Who Let Him Cultivate?!

"Tofu Heavenly Venerable?"

Upon hearing the entity within the sword recount its past, the young monk had quite a shock; this was indeed an extraordinary existence.

He racked his brains for a long time, but still could not think of any great power from ancient times who bore the name "Tofu."

"Ah, let it be, let it be, it seems even I cannot escape the fate of being nameless through the ages."

With a long sigh, Tofu Heavenly Venerable expressed either his lament for the heartlessness of time or his reminiscence of that carefree era.

"It's just unfortunate that my involvement with causality is too profound. Should it surface today, I fear it might trigger a cataclysmic immortal battle, and this little Western Paradise Temple would be reduced to ruins."

"Then, what should we do?" The young monk had not expected that the sword he picked up at random would involve so many issues. He trembled, deeply afraid of triggering some significant causality.

"I currently dwell within this immortal sword to neutralize causality. As long as you, young monk, do not disclose anything about me, no trouble will occur."

"That's good, that's good. My lips are sealed; I definitely won't speak of the senior's matters," the young monk hurriedly said.

"That would be best."

After this, no more sounds came from the sword; whether Tofu Heavenly Venerable was too lazy to speak or had fallen asleep was unknown.

Knowing the origins of Tofu Heavenly Venerable, the young monk dared not neglect his duty nor entertain the thought of discarding the immortal sword. He carefully held the sword and tiptoed back to his meditation chamber.

The chamber was a large communal sleeping area for six or seven individuals. The young monk quietly found a clean, long piece of cloth, wrapped up the Green Peak Sword, placed it next to his pillow in his designated spot, and then went to sleep.

...

"Xin Ding, why did you take so long to go to the restroom last night?" Upon waking up in the morning, while the young monk was getting dressed, his companion inquired.

He had slept vaguely last night, could not remember how long the young monk had been gone to the restroom, but felt it was quite a while.

"Amitabha, monks don't lie."

"So?"

"So I cannot tell." The young monk earnestly responded, knowing he couldn't disclose the matters regarding Tofu Heavenly Venerable, as that could lead to the destruction of the Western Paradise Temple; he now bore the responsibility of saving it.

"Ah?"

Having woken up, put on his clothes, and eaten a light breakfast, the young monk attended morning classes to chant scriptures. Along with the other servant monks, he fetched water, chopped wood, and cleaned the grounds. After all that, he sat down to meditate.

"Young monk, are you engaged in visualization?" An ancient and muffled voice came from the immortal sword; Tofu Heavenly Venerable noticed that the young monk had a foundation in cultivation, roughly at the fifth level of Qi Refinement.

Before the young monk, there lay a yellowed Arhat Demon Suppression Map, which he was using for his visualization to stimulate his spiritual sense.

In the Cultivation World, the visualization method is commonly used to grow spiritual sense. Meng Jingzhou's method of constantly suppressing his instincts to enhance spiritual sense was one used by very few.

The young monk was startled, looking around and realizing that whether it was Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers meditating, or the Deacon Master, none could hear the Venerate's voice.

"Stop looking; this is a spiritual sense transmission, others can't hear it."

Only then did the young monk reply, "Yes, Heavenly Venerate."

"This is the most basic visualization map. To obtain a better one, you need to contribute to the temple and exchange Merit Points to get it."

The young monk shyly smiled, "But this Arhat Demon Suppression Map is already very good, said to be handed down from Ancient Times."

Naturally, what the young monk held was not an original, but merely a copy of an ancient visualization map.

"These things are also worthy of being called visualization maps." Tofu Heavenly Venerable shook his head, clearly unimpressed by the young monk's method.

"Since you've met me, it means you're destined to be associated with me. I will impart to you a genuine ancient visualization map, lest in the future people say I've lost face."

Tofu Heavenly Venerable used his Spiritual Sense as a seal, imprinting an image within the young monk's mind.

"What is this?!"

The young monk closed his eyes, and the imprint of Tofu Heavenly Venerable's Spiritual Sense appeared in his mind.

It was a golden divine Dragon soaring between heaven and earth, a naturally supreme being, far more imposing than any depiction of a True Dragon the young monk had ever seen in books. With a furrow of its eyebrows, the divine Dragon summoned a sky full of Immortal Thunder, as if heaven and earth were altered by its will.

"This is one of the five founders of Buddhism, whom I had the fortune to meet several times. This visualization can be called the Yinglong Visualization."

One of the five founders of Buddhism!

The young monk heard these five significant words and was greatly shocked inside his heart. Weren't the founders of Buddhism the Worldly Venerable? How did it become five people in the words of the Heavenly Venerable?!

The young monk contemplated Venerable Ying Long and found that the effect on the Spiritual Sense was far superior to the Arhat Demon Suppression Map!

Generally speaking, the more powerful the figure in the visualization and the greater their impact on the world, the better the effect of the visualization if it is related to the viewer's Cultivation Technique.

Such good effects indicated that the True Dragon in the visualization was connected to Buddhist teaching, and its status within Buddhism was absolutely exalted!

Indeed one of the founders of Buddhism!

The young monk increasingly felt that Tofu Heavenly Venerable was profoundly enigmatic, as this casually given item had overturned his understanding.

"May I ask, Heavenly Venerable, what exactly is the matter with the five founders of Buddhism?"

"Your Cultivation Level is too low; it is not yet time for you to know the secrets of Ancient Times."

"Yes."

From the perspective of visualization methods, actually, Lu Yang was also engaging in visualization, except his object was the Immortal Fairy rather than any pictorial image.

It was akin to Lu Yang being in constant contemplation; naturally, his Spiritual Sense far surpassed his peers.

"Speaking of which, I still don't know what this little monk is called."

"This humble monk is Xin Ding, a servant monk in the Servant Monks Institute."

"Subduing the mind and stabilizing the world, a fine dharma name."

With the mysterious Tofu Heavenly Venerable presenting an ancient visualization, the young monk Xin Ding felt his Spiritual Sense Cultivation advancing at an unprecedented rate, experiencing an exhilarating feeling like never before.

Several days passed, and Xin Ding's Spiritual Sense grew increasingly powerful, transforming his essence, Qi, and spirit, although the other servant monks who interacted with him daily failed to notice this subtle change.

One day, as Xin Ding finished his contemplation and walked out of his Zen room, suddenly a stone flew at him, aiming directly at his forehead.

Xin Ding, sensing something, tilted his head and dodged the blow.

"Xin Ding Junior Brother, your skills seem quite impressive these days," several servant monks said tauntingly, with the leader still clutching several stones in his hand.

"So it is Xin Cheng Senior Brother." Xin Ding responded nonchalantly, as if unaware that Xin Cheng had intentionally thrown the stone at him, causing Xin Cheng to feel as if his punch had landed on cotton, unable to exert any force.

"It's Xin Cheng, what is he doing here?"

"Don't you know? The selection at the Martial Monk Institute is soon, and he is all over the place snatching Merit Points to exchange for items to prepare for the selection!"

"I also heard that he is acquainted with a Senior Brother from the Martial Monk Institute, who gifted him a Fragmented Map of 'Elephants Crossing the River'."

"What, it's actually the Fragmented Map of 'Elephants Crossing the River'? That's a visualization that we servant monks couldn't afford in half a lifetime!"

"Yes, it seems Junior Brother Xin Ding might be in trouble."