# Chapter 3167: Observing the World After Three Hundred Lifetimes
Seven days later.
Western Buddha Realm, beside the Reflection Pool.
Feng Xi and Compassionate Voyage Immortal both wore Buddhist robes, sitting facing each other.
They both cultivated with their hair still grown, one serene and natural, the other sacred and dignified, possessing both scroll-painting-like beauty and a transcendent, refined elegance.
"Having walked through the mortal world thirty-seven times, what insights have you gained?" Compassionate Voyage Immortal asked.
Feng Xi said: "Thirty-seven lifetimes passed in haste, like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, yet they left emotional realizations carved into the soul. Immortal, does the world within the Samadhi Secret Realm truly exist?"
"If you believe it exists, then naturally it exists. What is called formless and signless—only those who are truly formless can see through all illusions in the world." Compassionate Voyage Immortal said.
Feng Xi pondered, then smiled bitterly: "It seems I still have form and signs in my heart, which is why I cannot walk out of this rolling mortal world. I passed through thirty-seven lifetimes in confusion and had to leave the Samadhi Secret Realm. But my master has not yet come out and is still cultivating inside. This, perhaps, is the gap in our mental states."
Compassionate Voyage Immortal remained calm and peaceful throughout, elegant as an orchid, and said: "Life has eight sufferings, the most bitter is unattainable desire. Fellow Daoist Xi entered Buddhism seeking to let go, but the more you seek this, the more you cannot let go."
"Thank you for the guidance, Immortal."
Feng Xi pressed her palms together and bowed slightly.
A Buddhist practitioner should not be addressed with the title "Immortal."
But Compassionate Voyage Immortal had never refuted or rejected this title, precisely because she was formless and signless, and would not place such a mere form of address in her heart.
"Whoosh!"
In the sky, five-colored clouds appeared in a vortex pattern.
The Samadhi Secret Realm opened.
A beam of Buddha light flew out from the center of the five-colored vortex, landed on the ground, and condensed into the figure of Master Yuan Chen.
That day, after the five great divine monks arrived and repelled Xuan Yi, Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao had split into two paths—one heading to the Western Buddha Realm, the other returning to Kunlun Realm.
Zhang Ruochen's body flickered with Buddha light. With each step he took, lotuses bloomed beneath his feet. With each step, the fluctuations of spiritual power emanating from his body grew by a large margin.
After three hundred steps, he arrived at the Reflection Pool.
His spiritual power, which had been at the peak of the seventy-eighth rank, broke through the seventy-ninth rank, then climbed all the way to the middle stage of the seventy-ninth rank, the peak of the seventy-ninth rank...
When he took the three hundredth step, his spiritual power broke through the eightieth rank. The surrounding heaven and earth trembled, and the rules of heaven and earth became active.
In the sky, stars shifted and clouds moved.
On the ground, lotuses bloomed all over the Reflection Pool.
But as Zhang Ruochen calmed his thoughts, the entire heaven and earth calmed with him, even the ripples in the pool disappeared.
Compassionate Voyage Immortal smiled and said: "Congratulations to Master Yuan Chen for passing through three hundred lifetimes and greatly advancing his spiritual power."
"Immortal, how do you know that I, this humble monk, experienced three hundred lifetimes in the Samadhi Secret Realm?" Zhang Ruochen asked, puzzled.
Compassionate Voyage Immortal said: "With each step the master took, his spiritual power increased by one level. This shows that each step was an experience of one lifetime—one lifetime, one pause, one lifetime, one dream."
"Having passed through three hundred lifetimes of the mortal world, I observe the world again and sigh at its vicissitudes."
Zhang Ruochen sighed: "Unfortunately, I only experienced three hundred lifetimes. If I could experience three thousand, perhaps my spiritual power could directly reach the level where a single thought could decide the fate of heaven and earth."
"Master, thinking this way is precisely being attached to form. The cultivation of Samadhi lies in experiencing the principles of the human world and tempering one's mind, not in the strength or weakness of one's power."
Compassionate Voyage Immortal said: "In the past, Mahabrahma cultivated for six eons without entering the Infinite Realm, only immersing himself in Buddhist teachings and mental state. In Buddhist teachings, he forgot about cultivation, forgot about life. Yet, naturally and effortlessly, he reached the Infinite Realm, and moreover, did not need to go to Lihentian."
"To obtain without seeking—that is a great joy in life."
