Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 248: First see Yuanshi, then see Tathagata

Ji Jingqiu had already fought with Master Sui and Uncle Bai Lu.

If the latter two men really attacked him, he would not have the energy to fight back.

Among them, the power of heaven and earth that Uncle Bai Lu mobilized with a glance could make him unable to move and break free.

That battle made Ji Jingqiu clearly realize the gap between the heaven and the human.

A mind-based warrior still needs mystical powers to create traces in the void, while a celestial warrior only needs a glance.

Ji Jingqiu asked the two people how to fight against the gods.
Master Sui was silent for a long time, as if he had never thought about this question before, as it was beyond his cognition.

Uncle-Master Bai Lu pointed out that his current physical strength was too weak, which was why he was unable to break free from the suppression and restraint of the power of heaven and earth.

In addition, the unity of man and nature is also linked to the strength of the physical body. The key lies in whether the physical body can bear the power of heaven and earth.

In this respect, mind and body are intertwined and influence each other.

Ji Jingqiu thought to himself that he was not yet at the level where he could go head-on with the gods, and he still needed to calm down.

At present, even Master Sui could only vaguely perceive that the person in the dark must be a celestial being.

In addition, the authorities have already guaranteed that reinforcements will be sent if necessary.

He is now the number one genius in the Federation. He can easily call for a celestial warrior with just a phone call. Why would he risk his life?

Top talents must learn to cherish themselves!

"I'll make the contact. Also, the Tianshe Wumai sent you some Tianshe True Blood. Remember to take it in time after you return to the spaceship."

Ji Jingqiu's eyes lit up. This was a good stuff. It was a tonic used by the Heavenly Snake Martial Vein to replenish the source of life. It was unique in the entire federation and could help him break free from the fourth shackles faster.

Before he left, the Taoist master of Heavenly Snake promised to prepare one for him, but this item was precious and would take some time to prepare. Now it has finally been delivered.

After breaking free from the fourth shackles of the human body and entering the next stage, he can start to create the [Bodhi Golden Body].

……

……

a few days later.

Tianji Daochang.

Inside the martial arts arena, the Tiangang Star Array that draws upon the power of the stars has been triggered. Thirty-six rays of starlight fall from the dark starry sky, forming a formation of their own.

At this moment, the starlight in the martial arts arena intertwined and evolved into a galaxy scene, as if pulling the huge stars in the boundless distance closer to the eyes. The scene was extremely shocking, showing the depth and grandeur of the universe and the starry sky.

The thirty-six stars transformed from the starlight were huge and boundless, guarding Ji Jingqiu in the center.

In his body, every cell is being cleansed by the vast starlight.

There are very few people in the Tianji Taoist Temple. Apart from the Taoist master, there are only Taoist disciples Duan Xuanji and Zhuang Yanxing in this generation.

The latter two were Ji Jingqiu’s “acquaintances”, and Zhuang Yanxing was even “hostage” by Ji Jingqiu for a period of time during the trial.

It was also from Zhuang Yanxing that Ji Jingqiu first heard the saying "There are no geniuses in the eyes of the master."

In this situation where his disciple is not very capable, Taoist Tianji can only take action himself and set up a star formation for Ji Jingqiu to break through.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu sat cross-legged with an expression neither happy nor sad. In the eyes of outsiders, he had been in meditation for more than an hour.

"Master...what standard did you configure for Brother Ji?"

Zhuang Yanxing was a little worried. This formation was not easy to endure. It was a double test of body and mind. Ji Jingqiu had been in there for an hour.

The master said not long ago that if you want to become a master in the future, you must first go through the big formation. If you can survive it, then you can talk about other things.

Taoist Tianji is dressed in a simple Taoist robe, has a gaunt face, peaceful and wise eyes, and has an immortal aura that is untainted by the mundane world.

However, Zhuang Yanxing knew very well that this was just an appearance. His master, like Ji Jingqiu, was born into an ordinary family and was poor in childhood. Therefore, after they rose to power, they became obsessed with money, which is commonly known in the underworld as being obsessed with money.

"Of course it's the level of mind, probably in the top 500 of the Hidden Dragon List."

Taoist Tianji stroked his beard lightly and said as a matter of course.

