Chapter 181: Abbot Everlasting Peace

Chapter 181: Abbot Everlasting Peace

Initially when they entered Zac could only see the side of the old monk sitting on the lotus. However, as Zac was lead around the pond to a seat facing the Abbot his brows rose in shock.

His first impression of Abbot Everlasting Peace was that he was teeming with life, but his appearance truly didnt match. The old man sat in a classic meditating pose, but there was a huge hole in his chest right where his lungs and heart should be.

The loose robes the old monk wore covered some of the wound, but Zac could actually see the sky through the hole in the old mans chest. The Abbots face was equally grisly, with huge jagged scars lining his face that made Zacs scars seem like small beauty marks.

Furthermore, having been on the receiving end of the Corpse Lord Zac recognized the aura coming from the wounds. It was clear it was done by some undead powerhouse. The miasma was mostly cleansed in the old man, but some hints remained, and the scars were still slightly blackened.

His eyes were closed, and Zac sensed he was in the middle of cultivation as energy swirled around him like a whirlwind in slow motion. Zacs eyes couldnt help but turn to the flower underneath the monk, as the energies it emitted were extremely pure.

Zac even guessed the flower might be a treasure of the grade of the Fruit of Ascension, though its function likely was separate. Judging by the state of the old man he might not even be able to leave the flower, as it was continuously pouring healing energies into his body.

The old monk who led Zac to the courtyard wordlessly bowed to the Abbot and Zac before he left again, closing the doors to the courtyard behind him.

Zac was happy to wait for the old monk to wake up, as some of the spill-off from the flower actually entered himself, nourishing even better than Suis healing skills did. It felt as though his parched body was slowly being submerged into a pure river, with him slowly absorbing the water.

It made Zac wonder just how potent it was to sit in the center of the flower. After roughly 30 minutes the old man finally roused himself

Ambithaba, benefactor, the old man said as he slowly opened his eyes. I apologize for making you see this embarrassing sight.

Thats okay. Uh, no offense, but how are you alive? Zac couldnt help asking as his eyes once again were drawn to the hole in the old mans chest.

Do not worry, I am not one of the yin creatures youve met outside, the old man said with a kindly smile, though it was somewhat marred from the scars.

This penniless monk was wounded in battle. I am ashamed to admit it, but I am not ready to enter the Samsara. My home has turned into a hell on earth. If I dont stay and fight, who will? Perhaps I performed meritorious deeds in a past life, as the universe bestowed me with this treasure in my moment of need, he said as he pointed down at the Lotus flower.

It is prolonging this ones life and slowly provides healing, the Abbot said. Unfortunately it means I am not able to leave it, and wont be for a long while.

It seems quite special, sitting here is helping me out as well. Im Zac, by the way, thank you for receiving me, Zac simply said.

Benefactor showed great merit when you laid one of the leaders of this Incursion to rest. Receiving you is the least this poor temple could do, this old man said with a small smile.

Oh? How did you know that? Zac asked curiously.

The abbot only kept smiling as a screen opened up in front of Zac.

Zac wasnt sure what to make of the old mans explanation. He wasnt a spiritual person before the fall and didnt really understand some of the things these monks said.

He was sure that there was a lesson to be learned from how the old monk gained power, but at the same time, it might not apply to himself. They walked different paths, his wrought with blood and carnage. The old monk seemed to understand Zacs confusion and only shook his head.

Benefactor doesnt need to become a monk and read scriptures to improve the Dao. This old man believes that finding the answers is not about following a certain procedure. It is about being true to your nature and your heart. If you try to force enlightenment it will always be out of reach, you will become an old man looking up at the clouds in despair, he said.

But if you follow your nature and your heart, the myriad Dao will open themselves to you.

Zac slowly nodded, somewhat understanding what the old man was driving at. However, suddenly he had an epiphany.

Nature Zac murmured with his eyes widening.

What he gained wasnt some realization in regards to the Dao, but rather about inscriptions, though it all tied together. He realized hed been nave when he thought of the fractals by the Creators and the Demons as simple or flawed.

The creators were among the greatest craftsmen in the multi-verse, there was no reason they shouldnt be able to create fractals that looked the same as the ones the System used. However, they still inscribed the squarish ones that had reminded Zac of old-school computer text.

It was the same with the Demons. Their fractals looked a bit crude in comparison to the one that adorned his robes, but after living with them for months Zac knew they werent some barbarians.

Why couldnt they simply alter their scripts a bit to look like the ones from the system? The design of those fractals wasnt anything uncommon, as they could simply buy basic gear from the General Store. Add to that the thousands of years of research they had.

Only now did Zac understand that it was a deliberate choice. The scripts the two factions used were more closely aligned with their nature. The strength of an inscription wasnt dictated how close it looked to a real fractal, but by the insight and skill of the inscriber.

Zac now realized that the power of the inscriptions likely got stronger, not weaker, when the inscriptions were more suited to the nature of the Creator. For the same reason, the Sanskrit covering the mountain was close to the nature of these monks, which is why they gained power.

This was what the Abbot was trying to tell him. Zac was looking at the Dao like there was an answer sheet, and Zac hoped the Abbot had a few of the answers he didnt possess yet. But Dao was an individual journey.

He should be looking inward to find his own nature and what Dao suited him and his path, instead of trying to find tricks or Dao fruits that would give him shortcuts or answers to questions he wasnt even asking.

Benefactor is still hurt from earlier. Why not keep this penniless monk company for a few days? The Abbot suddenly said, dragging Zac out of his thoughts.

Actually, I am in the region on a mission, Zac said with some hesitation. I cant stay overly long.

It would be nice to stay in this courtyard for a bit since he was getting better by the second. The lotus was flooding the area with vitality after all, and he was still sorely lacking in that department.

This old man can see benefactor has strong Karmic ties to someone in the east. But it is not yet time, the Abbot said.

Nature does not hurry, yet all is accomplished.