Chapter 681: The Buddha in the West, It Turns Out to be Me

In Shumo Hall.

A young monk sat there.

This monk was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a refined and kind appearance, a slightly dark complexion, and thin monk robes, giving off a rather otherworldly air.

"The Buddha is in the West."

The young monk took a sip of tea and whispered these words.

This monk was named Guanhai, and he was the closing-door disciple of an Elder of Lanke Temple.

In this world, the influence of the Buddha Sect was much smaller, and Buddhist teachings were not prosperous.

However, the reputation of Lanke Temple was immense, and its status in both the secular world and the cultivation world was extremely lofty.

And the master of Guanhai Monk was the one with the highest seniority and the most resounding reputation in the entire Lanke Temple.

Therefore, although Guanhai Monk looked very young, his actual status was higher than all seven legendary sons of the Buddha Sect.

"The Buddha is in the West."

Guanhai Monk whispered again, his eyes filled with deep contemplation.

In recent years, his master—Qishandashi, who held extremely high seniority in the entire cultivation world—had remained in seclusion in his hut year-round, and even he, the disciple who followed Qishandashi to practice Buddhist teachings, could only listen to his teachings from behind the furnace door.

Two months ago, Qishandashi suddenly emerged from his hut, found Guanhai Monk, and indicated that he would participate in the upcoming Ullambana Festival, leaving him with the words "The Buddha is in the West" and telling him to come to the West to find the Buddha.

To the west of Lanke Temple lay the Song Kingdom, past the Song Kingdom was the Dahe Kingdom, and finally, a vast, boundless ocean.

Although Guanhai Monk did not understand Qishandashi's intent, he still traveled westward step by step, searching for the legendary "Buddha."

Throughout this journey, Guanhai Monk had seen all the living beings of the world, yet he had not found the legendary Buddha. It was not until he reached the capital of the Dahe Kingdom that he heard of the deeds of Yu Liancheng. Although what the other party had done had nothing to do with "Buddha," and he might even be the legendary Son of Pluto, or even the reincarnation of Pluto himself.

But what if...

What if Yu Liancheng was the Buddha?

Besides, even if the other party was not the "Buddha," he was still a peerless figure of the current age; inviting him to Lanke Temple could also add luster to this Ullambana Festival.

"But where exactly is the Buddha? If I continue to walk west, I will reach the sea."

Guanhai Monk shook his head and sighed; his master was truly unfathomable, and he, as a disciple, could not fathom his meaning.

According to his own thoughts, to find the Buddha, he should go to the Hanging Temple in the Northwest. As a monk, he had long wanted to pay respects to the legendary Buzhi Zhidi of the Buddhist faith.

It was just that he did not know why, whenever he spoke to his master about the Buzhi Zhidi, his master would always avoid the topic. It was as if it were not a holy land of the Buddha Sect, but a place of ill omen.

Just then, footsteps sounded. Guanhai Monk looked up and saw Yu Liancheng, dressed in flowing black robes, walking into Shumo Hall.

"Guanhai Monk greets Mr. Yu."

Guanhai Monk stood up and performed a polite palms-together salute.

He sighed in his heart; he was indeed a figure of peerless handsomeness and stunning talent, but no matter how he looked at it, he could not see any resemblance to the "Buddha."

Yu Liancheng smiled and greeted Guanhai Monk, then sat down.

Guanhai Monk also presented the invitation; the letter inside the invitation was naturally to invite Yu Liancheng to attend the upcoming Ullambana Festival.

Yu Liancheng smiled as he took the invitation, scanned it, and then asked with a smile: "Master Guanhai, I see that you have a look of confusion between your brows. I wonder if you have encountered some difficulty? If you don't mind, why not tell me about it? Perhaps I might be able to help you."

Guanhai Monk hesitated for a moment and said: "Before I left the temple, my master once said, 'The Buddha is in the West.' But as I traveled west, I never saw the Buddha, so I have doubts in my heart."

Yu Liancheng's eyes flickered, his fingertips tapped lightly on the table, and his expression was thoughtful.

After a moment, he said slowly: "Qishandashi is a high-ranking person of the Buddha Sect; he would certainly not speak without purpose. He must have his reasons. I do have two deductions; would you like to hear them?"

