Chapter 122

"In heaven and on earth, only I am supreme."

This sentence is not a domineering declaration, but a Buddhist verse. The key is not in "supreme," but in "only I."

Buddhism says everything is empty; practice is to cultivate "I." This "I" refers to the true self, the original self, the self. Aside from "I," everything else can be let go; this is the essence of Buddhism.

Although this is said, scriptures are essentially boasting and standing and talking without feeling pain.

After all, Buddha is a figure floating in the sky, who can go without eating or drinking, can reincarnate, and naturally can let go of everything. If a living person also practices until they don't care about anything, then Li Miao won't give them any good looks.

The Muscle-Changing Sutra, Marrow-Cleansing Sutra, and Great Return Pill are almost the most precious things in Shaolin's inheritance. Xingchi's light treatment of these three, with the sentence "As long as people are still alive, what is a dojo," is already an extraordinary state of mind.

Yong Jie was silent and bowed his head to admit his mistake.

Xingchi then turned to look at Li Miao: "Lord Li, do you have any other questions?"

"Yes, it's just that I don't know if it's appropriate."

"Hahaha, just ask!" Xingchi laughed loudly.

"The monk is a dying person; if Lord Li has anything inconvenient to ask others, just ask me; the monk will take it all into the soil!"

Li Miao thought for a while before speaking.

"In that case, the late-comer will ask."

"In this Jianghu, the peak is already the end. But the late-comer checked ancient books, and in the previous dynasty, there were many who appeared above the peak. In this dynasty, there has only been one Ji Tianrui in the last hundred years, and he was killed once."

"Among this, what is the reason?"

As soon as Li Miao said this, the atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly stagnated.

After a long while, Xingchi smiled bitterly: "So that's how it is."

"I thought that Commander Zhu came to see me during the day, and Lord Li didn't come with his superior, but secretly came to see me in the middle of the night."

"This amazing skill of Lord Li was actually cultivated entirely by yourself?"

Li Miao twisted his fingers and raised his eyebrows.

"Master really knows the reason."

"And, this reason is related to the imperial court."

Both were smart people; they didn't need to make things clear to have already guessed some things.

Li Miao's three paths returning to one, in this Jianghu where there isn't even one expert above the peak, can be called shocking. But as an Imperial Guard Battalion Commander, actually coming to ask Xingchi this question exposed that his martial arts progress had little to do with the imperial court.

And these words of Xingchi also confirmed Li Miao's conjecture—the decline of martial arts in the Great Shu compared to the previous dynasty stems from the imperial court.

Xingchi waved his hand and sighed: "I'm sorry I can't tell you directly, Lord Li; as long as you are still in the imperial court, you will know sooner or later."

"It's just that these words shouldn't be told to Lord Li by a person outside the world like me."

"Can't say, can't say."

Li Miao smiled: "The late-comer was abrupt and made it difficult for you, Master."

"No matter, no matter." Xingchi waved his hand.

"In that case, the late-comer has one last question," Li Miao said.

"Shaolin has been passed down for a thousand years; after Bodhidharma passed away, were there any clues left behind on how to take the next step after three paths return to one?"

This question had troubled Li Miao for several years.

In terms of the progress of "Jin Gang," "Sumeru," and "Jiezi," Li Miao was very sure that he had reached the end.

After fighting Yun Zelin on Mount Tai, right now he could complete one path at any time and leave two paths incomplete. After that, by doing things slowly and using the effort of grinding, he would sooner or later be able to complete all three paths in one body.

But, then what?

Three paths completed, and there is no path to walk.

He vaguely felt that he was still missing a little something to truly reach the realm of Master Sanfeng and Master Bodhidharma.

But he had no clue about this little something.

The only ones in the world who might know where to find it are the imperial court, Wudang, and Shaolin.

The imperial court is clearly muddy water; before figuring out the bottom line, Li Miao didn't want to wade into it rashly. So he could only seek Wudang and Shaolin.

Right now, Li Miao finally asked this question to the person most likely to know the answer.

Xingchi nodded: "The monk knew Lord Li would have this question."

"It's just that my Shaolin inheritance has been long, and we have encountered perilous situations where we were almost destroyed several times, so many classics of predecessors have been lost."

"Moreover, although Master Bodhidharma had profound martial arts, he founded the sect based on Buddhist studies, and he didn't leave a definitive statement on this matter."

"So the monk cannot give Lord Li a definitive answer."

Li Miao sighed: "Is that so."

Although he vaguely felt that he might not get the answer he wanted, hearing Xingchi's answer, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

Xingchi waved his hand: "Although I cannot give Lord Li a definitive answer, the monk checked this matter in the temple's classics when I had achieved success in martial arts, and I gained some conjectures."

"Later, during that disaster in Henan, I damaged my foundation when saving people and gave up the idea of going further in martial arts. This matter was also put down."

"Since Lord Li asked, the monk will tell these conjectures to Lord Li, which can be considered throwing a brick to attract jade."

After saying this, Xingchi turned to look at Yong Jie: "You come and listen too."

After waiting for Yong Jie to respond and sit on the side, Xingchi slowly said to Li Miao.

"Lord Li, since you are not deeply involved with the imperial court and have already had three paths return to one."

"Have you tried, after taking that step, to self-incomplete your realm through some method, thereby avoiding the 'Five Decays of Heaven and Man'?"

Shaolin really has a deep foundation; Xingchi's martial arts realm is not very high, but just from a few words with Li Miao, he had already guessed Li Miao's situation.

Li Miao nodded: "What you said, Master, is correct."

"Back then, I first practiced 'Sumeru,' then practiced 'Jin Gang.' With two paths in one body, I immediately fell into the 'Five Decays of Heaven and Man' and almost lost my life."

Xingchi nodded.

"Lord Li is indeed not an ordinary person, actually being able to survive this matter."

"It's just, has Lord Li thought about what the term 'Five Decays of Heaven and Man' represents?"

"The predecessors who called this situation 'Five Decays of Heaven and Man' back then, did they just find a suitable term from my Buddhist scriptures and stick it on?"

"Is it just because the external manifestations of the two are similar?"

Li Miao's eyes brightened.

"Please enlighten me."

Xingchi nodded: "This term refers to the five strange phenomena manifested when the lifespan of a heavenly being is about to end."

"The so-called heavenly beings refer to the gods living in the heavenly realm. From the beginning of their existence, they have transcended, enjoying all kinds of divinity, and their state of mind does not need to be polished, naturally completed."

"When these heavenly beings are about to die, five kinds of manifestations will appear: filthy clothes, withered flowers on the head, sweating under the armpits, foul-smelling body, unhappiness in one's original seat, etc."

Speaking to this point, Xingchi paused.

"But, thinking to this point, the monk naturally had a question."

"Why would heavenly beings who are already completed die?"

"The practice is already enough, so how could they fall off the lotus seat?"

Li Miao is not very interested in religion and has no way to discuss it with Xingchi.

Xingchi also saw this point, smiled, and continued.

"Let's talk about this above the peak; in Shaolin's inheritance, this realm, whether it is one path, two paths, or three paths, is called the 'Heavenly Being Realm'."

"Because no matter how many paths, as long as it is cultivated, it is that the practice is already enough, already 'completed'."

(End of chapter)