35 - The Great Way

Deep within the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range two figures could be seen fighting. If anyone stumbled upon this scene they would be shocked as these two people looked exactly the same.

This was Itachi Uchiha, now known as Yun Che sparring with a clone of himself.

Making various hand seals at blinding speed both stopped to look at each other before they both released a torrent of flames from their mouths.

Despite being sunny out, the area couldn't help but get brighter with the clash of two fireballs. Though one of them seemed to be on the losing end as the clone of Itachi stopped feeding chakra to his fireball and evaded before he could get caught up by the real Itachi's flames.

Though it seemed to be a fatal error as after dodging a long beam made of lightning pierced his chest. Only the screeching of thousands of birds were heard before he puffed into smoke.

"Mn, It seems that combining Profound Energy and Chakra increase the attack potency of my attacks by several folds" Itachi said aloud.

"Hey Itachi" Jasmine said suddenly as she called to him.

"Hn?" Itachi said as he practiced

"...I thought about it and... I may have aa way for you to continuously use your Mangekyo Sharingan without getting blinded" She said hesitantly as she saw Itachi turn his head towards her in slight surprise.

"B-But! But it's just because we're partners! Nothing else, after all you can't fulfill you end of our bargain being blind!" She said right afterwards, making sure he didn't get any ideas.

"Mn, What is this method you speak of?" He said. With what he had learned about Jasmine, he had long grown used to surprise. She is after all from the fabled 'Realm of Gods'.

"I-it's a Physique Profound Art. It's called 'Great Way Of The Buddha', a profound art that not only dramatically increases the users regenerative abilities and bodily strength explosively but also increases his body's arm strength. It is like the Evil God Arts, as it too is a divine art" She said

"..." Hearing that Itachi only stayed silent letting her continue.

"It was one that my elder brother trained in. In truth it is a forbidden existence that cannot be cultivated by humans. Those who forcefully try to do so would have their whole body explode. One day the art vanished and was never heard of again until my brother found a copy of it in an old ruin" Jasmin explained as she reminisced about her old experiences.

"After elder brother cultivated the 'Great Way of the Buddha' to the sixth stage, for grievous wounds that others would need two months under the nourishment of profound energy to fully heal, he only required two or three days to completely recover. Elder brother had even told me before that if one can cultivate it to the seventh stage, even if they were bodily handicapped - for example: broken arms, physical impairments, or even.... blindness… I could all can be self-regenerated. It's just that the sixth stage was my brother's reachable limit. The seventh stage is, after all, a realm that he could only hope for but never reach."

"It is only known by my brother and I, not even our father knew. Although it cannot be cultivated by normal humans, you can cultivate it as like my brother and I, you also have inherited powers from a primordial God" She said to Itachi.

"As long as you reach the third stage of the great way of the buddha, you would have greater healing capabilities and as an added bonus you can also gain more physical strength."

'A divine art that would allow me to use the mangekyo to it's fullest abilities... also strengthening my physical capabilities. It almost seems like a profound art custom made for me, on one hand it would allow me to heal the damage the mangekyo causes and on the other it would help strenghen my physical strength hence letting me use the further stages of the 8 gates' Itachi thought.

"Very well, I'll gladly take that offer of yours" He said as he looked at her in the eyes.

"Great! This technique does not rely on profound strength but on comprehension." She explained as he nodded.

"Though as this is completely based on comprehension so if one's skill isn't up to par it could take a long time. Even my elder brother took thirty three days to comprehend the first stage. Now, sit on the floor, close your eyes. I will imprint the profound formula of the Great Way of the Buddha's first stage into your mind. How long it takes for you to actually comprehend and find out the methods of cultivation is based on your level of comprehension." Jasmine said.

Itachi did as was told as he felt Jasmine's palm on his forehead. The profound formula suddenly was imprinted to his mind. Interacting with it he couldn't help but be surprised at how complex it was.

He could see why it would be difficult for cultivators to comprehend it.

Calming his mind, Itachi cleared his heart and mind before he heard a voice.

"Sixteen year old youngster, you, do you really have the ability to comprehend the 'Great Way of the Buddha'?" an elderly voice rang in his head.

"Yes" Itachi answered. " For me to protect those I hold dear, I will comprehend the 'Great Way of the Buddha' without fail"

"Very good." The elderly voice revealed some admiration: "That is indeed the comprehension the deepest part of your soul has. You are truthful enough. However, if you really want to practice the 'Great Way of the Buddha', you must first understand what is the 'Great Way', and what is 'Buddha'. Then, can I ask you to tell me what your understanding of the 'Great Way' and 'Buddha' is?"

"The 'Great Way'... is the truth found in Heaven and Earth. It is the illusion of the truth that hides all the ugly lies from the world" Itachi stated calmly

"What we perceive as the truth could be nothing but a lie, an illusion. But what's to say that an illusion itself cannot be the truth? Each of us live dependent and bound by our individual knowledge and our awareness. All that is what we call a reality . However both knowledge and awareness are equivocal, ones reality could be another's illusion. But who's to say that illusion is false and who's to say ones reality cannot be the truth? That is the 'Great Way' "

"As for the Buddha, it is a symbol... a representation of the kindness, forgiveness, and benevolence of the world" Itachi explained.