Chapter 205 - 163: False Buddha

Chapter 205: Chapter 163: False BuddhaZhou Xuan and his two companions entered the Mountain Gate of Qiye Temple. Aligned on a north-south axis, the temple had auxiliary facilities on both the east and west sides. As soon as the trio passed through the gate, two young novice monks who were posted to greet visitors noticed Si Ming. One of the novices went off to inform the abbot, Master Dehai, while the other approached and greeted Si Ming enthusiastically, saying, "Master Si, your visit illuminates our humble temple with glory." "A friend of mine wants to burn some incense, so I’m just showing him around. Don’t worry about us; you go on and attend to your guests." Implicitly suggesting the novice not tag along, Si Ming made his intent clear. The novice responded with a chant of the Buddha’s name and returned to his position at the Mountain Gate. Zhou Xuan glanced at the young monk and asked Si Ming, "Are all the monks at Qiye Temple this polite?" Having barely interacted with the novice, Zhou Xuan felt that the monks at Qiye Temple were almost excessively cheerful. From far away, one could already see their faces adorned with beaming smiles—genuine ones at that. Yet, by common reasoning, monks stationed at mountain gates, tasked with welcoming guests, usually maintain a sober and dignified demeanor to uphold the temple’s austere image. "Hmph, half of Qiye Temple’s annual incense donations come directly from our Tangkou. How could they not smile when they see me?" Si Ming explained. "It’s not just about money. Master Si, take a look over there..." Qiye Temple had an excellent reputation in Mingjiang Prefecture, and its incense offerings attracted a steady flow of visitors. At the foot of the Mountain Gate path, an elderly couple was ascending the stone pathway. The greeting monk smiled warmly at them as well—though the smile appeared excessively enthusiastic and somewhat artificial. "That greeting monk really does like to smile. It’s almost as if some string is missing in his head..." Zhou Xuan tapped his temple with a finger. The trio continued their way up the Mountain Gate path. Beyond the gate stood the Heavenly King Hall, with a central depiction of Maitreya Buddha flanked by statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. To Zhou Xuan, these five statues gave off a disturbingly eerie vibe. Though each depicted a dignified, majestic appearance, there was something fundamentally sinister about them. "Do you two find anything odd about these Buddha statues?" "Not odd at all—they’re just statues." Si Ming replied flatly. "Are our perceptions really that far apart?" Zhou Xuan was baffled. Granted, his Perception might sometimes manage to pick up an entirely different atmosphere than that of others, especially as he curbed his abilities for Si Yu’er’s sake. But with his senses partially restrained, there should have been little discrepancy between his experience and that of Si Ming and Si Yu’er. How could it be that he felt an ominous presence, but Si Ming and Si Yu’er remained completely unfazed? Just then, the elderly couple entered the Heavenly King Hall to offer their incense. The old woman also commented, "This feels off—really off, doesn’t it?" Zhou Xuan turned to her and asked, "Auntie, are you from Ping Shui Prefecture too? So am I." "What a coincidence! I live on Taiping Road. What about you, young man?" Taiping Road was Ping Shui’s economic center, home mainly to wealthy residents. The old lady couldn’t resist a subtle boast. "I live on Taiping West Road," Zhou Xuan answered casually. "So, you think these Buddhas aren’t right either?" "Something feels strange about them." Upon hearing Zhou Xuan mention Taiping West Road—Ping Shui’s poorest street—the old lady assumed Zhou Xuan was likely just a poor young man and decided against pursuing further conversation about their homes, lest it seemed condescending. Fortuitously, Zhou Xuan redirected the topic, making it easier for her to continue. Pointing at the Maitreya statue, she remarked, "Ping Shui Prefecture has plenty of Maitreya Temples, and the Maitreya Buddhas in those temples have far more upright auras than this one." Ping Shui’s Maitreya Temples were mostly counterfeit establishments built by kidnappers. Yet even the Maitreya Buddhas in those fake temples exuded a more righteous aura than the one at Qiye Temple! Si Yu’er, puzzled, asked the old woman, "Auntie, when you say the ’aura’ is off, what do you mean?" Standing behind Si Ming earlier, Si Yu’er had not been noticed. Now stepping forward, the old lady finally got a good look at her and couldn’t help but exclaim, "My, what a beautiful young lady you are! Such a lovely figure, too." Then, turning to Zhou Xuan, she added, "And you, young man—well, you’re quite tall!" Zhou Xuan: "..." Seriously? She gets complimented on her beauty and charm, while I just get ’tall’? The old woman addressed Si Yu’er, "Let me tell you, young lady, the Maitreya Buddhas in Ping Shui Prefecture are truly effective. The moment you bow, you’ll feel a warm, comforting heat throughout your body. But here in Mingjiang Prefecture, it’s completely different. When I bowed before these Buddhas, a cold breeze seemed to hit me out of nowhere—chilling me to the bone." She shook her head in disapproval. "There’s something wrong with these Buddhas. I wouldn’t dare worship them. My advice to you is—don’t bow before just any Buddha. Some are not meant to be worshipped." The old man chimed in, "This temple feels a little ’crooked.’" In Ping Shui dialect, "crooked" meant "sinister." After exchanging a few more words, the elderly couple linked arms and left Qiye Temple, heading back down the Mountain Gate path. Still inclined to offer advice, the old lady called back, "Hey, tall lad! Listen to me: worshipping the wrong Buddhas can ruin your fortune. You’re still young—other kinds of luck may be expendable, but not your financial luck." What could Zhou Xuan say to that, other than, "Thank you, Auntie..." Once the couple was out of sight, Zhou Xuan grew increasingly certain of his own judgment. But it puzzled him—why could ordinary incense burners sense the problem here, while Si Ming and Si Yu’er remained oblivious? "Ah, I get it. Could it be that Si Ming and Si Yu’er have never truly worshiped a genuine Buddha before? They might not even know what authentic Buddha energy feels like!" Zhou Xuan formed a "Zen Meditation Hand Seal" and subtly released a bit of his own Buddha energy. This energy was worlds apart from the counterfeit aura filling the Heavenly King Hall. Si Yu’er immediately felt a soothing warmth, as though basking in a gentle spring breeze. "Can you sense my Buddha energy now?" Zhou Xuan asked. "Ah, it’s just like the ancient texts describe—like a ray of sunlight enveloping the body. It feels wonderful," Si Yu’er admitted in surprise but then asked, "Brother Zhou, your path belongs to the tattoo lineage of the Yin People Hall. How is it that you possess Buddha energy?" "Just some fortuitous encounters from my past," Zhou Xuan replied with a smile. His Buddha energy came from both "Ten Fingers" and Lady Lianhua. What’s more, the Buddha energy from Ten Fingers was purified through rituals performed by his elder sister—leaving only the essence. Its aura was as righteous as it could get, perfectly matching descriptions in the ancient texts. "So, this is what real Buddha energy feels like?" Si Ming was conflicted—pleasantly surprised yet fiercely indignant. The pleasure stemmed from seeing Zhou Xuan demonstrate genuine Buddha energy, lending further credence to the theory of Zhou Xuan being the reincarnation of the Great Buddha. The frustration came from realizing that Qiye Temple, located on his Tangkou’s domain, had siphoned approximately a million Jing Country dollars annually from their Tangkou for incense donations, temple renovations, and farmland cultivation, only to house impostor Buddhas! A million—gone! Si Ming, who prided himself on his savvy business acumen, felt like he had made an egregiously reckless investment all these years! "Damn it! Duped us Divine Stealers for how long now?" Si Ming’s fury boiled within him. He resolved to get to the bottom of this, no matter what. "No wonder those greeting monks grin so widely. With zero authentic Buddha energy but more incense donations than a genuine temple, even I’d be smiling if I were them." Zhou Xuan cautioned Si Ming, "Master Si, uncovering the truth requires measured pacing—firm steps, but a calm demeanor. If we let our expressions betray us, won’t they grow suspicious and tighten their guard?" Si Ming took the advice to heart and quickly reined in his emotions, resuming his usual composed persona. "Well said, Young Master." "Master Si, what rare wind has blown such an esteemed guest your way today?" A voice called from a distance—it was Master Dehai, greeting Si Ming warmly. Master