novelapdf Chapter 257 Jiang Mu: I'm really hungry!
Chapter 257 Jiang Mu: I'm really hungry!
Chapter 257 Jiang Mu: I'm really hungry (First Update)
As Ling Ye deepened his cultivation, the watery spiritual energy around the two became increasingly clear and pure, exuding a faint fragrance.
It calms the mind.
At the same time, the dozen or so carvings on the black stone wall began to fade away as if they had been washed with water.
In a daze, Ling Ye felt as if his soul was floating away.
I felt as if I had transformed into the woman trapped in the tower within the stone wall.
In the dark and gloomy confined space, she held the crying baby in her arms and poured all the life force and spiritual energy in her body into that tiny body.
Water benefits all things without striving, and motherhood endures all suffering without speaking.
At this moment, the greatest truths are the simplest.
Ling Ye's state of mind was also stretched infinitely at this moment.
They even developed the illusion that they were actually breastfeeding their own child.
That sense of sacredness in mutual support completely dispelled her shame.
Jiang Mu's experience at this moment was completely different.
Under the influence of the watery aura and the tenderness of motherhood, his mind seemed to fall into a strange state of childlike rebirth.
He felt as if he had transformed into Ah Kun.
The world is vast and the path is unforgiving; my heart is filled only with a yearning for basketball.
At the same time, the gentle, moist energy flowed through his meridians, mixed with the maternal glow inherent in the cultivation technique. This not only nourished his physical body but also seemed to distort his emotional perception.
As if possessed, he murmured in his sleep, "Mom—"
This call almost made Ling Ye, who was still experiencing a spiritual connection with the woman in the painting, choke on his breath and nearly suffer a qi deviation.
That brat!
Do you really think of yourself as a baby?
Despite her dissatisfaction, Ling Ye possessed exceptional talent and aptitude, and with Jiang Mu's encouragement, she quickly mastered the "Void Crossing Water Technique."
The Qi flow subsides, and the water's luster dissipates.
Ling Ye slowly opened her beautiful eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.
And just after she mastered the technique, her temperament and even her physique underwent a wonderful transformation without her realizing it.
In the past, although Ling Ye was not young in real age, she maintained her youthful appearance due to the sect's cultivation techniques, and looked like a cold and beautiful mature woman in her early twenties.
At this moment, although her appearance remained unchanged, she possessed a mature and elegant charm that she had never had before.
Like a young woman who has just given birth.
She radiates a reassuring maternal glow.
She has also become a little plumper.
This change is different from the mature and rich charm of Shui Miaozheng.
If a comparison must be made, Shui Miaozheng is the kind of woman you'd want to snuggle into her arms and call her "Auntie" the moment you see her.
But now, Lingye is more like a warm haven.
That kind of aura really makes you want to rush into her arms and call her "Mom".
Ling Ye straightened her clothes, stood up, and placed her slender hand on the illusory water curtain door in front of her.
"Buzz"
A ripple, like water, spread out from her palm.
The illusory door instantly solidified, emitting a soft white light.
A spatial passage has been successfully opened.
"It's done!"
Ling Ye's beautiful eyes shone brightly.
She turned to look at Jiang Mu, only to find him smacking his lips, seemingly savoring something.
Two alluring blushes appeared on Ling Ye's delicate cheeks.
She glared at him, both embarrassed and annoyed, and said in a tone that was half reproach and half anger, "What are you still standing there for? Let's go!"
What's there to reminisce about? Really.
She herself usually finds this burden annoying.
I really don't understand how this guy's brain works.
Having said that, Ling Ye stepped into the water curtain gate as if fleeing, revealing a sense of panicked escape.
Jiang Mu quickly followed.
As you pass through the water gate, the scenery suddenly changes.
The dark stone chamber vanished.
The two found themselves in a beautiful and secluded mountain wilderness.
Above us was a clear blue sky, all around us were green pines and cypresses, and we could even hear the clear chirping of birds.
Directly in front of them stood a temple.
The temple's red walls were peeling off in some places, and the dark blue tiles were covered with moss, making them look somewhat old.
But the courtyard was filled with the smoke of incense and the melodious sound of bells.
It exudes a sense of otherworldly tranquility.
"What the hell? Another secret realm?"
Jiang Mu was speechless for a moment.
The map design of the Fallen Soul Swamp is truly a nested doll.
Ling Ye cautiously surveyed her surroundings, and when her gaze fell upon the dusty plaque at the temple entrance, her cool and beautiful face suddenly changed: "Chang Sheng Temple?!"
