Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 933 Wake Up Yet!

But he immediately shook his head, his tone leaving no room for negotiation: "But unfortunately, it won't work."

He stepped forward, looking down at the young monk, then glanced at the silent old monk on the ground, a cold smile curving his lips: "How will you know if you can refine it or not if you don't try? What if the timing is right?"

Ji Rui's attitude was unusually firm.

This old monk, relying on the mystical power of the mural, could arrest people at will and place officials under house arrest at will, completely disregarding worldly principles and the potentially serious consequences.

When you act so recklessly, why don't you think about the consequences?
Oh, now that he's been defeated and his cultivation is half-crippled, he's planning to put on a pitiful act of "being at the mercy of others," hoping to wipe the slate clean and pretend nothing happened.

"You've broken the law, old monk," Ji Rui's voice was icy. "The world has its laws, and the cultivation world has its rules. Which one allows you to act like this?"

After that, naturally, came the interrogation.

Early in his morning, he stepped forward and solemnly expounded on Confucian principles, pointing out the error of interfering with humanity by imprisoning officials.

The old monk simply closed his eyes and chanted Buddhist mantras, saying that this was the karma from his past life, which he had to repay today, avoiding any discussion of human laws.

Ning Caichen attempted to use the art of "reflecting the heart through the sound of the zither" to probe the weaknesses in his defenses and shake his resolve.

However, the more desperate the monk of Longtan was, the more steadfast his Buddha-heart, tempered by trials, became, like a stubborn rock sinking into an ancient well, calm and silent.

Despite the looming threat of swords and axes, he remained silent, adopting an attitude of unyielding defiance and submission.

At worst, he would die; that seemed to be his last stand.

The villain Ji Rui raised an eyebrow and said with a sinister look, "So you don't care about the life of your little apprentice either?"

He tried to put pressure on the seemingly unyielding old monk.

Unfortunately, this time he was betrayed by his "teammate".

Fu Tianchou stepped forward and firmly shielded the trembling little monk behind him.

Although his breathing was somewhat weak from being trapped, his back was ramrod straight, and his voice carried an undeniable righteousness:
"To gain the world by committing one unjust act or killing an innocent person is something a benevolent person would not do!"

The old man's gaze was intense. He first glanced at Ji Rui, then turned to Master Longtan on the ground: "I have nothing to say about interrogating this old monk. He detained an official of the court and interfered with humanity. His actions were perverse, and his heart is unfathomable. He repays injustice with justice and kindness with kindness. I do not know whether his heart is good or bad, but his behavior is vicious. He deserves this punishment."

The tone shifted abruptly, and she protectively turned to the young monk behind her: "But this young novice is still innocent and may not know the full extent of his master's schemes, much less have he committed any direct evil. How can he suffer such a terrible fate because of his master's mistakes? The sins of the children should not be visited upon them; this is the bottom line of benevolence!"

This made Ji Rui quite irritable.

He glared at Fu Tianchou, inwardly cursing: "Sometimes, teammates who lack chemistry are really frustrating!"
We're here playing the good cop/bad cop in the interrogation, and you, of all people, jump out and become the moral standard!

However, after witnessing firsthand the earth-shattering battle between the three of them, this old man still dared to stand up for a little monk and uphold his so-called "benevolence."
This actually made Ji Rui feel a tiny bit of... approval towards him?
This old man still has some guts.

And so, things remained at a standstill.

Whether it's murder, arson, cleaning up the scene, or even confronting ancient demons, the "Three Wonders" can handle everything cleanly and efficiently thanks to Master Xu's "professional" inheritance and their rich experience in courting death.

But it is precisely in this kind of interrogation and forced confession, especially when dealing with these "atypical bad guys," that they are indeed not good at.

After all, Master Xu hadn't taught this; usually, they would just use physical exorcism.

This is the kind of thing I hate the most!
The other party wasn't entirely evil, but they did do something bad, and fortunately, it was stopped in time, preventing the worst possible consequences.

Killing him directly seems a bit excessive and doesn't conform to the rules of "Bao'an Hall".

But it is absolutely unacceptable to let this old monk go without finding out whether someone is behind him or what the specific reasons are!

An awkward silence fell over the scene.

"How about... we contact Teacher Xu?" Zao suggested a seemingly simple but incredibly effective suggestion.

The remaining two looked at each other, their faces showing a hint of resentment that "this little thing has to trouble the parents," but they had to admit that the only one who could easily break through this deadlock involving principles, laws, and human relationships, and who was reluctant to take drastic measures, was probably Master Xu, who had extraordinary abilities.

