Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 520

"get out of class is over."

Chen Xiyuan was quite surprised; she had just noticed something was wrong when her little brother's penis stopped.

Based on past experience, the younger brother should start investigating. Although she didn't know exactly how to investigate, she believed that the younger brother would definitely have a corresponding method.

However, Ms. Chen quickly put this doubt behind her, because it was time to have a late-night snack.

There are perks to night school; every time night school starts, the white rats come to deliver midnight snacks.

Tonight, the white rat arrived early with the ingredients, but instead of rushing into the village, it parked its tricycle at the entrance of the village road, sat in the pavilion, laid out some side dishes, lit incense, and burned yellow paper.

The rat offered the ghost messenger Zhang Li yellow wine, while it drank lemon soda itself.

After finishing making the late-night snack, it still has to ride its tricycle back home, and it cannot drink and drive.

The white rat chatted with Zhang Li, whispering among itself.

It said that it was unclear whether the Bai family lady next door had insufficient milk due to premature birth, or whether ordinary children simply couldn't drink the Bai family lady's milk. In any case, the child was forced to stop breastfeeding right after birth.

Given Xue Liangliang's circumstances, hiring a few wet nurses would have been easy, or at worst, formula milk would have been fine, or even just some rice and oil would have been enough to feed her. But the little clown girl was very picky about food.

The wet nurse we hired wouldn't even take a sip of milk. She only drank formula a few times and then refused to eat any more. As for other kinds of porridge, she would vomit it all up no matter how much she drank.

When her grandparents took her to the neighborhood and the park, they would ask for milk from any new mothers. The kind people would be willing to feed her, but she wouldn't appreciate it. She would rather go hungry and not even have the strength to cry than accept a single bite.

No matter how high a father's status or how much wealth he has, he still can't feed his own daughter.

In the end, it was Mouse herself who took charge and made a soup suitable for children, which Clown Girl ate with great relish.

At this point, the white rat looked smug, stroking its now-vanished whiskers from afar.

Zhang Li jokingly said that this child was destined to be with rats, and if he were released, he would probably adopt Zhang Li as his godfather...

Before the word "godfather" could even be uttered, the white rat was so frightened that it almost shrank under the stone table.

Zhang Li smiled even more broadly.

The white rat glared at Zhang Li with annoyance, then laughed at itself.

At this moment, the signal is sent.

"Huh, get out of class ended so early today?"

The white rat quickly packed its things and drove the motorcycle to the bearded man's house.

When Aunt Liu was at home, the white rat dared not enter the house.

Li Zhuiyuan and the others went to Big Beard's house. After having a late-night snack, Chen Xiyuan went back to her room to sleep, completely satisfied.

After returning to Grandpa Li's house, Lin Shuyou was about to take a shower and go to bed by the well when Tan Wenbin stopped him.

"What's wrong, Brother Bin?"

Tan Wenbin raised his chin slightly.

Lin Shuyou saw that Xiao Yuan did not take A Li to the east room, but instead walked with A Li to the back of the house.

What happened tonight is not over yet.

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, are you going to carry Miss Chen on your back?"

Tan Wenbin: "It's not that we're doing this behind Miss Chen's back. I guess Brother Xiao Yuan feels that Miss Chen lit the lamp herself, so she's not on our side legally. We haven't figured out the new boundaries yet, and bringing her in would easily interfere with cause and effect."

Lin Shuyou pretended to understand and nodded: "I see."

Inside the dojo.

After class, the teacher and students left, but the classroom did not become quiet.

In the past, this was the time when the statues were most active, with the White Crane Boy being the most active.

Recently, however, the White Crane Boy statue has been very quiet and unusually low-key.

But fortunes change, and people still remember how you treated them in the past.

The three statues, one representing the increase and the other the decrease, hopped and skipped around the statue of the White Crane Boy, shouting in unison:

"Cuju team, Cuju team, Cuju team~"

The White Crane Boy statue could no longer hold back and began to fight back, only to be pinned down and severely beaten by three men.

The restrictions on the training ground were lifted, and Li Zhuiyuan walked in.

The altar immediately fell silent; the four statues were stacked on top of each other, and no one dared to move.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, and at the opposite end of the altar from the bronze mirror, the ground sank, and a golden statue of a Bodhisattva was lifted out.

The golden statue of the Bodhisattva rippled with a rich aura, and was smaller than when it was first moved into the temple, resembling a piece of dry ice that could emit golden mist.

The bronze mirror and the golden statue of the Bodhisattva were both lost items returned by monks from Qinglong Temple during the Fengdu period.

The bronze mirror contains layers of mystery, which Li Zhuiyuan embedded in the temple to manifest a phantom image; the golden body of the Bodhisattva is the result of the chanting of many generations of eminent monks, which can dispel evil thoughts, stabilize the mind, and eliminate negative influences.

