The sun and moon are both wrong; who made him seek the Dharma

"They were selling something printed from waste paper called 'indulgences' everywhere."

"They told the world that as long as you spend money to buy this ticket, your sins will be wiped clean and you will be innocent after death."

Xia Chuan turned his head to look at his junior brother:

"Haoguang, if it were you, would you buy it?"

Gao Haoguang was taken aback, and subconsciously answered:

"Isn't this a scam? Only a fool would buy it!"

Xia Chuan nodded:

"Yes, it's a scam."

But at the time, everyone there flocked to it.

Gao Haoguang looked utterly astonished: "Why is that?"

Xia Chuan's gaze returned to Bai Xiaoxiao:

"Because they believe deep down that they are guilty."

"But what crime have they committed?"

Most of them were just unfortunate people who toiled in the fields.

"It is only because those in high positions tell them they are guilty that they truly believe they were born filthy."

He took a step forward, his tall figure blocking out the sunlight and enveloping Bai Xiaoxiao in shadow.

"Therefore, those people gave up all their possessions and sold the land on which they depended for survival."

It even burdens future generations with a contract of servitude, for generations to come.

"Lost their fortune, their families were destroyed, and their lives were taken."

All for the sake of exchanging it for that worthless piece of paper, a mere consolation to myself!

Xia Chuan grabbed Bai Xiaoxiao's arm and effortlessly pulled her up from the ground.

"Look me in the eyes now and answer me!"

Xia Chuan's voice suddenly rose, as if a great bell had exploded in her ears:

"Your one-sided self-sacrifice, your so-called repayment of debts to your ancestors."

Do they really just want to buy that worthless piece of paper that's just self-deception?!

Bai Xiaoxiao was stunned by the deafening question, her mind went blank, and she stood there dumbfounded, her lips trembling:

"This...this...that's what everyone in the village is saying..."

I don't care what others say!

Xia Chuan waved his hand impatiently, interrupting her.

"I only care what you do!"

Your parents risked their lives to buy worthless paper, and it wasn't enough for you; you still insisted on rushing to your death to buy another one.

Is that what you mean?!

Bai Xiaoxiao stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.

She instinctively wanted to escape, so she bent her knees and was about to kneel down again.

"No kneeling allowed!"

Xia Chuan flicked his wrist, and the powerful force completely stopped her from falling, pinning her firmly to the spot.

“I ask you, you say your family is guilty.”

Who told you this?

Bai Xiaoxiao's eyes filled with tears, and she trembled helplessly:

"It's...it's the village chief, it's everyone."

The whole village has been saying this for generations…

Were they eyewitnesses from a thousand years ago?

Xia Chuan sneered:

"According to them, they should have all died back then!"

"If a village is so sick that it can't even be moved, it's on the verge of dying out."

Then how come you're still here?

"From what you've said, it seems everyone in the village now has four limbs."

"Then let me ask you, how were their ancestors' illnesses cured?"

Bai Xiaoxiao's eyes widened suddenly, as if struck by lightning:

"This...this..."

"That doesn't make sense, does it?"

Xia Chuan pressed on relentlessly, his words like knives: "There are only two truths."

"Either you are all outsiders."

Whether they were relatives of the original inhabitants or people who moved from other villages, they were all outsiders.

"Then why are they coming to your house to collect debts?"

"Or, this story,"

Xia Chuan slammed down his conclusion, word by word:

"It's all made up from beginning to end!"

The bamboo grove was deathly silent, with only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves.

Xia Chuan's gaze was intense, fixed on the swaying girl before him:

"Bai Xiaoxiao!"

"Answer me one more time, do you still want to buy that atonement ticket?!"

Bai Xiaoxiao was struck dumb, speechless.

Her world, which had been shrouded in guilt and remorse for over a decade, was now crumbling inch by inch.

Seeing her like this, Xia Chuan changed the subject:

"Actually, instead of listening to those sanctimonious villagers say that you were born guilty, you should just go directly to the person involved and ask them for clarification."

Gao Haoguang, standing to the side, was completely bewildered and scratched his gray hair:

"Senior brother, where did this party come from?"

"That's over a thousand years ago; the ashes have all been scattered."

"Of course."

Xia Chuan spoke calmly, "That corpse."

"As long as it can continue to gain life, the lifespan of a Nirvana Corpse is almost infinite."

Since it has taken up residence here to receive offerings, it must know the details of this village.

Xia Chuan released his grip, looked at Bai Xiaoxiao who was a full head shorter than him, and softened his tone:

"Once the corpse of Nirvana appears, we can ask it a couple of questions, and the truth will naturally come to light."

Listening to Xia Chuan's meticulous analysis, Bai Xiaoxiao was already 80% convinced.

But what if this benefactor's guess is correct...?

Then what about my parents... what about the suffering I've endured over the past ten years...?

Bai Xiaoxiao's face instantly lost all color, turning as pale as a sheet of paper.

"What are you thinking?"

Xia Chuan keenly noticed the change in her eyes.

"I'm wondering... how could the villagers..."

"Shut up."

Xia Chuan interrupted her mercilessly, his gaze piercing straight into the depths of her heart.

"I'm not asking what those villagers are thinking! What they think is none of my business."

"I'm asking about Bai Xiaoxiao."

You are standing here right now.

What was Bai Xiaoxiao thinking, watching helplessly as her parents were sent up the mountain and she lost everything?!

Bai Xiaoxiao was shocked.

What am I thinking?

Memories suppressed deep within the soul are now being awakened once more.

In the beginning, it was my father.

The kind and honest man patted her head and said with a smile that he was going on a long trip.

But Xiaoxiao, hiding behind the door, witnessed her fellow villagers, with ferocious expressions, pinning her father to the ground and beating him until his face was covered in blood.

They were hurling vicious curses at each other:

"This is a debt your ancestors owed us! You must repay it with your life!"

Xiao Xiao didn't understand at first why her father would lie to her with a smile.

Later she understood.

Because the father believed that as long as he obediently died, he could quell the villagers' anger and save his wife and children.

But he failed.