Martial Saint!
Chapter 420 - 0273 Secrets of the Void Realm, The Figure of World Venerate (3k)

Chapter 420: 0273 Secrets of the Void Realm, The Figure of World Venerate (3k)

Gu Qianqian knew that Tang Zheng was moved.

"If you have any ideas, you can find me anytime."

In fact, she had already thought about giving up on assassinating Lu Chenzhou.

However, the Blood Heavenly Dog was too stubborn, insisting on Lu Chenzhou’s death.

It was understandable, though. According to her knowledge, the annihilation of the Heavenly Tiger Clan, although a collective result of an alliance among the Great Demon Races, was led by the Heavenly Dog Clan.

Having died once, the Blood Heavenly Dog had become suspicious and paranoid.

He worried constantly that the Heavenly Tiger Clan would make a comeback.

Of course, Gu Qianqian was still an outsider. She was not very clear about the deep-rooted feuds involving the Ancient Relic Species in the restricted areas and the Void Realm. These events were too ancient, so ancient that the Da Xia civilization had not yet emerged at that time.

Anyway, according to the teachings of the Heart Happiness Sect:

"The Assembly of Stars and Gods" descended upon the Mountain and Sea World, found it to be in a dire epoch, with the six paths in disarray. The gods sought to bring light to the world by forging alliances, resulting in a earth-shattering divine war in the ancient times with the group of Gods of Wilderness in the Mountain and Sea World.

In terms of sheer power, the Assembly of Stars and Gods was stronger.

However, due to their lack of unity, they fought unsuccessfully for a long time.

The duration and impact of the divine war were profound.

The doctrine stated:

"The Desolate Gods claim to be divine, but they are nothing more than a group of stubborn, ignorant savages resistant to change. They stubbornly resisted, trying to prevent the True God from bringing freedom, hope, light, and a future to the Mountain and Sea World."

Afterward,

The seas hung reversed in the sky.

Continents shattered and drifted.

Nine suns fell from the firmament.

The world plunged into eternal night.

Disasters ravaged the Mountain and Sea.

Civilized races were annihilated.

Fortunately, the rebels were exterminated by the Assembly of Stars.

Evil did not overcome good. What has continued to this day is the Assembly of Stars and Gods.

Of course, the last-ditch counterattacks of these rebels also caused heavy losses to the Assembly of Stars and Gods. Some divine positions shattered, fell to the mortal realm, unable to find their way back to the Divine Kingdom. Some gods had their divine fire extinguished, permanently fallen, transforming into stars relegated to the remote depths of space. Many more gods were demoted in realm, their Divine Kingdoms crashed to the earth, turning into domains of gods.

Of course, mortals call it a "forbidden zone."

With the Divine Kingdom shattered and divine powers incomplete, the gods imprisoned by Mountain and Sea World’s rules within their domains, have over long ages slowly regained some strength.

But, far from enough!

The Assembly of Stars and Gods needs the devout faith of all beings to restore their Divine Power. Only then can they repair the Divine Kingdom, allowing it to hang high above the Mountain and Sea World once more, transforming into an assembly of stars. The gods will use more advanced starry rules and laws to transform this scar-ridden land, restoring everything to its rightful order.

That is the vision of the gods ... a beautiful new world.

...

Kitchen.

"Young friend, go inside."

Master Ding Yuan bowed slightly towards the kitchen with his hands together.

Lu Chenzhou also bowed respectfully to his predecessors.

From this humble kitchen, a great figure had emerged: Kongwen Divine Monk!

This great figure, a contemporary of Lv Zu, had followed in Lv Zu’s footsteps as the second person to set foot in the Fifth Realm and become a Great Grandmaster. With astonishing wisdom, he comprehended the World Venerate’s Tathagata Method, creating the peerless, unique "Tathagata Divine Palm" that startled ancient and modern times, above and below the heavens!

His identity as a Fire Monk added a touch of legend to his character.

Screech—The dusty wooden door was pushed open.

What appeared before his eyes was just an ordinary kitchen.

