Super Combat Soldier

Chapter 1939: Chapter 1937: Something’s Wrong Inside the Buddhist Stone Statue

Ye Tianchen and the Wuji Taoist, narrowly escaping death, left the temple where the Young Buddha once stood!

For Ye Tianchen, it was truly a rewarding experience, witnessing countless legendary events involving the Young Buddha and the Peacock Great Bright King. Perhaps, apart from these two, the only other person aware of such stories might just be Ye Tianchen!

What both Ye Tianchen and the Wuji Taoist marveled at was the merciless passage of time which erodes everything. Even the Buddhist Emperor’s supreme Dharma couldn’t withstand time’s wear. The temples, originally majestic, would eventually crumble to nothing. It forces one to ponder: In this world, where do the countless Martial Artists’ paths truly lead? Is there a way out?

Ye Tianchen seeks the ”Barbaric Forbidden Land”; the Wuji Taoist seeks the ”Inheritance of Buddhist Law”. Though their goals differ, their destination is the same, heading to the farthest west.

Flying with Qi Manipulation, as they both felt lost, they suddenly saw in the distance a stone Buddha statue standing tall in the desert. Towering dozens of meters, it emitted a sacred and inviolable aura!

”Is this the Buddhist All Living Beings?” Ye Tianchen asked in surprise.

”Yes, this is a statue that all Buddhists worship. It can be said to embody the Mana of countless Buddhist monks throughout the ages!” the Wuji Taoist nodded and replied.

Before Ye Tianchen could react, the Wuji Taoist landed on the ground, sincerely kneeling in reverence toward the stone Buddha statue. Ye Tianchen also landed but simply stood and observed, without kneeling!

”You’re not bowing?” the Wuji Taoist, seeing Ye Tianchen standing still, asked in amazement.

”Why should I?” Ye Tianchen smiled and asked in return.

”This... This is the Buddhist All Living Beings. Countless have searched for it in vain. We are blessed to see it, a heaven-sent fortune, deserving of kneeling. Besides, the supreme inheritance of the Yijin Jing you received came from the Buddhist sect, and yet you show no veneration?” the Wuji Taoist said incredulously.

Ye Tianchen smiled faintly, shook his head, and resolutely said, ”I walk my own path, never to be constrained by ancestral teachings!”

”You...” The Wuji Taoist was shocked. For someone as powerful as her, she had never considered such thoughts, always holding a profound reverence for the Buddhist sect’s teachings she practiced.

”For me, I respect neither heavens nor earth, only myself!” Ye Tianchen said heavily.

The Wuji Taoist was truly stunned by Ye Tianchen’s words. While Martial Artists often rebel against the heavens, few would boldly claim to respect only themselves. No one could have predicted Ye Tianchen’s lack of reverence toward the Buddhist sect, which seemed illogical!

Indeed, to Ye Tianchen, the Buddhist sect had immense benevolence. Without the Shaolin’s Master Fang Zheng, Ye Tianchen wouldn’t have become a Martial Artist, nor achieved such strength without the sect’s Yijin Jing. Several times he had been saved by the Holy Skill of the sect. Logic dictated that he should hold deep veneration and awe for the sect’s teachings, so why does he speak such words? Is it conceit, or ingratitude?

”I understand now. Your courage is astonishing. My master was right; your path may be short or long!” the Wuji Taoist stood looking at Ye Tianchen as she spoke.

”Whether short or long, it’s a path I walk myself. The power of the ancients merits respect and emulation, but without personal innovation and comprehension, achieving new heights is impossible!” Ye Tianchen earnestly said.

”Let’s go, explore inside this Buddhist All Living Beings. Maybe we’ll meet a high monk and ask where the Barbaric Forbidden Land lies!” the Wuji Taoist said, glancing at Ye Tianchen.

Ye Tianchen nodded, choosing not to argue further. It was clear their thoughts diverged, and there was no need to force mutual understanding. In the Martial Arts World, countless paths can lead to greatness; it’s only a matter of whether the path’s walker has that capability!

Seeing the enormous Buddhist Stone Statue, the Wuji Taoist kneeled while Ye Tianchen stood, his knees unbent. This reflected their differing interpretations of the Buddhist inheritance. They walked on foot toward the enormous statue, instead of flying with Qi Manipulation.

