“Meng Qin, you carry the load, and I’ll lead the horse. We welcome the sunrise and bid farewell to the sunset.”
“Flatten the rough paths into a grand road, overcome the hardships and set off again, and again.”
…
“Master, what song are you singing? It sounds quite nice.”
“The theme song of Journey to the West.”
“Never heard of it.”
In the Ten Thousand Mile Buddhist Kingdom, every few miles, one would encounter a temple. Some were buried by sandstorms, revealing only the top of the pagoda; others were dilapidated and abandoned, covered in cobwebs; and some had a few monks sitting on prayer mats, striking wooden fish and chanting Zen scriptures.
Traveling a thousand miles into the Buddhist Kingdom, they saw countless temples.
Until ‘Gu Xiyue’ suggested they walk to experience the local customs and culture, the group of four jumped out of the River of Time and Space, stepping onto the soft sand, leaving deep footprints with each step.
One man and three women, it looked like a sightseeing trip.
Meng Qingzhou laughed foolishly, suddenly thinking of Journey to the West, which perfectly matched the scene. Three maids: the head maid Su Qingqiu, the second maid Wu Die, and the third maid Gu Xiyue, with him as the master.
A living, breathing group on a pilgrimage for scriptures.
If an old monk were to suddenly appear and ask, “Great Sage, what is your purpose on this journey?” it would be even more amusing.
“Sword Saint, please wait. May I ask why you have traveled thousands of miles into the heart of the Buddhist Kingdom?”
Suddenly.
A distant voice called out.
Meng Qingzhou’s smile froze. What the heck, it’s really happening?
Su Qingqiu turned around and saw an old monk in tattered robes, looking spirited despite his sunken cheeks and skinny frame like a bamboo pole. His wide robes billowed in the wind, looking somewhat comical.
“Be careful, this old monk is not simple. He’s been within a hundred meters of us, and we didn’t even notice,” Wu Die said, her eyes filled with caution.
Meng Qingzhou smiled calmly, took a few steps forward, cupped his hands, and said politely, “Meng Qin, greetings, Master. To be honest, we are here to rescue Prime Minister Jiang Canghai, who is trapped. However, the Ten Thousand Mile Buddhist Kingdom is vast, and we only know the general direction, not the exact location. We hope you can guide us.”
Previously, the King of Langya had revealed that Prime Minister Jiang Canghai was in an oasis in the northern part of the Buddhist Kingdom.
However, the Buddhist Kingdom was indeed vast. The Ten Thousand Mile Desert was not just a saying, and with various extreme weather conditions and two burdens to carry, the search was quite troublesome.
The old monk’s face stiffened slightly.
What a bold young man, asking so directly?
Your Prime Minister Jiang Canghai led an army of a million, killed an Arhat, and now you want me to guide you?
“Ahem, this humble monk is not sure.”
The old monk cleared his throat and then added, “This humble monk was sent to deliver a message to the Sword Saint.”
“Who sent you?”
“The Buddha.”
Meng Qingzhou fell silent for a moment, then made a gesture of invitation. “Please speak.”
“The Buddha asked me to tell you that the Heaven-Watching Pavilion has issued a decree, postponing the unification of the Wilderness. He requests that you return to Langya and wait for the right time, which is when the Great Jin and the Buddhist Kingdom will take the stage.”
Heaven-Watching Pavilion?!
So the Buddha really is a pawn of the Heaven-Watching Pavilion.
Meng Qingzhou frowned, then laughed sarcastically. “Ridiculous.”
“A dignified Sky-Reaching Realm, the founder of a sect, being ordered around by the Heaven-Watching Pavilion. The most important event in nearly ten thousand years, concerning unification, is being treated like a child’s play.”
“The Heaven-Watching Pavilion really thinks of itself as the master of the world, ordering us around like actors, saying the time isn’t right, spewing nonsense.”
The old monk suddenly smiled, as if he had expected this, and said, “The Buddha also said he knew the Sword Saint would not agree, so he asked me to deliver another message.”
“You may tour the Buddhist Kingdom, stir up trouble, and cause a ruckus as you wish, but do not attempt to kill an Arhat to prove your Dao. The Sky-Reaching Realm cannot be broken. Otherwise, he will intervene early, even if it means disrupting the Heaven-Watching Pavilion’s plans. The Buddha will always be watching you.”
“My task is complete. Farewell, benefactor.”
With that, the old monk turned to leave.
“Wait!”
Meng Qingzhou’s face turned cold. He grabbed the old monk’s shoulder and said in a cold voice, “Please guide us. You haven’t told us where Prime Minister Jiang Canghai is.”
The old monk smiled and said, “This humble monk truly does not know. Please do not make things difficult…”
Zing!!
The Cicada Song sword was drawn, placed on the old monk’s shoulder, pressing close to his neck, drawing a thin line of blood.
“Master, I sincerely ask for your guidance. Please show us the way.”
The old monk remained calm, silent, and clasped his hands together, chanting Zen scriptures.
“Fearless of death, are you not a lama practicing true Zen?” Meng Qingzhou listened closely, surprised.
He realized that the scriptures the old monk was chanting seemed to be true Zen scriptures, not the fake ones like those of the Lustful Arhat.
Moreover, orthodox Zen practices involve cultivating a golden body, forging a Zen heart, and adhering to the Eight Precepts.
Previously, Meng Qingzhou had only encountered the Lustful Arhat and a group of fanatical followers in Langya, which had given him the impression that the Buddhist Kingdom was a den of lamas.
How could there be true Buddhas in a den of demons? So Meng Qingzhou’s first impression was that this old monk was also a tantric Zen practitioner, an external lama.
“In this wretched place of the Buddhist Kingdom, there’s actually an ascetic monk like you. Doesn’t the Buddha get annoyed listening to your true scriptures all day and slap you to death?” Meng Qingzhou’s interest was piqued.
The old monk paused his chanting and said calmly, “Benefactor, you are mistaken. The Buddhist Kingdom encompasses all kinds of Zen sects. Who can say which is the orthodox Zen and which is the false Zen? Compassion can lead to Buddhahood, but who can be sure that killing cannot?”
“Compassion, precepts, purity of mind, and abstinence are all constraints on cultivators, akin to seclusion, not affecting the outside world, hence praised as orthodox Buddhism. But tantric Zen, experiencing all worldly sins, tasting their flavors, understanding their essence, going through all the emotions and desires, life and death, and finally washing away all impurities to achieve Buddhahood, is also possible.”
Su Qingqiu perked up her ears, rubbing her chin, and muttered, “There’s some truth to that.”
Wu Die, exasperated, said, “If your mind isn’t strong, don’t eavesdrop. Be careful not to get brainwashed one day.”
Dongfang Liuli remained indifferent, not speaking, but let out a snort of laughter.
“No wonder there’s a debate project in Zen. You guys are the experts at spouting nonsense,” Meng Qingzhou said, losing interest.
“Alright.”
“Since it’s confirmed that you’re a Zen practitioner adhering to the precepts.”
Meng Qingzhou said, summoning a beast from a distance, then handing the Cicada Song sword to the old monk, aiming it at the beast as if to stab it.
“Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?” The old monk was shocked.
“What do you think?” Meng Qingzhou sneered. “Helping you break your precepts.”
“Then I’ll roast this beast and feed it to you, and take you to the most famous brothel in Langya.”
“Aren’t you fearless of death? I admire your unyielding spirit, so I’ll treat you to the pleasures of the world.”
The old monk’s face turned pale, and he shouted, “Benefactor, stop! Please stop! I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything!”
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