"Since there is no seeking, how can it become a great joy? The satisfaction of human desires is joy. Without desires or seeking, there is no joy or sorrow." Zhang Ruochen said.
Compassionate Voyage Immortal savored this carefully, then smiled with wisdom and grace: "Master, are you trying to debate scriptures and discuss the Dao with this junior?"
"I would not wish to do so." Zhang Ruochen voluntarily conceded defeat.
With his level of understanding, he could still fool Feng Xi, but if he truly debated with a Buddhist divine like Compassionate Voyage Immortal, he would certainly reveal his true colors.
Feng Xi stood up, bowed deeply to Zhang Ruochen, and said: "Master, your disciple has already awakened. Today, I plan to set out."
"Set out for where?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
She said: "To Hundred Clans Royal City! Since there are shackles in my heart, I will face the shackles directly and untie them. Whether it is Qing Pingzi or Zhang Ruochen, only by meeting openly and honestly can I completely untie the shackles and truly enter the Buddhist gate for quiet cultivation."
"Going there is too dangerous." Zhang Ruochen said.
"On the path of cultivation, dangers are everywhere. Only by not fearing danger can the heart become stronger."
Leaving these words, Feng Xi departed.
Sensing that she had flown out of the Western Buddha Realm, Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh.
Compassionate Voyage Immortal's black hair was like willow branches, and she smiled radiantly: "She can face danger without fear and confront her shackles directly—this shows she has great courage in her heart. Even if you take off your disguise and face her directly, I believe she can bear it."
Zhang Ruochen was greatly shocked in his heart. He looked at Compassionate Voyage Immortal, then laughed and said: "Indeed, there is always a sky beyond the sky, and people beyond people. Immortal, how did you see through my disguise?"
Compassionate Voyage Immortal appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with an immortal heart and Dao bones, sacred and inviolable. She made a gesture with her jade hand, poured a cup of clear tea, and motioned for Zhang Ruochen to sit down.
Zhang Ruochen sat down across from her, picked up the teacup, and took a sip.
"Ruochen's cultivation is now advancing by leaps and bounds. He is the undisputed leading figure of this eon. How could I possibly see through your transformation? But your entry into the Samadhi Secret Realm for cultivation cannot be hidden from Compassionate Voyage, because Compassionate Voyage is the Samadhi." Compassionate Voyage Immortal gazed into Zhang Ruochen's eyes, her gaze clear.
Zhang Ruochen did not know what she meant by "Compassionate Voyage is the Samadhi," but he understood that she was no ordinary being. Her attainment in Buddhist teachings was so profound that even those Buddhist great gods were far inferior.
"Good tea!"
Zhang Ruochen put down the teacup and said: "I ask the Immortal not to tell Feng Xi about this. This karmic entanglement with her has given me quite a headache."
"Karma is karma. As long as you do not regard it as a calamitous entanglement, why can it not be considered a good fate?" Compassionate Voyage Immortal said.
Zhang Ruochen said: "The Immortal does not understand human feelings, so do not advise Ruochen to form good karmic bonds."
In Zhang Ruochen's view, Compassionate Voyage Immortal and Zhen Yuan were true, pure Buddhist and Daoist cultivators. He admired their conduct, which was why even though his identity was exposed, he remained very calm.
Even without deep friendship, they could be considered Dao companions.
True Dao companions!
"Next time I come, Ruochen must enter the Samadhi Secret Realm to experience three thousand lifetimes, attain great perfection, and prove the Dao. Farewell!"
Zhang Ruochen transformed into a beam of golden light, breaking through the sky and departing.
"Zhang Ruochen, after all, is still that Zhang Ruochen. He has not forgotten the goodness in his heart!" Compassionate Voyage Immortal looked up at the sky, saying this with eyes full of smiles.
...
Leaving the Western Buddha Realm, Zhang Ruochen went straight through a space wormhole and returned to Kunlun Realm.
The space wormhole connected to the Eastern Domain, so Zhang Ruochen did not go to the Central Imperial City but first went to Wang Mountain.
Most of the Eastern Domain was shrouded in rolling demonic qi. The demonic Dao rules in heaven and earth were thick. Among the lofty mountains and steep ridges, flowers, grass, and trees all showed signs of demonization, transforming into aggressive plants.
Even cultivators and ordinary people had greatly increased aggression, with killings seen everywhere.
The cultivation speed of demonic sect cultivators was several times faster than in the past. As a result, demonic Dao forces led by the Moon Worship Demon Sect flourished, becoming popular in the Eastern Domain.
