The Ancestor of All Demons

Zen Master Wu Ming was trapped by the Six Paths Incarnations of Xin Ru, barely hanging onto life, while Master Fen Tuo and Master You Tan sensed it but were entangled by the true body of Xin Ru, unable to spare a hand to rescue him.

Only Master Ren had enough strength left to deal with Xie Shan and his two daughters, and hurried to help.

The pressure on Xie Shan and his two daughters suddenly lessened, and they combined their strength to shatter the Formless Buddha Light of Master Ren.

Xie Lin shouted, "Father, things have come to this point, are you still holding onto old feelings? Why not use the Scattered Flower Lamp!"

Xie Shan hesitated, and Xie Lin continued, "They dared to attack our Buddha, the lines of enemy and ally are clear, what else is there to consider?"

Xie Ying also chimed in, "Namo Xin Ru Buddha! Brother, are you really going to betray our Buddha and follow the path of external evil demons?"

Xie Shan finally sighed deeply and took out the Heart Lamp Scattered Flower Lamp.

The three most powerful treasures of the Buddhist sect in the Shushan World: the Conch Leaf Talisman, the Seven Treasures Golden Banner, and the Buddha Fire Heart Lamp Scattered Flower Lamp!

This lamp had been in Xie Shan's hand for over a thousand years. It was brought to him from the West by Zen Master Tian Meng, knowing the heavy demon karma on him. It's incredibly powerful, specially made to restrain all evil demons, especially if one can connect heart to heart, self-illuminating the heart lamp, and reflecting the light back onto one's nature, the results are immediate diligence and enlightenment.

In the original work, Xie Shan collaborated with Li Jingxu when establishing the Emei Sect, using this lamp to destroy the seemingly immortal Blood God Son Deng Yin. Later, he witnessed the Cold Moon in the Water prepared by Zen Master Tian Meng and achieved great enlightenment.

Shi Feiyang's arrival disrupted his fate, and due to the burden of his two daughters, his obsession grew stronger, not only failing to progress but continuously regressing...

Aside from self-cultivation, using the heart lamp externally to suppress demons required lamp oil. Shi Feiyang had monopolized the Ancient Lamp Oil of the Qiao Mountain Sacred Tomb, and Deng Yin had shattered half of the thousand-year Divine Oil from the Wuhua Family's ancient tomb, taking the remaining half. The spiritual oil in his lamp had long been used up by the Xie sisters.

Until he took refuge in "Xin Ru Buddha," Xin Ru taught him another method of lighting the lamp, namely, burning his own body...

There has always been a tradition of "Burning Finger for Buddha" in Buddhism, not mainstream and criticized by many, nearly akin to a secret method, yet practiced by some throughout generations.

Buddhists regard the human body as a filthy sack. Not only do they not take the body seriously, but they also go against the body's physiological and psychological reactions. When the body wants to sleep, one must not, for sleeping would fulfill the wish of the sleep demon... When the body desires food, one must abstain from eating past noon... When the body feels tired and desires rest, one must not rest, continuing instead to circumambulate and prostrate to Buddha...

In addition, there are practices such as burning incense scars on the top of the head, each with its purpose.

Overall, "Burning Finger for Buddha" means burning one's body, anywhere as long as it burns, but usually the fingers are burned, typically choosing the least useful little finger on the left hand, or burning both little fingers and ring fingers.

The original intent is not for the sake of Buddha, but to let go of the obsession with the "filthy sack" and "excrement bag." During the process of burning, one must also realize the emptiness of the five aggregates, and understand how the pain from the burning of fingers is merely an illusion formed by the sensory contact with the Dharma...

In the direct teachings of Shu Mountain, there was a well-known Buddhist disciple who specialized in this method, called "Burning Fat Monk."

Xin Ru had Xie Shan practice this spell, burning his own body to extract the oil within and infuse it into the lamp, thus lighting it.

Xie Shan indeed burned his fingers, but the oil on them was too little, so he burned the fat on his thigh, extracted human oil, collected it into the lamp, and sure enough, lit the heart lamp.

While burning his body, he also practiced the secret method taught by Xin Ru. After a session, his cultivation improved greatly, and his faith in "Xin Ru Buddha" became more solid and unshakable!

However, after all, the heart lamp is a supreme Buddhist treasure. The so-called human oil is essentially corpse oil, just containing a large amount of refined essence energy, differing from the heretical practices extracting from corpses.

So, while it burned brightly, it was no longer the same as before.

In the past, the heart lamp's wick was never ignited, only a flickering flame shadow, jumping with spirit.

As one approached, the lamp flame appeared more real, and as one retreated, it became more illusory, until finally "vanishing."

In truth, it had never really burned, nor had it ever been extinguished, burning as if non-burning.

Upon activation, the lamp head would form a golden round lamp flower, as large as a bean, with tricolored light of red, blue, and white inside, rotating like a windmill around a central yellow light, primarily targeting primordial spirits.

Xie Shan used the secret method of Xin Ru to light this lamp, the center of the lampwick was blood-colored. When activated, it also had tricolored flames, but the colors were skewed, as if through a special filter, appearing particularly eerie.

He was reluctant to use this lamp against Master Ren. Firstly, because there was still past sentiment between them, and secondly, because the altered appearance of the lamp somewhat embarrassed him to let Master Ren see it.

But now Master Ren was attacking the Xin Ru Buddha he had taken refuge in, as the two Xies said, the lines of enemy and ally were drawn, Master Ren was the enemy.

