Chapter 425

Outside Jiangzhou City, an abandoned broken temple.

The night rain continued, the strong wind poured in along the dilapidated window lattice, blowing the fire in the temple until it flickered.

"Beat! Beat him hard! This little beast actually dared to hide steamed buns!"

A beggar leader with a face full of flesh waved a rattan with barbs in his hand, whipping a thin body hard.

Three-year-old Chen Yan curled up in the mud, wearing ragged clothes, his body covered in crisscrossing bloodstains.

Slap!

The rattan whipped through the skin and flesh, blood mixed with mud flowing on the ground.

Chen Yan did not cry, he bit his lip tightly, his hands protecting the half-spoiled steamed bun in his arms tightly.

This was a little food he had snatched after starving for three days.

"Still dare to glare at me!" The beggar leader saw his stubborn appearance, his anger burning, and kicked Chen Yan in the stomach.

Chen Yan let out a muffled groan, rolled twice in the mud, the severe pain making him curl into a ball, his consciousness beginning to blur.

In a trance, a few fragmented images flashed in his mind.

A burly man with a ferocious face and a scar on his face but gentle eyes, holding him high with rough hands.

A beautiful woman, sitting under the eaves, calling his name softly.

"Father... mother..." Chen Yan's throat made a confused sound.

This was the last warmth in the bottom of his heart.

Although he couldn't remember their names, he knew he once had a happy home.

In the sky, deep in the clouds.

The Golden-Headed Head Jiedi and Silver-Headed Head Jiedi sat cross-legged on the clouds, looking down at the scene in the broken temple, their eyes indifferent.

"This is the training of the Buddha's son." The Golden-Headed Head Jiedi looked at Chen Yan being beaten below, his tone flat, "Only by experiencing the bitter sea of the red dust and suffering from hunger and cold can one see through the vanity of this skin."

The Silver-Headed Head Jiedi put his hands together: "Amitabha. The physical body suffers, and the Buddha heart can be tough. As long as there is no danger to life, let these mortals toss. When the time is ripe, someone will naturally lead him into the Fomen."

The gods and Buddhas are high above, treating the suffering of mortals as a matter-of-course practice.

A few months later, on the streets of Jiangzhou.

Chen Yan was dragged by the hair by the beggar leader, dragging along the bluestone slab all the way.

"If you don't beg for ten copper coins today, I'll break your legs!" The beggar leader kicked Chen Yan in the stomach.

Chen Yan rolled on the ground a few times, lying on the side of the road.

He was too hungry, and didn't even have the strength to climb up.

The passersby avoided one after another, pointing and pointing, but no one dared to manage this idle business.

The beggar leader raised the wooden stick in his hand, about to smash it down.

"Stop."

A voice that was old but full of energy sounded.

The crowd parted, and an old monk wearing an old cassock that had been washed white walked over.

The old monk had a thin and refined face, full of compassion.

He was Elder Faming of Jin Shansi, who came down the mountain today to transcend people.

Faming walked to Chen Yan and squatted down.

Chen Yan barely raised his head. Those eyes, although full of bloodshot, were clear, stubborn, without a trace of surrender or numbness.

Faming's heart shook, he looked at these eyes, and felt a strong feeling in the dark, this child has a relationship with Buddha.

"Amitabha." Faming put his hands together, "Benefactor, I bought this child."

The beggar leader sized up Faming and sneered: "Old monk, do you have money? This little beast is stubborn, but he looks good, I want ten taels of silver!"

Faming didn't speak, he untied the cloth bag from his waist and poured all the copper coins and broken silver inside onto the ground.

This was what he had begged for several months, originally intended to be used to repair the Buddha statue in the temple.

"It's all here." Faming said.

The beggar leader's eyes lit up, he grabbed the money on the ground, weighed it, spat, "Damn boy, you're lucky. Old monk, the person is yours!"

Having said that, he turned and drilled into the crowd.

Faming reached out and picked up Chen Yan on the ground.

Chen Yan leaned against Faming's cassock full of sandalwood scent, feeling the long-lost warmth, and fell into a deep sleep.

Above the clouds, the Silver-Headed Head Jiedi looked at this scene and nodded slightly: "The grinding is full, my Buddha has already guided the Buddhist disciples to lead the Buddha's son onto the track of fate."