"Chang Sheng Temple?"
Jiang Mu turned to her and asked, "Sister Ling, do you know this temple?"
Ling Ye looked somewhat incredulous: "Back then, Buddhism had four holy sites, and Changsheng Temple was one of them."
It is said that since the "Star Rank" cultivation system was established in the immortal cultivation world, the first person to break through the shackles without relying on obtaining a Star Rank, solely through their own Buddhist cultivation, and nearly succeeding in ascending to immortality in broad daylight, was the abbot of this Changsheng Temple.
"That's amazing?!"
Jiang Mu was stunned.
How could someone almost succeed in ascending to heaven without the support of a star position?
Did this guy create a cheat program by hand?
Or is it that, besides the bloody path of mutual killing among the stars, there are other ways to cultivate immortality and ascend to immortality?
Looking at the dilapidated temple gate, Ling Ye sighed, "Back then, the abbot was just half a step away from soaring into the sky. Unfortunately, he ultimately failed and perished."
Moreover, on the very night of his defeat, the once-prosperous Changsheng Temple, along with its monks, vanished without a trace.
"disappear?"
"Yes, it's just gone."
Ling Ye explained, "Later generations of powerful figures speculated that this abbot attempted to bypass the laws of Heaven and cultivate some kind of heaven-defying evil path, thus violating the greatest taboo in the world, which led to divine retribution and implicated the entire sect."
This also proves that the only way to successfully ascend to immortality is through the Star-Certification stage; any other methods are useless.
Jiang Mu silently complained to himself.
This feels like the heavens discovered a bug and intervened in time to ban the account.
God, this is too much to handle.
Ling Ye looked around at the green mountains and murmured, "Now it seems that the lost Changsheng Temple was actually sealed in this secret realm."
No wonder the imperial spies reported that there were two secret realms in the Fallen Soul Swamp, but the entrance to the other one could not be found no matter what.
It turns out that one must master the unorthodox "Void Water Crossing Technique" to enter.
Jiang Mu said, "It seems we've turned misfortune into blessing and stumbled upon a great opportunity."
However, he wasn't thinking about any kind of good fortune at that moment.
Since it requires a man and a woman to cultivate together while pregnant to open the spatial gate, Qiu Yuexin definitely can't get in alone.
If she wasn't at Changsheng Temple, then where did she chase after that little demon who took the treasure?
Another thing that puzzled him was the woman holding the baby in the mural.
Did she also come to this Changsheng Temple back then?
Where did it end up?
"Squeak"
Just as Jiang Mu was deep in thought, the temple's wooden door suddenly opened.
A monk in a gray robe came out carrying a broom.
Jiang Mu and Ling Ye stared intently, both stunned.
This is no monk.
This is clearly a giant sweet potato with arms and legs.
This sweet potato spirit was round all over, with a rough, light purple skin. Not only was it wearing a monk's robe, but it also had six serious-looking ordination scars on its bald head.
It swept away the few fallen leaves outside the door with a broom, then turned around to look at Jiang Mu and the other person, and put its hands together: "Amitabha, please come in, benefactors."
Jiang Mu and Ling Ye looked at each other in bewilderment.
Ling Ye tentatively asked, "You—you're a monk in this temple?"
"That's right. My Buddhist name is Mao Mao."
The sweet potato spirit smiled and nodded.
Mao Mao?
Jiang Mu was speechless.
What kind of abstract and arbitrary Buddhist name is this?
Jiang Mu said, "You, a demon, can become a monk?"
The sweet potato spirit monk didn't take it to heart, and with a kind and benevolent expression, he smiled and said, "You're too attached to appearances. All living things in heaven and earth suffer, and even plants and trees have Buddha-nature. Whether one is human or demon is just a difference in appearance."
If one's heart is inclined towards goodness, even plants and trees can become spirits, don robes, and recite scriptures.
If evil arises in one's heart, even a high-ranking monk in a temple or a prodigy of the human race is no different from an Asura or a demon.
The Buddha sees the world through his eyes, and all beings are equal.
Why must you be so fixated on whether this humble monk is a demon or a human?
Jiang Mu was a little confused. She turned her head and lowered her voice to Ling Ye, saying, "Sister Ling, this place is very eerie. Should we go in or not?"
""
Ling Ye thought for a moment and said, "Since we're already here, let's go in and take a look."
"Yes, that's true." Jiang Mu nodded.
