Chapter Ten: Zen Questions

  Evil energy surged. Murderous intent was thick, and the eyes of the Indian monk shot out cold glints as he stared intently at Yang Zhao, advancing step by step. With each step forward, his originally not-so-sturdy body seemed to swell a little more; with each stride, the ice and fire energies surrounding him grew even more turbulent and surged higher. As his left foot stepped down, half of the long street seemed to return to the bitter cold of the third month of winter, with all things frozen in ice. As his right foot lifted, the other half of the long street was like a steel furnace, with the long stone slabs suddenly melting into pulp. At this moment, the most bustling and prosperous area of Daxing City seemed to have transformed into a purgatory on earth. And the Indian monk was like a ferocious evil spirit emerging from that purgatory, ready to devour people at will.

  His prey is only one: Yang Zhao!

  With the great enemy in front of him, Yang Zhao's mentality became even more calm and peaceful, like an ancient well without ripples. He stretched out his arm to signal the guards beside him to retreat. Yi Jing Xuan Jian silently concentrated, following the "Gen Mountain Stability" heart method, also slowly taking a step forward.

  The monk's killing intent was so thick it seemed to have a physical presence, and wherever the spearhead pointed, there would be a spiritual storm. Even if there was no substantial physical destructive power, as long as one was trapped in it, those with slightly weak willpower could be impacted at any time and become a vegetative person who had lost all their senses. And Yang Zhao not only did not choose to avoid its edge, but instead took the initiative to go up. The reason was that he had already dodged once.

  But can't hide anymore, and don't want to hide either.

  Yang Zhao moved against the current, and although there were still hundreds of meters between them, it was as if they had exchanged a blow in mid-air. The Tianzhu monk seemed to hesitate for an instant. However, this might just be an illusion. In the blink of an eye, the Tianzhu monk stepped forward without hesitation, his footsteps heavy as before. The overwhelming killing intent no longer surged endlessly, but instead converged inward with a strange rhythm brought about by his footsteps.

  Yang Zhao's body trembled slightly, and his expression became increasingly solemn. The mysterious aura of the I Ching swirled around him, as the eight trigrams revolved rapidly. He gritted his teeth and took another step forward. With the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigram Step, his entire being suddenly transformed into a void. To onlookers, he seemed like a shadow, darting left and right, or advancing and retreating in a blur. But if one rubbed their eyes and looked closely, they could discover the faint footprints left behind on the stone bridge, straighter than if drawn with a ruler.

  The two gradually approached each other. Yang Zhao's footprints went from shallow to deep, and the speed of his swings became faster and faster, even making people dizzy. On the contrary, Tianzhu monk's momentum was getting weaker and weaker, until he finally crossed the long street and stepped onto the head of the horse bridge, where the ice and fire on his body had already dissipated to almost nothing.

  Three zhang apart, they each stopped in their tracks. In the early spring season, the winter chill had not yet dissipated, and a cold gust of wind blew across the bridge, still carrying a bone-piercing intent. Yang Zhao gritted his teeth tightly, and sweat seeped through his thick clothing without him realizing it. A cracking sound came from beneath his feet, as the originally smooth and flat footprints collapsed and shattered under the immense pressure of Tianzhu Monk's profound aura, no longer able to maintain their original perfection.

  Zhuo Fa Rang stood under the bridge, his palms together in respect. To onlookers, he seemed like a super giant over 100 meters tall. The giant looked down at Yang Zhao and slowly opened his mouth. His voice was hoarse, each word striking like a massive hammer.

  "Householder, I have some doubts in my mind and this has given rise to demonic obstructions. As long as these doubts are not eliminated, the demonic obstructions will not cease. Householder, out of your compassion, can you help me resolve my doubts?"

  Yang Zhao's face turned pale. Standing at the highest point of the bridge arch, he felt insignificant, yet remained calm and composed, his palms slightly trembling as he clasped them together in respect, looking up at the monk from Tianzhu and saying with all his might: "If this exists then that exists; if this is born then that is born; if this does not exist then that does not exist, if this is extinguished then that is extinguished. The verse says: All phenomena arise from causes and conditions, when the conditions cease the phenomena are extinguished, my master the great Shramanera has always spoken thus."

  This conversation contains a profound mystery, but only these two individuals can understand it for themselves.

  The monk from Tianzhu asked about the law with empty words, but in reality, he was asking why the other party knew the secret of obtaining the Ice and Fire Seven Heavens. Yang Zhao's answer was the famous "Yuan Qi Jing". The meaning is that in the world, there must be a cause for every effect, and all things cannot be treated separately. It means that you got the method of Ice and Fire Seven Heavens because of a certain reason, and today I know the secret, which is the result. Cause and effect are connected, it's only natural, why ask more?

  Although his words were neither arrogant nor humble, when Yang Zhao uttered the last few words, his voice still couldn't help but tremble slightly.