Guanhai Monk's spirits lifted: "This humble monk is all ears."

"You came from Lanke Temple. On this journey west, have you done any good deeds or performed any acts of kindness?" Yu Liancheng smiled.

Guanhai Monk looked ashamed: "On this journey, I only sought the Buddha. Although I have done good deeds and performed acts of kindness, most were done in passing. Sometimes, when I saw the suffering of the world, I turned a blind eye because I was afraid of delaying my time. I truly feel ashamed of my master's teachings."

"You monk are quite honest."

Yu Liancheng chuckled: "The Buddha is in the West. As long as you have done good deeds and performed acts of kindness while traveling west, then to the people you have helped, you are the Buddha, and the Buddha is you."

Guanhai Monk trembled all over, an expression of disbelief appearing in his eyes: "This, this..."

"As for the second deduction, according to the theory of Mahayana Buddhism, all living beings can become Buddhas."

Yu Liancheng picked up his teacup, took a shallow sip, and continued: "The people you met on this journey are all Buddhas. Some do good, and they are the Buddhas of the present. Some do evil, and they are the Buddhas of the future, needing your guidance. Qishandashi let you travel west and search for the Buddha, which is actually letting you see the Heaven, see the Earth, and see all living beings."

Guanhai Monk was completely shocked. He took a deep breath, stood up, put his hands together, and bowed: "Thank you, Mr. Yu, for pointing out the way for this humble monk. At this very moment, to this humble monk, Mr. Yu is the Buddha."

Yu Liancheng laughed: "A child who can be taught, a child who can be taught."

Suddenly, he raised his eyebrows, stood up, and smiled: "I will teach you another principle: although the Buddha is of great mercy and compassion, saving the world from misery and suffering, there is also the wrathful manifestation of the Wisdom King."

Having said that, he walked out of Shumo Hall.

Guanhai Monk was completely bewildered, his face full of confusion, and he hurriedly followed in Yu Liancheng's footsteps.

Although Mo Shanshan had met Guanhai Monk a few times, she did not go with Yu Liancheng to see Guanhai Monk, but instead headed toward the thatched hut on the cliff.

Previously, Yu Liancheng had helped her write the Divine Talisman, giving her many insights. Now was the time to go back and enter seclusion to digest them, hoping to become a Divine Talisman Master as soon as possible.

"Beautiful lady, hello. Your beauty is more dazzling than the sun in the sky."

Just as Mo Shanshan passed by the Ink Pool, a figure blocked her path, hands together, praising her in the most sincere tone.

"You are..."

Mo Shanshan stopped, her eyes narrowing slightly.

The monk before her was about twenty years old, with a refined appearance, wearing a tattered but clean monk robe, and a pair of straw sandals on his feet, the edges of which were already falling apart.

"This humble monk is Wudao, a disciple of the Scripture Lecturer of the Hanging Temple." The monk named Wudao put his hands together, his eyes filled with burning intensity as he looked at Mo Shanshan.

"So it is a brother from the Hanging Temple. I suppose you came with Brother Guanhai to find Mr. Yu. He is currently in Shumo Hall." Although Mo Shanshan did not like his gaze, she still spoke earnestly.

Wudao shook his head: "Although I came to Mogan Mountain with Brother Guanhai, I came specifically for you, Mountain Master. You are indeed as beautiful as the legends say, worthy of being the Book Idiot of the Three Idiots of the World, making this humble monk infatuated."

He stared infatuatedly at Mo Shanshan's profile and suddenly said loudly: "The woman of my dreams, if you are willing to practice Buddhism, I am willing to become a youth again, go to that mountain hanging in the sky to be tonsured once more, and let more scars form on my head. If you are willing to practice the Dao, I am willing to..."

"Pah, pah, pah! It turns out Mr. Yu was right; the monks of the Hanging Temple are not good people, and many are lecherous monks." Unfortunately, before Wudao could finish reciting his love poem, he was interrupted by a crisp, childish voice.

Wudao's expression darkened instantly, even carrying a cold and cruel flavor, but upon seeing that it was the petite and cute Tianmaonv who had spoken, a smile appeared on his face once more: "Cute little girl, I am a monk of passion, not a monk of lust; you must not confuse the two."

