Chapter 369: An unexpected situation

A Buddha Child, just like the Young Master of Shaman God Mountain, is an outstanding Genius of the Buddhist Sect.

This title carries immense weight.

The Lotus Sutra states: “Born from the Buddha's mouth, born from the transformation of the Buddha-Dharma, partaking in the Buddha-Dharma, awakening to the One Vehicle, capable of inheriting the Buddha's lineage, only then is one a true Buddha Child.”

The preceding parts are introductions, while the latter sentence, “capable of inheriting the Buddha's lineage,” means being able to inherit the Buddha's lineage.

A Buddha Child signifies that they will be able to, and certainly will, inherit the World Honored One Tathagata's great undertaking of enlightening the world in the future.

And now, Li Qi looked in astonishment at Kaiwen Chan Master before him, calling him a Buddha Child.

Is he kidding?

When did he become a Buddha Child?

Moreover, no wonder this guy is so handsome; it turns out he's not human!

He looked at Kaiwen Chan Master, only to find that he had transformed into a strange half-human, half-fox existence.

His head was a fox head, but even though it was a beast head, one could still discern a foxy charm and handsomeness from his brows and eyes. Indeed, a handsome person remains handsome even when transformed into a fox.

White fur had also grown on his hands and neck, and presumably, fur had begun to grow inside his monk's robe as well. If Li Qi had to describe it, it was probably a highly beast-like furry creature, only maintaining the ability to walk upright.

And, what was particularly striking were his four tails.

A fox demon… no, a fox immortal, and one who had converted to Buddhism. No wonder he was so flamboyant; everything had a reason.

After taking a few seconds to examine Kaiwen Chan Master's true form, Li Qi quickly waved his hand and then went to help Kaiwen Chan Master up: “Chan Master, you misunderstand. I am no Buddha Child. If not for your guidance with the World Honored One's gatha, I probably wouldn't have found the truth behind this.”

These words were not false at all. At least half of the credit for Li Qi being able to transform the Buddha statue into demonic blood belonged to Kaiwen Chan Master.

He first told Li Qi that the origin of this Buddha statue was a drop of demonic blood spilled from Mahakala's Kapala Blood Bowl.

Inspired by this, Li Qi was able to see through the deluding minds of the thirty-two marks.

But at that time, Li Qi still had doubts and dared not be certain. Kaiwen Chan Master then affirmed it with the World Honored One Tathagata's gatha and gave Li Qi an inspiring idea, which finally allowed Li Qi to see through the deeper true nature of the Buddha statue.

However, Li Qi knew that, according to the Buddhist view, this drop of blood was merely something similar to the thirty-two marks.

This drop of demonic blood was not the essence; it was merely a form of appearance.

On the other side, Kaiwen Chan Master resolutely refused to get up: “Dakini Heaven has said that only a true Buddha Child can see through the delusion. This object itself was born for the purpose of selecting a Buddha Child. Dakini Heaven had a premonition that a Buddha Child would be born in Baiyue and specifically ordered me to come and search. It seems you are the Buddha Child foretold by Dakini Heaven!”

Li Qi touched his face, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“Chan Master, you jest. How could I, a person from Shaman God Mountain, become a Buddha Child? Please stop joking. However, Chan Master previously said he didn't understand this Buddha statue, but now he suddenly speaks of matters concerning the Buddha statue. What happened to a monk not telling lies?” Li Qi said helplessly.

He couldn't help him up; Kaiwen Chan Master's cultivation was too much higher than his, so Li Qi simply let go.

No choice, couldn't beat him.

“I do not understand the true nature of this Buddha statue; I am not speaking falsely. All I know is what Dakini Heaven told me: she placed the Buddha statue here to guide a Buddha Child. If the Buddha Child wishes to know more, why not come with me to the Western Regions to meet Dakini Heaven? All questions will then be answered,” Kaiwen Chan Master said excitedly, his forehead touching the ground.

Li Qi rolled his eyes.

Sir, if you do this, Dakini Heaven will have my Master rushing over to bash down her door.

But it was also not good to be too blunt, so Li Qi said to Kaiwen Chan Master: “Chan Master, I have already accepted the Legacy of Shaman God Mountain. There must be some mistake regarding this title of Buddha Child. No matter who the Buddha Child is, it is absolutely impossible for it to be me.”

Kaiwen Chan Master, however, lay on the ground and said with great certainty: “Dakini Heaven is known as the ‘Wisdom Dakini.’ Her prophecy must have its reasons. Even if the Buddha Child refuses to acknowledge it now, the day of great enlightenment will surely come in the future.”

Hearing this, Li Qi touched his hair, feeling a chill down his spine.

