In the heart of the demon-infested Black Mountains, within the borders of the Yan Kingdom in Central Prefecture, stood an ancient temple that had endured for millennia.
Amidst the dense, ancient forest, a winding stone path, barely visible, stretched from the foot of the mountain to its peak. At the end of this path lay an old temple, its signboard hanging obliquely, with the faintly visible character "Lan" amidst peeling gold paint.
On both sides, low walls made of yellow mud enclosed a plot of land atop the mountain, where three dilapidated huts with dark green and black tiles stood. There were no Buddha statues or bronze bells here. Only an elderly monk, dressed in a black-and-white cassock, with white eyebrows trailing to the ground and a face as rosy and youthful as a peeled egg, held a razor, tonsuring a youth seated in the lotus position.
The youth possessed sharp eyebrows and sparkling eyes, a strikingly handsome appearance. His entry into Buddhism, embracing the Four Noble Truths, would surely have caused countless young women and charming ladies in the world to shed tears and break their hearts.
As the elder monk tonsured him, he chanted,
"The first stroke, vowing to sever all evil."
"The second stroke, wishing to cultivate all goodness."
"The third stroke, wishing to liberate all sentient beings."
The youth's black hair fell strand by strand onto the muddy ground.
"Amitabha, enter the path of Buddhism, and cleanse yourself of worldly desires."
"Ethan Shu was your secular name. I shall give you the Dharma name 'Hsuan Kong.' From now on, you were the young Novice Buddhist Monk - Hsuan Kong."
After shaving the youth's head bald, the elder monk tapped him three times on the top and said with a kind smile.
Ethan Shu turned back and asked, "Master, can I cultivate the 'Six Wisdoms Brahma Sutra' now?"
The elder monk stroked Ethan Shu's bald head, his kind and gentle smile suddenly stiffening.
"Hsuan Kong, did you know that Buddhism teaches against greed, anger, and ignorance?"
"Yes."
"Greed, anger, and ignorance are also known as the Three Poisons, or the Three Impurities, the Three Fires."
"These Three Poisons harm both body and mind, causing one to sink into the cycle of life and death, the root of evil, hence also known as the Three Unwholesome Roots."
Ethan Shu asked, "So what did this have to do with my cultivation of the 'Six Wisdoms Brahma Sutra'?"
The elder monk chuckled and said, "I forgot to tell you, you didn't have wisdom potential, and therefore could not cultivate the 'Six Wisdoms Brahma Sutra.'"
Ethan Shu: "I..."
He glanced at the razor in the elder monk's hand.
The elder monk quickly put away the sharp razor and said, "Hsuan Kong, remember to abstain from greed, anger, and ignorance!"
Ethan Shu took a deep breath to calm himself and said, "I'm not angry. Master saved my life, and I will always remember that."
"But being a monk is not for me."
Ethan Shu rose and turned to leave the temple.
The elder monk urgently said, "It was dangerous down the mountain. The Yan Kingdom was in turmoil, with war and chaos everywhere, and demons running wild. As an ordinary person, going down the mountain would only mean becoming food for wolves and tigers."
Ethan Shu paused and turned back.
He knew the elder monk was speaking the truth.
After arriving in this world, Ethan Shu immediately encountered terrifying demons. If the elder monk hadn't appeared and helped in time, Ethan Shu would have been killed by the demons. And it was because of this that Ethan Shu witnessed the elder monk's prowess.
With a resonant Buddhist chant, a golden [卍] symbol descended, causing the fearsome demon to instantly perish and turn into a pool of charred remains on the ground.
Ethan Shu then learned that the elder monk cultivated the 'Six Wisdoms Brahma Sutra'.
In this world, not only did demons and monsters exist, but there were also many cultivators. Buddhist practitioners were just one of them!
Due to certain reasons, the elder monk could not leave the Black Mountains and help Ethan Shu leave.
Ethan Shu, having no other choice, followed the elder monk to the temple and stayed for a few days.
For several days, Ethan Shu had been trying to awaken a system or find other golden fingers essential for time travelers, but to no avail.
Out of necessity, Ethan Shu took the elder monk as his master and joined the Buddhist order.
However...
Ethan Shu lacked wisdom and could not cultivate the 'Six Wisdoms Brahma Sutra'!
The elder monk comforted him, "Don't panic, disciple. I can teach you the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones,' and with my profound Buddhist power, help you purify your marrow and bones, aiding you in cultivating the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones.'"
"If the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones' is successfully cultivated, although it lacks Buddhist power, it can achieve the miraculous effects of strengthening the body and prolonging life."
"Once you achieve a basic mastery of the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones,' you will walk swiftly, moving with great speed."
"I will also inscribe the 'Diamond Sutra' on you, with Buddhist light protecting your body and demons unable to harm you, allowing you to safely descend the mountain in the shortest time."
"Amitabha."
The elder monk lowered his eyebrows, folded his hands, and chanted a Buddhist invocation.
Ethan Shu's eyes turned slightly red, a warm feeling flowing through his heart.
"Master, I won't descend the mountain. I will diligently study the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones.'"
Thus, spring came and autumn went.
Ethan Shu learned the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones' from the elder monk.
For several months, the elder monk used his upright and profound Buddhist power to purify Ethan Shu's marrow and bones, enabling him to progress rapidly.
The 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones' is easy to learn but difficult to master.
Ethan Shu successfully cultivated the 'Sutra of Strengthening Sinews and Bones' to a basic level, with his physical fitness having become several times stronger than ordinary people.
Strength, speed, neural reflexes, muscle density, and skin toughness were far superior to when Ethan Shu first arrived in this world.
Ethan Shu lifted a ten thousand kg boulder effortlessly.
The apricot trees in the courtyard of the temple turned yellow.
A gust of autumn wind blew, causing the golden leaves to rustle and fall.
Ethan Shu sat on a simple stone bench, playing gomoku with the elder monk to pass the time.
gomoku was also taught by Ethan Shu to the elder monk.
Upon learning, the elder monk fell in love with gomoku, saying it contained deep Zen wisdom.
Black and white pieces, chasing and blocking each other, revealed the essence of life.
Despite his fondness, the elder monk, with his profound Buddhist cultivation, could not beat Ethan Shu, who lacked wisdom, in gomoku.
Holding a white piece, the elder monk looked at the simple "board" on the stone table, his white eyebrows furrowed, and could not help but feel impatient.
Ethan Shu remained calm like an old monk and said, "Master, remember to abstain from greed, anger, and ignorance."
"Clap!"
The elder monk placed his piece.
Ethan Shu immediately placed his black piece, forming five in a row.
"Master, you lost again."
The elder monk huffed and glared, saying, "Let's play again!"
Ethan Shu said, "Master, abstain from greed and ignorance."
Reluctantly, the elder monk folded his hands and chanted, "Amitabha, forgive me, I'll play again tomorrow."
Ethan Shu rose and said, "Tomorrow then, tomorrow."
As he observed the accumulating fallen leaves in the courtyard, he couldn't help but sigh, "It had been several months since I arrived here."
"For months, the system hadn't awakened. It seemed I was destined to spend my days in this remote mountain, accompanied by flickering lamps and ancient Buddhas."
"Let's sweep up these leaves and pile them," he said, filling his idle time.
Ethan Shu, finding nothing better to do, grabbed a broom in the dilapidated side hall and began sweeping the withered leaves in the courtyard.
At that moment, a system notification echoed in Ethan Shu's mind.
"Ding-dong, congratulations, host! The Sweeping System had been successfully activated."
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]