18 Chance at Enlightenment

The boat quickly flew through the bog-like smoke. No one could see anything due to the smoke but Zixin clearly knew the path and navigated the boat smoothly the entire way. With no warning, the boat burst out of the smoke into an empty garden right in the center of the grove. From the inside of the smoke looking out, Wei realized that he could see the outside perfectly. It was as if no smoke existed at all. The surrounding environment was much larger than it seemed from the outside.

When the boat landed Zixin quickly disembarked in a hurry. "Wei, Xing you can find any spot you like and meditate see if you can gain any type of understanding. The sun is about to rise and when it does our time starts we will have until midnight to make any gains. You can go wherever you want but be back here by midnight. Leave Chen Ping on the boat and he will be safe."

Not like I can go far, guess I'll stay in the boat too.

Zixin flew out of the boat and into the night sky heading to parts unknown. Xing quickly flew after him and within a few seconds, Wei could see them no longer.

Wish I could fly away and find a quiet place to meditate on this awesome place. Even now I can feel something powerful and enticing pulling at my senses and mental qi. I'm getting a feeling of curiosity and eagerness from my mental qi. It doesn't seem dangerous so I'll give it a try.

Mind made up Wei sat cross-legged in the lotus position and attempted to meditate. An hour later he was still trying. Why do I keep on failing? Last time I entered deep meditation without even realizing it and now I can't even do basic meditation with the help of whatever is calling to me.

The sun came out in its majestic splendor and lit up the grove bringing with it a new kind of beauty. The surrounding flora and fauna seemed to come alive in a completely different but just as unique way as the night. When two more hours passed Wei decided to try to take a break and think about why he couldn't seem to meditate.

I need to be calm and relaxed. Not distracted but not focused either. I need to find a balance and just be.

To his annoyance, he found that he couldn't be relaxed because of small irritants. The sun would hit him from a glaring angle causing his eyes to sting and for sweat to flow, other times the wind blew strongly and stirred up the scent of Chen Pings drying blood.

Knowing that he couldn't meditate in his current environment Wei got up with a grimace and slowly hobbled away into the woods of the grove. In the last few days, his illness had gradually been making its reappearance with a vengeance and he could scarcely walk.

Although he was slow and his feet constantly ached Wei eventually left behind the boat and found a small clearing with a single huge oak tree in the center. A small stream flowed nearby and a gentle breeze breathed life into the scenery.

Know this is a place to meditate.

Wei was about to randomly sit down in the clearing when his natural laziness flared its head. Who says you have to endure heat to meditate and gain some enlightenment?! I think that I should follow the example of Buddha and meditate under the tree until I achieve some results.

In the ancient text, Wei had read the Buddha was a powerful cultivator in the Golden Era who some claimed had surpassed Immortality and attained godhood. The difference was not expounded on in most books but in most written counts Wei had found out that the reason that Buddha had impressed and awed so many and been labeled a god was because he had completed a never before seen feat in the Enlightened Realm.

Supposedly one-day while on his path to find true enlightenment and gain a true understanding of the universe the mortal who would later be called Buddha -who was already a master of deep meditation had meditated under a legendary Bodhi tree.

For seven days and seven nights he meditated and on the eighth day he woke up as an immortal. Because he ascended immediately afterward no one knew how he did it and the only remaining clue, the Bodhi tree disappeared.

Ever since reading that book Wei had wondered whether it could possibly be true. Sure there were Buddhist monks who believed it, even Zixin probably did but could Buddha's story actually be real? Could Buddha accomplish in seven days and nights what it took talented geniuses centuries to accomplish?

Regardless of the answers, Wei used the excuse of testing the theory to rest under the large oak tree.

Well, you're no Bodhi Tree but I guess you'll suffice. If I gain enlightenment and become immortal here you'll be legendary too.

With a tired yawn, Wei leaned against the oak tree and relaxed as the shade mercifully shielded him from the cruel rays of the sun. Thinking of Buddha's story and his fabled compassion made Wei almost want to bring Chen Ping over under the shade as well. Considering how quickly the grove had turned from chilly to sweltering Chen Ping's unconscious and wounded body must have been suffering greatly but in the end, he decided against it.

Not only did Wei not like Chen Ping due to his attitude but he simply couldn't be bothered to waste his piddling amount of strength to drag over someone who he disliked.

I probably can't even drag him this far, Wei thought dismissively.

Remember I'm here to meditate. I need to stop having all these distracted thoughts. Wait that's it!

Last time when he had entered deep meditation he had also allowed his thoughts to roam. Only with a free and wandering mind is there a slight chance at something clicking and entering deep meditation Wei realized suddenly.

This time I have to focus on my mental qi and follow it back to the source of the sensation.

At first, his idea of letting his mind wander had the opposite effect and he constantly thought about it leading to nothing happening but then after a while, he found himself feeling 'aware' of himself as if he was floating on drifting clouds. It felt like he was inspecting himself from the outside looking in.

This must be deep meditation. How intriguing. Immediately Wei brought out his mental qi and directed it in the direction of the sensation. The moment the mental qi started heading in that direction Wei felt something click in his mind as if he knew something had been activated or some condition fulfilled.

A gigantic suction force from the source pulled vigorously on Weis mental qi and dragged it miles away in a few seconds. The connection between Wei and his mental qi snapped like a taut string but instead of separating Wei's consciousness stayed with the bit of mental qi lingering on inside of it. Finally, hundreds of miles away in a cave the mental qi came to a stop in front of a large mirror that glittered like stars at night.

Why is a mirror the source of the pull? Although he didn't understand what it was intended for Wei urged his mental qi towards the mirror. With a sudden jerk, the mirror absorbed the sliver of mental qi and Wei alongside it.

As he was entering the mirror Wei saw a bright shining light like a thousand suns that seared into his eyes and made him feel like his brain would melt out of his ears. He instantly closed the 'eyes' of his consciousness and waited in pain for the burning sensation to wear off.

When he opened his eyes after he was sucked in the mirror he was once more in the grove far away from the cave the mirror was located in but this time it wasn't daytime it was the night. And while the stars above glittered it wasn't with their normal light instead everyone one of them was the color of blood.