parentshiftbook Chapter 349 Like flowing water, the source is vast and boundless; the sun, moon, and stars share one
Chapter 349 Like flowing water, the source is vast and boundless; the sun, moon, and stars share one
Chapter 349 Like flowing water, the source is vast and boundless; the sun, moon, and stars share the same sky.
A solitary island in the chaotic sea, perched atop a cliff.
After finishing his conversation with Li Boyan, Li Xijun felt completely free of any worries or doubts.
He nodded slightly to Li Boyan, then sat cross-legged on the rugged rock, closed his eyes, and entered his most perfect and flawless mental state.
"boom!"
A resolute, immense, and unyielding will to defy fate and seek survival in the face of death surged forth, reaching straight into the heavens.
In an instant,
Heaven and earth are moved!
The already dark and gloomy sky above the Chaos Sea suddenly changed.
Endless dark clouds gathered frantically, as if grabbed from the depths of the universe by an invisible giant hand.
The tribulation clouds presented a chaotic color, as if countless fine, dragon-like divine thunders roared within them.
Li Boyan, who was protecting the Dharma in the distance, felt the might of the heavens. His expression was extremely solemn, but his eyes couldn't help but reveal a trace of admiration and emotion.
This decisiveness in undergoing tribulation and the courage to face the great terror of "living towards death" far exceeded his original resolve.
As the second tribulation of lightning in this mental state was triggered...
For the first time, Li Xijun's Yin spirit keenly detected that within that vast heavenly might, there was a faint trace of cold and hidden malice from this world, which flashed by like a venomous snake.
Fortunately, the power level of the second stage of the lightning tribulation seems to be within the world's "tolerance" range of malice, and has not attracted more direct intervention.
But this hint of malice also made him even more convinced that in this realm, breaking through the third level of the lightning tribulation and becoming a pure Yang god without Yin was almost a pipe dream.
"However, the tribulation of the Yang God is a later matter."
"Now that the tribulation lightning has arrived, if we don't act now, when will we?"
With a thought, Li Xijun's mind was suddenly stirred, and the Yin God's mind image, which combined the three religions, leaped out of its shell and rushed straight up to the tribulation clouds above that seemed to have turned into a thunder pool!
As soon as this thought appeared, the thunder in the sky seemed to have been challenged to the extreme, and it instantly erupted.
As if given a command, countless bolts of lightning condensed into divine lightning of various colors, emanating a terrifying aura of destruction.
If it weren't for the need for a breakthrough, Li Xijun's heart would have been instantly moved upon seeing this scene on ordinary days, without any hesitation.
however,
The key to the second stage of the lightning tribulation is not evasion, nor tempering, but complete and utter destruction without any room for retreat!
It requires practitioners to use this majestic heavenly power and divine thunder to thoroughly and cleanly bombard their painstakingly condensed Yin spirit mind, which they regard as the foundation of their life, from the most subtle thought structure to the macroscopic divine form, into the most primitive and absolute "nothingness".
at the same time,
The practitioner's true self-awareness, that bright and clear true nature, must, in this absolute "nothingness" and "deathly silence," be like the last spark in a raging storm, seemingly weak, yet bursting forth with a tenacious spirit that transcends life and death, remaining undying.
then,
Then, using the vast and boundless aspirations of all beings accumulated in daily life as the sole fuel and source of creation, a completely new mental image, from the absolute "emptiness" and "death," is reshaped, which is thoroughly filled with pure Yang energy from the inside out, from form to essence.
This is the true meaning of "living towards death"!
"bring it on!"
Li Xijun's Yin spirit roared silently, and instead of retreating, it actively faced the destructive lightning.
"Snap—!"
The first divine lightning bolt struck down fiercely, like a giant axe splitting the heavens, slashing hard at the heart.
Li Xijun was immediately shaken. The dazzling brilliance of the glass surface dimmed instantly, and fine, shocking cracks appeared.
A sharp pain, striking straight to the very core of his soul, caused Li Xijun, still inside his physical body, to groan softly.
Immediately afterwards, a second, a third... even more terrifying divine lightning bolts fell one after another!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The surface of the heart is cracking more and more, like a piece of porcelain about to break.
The structure, which had gathered countless minds, began to crumble, and dazzling lightning pierced through the cracks, raging within it.
Li Xijun felt as if she was enduring unimaginable pain.
That is the ultimate pain of having one's mind torn apart, one's thoughts crushed, and one's very foundation shaken.
His spirit was constantly destroyed by the thunder, and his hard-earned spiritual power vanished like bubbles.
The scent of death, like a cold tide, drew ever closer.
until--
The ninth bolt of lightning descends!
That was a divine lightning bolt that condensed all the destructive will of the tribulation clouds, striking out once again.
"puff--!"
