From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 298 She

It was already the end of January, but the chill in the air was still palpable.

Calming his mind and activating his Burning Heart technique, Meng Yuan gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, his eyes fixed on the Arhat Wusheng riding an elephant in the distance.

The city of Ping'an was deserted as everyone flocked out of the city to see the Arhat Wusheng.

Countless people gathered, and the Demon Suppression Division and the government troops struggled to maintain order, but they could not contain the people's enthusiasm.

But when the auspicious seven-colored clouds appeared, the noisy crowd seemed to be calmed down and stopped making noise, instead craning their necks and standing on tiptoe to see.

The giant elephant was so tall that the crowd of people could not see the group of monks from the west, but they could see the giant elephant and the canopy.

In the distance, the giant elephants stomped their feet, creating a series of thunderous booms.

In an instant, many people knelt down, or even prostrated themselves on the ground.

Once someone took the lead, more and more people knelt down, but instead of chanting Buddhist mantras, they whispered words of blessing.

Like waves of wheat swaying in the wind, seven or eight out of ten people knelt on the ground.

“These people are all from Ping’an Prefecture. They have witnessed the splendor of monks and Buddhas before. Now that they hear that the true Buddha of the West has arrived, they kneel down without hesitation.” Seeing this, Mo Tingyu sighed repeatedly, “Senior brother, do you think this shows they have knowledge or they don’t?”

"It's like a gentle rain nourishing the earth; even I didn't sense what methods that person used, so there's no need to be harsh on the people," Ning Qufei said.

"Senior brother, you are so understanding!" Mo Tingyu didn't even look at the so-called Arhat of No Birth, her eyes were only on Ning Qufei.

Meng Yuan followed behind Xiao Taotao, looking around.

Although there were many people who came to welcome the Arhat Wusheng, only two people stepped forward: Wang Er, the supervisor of the Demon Suppression Division, and Zhi Guan, the abbot of Lanruo Temple.

Both were at the fourth rank, one serving in the court and the other in the countryside.

As for the other Confucian and Taoist figures, they did not step forward.

Meng Yuan looked around and saw a huge crowd of people kneeling. He didn't see Jie Kaiping, but he did see the four disciples of Chongxu Temple mixed in with the crowd.

The four disciples of Chongxu Temple did not kneel down like the many people, thus preserving some dignity for Chongxu Temple.

Jingchen pointed at the giant elephant from a distance, while Jingshan and Yuan Jingfeng whispered among themselves, seemingly discussing something important.

Zhao Jingsheng was relatively reserved and didn't get involved too much. He also saw Meng Yuan, so he pulled Yuan Jingfeng and waved to Meng Yuan, while shouting something.

They were too far away for Meng Yuan to hear what they were saying, but judging from their clothes, they probably wanted to borrow money again.

Meng Yuan quickly turned his head away, pretending not to have seen it.

"Old Xiao, Elder Hua and Elder Miaoyin didn't come?" Lin Yan looked around and finally asked.

"No." Xiao Taotao shook his head slightly. "Those two are different from ordinary demons. Their knowledge is no less than that of great Confucian scholars. They are currently talking with those two patriarchs at Lanruo Temple."

"I see." Lin Yan didn't ask any more questions.

After a while, the giant elephant slowly approached, and Wang Er and the monk Zhiguan stepped forward.

Even though they were only a hundred paces apart, Meng Yuan still couldn't quite make out the people inside the giant elephant canopy.

Once you try to focus your attention and look closely, you will feel a little dazed, only able to see all kinds of splendor, and a feeling of worship will arise in your heart.

Knowing that he was far inferior to the Arhat of No Birth, Meng Yuan stopped looking at him and instead looked around at the surrounding land.

"Playing tricks!" Lin Yan has always been bold and not one to keep secrets.

"Keep your voice down!" Xiao Taotao glared at Lin Yan. "You and Xiao Meng were both taught by Nie Yannian, how come you're the only one who can't control your mouth!"

"I'm just saying it out loud, he's got a bad streak in his heart!" Lin Yan knew Meng Yuan very well. He pulled Xiao Taotao aside and said seriously, "Believe it or not, my junior brother is thinking about how to deal with this old bald monk right now!"

