On the Avenue.

Chapter 665 Life and Death, Reincarnation: All are Appearances

Chen Shi and Zhong Wuwang were skeptical. They clearly saw the Wufang World in the sky as dark and unclear, and they also felt that this world was filled with decay and resentment, as well as entangled with calamity, which was difficult to understand.

There must be something fishy going on here; it can't possibly be the rumors from the outside world that Monk Zhengnian and Arhat Tianyan claimed.

Zhong Wuwang thought to himself, "Moreover, this is a training ground for our Buddhist sect. Many Buddhist masters come here every year. If it were just a rumor, it would be impossible for so many people to come."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Arhat, monk, may we also go and witness the ceremony?"

Tianyan Luohan and Zhengnian Heshang hesitated for a moment.

Chen Shi laughed and said, "Don't worry, the establishment of the Buddhist Kingdom is your achievement. We won't take it from you; we're just here to observe."

The monk Zhengnian smiled and said, "It's not that I'm afraid you'll take credit for it, but my master and I have been preparing for a long time to transform Wotuo Kingdom into a Buddhist Kingdom. We travel around every day, persuading people to do good and believe in Buddhism. It is only after many years of planning that we have the merit of creating a Buddhist Kingdom. This merit is not great, and if we share it with you, it will be meager."

The old monk turned hostile and wanted to kill him, but Zhong Wuwang quickly grabbed him and said with a smile, "Don't worry, you two, we're just here to observe the ceremony!"

The monk Zhengnian and the Arhat Tianyan exchanged a glance and whispered to each other, "What should we do?"

“They’re from Mount Ling. The Buddha of Mount Ling is the current Buddha, not someone to be offended. Besides, that old monk looks unfriendly. Could he be the Buddha’s uncle? I’ve heard that the Buddha’s origins are illegitimate; he was born of a demon. His uncle isn’t a good person either. Why don’t we let them go and witness the ceremony?”

"The status of the Medicine Buddha in the Western Paradise is not as high as that of the Tathagata Buddha, so let him give way."

Having made their decision, the monk Zhengnian smiled and said, "Very well. Please come with us, the three of you."

The two left the town and took to the air, using their ability to see the world from afar. Thousands of landscapes flowed past beneath their feet at great speed.

They intended to make things difficult for Chen Shi and his two companions, but when they turned around, they saw the three men right behind them, realizing that these three men were no ordinary people.

Chen Shi asked quietly, "Er Niu, aren't these two monks from the same Ling Mountain as you?"

Zhong Wuwang shook his head and said, "There are different Buddhas in the Western Paradise, and each Buddha has a different domain. They are from the Medicine Buddha, while I am from the Tathagata Buddha, and we belong to different domains. There are tens of thousands of similar domains, and these domains together make up the Western Paradise."

Chen Shi was startled. Was the Western Paradise really that vast?
This is the largest force outside of Heaven!
"How did the Western Paradise convince the Great Celestial Venerable that they would never rebel?" Chen Shixin asked.

"Yes, the Great Celestial Venerable never believed it," he thought to himself.

"Do you think there's anything strange about these two monks?" Chen Shi asked.

Zhong Wuwang shook his head and said, "I can't see it either. Even if there is something strange, it doesn't matter. With my master here, we can be safe."

The old monk said, "These two monks seem quite normal. They talk about being detached from worldly desires, but they're still worried about being taken advantage of. They are indeed monks from our Western Paradise."

Chen Shi said, "Just now, when we were in the sky, we saw the Buddha's light disappear. It must have been that the monks who came here were not proficient in Buddhism and were swallowed up by the resentment of this place. This shows that this place is extremely dangerous. But after we arrived here, everything was just like a normal mortal world. Isn't that strange?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Wuwang soared into the air and once again reached the high sky. Looking down, he saw that the Wufang world was full of green mountains and clear waters, with no place where resentment was deep.

“Strange, really strange.”

Zhong Wuwang's Buddhist knowledge was profound, and he activated the Buddha's light to illuminate the earth, but there was nothing special about it, which puzzled him inwardly.

In a short while, they arrived at the imperial city of Wotuo and went directly to the front of the court assembly.

The King of Wotuo, along with his civil and military officials, was already waiting. He bowed and said, "Greetings, esteemed sirs."

The monk Zhengnian said, “Your Majesty, greetings. I made a promise with Your Majesty that once I had performed three thousand meritorious deeds, the entire Wotuo Kingdom would become a Buddhist kingdom. Now, after thirteen years, I have completed the three thousand meritorious deeds. I hope Your Majesty will keep your promise.”

