Young master, why not become a corpse immortal?

Chapter 343 The Difficulty of Becoming a Golden Buddha
Although the young monk before him looked very different from the frail and withered abbot on the bed, Lin Jiang had once infused the old abbot with vital energy, deeply imprinting his bone structure in his mind, and could discern the young monk's origins from the subtle details.

His face was covered in dust and mud, and he was clutching some wild fruits and withered stems in his hands. When he returned to the temple, he went to a carefully cleaned corner, sat down, and began to eat wild fruits.

Those eyes were numb, showing that they had been living like this for a long time.

After swallowing the fruit in a few bites, the young monk stared blankly at the golden Buddha in front of the hall, remaining silent for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh:
Why am I the one to suffer this calamity? The mountain temple is destroyed, and the world is vast and desolate. Where can I find refuge?

Although his past experiences are unknown, this statement clearly indicates that he must be a survivor who escaped from that dilapidated mountain temple.

Judging from his age, it is possible that during the war of the previous dynasty, the ancient temple where he once lived was destroyed by fire, and he fled the battlefield alone and found this place to stay.

However, given the current situation, it is clearly unrealistic to build Mingde Temple in the future, so Lin Jiangbian patiently continues to wait.

The emaciated little monk lay on the temple floor. He stayed there for a while in despair, but quickly regained his spirits and began to clean up the mess and waste in the mountain temple.

Outside the temple, the sun and moon alternate, and the scenery shifts and changes in a hazy, dreamlike way.

The food around him gradually disappeared and reappeared with this illusory change, and so on. The clutter in the temple gradually became scarce, and the cracks in the walls that were originally damaged were covered up by the little monk with paste that he had obtained from who-knows-where.

This young monk, who was complaining about how to survive, actually spent some time managing the temple so well that it became a place where one could live.

As the little monk cleaned the area day after day, he eventually found himself behind the stone Buddha, where there were many broken walls and ruins that seemed difficult to clean.

The young monk rolled up his sleeves and worked all morning, finally clearing away the thick layer of gravel.

However, after removing the stone slab, he discovered that there was a line of text carved beneath the stone Buddha.

Lin Jiang's gaze shifted to the little monk's side, and he saw that the text was actually a Buddhist scripture. The little monk recited a few lines, and he felt his internal energy subtly stirred.

This appears to be a Buddhist practice method, inscribed on the back of the stone Buddha.

Unfortunately, the stone Buddha is severely damaged. The upper part of the Dharma gate is still intact, but the lower part is blurred and difficult to discern.

Even so, the young monk was overjoyed.

When I left the temple in the past, I was confused and helpless. Now that I have found the true Dharma, I feel refreshed and invigorated.

After that, he stayed in the mountains and practiced the Buddhist Dharma of the Stone Buddha day and night.

Lin Jiang saw him find a worn-out futon and sit quietly on it, and time flew by in an instant.

In no time, the little monk had grown into a handsome and dignified monk.

His tattered monk's robes became clean and new, and the once dilapidated temple was rebuilt with new walls. Although it was not as grand as the Mingde Temple in the future, it had already begun to show the appearance of a precious temple.

This is quite similar to the handsome abbot of a temple today who, upon waking from meditation, clasps his hands in prayer before the stone Buddha and softly chants Buddhist mantras, his voice gentle and serene, having long since shed his childishness:
“The Buddha’s grace is so great that Buddhism is now suffering a calamity. Many of our disciples are adrift and helpless, the Dharma has been lost and the true scriptures are hard to find. I obtained a fragment from the Buddha and have gained some understanding of the Dharma. Now I wish to go down the mountain and travel around the world to spread the Buddha’s compassion to the world.”

After saying this, the head monk bowed deeply to the stone Buddha in front of him, then turned and walked away from the temple.

As Lin Jiang watched him leave, he also glanced at the stone Buddha.

This Buddha has been completely transformed from its original dilapidated state. The damaged parts have been repaired with mud and stone by skilled craftsmen, and the face has been exquisitely sculpted to be lifelike.

The compassionate Buddha watched the monk walk further and further away in the distance, without sorrow or joy.

After the abbot left, Lin Jiang only had to turn his head once to see the Buddhist temple buildings transform at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The mountain temple, which was originally neither too big nor too small, was repeatedly demolished and rebuilt. The broken stone slabs on the ground were replaced, and the fine bluestone slabs were polished and laid flat in front of the Buddha.

The stone Buddha was gradually coated with layers of gold dust, initially only some parts shimmering with gold light, until the whole body shone with golden light.

Even the lotus flower beneath it gradually turned golden.

