Simon sat in the depths of the Dharma Hall, on the high speak Fatai.
It was time.
Xiangxu had summoned him from the shadows.
Inside and outside the Dharma Hall, with its wide-open windows and doors, stood Buddhist and Taoist Laymen.
These bald-headed figures stood silently, like wooden poles stuck in flagstones, like a group of voiceless plants, like migratory birds gliding on the wind; they were both quiet and filled with intense emotion.
It had been a whole day.
A whole day, from before the sun had even risen, Simon sat on the high platform, while the faithful stood below, gazing at him.
Now, the red sun was setting in the west.
Sunlight streamed in through the tall, square window frames, dissolving into golden, translucent oblique columns within the room's shadows, where specks of dust collided, sank, and rose again, or drifted out of the light, or entered it, or returned... Who could distinguish them? Could they distinguish themselves?
A beam of light shone on the high platform; golden dust, like lacquer, plated his body. In such sunlight and gazes, Simon had completely shed the definition of a human; his serene self would be a higher-level existence.
Through his form, one could see the lofty—He.
Simon's heart was filled with delirious thoughts, gradually weakening his connection with the Sambhogakaya.
He weakened little by little.
Therefore, it was time.
In the silent world of the True Dharma, Simon's throat rumbled, a low thunder emanating from his chest, deafening, shaking the building, rustling the mountains and forests.
Surging superior affinity, a fated spring of destiny.
His soul thus fluttered out, floating high up.
Simon carefully perceived this clear and shallow world.
The faithful chanted His name loudly.
"Namo Luyuan Bodhisattva."
The incarnated body, surrounded by the crowd, glowed faintly. At the very end, he caught a certain spiritual inspiration, raised his left hand, and pointed eastward. His fingertip was precisely at the very edge of the light beam, radiating a tiny glimmer, shining brightly into everyone's hearts. That was not a finger; that was a torch and a lighthouse.
The mundane mortal body sat there, pointing, slowly fading, like a shadow in the light, an obscure existence being dissolved, everything returning to its original state, the state of nothingness at the very beginning.
Some had tears streaming down their faces, some showed compassion, and of course, some revealed irrepressible joy...
Lively faces, growing on stiff and meaningless shells—this was Simon's last thought before leaving the mortal world.
Superior affinity, the great superior affinity, superior affinity is a description of the universe's foundation, both individual and whole.
A profound superior affinity aggregate, its surface forms the world, what is in its depths?
Simon's superior affinity bead vibrated slightly, and instantly, those negative affinities detached, the swirling grey traces transforming into faces—lively faces, but without bodies, they were oval-shaped things, circling Simon, creating a vortex of superior affinity, revealing a deep chasm.
An infinite, endless chasm, its end beneath the surface, beyond all manifestations.
Yet, within Simon's comprehension, the concrete form of an existence still appeared; he referred to an existence in that depth, Xiangxu.
"You! You've come..."
Simon was a tiny spark, floating on a vast ocean of light. Beneath the enormous storm on the sea, the turbulent currents stirred by those faces, and the swirling vortex, a colossal body gradually revealed its ferocious features: ten arms, eight faces, an iron body, a bronze head, red hair, long arms, sharp claws.
Eight faces, a hundred eyes, joy, anger, sorrow, fear, cunning, greed, delusion, madness—countless profound emotions struggled and twisted on these faces, while the dazzling, intricate eyes on them blinked rhythmically. A layer of grotesque film, like an old person's accumulated grime, floated on their crystal-like membranes.
Each of the ten arms clutched one of ten Divine Swords, but nine were intact, with only one remaining as just a blade.
A giant, fanged mouth grew between its chest and abdomen, its lead-gray gums oozing black blood, dripping from its pale, sharp fangs.
This gaping maw expanded, a living vortex, a tunnel of flesh and blood leading to perdition—Simon actually saw countless human bodies climbing upwards.
"Die! Die! Die!" They surged like waves, emitting hoarse, terrifying high-pitched screams.
Simon's superior affinity bead was like a tiny flame.
He was already a figure like the bright moon, but Xiangxu was like the true deep space of the universe.
