Using One’s Flesh as a Boat

Using One's Flesh as a Boat . . . 

Six months had passed, and a lone leaf boat drifted aimlessly across the boundless waters of the immortal sea.

Qin Wentian reclined on the boat, his gaze fixed on the endless expanse of blue sky and drifting clouds, a distant and contemplative look in his eyes.

The mysterious immortal sea had proven an insurmountable barrier. Encounters with other boats had become rare, a testament to the sea's unfathomable vastness.

"Could it be that I need to cultivate here, meditating on the law energy to find a way across?" Qin Wentian pondered. If sailing in a straight line hadn't worked, perhaps deep introspection and cultivation held the key to traversing this enigmatic sea.

The enigmatic figure from earlier had mentioned multiple methods of crossing the sea, each leading to a different location within the sacred academy. With countless possible approaches, it was disheartening for Qin Wentian to be left without a clue. He began to doubt his own abilities—had he fallen short in comprehension, rendering him incapable of finding the path to the sacred academy's shores?

At that moment, Qin Wentian's senses tingled, and he rose from his boat. Another vessel was approaching, carrying a strikingly handsome young man. There was an air of confidence about him, and his deep, almost hypnotic eyes seemed to draw in those who met his gaze.

"You seem rather relaxed, sir," the newcomer remarked as he drew nearer, standing on his boat with an air of nonchalance. He possessed formidable strength, evident by the aura of law energy enveloping him.

"Given the lack of a clear path to the other shore, I have little choice but to make the most of my time. Do you, by any chance, know how to cross this sea?" Qin Wentian inquired calmly.

"I'm just as clueless, but I've chosen my own path, attempting to clear a way to the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy. Regrettably, it's been an arduous journey, and I wonder if you might assist me?" The man continued to approach, closing the distance between them.

"In what way can I assist you?" Qin Wentian replied with a smile.

"I'm forging my path through this immortal sea, guided by the dao of killing. Taking your life is the path I seek," the man replied matter-of-factly, his expression devoid of emotion.

"Your path is steeped in darkness, and there's no guarantee it will succeed. Even if it does, I'm not inclined to offer my life to further your cause," Qin Wentian responded without any hint of anger or fear. Their conversation flowed with an air of detachment, as though life and death held little significance.

Qin Wentian had mentally prepared himself for such encounters when he embarked on this test. These chosen individuals from across the immortal realms possessed diverse personalities, and their determination to grow stronger ran deep. Thus, when faced with someone openly seeking his life, Qin Wentian felt neither shocked nor surprised.

"Since you refuse, I suppose I'll have to claim your life by force," the man stated calmly. "I couldn't help but notice your flawless immortal foundation and powerful astral souls. You must have cultivated a formidable secret art, correct? Let me cripple your immortal foundation and extract that secret art before ending your life."

As words spilled from his lips, the power of his immortal foundation came to life. A terrifying devil materialized behind him, radiating a malevolent, blood-red aura. The once-human eyes of the cultivator grew increasingly sinister, mirroring the devil's malevolence. Above, the heavens responded, with astral light flickering to reveal a host of devilish entities.

"From the Myriad Devil Islands," Qin Wentian muttered in a low voice, recognizing the origins of his adversary. The release of this opponent's astral soul indicated a foundation built upon the essence of devils. Devilish energy surged, transforming him into a sinister deity. The leaf boat beneath Qin Wentian's feet trembled intensely under the weight of the pressure, swaying precariously amidst the wind and rain, its fragility evident as it seemed ready to disintegrate at the slightest touch.

"Seeking the path through slaughter, but did you not anticipate that you could be the one meeting your end here?" Qin Wentian spoke with unwavering calmness. His body began to radiate a brilliant, sun-like light, surrounded by intricate runic patterns that offered him formidable protection. Coupled with his innate resilience, his body could withstand the most devastating of blows.

The onslaught of devilish might surged like crimson lightning, aiming to obliterate him, yet upon impact, it disintegrated into nothingness, incapable of inflicting harm.

The immortal sea roared in fury, and Qin Wentian's boat danced wildly beneath his feet, swaying in sync with the tempestuous waves.

His opponent unleashed a blood-devil king spear, thrusting it with unrelenting force, a lethal weapon seeking to annihilate everything in its path.

In response, Qin Wentian summoned his perfect immortal foundation, a masterpiece of transformation that harnessed the energy of his demon sovereign astral soul. This manifestation, taking the form of a divine turtle, enveloped him entirely, fortifying his already formidable defense. The spear struck with relentless power, causing the very waves to part in its wake. This assault held the potential to shatter even his saint-grade immortal foundation.

"BANG!" The divine turtle's projection shattered, yet in the same breath, Qin Wentian's palm retaliated. His saint-grade immortal foundation morphed into a greater demon named Zhen Kong, emanating a crushing and destructive aura. His palm, akin to a godly hand, conjured numerous greater demons that surged forward, clashing with his adversary's own devilish onslaught. The ensuing collision created a colossal whirlpool, a testament to the titanic forces at play.

