Becoming a Deity from Planting the Bodhi Tree

"Zen and Buddha's Destiny and such, are in fact the manifestation of the intrinsic nature of the human spirit, also known as the aura of the Heart Image."

Ji Jingqiu asked, "Does this Heart Image have any relation to the Mental Realm of the Fifth Realm in Martial Arts?"

"There's a connection, but not much," Zhang Chongba smacked his lips, "Put simply, Heart Image is the embodiment of a person's thoughts combined with their Mental Realm, it's the externalization of the inner self.

The Mental Realm is like a mirror.

It reflects who you are.

You can deceive the people closest to you, but you can never deceive yourself, so what kind of person you are, can be clearly seen through the Heart Image.

Yet trying to glimpse into the Heart Image of others, even if they are just ordinary people, is an impossible feat.

However, a hint of the aura of one's Heart Image can still be distinguished."

Ji Jingqiu asked, "Can Visualization Methods affect the world of the Heart Image?"

Zhang Chongba pondered for a moment and said, "Visualization Methods and Heart Image actually influence each other.

If the Visualization Method fits well with one's Heart Image, a Martial Artist's practice speed with those Visualization Methods will be extremely fast.

Otherwise, if there's a mismatch and one forcibly cultivates, then it's a process of subtly transforming their own Heart Image.

For instance, practicing the 'Starving Tiger Holding a Knife' over a long period generally tilts one's Mental Realm towards decisiveness in killing—it's a lethal Visualization Method.

However, how it actually turns out still depends on the individual."

Ji Jingqiu understood in his heart; it seemed that much of the Zen displayed in himself, as perceived by others, largely originated from the Fire House Buddha Hell Visualization Method.

Not to mention anything else, just take the little Bodhi tree in his mind.

Bodhi itself is a holy tree of Buddhism.

In the past, Sakyamuni attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

Ji Jingqiu quickly asked, "A lethal Visualization Method? Are Visualization Methods classified like that?"

"Brother, do you know the true meaning of Visualization Methods?"

Hearing this question, Ji Jingqiu recalled what Master Yang had said earlier.

"To safeguard us in the Spirit Ocean?"

"Exactly, the existence of Visualization Methods is to guard the Dao! The Spirit Ocean is enigmatic and extraordinarily dangerous; Visualization Methods are our swords and shields."

Zhang Chongba spoke fluently, "Opposite to the school of killing, is the school of saving lives. These two are the mainstream schools of Visualization Methods today."

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but be curious.

Which school does Fire House Buddha Hell belong to?

"You just asked about the background of the Supreme True Buddha Sect, and that brings us unavoidably to the 'saving lives' school."

Zhang Chongba squinted his eyes and slowly said,

"According to the archived records sealed by the Administration Bureau, the Supreme True Buddha Sect was initially established early in the Federation's founding. They are staunch supporters of the saving lives school, believing that the worldly fires are unextinguished, suffering is everywhere, and by saving others, one saves themselves, thereby reaching the other shore, enjoying the Great Freedom Fruit Position, and achieving Bodhi.

In the early days, they maintained the order of the Federation in their way, and although there were occasional conflicts with the Administration Bureau, everything was within a controllable range.

Until... someone in the Federation created the first artificial God, taking the thought of a Martial Arts Master as the core.

Although the incident was quickly suppressed by the Federation and regulations were strictly issued prohibiting it, the involved personnel and materials were detained and sealed by the Federation immediately and never appeared again, but the incident still had a profound impact.

This included changes in the Supreme True Buddha Sect."

Ji Jingqiu's eyebrows twitched at the information.

An artificial God fashioned out of the thought of a Martial Arts Master?!

Then what is this God that has been created?

Is it the original person, or a newborn God?

Leng Dao suddenly said, "Humans have always coveted the powers of Gods, the genetic editing craze 120 years ago was such, it was the same back then, and they never learn their lesson."

The power of a God?

