The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

The so-called "Dharmakaya" does not increase strength or strengthen muscles and bones, but rather acts on meridians and acupoints... forming an independent new meridian system within the body. Regardless of age or physical condition, this new meridian system will remain at the level of a "martial arts prodigy"!

As long as one is in meditation, the meridians of this martial arts prodigy are constantly cultivating on their own, and will directly manifest when used.

Legend has it that an old monk who had never practiced martial arts and devoted himself to Buddhist scriptures suddenly achieved great skill in his later years...

What may seem unscientific is actually the function of this "Dharmakaya"!

It is not the meridian cultivation of Central Plains martial arts, nor is it closely related to the three channels and seven chakras of India and Tantric Buddhism. This old monk's cultivation is very much in the style of Zen Buddhism - Zen Buddhism focuses on cultivating the mind, emphasizing enlightenment, and advocating sudden enlightenment so that all beings can become Buddhas.

In contrast, Tibetan Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism place more emphasis on "practice," stressing that one must reenact the practices of Shakyamuni before attaining Buddhahood in order to achieve Buddhahood.

Shaolin is now known as the ancestral home of Zen Buddhism, but the saying "all martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin" sounds impressive, but it has lost some of the essence of Zen Buddhism.

Of course, even that eminent monk could not pass on the method of "attaining the Dharma body," since this is a matter of pure Buddhist philosophy, which has already exceeded the scope of martial arts. After understanding the wonders of the "Dharmakaya," the eminent monk created the "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill."

As you can tell from the name, this is a degraded version...

From a Buddhist perspective, practitioners at the Arhat level do not possess a "Dharmakaya" (the body of the Buddha). That eminent monk was likely already at the Bodhisattva level, capable of "saving others," and the methods he created were only meant to help future generations "save themselves" and attain the true Arhat body.

Even if one is downgraded, there are still various limitations in terms of mental state and realm, and... one needs to rely on a huge amount of internal energy as a foundation to form the true body of an Arhat.

Moreover, the so-called "Arhat" is just a goal. In reality, even if one meets the one-in-a-million cultivation requirements, it does not mean that one can become an Arhat...

Chu Luren was even less likely to succeed in cultivation; normally speaking, he was simply incapable of it, and even disregarding the requirements for mental discipline, his internal energy was completely insufficient.

However, Chu Luren's unique consciousness gave him the opportunity to master it!

If Chu Luren's "body" were empty right now, he would immediately put this "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill" into it...

Others who wish to cultivate, even if they meet all the requirements in terms of comprehension and temperament, are not Arhats themselves. They must have enough internal energy to completely mold the true form of an Arhat in one go in order to succeed.

Chu Luren's consciousness space is extraordinary, allowing him to fully understand the essence of the badge after equipping it. In other words, theoretically, when Chu Luren practices the "Arhat Subduing Demon Technique" after equipping the badge, he can be regarded as a practitioner of the Arhat level.

Arhats do not have a Dharma body, but they can already achieve the "non-retrogression in position" of the three non-retrogression states—the Arhat position will never regress!

In other words, Chu Luren can practice little by little. It doesn't matter if his internal strength is not enough to form a new set of meridians. He can practice some today and some tomorrow. If ten days or half a month is not enough, he can eventually reach the level of a person with profound internal strength in three to five months.

However, one aspect of the Chu Luren's "body" has been occupied by the "Kunpeng Mending the Heavens Technique," and it cannot be replaced, only integrated!

This Chu Luren was in a dilemma. After all, the "Transformation into a Peng Technique" of the "Kunpeng Mending the Heaven Technique" was definitely a Taoist skill, while the "Mending the Heaven Technique" tended to mend oneself, which obviously did not conform to Buddhist scriptures...

Will this cause a melting problem?

Because one aspect of the "body" directly alters oneself, it cannot be replaced, and the Chu Lu people dare not easily merge with it.

These past few days, Chu Luren has been pondering this skill repeatedly. He feels that although it is a culmination of Buddhist philosophy and its style is incompatible with the Kunpeng Mending the Heavens Skill, in essence, it forms a separate meridian and has almost no impact on his own "physical body".

