Walker Of The Worlds

2869  Testing The Limits Of The Healing Heart Sutra

The young boar nuzzled against Lin Mu's knee, emitting a grateful snort before lumbering off into the forest. Its gait was steady now—each step no longer burdened by pain, but strengthened with renewed vitality.

Lin Mu remained seated for a while longer, allowing his Qi to slowly cycle and stabilize. The Healing Heart Sutra's aftermath was not something he could ignore; it left his dantian half dry, his meridians tingling from overuse.

But in the silence that followed, something miraculous began to unfold.

The grass beneath him grew taller, greener—lush with life.

The trees around him, previously worn and weathered, now stood proud and firm. Leaves that had once curled at the edges now gleamed with jade vibrancy, as if spring itself had returned to this pocket of the world.

Small creatures began to emerge.

A pair of cloudtail squirrels chattered from a branch above, watching Lin Mu curiously. In the underbrush, glow ants marched in tidy formation, their pheromone trails harmonized instead of frantic. A spirit-eyed deer, usually elusive, stepped cautiously into view and bent its head in silent reverence before turning away.

The forest had felt his presence.

No—more than that. It had responded to him.

The Healing Heart Sutra didn't just mend injuries; it aligned the natural world with a deeper rhythm. One of harmony, serenity, and profound growth.

But such grace came with caution.

Lin Mu exhaled slowly and gazed at his trembling hand.

"If I had pushed just a little more…" he murmured.

He could feel it—had he continued for even another minute, his meridians might have cracked. The sutra demanded nothing short of devotion, and if he tried to heal something too broken, it would break him in turn.

"A power like this... it can't be used recklessly."

Still, he felt no regret.

The beast had lived. The forest had healed.

And something within Lin Mu had awakened anew.

A warm pulse stirred in his chest—no longer just the chant of the Healing Heart Sutra, but a faint echo of the previous five as well. They didn't clash. They harmonized.

The Calming Heart Sutra's clarity.

The Severing Heart Sutra's stillness.

The Burning Heart Sutra's ferocity.

The Nurturing Heart Sutra's acceptance.

The Murdering Heart Sutra's wrath.

And now… the Healing Heart Sutra's benevolence.

Each one a facet of his evolving self.

Lin Mu rose to his feet, though a little unsteadily. His robes were damp with dew and the scent of wild herbs clung to him.

As he turned to leave the forest, the trees swayed gently—not from the wind, but as if bowing in farewell.

And far above, hidden beneath clouds and sky, the Green Petal Urim Lotus radiated a soothing light that spread across the peaks of the temple, unnoticed by all but the most sensitive.

Somewhere deep within the Green Lotus Temple, the abbot meditating in solitude suddenly opened his eyes.

He looked toward the forest, his gaze distant and thoughtful.

"… Something has changed... Something benevolent," he whispered.

Back at the Green Lotus Temple, Lin Mu sat cross-legged beneath the shade of a broad-leaved tree near the monks' herb gardens. A small jade slip hovered in front of him, etched with glowing runes he had only recently transcribed—inscriptions on healing arts and Qi meridian circulation from various sects, likely left behind by the monks of old.

He had visited the temple's library to gain more insight into healing skills and techniques.

Though insightful, none of it truly compared to what now pulsed in his soul.

The Healing Heart Sutra was more than a technique. It was a living scripture that resonated with his very essence. Lin Mu could feel it ripple within him when he breathed slowly, could hear distant whispers when he placed his palm on the soil. It wanted to be used. But it also demanded restraint.

"I need to know what it can really do… and what it might take from me," Lin Mu muttered.

He chose a quiet spot in a nearby glade, secluded yet rich in ambient Qi. A patch of wild spirit herbs grew here, along with a few trees that leaned as if naturally forming a protective canopy.

Drawing in a deep breath, Lin Mu summoned a pulse of sword intent to his hand and, with a swift gesture, sliced a thin gash along his forearm—not deep, but enough to bleed.

Instantly, the Healing Heart Sutra activated.

A luminous green glow radiated from his chest, and golden script began to unfurl in the air around him—mystic characters flowing with ancient authority.

"Embrace the Heart of Nature… Cleanse all that taints…"

The wound sealed within seconds, new skin forming like the unfurling of a fresh leaf.

"No conscious command… it truly responds on instinct."

Lin Mu then tried varying levels of damage—minor bruises, deeper cuts, torn muscles. Each time, the sutra reacted, but the Qi it consumed changed drastically.

Small injuries drew a gentle stream of Qi, like water flowing from a spring.

But when he shattered a bone in his hand to test the upper limit, the cost was immediate and severe. His Qi surged outward like a broken dam, flooding the affected area. Though the bone knitted together in mere moments, Lin Mu's vision blurred, and he stumbled to one knee, his dantian noticeably drained.

"Too much…" he gasped, clutching his chest.

He closed his eyes and circulated his remaining Qi slowly, allowing his cores to stabilize. The Wood Core in particular shimmered with approval, resonating with the sutra's nature-based attributes. The Water Core, too, stirred faintly—its gentle, nourishing aspect feeding into the healing process.

"Wood and Water… they strengthen the Healing Sutra. But even then, the consumption is too heavy for serious injuries."

He then placed his palm on a withered spirit herb nearby—one whose roots had been overtaken by rot. With care, he let the sutra flow outward.

This time, the sutra hesitated.

The air stilled.

And then… a second pulse emerged from Lin Mu's chest—less intense, more refined. The Healing Heart Sutra began to adapt its nature.