Dehai, the abbot of Qiye Temple, was an old acquaintance of Si Ming’s. Thinking about the millions his Tangkou had practically thrown into a black hole, Si Ming smoldered with quiet rage, letting out a frosty snort. Zhou Xuan reminded him again, "Firm steps, calm demeanor." Si Ming forced himself to speak casually, saying to Dehai, "Master Dehai, I brought a friend who wanted to offer incense. Thought I’d give him a tour of your temple." "Oh, and this gentleman is from Mingjiang Prefecture?" Dehai inquired, glancing at Zhou Xuan. "No," Zhou Xuan answered. "And have you worshiped at other temples before?" "Not particularly," Zhou Xuan replied. "I’ll be honest with you—I’ve never been that interested in Buddha worship. Today, I was only convinced by Master Si’s claim that your temple is especially spiritual." Si Ming, Si Yu’er: "..." Si Yu’er thought to herself, "Brother Zhou said to move forward calmly, but his version of ’calm’ is borderline indifferent..." "If you’ve not worshiped elsewhere, that’s good. Some temples house false Buddhas, while only ours has the real ones," Dehai said, clearly relieved. "With Master Dehai’s guidance today, explaining the murals and Buddha statues, perhaps I’ll come away enlightened on Buddha’s greater truth," Zhou Xuan said, smoothly flattering him. "This humble monk dares not claim credit, but providing insights into our statues and frescoes is part of my duty. May I ask your name, kind benefactor?" "My surname is Zhou—Zhou Jun," Zhou Xuan replied. "Mr. Zhou, please follow me." Dehai spoke humbly, inviting Zhou Xuan and his companions further into the temple. "This Master Dehai... he really looks like a goat," Zhou Xuan noted secretly. At first glance, he had immediately discerned Dehai’s "face." Despite his round visage, lack of facial hair, and slightly plump figure, in Zhou Xuan’s eyes, Dehai resembled a goat—a pointed face, a tuft of beard beneath the chin, and, most tellingly, his pupils. Instead of human-round pupils, he had the horizontal slits characteristic of goats. These traits were revealed to Zhou Xuan through his talent for "Face Reading." "Could he be a goat spirit? Is there a lineage of Wild Immortals called the Goat Sect?" Zhou Xuan speculated internally. ... Exiting Tianwang Temple via the northern gate led to the Great Hall, where many devotees knelt in prayer. The Hall Master sat by its entrance, explaining fertility blessings to a female worshiper. The title "Hall Master" might have sounded prestigious, but in truth, it denoted a rather modest role: overseeing the Great Hall’s operations, collecting incense donations, cleaning up the premises and maintaining the Buddha statues, and occasionally engaging in conversations about "Buddha lore" with visitors. Through a quick "Face Reading," Zhou Xuan assessed the Hall Master and found nothing unusual—no "goat face," just an ordinary monk. However, what intrigued him was the Hall Master’s overwhelmingly sturdy frame. Barrel-chested and broad-shouldered, his build even showed signs of accumulated fat—typically described in ancient times as a "general’s physique," where layers of muscle were padded with protective fat, indicating immense strength and endurance. "Am I wrong, or do the monks at Qiye Temple not follow a vegetarian diet?" Ordinary monks abstained from meat, resulting in leaner physiques. Yet nearly all of Qiye Temple’s monks looked like incarnations of Lu Zhishen himself—how could they get so burly on a vegetarian diet? "They’re definitely consuming meat—probably in significant quantities, too." At the Great Hall, Zhou Xuan tried to feel its energies. Though not as eerie as the Heavenly King Hall, the aura here was still far from righteous or orthodox. "Mr. Zhou, what sets our Great Hall apart from other temples’ is this: While others enshrine the Horizontal and Vertical Three Buddhas, our temple honors a seventh figure as well: Monk Zhu Jiu." Si Ming had previously mentioned Monk Zhu Jiu, albeit vaguely. Zhou Xuan took this chance to ask Dehai, "Master, who exactly is Monk Zhu Jiu, and why is he on par with the Horizontal and Vertical Three Buddhas?" Dehai chuckled, just about to give an explanation, when suddenly a voice called out from within the hall. "Senior brother, let me assist in explaining to our honored guests." Another burly monk in kasaya emerged, striding toward Zhou Xuan. As Zhou Xuan turned to look, his "Face Reading" revealed the same "goat face" on this kasaya monk...