Then, his gaze turned back to Mo Shanshan, his expression exceptionally dignified, his breathing slightly rapid as he said solemnly: "Beautiful Mountain Master, you are so beautiful that, apart from me, no other man in this world is worthy of you; you must be mine."

He was very excited; this excitement came not only from Mo Shanshan's beauty but also from the other party's status.

A woman of such beauty and such fame drove him mad. Compared to Mo Shanshan, the women he had seen in the past were simply green lotuses compared to mud.

Next, he turned his gaze back to Tianmaonv and smiled: "Cute little girl, I am willing to take you into my chambers and lead you to experience the most extreme pleasure in the world, so that even after death, you may enter the Western Paradise created by the Buddha. You may feel honored, but do not faint from happiness."

This time, even Mo Shanshan was astonished.

Although she guessed that the monk before her was extraordinary, because in the Buzhi Zhidi, apart from the most outstanding disciples who become "World Walkers," others are not allowed to leave at will.

The current World Walker of the Hanging Temple is named "Qinian." Since this Wudao was able to descend the mountain, it not only proves that his cultivation is profound and he would never disgrace the Buddhist sect, but it also proves that he has a powerful figure backing him, at least of the rank of an Elder of the Hanging Temple. Yet, she had absolutely not expected that this person's brain would be abnormal to this extent.

Perhaps teachers in the past would have given the Hanging Temple some face, but the one currently presiding over Mogan Mountain is Yu Liancheng, that powerhouse who once entered Taoshan alone. The only people in the world who could make him wary are likely figures like Fuzi, the Abbey Dean, or the Scripture Lecturer.

Or perhaps, after this monk left the Hanging Temple, he had been thinking only of hunting for beauty along the way and was completely unaware of what had happened in the world recently?

"Sigh." Just at this moment, a faint sigh rang out: "Buddhism emphasizes that all phenomena are empty, yet you cannot even see through the appearance of lust; then what is the use of these eyes?"

The moment this sigh sounded, Wudao saw two white air currents, thin as needles, stabbing toward his eyes.

These two air currents were as fast as lightning, and as they flew, they actually emitted a resonance like a great bell, causing ripples to spread across the water of Ink Pool; clearly, the power hidden within them could not be underestimated.

"You dare, I am..."

Wudao's expression changed drastically, yet before he could finish his sentence, that sharp, icy aura had already rushed toward his face. Too late to dodge, he had no choice but to slam his eyes shut. His background was extraordinary; he had once tempered his physical body with Buddhist techniques, and although he had not reached the legendary Golden Body, his physique was still resistant to blades and swords.

If they were truly ordinary thin needles, it is likely they would not have been able to pierce his eyelids.

But these two air currents were clearly not simple.

Wudao instantly felt a sharp pain; his eyelids were pierced, and immediately, an even more intense feeling of pain erupted from his eyes.

"Ahhh!

"

Amidst his screams, Wudao was already clutching his eyes in agony, yet fresh blood could not stop seeping out, and his whole body trembled with pain.

His pair of eyes were ruined.

"Earlier you said that apart from you, no man in the world is worthy of the Mountain Master. Does that mean your implication is that you are not a man at all?" The clear, calm voice from before seemed to have drawn closer, yet it remained just as indifferent.

"Since that is the case, I shall fulfill your wish."

Swish!

Wudao heard a faint sound coming from the air.

He had also heard this faint sound just a moment ago; it was the sound of the white air currents cutting through the air.

At the same time, he felt a bone-chilling coldness strike his crotch.

Wudao could no longer care about the pain in his eyes; his hands danced wildly, forming seals, and a powerful Buddhist aura emerged, condensing into an invisible wall before him.

It was a pity that the moment this Buddhist wall of air touched the white air currents, it collapsed with a boom.

Wudao suffered a backlash, and a mouthful of fishy, sweet blood surged up his throat, but before this mouthful of blood could be spat out, the white air currents slammed into his crotch with a boom.

"Ahhh!

