Chapter 235 The only student who didn't bring headphones to the listening test
"Eh? Taoist Priest Xiao Li?"
Li Chuzheng led a huge team to the foot of Hongdu Mountain. Someone saw him from afar and greeted him.
Hearing the cry, Li Chu looked in the direction of the sound and saw only a huge bald head.
"Master Shenmu?"
Li Chu was also surprised. He didn't expect to meet him here. But he thought that as a Buddhist disciple, it was more reasonable for Monk Shenmu to be here than for himself...
Monk Shenmu came over from the viewing area and asked with a smile, "Why did you come to Shenluo City?"
"I'm here to do something." Li Chuying said, "Are you here to attend the Buddhist Association as well?"
"Yes, but something unexpected happened." Shenmu scratched his head and smiled awkwardly, "Master said that I have a predestined relationship, so he let me participate in the conference. Who knew that I would go to Shenluo City to give a lecture in the first round this year? As soon as I set up the Dharma platform, a few birdmen came to make trouble. They actually handed out flyers and gifts to ask people to go to other places to listen to the lecture! They poached me in person? How could I tolerate this? I unilaterally fought with them... As a result, the participation in the competition was ruined."
One-sided fight...
Li Chu felt a fire of complaint brewing in his heart.
"Eh?" Shenmu said halfway, and suddenly raised his head: "What do you mean by 'also'?"
"Because... I am also here to attend the Buddhist gathering." Li Chu said calmly.
"Hmm?" The monk's eyes suddenly became serious. He moved closer and lowered his voice, "Are you here as an undercover agent? Is the Taoist sect finally going to take action against the Buddhist sect? Is there a traitor?"
“…”
Li Chu shook his head speechlessly. "It's just that I have to do some part-time work because of the pressure of life."
Monk Shenmu looked at him suspiciously, but he seemed to be busy. He turned around and looked, then turned back and said, "Let's not talk too much. I came here with my first and third uncles. In addition to attending the Buddhist meeting, I will also stay in Bailong Temple for a few days. After the meeting, I will talk to you at length."
"Okay, there is a Deyun branch in the south of the city, you can come find me there when you go."
After exchanging pleasantries, the two fellow villagers went their separate ways.
Monk Shenmu returned to his seat at Shuangfei Temple, where the current abbot of Shuangfei Temple, Master Yishen, and the influential Master Sankong were both there. He was not afraid of his own master, but he was afraid of Master Yishen, so he did not dare to be as free as before.
The gathering place of the Buddhist Association is on the hillside of Hongdu Mountain, in a square in front of the gate of Bailong Temple. Along one side of the mountain wall is the viewing seat, where Buddhist practitioners from all over the world and other upper-class people come.
The central square was occupied by ordinary believers. As the preachers from Shenluo City returned one after another, nearly ten thousand people gradually gathered there.
Some jugglers and peddlers were wandering among the crowd, making the scene quite lively.
The contestants returned and handed over their lecture records to the monks at the White Dragon Temple, where they also waited for a while.
Li Chu's eyes scanned the crowd for a while and found his target.
The second prince of the Eternal City in the Western Regions, Ye Shuo.
His appearance was very outstanding among the crowd of ordinary people, and his gentle eyes and warm temperament made him easy to be liked. There were several elderly Buddhist monks around him chatting with him. It didn't seem like they were giving advice to the younger generation, but rather like they were talking to each other as peers.
In the early years, the countries in the Western Regions were always considered barbaric in the eyes of the people in the Central Plains.
However, after thousands of years of cultural influence, many civilizations in the Western Regions can now be said to be prosperous. In recent years, many outstanding people from the Western Regions have come to the Central Plains, leaving a strong mark on the painting of the Heluo Dynasty.
Ye Shuo is obviously one of them.
This Buddhist meeting may be the starting point for him to take off as a favored child from the Western Regions.
Unfortunately...
Li Chu touched his chin. The easiest way to prevent him from getting the Buddha's fate was to get it himself.
If not.
Maybe I have to find a way to vote for him...
Um.
…
The second prince of the Bulao City was chatting with several Heluo monks when he suddenly felt a thorn in his back. Turning back, he saw a handsome young man in blue clothes, looking at him, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
If someone else was spying like this, the cautious Ye Shuo would inevitably suspect that he had bad intentions. But when he saw the man's appearance, Ye Shuo's thoughts wandered.
He couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.
How could such a person be born in the Central Plains? I have never seen or heard of such a person in the Western Regions.
Was it the difference in water and soil? Or was it the climate... temperature... sunlight? He didn't have time to think about it, because two other subordinates from the Western Regions waved to him in the distance. He immediately apologized to the monks and ran over there.
Several Heluo monks were not annoyed. Although Ye Shuo was young, he practiced under the seat of the Aurora Bodhisattva in the Western Regions, and his seniority was terrifyingly high. Seriously speaking, Master Fashan was probably one generation lower than him. Moreover, he was not only of high seniority, but also had a profound grasp of Buddhist principles. Whether in terms of seniority or Buddhism, he could not be considered a junior.
Ye Shuo took the two men to a corner and asked, "What happened?"
"I couldn't find out what the goddess of Luoshui looked like. I asked around and found that several painters had painted her before, but no matter who drew her, her face was very blurry. It was said that it was because of the fog that day."
