Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 994 Bad Luck
As dusk deepened, only the majestic outline of the mountains where Linji Temple was located remained in the night, with lights twinkling among the trees, echoing the starlight in the sky.

Xu Xuan walked unhurriedly along the mountain path, turning his head to whisper instructions to the silent Stone King beside him:

"Wait here outside the mountain gate for a while and do not come near. I will go ahead alone to deliver a visiting card and let you know, so as to avoid any unnecessary disturbance."

He had thought things through quite thoroughly.

“Things are different now. We’re new here and have only met Linji Temple once during the day. It’s already late at night, so it’s a bit hasty for us to come and seek lodging here. It would be better to be cautious.”

His decision to place an order here was made after careful consideration.

While staying in an inn in the city is not impossible, it is ultimately inconvenient due to the large number of people and distractions.

More importantly, we also need to be wary of the Liang Prince's Mansion. If it's not just the young master Liang who's a troublemaker, but also his second brother, third brother, eighteenth cousin, or something like that, who also go crazy and come looking for trouble, it will be incredibly annoying.

Living in a quiet Buddhist sanctuary can save you a lot of trouble.

However, just as they approached the area around the gate of Linji Temple, and were still several dozen feet away from the gate archway, a strange change occurred!
An invisible yet powerful and unique Buddhist force swept across the area silently, like ripples on water, instantly covering the surrounding area!

Ok?
Xu Xuan paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

A warning array? And with such keen sensitivity and such a wide range?
His first thought was: Has Linji Temple recently encountered some formidable enemy, that it would be so vigilant as to activate its protective mountain formation to this extent?!
If it were to be maintained around the clock, the amount of spiritual energy and materials consumed would be considerable, and it had even extended its detection range to such a great distance beyond the mountain gate.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, my second reaction was... Oh no!
Just as his thoughts were racing, the invisible golden ripples swept over the Stone King, who was following behind and had been trying his best to conceal his aura.

As a demon king of the third realm, Shi Wang was essentially an anomaly. Even if he submitted to the righteous path, his vast and pure demonic power and the power of Buddhist vows were ultimately of different natures.

It was as if cold water had been dripped into boiling oil.

"Boom——!!!"

Deep within the Linji Temple, the enormous bronze bell tolled by itself without anyone striking it, emitting a deep and rapid roar that shook the surrounding area!

In an instant, the golden bodies of the Buddha statues enshrined throughout the temple shone brightly, and streams of pure vow power surged into the sky from the center of the main hall, like a reversed golden waterfall, instantly transforming into an extremely solid golden light shield that enveloped the entire temple, ready for battle!
"What kind of demon dares to trespass on the pure land of my Buddhist temple!"

Amidst the fierce shouts, several muscular, bronze-colored bald men crashed through the roof of the meditation room, their bodies shooting into the sky like cannonballs, hovering in mid-air, and quickly forming a demon-subduing formation that combined offense and defense.

Each of them glared angrily, their bodies surging with energy like a furnace, their faces scanning the darkness outside the mountain gate with vigilance.

The young monks in the temple, who were either performing their evening prayers or already resting, were thrown into chaos by the sudden alarm bell and strange phenomenon.

Under the urgent shouts of the leading monk, they quickly and clumsily set up the solemn Arhat formation according to their usual practice. Although they were slightly flustered, the formation was complete, and the Buddha's light was faintly connected.

Lingyin Temple relied on this ancient Arhat Formation to try to resist the invasion of the Blood Demon's clone, and its power should not be underestimated in theory!
In an instant, the once tranquil Buddhist temple became tense, bathed in Buddhist light, and filled with murderous intent!
Xu Xuan stood there, watching the chaotic scene unfold, and couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his temples.

It seems this order placement... can't be done discreetly anymore.

The great monk Huiren, whose body was as if cast in golden bronze, took a step in the void, his vital energy and Buddhist light merging together, and suddenly let out a lion's roar:

"What kind of demon king has graced my Linji Temple with his presence? Please show yourself!"

The sound waves rolled on, almost tangible, causing the surrounding trees to rustle.

Xu Xuan had indeed considered having the Stone King accompany him to enhance his prestige.

The goal has indeed been achieved, and the results... are almost too good.

However, I no longer felt smug; instead, I frowned slightly.

Looking around at the tense scene, a sense of doubt arose in my heart.

Today has been truly bizarre. Ever since arriving in Liang Kingdom, everything seems to have gone wrong. First, there was that blunder by the Crown Prince of Liang, and now there's the overly intense reaction from Linji Temple.

Could it be that something bad is about to happen?
At his level, his spiritual perception is sharp, and he has a sense of cause and effect and destiny. It is hard for him to believe that a series of coincidences would come together for no reason.

Immediately examine yourself, and you will find nothing amiss, and there is no abnormal disturbance in the cause-and-effect relationship.

'That means... something or someone connected to you has encountered an accident or change elsewhere?'

Bai Suzhen? Xiaoqing? Or Baoan Hall in Jiangnan? Or perhaps... the White Lotus Sect, lurking in the shadows, has made a new move?
A variety of thoughts flashed through my mind.

However, there's no time to dwell on the current situation; it's more important to resolve this immediate problem first.

He immediately composed himself, and his aura suddenly changed. A pure, peaceful, and profound Pure Land Buddhist light emanated from him, like a bright lamp in the night, instantly attracting the astonished and uncertain gazes of all the monks.

He bowed to Hui Ren and the others who were waiting in the air, and said loudly:
"Masters, please do not act! This humble monk is Fahai!"

Hui Ren, who was in the air, strained his eyes to see clearly that the person below was indeed the Zen Master Fahai whom he had seen during the day. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, and a hint of surprise even appeared on his face, which was as tense as a Vajra's angry eyes.

