Who let him join the Sword Sect!

Chapter 500 Buddhist Technology: Shocking and Awe-inspiring

Xiaoxue's Grass-Walking Technique is very fast, and apart from causing a little dizziness, it has no drawbacks.

Fortunately, Zhang Ze and A Li were both seasoned veterans, so this minor bumpy ride was nothing to worry about.

However, after landing, Ah Li had some doubts.

"Have we arrived?"

"We've arrived." Little Snow sprouted from the soil, stretched, and looked at the nostalgic scenery.

She probably really came back to visit, because after taking Zhang Ze and A Li to their destination, she ignored the two of them.

Xiaoxue raised her hand and summoned a little rotten princess. The two exchanged a knowing smile and then disappeared hand in hand.

Zhang Ze and A Li were left alone, staring at each other in bewilderment.

There was no time to ask any questions; when they tried to contact Master Kukai, his phone was switched off.

"You lied to me," Ah Li said angrily.

“It’s not my fault. You believe whatever I say. What does it have to do with me?” Zhang Ze argued.

Ah Li, "When we get back, I'll eat all those lousy books you wrote!"

It's no wonder Ah Li was angry; mainly because compared to the other five sects, this Buddhist sect looked rather ordinary.

It lacks the humid atmosphere of the Cloud Palace nestled between two mountains, reminiscent of the Sword Sect, and also lacks the majestic grandeur of the Central Continent, a town of dry sea and glaciers, belonging to the Heavenly Sect.

Compared to the animal and plant-themed amusement park, the Beast Taming Sect Medicine King Valley appears exceptionally bland.

Compared to Longhu Mountain, which is known for its mysterious and often strange phenomena, it is incomparable.

The Buddhist temple itself doesn't even have a main gate.

From where Zhang Ze and A Li were, they could see endless fields of fertile land as the terrain lowered, with paths crisscrossing the fields and the sounds of chickens and dogs echoing through the air—a scene straight out of a paradise.

The terrain gradually rises, and the village is separated by bamboo forests. Several Zen temples are located halfway up the mountain, hidden by bamboo forests.

Beyond the Zen temple, another bamboo forest stretches up the mountain.

It's not that it's bad, but in Zhang Ze's eyes, who is used to seeing wonders, this place is far too ordinary, and it doesn't even qualify as a regular tourist attraction.

As for Ah Li, she was completely poisoned by Zhang Ze's bizarre little stories.

Ah Li rubbed Zhang Ze's cheek.

"Where is the magnificent, golden Mahavira Hall? Where is the invincible Buddhist kingdom filled with the sound of chanting? Where is the towering, heaven-reaching paradise?!"

Zhang Ze removed Ah Li from his face, saying, "Don't rush, there might be a hidden secret."

"Look at that old man, he might be Master Kukai in disguise, testing me right now."

Following Zhang Ze's direction, A Li saw an old man with his back to the two of them next to the fertile fields at the foot of the mountain.

The old man looked at the rice paddies and swayed his body from side to side.

"I think you're talking nonsense. There's no test at all. We'll just go to the Zen temple halfway up the mountain..."

However, before Ah Li could finish speaking, Zhang Ze transformed into a streak of light and flew down the mountain, preparing to stage a scene of helping the villagers farm.

"Sir, sir, do you need any help?"

Zhang Ze stood respectfully behind the old man and asked.

However, the old man ignored him and continued to twist and turn, trembling, while leaning on his cane.

Zhang Ze frowned, sensing that things were not so simple. Looking at the old man's back, he began to wonder what kind of riddle this was, and what the mystery was in the old man's trembling movements.

But Ah Li felt that Zhang Ze was sick. It flew up, floated to the old man's side, and reached out to take off the "Little Walnut Second Generation In-Ear Vibration Headphones" from the old man's ears.

And turn off the "spirit recorder" that was placed on the stone not far in front of the old man.

Perhaps because she hadn't played this game much before, Ah Li accidentally pressed the pause button and played the audio out of the speaker.