The precious golden statue has shrunk considerably because Li Zhuiyuan deliberately incorporated Buddhist thoughts into the illusory image to enhance its realism and make the training more authentic for his companions. It's like cutting off a precious item that should have been used to make tea and using it as a lozenge.

This wasn't the end. Next, Li Zhuiyuan planned to saw it in half and use it as firewood.

Paying such a huge cost just to gain early access to a field of vision.

Li Zhuiyuan had no idea what had happened in Zhoushan since Yayoi had been gone for so long without any news.

However, these are all secondary. The key to this wave is to figure out what Sun Boshen really wants to do.

Tan Wenbin and the others followed them into the temple.

Following Li Zhuiyuan's instructions, everyone rearranged the offering table.

The offering table for the Emperor of Fengdu is in the center, and Runsheng is most familiar with this matter, so he personally took care of it.

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou each rearranged the altars for Sun Boshen and the Bodhisattva, but this time they didn't rush to offer incense. Instead, they rolled up the new portraits of the two, fearing that the two Buddhas might burn each other again if they couldn't meet.

Ah Li picked up the golden statue of the Bodhisattva and placed it in front of the futon where the boy was sitting. Holding a carving knife, she was gesturing about how much to cut off.

With everything arranged, the boy sat cross-legged in front of the three new offering tables, with Ah Li assisting him, while Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou stood behind him.

Tan Wenbin took out a cigarette, but didn't light it; he held it under his nose and smelled it.

Runsheng closed his eyes and was already sleeping standing up.

Lin Shuyou's eyes were wide open, his gaze sometimes thoughtful, sometimes serious.

The evil dragon appeared, triggering the formation of the Taoist temple.

Li Zhuiyuan formed hand seals, and three incense sticks were lit in front of the portrait of the Fengdu Emperor. The black and gold robes of the young lord of Fengdu appeared on the boy's body.

The first thing to do is to confirm the attitude of the Emperor of Fengdu.

Li Zhuiyuan believed that his master would not harm him, at least not before he had paid off the principal and interest of his loan from the underworld.

But the Great Emperor is the one who suppresses Bodhisattvas, and His attitude will be very important in the next wave.

The portrait is serene, with wisps of incense smoke rising, everything is quiet and normal.

The absence of a hint is itself a hint.

The black-gold phantom on Li Zhuiyuan disappeared, and with a wave of his hand, the incense quickly burned to ashes, ending the ritual.

This indicates that the emperor maintained a neutral stance in this matter, or more precisely, he delegated the decision-making power to his "young ruler".

Sometimes, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but admire his master's courage.

When he was in Lujiazhuang, the Great Emperor intervened on his behalf, attacking the Ming family and extinguishing the spirit of the Ming family's Dragon King. Since then, the Great Emperor has temporarily lost the ability to intervene externally and can no longer command all ghosts to obey his decrees as he did in the past.

It's like a company having its previously abundant cash flow drained away.

Even so, while in Suzhou, the Emperor did not hesitate to pledge his internal shares in exchange for the Bodhisattva's full support.

Now, Sun Baishen is challenging the Bodhisattva position, and the Bodhisattva is a bargaining chip that the Great Emperor holds in his hands to bargain with the Heavenly Dao through suppression.

Once Sun Baishen succeeds, the Bodhisattva will lose his position, which is equivalent to the Emperor's bargaining chip being severely devalued. However, the Emperor remains unmoved by this, as if he completely trusts himself.

The main reason here is that the sunk costs are too high, making it impossible to cut losses and exit the market in time, so they can only continue to invest more.

Judging by actions rather than intentions, the Emperor's aloof attitude made Li Zhuiyuan feel embarrassed to let the Emperor suffer a loss.

The Emperor has confirmed this; next up is Sun Baishen.

Ah Li handed three sticks of incense to the boy, who snapped off half of the incense sticks with his ring and little fingers. Ah Li then inserted them into the incense burner and put down Sun Boshen's portrait.

Immediately, the girl took out a carving knife and cut off the golden body of the Bodhisattva. The rich Buddhist thoughts were drawn by Li Zhuiyuan with a red thread and gathered around her, and the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra began to circulate.

Sun Baishen wanted to sever ties with himself, but the boy, still supported by Buddhist beliefs, forced himself to resonate with him.

As a large amount of Buddhist thoughts dissipated, Li Zhuiyuan sensed the presence of Sun Baishen.

He is very unstable and is experiencing intense turmoil.

This feeling is like when Lin Shuyou is fighting, the White Crane Child is giving him a crazy boost.

Sun Baishen is currently in a state of confusion; it's as if he's bestowing blessings upon a group of people.

This made Li Zhuiyuan suspect that Zhoushan was now raising a treacherous bird.

However, it is illogical to deplete oneself while simultaneously challenging the attainment of Bodhisattva status.

It should be noted that Sun Baishen was merely a substitute for the nominal position of Bodhisattva during a specific historical period. The real Bodhisattva who walked among humans at that time was Pudu Zhenjun.

