Chapter 570: The Truth

Ever since waking up, Jianzhen had worn a smile whenever he saw Li Miao, looking every bit the high-ranking, enlightened monk. But in this instant, his defenses were finally breached, and his expression completely lost control.

"Benefactor... you?"

He was dumbfounded.

Li Miao appeared puzzled.

"Hm? What is it, Master?"

He looked down at himself and laughed.

"Oh... heh, just a little effort and talent, Master, please don't laugh at me."

Jianzhen was silent.

After a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"It seems my previous remark that your comprehension could rival that of Patriarch Bodhidharma was a sign of my own shallow insight. Your comprehension and natural talent are even above those of Zhang Sanfeng!"

"I can tell that you must have obtained a Jizhao cultivation method before and gained some insight into it, which is why I thought you should be able to master it within three years..."

"Yet I never expected it to take only an instant!"

Jianzhen no longer had the heart to maintain his high-monk demeanor; he slapped his own thigh with his left hand, making a loud *slap-slap* sound.

"Only an instant!"

"If this hadn't happened right before my eyes, I would surely have taken it for a joke. Even seeing it with my own eyes, I can hardly believe it!"

"My comprehension before you is truly no better than dog-urine moss!"

Li Miao had been enjoying Jianzhen's flattery, but upon hearing the term "dog-urine moss," his face stiffened. He thought to himself, *What the hell, what did dog-urine moss ever do to you people? * He no longer had the heart to listen and just laughed.

"Master, you flatter me. Let's set that aside."

"I originally thought you had the manual for the True Constancy Realm, which is why I said I wanted to ask two questions. But since you don't have it on hand... could you explain it to me?"

"Also, I previously felt that the keys you left in the Four Gates Original Intent Sword Art inheritance, when combined, formed the True Constancy manual. Since you don't have it, what exactly is that thing?"

Jianzhen slowly shook his head.

"Let's talk about the True Constancy Realm first."

"Benefactor, which are you more familiar with, Daoism or Buddhism?"

Li Miao chuckled.

"If it's convenient, it's better to explain it using Daoist terms... After all, the Emperor of my generation is quite fond of Daoism, and I come from an official background, so I know a bit more about Daoist things; I know less about Buddhism."

"Using Daoist terms makes it easier for me to understand."

Jianzhen nodded.

"Very well, let us speak from the Daoist perspective."

"True Constancy responds to things; True Constancy attains nature."

"In Daoist concepts, True Constancy refers to the original state of being without delusion or thought, pure and natural. In the concept of Daoist alchemy, it is the constant state where essence, Qi, and spirit are unified."

"If I had to describe it in one phrase, it would be 'manifestation of essence'."

Li Miao raised an eyebrow.

"Like the Venerated God Sword Art of Shintoism?"

Jianzhen showed a look of disdain and let out a cold laugh.

"Heh, Benefactor, you must be joking!"

"Cultivating nature, body, and heart is all about cultivating oneself. As Shakyamuni said: 'In heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one.' That so-called Venerated God Sword Art puts a beast or monster in one's heart; it is utter bullshit—Amitabha."

Jianzhen accidentally broke his verbal vow and quickly stopped, reciting a Buddha's name to show his repentance.

Li Miao calmly glanced at Jianzhen's right side, narrowed his eyes, and clenched his fists.

Jianzhen was an enlightened high monk; his realm of Buddhist practice was likely even higher than Xingchi's. Every movement of his had long reached the realm of "following one's heart without overstepping the rules." How could he accidentally break a verbal vow?

From the moment Jianzhen woke up until now, he had never mentioned his right side, and he turned a blind eye to the bizarre and cruel corpse-lotus beneath him. This completely contradicted the compassion of Buddhism! He was originally betrayed and killed by the monks of Enryaku-ji precisely because he was too compassionate; how could he turn a blind eye to these corpses all over the ground!

Moreover, this lotus platform made of corpses was itself a Buddhist image, and it likely came from Jianzhen's own hand... Although this Master Jianzhen spoke with clear logic, to be honest, he might not be entirely sane.

It seemed that this heart-to-heart talk spanning eight hundred years would soon come to an end.

A cold glint flashed in Li Miao's eyes.

Jianzhen's voice continued.

"In short, the essence of the True Constancy Realm is to manifest one's own nature, integrating it into every move and style, influencing external things with one's own heart."

"The Venerated God Sword Art, heh, although it is a heterodox path, it is somewhat close. It's just that if one cultivates the right path, one should manifest one's own image when attacking!" ===== CHAPTER 571 =====