he picked up the beautiful woman and started kissing her.

In a short time.

Inside the dormitory, on the bed, the two manifested their divine wills intertwined, their affection overflowing.

After a long struggle.

When the power of the monk Baoguang's chanting was about to be exhausted.

Song Yu then reluctantly parted his lips from the beautiful woman in his arms and looked at the Wufo Temple again.

The Celestial Master raised his hand with divine will.

The next moment, above the Wufo Temple, the merits and intentions emanating from the Buddha statue swept over, enveloping his and Xu Manzhu's divine will.

He did not accept the offerings of incense and other donations, but only the intention to donate.

There are significant differences between them.

If those merits and offerings are collected, the benefits are self-evident. Perhaps it can help him refine nine transformation items in one go, allowing the Cloud Treasure Appearance Method to reach its full potential.

But the price is that having gained such immense merit, he must give an equal return, otherwise he will suffer karmic retribution.

Therefore, although doing good deeds is commendable, it's best not to take them if you can avoid it.

On the other hand, there is no problem with "merit preservation" (or "incense offering"), which can be taken freely without being tainted by any karmic consequences.

The difference is that "preservation of intention" can only be used to enhance the realm of divine will and a host of divine objects.

It was a great help to him as well.

Taking the offering does not mean that the merit no longer exists.

The merits and incense offerings will continue to exist, the intended effects will still be present, and others can continue to receive them.

This shows how special "preservation of intention" is, and how mysterious "divine intervention" is.

To attach oneself to something.

Xu Manzhu was momentarily overwhelmed by the power of the Bodhisattva's divine will and lost all reaction.

Song Yu's Celestial Master Divine Intent was even stronger, so he wouldn't fall into enlightenment and could still remain clear-headed.

and so.

Even without being involved in karma, he still didn't take the merit for nothing. He raised his hand, made a hand seal, and chanted "Om Mani Padme Hum." A beam of Buddhist light shot out and landed on the blind old monk.

"Since we are destined to meet, I will send you on your path of cultivation. Your lifespan is already short, so how far you can go in the future depends on yourself."

"However, with so much accumulated merit, it shouldn't be too bad."

After talking to himself.

He severed the connection created by the chanting of the monk Baoguang, calmed down, and embraced the beautiful bodhisattva in his arms to contemplate the changes in the Celestial Master's divine will after receiving the vast amount of stored meaning.

at the same time.

There are no Buddhist temples.

The monk Baoguang stopped chanting, the Buddhist light around him dissipated, and he slowly opened his eyes and exhaled.

This time the chanting was successful.

He saw the Bodhisattva again, which must have been out of compassion for the disciples who were suffering so much, so the Bodhisattva appeared to him once more.

Although he didn't gain anything from seeing the Bodhisattva this time, being able to see the Bodhisattva's image again was already the greatest blessing.

His breathing calmed down.

With the help of his disciple Chengchen, he slowly got up and looked at the old monk beside him and the young monk with wide eyes and no words in his mouth.

The old monk was not disturbed.

Bao Guang smiled, patted the little monk on the shoulder, and they walked out of the main hall together.

yard.

Bao Guang calmly took his seat.

Chengchen respectfully served tea and water.

"Master..."

Jing'an whispered, "You seemed to be glowing just now."

Bao Guang smiled and said, "Come and sit down."

Jing'an sat down obediently to the side, feeling flattered.

How old is Jing'an this year?

Bao Guang inquired.

"Twelve years old."

Jing'an sat up straight and said honestly, "I'm in the first year of junior high."

Bao Guang nodded and said, "Your master is getting old. From now on, you must cultivate diligently and take good care of him."

Jing'an nodded vigorously.

He lost both his parents at a young age and was taken in and raised by his master, so naturally he should be grateful for the rest of his life.

We sat for a while longer and chatted.

then.

Inside the hall, the old monk Mingkong came out and, with Chengchen's help, sat down, his steps unsteady.

"Junior brother, I think I almost saw Grandma just now."

Mingkong's breathing trembled, and he clicked his tongue repeatedly.

Chengchen coughed.

Bao Guang asked in surprise, "You should have seen a Bodhisattva, how could it be the Great Madam?"

Jing'an covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Cheng Chen coughed again and said, "Master, 'Seeing Grandma' is an internet slang term that means 'almost died'."

Bao Guang chuckled and shook his head, saying, "It seems Senior Brother isn't lonely."

Jing'an whispered, "Master likes listening to stories."

Mingkong sipped his tea and took a deep breath, saying, "I'm not lonely anymore. I never expected to meet a true Bodhisattva at the very end."

"Junior brother, that's not my imagination, is it?"

The Buddha's light I just saw, and the indistinct figure of the Bodhisattva shrouded by the Buddha dragon, were truly beyond words.

Amidst my reflections.

His eyes were cloudy as he looked at the older monk who was younger than him. It was the first time he had seen what the older monk looked like, as well as the appearance of his disciple beside him.

And there's also Jing'an's appearance.

He can see now.

Therefore, the Bodhisattva we just saw was not an illusion.

The Bodhisattva enlightened him, granting him magical powers that allowed him to temporarily regain his sight.

It's not simply about restoring sight.

He could also see some strange aura swirling around his junior brother in front of him.

This must be the opening of a third eye...

Mingkong was gratified, but the next moment his magic power was exhausted and darkness returned to his eyes.

"Master, your eyes were shining just now."

Jing'an's voice rang out.

Bao Guang explained, "That was a change caused by using magical power. Senior Brother can close his eyes to conceal it when he opens his third eye in the future."

Mingkong nodded and said, "Junior brother, I am deeply grateful. Please feel free to come to me if you ever need anything in the future."

Bao Guang smiled and said, "No need to be so polite. We are both Buddhist disciples. This good fortune is due to the Bodhisattva's mercy and has little to do with me."

No matter how much a person chants scriptures, it will be useless if they have no affinity with Buddhism.

"Okay, okay."

Mingkong said with a smile, "Master, do you have time to stay here today? Let's have a good chat."

There is nothing wrong with Bao Guang.

At this juncture.

A middle-aged man carrying a small child hurriedly walked into the temple, his face full of worry. He said, "Master, my son seems to be possessed. Please take a look at him quickly."

The child was unconscious, pale-faced, soaking wet, and clutching an embroidered shoe that appeared out of nowhere.

Bao Guang took a closer look and understood immediately.

The imbalance of Yin and Yang suggests that the person may have accidentally come into contact with something ominous.

There's nothing seriously wrong.

There are no real ghosts or evil spirits in this world; there are only ominous things that can interfere with the operation of a person's life magnetic field and physical health.

This child will get better after a few illnesses, nightmares, and bad luck.

If you don't want to get sick, have nightmares, or have bad luck, then spend more time in the Wufo Temple to bask in the sun. With the presence of the Buddhist energy field there, those negative influences will naturally dissipate and subside.

But then again.

Any ominous object that can affect the health of others is extraordinary and has an unusual origin.

I wonder what this ominous object will be this time...