Chapter 39
There weren’t many people queuing at the city gate, so Heng Yu and the others entered Huai City quickly. Huai City was impoverished. The main road, rutted and uneven from years of cart traffic, was uncomfortable to walk on. The houses were mostly made of wood, with some mud houses visible. Few people wore fine clothes; most were patched and worn.
Liaowu looked around, his gaze falling on the faces of the vendors and passersby.
Then — his heart sank.
Among them were children, young people, middle-aged people, and elderly people. Some looked at Liaowu and Liaonian with wary and hostile eyes.
With his cultivation level, Liaowu could clearly hear their whispers.
“Who’s that monk?”
“I don’t know. Seems like a newcomer.”
“He looks so well-off. Buddhists talk about saving us, but they live much more comfortably than we do.”
“He looks powerful. Could he be sent by the Buddhist sect to punish us?”
These speculations silenced Liaowu.
The Buddhist sect had been established here for so long; the people of Huai City couldn’t possibly be unaware of its tenets. Yet, they still harbored such malice.
“What are you thinking about?” Heng Yu asked him.
Liaowu continued walking. He had sensed his junior brother Liaohe’s aura and was heading towards him.
Hearing Heng Yu’s question, he replied softly, “This poor monk is just wondering whose fault it is that the people of Huai City have abandoned Buddhism.”
“No one’s fault.”
“Indeed, no one’s fault,” Liaowu agreed.
Liaonian also heard the whispers.
He said indignantly, “But Senior Brother, our sect has been working hard to improve the situation in the Yan Kingdom. The people don’t see our efforts, only their own misfortune, and then they resent the Buddhist sect. Is that really fair!?”
Liaowu patted Liaonian’s shaved head. “You’re saying that the people are only seeing things from their own perspective and not considering the sect’s efforts, right? But your words are also purely from the sect’s perspective.”
Liaonian was stunned.
Heng Yu added, “If they’re at fault, it’s for their ignorance. But ultimately, it’s not their fault. If the people lived prosperous and healthy lives, they would have the time and resources to learn to read and write, to understand etiquette and shame. But look, do the people of Huai City look prosperous?”
The temple in Huai City was called Hanshan Temple. This temple had once been prosperous, its grounds vast, and its main hall magnificent.
But over the past century, fewer and fewer people came to worship. The Buddhist statues, despite being cleaned daily, seemed to have lost their luster without the nourishment of incense.
After meeting up with them, Liaohe showed them around the temple. He wore gray monk robes and was slightly chubby, his skin fair, like a steamed bun. His eyes were small, almost disappearing when he smiled.
“Actually, Hanshan Temple organizes free literacy classes for children every week, but the results are minimal. Few children attend. And with the growing anti-Buddhist sentiment, parents are even less willing to send their children here,” Liaohe explained, scratching his shaved head.
“Free literacy classes, and they’re still unwilling to attend?” Liaonian was surprised.
“Children that age can already help with chores at home. Parents feel that learning a few characters is useless and will only distract them from their work.”
“But… wouldn’t learning more allow them to earn more money?”
Liaonian murmured.
But he quickly realized how naive his question was.
Most people only saw the immediate benefits and couldn’t think long-term.
Those who could think long-term had already escaped their difficult circumstances. That’s why the poor often became poorer, and the rich richer.
Realizing this, Liaonian fell silent.
As the four of them walked along the Bodhi tree path, Heng Yu suddenly asked, “Why haven’t we seen the abbot of Hanshan Temple?”
“Amitabha, the abbot passed away a month ago,” Liaohe explained.
The abbot of Hanshan Temple was a late Foundation Establishment cultivator. During his tenure, with his virtue and prestige, he had managed to appease the people and reduce their hostility towards Buddhist cultivators.
“…But after the abbot’s death, there’s no other capable Buddhist cultivator in Hanshan Temple to succeed him. Last time, there was a conflict because a woman often came to the temple, praying for a child. But after ten years without any results, her husband and family stormed the temple with hoes and other tools. The novices tried to stop them and were injured in the scuffle.”
