Chapter 422: Nirvana
Two characters were written on the scroll: Nirvana!
Ye Fan’s heart immediately leaped. These two characters held extraordinary significance in Buddhism, representing a process of becoming a Buddha.
“Is this the Buddhist Nirvana Sutra?” His mind was shaken.
“It is merely one essential chapter from the Vehicle Sutra, specifically used for healing wounds. In the past, when an abbess of my temple was on the verge of death, she obtained this ancient scroll. Not only did she fully recover from her injuries, but she also underwent a rebirth-like transformation.” An Miaoyi replied.
The yellowed ancient scroll was densely covered with ancient characters, several hundred words in total, explaining the mysteries of life and death and elucidating the wonders of regeneration. It was extremely abstruse, difficult to fully comprehend.
Ye Fan calmed his mind, remaining motionless as he earnestly pondered and carefully understood.
Although it was called the Nirvana Sutra and claimed to enable rebirth, it was merely a metaphor. Who in this world could truly be immortal? Even the ancient Great Emperors could not escape death.
The essential meaning of the Nirvana Sutra was only to change one’s state of life, gaining a power akin to a new form of existence, not true reincarnation or resurrection. Cultivating this sutra could not grant immortality, but it possessed the unparalleled power to extend lifespan and delay decay. This particular chapter was an unsurpassed divine healing technique with incredible effects.
The moment he began to comprehend it, Ye Fan’s body immediately radiated precious light. His golden blood energy surged, bursting out of his flesh and swirling around him, making him appear like a deity.
“With the extinction of ignorance, the mind has no arising; with no arising, realms subsequently extinguish; with causes and conditions both extinguished, all mental appearances are exhausted—this is called attaining Nirvana…”
The Nirvana Sutra was the supreme heavenly scripture of the Western Desert, comparable to several ancient scriptures of the Eastern Wasteland. The sound of chanting arose, melodiously spreading through the palace, profoundly mysterious, with a secret aura flowing through the air.
This was a treasured secret technique within the ancient scripture, an unmatched sacred healing art possessing the profound mystery of seizing creation from heaven and earth, mysterious beyond words.
As Ye Fan himself possessed the Sacred Body, using the Nirvana Sacred Technique to heal immediately manifested multiple divine phenomena: the Chaos Azure Lotus accompanied him, an Immortal King clung to his body, mountains and rivers appeared, and a Yin-Yang Life-Death Diagram revolved around him.
His Indestructible Golden Body shone brilliantly, possessing both the solemnity of a deity and the unique divine martial aura of the Sacred Body, as if he were seated in the nine heavens, overlooking the mortal world.
An Miaoyi’s beautiful eyes shimmered with extraordinary light. She had not expected Ye Fan to possess not only an unmatched physical body but also such high comprehension. The moment he obtained the sacred technique from the ancient scripture, he achieved such enlightenment. She parted her red lips and began to explain in detail.
“Subject to various causes and conditions, one revolves in the cycle of birth and death; free from those causes and conditions, this is called Nirvana. Nirvana and the mundane world have no distinction; the mundane world and Nirvana…”
Ye Fan remained silent, his golden blood energy growing even stronger, swirling and enveloping him. His entire body radiated divine light, his Indestructible Golden Body becoming nearly transparent like seven-colored colored glaze, pure and flawless.
He was arduously repairing his life source, trying to make the Dao scars disappear, becoming flawless from then on, eternally preserving his sacred body and existing forever in the world.
“Boom!”
Ye Fan’s body shook, blood energy surging, nearly reducing the entire palace to dust. If An Miaoyi had not already laid down array patterns, everything would have been destroyed.
Such was the power of the Sacred Body’s flesh—strong to an inconceivable degree. A single light tremor carried the might of thunder, unbearable to others.
A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. His first attempt to repair his life source had failed. Even the supreme healing sacred technique from the unparalleled ancient scripture could not smooth over the scars left by the Dao.
An Miaoyi’s hair cascaded like a waterfall, her skin whiter than snow, crystal clear and smooth. Ethereal like an immortal, she stood beside Ye Fan and said, “Try again!”
Ye Fan remained unmoving, as if seated in the sealed ancient Heavenly Court, dormant in nirvana, awaiting transformation to emerge as a dragon.
