331: Twenty years of precipitation

Twenty years passed, and the Bodhi tree had grown lush, its branches and leaves forming a dense canopy, exuding a tranquil and peaceful spiritual radiance, as if it had become an extension of Wang Xianyu.

Xiao Zhuo would also have her sit in the courtyard, close her eyes, and listen to the sound of the wind, the flow of the clouds, and even the faint chanting from afar in the city, and the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.

He asked her to distinguish the myriad emotions contained within them.

Piety, anxiety, joy, greed, peace... and to try to soothe those restless "sounds" with her own pure spirituality.

This type of Cultivation greatly honed her Divine Soul resilience and her control over spiritual fluctuations.

Occasionally, Xiao Zhuo would take out some small objects containing special spirituality, obtained from Ying Mingkong or from his own collection, such as warm jade, spiritual wood chips with the fresh scent of plants, or even the Yao Cores of some low-level Yao Beasts, and have Wang Xianyu try to communicate with their spirituality using her Divine Thought.

She would often quickly establish a wondrous connection with these objects, perceiving their "emotions" and faint Origin power.

Twenty years of nurturing, accumulating strength for a breakthrough.

Although Wang Xianyu did not deliberately pursue a higher Realm, under the nurturing of the Spirit Nurturing Art and the complete activation of her Spirit Communication Dao Body, her Cultivation steadily improved in a natural and unhindered manner, without any Bottleneck, directly crossing the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages, reaching the Golden Core Realm!

Her Golden Core was also unique, radiating a warm, jade-like luster, with countless tiny spiritual light points subtly swirling around it, like stars surrounding the moon.

However, Xiao Zhuo did not teach her combat techniques; this child was pure and kind-hearted, not suitable for fighting. Xiao Zhuo had already decided to find a Sacred Beast of pure bloodline to be her beast companion in the future.

During these twenty years, life in Jialuo City was not entirely peaceful.

The pawnshop saw people come and go, and Xiao Zhuo met all sorts of characters:

There was a devout old woman who, wanting to pray for her seriously ill grandson, wished to pawn her ancestral jade bracelet to buy an expensive Buddhist incense "consecrated by a high monk from the Great Brahma Sound Temple."

Xiao Zhuo saw her sincerity but also her destitution, so he did not accept the bracelet. Instead, he gave her a small branch from the Bodhi tree in the courtyard, telling her to place it at the head of the bed.

A few days later, the old woman returned, overjoyed, to thank him, saying that her grandson's condition had indeed improved.

There was a traveling merchant who came to pawn an evil weapon, disguised as an ancient Buddhist artifact, with Evil Qi contained within it. He spoke earnestly, claiming it was an ancestral treasure.

Xiao Zhuo saw through it at a glance; a wisp of clear light brushed past his fingertip, and the Buddhist artifact immediately exuded malevolent Qi, letting out a shrill shriek.

The merchant's face turned pale, and he fled in a panic.

There was a young monk named Hui Ming (Bright Wisdom), from the outer court of the Great Brahma Sound Temple.

He had Cultivated a certain scripture for many years but had always been unable to grasp its essence, feeling agitated.

He accidentally passed the pawnshop and was attracted by Xiao Zhuo's detached tranquility. He bravely asked for guidance.

Xiao Zhuo did not directly explain the scripture but asked him to describe what he saw in his mind when chanting.

Hui Ming described a scene of "a wrathful Vajra, with mountain-like oppressive power."

Xiao Zhuo calmly said, "Even a Vajra has compassionate eyes. Its oppressive power is not to subdue, but to protect. If your heart only sees its wrath and not its compassion, how can you enter its gate?"

Hui Ming was struck as if by a thunderbolt, standing stunned for a long time. He bowed deeply to Xiao's pawnshop and left in a daze.

Several months later, his aura was noticeably more peaceful and well-rounded. He specifically brought a basket of spiritual fruits to express his gratitude.

Xiao Zhuo's unfathomable depth and the "peculiarity" of the pawnshop gradually attracted the attention of certain forces in the city.

There was once a thoughtless young master from a local Immortal Family who, coveting Wang Xianyu's beauty and seeing the shopkeeper as "young and easily bullied," came to cause trouble.

Before Xiao Zhuo could act, Wang Shortened name, who had recently formed his Nascent Soul, his eyes sharpened, and a wisp of solidified purple lightning pressure instantly erupted, pressing the young master and his guards to the ground, their bones threatening to crack and their Divine Souls trembling.

