The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS
Chapter 276 - 88 Monk Shi Jue

Chapter 276: Chapter 88 Monk Shi Jue

When the monk spoke, Shi Jue’s figure had already moved far away, about to disappear from sight.

"Brother Shi Xing, what should we do?" the other monks asked.

The one called "Shi Xing" was the eldest among this group. Although his Buddhist monastic name started with "Shi", he was already over thirty years old and was the only one at the Divine Origin Realm besides Shi Jue.

However, it was clear that Brother Shi Xing’s status was far inferior to Shi Jue. Therefore, when Shi Jue wanted to go in that direction, he and the other monks had no choice but to follow.

Moreover, Shi Jue was a natural Buddha son. The abbot of the Great Zen Temple had said that Shi Jue’s Buddha-nature far surpassed those who spent their entire lives painstakingly practicing Buddhist Law. Born with exceptional spiritual insight, he faintly possessed one of the Buddhist legends of the Six Divine Powers – the Destiny Power, allowing him to perceive what others could not. The direction he was heading to must hold some cause and effect.

And the direction where Shi Jue was heading to was none other than where the small town was located.

A three-mile journey, for Shi Jue of the Divine Origin Realm, was merely a moment’s effort to reach. However, before entering the town, someone stopped Shi Jue.

"Monk, halt."

The person wearing the bronze mask let out a deep and resonant voice, as if several people were speaking together, stopping Monk Shi Jue.

"Gong Ziyu." Recognizing the distinctive attire, Shi Jue naturally knew who this person was.

"’Little Buddha’ Shi Jue, I have long admired you," Qing Yu looked at the monk who would be the former first place on the Dragon and Phoenix List in the next issue. "Why has the ’Little Buddha’ not sought out the people of the Esoteric Sect but instead come to this foreign country in the Northern Land?"

Shi Jue brought his hands together in a prayerful gesture, saying, "Amitabha Buddha, I am here indeed in search of people from the Esoteric Sect."

People from the Esoteric Sect in Northern Zhou?

Qing Yu gave it some thought and it did seem highly likely. The Jianghu forces in Northern Zhou were sparse, and there was even a hidden enmity with Daqian, making it an excellent place to hide. The reason the Azure Dragon Association chose to keep a low profile in Northern Zhou was not only because they could utilize the forces of the Sixth Prince over there, but also because this once frigid land of the Northern Territory was untouched by any major sects.

Another advantage for the Esoteric Sect in choosing Northern Zhou was that this place was a hub for Prominent School of Confucianism, with Buddhist Temples present but not nearly as pervasive as within the territories of Daqian Realm. Although the Great Zen Temple was the mainstream of today’s Buddhism, it was unable to leverage its advantage in faith to have believers assist in the search.

"But in this direction, there are no people from the Esoteric Sect," said Qing Yu.

"Amitabha Buddha, there are no people from the Esoteric Sect here, yet there are those who can be saved," Shi Jue recited the Buddha’s name once again, saying, "From afar, I faintly sensed a strong murderous aura in this place, signaling an impending bloodbath. As I approached, I detected the presence of someone our temple is seeking."

"’Blood Saber Guest’ Ji Tang, this man slaughtered the monks of Miaobu Temple, with seventy-eight monks perishing by his hand. As a disciple of Buddhism, I cannot but seek justice for these seventy-eight Buddhist friends."

"Justice?" Qing Yu said with a faint smile, "How come I heard that Ji Tang was originally an ordinary villager, who faced catastrophe when a group of mountain bandits raided his village, killing his parents, violating his sisters. Only Ji Tang escaped death by being away. Later, by chance, he inherited the remnants of the Blood Demon Sect’s teachings and sought revenge on those bandits. Killing twenty-nine of the thirty bandits, only the bandit leader ran to Miaobu Temple to ’abandon the butcher knife and become a Buddha,’ attracting Ji Tang’s retribution. When it comes to justice, you seek justice for the seventy-eight monks of Miaobu Temple, but who will seek Ji Tang’s justice?"

To lay down the butcher knife and immediately become a Buddha. A well-known saying that originally means one should abandon the intention to kill in their heart and atone for their karmic sins before they can hope to become a Buddha. However, this phrase is often deliberately misinterpreted.

The misinterpreters are not just the enemies of Buddhism but also those within Buddhism. In this world, whether individuals are greatly benevolent or evil, they are extraordinary and possess value beyond the ordinary. This value can be wealth, power, or even Martial Arts.

So, people of Buddhism are very keen on the phrase "to abandon the butcher knife and immediately become a Buddha," which essentially means that if one is willing to relinquish the butcher knife, Buddhism will open the door to convenience and guide them to salvation.

This guidance is genuine. Reciting the Buddhist Scripture hundreds and thousands of times will certainly convert you into the most loyal follower of Buddhism and dissolve all malevolence.

However, doing so is very unfair to the victims. Many people do not care whether the offender will repent or not—wrongdoing is wrongdoing. Even if you were brainwashed by Buddhism into insanity, you cannot escape your sins.

This is precisely the relationship between Miaobu Temple and the bandit leader. The bandit leader, scared witless by Ji Tang, really intended to live his life as a monk to save his own life, without needing anyone’s persuasion. But Ji Tang, whose hatred ran as deep as the seas, would never allow it, hence the massacre at Miaobu Temple.

Shi Jue, of course, was also aware of the inside story. This monk was also unpredictably perceptive. Only to hear Shi Jue say, "Although the bandit leader has entered our Buddhist Temple, it doesn’t mean he can escape his cause and effect. It is known that Bodhisattvas fear causing, Arhats fear the consequences, if one does not become a Buddha, who dares to claim they can escape the cycle of cause and effect.

"The bandit leader’s massacre of the innocents is the cause, Ji Tang seeking vengeance is the effect. The abbot of Miaobu Temple defending the converted bandit leader is the cause, Ji Tang killing him is the effect. Ji Tang killing people of Buddhism is the cause, me as a person of Buddhism apprehending Ji Tang is the effect—such is the cycle of cause and effect."

Reasonable and solid, Monk Shi Jue did not seek to position himself morally superior, but rather straightforwardly articulated the relationship of cause and effect, truly a breath of fresh air.

Qing Yu was quite surprised, smiling as he said, "Just by this talk alone, the name ’Little Buddha’ is well deserved."

Then Qing Yu’s tone shifted, saying, "However, Ji Tang joining my ranks is the cause, me stopping you is the effect. Would this also make sense?"

"It makes sense," replied Monk Shi Jue, his expression as serene as a still well, nodding as he spoke.

"If so, then let us battle, to see who will achieve the desired effect."

Qing Yu raised his palm to summon energy, the invisible force of ’Qiankun Great Shifting’ seizing a big tree with a diameter of one meter from the roadside and hurling it toward Shi Jue, "Let me witness the ability of the ’Little Buddha’."

The nearly ten-meter-tall tree, propelled by vigorous True Qi, bore down on Monk Shi Jue with an overwhelming force.

"Amitabha Buddha." Shi Jue lowered his gaze and voice, intoning the Buddha’s name once again, his right palm extended flatly and pushing out to meet the approaching tree.

The seemingly effortless palm, upon contact with the tree, stopped the great momentum carrying the force of ’Qiankun Great Shifting’, the tree coming to rest quietly in Shi Jue’s palm.

Monk Shi Jue lived up to his reputation.

Combined with the ’Heavenly Son’s Qi Observation Skill’, Qing Yu could clearly discern the intricacies of this palm strike. Monk Shi Jue used True Qi to firmly attract the tree to his hand and then exerted tremendous physical strength to forcibly arrest the tree stuck in his grasp.

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