Chen Zhi once saw this relic of Master Xuanzang's Tianling Bone Relic on the Internet.
To be honest, Chen Zhi didn't think that things like relics were very sacred at that time.
The one seen in the picture at that time was actually a very ordinary skeleton.
The bones looked like clay in color, with loose bones, and were inlaid with small beads one after another, like small crystal balls.
That is the relic.
Relic is the transliteration of the Sanskrit word arīra, which is the general name for the body after death in India.
In Buddhism, the hair, bones, ashes, etc. left behind by a monk after his death are all called relics.
Some very famous eminent monks will produce crystals after cremation, some are as transparent as diamonds, and some are formed into colorful rows, which are called relics or solid relics.
As for the reason for the formation of the relics, there is still no conclusion so far. According to Buddhist scriptures, the relics were naturally felt by the monks during their lifetime due to the merits of precepts, concentration and wisdom, and are the crystallization of practice.
In modern scientific society, most speculations believe that the formation of relics is related to the chemical reaction that occurs when bones and other objects are cremated together.
The reason why monks have this kind of chemical reaction is because they are usually vegetarian.
But this view was soon proven to be inaccurate. There are many vegetarians in the world, not just Buddhists, but they have not been seen forming relics.
There is also folklore that when a person has been away from the body for a long time and is full of essence, a solid relic will appear. Therefore, forming a relic is a recognition of the character of this eminent monk.
Therefore, since ancient times, eminent monks and great sages have taken pride in the relics to prove their merits, compassion and wisdom during their lifetime.
At that time, the relics Chen Zhi saw on the website were nothing more than transparent crystals the size of glass balls, most of which were not transparent and had no luster.
However, at this time, Chen Zhi saw with his own eyes that the transparent crystals inlaid on the bones gave off an incredible dazzling luster, which was simply unmatched by the luminous pearls.
Those rays of light are not dazzling, warm and gorgeous, but so bright that people cannot turn their attention.
"This is so incredible...",
Chen Zhi said softly, but the staff behind him seemed not to hear clearly and asked:
"Mr. Chen, are you okay?
We're going to get to work now.
It's very dark here, and we need to trouble you to help us use the flashlight..."
"What did you say?",
Chen Zhi's mind suddenly buzzed, and he seemed to understand everything at once.
"You said it's dark here?
Here..., is there no light?"
"Light?
There is no light!",
Professor Liao’s eldest disciple looked at Chen Zhi strangely,
"It's so dark here that you can't even see your fingers, Mr. Chen!
What are you talking about?"
"Then you..." Chen Zhi suppressed his expression and asked in a normal tone.
"Did you all see the scene outside just now?
This tower will emit light and illuminate this mountain, just like in the legend!"
"What?",
The eldest disciple seemed to think that Chen Zhi was crazy. Under such circumstances, a smile appeared on his face.
"Mr. Chen, please stop joking, this is not what you should say!
The relic is just a kind of crystal, how can it emit light by itself? That is just a legend, how can it be taken seriously?
From the moment we entered here, everything here was eerie, it was dark everywhere, and we couldn't even see any shadows.
You still say such things now, which makes me feel gloomy. Please stop saying them...",
After the disciple finished speaking, he directed the two staff members to put the box on the ground, take out the laboratory equipment inside, and then turned back to Chen Zhi and said,
"Mr. Chen, we don't have much time. It will take some time to collect samples.
We are racing against time now!
Stop saying those weird things and just help us use the flashlight!",
After the eldest apprentice finished speaking, he put the flashlight into Chen Zhi's hand without any explanation, and then gathered in front of the glass box with three scientific researchers to prepare for sampling.
They have studied the photos and external conditions of this relic many times.
They had all expected in advance that there would be a glass cover outside, there would be mechanisms, and the glass might even be bulletproof.
But before coming, they had made complete preparations, including their diamond isolation knives.
If the glass cover is difficult to remove, they make a circular hole in it.
However, what surprised everyone was that there were not that many mechanisms around the glass box, and the material was just an ordinary glass plate. It was easily opened by gently lifting it up.
But... the moment the glass cover opened, Chen Zhi suddenly felt that his eyesight went dark, and then he couldn't see anything...
Chen Zhi thought he was unconscious at first, but later he discovered that the light around him was gone.
The warm and brilliant light just now no longer exists.
There was only a gloomy darkness around him, and he couldn't see his fingers clearly.
There is still that big mountain outside, and the cold mountain wind hits the glass of the stupa, making a "dang-dang~~" sound.
The miraculous scene I just saw is gone.
And the Xuanzang skull relic, just like the wreckage seen online, was placed there calmly, without any luster.
Everything Chen Zhi saw just now seemed like a dream.
"Master Danxuan...",
Chen Zhi turned his head slightly, wanting to see Danxuan's condition.
And when he saw the scene behind him, he couldn't help but gasped.
I saw...
At the dark door, Danxuan stood there alone, staring at the staff at work.
On his side, there was a human figure made of light, looking at him close to his face.
The facial features of the humanoid are not clearly visible, but you can see that he has a bald head, a cassock on his body, and straw sandals on his feet.