Chapter 90

"Taizao..."

Looking at Ji Le Taizao's appearance of completely denying himself, Maguto's gaze became a bit complex.

Seven years ago, Ji Le Taizao was at his peak, invincible in the country, and hadn't tasted defeat even after first arriving in the world.

Although he hadn't officially appeared in the World Open Tournament at that time, relying on his own strong strength, many large professional clubs had thrown olive branches early on.

After they evaluated Ji Le Taizao's potential, they publicly recognized that he had the qualifications to compete for the world's number one of his generation, and they crowned him with the title of "Onmyoji of the Sakura Country" in advance.

For a time, Ji Le Taizao was unrivaled in the country.

If Echizen Nanjiro symbolized the beginning of the rise of Neon tennis, then Ji Le Taizao at that time was the second samurai in the eyes of the Neon people!

However, how could the proud Ji Le Taizao be willing to become someone else's shadow?

Before the World Open Tournament, he went alone with his tennis bag to a temple in Tokyo.

No one knew what happened.

It was just that after that day, Ji Le Taizao didn't go to the World Open Tournament and disappeared for a full three months.

And when he appeared again, he announced his retirement directly in front of domestic and foreign media, in the eyes of everyone's disbelief.

Maguto lowered his eyes, and his sharp aura dissipated quietly.

This old bone of his had lived long enough, and he had seen countless people, but Echizen Nanjiro...

In the nearly hundred years he had seen, no one could stand side by side with him yet.

It wasn't strange that Taizao lost to him, but what exactly happened in that match?

To be able to make a player who was almost world-class choose to give up tennis?

Even after such a long time, not only had he not recovered, but instead, he even doubted and denied the path he had always insisted on.

Seeing his grand-disciple like this, Old Man Maguto's figure suddenly looked much more hunched.

"My heart is all empty; emptiness is no-self."

He placed his hands on his lower abdomen, fingertips touching, palms facing up, forming the Honzon seal.

A voice with a bit of Zen fell into the ears of Ji Le Taizao and Yuuki Satoru.

"This is... the No-Self Realm."

Yuuki Satoru's gaze narrowed; he had memories of his previous life, so this description of the No-Self Realm was naturally clear.

So he hurriedly sat upright, his expression solemn.

An explanation of the No-Self Realm by the opener of the Asura Divine Path is not something you can encounter just casually.

Ji Le Taizao also looked up at Maguto; he wanted to know why even Old Man would choose to explore Heavenly Seamless.

However.

Maguto spoke slowly, but the words he spat out shocked the two.

"The path I walk is no-self."

Yuuki Satoru was stunned in his heart; the opener of the Asura Divine Path walks the path of no-self? This is too absurd!

"People all say that the Asura Divine Path and the path of no-self are two completely opposite paths.

Taste crushing defeat, hold a belief of unwillingness and persistence, and make yourself touch the training of hell to master the power of Asura."

Old Man didn't care about the two's gaze; after finishing, he asked Ji Le Taizao.

"Taizao, in your view, what is the Asura Divine Path?"

"It is the power brought by the heart that understands its own weakness but still doesn't want to lose; it is the power of the heart and spirit besides the body and technique."

Ji Le Taizao was silent for a moment before saying these words once taught by Master Mifune.

"Maintaining a balance between one's own powerful mental strength and weak mental strength, and in order to maintain this state of calm, like walking through a cave, is the Asura Divine Path we walk."

"What you said is not bad." Old Man Maguto's voice was peaceful.

"So-called defeat is just to realize one's own weakness, and mastering both powerful and weak power is the true mystery of the Asura Divine Path."

Hearing the two's questions and answers, Yuuki Satoru confirmed his previous conjecture about the Asura Divine Path.

"Then back then, in order to walk into the cave of the spiritual world, what did you do?" Old Man continued to ask.

"Sweeping the floor in the temple to calm the mind.

Afterward, meditation and sitting, heart without distractions, even if others are in the ear, it cannot disturb, my heart..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Maguto with a smile.

"My heart is all empty.

