bookbashuk Chapter 71 Shakyamuni Throws the Elephant!
Chapter 71 Shakyamuni Throws the Elephant!
Chapter 71 Shakyamuni Throws the Elephant!
Everyone except Zuo Ruotong was shocked!
No one expected that the first thing Zhou Yi did after returning to the mountain was to challenge the sect leader to a duel!
Chengzhen, being of a rather straightforward nature, immediately stepped forward upon seeing Zhou Yi's bluntness and said in a deep voice, "Zhou Yi, I've heard quite a bit about the great things you've accomplished down the mountain. Since you wish to verify what you've learned, why not let me, your senior brother, learn from you first!"
Her voice carried a hint of anger, as well as a touch of curiosity and a desire to test the true strength of this legendary junior brother.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi's expression remained unchanged. He simply turned slightly to face Chengzhen, maintaining his composure: "Since Senior Brother Chengzhen is interested, then please proceed."
"good!"
Chengzhen gave a low shout and said no more.
In a flash, she disappeared from the high stone steps!
The next moment, it shot down the steps like an arrow released from a bow, carrying a strong gust of wind, its target the Book of Changes in the center of the courtyard!
She brought her right palms together, gathering her Qi. Although she had not yet activated the Reverse Life Triple Level, the momentum of this surge already revealed the solid foundation and astonishing speed of a true successor of the San Yi Sect.
However, he had only rushed halfway—
"Buzz!"
A slight tremor sounded.
The ancient sword box that had been quietly floating beside Zhou Yi suddenly had one of its compartments slide open silently, and a golden talisman shot out!
The talisman did not attack Chengzhen's true form, but suddenly shone brightly in the air, instantly transforming into a solid humanoid phantom!
The silhouette was clearly defined, revealing a bald, gaunt monk. Although his face was blurred, his posture was composed and his appearance dignified, exuding a powerful and pure Buddhist aura.
The moment the phantom appeared, it precisely blocked Chengzhen's charge, like a silent martial monk protecting the Dharma and upholding the precepts.
Borrow someone’s true meaning!
Caught off guard, Chengzhen collided squarely with the suddenly appearing golden phantom!
"Bang!"
A muffled thud.
Chengzhen felt a powerful and upright force, yet strangely flexible, coming from him. His forward momentum was completely blocked, his blood and qi stagnated slightly, and he involuntarily staggered back a step.
The golden phantom remained as steady as a rock. After blocking the enemy with one strike, its movements did not pause at all. Its blurry face seemed to turn towards Chengzhen. Its right palm was already raised, with a rich golden light emanating from the edge of its palm. It carried a fierce will that could destroy gold and jade and subdue demons and monsters, and struck towards Chengzhen's chest!
Before the palm strike even arrived, the pure, vast, and powerful Buddhist aura, specifically designed to counter evil and yin energy, was already overwhelming!
"The Mighty Vajra Palm?!" Chengzhen's pupils shrank, and he exclaimed in shock!
She thought this was the most famous and powerful external palm technique among the 72 Shaolin Arts! Its operating mechanism and power generation method emphasize fierce and powerful external strikes, making it incomparably powerful!
But Chengzhen guessed wrong... It wasn't the Shaolin Vajra Palm. Although the two palm techniques are very similar, they are vastly different, like worlds apart.
In the blink of an eye, there was no time to dodge!
"drink!"
With a low roar, Chengzhen's skin instantly glowed with a jade-white luster, and his hair turned silver-white, instantly activating the Triple Rebirth Technique!
She crossed her arms, her Qi surging wildly and concentrating in front of her arms, forcefully resisting the sudden Vajra Palm print!
"Thump—!!!"
A deafening roar, like the sound of a great bell, exploded in the arena!
The golden palm print and the jade-white Qi of Reversal collided violently, creating a surge of energy that sent fallen leaves flying through the courtyard.
The next instant, Chengzhen felt an incredibly subtle yet powerful force, combining both strength and gentleness, penetrate his body. It not only numbed his arms but also caused his Qi, which was in a reverse-life state, to fluctuate violently. He felt as if he had been gently pushed by an invisible hand—
"Thump, thump, thump!"
He was forced to retreat several steps, each step leaving shallow footprints on the bluestone ground.
What's even more astonishing is that this force seemed to possess a spirit, precisely controlling his retreat and landing point, sending him exactly back to the spot where she initially stood on the steps, not a fraction more or less.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
From Chengzhen's sudden attack to being intercepted by the golden talisman soldier phantom, and then being sent back to his original position after taking a "Great Vajra Palm" blow, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
"Senior brother!"
"Senior Brother Chengzhen!"
Changqing, Shuiyun, and Lu Jin on the steps all gasped in shock.
This was the first time they had ever witnessed such miraculous skill!
That golden figure, transformed by talismans, not only possessed both form and spirit, but could also unleash unique techniques from other schools, and its power was astonishing. It was even able to directly repel Chengzhen, who had activated the third level of Reverse Life!
This is completely beyond their understanding of "talismanic arts".