Time passed, fifteen years of time passed like a white horse passing a gap.

At this time, the Great Tang had reached the thirteenth year of Zhenguan.

Jin Shansi, Scripture Pavilion.

In the pavilion, an eighteen-year-old young monk sat on a meditation cushion, flipping through the yellowed Buddhist scriptures in his hand.

The young man had a handsome face, sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, revealing a transcendent and otherworldly temperament.

He was Chen Yan.

Since Chen Yan was brought into Jin Shansi by Faming, he soon showed his intelligent side.

He understood the Buddhist scriptures of Jin Shansi at once.

For fifteen years, his Buddha Dharma cultivation had been above the other monks in the temple, and even Elder Faming was often asked to be speechless by him during debates.

Elder Faming pushed open the door and walked into the Scripture Pavilion.

"Chen Yan, tomorrow is your tonsure ceremony." Faming looked at the child he had brought up with his own hands, his eyes full of relief.

Chen Yan closed the Buddhist scriptures and stood up to salute: "Master."

Faming looked at Chen Yan's eyes: "I see you have a knot in your heart?"

Chen Yan was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth: "Master, the Buddhist scriptures say, all four are empty, severing the red dust. Disciple does not understand. If there is no red dust, where does the Buddha Dharma come from? If you sever all emotions and treat all living beings as vanity, then what is the difference between Buddha and mud sculptures and wood carvings? Isn't true compassion being in the red dust but able to pity the red dust?"

Faming sighed.

For these fifteen years, Chen Yan had a deep understanding of Buddha Dharma, but he had always been resistant to the doctrine of "severing the red dust."

"Chen Yan, this is your destiny." Faming put his hands together, his tone heavy, "You were born to enter the Fomen and transform all living beings. The ties of the red dust will only hinder your Buddha heart, you must let go."

Chen Yan lowered his head, and in his mind, the blurred images of the scarred man and the gentle woman flashed again.

Fifteen years, not only did that image not fade, but it became clearer.

He knew that was the humanity he couldn't cut off, the only light that supported him to live in the darkest years.

"Disciple, understands." Chen Yan said softly, and finally did not refute again.

The next day, Great Hero Hall.

The golden Buddha statue in the hall was solemn, looking down at all living beings.

Sanskrit sounds curled in the hall, and wooden fish sounded.

The air was filled with rich sandalwood, and Chen Yan knelt in front of the Buddha statue.

He wore a gray monk's robe, his hands together.

Elder Faming held a razor, standing behind Chen Yan.

The monks of the whole temple were lined up on both sides, chanting scriptures in a low voice.

"Sever all evil, cultivate all good, save all living beings."

Faming's voice echoed in the hall.

The razor fell, and a wisp of black hair drifted down, falling on the clean floor tiles.

Chen Yan closed his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.

Above Jin Shansi, the Golden-Headed Head Jiedi and Silver-Headed Head Jiedi stood on the clouds, their eyes staring fixedly at the Great Hero Hall.

"Finally tonsured." The Silver-Headed Head Jiedi let out a long breath, his tense nerves finally eased somewhat.

The Golden-Headed Head Jiedi showed a smile on his face: "Eighteen years. Jin Jin Chanzi has finally returned to his position, and the red dust is severed."

Inside the hall.

Faming shaved the last wisp of Xuanzang's hair.

"From now on, you are a true Buddhist disciple. Dharma name, Xuanzang." Faming put down the razor and put his hands together.

Xuanzang opened his eyes slowly.

He raised his head, looking at the golden Buddha high above.

The golden Buddha smiled, compassionate, yet indifferent.

Deep in Xuanzang's eyes, a trace of struggle flashed.

He did not sever the red dust, he just buried that seed in the deepest part of his heart, wrapped it with Buddha Dharma, and didn't let anyone notice.

"Disciple, takes the order." Xuanzang kowtowed, his forehead touching the cold floor tiles.

The two Head Jiedi on the clouds did not notice Xuanzang's abnormality.

"Let's go, go to the South Sea to report to the Great Bodhisattva Venerable Guanyin. The scripture seeker is already on the right track." The Golden-Headed Head Jiedi turned around and left as a golden light.

The Silver-Headed Head Jiedi followed closely behind.