"

Wudao let out another agonizing wail, his entire voice seeming to become shrill. He staggered and fell to the ground; his hands, which had been covering his eyes, now moved to cover his lower body, which was being continuously stained by fresh blood. His body curled into a ball, his handsome face trembling and twitching incessantly from pain and fear, looking as hideous as a malicious ghost, emitting bursts of wails.

"Mr. Yu, stop..."

Guanhai Monk arrived late; his speed was truly far too slow compared to Yu Liancheng.

At this moment, seeing Wudao's lower body covered in blood and twitching incessantly, he could not help but tremble slightly and cross his legs. At the same time, he could not help but mourn for Brother Wudao in his heart; there are some things that one might not use, but one cannot be without.

"You called a step too late, but at least the person is still here." Yu Liancheng shook his head with a sigh, then a smile overflowed on his face: "Now that this master is blind and castrated, when he returns to the Hanging Temple in the future, he will surely be able to cultivate Buddhism with focus. Haha, just thinking that from now on, the world will have one more high monk because of me, I am very happy."

Guanhai Monk sighed.

He had met this Wudao a few days ago, and upon hearing that he was coming to Mogan Mountain, Wudao had taken the initiative to propose traveling together.

Although Wudao's character seemed to have some problems, he was indeed a genius of the Buddhist sect. Not only was his cultivation profound, but he was also well-versed in debating the Dharma, which made him quite admire him.

But for such a brilliant figure in the Buddhist sect to fall like this, it was inevitable to feel some sorrow.

"You dare to hurt me! You dare to hurt me!

" Lying on the ground, Wudao was worthy of being a Buddhist expert; after a brief recovery, he eased from the pain, though his face was still twitching constantly, and he roared with a voice that had become exceptionally shrill: "I am the son of the Hanging Temple's Scripture Lecturer; you actually dare to hurt me, I will cast you into hell."

Yu Liancheng was silent.

Guanhai Monk was silent.

Mo Shanshan and Tianmaonv were also silent.

This information came a bit suddenly.

But the few people present did not show any look of astonishment.

This was very much in the style of the Hanging Temple.

According to rumors, Qishandashi was the illegitimate son of the previous Scripture Lecturer.

The highly respected Aunt Quni Madi of the Yuelun Kingdom and Master Baoshu of the Hanging Temple also had an illegitimate son.

Of course, these were all rumors and hearsay, rumors that no one dared to verify.

Now that the Scripture Lecturer had an extra illegitimate son, it did not seem so hard to accept.

"So you have such a background; I am so scared."

A cold sneer lifted the corner of Yu Liancheng's mouth; he stepped forward and planted a foot on Wudao's head: "Since that's the case, I can only kill you to silence you."

Wudao's body, which had been trembling from pain, suddenly stiffened: "You, you dare..."

"Do I not dare?" Yu Liancheng chuckled, applying a slight force under his foot, and Wudao felt as if his head were being trampled by an elephant; his entire head nearly exploded.

"Spare me, spare me, I was wrong..." Wudao's mind finally collapsed; in the face of death, everything else was a trivial matter.

"Mr. Yu! Don't!" Guanhai Monk shouted hurriedly, his face anxious. His body even radiated Jinguang, ready to strike at any moment. No matter what, he could not watch a fellow disciple of the Hanging Temple be killed before his eyes without doing anything.

Mo Shanshan also frowned; she already understood the weight of this lecherous monk. If she truly killed him, she feared it would be impossible to avoid a feud with the Hanging Temple.

In this way, Yu Liancheng would offend both the Buddhist and Daoist sects, which was almost equivalent to offending the majority of the human world.

She was just intending to offer a word of warning, but the words had only reached her lips when it was already too late.

For Yu Liancheng exerted force with his foot, and with a dull "Bang—" sound, Wudao's head exploded like a watermelon, dead as could be.

"The final destination of the Buddhist sect is the Buddha's Pure Land. I have helped this Master Wudao avoid decades of detours; this is truly accumulating virtue and doing good, truly great mercy and Dabei."

Yu Liancheng withdrew his foot and pressed his palms together, his expression pious: "Although this Master Wudao wished to do me harm, I have sent him to the Pure Land. Guanhai, I believe Master Qishandashi had you find the 'Buddha of the West', and it is me."