Chapter 235

As the sutras were chanted, my heart gradually calmed. The Buddhist Sect's still-heart mantra and the Daoist Sect's clear-heart method can empty one's heart and bring tranquility.

When my heart had settled and I slowly opened my eyes, all sound vanished. But at that moment, Murong Jiaja staggered, almost falling toward me.

I instinctively reached out to catch her, but my hand grasped nothing—this showed Murong Jiaja was weakening again, her soul showing signs of scattering.

"Sorry, it's all my fault you got hurt." I lowered my head apologetically. Murong Jiaja must have sensed I was in danger, which is why she gave up her seclusion and ran out.

Murong Jiaja slowly shook her head: "Don't say more; the most important thing now is for you to get out of this illusion."

"An illusion? Haven't we already left it?" I said, dazed: "Everything here has disappeared."

"No, it hasn't disappeared; we're still in this illusion." Murong Jiaja said weakly: "Listen to me, the one who set up this illusion is not some demonic heretic but a high monk of the Buddhist Sect. This is the Buddhist Sect's Wish-Fulfilling Realm, born from your heart demon. As soon as you stepped into the Bronze Mausoleum you already touched the spell; to get out, you must rely on yourself."

Murong Jiaja's words startled me—what a joke, this is actually the Buddhist Sect's Wish-Fulfilling Realm? According to rumor, the Wish-Fulfilling Realm is a phantom within the Buddhist Sect's intermediate state. Those who fall into this realm will follow their heart's whims, beautiful dreams come true, and become mired, unable to awaken. Its danger does not come from outside but from within. For a cultivator, the greatest enemy is oneself; if the heart is not upright and one's methods are deviant, heart demons proliferate, surely causing loss of reason, being disturbed by greed, ignorance, and hatred, leading one down a path they think is right but is completely wrong.

"Remember, rely on yourself, let go of all attachments, and let your heart be empty." Murong Jiaja's figure gradually faded, turning into a wisp of green smoke that drifted into the Spirit-Gathering Jade.

I took a deep breath, steadied my gaze on the empty Bronze Mausoleum, and waited quietly for the next trial. Money, power, beauty, worldly luxuries, the deepest hidden desires, and the mood I most longed for have all appeared. So what will show up next?

I began to understand what I had experienced—it was desire, yes, exactly. It is the deepest desire hidden in the human heart: the seven emotions and six desires, power and sensual temptation, and whatever the heart most longs for. In the Wish-Fulfilling Realm, desire swells with illusion. I am ultimately a mundane person; my cultivation is insufficient, my resolve weak, my mind unstable, so all kinds of demons have spawned, rushing out from the depths of my hidden heart.

I slowly, step by step, walked toward the exit of the Bronze Mausoleum. Just as I approached the exit, with a whoosh, a huge blaze erupted beneath my feet; in the sea of fire crawled countless snakes, insects, rats, and ants—centipedes, scorpions, venomous snakes, and disgusting maggots. Moreover, even the mountain spirits and the Five Rampant Troops appeared.

Gazing at the sea of fire and the beasts before me, my pupils began to dilate wildly; I already understood what would appear next.

It was fear—the deepest fear hidden in one's heart. I most dread disgusting worms, yet lo and behold, what appeared before me was exactly what I feared most. The Five Rampant Troops are the bane of my forces; I most want to avoid them, but now they have appeared again.

"The sea of fire in the eighteen levels of hell is roughly like this, right?" I gave a wry smile, closed my eyes, and slowly walked toward the fire sea. Speaking of my Dao heart, my state of mind is not high—indeed, it's even inferior to Pangzi's. So I have to rely on my own will to get through this trial.

I tensed my spirit, stepping step by step toward the fire sea; this is the only way out of the Wish-Fulfilling Realm, and I have no other choice.

Finally, I plunged completely into the sea of fire; flames scorched my skin, venomous snakes tore at my body, maggots crawled up my arms into my nose and ears, and the Five Rampant Troops devoured my soul. I wished I could tear open my arms, gouge out my eyes, and plunge a knife into my heart. At this moment I am a madman; without self-harm I would feel suffocated.

