Chapter 57-58 (Patreon)

57. Enlightenment

Inside the meditation room, Lin Fei saw two old monks sitting on meditation cushions. Both of them had white beards, and although they looked very old, their spirits were still high.

There was a faint smell of incense in the air that seemed to calm the mind and bring peace.

"Lin Fei greets the two masters," Lin Fei respectfully bowed to the two old monks.

One of the white-bearded old monks smiled and spoke, "Donor Lin, I heard from people of the Zhang family that you also have mastery in Buddhism, so you want to discuss Buddhism with us?"

Lin Fei shook his head slightly and said, "I dare not claim mastery, but I have read the Diamond Sutra and have some doubts. I hope the two masters can enlighten me."

"Oh, the Diamond Sutra? Please speak, donor," the old monk said.

Lin Fei began to recite some verses from the Diamond Sutra. In fact, because of the Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique, he read a lot of Buddhist scriptures every day, especially the Diamond Sutra, so he could recite them fluently.

Lin Fei and the two monks began to exchange their understanding of Buddhism and Buddhist doctrine.

The two Zen masters were highly skilled in Buddhism and had a deep understanding of it. Lin Fei also received a long-awaited message from his system.

"Your Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique, hearing the profound Buddhist teachings, has entered into enlightenment, and its cultivation progress has increased by 50%."

"Your Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique has broken through to the eighth level."

As time passed, Lin Fei's Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique benefited greatly from the exchange with the two Zen masters. Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique broke through to the eighth level during its enlightenment.

However, the two Zen masters were already advanced in years, and after two or three hours of talking, they were feeling tired. Lin Fei bid farewell to them, but he did not leave. Instead, he stayed at the temple because his Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique had not yet reached the limit of body refinement.

He did not want to miss the opportunity of exchanging Buddhist teachings with the two Zen masters every day. He knew that it would greatly benefit his cultivation.

So, Lin Fei informed the Zhang family. Then he lived in the Hongfa Temple. He exchanged Buddhist teachings with the two high monks of the Hongfa Temple every day.

The two Zen masters of the Hongfa Temple also enjoyed exchanging Buddhist teachings with Lin Fei.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

During these ten-plus days, Lin Fei's Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique had been improving every day. However, after reaching the ninth layer, the speed of improvement slowed down. But even if it was slower, it was gradually approaching its limit.

One day, after just finishing the exchange with the two Zen masters, Lin Fei couldn't wait to return to his room.

"System."

Lin Fei immediately brought up the system panel to check his martial arts.

Host: Lin Fei

Martial Arts Realm: Acquired First Level

Dragon-Elephant Vajra Fist: Perfection (0% progress)

Nine Shadow Saber Technique: Perfection (18% progress)

Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique: Ninth level (99% progress)

Flowing Clothes Skill: Transcendence (0% progress)

Lin Fei saw that the progress of his Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique had reached 99%. It was only 1% away from reaching the limit of Body Refining and giving birth to inner power.

Lin Fei was burning with enthusiasm. Naturally, this couldn't stump him. He immediately took out many Buddhist scriptures and began reciting them.

Gradually, Lin Fei could clearly feel that the Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique was improving little by little. Perhaps, he could give birth to inner power today.

...

"Bang, bang, bang."

Outside the meditation room, a novice monk anxiously knocked on the door of the two Zen masters.

"Two masters, something bad happened...Cian has returned..." The novice's voice revealed a hint of panic.

"Don't panic, you're saying that Cian has returned?"

"Yes, Cian has returned. The martial monks have surrounded him, but they can't capture him. Moreover, Cian has even killed several martial monks."

"Namo Amitabha, what has to come will come. Let's go and see. Oh, and..." The Zen master stopped.

"Let a novice monk inform Lin Fei that there is danger in the temple and ask him to leave the Hongfa Temple."

"Yes, master!"

So the novice monk left immediately.

The two Zen masters arrived at the back gate of Hongfa Temple.

In an open space behind the gate lay many corpses of martial monks. The air was filled with a hint of blood.

Many martial monks surrounded a short-haired man holding a curved saber. The saber was stained with blood, and it was evident that the man had killed the martial monks on the ground.

"Amitabha. Cian, since you were expelled from Hongfa Temple, why did you come back to cause more trouble?" shouted Master Fayuan.

The man with the curved saber sneered, "Fayuan, Fajue, you have finally arrived."

"When I came to Hongfa Temple, I only wanted to become a martial monk to avenge myself," he continued.

"You have acquired martial arts skills, but you refused to teach me. You accused me of holding grudges and being unsuitable to become a monk. Eventually, you expelled me from Hongfa Temple," he said with a cold smile. "But what in the end? I still learned martial arts, and I even became an acquired martial artist!"

Fayuan sighed deeply and said, "Since you have achieved what you wanted, you should be happy. Why did you come back to cause trouble again?"

"Hmph, although I learned martial arts, do you know how I have lived these past few years?" Cian asked angrily.

"I have been living on the edge of life and death every day, constantly fighting. If you hadn't expelled me from Hongfa Temple, how could I have lived such a hell-like life?"

"So, I made a silent vow that I would make Hongfa Temple regret it when I became proficient in martial arts," he said, his tone full of hatred.

He hated Hongfa Temple so much that if they had taught him martial arts, he would have avenged himself and not ended up in such a miserable state, enduring inhumane torture.

Therefore, he wanted to take revenge on Hongfa Temple, even to the point of burning it to the ground, to ease his hatred.

