I Can See Your Combat Power

Chapter 757: Chapter Fifty-one: Asking Buddha

In the dispensary, Tang Xing gradually awoke from his moment of enlightenment, only to be more puzzled than before.

With hands folded in front of him, he respectfully asked the sacred Buddha Son, “This disciple is confused.”

“What confuses you?”

“If wealth, sex, fame, dear friends, and family members, as well as all the bitter and sweet experiences are all emptiness, then what is not?”

“Everything is empty, but not karma, one’s inherent nature, or one’s karmic energy.”

“Why isn’t karma empty?”

“All phenomena in the world are based on cause and effect. Their changes are not empty, their cycles are not empty, their continuities are not empty. All things under heaven and earth have their cause and effect, hence they are not empty.”

“Why isn’t inherent nature empty?”

“To transcend the realm of emptiness, sentient beings need to cultivate themselves. But the physical body is merely a skin bag of restraints. Only by transcending can one reach the other shore. Inherent nature is one’s true self, a possibility of transcendence. Hence, inherent nature is not empty.”

“What is karma?”

“All will pass except deeds that follow oneself. If cause and effect is the rule of the entire world, then karmic energy is the trace of cause and effect etched into you. The emptiness of all phenomena in the world means nothing remains constant. All change in the cycle of birth and death. But only karmic energy will not become empty with the change of things. Karma is the predestined meeting between you and me today.”

“This disciple has gained understanding.” Tang Xing’s hands folded, his eyes no longer confused, leaving only determination, as he asked Yankong, “Master, teach me how to transcend.”

“Become a Buddha.”

“How does one become a Buddha?”

“Through cultivation and enlightenment.”

“Can this disciple become a Buddha?”

Yankong shook his head, regretfully saying, “I may become a Buddha because I do not love, but you are attached to earthly matters. How can you become a Buddha?”

“This disciple is willing to let go of all earthly matters and follow the Buddha Son diligently in cultivation, to reach the other shore.”

Tang Xing knelt in front of Yankong, his backbone healed under the Cihang Treasure Light. During their exchange, the confusion in Tang Xing’s eyes diminished with every answer from Yankong, replaced by growing determination.

With every increase in determination, a strand of his hair fell out. Now, the young prodigy had become a bald novice monk. His falling hair formed a Swastika on the ground, while he knelt devoutly in the center.

Yankong laughed. As a Buddha Son of Zen, he did not hesitate to use his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of conferring enlightenment on Tang Xing. Wasn’t it to gather this Buddha-related spirit child into his fold and pass on his spiritual traditions?

Everything had gone so smoothly. It seemed destined that the Path of No Suffering and Extinction was set to flourish in this world.

Raising his hand, Buddha’s light lifted the novice monk from the ground. Yankong smiled, “In your past life, you were a lotus I planted myself. All the other flowers bloomed except you. Even until wilting, you did not reveal your beautiful face to me. For this, I prayed under the Bodhi tree for a full 500 years, just to meet you in this life.”

As he was lifted by the Buddha’s light, Tang Xing looked at Yankong’s divine figure, feeling great regret. He just gained enlightenment and wanted to say something, but suddenly heard a cold voice beside him.

“Master, that’s impressive! With your wisdom eye, you can see past and present lives. I would like you to see mine, so I can know what grievous sins I committed in my past life to deserve such a stupid brother in this one.”

Unexpectedly, Tang Luo had appeared in the dispensary, standing next to the doctor Wen Ruolan, looking gloomy with crossed arms.

The sudden appearance of the young man drew the attention of both Yankong and Tang Xing.

“Brother, I’ve decided to let go of all earthly matters and follow the Buddha Son to seek transcendence on the other shore. Please let father and mother know that the sea of suffering…”

“Smack!!”

A snap in the void hit the toddler’s forehead squarely, making Tang Xing squat down, holding his forehead, swallowing his words.

“I’ll deal with you later, let me talk to the monk first.” Tang Luo turned to face Yankong, asking coldly: “Master, you haven’t answered me yet, what was I in my past life, was I also a late-blooming lotus that you planted?”

“Everything is reflected in the mirror as emptiness, in the end all forms are formless.” Yankong’s eyes shone as he calmly said to Tang Luo: “In your last life, you were a begonia in deep mountains, quietly blooming on quiet, desolate nights. In the life before that, you were a boatman on the Forgetful River, plying your trade among the red dust. And in the beginning, you were a cloud in the sky, providing shade to pedestrians during the scorching summer. Your meritorious deeds are immeasurable.”

He saw three lifetimes in one glance. Tang Xing, who was still clutching his forehead and squatting on the ground, regarded Yankong with reverence. Even Doctor Wen Ruolan looked astonished.

“That’s why I like the way you spout nonsense so seriously!” Looking at Yankong, Tang Luo sneered, “Listen carefully, in my past life I was a person, my name was, fuck you!”

Being born into this world where power comes from oneself, Tang Luo held a great reverence for gods and spirits. The Wuxiang Zen Temple, as the leading institution of Zen, held a pivotal place in his heart.

After all, Tang Luo, who had memories from his past life, could not deny the existence of reincarnation. This was why he didn’t attack immediately. If the other party could truly see past and present lives, and had actually achieved the Buddha Position, then it wouldn’t be harmful, only beneficial, for Tang Xing to cultivate with him. What he said about the late-blooming lotus and praying under the Bodhi tree for 500 years, seemed plausible enough.

But who would have thought, this Buddha Son was just a fraud. What’s this about being a begonia, a fisherman, and a cloud? Taking advantage of people not remembering their past lives to make up whatever he wants?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Tang Luo was truly amused. The blood rushed to his right arm, where the wind and thunder drummed, and the roaring of tigers and leopards echoed. He pulled it back, ready to strike, and under the shocked look of Wen Ruolan, he aimed a punch at Yankong’s face.

Perhaps even Yankong didn’t expect someone to dare attack him. By the time he reacted, the punch was already near, impossible to avoid except by crossing his hands in front of his face.

“Smack!!!”

“Boom~~~~~~~”

“Bang bang bang bang!”

A powerful force struck Yankong’s arms, sending him flying and demolishing a dozen dispensary buildings before he finally crashed hard against the mountain side of the medicinal valley a fair distance away. Rocks tumbled and the earth quaked.

The doctors in the medicinal valley poured out to see what was happening, wondering if an earth dragon was causing trouble. But seeing half of Wen Ruolan’s dispensary destroyed and a tall, powerfully built figure withdrawing his punch, they were startled, especially considering the power of just one punch.

After all, although the doctors cultivated, their combat ability was laughable. Normally, they would be frightened and at a loss when encountering someone daring to make a move on Chongming Peak. But today was different.

“What kind of criminal dares to commit violence on Chongming Peak? Don’t you know this is where the sacred Buddha Son sojourns? I advise you to surrender willingly, and don’t provoke the wrath of the Diamond Body.”

“Buddha Son Yankong is one of the Four Little Saints of this era, who possesses the Zen mantras and the Sutra of No Suffering and Extinction. His cultivation level is so mysterious that this foolish thief is certainly seeking his own death.”