The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS

Zen Monk Wunian, ranked first on the Earth List, was the True Core Realm Martial Artist closest to the Divinity Realm.

He was only seven days away from Divine Communication. In seven days, Wunian would either die or attain Divinity, adding more than two hundred years to his lifespan.

And this Zen Monk Wunian, closest to Divine Communication, had his own reasons for coming to Northern Zhou.

"Years ago, my aptitude was dull, and after reaching the peak of the Innate Realm, I could not progress any further. As time slipped by, I found myself nearing the end of my life.

For one hundred and thirty years, I wasted nearly eighty years in pain and loss. As my life was about to end, I was frantic like a beast, wanting to vent my rage, yet my body lacked the strength to support me.

At the brink of death, I came upon a serendipitous fate.

Within the Buddhist sects, there is a lineage called 'Silent Annihilation Zen Temple,' founded by the 'Silent Annihilation Sky Demon,' the Fourth Generation Sky Demon who once defected from the Great Zen Temple. The followers of the Silent Annihilation Zen Temple cultivate the Path of Annihilation, seeking Great Merit from the Great Annihilation.

The fate I found was a relic left behind by a True Core Realm predecessor of the Silent Annihilation Zen Temple..."

At this point, a look of lament appeared on Wunian's face. Because of the internal injuries caused by being overly aggressive in his previous training, he could not live to the Outer Realm's average lifespan of one hundred fifty years and was facing his end in his early one hundred and thirties.

Without that Nirvana Relic, Wunian would have passed away a hundred and seventy years ago, and the name Zen Monk Wunian would not be known in this world.

"It's quite ironic," he continued. "When I found myself incapable of even venting my fury, my heart went dead in an instant, stepping into the realm of death before my body.

This feeling of a dead heart, however, awakened the fate hidden within a string of Buddhist beads I carried with me. Among these beads, one was the Nirvana Relic.

The emerging intent of Silent Annihilation resonated with my dead heart, sparking new hope and enlightenment, breaking through and becoming a Divine Origin Realm Martial Artist at the ripe age of one hundred and thirty."

"It's not at all laughable," Daoist Qingyu's voice echoed, laced with a trace of respect for Wunian, "There are countless old and dying in the world, but how many can become enlightened like you, Master? And how many can derive Great Nirvana from the Great Annihilation?

Although I have had only a few encounters with the Silent Annihilation Zen Temple, I know that their Path of Annihilation leads to utter destruction. If you had advanced to Divine Origin with that intent, your body at that time could not have waited for the breakthrough before being consumed by the intent of Silent Annihilation.

For the Master to glean a spark of vitality from the deviated Path of Annihilation and achieve Nirvana for oneself shows that you are indeed a man of wisdom."

Buddhist Nirvana is essentially first achieving Annihilation and then deriving vitality from a state neither born nor dying, embodying the Buddhist view of reincarnation as well as the philosophy of creation and destruction.

Yet, the Silent Annihilation martial path of the Silent Annihilation Zen Temple leads to absolute destruction, with no trace of vitality. That Wunian could discover the true appearance of Buddhist Annihilation from this absolute destruction demonstrates his heavenly talent and his affinity with Buddha. No matter what, he could not be the dull individual he previously claimed to be.

"Daoist Qingyu, your understanding of Buddhist teachings is profound, and this surprises me," Wunian exclaimed with surprise.

"You overpraise me, Master; I merely have a wide range of studies. So..." Qingyu started.

"Master," Qingyu's voice deepened as if coming from an abyss, "If I am not mistaken, that Nirvana Relic you received was passed on to the once fifth-ranked on the Human List, lay disciple of Yuan Shan Temple, 'Dharma Flower Guest' Duan Ran, correct?"

"That's right," Wunian acknowledged with lowered brow, "Perhaps because of fate, I unintentionally learned that the original owner of the Nirvana Relic left descendants in the world. His descendants did not follow him into the Silent Annihilation Zen Temple but became bona fide Buddhist disciples."

"That person is Duan Ran? You passed the Nirvana Relic on to Duan Ran?" Qingyu questioned.

"Indeed. I imparted the essence of Nirvana into the relic and transferred it to Duan Ran. In the past, I was indebted to his ancestors, and today I have repaid that favor to his descendants. This is my karma with the Duan Family," Wunian spoke quietly.

Sadly, Wunian didn't foresee that by giving the Nirvana Relic to Duan Ran, he would attract the attention of a sinister Monk named Shi Jue.

About two years ago, that deceitful Monk Shi Jue approached Qingyu, with a Divinity Realm relic with a small portion of its essence remaining, and asked Qingyu to help him obtain an item.

That item was the Nirvana Relic, in the possession of Duan Ran who resided not far from Dharma Temple.

What followed was a scene of murder and theft, with Shi Jue and Qingyu attacking Duan Ran and another monk from Dharma Temple, seizing the Nirvana Relic.

In this affair, Shi Jue was the biggest beneficiary, gaining the Nirvana Relic, while also deceiving Qingyu using the meat relic he had given.

If Qingyu hadn't had a fortunate encounter later on, cutting off karma and assimilating the essence of the meat relic, he might have become a bona fide Buddhist by now.

And now, the initial victim of that incident had come seeking retribution.

Wunian and Duan Ran, in truth, were only loosely related. It would not be unreasonable if Wunian chose not to give the Nirvana Relic to Duan Ran.

However, Buddhists place great emphasis on karma. At the brink of death, Wunian regained vitality because of the Nirvana Relic and was able to advance further on his martial path. It can be said that his achievements today are all because of that Nirvana Relic.

He repaid Duan Ran to sever this karma, hoping to transcend reincarnation, reborn from Nirvana, unencumbered by worldly attachments, seven days later.

Unfortunately, man's plans are no match for heaven's, as this very relic pushed Duan Ran into the Ghost Gate, reconnecting the karma between Wunian and the Duan Family, and becoming a significant obstacle in his quest for Nirvana.

Today, he came here to resolve this obstacle.

"Master, could you tell me who sent you to seek me?" Qingyu inquired.

The collaborator with Shi Jue was Gong Ziyu, and Gong Ziyu was now dead. Logically, even if Wunian found Gong Ziyu, all he would find was a deceased man.

A dead man could not interfere with Wunian's Nirvana. The karma between him and the Duan Family, described as such, was actually gratitude and guilt in his heart. If he knew the killer was deceased, his heart would no longer be hindered.

"I'm sorry, Master, but I cannot comply with that request. My quest for vengeance today is purely personal, and I cannot involve others," Wunian replied with a shake of his head.

"Do you then know that the person's goal was your death, to embroil me in enmity with Dharma Temple? And..." Qingyu continued.

"Master, you might not know this, but although I practice Buddha Skill, I do not study Annihilation. At the time we attacked Duan Ran and the other, I did not possess the cultivation I have now. Back then, there were two attackers."