In the painting before Ethan Shu was a slender woman in red, standing gracefully beneath brbanana leaves. Originally a scene of hazy beauty, it now appeared ominous as the figure in red emerged from the painting.
"A spirit from a painting?" Ethan Shu sneered. "A mere painting spirit, daring to harm human lives—courting death!"
With his Brahmic Eye, he observed that this spirit was bound by heavy karmic burdens, proof of having taken lives. By day, it hid in the painting; by night, it drained travelers' life essence. Today, however, the spirit had been unfortunate enough to encounter a monk in its room.
Intimidated by Ethan Shu's natural Buddhist aura, the painting spirit hid within the artwork. Yet when she saw his spirit momentarily leave his body, she attempted to strike, only to be instantly caught.
Realizing she couldn't contend with him, the spirit flew out of the painting, gliding along the wall and attempting to escape through the window. But Ethan Shu had no intention of letting her go.
"With barely a century of cultivation, you think you can flee from this humble monk? Submit at once!"
His brow-eye cast a golden Buddha light, illuminating the wall and pinning the spirit in place.
"Spare me, Saint Monk! Please, have mercy on a small spirit like me!" The spirit pleaded, "It wasn't easy for me to cultivate this far—surely the Buddha would show me mercy!"
Ethan Shu scoffed. "How audacious of you! Do you truly believe Buddha would take pity on you?" "And even if Buddha did, what does that matter? The problem is I won't show you any mercy!" "With my eye, I see your sins—too grave to ignore!"
Ethan Shu's aura was overwhelming, like that of a supreme Buddha, asserting his authority over all. "Such arrogance from a bald monk… yet he's powerful!"
The red-clad spirit screamed in panic. Failing to escape through the window, she retreated along the wall, slipping into a series of scrolls on a nearby shelf. The shelf held over a dozen paintings, and while none were particularly valuable, Ethan Shu didn't wish to burn them all with a Buddha fire.
It happened that he was looking for an opportunity to test his newfound power with the World Sovereign Buddha Seal.
"Master once told me of a story in the eastern lands of South Jambudvipa. There, the emperor's minister was tasked with slaying a demon dragon, but his friend intervened. "So, under the guise of drunkenness, he slayed the demon dragon within his dream. "Today, with the aid of the World Sovereign Buddha Seal, I'll exorcise this spirit within her painting!"
With only a century of cultivation, this spirit was no match for him. However, he intended to use her as practice to refine his understanding of the Buddha Seal.
"Supreme freedom, unrestricted by time or space, prajāpāramitā!"
Closing his eyes, his face assumed a dignified Buddha-like expression, radiating subtle Buddha light. He raised the World Sovereign Buddha Seal with one hand and pointed at the scrolls on the shelf. A brilliant, multicolored light shot from his brow into the scrolls.
His spirit had entered the world within the painting.
Had anyone examined the painting, Tiger Descending the Mountain, they'd have noticed a new figure—a monk clad in white shoes and robes, looking as refined as jade.
"So, this is the world within the painting?" Ethan Shu murmured, his voice soft. "As expected, the freedom granted by the Buddha Seal is unparalleled." "With mastery of this Buddhist art, I may even achieve the power to transcend time itself."
From atop a fierce tiger, the red-clad spirit sneered, "Stubborn monk! If you'd let me go, we'd have avoided conflict." "But since you insist on pursuing me, you'll find the painting's world is under my control!"
With that, she commanded the tiger to leap at him from a rock, growing until it filled the entire painting, like an ancient demon tiger radiating terror.
Ethan Shu laughed.
"Mere illusions, tricks for the weak. Do you truly think they can challenge me?"
"Today, I'll show you what a real tiger is!"
He unleashed his Eighteen Arhats Fist. One of the most powerful Arhats, the Tiger Subduing Arhat, was known for vanquishing tigers. With a stance imitating the Arhat's technique, his hands clasped like a tiger's fanged mouth.
Roar!
Empowered by Buddha force, his fist turned into a golden tiger.
The golden tiger charged forward, roaring through the mountains, embodying unstoppable might. In a single clash, the demon tiger was subdued like a mere insect, utterly defeated by his Tiger Subduing Fist.
The red-clad spirit, horrified, leaped from the tiger's back, attempting to escape into another scroll.
"Still unaware of our power difference? Do you think I'd let you escape to harm others?"
He extended a hand, releasing a golden [卍] symbol, which spun and chased after the spirit.
The spirit screamed, "Saint Monk! Buddha! Please spare me! I'll never harm anyone again!"
Ethan Shu chuckled, "Hearing your deceitful words is about as likely as seeing pigs fly." "Even if you were sincere, the sins of your past cannot be erased so easily."
"Be destroyed!"
With a simple yet powerful Buddha Imprint, he struck the red-clad spirit, obliterating her completely.
Ding! "Congratulations, host, for killing the painting spirit, earning 200 cultivation points!"
The value of the spirit's cultivation points didn't concern him. As he exited the painting, his spirit returned to his body. His understanding of the World Sovereign Buddha Seal deepened.
"By the way, since I've advanced to the Relic Realm, does that mean the instance has updated, increasing the level cap?"
Curious, Ethan Shu opened his status panel:
Name: Ethan Shu
Monastic Title: Hsuan Kong
Longevity: 400 years
Aptitude: Mortal Body (Peak)
Cultivation Level: Relic Realm, Initial Stage (10,000/30,000)
Techniques: Muscle-Tendon Transformation Sutra, Level 6 (60,000/100,000)
Abilities: Buddha Imprint, Shurangama Mantra, Brahmic Eye, Kitigarbha Mantra, Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, Mighty Celestial Dragon Flame, World Sovereign Buddha Seal, etc.
Martial Arts: Mighty Vajra Palm, Lion's Roar, Demon Subduing Staff, Eighteen Arhats Fist, One Reed Crossing, etc.
Equipment: Broom with Buddha Force (Non-Grade), White Monk's Robe (Low-Grade Buddha Artifact), Vajra Bodhi Prayer Beads (Mid-Grade Buddha Artifact), Water-Fire Pathwalker Shoes (Low-Grade Buddha Artifact), Purple Copper Bowl (Low-Grade Buddha Artifact), Purple-Gold Monk Staff (High-Grade Buddha Artifact), Brocade Kasaya (Low-Grade Buddha Treasure), etc.
Instance: Qingyu Town
Note: Current instance max level: Late Relic Realm
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]