This was not a magical method, but rather a genuine craftsman who came and covered the entire Buddha statue with specks of gold powder.

As the saying goes, "Clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha." When the last wooden pillar supporting the Buddha was removed, the golden Buddha suddenly appeared more magnificent and dazzling than the former small stone Buddha.

On the day the golden Buddha was consecrated, another monk strolled into the main hall.

This time, the monk was covered with the marks of time.

He is old.

After countless hardships, this abbot has managed to keep Mingde Temple afloat until now. Although he only briefly mentioned the hardships he endured, Lin Jiang was well aware of the difficulties he had faced.

The old monk who returned no longer had the spirit he once had. He did not travel far again, but stayed in the temple and devoted himself to cultivation.

Lin Jiang watched as the old monk sat down on the prayer mat in front of the golden Buddha, surrounded by a large group of young monks and pilgrims from all directions.

As everyone devoutly worshipped, hoping that the magnificent golden Buddha before them would grant them a bright future, Lin Jiang clearly saw that the old monk closest to the Buddha was quietly frowning.

His brows initially furrowed only slightly, but later deepened until a thick frown formed between them, leaving a deep mark on his forehead. The surrounding worshippers dispersed, and the night grew even darker.

Inside the main hall, only the old monk and the golden Buddha remained.

He looked up at the golden Buddha again, but there was no trace of the original clear light in his eyes.

The body was too old, and the pupils had become cloudy. When the head was lowered, the dry skin reflected the dim yellow eyes.

After staring blankly at his palm for a long time, he finally let out a long sigh and stood up from the futon. This monk, who was originally a master of the sixth level of Taoism, looked extremely strained.

He dragged his slow steps to the front of the main hall. When the door opened, Yining, whom Lin Jiang had seen before, was standing outside.

After meeting the abbot, Yi Ning seemed to sense something was amiss and couldn't help but ask:
"Abbot, you don't look well."

“I studied Buddhist scriptures at night and found interesting and wonderful stories in the books. I was delighted and read them by lamplight for two or three days. That’s why I’ve been feeling a little tired these past two days.”

Upon hearing this, Yining's face also showed worry:
“Abbot, you are getting old. I know you are devoted to the Buddha, but you should also take better care of your health. If this continues, it will really be hard on your body and mind.”

"I know my own body well." The abbot's voice changed slightly, and he immediately noticed it. His slightly agitated tone quickly calmed down: "There's no need to worry."

"Ugh."

Yi Ning sighed softly, knowing that she couldn't persuade him otherwise.

"Let's not talk about that for now. There's a famine in the Northwest, and many refugees have fled here. Collect some grain nearby and cook some thick porridge for them. Make sure they have enough to eat."

"clear."

Yining gradually walked away.

Lin Jiang tried to recall when the Northwest region had suffered a disaster, but found that he had no memory of it at all.

Could it be that it's too old?
If it happened before you were born, it's perfectly normal not to know.

The old abbot slowly walked to the door of the mansion, pushed open the door, and before leaving, turned back to gaze at the golden Buddha statue once more.

He stared silently for a long time before turning and leaving.

Lin Jiang was inseparable from the golden Buddha when he suddenly saw the night outside the window turn into day in the blink of an eye.

After a short while, the door was hurriedly pushed open.

The abbot slipped in from outside the door with a strange expression.

He quickly closed the door, looked around to make sure no one was around, and then sat down alone on the prayer mat.

Lin Jiang stared intently at him. He could clearly see that a faint black aura was emanating from the abbot's body.

After sitting there for a while, the abbot suddenly reached his hand slowly into his robe.

He pulled out a tattered cloth bag, reached inside and groped around, pulled out a small object, and put it in his mouth to chew.

Lin Jiang couldn't see clearly from this angle, so he slowly lowered his gaze downwards.

Until the view reaches the very bottom—

He saw it with his own eyes...

This monk,
He was actually gnawing on his fingers one by one!

……

The mist around the golden Buddha suddenly dissipated, and Lin Jiang also came to his senses.

He looked up at the giant Buddha in front of him and suddenly noticed black tears welling up from the corner of the Buddha's eye, flowing down its face.

Lin Jiang simply turned to the side and went to the position behind the golden Buddha.

He explored it a little and found that there was a place inside the Buddha statue that looked like an empty mouth.

Place your hand on top and press firmly inward.

With a crisp sound, a faint stench wafted through the air.

Lin Jiang bent down and peered inside by the dim moonlight.

The empty room was covered with fingernails, one by one, pasted on the stone walls inside, densely packed.

(End of this chapter)