Prodigal System in the Flourishing City

"Mage! Mage, you're still here! My eyesight has failed me; I've overlooked the Mage! Please forgive me!"

At this point, Abbott Xu Yun took a brisk step toward Lu Xiaobu and bowed.

His heart was filled with excitement, he thought he'd missed his chance!

Turns out he couldn't recognize greatness even when it was right in front of him!

"Uh..." Lu Xiaobu was momentarily stunned, his mouth twitching slightly: "I'm out of mana, so I don't really count as a Mage, at best I'm a Warrior!"

"Pfft!"

Lu's father and the other two men were still shocked as to why Master Abbott would call Lu Xiaobu a Mage!

And then, after hearing what Lu Xiaobu said, they almost spat out blood.

Not talking about that kind of Mage!

And you consider yourself a Warrior?

Why don't you go get a blue buff then!

Abbott Master was even more confused: "Huh? Mana? What mana?"

He had never played games; how would he know what Lu Xiaobu was talking about?

He couldn't help but start thinking towards Buddhist scriptures, yet he couldn't recall any scripture that mentioned anything about mana!

"Xiaobu, the term Mage is a term of respect in the Buddhist community, not the kind you find in your games," Lu's father explained with a wry smile.

He had been worried all along that Lu Xiaobu would go off on a tangent, but in the end, he couldn't put the brakes on in time!

"Oh! Now I get it!" Lu Xiaobu nodded: "I thought the Abbott wanted to have a sparring session with me! I'm super strong in the jungle!"

"Pfft!"

Lu Hongbin almost choked on his blood.

First, the Abbott has no intention to spar with you in games!

Second, your jungling is strong in nothing but getting your team in trouble!

"Xiaobu, tone it down a bit!"

Lu Wenhao quickly tugged at Lu Xiaobu's clothes, reminding him: "This is a Buddhist place!"

"Oh." Lu Xiaobu replied, "Then let's go! Once we're out, it's no longer a Buddhist place!"

Lu Wenhao felt like dying!

I meant that you should watch what you say, not to wait until you're outside to speak up!

How is that different from quitting watching TV because you got scared by a no-smoking ad?!

"The Mage sure has a unique way of speaking," the Abbott smiled wryly, then asked: "Could the Mage repeat the verse from before?"

"Which one?" Lu Xiaobu asked.

"The one about the Bodhi Tree," Master Abbott, seeing Lu Xiaobu finally responding to his question, hurriedly adjusted his attitude and asked earnestly.

"The Bodhi tree doesn't actually exist?" Lu Xiaobu asked, puzzled.

"Yes, yes, that's the one!" Master Abbott's face grew even more respectful.

"You haven't heard of this before?"

Lu Xiaobu was baffled, surely not!

"It is the disciple who lacks knowledge and learning!"

Abbott, too, had decided to go all out, even referring to himself as a disciple.

"Master Abbott, my son has neither the virtue nor the ability, he cannot bear such responsibility!" Lu's father quickly said.

This really couldn't be allowed!

Becoming a disciple of someone like the Abbott is sought after by many, but now, Abbott himself wants to become Xiaobu's disciple!

"Age does not define a teacher; it's mastery that counts! Only right to do so!"

Abbott Xu Yun insisted.

"Okay, okay, let's not compete… discuss this at the moment."

Lu Xiaobu almost blurted out the word 'compete': "Aren't you here to listen? All I have to do is say it again."

This is turning out to be like he's blackmailing them, right?!

He really didn't expect that they'd be ignorant of this.

"Your disciple is all ears!" Abbott Xu Yun said respectfully.

"The Bodhi tree doesn't actually exist, the clear mirror is not a stand, originally there's not a single thing, where can the dust alight?" Lu Xiaobu repeated softly.

"Yes, exactly!" Abbott's face lit up with joy, and he murmured to himself: "The Bodhi tree doesn't actually exist, the clear mirror is not a stand, originally there's not a single thing, where can the dust alight."

Instinctively, he felt great wisdom within, and now that he had obtained it, he naturally felt overjoyed!

However, the more he pondered, the more his brows furrowed.

There were some key aspects he could not figure out.

Thus.

"Master, I am somewhat perplexed, I wonder..."

Master Xu Yun asked respectfully.

"Wait a minute, I can only say that I will tell you what I know, and the rest is up to you."

Lu Xiaobu hastened to speak as he noticed Lu Father's increasingly troubled complexion.

"Please, Master, enlighten me!"

Xu Yun became even more respectful in his demeanor.

"Actually, it's a story. Once there were two monks engaged in debate. The first monk said: 'In my heart, there is a mirror that I constantly polish to keep it bright and reflective, capable of enlightening me.'"

"Afterward, he concluded with a verse: 'The body is the Bodhi Tree, the mind is like a bright mirror's stand, always strive to polish it, lest dust should land.'"

"However, after hearing this, the second monk said: 'There is no mirror in my heart, what need is there to polish?'"

"Subsequently, there came the verse I just recited: 'The Bodhi is originally without a tree, the bright mirror also not a stand, inherently nothing exists, where can the dust land?'"

After Lu Xiaobu finished speaking, he shrugged: "That's all I know, I'm powerless to explain the rest!"

"Wonderful, wonderful! Thank you for your guidance, Master!" Master Xu Yun, as if having found a priceless treasure, was ecstatic!

The monks nearby also seemed to have sudden realizations.

"This verse is beautifully put!"

"Yes, if originally there was nothing at all, then naturally there would be no dust!"

"Truly a Master!"

"I have been taught!"

"..."

One by one, the monks were brimming with excitement.

Even Lu Father seemed to have gleaned some understanding.

However, Master Xu Yun shook his head: "Do not speak rashly, the Buddhist principles contained within a single word from a Master, are far beyond these!"

"Each of us, including myself, has only understood it superficially and not fully grasped it!"

"There is great wisdom within this that requires our careful contemplation!"

Hearing the Abbott's words, the monks all showed their puzzlement!

Wasn't it already very clear?

Why then speak of further enlightenment?

"Please, Abbott, enlighten us!"

The monks immediately requested.

"Then I shall share my thoughts," the Abbott looked at Lu Xiaobu and saw that Lu Xiaobu truly had no intention of elaborating, then he sighed.

It seems the karmic connection has come to an end!

But one should be content!

The other monks, hearing the Abbott was about to explain, quickly sat up straight attentively!

Abbott: "I ask you all, what is 'dust'? What is 'tree'?"

Monk: "Dust is desire, tree is the mind."

Abbott: "Then if the dust is external, and the mind is internal, constantly brushing it ensures the mind stays pure and free from dust. What fault then lies in the first verse?!"

The monks were shocked and their so-called understanding was immediately overturned!

Was it actually correct to 'strive always to polish, lest dust should land'?!

Yet the Abbott spoke again: "On the contrary, if the dust is internal and the mind external, constantly peeling it away naturally leaves neither dust nor mind. The second verse, thus, holds ultimate truth!"

The monks were once again baffled!

This!

Now, they genuinely didn't know which was right and which was wrong!

Or perhaps, both were incorrect, yet both were correct!

Consequently, they all looked up to Lu Xiaobu with admiration.

He truly was a great power!

Seemingly complex, yet simple; seemingly simple, yet profound!

Uh, Lu Xiaobu was utterly confused—what dust? What mind? What is all this? A tongue twister?!