Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 171 Demonic dye (4000 words long chapter)
—To become a Buddha?
Upon hearing those two words, even though he was currently in that situation, Lu Xiuyuan couldn't help but chuckle.

“Abbot, please don’t joke with me. How could a rough man like me, who can barely read a few words, possibly become a Buddha? Even if you put those scriptures in front of me, they would recognize me, but I wouldn’t recognize them.”

Ignoring Lu Xiuyuan's self-deprecating tone, Liao Chen's voice remained as calm as ever.

“That’s alright. Our Ci’en Temple lineage has always only looked at Buddhist affinity, not knowledge. Besides, Benefactor Lu, you and I have known each other for more than ten years. In my opinion, you definitely have a deep affinity with Buddhism and are fully capable of becoming a Buddha.”

Seeing that Chen seemed to be serious, Lu Xiuyuan's smile gradually froze, but he still continued to speak in a low voice.

“Well… Abbot, as you know, I’ve never had much of a Buddhist heart. I’m usually quite lazy and can’t give up things like alcohol and meat. Asking me to practice Buddhism is really too much for me. So, if the temple is really short of people, I’ll introduce you to a few sincere Buddhist laypeople after I go down the mountain. That would be a small token of my sincerity.”

His words were full of excuses, and he even sounded somewhat impatient.

In those few short minutes, for some reason, Lu Xiuyuan suddenly felt that the host he had known for many years was becoming more and more unfamiliar. A sense of unease sprouted in his heart and quickly spread throughout his body.

Instinct was urging him to go.

—Leave right now!
However, Liao Chen continued speaking.

At that moment, his voice was like a piercing demonic sound, stopping everyone in their tracks.

"Chief Lu, don't try to refuse. Since the higher-ups have chosen you to be the Buddha, you must do it. It's your destiny, and you can't escape it."

Then, as these words fell, the chanting of the novice monks in the front hall suddenly became louder.

"With no hindrance in mind, there is no fear; one is far removed from distorted views and dreams, and ultimately attains Nirvana. All Buddhas of the three times—"

In an instant.

'Boom! '

A sound.

It looks like something exploded.

But Lu Xiuyuan was too weak to look back. He stared blankly ahead, his eyes instantly filled with terror.

Right in his line of sight, the curtain behind the Buddhist hall suddenly moved without wind, pulling open to both sides to reveal several bodies behind it.

—Those were a few monks.

Just like a child's specimen, a monk was nailed to the wall with dozens of iron nails.

These people, all of whom were depicted as Buddhas, were also shown in the form of Buddhas.

One figure presses down with hands and knees bent, as if subduing a fierce tiger; this is the Tiger-Taming Venerable. Another figure has wide, angry eyes and holds a dharma fork; this is the Wrathful Vajra. A third figure holds a begging bowl in both hands and bows respectfully; this is the Bowl-Holding Arhat.
Even at this point, all the monks were still alive.

Blood flowed from their eyes, leaving a bright red trail. The nailed monks opened their mouths as if to shout, but they couldn't utter a single sound.

As for the rest, Lu Xiuyuan didn't dare to watch any further.

In his memory, there was only one sect that could create such a terrifying scene.

So he strained his neck to look at the still indifferent Liao Chen.

He opened and closed his mouth several times before finally uttering the most absurd guess in his mind.

"Abbot, have you abandoned Zen and entered Tantra?"

Liao Chen did not answer, but simply began to softly recite Buddhist scriptures.

This is already the default.

So Lu Xiuyuan continued to ask, trembling.

"why?"

However, before Chen could speak, a rough voice rang out from behind the Buddhist hall.

"—Why? Well, of course, he's had enough of this miserable life."

As soon as those words fell.

A person draped in a long purple robe, whose face was obscured, suddenly stepped slowly out of the shadows.

He first looked around, then suddenly said to Chen with dissatisfaction.

"Wait a minute, didn't I tell you to only call over that Taoist镖头 (bodyguard) and this Zheng Sandan, and leave the rest there as hostages so that we could avoid making a move against them? Why did you call over this whole group?"

Liao Chen lowered his brows and answered softly.

"What does it matter? You're almost at the Dharma Body stage anyway, whether you save one or two, it's all the same. Why not just let them all come at once? Why bother with all that effort?"

"you!"

Hearing the obviously sarcastic words, the purple-robed man immediately flew into a rage—but before he could speak, Liao Chen calmly turned his gaze to Lu Xiuyuan.

"Just now... Benefactor Lu was asking me why I abandoned Zen and entered Tantra, right?"

"The reason is actually very simple."

"Because I, this old monk, am extremely dissatisfied."

As soon as those words were spoken, another loud 'bang' rang out from behind.