Sun Baishen and his True Lord system were experimental subjects sealed away by the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva later used this as a basis to create the Official General Head system.

It can be said that if the Bodhisattva had not been suppressed by the Great Emperor, and if he hadn't been biased towards the Bodhisattva, Sun Baishen, this "fake," would have been powerless to contend with the Bodhisattva.

He's like a madman now.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, and the three and a half incense sticks quickly burned to ashes.

The boy shared the information he had obtained with his friends:

"Zhoushan is very lively now."

I suspect it wasn't just Zhenjun, the seven monks of Qinglong Temple, and Yayoi.

There are many other people as well.

Yayoi's information was incorrect, no, it was limited.

It's highly likely that Qinglong Temple wasn't the only place visiting Zhoushan this time.

If it were only Qinglong Temple, Sun Baishen's blessings wouldn't be so chaotic; this is clearly a battle among multiple parties.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't think that the seven monks of Qinglong Temple would be so stupid or short-sighted. The fact that all seven of them went together and ended up fighting amongst themselves was a gross underestimation of the quality of such a top-tier martial arts force.

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, I'll send a message to all the other teams right away, and ask them to investigate through their networks whether there have been any unusual movements in other Buddhist lineages recently."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Tan Wenbin went out.

Ah Li put away Sun Boshen's portrait and unfolded the Bodhisattva portrait.

This time, instead of lighting incense, Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, causing a few wisps of incense to rise as a token gesture.

Ah Li continued cutting the golden statue of the Bodhisattva.

Li Zhuiyuan cast the Red Thread again, this time responding to the Bodhisattva.

Consciousness slowly sank into a daze.

The moment the sensing was successful, Li Zhuiyuan felt as if he had been grabbed by the feet by a drowning ghost and frantically dragged downwards, not with malice, but with a kind of urgency.

In Li Zhuiyuan's consciousness, a majestic figure appeared, and above the figure were multiple layers of Buddhist altars, each with countless Buddhist monks sitting cross-legged.

Even though the image is incredibly blurry, it is still breathtaking.

However, Li Zhuiyuan knew that this Buddhist altar represented the level of hell controlled by the Bodhisattva, and those Buddhist monks were actually evil ghosts from the underworld disguised in monk robes who were being converted.

"Buzz! Buzz. Buzz!"

As the Buddhist altars were extinguished one by one, the once solemn and grand area was immediately filled with ghostly wails and howls.

Strands of pure Buddhist thoughts converged on Li Zhuiyuan, a gesture of affection.

This means that the Bodhisattva is willing to return the multiple layers of hell and is even more willing to "contribute" more to Li Zhuiyuan in the future.

The Bodhisattva is afraid.

Without lingering, Li Zhuiyuan forcibly interrupted his perception and opened his eyes in the dojo.

The golden statue of the Bodhisattva in front of Ah Li was only half its original size, at a huge cost.

The harvest was plentiful.

By combining this information with external news, we can piece together Sun Boshen's purpose and thus learn the rules of the next wave.

"Everyone, take a rest."

Lin Shuyou nudged Runsheng, who opened his eyes. After putting the offering table back in its original position with Ayou, Runsheng went back to the room and lay down in the coffin to continue sleeping.

Li Zhuiyuan escorted A Li to the east room. A Li opened the door, and the boy followed her inside.

Liu Yumei, who was lying in bed, sat up and muttered to herself, "It's too stuffy in the room, I can't sleep. I'm going out for some fresh air."

After Liu Yumei left, Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the drawer under the offering table, which was covered with restrictions.

The boy set out to break the restrictions.

Outside, Liu Yumei, dressed in a white nightgown and feeling the cool breeze, felt a tightness in her chest.

The carefully laid restrictions she had created were being rapidly broken, and she herself was suffering a backlash.

Fortunately, it's not a serious problem; it's just uncomfortable, far from enough to cause vomiting blood.

Without delay, she turned and walked towards the house, trusting Xiao Yuan's speed.

When I got back to the door, the drawer was already closed.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma, you should get some rest."

Liu Yumei: "Mm."

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the east room, and Tan Wenbin came back to summarize and report the news he had just received.

Even if you keep someone watching, it's hard to detect if someone really wants to do something secretly. But some things can't be hidden.

Several ancient Buddhist sites have recently experienced slight fluctuations in their energy. These fluctuations are subtle yet present. Logically, this shouldn't be considered a major issue, as such occurrences happen daily in the martial arts world. However, if we examine the underlying conditions, the phenomenon becomes more understandable.

Multiple Buddhist lineages have sent their own people; those slight fluctuations in energy are likely a reaction caused by the removal of important artifacts from the temples.

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, they all went to Zhoushan? So, is Sun Baishen throwing himself at the entire Buddhist community this time?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "The prize will most likely be himself."