Heng Yu frowned. “That was just the first conflict. I’m afraid things will only get worse.”
Soon, they reached the guest rooms.
These rooms hadn’t been occupied for a long time.
Dust covered many surfaces, weeds grew in the courtyard, and fallen leaves formed a thin layer on the ground.
Liaohe’s face showed shame. “I actually forgot to ask the novices to clean these rooms.”
Liaowu, familiar with his junior brother’s character, smiled. “It’s fine.”
He cast a cleaning spell, and the fallen leaves were swept into a pile.
Heng Yu looked around and pointed to the innermost room. “I’ll stay in this room.”
She entered and started tidying up.
After finishing, Heng Yu opened the window and saw Liaowu standing in the courtyard, looking up at the Bodhi tree.
“What are you looking at?”
“Waiting for you to finish tidying up. Just looking around to pass the time.”
This answer pleased her.
Heng Yu smiled. “Do you need something?”
“I’d like to invite Lord Luo to walk around Huai City with me. This poor monk still wants to try and solve the problems here.”
“You want my help?”
Liaowu said sincerely, “If it were Lord Luo, you would surely think of a solution.”
“Flattery won’t work. How will you repay me if I succeed?”
“This poor monk will owe Lord Luo a favor.”
Heng Yu walked out of her room and stood before Liaowu. “A favor from the Undying Sect’s Buddha-son is worth a thousand gold pieces. Quite a bargain.”
She held out her right hand.
This gesture —
Liaowu remembered seeing his junior brothers high-five each other after making agreements.
He smiled faintly and high-fived her.
Liaowu decided to go directly to the north of the city.
This was the poorest area and also the area with the strongest anti-Buddhist sentiment.
Approaching the northern district, Heng Yu saw a vendor selling roasted chestnuts.
“Let’s buy some chestnuts.”
“Alright,” Liaowu said.
Walking closer, Heng Yu saw that the chestnuts were plump and round, looking delicious.
“One pound, please.”
“Alright.”
The vendor, a middle-aged man, was bending down to add firewood to the stove. He replied to Heng Yu before straightening up.
He scooped the chestnuts into a paper bag and was about to weigh them when he noticed Heng Yu — and the Buddhist cultivator beside her.
He paused, looked at Heng Yu, then at Liaowu, and his expression turned sour. “Sorry, Miss, I’m not selling these chestnuts anymore.”
Heng Yu didn’t expect him to refuse business outright. “Why not, sir? I can pay you more.”
“It’s not about the money,” the vendor waved his hand dismissively. “Forget it, I’m not selling.”
“…Alright then.”
Heng Yu and Liaowu exchanged glances and continued walking north.
Seeing their direction, the vendor was stunned.
He hesitated, then, remembering his favorable impression of the beautiful and friendly woman, called out, “Miss, in your current situation… it’s best not to enter the northern district.”
Heng Yu turned around, smiled, and bowed. “Thank you for the warning, but I still want to go in with my friend.”
Turning back, she said to Liaowu, “The people of Huai City are quite kind.”
He had even warned her not to enter the northern district.
Liaowu didn’t reply.
He felt it was mainly because of her beauty.
Even short-tempered people would unconsciously soften their tone when facing someone beautiful.
Walking further in, they entered the northern district.
A few children were playing cat’s cradle by the alley entrance.
Liaowu, seeing their lively game, couldn’t help but look at them.
One of the children, a four or five-year-old girl, met his gaze. Liaowu smiled faintly, and the little girl’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. “That monk smiled at me. Is he going to eat me… Waaah, I’m going home to find my mother!”
The other children turned to look, then screamed and ran into the alley, kicking up dust.
Liaowu: “…”
Heng Yu: “…”
Heng Yu found this both amusing and frustrating.
This little girl was so young and innocent. Her fear of Liaowu must have come from her family.
“Let me see.”