With a seemingly swift leap, she landed lightly and silently in front of Xu Xuan, and bowed with her hands clasped together.

"Amitabha, it turns out to be Zen Master Fahai. We were caught off guard and overreacted. Please forgive us." After saying this, his gaze involuntarily passed over Xu Xuan and landed on the silent Stone King behind him.

I had caught a glimpse of this taciturn guard at the entrance of the Liang Prince's Mansion during the day. At the time, I only felt that he had a calm and composed demeanor, but I did not sense any demonic aura or anything amiss.

Unexpectedly, this was a demon king whose cultivation had reached the third realm!

His strength was even higher than his own, who was at the peak of the second realm... This made the abbot of Linji Temple feel somewhat ashamed, and he gained a deeper understanding of the methods and foundation of this Zen Master Fahai.

Despite the misunderstanding, Zen Master Fahai was still welcomed into the temple.

It was the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), and according to people's current daily routine, they should have already gone to bed, since lighting candles at night was still quite expensive.

Only the Linji Temple outside the city was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

But see that:
The glazed tile roof reflects the clear moonlight, and the vermilion gate is sprinkled with golden light. Layer upon layer of palaces and pavilions are brightly lit, as if it were daytime; the majestic pagoda shines brightly, reaching the heavens.

Inside the main hall, dozens of ever-burning lamps flickered, illuminating the benevolent eyes and brows of the three Buddhas in perfect detail, their golden bodies radiating a warm glow.

The two ancient pine trees in front of the hall, with their gnarled branches and trunks, seem like celestial dragons coiling around each other, protecting the temple, as the light and shadows interplay.

The Bell Tower and Drum Tower stand facing each other, and the huge lanterns hanging under the eaves sway gently in the night breeze, casting flickering light and shadow.

The faint sound of chanting drifted in, harmonizing with the clear tones of the golden bells on the eaves. Wisps of incense smoke curled upwards from the censer, rising in the bright lamplight as if drawing in the light of heaven.

"The temple is brightly lit, its light shining through the night; the chanting of Buddhist hymns lingers around the carved beams."

"If it were not a pure Bodhi land, one might mistake it for a Jade Terrace descending to the mortal realm."

To ease the tension, Xu Xuan even pulled out all the stops and recited a short poem on the spot to put order.

Knowing full well that no matter what the cause was, the chaos on the other side was ultimately caused by the two of them, they continued to shower the other party with flattery without restraint.

"What a magnificent Linji Temple! It truly lives up to its reputation as one of the most prestigious temples in the North. The protective array around the mountain is so sharp and swift; it has truly broadened this humble monk's horizons!"

"You should know that this humble monk came from the south and has seen quite a few temples along the way, but it is rare to find one with such a solemn atmosphere. It can be called the foremost among the Zen temples in the north!"

The assessment of being "the best in the North" carried a hint of politeness, and even a touch of nonsense. Even Huiren himself felt a slight flush on his usually resolute face upon hearing it, thinking that Zen Master Fahai had gone too far in praising him.

Linji Temple would never be so "extravagant" on a day or at night, turning its protective mountain formation to its maximum.

It was only because the aura of the demon king that triggered the core restriction that the magic array started operating at full power on its own, and incidentally blessed all the lamps and candlesticks in front of the Buddha in the courtyard, causing them to light up automatically. That's why the palace is now shining brightly with golden light.

The fact that it had been running for only a short while, and the spirit stones and accumulated willpower it had consumed, was already causing the abbot some pain in his heart.

but!
Who could have uttered such flattering words but the recently renowned Zen Master Fahai?

Even knowing there might be some exaggeration in the praise, the monks were still quite pleased to be praised so highly by such a person.

The slight resentment that arose earlier due to the shock and the waste of resources has now largely dissipated under this "commercial praise".

If Prince Liang, who was locked in the dark room, were to see this scene, he would be even more furious and frustrated.

You, Xu Xuan, are so indifferent to me, the dignified heir, yet you're so eloquent and persuasive with this group of bald men. Aren't you a bit too good at talking?

By the time this "business exchange" between the two parties ended, the atmosphere was already very harmonious.

Huiren personally led the way and invited Xu Xuan into the Mahavira Hall.

Inside the hall, the Buddha statues were solemn, and the air was filled with the fragrance of incense. Following custom, Xu Xuan stepped forward to wash his hands, respectfully took three sticks of incense, lit them on the ever-burning lamp, and silently recited:

"Buddha above, your disciple Fahai is a rising star of the Pure Land School and a Buddhist disciple favored by many Bodhisattvas. I hope that Buddha will have mercy and lend a helping hand, revealing some supernatural powers and abilities in this turbulent time to stabilize people's hearts and deter villains."

“Disciple…disciple has been feeling rather uncertain lately.”

"If all else fails, you could bestow some supernatural powers or magical treasures upon me, since the sect's Purple Gold Bowl cannot be carried around on one's person."

"At the very least, you can take back the Dragon Subduing Sword."

Every time Xu Xuan paid homage to the Buddha's golden statue, he would frankly exchange some thoughts. After all, there was the premise of the incense offering body of King Yu, so what if...?

However, wisps of smoke rose straight up to the dome.

The majestic golden clay statue remained compassionate, yet it offered no response to any unusual phenomena or spiritual revelation.

Xu Xuan sighed inwardly and inserted the incense stick into the burner.

It seems that relying on oneself is better than relying on others. In the end, the turbulence ahead will have to be dealt with by one's own "three-in-one" positive persona and the unspeakable means behind the scenes.

(End of this chapter)