Chapter 3524: Only When Seeing Him Did She Feel Emotion
A purple bamboo grove had been built into a Buddhist hall, and directly opposite the entrance hung a portrait of the Sixth Patriarch.
Beneath the portrait sat a dark-gold incense burner. On either side were six-tiered bookshelves filled with various sutras and Zen texts.
Chan Master Yan Shu, clad in white robes, fingered his Buddhist prayer beads and said, "Ruochen, there is no need to be so formal."
Zhang Ruochen sat on the meditation cushion across from him, his heart full of doubt. He truly could not understand why Chan Master Yan Shu had invited him here. Even less could he understand why the master addressed him so intimately as "Ruochen"—calling him "Benefactor Zhang" would have been far more normal.
"I am not being formal, it's just that—"
Chan Master Yan Shu lowered his gaze, observing his nose and his heart, and before Zhang Ruochen could finish, he said, "Ruochen has rendered a great service to White Clothes Valley! The Venerable Nutian is a heartless man who does not understand gratitude. Although this humble monk has entered the Buddhist gate, he still possesses a worldly heart. In White Clothes Valley, if Ruochen fancies anything, feel free to take it."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Master, you flatter me. There is no great service to speak of. The conflict between myself and the Quantity Organization is inherently irreconcilable. The hidden identity of Imperial Quantity was a truth I had to uncover, even at the cost of my life."
"I understand! Given Ruochen's insight and the wealth of the Sword Realm, I suppose you look down on the treasures within the valley," Chan Master Yan Shu said.
Zhang Ruochen quickly replied, "That is not the case at all."
"Then is Ruochen still holding a grudge over the old enmity between our two clans, unable to let go of the Dao-Cutting Curse on Yinxuetian?" Chan Master Yan Shu asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The grievances of that generation—who can truly say who was right or wrong? In the Abyss of Darkness, I promised Ancient Buddha Yunqing that I would resolve the enmity and conflict between our two sides. Now that the Withering Death Art and the Dao-Cutting Curse have both been lifted, I believe everything is in the past."
Chan Master Yan Shu nodded and said, "Ruochen possesses great wisdom and great magnanimity. This humble monk cannot match you! Very well, let me help resolve your grievances with the Nether Hall and Gong Xuanzang."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze suddenly turned deep and profound. "I fear that matter is not so easily resolved! In this feud, more than one god has fallen."
Chan Master Yan Shu said, "Strength is the most direct and effective way to resolve grievances. Neither the Hall Master of the Nether Hall nor Gong Xuanzang would dare to make an enemy of White Clothes Valley. Although the Venerable Nutian is heartless and cold, you have seen it yourself—he is very strong."
"As for this matter, you need not worry that it will escalate to the level of internal division within the Underworld Clan. Most of the time, Boundless-level gods need not get involved. The battles among the gods below them will be enough to make them recognize White Clothes Valley's stance."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I appreciate the master's good intentions, but the sea may embrace a hundred rivers, yet it cannot hold deep hatred. Zhang Ruochen is no saint with a holy heart. The enmity between me and the Hall Master of the Nether Hall will not be so easily settled! In Lihentian, if not for someone's protection, I would have turned to dust."
"And the Hall Master of the Nether Hall will certainly never allow me to continue growing. Whenever he has the chance, he will use every means to put me to death."
"As for Gong Xuanzang, he is one of the Twenty Heavens of this era, naturally possessing lofty pride. If White Clothes Valley tries to pressure him with power, it will likely backfire."
Zhang Ruochen understood very well that if he truly wanted to resolve a life-and-death grudge, his cultivation must surpass that of his enemy.
Otherwise, it was all empty talk—the mercy of a woman, the naive fantasy of a child.
"I understand. It is this humble monk who was too naive."
Chan Master Yan Shu fell silent for a moment, then a look of pain appeared on his face. "This humble monk can understand your feelings. It is like the death of Jue Miao's mother—though many years have passed, it remains an unresolved knot in my heart. Once resentment and hatred take root in a person's heart, it is very difficult to achieve the Five Emptinesses!"
Zhang Ruochen asked, "How did she die?"
"Jue Miao's mother was originally a cultivator of the Western Buddha Realm. After the war between the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm broke out, we were separated. Later, she died on the battlefield. The Venerable Nutian was in the star domain where that battlefield was located at the time, but he did not reach out to save her. Tell me, is he not a heartless and cold man?" Chan Master Yan Shu said.
Zhang Ruochen felt something was off, but still replied, "On the battlefield of the gods, it is either you die or I die. I think the Venerable is not a heartless man; he must have had other difficulties."
"If the Sixth Patriarch were still alive, how could such a thing have happened?"
