Chapter 472 - 267: Prince! (Part 2)
Chapter 472: Chapter 267: Prince! (Part 2)
"It seems you know."
Chu Qing said with a smile:
"The martial art that killed Enlightenment is called Bone-Softening Palm, and it’s my exclusive secret technique.
"But very few people know this...yet you know that Enlightenment was killed by me. May I ask, how did you know this?
"Zen Master Xingzhi, let me advise you, there are only the two of us here right now.
"In front of me, you can’t escape.
"Whatever I ask you, answer truthfully, and I might spare you pain.
"Otherwise... Zen Master Xingzhi, after a lifetime, surely there’s no need to experience what it means to be skinned alive or tortured, right?"
"...."
Xingzhi took a deep breath:
"This matter... I am also not in control."
"Now we have plenty of time, you and I."
Chu Qing said:
"You might as well explain, what exactly makes you ’not in control’?"
"It’s so complicated, I don’t even know where to begin..."
Zen Master Xingzhi sighed:
"My disciple, Dharma name Hui Tong, because I myself do not hail from the Vajra Sect but was enlightened by Zen Master Dharma Aspect, only then did I enter the Vajra Sect.
"The pure Buddhist sect is not as simple as it seems.
"Among the little novices, there are rivalries, martial monks rely on their superior martial arts to bully ordinary monks.
"Cooks look down on those who light fires, those who light fires look down on those who chop wood, those who chop wood look down on those who grow vegetables...
"Growing up in the Vajra Sect, they look down on someone like me, who joined from outside with skills.
"This also made Hui Tong follow in that same inferior position..."
These words seemed quite off-topic, as if separating them from Chu Qing’s question by a vast distance.
But Chu Qing did not rush him, multitasking by reading a book while listening to Zen Master Xingzhi’s story.
He simply held no particular impression of this Hui Tong...
By seniority, this man should be the master of Enlightenment.
Zen Master Xingzhi continued without pause:
"As a practitioner of martial arts, I have ordinary aptitude.
"As a monastic, my perception is average.
"But not so with Hui Tong... He seemed born to be Buddha’s son, at a young age, his martial arts and Buddhist techniques were both extraordinary.
"At that time, there were many opinions in the temple saying I wasn’t qualified to be Hui Tong’s master, and he should be placed under the tutelage of a famous master.
"Some also believed that early success might not lead to greatness...
"I was insecure, constantly fearing that one day Hui Tong would leave me.
"Therefore... I alternated between being kind and harsh to him, more harsh than kind, often beating and scolding him, punishing him to kneel on cold snowy nights, beating him so he couldn’t stand for three days... or not allowing him to eat.
"Hui Tong, enduring with total submission, bore it all without complaint.
"It was during this period that someone reported this matter to the Abbot.
"The Abbot was furious and genuinely wanted to find Hui Tong another master. I was heartbroken but had no face to plead...
"But unexpectedly, Hui Tong didn’t want to go, he willingly stayed by my side, saying once a teacher, forever a father.
"The master’s punishment must have a reason, and it must be his own fault as a disciple...
"He eventually persuaded the Abbot, which greatly shocked me with guilt arising thereafter.
"By then, Hui Tong was already eighteen, his martial arts were maturing, and after recovering from injuries, he bade farewell to me and went down the mountain to experience the world."
Pausing there, Zen Master Xingzhi took a breath to continue:
"I thought, this child has good aptitude, excellent perception, especially with such filial piety towards me, when he returns, I would certainly teach him everything I’ve learned in my life.
"I would no longer treat him harshly in any little way...
"But unexpectedly, when I saw him again, he was gravely injured and on the verge of death.
"Yet he was still holding a child in his arms.
"He told me that while wandering the martial world, he stood up against injustice and saved only this child from the hands of a band of thieves.
"He intended to take him as a disciple, give him the Dharma name Enlightenment, and asked for my approval.
"I was heartbroken, and how could I refuse, and after seeing me nod, he passed away right there and then..."
Chu Qing suddenly understood why he had never heard of Hui Tong.
It turns out he died quite early...
Before dying, he took on a disciple who would later become the Abbot of the Vajra Sect, Enlightenment.