Thinking about it this way, even if it were to be damaged, it should only be the newly formed meridians that would be damaged, and it shouldn't cause any other harm to one's body!

In this way, the Chu Lu people also made up their minds to integrate.

After arriving in Guide Prefecture, Chu Luren was finally able to stay at an inn in the city, where the environment was much quieter. After having dinner, Chu Luren instructed Li Mochou and Wang Yuyan that he would be cultivating that night and should not be disturbed unless there was something important. He also told them not to wake him up if he did not come out the next morning.

"So you're still thinking about that 'Arhat Subduing Demon Skill,' aren't you? You're not a monk, you won't get any results from practicing it." Li Mochou frowned upon hearing this, but didn't seem too concerned.

Indeed, Chu Luren has been deep in thought lately, which isn't hard to guess...

Wang Yuyan offered a more direct piece of advice: "Brother Chu, Buddhist martial arts emphasize mental state. Forcing yourself to practice might actually be harmful. Your previous skills were already biased towards Taoism, so it's best not to think about it anymore... By the way, when we get to Zhongnan Mountain, aren't you going to visit the Quanzhen Sect? Perhaps we can discuss things together then. Besides, isn't Miss Li's sect also a legitimate Taoist sect? Let's hurry on our way!"

It's like coaxing a child who's obsessed with toys on the street, and then specifically pointing out, "There are even more fun things to do later."

"Don't worry, I won't force myself. At worst, I just won't be able to master it. Failing to even get the basics won't cause me to suffer a qi deviation... Alright, alright, I promise you, if I can't master it this time, I won't bother with this skill anymore!"

Chapter 117 Dream God

Chu Luren first regulated his breathing for an hour that night, so that his essence, qi and spirit were in the best state. After that, he fused the "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill" with the "Kunpeng Mending the Sky Skill"!

Since it concerned his own body, Chu Luren was still a little nervous. He focused his mind on his dantian the whole time, so that he could stop the flow of internal energy immediately if anything unexpected happened... After a while, he finally focused on the result.

The fused fragments... there are many, and including what was left before, it's probably enough for two hours of enlightenment.

The fusion result...no change?

When Chu Luren first looked at one of his "body" items, he found that it still contained the "Kunpeng Mending the Sky Skill" badge!

"Could it be that even after the most complete failure, the fusion effect still wasn't apparent?" Chu Luren wondered.

However, Chu Luren soon noticed a change: when he visualized another dimension of the "body" in his consciousness, he saw a second "body"...

It is in the same location as the previous "Kunpeng Mending the Sky Skill", making it difficult to describe the difference using spatial concepts.

Within this "body" is the "Dream God"—an "badge" that the Chu Lu people have never seen before!

After immersing his consciousness into it, Chu Luren understood what kind of skill this was...

Duke Zhuang's Dream of a Butterfly – Did Duke Zhuang dream he was a butterfly? Or did the butterfly dream it was Duke Zhuang?

Similar in purpose to the true form of an Arhat, but with a completely different philosophy, it focuses on a special physical training method within Taoism, awakening one's consciousness within a dream and creating a set of meridians for the "martial arts prodigy" within that dream self...

After Chu Luren channeled his inner energy into it, another set of meridian diagrams indeed faintly unfolded, with the "body" of the "Dream God" as the core. However, the form was faint and could not be used for the time being.

But it doesn't matter, because with the "Dream God" equipped, Chu Luren's cultivation in this area will not regress, and his internal energy can be slowly restored. He will complete it sooner or later!

Of course, there are also significant differences between "Dream God" and "Arhat Immortal".

Both are meridians of martial arts prodigies, or rather, a second "self." However, the Arhat True Body cultivates while in a state of "meditation," while the "Dream God" cultivates while the practitioner is asleep...

Chu Luren estimated that this was probably why Brother Gou was able to master the Tai Xuan Scripture in such a short time on Xia Ke Island.

