In Shituo City, the once-a-quarter Lotus Picking Ceremony of the Western Buddhist Kingdom is about to begin.

Inside the venue, images of Buddhas painted on human skin covered the surrounding walls, and monks beat drums made of human skin and chanted Buddhist mantras to announce that the time for the Dharma assembly was approaching.

A red-robed monk, who was at the head of the group, lit sandalwood incense in front of the Buddha statue, respectfully inserted it into the incense burner, and then mixed the bright red liquid with sesame oil to light the Buddha lamps. Immediately, a wonderful fragrance filled the hall.

The monks played flutes made from the leg bones of a full-moon baby and waved wave drums called Damaru, their chanting intertwined with the chanting of the monks.

In front of the dining table in the center, there were bowls made of skulls, each containing a bowl-shaped container of red and white viscous liquid that appeared to be pulsating upon closer inspection.

The entire Dharma assembly lacked the solemnity and tranquility expected of a Buddhist holy site; instead, it exuded an eerie and sinister atmosphere that was so oppressive it was hard to describe, like a hellish realm.

"The Chief has arrived!"

At a shout, the monks in the hall, along with the more than 10,000 believers listening to the sermon, all stood up and bowed their heads in kowtow.

Soon, a group of martial monks with Supreme Realm cultivation stood in an orderly fashion, five on the left and four on the right, in their respective positions.

Immediately afterwards, three monks, dressed in celestial Buddhist robes and with solemn appearances, walked proudly to the head seat and took their seats in turn.

The first seat, Wrathful King, took the middle seat first, followed by Desire to Sink into the left, and finally the second seat, Sighing and Joyful King, sat on the right.

The three possessed extraordinary auras, and their unparalleled cultivation was faintly revealed as their eyes opened and closed.

"The Lotus Picking Ceremony officially begins!"

With a deep shout from the Wrathful King, eight Brahma monks immediately carried a wooden stake into the hall.

On a wooden stake, a disheveled woman, barely clothed, was bound tightly with ropes and laid flat in a "T" shape on a Buddhist execution platform.

The Wrathful King waved his Buddhist robe, glanced at the time, and was just about to give the order to the monk with the knife to pick lotus flowers when a loud shout came from outside the hall.

"The Buddha's disciple has arrived!"

As the words fell, Heng Fuzi and a nun whose entire body was covered by a monk's robe and hat up to her face strode into the hall.

"Greetings, Buddha's disciple!"

All the monks bowed to the Buddhist disciple Heng.

"Fellow Buddhists, please dispense with formalities!"

After returning the greeting, Heng Fuzi walked to the steps below the three senior monks and bowed deeply, saying, "My three senior brothers, I am late."

Yu Chenlun replied, "Amitabha, junior brother, you have arrived at just the right time. The Lotus Picking Ceremony has just begun, and I was worried that you would miss such a grand event."

After speaking, she glanced at the nun next to Heng Fuzi and showed a questioning expression.

"This is Bhikkhuni Shengfa Nunnery. She studies Buddhism with this Buddhist disciple. Today, at the Lotus Picking Dharma Assembly, I brought her here to listen to the Dharma talk of the three fellow practitioners."

Heng Fuzi answered calmly and steadily, maintaining an air of elegance throughout.

Suddenly, the Angry King asked, "Junior Brother! I wonder how our Master is doing?"

Heng Fuzi: "The sect leader is well. Before leaving, he specifically instructed me to seek more Buddhist teachings from my three senior brothers."

Sighing with sorrow and joy: "Junior brother, since you're here, please take your seats quickly. The Lotus Picking Ceremony is extremely solemn, so don't miss the auspicious time."

Heng Fuzi nodded, and then sat down with the nun at the prepared table.

Just as he sat down, Tan Beixi suddenly asked, "Junior brother, why didn't you see Shatuo and the other Dharma protectors with you this time when you went out?"

Heng Fuzi sighed softly: "Shatuo and the others were harmed by heretics while protecting me, and have already passed away."

"Amitabha!"

Upon hearing this, the three of them silently recited a Buddhist mantra.

"Within the Buddhist kingdom, there are even heretics causing harm to the world."

"The Buddhist kingdom must not be desecrated, and the Buddha must not be questioned."

"Could this be a counterattack by remnants of Zen Buddhism?"

"This matter must be thoroughly investigated and the truth revealed."

While the three chief monks were communicating using mental techniques, Heng Fuzi was also surveying the surroundings of the hall.

The human skin drum, the human painting, the leg bone flute, the skull bowl—every single item contradicts the core tenets of Buddhism.

Moreover, a dark cloud of mist was faintly emanating from the seemingly solemn Buddhist temple, sometimes condensing and sometimes spreading, as if it were monitoring everyone present.

"Your Excellency, the auspicious time has arrived."

"Min!"

With a deep shout from the Wrathful King, two red-robed monks wielding knives approached the woman bound to the execution platform with ferocious expressions.

The monks and believers around immediately began chanting Buddhist scriptures, and the chanting resounded throughout the entire temple, appearing particularly eerie and sinister.

The woman's empty eyes

"Wait!"

Heng Fuzi suddenly spoke up to stop him.

The three chiefs were all taken aback.

"Buddha's disciple, what are you doing?"

"We must not miss the auspicious time for picking lotus flowers. Anything else can wait until it's over."

Heng Fuzi smiled faintly and put his hands together: "Three senior brothers, may I ask how many years the Lotus Picking Ceremony has been going on, and what substantial progress has been made?"

Wrathful King: "Buddha's son, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Heng, the Buddhist disciple, said: "In my opinion, continuing this seemingly magnificent but actually wasteful Dharma assembly is meaningless."

A century ago, this Buddhist disciple proposed abolishing the lotus-picking ceremony, suggesting instead that more energy be devoted to truly worthwhile research.

However, the monks strongly opposed it, which was truly frustrating.

Desiring to sink into depravity: "Buddha's disciple, you must not speak nonsense."

Heng Fuzi: "Nonsense? Three senior brothers, may I ask how long the Lotus Picking Ceremony has lasted since it began, and has it ever been successful even once?"

Sighing at sorrow and joy: "Buddha's disciple, do not utter words that question the Buddha's teachings."

Heng Fuzi chuckled lightly: "What? Third Senior Brother, in front of so many believers and Buddhist friends, are you unwilling to admit the true purpose of holding this Dharma assembly?"

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