I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1251 - Chapter 1251 Chapter 543 Ink Lotus Fury

Chapter 1251: Chapter 543: Ink Lotus Fury Chapter 1251: Chapter 543: Ink Lotus Fury Watching Gu Han’s troubled expression, Yanshan did not press him further with words because, as a fellow Zen cultivator, he understood the Visualizing Soul Casting Technique very clearly.

At first glance, the Visualizing Soul Casting Technique seems similar to the Mimicry Technique, as both involve using one’s own three souls and six spirits to condense a spirit that isn’t the true form of the Human Race.

However, the two are fundamentally different. The Mimicry Technique is tangible; it mimics objects that the eyes can see and the hands can touch.

Whether it be the stars and the sea, or true dragons and Qilins, all are tangible existences.

This type of mirroring is either embedding one’s soul into inanimate landscapes like the stars and the sea, or it is subduing and merging with the spirit of a beast, strengthening it with one’s soul to mimic the beast’s spirit, hence the name Mimicry Technique.

The biggest difference between the Visualizing Technique and the Mimicry Technique is that the former lets the spirit become an image that does not factually exist, but which you firmly believe in.

For example, no one has seen a Yasha or Asura; these are just reflections from your dreams, legends from childhood, but if you believe in them firmly, you can truly visualize a fighting spirit of an Asura.

The stronger and more unyielding your faith is, the more solid the visualized spirit will be, and various miraculous phenomena can even appear.

On the other hand, if you start to doubt what you firmly believed in, then cracks will form in your Dao Heart, and the visualized spirit will collapse or weaken.

The Buddhist debate between Yankong and Tang Luo was, on the surface, an exchange of moves, but in reality, it had already damaged the foundation.

But the proud Buddha Sons would naturally not admit this. Yet as the doubts in their hearts grew, their Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Gold Body would become weaker.

However, some ascetics with absolute faith in their Zen Heart can make their Gold Body as solid as a Divine Artifact; even if it shatters from an attack beyond their tolerance, they can quickly visualize it again.

In Buddha’s Country, this recasting of the spirit is called Nirvana. The Eastern Buddha Lord of Buddha’s Country can achieve instant Nirvana with his True Phoenix Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Gold Body, which is the ultimate expression of exploiting the special characteristics of the Visualizing Technique.

The Corpse Monk Gu Han visualized a Ghost Arhat through dual cultivation of Buddhism and Demons, but because of his firm belief in the path ahead, his Gold Body was incredibly solid, allowing him to suppress the malignant Ink Lotus beneath him.

If Yanshan pointed out the flaws in Gu Han’s Buddhist heart at this moment, then the Buddha-like Arhat above the Ink Lotus would collapse on the spot, and the evil Qi within the thirty-six petals of the Ink Lotus would take advantage of the weakness and thoroughly taint the dual-cultivated spirit with maliciousness.

It wasn’t that he feared the threat posed by the other falling into the demonic path, but rather he lamented that a top-notch spirit child of the Esoteric Sect had taken the wrong path, and knowing the reason Gu Han cultivated demons, Yanshan naturally couldn’t bear it.

“The dual cultivation of Buddhism and Demons is not untried by the mighty; it’s just that all have failed,” he said.

Yanshan divulged some of the Wuxiang Zen Temple’s most secret rumors to Gu Han: “White Bone Bodhisattva, Netherworld Monk, Blood Flame Zen Master, Evil Bone Rahu. These individuals were all extraordinary talents of dual Zen and Demon cultivation. Unfortunately, no matter how brilliant they were, they eventually reached the peak of the Fierce Realm and could advance no further. Within Wuxiang Zen Temple’s records, there has only been one who accomplished dual cultivation of Buddhism and Demons and reached the level of Grandmaster, and that was the previous leader of the Five Hundred Arhats and Wuxiang Chief.”

The news of the infamous demonic giant who was a fellow practitioner of Buddhist and Demonic cultivation was too much for Gu Han to digest, but the subsequent reveal about the Wuxiang Arhat blew his mind.

The strongest Gold Body Arahant of the past five hundred years was also a fellow practitioner? Since this path could lead to the Grandmaster level, which means it could lead to enlightenment within the King Realm, how could it be wrong?

