Becoming a Deity from Planting the Bodhi Tree

Ji Jingqiu hurried back home along the way he came.

Once home, he first went to the kitchen and gulped down the medicine that had been prepared in advance.

It was bitter, so bitter that it contorted his face into that of an old man's grimace on a subway.

He was grateful first and foremost to his parents of this life for managing to survive this long while afflicted with Evil Poison Disease.

If at the beginning they had chosen euthanasia, the then speechless Ji Jingqiu would have been gone.

Both his parents were scholars; since Ji Jingqiu's birth, they had dedicated themselves to researching the etiology and cure of Evil Poison Disease.

Five years ago, his parents suddenly disappeared without trace, leaving him to live with his grandfather.

They also left behind a prescription.

The prescription couldn't reduce the pain during the outbreaks, but long-term usage could control the timing of the episodes, reducing and confining them to a specific time.

He had been taking the medicine for five years, managing to control the outbreaks to occur between 6 A.M. and 8 A.M., which allowed him to resume a normal life.

Before that, the unpredictably timed outbreaks interfered with living a normal life; he had to be extremely cautious even just stepping out the door, let alone attending school.

After consuming the medicine, Ji Jingqiu sneakily retreated back to his room with the Visualization Map in hand.

At this time, his grandfather had not yet woken up.

He hadn't informed his grandfather about going for a "drug clinical trial" downstairs; he didn't want the old man to worry.

Ultimately, the reason was the lack of money.

Whether in his past or present life, having money could take you anywhere, while lack of it stalled every step.

Five years after the departure of his parents, there were still some savings at home, but they were not enough to fund his dreams.

Ji Jingqiu set aside the Visualization Map, turned on the smart terminal, and began searching.

The technological level of this world surpassed his previous life, having already entered the era of interstellar colonization.

Many things that even rich and powerful people couldn't accomplish in his past life could be easily achieved in this era with some money.

For example, experiencing black holes up close, watching neutron stars collide...

Ji Jingqiu had seen videos related to that.

The captivating pink clouds formed from colliding neutron stars looked like a magnificent firework display in the universe.

And those "fireworks" scattered in all directions, were almost entirely composed of gold and platinum—materials that were extremely precious in his past life.

Comments in the video section mentioned bathing in a golden rain.

It was a spectacle that one couldn't witness in his previous life, no matter how much money or status you had.

Ji Jingqiu wanted to witness it, but the relevant sightseeing services required waiting; they were encounters of chance and not always available, and also priced high.

But a person should do meaningful things in a lifetime.

Only then it would not be a wasted journey to this world, despite all the suffering endured.

Ji Jingqiu looked up the nearest neutron star collision sightseeing group; it was scheduled for next year with a basic registration fee of two million...

Ji Jingqiu's breath became rapid.

The time on the upper right corner read 6:03 A.M.

Pain began searing through his nerves like a hot iron.

It felt as if a fissure had cracked open deep within his brain, with agony and molten lava spilling out, inflaming every nerve in his body.

In an instant, his forehead was covered with beads of sweat the size of beans.

The medicine left by his parents could reduce and control the timing of the episodes, but not without a cost.

The cost was the intensification of pain stacking upon each other.

To this day, the pain had already exceeded the spectrum of level 7.

The immense agony surpassed human endurance; it was indescribable pain.

Ji Jingqiu never even thought of trying to describe it.

He oscillated between fainting and consciousness, curling himself deeply into his blanket.

Moments later, a repressed and hysterical roar like that of a wild beast emanated from the room.

After enduring the first wave, Ji Jingqiu, seizing a brief interval, shakily reached out and flipped open the Visualization Map he had acquired from Elder Mu.

"If you don't want to die, practice martial arts."

The Visualization Map opened.

The view was still a sheet of scarlet.

But a line of text that he hadn't seen before slowly emerged:

"There is no peace in the Three Realms, the world is like a Fire House."

"My heart is like prison, capable of burning Heaven and Earth."

Ji Jingqiu's gaze was blurred; due to the severe pain, his vision was already unclear, and he couldn't even be sure whether the text was appearing on the map or floating in the void.

In that instant, his entire body tensed sharply!

