Chu Li was stunned for a moment before realization dawned on him.
Monk Hui Guang was on very good terms with He Jin, so it was obvious that he had heard about Xiao Qi from He Jin. He knew that Xiao Qi was going to go into Isolated Cultivation for a hundred years, so he immediately guessed Chu Li's plan.
Chu Li remained silent.
Monk Hui Guang said, "If you can't truly cut off your worldly ties, it's better for you to be a monk disciple!"
Chu Li sighed. "Master, if I break the precepts, what's the punishment?"
Monk Hui Guang said, "Your martial arts will be crippled and you'll be kicked out of the temple! You won't even be a monk disciple then. "
His meaning was clear. Instead of being crippled and kicked out of the temple in the future, it was better to be a monk disciple now. He could come and go freely and stay with his wife.
Chu Li said, "If I cripple my martial arts and cultivate it again, will the temple still pursue this matter?"
Monk Hui Guang laughed and shook his head. "Do you think you'll be able to cultivate it back if the temple cripples your martial arts? How naive! "
Chu Li raised his eyebrows.
Monk Hui Guang scoffed. "The temple uses a secret skill to cripple one's martial arts. It's impossible to cultivate it back after becoming a cripple. Moreover, profound martial arts require profound dharma. If you can't cut off your worldly ties, you won't be able to achieve dharma and you won't be able to cultivate your martial arts to a profound level."
Chu Li smiled. "If that's the case, how did I manage to cultivate the Divine Ear?"
Monk Hui Guang frowned and remained silent.
This was exactly what he did not understand. It was also what all the monks in the temple did not understand.
Logically speaking, if Chu Li had fetters and worries, it should be because his spirit was not pure and his mind was not empty. He would not be able to enter a deep state of meditation, and it would be impossible for him to cultivate divine powers.
However, he managed to cultivate divine powers in just a year, breaking their common sense and precedent. It was strange to them and they were even more surprised when they found out that Chu Li had also cultivated God's Limbs.
There were also many eminent monks in the outer temple of the Great Mercy Temple who possessed two supernatural powers, or even several supernatural powers. But usually, they had cultivated for thousands of years, or even tens of thousands of years. Their mortal hearts had been purified, and the pearls of their hearts had shone brightly. Only then, when the conditions were right, would they naturally possess multiple supernatural powers.
Chu Li, on the other hand, was completely different. He was bringing along a beautiful wife with him. Their feelings were intense, which was the exact opposite of seeing through and freeing himself. How could he achieve two divine powers?
It could only be said that he had been born in a monastery since he was young. Perhaps he was the reincarnation of an eminent monk and possessed innate wisdom.
Chu Li said, "Master, it's not a problem for me to cultivate Buddhism."
"This …" Monk Hui Guang hesitated. He didn't want to harm Chu Li.
He vaguely felt that Chu Li was in the secular world and had a beautiful wife, but he still had such a deep understanding of Buddhism. It could only be said that his Buddha-nature was deep and far superior to ordinary people. It was very likely that he was the reincarnation of an eminent monk, just like what the seniors had said.
Without seeing through the mortal world and life and death, it was very difficult to obtain divine abilities. This was an undeniable fact. To be able to see through both, this kind of temperament was not something that he could reach. He could only say that he was impressed.
However, no matter how much they admired him, they still could not violate the rules of the temple. If they really broke the precepts, their martial arts would be crippled, and in serious cases, they would be expelled from the temple.
Crippling his martial arts was inevitable, but expelling him from the temple depended on the severity of the consequences.
In order to make Chu Li back out, he made it sound even more serious.
However, Chu Li had excellent aptitude and was a top-notch talent. Once he had a profound Buddhism, he would definitely improve by leaps and bounds when he cultivated the martial arts of the Great Mercy Temple. Moreover, he would be able to cultivate it to an extremely high level.
Once he cultivated it, he would definitely become a top-notch master. Monk Hui Guang really couldn't bear to stop him.
"Forget it!" Monk Hui Guang sighed. He pressed his palms together and bowed in the direction of the inner temple of the Great Mercy Temple. He muttered a mantra as if he was repenting for his sins. After a while, he looked up at Chu Li. "I'll only talk about what happened today. Fate is unpredictable, and no one can predict everything. If you want to abide by the precepts, then shave your head!"
