Bizarre Cultivation: Starting from Being Beaten Up by Reality

Chapter 214 Ascension Ceremony

Senior Brother Li's chest heaved, showing great excitement.

Looking at this scene, Mo Zhishan felt that everything was not as he had imagined.

It's not that starting the ascension ceremony so hastily is too hasty. Master said that when one has gone through hardships and achieved perfect merit, everything will happen naturally.

Rather, it was because Senior Brother Li was too excited. Mo Zhi Shan always felt that someone who had gone through hardships and achieved great merit would not be so frivolous.

It's like receiving an unexpected reward without actually doing anything—an overwhelming sense of excitement.

Even he himself began to waver. Was it really that difficult to accumulate merit and ascend to immortality? Shouldn't his failure to succeed after meeting Senior Brother Lin be an inevitable test? Senior Brother Li must have passed several such tests before he succeeded, right?

Then he thought of his senior brother Li, who had only descended the mountain a year earlier than him, and had indeed not taken much longer.

Regardless of how puzzled the ink-paper-fan may be.

Layman Mingxing has begun the ascension ceremony.

The contents of the wooden box were taken out: a life-sized Buddha statue sitting cross-legged.

This Buddha statue is somewhat similar to the one on the ink-paper fan, but not entirely the same. The biggest difference is that its entire body is golden, as if it were made of gold leaf. Even though there are many damaged parts on its body, this golden aura makes it appear dignified and majestic, with a captivating charm.

Indeed, it is a perfect Bodhisattva craftsman!

Those believers who worship it, chant scriptures before it, and are transformed by it created this golden statue for it.

"My disciple, sit properly, and your master will guide you!"

"Okay, thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"

Senior Brother Li kowtowed nine times on the ground before sitting cross-legged.

Mingxing Jushi gently touched the Craftsman Bodhisattva with one hand, and a strand of gold was drawn by his finger. Then he pulled this strand of gold, which was faintly glowing in the dim room, and touched it on Senior Brother Li's forehead.

Golden threads gradually wrapped around the craftsman Bodhisattva and then around Brother Li, weaving him a new golden robe little by little.

Upon seeing the wide, golden sleeves appear, Senior Brother Li couldn't contain his elation.

"Master, is this the Feather Robe? Will I be able to ascend to the Heavenly Realm after I put it on?"

Beads of sweat appeared on Mingxing Jushi's forehead as he struggled to pull the golden threads, answering with apparent difficulty, "Yes, this is ascension. I will also weave the three flowers on your head later, so don't be surprised."

Strands of black hair fell out.

Mo Zhishan's pupils gradually dilated as he saw the golden ring scars beneath Li Shixiong's head after his hair fell off.

Suddenly, a series of questions he had doubted when he first entered the gate began to surface in his mind.

We are clearly members of the Mohist school, so why are we serving Bodhisattvas?

We are clearly cultivating ourselves to become immortals, so why do we need to recite Buddhist scriptures?

Why don't we need to follow the precepts of Buddhism?

Because we belong to the Mohist school, not the Buddhist school?

The scriptures say that the leader of the Mohist school and Mahakala Buddha Mother had a union that gave birth to the Craftsman Bodhisattva. As long as we sincerely believe in the Craftsman Bodhisattva, we can achieve the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top of the Head, ascend to immortality, and enter the Pure Land under the leadership of the leader, where we can enjoy eternal life and boundless happiness.

How strange, how strange. Why can't these things be told to believers? As long as they worship the craftsman, they can be free from disease and gain eternal life by doing so.

Is it truly blissful to be transformed into a government official, free from illness and disaster, and live forever?

That's bliss!

And what about our ultimate bliss? We bring ultimate bliss to so many people, but what is the ultimate bliss of the Mo Sect's Mo Child?

"The emperor of the former Great Wei Dynasty ordered the Mohist sect to create 10,000 life-size Buddha statues for Buddhism, with a deadline of three days. By the time of the inspection, there were only 9,999 statues. The craftsman, a bodhisattva, out of compassion and to prevent the Mohist sect from being affected, shaved his head, donned a kasaya, and sat down, using his own body as the foundation, to complete the last Buddha statue in the final time."

Thinking of this, Mo Zhishan felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. Everything, their fate had been predetermined long ago. Yet, no one had ever noticed. They had been raised in the Mo Clan since childhood, and their fixed education had long since imprinted fixed behaviors into their minds.

Perhaps only when one witnesses the ascension ceremony with their own eyes will they truly understand.

"Master, why is my hair falling out?" Senior Brother Li asked in confusion, looking at his fallen hair.

"I told you not to make a fuss. Do you want the three-flowered hair on your head or just those few tattered hairs?"

The Three Flowers Gather at the Top, Ascending to Immortality? No, that's just shaving your head and donning a cassock!

"Master, can I really attain immortality this way?"

"Yes, you will become a figure worshipped by thousands, with countless people bowing before you, chanting for you, and creating your golden statue!"

By believing in the Craftsman Bodhisattva, one can be free from illness and disaster, and live a long life.

One can simply become a lackey of the Mohist sect, attain immortality, and enjoy eternal incense offerings.

My master never lies; he just didn't finish what he was saying.

Mo Zhishan and Senior Brother Li realized the truth almost simultaneously. The only difference was that Mo Zhishan, as an observer, was still stunned in disbelief, while Senior Brother Li had already begun frantically trying to save himself.

"Master! I don't want to become an immortal! Stop it! I don't want to be sealed in a clay figure for eternity! It's better to be dead! I... I just want to live my life as a human being, Master! You raised me! I am your son! Please, please let me go!"

Senior Brother Li begged for mercy while struggling frantically.

Mingxing Jushi had anticipated this situation. He freed one hand and waved it, and a transparent thread stuck from his fingertip to Li Shixiong's body, causing the latter to stop moving instantly.

Li Shixiong instantly lost control of his entire body and could only remain still, his mouth still begging for mercy.

“Your reaction was among the slowest. Some of the more astute ones guessed it before the ceremony even began.”

Mingxing Jushi did not continue, but it was clear that reacting a little faster or slower would not affect the final outcome.

"Did many others succeed before me? Have many of my senior brothers returned?"

"Hmm. But you lot are really lacking in talent. Such a simple task, and only slightly more than half of you managed to complete it. And so far, my successor hasn't appeared yet." Master Mingxing looked disgusted, but continued working on his tasks.

"The Mo Sect is far larger than you imagine. Only if you can see through its mysteries before you leave the mountain will you have a chance to become a true inner disciple like me! Once I have accumulated enough physical bodies to become a Master Craftsman Bodhisattva, I will be able to cultivate in the Mo Sect's sacred land! But you fools haven't even glimpsed the path to the entrance."

"Are we just puppets you tricked into becoming sealed in clay?!" Senior Brother Li roared angrily. "Yes, yes, we tricked others into becoming mechanical puppets in the same way! So this is retribution, retribution!"

"Old man, I'd rather die! I'd rather perish together with you! Don't bother with this damned dried-up corpse bodhisattva!"

Swish!

Suddenly, Senior Brother Li extended another hand from his sleeve, holding a black fire thunderbolt in his hand.