Chapter 118: Buddhist Sect Six Realms, Two-Foot Bodhisattva Wants to Bestow Rain and Dew (6k, please vote for monthly tickets!)

What's Huijue's background?

After asking this question, Uesugi Toru could clearly see Shizuku's chopstick movement of picking up meat suddenly freeze.

Her pupils contracted slightly, and she suddenly recalled that Huijue had just praised her mental state as being very impressive, while she had been constantly keeping the Jade Heart Technique and Unshinjutsu running at all times.

To outsiders, she should be no different from an ordinary JK.

But Huijue had identified a Sword Heart like Hongri's at first sight of her.

And she herself... had not noticed even the slightest peculiarity about Huijue until she heard Uesugi Toru's reminder, only realizing it afterward.

Doesn't that mean the other person's mental cultivation must absolutely be far more impressive than hers?

Shizuku picked up the meat and put it in her mouth, exhaling happily, and said in her heart: "The heroes of this world are truly like carp crossing the river."

"The chief disciple of the abbot of Hongan-ji—someone has already called him the Dharma Master of Hongan-ji."

"But this is also normal; Huijue already had near-Ghost God Level strength before the Wave came, so it is only natural that he would become a leading figure of the new generation of the Buddhist Sect."

Rituna Minami shrugged: "But it seems he had been sitting in meditation and cultivating in the temple all along, only coming down from the mountain two days before the Wave arrived."

Uesugi Toru made an "oh" sound.

No wonder Huijue wore that outfit of a ghost-fire youth; it turns out he completely doesn't understand current society.

But he has been eating vegetarian and chanting Buddha on the mountain for so many years, yet he can accept this kind of bizarre outfit all at once—truly worthy of a master's mental state.

"Also, he is about to become one of the Special Affairs Division's 'Seeds' soon."

Uesugi Toru was stunned at first—he's almost at Ghost God Level strength, yet he still needs to become a Seed of the Special Affairs Division?

According to Rituna Minami's earlier statement about the status of a "leading figure" and this kind of strength, even if not on equal footing with Rituna Minami, he should at least be able to get a position not much lower than hers, right?

But he immediately reacted.

It's not that Huijue needs to become a Seed of the Special Affairs Division, but rather that the Special Affairs Division's "Seed" needs Huijue to demonstrate its gold content.

At the same time, this also shows the attitude of Huijue and the faction of monks he represents.

"Since the Wave arrived, the Special Affairs Division's science popularization activities in many places have been obstructed everywhere, and the establishment of new strongholds in various places and recruitment have also been very slow."

Among them, it is definitely inseparable from the interference of those ancient families and long-established dojos.

If supernatural knowledge such as Yin-Yang Technique and Breathing Technique were popularized to everyone, how many people would still be willing to spend a lot of money and energy to become a disciple?

By the same logic, if supernatural knowledge were widely spread, then the transcendent status of those forces standing above ordinary people might not be said to be unable to remain stable, but at least it would be shaken.

"Hongan-ji naturally cannot escape this vulgarity either."

Uesugi Toru scratched his head in confusion,

"So isn't Huijue a beneficiary? Why does he stubbornly insist on cooperating with the Special Affairs Division?"

"How would I know this kind of thing? We're not close enough to ask probing questions; as long as it's a good thing, isn't it fine?"

Rituna Minami rolled her eyes, took the beer the waiter handed over and took a small sip: "If you want to know, go ask him yourself."

After saying this, Uesugi Toru's mobile phone vibrated—it was Rituna Minami pushing the monk's Line ID to him.

He lowered his head to look, and a shiny big bald head came into view.

Huijue's Line avatar was a big-head selfie of himself with a sunny smile, and his Line name was actually "Huijue"; one could say he was using his real name online.

Uesugi Toru clicked to add a friend, and then wrote in the verification message: "I am Uesugi Toru."

After a short while, the friend application was approved.

【Huijue】: Hello, Uesugi Benefactor. (Smiling emoji)

Staring at this death smile, Uesugi Toru explained somewhat awkwardly to Monk Huijue that the meaning of this expression is not considered friendly nowadays.

【Huijue】: Oh! I see, so do the meanings represented by these different expressions have many kinds? This expression alone is truly profound! (Thinking emoji)

Uesugi Toru: Transfer to human.