The King of Wotuo exclaimed with delight, “The two virtuous ones have indeed completed three thousand acts of merit, which is truly admirable. Our Wotuo Kingdom has kept its word. From this day forward, the entire Wotuo Kingdom will abolish all other temples and Taoist monasteries, and will not believe in the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, or any other gods! From this day forward, we will widely build Buddhist temples, widely spread the Dharma, and widely accumulate good deeds!”

The monk Zhengnian and the Arhat Tianyan were overjoyed. Arhat Tianyan said, "We still need to hold a grand Dharma assembly for the universal salvation of all beings in the six realms and to deliver all the souls of the dead in the three realms."

The King of Wotuo asked, "How should this grand Buddhist festival, which universally saves all beings in the Dharma realm, be arranged?"

Tianyan Luohan said, "Forty-eight eminent monks are needed to set up seven altars, including the inner altar, the main altar, and the Huayan altar, to establish a boundary and purify the area. They will also hang the Three Realms Soul-Summoning Banner to summon the spirits of the dead to the assembly. Food will also be provided, but this food is not for humans, but for ghosts. Once the ghosts are full, they will be liberated and enter the cycle of reincarnation."

The King of Wotuo was overjoyed and laughed, "This is a great blessing for our country! I will immediately send people to invite eminent monks and virtuous masters to prepare all the altars! The two virtuous masters await my good news!"

He ordered all civil and military officials to make preparations immediately, and also ordered people to search for eminent monks and virtuous masters throughout the country to participate in this grand undertaking.

Soon, the entire nation of Wotuo heard about this Buddhist ceremony and that the king intended to make Wotuo a Buddhist kingdom, with the whole country believing in Buddhism. Some were happy, while others were worried.

The officials of Wotuo Kingdom went around cutting down mountains and destroying temples, and purging other faiths. Temples of any believer in other gods were smashed, golden statues were melted down, and things hanging on the walls and enshrined in the shrines were destroyed.

The believers were also captured and enslaved to build new temples and create new Buddha statues.

The temples everywhere were magnificent and resplendent. As the saying goes, clothes make the man and gold makes the Buddha. These Buddha statues were adorned with gold and silver, and their bodies were also gilded. Since the gold in Wotuo Kingdom was not enough, the people were asked to offer up everything they wore, everything they wore in their mouths, and everything they buried in their tombs as tribute to make the Buddha statues gold-clad.

For a time, everyone in the entire country of Wotuo believed in Buddhism, worshipped Buddha, and were extremely devout.

Seven more altars, including inner and outer ones, were built. Monk Zhengnian and Arhat Tianyan also manifested their divine power before the people, creating a Buddhist kingdom barrier, casting spells to send down sweet rain from the sky, washing over the fertile land, and strange phenomena frequently occurred in various places, with flowers falling from the sky and golden springs gushing from the ground.

Everyone praised Buddha, believing it to be a miracle.

By the seventh day, the water and land ritual was ready. The King of Wotuo invited dozens of eminent monks from various places. Many of them were obviously from the Western Paradise, accompanied by Arhats or Vajras. Several monks were accompanied by Bodhisattvas, all with solemn and dignified appearances.

Chen Shi even saw a familiar face; it was a monk who had come on the same boat as him, who had also been invited over.

Wotuo is a medium-sized country in the Wufang world. Its decision to abolish other gods and exclusively honor Buddhism is a major event, which has attracted many monks from the Western Paradise.

The monks gathered together, and the Three Realms Soul-Summoning Banner had been completed. Thus, they began to hold this grand Buddhist and Taoist festival for universal salvation.

As the Buddhist chants resounded, a beam of light descended from the sky near the capital, revealing great Buddhas, as well as the Western Paradise and the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Various strange phenomena also appeared in the mountain springs, streams, lakes, rivers, and seas. Golden lotuses gushed from springs, Buddhist light shone from wells into the sky, withered trees blossomed, and the dead came back to life. All sorts of supernatural events spread like wildfire.

Monks who participate in the Water and Land Ritual will experience great merit bestowed upon them, making their spiritual cultivation stronger and stronger.

Among them, the monk Zhengnian even broke through the Dao Realm one after another, raising his cultivation from the first level of the Dao Realm to the third level. The speed was so fast that even Chen Shi was astonished.

