Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 427 Night at the Monk's Temple

The night is dark.

The atmosphere in the carriage was somewhat somber.

After walking a distance, Ji Rui, to Liang Zhu's astonishment, rolled over and stood up, looking energetic.

Only then did the two realize what had just happened.

The appearance of the Sword Immortal has caused such caution; have you committed some crime?
Such a logical suspicion.

"New students are just ignorant. Have you ever seen a goddess bestow alms? Have you ever witnessed a reversal of life and death? Do you know how to slay a dragon? Have you ever entered a mural to kill a monk? Have you ever experienced a white deer bestowing blessings?"
"Did you ever die in the end?"

A group of greenhorns, and Young Master Ji immediately launched into a tirade.

"I have died."

Zhu's reply nearly choked him, who was still trying to show off. This hothead was quite hardcore.

"We've died before, but we can't die again and again."

"Remember, if a cultivator takes the initiative to appear in front of mortals, it's usually not a good thing."

"There are no gods in this world, only demons."

Xu Xuan had been instilling this idea at the academy; he didn't even know if immortals existed.

If there were truly gods, the Holy Father would have been suppressed to death long ago.

Early classmate also seriously explained his bizarre experience to the newcomer, which made Liang Shanbo a little worried. No one had ever told him that studying required going through tribulations.

The carriage sped along at breakneck speed, and by the time the science lesson was over, they had arrived at West Lake.

Sanqi is a student who straddles the line between the cultivation world and the secular world, so Xu Xuan often gives him extra advice on many things.

If you encounter danger and cannot find yourself, you can come to West Lake for help.

So Zao bowed down to the lake.

"Chongqi students are seeking help."

The lake was beautiful under the moonlight, completely still.

Ning Caichen felt that Zao's words were somewhat distant, so he bowed.

"Master Xu's disciple is seeking help."

The lakeside was quiet at night, the willow branches danced in the wind, and the water remained calm.

Under the suspicious gazes of Liang and Zhu, the two felt somewhat awkward. What was this all about?
Ji Rui sneered dismissively. Is this how you ask for help?
What time is it and you're still dawdling!

You'll have to watch me!
"The three geniuses of the academy request an audience with... Master's wife!"

A shout shattered the silence by the lake, stirring up a storm within.

"You've gone mad, Hanqing. You're reckless and fearless, even unto death.

The other two were completely stunned; those words were deadly.

The person in question, on the other hand, looked confident.

"How could I possibly go crazy? This is called being bold yet meticulous."

"The mountain in the lake may be unknown to others, but we certainly know it."

"Every time Master Xu wore that dark Confucian robe with a jade belt, he was all smiles. We all know the legend of the White-Clad Goddess of West Lake, and we've even seen her."

"To be fair, although Manager Qing appears more often, Master Xu clearly considers him a comrade-in-arms."

"Let me tell you..."

Ji Rui swears on his own eyes that he is an authority on matters of the heart.

Just as he was about to continue his long-winded explanation of Xu Xuan's cricket-related topics, the lake water suddenly began to rise and fall abnormally.

This guy was actually right!
No, it was just a big fish jumping out and doing a diving performance.

It's over.

The bigwigs of West Lake might not be home. "Could it be they're living like immortals with Master Xu and aren't coming back?"

Without a second thought, someone blurted out outrageous and offensive language.

By this time, no one cared about the crickets anymore; instead, they started thinking about where to go next.

The savior of West Lake is gone, Master Xu has already left Qiantang, and Jintian Academy has long been closed. There's no time to return to Nanshan, and it wouldn't be good to lead the enemy to Bao'antang.
I never imagined I would encounter such a tricky situation in Qiantang.

At this moment, Liang Shanbo hesitated for a moment before speaking:
"If... if that swordsman from the South China Sea is really a bad guy or a demon, why doesn't he hide in a temple?"

Three pairs of eyes looked over at the same time, and they said in unison:
"Shifting the blame eastward?!" *3
"Lingyin Temple!" *3
Tsk tsk tsk, who would have thought this honest-looking scholar is actually so cunning?

Liang Shanbo: This is what I'm thinking! Don't ruin my reputation!

He had only seen a mad monk who had the air of a high-ranking Buddhist monk when he last visited Lingyin Temple, so he pointed it out now.

However, no matter how he tried to explain himself, he was still dragged up to Feilai Peak.

To paraphrase Zao, don't harbor any illusions; a naive scholar like you is the perfect nourishment for demonic cultivators.

The claim that he shifted the blame was just a joke; Master Guangliang of Lingyin Temple was a virtuous and highly respected monk with unfathomable magical powers.

Ning Caichen had a good relationship with them before, so it was a good opportunity to visit them together.

Although it was getting late.
Zhu Yingtai followed behind, somewhat excited, and even picked up a wooden stick from the roadside for self-defense.

She had never been to a temple before, let alone visited one late at night.

It was definitely the right decision to follow a few senior figures with extremely polarized reputations; I've truly broadened my horizons.

The five of them quickly started their nighttime hike.

Of course, they also sent a servant to Baoan Hall to deliver a message that demons might appear in Qiantang, and that it would be best to contact Master Xu to ask what to do. If they had enough manpower, they could also ambush the enemy at Lingyin Temple.

Look, look, this is what it means to be close or distant.

The last time that crazy bald thief from Lingyin Temple dared to attack Master Xu, it had already aroused some resentment in the hearts of several of his direct disciples.

Although it was later learned that the bald monk wasn't even a registered user, he was indeed somewhat involved.

Mahakasyapa and Zen Buddhism are essentially one entity. Since that's the case, let's give you a chance to make amends.

Just after the five people left, a butterfly flew out of West Lake and fluttered towards Baoan Hall.

state! state! state!
Late at night, there was a knock on the gate of Lingyin Temple.

Before the novice monk could even see anything clearly when he opened the door with his lantern, Young Master Ji threw a wad of silver ingots at him.

With gold and silver paving the way, there are no taboos.

Even the sleepy, drowsy, and irritable little bald monk was jolted awake, his eyes shining brighter than lanterns.

"Esteemed benefactors, this, this is..."

"It's getting late from our outings, so we're planning to stay here for the night. This is a small token of our appreciation for opening the door; donations are separate."

The novice monk gasped. It was a blessing for Lingyin Temple that such a devout believer could come at any time.

“Benefactor, the Buddhist gate is always open and we do not refuse any visitors.”

"Please come in quickly!"

They immediately led the person to the reception room and served several cups of tea.

Then they invited the abbot, who was meditating, out of the room. Their service attitude and efficiency were extremely high.

Guangliang looked at the novice monk who was blinded by greed and felt helpless. These days, monks don't cultivate themselves properly and only care about worldly things like gold and silver.

If you can calm your mind and cultivate a little bit of Buddhist heart, you can enter the gate of my Prajna school and inherit the practice of Zen.

To abandon the great path and seek petty worldly gains is truly foolish.

"Walk slowly, don't rush. Don't be greedy, for greed only makes your mind more chaotic."

But he soon realized that his cultivation might not be enough.

(End of this chapter)