Becoming a Deity from Planting the Bodhi Tree

Four o'clock in the morning.

Dawn had not yet broken, the city still slumbered under the night sky, with dingy yellow street lights extending like veins throughout the urban area.

Ji Jingqiu jogged out of the residential complex, crossed the overpasses between the high-rises, and ran toward the lower levels of the urban circle.

This urban circle is called Taian City, the largest urban circle on East Three Bright Star, where Babylon Tower-like skyscrapers pierce the clouds like towering trees in a forest. The overpasses, green corridors, and conveyor belts form a complex and intertwined "branch system" that links this steel forest.

Ji Jingqiu looked up, glimpsing the gray-veiled sky through gaps in the long corridors of the overpass.

He felt like an insect, crawling from the trunk towards the roots before dawn.

As he descended deeper, there were no street lights here, nor much of a view of the sky, solely relying on the colorful neon signs of various establishments illuminating the ominous narrow alleyways.

He skillfully turned through alleyways, jogging along, his breath steady until he heard a grateful voice coming from around the corner.

"Mei, thank you for saving our lives last time, the teacher asked us to deliver this item to you."

"Just put it there and head back if there's nothing else."

The voice was lazy, detached, and cold, clearly that of a woman.

"Okay Mei, if you ever need help with anything, just let us know. Although Yang Yan Martial Arts Hall is small, we would repay your kindness!"

Ji Jingqiu continued moving forward.

Turning the corner, he brushed past three tall and muscular young men.

The leader glanced sideways at Ji Jingqiu but didn't stop.

Seeing Ji Jingqiu approach, the bored Mei's eyes lit up, as if she had found intriguing prey, and teased:

"Young man, haven't killed yourself yet? Last time you applied for a job here, I thought you didn't want to live. Turns out you just don't want to die."

She was dressed in a black, gold-trimmed cheongsam with high slits up to her thighs, her delicate chin held high, holding a jade cigarette holder.

Under the flickering light, her charming face and slightly pointed chin appeared even more alluring and three-dimensional.

"Come with me, Elder Mu has been waiting for you for a long time."

Mei wasted no words, leaning forward into the wooden door, her cheongsam revealing enticing curves.

Ji Jingqiu bent forward to follow. Behind the narrow wooden door lay a spacious interior, comparable to a floor-to-ceiling electronic screen, various sophisticated instruments, all highlighting the extraordinary status of the host.

A dry cough.

A bald old man emerged from the inner room, threw on a white lab coat, looking drowsy as if he had just woken up, hurriedly ran out, squeezing a dry smile on his face:

"You're here."

"It's rare to see such punctuality in young people."

Ji Jingqiu earnestly said, "Keeping promises is a good habit. When do we start? And when will you transfer the money?"

"I'll transfer it to you now," Mei replied with a warm smile, "We wouldn't dare delay your payment."

Hearing the terminal chirp with "30,000 credited," Ji Jingqiu showed a sunny smile for the first time.

Elder Mu squinted at him, said nothing, and had him lie on the medical bed.

"I'll repeat it one more time, during the drug trial I need real-time feedback from you, so you cannot pass out halfway..."

Ji Jingqiu patiently listened to his rambling, mentally responding to the job requirements.

"Let's begin."

The incandescent lamp above suddenly lit up, blindingly bright. Ji Jingqiu squinted and could only see vague outlines.

The next moment, over ten different psychiatric drug components were simultaneously injected into his body, quickly forming an invisible net through the circulatory system and beginning to target the designated neurons.

A tidal wave of pain spread from the brain to every corner of his body.

The pain was progressive, initially just a slight prickling in the flesh.

"Kid, does it hurt?"

"It's manageable."

"Hold on for a while; this thing's pain level is higher than your Evil Poison Disease."

Ji Jingqiu remained silent.

"Are you really in need of money?" Elder Mu asked again.

"Yeah."

"What do you need money for?"

"What doesn't require money?"

