To put it bluntly, that so-called Great Demon no longer acts human, his heart steeped in darkness, fully fallen into becoming a demon, much like the wicked Lamp in the Lamp of Freedom Observation.
The skeleton said, "At that time, there were people who, in pursuit of transcendence, believed that humanity was a burden and thus discarded it, doing away with the so-called material desires, even considering themselves as non-human, having transcended to another level of...monster. If humanity is lost, what meaning is left?"
Lu Ren pondered for a moment and asked, "Is this what your Buddhist Sect calls the equality of all beings, or what the Taoist Family refers to as Supreme Forgetting of Emotions?"
The skeleton, in a tone as if speaking to an idiot, said, "The so-called equality of all beings refers to a state of realm, allowing one’s seven emotions and six desires to reach a perfect balance. The Taoist Family’s Supreme Forgetting of Emotions means transcending material desires, able to control one’s emotions without being influenced by external factors, achieving ultimate emptiness and maintaining profound tranquility.
How could it be said to be without emotions or desires? If truly without feelings or desires, then why remain in the world? Might as well be a rock or dead!"
Lu Ren said, "But later Buddhist scriptures say that all beings are equal, meaning all living things have a spirit and are equal to humans, while the Supreme Forgetting of Emotions means having no emotions at all, akin to the Heaven’s Way being emotionless and desireless, only knowing rules."
"Nonsense! Complete nonsense!!" The skeleton jumped a little, the bones on its body clashing and making a series of popping sounds.
Looking at the wildly gesticulating skeleton, Lu Ren remained expressionless, but thought to himself that if the counterpart had a flesh body, they might already be spitting all over with fury.
The skeleton spat out, "If you really think that way, even the Buddha would die of starvation!"
Lu Ren replied leisurely, "Didn’t your Buddha believe in the cause and effect of past and present lives? Perhaps what he ate was the sins of the past life, atoning for them by being eaten in this life?"
The skeleton gave a cold laugh, saying nothing, but its attitude clearly indicated disdain.
As they spoke, Lu Ren and the skeleton stopped walking, looking towards a round arched door made of heavy stone bricks, covered with countless strange patterns. Just by looking at it for a moment, Lu Ren felt it was captivating, with a peculiar magnetic field present, transforming the place completely.
Isolated, obstructed!
If one recklessly pushes open the door, it might cause some unknown damage, mainly affecting the spirit, but this energy is so weak that it’s negligible. At least currently, the Lamp of Freedom has reached Minor Achievement, the pure Spiritual Lamp has been lit, and the Spiritual Light shines within, making this magnetic influence not worth worrying about.
The skeleton looked at the nearly three-meter-high heavy stone doors, paused for a moment, then said, "As I am now a skeleton, without Power, I must ask for your assistance. The energy engraved above has dissipated to nearly nothing and won’t affect you."
Lu Ren said nothing, nor did he hesitate. He walked directly to the door, slowly extending his palms against the stone door, and with his exceptionally broad shoulder and neck muscles, as well as rock-hard sculpted arms swelling up as he moved.
Lu Ren gave a light shout, the Spiritual Lamp as if splashed with oil, his heart contracted and expanded violently, as blood rushed through, hormone levels soared rapidly, his arms became engorged, swelling to a bluish-purple hue, even more robust than in their normal state!
The sight was quite alarming.
With a sudden exertion of his arms, the long-sealed heavy stone door was swept open as if struck by a car speeding over two hundred miles per hour, the arm-length thick heavy stone door was directly flung open, slamming heavily against the walls on both sides, making a thunderous noise.
Even as the energy from the door rebounded, aside from feeling a slight needle-like prick in the center of his brow, there was no further reaction. Lu Ren paid it little mind.
"Ding, you have been counterattacked by the Seal of Demon, your Spiritual Proficiency passively increased by +5."
Looking at the system alert in his mind, Lu Ren raised an eyebrow, among the Three-dimensional Attributes, the Spiritual Power was the hardest to increase, even after mastering the Lamp of Freedom Observation, it only increased the proficiency by transforming into the Heartless Sword, without an exponential rise in Spirit Attribute points.
To advance his Spiritual Cultivation, he needs to continuously practice the Lamp of Freedom.
When the door opened, appearing before Lu Ren was Tie Feng, covered with constantly jumping black thread-like filaments.
At this moment, Tie Feng seemed like a terrifying zombie, his whole body green and black, with white eyes, and his body was covered with jumping, thread-like black liquid cellular fluid; extremely robust, with arms extended to great lengths, like a tall standing ape, staring dead at the appearing Lu Ren.
Seeing the monstrous appearance, Lu Ren’s expression shifted, and his gaze moved past Tie Feng to a mummy suspended in the center, tightly bound by eight thick chains.
This mummy’s flesh had completely withered, leaving only a layer of old skin tightly wrapped around the bones. This mummy seemed to be resurrecting from the Abyssal Hell, countless thread-like liquid filaments erupted from within, hundreds, thousands, continuously merging into Tie Feng’s body.
The scene was disgusting, eerie, and sent shivers down the spine.
"What is this?!" Lu Ren said in a deep voice.
The skeleton too was stunned for a moment before panic emerged, "How can this be, why does this demon have such ability?!"
Lu Ren saw clearly that those filament-like liquids were the cellular fluid of the human body, constantly seeping into Tie Feng’s body under the control of Qi, attempting fusion, possession?
Lu Ren suddenly thought of this term, his heart shaking, and shouted, "That guy’s internal organs were shattered by me, recovery must take some time, hurry and stop him!"
"What, why don’t you stop him?!" The skeleton yelled, "Currently, you’re the strongest."
"Who knows if those filament-like cellular fluids might infiltrate my body." Lu Ren said in a deep voice, "Moreover, didn’t your Buddhist Family say I won’t enter Hell, who will? You, a Golden Body Saint Monk level high monk, don’t you have this bit of realization?"
The skeleton laughed angrily, opening and closing its jaw, "I won’t enter Hell, who will? Hey, I won’t enter Hell, who should enter, who will enter!"
Lu Ren was completely shocked by the skeleton’s shamelessness, completely unexpected for the golden saying passed down through generations to be so twisted by this skeleton!
He couldn’t help but ask, "Then what about feeding the demon with oneself?"
The skeleton sneered, "What’s there to say, sowing oneself as the demon, transforming the demon into a Buddha!"
What the heck does this have to do with the Star Absorption Technique?!! It sounds better than it is, how shameless!
Lu Ren was speechless, he couldn’t help but give a thumbs up, "Master, I’ve understood!"
The skeleton said seriously, "I am now just a pile of bones, if not for still having Qi to use, I’d have long disappeared. This time I go up, I might not return, whether you can be saved is uncertain, kid, if I really vanish, you cannot get out of this Secret Realm, do you want to perish with this world?"