Only the well-informed Si Chong frowned, his eyes gleaming, staring intently at the golden phantom standing motionless with its palms clasped together in front of its chest. He then glanced at the calm-faced Zhou Yi, muttering with deep doubt: "Scattering beans to create soldiers, using talismans to transform people—the methods of the Shangqing lineage? Years ago, I also saw a high-ranking priest from Maoshan use the Five Warriors Talisman to summon phantom guardian deities to aid in battle—"
He paused, his tone growing increasingly solemn: "But—even the most accomplished masters of the Shangqing lineage who have mastered this technique to its pinnacle, could never create a divine being so lifelike and agile as to so easily force Chengzhen, in his reversed-life state, to retreat!"
"Again!"
Chengzhen steadied himself, showing no sign of defeat on his face, but rather a fiercer fighting spirit in his eyes!
She couldn't believe that her years of arduous cultivation of the Reverse Rebirth Triple Realm would be completely blocked by a phantom formed from a talisman.
This time, she no longer tried to bypass or directly target the Book of Changes, but instead focused all her attention on the re-solidified, golden-glowing phantom of the monk.
The figure moved again, like a white rainbow piercing the sun, and rushed down once more!
The golden phantom did not require Zhou Yi's additional control; it seemed to possess an independent fighting consciousness. Facing Cheng Zhen's storm-like attacks, it neither dodged nor avoided, meeting palm to palm and fist to fist, steadily blocking the open space between Cheng Zhen and Zhou Yi.
In an instant, figures crisscrossed in the courtyard, and Qi energy surged everywhere!
The jade-white reverse life force collided continuously with the golden Buddhist energy, producing dense and muffled "bang" sounds.
Chengzhen had pushed the power of the Reverse Life Second Stage to its limit. His figure was as fast as a ghost, and his palms, fingers, fists and legs turned into afterimages. He could use the exquisite moves of the Sanyi Sect at will, and his attacks were like a raging storm, one wave after another.
However, to her horror, no matter how cunning, swift, or powerful her attacks were, the golden phantom could always block her path and neutralize her force with a perfectly timed, seemingly ordinary palm strike, punch, or finger strike.
What made her feel even more powerless was that, from beginning to end, the phantom's feet seemed to be rooted to the ground, never moving an inch!
With just a slight turn of his upper body and a block with his arms, he neutralized all her attacks.
Chengzhen tried his best, even attempting several times to force a breakthrough using the characteristics of the Reverse Life Qi, but all his efforts were in vain. He was easily neutralized by the strange softness and pure Buddhist power contained in the phantom, and could not cross the line.
"What incredible talismanic techniques!" On the steps, Shuiyun stared in disbelief, unable to help but exclaim in a low voice, "With just a phantom image formed by a talisman, it was able to firmly stop Senior Brother Chengzhen from using all his strength—is this truly the Shangqing Talismanic Technique? Uncle-Master, do you know the specific name of this talisman?"
Si Chong frowned, his gaze never leaving the fierce battle in the arena. Upon hearing this, he said in a deep voice, "The Shangqing Sect does indeed have a famous Shangqing Five Warriors Talisman." This talisman is quite similar to this one, both using talismans as a guide to conjure up phantom images of divine warriors to assist in the battle.
The five strongmen are said to be able to summon the power of the five plague gods—Zhang, Liu, Zhao, Zhong, and Shi—each possessing unique supernatural abilities.
He paused, his tone growing increasingly puzzled: "But as far as I know, ordinary talisman soldiers, whether the Five Warriors of Shangqing or similar methods from other schools, often summon phantoms that rely on specific abilities granted by talisman power or brute force to fight. Their intelligence is limited, and their moves are relatively rigid—they should never possess such exquisite and master-like martial arts skills!"
As a seasoned veteran, Si Chong keenly perceived the key point: the golden phantom formed by Zhou Yi's talisman did not seem to have a particularly exaggerated level of "power." At least in a pure contest of strength, it was no match for Cheng Zhen, who had fully activated Reverse Life, and was even far inferior.
However, the martial arts skills displayed by this phantom reached an unbelievable level!
"Sect Leader," Si Chong couldn't help but turn to Zuo Ruotong, who had been silently watching the battle, his tone filled with inquiry and shock, "You are very knowledgeable, could you possibly discern the origin and pattern of this illusory figure?"
All eyes then turned to Zuo Ruotong.
Zuo Ruotong slowly shook her head, her gaze fixed on the golden phantom's fluid movements, her eyes gleaming with admiration. Her voice carried a mixture of genuine praise and a hint of self-deprecation: "Si Chong, like you, I only today truly understand what 'breathtaking' means."
He pointed to the arena: "Look at him, every move he makes is perfectly natural, seemingly simple, but actually incredibly skillful. His every gesture is weighty yet powerful, embodying ultimate strength within ultimate softness; his control over power has reached a state of perfection—simply put, his skill and artistry in martial arts are unparalleled."
Zuo Ruotong paused for a moment, then frankly admitted, "Compared to this person, I, Zuo Ruotong, am probably not even worthy of carrying his shoes."
