Chapter 1 The Disturbance

Master Jingxian entered the meditation room, but suddenly felt even more agitated. Usually, this was an extremely quiet place, and each time he chanted scriptures and recited Buddha's name, he could feel immense peace within, severing troubles, abandoning greed, anger, and hatred, and entering the realm of emptiness to perceive the wonders of freedom.

But today, upon entering, he suddenly felt that this meditation room was filthy everywhere. Those dark corners, which usually didn't accumulate even a speck of dust, now appeared in his eyes as if they were hiding demons and ghosts, or illusions, or the delusions and hallucinations produced by the troubling thoughts in his mind.

Inside the meditation room was an old monk, Master Guandao, one of the four great masters of Lingyin Temple, who was currently reciting Buddhist scriptures. However, as the sounds of Buddhist teachings reverberated, Master Jingxian only felt a growing pain in his head, and the sounds of those Buddhist teachings seemed different from how they were recited before.

"Senior Brother Guandao, can you sense the abnormality in the meditation room?"

Master Jingxian spoke, interrupting Master Guandao's chanting. He truly felt that the sounds of the other's chanting were too strange.

Master Guandao had white whiskers and a full forehead, and he wore a light red kasaya. Upon hearing Master Jingxian's voice, Master Guandao stopped chanting.

"When I am chanting Buddhist scriptures, how can you interrupt the sound of the Buddha's teachings?"

"What abnormality is Junior Brother speaking of? There is no abnormality here."

"Didn't Junior Brother go to the Silver Bottle Goddess Temple to invite the Yue Family Goddess to go to the Jade Dragon Daoist Academy to verify the matter of the demons on Phoenix Mountain? Why are you back so soon? Could it be that you have already gone?"

Master Jingxian shook his head, but his gaze carefully observed his senior brother. "Using the Arhat's premonition technique, I learned that going to the Jade Dragon Daoist Academy will make life and death unpredictable. A vast demonic aura ahead prevents me from glimpsing future events."

Master Guandao frowned. "Such a thing? The Jade Dragon Daoist Academy is the southern holy land of the Quanzhen School of Daoism. Although it is not as good as the Chongyang Palace in the north, it is still a place where Daoists gather. How could there be demonic aura?"

Master Jingxian said, "The demonic aura may not originate from the Jade Dragon Daoist Academy. Perhaps someone is interfering."

"Actually, I don't think that white-clothed person who descended upon Lingyin Temple that day was a cultivator from the Jade Dragon Daoist Academy, but he did have the aura of the Quanzhen School on him. He is powerful, so if that's the case, we can only go and verify it."

"Therefore, I decided to return and gather the strength of the three senior brothers, along with myself, to perform the Arhat's Premonition together."

As Master Jingxian spoke, he suddenly noticed that the image of Master Guandao in front of him blurred for a moment. He raised his hand, but instead of rubbing his eyes, he used the Buddhist Dharma Eye, and without saying a word, he began to illuminate the inside and outside of the meditation room.

"Junior Brother, what are you doing?"

Master Guandao was also puzzled. Master Jingxian used his Dharma Eye to observe the inside and outside of the meditation room. As he watched, cold sweat dripped from his forehead. In fact, his Dharma Eye did not see any abnormalities, but it was precisely this that shocked him.

Because those corners where he sensed hidden malice were still in that state. Under the Dharma Eye, he still couldn't see what shouldn't be seen, which meant that either these were his own troubling thoughts, producing illusions and hallucinations, belonging to the realm of illusion, or that these hidden malice were much stronger than them.

"To be honest, Senior Brother, I previously came into contact with the Zhenwu statue in the Silver Bottle Goddess Temple and heard my Buddhist Vajra Mantra, and with a single shout...."

Master Guandao casually responded, "Caused all your troubles to disappear? How could the power of the Peacock Ming Wang be in the statue of the Great Emperor Zhenwu? I'm afraid that statue is a relic of a senior of our Buddhist school, who casually infused his life's cultivation into the statue, waiting for a destined person...."

