Chapter 1019: Reincarnation and Spirit Mountain

Covering the HeavensChapter 1020: Reincarnation and Vulture Peak

Although young, this child was very intelligent. His eyes were bright, and his forehead was full. His skin was fair, lacking the high-altitude flush typical of Tibetan herders.

Ye Fan's expression was solemn. He released his spiritual sense, scanning every inch of the child's body and even delving into his sea of consciousness, determined to get to the bottom of things.

Reincarnation was a matter of great importance, a question Ye Fan had always wanted to clarify. Whether or not there was an afterlife concerned a monumental issue.

If it existed, one could imagine a massive storm sweeping across the entire starfield one day!

No ancient Great Emperor was ordinary; if they could reincarnate, most would likely return in the future. The horrifying scenes that would unfold were simply unpredictable.

Thinking more deeply, the ancient Heavenly Court had collapsed. What if those great figures, especially the Heavenly Venerate, could reincarnate... Ye Fan shivered.

If all of this came true, Heaven and Earth would be overturned, and this universe would collapse. It was simply unimaginable!

It was said to be a great era, with the path to immortality about to open. If reincarnation were a reality, there was no doubt that the ancient Great Emperors would reappear, and then the trouble would be immense.

Ye Fan's scalp tightened. Why were all ten thousand races awakening in this era? This seemed like an omen; his momentary conjecture might come true.

Great Emperor Wu Shi, the Fighting Saint Emperor, the Undying Sovereign... and the Heavenly Venerate of the ancient Heavenly Court — none of them were easy to deal with. All were capable of overturning the ages!

Ye Fan was extremely cautious, calming his mind and concentrating. He didn't hesitate to use his "spirit" to enter this young body, moving through every inch of its flesh and blood, hoping to find an ancient Buddha.

The Masters were terrified to see Ye Fan so solemn. A small golden figure emerged from his glabella, inspecting as if facing a great enemy, making their hearts pound wildly, almost to the point of suffocation.

This child had peculiar bones, making him a good candidate for cultivation; in Buddhist terms, he was someone born with a Buddha bone. Moreover, although young, he was very intelligent, unlike ordinary children, appearing somewhat precocious.

Ye Fan could be sure there was no "spirit" hidden in his flesh, blood, or bones; his spiritual sense had almost dissected every cell, checking it thoroughly.

Finally, the fist-sized golden figure entered the child's sea of consciousness, the fundamental dwelling place of the "spirit." This time, Ye Fan entered with the broken green immortal cauldron, which would be sufficient to suppress any unexpected events.

A person's subconscious is very powerful; the so-called potential, which contains one's "spirit," is too mysterious and involves many things. If one's innate "spirit" is strong enough, their potential will obviously be much greater.

Ye Fan searched the child's subconscious, as it was said that if there were past lives through reincarnation, all past experiences and divine abilities would be preserved within it.

He immediately discovered the child's "store consciousness," an area filled with scriptures. This part of the subconscious had awakened, which was why the child could recite lost true scriptures.

The child's sea of consciousness was extraordinary, presenting a magnificent vista with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder, as well as blue skies and snowy mountains. This was a corner of the so-called potential region.

"All composite things are impermanent, subject to birth and cessation. Having extinguished birth and cessation, nirvana is bliss..." Suddenly, Ye Fan was stunned. He saw a blurry old monk reciting scriptures, seated high on a spiritual mountain within the unawakened potential region.

Ye Fan felt as if struck by lightning. Could there truly be reincarnation? He had actually seen such an old monk in the child's sea of consciousness; it was simply unimaginable.

He stared blankly, lost in thought. Had reincarnation truly come true? This was groundbreaking and incomprehensible to him, as he only believed in the present life, and that when a person died, everything ceased to exist.

Undeniably, this was highly impactful and greatly shook his beliefs. Although the old monk was blurry and indistinct, he was definitely an ancient Buddha.

Ye Fan steadied his mind. The small golden figure stepped forward in the sea of consciousness; he still couldn't quite believe it and wanted to understand clearly, to observe carefully.

"The Tathagata attained nirvana, forever ceasing the winds of birth..." "If one listens with utmost sincerity, one shall always obtain boundless joy..." He crossed over the spiritual mountain, his expression freezing, for he actually saw a range of mountains, with an old monk seated on each one, all reciting scriptures.

Ye Fan was stunned. Even if reincarnation existed, it was impossible for so many "spirits" to coexist. Had he been reincarnated thousands of times, each time as a Bodhisattva or an ancient Buddha?

At this moment, his mind was settled. He murmured to himself, "I have never believed in reincarnation. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; it's impossible to endure or be reborn."

He looked forward and discovered numerous old monks and ancient Buddhas, not belonging to a single era. Scriptures were like a sea, ancient incantations like a river, flowing endlessly.

