173: Chapter 173 White Bone Dharma Image - Thousand Blades Sever the Body

"The human body is like lush leaves; blood forms the veins, and flesh forms the network. No two leaves in the world are the same, and no two people are identical, therefore..."

In front of "Chen Mo," an old monk, so thin his features were unrecognizable, held a willow-leaf curved blade, slowly separating the flesh of Chen Mo's right hand piece by piece.

Instead of resisting, Chen Mo looked at the old monk with a face full of gratitude and spoke softly.

"Great Master Mingxin, thank you. This little monk understands."

"To endure the bitterest of hardships is to become a supreme Buddha. Flesh and blood are merely Acquired things; this is a necessary experience to achieve the White Bone Dharma Image."

The old monk sliced away the last piece of skin and flesh from the little monk—Chen Mo's—hand and spoke with a smile.

"Yes, this little monk shall keep it in mind."

As he spoke, "Chen Mo" turned slightly to look outside the house, his gaze somewhat complex.

There, dozens of monks with parts of their flesh sliced away sat together chanting sutras, and the object of their chanting was none other than... him!

Zizai!

He was a Disciple of the 'Guan' generation of the Bone Dharma Temple and the thirty-fourth generation Buddha Son chosen by the Buddha. Today was his tonsure ceremony.

Of course, the tonsure at the Bone Dharma Temple was somewhat different from other temples. While others shaved their hair, he...

"From this day forward..."

The old monk gently handed the willow-leaf blade, which sliced through flesh like mud, to Chen Mo.

"You shall 'slice your own body'!"

"Yes!"

Chen Mo bowed as he took the curved blade, his eyes containing both a yearning for the future and a sliver of fear.

His gaze involuntarily drifted back to the chanting figures outside and then back to the old monk in front of him.

A draft of wind blew through the hall, lifting a corner of the old monk's tattered robes.

Beneath the robes, there was nothing but white bone!

"How much hardship must one endure, how many blades must one suffer, and how much pain must one bear! Is becoming a Buddha... this difficult?"

The inner thoughts of the Buddha Son Zizai rang out. No monk heard them, but Chen Mo, whose consciousness was possessed within him, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

What kind of Cultivation is this? This is clearly self-torture!

Chen Mo had seen Buddhist Cultivation methods before, but this was the first time he had encountered one so perverted.

I don't even want this Legacy...

Before the word "anymore" could be uttered, the System's notification suddenly rang in his ear.

"Due to the incompleteness of the Legacy, the Legacy Illusion has been terminated early. You have obtained the Divine Art: White Bone Dharma Image (Incomplete)."

Divine Art: White Bone Dharma Image {Incomplete · 1/6} {8th Rank Peak}

Category: Origin Cultivation Method. Opened parts: Skull. Current Realm: Unranked. Note: The skull is the core hub of the White Bone Dharma Image and the foundation of the spirit. Mental Energy values can be gradually increased through Cultivation.

"I'll Cultivate it! I love being tortured."

Chen Mo said these words through gritted teeth.

"Legacy ended!"

With the final notification, Chen Mo's consciousness flew away from the Buddha Son Zizai and away from this Bone Dharma Temple filled with "perverts."

Vaguely, Chen Mo saw a phantom.

That phantom was located above the mountain range where the Bone Dharma Temple stood. With palms facing the sky, it held up none other than the Bone Dharma Temple itself.

"This..."

Chen Mo's consciousness-form widened its eyes.

In his past Life, there was a post specifically analyzing the Hinayana lineages of the late Primordial Era. The 72 Hinayana lineages were actually all methods of Reincarnation and Possession.

The so-called Buddha Sons were merely Reincarnation vessels prepared by the various lineages for Arhats and Buddhas.

And he had seen this phantom before; it was the very same Buddha phantom that had attempted to "convert" him in the Mustard Seed Space.

"Mahayana delivers all living beings; Hinayana delivers oneself."

Chen Mo couldn't help but murmur softly. But before he could take a few more looks at that White Bone Dharma Image, his consciousness had completely detached from this illusion world.

Within the Divine Realm, Chen Mo, holding the jade-green skull, slowly opened his eyes.

After a moment's hesitation, he eventually picked up the remaining arm and leg and once again infused them with spiritual energy transformed from Divine Power.

"Legacy activated."

Following the panel's prompt, Chen Mo re-entered the previous illusion.