"No, that's not it."

Master Jingxian interrupted Master Guandao. "After I touched the power of Ming Wang, my troubling thoughts became even stronger. When I first touched it, it was as if there were countless demons in my heart, constantly chanting. I recited Amitabha, and it took a long time before I regained my peace."

As he said this, his gaze remained fixed on Master Guandao, who was now also full of doubt.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Do you think I am a demon in disguise?"

"Junior Brother, are you... are you my Junior Brother?"

The two were suspicious of each other. Master Jingxian used his magic power to hold the door of the meditation room shut and then asked, "It's not that Junior Brother is suspicious, but the situation in this meditation room is really not right. I see this place as filthy everywhere, those dark corners seem to be hiding all kinds of demons and monsters, and Senior Brother, you are reciting Buddhist scriptures in this environment, yet you seem so calm and composed...."

Master Guandao was stunned. "You say I am calm and composed? When you were reciting scriptures here a few days ago, weren't you the same as me?"

"It seems that you think a demon has mixed into Lingyin Temple. How ridiculous."

"What kind of place is this? This is a place of majesty even among the Buddhist temples in the world. The Dragon-Subduing Arhat once cultivated here. What demon dares to mix in here?"

Master Guandao was now angry and reprimanded Master Jingxian. "I think you have been affected by the power of Ming Wang. Ming Wang is originally the Dharma aspect used by the Buddha to punish the wicked. Even the kind and benevolent Peacock Daming Wang is still a member of the Ming Wang class."

"How can a Ming Wang be without anger? The Ming Wang sees everything in the world as a place of filth."

Master Guandao said, "However, this may also indicate that you have an excellent affinity with the power of the Peacock Daming Wang. Perhaps that is a Buddhist predestined relationship prepared for you."

"Perhaps to accept the power of Ming Wang, you need to cut off all troubling thoughts, so first let your troubling thoughts become strong, to experience many trials...."

Master Guandao reasoned, and Master Jingxian also felt that this was the case, but there was already a certain estrangement between the fellow disciples. Master Jingxian had not sat down to meditate, and at this time he suddenly asked again:

"So, Senior Brother really can't see the filthy places in this meditation room?"

Master Guandao shook his head. "All I see in my eyes is a state of perfect harmony, because I myself am an Arhat, having attained all evils, understood ignorance and greed, so I can blend purity and troubles together, so the Dharma realm is perfectly harmonious, making all dharmas interconnected. At this time, I can generate the five aggregates and six senses, but the five aggregates and six senses cannot defile me."

"You must have been blinded by the power of Ming Wang. You need to chant Buddhist scriptures and cultivate more to be liberated."

After he finished speaking, he began to chant Buddhist scriptures himself, his body covered in a faint Buddha light, appearing extraordinary and sacred.

However, contrary to his sacred intention, Master Jingxian's old eyes were already full of astonishment!

"Senior Brother, what are you talking about!"

Master Jingxian was almost terrified. Master Guandao's words were normal before, but now when he spoke of Buddhist teachings, he was incoherent. How could an Arhat generate evil? And ignorance and greed should be destroyed, never looked upon. How can purity and troubles be blended together? The five aggregates and six senses can defile the Buddha Dharma, how can they be generated by the Buddha!

Master Guandao was full of doubt. "What's wrong with me? Everything I said is Buddha Dharma! Once one becomes an Arhat, there will be no cognitive errors or doubts about the Buddha's teachings. An Arhat is enlightened and sees the essence of the world! Able to stop the suffering of the self!"

"Therefore, what I have enlightened is that the self can generate the five aggregates and six senses, but the five aggregates and six senses cannot defile me. After obtaining liberation, all suffering ceases, so we are Buddhas who have left the world, able to refine the appearances of sentient beings. Isn't this the Dharma that we ourselves cultivate?"

"Therefore, sentient beings are me, I am the Buddha, sentient beings are the Buddha, this becomes the supreme true Buddha."