  Although the boundary has been greatly improved after seven days and nights of closed door concentration, the improvement of internal force cultivation still requires time to accumulate day by day. At this moment, Yang Zhao didn't have the Tianjian sword in hand, relying solely on his own Yi Jing Xuan Jian Gong power, compared to the pure ice and fire of the seven-layered heaven of the Tianzhu monk's furnace, it was inevitable that he would appear clumsy.

  The monk's mouth twitched, neither affirming nor denying. The accumulated cold and hot air suddenly burst out, and the torrent of ice and fire rushed up from below, sweeping everything away. Yang Zhao was shocked, feeling powerless in his limbs, and a desperate mood emerged. But at the critical moment, his brow suddenly jumped violently again. The remaining spiritual power of the Heavenly Sword turned into a sharp pain like a needle, and Yang Zhao woke up in time, pushing both palms out without thinking.

  Li Trigram's chaotic fire, Kan Trigram's submerged water, Dui Trigram's vast swamp, Xun Wind's gentle breeze, the four trigrams emerge from the palm and flutter about. The lightning-fast stone fire, amidst the icy flames, the two energies clash like a raging stormy wave, yet before Yang Zhao's unyielding rock face, they are forced to retreat at once. Only the sound of "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!" seven consecutive explosions echo past, as if the motionless Tianzhu monk had never moved, his facial muscles twitching, seemingly enduring immense pain. He asks again in a low voice.

  "All evil deeds have been done and cannot be undone. The multitude of evils is the root, and the six robbers should appear. The wise king is enraged and wants to destroy the delusion and kill the robbers. Can all evils be cut off?"

  What he meant by these few sentences was that what had happened in the past, whether I did it or not, was already unchangeable. Originally no one knew, everything was too peaceful. But now that you've uncovered the secret, it's become an obstacle for me. Only by killing you can I regain my peace.

  Ice Fire Mantis Style: One Finger Strike Seven Stars. Breaking through the Eight Trigrams defensive aura shield, at the same time leaving seven shallow finger marks on Yang Zhao's arms. The meridians in his arms were disrupted, making it almost impossible for him to lift his hands. Yang Zhao exerted all his strength to calm down and replied in a low, slow voice:

  "A long time ago, a Dharma master was giving a lecture. A banner was standing in front of the door. At that moment, the wind blew and the banner moved. The disciples saw it and got up to argue. In the end, is it the wind moving? Or is it the banner moving? The Dharma master said: It's neither the wind moving nor the banner moving, but your minds are moving. He then recited a verse saying: Bodhi originally has no tree, A bright mirror also has no stand; Originally there is not a single thing, Where can dust be stirred up?"

  This story of the wind and the flag, as well as the four-line verse "Bodhi originally has no tree", is a household name in later generations, coming from the Sixth Patriarch Huineng of Chan Buddhism. The Sixth Patriarch Huineng was a person at the end of the Gaozong period of the Tang Dynasty, almost a hundred years after the Sui Dynasty. Yang Zhao, this time-traveler, borrowed the allusion to imply that all things are empty, and demonic obstacles are also empty. It means that the heart demon is not on me, but on you yourself. Therefore, even if you kill people, it will be of no use.

  The monk from Tianzhu listened to these few sentences, his face seemingly thoughtful, but his body involuntarily trembling slightly, opening his mouth to pant heavily. The panting sound grew louder and louder, transforming into a deafening roar like the howling of ten thousand beasts in an instant. His skin changed again to a semi-transparent state, with muscles, bones, and blood vessels all appearing like crystal, revealing the extraordinary appearance of having reached the peak of the Seventh Heaven. Uncontrollable icy flames burst forth from his body, condensing into a vivid, living... Mantis-like form!

  Two opposing forces, each extreme and mutually exclusive, simultaneously repel and explode, thereby unfolding a more destructive and terrifying power. The benevolent intention in the eyes of the Tibetan monk flashed by, only to be completely replaced by a fierce and sinister aura. He no longer cared about any techniques or speed, his right fist icy cold, his left fist fiery hot, seemingly slow but actually fast. A solid punch was thrown straight at the chest.

  An unprecedented severe test is in front of him, all distracting thoughts in Yang Zhao's mind disappeared without a trace, leaving only a clear and empty space. Three steps forward with his feet, his body shape also changed three times according to the eight trigrams of the Bagua diagram. The shapes of Qian and Kun trigrams clearly appeared on his palm, he closed his hand into a fist, shouted loudly and breathed out, heaven and earth moved together!

  Four fists collided, immediately triggering a deafening earthquake. Two forces clashed, and the ground cracked open, triggering countless fist-sized stones to fly out like locusts. Xiao Bai Lang and several other royal guards were caught off guard and failed to escape in time, and in an instant, they were hit by dozens of stone pellets, causing them to break bones and split their brains. They didn't even have time to let out a cry before dying on the spot. The aftershocks continued, spreading out in all directions like an earthquake. The Jumping Horse Bridge, made from the sturdiest materials that could withstand even a ten-ton truck crashing into it at high speed, was shaking and trembling like a pile of wooden blocks, on the verge of collapse.

