NCCnovel #243 - The mysterious world of the Sutra Library
#243 - The mysterious world of the Sutra Library
Chapter 242: The Scripture Repository of a Mysterious World
Zhang Chen looked at the dilapidated palace before him, his heart filled with question marks.
It was said there were no living beings, so what were these monks and temples?
“Of course, there might be another possibility, which is that this palace, this entire mountain range, suffered heavy damage in the outside world, and then some great power sent the palace into the mental world at a critical moment.” Zhang Chen's gaze swept across the plaque. Besides the single character 'Small,' the rest of the writing was twisted beyond recognition.
After a moment, Zhang Chen's gaze swept across the inside of the main hall, and he saw a Buddha statue enshrined in the very center. However, the head of the Buddha statue had been shattered into powder, leaving only the golden body, still standing quietly with its hands forming a mudra.
The Buddha statue had a large belly, bared its chest, wore a yellow short jacket, and sat in the center of a lotus platform with its hands forming a mudra, looking extremely solemn.
Zhang Chen stood outside and carefully examined it for a while before stepping into the main hall. He saw that the ground was paved with gold bricks, and the entire hall was covered with traces of blood. The pillars and walls were covered with marks of knives and axes.
“A shocking battle once took place here, and a catastrophe must have swept through the entire temple.” Zhang Chen's gaze swept across the entire hall, and he saw that the golden bodies of many Buddha statues in the hall had been shattered all over the ground. Except for the main sculpture, the rest of the sculptures had all turned into dregs, scattered as golden powder in the hall.
“Unfortunately, there are no experience points or skills dropped.” Zhang Chen swept across the entire hall, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. There was nothing of value in the hall.
As for the golden powder on the ground, it was just something within the mental world, and he couldn't take it away.
Zhang Chen's gaze swept across the entire hall, and after seeing that there was nothing of value, he turned his head and continued to walk towards the other side halls.
All the side halls were in a state of chaos. The Buddha statues were destroyed, and the houses were covered with traces of knife and axe battles.
From the Mahavira Hall to the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Hall of Sangharama, the Arhat Hall, and other Buddhist halls, he investigated them one by one, and all he saw were ruins, with nothing of value.
Zhang Chen continued to walk through the palace, sweeping through the rooms one by one, and finally came to a three-story building that looked relatively intact.
This small building was very unique and did not enshrine any Buddha statues. All that could be seen were bookshelves, and the bookshelves were filled with countless books.
Looking at the books in the small building, Zhang Chen's eyes lit up: “Scripture Repository!”
The Scripture Repository was the most crucial place for a sect or force.
However, the Scripture Repository was also in a state of chaos. Countless books were scattered randomly on the ground, and the bookshelves were also cut off and damaged by unknown sharp weapons. The entire Scripture Repository was in ruins.
Looking at the books scattered on the ground in the Scripture Repository, a hint of anticipation appeared in Zhang Chen's eyes: “This is a Scripture Repository from a mysterious era. If I could obtain some wonderful inheritance method, wouldn't I no longer have to continue living a mediocre life in the Yellow Sky Dao? Moreover, even if there is no cultivation method, if I can obtain some magical power incantation, it would be a great gain for me.”
Zhang Chen stood outside the Scripture Repository and carefully observed it for a while, somewhat worried that there might be some mechanisms or traps inside the Scripture Repository. After all, this was an important place in the Buddhist temple, and it would be reasonable to have some hidden layouts and designs.
When in doubt, ask the Fox Fairy Nannan. In the next moment, Zhang Chen directly used the summoning technique: “Fox Fairy Nannan, come out!”
“Where is this? Have you come to a new place again?”
Fox Fairy Nannan appeared beside Zhang Chen, looking at the Scripture Repository in front of her in surprise.
Zhang Chen quickly explained the current situation to Fox Fairy Nannan. Upon hearing this, Fox Fairy Nannan's eyes lit up as she stared at the Scripture Repository in front of her: “The Scripture Repository of a mysterious world? This is a good place. If we can obtain some scriptures, then we will have made a fortune.”
After saying that, Fox Fairy Nannan walked directly into the Scripture Repository. She dared to go to places that Zhang Chen didn't dare to go, and she dared to touch things that Zhang Chen didn't dare to touch.
However, as Fox Fairy Nannan walked into the Scripture Repository, her foot accidentally stepped on a book, and then in the next moment, the book, like ashes, directly scattered into the air.
“This book has decayed.” Fox Fairy Nannan looked at the book under her feet, a trace of heartache in her eyes.
“Do things in the mental world also decay?” Zhang Chen asked curiously.