These words shocked everyone once again!
Even the sect leader admits he's inferior?!
"Proficient in Shaolin martial arts, and even making you, the sect leader, feel inferior—" While fighting the illusory figure, Chengzhen was distracted by his thoughts. Suddenly, something occurred to him, "Could it be one of those legendary figures from the Shaolin Temple who live in seclusion—"
"Hey, Master, Uncle-Master, why bother guessing?" Shuiyun, being straightforward, directly called out to Zhou Yi at the sidelines, "Zhou Yi! Who exactly is this powerful figure you summoned with your talisman?"
Zhou Yi's gaze swept across the fierce battle arena. When he heard Shui Yun's question, he remained calm and simply replied, "You'll know the next move as soon as you see it."
The moment those words were spoken, the situation on the field changed drastically!
The golden phantom, which had been primarily defensive, slightly shifted its body after parrying Chengzhen's straight punch. Its right palm, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, emerged from an incredible angle, seemingly slow but actually fast, carrying a Zen-like sense of harmony, unimpededness, and all-encompassing, and lightly imprinted itself on Chengzhen's shoulder, which was slightly exposed due to the exhaustion of his offensive!
This palm strike appeared gentle and without any harshness, but the moment the palm force touched Chengzhen's body, a strange and powerful force suddenly erupted!
This force was not a simple impact, but an instantaneous differentiation and penetration, like mercury spilling onto the ground, evenly spreading to every muscle, bone, and joint in Chengzhen's entire body!
Chengzhen felt a sudden pause in his breathing. His body, in its reverse-life state, seemed to be "soothed" and "combed" by some higher-level power. All the condensed energy involuntarily dispersed, and he fell into a brief and strange state of "weightlessness" and "softness".
Just as her old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet arisen, and her body stiffened slightly, the golden phantom raised its left hand in front of its chest, making a gesture of compassionate worship, while its right hand had been lightly placed on Chengzhen's other shoulder without her noticing.
The movements were fluid and natural, without a trace of murderous intent.
Immediately afterwards, without any visible exertion of force or movement from the illusory figure, Chengzhen's body seemed to lose all weight, as if lifted up by a gentle yet irresistible breeze—
"call!"
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Chengzhen's figure suddenly rose from the ground and floated lightly into the air!
She was in mid-air, her body seemingly enveloped by a gentle force, unable to struggle or feel any harm, like a willow leaf being tossed about by a spring breeze.
She flew upwards in the air for about ten breaths before the force slowly dissipated.
Then, like a fallen leaf returning to its roots, Chengzhen gracefully and precisely floated down—
She landed precisely on the step where she had initially stood, her feet touching the ground silently.
She subconsciously touched her whole body and found herself completely unharmed, not even her clothes were disheveled, as if the experience of soaring through the air for more than ten breaths was just an illusion.
Only the breath within her body, skillfully regulated and now flowing exceptionally smoothly and peacefully, reminded her that everything that had just happened was undeniably real.
The courtyard was deathly silent.
"This—this—this—" Shuiyun opened her mouth wide, pointing at the air and then at Chengzhen who had landed, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
Not only him, but Changqing, Lu Jin, and even Si Chong were all stunned on the spot, as if a thunderbolt had exploded in their minds!
Without any explanation, the final, miraculous scene of "lightly lifting the person on the shoulder, sending them to heaven unharmed, and returning them to their original position" automatically conjured up an image of a story that has been passed down through the ages and is known to everyone, young and old!
Especially for the members of the Sanyi Sect, who advocate the unity of the three religions and worship the statues of the founders of the three religions year-round, the artistic conception and allusions contained in this move are extremely familiar!
It could even be said that anyone with a modicum of knowledge in the world would know his story.
Who doesn't know the legendary beginning of the story of "holding up a flower to the assembly and entrusting it to Mahakasyapa"?
Who can forget the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism, who "does not rely on written words and transmits the teachings outside of scriptures," and the supreme wisdom and compassionate methods he displayed at the Vulture Peak Assembly?
That's right!
The "true meaning" borrowed by this golden phantom is precisely the fragment of martial arts Zen that Zhou Yi, when he traveled around the world, perceived in an ancient Buddhist temple that carried endless years of faith and legends. It was the fragment of the Buddha statue that he captured, which contained the perfect harmony and compassionate salvation of the young Prince Shakyamuni.
Although it was not the real person, but only a fragment of true intent, it had already demonstrated an astonishing realm that transcended ordinary martial arts and pointed directly to the origin of the Great Dao!
Amazing!
"Shakyamuni...throwing the elephant..." Lu Jin said incredulously, "He is Shakyamuni?"
"How is this possible... How can this be summoned?!" Si Chong's eyes widened in disbelief.
This is no less than a person from the Shangqing realm casting talismans and summoning the Primordial Heavenly Venerable!
Not to mention whether it's possible, don't even think about it. If anyone finds out you have this thought, you'll be beaten to death!
Please vote with your monthly tickets and give me a reward!
Those who are not sleepy can continue to wait.