Chen Shi, Zhong Wuwang, and the old monk did not participate in this waterborne ritual, but instead watched from the sidelines.

They witnessed the Buddha's light extinguishing the monks' deaths in the air, and were deeply suspicious of what they were seeing.

However, the Water and Land Ritual was held exceptionally smoothly, and Wotuo Kingdom was showing signs of evolving into a Buddhist kingdom. The Buddha's light was used to save all sentient beings, and the Dharma was also promoted. The cultivation of monks such as Zhengnian was also rising steadily. Even the Heavenly Arhats had greatly increased their cultivation, showing signs of advancing to a higher Dao realm!

Having cultivated to his level, advancing to the next Dao realm would be extremely difficult. I never imagined that a Buddhist kingdom could achieve such great things!
Even this seasoned monk, with his vast experience and knowledge, was somewhat tempted by such benefits.

His cultivation level had been stagnant for a long time; otherwise, he wouldn't have come up with the idea of ​​using the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle to find disciples and achieve enlightenment through them. Although Zhong Wuwang had taught him Yin-Yang Daoist techniques in recent years, helping him improve his cultivation, the speed was still not fast enough.

He had long heard that the merit gained from transforming into a Buddhist kingdom could directly enhance one's cultivation level, and now that he had witnessed it with his own eyes, he was even more envious.

“Good disciple, Fellow Daoist Chen, why don’t we also join this Water and Land Ritual and get a share of the profits?”

The old monk suggested, "If this can greatly improve one's cultivation and save one from thousands of years of arduous cultivation, it would be a good thing. Even if it cannot, doing good deeds will still bring merit."

Chen Shi and Zhong Wuwang shook their heads together, refusing in unison.

Zhong Wuwang said, "Master, this place is definitely not a safe place. Don't trust him! There's definitely a trap here!"

Chen Shi also said, "Brother Dao, something strange is going on here. Let's observe the situation and not let our guard down."

The old monk, furious, glared and scolded, "You two are being far too cautious! What haven't I seen in my life? What pitfalls haven't I fallen into? This person has gained merit and greatly improved their cultivation—that's real! You two are being overly cautious, but you won't get any benefits! If you won't take it, I will!"

He also mingled into the Buddhist rituals and chanted Buddhist scriptures with the monks.

Seeing this, Tianyan Arhat quickly said, "Elder, you said you wouldn't share our merits..."

"Long-winded!"

The old monk beat him severely, and Tianyan Luohan was bruised and swollen, and dared not say another word.

The old monk felt his cultivation gradually increasing, and he was delighted: "Fellow Daoist Chen and my disciple are two fools, too cowardly. With such courage, how can they kill Tathagata and become Buddha themselves? I will gain this merit, and in the future, I will storm Mount Ling and make Tathagata move his buttocks and obediently become my nephew."

Chen Shi and Zhong Wuwang continued to observe.

They had witnessed the old monk's improvement in cultivation, but the two remained calm and showed no envy whatsoever.

“We’ve seen plenty of strange things in Xiniu New Continent. This kind of thing is odd, but not so strange,” Chen Shi said.

Zhong Wuwang said, "No matter how things change, the principle remains the same. Any strange thing will eventually reveal its true nature. As long as you have patience, you can see the end."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "The Water and Land Ritual will last for seven days. We're almost on the seventh day, aren't we?"

The seventh day is the day of fasting. On this day, a continuous feast is held throughout the country. However, this feast is not for the living, but for ghosts, so that the ghosts can be full and enter the cycle of reincarnation.

The seventh day arrived quickly.

Throughout the entire country of Wotuo, grand banquets were held, with incense and candles placed in front of all kinds of delicacies.

On this day, many monks also pushed the water and land ritual to its extreme. Each monk had a golden light on his face, a halo of Buddha light behind his head, a strange fragrance around him, and golden lotuses under his seat. Their bodies grew larger and larger, just like real Buddhas sitting in front of the world.

Today marks the day that Wotuo Kingdom has become a Buddhist kingdom. The whole country is celebrating, with lanterns and decorations everywhere, and Buddhist music can be heard everywhere.

People were overjoyed and celebrated this rare and triumphant event.

Chen Shi and Zhong Wuwang stood in the air, looking around, but found nothing unusual.

The monk Zhengnian's physical body had been transformed into something enormous through the blessing of his merits; sitting there, he was as tall as the two people in the air.

