Chapter 122

Zhang Jie's face remained gentle, and he said calmly:

"I also know something about this art; it is divided into thirteen layers, and one must proceed step by step when practicing, without skipping.

Each layer takes several times longer than the previous one, and progress becomes increasingly difficult in the later stages.

But I am only using it for reference and have no intention of making it my main practice, so the Dharma King need not worry."

As he spoke, his eyes became deep:

One person can't practice it in a short time, but what if many people practice it together?

One must know that they, Zhang Jie, are men who are spread across the myriad realms of the cosmos!

If one Zhang Jie can't do it, then ten, a hundred, or even a thousand or ten thousand!

Also, the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art is not very picky about aptitude; even for dull people,

if they spend three or five years, they can always get started and increase their strength by hundreds of catties.

What is this?

This is a great martial art for training soldiers!

If they spend seven or eight years to train hundreds of elites to the third or fourth layer,

and then give them heavy armor and good mounts,

and give them heavy weapons, this will be an invincible heavy cavalry!

As soon as Zhang Jie thought of the Water Shui Hu Zhang Jie training such a heavy cavalry to go head-to-head with Great Liao's Pishi Army (meaning diamond),

Western Xia's Iron Harriers, and the Jin people's Iron Pagodas, he felt a little excited!

I don't know if the century-old iron cavalry of these Liao and Jin people will be better,

or if the Water Shui Hu Zhang Jie's divine art heavy cavalry will be the latecomer!

Kumārajīva, who didn't know Zhang Jie's thoughts, chanted a Buddha's name:

"Amitābha, it is good that the benefactor understands this."

Next, following the principle of mutual consent,

Zhang Jie and Kumārajīva reached a deal to exchange the "Nine Yang Divine Art" for the "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art."

Zhang Jie glanced at the street, where there were still many pedestrians, and invited:

"Dharma King, this is not a place to exchange secrets; why not stay at my place for the time being?"

Kumārajīva naturally had no objections and bowed slightly:

"Amitābha, this humble monk will bother the benefactor tonight."

Seeing Zhang Jie and Kumārajīva talking happily, Duan Yu was anxious; his pockets were cleaner than his face,

and if Zhang Jie didn't take him in, he would have to sleep on the street tonight.

He hurriedly asked: "Young Master Zhang, what about me?"

Zhang Jie glanced at Duan Yu, thinking that the "Six Meridian Divine Swords" on him needed to be planned slowly, so he also invited:

"If Prince Duan doesn't mind, you can also stay for a few days."

A look of joy appeared on Duan Yu's face, and he said repeatedly:

"I don't mind, I don't mind. Thank you, Young Master Zhang, for taking me in; I am extremely grateful."

Zhang Jie then took Kumārajīva and the other two to a small courtyard in the west of Gusu City.

This small courtyard was an asset of the Wang family: as a big family in Gusu,

besides the Mantuo Shanzhuang, the Wang family also had a large number of properties, shops, and other assets in Gusu.

The reason why Madam Wang had been able to take Wang Yuyan and live leisurely as a homebody who grows flowers at Mantuo Shanzhuang all these years

was because of the support of these assets.

Otherwise, even if the fierce reputation of Mantuo Shanzhuang was great,

it would be difficult to collect so many different kinds of camellias from all over the world.

After all, for others, if I can't afford to offend, can't I hide?

Leaving Hangzhou or even the Taihu area,

no matter how angry Madam Wang was, she could only sigh helplessly!

After Zhang Jie arrived, Madam Wang saw that Zhang Jie was interested in touring Gusu,

and with a wave of her hand, she gave this small courtyard to him.

What else could Zhang Jie say?

He could only give a thumbs up and praise his senior sister for being generous.

Thinking of the big house dream he didn't realize before he transmigrated,

he realized it after transmigrating thanks to the generosity of a woman.

Zhang Jie: Is my stomach naturally bad, and do I need to eat soft rice?

As for why Zhang Jie didn't take Kumārajīva and the others directly to Mantuo Shanzhuang?

Kumārajīva was fine, but Duan Yu had a problem, a big problem!

It was mentioned earlier that Madam Wang had an unclear relationship with Prince Duan when she was young,

two people went in and three came out, and she also let Master Wang be the one who took the blame.

And Madam Wang had become more and more of a resentful woman over the years because of Prince Duan "abandoning his wife and children,"

if she knew Duan Yu's identity, wouldn't she eat Duan Yu alive?

Don't underestimate a woman's jealousy!

In order to avoid turning Mantuo Shanzhuang upside down,

Zhang Jie extinguished the idea of taking Duan Yu to Mantuo Shanzhuang from the beginning.

Arriving in the living room, after the servants served clear tea, Zhang Jie and Kumārajīva began to discuss the essence of martial arts.

Zhang Jie stated his understanding of martial arts:

"So-called martial arts are nothing more than improving essence, energy, and spirit..."

"Amitābha, form is emptiness, emptiness is form, all conditioned phenomena,

are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, like dew and like lightning, and should be viewed as such."