"… Evil Poison Disease, one of the few diseases in the Federation that permits euthanasia, and you've managed to survive until sixteen. I really want to commend you for being incredible."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Wanna talk about how you've felt these years?"

"Will you pay extra?"

"I'll add a twenty percent emotional surcharge for this."

"I don't want to die."

"That doesn't sound like a reason, more like self-mockery. Try another."

"Since ancient times, high talents endure heaven's trials; those who pass accumulate Dao Power."

"… Interesting," the old man murmured.

Suddenly, Ji Jingqiu's body trembled, the drugs began taking effect, dozens, hundreds of neurotransmitters released a flood of information, the pain intensified, far greater than before...

At that moment, numerous meaningless flashes of light appeared in his mind, like a runaway film projector, with past memories flashing through his brain.

In his previous life, he had just graduated college when he was diagnosed with ALS. In his confusion about the future, he saw a child drowning.

Being the son of two police officers, he didn't hesitate and jumped into the icy river to save the child, but because of sudden muscle weakness, he drowned.

As he fell into the dark river, he thought this life hadn't been lived in vain, and he hadn't disgraced his parents.

And when he opened his eyes again.

He found himself transmigrated into this world.

However, the start wasn't great; his transmigrated original body had been suffering from a terminal illness known as "Evil Poison Disease" since birth.

Evil Poison Disease, a remnant of the Federation's gene-editing craze from 120 years ago.

This terminal illness is a congenital genetic mutation. It is not lethal, but euthanasia is considered the most humane option.

Its etiology and pathogenesis are still not clearly defined, and its main symptoms are lifelong, sporadic, periodic body pain that cannot be suppressed by medication.

And the pain level of Evil Poison Disease is classified as level 7.

In medicine, pain is classified from levels 1 to 10, with the classic toothache ranging from levels 4 to 7.

This means that individuals born with this condition must endure daily "toothache" level pain from birth, and it cannot be suppressed by medication.

Euthanasia is the most humane consolation the Federation can offer.

...

The dazzling light overhead went out.

The contour in front of the eyes gradually became clear.

"Kid, are you alright?" Sir Mu's voice sounded.

Ji Jingqiu took a deep breath, grinned, and got up from the ground.

"That's it for today. Come back in a month. This way there won't be any after-effects. I'm going on a long trip starting tomorrow."

Ji Jingqiu checked the time; it had only been half an hour since he lay down on the medical bed.

He suddenly felt uneasy about the money in his hand and cautiously said:

"Is it over already? Just to clarify, I'm not going to refund the money..."

Hearing the young man's anxious tone about refunding, Sir Mu's face twitched, and he said irritably:

"Keep your worries to yourself, you definitely got more than your money's worth!"

It didn't sound like a compliment, but Ji Jingqiu, charged an emotional extra fee, didn't plan to argue.

Just as Ji Jingqiu was about to leave,

A suggestion, whether well-intended or malicious, suddenly came from behind.

"You're over sixteen, right? Start training in Martial Arts."

Ji Jingqiu paused in his steps.

Elder Mu behind him took off his white lab coat and said indifferently:

"The Evil Poison Disease generally doesn't let one survive past three years old, yet you've made it to sixteen, it seems you really don't want to die."

"If you don't want to die that badly, then start practicing martial arts. As long as you achieve something in martial arts, your illness could be greatly alleviated."

Ji Jingqiu's eyes lit up, then he puzzledly said: "Why haven't I found this information on the internet?"

Sir Mu sneered:

"Because in today's Federation Martial Arts, one can only begin cultivation at sixteen! And before you, I have never heard of any Evil Poison Disease patient who could last until they are old enough to practice Martial Arts!"

"Take this, this visualization map is wasted with me."

Ji Jingqiu caught a rolled painting Sir Mu threw at him.

He unfurled the Visualization Map and was instantly struck deep in his spirit.

A red sky burned above, the earth flowed with molten lava, and everywhere he looked was a scene of Purgatory.

With just one glance, he felt an assault from the panorama that touched his spirit deep down, this was no ordinary object.