His body grew increasingly oppressive, forcing even An Miaoyi to retreat. With golden blood energy swirling around him, he resembled an eternal divine furnace, terrifying and impossible to approach.
Lofty and mysterious chanting emanated from within his body—it was his “Past Self” and “Dao Self” reciting scriptures, praying for his present life, seeking eternal existence.
“Boom!”
Ye Fan shook again. Fresh red blood tinged with faint gold seeped from the corner of his mouth. Even as a Sacred Body, he swayed unsteadily.
The second attempt had failed again. The scars left by the Dao showed no sign of healing, causing him to waver, his Indestructible Golden Body dimming slightly.
Ye Fan opened his eyes and sighed softly. This sacred technique was infinitely profound, but in the end, it could not contend against Dao wounds, leaving him feeling powerless to turn the tide.
“Don’t give up. If once doesn’t work, try twice, three times, four times. There will always be some effect.” An Miaoyi was unwilling to accept it.
Ye Fan shook his head. “It’s too difficult. This consumes one’s own essence blood to achieve nirvana. If it continues without effect, even I, as a Sacred Body, cannot afford it.”
For an ordinary person, performing this sacred healing technique once would require recuperation; they could not continue. As a Sacred Body with an unmatched physical form, one or two times were nothing, but repeated attempts would also take their toll.
“How can this be… Shakyamuni’s disciple once said that the Nirvana Ancient Scripture is the highest healing sacred technique of the Western Desert. Even though this is only one essential chapter, it is nearly the pinnacle of the world. It should be able to heal any wound.”
“Shakyamuni’s disciple… who exactly is he?” Ye Fan desperately wanted to know, and even more, to learn everything about the Tathagata.
“I don’t know who he is either.” The peerlessly beautiful An Miaoyi shook her head.
The Miaoyu Nunnery was originally a sect of the Western Desert, inheriting the supreme Buddhist meditation technique. Later, it split, traveled eastward, and acquired the Daoist dual cultivation method, changing its name to Miaoyu Nunnery.
A thousand years ago, Shakyamuni’s disciple returned from crossing the sea, passing through the Eastern Wasteland. He encountered the dying abbess of Miaoyu Nunnery. Due to the intricate connections in their traditions, he left behind this essential chapter of Nirvana and departed gracefully.
“Do you know the story of Shakyamuni?” Ye Fan asked.
“I only know it is a Buddhist taboo; the details are unclear.” An Miaoyi shook her head.
“Dao wounds are incurable…” Ye Fan stood up.
An Miaoyi stood gracefully, moonlight spilling in, accentuating her ethereal and peerless beauty. Her black hair was lustrous, her eyes lively, her skin like ice and bones like jade, her curves rising and falling, her figure captivating—like heaven’s most perfect masterpiece.
“The Nirvana Sutra combined with the supreme dual cultivation method of my Miaoyu Nunnery—one final attempt. If you still cannot survive, little man, you will truly have let me down.” She walked over lightly, extended her jade-like hand, and pinched Ye Fan’s cheek. Her smile was beautiful. “It has always been others fulfilling the disciples of Miaoyu. Today, I may be the first to break the rules, to help you be reborn.”
In the palace, An Miaoyi’s jade-like, crystalline body seemed almost transparent under the hazy moonlight, flawless, radiating a faint glow. Her hair was disheveled, her delicate face like a flower. This was not about romance—it was merely a method to save a life. Ye Fan had always held a negative view of dual cultivation techniques, never expecting to experience it himself.
“Little man, focus your mind!” On the white jade bed, within the red gauze curtains, An Miaoyi’s snow-white body radiated light. She lightly tapped Ye Fan’s forehead to calm him.
Faced with such a peerless beauty of national allure, no normal man could remain completely undisturbed. Ye Fan, naturally, could not enter meditation as quickly as an old monk.
An Miaoyi’s immortal-like body was as white and crystalline as ivory, as sinuous as a beautiful snake, her curves undulating, her form flawless.
Before long, the chanting recorded in the Nirvana Ancient Scripture arose, filling the palace with sacred harmony. At the same time, Ye Fan lay atop An Miaoyi, and the dual cultivation method began to circulate.