Kumārajīva was worthy of being the Great Wheel Dharma King of the Tantric Sect;

if Zhang Jie was speaking in plain and easy-to-understand language, then what he said was somewhat profound.

Or rather, Buddhism is such a mysterious stream of consciousness...

With two great experts like Zhang Jie and Kumārajīva discussing the Dao, Duan Yu, who was listening on the side, was intoxicated.

He felt that the Northern Dark True Energy in his body, which was sometimes effective and sometimes not, was gradually becoming tame.

Slowly, Zhang Jie and Kumārajīva—one was a cheater with a golden finger,

and the other was recognized by the Tantric Sect as the most talented person in a hundred years—their discussion was no longer limited to martial arts,

but began to touch upon the classics left by the sages of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, starting to interpret the classics with themselves and themselves with the classics.

And Duan Yu was worthy of being one of the children of luck in Tianlong; his talent and comprehension were both extremely high,

and with his deep family learning, he slowly began to join the discussion.

Although most of the time Zhang Jie and Kumārajīva were talking and he was listening carefully,

occasionally his remarks also made Zhang Jie and the others' eyes light up, which was very beneficial.

'This is probably one of the reasons why the founders of various sects wanted to establish their own sects.'

Zhang Jie was multitasking, discussing the Dao with Kumārajīva and Duan Yu while thinking about various problems.

No matter how wise an individual is, there are always omissions in their understanding of things.

Just like the fable of the farmer imagining the emperor using a golden plow to plow the land and a golden bowl to eat,

it is very difficult for a person to imagine things they have never been exposed to.

At this time, they need the insights of others to learn, imagine, and comprehend.

Discussing the Dao doesn't know the passage of time; in the blink of an eye, a day passed.

At night, after arranging for Kumārajīva and Duan Yu,

in the quiet room in the courtyard that Zhang Jie had specially renovated for practicing martial arts,

he took out the "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art" manual personally written by Kumārajīva,

which still carried a faint scent of ink.

"Dragon-Elephant means boundless power; Prajna means supreme wisdom.

The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art is to use boundless power and supreme wisdom to cross the sea of suffering,

to reach the other shore of fearlessness, without terror, with only great joy and great peace..."

The heavy meanings of the "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art" slowly flowed through Zhang Jie's heart.

'To put it plainly, it's actually using boundless power to defeat all demons and monsters,

and then using supreme wisdom to see through greed, anger, and ignorance...' Zhang Jie thought thoughtfully.

The so-called need to learn knowledge, arm the brain, and exercise the body, holding weapons.

Only after learning knowledge, practicing wisdom, and understanding the truth can one reason with others.

And only with power in hand can one make some idiots who only know how to refute,

or even want to destroy or kill, quiet down and listen to reason.

'What is the greatest in the world?'

This question that runs through "Yang Shen" suddenly appeared in Zhang Jie's heart.

And the answer of Hong Yi, the protagonist of Yang Shen, is: Reason is the greatest in the world!

And what is the greatest reason?

The answer is that the greatest reason is power!

Even if the weak scream with all their might, it is easy to be ignored,

while the strong are like thunder even when they whisper!

After understanding the meaning of the sutra, Zhang Jie began to practice the "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art."

An hour passed, and his joints made a crackling sound,

and his fair skin also became waxen yellow like yellow jade.

"The first layer of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art is done."

Zhang Jie shook his hand, feeling the strength that had increased slightly, but not much.

"Unfortunately, my idea of stacking martial arts failed."

A trace of regret flashed in Zhang Jie's eyes.

His strength had already reached a very high level, let alone other second-rate martial arts,

even the first layer of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art had a negligible effect on his enhancement.

Now it seems that I am afraid that only the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art of the eighth layer or even the tenth layer or above

can have an immediate effect on the improvement of his strength.

"Thirteen layers of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art."

Zhang Jie turned directly to the last few pages of the manual,

intending to take a look at this highest realm that was rumored to be miraculous.

Half an hour later, Zhang Jie, who had contemplated it, shook his head:

'This thirteenth layer of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art is just like the seventh layer of the Heaven-Moving Art,

both are theoretical realms imagined by the creator, and I'm afraid they cannot actually be practiced.'

Although the thirteenth layer is described as miraculous,

as if after completion one can ascend to the Western Pure Land, become a Buddha, and be an ancestor;

but according to Zhang Jie's analysis, most of the theories inside are empty and have no possibility of realization.

If you really practice according to what is recorded above, you will likely go into demonic deviation and die.

"However, for now, the first twelve layers are enough.

Besides, if I want to, it won't be difficult to create a real thirteenth layer in the future."

Thinking of the High Magic, High Martial, Xuanhuan, Xianxia, and Primordial Zhang Jies who had not yet arrived,

infinite self-confidence surged in Zhang Jie's heart.

Zhang Jie: The limit of my cheat is far above the thirteenth layer of the "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art"!