Like a red-hot iron needle piercing ice crystals, Li Xijun's Yin Spirit Heart Form could not withstand even a moment before this divine lightning, and it shattered with a roar, turning into countless tiny streams of light that had lost all spirituality and structure. They were then completely annihilated by the billions of lightning bolts that followed, returning to absolute "nothingness".
In an instant,
All the pain, all the sensations, all the thoughts... all disappeared.
His spirit, his mind, and his physical manifestation in this world were completely erased by heavenly lightning.
However, in this state of absolute annihilation, absolute emptiness, and absolute "death," an ineffable and mysterious state emerged.
That is the ultimate tranquility that transcends the concepts of life and death, and transcends the distinction between existence and non-existence.
It seems neither alive nor dead, neither present nor absent, seemingly there yet not there.
In this absolute "emptiness", time loses its meaning and space loses its dimension.
If Li Xijun's last shred of consciousness wavers even for a fraction of a second, becomes even slightly confused, or gives up even a little bit, he will be like a grain of salt thrown into the ocean, completely dissolved, returning to eternal nothingness, with no possibility of ever coming back.
but,
Having made thorough preparations and with a steadfast Dao heart, Li Xijun never wavered in the slightest!
On the contrary, in this state of absolute "emptiness" that strips away all external appearances and points directly to the source, he had never felt two things so clearly—
First, deep within my soul, there lies the indestructible and immortal golden nature brought by that first-grade golden elixir. Like a candle flickering in the wind, it stubbornly marks the final coordinates of my existence.
The other is the Great Luo Mark deep within the sea of consciousness, which originates from the power of [Converging All Heavens].
When his mind was immersed in this, and touched upon the profound characteristics of that trace of the Great Luo Imprint,
Li Xijun further discovered that while the golden nature brought by the Golden Core was precious, like a firefly in the darkness guiding the way, the Great Luo Mark was the truly eternal and free immortal radiance that illuminated all the heavens and myriad realms, spanning the past, present, and future.
Unconsciously, he forgot that he relied on the golden nature of the Golden Elixir. His entire mind and his true nature began to naturally move towards, merge with, and reshape that higher level of immortality!
A completely new kind of golden nature, far more essential, more eternal, and more free than the Golden Elixir and Golden Nature, quietly emerged from this absolute "emptiness".
And the moment this metal element is born is the return of "me".
"My thought is my existence!"
There is no need for deliberate guidance, because Li Xijun follows the path of "integration of the three religions with self as the master," and his original intention is the highest principle.
The entire process was smooth and without any delays, discord, or setbacks, as if the universe had been created and the primordial chaos had been separated, and everything had come to fruition naturally!
"Buzz—!"
That absolute "emptiness" was pierced by a glimmer of inspiration.
Li Xijun's self-awareness, carrying that newly born immortal golden nature containing a trace of the Great Luo's qualities, returned from the Realm of Death like a phoenix rising from the ashes!
Almost at the same moment his consciousness rekindled, the vast, star-like power of the will of all living beings surged in at an unprecedented speed, leaving Li Boyan, who was far away, dumbfounded.
The immense power of vows transformed into the purest source of creation, reshaping the mind and spirit according to Li Xijun's original will.
A mental image filled with pure Yang energy, both inside and out, is condensing and manifesting at a speed visible to the naked eye!
This mental image is now three thousand feet tall, standing tall and firm, its entire body like cast glass, clear inside and out, with pure yang light shining everywhere, illuminating this chaotic sea as if it were daytime!
Tribulation of lightning twice, Manifestation of the Holy True Lord—Success!
With a thought, Li Xijun raised his three-thousand-foot-tall Pure Yang Heart Image slightly and easily tore apart the surrounding tribulation clouds and thunder pool that had not yet completely dissipated.
With one step, he returned from the thunderous sky to the cliff.
And as the mind returns to its original state, it merges into oneself.
Li Xijun opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly reflecting the birth and death of the universe, the cycle of reincarnation. His aura was as deep as the sea, yet it carried a sense of tranquility and authenticity, as if cleansed of worldly impurities.
Gazing at the gradually calming, chaotic sea, he reflected on his journey of "living towards death" and the fundamental principle of the unity of the three religions, and couldn't help but feel moved, reciting leisurely:
"A monk, a Taoist, and a Confucian scholar, all connected by fate, together enter the state of emptiness and attain the Zen of enlightenment."
"Like water flowing from the vast ocean, the sun, moon, and stars share the same sky."
"Originally, the Great Dao was one and the same, but due to stubbornness, we cannot discuss its mysteries."
"If one's mind is truly at peace, then who can discuss it further? The three teachings are ultimately the same."
The sound of the Dao resonated, echoing between the sea and the sky.
(End of this chapter)