Chapter 449: "Dharma Body Formation Precautions"
Ao Chengcheng knew Li Er’s personality all too well. With the addition of the Wishful Gourd, she couldn’t help but worry about leaving these two together. However, with the temporary spatial passage already vanished, she had no choice but to resign herself to fate.
“Human Sovereign, would you like to visit the West Sea?” The West Sea Dragon King enthusiastically invited, but Jiang Li politely declined.
The West Sea Dragon King took Ao Chengcheng back to the West Sea.
“Uncle Jiang, would you like me to show you around the Dharmakaya Sect?”
“Sure.”
The Dharmakaya Sect was located in the southwest region of the Nine Provinces Continent, bordering both the West Sea and South Sea. Li Nian’er mentioned that her father and mother had first met in the shallow waters of the West Sea.
“Uncle Jiang should already know our sect’s philosophy – viewing all things as prototypes for Dharma Bodies, imitating all things, and ultimately surpassing all things.”
“This is our training ground.”
On the training ground, two Dharmakaya Sect disciples were sparring, with flickering phantom images behind them. Both were still in the experimental stage of Dharma Body formation.
“This one is mimicking a Metal-Eating Rat, while that one imitates a Nine-Tailed Spirit Cat.”
“Squeak—”
“Meow—”
“Squeak—”
“Meow—”
The two disciples were making animal noises like a chaotic chorus, creating quite a lively scene.
Li Nian’er facepalmed before walking over and giving each disciple a knock on the head.
“Senior sister…” The two complained, not understanding why they were being hit.
“You’re supposed to emulate the essence of the spirit beasts, not their sounds! If you imitate a Metal-Eating Rat, must you actually eat metal—”
One disciple immediately pulled out a piece of metal and started chewing.
Li Nian’er snatched the metal away.
The other disciple suddenly knelt on the ground.
“And what’s wrong with you?”
“Without a tail, I can’t maintain balance.”
Li Nian’er shook the disciple’s shoulders vigorously: “Snap out of it! You’re human, not a cat—you don’t need a tail!”
She explained to Jiang Li: “This happens frequently. Disciples new to Dharma Body formation often confuse whether they’re human or their Dharma Body.”
“It’s not a major issue. As their cultivation improves and comprehension deepens, these cognitive errors disappear.”
“Though our sect has had several incidents because of this.”
“A few years back, a male disciple modeled his Dharma Body after a historical female cultivator, believed himself to be female, and kept sneaking into women’s baths.”
“What happened to him?”
“It was discovered he was faking it, and he was expelled from the sect.”
Jiang Li: “…”
“Another disciple modeled his Dharma Body after a pill furnace and kept eating raw herbs.”
“And now?”
“He came to his senses, left our sect, and joined the Alchemy Peak of the Dao Sect.”
“I’m worried these two disciples modeling after spirit beasts might develop problems.”
Jiang Li found this strange: “What problems could arise? At their cultivation level, swallowing metal isn’t dangerous.”
Li Nian’er looked grave: “Historically, many disciples who modeled their Dharma Bodies after spirit beasts came to believe they were demonic beasts themselves, so…”
“So what?”
“So they married into the Baize Dynasty as sons-in-law.”
“Some had milder symptoms—they knew they were human but developed lingering aftereffects.”
“Which are?”
“Falling in love with demonic beasts.”
“…”
Jiang Li was momentarily at a loss for words.
“When forming my Dharma Body, I also referenced several spirit beasts. But being half-dragon, I didn’t experience such issues.”
Li Nian’er continued the tour: “This is our Scripture Pavilion, containing our predecessors’ insights on Dharma Bodies.”
“Regular disciples can only access the first three floors. Elders may read books from the fourth to sixth floors.”
“But as Human Sovereign, Uncle Jiang naturally has access to all floors.”
In the Scripture Pavilion, many disciples were studying. When they spotted Jiang Li, they abandoned their books to stare at him with fervent gazes.
Who would read books when the living Human Sovereign was present?
Having experienced such scenes often, Jiang Li effortlessly ignored the stares and casually browsed the collection.
“‘Dharma Body Formation Precautions.'”
Li Nian’er explained: “This is required reading for new disciples. It documents the situations I mentioned earlier. Though they’re warned, disciples still make those mistakes during actual combat.”
Jiang Li found the book valuable—it recorded the Dharmakaya Sect’s historical failures.
For example, one predecessor warned that while modeling one’s Dharma Body after oneself was fine, one shouldn’t use bronze mirrors for observation:
“We cultivators should have unwavering courage and firm conviction that we are the strongest.”
“To perfectly replicate my form, I observed myself day and night in a bronze mirror. I could visualize every detail of my appearance.”
“Yet fate is unpredictable. When I formed my Dharma Body, it took the mirror’s form instead of mine. What tragedy!”
“Fortunately, my mirror Dharma Body could replicate enemies’ cultivation and abilities, offering some consolation.”
“Later generations, take warning—do not follow my example.”
Jiang Li read another failure account:
“Note to successors: When modeling your Dharma Body after yourself, remember to include clothing. Or make it glow golden to obscure details. Just don’t end up naked like me.”
Though brief, this account vividly conveyed the predecessor’s social disgrace.
“It’s best to model after existing demonic beasts of the Nine Provinces World. Don’t fully trust illustrated manuals of spirit beasts—some pirated versions have terrible quality.”
Jiang Li could easily imagine what this predecessor had endured.
“Boycott the sect’s regular soccer matches. Also, don’t model your Dharma Body after the cosmos. When I tried, I memorized every star’s position by nightly observation so cosmic energy could project onto my form.”
“But when I finally succeeded, the sect held a soccer tournament for Unity Stage elders that disrupted celestial alignment. My Dharma Body couldn’t match the real cosmos, drastically weakening its power.”
Jiang Li marveled at the Dharmakaya Sect predecessors’ struggles—so many pitfalls in simple Dharma Body formation.
Reaching the fourth floor, Jiang Li discovered “The Dharma Body Sutra,” which thoroughly explained Dharma Body principles.
“Uncle Jiang, would you like this book?” As the sect’s representative, Li Nian’er also had access to floors four through six.
“The Dharma Body Sutra” was the sect’s closely guarded secret, available only to elders or exceptionally meritorious disciples. But the sect would gladly gift it to Jiang Li—some secrets depended on who was asking.
Jiang Li recalled one mission reward was half of “The Dharma Body Sutra.” Even the Dharmakaya Sect was more generous than his stingy system.
“No need. Sect Master Li Er already gave me the complete ‘Dharma Body Sutra.'”
When Jiang Li reached the Mahayana Stage, Li Er had gifted him this sutra as congratulatory present. Following its instructions, Jiang Li had quickly formed his Dharma Body.
Though now, having progressed from a one-year Mahayana cultivator to a three-century Mahayana cultivator, the Dharma Body had become more for show—it no longer enhanced his combat power.