Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

The wind whispered through the fragmented leaves of the bamboo, like the low chanting of scriptures, an indistinct murmuring barely audible.

If Miss Shi were here, she would probably be terrified, trembling with fear, and wishing she could hide in Luo Yan’s arms.

But Jiang the Witch was not afraid at all; she had seen far stranger scenes than this. As she moved, she kept waving the sleeves of her robe, sending out eerie black lights that circled around her before quietly flying back.

“Is that the spell of the Heavenly Demon Path for manipulating demon heads?” Wei Dongliu casually asked.

“It’s just a minor trick,” Jiang Liyan replied with a coquettish smile, “hardly worth mentioning.”

Seeing she was reluctant to say more, Wei Dongliu did not pursue the topic. Instead, he asked seriously:

“Did you notice anything?”

“The demon heads don’t like this place,” Jiang Liyan replied. “There’s an aura nearby that they find quite displeasing… hmm, it’s not the spellcraft of an Orthodox Sect, but rather it smells somewhat of the bald monks.”

“Buddhist cultivators?” Wei Dongliu frowned slightly, “But I wonder from which Buddhist Sect.”

Just as the Daoist Sect is divided into the Clarify and Intercepting Cults, the Buddhist Sect is not monolithic, but as religious sects, they can internally be differentiated into a progressive left faction and a conservative right faction.

The Clarify Cult emphasizes “teaching according to one’s abilities”, valuing objective conditions more than subjective will; people without the aptitude for spiritual practice are advised against it, instead they should farm, conduct business, or study… Due to their lack of interest in spreading their teachings, they are part of the conservative right faction.

The Intercepting Cult, on the other hand, believes in “education for all”, asserting that human will can triumph over fate; even those with lesser aptitude can set foot on the path of cultivation if they have the heart for it… Thus, they tend to recruit as many disciples as possible to expand their influence, belonging to the progressive left faction.

Currently, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect is thriving while the Demon Cult’s Six Paths are being suppressed, it could be said that the Daoist conservative faction is prevailing. However, the situation is completely reversed within the Buddhist Sect.

The Theravada school of Buddhism, with its conservative view, advocates for “to save others, one must first save oneself”; while the Mahayana school believes that “all beings can be saved,” hence it belongs to the progressive left faction.

Since the followers of Theravada Buddhism prefer to live in seclusion and do not venture out much, those who travel outside and engage with other sects are almost invariably from the Mahayana school.

If the one secluded here belongs to the Theravada Buddhism, it is highly likely they will ignore Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan, which means they wouldn’t persecute them nor offer any assistance.

But if it is the Mahayana school, depending on their stance towards the Intercepting Cult and Loose Cultivators, the specifics could be much more variable.

Wei Dongliu pondered carefully and continued deeper with Jiang the Witch, until at last they saw an ancient temple ahead.

Although it was referred to as “an ancient temple”, a closer look revealed it to be a complex of temples. As the two drew nearer, more buildings seemed to squeeze out from the void, stretching out to both sides.

Jiang Liyan was clearly hesitant, but Wei Dongliu knew it was the automatic shifting of the Mustard Seed Mount Meru Formation, and thus he stepped onto the staircase without hesitation, walking towards the heart of the ancient temple.

Seeing his decisiveness, Jiang the Witch had no choice but to follow with gritted teeth, her hand already grasping a spell.

They ascended the steps, crossed the main gate, and saw within the vast temple hall only an old monk with his back to them, sitting upright on a meditation cushion, hunched over as he rhythmically struck a wooden fish.

Towering Buddha statues, two to three zhang tall, were arrayed on either side, their heads almost level with the rafters.

What was even stranger was that these Buddha statues were not benevolent and compassionate; instead, each depicted various emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—showing the diverse expressions of mortal life.

On closer inspection, these expressions were all exceedingly peculiar.

The laughing Buddha statue was indeed smiling, but with eyebrows drooping, as if forcing a cheerful countenance.

The weeping Buddha statue was indeed crying, yet the corners of its mouth were slightly upturned, as though feigning sorrow.

Even the angry Buddha statue, with its wide-open eyes, conveyed a sense of cold indifference and cruelty… All in all, the faces of the Buddha statues seemed to be the creations of some soulful artisan.