In the blink of an eye, a cloying, fishy-sweet smell filled the entire lecture hall.

But Liao Chen remained oblivious and continued speaking.

"I entered Ci'en Temple at the age of seven. I witnessed its most prosperous days and also watched it decline step by step. Benefactor Lu, do you know what the monks were treated like back then? They were dressed in fine clothes and fed in delicacies, living in high esteem. They were served no matter what they did, and even going down the mountain involved being carried in a lavish carriage, carried step by step. And now? They eat moldy cakes, drink icy well water, and can't even afford the cheapest tea leaves to brew a pot of tea."
Liao Chen paused for a moment, then continued.

"Therefore, I am not convinced."

"Why has this temple fallen into such a state? Why do we have to suffer like this? In the end, isn't it all because of that bastard who insisted on changing the temple's practices? If it weren't for his meddling, would I, an old monk, still have to endure such hardship even after becoming the abbot?"

At this moment, Lu Xiuyuan was finally able to interject.

"But that Living Buddha purified the temple from its pollution, preventing people from dying tragically because of the Dharma."

Who would have guessed.

Liao Chen, who had always been so calm, suddenly erupted in rage.

"Who told him to perform the purification? Who asked him to do it?! Everyone in the temple was against him at the time, didn't he know that?! Besides, those who died were just lowly people, and they willingly sold their lives to the temple, so what does it have to do with him?!"

Lu Xiuyuan seemed to be startled as well, and just muttered something unconsciously.

"But as far as I know, he is, after all, your master."

Liao Chen roared.

"He's no master at all! If it weren't for getting rid of him to prevent him from further ruining the temple's foundation, would I have bothered to kneel down and become the disciple of someone a full thirty years younger than me? Besides—"

But at that moment, the man in purple robes suddenly spoke.

"Liao Chen, you talk too much."

In an instant, the face that had been contorting with lust finally stopped, and Liao Chen, who had stood up, sat cross-legged on the futon again.

Finally, he slowly came to a conclusion.

"...That's why I abandoned Zen and entered Tantra, and that's all—after all, what Zen couldn't give me, Tantra can. They've promised that as long as I bring Ci'en Temple to Tantra, they will rebuild the temple's teachings and give me the method of reincarnation, allowing me to live another life and enjoy wealth and honor once more."

After he finished speaking, the man in purple robes next to him took over the conversation, saying with a hint of sarcasm.

"That's how it is. Ci'en Temple is now under the jurisdiction of our Sama school of Tantric Buddhism. This Zen temple, which resisted for so many years, has finally come to our side."

After saying that, he looked at Lu Xiuyuan.

Although the face was not clearly visible, the voice became increasingly sarcastic.

"However, in order to capture Zhengde and to guide the Bodhisattva to descend to earth, the temple is short of flesh and blood. Therefore, I'm afraid we'll have to borrow yours."

Lu Xiuyuan was still reeling from the massive amount of information. He just stared blankly at the two people in front of him, muttering to himself, but unable to utter a single word.

But the man in purple robes didn't expect to get an answer from him.

After giving a brief explanation, he turned his head towards Chen. Then, he suddenly spoke in a strange tone.

"Now that preparations are complete, Liao Chen, shouldn't you go too?"

Liao Chen did not move.

The man in purple robes seemed to frown, and then said again.

"I know what you're worried about, but don't worry, the Bodhisattva will never break his promise. After I've reconstructed my Dharma body, it will be yours."

So Liao Chen closed his eyes. Although there was still a hint of sadness on his face, he finally put his hands together and began to chant scriptures.

"All dharmas are empty in nature; they are neither produced nor destroyed, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing."

He could vaguely hear the voices of the novice monks outside.

next moment.

The old body suddenly swelled up, and then exploded with a bang!

But not a single drop of the shattered flesh, internal organs, or bones spilled out; instead, it transformed into a blood vessel and seeped into the black Buddha statue.

As the flesh and blood seeped in, the black Buddha statue—and the Ksitigarbha Buddha statue on it—changed. Its wrathful expression gradually softened, becoming alluring, and in an instant, it transformed into a beautiful young woman with a human head around her neck and a skull crown on her head.

And this is one of the various forms of deity worshipped by the Tantric practitioners.

Kurukulla.

Also known as
Red Tara.

At this point, the man in purple robes finally burst into laughter.

"That damned Dharma King! Even without his intervention, I would have already guided Red Tara to appear in this world! It's just a pity that the necessary flesh and blood are still a bit lacking, so..."

The man in purple robes turned his gaze to the people from the escort agency.

Liao Chen's words were still in effect; everyone was still unable to move their limbs, not even to escape. Under this gaze, Lu Xiuyuan felt like he was about to wet himself—

But at that moment, a long sword was placed in front of him.

