"Amitabha!"

He chanted the Buddha’s name and pointed a finger into the void.

In that instant, a countless amount of black energy surged from his body, immediately condensing into a giant hand.

The giant hand seemed incorporeal, passing through the wall of the Zen Room without any resistance. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

From the courtyard outside the Zen Room, the sound of something shattering suddenly rang out.

The great hand formed of black energy quickly retracted.

But when it returned, it was clutching something strange.

It was a bizarre-looking... Buddha head?

It was just the head, with no other body parts.

The head was covered in fleshy topknots, which was why Yang An presumed it was a Buddha head.

However, the facial features on this Buddha head were completely distorted, mashed together as if they were made of dough.

It was also covered in countless Scripture Mantras, which emitted a faint white glow.

To Yang An, it looked as if the thing had been sealed.

He hadn’t extended his own senses, so he could only judge based on what he saw with his naked eye.

’What is that thing?’

Just as this question arose in Yang An’s mind, the next moment, Zen Master Qing Kong’s face twisted into a ferocious glare, and the black hand suddenly crushed the strange Buddha head.

The Scripture Mantras covering the Buddha head shattered and vanished in an instant.

In the grip of the black hand, the Buddha head was like an overinflated balloon. It burst under the immense force, and a large amount of plasma-like substance gushed out.

Instead of spilling onto the ground, the black plasma seemed to be drawn by some force, flowing along the black hand toward Zen Master Qing Kong.

Zen Master Qing Kong’s expression remained unchanged as he allowed the nauseating plasma to burrow into his body right where his Heart was.

The giant hand condensed from black energy abruptly dissipated into nothingness.

Right there in front of Yang An, Zen Master Qing Kong seemed to have no defenses up as his physical body began to ripple like a liquid.

Yang An watched as his body transformed. His facial features were also constantly shifting, at one moment seeming to cry and the next to laugh. It was incredibly strange.

Without a change in expression, Yang An quietly rose and backed away toward the Zen Room’s door.

’This guy is either practicing some kind of Cultivation Technique or the price has gone out of control.’

’In any case, I have to be extremely vigilant. I need to be ready to beat a hasty retreat to prevent any accidents.’

Fortunately, just as Yang An reached the door, Zen Master Qing Kong, who was still seated, returned to normal.

"Amitabha! Forgive me for the unsightly scene, Buddha’s Son."

All strangeness about Zen Master Qing Kong vanished, and he returned to his previous state of peace.

But just as he finished speaking, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and he suddenly spat out a large mouthful of black blood.

The black blood splattered onto the ground, instantly staining it black. It gave off a somewhat pungent, foul odor, but mixed within this stench was the faint scent of incense.

As soon as the black blood hit the ground, black smoke began to rise from it, and the temperature inside the Zen Room seemed to rise slightly.

In less than a breath’s time, the black blood on the floor vanished along with the rising smoke.

Qing Kong raised a hand to wipe the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth and his chin, smearing them all over his Monk’s Robe without a hint of seeing anything wrong with it.

’This guy...’

The corner of Yang An’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.

’As the Buddha’s Son, I can’t even watch. Are sacred Monk’s Robes meant to be used for this sort of thing?’

To show his protest, he couldn’t help but raise his own hand and use his Monk’s Robe to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

’I almost ran out just now. Good thing nothing happened.’

"Zen Master, are you practicing a Cultivation Technique?"

Yang An asked as he feigned nonchalance and slowly walked back to his seat.

He didn’t expect Qing Kong to answer the question; after all, one’s Cultivation Technique was a personal secret.

But unexpectedly, Qing Kong smiled and nodded.

"The Buddha’s Son has sharp eyes. What I, Qing Kong, cultivate is the Sacrificial Meat Zen, one of the Thirty-six Zen of Great Virtue and Goodness.

Cultivate Zen with flesh, choose the Dao with Zen, and illuminate the mind with the Dao."

"..."

’What does that even mean?’

Qing Kong was actually explaining it to him, but Yang An didn’t understand what this technique cultivated. ’Flesh and blood?’

"The Sacrificial Meat Zen can merge with the flesh and blood of all things, discarding impurities to produce flesh with greater Buddha Nature.

Perhaps in the future, the Buddha’s Son will also have the chance to encounter such a profound Zen technique."

"..."

’Right, right, right!’

’What a profound Zen technique!’

’Worthy of the Great Virtue Temple indeed.’

Yang An put on an expression of sudden realization and bowed to Qing Kong.

"Amitabha. I didn’t realize the Zen Master was in the middle of his cultivation. Please forgive me for my sudden disturbance."

"His Highness the Buddha Prince overthinks things.

Zen can be cultivated at any time, but I cannot see His Highness the Buddha Prince at any time.

For His Highness the Buddha Prince to take the initiative to visit me, Qing Kong, is truly flattering. How could I possibly blame you?"

Qing Kong said in an exceptionally affable tone.

The two looked at each other, and smiles appeared on both their faces.

"This time, I have come to visit the Zen Master with a request."

Yang An stated his purpose.

"I previously went to the Grand View Cave Zen and learned from the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny that the Zen Master took an item half a month ago called the Fox Wolf Wood Heart.

There are no spare ones in the Spirit Gathering Hall, and it would take too long to gather it again. I am in urgent need of this item right now.

So I came to visit you, Zen Master, to ask if you have any of this item to spare?"

"Fox Wolf Wood Heart?"

Zen Master Qing Kong thought back for a moment and immediately remembered.

"Indeed, I did retrieve that item from the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny half a month ago. I took seven portions in total, and I have four portions remaining.