Well, it seems my earlier assumptions were off, Wei Dongliu thought to himself. This isn’t a place of the Mahayana nor Theravada Buddhism, but rather some kind of unusual heresy.

Once again, his gaze fell upon the old monk before him, and he thought to himself:

“Ah Jing, scan it.”

If it were a Divine Sense scan, it might be detected by the other party, but there would be no such issue with the Kunlun Mirror taking action.

Ah Jing, forever divine!

“A Buddha Candle Demon,” the Kunlun Mirror replied. “Its cultivation level is roughly in the Demon King Realm, specifics unknown.”

The so-called Buddha Candle Demon is an everbright lamp that has turned into a demon in many dilapidated monasteries, a common phenomenon.

But reaching the Demon King Realm is truly rare, almost equivalent to a cultivator’s Earth Immortal Realm.

With this thought in mind, Wei Dongliu suddenly saw the old monk in front of him slowly stand up, turn around, and say,

“It is rare for our monastery to have visitors, and we are not well-prepared to receive guests, please forgive us.”

Before the sound of his voice had faded, a long table suddenly appeared before them, on which were placed two celadon cups of plain flower design, filled with fragrant tea, steaming hot.

Wei Dongliu’s eyes twitched. Although it was the hour of Shen, which was suitable for drinking tea, who would dare to drink this tea of unknown origin?

Jiang Liyan also dared not drink it, merely staring at the old monk, hesitating over whether or not to make a move and test him.

As if sensing her inner thoughts, the old monk suddenly raised his eyebrows and shouted at her,

“You cunning demon! You almost slipped past, daring to enter my Mahavira Hall so brazenly!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Liyan spread her robe’s sleeves, from which several points of black light shot out, viciously lunging toward the old monk!

The old monk’s expression did not change as he simply stretched out his hand and flicked his fingers, instantly shattering the points of black light, shocking Jiang Liyan into a pale retreat out of the hall while she shouted out loud:

“An immortal! Fellow Daoist Wei, run quickly!”

Before she could escape the main hall, a gigantic purple-gold alms bowl descended from the sky, and with a “smack,” like a fly swatter hitting an insect, Jiang Liyan was slapped to the ground.

Fortunately, the old monk seemed to have held back, so Jiang the Witch did not turn into a mass of mush, but was merely trapped by the Alms Bowl Treasure, pressed halfway into the ground and unable to move, her expression fluctuating uncertainly.

“How curious, how strange,” the old monk murmured, walking next to the alms bowl, peering at the dispirited Jiang the Witch and musing, “How can you, a demon, still manage to speak human language? And even know to urge your accomplice to flee?”

“Great Master~” Jiang Liyan began to weep, her eyes filled with tears like rain on pear blossoms, pleadingly said, “I was born poor and inadvertently went astray onto the Demonic Path, yet I often feel remorse and pity for myself. If the great master could show compassion, as soon as I leave here, I would correct my ways and seek a reputable Daoist sect to follow the path of goodness!”

She swore oath after oath, repeatedly pleading in a soft voice, but the old monk paid no attention, only turning his head to look at Wei Dongliu and asked:

“You seem to practice orthodox Daoist magic, so what is this demon to you?”

Wei Dongliu hesitated slightly, his gaze noticing Jiang Liyan next to him, trapped by the alms bowl, her expression one of pleading and distress.

Indeed, if he admitted any connection with her, he might be treated by the old monk as a fellow demon, and be executed alongside her…

But you’re a demon yourself! Disguised as a human high monk, talking of slaying villains and eradicating evil?

Gathering all the clues at hand, Wei Dongliu immediately made a deduction and said,

“Jiang Daoist friend came here with me. We are old acquaintances. If we have caused any offense, we ask for the great master’s forgiveness.”

The old monk looked somewhat surprised on hearing this, while Jiang Liyan slightly opened her mouth, looking at him with a complex expression.

“Why would you… Alas, Amitabha.” The old monk then put his palms together, chanting a verse:

“Once human form is lost, countless kalpas cannot restore. Temporarily residing in the mortal world, yet always dwelling in Hell. Endless suffering is the retribution, originating from the three poisons. Attachments and love ensnare, entangling oneself. Without generating revulsion, when can liberation be sought?”

While shaking his head and chanting, he also sat back down on the meditation cushion and started to vigorously strike the wooden fish.