Edited by RED
“Master, you’re making fun of me,” Lin Feng smiled wryly. Ancestor Fo slowly stood up.
“I am sure you didn’t come to me without an ulterior motive. How may I help you?” asked Ancestor Fo, smiling kindly. He waved and pointed at the inside of a building.
“Little Chi, keep guarding the entrance. Since the leader is here, he must have important things to ask me,” Ancestor Fo told Tian Chi, before heading inside the building with Lin Feng. Lin Feng called Ancestor Fo “Master” and Ancestor Fo called him “Leader Lin” because Lin Feng had the highest position in Tiantai. Even Ancestor Fo had to show some respect to Lin Feng.
“Leader Lin, how may I help you?” asked Ancestor Fo, smiling and playing with his mala (Buddhist prayer beads).
Lin Feng nodded and bowed. He asked, “Master, I’d like to ask you some questions about the Path of Buddhism.”
“Oh? Hehe, Leader Lin, you must be joking. There isn’t only one path of Buddhism, but I’m a Buddhist cultivator and you’re a demon cultivator. It raises fundamental questions about cause and effect. I’m not sure I can really help you?” said Ancestor Fo. He sounded reserved, but Lin Feng could see that Ancestor Fo truly was reluctant.
However, Lin Feng didn’t intend to leave without asking his questions. He wasn’t in a rush anyway, he had six months to become strong. It wasn’t a short time.
“Master, I think that Buddhism cultivation and demon cultivation are the same. One path, one motivation. Both have the same purpose, to understand life and death. Demon cultivators also revere life, death, and reincarnation. What is so strange?” asked Lin Feng. He didn’t ask his questions bluntly, he started slowly getting to the point to arouse Ancestor Fo’s curiosity and interest.
Ancestor Fo already had a deep knowledge on the path of Buddhism, but what Lin Feng told him did arouse his curiosity, because not everyone knew that. It proved that Lin Feng already had an advanced knowledge of the Three Paths.
Ancestor Fo’s curiosity and interest were definitely aroused. He looked at Lin Feng and smiled, “Leader Lin, even though you’re right, the three concepts of Buddhism, the Path, and Demonism are three different things, it’s better not to talk about the Paths.”
“Ancestor Fo, I cannot agree with you. You talked about cause and effect, I came to ask questions about my Path; that’s the cause, the effect is the result. If you don’t help me, you go against the law of cause and effect, and you are therefore in contradiction with yourself.”
“Hehe, Leader Lin, you’re joking. The law of cause and effect you’re talking about isn’t the same law of cause and effect Buddhist cultivators talk about,” Ancestor Fo smiled.
Lin Feng nodded and smiled, “Alright, Master, let’s not talk about cause and effect, then. Let’s talk at the macroscopic scale, the world is a macrocosm. Even though the Paths can point to different concepts, intrinsically, they point to the same things. Buddhist cultivators are extremely kind and generous; if you don’t help me, then you are going against your own convictions, right?” Lin Feng conjectured.
Ancestor Fo had to reply to that question. If he didn’t reply, maybe it wouldn’t have any impact on Lin Feng’s life, but for Ancestor Fo it would be negative. He was a Buddhist cultivator and he was supposed to be kind and generous.
Ancestor Fo sighed. “Little boy, alright, go ahead and ask me.” Lin Feng’s statement wasn’t groundless. If he refused to help Lin Feng, then he would feel guilty and it would go against his own beliefs.
“Thank you very much, Master,” Lin Feng said, bowing hand over fist. Ancestor Fo waved and said indifferently, “So, what do you want to ask me?”
“Master, I want to ask you, what does ‘One flower, one world. One Sutra, one Bodhi’ mean?” Lin Feng asked solemnly.
Ancestor Fo was surprised and stared Lin Feng in the eyes. He slowly replied, “It’s the most succinct path of Buddhism. Only high-level Buddhism cultivators can understand that concept.