Master Jingxian was terrified and retreated from the meditation room, while Master Guandao looked puzzled, just shook his head, and continued to cultivate his "Buddha Dharma."

"Incorrect knowledge, incorrect views! How can an Arhat be deceived by such confused and evil Dharma!"

Master Jingxian finally knew where the trace of trouble in his heart came from. He thought that the power of Ming Wang sensed that the Buddha Dharma was being disturbed, so it was naturally furious. He went to find the other Arhats and found that everyone's cultivation of the Buddha Dharma had gone astray, but they were completely unaware of it.

Because an Arhat would not misunderstand the Buddha Dharma!

At this time, Master Guandao did not understand why Master Jingxian left here. He walked outside the door, looked at the sky, and summoned a monk:

"Zhengkong, go and call your fellow disciples over, I want to lecture on scriptures here."

On the other side, Master Jingxian, holding a glimmer of hope, went to see his other two senior brothers, Master Zhengxin and Master Chongben. They were also discussing the Buddha Dharma.

"How should the Four Great Vows be interpreted?"

"First, to lead those who have not been delivered to be delivered, I use my heart to control their hearts, then their hearts will turn to my Buddha, be delivered, and be freed from suffering."

"Second, to lead those who have not been liberated to be liberated, I scatter my wisdom, transform their empty hearts, then all troubling karma will be eliminated, and liberation will be attained."

"Third, to lead those who are not at peace to be at peace, I use my physical body to bear the images of sentient beings, I achieve myself, and use the images of sentient beings to transform into the Buddha's image, that is, sentient beings are at peace."

"Fourth, to lead those who have not attained Nirvana to attain Nirvana, after the Tathagata passes away, I vow to deliver all beings, I put sentient beings at peace, I then enter Nirvana, sentient beings enter Nirvana, so those who have not attained Nirvana all attain Nirvana, when I am reborn, all sentient beings will attain Nirvana, thus transcending the karma of life and death, and can deliver endless living beings...."

"This is a great good deed, so the so-called vow to deliver the immeasurable number of sentient beings is the determination to deliver the various attachments and concepts of one's own mind. Junior Brother has already attained enlightenment, and only after achieving himself can he carry sentient beings and attain Nirvana together...."

Master Zhengxin and Master Chongben were seriously discussing strange Buddha Dharma. Master Jingxian retreated in shock again, and immediately went to find his disciple, but found that his disciple was listening to Master Guandao lecturing on Buddha, and immediately went to stop him, and took him away in front of everyone!

Master Jingxian asked, "Has Master Guandao lectured on scriptures?"

The white-clothed disciple: "Not yet."

So Master Jingxian asked a few questions about Buddha-nature, and his disciple answered them all normally.

"Fortunately, it seems that you have not been contaminated by confused and evil Dharma. Quickly leave Lingyin Temple with me and go to the Silver Bottle Goddess Temple to borrow that Zhenwu statue!"

.......

Jade Dragon Daoist Academy. This was clearly the holy land for the Quanzhen Dao to cultivate, but no Quanzhen cultivators were seen. The white-clothed immortal Chen Taichu was here, in the main hall of the Daoist Academy, and in front of him was a group of merchants of unknown origin.

"Has my medicine been delivered?"

The merchants were from the Longyou Merchant Guild, but they came here not because of the temple trouble that had occurred before, but because this area was within the Longyou Merchant Guild's sphere of activity.

"I am Sima Shen, and I heard that you are waiting for the alchemist's medicine?"

Chen Taichu's brows twitched slightly. "You mortal... Did those alchemists send you to find me?"

"How could the alchemists send a mere mortal like you to deliver a message?"

The great Longyou merchant Sima Shen smiled. "No, the person you are waiting for cannot come."

"But we have brought you your medicine."

"This is the essence of green candle, which can make you stay in the world and remove worldly thoughts, but it needs to be used with caution, otherwise you will be invaded by nameless resentment...."