Heng Yu tilted her head and looked Liaowu up and down.
A smile appeared in her eyes. “Would such a handsome monk really eat people?”
Her voice was so pleasant.
Liaowu felt his ears itch.
“Let’s continue,” Liaowu changed the subject, pointing to the alley the children had run into.
They walked side by side.
Passing by the first house, a woman came out with a basin of laundry. Seeing Liaowu, her expression changed, and she quickly retreated, slamming the dilapidated wooden door shut.
The slam was so loud that Heng Yu could hear the door creaking.
Liaowu’s heart sank.
Reaching the second house, he knocked, wanting to talk to the residents.
“Coming.”
A man came to open the door.
Seeing Liaowu, his expression immediately changed, and he slammed the door shut.
Liaowu walked silently to the third house and knocked again.
Heng Yu stood beside him, thinking for a moment, then decided not to stop him.
Slamming doors, angry shouts…
Angry expressions, disdainful expressions, disgusted expressions…
In an alley with dozens of households, besides the ten or so houses with closed doors, only a few people remained calm upon seeing them and were willing to talk. Most slammed their doors shut as soon as they saw Liaowu.
Soon, they reached the well at the end of the alley.
The well was a busy place, with people fetching water, washing clothes, and cleaning vegetables.
With so many people gathered, gossip and idle chatter were inevitable.
But upon seeing Liaowu, everyone fell silent, subtly looking at him while continuing their chores.
Seeing his elegant and refined demeanor, an old woman snorted. “Putting on airs. Dressed so well, who knows if he bought those robes with our donated incense money.”
The more Liaowu resembled a gentle breeze and bright moon, the colder they seemed to become.
“Mother,” a young woman tugged on her sleeve, trying to stop her.
Being pulled by her daughter-in-law, the old woman became even more disgruntled.
She raised her voice. “Why are you pulling me? I can’t even speak now? It’s true. I saw a chubby monk in Hanshan Temple. If they didn’t secretly eat meat, just plain steamed buns, how could they get so fat?”
Heng Yu frowned.
Some people gained weight even just by drinking water. This accusation was unreasonable.
“Amitabha.” Liaowu, who had been silent, stopped and joined his hands together, explaining seriously to the old woman, “Benefactor, the Buddhist sect has strict precepts. If you truly saw a monk breaking the precepts, you can report it to Hanshan Temple or tell this poor monk directly.”
His directness made the unreasonable old woman embarrassed.
Her expression changed, and she picked up a rotten vegetable leaf and threw it at Heng Yu and Liaowu.
The wet leaf splattered water as it flew towards them.
Just as it reached Heng Yu, an invisible barrier blocked it.
Liaowu had acted.
He was about to speak when a man standing by the well picked up a bucket of cold well water and splashed it at them.
The water naturally didn’t touch them.
Heng Yu dispelled the barrier she had just summoned and frowned slightly.
Liaowu pursed his lips. “Benefactors, this poor monk came to the northern district with good intentions, not malice.”
“Who knows what you’re thinking. Several novices from Hanshan Temple were injured a few days ago. Who knows if you’re here for revenge,” the old woman retorted.
Liaowu sighed, wanting to reason with them again.
Heng Yu tugged on his robe and transmitted her voice. “Being gentle won’t work. They’re being unreasonable, so you have to be even more unreasonable.”
Then, Heng Yu said to the people by the well, “You can all tell that I and this Buddhist cultivator are cultivators, right? How dare you speak to us with such disrespect, throwing rotten vegetables and splashing water at us?”
Heng Yu sneered and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.
She looked around, and everyone’s expressions turned uncomfortable.
“Yes, you’re taking advantage of the fact that Buddhist cultivators adhere to precepts and can’t harm others, especially mortals, so you dare to act so recklessly. Insulting Buddhist cultivators, claiming their precepts are just lies, while taking advantage of their gentle nature to act like this, how ridiculous!”
