Chapter 750 - 471: The Path to Ascension

Chapter 750: Chapter 471: The Path to Ascension

Wang Ye felt as if he had gained a perception of a kind of virtual existence.

This virtual substance doesn’t mean something nonexistent.

Rather, it is something that originally existed, but he didn’t have the sensory perception of this existence before.

It’s like creatures without eyes wouldn’t know about the existence of light.

If they didn’t have ears, they wouldn’t know about the existence of sound.

Of course, these things actually exist and can have certain effects on reality.

For example, when light is strong enough, it can produce high temperatures that destroy substances. When sound is strong enough, it produces shock waves that destroy substances.

But everything happens under the premise of "strong enough", what if they are not strong enough but coexisting with all beings, quietly hidden in the "virtual" that all creatures cannot perceive? If so, humans might never discover the existence of light and sound.

Now, what Wang Ye perceives as such virtual existence is similar to light and sound, yet he doesn’t know what it actually is.

He looked up toward the system panel, hoping for an answer.

[You practiced Samadhi True Fire and gained insight, skill level increased by 10.5%.]

[Your Samadhi True Fire skill level is full, upgraded from lv4 to lv5.]

[Samadhi True Fire lv5 (0.1%)]

[Traits: Soul strength increased by 50%]

"Soul strength increased?" After the trait appeared, Wang Ye’s soul strength was indeed stronger than before. The range and temperature of the flames he could unleash increased significantly. Now, with a wave of his hand, he could burn anything within tens of kilometers, causing greater damage than the Shattering Sky Lion’s Roar due to the destructive high temperature, hardly any structures or creatures could withstand tens of thousands of degrees sustained high-temperature burning. But these enhancements cannot explain the reason he perceives this virtual existence.

Wang Ye retracted the flames and soared to the sky, overlooking the entire nation’s land beneath his feet. He wanted to figure out through observation what this virtual existence really was.

His gaze swept over the hundreds of thousands in the city below in an instant. He discovered, to his astonishment, that it seems everyone was surrounded by a clump of this virtual substance.

From the fishermen carrying nets by the shore, to the office workers who were exhausted after work, the groups of students leaving school, and the housewives doing chores at home.

As long as they are human, no, as long as they are living beings.

Their bodies seemed to be surrounded by this virtual existence.

Especially those who look kind-hearted, seemed to possess more of it than others.

Moreover, the abundance or scarcity of this virtual existence seemed related to fortunes.

Since mastering the ability to foresee the near future, Wang Ye could see everyone’s fortunes, and now he found that those with relatively less virtual existence had worse fortunes, conversely better fortunes for those with more.

While scanning everyone, he inadvertently saw a temple in the mountain. Many monks and devotees were worshipping Buddha in the temple, attracting Wang Ye’s attention because he found that everyone inside seemed to have more virtual existence than others on the land.

Next, Wang Ye continued watching the three astronauts running wildly in the forest; although their spiritual power far exceeded ordinary people, the virtual existence surrounding them seemed less than others. This made Wang Ye find it a bit strange. Because when he first perceived this virtual existence, he found his own virtual existence to be the most, speculating it might be linked with spiritual power or physique.

After contemplating others for a long time, Wang Ye seemed to have some definite ideas in his mind.

This virtual existence, Wang Ye tentatively termed it as "Merit".

Merit, as Buddhism refers to the benefits derived from doing good.

In the "Mahayana Chapter: Ten Merits and Three Divisions," it states: "Merit refers to functionality, can overcome life and death, can achieve Nirvana, can save all beings, thus known as merit. This merit is the virtue of those practicing good deeds, thus called merit."

It can be understood that, in Buddhism, merit is a kind of energy obtained through good deeds. Those who have perfected merit can transcend the three realms, no longer suffering the pains of the six realms reincarnation. People with merit can transcend the cycle of life and death and reach liberation.

Wang Ye’s understanding is that a person with perfected merit has higher spiritual energy than ordinary people; thus, after death, their spiritual energy wouldn’t be absorbed by other lives and suffer their hardships but enters a higher realm than the so-called "six realms reincarnation."

In Daoism, there is a similar concept known as Blessings and Virtue, where beneficial virtues are said to reward diligent efforts with Heavenly Dao’s fortune. It means those with perfected blessings and virtue are also shielded by Heavenly Dao, increasingly fortunate, aided by benefactors, avoiding misfortune, drawing closer to what they desire.

Heavenly Dao, in traditional culture, refers to the Cosmic law, as water benefits all things without contending, dwelling where most dislike, thus closer to Dao. It means the quality of water is closer to the qualities of Heavenly Dao prevailing. People strive upward, water flows downward. Thus saying, Heavenly Dao reduces excess and supplements deficiency.

Some who experience supreme fortunes especially receive Heavenly Dao’s grace, often having a period of downturn before fate rises, which also balances Heavenly Dao’s way. Balancing the way aligns with Heavenly Dao, following Cosmic rules. Aligning with Heavenly Dao accumulates merit until perfected, and actions receive Heavenly Dao’s grace thereafter.