Tan Wenbin: "What was his motive for doing this?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "This kind of pure person, no, the pure Buddha described in the scriptures, you can't fathom his intentions with primal motives."

I think he probably knew he wasn't capable of competing with a Bodhisattva for a higher position, but what he offered was this opportunity to compete with a Bodhisattva for a higher position.

This is what the Bodhisattva fears most. Like the Great Emperor, the Bodhisattva is obsessed with immortality, and this time he encountered a madman willing to sacrifice himself to drag him down with him.

Tan Wenbin: "But, if it's just an opportunity..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Where many evil spirits die, it becomes a barren land. What about where many eminent monks die?"

Tan Wenbin: "Therefore, every Buddhist lineage sent to Zhoushan to compete is essentially entering the game with its own chips. The final winner will not only seize the opportunity but also possess all the chips."

No wonder the Bodhisattva was afraid.

If the Bodhisattva hadn't been suppressed into the underworld by the Great Emperor, he could have easily resolved this matter. But the problem is that the Bodhisattva was currently being suppressed by the Great Emperor, and he could only passively endure it.

Brother Xiaoyuan, I don't think this was Sun Boshen's spur-of-the-moment idea. He had been planning this day ever since the Bodhisattva was dragged into the underworld by the Great Emperor.

Sun Baishen's initial assistance to us was not intended to compete with the Bodhisattva for favor, but rather to weaken the Bodhisattva's power and status through us, paving the way for his own plans.

Li Zhuiyuan: "The people of Qinglong Temple once wanted to bring back a part of the Bodhisattva's Dharma body from Fengdu to the temple for worship."

In fact, one can see from Master Kongji's attitude that such eminent monks and high-ranking Buddhists do not treat Bodhisattvas with any respect.

Given the opportunity, for Buddhism, rather than bringing home a half-relict 'ancestor' for worship, it would be better to seize the opportunity and cultivate a 'new Buddha' within one's own temple.

Tan Wenbin: "So Sun Boshen removed Ayou from the True Lord system ahead of time, just to disqualify Ayou from participating in this competition?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because Sun Boshen knows that I am not interested in becoming a Buddha. He also knows that I would not mind training Ayou to 'become a Buddha' for utilitarian reasons."

He didn't want his pure and selfless faith and hope to be tainted by my hands.

Tan Wenbin laughed and said, "I lost money."

Given Xiao Yuan's personality, in the past, the day after Ayou Zhenjun's mark was removed, everyone would have set off for Zhoushan.

These past few days, they've been making thorough preparations and rehearsals at the dojo, but it's also Brother Yuan deliberately delaying things to give Sun Baishen face.

As Tan Wenbin said while comforting the children at the brickyard, "We have never resorted to trickery or force; we just have a lot of enemies."

But there was nothing that could be done; Sun Baishen wasn't on Aunt Liu's ledger.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Since Sun Baishen is unwilling to give us this opportunity to become a Buddha, then we don't want it either."

However, we also have our own requirements. Qinglong Temple is our enemy, and we do not want Qinglong Temple to get this opportunity and give birth to a new 'Bodhisattva'.

We respect Sun Boshen's wishes, but respect is mutual, and I believe Sun Boshen will also respect our position.

Tan Wenbin: "Qinglong Temple has the biggest advantage because seven monks of the Kong generation have left. However, other Buddhist competitors should also be aware of this and are very likely to join forces to target us. It won't be easy for Qinglong Temple to win. If we can seize the opportunity when the seven monks of Qinglong Temple pay a sufficient price, our situation will be much better."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Look at Chen Xiyuan."

Tan Wenbin: "Hmm?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "When Chen Xiyuan's next wave arrives, our next wave will arrive too, and then we can set off."

Tan Wenbin nodded thoughtfully, then, as if remembering something, said:
“Brother Xiaoyuan, Yayoi is the one who lights the lamp, and the seven monks of Qinglong Temple cannot help him fight for it.”

Li Zhuiyuan:
“Then we will fight for Yayoi.”

……

As the saying goes, "What you think about during the day, you dream about at night." Chen Xiyuan had a long and exciting dream that night, in which she kept beating up a bald monk.

Only those who have experienced the training at the Little Brother Dojo can understand the immense value of such training. Miss Chen feels that she is now the nemesis of bald monks.

But before the dream could end properly, she was awakened by Aunt Zhang's folk song.

The village's spending power was limited, so Chen Xiyuan was undoubtedly a big customer of the convenience store. When Aunt Zhang called her, her singing became even louder.

Chen Xiyuan rubbed her eyes and went to the convenience store. She didn't know who had called her so early in the morning.

Pick up the microphone.

"Hey."

"Xi Yuan? Is that you, Xi Yuan?"

It's Ding Rou, the female owner of a music class in the city.

"Yes, Sister Ding, it's me."

"Xi Yuan, my dad is in trouble again, just like last time."

"Ok?"

