Inside the Buddhist hall, beneath the golden Buddha.
The Daoist in blue robes was enveloped in a glow of Buddha light, a strand of Zen consciousness blossoming in his eyes.
Although he wore a Daoist robe, at times he seemed to transform into the flow of a monk’s robe.
The way of the Nascent Soul was, in essence, a path of Buddha aspirations.
Gu Wen’s understanding of Buddhism did not rely on the worship of others, nor did he worship others; he only worshiped his own heart.
His Nascent Soul transformed into that of a monk, hands pressed together in prayer, reciting scriptures, from which streams of pure aspiration emerged.
The power of Buddhist aspiration equated to a form of advanced primordial spirit, a thought that could manifest a world in every flower or a Bodhi in every leaf.
With a single thought, one could reshape a realm and imprison enemies within it.
Often, great monks would guide demons and monsters using illusions to control their minds, in a manner akin to hypnosis.
While it could be termed as guiding others, in harsher terms, it was akin to brainwashing.
Yet all techniques stem from laws, deeply embedded in the Dao.
The teachings of the Buddha were certainly about guiding the way, but not in teaching goodness; rather, they were about letting go of desires.