"The vast horizon..."

Listening to the audio coming from the tape recorder, Ah Li gave the old man an awkward smile, then gave Zhang Ze the middle finger.

Clearly, the old man wasn't farming, nor did he have epilepsy; he was simply practicing square dancing by himself.

Amidst the deep, resonant background music, Ah Li asked loudly.

"Sir, may I ask if the Buddhist temple is located on the mountain?"

The old man covered his ears and said to Ah Li with some displeasure, "Fatty, keep your voice down, your grandpa isn't deaf!"

After saying that, the old man used his cane to turn off the [spirit recorder].

"What are you trying to do?" The old man asked Zhang Ze, leaning on his cane.

“We’re going to the main Buddhist temple,” Zhang Ze said.

"Then go ahead, it's over there, just follow the path straight and you'll get there."

The old man waved his hand, signaling Zhang Ze and A Li to go about their business and not disturb his dancing.

"Can anyone go in? Are there any riddles over there or..." Zhang Ze gestured, trying to explain to the old man what a magic array was.

The knowledgeable old man looked at Zhang Ze with disdain, "There's no such thing as a 'feather formation.' Just knock on the door when you get there. If the door opens, you can go in. If it doesn't, then go back down the way you came."

The old man glanced at Ah Li and added, "You can bring your dog into the temple, but you can't climb over the wall or dig dog holes, or you'll be stewed and eaten."

"Is there anything else you can guide the younger generation on?"

While covering A-Li's mouth and pulling her back into his arms to prevent her from biting the old man, Zhang Ze asked.

"There really is one. Judging from your accent, you don't sound like a local. I guess you're here to become an apprentice too. I think your head shape is nice; you'd probably look quite handsome with a shaved head. But it's always good to be safe just in case. Here, take this..."

The old man fumbled around in his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Zhang Ze.

[Grandpa Wang's Hair Growth Cream, giving you back your flowing, beautiful hair]

"If you regret it, remember to come find me. I promise I'll help you grow your hair back."

After the old man finished speaking, he patted Zhang Ze on the shoulder repeatedly, then picked up the tape recorder and walked into the village without looking back.

Zhang Ze, "..."

Ah Li climbed back onto Zhang Ze's head, hugging her little arms and shaking her head.

"How pathetic. Can't you be as naive as me?"

The old man wasn't lying to Zhang Ze; the Buddhist temple in question really could be entered by knocking on the door.

Before Zhang Ze could even take two shots, a little bald head popped up.

Perhaps because he was bald, Zhang Ze had some face blindness and couldn't remember who this person was, but the monk recognized him.

"Senior Brother Zhang, why are you so late? Didn't you come with Senior Sister Xiaoxue?"

Zhang Ze scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. He didn't want to tell anyone about his battle of wits with thin air, so he awkwardly changed the subject.

Is Master Kukai here?

"The host is not here. He said that if you come, senior brother, go directly to the Stele Forest. Your friend is waiting for you and has something important to tell you."

"As for what you need, Uncle Mingzhi has already prepared it. You can go and get it when you leave the Stele Forest," the monk replied with his hands clasped together.

"Oh, I see. Then I'll trouble you to take me to the Stele Forest. By the way, I still don't know your Dharma name, little master," Zhang Ze asked casually as they walked.

"You're too kind, senior brother. My Buddhist name is Xuzhu."

Zhang Ze, "..."

After a long silence, Zhang Ze took out a secret manual from his treasure bag and handed it to the monk, whose Buddhist name was Xuzhu.

"Brother Xuzhu, I see you have extraordinary talent and are a martial arts prodigy, one in a million. The fate of world peace rests on your shoulders. I have a secret manual here, and seeing that it's destined for you, I'll give it to you for free."

Without waiting for Xu Zhu to refuse, Zhang Ze stuffed a sword sect manual, "The Thirty-Six Meridians Divine Sword," into Xu Zhu's hands.