Does it mean... creating life?

Is a God also a form of life?

Zhang Chongba continued:

"The changes within the Supreme True Buddha Sect are greatly related to this matter, because in their eyes, the Great Freedom Fruit Position is what they call the divine right of authority."

"After that, those fellows split into two factions.

One faction continued to honor the old system.

While the other faction put forth a very grandiose goal—

They believe that the Three Realms are as a Fire House, and all spirits are dull-witted; only a True Buddha who possesses the Supreme Wisdom Light and manifests in the world can create a Void Pure Land and embrace all streams to save the common folk.

At that time, the Buddha Country will encompass all Three Realms and Ten Directions, and the world will be free of the Bitter Sea.

Thus, they spared no effort in collecting the mental impressions left by all Martial Arts strongholds in an attempt to create the 'Supreme True Buddha' who will save the world.

In this process, they continually compromised and distorted their own scriptures, and ultimately plunged into the complete Demon Path."

Ji Jingqiu understood.

In the eyes of those who advocated for saving others as a means to achieve their own deity-hood, if a God could be manufactured, then wouldn't the lifelong dream he had been striving for and his steadfast dedication all along be turned into a joke?

Madness is the norm!

Zhang Chongba shook his head and said:

"For someone with profound Buddha's Destiny like you, in the past, you would have been enough to become the Buddha's son of the Supreme True Buddha Sect, a position that could be described as an ascent to the heavens with a single step.

But now... you would only be reduced to nutrients and puppets for the crafting of that True Buddha."

Ji Jingqiu asked in shock: "Did they really create a Supreme True Buddha?"

Zhang Chongba scoffed: "That so-called True Buddha is nothing but a monstrous creation made of a mishmash!

If you encounter people from the Supreme True Buddha Sect later on, be careful. They are most adept at techniques of spiritual pollution, which is how they worship that monstrous formation."

Ji Jingqiu blinked, and instantly recalled the Jade Buddha.

Was the spiritual power within the Jade Buddha derived from the monstrous creation made by the Supreme True Buddha Sect?

Damn, wouldn't that be a lot of fertilizer?!

Ji Jingqiu's heart thumped wildly.

The energy contained in a piece of Jade Buddha made the little tree sprout a leaf.

If an entire True Buddha were buried, how many leaves would it produce!

And the more leaves there are, the larger his Pure Land will expand!

One leaf for one foot, a hundred thousand leaves would amount to...

Too much, too much, beyond calculation!

Ji Jingqiu suddenly felt a bit strange.

Why does it seem... that he himself is the Supreme True Buddha they are waiting for?

Tonight's online friends' meetup has come to an end.

Zhang Chongba and Ji Jingqiu arranged to meet at the Martial Arts Hall the next day, then wiped his mouth and said he was going to make preparations, predicting that he could set up a snare near his house tonight.

If Li Buyi doesn't show up, that's fine, but once he does, he will ensure there's no return!

...

After returning home, Ji Jingqiu practiced his Pile Skill as usual, and went to bed punctually at ten o'clock.

That night, he rarely met with the Duke of Zhou and had a beautiful dream.

In the dream, he diligently worked like a little bee, disassembling a golden Buddha into countless pieces, then burying them one by one under the roots of the little Bodhi tree.

Relying on the nourishment from the golden Buddha, the little Bodhi tree grew taller and taller, eventually becoming a majestic Divine Tree connecting heaven and earth.

He stood below the tree, looking up, and the tree seemed endless, soaring infinitely high, as if piercing through countless worlds, with no sight of the canopy.

Billions of leaves gently swayed, and Glazed Glass Light burst forth, piercing through layers of darkness, supporting an immeasurable Pure Land, enveloping the Three Realms and Ten Directions.

The dreamer beneath the tree, as if just awakened, pointed one hand to the sky, touched the earth with the other, and recited the profound words:

"Between heaven and earth, I Am Supreme"