“The Dao Devouring Physique?”
Since Ao Shun could tell, Long Shenwu naturally could tell too. No wonder the Spirit Mountain Holy Land refuses to let the beggar go.
The Dao Devouring Physique? Long Shenwu narrowed his eyes. If this youth is used well, he will be a strong force in the future. Gu Hai? No wonder he persisted in this.
“Prince?” Sima Changkong called out softly.
Long Shenwu’s face sank. Gu Hai? The Spirit Mountain Holy Land? He did not want either to get the beggar. However, he had to pick the lesser of two evils.
“The victor is already decided. Bodhisattva Jie Dong, please honor your word!” Long Shenwu suddenly called out.
When Long Shenwu spoke, the Elite Hall disciples guffawed, “Hahaha! Hall Master, we won!”
“The Dao Devouring Physique?” Gu Hai stared at the beggar for a while, then looked at Ensnaring Performance with some surprise.
“Master, what’s going on with Zhengfa Ming? He is in great pain. Will he die?” Ensnaring Performance asked anxiously.
Ao Shun smiled and said, “He won’t die. He just gained a great opportunity. He completely devoured the Dao of the earlier ‘Great Compassion Mantra’ and could not digest it all at once. He will be fine soon.”
“Oh? That’s good.” Ensnaring Performance heaved a sigh of relief.
“Did you know about his Dao Devouring Physique?” Gu Hai looked at Ensnaring Performance quizzically.
“I did not!” Ensnaring Performance shook his head.
“Then, why are you so insistent on taking him away? I’ve heard what the surrounding citizens said earlier. This beggar is an orphan and alone. Are you pitying him? That is not in your character.” Gu Hai eyed Ensnaring Performance suspiciously.
“How could I not pity…” Ensnaring Performance wanted to argue.
However, Gu Hai glared, and Ensnaring Performance immediately stopped despite usually being very thick-skinned. After all, Gu Hai knew how thick-skinned Ensnaring Performance was.
“Uh…it’s because up until today, he is the only person who can appreciate my songs, aside from Master,” Ensnaring Performance said softly.
“Songs?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows.
As if he appreciated it. Ensnaring Performance’s songs carried a harsh-to-the-ears attribute; no one could bear it.
“Could it be that he could not reject them because he is mute?” Gu Hai asked with a frown.
“That’s not it. He likes it very much, even clapping happily to it. He is different from others. I have traveled to many places over the past few years, and this is my first time seeing this. I have met other mutes before, but they all ran while covering their ears. Even the deaf ran away while covering their ears. However, Zhengfa Ming does not do that. He really likes my songs,” Ensnaring Performance countered anxiously.
Gu Hai gave Ensnaring Performance a strange look. There are people who appreciate your songs?
“So, you did your best to protect the beggar because he likes your songs and not because of his Dao Devouring Physique?” Ao Shun looked at Ensnaring Performance in confusion.
“Indeed. Master said that money is easy to come by, but a friend keenly appreciative of one’s talents is rare. Since I found such a friend, I must do my best to protect him.” Ensnaring Performance nodded.
Ao Shun: “…”
The distant Long Shenwu: “…”
The Spirit Mountain Holy Land monks: “…”
This reason gave many people a headache.
No matter what, Gu Hai had won and the Spirit Mountain Holy Land had lost. That was an indisputable fact.
“No, no! This cannot happen. We have to bring this beggar back to the Spirit Mountain Holy Land! Cough! Cough! Cough!” Bodhisattva Zi Zhu said while glaring and coughing blood.
The kāṣāya-clad monks also looked at Bodhisattva Jie Dong worriedly.
Bodhisattva Jie Dong appeared anxious. How could he have thought that he would lose? “Sonata Pathétique” was no match for the Demon Purifying Scripture at all. Who could have expected Gu Hai to come up with the “Great Compassion Mantra”?
It is not certain whether Gu Hai composed the “Great Compassion Mantra” on the spot, but this is definitely the first time it appeared in the world.
I agreed earlier, but who could have expected defeat?
Bodhisattva Jie Dong wanted to go back on his words. However, he looked around and saw that the citizens no longer viewed Gu Hai’s group as demons. Some citizens even held their palms together as though in gratitude for the “Great Compassion Mantra.”
What should I do? What should I do?
Bodhisattva Jie Dong held his palms together, and a spokesman said on his behalf, “Lord Future Buddha, this disciple is incapable. I sincerely plead with Lord Future Budhha to take charge!”
“We sincerely plead with Lord Future Budhha to take charge!” all the monks said anxiously, holding their palms together.
