With that said, the [Abbot] paused for a moment, then recounted a story to [Amamiya Rin], a personal experience of his own.
"I once saw women who worked as 'Weeping Women' at [Nakizaka] in the [Oou Region]. They wept for the deceased, and the tears and sorrow of the dead flowed from their eyes, allowing the dead to attain Buddhahood. Tracing it back to the source, it began with an immortal named [Lady Rui]. She was a survivor of a drought two hundred years ago. Her sorrow, and the sorrow of her dying compatriots, flowed out through her tears, forming a lake and resolving the drought. The people who followed her believed that by mourning the dead and feeling their sorrow, one could shed tears on their behalf. When the sorrow of the dead was exhausted through these tears, the dead could attain Buddhahood. Consequently, the people there all possessed a constitution where they would shed tears the moment someone died."
"[Nakizaka]?"
[Amamiya Rin] remembered this place. It was also from a work by [Junji Ito], and the general content was just as the [Abbot] described.
"Is this what they call mind over matter?"
[Amamiya Rin] seemed to grasp something.
In his impression, the power of the mind, or rather will, occupied a large portion of the [Junji Ito] series. [Long Dream] and [Travelogue of the Succubus] were practically mass-produced psionic ascensions; the former involved eternal life within a dream, while the latter involved merging as one with the universe.
Recovering his train of thought, [Amamiya Rin] pressed the [Abbot]: "In that case, there may not necessarily be gods and Buddhas in the world, but because some people firmly believe in the protection of gods and Buddhas, they are able to exorcise evil with just pure salt?"
The [Abbot] approved of [Amamiya Rin]'s conclusion: "That is exactly the principle. Ghosts are also transformations of the mind's intent; they are born of desire and obsession. Ghosts without desire or want have long since entered the Yellow Springs. To deal with ghosts of the present world, it does not matter if you do not believe in gods or Buddhas. As long as your will is stronger than theirs, before you, they are no different from humans with physical bodies."
[Amamiya Rin] suddenly saw the light.
He didn't need to learn any specific methods for exorcising evil or subduing demons at all.
Because the Six Wonderful Gates he was studying were, in themselves, a cultivation path capable of dealing with ghosts.
Suddenly, the hand with which [Amamiya Rin] held his teacup paused. He frowned slightly, his expression darkening, and he muttered to himself in displeasure.
"Rivers and mountains may change, but one's true nature is hard to alter. How long has it been since they settled down? They are starting to stir up trouble again."
While the [Tomie]s were discussing how to deal with him, [Amamiya Rin], who was also within the [Tomie Network], had been listening to it all.
Previously, he used self-suggestion to construct a psychological defense line as a firewall to filter out the thoughts of other [Tomie]s—although it wasn't very useful, it could barely manage to cause phenomena of signal instability, intermittence, and delay.
Ever since successfully cultivating the [White Skeleton Visualization] and becoming able to ignore the [Tomie]s' charm, [Amamiya Rin] had abandoned that resistance, allowing the signal to return to normal.
Now, [Amamiya Rin] could clearly perceive every single thought in the [Tomie Network], and it would not cause chaos in his brain.
When the [Tomie]s were denouncing him earlier, he paid no mind, but now that a [Tomie] was about to commit evil again, he could not turn a deaf ear.
"What is the matter, Benefactor?"
[Amamiya Rin]'s sudden behavior puzzled the [Abbot].
"It is [Tomie]. Due to some past experiences, I can sense [Tomie] and the others. There is a [Tomie] planning to ruin the wedding of an engaged couple."
[Amamiya Rin] pointed to his own temple, but did not reveal the situation fully.
"What does the Benefactor intend to do?"
The [Abbot] did not ask why [Amamiya Rin] could sense [Tomie], only asking about [Amamiya Rin]'s intentions.
"Stop her, of course. I have the ability."
[Amamiya Rin] said without hesitation.
Since he was immune to [Tomie]'s charm and connected to [Tomie]'s brain, there was no reason for him to let [Tomie] act wildly.
