Sword of the Five Elements: Chapter 116: The Buddha Returns to His Rightful Place

The finest rice paper in the Great Qian Empire is produced in the city of Paper and Inkstone, where the statue of the Dao Ancestor resides.

Two rows of monks sat facing each other on felt mats, chanting the Diamond Sutra in resonant voices. Zen Master Jingyue, draped in a brocade kasaya, walked through the aisle between the monks. His hands, purified by incense and water, held the blank manuscripts produced in the city of Paper and Inkstone.

The Buddhist radiance surrounding Su Ye flowed into his right arm and was channeled into the rice paper through his conjoined fingers. The golden light condensed into intricate patterns, and the pages flipped automatically, forming a series of phantom images of martial techniques. The long-lost Buddhist protective martial arts were returning to their source with visible speed.

Distant glory, having traveled across vast mountains and rivers and drifted down the long river of time, was condensed into the span of a single tea ceremony. As the final page of the blank manuscript was imprinted with the phantom images of the techniques, the complete Daluo Vajra Staff Method was manifested once more in the mortal world.

Zen Master Jingyue held the original upper volume of the Daluo Vajra Staff Method, alongside the newly inscribed lower volume. Vast Buddhist energy surged, lifting both scriptures into mid-air, where they bloomed with a dazzling golden light that mesmerized all who beheld it. The chanting of the monks brought peace to everyone’s hearts. Monks and novices with cultivation below the Green Peak Realm lined up neatly on the south side of the courtyard, gazing piously at the golden light above. The scriptures slowly merging within were more than just a set of staff techniques; they were the long-missing backbone of the Buddhist faith.

After a long, bitter winter, the warm spring had finally arrived. Su Ye was not merely a witness to the changing seasons, but a deep participant in reviving the glory and vitality of the Buddhist faith. Consecrated by Zen Master Jingyue, the complete secret manual of the Daluo Vajra Staff contained immense Buddhist power. It drifted slowly from the air and, under the watchful eyes of the monks, descended into the high monk’s hands. A golden silk cloth, blessed with Buddhist power, covered the scriptures as they awaited placement in the Sutra Repository. After storing them in his Sumeru ring, the Zen Master pressed his palms together.

Su Ye summoned a jade gourd containing Buddhist treasures and walked to Zen Master Jingyue, offering it with both hands. "The Buddhist path has been suppressed for over seven hundred years. We retained the methods to save the world and its people, yet lacked the means to subdue demons or protect ourselves. I have traveled the world and gathered these lost treasures. Today, I offer them, hoping that Putuo and Jilian may recover their former glory."

Su Ye’s words came from the heart. Zen Master Jingyue closed his eyes, chanting silently to convey Su Ye’s merit to all the Buddhas. During the period of suppression by the imperial court, Buddhist treasures had become lowly items, forced into the black markets. The Saintess of the Demon Sect, who controlled the underground markets, had collected many powerful Buddhist relics. Due to various past karma, Su Ye had fatefully become the leader of the Demon Sect, where he erased the evil brand left by the Sword Demon Ouyang Zhi and transformed it into the distinct Sacred Fire Sect. Because of him, many Buddhist treasures returned to the faith with minimal cost.

One karmic cycle was complete.

Finishing his chant, Zen Master Jingyue slowly opened his eyes and solemnly accepted the jade gourd. Bathed in golden light, he instantly sensed the quantity of treasures within. "Benefactor Su, please take a seat." Zen Master Jingyue gestured toward an empty felt mat.

Su Ye sat down as instructed. Zen Master Jingyue stepped forward and called out in a clear voice: "Hongren." The young novice, Hongren, hurried to the Zen Master’s side. A golden flash emanated from the jade gourd, and a wooden box flew out, its internal space barrier suppressing the energy fluctuations of the coiled-dragon protective staff within.

"You possess supreme talent for the staff arts and ought to shoulder this responsibility," Zen Master Jingyue said, his tone solemn and holy. "The world is about to face an era of chaos caused by demons and evil; you must strive with doubled effort to carry the glory of the Buddhist faith."

Hongren pressed his palms together and bowed. "This disciple will strictly follow your teachings, Master."