Buddhist All Living Beings, said to be a site of pilgrimage of many high monks when the Buddha once traveled here, became a notable scene. Someone suggested crafting a Buddha statue, transforming the site into a place for future disciples. During its creation, the Buddha remarked that all beings embody Buddha; the absence of self is the statue; all beings are the statue.

Thus, the enormous stone Buddha statue wasn’t sculpted in Buddha’s likeness, but instead took the form of common monks, known thereafter as the ”Buddhist All Living Beings”.

But as Ye Tianchen and the Wuji Taoist walked toward the ”Buddhist All Living Beings”, despite hours of walking, they never seemed to draw closer, though it stood less than a kilometer away. Why couldn’t they reach it?

This left Ye Tianchen and Wuji Taoist both in shock. They didn’t feel any fluctuation of power, and it couldn’t be that they were under some kind of Martial Arts Illusion Skill. What on earth was going on?

”How could this be?” Ye Tianchen couldn’t help but frown and ask.

”I don’t know either!” Wuji Taoist shook her head involuntarily.

”Haven’t you come here with your master a few times? How could you not know the mystery behind this?” Ye Tianchen thought for a moment and asked.

”To be honest, this is also my first time seeing the Buddhist All Living Beings. It is rumored that the stone statues of the Buddhist All Living Beings aren’t something that ordinary people can see. It requires the right timing, location, and people. The few times I came here with my master, we were just wandering in the wilderness, hoping to comprehend the will of the Buddhist Emperor and some past Buddhist monks who once left behind their arduous cultivation here. We never saw these stone statues!” Wuji Taoist shook her head and said.

”Haha, it seems I have some kind of blessing with me. You see, being with me, you’ve witnessed the place that you’ve dreamed of reaching!” Ye Tianchen teased with a smile.

”Now is not the time for jokes. I once heard my master mention that seeing the Buddhist All Living Beings not only requires fate, but entering it is incredibly difficult because it keeps retreating as living beings approach!” Wuji Taoist frowned and said.

”It keeps retreating as living beings approach? Why is that?” Ye Tianchen asked, puzzled.

”I don’t know the reason either. Perhaps there are some unknown secrets behind it!” Wuji Taoist shook her head.

”If walking doesn’t work, then let’s fly in with the fastest speed, so that the Buddhist Stone Statue cannot retreat!” Ye Tianchen thought for a moment and said.

”At this point, we have no choice but to try!” Wuji Taoist nodded.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Ye Tianchen and Wuji Taoist both turned into two beams of light, reaching extreme speed, charging toward the Buddhist Stone Statue ahead. However, as they charged forward, they clearly felt the Buddhist Stone Statue retreating at a considerable speed, making it impossible for even them to catch up.

”Too surreal, this Buddhist Stone Statue is moving on its own, is it possible that it has developed a Divine Sense?” Ye Tianchen couldn’t help but frown and said.

”Developing a Divine Sense has never happened in a Buddhist Stone Statue before. I think it must be some kind of force driving it. We seem to have closed some distance now, maybe we can increase our speed!” Wuji Taoist thought for a moment and said.

Boom!

Boom!

Wuji Taoist activated her Martial Arts True Power from her Dantian, and Ye Tianchen burned his Physical Body Power. In an instant, both of them increased their speed more than tenfold, and sure enough, successfully charged into the grand entrance of the Buddhist Stone Statue, entering within!

However, after Ye Tianchen and Wuji Taoist charged inside the Buddhist Stone Statue, they were both stunned. Because inside the Buddhist Stone Statue, aside from the meditation cushions on the high platforms from all directions, there was no one, which made it somewhat unbelievable, especially for Wuji Taoist!

”How could this be?” Wuji Taoist couldn’t help but ask in shock.

”Is there anything wrong?” Ye Tianchen also looked around and asked.

”Although it’s my first time seeing the Buddhist All Living Beings and entering this Buddhist Stone Statue, I once heard a high Buddhist monk say that inside the Buddhist All Living Beings, there are high Buddhist masters who practice here for a lifetime without emerging. They are all willing to spend their entire lives here to comprehend the Buddhist Secret Skill and feel the atmosphere where the Buddha once held talks here. This is also what many Buddhist cultivators dream of, but why is it empty?” Wuji Taoist spoke while looking around, with a look of disbelief! (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to recommend and vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)