The Eternal Way-Chapter 193: Laborer

When the demon god stared at him, Li Qi shuddered, his hair standing on end as his entire body sprang into action!

He knew that life and death hung in the balance at this very moment!

Li Qi never imagined that Venerable Chan Zhi's condition had deteriorated to such an extent that he lost control of his demonic thoughts while Li Qi was asleep!

If he couldn't think of a solution within the next second, he would be done for!

His primordial spirit and brain began to work furiously, countless pieces of information flashing through Li Qi's mind!

Then, in the next second, just before the demon god moved, Li Qi immediately sat cross-legged and shouted loudly, "In the four seasons, the profound principles are exhausted; within the five elements, prosperity and decline follow their own nature. With my pure body, speech, and mind, all dharmas are fully understood without remainder."

"Please observe my demonstration, Great Master Chan Zhi!"

After sitting cross-legged, Li Qi no longer thought about anything else but focused on demonstrating his dharma.

Demonstrating dharma is showing one's dharma to others by presenting it, allowing others to understand it, perhaps gaining some enlightenment or even intimidation from it.

There is also a higher level called demonstrating Dao, but Li Qi didn't have that capability. His Dao could be summed up in one word now, lacking the qualifications to demonstrate it.

This wasn't Li Qi's witchcraft method, but rather the Buddhist teachings he had learned from analyzing the true Dao resonance on the desire demon.

"All phenomena have no inherent nature, neither arising nor ceasing, originally tranquil, inherently nirvana."

After reciting, Li Qi officially began his demonstration, and suddenly strange phenomena appeared around him.

First, a Bodhi tree grew beside Li Qi, starting as a tender sprout but quickly growing, its branches spreading out, its dense leaves covering the sky.

Li Qi sat under the tree, chanting dharma, merging with the Bodhi tree.

The grown Bodhi tree shone with a golden light, resembling a full moon, adorned with pearls and jewels.

Under the Bodhi tree, myriad creatures flourished, butterflies fluttered, bees buzzed among flowers, does grazed on grass, and wild rabbits frolicked.

Sunlight filtered through, everything like a dream, Li Qi sitting on a tree root, surrounded by the sweet scent of flowers and plants and the fragrance of earth.

This was a pure land.

What is a pure land?

Externally untainted by the six dusts, internally free from self and others, not attached to cessation, hence called a pure land.

It seemed like a paradise beyond the world, untouched by external dust, pure and flawless, beautiful like spring scenery.

However, in the next moment, the trees grew larger, almost reaching the top of the Five-Tiered Pagoda.

But soon, the trees reached their limit.

The demon god transformed from Chan Zhi, seemingly hypnotized, stared blankly at the pure land.

Suddenly, the earth trembled in eighteen ways, and the sound of heavenly drums echoed in the air, causing alarm and fear.

A fierce wind rose in the sky, stirring the wind wheel, which in turn stirred the water, causing the earth to shake.

Demons emerged amidst the turmoil, familiar in appearance, exactly the same as the desire demons Li Qi had seen.

At this moment, the heart demon wreaked havoc under the Bodhi tree.

It first entered the doe's belly, causing her to conceive, and soon gave birth to a fawn.

The fawn was born with sharp teeth, its skin patterned black, filled with evil energy.

The fawn first suckled the doe's milk, but bit her with its teeth, mixing blood with milk.

The doe endured the pain due to maternal love, trembling but not leaving.

The fawn escalated its behavior, not only drinking blood but eating flesh, and the doe did not leave.

Breaking the skin, then gnawing on the flesh, breaking open the organs, and eating the heart.

The doe's heart was filled with immense sorrow, tears streaming down her face, covered in blood, yet she still did not leave, being bitten to death alive.

The fawn continued to devour until its belly swelled, bursting its stomach, and then collapsed dead.

From the fawn's body, two demonic heads emerged.

The demonic heads grinned maliciously, then burrowed into bees, which suddenly raised their stingers and stabbed nearby butterflies, pulling out their internal organs.

The bee died, and the butterfly perished.

The demonic heads split into four.

The demonic heads scattered everywhere,

All beings drank their foulness, common people became their claws and teeth, filth spread, plagues filled the land, the original pure land disturbed by demons.

The beings in the pure land wept and mourned, suffocating in despair, pounding their chests and crying out in anguish.