The two followed behind the sweet potato spirit named "Mao Mao," crossed the threshold, and entered the courtyard.
The temple was very quiet, and no human voices could be heard.
A huge three-legged bronze incense burner was placed in the courtyard, filled with tall incense sticks.
The smoke from the burning incense did not dissipate with the wind, but instead coiled and lingered in the air above the courtyard like green dragons, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
A few monks occasionally went in and out of the courtyard.
Without exception, they were all plant spirits.
There were white radishes carrying buckets of water, Chinese cabbages being struck with a wooden fish, and even a large purple eggplant hanging on a tree, sitting with its eyes closed in meditation.
Jiang Mu got hungry just looking at it.
What surprised the two most was that these vegetables, which were clearly demons, did not have any demonic aura at all. Instead, they exuded a peaceful and serene Buddhist light.
It feels like these plant spirits have achieved enlightenment.
The sweet potato monk led the two to the main hall.
As soon as Jiang Mu entered the door, she was stunned.
The main hall was empty.
Apart from a few incense burners and prayer cushions, there wasn't even a single Buddha statue on the large altar.
The walls were bare, without any images of Buddha hanging on them.
The monk took six incense sticks from the table beside him, handed three to each of them, and said with a smile, "You two have come from afar. You must offer three incense sticks when you enter the temple in order to establish good karma."
Ling Ye frowned as he looked at the empty altar and asked, "There isn't even a single Buddha statue. Who are we supposed to worship?"
The sweet potato monk pointed to his heart, his smile compassionate: "The Buddha is not on a high platform, but in the hearts of all beings. When you two sincerely worship, you will naturally see him."
"Playing tricks."
Jiang Mu chuckled and said calmly, "What can you do if I don't worship? Can you turn me into a potato?"
The sweet potato spirit monk's smile remained unchanged, and he simply uttered a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha. If you do not wish to worship, that is fine. However, Buddha does not save those who are not destined. If you do not offer incense, the opportunities and blessings within this temple will inevitably pass you by."
Are you trying to scare me?
Jiang Mu twitched the corner of her mouth and casually tossed the incense stick in her hand onto the altar: "Then forget it. If we're not meant to be, then we're not meant to be. I've never believed in Buddhism; I only believe in the knife in my own hand."
Ling Ye hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, out of reverence for Changsheng Temple, he took the incense, bowed three times respectfully, and inserted it into the incense burner.
Jiang Mu leaned closer and asked, "How was it? Did you see the Buddha?"
Ling Ye stared at the altar for a long time, then shook his head and said, "There's nothing there."
"He really is a fraud."
Jiang Mu turned around, looked directly at the sweet potato spirit monk, and asked bluntly, "I'm asking you, how can we leave this place?"
The sweet potato spirit monk clasped his hands together and slowly replied, "The gate to the secret realm will open in three days. At that time, whether you two benefactors find an opportunity or not, you may leave."
"Three days?"
Jiang Mu was greatly dissatisfied. "Isn't there a faster way?"
The sweet potato spirit monk maintained his unwavering smile and shook his head: "Without rules, there can be no order. This is the established order of Changsheng Temple, and it cannot be changed."
"Yeah?"
Jiang Mu's eyes suddenly turned cold.
"If I were to chop up all the vegetables in your temple, wouldn't that be faster than waiting three days?"
The sweet potato spirit monk's smile remained gentle: "Amitabha."
My fellow monks and I are nothing more than withered bones and remnants of souls, already dead and vanished. What you see now is merely a hollow shell, clinging to the grass and trees, a mere illusion.
If you feel itchy to cut it, then go ahead and do so.
"It's nothing more than chopping up a sweet potato; it only soils your knife and adds unnecessary bloodshed."
Jiang Mu hesitated whether to make a cut to test the feel of the knife, but Ling Ye gently pressed his hand down, signaling him to calm down.
She turned to the sweet potato spirit and asked, "Is three days here the same as time outside?"
The sweet potato spirit monk shook his head and said in a low voice, "Female benefactor, your wisdom is naturally different."
People seek immortality, but they don't know that there's no need to seek ten thousand years for immortality. The withering and flourishing of a single leaf, the existence of Mount Sumeru and a mustard seed, are all forms of immortality.
The two benefactors have spent these three leisurely days at Changsheng Temple. Within this small world, these are three days. But to the bustling world outside, perhaps—it's merely a fleeting moment, a blink of an eye.
