Chapter 41
Abbot Wule’s lifespan was nearing its end, so he was even more eager to ease the conflict between Hanshan Temple and the people of Huai City before his death.
The next morning, all the monks gathered in the main hall for morning prayers.
After the prayers, Abbot Wule, supported by his disciples, walked to the hall.
Looking at the monks before him, he gave clear instructions about the construction of the new hall and the production of incense and candles. His instructions were detailed, even specifying which hall to build and which one to renovate.
Abbot Wule specifically instructed, “The people in the north of the city have the strongest anti-Buddhist sentiment, but they are also the most vulnerable. Focus your efforts there when recruiting workers.”
By the time Heng Yu woke up, there were no Buddhist cultivators left in Hanshan Temple. They had all been sent down the mountain to carry out their tasks.
Hanshan Temple wasn’t short of money.
The advantage of this was that the wages offered for making incense, candles, and pastries, as well as for construction work, were slightly higher than the market rate. Moreover, Hanshan Temple provided a free lunch for the workers, vegetarian but filling.
Faced with such favorable treatment, how could those struggling to make ends meet refuse?
So, in just one morning, the monks returned to the temple, having successfully completed their tasks.
Soon, the once quiet Hanshan Temple became lively again.
Sunlight filtered through the lush Bodhi trees, falling on Heng Yu’s head.
She sat cross-legged on the ground, reading a book on formations.
As time passed, the sun shifted, and the light moved, some falling on the pages and distracting her.
Heng Yu leaned back against a Bodhi tree, avoiding the sunlight, and continued reading.
Liaowu sat under another Bodhi tree opposite her, reading scriptures.
They didn’t disturb each other.
After reading for a while, Heng Yu felt bored and picked up a fallen Bodhi fruit, weighing it in her hand.
Her gaze shifted, and after wiping the dirt off the fruit with a handkerchief, she closed her left eye, aimed at Liaowu’s forehead, and threw it.
Just as the fruit approached him, Liaowu, without even looking up from his scripture, casually caught it with his right hand.
He placed the fruit beside him and calmly turned the page.
Heng Yu raised an eyebrow, picked up another fruit, and wiped it clean.
This time, she aimed at his chin and threw it with more force, infusing it with spiritual energy.
She missed again.
Heng Yu picked up the fruit and wiped it clean.
Just as she was about to aim again, Liaowu, still reading, said without looking up, “Aim for my knee.”
Heng Yu: “…”
She aimed for his left knee and threw the fruit. Liaowu calmly let it hit him.
The Bodhi fruit wasn’t large, and Heng Yu had already wiped off the dirt, so even though it hit him, it didn’t even stain his robes.
“Boring,” Heng Yu pouted.
Liaowu finally looked up at her.
He was about to speak when rapid footsteps approached, breaking the silence.
Then came Liaonian’s voice: “Senior Brother, something bad happened at the side hall!”
Liaonian ran over, panting, his face showing anger.
“What happened?” Liaowu asked.
“The statue of Buddha Xule… has been destroyed.”
Liaowu’s pupils constricted, a rare display of surprise.
Destroying a Buddhist statue was a grave offense.
And Buddha Xule was the founder of the Undying Sect, the one who had achieved enlightenment and ascended ten thousand years ago.
“Let’s go and see,” Heng Yu said immediately.
A crowd had gathered outside the side hall.
Among them were the workers hired by the temple and the novices. They blocked the entrance, arguing amongst themselves, the scene chaotic.
Heng Yu, arriving at the scene, immediately sensed trouble.
With so many people crowded together, a stampede could easily occur.
Liaonian shouted, “Please make way!”
But his voice was drowned out by the noise. No one heard him.
“This won’t work,” Heng Yu frowned.
She drew her sword and released her spiritual pressure. “Anyone who doesn’t want to die, get out of my way!”
Her peak Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure was enough to intimidate ordinary people.
The people in front of the side hall felt the pressure and their legs trembled. They instinctively stepped back, clearing a path.
Heng Yu didn’t withdraw her spiritual pressure or her sword, entering the hall with her weapon drawn.