Although Brother Dog had never read Buddhist scriptures, his mind was clear and lucid. He did not need the guidance of Buddhist scriptures; he was born with Buddha-nature. When reading the Tai Xuan Jing, he naturally entered a state of meditation.

However, another change is that when the "True Body of Arhat" or the "Dream God" manifests, it still requires the consumption of one's own internal energy, while the manifested meridian system does not consume internal energy!

It is equivalent to...

It continuously consumes its own mana, transforming into a state of "no mana bar" and "unlimited skills".

If it were the dog brother from the original work, the "Flaming Flame Skill" was already incredibly powerful and difficult to withstand. With the "Tai Xuan Arhat Body" he was able to maintain it for a long time. In addition, when manifesting the "Tai Xuan Arhat Body" to fight against others, his own meridians were idle, and he could completely enter a state of regulating his breathing and recovering.

In this way, as long as one's internal strength is sufficiently profound and the gap between it and the manifested Arhat body or Dream God body is not too great, it can be regarded as "infinitely inexhaustible" and can always remain in the best state.

However, due to his unique characteristics, Chu Luren forcibly cultivated the "Dream God Body" when his internal energy was insufficient. However... if he cultivates the "Dream God Body" too strongly in the future and his own internal energy cannot keep up, he may not be able to manifest it for a long time.

Chu Luren isn't worried about these things now. After all, his meridians are unobstructed and his acupoint control has improved by nearly 50% thanks to long-term consumption of crab meat. Although Chu Luren's talent doesn't start high, he believes he will catch up sooner or later!

This confidence lasted until two months later, when Chu Luren and his group had traveled westward from Guide Prefecture and arrived in Chang'an City...

Two months ago, after spending a night in Guide Prefecture, Chu Luren claimed to have gained some understanding of the "Arhat Subduing Demon Divine Skill." Although he could not master it, he extracted its essence and incorporated it into his own physical training.

Moreover, in the two months that followed, Chu Luren did not appear as suspicious as before, which put Wang Yuyan and Li Mochou at ease.

After two months of arduous travel, we finally arrived in Chang'an...

Upon arriving in Chang'an, they were not far from Zhongnan Mountain. Chu Luren decided to rest and recuperate there. Li Mochou did not want to return looking disheveled. Instead, she wanted to return in a dignified and energetic manner, so that her junior sister, Granny Sun, and even her master, whose grave was overgrown with weeds, could see that she, Li Mochou, had left the Ancient Tomb and was living a happy and fulfilling life!

However, the very next morning, Li Mochou and Wang Yuyan found that Chu Luren was once again looking gloomy and dejected, and... he had become particularly picky about food, barely eating fish and insisting on eating rare crabs in Chang'an.

Chu Luren was also helpless. In fact, just last night, he finally completed the training of his "Dream God," forming a completely new meridian system based on the Dream God. He could also see the mind, body, qi, techniques, and momentum in his consciousness...

One of the "Body" is naturally the Dream God. In addition, "Mind" and "Power" are gray and look like solid objects, which cannot be equipped. Only "Qi" and "Technique" can be equipped freely.

There was no need to rush into equipping himself. Chu Luren took a nap to see what it really felt like to be a "martial arts prodigy"...

After falling asleep, Chu Luren felt dazed and confused, then woke up again, somewhat like a lucid dream.

Moreover, although the body was still his own, the sensations in the meridians and acupoints were completely different, and the dantian was empty, as if he had never cultivated.

This body's aptitude means it doesn't need martial arts badges to cultivate; Chu Luren tried it out with the "Minor Chaos Technique"...

After several months of conditioning, Chu Luren's own meridian aptitude has also greatly improved. Originally, when he was visualizing a certain acupoint, it would take him more than half an hour to feel a faint warmth. After that, he would search for inspiration for a long time and occasionally feel a pulsation. Now, it only takes him less than half an hour, and the pulsation is more obvious.

When circulating energy through the meridians, the movements changed from tadpole-like to small fish-like...

Chu Luren also knew that his meridian aptitude was extremely poor, which was why the effect was so negligible when he was not in a state of enlightenment or cultivating on his own. However, in the past few months, the efficiency had increased by at least 50%, which made Chu Luren optimistic.