The Family's Old Ancestor rushed over upon hearing the news. Feeling the terrifying aura and pure lightning power emanating from Wang Shortened name, far exceeding that of an ordinary Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivator, and recalling the rumors in the market about a "high monk's Incarnation," he was scared out of his wits, repeatedly apologizing, confining his young master for ten years, and offering generous gifts as an apology.

Thereafter, no one dared to cause trouble at the Dao Querying Pawnshop again.

Time flew by like an arrow.

After twenty years of accumulation, Xiao Zhuo's own aura became even more restrained and profound.

All that he had gained from discussing the Dao with Ying Mingkong had long been fully digested. The Foundation of his Dao Principle of Freedom had been forged to be indestructible, and he was now very close to the second layer of the Dao Principle.

He did not rush to achieve higher Realms but, in this place enveloped by Buddhist light, began to approach Buddhist teachings with a peaceful and inquisitive mind.

He read the Buddhist scriptures brought by Hui Ming and other monks, and occasionally attended Dharma assemblies in the bustling temples of the city.

He was not a believer, but rather a calm observer and listener.

With his Realm as a Grand Golden Immortal and his profound understanding of the Great Dao, he analyzed the doctrines of Buddhism, exploring how it affected people's hearts and how it constructed those seemingly solid walls of faith and mental states.

"Compassion for all beings, universal salvation? But how can the abyss of desire and Karmic Obstruction of sentient beings be easily resolved by the words 'compassion'? Is ' Put down the butcher's knife， Instant Buddhahood' (drop the butcher's knife and immediately become a Buddha) a convenient method, or a compromise with rules and Karma?" Xiao Zhuo often meditated under the Bodhi tree in the courtyard, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the Void Realm, leaving faint Dao traces that silently collided and merged with the Buddhist charm permeating the air.

He found that Buddhism indeed had unique insights into the tempering of the mind, the protection of the Divine Soul, and the elucidation of Karma. Some exquisite methods even inspired him, making up for some subtle deficiencies in his The Way of Freedom regarding the "myriad phenomena of the heart."

However, the grand system of Buddhism, its strict precepts, and its ultimate pursuit of "emptiness" and "selflessness" had fundamental differences from his The Way of Freedom.

These differences were not conflicts, but rather the scenery of two different paths.

What Xiao Zhuo wanted to do was to understand, to learn from, to extract its essence and integrate it into his own Dao, rather than to convert.

On this day, the setting sun, like molten gold, dyed the countless Buddhist pagodas in Jialuo City with a warm glow.

In the backyard of the Dao Querying Pawnshop, the Bodhi tree cast dappled shadows.

Wang Shortened name was practicing a set of thunder techniques and hand seals newly taught by Xiao Zhuo in a corner of the courtyard. His movements were as swift as lightning, drawing out fine crackling sounds from the free-floating thunder Spiritual Qi in the air. The might of the Nascent Soul Stage was condensed and unwavering.

Wang Xianyu sat on a stone stool under the tree, holding a notebook that Xiao Zhuo had transcribed for her, about how to communicate with the spirits of plants using spirituality. She was engrossed in it, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the air, causing a few Bodhi leaves to gently spin around her.

Xiao Zhuo opened his eyes from his meditation, his gaze sweeping over the transformed brother and sister. Twenty years had left the marks of growth on them, and also confirmed his initial judgment.

He looked towards the tallest Buddhist pagoda in the city, a hint of understanding flashing in his deep eyes.

Twenty years of observation, accumulation, and initial comprehension were enough.

"Shortened name, Xianyu," Xiao Zhuo's voice rang out calmly.

The brother and sister immediately stopped their actions and looked at him respectfully.

"Pack up. Tomorrow, you will accompany me to the Great Brahma Sound Temple." Xiao Zhuo stood up, brushed his sleeves, his gaze seemingly penetrating the courtyard walls, falling upon the core place where Buddhist light converged. "I have already experienced the Buddhist charm of Jialuo City. It is time to meet the true Brahma Sound of this Buddhist land and Dao field."

Twenty years of reclusion, seeking the Dao in the marketplace, finally to seek the Dao before the Buddha.

And the Great Brahma Sound Temple's thirty-year Buddha Dharma assembly was also scheduled for tomorrow.