Why aren’t you speaking?

Gu Han, still unwilling to give up, pressed on, “How did the Wuxiang Master achieve the spirit qualification of the flesh body?”

“The Wuxiang Master first attained the Grandmaster level, then discovered a strand of Netherworld Qi that matched his intentions. After refining it with supreme Buddha’s teachings and taming the demons with his Buddhist heart and nature, he eventually became the leading Gold Body Arhat,” replied Yanshan straightforwardly to Gu Han’s question, without any pretense.

“If Wuxiang can do it, why can’t the monk!?”

Gu Han said unconvinced. In terms of Zen cultivation aptitude, he had never admitted defeat to anyone, even viewing the Four-sided Buddha Lord as only a century his senior. What others could achieve, he naturally could too!

“Buddha Lord Wu Tian once said that if one did not refine and assimilate the Netherworld Evil Qi, with the purity of Wuxiang Master’s will, the spirit would degrade at least fifty years later. If Wuxiang Master had an extra fifty years of lifespan, he would have at least an eighty percent chance of attaining the King Realm and ascending to the other shore!”

Yanshan said indifferently, “With a firm Zen Heart and strong Buddha nature, integrating Netherworld death qi indeed can greatly enhance one’s combat power. However, housing both the will of life and the Evil Qi of death places a tremendous burden on the cultivator’s body, greatly advancing the time limit for spiritual degradation and reducing the lifespan. That is the biggest downside of dual cultivation of Buddha and demon.”

“Cultivation has always been a race against demise, aimed at leaping out of the cycle of extinction, not pursuing the strength of martial prowess.”

“Master Gu Han, you are attached to appearances!”

“…”

Silence, a heavy silence. Corpse Monk Gu Han clenched his fists tightly. The ghostly faces on the thirty-six petals of the Ink Lotus became extremely ferocious, and even the compassionate Buddha faces became solemn.

The Heavenly and Earthly Qi sensed the anger of the Ink Lotus Arhat, boiling as if threatening to shatter the space itself. Swarms of death qi condensed into dark clouds overhead.

Gu Han, barely a century old, felt he was in his prime. The formidable power he wielded from dual cultivation of Buddha and demon made him arrogantly look down upon the Zen cultivators of Buddha’s Country.

Not to mention those of equal realm, there were very few among the esteemed ones of Buddha’s Country who could confidently claim victory over him.

Therefore, Gu Han once believed he truly found the future path of Zen. Once he attained the other shore, he would open his sect widely, passing down the righteous teachings of the dual cultivation of Buddha and demon.

Only then would his meritorious deeds be truly complete.

However, Yanshan’s words had shattered all the visions he held dear.

Shortening of lifespan–there was no more fatal statement than this. As a powerful being comparable to martial dao masters, Gu Han clearly understood that many martial practitioners hadn’t ascended to the other shore because of leading talents or extraordinary combat power.

It was simply because their spiritual degradation came late enough, or they experienced very little pain throughout their lives, maintained their bodies well, ensuring a smooth process of Spirit Qualification, and, consequently, had sufficiently long lives.

For an average practitioner from the Fierce Realm, experiencing spiritual degradation around two hundred years of age was normal. But for some unlucky ones, maybe due to injuries or their cultivation methods, their degradation could start as early as a hundred years old, while others might not face it until three hundred.

This extra hundred years wasn’t just about time; it extended their peak and allowed them to comprehend higher realms.

Yet, Yanshan claimed that integrating the forces of life and death would greatly shorten a warrior’s lifespan, hastening the spiritual degradation.

If even the respected Wuxiang Master Arahant had his life shortened by fifty years after assimilating Netherworld death qi, with his deep contamination by demonic qi, how many years would he have to lose?

How many years did he have left?

The peak-striving Gu Han had never imagined that at his age, he would be considering the problem of spiritual degradation, but after Yanshan’s words, even if he didn’t want to think about it, he was forced to.

The Arhat on the Ink Lotus closed its eyes as if it didn’t want to witness Gu Han’s turmoil. The ghost faces on the petals, however, were making a commotion as if whispering to their host:

“Nonsense, all nonsense. Kill the monk, kill the monk!”

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