Although he thought so, Uesugi Toru still conducted a very friendly exchange with Monk Huijue in the style of when forums first rose more than ten years ago.

Shizuku watched the exchange between the two in the mobile phone, and finally couldn't help but ask: "Uesugi-kun, ask him what level his mental cultivation is?"

Uesugi Toru was also a bit curious, so he did as told.

Soon, a smiling emoji was sent by Huijue, then immediately withdrawn, replaced with a "Laughter" emoji.

【Huijue】: This poor monk thinks this should be a question asked by Tokugawa Benefactor, right?

【Huijue】: This poor monk's mental state has just reached the Realm of Formless Void, about the same as Tokugawa Benefactor.

【Huijue】: Sorry, two benefactors. I have some problems on my end, so I might not be able to chat for the time being. (Thinking emoji)

Realm of Formless Void?

Uesugi Toru's eyebrow twitched—this monk dropped a new term he'd never heard of and ran off, acting like a self-taught cliffhanger dog whetting appetites, right?

But fortunately Nanjo Sister was still sitting opposite.

Feeling Uesugi Toru's inquiring gaze, Rituna Minami did not reply, but opened the PDF file on her mobile phone and pushed it over.

The file name was—"System Summary: A Rough Explanation of Buddhist Sect Mental Cultivation".

Uesugi Toru flipped through two pages, then found the rough explanation of "Realm of Formless Void".

"All phenomena return to emptiness and falsehood; the abyss of consciousness hides true suchness."

Hmm, sounds impressive but I don't understand.

But it can be seen that the mental state rank of "Realm of Formless Void" is located at the fourth level of the Buddhist Sect's Six Mental States.

Huijue also specially marked in red font that this level is not much different from "Sword Heart Penetration" in Swordsmanship Mental State.

Shizuku stared at these brand-new terms, reading them slowly aloud,

"Observing the Heart Mirror, Tongming Dirty, Human Dao, Realm of Formless Void, Awakening Illumination Sea, Emptiness-Form Wheel..."

Among them, the Realm of Formless Void is further divided into three great terrifying realms of "No-Self, No-Form, No-Abiding", requiring the cultivator to possess great courage, great perseverance, and great wisdom to pass through all this emptiness and reach the other shore of awareness.

Uesugi Toru read these strange Buddhist terms, feeling like he needed to grow a brain.

But Shizuku's eyes lit up, and she half-stood up excitedly: "Nanjo Sister, can you copy this file to me first! Also! Is there anything more detailed?"

Rituna Minami didn't want to add unnecessary work to herself.

She smacked her lips, savoring the faint taste of alcohol, then forwarded Huijue's line to Shizuku: "You chat with him yourself, I'm not bothering anymore."

—Although Uesugi Toru didn't quite understand these terms and explanations, he could still make out the words "about the same as Sword Heart Penetration."

Besides, the monk had already arrived at Three-Star Half before the wave came... Doesn't that mean Huijue is actually a Ghost God Level figure above Four Stars?

At that moment, two Ghost God Level figures had gathered at a small barbecue restaurant table!

Terrifying!

Uesugi Toru leaned back slightly, sucked in a breath of cold air, and then Rituna Minami blocked him with chopsticks holding snowflake beef with a golden sheen.

The slightly drunk Rituna Minami raised her eyes: "Eat quickly, I've already had Mami pick us up."

Uesugi Toru blinked, swallowed the beef, saw Rituna Minami slightly stunned, then helplessly corrected himself: "Manatsu."

For a moment, an unspeakable silence fell between the two.

Shizuku beside her didn't notice at all; she was wholeheartedly studying that PDF document just now, and being able to spare a bit of computing power to eat meat was already not bad.

Half an hour later.

The full Uesugi Toru and the not-yet-drunk-enough Rituna Minami stood at the doorway.

"I'm not going to Yokohama." Shizuku's gaze was drawn to the familiar van slowly approaching in the distance, and she continued, "I still need to stay by Runa's side to teach her the Basic Spirit Absorption Method."

Shizuku casually waved her hand: "Uesugi-kun, take care."

"Can't die, rest assured."

Uesugi Toru perfectly learned Shizuku's auspicious words.

Pfft pfft pfft...