Ye Fan's expression calmed, his eyes profound. He gazed to the very end, moving his hands to deduce the past causes and effects—this was a heaven-defying ancient observation technique.

Under the bright, clear sky, a three-year-old child fell into a grotto. Inside were stone Buddhas, alms bowls, and decaying ancient scriptures. This was an underground palace of Buddhism. On a stone platform was a "Buddha's parietal bone," which, struck by the falling child, emitted a peculiar light that entered his sea of consciousness.

Soon after, the child was rescued but fell gravely ill. However, from then on, he could recite scriptures, write incantations, and the phenomenon of "store consciousness" occurred.

"So that's it, that's how it all happened," Ye Fan murmured to himself.

He withdrew from the child's sea of consciousness. The next moment, he led the Masters to find the underground palace, where they saw some remnants. Three years ago, after the child's father carried him out, he hadn't disturbed anything there, leaving it as it was.

"Terma!" the Masters exclaimed excitedly. The Buddha's parietal bone contained the Buddhist lineage, which transferred into his sea of consciousness the moment the child fell.

Legend has it that Sakyamuni once refined his true body using the karmic fires of an entire ancient planet, forging a quasi-Emperor physique, thereby transforming completely. In this process, a few bone fragments were burned out, one of which was his parietal bone.

Afterward, these bone fragments became the supreme holy relics of Buddhism. Throughout generations, eminent monks and great Buddhas would pay homage and silently recite scriptures, thereby also carrying the Buddhist lineage.

Ye Fan held the Buddha's parietal bone in his hand; it felt heavy, yet he felt no pressure. This was because generations of virtuous and saintly monks, having faced it daily, had long since refined it, eroding its quasi-Emperor aura; otherwise, no one would be able to approach it.

Now, it was merely a piece of Buddha bone; the scriptures contained within had all transferred into the child's sea of consciousness.

"This is a rare refining material," he mused. "If fashioned into a bone shield, it could almost block all attacks."

The Masters beside him nearly had their wits scared out of them hearing his murmur. This was Sakyamuni's skull! Even offering the utmost reverence was considered insufficient, and he wanted to grind it into an ancient shield?

All causes and effects became clear. This was not reincarnation, but merely the transfer of Buddhist terma, which could not prove the existence of an afterlife.

In this world, Ye Fan knew that only a few things could ensure the immortality of one's primordial spirit: Medicine Kings, Divine Marrow, the divine fluid within a nine-orifice Holy Spirit, fully-grown Dragon Loaches, and the rarest Immortal Medicines!

But why did this child resemble the ancient Buddha from the other side of the starry sky? This left him somewhat perplexed.

"Across countless lives and generations, it's always possible to find two people with identical appearances; that's nothing unusual," Ye Fan murmured to himself.

He firmly believed there was no reincarnation, as the primordial spirit would always decay. If rebirth were possible, wouldn't that imply everyone possessed an immortal medicine within them? How could that be!

He used his powerful primordial spirit to delve into the child's sea of consciousness and carefully checked multiple times, confirming that it had no connection with the ancient Buddha from the other side of the starry sky; there could be no imprint of him at all.

"The ancient Buddha was kind to me," Ye Fan thought, "saying he saw a certain scene in the future. I suppose this is that moment. He wants me to take this child back and spread the endless Buddhist teachings from his sea of consciousness."

Ye Fan frowned. Such a small child was truly unsuitable to be taken to the other side of the starry sky, being too young. And how could his parents bear to part with him?

However, the Masters spoke for him. As soon as they mentioned wanting to take the child for cultivation, the herder couple agreed, and they were exceedingly happy.

They were all devout Buddhists, and the fact that this child could recite ancient scriptures from a young age made them deeply proud; they were willing to send him to cultivate within Buddhism. Most importantly, when the Masters found this place, they had demonstrated Buddhist magic, appearing like divine beings in this era.

The couple also had other children, so they wouldn't be lonely afterward. Moreover, they believed it would be a great honor for this child to constantly be in the presence of Buddha.

Ye Fan asked the child if he was willing, as the most important thing was the child himself. Although young, he deserved respect, and Ye Fan would not force him.

"I am willing!" To his surprise, the six-year-old child readily agreed, expressing his willingness to accompany him for cultivation.

Ye Fan sighed. The old monk on the other side of the starry sky had indeed foreseen today's "result," having done his best to help him and break the mysterious shackles on him before transforming into Dao.

Finally, they set off for Vulture Peak. Because the child recited a complete incantation, the small stone Buddha in Little Pine's bell shone brilliantly, pointing the way to Vulture Peak.

This time, the path was bright and radiant, clearly stretching into the distance without any breaks, leading to a magnificent mountain range, which they smoothly entered.

Vulture Peak!

It was still as it had been: a parched land, devoid of vitality, everything withered. Ancient temples stood in clusters, silent and lifeless.

The Masters were extremely excited. They had never imagined they would one day truly ascend it. This was an ancient Daoist site that existed even before Sakyamuni, supreme and unparalleled.