At this moment, Buddhist light gathered around him, gradually forming the shape of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The six light wheels, each carrying different mysteries, rotated and connected the Three Realms!
In the Three Realms, the six life forms—gods, humans, asuras, hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals—are transformed into six paths of reincarnation!

Zhong Wuwang had never seen such profound attainments in Taoist arts, not even among the Buddhas of Mount Ling!
Other monks from various parts of Wotuo Kingdom also manifested the Six Paths of Reincarnation, enveloping the kingdom.

The monk Zhengnian's voice boomed like thunder, saying, "Now that the grand gathering is coming to an end, Wotuo Kingdom is about to become a Buddhist kingdom, and the greatest merit is about to descend. Why don't you two brothers join us and share in this merit?"

Chen Shi laughed and said, "You didn't want us to share your merits before, so why are you willing to share them now?"

The monk Zhengnian said solemnly, “Times have changed. Previously, my spiritual cultivation was inadequate, and I was trapped by my own greed. But after experiencing the blessings of the six-day auspicious gathering, my state of mind has now reached the Buddha-state, and I am happy to share.”

Zhong Wuwang looked around and laughed, "Zhengnian, the seventh day of your Water and Land Ritual is for offering food to ghosts and monsters. Ghosts and monsters from all over the country are supposed to come and enjoy the meal before entering the cycle of reincarnation. But so much time has passed, and not a single ghost can be seen in the ritual. Is it that there are no ghosts in Wotuo Kingdom, or is there something wrong with your ritual?"

Chen Shi looked across the entire country of Wotuo and saw that people all over the country were holding celebrations, singing and dancing, but not a single ghost or monster appeared to eat vegetarian food!

"strangeness……"

Monk Zhengnian was also taken aback upon hearing this. Looking down at the surrounding areas, he was somewhat puzzled and murmured, "Logically speaking, all the ghosts and monsters in the country should be summoned..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the people who had been singing and dancing put down their lanterns, jump off their stilts, and stop dancing the dragon and lion dances and beating the drums and gongs. Instead, they rushed towards the vegetarian food stalls on the street with big smiles on their faces, grabbing the food with their hands and stuffing it into their mouths like demons!

And then there were the elderly people, clutching the candles and crunching away as if they were eating crisp cucumbers.

The King of Wotuo opened his arms wide, sat down in the vegetarian meal and ate and drank heartily, exclaiming: "Now that you're full, you can enter the cycle of reincarnation!"

The monk Zhengnian was dumbfounded, not knowing what had happened.

Chen Shi and Zhong Wuwang were also horrified. They saw that throughout the entire country of Wotuo, hundreds of millions of people, whether cultivators or not, women, children or the elderly, were feasting.

As they ate the food meant for the ghosts, their faces and bodies gradually twisted, becoming grotesque and covered in blood.

After they had eaten their fill, they leaped up one by one and rushed towards the monks' six realms of reincarnation, shouting, "Now it's time to be reborn and escape the suffering of reincarnation!"

The dozens of eminent monks who presided over the grand ceremony were all greatly shaken, as if countless ghosts and monsters had entered their six realms of reincarnation, instantly filling the reincarnations they controlled!
Those cycles of reincarnation, unable to bear the burden, collapsed with a crash.

Countless ghosts and monsters tumbled down from the cycle of reincarnation, like rolling sand, and countless voices shouted and yelled: "Reincarnation is useless! You bald monks have deceived us and cannot deliver us from suffering!"

They shouted and lunged at the monks.

The monks, filled with fear, tried to take flight and escape the place, but were grabbed by hands and pulled down.

Their Buddha-light dimmed rapidly, their golden bodies decayed, and they were pulled and fell into the horde of ghosts. They were torn apart and bitten by the ghosts, and soon they were covered in blood, with their bones visible!
Beside Chen Shi and Zhong Wuwang, the monk Zhengnian stared blankly at the scene, muttering, "They are already dead... The resentment and calamity of this world are too strong, interfering with the normal Daoist practices, making it impossible for us to distinguish the boundary between life and death... Wait a minute, my master and I have been here for thirteen years, how did we survive these thirteen years..."

He realized what was happening, burst into laughter, looked like a ghost, pounced on the vegetarian food, grabbed the food and stuffed it into his mouth.

Amidst the grotesque figures, the Heavenly Arhat raised his head, his face contorted and ugly, grinning as he stuffed vegetarian food into his mouth.

The master and disciple were like two evil spirits.

Not long after they entered the Wufang World, they died and became part of it.

(End of this chapter)