"Ah?" Zhuang Yanxing was shocked. "Master, are you crazy? Senior Brother Ji is only at the Shackles Realm, barely breaking through the third level."

Taoist Tianji glanced at the boy and said, "Barely broke free of three shackles? Your senior brother has only just broken free of the first shackles!"
He said angrily:
"This boy has confirmed the fetal breathing. Do I have to give him a difficulty level of the Shackles Realm? What's the point? Do you really think he came here just to go through the motions?"

"what--"

Speaking of which.

Taoist Tianji narrowed his eyes slightly, raised his hand and called out: "Xuanji, adjust the star array to ten times."

Not far away, Duan Xuanji poked his head out, his expression slightly changed and he said, "Isn't that inappropriate?"

Taoist Tianji smiled faintly and said: "Don't worry, this kid can hold on. Although he has only broken free of three shackles, his physical body is probably about to catch up with the five broken meridians."

The shackles of various veins were all considered geniuses in the past, and in every aspect, they would never fall to the standard value of the Saint King lineage. Ji Jingqiu has only exceeded the regular five breaks for the time being.

Duan Xuanji said tactfully, "I'm not worried about that. I still believe in Brother Ji's strength... I'm worried that if the Star Array is adjusted tenfold, the financial loss will far exceed the standard. My training resources and those of my junior brother can't be reduced. The only thing that can be reduced is your 'pension', Master."

Taoist Tianji's hand that was grabbing his beard froze.

After a moment, he waved his hand and uttered a word from between his teeth:

"add!"

Zhuang Yanxing was shocked. Master, who was obsessed with money, actually wanted to spend money to test Senior Brother Ji? He even used his so-called coffin board?
"A big ship is about to set sail, and it may become the general trend of the future. If possible, I would also like to take advantage of it." Taoist Tianji said to himself.

Zhuang Yanxing, who was standing by, heard it vaguely, turned around and remembered something, and asked curiously:

"By the way, Master, don't you have a group chat among the masters of martial veins? Senior Brother Ji has called over more than 20 martial veins along the way. How do you chat in the group?"

The news about Ji Jingqiu challenging Baimai has already caused a sensation on the federal network, and all warriors in the federation are paying attention to this matter.

He was very curious about what those big shots thought about this matter.

Taoist Tianji fell silent.

Thinking of the change in attitude of some martial sects in the group chat over the past few months, and thinking of Ji Jingqiu's humility and courtesy when he came to visit earlier, while still retaining the bearing and sharpness of an extremely talented person...

He couldn't help but say sincerely:

"Their plans and moves are indeed more far-reaching than what we have seen."

Looking at his confused disciple, Taoist Tianji did not explain anything. He just put one hand behind his back, stroked his beard with the other hand, and observed Ji Jingqiu under the starlight.

Following a loud bang.

The vast starlight condensed into substance, like a mountain pressing down on one's head!
Taoist Tianji's brows jumped.

Even for his daily training, he was reluctant to use the Ten-fold Star Array, as it cost a lot of money...

Duan Xuanji came over from the side and looked at Ji Jingqiu who was still sitting upright but his shoulders seemed to be heavier. He said with emotion:
"We have inquired in the Oasis before. The final achievements of the top ten in the Nine Continents Eternal Monument are no lower than those of the Seventh Realm Heavenly King. Even the original top three, including He Shuai, have clearly broken into the Eighth Realm and are ranked among the Heavenly Venerables."

"Brother Ji is ranked first. His talent and ability are not inferior to theirs. He has great potential in the future and may even surpass Coach He!"

Taoist Tianji did not comment.

To climb those peaks, talent and ability are only the first hurdle.

Besides… no matter how outstanding Ji Jingqiu is, he is still a disciple of the Dragon and Tiger Dojo. What is his connection with them? Because they are all from the Federation? Just a compliment and an invitation would be good enough. Do you want all the martial arts schools to rush to pay tribute to a wandering martial artist? Even when the Seven Marshals rose to power, there was no such thing.

Even if these old guys were willing to sacrifice their face, take the initiative to come to Ji Jingqiu to make friends, and offer him martial arts treasures, how could they be sure that Ji Jingqiu would really accept the favor?

The most important thing about interpersonal relationships is not just the relationships, but the "interpersonal relationships".