Without further ado, the three men dragged the weak and feeble-looking old monk Longtan into the Buddhist hall and made him kneel on a prayer mat.

The Fu family father and daughter watched from the sidelines, their eyes full of doubt, wondering what these three extraordinary people were up to now.

They quickly and efficiently rearranged the offerings and fruits on the altar in the Buddhist hall, and even straightened the crooked incense burner.

Finally, Haya took out an exquisitely folded colorful paper butterfly from her bosom and respectfully placed it in the center of the table.

The three of them then found several sticks of high-quality incense, lit them, and, holding the incense sticks, faced the paper butterfly, solemnly saying in unison:

"We respectfully request Master Xu!"

As they spoke, the rising wisps of smoke seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, no longer scattering but instead drifting and swirling around the paper butterfly, slowly enveloping it.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred!

The paper butterfly began to radiate a soft yet dazzling colored light, which gradually stretched and deformed, eventually outlining a human figure.

As the light faded, a slightly ethereal yet clearly defined figure, bearing a hint of helpless smile, appeared in the Buddhist hall.

It was a divine thought of Xu Xuan, the Great Demon King of the White Lotus, that crossed space and descended here.

This was not the first time he had manifested in this way; he had descended in a similar manner in Guobei County years ago to save the Taoist priest.

Now that his cultivation level has improved and his magical power has become increasingly unfathomable, completing this task is even easier for him.

But when the illusory Xu Xuan finally materialized, his first words were neither a greeting nor an inquiry about the case. Instead, with an extremely subtle expression, as if struck by a boomerang, he pointed to the still-burning incense and asked:

"Who gave you permission to light incense?"

He left the "Three Wonders" so many ways to activate this communication paper disc: activating it with righteous energy, infusing it with true energy, connecting it with the heart of the zither, or even shouting "Master Xu, save me!" three times at it...

Why choose this particular method?
An indescribable sense of absurdity arose spontaneously. You kids... you're not planning to kill your master, are you?

When faced with Master Xu's question, Zao replied earnestly, "Master Xu, it was Master Qing who said that this would be more respectful."

Okay, the case is solved.

Xu Xuan was immediately at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Xiaoqing's desire to become the head of the security guard hall is becoming increasingly obvious, and she is even resorting to such "despicable" means to achieve her goal indirectly!
Damn it... I'll have to give her a good "lecture" when I get back.

After briefly greeting his three disciples, Xu Xuan's gaze passed over them and landed on the dumbfounded old man Fu behind him. The illusory figure revealed a half-smile and greeted him familiarly: "Lord Fu, how have you been? We meet again."

Fu Tianchou finally snapped out of his shock and quickly composed himself.

With a mixture of complex emotions and awe, he solemnly returned the greeting: "Mr. Xu... I should have thought of this long ago. A teacher who can produce a disciple like Ning Caichen is no ordinary person."

The disciple just saved my whole family; I have to acknowledge this kindness no matter what.

Looking back now, it seems that when the other party came to "reason" with me, they quoted scriptures and made me almost lose my Daoist resolve. Now it seems that they were probably just discussing the matter at hand and enlightening me, rather than seeking revenge out of personal resentment as I had privately suspected.

I was truly ashamed that I had judged such a gentleman with such a petty mind.

At this moment, it seems that the other party is truly magnanimous.

Finally, Xu Xuan's gaze fell on the old monk Longtan, who was lying on the ground, his breath weak and his eyes closed, silent.

A familiar yet somewhat subtle aura made him raise an eyebrow slightly.

Next, the "Three Wonders" recounted the entire incident to Xu Xuan in detail, including how Fu Qingfeng sought their help, how they analyzed the situation, how they broke into the painting, how they each broke the illusion, how they suppressed the old monk, and the current stalemate.

Xu Xuan listened quietly and quickly extracted several key elements:

Suspected to be of Pure Land Buddhist origin, in control of the murals, with the Dharma name Longtan, entrusted by an "old friend"...

interesting.

Given Xu Xuan's current bizarre position within the Pure Land Sect, which is almost on par with his senior brother, he can already freely browse through many of the sect's secret texts and registers.

If I remember correctly... there is no record of "Longtan," an old monk whose cultivation level is not low, in the official genealogy of the Pure Land School's ancestral temple.

Logically speaking, with the monk's cultivation and ability to control the murals, he shouldn't be so unknown.