After experiencing several similar illusions, Chen Mo had refined this 8th Rank Peak Origin Cultivation Method to 3/6.

Divine Art: White Bone Dharma Image {Incomplete · 3/6} {8th Rank Peak}

Category: Origin Cultivation Method. Opened parts: Skull, Arm bones 1/2, Leg bones 1/2.

Current Realm: Unranked. Requirement to rank up: Law of Death, Law of Life, complete one full session of a Hundred Slices and a Hundred Blades!

"Bone slicing!"

Chen Mo gritted his teeth and finally used Divine Power to manifest a willow-leaf knife identical to the one in the Legacy Illusion.

The design of this knife was specifically engineered with a streamlined blade, wide in the middle and narrow on the sides, so that when slicing meat, the flesh could be divided into uniform small pieces.

As for why it was designed this way...

Slicing meat and scraping bone were divided into Hundred Dissections Hundred Blades, Thousand Dissections Thousand Blades, and Ten Thousand Slices and Ten Thousand Blades. With each level increase, the pain endured would increase exponentially.

In the words of the Bone Dharma Temple, slicing flesh is like slicing Heart Demons, and scraping bone is like scraping away obsessions.

The process of experiencing pain was, in fact, the key to Cultivating this technique.

"It's just ranking up the Cultivation; no need to be too hard on myself. Let's go!"

Chen Mo gripped the Divine Power knife in his right hand. Like a gentle breeze passing over, a small slice of flesh was separated from Chen Mo's left hand.

Interestingly, before Chen Mo could land the second cut, the missing piece of flesh had already restored itself to its original state.

The powerful recovery ability of a demigod was vividly displayed at this moment.

"99 more cuts."

Chen Mo stared fixedly at his left hand and swung the second blade without hesitation.

In an instant, a slice of meat as thin as a cicada's wing flew up. Before it could fall, Chen Mo swung the third blade.

The Hundred Dissections Hundred Blades was a complete process; it had to be finished in one go to count as completing one session of 'Bone Image Cultivation.'

Finally, after truly experiencing the separation of flesh a hundred times, Chen Mo's entire skeleton emitted a faint glow at this moment.

It was a faint light close to emerald green. It flickered for a few seconds before retracting into the depths of Chen Mo's bones.

"Ding, your Origin Cultivation Method 'White Bone Dharma Image' has successfully ranked up."

Divine Art: White Bone Dharma Image {Incomplete · 3/6} {8th Rank Peak}

Category: Origin Cultivation Method. Opened parts: Skull, Arm bones 1/2, Leg bones 1/2.

Current Realm: Rank One. Effects: Mental Energy +10%, Strength +5%, Speed +5%.

Rank Two Requirements: Law of Death 5%, Law of Life 5%, complete ten full sessions of a Hundred Slices and a Hundred Blades!

After reading the Cultivation requirements, Chen Mo couldn't help but roll his eyes. The pain of slicing flesh and scraping bone surged into his heart like a nightmare at this moment.

"Perhaps the true difficulty of this Cultivation method isn't the Laws, but willpower, or rather, how much abuse one can take."

Chen Mo couldn't help but complain, but he still honestly raised the willow-leaf knife again.

He had no choice; the attribute growth values were too tempting.

This was a percentage-based increase. To be listed as one of the 72 lineages of Hinayana Buddhism, the White Bone Path indeed had some substance to it.

"Again."

Before the words even faded, Chen Mo had already begun his painful yet joyful self-torture again.

And this bizarre scene was not without an audience.

For instance, 'Chun,' the divine wood of life growing vigorously within the Longevity Blessed Land.

This fellow was the biggest beneficiary after the Longevity Blessed Land merged into the Divine Realm.

With its current development speed, there was a high probability it would become the fourth Divine-Grade subordinate under Chen Mo.

And the other audience member was naturally the plane will, Little Plague.

As the plane will, everything in the Divine Realm could not escape his perception.

"Eek...!"

Little Plague symbolically covered his eyes. His own Divine Lord's miserable appearance was something he truly couldn't bear to look at for long.

"Is Chen Mo still in closed-door Cultivation?"

On the second day after the God Selection Class returned to the Peak of the Stars, Liu Xuanfeng was dragged by Du Ming to Chen Mo's Star Island No. 78.

