Having been given a second chance at life, I choose to join the Demonic Sect!

Chapter 168 Golden Buddha Temple, a Business Empire?

"Fellow Daoist, please don't be angry. This master comes from a small temple and is not worldly, so he is somewhat unfamiliar with the rules of Jinfo Temple!"

"Fellow Daoist, please buy two Universal Tokens!"

After Cao Meng saw that the old Living Buddha Xuan Yu had calmed down, he took out three thousand spirit stones and gave them to Fa Wen.

Why give an extra thousand low-grade coins? Of course, it was Cao Meng's intention.

What these monks are taking now, they'll have to give back double in a moment.

“Benefactor, this humble monk sees that you have a strong Buddhist nature, while this old monk, as a Buddhist disciple, is even reluctant to part with the incense money offered to the Buddha. Tsk tsk!”

When Fawen saw that Cao Meng was so cooperative, he gave him an extra thousand low-grade spirit stones, and he was overjoyed. He liked having Yuan people around.

After handing the two passes to Cao Meng, the Frenchman smiled and said:

“Benefactors, if you wish to stay at a tavern, inn, or post station on the mountainside, you may choose to stay at Xuanfa Pavilion.”

"Give me your French name upon arrival, and you'll get a 20% discount on your accommodation!"

The Golden Buddha Temple is also divided into many factions, and the Xuanfa Pavilion, a hotel halfway up the mountain, is run by the French faction.

For those with Yuan dynasty connections, French wouldn't mind giving them special treatment.

As for those without Yuan rank, get out of the way and stop blocking the Buddha's duties and ticket sales!
After seeing Fawen's greedy nature, the old Living Buddha couldn't help but shake his head.

"The male cultivator looks familiar!"

After Cao Meng led the Living Buddha Xuan Yu into Hongfu Mountain, Fa Wen muttered to himself that he felt he had seen Cao Meng somewhere before.

Cao Meng: I've been promoted to a celebrity by the Xuantian Sect, how could I not recognize you?
On the mountain path of Hongfu Mountain, Cao Meng smiled and asked the old Living Buddha:

"Old Living Buddha, is this how things are in your Western Buddhism?"

"Ugh!"

The old Living Buddha Xuanyu sighed and shook his head, saying:

"Except for some special areas, worshippers are free to burn incense and pray at Wanfo Temple!"

Although Wanfo Temple is a sacred site of the three thousand Buddhist kingdoms in the Western Regions, it is only partially open to the public.

Apart from the library, storerooms, disciples' training areas, and some forbidden areas, it is basically open to the public, and importantly, it is free to enter without charging admission!
In addition, Wanfo Temple has specially built several pavilions for wandering monks to stay overnight, and for pilgrims to stay and eat vegetarian meals!
As Cao Meng and the old Living Buddha walked, they arrived at the entrance of the Qianxin Path of Hongfu Mountain. They watched as other pilgrims entered the Qianxin Path, their spiritual power sealed by the array within, turning them into mortals.

After their cultivation was sealed and they were transformed into mortals, the pilgrims continued to bow and pay their respects towards the Golden Summit where the Golden Buddha Temple was located, and then began their mountain climbing journey just like ordinary people.

"The fifth-grade low-level Buddhist Spirit-Locking and Mortal-Transforming Array can transform cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage into mortals."

This was originally a formation practiced diligently by Buddhist disciples, yet now the Golden Buddha Temple has placed it here, testing the devout hearts of worshippers. This is truly inappropriate!

The old Living Buddha Xuan Yu immediately saw through the true nature of the Devout Path, because this array was very common in the Western Buddhist Continent, and it was a method of ascetic cultivation.

"Old Living Buddha, the monks of Golden Buddha Temple set up this fifth-grade low-level Spirit-Locking and Mortal-Transforming Array not to test the worshippers' devotion to Buddhism, but to collect spirit stones!"

Although Jinfo Temple claimed that this "Path of Devotion" was a test of the sincerity of those seeking Buddha's favor, Cao Meng didn't believe it at all.

This Spirit-Locking and Mortal-Transforming Array is quite expensive to build. Jinfo Temple even charges admission fees for Hongfo Mountain. Does that seem like the kind of business they would do at a loss?

"Why?"

The Venerable Master Xuan Yu practiced Buddhism and did not immediately see through the commercial schemes of the Golden Buddha Temple.