At that moment, the second wave of agony struck.

The hoarse sound in his throat could no longer be restrained.

He struggled to imprint the Visualization Map into his mind, attempting to divert his attention.

The imagery in his mind was also a sea of red!

Fire rained from the sky, the earth burned, and all things in the world sank into the Bitter Sea, unable to extricate themselves.

The Bitter Sea was boundless, no matter how you struggled, wave after wave oppressed you from above, without any escape!

It was the suffering of birth, aging, illness, and death, encountering hostility, separation from loved ones, unfulfilled desires, the overwhelming power of one's constituent elements—these were the Eight Sufferings of life!

At that moment, as if someone came from the other shore holding a Green Lamp to guide the souls.

He bowed his head and asked himself:

"Life has Eight Sufferings, what should be done?"

"Struggle to cross! Struggle to cross! Only crossing will do!"

"The world is like the Bitter Sea, swim across with your body!"

It was like a sudden wake-up call—

His mental realm in that instant was unusually peaceful.

All kinds of chaotic emotions of love and hate immediately distanced themselves.

As if his soul had departed his body, Ji Jingqiu, at this moment, viewed himself from a third party's perspective, watching his own body convulsing in disease, feeling unrestrained from his physical form.

It felt like the sky was vast and the earth wide, he could go anywhere.

But this sensation was ultimately fleeting.

He awoke from that transcendent state, dragged back into the deep sea of pain by crashing waves.

Ji Jingqiu strained to maintain clarity, feeling an unprecedented joy in his heart.

Brief... but effective!

Truly effective!!

This was an unprecedented discovery!

Currently, the Federation had no medication that could suppress or reduce the painful symptoms during the outbreaks of Evil Poison Disease.

But this Visualization Method seemed to be able to!

Elder Mu did not point him in the wrong direction; Martial Arts could indeed save him from dire straits!

His eyes wide open, he stared intently at the visualization map, trying to re-enter the situation he just experienced, using it to alleviate the endless agony.

Like a person plunging into the deep sea, seeing that ray of sunlight falling into the pitch-dark ocean bottom.

Not too much, nor too little, he would grasp it with all his life.

In the torment of endless pain, he finally found the opportunity and re-entered the mysterious experience he had before.

At that moment, it felt as if his spirit traveled to all eight extremes, his mind wandering boundlessly.

When Ji Jingqiu opened his eyes again.

Before him was a strange new world.

He sat cross-legged; a small tree rooted before him, its form both ethereal and real, gently swaying, emanating a warm, green light, establishing a Three Feet Pure Land.

Beyond the three feet, was a scene of purgatory.

Ji Jingqiu looked around; the sky tilted northwest, the earth sunk southeast, burning vivid blood spilled from the skies, firelight swallowed the earth, and fierce flames roasted the Pure Land he was in.

His mind was bewildered, unsure of where he was, whether the scenes before him were real or false.

Suddenly, the small tree in front of him burst forth with Glazed Glass Light, containing Great Purity, Great Wisdom, Great Brightness, Great Freedom, Great Bliss, deeply zen in flavor, directly pointing to the soul, shining through all mist of darkness.

It felt as if an epiphany bubbled up through Ji Jingqiu's heart like spring water.

So this was the depths of his soul.

It was also the "Inner World" he visualized.

Who knew if it was thanks to the "Dao Power" he had accumulated over the past sixteen years, he was incredibly in tune with this Visualization Method.

In mere moments, he utilized a hint of Divine Intent contained in the visualization map to self-generate the Three Feet Pure Land.

This unordinary small tree in front of him was the nascent form of a Martial Arts Divine Power naturally accompanied after generating his own Pure Land.

It is called the Bodhi Treasure Tree, possessing the Supreme Wisdom Light, shining through all darkness with Great Wisdom.

It is also the very foundation that supports this Pure Land.

Within three feet, there lies a Pure Land, the other shore of the heart.

Beyond three feet, the world is engulfed in bloody fires, a sea of suffering.

From this moment.

I reach the other shore in my heart,

For innumerable calamities, it forbears.

...

The room's clock pointed to 7:49.