Xiangxu demanded his submission—who could not submit?
Heaven is no higher, earth no thicker.
But Simon simply didn't believe it.
Heaven is high and earth is thick, was his existence merely to acknowledge some predetermined things?
The magnificent Sambhogakaya slowly appeared.
If Xiangxu was darkness and evil, then the Sambhogakaya was integration and nature.
A grand dream of a past life.
The honor and splendor of this life.
The golden light around the Sambhogakaya faded slightly, revealing a face...
A hundred eyes, a single face.
Hollow Knight!
"Clang—!"
Nail drawn!
A familiar feeling, a familiar feeling!
"Slash!"
With one Nail, the storm was quelled!
The surging superior affinity, the edges of the vortex contracted, a tiny light, supporting a mountain, squeezed into the space beyond the vortex.
...
Simon calmly looked at Xiangxu.
The Nail in his hand was piercing his chest, and they were falling.
Deep within superior affinity, the foundation of the universe.
Countless pieces of information became whispers in his ear, almost impossible to comprehend.
He had already reached Samsara.
Samsara is a circle; those from outside come in, continuously pouring in, and those from inside also leave in succession.
Dead souls are merely transients in Samsara; this place is mainly responsible for the renewal and circulation of superior affinity.
Simon felt his superior affinity bead being constrained layer by layer.
Quan Hongming's soul seed was also there.
Perfect, to cleanse the negative affinities here.
Samsara is an objective phenomenon, and Simon yearned to understand its operation and master this power.
Only then could he make the Pure Land Pearl possess the attribute of endless life, rather than being a greedy monster that harmed others for its own benefit.
Xiangxu also stared at Simon. Struck by the Nail, he couldn't move, so he looked at Simon with a strange expression.
This feeling was like being observed by a judge.
"You are resisting destiny! You are all traitors! Only I conform to the Heavenly Dao and wield destruction!"
Simon listened quietly to the whispers in his ear, not forgetting to add, "Keep talking, I'm listening."
And Xiangxu indeed spoke a few more words, "The power of the painting scroll is limited, I will destroy this world, and all phenomena will be renewed!"
"You, little monk, and that little blacksmith, you seek fame and praise, you will surely sink into perdition forever!"
Simon sneered, "Acting on behalf of heaven, with someone as selfish as you?"
The whispers in his ear intensified.
Simon then perceived the third existence deep within superior affinity.
He was grander, no, not grander, but higher!
Transcending the so-called existence or non-existence, He was the cause of all things.
Those countless voices echoed in Simon's heart.
"I understand."
Xiangxu was furious, "No! Why choose him! I am the only one!"
He struggled indignantly, suddenly breaking free from his restraints, flinging Simon away, and then, with a turn, he vanished without a trace, like a husband who discovers an affair and rushes home.
Simon slowly closed his eyes.
Knowledge, mysteries, history.
He wanted to know it all.
But he could not comprehend the mysterious knowledge; all this was received by the Sambhogakaya.
He would slowly grow here; he wanted to delve deeper into Samsara, even if it meant his reincarnation would be fraught with risks.
...
"You go."
A tiny soul seed floated away, leaving Samsara.
...
A few familiar souls arrived here.
It was Sun Lichai and the others.
Following the connection of the Zhengyuan Knot, they continuously moved deeper into a world they could not comprehend.
Ben You led the other thirteen people.
Because he had activated some Heavenly Eyes, he could roughly perceive superior affinity.
This place was like a deep sea, filled with turbulence, every step forward was incredibly difficult.
A terrifying monster appeared on their path ahead.
"The little monk's scent! I'll eat you all! Let him know what pain is too!"
The souls trembled.
Large hands stretched out; there was no escape.
Sharp claws were about to tear them all apart.
A fist flew across the sky!
"How dare you!"
A large, white, jade-like fist struck Xiangxu's ferocious face, knocking him away.
Then the fist opened into a palm, scooping up the few souls.
They were lifted out of the water.
Light shone.
They all saw it.
A solemn face, intricate antlers.
Between the antlers, a pearl of light, like a pure white sun suspended high above.
-------------------------------
Hello everyone!
I've already posted 30 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you very much!