When the monks spoke, the watching citizens frowned.
“Bodhisattva Jie Dong, what’s wrong? Can’t afford to lose?”
“Indeed. You said it so resolutely earlier, saying that you would not trouble Gu Hai any further if you lost. Now, you are asking for reinforcements?”
“How can the Spirit Mountain Holy Land be like this? It turned out that the Buddhist holy land in my heart would take a person who reneges on their word to be a bodhisattva.”
“The Spirit Mountain Holy Land is only so-so. It looks like my Qian Nation is better. The heavenly emperor and the crown princes all honor their word.”
Many citizens revealed expressions of disdain. Even more citizens showed disbelief. These monks are too shameless, actually refusing to accept their loss?
At the same time, in a large palace hall, Heavenly Court City:
A dignified voice rang out. “The Dao Devouring Physique? This is the person you are seeking? Future Buddha, you did not tell us that previously.”
The Future Buddha’s voice rang out. “Qian Heavenly Emperor is wise. This is indeed the person we are seeking. While he has the Dao Devouring Physique, he devours only the Buddhist Dao. He is a person that my Spirit Mountain Holy Land has been anxiously searching for. Qian Heavenly Emperor already promised this humble one previously. I hope that Qian Heavenly Emperor will take charge and let this humble one take him back to the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.”
“We had promised you. However, your Spirit Mountain Holy Land lost him to the Qian Nation’s Elite Hall. You cannot blame us for it,” the Qian Heavenly Emperor said indifferently.
“That Bodhisattva Jie Dong was blindly overconfident, a very stupid thing to do. Their words cannot represent the Spirit Mountain Holy Land,” the Future Buddha said seriously.
“They cannot represent the Spirit Mountain Holy Land?”
“As long as Qian Heavenly Emperor gives that youth to the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, we can immediately expel Bodhisattva Jie Dong and the others from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. How about that?” the Future Buddha proposed.
Outside the hall, the Qian Nation officials and the Spirit Mountain Holy Land monks goggled.
The Lord Future Buddha is willing to expel Bodhisattva Jie Dong from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land? Bodhisattva Jie Dong is the Present Buddha’s disciple!
“Hah! How does your expulsion of those monks benefit us?” the Qian Heavenly Emperor immediately declined.
The palace hall fell silent.
“How about I let you observe my Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Reincarnation Pool once?” the Future Buddha suggested seriously.
“Oh?” The Qian Heavenly Emperor appeared tempted.
“That is already my best offer, Qian Heavenly Emperor,” the Future Buddha said with a soft sigh.
The palace hall fell silent again. The Qian Heavenly Emperor’s voice only rang out after a while. “The Reincarnation Pool? Lend it to us to observe once? That can only buy them one more chance, not the outright handover of the Dao Devouring Physique to you. Whether they can defeat the Qian Nation’s Elite Hall will depend on Bodhisattva Jie Dong himself.”
“That is sufficient. Many thanks, Qian Heavenly Emperor,” the Future Buddha immediately said.
Hearing Buddha Hall’s plaza, Heavenly Mao City:
Finally, after the monks pleaded with the Future Buddha for assistance, two voices reached Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s and Long Shenwu’s ears, respectively.
“Many thanks, Lord Buddha!” Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s spokesman said gratefully as he held his palms together.
Long Shenwu frowned slightly on his flying ship. Then, he bowed respectfully towards Heavenly Court City. “Yes, Eminent Father.”
“Third Uncle, did His Holy Eminence send you some instructions?” Long Aotian asked.
Everyone looked at Long Shenwu, not knowing what his Holy Eminence ordered.
Long Shenwu looked at the crowd and announced, “His Holy Eminence decreed that Elite Hall would have another music Dao duel with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land envoys at the Hearing Buddha Hall’s plaza to determine where the beggar goes.”
“What? His Holy Eminence said that?”
“The Future Buddha must have pleaded with His Holy Eminence!”
“How shameless! They’ve already lost but still insist on going again!”
“His Holy Eminence is benevolent, giving them another chance. I have misjudged the Spirit Mountain Holy Land!”
The surrounding citizens immediately criticized the monks.
Previously, they held very good attitudes towards the monks. Now, no matter how they looked at it, the Qian Nation was better. Even in cultivating Buddhism, my Qian Nation’s Elite Hall is no inferior to your Spirit Mountain Holy Land. It just casually composed a “Great Compassion Mantra” and defeated the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. I must have been blind for worshiping the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
The citizens all denounced the monks.
However, the monks did not care. They showed excited expressions.