"The item in this box is a god-tier spiritual treasure, personally crafted by Zen Master Daxian using Heaven-Refining Stone. I pass it to you; do not fail the expectations of our predecessors."

Hongren reached out, lowered his head, and respectfully accepted the wooden box. The other monks felt a sense of envy, yet they were genuinely happy for their young junior brother. The Daluo Protective Staff had returned, and all monks could now study it. Learning just five or six moves would be enough to deal with demons of equal cultivation—a difference as vast as clouds and mud compared to before. The monks’ peaceful hearts were stirred by waves of passion and ambition.

Zen Master Jingyue smiled and nodded. Hongren returned to his place.

"Since the founding of this dynasty, the Buddhist faith has been suppressed by the State Religion Bureau. After a brief period of splendor, we gradually fell into silence," Zen Master Jingyue said. His voice was soft, yet it carried far, echoing across the courtyard and into the hearts of all present. "Through seven hundred years of frost and snow, the Buddhist faith never abandoned its compassionate heart. The name of Putuo is to save the world and ferry its people. Now, the clouds have parted to reveal the moon. The Buddhist treasures have returned to Ci'en Temple. It is the will of Heaven, and the result of human effort."

In the spacious courtyard of the Mahavira Hall, only the chanting of the Diamond Sutra resonated, free of any discordant noise.

"I have prayed to all the Buddhas and received their guidance," Zen Master Jingyue declared. "I shall break the precedents of the past and present, and name our lay disciple, Su Ye, as a Guardian of the Buddhist Faith."

Su Ye was slightly startled but quickly regained his composure. He stood up and walked before Zen Master Jingyue.

"Benefactor Su, due to your worldly karma, we cannot accept you as a formal disciple. Yet, your achievements are truly impossible to ignore. I bestow upon you the title of Guardian as a token of the Buddhist faith's gratitude."

Su Ye pressed his palms together. "As a layman, I received the prescription for the Longevity Pill from the Buddha. My affinity with the Buddhist faith has grown increasingly deep. I am willing to use my utmost sincerity to protect the peace of the faith."

"Amitabha," Zen Master Jingyue said, bowing with palms pressed together. Su Ye returned the gesture with equal respect.

Golden light swirled around the Zen Master’s right hand, gathering at his fingers. "Today, I shall impart the secret techniques of the Buddhist faith to you in full. No matter where you go, you may call yourself a lay disciple of Ci'en Temple... However..."

"Rest assured, Zen Master, I will never claim to be your disciple. I shall bear all karmic consequences myself."

"Benefactor Su, you are benevolent and kind; you will surely achieve great things in the future. Well done, well done."

Su Ye returned to his mat and watched as Zen Master Jingyue took his seat. The teachings that followed were not theoretical sutras, but the Marrow-Cleansing Sutra and the Tendon-Changing Sutra, which cleanse the meridians and temper the bones. The hour-long lecture proved immensely beneficial to Su Ye.

The monks cleared the mats and returned to their duties. Su Ye stepped forward, smiling, "Thank you for the lecture, Zen Master. It has greatly improved my understanding of these two scriptures."

Zen Master Jingyue looked left and right, confirming no other monks were paying attention. He glanced toward the circular gate. Su Ye, quick-witted, immediately understood the Zen Master’s intent. He followed the high monk to the practice courtyard on the east side. The monks who practiced their footwork there daily had worn the bricks down until the patterns were blurred. Tender sprouts of wild grass emerged from the cracks between the stones, nourished by the sweat that had dripped upon them—a symbol of how the Buddhist faith could recover its vitality more rapidly now that the dust had settled.

"Benefactor Su, the place where Zen Master Daxian attained enlightenment is at the peak of Mount Putuo. If you are interested, you may wish to take a journey there... perhaps you will find some clarity." Having said this, Zen Master Jingyue looked at Su Ye with profound meaning.

With so many Buddhist teachings imprinted in his consciousness, his thoughts surged like a spring. The desire to head to the summit became overwhelmingly strong. Thanking the Zen Master, he left the temple gates and stepped onto the mountain path to seek the place where Zen Master Daxian had meditated.