Chu Qing frowned slightly, feeling that there was something strange in this story.
But for the moment, he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong...
And because of his guilt towards Hui Tong, Zen Master Xingzhi treated Enlightenment exceptionally well.
His talent and aptitude far exceeded Hui Tong’s.
The things Zen Master Xingzhi never taught or told Hui Tong, he taught them all to Enlightenment.
However, Zen Master Xingzhi found that Enlightenment seemed to have a precocious ability.
At a young age, he could speak astonishing words, in matters of Buddhist techniques and martial arts, he had his insights at a very young age.
Xingzhi didn’t mind, instead, he felt this might be Hui Tong’s blessing, letting his future be bright.
At the same time... Xingzhi discovered that Enlightenment seemed to have an unspeakable cruelty.
He was extremely indifferent towards living creatures.
The Vajra Sect naturally forbade killing, but occasionally he saw Enlightenment torturing animals in the mountains.
He wanted to harshly punish him, but thinking of Hui Tong, his heart, as hard as rock, would uncontrollably soften.
Apart from this, Xingzhi really liked to hear Enlightenment chant scriptures.
His chanting voice, initially a child’s immature voice, was interesting, later it became that when he chanted, the rhythm and sound were so special that it made people subconsciously focus on it.
And Enlightenment’s talents, not only Xingzhi but the entire Vajra Sect witnessed them.
Naturally, while he was still young, he became the Buddha’s Son of the Vajra Sect.
If things went orderly, Enlightenment would step by step ascend to the position of Abbot of the Vajra Sect.
But unexpected events occurred...
Zen Master Hui Ming’s disciple, Wuchen, originally a mediocre talent, obtained the Lamp-Burning Divine Skill and later surpassed, shaking Enlightenment’s status.
Especially Zen Master Hui Ming, actually pleaded for the position of Buddha’s Son for him.
Even the Abbot was undecided, decided to give him a chance.
This was the turning point for everything... That night, Zen Master Xingzhi tossed and turned, and Enlightenment came to him, saying that the position of Buddha’s Son was inevitable for him, and no one could obstruct his path.
If anyone dared be an obstacle.
Buddha has compassion but also Vajra’s Angry Gaze!
"What happened afterward was likened to a dream to me."
The voice of Zen Master Xingzhi was slightly bewildered:
"To this day, I still can’t believe it; I actually conspired with several other fellow disciples to harm Zen Master Hui Ming.
"By the time I realized, the deed had already become irreversible.
"I thought this would surely enrage the Vajra Sect, but unexpectedly, Enlightenment had already arranged everything.
"That very night, Wuchen was accused of murdering his master, and after Wuchen left the Vajra Sect, everyone in the sect seemed to tacitly acknowledge the existence of this matter.
"No one mentioned it, no one discussed it, no one questioned it...
"But every time I looked at Enlightenment, I felt an indescribable fear.
"It was as if all these years, what I had raised was not my disciple’s descendant.
"But a monster wearing Enlightenment’s face..."
Chu Qing silently raised his head to glance at Xingzhi, correlating his words with what he had heard from Zen Master Hui Ji.
Yet, in these words, Xingzhi cleared himself too cleanly.
Why he had taken such harsh actions against Hui Ming, even he was unclear... But not understanding isn’t an excuse to kill easily?
"In my haziness, knowing I’ve made a grave mistake, even if others don’t speak or ask, it’s still difficult to feel at ease, even thought... to end it all."
Xingzhi said softly:
"And I... really did do it.
"But, but I was saved by Enlightenment...
"He told me, he said to me..."
Upon reaching this point, Xingzhi’s pupils reflected an indescribable oddity.
"He said he had innate wisdom, and was the seventh Buddha’s Son of the Buddha Country.
"His purpose in joining the Vajra Sect is to incorporate it into the Buddha Country!
"He said... that what he does now is all instructed by the Buddha Lord, and all this is in accordance with Buddhist principles, thus rightfully so!"
Chu Qing slightly furrowed his brow, couldn’t help but look up at Xingzhi:
"Buddha Lord?"
"Yes... but sometimes, for an unknown reason, Enlightenment referred to him as... Prince."