The flow of time is different —
Jiang Mu breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Ling Ye pressed on, "Then may I ask, young master, how should we seek opportunities within this temple?"
The sweet potato spirit monk clasped his hands together again and bowed slightly: "Where lies the opportunity for you, benefactors? This humble monk does not know, nor can I speak of it. All causes and conditions, creation and destiny, are entirely up to you two benefactors to find and understand within this temple yourselves."
"So mysterious."
Jiang Mu sheathed her knife, then suddenly remembered something and stared at the monk, asking, "By the way, where is your abbot?"
"The host is not here."
"Where did you go?"
"I don't know," the sweet potato spirit shook its head.
Undeterred, Jiang Mu asked again, "Has a woman carrying a baby ever come here?"
I've never seen it before.
The sweet potato spirit monk continued to shake his head, seemingly unwilling to say anything more.
He bowed slightly to the two of them and said, "Please make yourselves at home, gentlemen. This humble monk still has to attend to his studies, so I will not disturb you any longer."
Having said that, the giant sweet potato with arms and legs turned and left.
In the empty hall, only a few wisps of smoke rose.
"They're acting all mysterious and cryptic, it feels like they're making a fool of us."
Jiang Mu pursed her lips.
"Let's go, since we're already here, let's make the best of it and wander around."
Ling Ye reached out and gently patted his arm, comforting him softly, "Don't worry too much about Qiu Yuexin. Her cultivation is not low, and she is the eldest daughter of the Qingqiu clan. She has many trump cards to protect herself. She will be fine."
Jiang Mu nodded.
Although he still missed the pink fox, he was trapped in Changsheng Temple and there was nothing he could do but worry. He could only suppress his worries for the time being.
The two began to wander aimlessly around the temple.
The temple is not actually very large, but its layout is quite strange.
There is no typical Buddhist scripture repository or Arhat hall.
Only a few low, scattered courtyards are nestled among withered trees and strange rocks in a pleasingly irregular manner.
After going around in circles, I only saw about ten monks in total.
Jiang Mu went to look around and found that the temple didn't even have a monk's room, as if the master of the place didn't need to rest at all.
Jiang Mu deliberately wandered around, hoping to find the host.
After searching the entire backyard, they found that there wasn't even a decent residence for the abbot.
Jiang Mu looked at the vegetable monks and said, "I didn't see a single bird or beast that had become a demon. They're all vegetarians. This can be seen as a manifestation of the monks' obsession with vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures in their lifetime."
As he was speaking, he suddenly felt a pang of hunger in his stomach.
It wasn't that I got hungry from looking at these vegetable monsters; I just suddenly felt hungry for no reason.
My stomach was growling with hunger, and I was in spasmodic pain.
This is very strange.
Even if a cultivator is extremely hungry, they wouldn't do this; they could even go seven or eight days without eating without any problem.
The two walked through the corridor and came to a quiet pond.
The scene in the pond caught their attention.
In the clear blue water of the pond, pink and white lotus flowers grow.
These lotus flowers are growing at a rate visible to the naked eye.
From sprouting tender green tips, to budding, to full bloom, and finally to withering petals and turning into spring mud—
The process took only a dozen or so breaths.
Countless lotus flowers in this small pond constantly repeat this cycle of flourishing, decline, death, and rebirth.
Ling Ye stood there, stunned, by the pond.
Gazing at the ever-changing lotus blossoms, his cool gaze gradually became hazy and profound.
"Life is as brilliant as summer flowers, death as serene as autumn leaves."
She spoke softly, her voice ethereal, "The Great Dao cycles, withering and flourishing in its proper order. Life and death are nothing more than a breath in this vast void."
Everything has its time, so what is the point of true obsession and immortality?
In a daze, she seemed to have grasped some kind of true law from this cycle of birth and death.
Ling Ye instinctively sat down cross-legged on the spot, folding his hands over his dantian.
His eyes were slightly closed.
Quietly facing the pond, it seems to blend into the surrounding vegetation.
Jiang Mu was taken aback when she saw this, and then thought to herself, "Could it be that Sister Ling has struck it rich and found her destiny?"
Since it was a crucial moment for enlightenment, Jiang Mu naturally didn't dare to make a sound and could only endure the spasms of hunger in her stomach and quietly stand guard to protect her.
However, the feeling of hunger in my stomach became more and more intense.
It's like a newborn baby crying for food, so hungry that its internal organs are convulsing.
I want to drink a nutritious meal.
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