The blackened stove, the coated wooden barrels, the rusty large pot...

This was the birthplace of a legendary figure.

Lu Chenzhou revered every inch, every corner of this place.

"So ordinary... Is there no Dao Yun?"

After observing for a few minutes, Lu Chenzhou couldn’t help but speak.

He was a man who had attained enlightenment at Hidden Immortal Rock with just one glance.

"Could it be that my affinity with Dao is deeper, but with the Buddha only ordinary?"

Lu Chenzhou pondered inwardly.

Outside.

Three powerful beings each found a spot to sit cross-legged.

Zhen Ding looked at the kitchen and asked:

"Senior, do you think Lu Chenzhou can succeed in attaining enlightenment?"

He had succeeded previously, but it took him a month.

Besides him, none of the younger generation of Songshan succeeded.

Before them, the only successful figure was Tuo Tian Head Monk.

Even the genius and possessor of the Dragon Subduing Buddha Body, Lei Jingang Mingxin, had not attained enlightenment.

Attaining enlightenment in this kitchen did not just depend on comprehension, but also on affinity with the method and luck.

Master Ding Yuan said:

"I believe he can succeed."

Mingxin looked surprised:

"Master has such high regard for Lu Chenzhou?"

"Yes, I felt he was exceptional from the first moment I saw him."

"Alright..."

Ding Yuan closed his eyes to wait.

His firm belief in Lu Chenzhou’s potential was due to a visit last month to Songshan City, where he met Master Hui Kong. The venerable had predicted that, at the latest within three years, someone from beyond the mountains, fitting the "World Venerate’s image," would successfully attain enlightenment in the kitchen.

Ding Yuan believed it would be Lu Chenzhou. While far from the three-year mark, no one more likely than Lu Chenzhou would emerge over the next three years.

Betting on him early wasn’t a problem.

...

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

In the blink of an eye, a day had passed.

Today, Lu Chenzhou had done nothing but observe and search the kitchen, hoping to comprehend the underlying Dao Yun, yet so far, he had achieved nothing.

He began to doubt himself and whether he could succeed in attaining enlightenment.

He was not unique.

He could only reveal Zhang Zu by relying on the Martial Arts Tree.

Without the Martial Arts Tree, he was nothing...

His thoughts began to wander, and his will wavered slightly.

He became alert, fortified his mind, concentrated his spirit, and stabilized his Dao heart!

"How could this be? Am I still too impatient?"

Lu Chenzhou questioned himself.

After calming down.

He gazed at the swaying Martial Arts Tree, lost in contemplation within.

"Martial Arts Tree gives me too much self-confidence, but what if this tree did not exist?"

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon one of its leaves.

[Bodhi Technique: Second Layer (36%)]

This secret technique, since he had perfected the "Minor Bodhi Body," Lu Chenzhou practiced it as fate allowed, intermittently, and additionally, due to its inherently high difficulty, his progress was very slow.

In his mind, Chen Jiu’s words echoed:

"This secret technique, created by Kongwen Divine Monk, is said to be inspired by observing the Dharma Ancestor’s transformation into enlightenment and his debates with others on Zen during which he understood these four lines of scripture, thereby creating the ’Bodhi Technique’ based on this theoretical foundation."

Lu Chenzhou, as if enlightened, murmured to himself:

"Bodhi is not a tree, Bright Mirror is not a Platform,

Originally nothing was possessed, where can dust alight?"

He looked toward the ten-zhang Treasure Tree in the Inner Scenery Land.

"Bodhi is not a tree..."

Gradually, he understood everything.

Lu Chenzhou discarded his distracting thoughts, cleared his mind, and no longer fixated on successfully comprehending the Enlightenment. He treated the kitchen as his daily practice room, and he began to practice Heavenly Pile.

Let things be as they will.

Since this kitchen’s comprehension of Enlightenment greatly relied on fate and did not scrutinize comprehension, Lu Chenzhou decided to display his truest self, going with the flow, without any tree in his heart.

If fixated on Enlightenment, one would succumb to the Lower Grade.

If it is fated, the sublime Dharma will come on its own.

