Chapter 1323: Dharma Relics (Combined Volume)

"Learn martial arts? Really?"

"What would I gain by deceiving you?" Liang Qu complained.

The abbot of Daxian Temple is naturally a venerable monk, Huikong naturally a Buddhist prince, cultivating body and nurturing nature, with extraordinary demeanor; upon hearing these words, his expression remained unchanged.

Liang Qu's fellow disciples beside him were instantly stunned.

Everyone turned their heads in unison toward Zhang Longxiang.

Zhang Longxiang said nothing, actually presenting a posture of tacit acknowledgment.

Hiss!

Heart skipped a beat.

Zhang Longxiang, the Northwest King, who defeated thirty-six prefectures and seventy-two provinces, gaining fame with countless masters, transformed into a celestial being; people say he treads both banks of the Shahe River, having defeated more Zhen Xiang than they have seen—today he specially came to learn martial arts from Ashui?

Zhang Longxiang became famous much earlier than Liang Qu; most of those present today, in their youth, had long been influenced by him, deep in their hearts admiring and revering him; for such a figure to come "learn martial arts," the contrast is all the greater.

Yang Xu was the most astonished.

After the Northern Court and the Great Shun signed the peace treaty, without the Wu Sheng, border pressure decreased greatly, and with swift waterways for travel, this year he finally managed to take leave and return, materializing the disjointed feeling from old letters into reality.

As a border garrison soldier, Yang Xu's impression of the Dragon Elephant King's prestige is the deepest.

Sometimes when people are too close, their attention falls entirely on trivial daily matters, causing them to temporarily forget the radiant halo beyond life.

Liang Qu laughs and jokes all day, playing with everyone, always making people forget his identity, his status, seeming no different from everyone else; only when, like now, using another familiar hero to vividly depict his achievements, can people's gaze pull back, re-explore the whole picture, and then be deeply astonished.

Oh, little junior brother has turned out like this.

After three years as Wu Sheng, he actually has something to learn from Zhang Longxiang.

Who knows how many festival cycles have passed; it seems every year at summary time, Liang Qu can refresh people's understanding, and besides, dump all the previous shock at once, like horses galloping wildly in the mind at the horse farm.

Yang Dongxiong and Sugushan stroked their beards, the Xu clan and Eying with crescent-moon eyes.

The otter Kaikai, bearing double claws, gazes at the water surface at a forty-five-degree angle, sighing softly.

The Great River otter, so it shall be.

When will I be able to make Scarface like this?

Kneeling to offer tea, prostrating to plead, removing rites to request prisoners, offering vessels to announce the temple, baring flesh to lead sheep, holding jade to carry the coffin—

Of course, even if Scarface is like this, it will not forgive him anyway.

Kaikai violently grips its double claws, raises them and roars, embracing the sun.

Kill kill kill!

Shame, hatred—only with blood and skulls can they be washed away!

Long Yao and Long Li retreat two steps, not knowing what this Kaikai is thinking again, beginning to go mad, baring teeth and grinning.

The plump fish like black balls on the table glances around, wondering what strange thing learning martial arts from the heavenly god would be, whether it would feel surprised or insufficiently respectful; it hugs the honey tangerine and swallows it whole, then shrinks after eating, satisfaction doubled, finishes two bites of the tangerine, then lowers its head to look at the plump, reliable green grapes.

Crack!

The plump fish lets a tail be pulled out, "cannot move" stretches out, crawls out of the fruit plate.

The plump fish is furious, vile and deceitful, actually disguising itself as a green grape, attempting to ruin its teeth!

"Hey, what's this? We're all subjects of His Majesty, everyone learning together, progressing together, jointly building a beautiful Great Shun." Zhang Longxiang unexpectedly shows support, Liang Qu beams with joy, "Right, Master Daxian, you said returning the gift—what gift is it?"

"Ah, really polite, too precious to accept."

"Please, Prince Huai, move closer; one glance and it's known." Daxian extends his hand.