It was Zhou You who remained silent from beginning to end.

The man in purple robes suddenly chuckled.

"Heh, you're quite capable. Even the Daoist riders of the Evil Suppression Division could hold onto Liao Chen's Illusionary Words for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, but I didn't expect you to break free so quickly. But then again, what good is it even if you break free?"

Suddenly, he raised his neck and shouted sharply.

"Now that I have become a Bodhisattva, my Dharma body, which was destroyed by Zhizhen, will be rebuilt. You lot are nothing but turtles in a jar; no matter how much you struggle—"

However, at that moment, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Are you finished?"

".What?"

The man in purple robes looked up, only to see a bored face.

Zhou You scratched his chin and then said casually.

"Now that we've finished our nonsense, shall we begin the fight?"

Before the man in purple robes could react, the moment his words fell...

The longsword instantly rose, and then a flash of cold light appeared—

But the person they were talking to wasn't the man in purple robes, but rather someone inside the escort agency.

In the blink of an eye, a head flew high into the air, and then Zhou You kicked the headless body towards the purple-robed man.

It was that Zheng Sandan!
The face still bore that eerie smile, not a drop of blood flowed from its neck. The head rolled to the feet of the purple-robed man, followed by the flying body—

But just as it was about to get close to it, it came to an abrupt stop.

As if it had hit an invisible wall, the headless body slowly slid to the ground.

—Tsk, just as that guy said, the area under the Buddha statue is invincible before the ritual is completed.

Zhou You curled his lip, while the purple-robed man only glanced at the corpse before spitting out a disgusted spittle.

"Liao Chen, that good-for-nothing, is more of a hindrance than a help. He even said he could infiltrate the escort agency and launch a surprise attack? Bah, he was discovered long ago! What a waste of all this flesh and blood, it would be better to feed it to the worms."

But soon, he changed the subject, looked at Zhou You who was wiping the blood off his sword, and grinned.

"...But it doesn't matter anyway, you can't escape anyway—children, hold him off for now. It will take some time for Tara to corrupt Ksitigarbha, and I still need to keep an eye on him. Don't let this Taoist priest escape—I'm going to use his internal organs as a sacrifice!"

A rustling sound suddenly rang out.

Zhou You looked back.

How can I see a novice monk?

Those sitting on the prayer cushions were nothing more than a group of beings who had shed their human skin, their brown carapaces gleaming and shiny, with two long tentacles.
It's just a giant insect.

And if Zhou You remembers correctly, the scientific name for these things is...

--cockroach.

now.

The monsters brought their forelegs together, like the Buddhist gesture of pressing palms together, and then bowed down in worship.

"I will obey the law."

next moment.

A brown shadow had already transformed into a gust of wind and pounced towards Zhou You!

The longsword trembled and instantly clashed with the carapace, but what it produced was the sound of metal striking stone.

Even with the sharpness of severing evil, it couldn't break through this shell!

But Zhou You was not one to rely solely on weapons. Seeing that the sword had not penetrated, he showed no panic. He simply raised his leg and kicked into the cockroach's abdomen. Then, the blood-stained knife slid into his hand and pierced its relatively soft lower ribs!
The foul-smelling bodily fluids immediately splattered out, but Zhou You had already retreated before they touched him, leaving only the one who staggered a couple of steps before falling to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, one had been dealt with.

These cockroaches, transformed from novice monks, weren't particularly strong. Apart from their hardened exoskeletons, there wasn't much else to mention.

But the problem is
There were about ten cockroaches in the group.

Zhou You was all alone, and he also had to protect the people from the escort agency behind him.

Seeing this, the monsters immediately changed tactics. Most of them entangled with Zhou You, while three of them split off and headed straight for those who were still unable to move!

Zhou You frowned, his sword flashing like flowing clouds. He first forced back several attacking tentacles, then immediately turned and cleaved one of the three in two. He then spun around and drew his sword again, forcing back another one.

but.

There was one fish that slipped through the net.

The monster charged in front of the group, its spiked forelegs raised high, about to strike one of the bodyguards!
Zhou You, however, showed little panic; the truth he had been holding back was about to be uttered—

But at that moment, a short knife suddenly stabbed out from the crowd and plunged into the cockroach's abdomen without hesitation.

Then, twist it forcefully.

Instantly, the cockroach screamed in agony, but it still waved its forelimbs, trying to put up a final resistance, but was then beheaded by Duan Xie.

Then Zhou You looked up and suddenly laughed.

Right in his line of sight, his cheap apprentice—Lu Ping—was holding a short knife covered in bodily fluids, looking completely bewildered.

　Thank you to Luoxuejiacheng for the 500-point reward, and thank you to Xingzhicai Guantangbao for the 500-point reward.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)