"Old Living Buddha, this great formation has turned cultivators who pray to gods and Buddhas into mortals, leaving them with only a trace of spiritual power. And this trace of spiritual power is only enough for cultivators to open their storage rings."

"Cultivators have become mortals, they get hungry, tired and thirsty, so they have to spend spirit stones for food, drink and lodging!" To be honest, Cao Meng admired the abbot of the Golden Buddha Temple. From the tickets and the formations, you could tell that the abbot had turned the Golden Buddha Temple and Hongfo Mountain into a commercial empire, making the great traitor willingly be slaughtered like a sheep!
It is evident that the abbot of this Golden Buddha Temple must have considerable business acumen; he would certainly be an outstanding entrepreneur back in his hometown!

"I see!"

After Cao Meng's reminder, the Venerable Master Xuan Yu also realized the truth.

If it weren't for Cao Meng's reminder, the old Living Buddha Temple would never have imagined that the prestigious Buddhist sect, Jinfo Temple, could be so despicable and mercenary.

Because Cao Meng was traveling with the old Living Buddha, he was not affected by the formation of the Devout Path and his spiritual power was not sealed, turning him into a mortal.

Although both possess spiritual power, they still walk like ordinary people, simply because walking leads to encountering many interesting things.

After traveling for some time, they came across a post station.

At the post station, many pilgrims whose cultivation had been sealed were resting. This was exactly what the Golden Buddha Temple wanted when it set up the Spirit-Locking and Mortal-Transforming Array!

After Cao Meng and the old Living Buddha arrived at this point, a male cultivator led several demonic beasts to them and said:

"Fellow Daoists, this mountain path is long. Now that your spiritual power has been sealed and you have become mortals, why not bring two beasts to travel with you and save yourselves from physical suffering?"

Cao Meng had to admire the Golden Buddha Temple's clever methods. At the same time, he sneered inwardly, thinking that he would never believe that this male cultivator had no connection with the Golden Buddha Temple.

"How many spirit stones?"

Although Cao Meng knew that the other party was related to the Golden Buddha Temple, he did not point it out and instead asked about the price normally.

When Cao Meng asked the price, the pilgrims resting nearby all cast disdainful glances at him and sneered.

"Blocking one's cultivation and spiritual power while climbing the mountain is simply to appear devout."

"If you don't burn incense and pray to Buddha with sincerity, Buddha won't protect you!"

Those pilgrims despised Cao Meng, but Cao Meng also despised these great traitors.

The Golden Buddha Temple owes its current size to all these wicked people!

"Fellow Daoists, the most important thing when burning incense and worshipping Buddha is to have a sincere heart. As long as you have a sincere heart, Buddha will sense it!"

Lu Yi, the male cultivator who sold magical beasts for transportation, quickly spoke up to defend Cao Meng, as he didn't want those poor bastards to ruin his business.

Lu Yi turned to Cao Meng and said:

"Fellow Daoist, three thousand low-grade spirit stones can rent a demon beast!"

That's right, Lu Yi's monsters are rented, not sold!
Cao Meng gasped, inwardly exclaiming, "Good heavens!" He knew that Lu Yi's beasts were all second-tier beasts, and they hadn't even condensed their demon cores yet, so they were practically worthless.

Not to mention that Lu Yi was renting, not selling; it was practically ripping off innocent people!
The Venerable Living Buddha Xuan Yu looked at Lu Yi before him and asked:
"Young friend, are you a disciple of the Golden Buddha Temple?"

Startled by the question posed by the Venerable Living Buddha Xuan Yu, Lu Yi quickly explained:
“Master, you’re joking. I’m just a wandering cultivator from the vicinity of Hongfu Mountain.”

Because my wife and children at home have been poisoned and I need a large amount of spirit stones to buy antidotes, the high monk of Jinfo Temple took pity on me and allowed me to find a way to make a living on Hongfo Mountain!

Lu Yi's words were all nonsense. He was indeed a disciple of the Golden Buddha Temple, and his job was to earn spirit stones by using demonic beasts for transportation.

To prevent the secret from leaking, the Golden Buddha Temple equipped Lu Yi with second-tier demonic beasts.

The second-tier demon beast has developed intelligence, but its transverse bones have not yet been refined, so it cannot speak.

Second-tier demonic beasts can understand human speech and cannot reveal secrets, making them the best mode of transportation.

(End of this chapter)