The vortex expands, kicking up sand and mud.

Water spiders and shuttlefish continuously dart out of the waterways, one after another large box, with the monks' help, sent into the Long Gong Hall; no need to say what's inside, just from the quantity, it's already worthy of astonishment.

"So many?" Liang Qu dazzled, "Wasn't it said not to be too precious?"

"Prince Huai need not worry; the items in the boxes are merely lent to Prince Huai temporarily, Huikong."

Huikong opens the box.

The old stubborn stone who followed curiously to look, his whole body tenses, hurriedly pushes aside the younger clan members, and rushes out in panic.

Too brutal!

What's inside the box is exactly a string of blood-red coral, large broken pieces!

"This is————" Liang Qu's eyes light up, stroking the box's edge, casually grabbing a string.

【Water Essence +1245】

【Water Essence +278】

No mistake.

Genuine coral crystal worm-produced precious coral!

One of the Buddhist Eight Treasures, organic broken pieces and coral, all made by Buddhists into prayer beads, each individually polished; although the longer the time, the less Water Essence remains, the quantity in the box is too great to resist.

"From ancestral masters to venerable monks, whatever exists in the Hanging Temple, even up to the past month, able to contact temples, their offered prayer beads are mostly here." Huikong introduces, "Formerly, Prince Huai came to my Hanging Temple, asking the novice monk if there was coral, stone, and prayer beads; these are passed down generation to generation, mostly personal items, hard to approach; previously, the abbot asked the novice monk, thinking of this place, today as returning the gift, lends to Prince Huai for ten days."

Daxian smiles: "The Ming King's sudden enlightenment in seclusion—we didn't know Prince Huai's needs, thought Huikong and Prince Huai had much contact, so we inquired."

Hiss.

Liang Qu overjoyed, throws his arms around Huikong's shoulders: "Great, you little rascal, actually know how to honor elders?"

"————" The box keeps coming in, changing from large to small, Huikong steps half a pace aside, continues introducing, "Coral,

Stone-made prayer beads total five large boxes, eight hundred thirty-six pieces, plus one hundred twenty resonant law conchs."

Inside the small box, a left-turn law conch the size of a human head lies horizontally.

"Resonant law conch? What's it used for?"

Liang Qu grabs one, taps it.

Immediately.

From within the conch comes a ripple of chanting sounds, somewhat ethereal but very clear, drawing everyone's gaze.

"It is said that the fief under the Huai King's command is famous for its shadow puppetry, but shadow puppetry requires voice actors to be vivid and lifelike. The Dharma conch can record sound, capturing roughly three hours, repeating in a loop."

"When in use, one only needs to tap it, and the vibration of the inner cavity will produce sound. If one wishes to stop, one must pour water in to fill the cavity, then empty it. If clear oil is poured in for about two hours, it can be re-recorded."

Dìxián added: "The Dharma conch is used by our Buddhist sect to record the teachings of eminent monks. Often, when eminent monks lecture, they use Buddhist language, and outsiders recording it inevitably make mistakes and omissions, unable to fully capture the Buddhist sounds. Thus, this object was created. The prayer beads were lent to the Huai King, and these conchs were gifted to him."

Long Lingxiao Hou.

The little otter raised its head, the lead one gripping its throat, preparing to voice the scene with an "oh-oh-oh," when it immediately turned around and chattered away.

The little otter let out a cheer, flung all its instruments into the air, and ran about. Two young otters born last year, not looking carefully, accidentally bumped into a shin, forming a fur ball that rolled away. The otter quickly scrambled up, changed direction, and continued running.

Freedom!

Liberation!

Short fur flew in the air as the little otter zoomed past with a gurgling run. Zhang Longxiang's daughter, Zhang Jin, grabbed at nothing, increasingly finding Pingyang Prefecture delightful.

Having long heard others constantly mention the Huai King, often being compared to her father by others, saying his talent was superior, she inevitably felt some resentment, which bred discontent. She never imagined the Huai King's household resembled a menagerie—flying creatures, swimming beasts, large and small, furred, scaled, spiky—all kinds of strange and wonderful animals, making it most enjoyable. Her resentment had largely faded.