"Senior brother, I didn't mean it," Meng Yuan said, proving his innocence.

"Don't talk about this kind of thing," Xiao Taotao instructed her subordinates.

The three whispered for a while, but then they saw that the Arhat Wusheng was still on the giant elephant and had not dismounted. Wang Er and Zhiguan stood still in front of the giant elephant.

This can't be considered rude, after all, there are very few people in the third-grade realm in the world, so it's not wrong to put on airs.

After all, the third-grade realm is already close to "godhood".

"It's only at this time of year, in this era of great strife and chaos, that any Confucian, Buddhist, or Taoist master of the third rank would dare to put on airs in front of a fourth-rank martial artist?" Lin Yan sighed repeatedly. He looked at Meng Yuan and asked, "Our Chief Supervisor has no temper. Has that senior brother from Chongxu Temple arrived yet?"

"Senior brother, I just finished my seclusion," Meng Yuan said helplessly.

Lin Yan looked around and said, "Xuanjizi didn't come, but those four good-for-nothings did. Go to the nunnery and ask them over in the next couple of days."

Meng Yuan shared the same idea and immediately agreed.

After waiting for a while, everyone saw that the Arhat Wusheng still had not come down from the giant elephant, while Wang Er and the monk Zhiguan led the way toward Lanruo Temple.

Only then did Meng Yuan finally see the Arhat without birth on the giant elephant.

The Arhat Wusheng was seen wearing a kasaya and sitting cross-legged under a canopy. His face was not particularly remarkable; he was of average appearance, neither beautiful nor ugly, and his face seemed somewhat old. However, his skin was snow-white and delicate, making him appear like a young man.

Behind the giant elephant followed one hundred and eight disciples and grand-disciples, all bowing their heads and clasping their hands in prayer, muttering some Buddhist scriptures.

The Arhat of No Birth had no spirit in his eyes, but a slight smile on his lips, and he would nod from time to time as he looked around.

As the giant elephant trod the road, everyone along the way felt refreshed and clear-headed, as if bathed in a spring breeze.

Meng Yuan also sensed something, as if he had nothing to hide, inside or out. Even the gloom that had lingered since the Songhe Prefecture incident was swept away, as if the future was clear and peach blossoms were blooming in his heart.

"Thinking of your sister-in-law?" After the giant elephant passed, Meng Yuan pulled Lin Yan, who was still lost in thought, and the two followed behind.

Lin Yan woke up, then nodded and said, "He advised me to be nicer to the medicine girl to help our marriage be harmonious."

At this point, Lin Yan looked at Meng Yuan and asked, "And you?"

"It soothes my mind and body, allowing me to temporarily forget my grudges." Meng Yuan shook his head and said, "It's Guanyin clay. It'll fill you up, but it won't satisfy your hunger."

"Amitabha." A man came up behind the two of them. It was Monk Juesheng. He put his palms together and said, "Sometimes, a person who is starving cannot even have a fantasy. Being able to relieve hunger temporarily is already quite good."

"Great monk, what kind of twisted logic is this?" Mo Tingyu pulled Ning Qufei along as well, her tone anything but kind.

"Amitabha." Monk Juesheng was very polite. He turned to Mo Tingyu and bowed, saying, "All beings suffer, yet there is no good way to escape it. This is all we can do."

As he spoke, he pointed to the people around him.

Wherever the Arhat Wusheng passed, many people were still kneeling in worship, but they raised their heads, their faces showing no sign of the sorrow of the north wind blowing, but rather as if bathed in a spring breeze, forgetting the troubles of the world for the moment.

"But if you forget your troubles, will you really be free of them?" Mo Tingyu questioned.

Monk Juesheng was speechless for a moment.

The group remained silent and followed the procession towards Lanruo Temple. The journey was not far, but the giant elephant moved slowly, and the group could only endure it.

The people who came to admire the eminent monk stopped kneeling and followed behind him, their emotions surging, clearly wanting to hear the holy monk's teachings.