Nearby, Ao Shun showed a sullen expression. If not for the Qian Heavenly Emperor saying something, Ao Shun would have fallen out with the monks. Now, they had to duel with the music Dao again? However, the beggar had already consumed the Dao of the “Great Compassion Mantra.” How were they to compete?
“Hall Master?” Mu Chenfeng looked at Gu Hai worriedly.
However, Gu Hai smiled faintly, not minding. “That’s fine. I believe that if the Spirit Mountain Holy Land loses again, they will not have the cheek to try again.”
“Humph!” the monks immediately snorted coldly.
The success of the “Great Compassion Mantra” allowed Gu Hai to relax significantly. The “Great Compassion Mantra” was already sufficient to beat them, but Gu Hai had the even more incredible “Diamond Sutra” and the “Heart Sutra,” which he had heard several times in the temples of his previous world. There was even a popular singer with the family name “Wang” on Earth who had sung them.
[TL Note: The “Heart Sutra” and “Diamond Sutra” are very popular with Buddhists. Here are their Wikipedia pages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Sutra and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Sutra.]
[TL Note: After some searching, I managed to find the singer referenced here. Her name is Faye Wong (Wang in pinyin). Here is her Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faye_Wong. Here are the Youtube links to her rendition of the “Heart Sutra” and “Diamond Sutra”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEnquAX71KA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edV5PJyUzdc. Unfortunately, I could not find one with English subtitles for the “Diamond Sutra.”]
Competing with Buddhist pieces and scriptures? I can recall several classics offhand.
Gu Hai revealed a cold smile, causing the monks’ faces to sink.
“How many layers of the Demon Purifying Scripture will there be this time?” Gu Hai smiled.
The one thousand arhats were still spewing out blood. How could they chant the Demon Purifying Scripture?
“There’s no need this time. I will handle it personally,” Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s spokesman said on his behalf.
“You? Bodhisattva Jie Dong?” Gu Hai frowned.
“That’s right,” Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s spokesman said.
“Aren’t you mute?” Gu Hai said in shock.
Bodhisattva Jie Dong: “…”
“Mister Gu, Bodhisattva Jie Dong probably cultivates the Unmoving Vow of Silence Meditation. Not that he is mute,” Ao Shun said with a bitter smile.
“The Unmoving Vow of Silence Meditation?” Gu Hai echoed in puzzlement.
“Yes, the Unmoving Vow of Silence Meditation and the World Cleansing Shut Eyes Meditation are both supreme techniques of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. When one cultivates the Unmoving Vow of Silence Meditation, one would be unmoving like a mountain. No matter how bright or dark the world is, demons cannot approach. Once the vow of silence is taken, one will not speak until one speaks for a final time to bring out a might that can split the world,” Ao Shun explained seriously.
“So, it is similar to the World Cleansing Shut Eyes Meditation, where one would open one’s eyes for one final time. For him, it would be speaking for one final time? He will die after that?” Gu Hai frowned.
“That won’t happen. After cultivating the Unmoving Vow of Silence Meditation, once one speaks, one will lose one’s cultivation rather than die,” Ao Shun said, shaking his head.
“How is he going to engage in a music Dao duel, then?” Gu Hai asked.
“By being unmoving, there will be Buddhist chanting around him that will slowly influence his opponent. Furthermore, the Unmoving Vow of Silence Meditation is immune to most music Dao. He can remain unmoved, regardless of the music Dao attacks, uninfluenced,” Ao Shun explained.
“That is to say that Bodhisattva Jie Dong will just sit there and let Ensnaring Performance attack him with his music Dao?” Gu Hai asked.
“Something like that. Most music Dao attacks are useless against Bodhisattva Jie Dong. However, the chanting around Bodhisattva Jie Dong will continuously influence his opponent. It might not be as powerful as the Demon Purifying Scripture, but over time, it would wear his opponent down into surrendering. I heard that Bodhisattva Jie Dong once dueled a music Dao master for half a year. Bodhisattva Jie Dong did not move at all, and that music Dao Master’s music Dao showed no effect on him. After listening to Buddhist scriptures for half a year, that music Dao master admitted defeat,” Ao Shun explained.
“The Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s people are completely shameless!” Mu Chenfeng said anxiously.
“It seems like I don’t need to pass any piece on to Ensnaring Performance.” Gu Hai suddenly showed a bitter smile.
“Huh?” Everyone looked at Gu Hai quizzically.
“Ensnaring Performance, sing for him, alright? Isn’t he good at enduring? Just keep singing. See how long he can last,” Gu Hai said with a strange expression.
“Sing for him?” Ensnaring Performance felt slightly startled.