Ye Fan, the Divine Knight, Little Pine, Dragon Horse, Zhang Qingyang, Long Yuxuan, and the child named "Huahua" were all restless. Standing on the mountaintop, they gazed at the vast expanse of mountains and seas.

Holy temples and ancient buildings, magnificent and grand, carried the glory of ancient Buddhism, countless past events having occurred there.

Unfortunately, the spiritual springs were now dry, and the vegetation withered, lacking the former prosperity. Yet, no one dared to underestimate it, for they sensed a vast fluctuation, nurtured within the mountain and buildings: pure power of faith.

Soon after, they began to act separately, searching this ancient Daoist site, which was a treasure trove.

Ye Fan's goal was simple: to find stellar coordinates, but he consistently found nothing. He entered and exited ancient buildings, searching for scripture repositories; some places had powerful restrictions.

Dragon Horse wished he could turn the place upside down, digging three feet deep, searching everywhere for Buddhist treasures. Although he found some secret artifacts, he was not satisfied.

There were no inherited Saint Weapons; when the Buddhist sect withdrew, they took away all their most important items. However, some valuable artifacts that remained were still extraordinary.

Before a stone wall, the Masters obtained some secret methods and ancient incantations, all overjoyed.

The Divine Knight silently gazed at a piece of relief carving, lost in thought. He sensed a powerful force of law and unexpectedly achieved enlightenment there, remaining motionless and undisturbed.

Zhang Qingyang and Long Yuxuan were also among the cliff-side steles, diligently copying down traces of Dao patterns that seemed to be secret methods.

Dragon Horse let out a long whinny. He finally found a broken alms bowl, a weapon used by a Saint, and was overjoyed. The Five-Colored Sacred Tree he had acquired in Penglai was confiscated by Ye Fan and left to suppress the sect, which had displeased him greatly, but now he had finally obtained another item.

The child Huahua possessed a strong Buddhist affinity. Before long, he found a fragmented scripture, which caught Ye Fan's attention. It was the *Vedas Sutra*, incredibly ancient, having inspired even Sakyamuni.

Although only a single volume, its value was immeasurable. Ye Fan had once obtained a volume in India, from which he had gained insights into techniques like ancient observation.

He stood there, observing carefully for a long time. Then he closed his eyes, meditating for a long period, only opening them several hours later.

Suddenly, everyone heard Little Pine's cries. Ye Fan was the first to rush over. Although Vulture Peak had no special traps or killing intent, it did have many powerful restrictions, and he feared the little one might encounter an accident.

The small purple creature held the little stone Buddha, treasure hunting, and had gained much. Whenever there was an important artifact, the little stone Buddha would flash with light, and even Dragon Horse's alms bowl had been "borrowed" from Little Pine's hands through sheer persistence.

At this time, it discovered a bronze furnace, almost completely decayed, yet it emitted a strong fragrance that made people feel as if they were about to ascend into the heavens.

Moreover, it was shaking violently, as if there was a creature inside, alarming Little Pine, who hesitated and didn't dare to approach.

This was because Ye Fan had already instructed it not to take any risks in this place and to call him immediately if anything strange was encountered, to prevent accidents.

Dragon Horse, the Divine Knight, and the Masters were also alarmed and rushed over. The moment they saw the bronze furnace, they were all greatly astonished.

"This furnace is a Saint Weapon, but it's destroyed, having lost its precious aura, and the deity within has died," concluded the Divine Knight.

Ye Fan nodded, a hint of solemnity on his face. This was a Saint Weapon, and for it to be destroyed just like that was truly a pity.

"Oh, is this the Demon Refining Furnace?" Zhang Qingyang pondered; as a young Celestial Master of the Central Lands Daoist Sect, he was very knowledgeable about ancient artifacts.

"There are words nearby..." said the child Huahua, pointing to a stone stele not far away, which was covered densely with text, seemingly recording an extremely important event.

Ye Fan, the Divine Knight, and the others didn't recognize any of it, because it was Sanskrit! All the characters were very ancient and incomprehensible.

The Masters stepped forward, studying it carefully, their expressions turning solemn, because this was primeval script, the earliest traces of Sanskrit, profound and difficult to understand.

Fortunately, they had diligently studied it and could roughly decipher these ancient characters from prehistoric times. When they understood most of it, their expressions immediately changed.

"This is a secret text inscribed by a virtuous and saintly monk of later generations before evacuating Vulture Peak, recording the secret of this bronze furnace," one of the Masters solemnly stated.

"Read on, see what it says."

One Master's expression was shocked as he said, "This is an ancient furnace personally sealed by Sakyamuni!"

Just then, the furnace vibrated again, as if some creature was about to burst out, greatly astonishing everyone.

The spiritual energy of a Saint Weapon had been exhausted, and even the deity within had died. What exactly was inside?