Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 455 Sacrificing Oneself at Tongtai Temple

Shiqian Hall.

After returning from the Circular Mound Altar, Xiao Yan locked himself in his palace and did not see anyone for several days.

Three days later, Xiao Yuhuan barged in.

"Princess, His Majesty forbids anyone from entering," Dong Ping said, pretending to block the way as he followed in.

"..." The emperor, who was sitting on the throne, waved his hand, signaling Dong Ping to step down.

Dong Ping breathed a sigh of relief and quickly withdrew, ordering the palace doors to be closed silently.

"Did the witch answer?" Xiao Yan asked hoarsely, "Who exactly killed my son?"

"The witch said that His name can no longer be mentioned," Xiao Yuhuan said through gritted teeth. She only had one good younger brother, but he was killed by 'someone,' and she was also filled with anger with nowhere to vent it.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately understood and his expression changed drastically. He said, "Isn't it not time for Him to awaken yet?"

“The witch said that He used a mortal body.” Xiao Yuhuan replied, “When a god reaches the realm of an ancient god, He can build His own divine realm. Within it, He is immortal and invincible.”

"Therefore, gods are reluctant to leave their divine realm, but they also do not want to be disconnected from the mortal world. So they divide a part of their divine consciousness and descend to the mortal world with a physical body. This way, they can ensure the safety of their divine body without delaying their duties."

"You mean, before He fell into a deep sleep, He sent a portion of His divine consciousness to someone?" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and said, "And then manipulated that person to kill the Crown Prince?"

"Yes." Xiao Yuhuan nodded.

"Who is that person?" Xiao Yan asked coldly.

“The witch said that His original identity is no longer important. If Father Emperor wants to see Him, he can go to Tongtai Temple…” Xiao Yuhuan gritted her teeth and said, “But don’t be impulsive. You are definitely no match for Him.”

"It's hard to say." Xiao Yan retorted, "If I were to forcibly become a god, wouldn't I be able to deal with even one of His avatars?"

"We can't deal with it." Xiao Yuhuan said helplessly, "The witch said that the physical body in the mortal world is not an ordinary clone, but was prepared to prevent Wu Xian from launching a sneak attack. In the Jinling Formation, it can fully exert the power of its true self, and even if everyone joins forces, we can't deal with it."

"..." Xiao Yan was dejected upon hearing this. Wu Gu was the goddess of divination, and her prophecies would not be wrong.

He ignored His advice and insisted on personally leading the northern expedition, which led to this predicament. If he continues on his own, death and the destruction of his country are imminent...

"Did the witch tell me what I should do?" After a long silence, Xiao Yan asked in a hoarse voice.

Seeing her father age twenty years in an instant, Xiao Yuhuan felt a pang of sadness, but she still uttered the witch's final advice—

"The mountain breeze gently blows, from the southeast to the northeast. Tender trees entwine the rocks, their roots stretching out in the shadows."

"'Overcoming strength with gentleness, outward compliance and inner stability'?" Xiao Yan was a great scholar, so he naturally understood what Wu Gu meant at a glance. He couldn't help but sneer, "To put it bluntly, isn't it just 'kneeling down and being a dog'? If I were willing to be a dog, how could I have fallen to such a state?"

~~
After the rain, the sky cleared, and Zijin Mountain was a pristine green, with moss peeking out from the stone steps leading up the mountain. The eight hundred Arhats, each in a different pose, stood solemnly on both sides of the mountain path, showing no trace of the fierce battle that took place two years ago.

At dawn, a series of bells suddenly rang out from Tongtai Temple atop the mountain.

The temple gates opened, and thousands of novices filed out, standing in pairs on either side of the stone steps, stretching from the mountain gate all the way to the temple gate.

Zen Master Zhenguan also personally came to the mountain gate to greet us, clearly indicating that a distinguished guest had arrived today.

At dawn, Xiao Yan's entourage slowly made its way to the foot of Zijin Mountain. When the imperial carriage stopped, the Liang emperor who alighted from the carriage was not wearing a dragon robe, but rather a plain gray monk's robe. He wore straw sandals and a headscarf, dressed like a lay Buddhist.