Xin Ru is the Righteous Skill, thus Master Ren is the external demon encroaching on the Righteous Skill!

Finally, he revealed the heart lamp, his eyes gleamed, and the ancient lamp holder automatically ignited, a drop of blood-like light the size of a bean appeared, resembling a drop of ever-jumping fresh blood, surrounded by the burning tricolored glow of yellow, blue, and white.

The Ninja Master was attacking the Six Demonic Gods, who were actually the wrathful incarnation of Xin Ru Nun. In the eyes of the three Xie Family members, attacking them was akin to attacking the Xin Ru Buddha itself, which was utterly intolerable!

"Drawing the Blood of Buddha is a grave sin of the Five Cardinal Sins!" Xie Ying loudly urged the hesitant Xie Shan to launch an attack quickly, "Do you intend to watch her draw the Buddha's Blood? To intervene now would also count as saving her!"

Xie Shan shook the Heart Lamp in his hands, instantly releasing a myriad of flames, all emanating hues of yellow, blue, and white, encircling a small spot of blood-red light in the center, quickly forming countless clusters of colorful starlight, and swiftly shot towards the Ninja Master.

The Ninja Master was assisting Zen Master Wu Ming in fighting the six Divine Demons. Fighting two against six, not only did they not gain any advantage, but they also fell into a disadvantage.

Two Magical Treasures were destroyed in quick succession at the start. Had it not been for the formless Buddha Light, changing at will, with infinite wondrous uses, he would have long been drained of all spiritual energy by the six Divine Demons and thrown into the "Six Paths of Reincarnation"!

At this moment, she was battling against the Heavenly Dao Demon, who could also release golden "Buddha Light", with many large and small golden Dharma Wheels inside. Its power was immense, casting golden light spanning miles at a gesture.

There was also the Human Path Demon and the Hungry Ghost Demon stealthily attacking from the sides, continuously forcing the Ninja Master to change positions, barely stabilizing the situation, using a large piece of Bright Cloud as protection underfoot, and raising twelve banner poles, first trapping the Hungry Ghost Demon within.

She realized this demon was slightly weaker than the other two, and planned to concentrate her strength to eliminate it first, and then deal with the other two.

Seeing this scene, the Xie Family sisters became anxious, saying she was about to draw the Buddha's Blood. Hurting the Buddha naturally meant drawing the Buddha's Blood; an incarnation of Buddha is still a Buddha body, and even images and statues of Buddha are considered Buddha bodies. Damaging them counts as drawing the Buddha's Blood, an unforgivable sin that leads to the deepest depths of Avici Hell!

Witnessing this scene, Xie Shan also became anxious, fully exerting his strength to send a myriad of flame flowers shooting forth.

The colorful flames, as if stained with blood, floated towards the Ninja Master slowly yet quickly, first encountering the mountain of formless Buddha Light, melding into it without pause, perforating it instantly, reaching the Ninja Master's back.

The Ninja Master was wholeheartedly engaged with the three Demons when she suddenly noticed the incoming flames, initially paying them little heed.

She knew Xie Shan very well, being relatively soft-hearted and deeply emotional.

Though many years had passed and they had quarried previously, Xie Shan's mana lagged far behind hers, plus the Xie Family sisters were similarly no match.

As for the Heart Lamp, she assumed he could not yet ignite it, thus dismissed it.

But when the myriad of flames reached her, the Ninja Master realized their potential and hastily used Buddha Light and Magical Treasures to block them, simultaneously deploying the Buddhist Heart Light Escape Technique to rapidly shift position.

However, she was using the Heart Light Escape Technique, where her intention went, her form followed.

But that Heart Lamp also had a 'heart' aspect; however her heart was, the flames would mimic, changing at will, free as the wind!

The myriad of flames clung to the Ninja Master like maggots on bones, persistently following her.

Exhausting all her skills, the Ninja Master directed large amounts of flames onto the surrounding banners, which instantly sparked into towering infernos, becoming huge torches.

Yet some continued to stick to her. She sacrificed another Magical Treasure, extinguishing most of the flames.

But still, a few flames pierced through her protective Buddha Light, striking her body!

With a muffled groan, the Ninja Master nearly plummeted from the heavens!

Xie Shan's Heart Lamp targeted not the physical body but the Primordial Spirit, effortlessly shattering common Three Souls and Seven Spirits!

Despite the Ninja Master's many years of Buddhism practice and her impressive meditation skills, she was still in excruciating agony.

This pain was rooted in the mind and spirit...

There was another reason; long ago, in a past life, they had been lovers.

To forget him, the Ninja Master had undergone a severe meditation session, with a large door pin placed in front of her. She vowed not to exit until she had transcended it...

Now, being struck by Xie Shan directly hit her heart, causing unbearable agony to her Three Souls and Seven Spirits, to the point of heart-wrenching pain, a pain too great to bear!

Seeing her wounded also saddened Xie Shan, holding the Heart Lamp, he sorrowfully spoke: "Do not persist in your mistakes any longer. Leave immediately or take refuge in my Buddha. With us disciples here, harming the Buddha even slightly is impossible."

While he persisted in his painful persuasion, the Xie Family sisters had already directly attacked, using the most powerful Demonic Destruction Great Technique from Absolute Venerable!

In a past life, these two sisters had been in a mother-daughter relationship with the Ninja Master. Though many years and several reincarnations had passed, the compassionate mother's heart lingered.

Back then, the large door pin blocking the hall's entrance for the Ninja Master's meditation was opened by the Xie Family sisters.

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