58. Three-in-One Inner Power

Lin Fei stayed in the room all the time, reciting Buddhist scriptures. He could feel that the Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique was steadily improving. He didn't know how long had passed when he felt a slight tremor in his body, followed by the sound of the system in his mind.

"You recite the Buddhist scriptures with a joyful mood, and the progress of Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique is increased by 1%."

"Your Tendon Transformation and Bone Forging Technique has reached its limit and cannot be improved further."

As the system's voice fell, Lin Fei's whole body began to shake with a "crackling" sound. His bones seemed to be vibrating madly, and a familiar warmth flowed out from the depths of his bones, attaching to his bones and flowing throughout his body.

Lin Fei clearly felt that his bones seemed to be expanding at a terrifying speed. He stretched out his hand, and at that moment, he felt that the bones in his arm were indestructible.

Of course, this was Lin Fei's illusion caused by his bones improving too much all at once.

"Inner power! Tendon Transformation and Bone Forging Technique has finally given birth to inner power!"

Lin Fei opened his eyes with excitement and immediately summoned the system panel to check his martial arts.

Host: Lin Fei

Martial Arts Realm: Acquired First Level

Dragon-Elephant Vajra Fist: Perfection (0% progress)

Nine Shadow Saber Technique: Perfection (18% progress)

Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique: Body Refining Limit (cannot be improved)

Flowing Clothes Skill: Transcendence (0% progress)

Lin Fei saw that his Tendon Transformation and Bone Forging Technique had indeed reached its limit and could not be improved further. An inner power had been automatically generated.

This was the third inner power that had been born in Lin Fei's body. The inner powers borning in his bones circulated throughout his body, and the two-in-one inner power seemed to be stimulated and was also restless.

At this point, Lin Fei no longer hesitated.

"Integrate!"

Suddenly, Lin Fei proactively mobilized his two-in-one inner power to integrate into the inner power of the Tendon Transformation And Bone Forging Technique. The two Inner Powers quickly entangled and merged into a completely new Inner Power.

"Boom!"

Lin Fei shook all over.

The two Inner Powers rapidly entangled and merged, gradually transforming into a completely new Inner Power that instantly skyrocketed. The Three-in-One Inner Power!

Lin Fei felt that this new Inner Power was filled with terrifying power, about ten times stronger than the previous Inner Power of the Giant Whale Technique. This was purely a feeling, but he thought this feeling was not wrong.

"Qi and blood, tendons and bones, and skin and membranes, these three Inner Powers have merged into one. This kind of Inner Power should be the best among all martial artists in terms of both quality and quantity! If I return to the Nine Profound Sect, I can choose the acquired level martial arts in the martial arts pavilion and officially step into the acquired level of cultivation!"

Lin Fei's mood was surging. He finally waited for this day! Three Inner Powers merged into one, creating the strongest Inner Power.

It was not that the more Body Refining techniques one practiced, the more Inner Powers one would get. In fact, all Body Refining martial arts could be basically categorized into three types: Qi and blood, tendons and bones, and skin and membranes.

Practicing Vajra Iron Cloth and then hard martial arts like Golden Bell Cover would not have much effect, and ultimately only produces one Inner Power, which was skin and membranes Inner Power.

Therefore, Lin Fei had now merged his three Inner Powers of Qi and blood, tendons and bones, and skin and membranes into one. In a sense, this was the great perfection of the Body Refining level.

"These days, thanks to the two Masters of the Hongfa Temple. It's time to leave the Hongfa Temple. Say goodbye to the two Masters first!"

Lin Fei was going to get up and bid farewell to the two Masters. During these days, he discussed and debated Buddhist teachings and doctrines with them. Lin Fei admired the character and Buddhist realm of the two abbots very much.

"Screech."

Lin Fei opened the door and find that there was no one outside. Normally, the temple was deserted, but there were often monks passing by. One could even hear the chanting of sutras in the main hall. But now it was empty and very quiet.

Just as Lin Fei frowned, a novice monk ran over from a distance.

When he saw Lin Fei, the novice monk came to him panting and said anxiously, "Donor Lin, there's something going on in our temple today, and we've temporarily closed the temple. So please leave the temple first."

"Hmm? The temple is closed? May I ask what's going on?" Lin Fei was a little surprised.

The Hongfa Temple was a famous temple far and wide, and pilgrims came in large numbers every day. The temple was open almost every day of the year. Why was it closed today for some special reason?

Seeing that Lin Fei refused to leave, the novice monk became anxious and said, "DonorLin, please follow me and leave quickly. There is a wicked guest who has come to the temple today, and our martial monks may not be able to withstand them. If you stay in the temple, you may be in danger. That's why our abbot has asked me to take you away."

"Wicked guest?" Lin Fei's face changed.

He could faintly smell a hint of blood coming from the direction of the back door.

"Both Masters have shown great kindness to me. I'd like to see what kind of wicked guest dare to kill in this pure land of Buddhism." Lin Fei used his Flowing Clothes Skill and his figure flashed, taking him several yards away.

Even the novice monk was stunned to see this.

"Donor Lin..." The novice monk wanted to call out loudly. But in the blink of an eye, Lin Fei's figure disappeared.

The novice monk was horrified. He had no idea that the person who was discussing Buddhism with the two masters was actually a skilled martial artist.

The little novice monk gritted his teeth and ran towards the direction of the back door as well.