The emperor's face had lost all arrogance and hatred, leaving only a look of complete subservience.

He stepped forward to Zhen Guan, put his hands together and said, "I have realized my mistake and returned to the right path. I hope the master can guide me out of my confusion."

“Amitabha, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore.” Zhen Guan also put his hands together and said with a smile, “Your Majesty has been able to repent and is willing to sacrifice yourself at Tongtai Temple as an emperor. Buddha will surely forgive you.” “I am willing.” Xiao Yan nodded without hesitation.

"Your Majesty, please." Zhen Guan then stepped aside to make way for him.

Xiao Yan then entered the mountain gate and ascended the stone steps. The monks on both sides began to chant the "Emperor Liang's Repentance" in unison:
"On the day Xiangyang raised its army, the Qi tripod was torn apart, and fraternal enemies turned against each other."

On the day of the second repentance ceremony, when the Huai and Si rivers were blocked, dragon flags covered the sky, and the bones of the laborers withered.

When the dragon, in its rage, unleashed its fury, the dam collapsed and the city crumbled, leaving the widowed and orphaned to weep in desolate reeds.

"Four confessions of the crime of allowing his nephew to abuse the people, the chaotic Taotie, and the ravages of the capital..."

The princes and nobles following behind Xiao Yan turned pale upon hearing this; it was as if they were pointing fingers at the emperor and cursing him!

Xiao Gang and the others were so angry that their faces turned ashen. They never dreamed that they would be so humiliated in front of everyone.

Moreover, they recognized that the monks reciting the "Emperor Liang's Repentance" were the same imperial guards who had been forced to become monks two years ago.

Zhen Guan spoke sweet words, but in reality he had no intention of letting Xiao Yan off easily and did everything he could to humiliate him!

The Sixth Prince, Xiao Lun, was hot-tempered and could no longer tolerate it. He jumped up and shouted at Zhen Guan, "Don't push your luck!"

Before Zhen Guan could even speak, Xiao Yan reached out and grabbed Xiao Lun, pulling him close.

"You unfilial son, don't you think your father's sins are great enough?!" Xiao Yan cursed angrily, then flung Xiao Lun a hundred feet away, where he landed on the mountainside, his fate unknown.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he kowtowed every three steps he went up in the most humble manner.

Each impact was solid, leaving a series of marks on the hard bluestone steps...

"Father..." Xiao Gang and the others felt as if their hearts were being torn apart, but no one dared to utter a word of dissuasion.

Xiao Yan kowtowed every three steps, kowtowing a total of nine hundred and ninety-nine times, before finally arriving at the gate of Tongtai Temple.

Zen Master Zhendi had been standing at the temple gate for a long time. Watching Xiao Yan kowtow all the way up, he smiled with satisfaction and said, "If Your Majesty had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place?"

“It was I who was stubbornly deluded…” Xiao Yan said humbly, his forehead covered in bruises, “Today I come to plead guilty and leave the matter to the Zen Master for judgment.”

“This old monk has no right to judge the Emperor,” Zhen Di said calmly. “You should go and repent before the Buddha.”

“That’s exactly right.” Xiao Yan looked up at the hundred-zhang-tall Buddha statue in the Tongtai Temple square and suddenly noticed that its face had changed from male to female…

“The Buddha has countless manifestations and thirty-two marks of a Buddha, and this is one of them,” Paramartha explained from the side.

"Understood." Xiao Yan nodded, stepped into Tongtai Temple, and was about to walk towards the Buddha statue when Zhen Di stopped him and said, "Your Majesty, is this how you go to see the Buddha?"

"Then what should we do?" Xiao Yan asked.

"Only by shaving one's head and receiving the precepts can one start anew." Then Truth exclaimed in a startling voice.

"Absolutely not!" The princes and ministers finally couldn't hold back any longer and hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying, "A country cannot be without a ruler. If His Majesty becomes a monk, what will happen to the Great Liang?!"

Zhen Di remained unmoved, staring intently at Xiao Yan, as if he had Xiao Yan completely under his control.

Then Xiao Yan slowly nodded and said, "This disciple is willing to be ordained."

(End of this chapter)