Under the bright moonlit night, time flowed away like water, and the Divine City was peaceful.
The Miaoyu Nunnery’s palace was sealed to prevent the heavenly Dao sounds from spreading, covered in a hazy glow.
As the first successor, An Miaoyi’s status was no less than that of the various holy maidens, and she was renowned as the most beautiful under heaven. Within the Miaoyu Nunnery, she had no rivals. Whatever she wanted, no one among the younger generation dared to defy.
Although some had guessed what was happening, no one dared to approach or disturb, let alone speak of it.
In the latter half of the night, the palace was harmonious and tranquil. Ye Fan said nothing. The Nirvana Sutra and the dual cultivation divine technique could not smooth over the scars left by the Dao, nor change anything.
He wound An Miaoyi’s hair around his finger, quietly contemplating whether there was still a path to survival, where he should go from here. Were even mature divine immortality pills useless?
The ancient divine medicines were the most precious sacred objects in the world. If even they were ineffective, then a person’s life had truly reached its end.
Yet Ye Fan found it hard to accept. Hadn’t even the Divine King been uncertain, not entirely convinced that the immortality pills were useless? He decided to gamble everything, no matter the cost.
Originally, he had already prepared the stone skin, ready to take risks for the Divine King and Little Tingting. Now that his own life was also at stake, there was no retreat. He could only press forward without hesitation.
“This may be our last meeting…” An Miaoyi slowly sat up, her hair falling like water as she gazed at Ye Fan.
“This is definitely not our last meeting.” Ye Fan was very serious, revealing a bright smile. “Please believe me—I will not die. I will live another ten thousand years and silence those holy lands.”
“Ten thousand years… rosy cheeks turn to skeletons… so long…” An Miaoyi rose, walked to the jade bed, and stood before the window, gazing at the bright moon.
“The other half of the Devouring Demon Jar is about to emerge.” After an unknown amount of time, An Miaoyi suddenly spoke.
“Do they need a Divine Body, a Sacred Body, a Heavenly Demon Body, and others to go together?” Ye Fan asked.
“You must not go. Do not ask why.” An Miaoyi did not turn around, speaking calmly.
“Very well, I will not go.” Ye Fan replied.
After a long while, she walked back, looked at Ye Fan, and said, “Little man, you should leave.”
“I will survive.” Ye Fan sat up.
“It’s time to go.” An Miaoyi helped him put on his clothes, her movements gentle and slow.
“Alright. To prove that I still live in this world, from time to time, you will hear news of me. This land will not fall silent.” Ye Fan said this as he departed.
The Divine City was bustling, but Ye Fan would eventually leave. He did not depart immediately because he was waiting for Black Emperor.
In the following days, he walked through the Divine City, causing the younger generation’s hearts to pound with fear. No one dared to speak recklessly. The Sacred Body’s might had not diminished, commanding awe.
He had easily killed Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian, intimidating everyone, who feared following in their footsteps and being mercilessly slain.
Everyone knew that the Sacred Body had little time left and had no scruples. No one dared to provoke him.
Even the various holy sons kept their distance, inwardly terrified, afraid that Ye Fan would challenge them at this time. It was not impossible—in his final madness, if he unleashed his power and killed them, it would be the greatest misfortune.
Even Golden Wing Little Peng King had become very subdued, rarely appearing. It was said he was about to return to the central region of the Eastern Wasteland, following the old Peng King.
Wind Phoenix had also become low-key, suddenly quiet, rarely showing herself.
In these final days of his short life, Ye Fan’s prestige was so overwhelming that no one dared to cross him. All the holy sons and holy maidens avoided him, and the younger generation was filled with fear, remaining silent, not daring to utter a single disrespectful word.
Whenever he appeared, an entire area would fall silent. Compared to a few days ago, it was a completely different scene. Everyone felt uneasy.
Black Emperor returned, listless and dejected, constantly cursing. “Damn it, Purple Mountain is inaccessible! What the hell happened?!”
Farewell, Divine City!
Ye Fan went to bid farewell to the Peerless Divine King, just in time to see the Saint Lord of the Wind Clan discussing a marriage alliance with the White-Robed Divine King.