"Good, good, good. Abbot Dìxián has been a great help this time. Earlier, I went to the East Sea and brought back a large batch of Dragon Spirit Silk. My shadow puppetry has been hindered by the voice acting issue—hedgehog!"

"Here I come!"

Around the large table, the hedgehogs busy sticking fruit on their backs rushed out, directing the monks, registering items into storage.

All were useful things, and Liang Qu was overjoyed.

After the two major items, Dìxián produced a small object from his sleeve, placed in a jade box.

Liang Qu's expression turned solemn as he carefully received it, glanced at Dìxián, saw him nod in agreement, and gently opened it. Inside lay a small, semi-transparent, pale gold round stone merely resting there, yet it evoked the feeling of basking in a spring breeze—warm and comforting, making his entire body feel at ease. Even the《Huai King Sutra》within him flowed three-tenths more smoothly. Precisely, it was the《Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger Diamond Power》section of the《Huai King Sutra》.

Zhang Longxiang's eyes narrowed: "Śarīra?"

"The Dragon-Elephant King has keen eyes." Dìxián pressed his palms together. "This is the śarīra of the primordial ancestor, Bodhidharma. Originally, the primordial ancestor left eighty-one śarīras, which have been gradually consumed over time, leaving less than half. This is the treasure of our Xuankong Temple, one of a kind. In recent years, to offer incense to the Buddha for the Huai King, we have burned one. Today is for the second—"

"Ah?" Liang Qu exclaimed in surprise, "I entered the Realm of Six Desires and burned Bodhidharma's śarīra?"

Dìxián was stunned, Huái Kōng was stunned, and beside them, Yang Dongxiong and Xu Zishuai were all stunned.

Finally, Xu Zishuai reacted first, slapping his forehead: "Forgot, forgot—we all forgot. To open the Abode of Non-Dwelling Nirvana, one must burn śarīras, but when opening, it is not Bodhidharma's śarīra that is burned, but those of other eminent monks."

"Later, my junior brother inexplicably produced a Ninth Buddha. The Six Desire Heavens could not sustain it, so a Golden Light Monk jumped out, saying burning one of his śarīras for you would do. Great Ming Master said it was Bodhidharma the primordial ancestor, yet no one ever told my junior brother this?"

Xu Zishuai looked around.

Lu Gǎn pinched his brow, Hu Qi rubbed his forehead, and Xiang Changshou scratched his temples.

Even Dìxián and Huái Kōng were dazed.

"Stupid, we really all forgot." Xu Zishuai slapped his thigh hard. "Probably because my junior brother suddenly produced a Ninth Buddha, everyone was startled, attention turned to the golden-haired monkey, and in the excitement, we all forgot this."

"Amitābha."

"It turns out I have long had dealings with Bodhidharma—I am deeply grateful." Liang Qu hastily returned the salute, "But this object is too precious, a treasure of the Buddhist gate, and must never be accepted again—"

"No matter, this Bodhidharma śarīra was originally produced because of the Huai King."

"Because of me?"

Dìxián explained: "The Huai King does not know that Bodhidharma's śarīras are not produced by burning, but by condensation. The Huai King cultivates the《Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger Diamond Sutra》, whose founder is precisely the primordial ancestor Bodhidharma. His very person, like the Huai King, possesses dragon-tiger martial bones and a diamond heart.

After his physical body entered meditation and dissolved in the cave behind our Xuankong Temple, over three thousand years have passed—undecaying, indestructible, invincible. His spirit remains free, able to wander within Buddhist teachings. Whenever he gains insight, he can condense śarīras. The scriptures sent by the Huai King have caused Bodhidharma's śarīras to regenerate three! This is unprecedented in recent centuries.