Chen Xiyuan's eyes widened; she immediately had a bad feeling and said:

"Sister Ding, I have something to do recently and can't go to Harbin."

"Not Harbin, my dad is in Anshun, Guizhou now."

"Why did Uncle go there?"

"After my dad had an accident last time and recovered, I booked him a tour so he could travel and relax, and see Huangguoshu Waterfall."

Then, late at night, the tour guide called me, saying that my dad was delirious and biting anyone he saw in his room, and no one dared to approach him. Hearing this, I was reminded of the last time my dad had an incident.

"Sister Ding...you should find a doctor quickly." Chen Xiyuan is kind-hearted. Normally, she would definitely be willing to make a trip to help, but she is very clear about the difference between relatives and friends. At this time, it is more important for her to stay here and be ready to help her little brother beat the monk.

"OK then."

Ding Rou hung up the phone.

Chen Xiyuan sighed and, as usual, handed Aunt Zhang a large bill:

"Aunt Zhang, get me a pack of cigarettes."

"okay."

Aunt Zhang handed Chen Xiyuan the change and cigarettes together.

Chen Xiyuan picked up the cigarette and glanced at it... Huangguoshu.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, making me feel very uncomfortable.

Chen Xiyuan turned around, preparing to go back.

Just then, Shi Tou and Hu Zi were on their way to school with their schoolbags on their backs.

While covering her forehead, Chen Xiyuan habitually tried to give the "candy" in her hand to the little brothers.

She did that in a daze last time, sending a bag of cigarettes.

Seeing this, Aunt Zhang quickly reminded her, "Hey, hey, that's cigarette smoke."

"Huh? Oh." Chen Xiyuan sobered up a bit, nodded, and stopped offering the cigarette as candy.

The teacher is going to check students' memorization of the text this morning. Shi Tou and Hu Zi played wildly last night and didn't memorize it, so they're cramming now, trying to memorize it during their commute to school.

"As soon as we entered the Huangguoshu Scenic Area, we heard a 'whooshing' sound coming from afar..."

Upon hearing the recitation, Chen Xiyuan could no longer hold back. She staggered and squatted down by the village road, retching.

The more she resisted and avoided it, the stronger this feeling of nausea and discomfort became.

Uncle Qin walked by carrying a hoe, glanced at Chen Xiyuan, ignored her, and continued on his way.

After returning home, as Uncle Qin was rinsing his feet by the well, he turned to Aunt Liu, who was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and said:
“I think I saw someone who looks a lot like Chen Xiyuan on the street. He wasn’t feeling well and was squatting there vomiting.”

On the terrace, Li Zhuiyuan, who was playing chess with A Li in the morning light, put down the chess piece that did not exist in his hand.

The boy looked at Ah Li, and the girl understood, so she got up and went inside to pack their hiking bags.

Li Zhuiyuan quickly went downstairs.

Runsheng was still snoring, but the change in the boy's footsteps made Runsheng stop snoring, and he sat up from the coffin.

"Xiaoyuan?"

"Runsheng, inform everyone to get ready."

"it is good."

Li Zhuiyuan left home and saw Chen Xiyuan walking on the village road, covering her ears and closing her eyes.

Sensing the familiar presence, Chen Xiyuan released her grip and deliberately smiled, "Good morning, little brother."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your waves are here."

Chen Xiyuan: "No way!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "They're here."

Chen Xiyuan: "No...no."

Li Zhuiyuan: "There's no need to resist."

Chen Xiyuan: "But..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Go do your thing. My situation is a bit special right now. Once I figure out the new rules, you can help me out."

Chen Xiyuan: "I..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Be obedient."

Chen Xiyuan: "But..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Say 'I understand'."

Chen Xiyuan: "Understood!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Pack your things and let's leave early."

Chen Xiyuan: "Little brother, here's what I'll do. I'll go to Huangguoshu Waterfall Scenic Area right away, quickly finish this wave, and then come back so I can go with you guys..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Our waves have arrived too."

Chen Xiyuan: "You've arrived too? When?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "It was this morning too."

The boy turned and left; he was going back for breakfast. After breakfast, everyone set off for Zhoushan.

Chen Xiyuan watched her little brother's departing figure and shook her head vigorously. She was so angry.

After doing so many practice tests for so many days, I ended up changing my subject before the actual exam.

I don't know if there are any temples near Huangguoshu Waterfall.

Chen Xiyuan returned to Aunt Zhang's shop and called Ding Rou back.

"Hey, Sister Ding, I have some time now, let's go see your dad."

"Okay, Xiyuan, I'll drive over and pick you up right away."

Chen Xiyuan took out another bill and handed it to Aunt Zhang: "Take a pack of cigarettes."

Aunt Zhang handed Chen Xiyuan another package of Huangguoshu fruit juice.

"Aunt Zhang, could you please choose a different pack?"

“Chen girl, please help me out. This is the stuff my dead husband brought in. Not many people in our village smoke this. Please help your aunt sell some.”