Taoist Tianji sighed slightly. Those people indeed saw further. Ji Jingqiu was not asking about the Baimai at all. It was clearly giving Baimai an opportunity to beat the snake with a stick.

As long as the Federation’s Baimai is not blind, after witnessing Ji Jingqiu’s potential with their own eyes, no matter how “aloof” they are, they will know what to choose.

At least, in the group chat that Zhuang Yanxing just mentioned, many people's "wind direction" has changed.

As far as he knew, Ji Jingqiu had gained a lot of "benefits" over the past few months. It was indeed the case that those who had no money got personal support, and those who had money got financial support.

In the past few months, some of the six major families have been ready to make moves, and each branch has a bad premonition, but it is almost impossible for all branches to unite. Over a period of ten thousand years, various relationships are complicated, and it is difficult for one branch to convince the others...

"It hasn't reached the limit yet, so I'll help you again." Taoist Tianji's heart was bleeding, but he pretended to be calm and said, "Disciple, go and raise it by two times."

"Okay!" Duan Xuanji agreed readily, since it was not his money being spent anyway.

The starlight was vast, and the pressure on the martial arts field suddenly rose again, becoming heavier.

Taoist Tianji has a deep gaze.

In his opinion, Ji Jingqiu's current title of He Shuai's successor would actually attract some criticism...

According to historical records, Marshal Hertz brought considerable trouble to the Federation in those days. Among the six major families, there are still a group of people who believe that it was Marshal Hertz who brought them the "blood curse".

I don’t know if the one from the Mu family has any backup plan.

……

Ji Jingqiu's shoulders sank, and the heavy pressure squeezed every cell from the inside out, making Ji Jingqiu no longer relaxed as before. The veins in his neck bulged and he began to sweat profusely.

Gradually, blood began to spread from the capillaries all over his body and soon spread to cover his entire body.

But he had no time to care about it, as his mind had already entered another dimension, where he discussed with "Tianji Taoist" the vastness of the mind.

Suddenly, the divine fetus in his body began to breathe on its own, and with each breath, the starlight that had been poured into his body seemed to have found a place to stay and began to rush towards the divine fetus frantically.

Under the surge of this starlight, cracks appeared faintly in the last shackles around the limbs of the divine fetus.

"Master, this array stone seems to be a bit weak, would you like to change it to another one?"

Not far away, Duan Xuanji, who was guarding the center of the formation, said with some concern that the starlight at this moment had obviously faded, revealing the figure that was previously bathed in starlight.

After Duan Xuanji saw Ji Jingqiu clearly in the center of the formation, he could not help but said in shock:
"Brother Ji, are you going to break through? Isn't it too hasty... If you are not careful in breaking free from the shackles, it may cause the origin to backfire!"

"Good boy..." Taoist Tianji murmured, with strange colors in his eyes.

……

Ji Jingqiu's soul was pulled into another world, and he started an endless fight with the wisp of mind left by Taoist Tianji.

The other party could summon a meteorite with a casual wave of his hand, and with another point of his finger, the stars would suddenly disappear, and the whole world seemed to be collapsing towards a certain point.

This was a battle on the spiritual level. This person was merciless. Except for holding back a little, all his methods were at a divine level.

Even though Ji Jingqiu evolved the Void Heart Lotus and had a heart as hard as a diamond, he could only hold on with difficulty.

The scene he saw in the hands of this senior was completely different from that seen by Master Sui and Uncle Bai Lu. It was more majestic, but also deeper and colder.

That's the starry sky.

The vast starry sky interpreted by Tianji astrology, countless suns mean endless star fields, with no end. In front of them, everything seems small. If you are not careful, you may get lost and sink in this boundless vastness.

Ji Jingqiu could feel that this person seemed to be squeezing out his potential and constantly oppressing him, but he also did not hide anything.

As the world collapsed towards a point, the heavens darkened and quickly condensed into an indescribable "point". There was no order, no up or down. It was the starting point and the end point. It seemed to contain all kinds of possibilities, the past, and the future...

At this point, even existence seems to have become illusory.

Ji Jingqiu was frightened by what he saw, but at the same time he felt like he had found a treasure.

This is "one"!
It is the point to which all things return. It can be said that all things return to one, or it can be said to be the beginning of everything.

And the beginning of everything is Yuanshi!