  The ingenious use of the Qian Kun two trigrams, able to harness the energy of heaven and earth for one's own use, temporarily enhancing one's abilities. However, this is merely a clever trick, unable to crush the enemy with a single blow, and afterwards leaving nothing to follow up with. In contrast, Tian Zhu's ice and fire seven-layered heavenly furnace was endless, its power boundless. Under the terrifying might of the ice and fire mantis, the Qian Kun trigrams' brilliance faded one after another, defeat imminent. Yang Zhao's body was like being placed inside a volcano's molten lava on one side, while the other side was like being buried under the Antarctic ice and snow, the two energies of ice and fire invading his meridians, piercing his marrow and bones, comparable to the world's most ruthless torture! Yet, knowing he was already doomed to defeat, Yang Zhao still gritted his teeth, stubbornly holding on.

  As long as you don't give up, there is always a glimmer of hope. But if you give up first, then even if you survive, Yang Zhao knows that he will forever be a failure, with no achievements to speak of.

  A strong and powerful hand suddenly landed on Yang Zhao's shoulder.

  The dark aura collapsed with a loud crash, leaving no residual traces. The majestic and powerful golden form rose to the sky in its place. The ice-fire mantis let out a painful screech as the cold and hot energies were rapidly absorbed and dispersed by some extraordinary power emanating from the golden body. In an instant, the golden figure glared with anger, the Bodhisattva was destroyed, and the ice-fire mantis was completely shattered and scattered. The tide of victory and defeat suddenly reversed, and the monk's image was blown away dozens of steps, "thud" falling to the ground far away, with no remaining cold or hot energies in his body. His chest caved in, forming a five-fingered palm print, and he could not get up again.

  Yang Zhao withdrew his gaze from his palm and turned back with difficulty, calling out: "Guo... Guoshi..." His voice trembled, making it unclear whether he was surprised or delighted.

  This sudden savior was none other than Mahā?aka, the true master of the Pure Land Sect. The Pure Land Temple is not far from here, and it's no surprise that the Indian monk's commotion on the street would attract Mahā?aka's attention. What truly shocked everyone, however, was that the Indian monk's full-force activation of the Seven Heavens of Ice and Fire was completely useless against the Six Gods' Seal of Vajra. Moreover, Mahā?aka's transmission of power through Yang Zhao's body to deliver the Bodhisattva-destroying move directly shattered the Indian monk's chest meridian, rendering his painstakingly cultivated inner energy of the Seven Heavens completely useless.

  From now on, this former Tianzhu monk who once shook the world with his power, even if he is lucky enough not to die, will have completely lost all his martial arts skills and become even more useless than an ordinary person.

  Mohe Ye lifted the palm that was pressed on Yang Zhao's shoulder and gently patted it down. The usually serious him also had a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, correcting: "Not Guoshi, call Shifu."

  Yang Zhao secretly sighed. At first, he had taken Mohe Ye as his master just to get the idea of Buddha's law and the Tathagata's divine palm. But since communicating with Tianjian, Yang Zhao's vision expanded, and his mental cultivation also improved, so he was no longer as enthusiastic as before. Now hearing Mohe Ye bring up old matters again, he couldn't say whether he was happy or afraid. He still changed his words to: "Master."

  "Good apprentice." Mahakala put down his hands and turned to look at the Tianzhu monk under the bridge, sneering: "Sitting in a well and watching the sky, you don't know your own strength. Sha, go and take off his head."

  Someone emerged from under the bridge in response to the call. It was Sha Ya, one of Mohe Ye's five senior disciples. Yang Zhao Wei hesitated for a moment and called out: "Sister, wait." Turning his head, he said: "Master, I want to do it myself."

  Mahayana leaves are also unavoidable, and he nodded in agreement. Yang Zhao took a few deep breaths and slowly walked up to the front of the Tianzhu monk, saying in a steady voice: "Master, do you have anything else to say?"

  His martial arts skills were completely gone, and the usually intimidating Tianzhu monk now looked dignified and majestic. With great effort, he propped himself up and sat in a cross-legged position. He spoke intermittently: "Thus... I heard, at one time, the Buddha was in... Sravasti, in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of the Benefactor of the Solitary. The elder Subhuti... rose from his seat in the midst of the great assembly and addressed the Buddha, saying: 'Rare indeed, World Honored One! Good men and good women, what should they rely on? How can they subdue their minds?'"

  Yang Zhao let out a long sigh and said: "The Buddha told Subhuti, 'All phenomena are illusory. If you see that all phenomena are not phenomena, then you will see the Tathagata.' He also spoke in verse: 'All conditioned things are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows; they are like dew, and also like lightning; one should observe them in this way.'"

  The monk from Tianzhu heard the words, and in his heart, it was as if a flash of lightning had split the long night, and suddenly he had a great awakening. He untied the cloth bag at his waist and handed it to Yang Zhao. With joy and praise, he said: "Good, good! Thank you, Mr. Ju, for your guidance." He joined his palms together, closed his eyes, and passed away peacefully.