When they reached the foot of Wulou Mountain, the Arhat Wusheng finally dismounted from the giant elephant and, together with Wang Er and Zhiguan, led one hundred and eight disciples and grand-disciples up the mountain.

This time, Lanruo Temple refused to allow outside visitors, and ordinary people could no longer go up the mountain to offer incense.

Xiao Taotao had already followed Wang Er to the front. Meng Yuan and Lin Yan, lacking sufficient experience and cultivation, could only follow behind as guards.

Upon reaching Wulou Mountain, Wusheng Luohan did not linger and headed towards the back of the mountain.

As per the itinerary, a discussion was naturally indispensable. However, since Lanruo Temple was the main venue, and it also housed two eminent monks of the third rank, Wusheng Luohan naturally had to pay them a visit.

This time, Abbot Zhitong and Wang Er still led the way, but Wusheng Luohan did not bring his disciples or grand-disciples with him, and went alone.

With these three Buddhist masters holding the highest rank, they were bound to discuss the Dao and Zen, and it would take them several days to come out of seclusion.

The remaining 108 people who came from the West were led by Jiu Jie, a disciple of the Arhat Wusheng.

This monk, who had reached the fourth level of the Buddhist realm, was quite old. He had snow-white eyebrows and always held a string of prayer beads in his hand. He had a kind and benevolent appearance.

The monk Jiujie was also very kind, and his other disciples and grand-disciples were all extremely disciplined.

The abbots of the three courtyards of Lanruo Temple and eminent figures from both Confucianism and Taoism led Master Jiujie to speak in the meditation hall, while the other disciples waited respectfully outside.

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan had originally planned that even if they didn't fight, they would at least have a verbal battle when they met today. However, everyone was very restrained and insisted on serving tea and having a pleasant time.

"They'll put on a show of politeness for a few days, but then they'll be biting you in the back!" Lin Yan said with great experience. "Monks are all about eloquence! They'll argue for a few days first, and then their skills will be tested!"

"I'm afraid he won't be easy to deal with." Meng Yuan didn't dare to observe Wusheng Luohan any further along the way, but instead looked at all his disciples and grand-disciples.

Since entering the Dao, Meng Yuan has been through countless battles. He wouldn't dare say he could tell the difference between others at a glance, but he does have a certain intuition.

Of these 108 people, apart from the Nine Tribulations Monk, there were seven Rank 5 cultivators, and the rest were Rank 6 and Rank 7 cultivators.

Moreover, it encompasses three schools: Buddhism, martial arts, and demon cultivation.

Of the seven fifth-grade Buddhist monks, three were martial monks, and Meng Yuan knew they would be difficult to deal with.

As for the remaining sixth-rank and even lower ranks, there are indeed extraordinary individuals among them, but Meng Yuan no longer takes them seriously.

The commotion continued into the night, and sure enough, the Arhat Wusheng did not show up again. All 108 people were properly accommodated by the monks of Lanruo Temple.

Their residence was located in the Wisdom Courtyard, a place decided upon after discussions between the people of Lanruo Temple and the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Xiao Taotao and Ding Chonglou arranged for people to patrol, but the guests from the Buddhist Kingdom were very well-behaved, neither making a fuss nor wandering around, and they never caused any trouble.

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan stayed outside with Xiao Taotao all night, and nothing happened.

The next day, Wusheng Luohan was still discussing the Dao with the two patriarchs of Lanruo Temple and did not appear.

However, at the invitation of the three academies' chief monks, the monk Jiujie set up an altar at the Zen Inquiry Platform to give lectures.

Wenchantai is located at the foot of the three peaks of Wulou Mountain. It is an extremely spacious platform and has always been the place where Lanruo Temple preaches and discusses the Dharma.

Having stood for hundreds of years, it has long been renovated by the monks of Lanruo Temple and can accommodate thousands of people sitting cross-legged.

Nowadays, the assembly held by the monk Jiujie is an open assembly, open to all regardless of whether they are Confucian, Buddhist, or Taoist.

People gathered to listen to the lecture, including not only many monks and nuns from Ping'an Prefecture, but also many eminent people.

