Chapter 550: Chapter 550

With Sun Wukong’s suggestion, Wang Yang naturally stopped worrying; he had even more important things to do.

Afterward, Wang Yang bid farewell and left.

Xuanzang watched Wang Yang’s departing figure, then turned his head toward Sun Wukong and said, "Wukong, I’ll have to trouble you to make this journey!"

"Alrighty, Old Sun will be back in no time!"

Sun Wukong nodded, feeling that contacting those people would not be a big problem.

Only after Sun Wukong had left did Xuanzang turn to look at the dark and oppressive area in the distance, his expression involuntarily growing solemn.

The Demon Clan’s intentions were unknown, but one thing was certain: the Demons would not let the Human Race off easily.

Feeling the impending storm, Xuanzang sighed heavily.

It was at that moment.

"Behold the great freedom, protect me, All Buddhas. Behold my freedom, not a single Buddha abides! If there is the slightest bit of Buddha nature, observe the freedom of others."

Qiao Ling’er’s voice occasionally emitted Buddhist scriptures, and enlightenment of the Buddhist Law filled her heart.

It was just that, living in the New Buddha Temple, eating vegetarian and reciting Buddha all these days, she always felt something was missing. She knew and understood the teachings of New Buddhism.

She could remember the scriptures of New Buddhism now, but when it came to contemplating them, they weren’t as immediately understandable as in the beginning. Instead, she always felt something was missing, as if there was something hindering her, making her restless and uncertain of the issue.

Xuanzang seemed to hear the confusion in Qiao Ling’er’s heart, turned back to look at her, and asked with some puzzlement, "What’s wrong?"

"Holy Monk, why do I always feel that the teachings of New Buddhism are obscure and hard to grasp? Each time I feel I am close to understanding, but I am just a little bit short and can’t quite grasp it," Qiao Ling’er said earnestly.

Upon hearing this, Xuanzang also felt it was strange.

You see, the doctrines of New Buddhism were derived from the True Scriptures and integrated with his own understanding of Buddhism.

Moreover, the texts were not like various Buddhist scriptures, they were all organized by him alone.

Theoretically, even without in-depth contemplation, a cursory reading should make their meaning clear.

But someone like Qiao Ling’er who was always a step away was something Xuanzang had never encountered before.

"Tell me more about it," Xuanzang said.

"Every time I read the scriptures, some of the content comes to mind."

"Most of it I can understand, but I reach a point where it feels as if that content just vanishes, and no matter how I recite or recall, it won’t appear."

"That’s why, no matter how I recite the scriptures, it seems futile."

Qiao Ling’er shook her head; in fact, she was very anxious. When she chose to become a monk, it was partly because she felt a connection with Buddhism, even her family said there were celestial phenomena when she was born, signaling a sign from Buddhism.

Furthermore, as she grew up and began to understand more, she felt that the teachings of New Buddhism truly aimed to benefit all living beings, rather than blindly worshiping Buddha.

That’s why Qiao Ling’er was so dedicated to becoming a monk.

But after truly becoming a monk, she fell into confusion.

Sometimes, she even wondered if joining New Buddhism was the right decision.

"You possess the power of Buddhist intent, the Force of Destiny."

"Although New Buddhism is born from Buddhism, it does not completely align with Buddhism. That is why you struggle to comprehend, constantly feeling a discrepancy, a sense of discomfort."

Xuanzang quickly understood after a moment of thought—Qiao Ling’er was, after all, a reincarnation of the True Spirit of the Tathagata.

Unlike his own experience with the Journey to the West and enlightenment, Qiao Ling’er joined New Buddhism right from the start. She did not notice it at first, but later there was always some resistance.

"So, is it my problem, New Buddhism’s problem, or an issue with the old Buddhism?" Qiao Ling’er asked and instantly regretted it; asking Xuanzang if there was a problem with New Buddhism seemed inappropriate.

However, Xuanzang wasn’t angry at all; he even smiled faintly.

He said to Qiao Ling’er, "In one’s heart, if there is Buddha, all are Buddhas!"

Sacred chants echoed throughout the hall, but peculiarly, not a single sound leaked out.

These eight characters provided the best explanation for Qiao Ling’er.

And for Qiao Ling’er, the words were as significant as an Enlightening Baptism.

She remained motionless there, completely still.

Xuanzang smiled slightly and did not linger.

Instead, he left directly.

However, after stepping out, he instructed the people in the temple not to approach the hall for the time being.

He knew this was Qiao Ling’er’s moment of fate, naturally hoping she could go further.

If she were to be interrupted while contemplating, it would be a great pity.

Three days passed in a flash, and the hall began to emanate waves of energy.

Qiao Ling’er’s dazed look became radiant, and in an instant, the previously obstructive thoughts in her head became clear.

Why should there be Buddha?

Was it something contrived by those aloft, or was it needed by the Three Realms?

Amitabha Buddha and Zhunti Buddha Mother made grand vows, essentially to build an Ultimate Bliss World in the Three Realms.

To help the unjustly deceased transcend, to redeem the sinful.

But the unjust dead must have causes, and sins must bear their fruit.

Can one truly erase the sins committed at the moment of picking up the butchering knife just by putting it down again?

In an instant, Buddha’s light appeared around Qiao Ling’er, but it quickly subsided.

Now, Qiao Ling’er only felt a sudden relief; the thoughts that had been clogging her mind vanished.

The scriptures that were challenging to understand began to appear in her mind over and over.

Unconsciously, Qiao Ling’er’s cultivation began to change.

Her Earth Immortal Cultivation, which had been stagnant, started to slowly rise.

Before that momentum had even settled, she had already reached the level of a celestial Immortal.

By the time her eyes completely returned to normal and she stood up from the meditation mat, she had already reached the Peak of the celestial Immortal, just one step away from ascending to Taiyi.