Moreover, his foundation in cultivation is indeed the "Three Sutras and One Treatise" of the Pure Land School, which is quite solid, but it is also mixed with a trace of... the foundation of the Illusion School.

The last demonic monk who dared to do this, attempting to merge the strengths of both schools and ultimately going to extremes, had his ashes scattered in a golden alms bowl.

Then, our Holy Father Xu Xuan revealed his signature, gentle, and refreshing smile.

He knelt down and spoke softly to the old monk Longtan on the ground:

"Master, it seems we are both Buddhist disciples, worshipping the Buddha of the Western Paradise. Since that's the case, let's not be so formal. If you have any difficulties or hidden matters, please speak frankly."

That tone, that smile.
Upon seeing this, the three oddities beside them all quietly took a half step back.

Those familiar with Master Xu know that the gentler his smile, the more likely it is that someone is about to suffer a great misfortune.

"Monk Longtan, are you truly from the Pure Land School?"

“This old monk does not lie,” Master Longtan said, his eyes lowered, his voice weak but certain, “I am indeed from a branch sect, it is not a lie.”

"Then do you know my name 'Fahai'?" Xu Xuan asked again, revealing his more well-known name in Buddhism.

A hint of confusion flashed in the old monk Longtan's eyes, and he shook his head: "This old monk mostly travels in the mountains and wilderness of the north, hiding in the forests, and rarely participates in Dharma assemblies, so indeed... I do not know your name."

He was still a little puzzled. This new young man had an ethereal and unpredictable aura. Was he also from a Buddhist background?
Moreover, the name "Fahai" sounds quite imposing.

It's normal that he didn't know, as he traveled around with the rare treasure of Longtan Temple all year round and almost never stayed at other temples, so he was extremely isolated from information.

Naturally, I had never heard of the name and "deeds" of Master Fahai, who has stirred up a huge wave within Buddhism, especially within the Pure Land School, in recent years.

"Do you know the names of the old monks such as Zhuo, Jingye, Huichao, Facheng, Fasheng, Jingzang, and Kongzang?" Xu Xuan continued to ask, speaking steadily.

“I don’t know…” The old monk Longtan shook his head again in confusion.

With each shake of the head, the panic in my heart increased.

I don't know why the other person asked these questions, but a very bad feeling quietly arises.

Of course he would feel something was wrong!

The Dharma names that Xu Xuan announced were all from eminent monks who served as elders or abbots in important Northern Pure Land sects such as Xuanzhong Temple, Jingtu Temple, and Jinshan Temple in Dezhou!
A Pure Land Buddhist monk who claimed to have practiced in the north for many years was completely unaware of these eminent monks from the same region and sect.
This is extremely abnormal!

"Then who is your teacher?" Xu Xuan asked the last question, his gaze sharp as if he could see through people's hearts.

“Kindness.” The old monk Longtan answered almost subconsciously with the name etched in his heart.

This answer made Xu Xuan sigh softly.

On the register of the ancestral temples of the Pure Land School, there is a list of names that were quietly erased during the great upheaval three hundred years ago.

As a highly respected figure within the Pure Land School, and even a potential successor to the sect, Master Fahai naturally had the authority to see the hidden information.

The name "Shanxin" (善心, meaning "kindness") is precisely one of them.

Xu Xuan even had dealings with the "past" of this name.

“Your master… has been missing for many years, right?” His tone carried a hint of certainty and pity.

The old monk Longtan suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock!

He spent years traversing the mountains and rivers of the north, desperately searching for his master's whereabouts, but to no avail. This was arguably his greatest unresolved issue and a secret he kept from the other party... How could the other party possibly know?!
After ruling out many possibilities, Xu Xuan was filled with mixed emotions.

After going around in circles, the clues have somehow circled back to this place.

Finally, the last person is all here.

He no longer looked at the shocked and bewildered old monk, but instead slightly raised his head, as if speaking to some unseen being, or perhaps reciting some proverb:

"The Bodhisattva enlightens the ignorant, and a thousand illusions are created."

Immediately, his voice rose sharply, like a thunderclap, carrying supreme majesty and the power to pierce through dreams, striking straight into the depths of the old monk Longtan's soul:

"Meng Longtan! Wake up!"

The moment the three words "Menglongtan" were uttered, it was as if a heavy hammer had shattered some kind of constraint!
The old monk trembled violently, his eyes suddenly went blank, and countless distorted fragments of memory rushed into his mind like a flood bursting its banks!
(End of this chapter)