Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2375 - 193: Soul Search (Part 3)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
At last, by sifting through the memories that seeped from them, he assembled the full array of Cultivation Methods: the "Great Bliss Sutra," the "Wisdom Sea Liberation Sutra," and the "Prajna Dharma Sutra," which begins with a novice monk and advances straight to a Great Bodhisattva, along with the six Buddhist Divine Skills: Divine Footwork, Telepathy, Heavenly Vision, Destiny, Heavenly Ear Technique, and Leak Exhaustion Technique.
Individuals with either modest or elevated Cultivation Bases can grasp the first five, though whispers claim that solely the Buddha Lord holds the power to conquer the ultimate Divine Skill.
Furthermore, vague mentions arise of the so-called 'Karma Path,' 'Reincarnation Path,' and similar concepts, though details remain shrouded in mystery.
One additional element stood out, something Wang Ba repeatedly detected within these monks' memories: 'merit.'
From their earliest days, these monks were taught they entered the world stained by sin, and only through solemn vows and the steady buildup of merit could they inch closer to true bliss.
To achieve this, they must liberate all sentient beings from the flames and floods of suffering.
As to the reasons why all beings wallow in such peril, no deeper inquiry is required.
"So this drives their relentless assaults on other Domains?"
Wang Ba mused deeply, lost in contemplation.
He had already begun to dimly perceive the dire straits facing the Supreme True Buddha.
Maybe at the outset, the Supreme True Buddha's aims were pure, seeking enlightenment by saving all beings and harvesting merit in the process.
Yet once merit turns into a mere incentive instead of a heartfelt pursuit, the entire endeavor spirals into a fabricated catastrophe of immense scale...
Building virtue and performing righteous acts cease to be the end goal, transforming instead into mere tools.
And to save greater numbers and amass even more merit, one must rapidly gather additional forces, which in turn demands a swelling pool of souls in need of 'salvation,' fueling an ever-growing cycle of merit accumulation... a loop without end, compelling ceaseless expansion.
Until it engulfs the whole Third Realm Sea entirely, or clashes against formidable foes, bringing this boundless growth to a halt through its own downfall.
Such is the inescapable destiny awaiting the Supreme True Buddha.
It mirrors the grim fate befalling the Sea of Chaos, Duanhai Cliff, the four Great Realms, and countless other Domains that cross paths with the Supreme True Buddha.
"The only path forward is to utterly crush or eradicate this Dharma of the Supreme True Buddha!"
Wang Ba's face grew grave and resolute.
He dimly recalled his alternate Clone, Kong Zen.
That entity had once sworn a mighty vow, yearning for the inhabitants of Little Cang World to escape their torments forever.
Upon fulfilling that pledge, it soared instantly from the Nascent Soul Realm into the Void Refinement Realm, then underwent Nirvana and achieved Cultivation Ascension.
During that moment, his primary self lingered only at the Immortal Ascension stage.
This explosive leap left him utterly perplexed; beside it, the grueling labors of ordinary cultivators appeared downright laughable.
He hadn't delved into the reasons back then; reflecting now, Kong Zen's path to power likely echoed that of the Supreme True Buddha in many ways.
The realization that followers of the Supreme True Buddha could skyrocket their Cultivation Base via this approach chilled him to the core.
"But where has Kong Zen vanished to?"
His eyes drifted toward the pristine treasure elephant 'Elephant Forty-Nine' perched upon the Western Continent, patiently awaiting the young monk's homecoming, a wave of quiet sorrow washing over him.
He'd hoped to encounter the young monk beyond these confines, yet no tidings of him had surfaced.
Had that one been present, with his innate gift for Buddhist Law, he might have swiftly mastered these Dharmas, perhaps even unlocking the six grand precepts, deciphering the enigmatic golden markings on those monks, and breaching the Immortal Pass.
Still, despite the absence, Wang Ba refused to yield.
Wasting no moments, he dove straight into examining these tomes of Cultivation Methods.
Commencing with the "Great Bliss Sutra," though he started from zero knowledge, his profound realm allowed immediate immersion with a single look.
He fully grasped how the essence of these Cultivation Methods diverged from the standard cultivator's framework.
Skipping over any refinement of Mana, he proceeded to absorb the other two volumes in sequence.
Those latter two, however, delved beyond mere Mana cultivation, incorporating profound advancements in realm as well.
Such hurdles posed no barrier to Wang Ba, who devoted decades to their thorough understanding...
But on this particular day.
A tremendous thundercloud erupted, shattering his profound trance.
Wang Ba lifted his gaze, detecting the might of the Thunder Tribulation alongside the drain on Power of Creation, a flicker of astonishment crossing his features:
"Hmm? Is someone on the verge of entering the Tribulation-Transcending Realm?"