With another resounding palm strike, Qin Wentian channeled the power of God's Hand into a destructive force, imbued with the essence of his ancient halberd astral soul. The strike, swift and relentless, pierced through his adversary's body. Sinister glee flashed in the devil practitioner's eyes as he chanted cryptic incantations, transforming into a bolt of lightning that sped away from the scene. Above the immortal sea's expanse, a bloody radiance hung briefly before dissipating, revealing the devil practitioner's successful escape.

The aftermath of their battle left the sea in a tumultuous state, waves surging violently. Qin Wentian, however, remained composed, standing firmly on his boat. He observed the fleeing figure until the sea's tempestuous upheaval eventually subsided.

As he gazed upon the tranquil sea, Qin Wentian contemplated deeply. His opponent's ruthless approach to kill in order to forge a path across the sea was repugnant to him, yet it did offer him valuable insights into the challenges of crossing this enigmatic expanse.

"Until I find the answer, I'll continue my cultivation here on this immortal sea," Qin Wentian decided, a wry smile playing upon his lips. He realized that his previous urgency to reach the sacred academy was misplaced. His primary goal was to enhance his strength and elevate his cultivation, so why should he fret? Letting events unfold naturally seemed the wiser course of action.

With that resolve, Qin Wentian assumed a cross-legged position on the boat and closed his eyes in meditation, surrendering himself to the sea's unpredictable currents, guided by the ebb and flow of the waves and the caress of the wind. Distractions no longer plagued his thoughts.

In the passage of yet another year, Qin Wentian drifted aimlessly on the immortal sea, nearing the two-year mark since he embarked on this journey. His cultivation continued amidst this boundless expanse, as he delved deeper into the realm of law energy. The might of his immortal foundation surged, resonating with the sea's unique law energy. He sensed echoes of countless laws within this immortal sea, an all-encompassing tapestry of cosmic forces.

Today, his eyes fluttered open, and he stood on his boat, surveying the horizon. In the span of a year, he remained adrift without any indication of fellow travelers.

"There's someone over there," he mused, spotting glimmers of golden light in the distance, radiating in all directions. He steered his boat toward the source of the light, following the natural rhythm of the waves.

As he drew closer, Qin Wentian identified a monk, a practitioner of the Buddhist path. This individual appeared to hail from one of the prominent Buddhist sects in the immortal realms. Drifting on the surface of the immortal sea, the monk emitted the golden light that Qin Wentian had observed. With each flicker, the light dimmed, and Qin Wentian noticed a gradual weakening of the monk's immortal foundation and fleshly body. Despite this, the golden light remained undiminished.

The monk slowly descended into the sea, vanishing from sight. In his wake, a small boat surfaced on the immortal sea. To Qin Wentian's astonishment, the boat was none other than the monk's lifeless body, void of vitality.

The very concept struck a chord deep within Qin Wentian's heart: "Sacrificing one's body to seek the dao, using one's flesh as the boat." In whispers and legends, he'd heard tales of Buddhist cultivators who deemed the immortal cultivation path slow and arduous, a journey filled with suffering and trials. This particular monk, however, had chosen to embark on an extraordinary quest—a personal odyssey through the sea of bitterness, willing to sacrifice everything to transform his very body into a vessel and his soul into a rudder, navigating these treacherous waters in pursuit of the distant shore.

Could the determination of this monk truly be so profound?

As Qin Wentian observed, a sudden eruption of golden light once again painted the sky. Above the monk's body, an ethereal figure materialized, bathed in radiant golden hues. It seemed an ephemeral specter, yet it exuded a boundless aura of enlightenment. The monk's physical form ascended from the sea, seamlessly merging with his radiant spirit.

Before Qin Wentian's eyes, a misty projection materialized—a projection of the sacred academy itself!

Astonishment gripped him. The monk took a single step forward, vanishing entirely from the immortal sea. Simultaneously, the projection of the academy also dissolved into nothingness.

Gazing upon the tranquil surface of the immortal sea, Qin Wentian's heart took an extended journey to find its calm once more. The revelation had been profound, leading him to conclude that his earlier speculations held truth. The "other shore" of this immortal sea was not a physical location defined by distance and space. It was a destination one could only reach by walking a path intimately connected to their own dao.

The path to enlightenment, the path to seeking the dao, was long and winding. It could only be traversed slowly, with each step taken to experience it wholeheartedly. Each individual's path was unique, their own to forge. Only when the path truly belonged to them would they cross this sea, entering the hallowed grounds of the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy.

The monk had used his very flesh as a vessel to brave the sea, his soul to traverse suffering, all for the sole purpose of reaching the distant shore and gaining entry into the sacred academy. His journey was his alone, intimately connected to his chosen path. Achieving such insight in just two years affirmed the monk's extraordinary nature. His path likely bore ties to the teachings of Buddhism, and he had viewed the immortal sea as a metaphor for life's hardships—the sea of bitterness.

Recalling the cryptic words of the illusory figure, Qin Wentian realized that the immensity of this immortal sea meant that individuals had to chart their