Ji Jingqiu gradually awoke.

The pain that had permeated his body had dissipated.

Struggling, he sat up, took a deep breath, and went to the bathroom inside the house to wash off the aches and sweat from his body.

The cold water flowed down from above, dousing his body and making him shiver.

One hour and forty-six minutes of torment, he had "hidden" away for at least half an hour using the Fire House Buddha Hell Visualization Method!

And this was just his first practice.

Ji Jingqiu finally saw a glimmer of hope to end his suffering.

After drying off, Ji Jingqiu walked out of his room where breakfast was already prepared on the table.

Grandfather had gone out to play Mahjong again.

Ji Jingqiu swiftly finished his breakfast and returned to his room to start his online classes.

He had put much effort into humanities this lifetime, particularly interested in the history of the Federation from the planetary era to the large colonial era.

Until noon at twelve o'clock, Ji Jingqiu concluded his morning studies.

He tidied up briefly and then went out, making his way to the snack street next to the residential area.

He didn't eat much in the morning, usually saving space for lunch.

The clouds were light and distant in the sky, breezes occasionally sweeping through the pathway, making the light sliced by the leaves dance on the ground like water grass in a pond.

This snack street beneath Ji Jingqiu's feet had some history; some shop signs even had creeping vines hanging over them.

A loudspeaker hung at the entrance of the rice noodle shop continuously broadcasting the owner's latest dish; the owner of the shop named Old Wang's Fried Treats was an old man squinting and sunbathing at the entrance, beside him an old radio blaring loudly...

"Qiu's here? The usual three items today?"

"The dorayaki will be out soon, just wait a bit longer, Qiu!"

"Qiu, come quickly, I've improved the recipe based on your suggestion, now it's called 'Hot and Sour Noodles'!

"Qiu, no offense, but the sweet chicken racks you mentioned will never appear in my shop!"

...

Just entering the snack street, Ji Jingqiu's Adam's apple bobbed, stomach growling with hunger.

He was a regular here.

Many shop owners had watched him grow up.

Madam Qiu made hot and sour noodles from his past life suggestion; bright red chili oil and a slight tartness from vinegar mixed with the spicy ginger and garlic taste instantly ignited Ji Jingqiu's taste buds.

He sweated from his forehead as he ate.

Meanwhile, potato slices and chicken racks were ready from the fryer.

The potato slices fried golden, evenly coated with sweet sauce, crispy on the outside with a thin layer of mashed potato inside, offering a dual texture, Ji Jingqiu gulped down three strings in succession.

Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, delicious.

Freshly fried chicken racks sizzled with oil, slightly charred on the edges, presenting an enticing golden-red color, the aroma of chili powder and cumin wafting over, and Ji Jingqiu took a big bite from the arrow-shaped crispy bone in the middle of the chicken racks.

Crispy but not burnt, delicious.

Mr. Zhang's chicken wings stuffed with fatty intestines was still so flavorful, delicious.

Mr. Ye's freshly baked dorayaki, today's red bean paste filling was too sweet, but still delicious.

Zhang's green bean soup was nice and grainy, but too icy; the honey pomelo tea had some bitter and tart taste from the pomelo peel not completely removed...

Yet these seemingly flawed aspects were all his favorites.

He also liked the white porcelain bowls and spoons from Zhang's that felt like ice brushing against his forehead.

The cold bowl pressing against his forehead seemed to reach deep into his nerves, quenching the burning pain of illness.

Ji Jingqiu indulged himself all the way from one end of the long street to the other until he could eat no more with a bulging belly.

He slowly sat down on a long bench, comfortably squinting his eyes.

The leaves overhead blocked most of the sunlight, enveloping the bench in shadows.

These years, he had persisted through great difficulties, often restless, harboring thoughts of preferring death; thus, he lived very cautiously, paying extra attention to enjoying the small beauties of life to fill his weary soul.

After all, only delicious food and landscapes along the way should not be disappointed in life.

He made up his mind.

Practice Martial Arts! He decided to engage in Martial Arts!

He still had many landscapes he wanted to see.

Many delicacies he wished to try.

Most importantly, life should be filled with unlimited beauty.

He did not want to die.