Accompanied by the gradually weakening dull sound of the motor, the battle-scarred old van stopped before the three.

"Nanjo Daimyo, get in the car."

The passenger seat's van window was rolled down, revealing Shizuka Mafuyu's thin face with some paleness and dark circles.

Shizuka Mafuyu's eyes moved slightly, then she showed a somewhat surprised expression.

She didn't expect to see Shizuku and Uesugi Toru here.

Shizuka Mafuyu smiled faintly, greeting the two, but no longer with her former vitality: "Long time no see."

Shizuku nodded: "Long time no see, Manatsu."

Uesugi Toru didn't reply; he gazed at Shizuka Mafuyu wearing the Special Affairs Division Record Clerk uniform, and sighed in his heart how alike they were.

He still vaguely remembered the first time he saw her in the school cafeteria—generous, sunny, very familiar yet not lacking in attentiveness.

But the Shizuka Mafuyu before him, compared to her former self, was more like the Shizuka Mafuyu Uesugi Toru first saw.

Her whole body exuded the efficient, quiet demeanor of a workplace person.

"Let's save the pleasantries for next time." Rituna Minami pulled open the car door, "Uesugi-kun, get in."

Following Rituna Minami behind and getting into the van, sitting on the seat and just about to fasten the seat belt, Uesugi Toru only then discovered that the place where the seat belt should be was empty.

Looking again, Uesugi Toru remembered this was the seat whose broken seat belt he had pulled apart last time, with stray threads still in the break point.

Uesugi Toru was speechless.

So this car is fixed just enough to run, right.

He changed seats and asked Rituna Minami, whose cheeks were slightly red from drinking: "Nanjo Sister, you've become Arakawa Ward's face, yet you still drive such a cheap car?"

"Cheap?"

Rituna Minami pointed to the trunk area: "Those few of them stay in the back playing while rushing every day, already letting this car be stained with plenty of aura, so it can prevent ordinary Yaoguai from approaching."

"If just changed like this, one would need to specially invite an Onmyoji proficient in Astronomy Dao and carving to inscribe talismans to achieve the exact same effect."

Uesugi Toru looked in the direction she pointed—only to see in the deep shadow, the Nure-oni and Hiyobou, now completely different from before, one big and one small two Shikigami, were happily playing rock-paper-scissors.

A moment later, status windows popped up above both their heads.

——【Nure-onna (Three Stars)】

——【Hiyobou (Two Stars)】

Nure-oni has become Nure-onna... No wonder her appearance changed so much.

In the empty space of the trunk, Nure-onna, with her messy black hair all neatly combed behind her head, wore a tight-fitting slender white robe.

Her pale face was exquisite as if made of a TPE material doll; she leaned tightly against the car's corner, curling her legs, as if this could bring her more sense of security.

At first glance, completely a gloomy-type great beauty with social anxiety.

Hiyobou's size had increased by one size, her dress indigo blue, more like a miniature doll than a sunny weather doll.

Both Shikigami noticed Uesugi Toru's gaze.

Nure-onna curled her body even tighter, wanting to just pretend not to see and brush it off.

Hiyobou first drew a heart trajectory in the air, then immediately pulled the very unwilling Nure-onna's hand to make a heart together toward Uesugi Toru.

Look how well-behaved other people's Shikigami are!

In contrast, Adult Two Chi only knows to greedily suck his tail after transforming into a four-tailed fox, incorrigible despite repeated teaching.

Uesugi Toru showed a smile, turned his head and asked: "Nanjo Sister, what path are your few Shikigami taking?"

Rituna Minami closed her eyes, her voice faintly came,

"Life contract, a relatively rare path. Their breakthrough or not is highly bound to me, so they don't need much external force assistance."

"——After I break through, they will naturally break through easily too."

Rituna Minami: "But at the same time, if they encounter anything, I will also suffer corresponding very serious consequences."

After these words came out, Uesugi Toru understood why Rituna Minami said few people take this path.

Because for the vast majority of Onmyoji, Shikigami damage is common and almost unavoidable.

Examples of the Shikigami contracted at the beginning accompanying the Onmyoji to the end, not to say very common, can be said to be nonexistent.

Because from the very beginning, the purpose of an Onmyoji contracting a Shikigami was to let the Shikigami do some things they themselves could not do, or things inconvenient for them to do.