“I apologize, but I’m not a Buddhist cultivator.” Heng Yu held her sword horizontally, as if ready to draw it at any moment. “Perhaps this way, we can communicate properly. Don’t you agree?”
The people by the well fell silent.
“You… you…” the old woman’s face paled, and cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
“Lord Luo,” Liaowu stepped forward and stopped her, his hand on her sword. “There’s no need for anger.”
Heng Yu feigned displeasure. “You’re too kind. Anywhere else, anyone who dared offend me would be covered in blood.”
“…The blood wouldn’t splatter that far,” Liaowu corrected her.
“Have you killed anyone before? I have. When my sword is fast and ruthless, thrusting and retracting in a second, the blood can definitely splatter that far. The blood spray, it’s as beautiful as rain,” Heng Yu said, lost in reminiscence, twirling her sword hilt.
Seeing them seriously discussing such a gruesome topic, the people by the well shuddered.
They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with fear.
Liaowu chuckled inwardly.
He knew Lord Luo was defending him, so he didn’t find her behavior excessive, only amusing.
“I’ll chant a calming mantra for you when we return.”
Heng Yu: “…”
He was doing this on purpose! Knowing she always fell asleep when he chanted, and he still wanted to chant a mantra!
She transmitted her voice to him, rebuking him seriously, “I helped you, and this is how you treat me!?”
“Was this poor monk not sincere enough?”
“You know it yourself.”
Their voice transmission ended, and Heng Yu looked at the people, knowing she had gone far enough.
She stretched, her hair swaying in the wind, the sunlight filtering through the trees and falling on her face, making her look even more stunning.
“Until we meet again.”
Heng Yu bowed with a smile and turned to leave, her laughter echoing.
As the saying went, “Morning bells and evening drums.” Walking up the mountain as the sun set, Heng Yu heard the deep sound of drums as they approached Hanshan Temple.
Liaowu handed her a peeled chestnut, and Heng Yu popped it into her mouth.
It was delicious.
The chestnut vendor in the northern district hadn’t wanted to sell to them, but there were other chestnut stalls in Huai City.
Passing by the market, Liaowu had bought her a pound of chestnuts. She was too lazy to peel them herself, so she had Liaowu do it.
Along the way, one peeled, and one ate, a harmonious scene.
“Finished,” Liaowu handed her the last chestnut, the paper bag now filled with empty shells. “After today’s experience, Lord Luo, do you have any good ideas?”
“It’s difficult to solve the problems of the entire Yan Kingdom. If it’s just Huai City, it’s not that difficult.”
“Please enlighten me.”
Heng Yu took a bite of the chestnut. “I need to think about it some more.”
The Yan Kingdom was vast and impoverished. The best way to solve its problems was to develop agriculture — but this would be limited by various factors.
But if it was just Huai City, as long as they gave the people hope, they wouldn’t resent the Buddhist sect.
She had some ideas, but they weren’t fully formed yet.
“Senior Brother Liaowu, let’s walk around Hanshan Temple,” Heng Yu suddenly said as they walked back to their rooms.
Liaowu didn’t ask why and simply agreed.
The paths in Hanshan Temple were steep.
They walked along the stone path, through a long corridor, passing by novices performing their evening prayers.
Soon, they reached the main hall.
This was the central building of the temple, housing a giant Buddhist statue.
The statue was imposing. Looking up, Heng Yu saw a faint golden aura surrounding it, exuding a powerful pressure that made it difficult to look directly at it.
Heng Yu looked away, walked forward, and picked up a long incense stick and a candle.
She wasn’t going to pray. She didn’t believe in Buddhism. She simply wanted to examine them closely.
The incense and candles were finely crafted. Heng Yu asked, “Are the incense and candles in the temple made by the novices?”
Liaowu walked over to her and nodded. “Almost all temples’ incense and candles are made by novices.”
“I think you could consider teaching the people in the city below how to make incense and candles, and the temple can buy them and sell them to worshippers. Besides that, things like marriage knots and peace talismans can also be made by those struggling to make ends meet.”