To realize the Asura Divine Path, one must step into the No-Self Realm."

The speaker was indifferent, but the listeners' hearts were stirred with a thousand layers of waves.

Not to mention Yuuki Satoru, who hadn't stepped on the Asura Divine Path, even Ji Le Taizao, who had realized the Asura Divine Path, had never thought about the relationship between no-self and the Asura Divine Path.

"What is no-self? All dharmas are no-self, all dharmas are me.

Dharma is me, I am dharma."

Yuuki Satoru's gaze flickered; he could probably hear that this was talking about the No-Self Realm being able to use moves he had seen before.

Afterward, Maguto looked at Yuuki Satoru and smiled slightly.

"People say again that there are three big doors on the path of no-self: the Limit of Thousand Hammer Hundred Tempering, the Limit of Talented Radiance, and the Limit of Heavenly Seamless.

Child, what do you think they are?"

"Realizing the No-Self Realm to a deeper level, being able to gather no-self power in a certain part of the body to strengthen it, is the Limit of Thousand Hammer Hundred Tempering;

If you use no-self power to activate the brain and enhance computing power, it is the Limit of Talented Radiance.

And Heavenly Seamless..."

Yuuki Satoru thought for a moment and said: "Is it the joy of sincerely enjoying tennis?"

"Ho ho, what you said is right, but also not right." Maguto chuckled a few times and shook his head.

Afterward, his gaze changed slightly, slightly serious.

"If a crushing defeat can make a player who is already powerful realize their own weakness; then Thousand Hammer Hundred Tempering and Talented Radiance can let those who are not powerful enough experience what is powerful."

"The so-called three doors of no-self have only ever been one: the Limit of Heavenly Seamless!"

This?!

Hearing this, Yuuki Satoru's gaze was full of surprise, but Maguto hadn't finished speaking.

"And in the world, Heavenly Seamless has another name: the Light of Holding."

"It has three different radiances.

The 【Light of Love】 that sincerely experiences the joy of tennis; the 【Light of Loneliness】 of those who have experienced the origin of power and understood its limits for a short time,

And..."

Speaking of this, Maguto paused for a while, then emphasized his tone.

"And breaking one's own limits, when a player gradually has a clearer understanding of their own power and weakness.

The 【Light of Fortitude】 that becomes stronger because of someone!"

"The Asura Divine Path I opened is based on the Light of Fortitude of Heavenly Seamless!"

His words were like a thunderbolt striking Yuuki Satoru and Ji Le Taizao's brains.

"Powerful, weak..."

"Asura Divine Path and the Light of Fortitude of Heavenly Seamless!?"

Yuuki Satoru's eyes suddenly bloomed with light; he suddenly understood one thing.

Why did Oni Jujiro, who realized the Asura Divine Path on his own in the battle against Byodo-in Phoenix, shine with the Light of Fortitude later?

If the No-Self Realm and the Asura Divine Path are two completely opposite paths.

Then it is fundamentally impossible for Oni Jujiro and Echizen Ryoma to master two opposite powers at the same time.

But according to Old Man's words, all this becomes reasonable.

"The Buddha says no-self-appearance, no-person-appearance, no-living-being-appearance, no-life-appearance, which is to be away from love;

Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva understands the no-self dharma, the Tathagata calls him a true Bodhisattva."

Two scriptures from different sources were chanted by Maguto.

Although Yuuki Satoru didn't understand the meaning of the Buddhist scriptures very well, he felt an inexplicable meaning unconsciously.

"I have never given up the Asura Divine Path; rather, all paths in this world are intertwined. I opened up the Asura Divine Path on the fork in the road of Heavenly Seamless.

And where will the fork in the road on the Asura Divine Path lead in the future?

After destruction, is it emptiness, or is it moving toward rebirth?

I don't know either, but I look forward to it."

"Just like I don't know what happened in the match between you and Nanjiro, making you doubt yourself, but I still look forward to you standing up again."

This chapter is a bit hard to write.

Three updates in the next two days; one update today, I'm afraid I won't be able to get up tomorrow daytime if I stay up late to make up for it.