...

That night.

Outside the kitchen.

Zhen Ding shook his head and left.

"What a pity, I thought he might create a miracle by attaining Enlightenment in a single day."

Not long after, Mingxin also left.

"Master, aren’t you going back?"

At this time, Ding Yuan Zen Master was sitting in a peculiar position, meditating.

He was practicing the Dragon Elephant Heaven-Supporting Divine Skill, a cultivation method known as the hardest in the world, requiring immense perseverance, determination, luck, and talent.

After all, just opening the acupoints could stymie any Great Grandmaster of this world, not to mention a divine skill that was both time and energy-consuming.

Ding Yuan Zen Master opened his eyes and said,

"Wherever is not cultivation? I am not going back."

He wanted to see if Lu Chenzhou could attain Enlightenment.

Mingxin smiled and said,

"Okay... then I’ll have someone send you vegetarian meals."

"Thank you."

"Here’s to hoping this young man succeeds in Enlightenment."

Although Mingxin himself didn’t achieve Enlightenment through fate,

He still hoped Lu Chenzhou would succeed.

Buddhist Law, after all, should benefit all beings.

Outside the kitchen, only Ding Yuan Zen Master was left, quietly watching the kitchen, serene and distant.

"Can he succeed?"

...

The next day.

The sun rose in the east.

Apart from Lu Chenzhou, only a few scattered disciples of Songshan Martial Arts University came to the kitchen to seek Enlightenment; after a futile attempt, everyone left shaking their heads, lamenting:

"Alas, I couldn’t sense even a trace of Dao Yun."

"Yeah, it feels like even sitting dry for half a year would be fruitless."

"Apparently, Zhen Ding went without food and drink for a month before he succeeded in Enlightenment."

"That’s too difficult; wouldn’t that starve someone?"

Outside the door, people looked at Lu Chenzhou practicing Heavenly Pile inside the kitchen.

"Speaking of which, did this chief of Dragon City give up?"

"I don’t understand, why did he start practicing Heavenly Pile? Is there something particular about it?"

"Not sure, should we also give it a try?"

Some began to imitate his method, quietly practicing Heavenly Pile by the side.

Some guessed Lu Chenzhou’s intentions.

"He might be trying to go with the flow, waiting for the Dharma to come naturally."

Thus, inspired by Lu Chenzhou, many disciples spread the word, congregating both inside and outside the kitchen, either boxing or practicing Inner Strength, creating a lively scene.

Ding Yuan Zen Master looked at these lovely students, his lips curling into a smile.

"Hahaha."

This kitchen hadn’t been this lively in a long time.

...

Time passed day by day.

People came and went from the kitchen, continually rotating.

Those with exceptional patience could follow through from start to finish.

Many others, however, came and went in haste.

Many came with the goal of Enlightenment, but if they couldn’t achieve their goal after a long period, naturally, they couldn’t afford to waste time here; they had other important matters.

Lu Chenzhou settled down in the kitchen.

When it was time to eat, he would go to the Shaolin Temple cafeteria for food.

For sleeping, he would just sleep on the ground, carefree and comfortable.

When thirsty, he fetched a bucket of spring water from Shaoshi Mountain to drink.

From time to time, he also chatted with the Shaolin disciples.

He forgot everything, living in his own world.

This world was the Buddha, Martial Arts, his inner self.

All the hubbub of the mundane world had nothing to do with him.

He didn’t purposely act in any way but followed his heart and acted naturally.

Gradually, he became no different from the Shaolin disciples. The major news about Zhang Zu’s divine manifestation and the Reversing Attack Break Two Shackles also gradually faded with the world’s everchanging days.

...

On this day.

Lu Chenzhou ended his Heavenly Pile Cultivation.

"Unconsciously, it’s been a month since I came to Shaolin..."

The special effects of the Fifth Rank Divine Seed’s acupoints, coupled with the previous enhancement from changing his "root bone" and other factors, allowed him to practice for 12 hours a day and open four acupoints in a month.

The breakpoint of the Second Layer was not far off now.