……

Taoist Tianji said to himself:
"I don't know how Bai Lu and that old man Long Qingyang from the Dragon and Tiger Dojo teach their disciples. They are clearly from the lineage of my Taoist Master, but they have taught a Qilinzi who leans towards the lineage of the World Master. I have to take action to set things right."

"Hmm... Is there a reason why the Mu family thinks highly of him? Oh no, I need to do some calculations -"

"Huh--?!"

Taoist Tianji suddenly opened his eyes.

He had calculated for Ji Jingqiu several times before, but they were too far away at that time and he had no support, so he couldn't calculate anything.

But now Ji Jingqiu is right in front of her, and her mind is still fighting with his thoughts. How come she still hasn't figured out anything?

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu in his eyes was just like the "one" in Ji Jingqiu's eyes, without order, without up or down, not affected by time, and not affected by fate——

How can this be? !
Is this really an anomaly from heaven? !
……

Ji Jingqiu vaguely guessed what "scene" this Senior Tianji wanted him to see.

But what he was thinking about was his own path. He did not change his mind easily just because of the magnificent scenery the other party showed him. He was just thinking about whether he could fit in. "Control everything with the true self... What is the true self? Can it also be seen as 'one'? If it is one, it can also be the original."

"So should I use my original true self to control all phenomena and realize the state of no form, or should I let all phenomena return to one, see through all phenomena and realize the true self of Tathagata?"

Ji Jingqiu slowly fell into the wonder of enlightenment.

At this moment, his mind seemed to be infinitely elevated under the blessing of the Tiangang Star Array, and the two paths evolved here as his thoughts changed.

These two paths seem to be true and false, seem to be the inversion of each other, and seem to complement each other. Ji Jingqiu unconsciously fell into a deep enlightenment.

Even Duan Xuanji and others outside the venue felt a hint of the mysterious Taoism.

Taoist Tianji even ordered the two stupid disciples to get closer, to get some Taoist influence and see if they could become more famous by being around him.

Just as Ji Jingqiu was thinking more and more, and the more he thought about it, the more complicated it became, as if he was trapped in an endless cycle -

The knife fell.

Creation of heaven and earth.

The sword light was shocking, cutting through the heaven and earth, dividing the past, future and present, differentiating yin and yang, sorting out the four symbols, teaching the five virtues... and finally transforming into all things, evolving the original Wuji!

Just as Ji Jingqiu was shocked, another knife light fell!
This knife, with its vastness and boundlessness mixed with a sense of destruction, the heaven and earth made a sound as if they could not bear the heavy burden, and the long river of time also shrank from its previous expansion, as if it had been injured to the core by this knife.

Finally, time ceases to exist, fate ceases to exist, the five virtues cease to exist, the four images are all destroyed, yin and yang are mixed, and all laws have no form...

All appearances are illusory. Only by seeing through the non-appearance of all appearances can one see the Tathagata!
These two knives told Ji Jingqiu clearly and domineeringly——

First see Yuanshi, then see Tathagata.

Everything is empty, and one can attain Bodhi.

Ji Jingqiu sighed deeply.

My great path has made further progress!
The trip was not in vain.

……

Inner world.

La Jiang rarely lost her composure and pinched Fat Tiger tightly with both hands, causing the little guy to cry out in pain.

But La Jiang remained unmoved. He widened his eyes, as if facing a formidable enemy, and stared at the two [Eternal Swords] that were inserted across the inner world.

She gritted her teeth and said, "You bastard..."

In the past, it was these two swords combined into one that pulled her down from the throne across a realm!

……

……

When Ji Jingqiu came out of the spiritual world, before he had time to appreciate the insights he had gained during this period, he was stunned.

Have I... broken free from the fourth shackles?
When did this happen?
He looked inside his body and saw the divine fetus floating up and down, swallowing and exhaling starlight on its own.

At this moment, the four extreme shackles were all broken free, and the divine light was contained within him. He felt as if he could hold up the heaven and earth...

This is naturally an illusion caused by the sudden surge in vitality.

The divine fetus was seen absorbing star power into its body, corresponding to five points, the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Pouring it into them was like pouring water into five wells. As long as the five internal organs were full, that would be the day to break free from the fifth shackles.

It’s a pity that the starlight around has become very dim.

But what surprised Ji Jingqiu was not this, but...