"Do you know? Actually, when I was a kid I also had dreams—I wanted to join the army, at least to reach the rank of lieutenant general. But I was too fat; the military has weight requirements. Later I wanted to be a pop star, but my voice is no good—when I sing I sound like a duck. When real estate became popular, I looked for a part-time job selling houses. Who knew the recruiter would say I'm too unsightly, not knowing whether to have me introduce houses or go dig around as a thief."

"So I've run out of options; I can only face this screwed-up life with a careless attitude. When reality is stronger than me, the weak me can only lie down and enjoy reality's rape, matching whatever position he likes."

Struggling, in pain, the image of that dead fat man appeared again in my mind—these words were spoken by us sitting on the roof of the old house; that night he got drunk and returned to his true self.

"Yeah… since I can't fight this screwed-up reality, I'll just lie down and enjoy its ravaging!" I had a vague realization, trying to slowly relax my body and mind. Maggots love to burrow into my body—let them, I'll offer my whole body as their home. Venomous snakes like my flesh—I'll sacrifice myself, what's wrong with learning from the Buddha feeding the hawks once more? The Five Rampant Troops like my soul—take it. When my soul merges with heaven and earth, who could possibly find it then?

It turns out, when you face everything with an indifferent attitude, your heart becomes tranquil, and after letting go of attachments, your spirit feels no pain. When you have leaked out everything and see through all, greed, ignorance, hatred, fear, and rage—these killers of the soul can no longer torment your body and mind.

Having understood everything, my heart also calmed. When I opened my eyes, everything had vanished—no sea of fire, no venomous snakes or beasts, and no Five Rampant Troops.

However, my heart had not fully relaxed; on the contrary, it tightened again, because I saw that Yao Wenju had also met with misfortune.

After entering the Wish-Fulfilling Realm, I hadn't noticed Yao Wenju's presence. But after I came to, I found Yao Wenju sitting cross-legged beside me, though his condition was miserable—blood poured from his eyes, nose, and mouth, his fists clenched, and even the veins on his forehead bulged.

Ye Qi had collapsed nearby, unconscious, while Yao Wenju looked as if he were about to go berserk at any moment; he must have fallen into his own Wish-Fulfilling Realm, his direction driven by his heart demon.

"Ah… you used heartfire to save me; now let me use heartfire to save you in return—it's all karma, all predestined fate!" I formed hand seals, bit my tongue, spat out a mouthful of bloody spittle, and ignited the flame at my fingertips.

It is said that heartfire is not only the ultimate yang fire but also a stabilizing fire; if imprinted on a person's brow, it can stabilize their soul. I am outside, unable to enter Yao Wenju's Wish-Fulfilling Realm, so the only thing I can do now is use heartfire to help him stabilize his spirit.

But I never expected that, just as the flame at my fingertips was about to touch Yao Wenju's brow, he suddenly clenched his lips, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and his clenched fists jerked.

"En..." I sped up, directing the heartfire toward him, and just as it struck Yao Wenju's brow, his eyes snapped open, blood-red like a beast's, he let out a low roar and swung his fist at my chest.

With a thud, his brutal punch sent me flying into the wall of the Bronze Mausoleum, where I collapsed. After falling, I spat out a mouthful of blood, my whole body aching miserably.

To break out of the Wish-Fulfilling Realm, I was already weak enough. Then forcibly using heartfire to help Yao Wenju stabilize his spirit was tantamount to draining my own life. Now, after being hit again, I nearly became a corpse on my way to meet the Patriarch of Yin Mountain.

After I struck Yao Wenju's brow, his ferocious expression gradually eased into calm, the veins on his forehead fading. Slowly, Yao Wenju unclenched his fists and opened his eyes.

"Hey, Hai Sheng, why are you lying on the ground!" Yao Wenju gazed in astonishment at me, sprawled on the floor like a corpse. Seeing the pool of blood I had spat out, he was startled.

"How did you get such a serious injury? Tell me, who did it? Was it that huge cockroach just now?" Yao Wenju ran over and asked anxiously.

Me: "..." Damn, the one who beat me up isn't you, is it?