At critical moments, it is also common for an Onmyoji to manipulate their Shikigami to block a fatal wound.

—But I won't let such a thing happen.

Uesugi Toru nodded, and also released Ni Shaku-sama from the Jizo statue.

"Ni Shaku-sama, you go play with those two too..."

"Popo!"

Just as she appeared, Ni Shaku-sama, like a cat with its fur bristled, tightly shrank into Uesugi Toru's embrace.

She buried her face, trembling all over,

"Po! Toru-sama, where is this place? Why are there so many scary auras!"

Uesugi Toru blinked in surprise; he had never seen Ni Shaku-sama so frightened before.

Wasn't she quite calm when she saw the Snow Woman before?

He gently patted the white hat on the girl's head: "Don't be afraid, those beside us are all allies."

Allies?

Ni Shaku-sama shrank back and lifted her small head, first seeing the Nure-onna staring at her with gloomy eyes, silent.

Then she lowered her head, feeling the gazes everywhere inside the carriage—deep shadows that kept surging, as if they could swallow her whole at any moment.

This... this is all allies?

Ni Shaku-sama gave a dry laugh twice, then saw the small Hiyobou slowly float to her front, emitting a warm glow.

"Hello." Hiyobou said, not very standardly.

This, this is what an ally is!

Watching Ni Shaku-sama being half-pushed, half-pulled by Hiyobou to join the rock-paper-scissors team-building, Uesugi Toru also leaned back and rested for a while.

The trunk atmosphere was lively, only within the surging shadows inside the carriage, a dim gaze shot out,

"How old are you still playing children's games with Hiyobou... losing status."

The Shadow Woman coldly snorted, but her gaze could not move away.

Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama City, Duzhi District suburbs.

Several hours passed in a flash.

Uesugi Toru walked down from the bread van with Ni Shaku-sama, hearing Nanjo Ai's groggy voice coming from the passenger seat,

"Call me anytime if there's a problem, I'll arrive as fast as possible."

"OKOK."

Saying goodbye to Nanjo Ai, who shared another task, Uesugi Toru knocked on Ni Shaku-sama's small head beside him, with a black face: "You actually taught a minor Shikigami to play cards, how did you come up with that!"

Just now when Uesugi Toru opened his eyes, he heard noises like "three with one" and "king bomb" from the back seat, unexpectedly turning his head he found Ni Shaku-sama, the Nure-onna, and little Hiyobou playing Pocket Dizhu.

If left alone any longer, would they be team-building at a bar in two days?

"Because rock-paper-scissors was too boring, I just happened to see a deck of playing cards beside me and..."

Ni Shaku-sama was about to apologize, but saw the towering temple gate not far away and the plaque with the three big characters 【Hongan-ji】 written on it.

"Po!" Ni Shaku-sama hugged Uesugi Toru's thigh and wailed, "Toru-sama, I was wrong po, I'll never do this kind of thing again, don't exorcise me..."

In the rumors about the Eight Shaku Figure, it indeed says that the protagonist was later sent into a temple and barely escaped the Eight Shaku Figure's pursuit.

It seems Ni Shaku-sama is especially afraid of things related to "Buddha"; this is also a common defect of the Mononoke, being constrained by the rumors that created them.

Uesugi Toru couldn't help but worry whether her spirit tablet, once placed there, could normally absorb incense and source power.

Picking up Ni Shaku-sama, who was crying with snot and tears, Uesugi Toru spent some time explaining the situation clearly to her.

Thus Ni Shaku-sama's crying stopped abruptly: "So from now on, will I carry Buddha Light, and occasionally show miracles through the spirit tablet, bestowing rain and dew for those children..."

Uesugi Toru brought a hand knife down, cutting off her words: "Prohibited!"

Ni Shaku-sama gave an embarrassed smile, grabbing his clothes corner and acting coquettishly: "Just saying, now that we have Toru-sama by our side, how could we possibly look up to those other misfits."

Uesugi Toru coldly smiled; he knew exactly what Ni Shaku-sama was thinking.

Walking to the Hongan-ji gate, Uesugi Toru saw the stone lions standing solemnly on both sides of the door.

The two stone lions' mouths opened and closed, their pupils as large as bronze bells, every pattern lifelike, symbolizing the "A-un breathing," seemingly implying that life lies in breathing.