He pondered, "Can my divine fetus practice cultivation on its own?"
Lajiang didn’t say that.

"Brother Ji, did you just break free from the fourth shackles?"

Duan Xuanji was standing in front of him at some point, looking at him like a monster, with his junior fellow apprentice Zhuang Yanxing beside him.

Ji Jingqiu smiled and said, "I have made a small breakthrough. I have to thank Senior Tianji for his help!"

Taoist Tianji stood not far away, with an immortal look. He just smiled and nodded, as if everything was planned.

In fact, the hand that was grabbing the beard was a little stiff.

When Ji Jingqiu broke free from the fourth shackles, his mind was clearly still in another world, and he had no time to care about the outside world. As a result, the fourth shackles broke as if they were broken originally, and there was no resistance at all...

Is this reasonable?

Is this the method of hiding the gods?
Damn it, when he broke through the Shackles Realm, he was trembling with fear at every step, fearing that something unexpected would happen and cause a backlash from his origin...

Is it too late to cultivate the physical body and divine storage now?

In addition, he was also very curious about how Ji Jingqiu had "created the world" and escaped from that spiritual world?
Did he put things right?

Duan Xuanji said solemnly: "Brother Ji, I have decided to practice the Shenzang method first, and then break the shackles!"

As the promotion ambassador of the Shenzang Fa, Ji Jingqiu naturally expressed his strong support for this.

……

After Ji Jingqiu broke through the Tiangang Star Array, he and his fellow apprentice Duan Xuanji listened to Taoist Tianji explain his lineage's theory of astrology.

Afterwards, at Duan Xuanji's invitation, Ji Jingqiu visited the important scenic spots on this planet, paying special attention to the "star viewing mirror" standing at the highest point of this planet.

This mirror was cast by Taoist Tianji himself. Through it, one can observe the mysteries of the stars in all realms. It is truly mysterious and unparalleled, fully displaying the heritage of the Tianji Taoist temple.

It's just a bit of a waste of money.

As they were talking and laughing on their way back, wisps of black air quietly spread until the whole world was suddenly plunged into darkness.

The void is dark, deep and cold.

The three of them were trapped in the void, upside down.
Duan Xuanji's expression changed drastically: "Is this the void? Which senior is kidding us?!"

He immediately reached behind him with one hand and crushed a jade pendant to warn his master, but there was no sound, and he couldn't help but feel depressed.

The other party is well prepared!

A huge hand suddenly came down and grabbed Ji Jingqiu, without paying any attention to Duan Xuanji and the other person beside him. If this hand came down, the two of them would probably be crushed into bloody mud!
Ji Jingqiu looked calm as he protected the two of them behind him.
He was very calm, adjusted his posture and gripped the hilt of the knife. Qing Zhu sensed his intention and the sound of the knife became clear and high-pitched.

At the last moment, he drew his sword and slashed at the big hand that was grabbing him.

【A glimmer of hope】!
This knife is different from the previous ones, and the imagery contained in it is more "clear".

The slash of the long sword actively triggered a catastrophe of great destruction. All things were shattered, yin and yang were no longer distinguished, and all four symbols were destroyed. However, a ray of sword light penetrated it all, creating the world, breaking through the chaos, and creating life!
"what?"

A voice of surprise came from the void, as if no one expected Ji Jingqiu to be able to make such a slash.

Then there was a sneer.

If you are not a god, you are just an ant!
The next moment, another palm pressed down, and it was dark and gloomy under the palm, leaving no chance of survival!
Ji Jingqiu, contrary to his usual behavior, put away his knife and stood still, as if he had accepted his fate.

But his calm and slightly compassionate gaze made the people behind the scenes feel depressed.

The palm suddenly accelerated.

But it was smashed into pieces by a punch three feet in front of Ji Jingqiu!
Blood splattered and was blocked by someone's "real power" which was far superior to qi power.

A tall figure stood in front of Ji Jingqiu, with a majestic posture. Although he had stubble, he was still handsome. He had a general's uniform draped over his shoulders, and just standing there gave people a feeling of masculinity and strength.

At this time.

The void dissipated.

Ji Jingqiu and the other two instantly left the void, returned to the real world, and stepped on the ground.

I saw four figures, standing on each side, surrounding this place.