Aunt Zhang knew that Chen Xiyuan didn't smoke. If she was giving the cigarettes away or as a gift, she would only consider the price and not the taste.

Chen Xiyuan, having given up all hope, simply said, "Give me all of those."

"Hey, okay, okay."

When Chen Xiyuan returned to Big Beard's house, Benben came out with a basin to brush his teeth and wash his face. Chen Xiyuan casually put a pack of cigarettes into Benben's basin.

Benben blinked.

He put down the basin, took out the cigarettes, tore open the packaging, poured out one, smelled it, and then bit it in his mouth.

Benben is considering whether this can replace the small flags to set up the formation. If it is lit, will it add some other effects? It's just that the time might be a bit short, and the flags might not be set up in time before the ones inserted at the beginning burn out.

Li Zhuiyuan also went through this stage when he first learned formations, trying out various formation materials to see the effects.

Benben nudged Xiaohei and pointed to the offering table by the outer wall. It was where his godmother usually made offerings to Taolin, and there was a lighter on it.

Xiao Hei got up and lay down under the offering table as a cushion.

Benben stepped on Xiao Hei and took the lighter, intending to test the burning speed of a cigarette.

"Crack!"

It's a bit hard to light.

It seems like I need to take a puff to help it burn?
Completely absorbed in the study of array formations, Benben put a cigarette in his mouth and then flicked the lighter with both hands.

"Crack!"

It was lit.

"call……"

A gust of cold wind swept in, and the cigarette butt was extinguished instantly.

Benben, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, slowly turned his head to look at Xiao Yingying, who was standing behind him with her hands on her hips.

"Well……"

When Chen Xiyuan finished packing her things and came out with her backpack, she saw Benben being spanked by Xiao Yingying.

"You're so young, and you're already doing bad things, you're already doing bad things..."

Chen Xiyuan left the bearded man's house and arrived at the entrance of the village road, waiting for Ding Rou to drive over and pick her up.

Ding Rou didn't wait for it, but instead saw a truck drive past her and then turn around and drive back a short while later.

When the truck turned back for the second time, it stopped in front of Chen Xiyuan. The driver leaned out of the window and asked her:

"Young lady, how do I enter Siyuan Village?"

Chen Xiyuan pointed to the village road across the street.

"Oh, thank you, thank you. Young lady, do you know where Lin Shuyou lives?"

"Are you looking for Ayou?"

"Yes, Ayou, my name is Yongzi, hehe, we are friends."

Chen Xiyuan gave specific directions.

"Thanks, young lady!"

Yongzi drove the truck onto the village road.

When Li Zhuiyuan and the others went to Zhoushan last time, they took Yongzi's father's boat. The old man overcharged them. On the return trip, the old man's boat capsized and he fell into the water. Li Zhuiyuan's group rescued him and took him home. When Yongzi found out, he scolded his father and personally drove a truck to take everyone back to Nantong.

However, because Runsheng and Tan Wenbin were seriously injured that time, and Li Zhuiyuan was afraid of frightening the old man, he specially asked Yongzi to enter the village from another direction and first put the wounded to Da Huzi's house. This made it impossible for Yongzi to find the traditional entrance to the village when he took this route this time.

His deepest impression of Lin Shuyou was because Lin Shuyou had taken him to the Sisters' Restaurant.

Later, when Yongzi was on a long-distance trip, he encountered oil thieves who wanted to kill him for money. He was rescued again by Li Zhuiyuan and others. Because the evil spirits on the way to Fengdu were frequently causing trouble, they dared not take the plane and their vehicle was badly damaged. After taking Yongzi to the hospital, they borrowed Yongzi's car.

After recovering, Yongzi took on regular work at a factory near his home for a while, but he couldn't find the time. As the year drew to a close and he was no longer busy, Yongzi prepared some seafood from his home and came to visit and express his gratitude.

Tan Wenbin, who had been checking the condition of the yellow pickup truck, ran back to the dam early and said to his companions who were still eating breakfast:
"Everyone, hurry up and eat. Miss Chen has called a car for us."

……

On a winter's day at the beach, the cold wind feels like a fist the size of a sandbag, pounding you hard.

Yongzi drove the car to his house, arranged for everyone to rest at his house, and then took his father to the village to help find a boat.

Finally, they settled on a fairly large fishing boat.

The boat owner was a middle-aged man, not very tall, with a weathered face. Yongzi called him "Brother Hai".

Hai Ge's wife went to pick up the oil drums; they can set off once she returns.

Tan Wenbin and Hai Ge shared cigarettes and chatted.

Hai Ge said that about a week ago, he sent a group of masters out to sea and took them to a desolate island.

He asked the masters what they were doing here, and they said they had come to seek Buddhist teachings. They also instructed Hai Ge to come back in fifteen days to pick them up and take them ashore.

Hai Ge carefully calculated the days and memorized them.