Furthermore, he didn't want to experience the physical sensations of [Tomie] going to bed with someone else.
"I intend to bring all the [Tomie]s under control first..."
[Amamiya Rin] currently had a vague idea, though it wasn't quite mature yet.
The [Abbot] said with gratification: "The Avatamsaka Sutra says: 'Do not seek comfort for oneself, but wish for all beings to be free from suffering.' That the Benefactor has given rise to this [Bodhicitta] is excellent, excellent."
"I'm not that great. I'm just doing some things that benefit both myself and others."
[Amamiya Rin] gave a carefree smile, then closed his eyes, immersing his mind into that [Tomie Network] interwoven with over thirty consciousnesses.
In an instant, all kinds of chaotic thoughts and extreme emotions flooded into his mind.
Arrogance, boredom, hatred, calculation—intense malice directed at him seemed to be born directly from the depths of his own heart.
If he had not already cultivated the Gate of Contemplation, achieving the state of observing the body as impure and feelings as empty, thereby breaking the attachment to form and sensation, his ordinary state of Dhyana would have long been destroyed by these evil thoughts born from the heart.
[Amamiya Rin] acted like he was tuning a radio channel, ignoring those meaningless noises, and soon locked onto a single consciousness—the [Tomie] who was currently a guest at [Toshiyuki]'s home.
[Amamiya Rin]'s will penetrated deep, and through the neural network, he gradually synchronized his five senses.
As if plugged into some biological interface, his senses were instantly dragged into another scene.
First came the sense of smell: the elegant scent of high-grade incense mixed with the straw smell of tatami mats.
Next was vision. He saw himself—[Tomie] was sitting cross-legged and languidly on a soft cushion, her gaze sweeping carelessly across the man and woman opposite her.
Hearing also became clear. The noisy boasting of a middle-aged man sounded like background noise.
[Amamiya Rin] could physically feel the slight vibration of [Tomie]'s chest cavity, and could even feel the appropriate warmth of the room through [Tomie]'s skin, the tactile sensation of the cushion beneath her, as well as [Tomie]'s current thoughts.
At this moment, [Tomie]'s voice rang clearly in [Amamiya Rin]'s ear.
"Oh my, I was just showing some concern. After all, marriage is a major life event. If Miss [Hinako] is unwilling in her heart, wouldn't that be pitiful?"
What typical 'green tea' drivel?
[Amamiya Rin] carefully observed the appearance of the man sitting opposite. He was indeed a handsome guy, not much worse than himself. No wonder [Tomie] was so patient.
Inside the Japanese-style room, [Tomie] was preparing to say more words to sow discord, the malicious smile at the corner of her mouth already rising.
And it was at this moment that [Amamiya Rin]'s voice rang out perfectly within the depths of her mind, as clear as a whisper.
(That's enough, [Tomie].)
[Tomie]'s smile instantly froze on her face. The hand preparing to lift the teacup also stopped in mid-air, a trace of shock and suspicion flashing through her eyes.
"Miss [Tomie], what is wrong?"
The middle-aged man noticed her strangeness and asked with concern.
[Toshiyuki] and [Hinako] also looked at her in confusion.
[Tomie] quickly suppressed the shock in her heart and forced a perfunctory smile: "It's nothing, just a sudden bit of dizziness."
She lowered her head, concealing the anger and horror surging in her eyes.
([Amamiya Rin]?! What do you want?)
[Tomie] shouted in her heart.
(I don't want anything, I just want to stop you from acting wildly. Now, immediately, right away—you are not allowed to ruin other people's marriages anymore. Otherwise...)
[Amamiya Rin]'s voice resounded again, carrying an unquestionable will.
(Ha! Are you joking! Do you think I'll listen to you? Stop saying such boring and utterly stupid things!)
The corners of [Tomie]'s mouth twisted, revealing a look of spite, and she spoke viciously within the [Tomie Network].
____
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