Master Ren from the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, Master Yun from Qingyang Palace, Master Chen from Tianyan Sect, Master Mo from Lingxiao Sect, and Mr. Zhou from Qingya Academy.

With Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism all gathered together, it was quite a lively scene.

“I have been practicing Buddhism under my master for a hundred years and have also traveled to various places. I have seen and heard all sorts of things and have gained some understanding.” The monk Jiujie was very kind and smiled. He looked around and said with a smile, “What I am talking about today is what I have realized in my spare time. It is called ‘letting go’.”

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan were on the outer edge of the meditation platform, craning their necks to listen.

There was no sound around the meditation platform except for the faint chirping of birds. The sky was clear and the air was fresh, with no dark clouds or north wind in sight, giving a feeling of gentle breeze and pleasant coolness.

Master Jiujie sat high on the platform, wearing a tattered kasaya, and then asked, "What is a dwelling?"

Upon asking this question, Master Jiujie smiled and looked around. The people sitting on either side of him below the stage were all experts from the three religions, all of whom were well-versed in the teachings of the three religions, but no one spoke.

Master Jiujie naturally didn't ask these experts, but looked at the group of young people listening to the lecture below the stage.

"Does this benefactor have any insights?" Master Jiujie looked at Ning Qufei, who was sitting cross-legged in the crowd.

"I wonder which school of thought the 'abandonment' you speak of, Confucianism, Buddhism, or Taoism, refers to?" Ning Qufei asked rhetorically.

"It doesn't matter which school you're from, as long as your words are meaningful," Master Jiujie said with a smile.

“Then I will be presumptuous!” Ning Qufei was a disciple of the Taoist sect. Although he practiced martial arts, he was not lacking in knowledge. He immediately said, “I have gained some insights from the Buddhist scriptures. They are about giving up wealth, fear, and the Dharma, and then breaking through all kinds of greed, eliminating the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, and generating a compassionate heart.”

“Good.” Monk Jiujie nodded and smiled, saying, “The Diamond Sutra says: A Bodhisattva should practice giving without attachment to the Dharma. When giving reaches its ultimate point, the mind is without attachment, and one attains emptiness. You have great compassion, benefactor. Excellent, excellent.”

I'd rather go than return a gift.

"However, you should also know about the practice of moving from 'relinquishing form' to 'relinquishing formlessness.' Practice is not about personal gain, but it is easy to develop a utilitarian mindset. One must transcend the attachment to merit and reward."

After saying this, Monk Jiujie looked around again and asked, "I wonder if anyone has any further discussion on the word 'abandon'?"

The Zen platform was silent and still; no one came to answer.

After a long while, Master Jiujie spoke again, asking, "Is there really no one left to discuss this?"

"Originally there was nothing, so where can dust settle?" A handsome bald man with red lips and white teeth stood up from the crowd; it was none other than the monk Juesheng.

“Amitabha.” Monk Juesheng bowed his head and put his palms together, saying, “The Heart Sutra says: ‘There is no wisdom and no attainment, because there is nothing to be attained.’ Master, you are attached to ‘letting go’, but you can no longer ‘let go’. This is attachment.”

Master Jiujie did not refute these words.

“Relinquish all attachment to the Dharma, and realize emptiness.” Abbot Juesheng said frankly and naturally, “Even the thought of ‘relinquishing’ should not be clung to, only then is it true relinquishment. Master, you have repeatedly sought people to explain the word ‘relinquishment’, which shows that you have already developed an attachment and have fallen into a lower realm.”

“This is the Zen concept of letting go in the present moment,” said Master Jiujie.

"Amitabha, Master, you are very learned." Juesheng praised him.

"What are they talking about?" Lin Yan watched from afar, completely baffled.

"I don't quite understand," Meng Yuan shook his head.

"This is a clash of ideologies. To put it bluntly, it's like dogs fighting each other." As the two were staring at each other, they suddenly heard someone speaking behind them.

The two turned around and saw a person in a red cloak and a bamboo hat standing behind them; it was Dugu Ying.

(End of this chapter)