The demon god outside laughed heartily, delighted, his clear eyes gradually dimming, his brutality expanding, about to take over the entire body.

But at this moment, the seasons cycled, spring turned to summer.

In the pure land, the seasons rotated.

However, the demonic heads were indifferent, continuing to act according to their demonic nature, wreaking havoc.

As the weather changed, autumn arrived.

The demonic heads raged, all beings having nowhere to turn, all beings suffocating in despair.

Beneath the Bodhi tree, Li Qi chanted, "Mount Sumeru may be high and vast, but it will eventually erode; the ocean may be deep and wide, but it too will dry up; the sun and moon may shine brightly, but they will eventually set; though adorned with ornaments, the inner impurity remains, like fire hidden under ashes, fools tread upon it."

Despite his chants, none of the beings heard them.

Only the demonic heads spread their wicked voices, causing all beings to die in terror, weeping like rain, filled with great fear.

But the demonic heads ignored his words and even surged towards Li Qi.

However, at this moment, winter arrived.

Winter's desolation caused all beings and demonic heads to fall silent.

The demon god watching the demonstration paused in surprise.

After silence, spring returned.

Following the beauty of spring, the demonic heads re-emerged.

Then came summer, autumn, winter.

This cycle repeated.

After ten cycles, Li Qi recited again, "To purify your land, first purify your heart. The impermanence and suffering of the world are all the demons of the heart."

"Purified by the heart, thus purified is the land. To speak of adorning and purifying the Buddha's pure land is not truly spoken, beauty is not truly beautiful, the beauty of the pure land is not beauty, it is called beauty, truly in nature, there is no such beauty, so this adornment is but a false name, not real, only true nature is truly real!"

Hearing these words, the demon god's body shook violently.

What Li Qi said was the method to dispel the desire demon, which exists not only in darkness but also in beauty.

The essence of the desire demon isn't just a single demon head but a 'trend' driving hearts downward, causing beauty to fall.

This is what makes 'demons' terrifying.

They exist in all beauty, the more beautiful, the stronger the desire demon.

Because beauty inevitably falls, just as young adults age, artworks shine brightest when newly created, fading every second thereafter.

The desire demon is the trend of decay.

Without removing this trend, the demon heads cannot be eliminated.

Thus, this was the focus of Li Qi's demonstration: weakening the trend is impossible; if it could be removed, all desire demons in the world could be eradicated.

Only resistance works, and the method is the seasonal rotation technique from the witchcraft path.

The principle is simple: adapt to the seasons, transform anew to curb the birth of desire demons. When decay occurs, rotate back to renew, restoring it to its pristine state.

This is the way of rotation.

It cannot eradicate the desire demon but can temporarily resist it. If properly rotated, it can make the desire demon seem non-existent.

Principles sound simple.

Dao, once discovered, is usually simple to explain.

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But what's truly important is the method.

It's like everyone knows pulleys and their principles.

But specific methods require creating complex multi-pulley systems to apply these principles.

Not everyone can do that.

The same principle, the same Dao, can evolve into countless methods, further extending into numerous strategies.

This was also the purpose of Li Qi's demonstration.

He was showing the demon god how to resist the desire demon, all phenomena merely illustrating the method he had just created.

Honestly, Li Qi himself doubted this method.

But there was no choice.

If not used now, it would be too late, turning into a bowl.

Unexpectedly, the clarity in the demon god's eyes suddenly increased.

Then, the demon god clasped his hands, and instantly, the four seasons cycled around him, blossoming flowers in moments, gathering all seasons in one time, displaying warmth amidst cold, releasing chilling commands amid soothing times.

All four seasons existed simultaneously, disrupting the natural order!

Li Qi watched in horror, his heart skipping a beat. This demon monk wasn't a shaman; even at the seventh rank, he couldn't control the cycles of heaven's timing within himself! He was on the verge of becoming a demon!

Terrified, he rushed forward, set up an altar, and hurriedly advised, "Spring thrives with Jia and Yi in Yin and Mao—only then can you fear no Geng or Xin!"

"Summer grows with Bing and Ding in Si and Wu, so you need not avoid Ren or Gui!"

"Earth prospers in all four seasons, its wounds harmless—don't use your own power, use the Qi of Earth!"

"The timing of heaven must be transformed into a pattern and form, distinguishing between decline and prosperity with balance. The coordination must be precise—don't let it run wild!"

While giving advice, Li Qi intervened in the seasonal divisions, improving the rotation.