Chen Taichu's gaze paused for a moment, and he looked at this mortal. "You are not one of those alchemists."

"You were not sent by them to find me, and you seem to know who I am waiting for. How did you get this medicine?"

"If you don't tell me, I might turn you into meat puppets."

Sima Shen explained with a smile, "Please listen to me first."

"The Pearl of Dongguang, the hundred gods cannot hide its essence; the Medicine of Wuwang, the ten thousand saints cannot obscure its mind."

"The Pine of Chisheng, snakes transform into dragons, and old men become children, with the power to save the world."

"Finally... supplemented by the legendary green liver and blue blood that only loyal ministers and generals turn into after death, to drive away the fire of the Yan Song Dynasty and refine it into...."

Rumble!

The sky above the Jade Dragon Daoist Academy changed color, and Chen Taichu glanced at Sima Shen. Sima Shen's body immediately shattered, but immediately afterward, the shattered body still remained on the ground, and another Sima Shen actually appeared in the void.

"The Pearl of Dongguang is easy to obtain, but the Medicine of Wuwang is difficult to find. The latter is transformed from the thoughts of ten thousand people. If the people's expectations are not reached, this medicine will not be seen, and this medicine also needs to undergo a refining process."

"However, the Medicine of Wuwang that you are waiting for, my master wants to tell you that we have this thing."

Chen Taichu narrowed his eyes. "Interesting, you can be resurrected? You are not a mortal?"

"No one knows about my descent to the lower realm except for the alchemists. Even this Biao Shanhe world does not know of my existence. This is not just having hands and eyes reaching the sky, but having the ability to see the future, even stronger than those Arhats and Bodhisattvas."

"You come here swaggeringly, aren't you afraid that I will kill you?"

Sima Shen: "Although I am a mortal, I am honored by my master's regard for me, and I have been granted the art of immortality, so although I am a mortal, I am also immortal. You cannot kill me. Even if you smash my bones to pieces and make my form disappear, I can still be resurrected."

"I have taken the Black Dragon Medicine, which is made by refining the Red Dragon Mushroom and the Black Dragon Mushroom with divine fire. Taking it makes one enter the realm of immortality, with a lifespan connected to the heaven and earth... If you want to kill me, you must first destroy a celestial region above your head."

"Moreover, although I am a mortal, these few by my side are all of great origin! You must be very interested in them."

There were several warriors from the merchant guild beside him, with dragon patterns drawn on their arms. If they were seen by the people of the imperial court, they would definitely be arrested. Although their merchant guild could be called Longyou, ordinary people were not allowed to use dragon patterns.

These merchant guild warriors exuded a strong aura of resentment.

Chen Taichu sensed the situation of these warriors and narrowed his eyes:

"Form dissolves and transforms, relying on the affairs of ghosts and gods! Turning people into wishes, and wishes becoming resentful spirits. This is an ancient ability of the Fangxian Dao, before the Qin Dynasty. Few alchemists today know how to do it."

"So that's how it is. The master behind you is that public enemy who was hunted down by the alchemists a long time ago."

"Xu Fu, what a shocking ancient name, but if your master really has the divine Medicine of Wuwang, cooperation with you is not impossible."

Sima Shen was a little surprised. "You don't seem very surprised?"

Chen Taichu sneered. "Xu Fu's name is ancient, but what is he?"

"Think about it yourself, why has he been overseas all the time, not daring to return to Zhongtu? There are still people in this world who are older than him living. Although Biao Shanhe is weak, it is not so weak that he can stir up trouble here at will. So, even without those four Heavenly Hearts, he wouldn't dare to show his face."

As he spoke, he grinned. "Mortals are still mortals. Only by becoming an immortal can one pursue the desire for immortality, but if the physical body is immortal, the form and spirit cannot withstand the years and will gradually decay, so the art of transformation exists in the world."

"What does your master look like now, is he a man or a woman? A child or an old man, or some celestial dragon or ghost god?"