Buddhist temples in the cultivation world didn’t rely on these things for profit.
They had the novices make them as a form of training.
But there were many other ways to train them.
Liaowu picked up three incense sticks, lit them carefully, and placed them respectfully in the incense burner in front of the statue.
Smoke curled upwards, enveloping the statue.
“This method could indeed bring income to some people, allowing them to have enough to eat.” Liaowu paused, then looked at Heng Yu, who was smiling silently, seemingly finding his words too shallow.
Liaowu smiled and continued, “But this is just the most superficial benefit. Thinking deeper, this is actually Hanshan Temple showing goodwill to the surrounding people. Those who benefit will surely praise the Buddhist sect. Subtly, the sect’s reputation will improve.”
Heng Yu put down the incense and candle. “Exactly. When the Buddhist sect’s reputation improves, Hanshan Temple will naturally become prosperous again, increasing the demand for incense, candles, talismans, and other items. With greater demand, more people will be needed to make these things, and the cycle will continue.”
So, in essence, Hanshan Temple only needed to spend a small amount of money to revitalize the temple.
Of course, this was just one method. To truly resolve the conflict —
Following Heng Yu’s train of thought, Liaowu said, “We can also buy Bodhi cakes from the people and sell them to worshippers, with the temple providing the main ingredient, Bodhi leaves…”
Heng Yu snapped her fingers. “Exactly.”
Liaowu continued, “If so, Hanshan Temple can build a new hall, and some of the existing buildings need renovation. This will be a large project, requiring many artisans. It’s currently the off-season for farming, so I think many people would be willing to work.”
Heng Yu thought, as expected of Buddha-son Liaowu.
She had only mentioned a few ideas, and he had already thought of using large-scale construction projects to create job opportunities and alleviate the conflict.
“You’re truly amazing,” Heng Yu praised sincerely.
Liaowu looked at her, his eyes gentle. “This is all thanks to Lord Luo.”
He didn’t take credit.
After discussing their plan, they went to find Abbot Wule of Hanshan Temple.
Abbot Wule was the deceased abbot’s junior brother and the most likely candidate to succeed him. But unfortunately, his lifespan was also nearing its end.
He sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, his eyebrows completely white. After listening to Liaowu, he joined his hands together and thanked Heng Yu. “Thank you, Benefactor. This method truly solves the crisis of Hanshan Temple.”
Heng Yu didn’t take credit. “You’re too kind, Abbot.”
She hadn’t come up with these ideas for Hanshan Temple.
If it weren’t for Liaowu, she wouldn’t care about the temple’s fate. It had nothing to do with her.
Abbot Wule smiled. “This poor monk will arrange these matters tomorrow. We’ll start implementing the plan by the day after tomorrow at the latest.”
After bidding farewell to Abbot Wule, Liaowu left his room and walked down the corridor.
He walked a few steps, then, not hearing Heng Yu’s footsteps behind him, turned around.
She stood under the night sky, looking up at the stars, a smile on her lips.
For a moment, Liaowu was mesmerized, feeling as if the stars were reflected in her eyes.
“What are you looking at?”
“What are you looking at?” Heng Yu looked at him intently.
Liaowu paused, unsure if it was his imagination, but the atmosphere seemed to have changed.
He looked away, his gaze falling on the empty space. “It’s late. This poor monk will escort Lord Luo back to your room.”
He turned his prayer beads and walked ahead.
Heng Yu held a slender bamboo branch and lazily followed him.
Looking at his shiny head, she couldn’t resist brushing the bamboo branch across it. The small leaves on the branch tickled Liaowu’s head.
He sighed helplessly. “Lord Luo, please behave.”
He reached out, took the bamboo branch from her hand, and placed it beside him.
Heng Yu stood two steps away, also holding the other end of the branch.
He maintained this posture, holding the bamboo branch connected to her, walking back to the dark room under the gentle starlight and moonlight.