Formerly, Great Ming Master wished to take the Huai King as a disciple. The Huai King helped Great Ming Master enter Arhatship, Great Ming Master helped the Huai King invite the Buddha, and the Huai King again gifted scriptures to Great Ming Master. The primordial ancestor condensed śarīras—one meal, one bite—perhaps predestined, but accepting it poses no obstacle."

"Is the《Weishi Lun》that powerful?"

"Is the《Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger Diamond Sutra》that strong?"

"Did the primordial ancestor Bodhidharma share the same martial bones as me?"

"Dragon-Tiger Golden Body divine power, second stage【Point Earth to Become Steel】, third stage【Seal Heaven and Lock Earth】, fourth stage【Draw Earth as a Prison】, fifth stage【Instant Invincibility】. The flesh body lasting three thousand years undecayed, the spirit wandering freely—not a furnace, but approaching one, far surpassing ordinary fleeing dragons. This brat must have reached at least the fifth stage of divine power, perhaps even stepped beyond—?"

One question after another exploded in Liang Qu's mind.

No wonder the old monk came to Pingyang insisting on taking him as a disciple—because he is like Bodhidharma. Now, if Liang Qu himself encountered dragon-tiger tendons and bones, he would want to send him to Xuankong Temple to become a monk—what a promising future! Moreover, he clearly remembered Huizhen saying he had written only a part of the《Weishi Lun》—if he could write it all out—

The underworld is indeed a treasure land.

Ten thousand years of essence, all within this blood river.

This festive season, the Heaven Fire Sect, Nanjiang, Xuankong Temple—truly a great harvest.

Zhang Longxiang rarely felt a desire to investigate.

In this world, there actually exists a scripture that can cause Bodhidharma the primordial ancestor to condense śarīras?

Xu Zishuai could not help but ponder: Has my junior brother again fished out some good thing from the water? Recently, for half a year, people have hardly been in the Jianghuai region—could there be something in the Huangsha River?

"Alas, if so, then it is truly disrespectful to refuse—"

"Hahaha! Liang Qing! The National Preceptor has arrived! Eh, everyone is here!"

Suddenly, frog cries echoed from the horizon, and everyone looked up.

The old toad kicked its webbed feet, leaping and swimming, flying to the Long Gong at great speed, as if afraid of missing something.

During the New Year, not spending it in the frog tribe's territory—

Liang Qu immediately closed the lid, silently placing the small box into his Qiankun bag: "Just don't know, this śarīra—"

Dìxián understood: "Worn on the body, it dispels disease and disaster, prolonging life by a hundred years."

Everyone gasped in cold air, doubting they had misheard.

"A hundred years?" Liang Qu was greatly shaken.

One for a hundred years, eighty-one for—

Taking all the śarīras, would it not be eight thousand one hundred years?

What is Rama's corpse? Even to unlatch Bodhidharma's golden body, it is not worthy. Under heaven, what longevity treasure could have such an extravagant life extension?

"Not bad—it is exactly a hundred years, but only once, and requires cultivating the Dragon-Tiger Golden Body to wear it. Besides wearing, it can also be internally consumed and refined to enhance cultivation. For the Huai King's Golden Body divine power, it is greatly beneficial, possibly allowing one to rise a level higher. I do not know what stage the Huai King's Golden Body has reached now?"

"Three." Liang Qu did not conceal it.

Dìxián slightly surprised: "The Huai King progresses rapidly. Adding this śarīra, with diligent practice, one might reach【Draw Earth as a Prison】within three years."

""

Fierce!

Liang Qu had only this thought left.

Pa!

The old toad landed, straightened its white belly, and squeezed into the crowd.

"Happy New Year, everyone!" The old toad kept peeking in and out, weaving through, and glanced at the coral and conch in the box with its webbed feet, picking and choosing, "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, Frog Lord." Liang Qu echoed.

The fat fish passed by with grilled fish skewers; the old toad, failing to find treasure, twitched its toes and snatched them away.

"You young'un, do you even know how to eat? This fish has the most bones—you must nibble slowly from the side, chewing as you go!"