Jueguang only felt a huge gravitational pull emanating from the great moon, and he gradually detached from the ground, falling straight towards the sky.
"Ah—!" he screamed, like a black pig awaiting slaughter.
The wind whistled past his ears, and This humble monk's heart pounded.
He tried his best to use his lightness skill, hoping to mitigate the impact, but soon, the surrounding world had been stretched into long lines, moving so fast that he couldn't see anything clearly; only the full moon above him grew closer, and that sea of flowers became increasingly distinct.
Jueguang thought: This is the end. This humble monk will have to meet the Buddha before he even becomes the Head Monk. Alas!
At this moment, Bald Donkey sincerely wished he were a bald bird. A donkey falling off a cliff could only die, but birds were different; they could soar through the air by flapping their wings.
Wings!
A sudden inspiration struck him, and he thought of the wide sleeves of his monk's robe. If he infused them with internal energy, they would become as hard as iron. Wouldn't that make them two iron wings?
So he vigorously flapped his arms, like a clumsy fat chicken. Whether his method was truly effective or not, his falling speed did indeed slow down, and in the end, he almost gently landed in the flower bushes.
Jueguang felt as if he had fallen into a soft bed of cotton, his body lightly supported by the petals.
He continued to flap his arms until his feet touched the ground, and the firm sensation shot through every pore of his body like an electric current, causing his violently beating heart to suddenly calm down.
Looking down, his left monk's shoe had inexplicably flown off at some point, his bare foot resting on the golden sand, radiating a warm temperature.
He surveyed his surroundings: epiphyllum bloomed like a sea, with specks of firefly light like flower-bush spirits, scattering and drifting like stars.
"Where is this?" Seeing such beauty, This humble monk was somewhat dazed, unsure of his whereabouts.
A white-clad young girl strolled over the petals, reaching Jueguang in a few steps.
"Little donor Sun, why are you here too?" This humble monk asked, surprised.
Sun Lichai giggled, "Great monk, you've finally arrived! Simon has been waiting for you for a long time!"
"That's right, This humble monk heard Simon Bodhisattva's summons and hurried out, but how did I end up in this place?"
"Simon said this is his Pure Land. He called you here, and you didn't object, so you naturally came."
Monk Jueguang's heart was greatly shaken.
"Pure Land! This humble monk is fortunate enough to have come to the Bodhisattva's Pure Land!"
A strong sense of happiness surged into his heart, and this Bald Donkey was already tipsy with joy.
Sun Lichai took This humble monk's hand and walked deeper into the sea of flowers. Jueguang also followed dazedly, like a puppet on strings, his mind completely not on walking.
In the illusion, as long as Simon allowed it, all who came could have their wishes granted. Sun Lichai led This humble monk, shrinking the ground to an inch, and in three steps they arrived at an open space.
In the open space, Simon stood before his own statue, lost in thought.
Jueguang gently pulled his hand free and rushed forward a few steps to prostrate himself before the Buddha Child.
"I am grateful to the Bodhisattva for taking This humble monk into the Pure Land. Jueguang will never forget it, for all eternity!"
Simon did not turn his head, "This Pure Land was only recently established by me. Its original intention was to provide a quiet place for those with superior affinity to converse. It's nothing grand, and you don't need to thank me. After death, people still have to reincarnate; they cannot stay here forever."
Jueguang did not rise, "This humble monk has seen the solemn Buddha-land; I have no regrets in this life. How dare I demand ultimate bliss?"
Simon sighed, "Get up. It's just a small Pure Land, nothing significant. I called you here to instruct you, don't always be prostrating yourself like a toad."
Bald Donkey stood up, his face full of devout happiness, obedient to Simon's every word.
Simon shook his head, "I originally intended to establish a new lineage of Zen Buddhism. Now it seems, none of you possess superior roots."
Jueguang immediately looked sad, "Is This humble monk truly without affinity for the True Dharma in this life?"
"Don't ask. Your cognitive obscurations are deep; the more you think, the more mistaken you become."
Jueguang sighed repeatedly, somewhat dejected, but then he put his palms together in reverence, "I earnestly hope the Bodhisattva will transmit the Dharma. This humble monk will certainly dedicate himself to protecting the Dharma!"
"It also depends on the timing. Enough small talk. I called you here this time, firstly, to test if my Pure Land can bear the superior affinity bead, and secondly, to tell you a few things about Sun Lichai."
Jueguang assumed a listening posture.
"I already know the first matter. Later, you can pick an epiphyllum. From now on, as long as you silently recite my Dharma name, you can enter this Pure Land. Here, you can practice martial arts, or meditate and read. Of course, you can do these things in reality too; there's no need to specifically come here to accomplish them.
"The most important thing here is communication and transmission of the Dharma, and exchanging insights. Even if separated by thousands of miles, one can still gather here, so this is the most critical matter.
"Sun Lichai has the appearance of an early death. I used the special cricket King Eight Failures to extend her lifespan, but it is only for a mere ten years. If she cannot achieve great accomplishments in martial arts within these ten years, then she will truly face extinction.
"I also understand that achieving resonance with heaven and earth within ten years is indeed not easy. However, fortunately, there is always a way out. Her fate is connected to Eight Failures. Once the karmic bond is stable, you just need to take Eight Failures to many cricket fights. For every victory, her luck will increase a little. If she achieves a hundred victories, then in the unseen realm, it will be of immense benefit to Sun Lichai's cultivation, making breakthroughs and circulating qi an easy matter.
"Therefore, I entrust this Eight Failures to your care. You must guard it carefully. Later, find a disciple who enjoys playing and let him engage in many cricket fights."
Jueguang respectfully accepted the command and turned to look at Sun Lichai. The little girl, upon hearing that her lifespan was only ten years, showed no fear on her face. This humble monk thought that children do not understand the terror of life and death, which could be considered a good thing. Moreover, with the Bodhisattva's help, she would surely achieve great things in the future.
Eight Failures leaped from Simon's shoulder onto Jueguang's forehead, almost slipping and flying off. Bald Donkey quickly steadied it.
Simon then said, "You're so flustered, you even lost your shoe. Visualize a set of clothes for yourself."
This humble monk also felt extremely embarrassed upon hearing this, staring at his bare foot, thinking it would be great if his shoe could fly back. Unexpectedly, with a thought, he felt a shoe sole smack his back.
Reaching back, he felt his own monk's shoe stuck to his back. Jueguang now had a vague understanding of what Simon Bodhisattva meant by visualizing clothes. It turned out that here, one's wishes could come true.
"It truly is a land of ultimate bliss!"
Upon realizing this, he behaved like a child, constantly trying to visualize various things, playing with complete abandon and joy.
"It's getting late; you should go back." Simon saw his mood fluctuate greatly, already somewhat losing his composure, "Go back and meditate properly. Don't always be so unworldly and embarrassing."
Before Jueguang could say anything, he saw an epiphyllum fly towards him, its intricate and beautiful petals dancing and spinning like a mysterious illusion, instantly captivating his mind.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw the empty, cold meditation room.
Jueguang raised his hand to touch the air, feeling a sense of loss.
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