Zhang Ruochen knew that what happened at the North Marsh Great Wall must be related to the demonic Dao. At the same time, this force had also affected the entire universe, causing the demonic Dao to revive and the rules of heaven and earth to change accordingly.
With Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation, he could certainly manage the killings in the Eastern Domain, but he could not manage the revival of the demonic Dao, nor could he manage the human nature of billions of people.
To suppress the demonic Dao, one had to rely on those Infinite Realm strong ones who had gone on the northern expedition.
The place where the demonic qi was thickest was precisely the Heavenly Demon Mountain that had emerged from underground in the Heavenly Demon Ridge.
The demonic qi was as dense as ink. The sky was dark, and demonic creatures roamed the earth.
At the periphery of Heavenly Demon Mountain, Zhang Ruochen encountered a group of Moon Worship Demon Sect followers. They all had considerable cultivation, at least at the Half-Saint level, and had come here to gather demonic medicinal herbs.
Although Heavenly Demon Mountain had only recently emerged, in the territory that was once Heavenly Demon Ridge, a large number of demonic nature treasures had grown, and even the soil contained divine demonic aura.
"In ancient times, there was the Heavenly Demon Sect, which flourished for a time. This Heavenly Demon Mountain was the Dao field of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Legend says it is even a remarkable war weapon that can suppress and kill gods."
"Heavenly Demon Mountain was personally refined by the Heavenly Demon Lord, so naturally it is extraordinary."
"If we can gather the demonic medicinal herbs on Heavenly Demon Mountain, our cultivation will surely advance by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, there are great terrors on that mountain, and no one can get close."
...
Just as these demonic Dao cultivators were discussing, they saw a young man walking toward Heavenly Demon Mountain.
"Young man, do not be greedy. Heavenly Demon Mountain is not something your cultivation can challenge." An aged voice came from among the group of demonic Dao cultivators.
Zhang Ruochen had originally not wanted to pay them any attention, but upon hearing this voice, it was as if an electric current struck his heart. He stopped walking and looked back.
Among the group of demonic Dao cultivators stood a white-haired old woman.
Her face was covered in wrinkles, she was as thin as a stick, and her figure was hunched.
Zhang Ruochen turned back, stared at this old woman for a long time, and countless images flashed through his mind, as if he had returned to the days when he cultivated at the Martial Market Academy in Heavenly Demon Ridge.
The old woman stared at the young man opposite her, but found that with her cultivation, she could not see his face clearly. She could not help but be shocked in her heart.
After a long while, Zhang Ruochen recovered from his thoughts and smiled: "Today, I will grant you all a karmic opportunity!"
The Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram unfolded and spread out in all directions.
The demonic qi and demonic Dao rules of heaven and earth turned into rivers that surged into all the demonic Dao cultivators present. The most flowed into the white-haired old woman.
After a long while, all the demonic Dao cultivators became excited.
"My cultivation has broken through to the Saint realm, and my physical body's constitution has improved several times. How can there be such a miraculous thing in the world?"
"Not only cultivation and physical body, but even the sacred soul has greatly improved."
"Granny Zi, your cultivation is the strongest. Do you know who this person really is? How can he have such divine powers? Could it be that the Heavenly Demon has returned to the world?"
All the demonic Dao cultivators looked toward the white-haired old woman.
The old woman's appearance had become much younger, and her cultivation had increased the most. But at this moment, her eyes were blurry, tears streaming down her face, as she watched that young cultivator disappear into Heavenly Demon Mountain.
She wanted to chase after him, but seeing him walk away so resolutely, she eventually knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. The events of a thousand years ago surged into her heart one after another.
Unfortunately, people cannot return to youth. Time is the most relentless in urging people to age.
Zhang Ruochen, walking toward Heavenly Demon Mountain, also felt his throat tighten and his eyes redden. He had originally not wanted to disturb her current life, as it would bring her misfortune, not blessing. That was why Zhang Ruochen used the Wuji Divine Dao to cleanse the physiques and improve the cultivation of all the demonic Dao cultivators present, precisely because he did not want her to know.
But he had underestimated a woman's intuition.
In the end, she was just an old acquaintance. The past could no longer be retrieved. Zhang Ruochen could not afford to be entangled with too many things. He could only harden his heart, stride forward, and let the past be buried in the years.
...
Yesterday, climbing Mount Hua exhausted me, so there was no update. First, one chapter. There will be another update tonight!
(Chapter End)