He said the masters were truly capable. That night, his youngest son suddenly had a nightmare for some reason, his eyes were vacant and he started talking nonsense. As a result, one of the masters came here looking for a boat. When he passed by his door, he heard his son's voice, came in, chanted a series of incantations, and patted his son on the back of the head three times. His son immediately returned to normal.

Just then, Hai Ge's youngest son brought over the bucket and dry food.

Tan Wenbin subtly activated his snake eyes and secretly observed the back of the young man's head, where a faint Buddha handprint remained.

It wasn't that the master did a sloppy job or didn't clean it properly; it was intentional. After the Buddha's hand gesture re-accumulated with the body's qi and blood, it would suppress the young man's mind again after four or five days, causing him to become delirious once more.

In this way, Brother Hai will surely keep his promise and go to the agreed location early to wait for the masters to come back and help his son see a doctor again.

The masters are indeed cautious and prudent; they don't believe in people's gratitude and still want to keep their methods in check.

However, this action cannot really be considered "misbehaving". The Buddha's hand gesture has the effect of warding off evil and protecting, like bestowing blessings. But if the effect is too strong, ordinary people cannot withstand it. It can be considered to be playing a game of skirting the law.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to put his arm around the young man, Tan Wenbin released some of his resentment and neutralized the remaining Buddha hand gesture.

With supplies ready and darkness falling, Hai Ge called everyone to board the boat.

Tan Wenbin changed the original destination and asked Hai Ge to take them to the deserted island where the masters had landed.

The night was dark and the wind was high, with the engine roaring incessantly.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li rested in the cabin. As dawn broke, Tan Wenbin knocked on the cabin door.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, it's getting foggy."

Li Zhuiyuan stepped out of the cabin onto the deck. The morning fog was thick, which was clearly abnormal.

Hai Ge said it was okay, he knew the place and could drive there even with his eyes closed.

This is no exaggeration. Before long, land appeared ahead, with a depression suitable for mooring boats. There were many fishing boats of different sizes moored there.

Hai Ge tried to greet the boat owners, but no matter how much he called out, no one responded.

He clearly sensed something was wrong and said that the boat must have been rented.

In reality, fishing boats are the fishermen's means of production, so they can't be easily rented out.

Li Zhuiyuan and the others went ashore. Hai Ge asked when he would come to pick them up. Tan Wenbin told him to come on the day he had agreed with the masters, and that he would take them back with him.

Hai Ge said okay and immediately turned around and drove away.

With so many empty boats here, barring any unforeseen circumstances, many of the people who came by boat will not have the chance to return, so everyone doesn't need to worry about their return journey.

The fog on the island was several times thicker than at sea, so thick it resembled rice porridge. As the group moved forward, they naturally formed a defensive formation.

Runsheng led the way, Ayou stood to the side, Tan Wenbin brought up the rear, and Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked in the middle.

After wandering aimlessly for a while, the fog became so thick that it could press down on a person's shoulders, but this also pointed the way for everyone, leading them to head into the deepest part of the fog.

As I continued walking, I gradually began to feel as if I were carrying a person on my back.

This pressure is nothing to Runsheng and the others, but it's a bit of a strain for Li Zhuiyuan and A Li.

Li Zhuiyuan activated the Chen family domain, enveloping himself and A Li within it to isolate them from its influence.

As he went deeper, the pressure increased, as if he were carrying an extra person on his back for every hundred meters he moved forward. Li Zhuiyuan's domain kept making "crackling" friction sounds.

Lin Shuyou activated his Ghost General mode, and Tan Wenbin's body was tinged with the red of a Blood Ape. Only Runsheng was able to clear the way as usual.

At its most extreme stage, Tan Wenbin had to almost fully unleash his Blood Ape power to counteract the strange gravity, while Li Zhuiyuan's domain seemed to be struggling under the strain.

Runsheng opened the valve, relieving some of the pressure on Li Zhuiyuan's side.

Fortunately, this was the most extreme case. After this phase, the pressure suddenly disappeared, the fog quickly thinned, and unusually bright sunlight was able to penetrate in large quantities. Combined with the lush green grass on the ground, which was rare in winter, it gave people the illusion of a completely different world.

Even more bewildering was the sudden appearance of seven meditating figures in front of them, lined up in a row, facing this direction, as if they had been waiting for a long time.

Lin Shuyou drew his double maces, the Ghost General mark under his forehead guard flashing intensely, while Runsheng gripped the Yellow River shovel, the shockwave spreading powerfully.

Li Zhuiyuan released the red thread, connecting all his companions.

Tan Wenbin's inner voice resounded:

"Holy crap, are they going to be this blatant?"

Tan Wenbin's words expressed the sentiments of everyone at that moment.

The group came to defeat the seven monks of Qinglong Temple, but if the seven monks sat there in a row from the start, waiting for them to walk into their trap, it would truly be the most straightforward head-on collision since the beginning of the journey across the river.