"Thank you, Master!" Chu Li smiled and pressed his palms together.
Monk Hui Guang sighed. "I hope you won't regret this decision in the future!"
Chu Li smiled. "I definitely won't regret it!"
"Amitabha!" Monk Hui Guang pressed his palms together with a solemn expression.
—
In the basilica of the outer temple, in front of the huge Buddha statue.
Chu Li was kneeling on a cattail hassock. His eyes were slightly closed, and he was motionless.
Close to a hundred old monks stood on both sides of the basilica. All of them looked solemn and dignified, and their auras were as steady as Buddha statues. More than two hundred middle-aged monks stood outside the basilica, and behind them stood more than a hundred young monks.
Monk Hui Guang stood in front of him, and the novice monk Ding Ming stood beside him.
The handsome Ding Ming held a small sandalwood incense tray with both hands, and his expression was solemn.
Under the watchful eyes of the old monks, Monk Hui Guang first chanted the seven precepts of the Great Mercy Temple. Then, he asked Chu Li, "Is it possible to abide by the precepts?"
"Yes," Chu Li answered respectfully.
"Today, I'll get rid of the root of my troubles, and cut off all ties with the mortal world!" Monk Hui Guang gently brushed his right palm across the top of Chu Li's head. His hair rustled as it fell, and a shiny bald head appeared. This made Chu Li's straight eyebrows look even sharper, and his heroic spirit even more prominent.
Monk Hui Guang extended his hand, and Ding Ming hurriedly offered him the incense tray. There were three thick incense sticks burning on the tray.
Monk Hui Guang picked up the three thick incense sticks, and first turned to worship the Buddha statue. Then, he turned back and pressed the incense on Chu Li's head.
Chu Li felt a splitting headache as if there were three nails piercing into his head.
He frowned, but he did not move. He knew that there was something strange about these three incense sticks, and they were definitely different from ordinary incense sticks.
Ordinary incense sticks would not leave a mark on his head, and he would not feel any pain either.
Monk Hui Guang picked up the three thick incense sticks, and three black spots had already appeared on top of Chu Li's head.
"Chu Li, today, I will bestow upon you the Dharma name of Ding Ru. I hope that your heart will remain the same, and you will not be distracted!" Monk Hui Guang said in a low voice.
"Thank you, Master." Chu Li pressed his palms together and bowed.
Monk Hui Guang picked up a gray robe from the incense tray beside him.
Chu Li stood up.
Monk Hui Guang draped the gray robe over his body, and Chu Li took the opportunity to put it on, covering the white robe. The gray robe was simple, and the ring scar on Chu Li's bald head was obvious. Coupled with the simple gray robe, he had a unique temperament.
When he wore the gray robe, there was not a hint of incongruity as if he was born to wear this robe. There was not a single part that was not ironed, and there was not a single part that was not pleasing to the eye.
Monk Hui Guang said in a low voice, "Ding Ru, from today onwards, you will be a disciple of the Great Mercy Temple. From now on, when you travel the world, you must abide by the precepts. If you break the precepts, the temple will naturally punish you according to the rules!"
"Yes, Master!" Chu Li pressed his palms together.
Monk Hui Guang pressed his palms together and bowed to the crowd. "Thank you, Honorable Masters, for coming here to witness!"
"Amitabha …" The old monks pressed their palms together and chanted the name of Buddha. Their voices were deep and solemn.
Chu Li saluted the crowd.
A tall old monk with white eyebrows and a ruddy complexion slowly walked towards Chu Li and said gently, "Ding Ru, you have a strong Buddhist nature. Even if you cultivate martial arts, don't neglect your Buddhist base cultivation."
"Yes, abbot." Chu Li pressed his palms together.
This old monk's Dharma name was Xin Ji, and he was the abbot of the Great Mercy Temple. He did not know martial arts, but he had several divine powers that were deeply hidden and unknown to outsiders.
Monk Hui Guang said, "Abbot, I will bring Ding Ru to the inner temple to cultivate today."
"… Let's stay in the outer temple." Abbot Xin Ji said slowly, "We will stay in the Sky Will Courtyard."
Hui Guang hesitated.
Xin Ji smiled and said, "Ding Ru is a seed of Buddhism. Even if she cultivates martial arts with you, Hui Guang, she will still focus on the Buddhist base."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