Chan Master Yan Shu let out a long sigh. "This humble monk misses the Sixth Patriarch! When I was a child, I loved to run behind the Patriarch. He was also very willing to play with children—catching crickets together, bathing in the river together, picking lice off the cattle together... He took me into the mortal world and showed me all the myriad forms of life. And I... when he passed away, I was not by his side. Now I can only gaze at a painting and miss him, without even a single relic!"
Chan Master Yan Shu's emotions erupted again. Though his cultivation was supreme, tears now streamed down his face.
Zhang Ruochen finally realized what was wrong. Wasn't this saying that Jue Miao Chan Nu's parents were both Buddhist cultivators?
This Chan Master Yan Shu's Zen practice seemed very unorthodox indeed.
At the same time, Zhang Ruochen gradually understood the reason Chan Master Yan Shu had called him over.
Step by step, he had first offered treasures, then offered to resolve grievances.
Seeing that it wouldn't work, he had started playing the emotional card.
"Whoosh!"
A golden light manifested between Zhang Ruochen and Chan Master Yan Shu, rapidly expanding and growing, finally transforming into a radiant Bodhi tree.
Though it was inside the Buddhist hall, the Bodhi tree stood in a chaotic space, tall and sacred, its roots plunging into the pure land.
Every Bodhi seed on the tree chanted Sanskrit sounds.
Seeing the Bodhi tree, Chan Master Yan Shu immediately composed himself, stood up, walked over to the tree, and touched its trunk. Then, with an incredulous look at Zhang Ruochen, he said, "I cannot accept this, I cannot accept this. How precious is this Bodhi tree? This humble monk absolutely cannot take it."
Even as he said this, his expression suggested he was about to carry the Bodhi tree away.
The fundamental reason Zhang Ruochen had brought out the Bodhi tree was that he could see the genuine affection between Chan Master Yan Shu and the Sixth Patriarch.
The Bodhi tree and the Bright Mirror Platform had come into Zhang Ruochen's possession by chance.
The Sixth Patriarch's true intended recipient could never have been him.
"Since the master is an old acquaintance of the Sixth Patriarch, accept it with ease. The Bodhi tree must grow where it is most meant to grow to have value. Keeping it with me would be a waste," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Amitabha! Ruochen truly has a Buddha-nature. If you were to cultivate the Buddhist path, you would surely achieve great success."
Chan Master Yan Shu immediately put away the Bodhi tree. Then, he opened his right palm, and a silver-white light appeared in its center.
One after another, Suddhodana Silver Trees grew in his palm, each only the size of a grain of rice, arranged in the pattern of the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation. He extended his hand toward Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes widened.
At this moment, Chan Master Yan Shu's gaze was sincere, his face solemn, carrying a compassionate smile like that of a Buddha. "Take it. This journey to the Abyss of Darkness is perilous. Bring this with you—it will certainly be more useful than carrying a drop of the Venerable Nutian's blood."
Zhang Ruochen felt as though he could no longer see through this monk before him. He immediately stood up and said cautiously, "If I take away the Suddhodana Silver Tree, what will become of White Clothes Valley?"
"A large number of ancient powerhouses have already fallen. Who would still dare to act recklessly in White Clothes Valley? Besides, White Clothes Valley is called the number one forbidden land of the Underworld Clan—do you think the Suddhodana Silver Tree is its only protective treasure?" Chan Master Yan Shu said.
Zhang Ruochen had personally experienced the power of the Ten Thousand Buddha Formation. The claim that it could "trap the Twenty Heavens for days" was no empty boast.
Such a precious treasure, and Chan Master Yan Shu was willing to part with it.
Such magnanimity left Zhang Ruochen speechless.
In terms of value, the Suddhodana Silver Tree was clearly far more precious than the Bodhi tree left by the Sixth Patriarch.
Zhang Ruochen accepted the Suddhodana Silver Tree and asked, "If I had not brought out the Bodhi tree, would the master not have brought out the Suddhodana Silver Tree?"
"Why ask about 'if'? Only with a cause can there be an effect."
Chan Master Yan Shu looked at the portrait of the Sixth Patriarch and waved his sleeve. "Go! You only need to know that, to this humble monk, this Bodhi tree is a hundred times more precious than the Suddhodana Silver Tree."
Zhang Ruochen bowed in salute, then walked out of the Buddhist hall.
After Zhang Ruochen had gone far, Chan Master Yan Shu spoke to the painting. "Are you satisfied now?"
Jue Miao Chan Nu stepped out of the scroll world and looked toward the door, but outside there was no one. "I see all beings without intention, only when seeing him did I feel emotion. What can be done about it?"
...
Not far from the Buddhist hall, a young novice monk hurried toward Zhang Ruochen and respectfully bowed. "Benefactor Zhang, the Venerable has sent me to invite you to the Kongming Treasure Hall. The Heavenly Venerable Renhuan has arrived and wishes to see you."
...
Happy New Year, everyone!