It's like the evil spirits don't plot against you or wait for you to search for them step by step in the cave; they just stand straight at the entrance and wait for you.

However, after Runsheng's aura blew away the remaining mist, everyone quickly realized that something was wrong with the seven figures.

There were seven monks, with solemn appearances, but they were not wearing the robes of Qinglong Temple, and they were not in deep meditation, but seemed to have stopped breathing.

The environment here resembles the interior of the Zhenjun Temple that everyone has visited before. Therefore, this island is the Zhenjun Temple that was originally located on the seabed, and has now surfaced.

"Ah-you, check."

Lin Shuyou rushed forward first, and when he was about to reach the seven monks, he used a teleportation technique to move to their side before lunging forward again, and then used another teleportation technique.

This is most likely a battle of wits with thin air, but our team's caution is ingrained in our bones.

Finally, Lin Shuyou approached a monk from behind, lowered his vertical pupils, and quickly went to check the other six bodies.

"Confirmed dead."

Only then did the group approach.

Seven monks, seven corpses. The monks' robes were their last dignified adornment, but inside they were either mangled and bloody or severely hollowed out. One of them even had only a head, and the body under the robe was filled with stones.

Tan Wenbin: "Is it because they felt embarrassed for fellow Buddhists to kill each other, so they embellished the lives of the losers to preserve their dignity?"

Each corpse had a hole about the size of a little finger in its head, with traces of gold remaining on the skin around the edge of the hole.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up, gazing at the sunlight for a few moments, then looked back at the thick fog he had come from, and said:

"The Buddha-nature of monks who die here will be drawn out and gathered above, forming a continuously accumulating pool of merit."

However, if that's all there is to it, then the rules still seem somewhat weak.

When they came in, they didn't encounter any real obstacles except for gravity, and they won't be interfered with if they want to leave now. In this world, how can there be a gambling table where you can just get on and off at will?
Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept over the small holes on the heads of the seven monks again, and the boy slowly opened his hand.

"There should be another procedure to go through, for example..."

A beam of light emanated from the boy's fingertips.

In an instant, the brilliant sunlight above immediately receded, and Li Zhuiyuan felt the temperature in the area where he was standing rise rapidly, as if he were under the scorching sun.

In the darkness, a consciousness descended from above, but it was still some distance away because his Buddha light was not strong enough, as if he had failed the verification.

"So, this is the process."

Monks who enter this place must resonate with the supreme Sun Boshen through their own Buddha-nature, and take the initiative to make a certain Buddhist vow with him. Then, a wisp of Sun Boshen's will will descend upon you.

Only in this way can you qualify to compete for chips, and at the same time, you yourself become one of the chips.

Is the mark of making a Buddhist vow like having a scar burned into your head?
Just then, a sudden change occurred.

Li Zhuiyuan was practicing the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, which is a lineage of Buddhism of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. In the past, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva would only appear to bless the boy if he actively called upon him. This time, however, he took the initiative to pour his Buddha-nature into the boy without being called upon.

The Buddha's light at the boy's fingertips suddenly shot up.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is putting himself on a crazy gamble!

On the other side, the consciousness from Sun Baishen, which was originally quite far away, actually broke through layers of obstacles and gathered towards the boy without Li Zhuiyuan actively responding to it!

The sunlight in the sky trembled violently, and the Buddha-nature on the ground surged forth.

This tremendous commotion was felt by all the monks inside the Zhenjun Temple; more accurately, it shocked them.

The first reaction of all the monks was:

Which eminent monk of our time has also gotten involved?
"Yayoi, what's going on outside?"

"Grandmaster Uncle, it seems another eminent monk has descended upon this place."

"Is there such a person hidden in my Buddhist community? Such pure Buddha-nature is something I am ashamed of. Why would I crave such a shortcut when I could clearly take the broad road to Buddhahood myself?"

Could it be that this person is nearing the end of their life and, out of desperation, is trying one last gamble before passing away?

Yayoi: "That's the only reason, Grandmaster Uncle."

Yayoi smiled inwardly. He knew who had come. The "high monk" was not only not nearing the end of his life, but the virtuous monk was still a minor.

At this moment, from Tan Wenbin's and others' perspective, Brother Xiao Yuan was radiant with golden light.

As the person involved, Li Zhuiyuan felt as if he were passing by a casino, and someone was desperately stuffing money into his pocket, begging him to go in and gamble; while the casino owner came out, grabbed his hands, and pulled him into the casino with all his might.

At home, Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin discussed the situation, saying that Sun Boshen disliked his dirty hands and did not want to tarnish his faith and hope, which is why he removed Ayou from the True Lord system.

I was wrong. Sun Boshen did this because he didn't want me to use Ayou as a pawn to receive this Buddhist blessing through someone else...

Sun Boshen wanted him to come and pick him up personally!
(End of this chapter)