Chapter 526 |
Beneath the shabby appearance of Cloud Forest, it was a treasury for secret, powerful styles and gliphilities. Chui Yim had tried sourcing styles related to the cultivation of the physical body, and picked up about ten of them to try, but sadly, none worked. All scrolls and books in Cloud Palace’s collection were remarkable, yet other than one style that showed slight effects, the rest that Chui Yim picked out were totally useless to him.
The style with an effect was extremely tough to cultivate and was considered a skill rather than a cultivation style. Chui Yim figured that he would need to be at least in the three-chambered state to pick it up successfully.
Unlike the Invincible Diamond Body that enhanced Chui Yim’s already strong body further.
Chui Yim reached the bronze skin stage four years ago, and back then, the ten per cent increase in physical prowess left him ecstatic. After all, one should constantly strive for improvement despite achieving great success, and even a mere ten per cent held considerable weight.
But as Chui Yim researched more into the style, he realised that ten per cent was indeed insignificant considering the benefits bronze skin brought him.
Because of how Chui Yim’s Heaven’s Flame merged with his heart chamber, he had vigorous blood energy, which led to an exceptionally strong body. The Heaven’s Flame was just like a never-stopping steam engine that provided Chui Yim with infinite strength and speed.
However, Heaven’s Flame did not bring any changes to his skin while bronze skin did; it turned Chui Yim’s skin into the texture of bronze.
Not only could he fend off weapons, but it came with the effect of weakening weapons. Take a spear attack for example; by activating bronze skin, Chui Yim would be able to disperse the impact by spreading out the surface area receiving the attack. The impact he received would still be the same, but at least he wouldn’t be pierced to death instantly.
Like its name, Chui Yim now had bones as tough as steel. Without steel bones, he would have died under Night Tiger’s attack back in the Western Desert.
Being a man who placed a strong emphasis on loyalty and righteousness, Chui Yim was grateful to Mute for giving him the secret skill four years ago. Even if the other might have had other motives, he still gifted him the skill nonetheless.
Thus, the trip today.
Chui Yim followed the little monks into the village to a three-meter-tall wooden building, a stark contrast to the surrounding residences.
The wooden architecture looked splendid, and it was a temple, just like those meant for worship.
“Benefactor, we can only send you up to here. Please make your way in, the abbot is waiting for you,” the little monk said. With that, the group left, not even waiting for Chui Yim’s reply, leaving him to stare at this temple alone.
Chui Yim made his way into the temple slowly.
He wasn’t a believer in gods or Buddhas. He, who had died once and reincarnated, could not relate to how Buddhists believed that humans would head to Nirvana after they passed on. Chui Yim trusted himself more.
There was the Buddha statue, a grand temple, incense smoke, and wooden fish. Chui Yim subconsciously held his breath and remained silent when he entered the temple. Perhaps this is the custom of “doing as the natives do”.
A middle-aged monk was sitting on a worn cushion in front of the Buddha statue, playing with the wooden fish. The moment Chu Yim entered, he came to a sudden halt.
Suddenly, silence took over the air and Chui Yim could hear a pin drop. The scariest thing was to have sudden silence filling the air.
Shortly, an echoey, weird voice rang out, “It’s been a long time, Benefactor Chui.”
“It’s good to see you.” Chui Yim put his hands together and bowed.
Mute turned around. Seeing Chui Yim’s action, he smiled gently. “It’s been four years and Benefactor’s zen has gotten stronger.”
Stunned, Chui Yim took his hands apart.
The both of them found a cushion and sat opposite each other. Chui Yim looked at Mute and suddenly spoke. “To be honest, I don’t understand why you said that I’m fated with Buddhism. I’m a hot-tempered and straightforward person who doesn’t have even the slightest sympathy for Buddhism.”
“That’s not exactly accurate.” Mute shook his head. “Buddhism is all about being one with nature and being one with the heavens. Evil is inevitable in the world, just like how there will be shadows when there’s light. Even Buddhist disciples need to have the ability to defend themselves and counter evil. They had monastic discipline even during the days when Buddhism was prevalent in the world.
“Benefactor Chui detests evil as an enemy and never harms the innocent. Benefactor also values bonds between humans and is loyal. The word ‘martial’ also bears the meaning of reconciliation. In the distant past, martial arts were practised with the intention of stopping conflicts. Benefactor Chui who uses martial arts for their actual purpose will naturally receive Buddha’s blessing.”
Chui Yim shook his head. “I don’t understand why you monks like to complicate things,” he said and opened his right hand, presenting a scripture. “But this is a gift for you, to pay back the favour of you gifting me your institution’s secret skill.”
Mute did not reject the gift. He took it to have a look. The ink was thick and still slightly wet, obviously newly written. However, the handwriting wasn’t the nicest, but it did not stop Mute from being so badly shocked that he trembled, nearly letting out a scream.
He cultivated the Silence Style, so he managed to hold his surprise in, but what was it that shocked him so badly!?
“Is this… the Flower Garland Sutra!?” Mute looked at Chui Yim with utter disbelief, which was a fun sight for Chui Yim. To him, Mute was a classic monk who didn’t get angry or show any emotions.
The sight of him being so agitated was new to Chui Yim. “Yes.”
Mute held the scripture with ugly handwriting like it was a sacred item. “This is too precious for me to take!”
Even so, his body language showed that he had no interest in returning the book to Chui Yim.
The Avatamsaka Sutra, also known as the Flower Garland Sutra, was known as one of the most important classics in the ancient past. All Buddhist sects considered it as the king of all sutras, and legend has it that it was passed down by Buddha in the past when man had yet to be enlightened when Buddha came specifically to the world to teach them.
In the ancient past, the Flower Garland Sutra held great importance to Buddhist sects despite not being a sutra of cultivation. Every thirty-seven years, the sects would gather together and discuss whose temple the sutra should be passed to.
That was when monks did not care about worldly affairs or strive for superiority or inferiority and didn’t bicker until their ears turned red, even nearly getting into fist-fights.
The Flower Garland Sutra was a sacred item of Buddhism!
Of course, a thousand years later, the Buddhist sects disappeared from the world, and it was said that the Thousand-Leaves Sect, the powerful sect with nine five-chambered cultivators, was the last to hold the Flower Garland Sutra’s original copy.
When the Thousand-Leaves Sect disappeared, the Flower Garland Sutra was nowhere to be seen. This sutra became extremely important now that the Thousand-Leaves Sect was no longer present in the world.
Be it a sect, clan, institution, or even a religion, the most important thing to all was legacy.