Similar to lions, foxes, etc., are common animals in front of Japanese temples and shrines.

So Uesugi Toru had previously found it strange that there were cat stone carvings placed at the gate of Edo Castle—he had never heard of placing cats at the door.

Uesugi Toru walked forward and gently knocked twice on the door knocker, producing a crisp sound of metal clashing.

Soon, two little novice monks wearing robes pushed open the heavy temple door with effort, and upon seeing Uesugi Toru, subconsciously showed joy.

The two little novice monks asked in unison,

"May I ask, are you Benefactor Uesugi Toru?"

"It is me."

Seeing the little novice monks' gazes shift to Ni Shaku-sama, Uesugi Toru immediately spoke: "This is my Shikigami; this time I came for her."

Two vigilant gazes disappeared with the words; the little novice monks nodded, extending a hand toward the depths of the temple: "Earlier Senior Brother Huijue had already greeted the elders and the Abbot; Benefactor Uesugi, just come directly with us."

"—Senior Brother said, although the spirit tablet is remote, it is already enough for your Shikigami."

"Very good."

Uesugi Toru smiled and nodded, taking Ni Shaku-sama's slightly trembling hand and walking into Hongan-ji, stepping onto the clean stone steps.

The temple's area was not large, seemingly because it was built in such a small place as Yokohama Tsuzuki Ward, knowing there wouldn't be too many incense visitors, so the buildings were all proportionally reduced quite a bit.

But even so, besides the hurried monks and novices, there was no one else in the temple, which was also somewhat strange.

Uesugi Toru raised the question.

One of the young novices slowed his pace, pressed his palms together in prayer, and smiled as he pointed toward the distant Amitabha Hall: "Benefactor, please understand — today there is indeed a yokai that several of this monk's teachers and senior disciples have confined within, attempting to subdue it, so the temple gates have not been opened."

Uesugi Toru held his breath and listened, discovering that from within the Amitabha Hall there were indeed continuous, aged voices transmitting sounds like "Om Mani Padme Hum."

He recalled what Huijue had said to him before departure: "Your senior disciple brothers may have run into some trouble."

But judging by the current situation, it seemed he would not need to intervene in this so-called "trouble" after all.

"I see." Uesugi Toru lightened his steps. "If placing the memorial tablet would disturb those masters in their demon-subduing, my business can also wait a while."

The other young novice waved his hand: "No, no — it's just a baby yokai, relying on its strange abilities to act arrogantly for a few days; this time our temple's six elders are all moving out together, they will surely be able to easily suppress it."

Six elders moving out together...

The one confined in that hall couldn't be a three-star or even four-star great demon, could it?

The corner of Uesugi Toru's mouth twitched, and he unconsciously quickened his pace — that Huijue really thought highly of him, daring to entrust this kind of matter to someone he was meeting for the first time.

If the six elders accidentally failed to hold it back, and that great demon ran out, what would he use to subdue it?

Unfortunately, things went contrary to his wishes.

Before Uesugi Toru could follow the young novice to the Gohoe-do where the memorial tablets were placed, the sound of the Six-Syllable True Mantra from the other side's Amitabha Hall grew increasingly intense, increasingly intense.

The Buddhist chant had already burst out of the hall and was echoing throughout the entire temple, yet the emotional fluctuations contained within seemed to be growing larger and larger.

Just as an ominous premonition rose in Uesugi Toru's heart, he saw the Amitabha Hall's main gate explode open with a boom, several aged bodies draped in robes flying out backwards!

The two young novices stared dazedly at that side, as if they still had not reacted to what had happened.

Uesugi Toru's scalp went numb, and he immediately wanted to stow the two-foot-tall Adult and run toward the outside of the temple — a fiendish yokai that even several Buddhist Masters couldn't suppress, could he handle it?

But before his fleeing steps could move out, Uesugi Toru looked at those "Buddhist Masters" with some doubt.

— These masters, why do they seem not as strong as imagined?

He poked his head again to look into the interior of the Amitabha Hall.

— No, how come the spiritual power fluctuations coming from inside haven't even reached two-star?

Went out today, didn't write to 8k, sorry meow

But still asking for a monthly ticket!

Because tomorrow will work back!



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(End of Chapter)