Chapter 307: Chapter 246: Spiritual Turbidity Balance, The World’s Hidden Secret

Joy bloomed on Yang An’s face when he heard Elder Monk Hai Shu’s words.

’No wonder the Great Virtue Temple is called a Buddhist Holy Land. No wonder it’s one of the overlords of the Treasure Temple Domain. Its profound heritage is beyond what any ordinary power could hope to match.’

’Of course, that isn’t the most important part. The most important thing is...’

"Bodhisattva, can I learn?"

An expectant look filled Yang An’s face as he stared intently at Hai Shu Bodhisattva.

"As the Buddha’s Son, that is a matter of course. However..."

Hai Shu Bodhisattva smiled and nodded, but then he trailed off.

"However, you cannot learn too much. You can only learn a little."

"A little?"

Yang An was confused. ’How much is "a little"?’

"A single spark of insight, truly grasped, allows a hundred fortunes to pierce the very heavens."

Hai Shu Bodhisattva slowly extended a hand, his finger tapping gently in the empty air. Instantly, ripples seemed to spread through the space around it.

’???’

Yang An was completely baffled. He didn’t understand at all.

’It was proof that even though I’m the Buddha’s Son and fancy myself a genius, I have no way of deciphering these deliberate riddles.’

"Do you mean, Bodhisattva, that as long as I learn a little, I can rely on my own karmic ties to the faith to comprehend more?"

Yang An had no choice but to ask aloud.

But Hai Shu Bodhisattva shook his head and slowly explained.

"What I mean is, as the Buddha’s Son, you have the opportunity to receive my teachings. However, I can only give you what you have earned, and you may only choose one."

"If you wish to obtain more, you must rely on your own efforts, accumulating favor with the faith to exchange for it within the temple."

’Heh, a Bodhisattva is truly a Bodhisattva. His ability to talk in circles is on another level.’

’He can make being stingy sound like some grand opportunity. And this so-called ’favor with the faith,’ it goes without saying, must refer to contributions made to the Great Virtue Temple.’

’Exchanging contributions for resources... There really is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Not even for the Buddha’s Son.’

’Still, it’s fair. I can understand that.’

’Things like Cultivation Techniques and other arts are always a sect’s greatest foundation. Naturally, they wouldn’t just be given away for free.’

’As for the so-called training resources, they’re nothing more than external items like Magical Artifacts, or perhaps things the Great Virtue Temple hasn’t secured yet and still need to be fought for.’

’As the Buddha’s Son, aside from the resources I’m given, my title likely just gives me easier access to these uncertain opportunities.’

’Of course, being personally taught by a figure of Hai Shu Bodhisattva’s stature is also an incredibly rare resource and opportunity—one that only I can enjoy.’

"Since you, Yuan Ji, already have a Cultivation Technique, I will not discuss such matters with you further."

"Bodhisattva, once you have a Cultivation Technique, you can’t switch to another. Why does that limitation exist?"

Yang An hesitated for a moment before finally asking the question that had been weighing on his mind.

Back when he was still at the Life Crane Sect, he had learned of this from Fu Ming. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

It wasn’t a rule, but a fundamental limit.

Unless one cultivated a technique to its absolute peak, to a point where there was nothing left to practice, it was impossible to voluntarily switch.

Hearing Yang An’s question, Hai Shu Bodhisattva chanted a Buddhist mantra, the smile on his face gradually fading.

"Have you tried, Yuan Ji? What happens when you attempt to practice another Cultivation Technique?"

Yang An recalled when he had just arrived in the Outer Continent. He had tried using a Cultivation Technique he’d acquired, but when he followed its method to enter the Resonance Stage, he couldn’t sense anything at all.

"I have tried," he said honestly. "I got no response whatsoever."

"Then have you ever considered this question, Yuan Ji? Why is it that for anything related to cultivation—be it a Cultivation Technique, a martial Technique, or anything else—once you begin, you must pay a price?" Hai Shu Bodhisattva asked.

Yang An’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He suddenly realized he was on the verge of hearing a world-shattering secret from Hai Shu Bodhisattva.

He shook his head.

"I have never thought about it. I ask the Bodhisattva to enlighten me."

"Heh, this story begins a long, long time ago. If one day you, Yuan Ji, can also stand where I stand now, you will naturally come to understand a thing or two."

"..."

’That was the same as saying nothing at all.’ Elder Monk Hai Shu was being cryptic again. Yang An was speechless.

"However, since you wish to know, I can tell you a little of what you are permitted to know."

With a single sentence, he had once again piqued Yang An’s interest.

"In this world, there was originally a power called Spirit. A long time ago, Cultivators called it Spiritual Qi, and it was the source of power for all who practiced."

"Later, another type of energy suddenly appeared in the world, called Turbidity. Because of its emergence, Demon Fiends and other evils came into being, and many Cultivators walked the path of the Evil Cultivator."

"Then, later still, Spirit and Turbidity suddenly merged. From that moment on, both Spirit and Turbidity vanished, leaving behind a single energy that all living things could sense. This came to be known as Mana!"

Hai Shu Bodhisattva recounted this slowly, his tone perfectly calm and without a single ripple of emotion.

But to Yang An, these words crashed against his heart like a tidal wave.

’Spirit? Spiritual Qi?!’

’As someone from a modern society, those two words were all too familiar to him.’

’Then what exactly was this Turbidity? Elder Monk Hai Shu hadn’t explained.’

Yang An could only wait expectantly for Hai Shu Bodhisattva to continue.

Hai Shu Bodhisattva paused for a moment before continuing.

"With the appearance of Mana, it became the only transcendent power in existence. Cultivators had no other choice but to use it in their search for the Great Dao."

"Yet it is precisely because of Mana that any living creature who embarks on the path of cultivation is placed in a state of extreme danger!"