“Of course, after all, even souls decay, let alone books?” Fox Fairy Nannan said: “Of course, except for golden books.”
As she spoke, Fox Fairy Nannan reached out her hand to directly touch those books. It was seen that as she touched them, all the books, like paper money burned during grave sweeping, turned into ashes and dissipated into the world.
“What a pity.” Zhang Chen looked at the countless ashes, a trace of regret in his eyes.
“Now we can only hope that there are golden books in this Scripture Repository, otherwise I'm afraid we have come in vain, just a joyful illusion.” Fox Fairy Nannan blew a breath at the first floor of the Scripture Repository, and it was seen that the aura swept over all the books. In an instant, the entire Scripture Repository was filled with paper ashes, slowly floating down from the air.
The ashes, shimmering with scriptures, fell from the air, looking like burnt paper money, burying the funeral song of the era. For some reason, a inexplicable sorrow appeared in Zhang Chen's heart.
“The first floor is worthless, let's go! Let's go to the second floor.” Fox Fairy Nannan walked through the ashes with great interest and headed towards the second floor.
Seeing that Fox Fairy Nannan was not in danger, Zhang Chen also stepped into the Scripture Repository and followed closely behind, ascending to the second floor, only to see that the second floor was still filled with countless books scattered on the ground, not much different from the first floor.
Some of the books on the ground opened during the falling process, revealing the scriptures inside, but they were worthless to Zhang Chen, just incomplete scriptures. Compared to the entire book, they were less than one percent, so what was the use of reading them?
“Go to the third floor, the third floor must have the most important classics of the entire temple, and it must contain the core inheritance of the entire temple.” Fox Fairy Nannan still used the same trick, exhaling a breath of air, and the countless books turned into ashes, and then ran directly towards the third floor staircase.
It was just that one foot of Fox Fairy Nannan had just stepped on the third floor staircase, and the whole person was like being subjected to a body-fixing technique, standing there blankly without moving.
“Why aren't you going?” Zhang Chen noticed something was wrong and stood behind Fox Fairy Nannan and asked.
It was seen that Fox Fairy Nannan was still standing there, not responding to Zhang Chen's words. Her whole body was standing on the steps, constantly trembling, and ripples appeared in her soul and body.
“There's something strange about these steps.” Zhang Chen's gaze fell on the steps, not daring to step in easily, but looking at Fox Fairy Nannan's back with both eyes, waiting for Fox Fairy Nannan's response.
Just as Zhang Chen was thinking about whether to summon Fox Fairy Nannan back, he saw Fox Fairy Nannan take a step, now completely standing on the steps, and then took the second step, stepping onto the second step.
However, this time the fox spirit Nannan stood for a longer time, fully three times as long as the first time she stepped onto the stairs. Then, the fox spirit Nannan, with a grimace, gritted her teeth and stepped onto the third step. This time, it took even longer, fully seven times as long as before.
Fourth step.
Fifth step.
...
After ascending to the sixth step, the fox spirit Nannan suddenly let out a miserable scream: "Zhang Chen, you dog thief! I, the fox spirit Nannan, will never forgive you!"
Then, with a loud crash, the fox spirit Nannan exploded directly. Zhang Chen then felt a change within the dragon energy, and the fox spirit Nannan was reborn within the dragon energy.
Zhang Chen thought for a moment, and the fox spirit Nannan was summoned out again. Then, he asked, "What did you experience when you stepped on those stairs just now? Why did you suddenly die?"
"Those stairs contain a strange power that can stir up people's seven emotions and six desires, and can trigger flaws in people's hearts, causing them to fall into illusions from which they cannot extricate themselves." The fox spirit Nannan glanced at the stairs, then turned her head to look at Zhang Chen, and said, "These stairs test the power of the mind. One needs profound Buddhist teachings to transform them into composure and break through the various illusions to ascend to the third floor of the Sutra Pavilion. These stairs are not something we can climb. Let's leave quickly, lest we get trapped and lose our lives."
"Once you step onto the stairs and cannot break the illusion, you will be identified as an invading enemy, immersed in it, and killed by the illusion. The most important thing is that once you take the first step, there is no turning back." The fox spirit Nannan's eyes looked at the stairs, which had thirteen steps in total, made of unknown wood, and looked very extraordinary.
"What did you experience in the final level of the illusion just now?" Zhang Chen asked, thinking of the fox spirit Nannan's shout, 'Zhang Chen, you dog thief! I, the fox spirit Nannan, will never forgive you!'