Inside, their view widened.
Liaowu slowly looked around the hall, his expression gradually hardening.
—The statue of Buddha Xule, usually solemn and majestic, like a deity descending from heaven, was now covered in cracks, its face marred by fissures that distorted its smile. Although it was just a lifeless statue, Liaowu felt as if he could see pain and sorrow on its face.
Several novices stood in a corner, their faces bruised and battered, clearly having been involved in a fight.
The incense burners, candles, offerings, and other items in front of the statue were scattered on the ground, adding to the chaos.
Then, Liaowu looked at the other corner.
Several young men stood there, each holding a hammer stained with golden dust.
Liaowu could imagine the hammers striking the statue.
He tightened his lips, his mind in turmoil.
Finally, he maintained his composure and asked the injured novices, “Why isn’t Abbot Wule here?”
“…The abbot suffered a Qi deviation after hearing about this and is currently taking medicine to recover,” the lead novice replied. “Master Liaohe is attending to the abbot and couldn’t come.”
No wonder the scene was so chaotic. There was no one powerful enough to control the situation, only these young novices.
Liaowu nodded and looked at the young men in the other corner.
He pursed his lips. “Why did you destroy the Buddhist statue, benefactors?”
Heng Yu stood beside him, her gaze fixed on him — for devout Buddhist cultivators, destroying a Buddhist statue was sometimes more painful than killing them. Liaonian and the novices in the corner glared at the young men angrily.
Only Liaowu remained calm, his tightly pursed lips betraying his inner turmoil.
While Heng Yu was distracted, one of the young men, who seemed to be the leader, waved his hammer and sneered. “When you asked us to come up the mountain and build the statue, didn’t you expect this to happen? Don’t forget, we hate Buddhist cultivators. If you’re angry, you should be angry at your own carelessness! Angry at your own naivety!”
“This poor monk is not angry.”
The young man scoffed, clearly not believing him. “The statue is already destroyed. We have no money to compensate you. So, you hypocritical Buddhist cultivators, do you want to break your precepts and kill me now?”
“There’s no need to break any precepts.”
The next moment, a sword was pressed against the young man’s neck.
Heng Yu chuckled softly and moved her wrist slightly, the sharp blade cutting into his skin, drawing blood.
“I’m not a Buddhist cultivator. Your lives are in my hands.”
The young man glared at her defiantly, gritting his teeth.
But his body trembled uncontrollably, betraying his fear.
Heng Yu ignored the mortals and turned to Liaowu, her voice gentle. “You’re not angry. As the Buddha-son of the Undying Sect, you naturally have to maintain your composure. But I’m angry for you.”
Liaowu had initially wanted to stop her — it wasn’t appropriate to draw blood in the Buddhist hall.
But Heng Yu’s words stopped him in his tracks. He looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
“Since arriving in Huai City, you’ve been trying to solve its problems. You’re sincere and willing to do your best to alleviate the people’s suffering. But they don’t understand. They even destroyed the Buddhist statue.”
“As the Undying Sect’s Buddha-son, you shouldn’t be disappointed or angry.”
“But from my perspective, I want you to express your disappointment and anger.”
The atmosphere in the hall became tense.
Liaowu remained silent.
Heng Yu looked at the young man opposite her. “You were the one who led the destruction of the statue, right?”
She sent a wave of spiritual energy towards the young man’s legs, forcing him to kneel. “That monk isn’t disappointed or angry, so I’ll express it for him.”
She looked around at everyone and chuckled softly. “Have you ever considered the consequences of offending a cultivator?”
The young man’s face gradually paled.
He trembled.
When he smashed the statue, he hadn’t thought about the consequences.
He knew it would humiliate the monks of Hanshan Temple, but he hadn’t thought he would have to pay the price.
Frankly, he had been relying on the fact that “Buddhist cultivators don’t harm mortals.”
“Isn’t it a bit late to be afraid now?” Heng Yu chuckled. “You resent Buddhist cultivators because of your difficult lives, but without Hanshan Temple, your lives would be even worse!”
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