"This... I thank you for the Dharma, senior brother."

On their way to the Stele Forest with Xu Zhu, Zhang Ze and A Li casually asked each other some questions about Buddhism.

According to Xu Zhu, this place is not entirely undefended; all the important items are stored in the Buddhist kingdoms created by the various masters.

As for why the sect is so simple, he said it's because they're used to it, and it's enough for them. "Cultivators are impervious to heat and cold. Whether it's a humble room or a grand hall, it's all just external things, there's no difference. As long as it's enough, that's fine."

Finally, perhaps fearing that Zhang Ze would think he was being targeted and lecturing him, Xu Zhu added something.

"Of course, this is just our temple's opinion, and there is no right or wrong. Others can think and do whatever they like."

"Go west from here, and beyond that mountain, there is a city. That place is similar in function to Qianji Town, where cultivators can rest and exchange ideas, and it is much more prosperous than here."

"If anyone has important business to discuss, they usually meet there."

Hearing this, Ah Li remembered what the old man down the mountain had said and asked curiously.

"So you mean the temple gates here can't actually be opened by knocking?"

"No, not really. You can knock on anyone you want, but most people won't do it unless it's something important," Xu Zhu said, carefully choosing his words and pausing for a moment before concluding.

"Mutual respect and mutual understanding will then become a tacitly accepted custom, which will make it convenient for everyone."

While chatting, Xu Zhu soon led Zhang Ze and A Li to the Stele Forest.

The stele forest is not far from the temple; it is located in the bamboo forest behind the mountain.

Like the style of this temple, although the wordless steles that make up the stele forest are all extraordinary objects, there are no formations or mazes set up around them.

Even the old man we met at the foot of the mountain could cross this low hill and come here via the wild path behind it if he wanted to.

After completing his task of guiding the way, Xu Zhu took his leave, and Zhang Ze soon met his so-called friend.

Zhang Ze had many friends, but only one could be called a little monk.

The young monk Huixuan, a bald man who had met Zhang Ze several times, was just as capable of courting death as Lao Tang.

He made a terrible mistake in the North, almost getting killed by a dungeon boss, but was eventually taken back to Buddhism by Master Kukai.

After that, Zhang Ze never heard from him again.

At this moment, the young monk was sitting in a small pavilion with his big black disciple.

The two sat cross-legged facing each other, intently fiddling with a pile of chess-piece-shaped magical artifacts in front of them.

It looked like they were playing chess, but the conversation sounded very strange.

The little monk said, "Hurry up, let's do it again."

The big black monk said, "Master, I can't go on anymore, I'm sure I can't go on anymore, let me rest for a while."

The little monk said, "Don't say it's not true, come here quickly, or I'll deduct your salary."

Hearing this, the big black monk said aggrievedly, "Go ahead and deduct whatever you want, you've never given me a salary anyway. Besides, every time you went out before, wasn't it me working to support you!"

The little monk said, "Why are you talking so much? Hurry up and get to it. Seven times tonight, not a single time less. We're saving world peace."

Upon hearing this, the big black monk continued arranging the chess pieces with a bitter face, but he soon saw his savior.

“Benefactor Zhang! Oh my, you’ve finally arrived.”

After saying that, the senior monk got up and ran over, pulled Zhang Ze to the pavilion, and pressed him down to the spot where he had just been sitting.

Then, under the pretext of going to pour them tea, he ran out of the Stele Forest like a black bear spirit wearing a cassock.

Judging from that resolute back view, I guess he doesn't plan to come back before breakfast tomorrow.

Zhang Ze sat down cross-legged, held A Li in his arms, and looked at the little monk, asking a question.

"What were you doing just now?"

The little monk fiddled with the chess pieces in his hand as he answered, "Of course, I'm helping you find your way."

"Road? What road?" Zhang Ze didn't understand.

"The road to Baiyujing," the little monk replied.

"Bai? How did you know?" Zhang Ze asked in surprise.