Fortunately, it was very thick and hadn't changed.

He sighed: “Since Chan Master insists, there's nothing more I can say. Well, goodbye?”

Seeing Li Qi about to leave, Kaiwen Chan Master finally got up.

He looked at Li Qi and sighed: “It seems the Buddha Child has not yet shed the mundane thoughts of the Mortal World and is unwilling to withdraw from this secular world. Then please accept this drop of demonic blood, and the truth will be revealed in the future.”

“Thank you, just right, I also perceived the use of this thing,” Li Qi nodded, not refusing.

He came precisely for this thing.

The demonic blood purified by Mahakala, this thing, was no ordinary object.

Then, in front of Kaiwen Chan Master, Li Qi dabbed that drop of Five Aggregates Demonic Blood on his forehead.

Then, he clearly felt that his ‘five aggregates’ had developed a ‘hole’.

The Demon of the Five Aggregates can interfere with the five aggregates, causing people's perceptions to become confused when observing them. According to Buddhist teachings, the five aggregates are the mapping of the real world onto the human mind, and the human mind can only observe the five aggregates, not the true world.

And now, the five aggregates were broken. Li Qi used that drop of demonic blood to open a hole in his five aggregates.

Although according to the Shaman's saying, he didn't have the five aggregates, and what he saw was the real world, it's undeniable that Buddhism indeed has many Divine Abilities targeting the five aggregates.

It's hard to say who is right.

According to Buddhist teachings, after breaking through the five aggregates, Li Qi's mind would directly face the true world.

On his forehead, the hole in the five aggregates appeared.

With a boom!

Li Qi only felt as if a layer of membrane had been torn open before his eyes!

He was filled with joy, awaiting the arrival of the true world. Li Qi felt that it was probably the secret of the Celestial Eye!

Seeing through all illusory forms and appearances, breaking through all superficialities, and directly contacting the true world—if this isn't the Celestial Eye, then what is?

Of course, it was the true world in the eyes of Buddhism, not in the eyes of Shaman Dao. Shaman Dao doesn't believe this world is false; there's a difference in their understanding of the world's essence.

But it didn't matter. What Li Qi wanted to pursue at the moment was simply ‘usability’. He just wanted something that could temporarily take effect, allowing him to discern the arrival of the Desire Realm before he figured out the answer to ‘I am I’.

Li Qi waited, directly using his mind, through the void above the five aggregates, to sense ‘reality’.

However, when he truly saw it, Li Qi was astonished and stood rooted to the spot.

— — — — — — — —

Several days later —

In the carriage prepared by Lingxiao Kingdom.

This carriage was a typical Yulu (Jade Road), but it wasn't the Star-Mansion Array' Yulu (Jade Road); it was custom-made by the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord.

Tang Nation has Golden Dais in every city, all funded and built by the Human Dao court, with strict regulations on technical standards and usage, similar to standardized train stations.

This is a manifestation of ‘rules’; everything is within the arrangement of rules.

But Shaman Dao doesn't care about this, so the Star-Mansion Array only has one, enough for Shaman God Mountain's own use.

But they don't prevent others from using Yulu (Jade Road), including Spiritual Artifacts under the Yulu (Jade Road) technical route. There are no confidentiality restrictions, and they don't care if others learn it.

You can learn Yulu (Jade Road) through any means, as well as the refining methods of the lower levels, such as buying design blueprints, inheriting from a Master, or finding it on a corpse by the roadside; in short, you can learn it.

Shaman God Mountain doesn't care if you stole it, snatched it, or obtained it through legitimate means; they don't pursue those things. You can use it or not. In fact, if you have a good relationship with a charioteer, he will directly teach it to you.

In reality, the initial spread of Yulu (Jade Road) was because the charioteers didn't care about secrecy.

Those who want it can refine it themselves, contribute themselves, and harvest themselves. There won't be a ‘court’ demanding everyone build together. This is the difference between Shaman Dao and Human Dao in all aspects.

A difference in values.

And the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord, as the Baiyue Kingdom Lord, a dignified fifth-rank official, although she couldn't afford a true Yulu (Jade Road), a Golden Road below the Yulu (Jade Road) was still possible. However, for the sake of prestige, whether it was a Golden Road, Elephant Road, Leather Road, Wooden Road, or a Heavy Pheasant, Loathed Pheasant, Anju, Nianju, etc., they would all claim to be a Yulu (Jade Road) to the outside world.

Anyway, it was indeed considered part of the ‘Yulu (Jade Road) series’.

Li Qi was currently sitting inside, with the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord sitting opposite him.

He had already departed for a day, and everything was prepared. They were on their way to Tang Nation.