With Li Qi's help, a statue of an arhat on the lower floor emitted golden light, reversing from being suppressed by demons to reclaiming control, suppressing the demons back down!

However, there were one hundred and eight arhat statues corresponding to one hundred and eight demons. Now, only one had regained its brilliance.

But with that one arhat statue restored, the four floors of the Five-Tiered Pagoda vibrated, Buddha light radiating, clear as crystal, myriad images appearing vividly.

Strange phenomena arose, purple bamboo shoots, peacocks, celestial songs, and mantras, shadows of emptiness reflecting countless worlds, myriad images containing infinite realms.

Those bodhisattva and Buddha statues gathered their strength onto the liberated arhat statue, using it as a foundation, one by one reclaiming control.

Just like trying to lift a smooth iron ball—if left on the ground, it's hard to exert force and lift it.

But if given a handle, a point of leverage, lifting becomes much easier.

The arhat statue Li Qi helped liberate provided Venerable Chan Zhi with a handle.

Thus, Venerable Chan Zhi forcefully lifted the iron ball, once again suppressing the demonic thoughts!

The demon god's body gradually shrunk, withered, and faded, then Chan Zhi's form emerged.

He took a deep breath and recited a buddhist mantra: "Om A Sarva Mahakaya, Sisu!"

Li Qi's heart raced.

This demon monk didn't chant Amitabha or Vairocana's mantra, but Mahakala's honorific title!

Mahakaya Venerable was Mahakala.

Chan Zhi clasped his hands and nodded at Li Qi, "Thank you, young friend, for your assistance. Normally, it takes me two to three months to recover from a demonic outbreak, but with your help, I recovered overnight. It seems your words weren't empty, the orthodox witchcraft path indeed helps me balance my Buddha and demon thoughts."

His address to Li Qi had changed from benefactor to young friend.

Before Li Qi could respond, Chan Zhi continued, "However, young friend, you've only deciphered the method to break one demon head. There are still one hundred and seven left, requiring more effort."

Li Qi's eye twitched.

Was he expecting Li Qi to work for free?

One demon head took Li Qi eight double-hour periods, nearly a day.

One hundred and eight demons would need one hundred and eight days.

And that's not considering subsequent difficulties, such as conflicts between methods and solving chain reactions.

Seeing Li Qi's expression, Chan Zhi smiled kindly, "Young friend, you once said you'd offer witchcraft methods to resolve the conflict between Buddha and demon. Are you planning to go back on your word?"

Looking at Chan Zhi's smile, Li Qi felt calm and replied with a smile, "How could I? Your request, senior, I will strive wholeheartedly to fulfill. Half a year is nothing, resolving your greatest threat is my honor."

Then, Li Qi exclaimed passionately, raising his arms, "Out here, isn't mutual aid most important? Today I assist you, tomorrow you assist me, the friendship between Mahakala and Wu Zhu starts with us!"

"Hahaha!" Chan Zhi laughed heartily.

"Hahahaha!" Li Qi joined in with hearty laughter.

After laughing, Li Qi turned and hurried downstairs.

Being with this demon monk made him uneasy.

That demon god form wasn't something Chan Zhi gained after falling into darkness.

He was originally a demon god! That form was just uncontrollable transformation, like a snake demon unable to control its transformation after consuming realgar.

Chan Zhi's cultivation and path were gradually aligning with Mahakala. Now, while useful, they could still laugh together.

But if useless, he'd be discarded.

But as Li Qi turned, he heard Chan Zhi say behind him, "Young friend, if you need anything, just tell me. As a cultivator, don't worry about two or three years. Anything you need, just ask."

"For now, I just need food prepared by you, and if possible, a bed," Li Qi stopped and replied.

Chan Zhi smiled warmly and nodded.

But Li Qi faintly saw a shadow lurking behind him.

Like a sea of poisonous blood, waves rising, a demon god stood behind, staring at Li Qi.

Originally invisible, Li Qi wasn't qualified to sense his aura.

But the true Dao resonance gave him senses beyond the five physical ones, detecting this scene.

Li Qi shivered.

But he said nothing, silently descending the stairs.

Seventh Rank cultivators have infinite lifespans, revered as buddhas or saints in many worlds.

Unassailable for now.

But Chan Zhi was currently focusing on the method Li Qi had just taught him.

An opportunity for Li Qi.