566 Midway Interception (1/2)

”Grand Wishes?”

Hiding behind a weathered boulder a short distance away, the thought occurred to Meng Qi when he heard the former Crown Prince's words.

This was similar to when the Buddhism sects issued Grand Wishes to cultivate and disseminate their teachings. Essentially, it all revolved around someone making a promise that he would do such and such after obtaining this or that. Meng Qi, who had once listened to Progenitor Doumu's explanation of Lanke Temple and Dharma Access to Sambhogakaya, felt that something was off.

The typical cultivation of Sambhogakaya depended on the harmony of qualities, such as one's conduct and temperament, with some kind of Great Buddha Path or operational rhythm in heaven and earth. From this, one would reap a harvest and become even closer to ultimately embodying it. It was somewhat similar to the resulting force felt by one's fist after punching a wall – it was some form of 'retribution'.

Thus, issuing Grand Wishes was a gradual process that depended on one's harmony with some kind of Great Buddha Path or operational rhythm. If one's Grand Wishes greatly surpassed the harmony, it would be a case of emptiness meeting emptiness. One would reap no harvest at all. For example, if one wanted to beat a drum located on the peak of a mountain, in order to produce a drumbeat one would need to climb the mountain. Or perhaps one might throw a stone to hit the drum with sheer strength. Otherwise, trying to sound the drum while standing at the foot or halfway up the mountain would just be a fruitless endeavor.

Take Lanke Temple for example. Its true successor, Hong Neng, had borne a ”grand wish” ever since he was young. He began his cultivation at a temple, helping travelers in Immensity Sea take shelter from the sandy wind. He never spent his days fantasizing about which of his predecessors had which Grand Wishes unfulfilled or whether he could surpass them all, obtain an unimaginable power from the ambitions, and directly claim the Golden Body of Buddha. That was because if his cultivation of Sambhogakaya was insufficient, Grand Wishes would become mere 'boastful talk'. How would he gain his reward then?

Developing Grand Wishes, cultivating Sambhogakaya, proving a certain Path – these were most definitely not shortcuts for gaining Dharma Access!

To Meng Qi, the former crown prince seemed to have used empty words to incite a certain change in breath. Feelings of extraordinary solemnity, divinity, and boundlessness were apparent in his speech. It gave rise to a tranquil bliss that enveloped the formation created by the grandmasters of Buddhism and the weathered boulder. It was as if every grain of yellow sand and every black granule had turned into a blossoming golden lotus. The overgrown land had become like a pure land – genuine in every way without a trace of falseness.

”A Formation conjured and sustained by the nine Buddhist monks and treasures?”

”Still, it doesn't seem like that'd be enough...”

”Could it be that the methods of cultivation of Sambhogakaya that the Progenitor mentioned are not entirely accurate? After all, she's not a Buddhist disciple...”

While Meng Qi grappled with doubt, he focused his senses on his surroundings.

He abruptly cried out in surprise, sensing a subtle power over the body of the former Crown Prince. It fell from a dark place high above and into the former Crown Prince's head.

The sliver of power seemed to carry an unobtrusive solemnity, giving people the notion of great mercy, absolvement, and bliss. Meng Qi had barely managed to sense it, but it made him feel as if he had discarded his worries and that the world was full of illusions. He felt that it would be better to just return to the Old Buddha with the Altar Lamp.

Meng Qi forcefully restrained his mental energy, not daring to probe any further. This was too terrifying!

”Could it be that Zhao Qian is one of the big powers of Buddhism descending to earth?

”Is he using the formation to temporarily elevate himself and sense his personal pure land in order to receive its force or conjure the Gist of Trueness of Buddhism? And then from there, he can draw the Primary Instruction of Buddha's Palm to himself?”

For Zhao Qian to do something like this at this time, it was quite obvious to Meng Qi that it had something to do with the Primary Instruction of Buddha's Palm!

Inexplicably, he felt somewhat anxious and expectant. ”Will Zhao Qian succeed?”

The thought had just occurred to him when he saw a half-withering, half-thriving Bodhi tree emerging from nowhere as if it had appeared by splitting open the void. It was brimming with detachment from life and death as well as a tranquil feeling of oblivion. The tree trunk was concave, with an imprint of a senior monk on it. The portrait seemed to fluctuate between existence and nonexistence, empty yet not empty at the same time.

”Does the Withering Bodhi Tree contain the Primary Instruction of Buddha's Palm?”

”It really did come!”

The nine Buddhist monks had their own unique handprints. The bluish-white lamp, ancient scrolls, and a wooden fish that floated in front of them radiated a dim light. Unwitting smiles spread across their faces when they saw the Withering Bodhi Tree flying over to them, perhaps out of much-awaited gratification or exuberant satisfaction.

”Buddha's supreme impartation will finally fall into our hands!”

As long as they grasped it, it would be possible for them to flee before the Dharmakayas managed to catch up!

Since they had dared to get involved in this matter, naturally they had also prepared to escape after obtaining the Primary Instruction of Buddha's Palm.

The solemness etched on Zhao Qian's face diminished and was replaced by benevolence and unbridled joy. He was finally going to meet ”Buddha” after scheming and planning for so long!

The eunuch Wei Gao glanced at the nine Buddhist monks and repressed the urge to rush over to them.

The Withering Bodhi Tree toed the fine line between life and death, between tranquil wisdom and a withering stillness. In a wink, the tree appeared to have flown closer, becoming larger and larger, clearer and clearer. It was too late when the Dharmakayas realized that it was actually flying away from them.

”Here it comes!” Excitement seized Zhao Qian's heart and he struggled to maintain his state of Zen. Were he not required to stay at the core of the formation and maintain the connection to the pure land, he would have flown over and grabbed the tree!

Suddenly, a green goshawk with a black beak appeared in the sky. Its wings were nearly 10 feet wide. It opened its beak and snatched the Withering Bodhi Tree with its mouth!

”It... It took the tree...”