As for the reason he hurried over, it was naturally because of the jade-green bone torso in Liu Xuanfeng's hands.

After seeing this incomplete Dharma Image, even Du Ming developed some interest.

It wasn't that he coveted the Legacy within the Dharma Image, but rather that this rare Dharma Image gave Du Ming a sense of familiarity.

"It seems so."

Floating outside the Star Island, Liu Xuanfeng nodded after attempting to call Chen Mo to no avail.

At the same time, an illusory projection appeared above the floating island.

It was none other than Yu Mo's virtual projection.

"The Master said that this closed-door session might last a bit longer. Please return, you two."

"Tch, how boring."

Du Ming curled his lip, turned around, and flew toward the center of The Stars continent.

Liu Xuanfeng hurried to keep up, his eyes clearly showing some excitement.

He had heard from Du Ming that during the days the latter skipped class, he had made quite a name for himself in The Stars.

"Wait for me, big boss."

Not long after, at the Gladiator Arena specifically established for Students in The Stars.

For some reason, the Gladiator Arena, which was usually deserted, was now packed with people.

With Du Ming's appearance, pairs of eyes followed him.

There was hostility, there was confusion, but more than that, there was amazement.

The Stars Gladiator Arena was not just a place for Students to settle "personal grudges" or spar.

It was also a good place for Students to obtain extra resources.

"Who is this? A senior from the fourth year?"

A passing second-year Student stopped in confusion and looked at the figure in the spotlight.

"You don't recognize him?" A senior who had been waiting there for a long time chuckled. "Haven't you seen the latest star shine ranking?"

"star shine ranking?"

The second-year Student was stunned.

The Stars' star shine ranking was a special list the academy established specifically for Students.

Those on the list received extra credits every month.

Because of this, the prestige of this list was extremely high, as it did not differentiate by academic year.

In other words, those in their third year or even fourth-year Students about to graduate could participate in the competition for the list.

"A first-year on the star shine ranking? Is he even human?"

As another sound of discussion drifted over, the person's hand as they opened their smart watch to check the academy's official website couldn't help but tremble.

It was simple; even if others didn't say it, he now knew who the white-clad youth walking toward them was.

star shine ranking — 94

First Year: Du Ming!

"I finally pulled through."

Within the Longevity Blessed Land, Chen Mo let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

His left hand was trembling uncontrollably due to the prolonged, intense pain.

The good news was that all of this was worth it.

Divine Art: White Bone Dharma Image {Incomplete · 3/6} {8th Rank Peak}

Category: Origin Cultivation Method. Opened parts: Skull, Arm bones 1/2, Leg bones 1/2.

Current Realm: Rank Four. Effects: Mental Energy +40%, Strength +20%, Speed +20%.

Rank Four Extra Trait: Zizai Glazed Body {Incomplete}. Effect: Immune to the vast majority of Divine Soul attacks below Rank Four.

Rank Five Requirements: Law of Death 40%, Law of Life 40%, complete ten full sessions of a Thousand Slices and a Thousand Blades!

In fact, Chen Mo had always had a weakness that wasn't exactly a short board, but it was there.

And that was Divine Soul defense.

But now, this weakness had been patched.

"It wasn't for nothing that I suffered so much." Chen Mo gave a bitter smile after reading the panel.

Since the White Bone Dharma Image broke through to Rank Three, the original 'Hundred Dissections Hundred Blades' had been replaced by 'Thousand Dissections Thousand Blades.' This was not just a change in quantity, but also a qualitative change in pain.

Because the 'Thousand Dissections Thousand Blades' didn't just slice away flesh, but also the Impurities in Chen Mo's Divine Soul.

In other words, every cut he made to carve his flesh was also a slice to his soul.

That kind of pain was already at an inhuman level, but the effect was also quite obvious.

Raising his hand slightly, a powerful surge of Mental Energy spread out with him as the Origin, reaching a thousand miles away and only stopping at nearly two thousand miles.

The higher the attribute value, the more obvious the gap between each point of the attribute became.

It was clearly only a 40% increase, but the strength of his Divine Soul had more than doubled.

"Refreshing!"

Chen Mo couldn't help but laugh out loud, yet he did not stand up.

For no other reason than that this closed-door session was far from over.

In the next second, a godhead crystal flickering with a faint black light appeared in his hand.

It was none other than the godhead crystal from the 'Strongest Death God,' Taro.