It would take a few days for them to reach Tang Nation's borders, then they would find any city in Tang Nation, go to the Golden Dais there to change vehicles, and take the Golden Dais to reach Chang'an within a quarter of an hour. The Golden Dais was that convenient, but the price was also considerable.

If money was not enough, or the place was not far, many people would choose to spend more time taking the Earth Flow Vehicle.

After all, if you don't have money for a plane ticket, you can only take the green-skinned train. This is normal.

So, they were still traveling within Baiyue.

However, the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord, sitting opposite Li Qi, looked somewhat worried.

Ever since Li Qi returned from Fengde Temple, he had been in this dazed, foolish state, with empty eyes, just like a blind person.

Only blind people truly have ‘no gaze’; even if a normal person pretends to be blind, their eyes will unconsciously focus. As long as there is focus, there will be a gaze.

But a blind person's eyes are inherently useless, so they naturally don't need to focus, and thus no gaze or emotion can be discerned.

Li Qi was like this now.

Looking at Li Qi, the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord even felt some regret. What exactly happened at Fengde Temple? Why had this Young Master been like he had lost his Spirit Soul ever since he returned that day?

He still had consciousness and could react to external stimuli, and could even speak, but clearly, everyone could sense his absentmindedness.

The description ‘lost his Spirit Soul’ was most fitting. He seemed to have become a machine that only reacted to external stimuli.

He could respond with grunts and hums, but he never spoke proactively, had no gaze, and if no one moved him, he would stay in place, like a frozen computer, unmoving.

If Fengde Temple hadn't sent him back, he probably would have remained in that dazed state.

To be honest, the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord was terrified.

Could it be that this Young Master's Spirit Soul was damaged? Has he become an idiot?

Then wasn't her favor for nothing? Could this Young Master still fulfill his original promise and have Liu Donghe write a poem to clear her name?

Besides that, would his elder blame her for the Young Master becoming an idiot?

The Lingxiao Kingdom Lord was not afraid that Shaman God Mountain would blame her, because everyone knew Shaman God Mountain's way of doing things.

High above, like the sun, quietly hanging in the sky.

Shaman God Mountain's influence was like sunlight, omnipresent, spreading throughout the entire Southwest of the world, and even to countless worlds beyond. But everyone could only feel the sunlight; they could not personally touch the sun's true form.

Not interfering with anything, Shaman God Mountain maintained an absolutely neutral stance, neither good nor evil, and caring neither about order nor chaos, just quietly existing, like the world itself.

The world itself doesn't care about the people or things that exist within it; it simply exists.

But she was very afraid of Li Qi's Master, that Great Shaman. If this Young Master really became an idiot, then if the Great Shaman was reasonable, it would be fine, but she was afraid of encountering someone extremely angry who would just press her to death with a raised hand. Where would she go to reason then?

Shaman God Mountain wouldn't even care!

As mentioned before, Shaman God Mountain would not interfere with anything. In fact, Shaman God Mountain doesn't even develop any forces. The Great Shamanes each do their own things according to their interests, and only a few major Sects maintain some basic rules of Shaman God Mountain.

More like a club than a Sect, Shaman God Mountain's members all share the same belief, which is the ultimate pursuit of Shaman Dao, thus appearing highly cohesive, yet without mutual entanglement, and with extreme freedom.

A very subtle relationship, just like all things in natural.

All things follow the same Dao, independent yet closely connected, linked by the ecosystem, food chain, and other things, but individual entities are not bound by anything, and neither death nor disappearance affects anything.

This is the organizational structure of Shaman God Mountain, and what the Sect members want to maintain.

However… although afraid, she did not flee.

Because there was still a reason for the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord to remain calm.

That was this Young Master of Shaman God Mountain's Dao Protector.

This Young Master's Dao Protector had still not appeared, indicating that the situation should still be under control, at least not to the point where the Dao Protector needed to show up.

That's why the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord did not panic, but instead remained calm, arranging all matters for the journey, and departing on time for Tang Nation.

Unfortunately, she had no clue about Li Qi's condition. She could only place Li Qi in the carriage and watch helplessly as this Young Master, who was previously astute and steady, sat there like an idiot, almost drooling.

However, from Li Qi's perspective, everything was still in the back mountain of Zunfo Mountain's Fengde Temple.

Only, he was blind.

Couldn't see, couldn't see anything.

When the five aggregates were unveiled, Li Qi originally thought he would be able to see something, but he found that the world after the five aggregates were unveiled was pure nothingness, not even darkness.

No, it wasn't blindness.

He had lost all his senses, yet miraculously retained all of them.