This is the guarantee and foundation for the flourishing and deep-rooted presence of Buddhism in the Central Plains. After some martial artists cultivated Buddhist divine abilities, they discovered that combining Buddhist divine abilities with Buddhist martial arts made them even more powerful. Naturally, Buddhist martial arts became popular as well. In this way, a virtuous cycle was formed, and Buddhism gradually prospered.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world. The great beings who created the Buddhist divine abilities could not defy this principle either. In the more than ten thousand years of Buddhism’s prosperity, the divine abilities attained through gradual enlightenment have been limited to only eighteen types, which are called the Buddhist Guardian Divine Abilities.

However, sudden enlightenment is different. The divine abilities realized through sudden enlightenment can be any one of the 108 minor divine abilities, and some extraordinary individuals have even managed to suddenly comprehend one of the thirty-six major divine abilities. Of course, such cases of suddenly comprehending a major divine ability are only rumors passed down from Buddhism, and their authenticity is uncertain.

Moreover, compared to gradual enlightenment, the divine abilities attained through sudden enlightenment have another advantage: with a single moment of sudden enlightenment, one can fully comprehend a divine ability.

The divine abilities gained through gradual enlightenment are merely learned; to fully master and understand their true mysteries still requires time and refinement. Sudden enlightenment, on the other hand, means directly grasping all the profound mysteries of the divine ability, and only time is needed to become familiar with it.

Therefore, divine abilities attained through sudden enlightenment are much harder to achieve and far more valuable than those gained through gradual enlightenment. In the past hundred years, those who have suddenly comprehended Buddhist divine abilities are few and far between, and except for those who perished halfway, all the rest have achieved great success.

Now that Gavin Norton has suddenly comprehended a Buddhist divine ability, if nothing else, at least his status in the Ning Prince’s residence will be greatly elevated, becoming the most important prince after the legitimate sons. This is clear from the identity of the person who came to discuss martial arts today.

Sudden comprehension of a Buddhist divine ability—related to the Dao of the Blade!

Among the 108 minor divine abilities, there are five related to the Dao of the Blade: the Vajra Demon-Subduing Blade, the Bodhi Law-Suppressing Blade, the Golden Roc Spreading Wings Blade, the Great Asura Blade, and the Kṣitigarbha Original Vow Blade. Among them, the Vajra Demon-Subduing Blade is one of the eighteen Buddhist Guardian Divine Abilities and is the most common blade-related divine ability. The Bodhi Law-Suppressing Blade is a secret transmission within Buddhism, always kept as an untransmitted secret by the great Buddhist sects. The Golden Roc Spreading Wings Blade is a divine ability said to be comprehended only by those demon clans who have taken refuge in Buddhism. The Great Asura Blade only appears during great massacres, and those who can comprehend it are all ruthless and blood-soaked individuals; even within Buddhism, it is considered a taboo.

The Bodhi Law-Suppressing Blade—everyone was certain in that instant that the divine ability Gavin Norton had suddenly comprehended must be the Bodhi Law-Suppressing Blade!

Almost everyone made this judgment in that moment. The chances of Gavin Norton suddenly comprehending the Great Asura Blade or the Golden Roc Spreading Wings Blade were extremely slim. The Vajra Demon-Subduing Blade is a Buddhist Guardian Divine Ability, and many people in the world know it. In other places, it might be considered rare, and being able to suddenly comprehend it would make one a promising talent. But in the Ning Prince’s residence, it is not so highly valued, because in the temple supported by the Ning Prince’s residence, there is an abbot and three monks who know this divine ability. Therefore, the most likely one is the Bodhi Law-Suppressing Blade.

The Bodhi Law-Suppressing Blade does not belong to the eighteen Guardian Divine Abilities, but is a secret Buddhist divine ability. There are only two ways to obtain such a secret ability: one is to receive the secret transmission and cultivate it like ordinary divine abilities, and the other is through sudden enlightenment. For Gavin Norton to suddenly comprehend this ability, in the eyes of others, this is the greatest possibility.

Why couldn’t it be the Kṣitigarbha Original Vow Blade?

Come on, the Kṣitigarbha Original Vow Blade and the Great Wrathful King Sword are known as the two great killing weapons of Buddhism. Not to mention ordinary people—even the so-called number one Buddhist temple today, the Great Thunderclap Monastery, does not have this inheritance. In three thousand years of Buddhist divine abilities being passed down, no one has ever been able to comprehend this minor divine ability through gradual or sudden enlightenment, so Gavin Norton naturally could not have done so either.

Just now, Uncle Miles only said that he had comprehended a minor divine ability, without specifying which one, so naturally, others would not think in that direction.

……

……

Ning Prince’s Residence, Sanxi Hall

This is a place of ancient elegance, with green pines encircling the hall, moss creeping up the steps, and a pond behind the hall. However, it seems to have been neglected for a long time and appears somewhat dilapidated.

Gavin Norton followed behind Uncle Miles, walking along the gravel path, his gaze wandering all around. He was deeply curious about this place.

For someone like him, a concubine’s son, there were many places in the Ning Prince’s residence he had never been to, and Sanxi Hall was one of them.

To the people of the Ning Prince’s residence, Sanxi Hall was no secret. On the contrary, it was a very famous place in the residence. When Ning Prince Brian Norton was the heir to the residence, he lived here. However, that was decades ago.

Although Brian Norton was the legitimate son of the previous Ning Prince, his youth was not easy. This small Sanxi Hall was only slightly better than the small courtyard where Gavin Norton and his mother now lived.