"Thank you, Sir Mu." Ji Jingqiu changed his manner of address, showing respect.

His family elders had taught him, to particularly respect those with real ability who were willing to teach him.

Sir Mu seemed unaccustomed to this title and huffed:

"Don't thank me, I just think you are a good subject for testing medicine, I don't want you to die too soon.

The path of martial arts isn't solved with just a visualization map, the rest is for you to find your own way, such as Martial Arts Halls, dojos, etc."

He turned back to his equipment to organize today's experimental data and waved:

"You can leave now!"

Ji Jingqiu bowed his respects and said goodbye to Mei at the door, then left.

Once he had gone.

Mei leisurely walked in, lazily saying amidst the trailing smoke:

"Sir Mu, did you really give away your family's ancestral visualization map?"

"You didn't give him a fake, did you?"

"A replica imbued with Divine Intent." Sir Mu said indifferently, "Stolen from the family years ago, it has been of no use to me, what harm is there in giving it away? If you want to practice, I'll give you one too."

Mei muttered: "Forget it, that thing nearly crippled the so-called Martial Arts Pride, I can't afford it."

"You could try, you never know." Sir Mu joked, "Our family's Fire House Buddha Hell Visualization Method doesn't greatly depend on innate talent, it relies on willpower."

Mei curiously said: "Do you really think that kid can succeed?"

"If he can't, then probably no one in this world could." Sir Mu slightly lifted his head, his gaze losing focus.

"How so?"

"Our family's visualization, it requires an ordeal of entering worldly calamities, both physical and mental. Surviving ten calamities is comparable to a Lower Rank Visualization Method, a hundred calamities to a Mid-grade, a thousand to a Superior."

In today's Federation Martial Arts, body techniques, visualization methods are classified into four gradations:

Lower Rank, Mid-grade, Superior, and the Supreme Method.

Mei lightly exhaled smoke, said irritably: "Your ancestor was a maniac, no wonder he could create such methods! Are thousand calamities for humans to endure?!"

"This ordeal is not the same as that ordeal." Sir Mu was undeterred: "Everyone in the Federation knows that my Mu Family ancestor was most kind-hearted, in his life he only helped others, never harming."

His family's Visualization Method, named Fire House Buddha Hell, meant the world is like a flaming house, all beings are submerged in the Bitter Sea, only by saving others and oneself can one reach the Pure Land on the other shore.

Sir Mu, recalling the young man's determination to live, He murmured:

"Earlier inside, this kid said a very interesting sentence, which is also what compelled me to gift him this visualization method.

I'm not worried about whether he can succeed or not, just curious, how far this kid can go."

"What did he say?" Mei asked.

Sir Mu paused briefly then slowly said: "Since ancient times, high talents endure heavenly ordeals; those who pass accumulate Dao Power."

Mei's gaze suddenly sharpened.

That statement, it fits perfectly with the Fire House Buddha Hell Visualization Map!

Is it coincidence, or...

Sir Mu murmured:

"Thousand calamities correspond to the Superior Visualization Method, but Superior is not the limit of our family's visualization method—only that our later generations lacked abilities."

"In the past, my Mu Family ancestor led the way, founded a millennia-old foundation of the Federation, witnessed Heaven and Earth, living beings, and finally his True Self, creating his Self-Generated Pure Land, perfecting the method at the age of fifty-six, achieving a body capable of withstanding ten thousand calamities, lighting up the Great Divine Power of Supreme Wisdom Light."

"But if there was one person who from birth endured heaven's trials, each bout of illness another ordeal, who numerous times teetered on the brink of life and death, and fiercely survived from birth till the age of sixteen...

Would you say that is crossing his own physical existence through the Bitter Sea, could it be considered—

Enduring ten thousand calamities?"

Mei's pupils dilated, she blurted out: "Ridiculous!"

Thousand calamities already rank as Superior.

Ten thousand calamities, a path directly to the supreme heavens!

Sir Mu nodded calmly: "Indeed, what a ridiculous notion."

In this world, how could such a person possibly exist?