The young monk shrugged and replied, "Because I went in there before, whether it was the one on land or the one under the sea."

Upon hearing this, Ah Li immediately pulled out a large piece of beef jerky from Zhang Ze's treasure bag and began to watch the drama unfold.

The young monk put down the chess piece in his hand and said, "You know that I have reincarnated ten times."

Zhang Ze: "Of course I know, isn't that common sense?"

The little monk said, "Well, that's common sense. This kind of nonsense is all too common."

"But there's something I bet you don't know, and that's when I first kicked the bucket."

Zhang Ze: "I guess it must have been during the East-West War back then."

Little monk, "."

Zhang Ze shrugged and said, "You said you've been to Baiyujing, so it's obvious you went there during the East-West War."

The little monk sighed, "Can't you just give up? There's no point in pretending to be a master with you."

"Come with me, I'll show you something, it'll be much easier to explain it there."

After saying that, the young monk began to rearrange the chess-piece-shaped ritual implements.

As the chess pieces were placed in the correct positions, the surrounding space seemed to freeze for a moment, and then Zhang Ze and A Li were transported to another space.

This is a golden space, which looks like someone's Buddhist kingdom.

However, compared to other Buddhist kingdoms, this place has been modified a bit too much.

The entire space was filled with glazed gold plates inscribed with mantras, beneath which arrays were densely packed. With a certain rhythm, the glazed gold plates seemed to have a life of their own, rising and falling like ocean waves.

And above this golden 'sea' float lotus platforms.

The enormous lotus platform corresponds one-to-one with the location of the wordless stone tablets in the Stele Forest, and beneath the lotus platform are golden chains that resemble cables.

The chains disappeared into the golden 'Sea of ​​Truth', serving as both the anchor point for securing the lotus platform and the roots for drawing power.

However, there was no golden statue of a Buddha on that lotus platform, nor were any living beings offered to it.

On those lotus platforms were only pairs of illusory giant hands formed from the condensation of spiritual energy.

The giant hands all faced the center of this Buddhist kingdom, forming mantra mudras, and glowed with golden light against the backdrop of the floating Dharma wheel behind them.

In the heart of the Buddhist kingdom, however, was a device resembling the style of the Thousand Machine Pavilion, its shape resembling a sword furnace from the Sword Sect.

As the Thousand Machine Array opened and closed, and the mechanism rotated, Zhang Ze saw clearly the core of the device, which was also the most central object of worship and offering in this Buddhist kingdom.

A withered hand.

He held a red flower in his palm, making a plucking motion.

This withered hand is the core of the Buddhist kingdom.

"Heh, you see? I told you their Buddhist sect must have real skills, how could they be so ordinary?" Zhang Ze said, pretending to be calm, pinching A-Li's little face.

Ah Li didn't reply; she just stared at her with her mouth open, drooling, looking around at everything.

So delicious.

The little monk floated beside Zhang Ze with his hands behind his back, and said smugly, "How about that? Pretty impressive, huh? You didn't expect that, did you?"

"Damn, I really didn't guess. What kind of place is this?" Zhang Ze asked.

The little monk said, “You can call the place where I can reincarnate ten times a year ‘The Boundless Golden Wheel of Dharma’, but I prefer to call it ‘The Wonderful House of the Mortal World’ now.”

Zhang Ze: "But you can be reincarnated, isn't it because you are a high-ranking monk?"

However, before Zhang Ze could finish speaking, the little monk interrupted him, saying, "First of all, although I have the nickname of Arhat, I am not a high monk."

"After all, I don't even read Buddhist scriptures much, and even if I did, I wouldn't remember them. In terms of Buddhist practice and moral character, I am not as good as many people."

"Secondly, whether you are bald or not is a serious matter like reincarnation."

The young monk patted Zhang Ze on the shoulder. "Like you, you can die and come back to life even better than me, but in which life have you ever been bald?"

Zhang Ze, “.”

(End of this chapter)