One is Sui Canghai.

One is the Taoist Tianji.

The other two, one stood in front of them, wearing a general's uniform, and the other stood with his hands behind his back, overlooking the battlefield with a cold and majestic expression.

Surrounded in the middle is a figure whose true form has yet to be revealed.

The figure was half hidden in the void, always looking for an opportunity to escape.

But Taoist Tianji pointed casually, and the vast starlight illuminated the void, cutting off his retreat and leaving him no chance to escape.

Ji Jingqiu's original destination for this stop was not Tianji Dojo, but there was a reason why he changed his route.

He is said to be the person with the highest attainments in the art of divination in the Federation except for the Ji family.

The figure was silent for a moment, then said hoarsely, "Four celestial beings guarding a young man in the Shackles Realm? When did the Federation become so well-managed?"

"Stop talking nonsense, take it, and call it a day. I still have to go to the west." The celestial warrior from the military took a step forward and said coldly. His imposing manner was so fierce that he set off the atmosphere of war with just one step.

Sui Canghai said calmly: "Jingqiu, the three of you should stay away."

Ji Jingqiu nodded, and retreated to a distance with Duan Xuanji, while also paying attention to the battle between heaven and man behind them!
What impressed Ji Jingqiu the most was that even when four people were present, the one who was surrounded still burst out with amazing fighting power. He stood in the air and attacked in all directions, his strength was amazing.

But a pity.

There is still no uncertainty in this battle.

It's four against one, and with the Taoist Tianji in charge, he can see through the changes in the heaven's secrets and can let this person escape. We might as well go home and have some sleep.

……

"The Morro Cult?"

After learning about the origin of the celestial being from Master Sui, Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but think of the psychological counselor who had been put on his communication blacklist.

That was during the period when he was rebelling against his nature. Whenever he was exhausted physically and mentally, he would look for the other person to talk to. The other person always found ways to comfort him and encourage him to move forward. Not only did he not charge any fees, but he was also available whenever he was called.

What is similar to——

"Your future should be spent watching how flowers bloom, how water flows, how the sun rises..."

"You have to enjoy your life to the fullest, and never give up! We will help you!"

Even though he knew that the other party had ulterior motives, he was still a little touched.

"People from the Moro Cult..." Ji Jingqiu muttered to himself, "If I remember correctly, they threatened me with 'a way to get rid of Lajiang's gaze' and wanted me to join them."

"Hmm...did that guy find out that I was lying to him before?"

Ji Jingqiu looked up the communication blacklist and found the number marked as "psychological counselor". After removing it, he found that the last message was -

"We'll see each other soon."

Ji Jingqiu thought for a moment, is this a threat?

They will indeed meet soon.

After the battle, the two powerful celestial beings who came to support were ready to leave.

Before leaving, the strong man from the military, the deputy of the third army commander, slapped Ji Jingqiu on the shoulder. Seeing that he just sank his feet slightly and wonders appeared around him, it turned out that most of the force was removed by the inner world. He couldn't help but show appreciation and recognition.

"That's right! My name is Chu Junshan. I heard that your parents disappeared in the West. Come visit us when you have time!"

After saying this, he turned and left with great vigor and determination.

"Contact me if you have anything." The strong man from the War Command Department smiled and gave Ji Jingqiu a message.

"We have received news that the Ke family has invited all parties to watch 'Dream of the Dark' and has also invited people from outside the Federation to participate. You just need to be careful. There is nothing to be afraid of. If a dispute really arises, someone will back you up."

Ji Jingqiu nodded.

In the end, the half-disabled celestial being was taken away by the celestial being from the War Control Department.

Celestial beings are important "resources" and cannot be easily executed, so as to maximize benefits.

After bidding farewell to Taoist Tianji, Ji Jingqiu prepared to go to the Ke family for a banquet.

Before leaving, Taoist Tianji helped Sui Canghai to tell his fortune, and he said that although there would be some disturbances recently, it would be calm.

Sui Canghai smiled strangely, pulled him aside, and asked him to tell the Ke family's fortune.

Taoist Tianji was silent for a while, counted with his fingers, and then shook his head: "The magic weapon is still there, suppressing the Tianji, and I can't calculate it."

Although Sui Canghai felt regretful, he had no choice but to give up.

(End of this chapter)