The fox spirit Nannan's expression changed upon hearing this. Her eyes were a little evasive, not daring to look at Zhang Chen's eyes, and her gaze drifted towards the stairs: "Just now, on the sixth step, I encountered an unprecedentedly powerful enemy. That enemy was extremely cunning, insidious, and vicious. He was a nightmare in my heart for the rest of my life. I fought him for three hundred rounds, but who knew that he was insidious and vicious, secretly plotting against me. In the end, I was no match for him and was suppressed and killed by him. That enemy is insidious and vicious, rotten to the core, and truly deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces!"
Zhang Chen's expression immediately darkened upon hearing this, and he hated it so much that his teeth itched. If the fox spirit hadn't shouted that last sentence, he would have believed the fox spirit's lies.
However, he did not expose her, but said, "Tell me in detail about the illusion of those stairs."
"The illusion on those stairs uses the thirteen forces of the seven emotions and six desires as a guide to form thirteen levels, constantly testing human nature." The fox spirit Nannan looked at Zhang Chen, completely unaware that her previous battle with Zhang Chen in the illusion for eight hundred rounds had been revealed: "All sentient beings in the world, no matter how high your cultivation is, you will still struggle in the sea of suffering of the seven emotions and six desires. Even if your composure is strong and your state of mind is perfect, there will still be flaws that you cannot make up for. The seven emotions and six desires are a big net, and no one can escape from it."
Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this. What the fox spirit Nannan said was reasonable. Even if you are a Buddha or a saint, you still have desires, wanting to obtain more powerful strength and more powerful cultivation. This is desire.
Only saints can restrain desires, see through desires, and see through all kinds of mysteries, but they are not addicted to them.
Zhang Chen pondered upon hearing this: "According to your statement, even Buddhist disciples cannot enter it? Because Buddhist disciples are not Buddhas and also have desires that cannot be eliminated."
"Of course." The fox spirit Nannan nodded: "However, I think those Buddhist disciples must have magic formulas and divine powers that can reduce and suppress the power of the illusion, so they have the opportunity to step into the third floor to view the higher-level inheritance in the temple."
Zhang Chen pondered upon hearing this. Since the Buddhist temple has ways for its disciples to take shortcuts, it means that he must have a chance to enter.
When it comes to controlling illusions, who can compare to that old thing, the Great自在天魔?
Zhang Chen's mind flashed with thoughts. The next moment, he took the fox spirit Nannan away, and then a black lotus petal appeared in his palm. The Great自在天魔 appeared in the Sutra Pavilion.
"Huh? Is this a spiritual world?" As soon as the Great自在天魔 appeared, he realized the origin of this place. He then turned his gaze to the stairs and couldn't help but be stunned.
"What did the ancestor see?" Zhang Chen asked, seeing the Great自在天魔 staring blankly at the thirteen steps.
The Great自在天魔 came back to his senses upon hearing this and couldn't help but sigh faintly: "This is the Buddhist path of refining the mind, usually designed in places like the Sutra Pavilion, setting up tests for disciples. Only when the cultivation of the mind reaches the standard are they qualified to practice more profound Buddhist teachings."
Speaking of this, the Great自在天魔's gaze swept across the entire room, looking at the paper ashes all over the sky, and he suddenly realized: "Could this be the Sutra Pavilion?"
Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this: "It is the Sutra Pavilion. I am about to enter the third floor to see if there are any true inheritances left inside."
Speaking of this, Zhang Chen looked at the Great自在天魔: "Does the ancestor know the origin of this temple?"
"Wait a minute..." After the Great自在天魔 finished speaking, he rushed out of the Sutra Pavilion and went to wander around the temple. Before long, the Great自在天魔 returned and came to Zhang Chen, with a strange look in his eyes: "I don't know the origin of this temple, but it is probably the story of some unlucky person who was deceived, came to the spiritual world after all kinds of hardships, and then suffered a calamity."
"Why do you say that?" Zhang Chen asked, this Great自在天魔 has a story between the lines.
Hearing Zhang Chen's words, the Great自在天魔's movements paused, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes: "Strange, why would I say that? I don't know why I would say that. My memory is too chaotic."
Zhang Chen's gaze swept across the Great自在天魔, seeing that the Great自在天魔 did not seem to be lying, so he asked: "Is there a way to get through the test of the seven emotions and six desires?"
"Hehe, what am I, the ancestor, doing? This is my housekeeping skill. You just go forward, and I, the ancestor, will suppress the desires in your heart for you." Speaking of this, the Great自在天魔 turned his head to look at Zhang Chen, with a strange look in his eyes: "Besides, are you stupid, kid? Now that the entire temple has been damaged, and the great array of the Sutra Pavilion has stopped operating, why do you have to enter from the stairwell? Can't you enter from the window?"
The Great自在天魔's gaze seemed to be looking at a fool.