However, last night Chu Luren tested the "martial arts prodigy" aptitude. He originally thought there would be a difference of several times, such as feeling the acupoints throbbing after only half a cup of tea, but unexpectedly...

Chu Luren briefly visualized the acupoints, and within three to five breaths, the corresponding acupoints in his consciousness suddenly resonated with the sounds of morning bells and evening drums. Not only did Chu Luren not need to pay attention as carefully as before, but the vibrations themselves were guiding Chu Luren's cultivation and correcting any deviations in his practice!

When the meridians are being circulated, it's like a mighty river flowing backwards, or the Milky Way overflowing...

Chu Luren: ? ? ?

At this moment, Chu Luren finally understood that he had underestimated both the gap between martial arts prodigies and ordinary people, and the gap between ordinary people and himself!

Chapter 118 Chang'an

Inside an inn in Chang'an, Chu Luren barely cultivated on his first night after successfully mastering the "Dream God Body"...

Firstly, it was because their young minds had been traumatized, and secondly... it was also to study the nature of the "Dream God's Body".

Firstly, regarding falling asleep, Chu Luren has mastered internal martial arts, resulting in high-quality sleep. If he doesn't substitute breathing exercises for sleep, his sleep duration is also highly controllable.

However, sleeping for too long will affect sleep quality. Basically, four hours a day is the limit. If you continue to sleep, you will not be able to stabilize your consciousness to use the "Dream God Body" for cultivation.

In other words, the Dream God Body can cultivate wholeheartedly for four hours every day—which is not a short time!

Even when practicing internal energy cultivation normally, one should not practice for too long in a day. Some domineering kung fu techniques can only be practiced for one or two hours a day.

Then came the most painful aspect for Chu Luren: cultivation. Although in terms of pure efficiency it was not as good as the state of enlightenment, it was still about one-tenth of what it was like when he had an enlightenment a few months ago.

It's absurd that it's not comparing itself to its own aptitude, but directly to its own enlightenment. Does that mean the "martial arts prodigy" and itself are not the same species?

Don't underestimate it just because it's only one-tenth. When Chu Lu had his enlightenment a few months ago, one hour of his life was equivalent to a year for an ordinary person. Now, it's equivalent to a year and a half for an ordinary person.

The "Dream God Body" martial arts prodigy physique allows one to achieve in ten hours what an ordinary person does in a year, and does not require consuming fusion fragments, allowing for a fixed four hours of sleep each day...

Basically, every three days is equivalent to a year of training for an ordinary person. There is still some time left to practice the "techniques".

It is merely a state of sudden enlightenment, which cannot be superimposed. When Chu Luren is in a state of sudden enlightenment, his consciousness will surpass the clarity of "lucid dream". He can freely manipulate the manifestation of the dream god's body, but he cannot make it cultivate.

In other words, while the Dream God Body is highly efficient for cultivation, the bottleneck can only be overcome by oneself...

However, Chu Luren did not find this difficult. After all, as a martial arts prodigy, the feedback from his meridians and acupoints during practice could guide him!

This feeling is like the "body" taking the initiative to be the "brain's" teacher. No matter how many secret treasures you have accumulated over generations, I have my own physical treasure trove to match it!

Even without a teacher, when practicing according to complex martial arts manuals, the body will automatically correct itself when circulating meridians and activating acupoints, and may even emit bell-like sounds that give one a sense of enlightenment.

This is completely different from Chu Luren's usual practice; it's not just a matter of being a thousand times more efficient!

Even someone with average comprehension could easily achieve something in martial arts with such a physique, right?

Furthermore, the Dream God Body can currently only cultivate "Qi" and "Techniques." The "Body" aspect is different; the Dream God Body is ultimately just a set of meridians, which is Chu Luren's body. As for "Mind" and "Power"... In the state of lucid dreaming, it is not suitable to engage in mental and martial arts thinking. One's consciousness feels hazy, and forcing comprehension will only wake one up.