Chapter 26: The Golden Lotus from the Earth

The wandering souls filling the sky poured into the paper effigy of Liuyu, causing the body to swell rapidly until it reached the size of a mountain.

"Come!" Liuyu shouted explosively.

All the scattered bones condensed into a single staff, which Liuyu grasped in his hand. He swung it casually, finding it perfectly balanced.

"Obstinate fool, let the thunder of a thousand jun descend!" The lightning entity merged completely into the clouds, unleashing a sea of dense electricity that swallowed Liuyu whole.

Liuyu spun the staff continuously, struggling to hold his ground. His body was forced downward under the pressure, but he held fast. When the lightning ceased, he took a moment to catch his breath, though his expression remained grave as he watched the dark clouds gathering ever thicker above.

A roar of dragons and a cry of phoenixes shattered the clouds, and a golden dragon and fire phoenix dove rapidly toward him.

"Coffin, come!"

The red coffin responded to his call, flying at high speed to shield him from behind. It dripped with fresh blood, which quickly染 the entire earth; the once-vibrant plants and animals withered and died instantly. Rejuvenated by this life force, the coffin seemed indestructible. When the dragon and phoenix crashed into it, they shrieked in sorrow before sinking into the wood. The lid slammed shut, and the coffin plummeted deep into the earth.

"It seems you are well-prepared!" A pair of eyes emerged from the thunderclouds, staring fixedly at Liuyu. "To think a mere scrap of dead skin could achieve such a feat. Nothing you do resembles the path of a Buddha; you are a demon. Look at yourself—what are you clinging to? You have long been dead; what are you holding onto?"

Liuyu’s resolve wavered, and he clutched his head in agony. "It’s true. Why should I become a Buddha? I’m already dead. What am I clinging to?"

"Bad, the trial of questioning one's heart has come early." Zen Master Du'e’s face darkened, but he quickly steadied himself, rushing to a nearby spot to seize the young monk and drag him before Liuyu.

"Little monk, now we see if you can be of some use." With a wet tear, Zen Master Du'e ripped the young monk's heart from his chest and threw it toward Liuyu.

The beating heart pierced Liuyu’s body and lodged itself in the proper place. Instantly, the phantom of an ancient Buddha appeared behind him, and Liuyu’s consciousness cleared.

"A single thought to become a Buddha, a single thought to become a demon. A single thought to kill, a single thought to save. The Buddha has no true form; all forms are born from the heart. I say I am a Buddha, therefore I am."

Liuyu’s paper body rapidly grew flesh, blood, and bone, gradually gaining warmth and breath until he became a living, breathing man.

"Today, I, the Six-Desire Buddha, make four great vows:

"If I attain supreme Bodhi and realize true enlightenment, the Buddha-realm I inhabit shall be filled with boundless, inconceivable splendor and merit.

"When sentient beings commit the evil deeds of greed, anger, and ignorance, they shall experience the three extreme retributions. This vow ensures that no one who commits such evils shall exist in my Buddha-land.

"When I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings born into my realm shall know their own past lives and the karma of their deeds throughout boundless eons.

"When I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings in the ten directions of the universe who are born into my realm shall possess bodies of pure, purple-gold radiance."

As the vows were uttered, ten thousand rays of golden light shone forth. Night turned to day, and the sound of Buddhist chants echoed for thousands of miles. The earth burst with vitality, golden lotuses sprang from the ground, and countless aggrieved spirits were liberated, dissolving into streams of light.

Heaven and earth resonated in harmony to celebrate the birth of the Buddha. The lightning that had sought to destroy him turned into sweet rain, nourishing all things, and a rainbow arched across the horizon.

That day, the entire State of Wei was stunned. Peasants preparing for rest found the sky suddenly bright, the blood-red moon replaced by a sun hanging high in the sky. Cultivators, sensing the cosmic shift, bowed in distant reverence.

Liuyu’s murderous intent vanished. With a seven-colored halo behind him, he sat upon a golden lotus, devoid of sorrow, joy, desire, or longing.

Liu An and Jian Yi, who had witnessed this reversal, were bewildered. A scrap of skin that had wrought such slaughter had actually become a Buddha.

Zen Master Du'e was the most pleased, approaching the Six-Desire Buddha with a posture of seeking reward. "Buddha, now that you are the Buddha of this age, may you fulfill your promise and resurrect my mortal wife?"

The Six-Desire Buddha sat with solemn dignity, offering no reply.

Deep underground, the black coffin trembled violently, struggling against its iron chains. "Liuyu! Since you have attained Buddhahood, why do you not fulfill your promise and release me?" A voice filled with hatred echoed through the space.

"Amitabha. The sins you have committed cannot be washed away. Today, you shall burn in the fires of karma and repent your transgressions in hell."

"You are truly shameless! How can you do this to me? I did everything according to your instructions!"

A massive golden palm struck the earth. The black coffin shattered, and the chains binding it melted into splashing iron. A woman with two faces and four arms, her body wreathed in flames, shrieked in agony. Gripped by a suicidal fury, she lunged to drag the Six-Desire Buddha down with her.

"One flower, one world; one leaf, one Bodhi. Seal." As Liuyu spoke, he manipulated the heavens and earth, pinching his left hand.

The woman’s body was twisted and folded, banished to a distant expanse of stars.

"Where is this? Liuyu, come out and face me!" No matter how she screamed, there was no reply.

"The past is like smoke; it is gone. Today, I know who I am." With these words, the Six-Desire Buddha vanished without a trace.

Zen Master Du'e was left in a daze, unsure of what to do next, stumbling down to the ground in a stupor.

"Senior brother, it seems there's nothing left for us here. Can we go now?" Liu An nudged Jian Yi’s waist.

"Oh, right, right. Let's go quickly." Jian Yi snapped out of his trance and stood up.

Suddenly remembering something, Liu An narrowed his eyes greedily and whispered to Jian Yi, "Senior brother, let’s go treasure hunting! There must be many treasures buried under this temple. Take that bronze mirror, for instance—aren't you tempted? It grabbed us from thousands of miles away; just thinking about it is exciting!"

Just as Jian Yi began to feel the temptation, Zen Master Du'e moved toward them. Both men regretted their greed, wishing they had left immediately. As the Zen Master drew closer, their hearts hammered in their chests.

"Do not be nervous. I will not harm you. You may leave," Zen Master Du'e said calmly.

Surprised by the mercy, Liu An asked, "Why are you suddenly so kind as to let us go?"

Zen Master Du'e did not answer. He walked past them, continuing on toward the place he had longed for: the grave of the wife he had married before he took his vows.

Upon reaching the lonely, overgrown grave, he saw the inscription: *The Grave of Fan Shirong's Wife*. Zen Master Du'e could no longer contain his emotions and broke into wailing sobs.

"I failed you, leaving you to wait for me for twenty years. Now, my hands are stained with blood; how can I ever have the face to see you again?"

With these words, the Zen Master entered nirvana, self-immolating on the spot.