“But since you’re asking me this, it means that it has something to do with your cultivation. It has something to do with the true essence of cultivation, and you are close to understanding it,” explained Ancestor Fo. Lin Feng listened modestly.
“I’m all ears,” Lin Feng said respectfully. Ancestor Fo nodded slowly and looked out of the window. There were hundreds of blossoming flowers beyond. Ancestor Fo flew outside and came back with a green leaf in his hand.
“One flower, one world. One Sutra, one Bodhi. Each leaf is a single world. No matter whether we talk about the microscopic or the macroscopic worlds, a gigantic iceberg or a photon, they are all worlds in themselves.
“You need to have experimented, felt and seen every different world to understand this concept. There isn’t only one world. A flower is a world. A blade of grass is a world. A drop of water, a moon, they’re all worlds. The connection of all these worlds form one huge macroscopic world. It’s the heart of the Bodhi.
“I know about your agreement with Vice leader Zong Tong in six months. I suggest you go and travel a lot. Study and understand this world. The world is big. The central part of the Continent of the Gods isn’t enough.
“Alright, that’s my advice. Is there anything else I can help you with, Leader Lin?” asked Ancestor Fo. He was done talking.
“Thank you very much for your help, Master. I’m off.” Lin Feng stood up, bowed and slowly walked out of the pavilion.
“Little Chi, see Leader Lin off,” said Ancestor Fo, standing at the door.
Tian Chi nodded and followed Lin Feng to see him off. When they arrived on the field outside of the Buddhist Clouds Pavilion, Lin Feng smiled wryly. Tian Chi knew how Lin Feng felt. He smiled, “Little Lin Feng, Ancestor Fo is like that. Don’t be angry at him.”
“I’m not. I’m just worried about you, brother,” Lin Feng said, shaking his head. He had compassion for Tian Chi. With this new teacher, Tian Chi wasn’t done going through hardships.
“Little Chi, when you cut the grass, use your hands, it is a sign of respect on the path of Buddhism.” Lin Feng and Tian Chi heard Ancestor Fo’s words and smiled wryly. Tian Chi said goodbye to Lin Feng and went back in the courtyard, continuing his difficult life in the Buddhist Clouds Pavilion.
——
Lin Feng walked away. He first went to Qiu Yue Xin and Duan Xin Ye’s residence to see his children, Lin Heng and Lin Nian.
Lin Feng told his two wives that he was going to travel around the continent and that he would come back after six months. They were both worried, but they also knew that they couldn’t prevent Lin Feng from chasing his dream of becoming a stronger cultivator and doing everything he could to achieve it.
The two women understood Lin Feng, so they wished him good luck and told him to take care.
Lin Feng left their courtyards and went to the Great Huang Dynasty. He waited in the meeting room for a long time before Huang Nü arrived. She looked exhausted.
The Great Huang Dynasty was becoming more and more powerful. Huang Nü was under great pressure and had more and more responsibilities. Lin Feng and Huang Nü hadn’t seen each other in a while. They hadn’t had the opportunity to have intimate relations for some time, therefore, on that night…
——
Very late at night, Lin Feng came out of Huang Nü’s bedroom. Huang Nü’s face was bright red and she was sweaty. She came out and sorrowfully watched Lin Feng leave. She couldn’t travel with Lin Feng anymore; she had to manage the Great Huang Dynasty!
Lin Feng couldn’t force her to come, either. So before leaving he cheered her up a little.
——
That night, Lin Feng took the public road to go to the New Snow Region and see his goddess, the woman he would love the most forever: Meng Qing.
Meng Qing was wearing a beautiful white dress, and looked as stunning as usual. She had rosy cheeks and snowy-white skin. Her eyes were bright as she waited for her husband at the top of the snowy peak.
Lin Feng landed on the top of the mountain and looked at Meng Qing straight in the eyes for a long time without saying anything. He waited for her to come to him. She moved a thousand steps to reach him; they opened their arms and hugged for a long time. They loved each other more than anything.
“Do you want to come and travel with me?”