"But the peonies in the city are blooming all winter long. Obviously, only the little princess's flower fairy body can do this. Otherwise, only the immortals on land can have such magical power."
As the two subordinates spoke, they took out a few scrolls and handed them over.
Ye Shuo opened them one by one. The scenes in the paintings were similar. They all depicted the day when the goddess of Luoshui entered the city, with flowers blooming all over the streets. Different angles and different brushstrokes, but the characters in the paintings were all absolutely beautiful.
It’s a pity that the faces are somewhat blurry.
"I'm afraid it's almost certain that what happened here was done by my younger sister."
Closing the scroll, Ye Shuo looked into the distance, in the direction of Luoshen Pavilion, and pondered for a moment.
"I just don't know what her purpose is?"
"I think that no matter what the little princess does, it must be related to the holy object itself, and she should not be able to guess our goal." The subordinate said.
"That's right." Ye Shuo nodded, and then snorted coldly: "I don't fight with them for the holy objects, but come here to participate in the Buddha Association. Big brother and the others may laugh at me for being stupid."
"Little do they know that only my master knows this top secret. The method to manipulate the holy object is hidden in the only copy of the Tenghe Sutra in the White Dragon Temple. As long as I get the Tenghe Sutra, no matter who finds the holy object, it will eventually be for me. Haha, who else can be the lord of the Immortal City then?"
"only……"
"My little sister has always been smart. I'm not afraid of others, but I'm a little worried about her."
Hearing his words, another subordinate said in a sinister tone: "Why doesn't the Second Prince strike first..."
Ye Shuo immediately glared at him fiercely! The subordinate immediately knelt down in panic and was about to beg for mercy when he heard Ye Shuo say something.
"Do I need you to tell me? Humph."
When he turned back, the coldness in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a warm look.
"This is the Buddha's Fate Association. Those of you who have evil intentions and are not good enough in cultivation should not stay here for long. If a senior monk from the White Dragon Temple discovers your true identity, it will be a disaster."
"yes!"
The two men nodded repeatedly and turned to leave.
At this moment, someone on the high platform in the distance was calling his name.
It turned out that the results of the first round had come out, and the fifty people with the most real names in the lecture records would be selected to participate in the next round of competition.
Ye Shuo was surprised to find that he was not first.
Then he looked at the person standing in front of him... and he understood something.
It turned out to be the young man in blue.
hehe.
The second prince of the Eternal City sneered in his heart.
People who listen to your sermons look at faces, but Buddha does not look at faces. I must win this Buddhist fate! A total of fifty people stood under the high platform, most of whom were Buddhist monks. They should all be young monks from other temples, with status similar to Shenmu.
They are probably the best among the younger generation in their respective temples, but when they come to the Buddha Association, they do not seem so outstanding.
After everyone was lined up, an old monk in a gorgeous cassock stepped onto the platform. He was Master Faqing, the abbot of the Dharma Hall in Bailong Temple and the junior brother of Master Fashan.
"Everyone."
Zen Master Faqing was like a dead pine tree and his voice was like a huge bell, echoing throughout the square in an instant.
"First of all, congratulations on winning the first round of the sutra preaching competition. Next, we will proceed to the second round of the Buddhist Association competition. This round will be the same as in previous years, and we will conduct the 'Stele Forest Listening to Sutras'."
Although it is already a classic segment, Master Faqing still explained it for the sake of the new audience in the crowd.
"In my White Dragon Temple, there is a 'Forest of Ancestral Steles'."
He raised his hand and pointed in the direction of a sea of clouds in the mountains.
"In the Forest of Patriarchal Steles, there are twelve original steles of ancient scriptures from when Buddhism came to the West. There are also the essence of scriptures inscribed by the ancestors of each generation when they had sudden enlightenment. There are a total of 62 steles to date."
"To this day, one can still use secret techniques to awaken the memories of the scriptures, allowing people to hear the chanting of the scriptures back then. Ordinary people cannot hear a single sound of the scriptures that carry the memories of the ancestors."
"The content of this competition is very simple. You are required to enter the ancestral stele forest and endure the sound of chanting. The person who can endure the longest will win."
"It is important to note that the power of the scriptures can be divided. So when fifty of you bear it together, it may not be too strong, but you can't take it lightly. As more and more people can't bear it, the power of the scriptures will continue to escalate."
"This round tests your understanding, mind, and divinity... a combination of many aspects, which are crucial qualities for practicing Buddhism."
"It is both a challenge and a great opportunity for you."
He didn't need to say this. Any serious Buddhist disciple... or amateur Buddhist enthusiast would know how precious the scriptures left by the ancestors of Bailong Temple are.
Being able to hear such chanting, even if you cannot understand it, as long as you remember a little bit, it will be a treasure that will benefit you for a lifetime.
The scalps of those Buddhist disciples turned red with excitement.
Li Chu, who was standing in the front, just blinked.
Is it just listening to the sutras?
That difficulty should be okay.
…
The location of Frost Door Temple in the viewing seats.
Master Yishen, a highly respected Zen master in Hangzhou, only got a seat in the middle here.
He glanced at the monk Shenmu beside him with a faint smile.
"What? You can't control your temper. Are you envious when you see others listening to the ancestral scriptures?"
Monk Shenmu did not hide his feelings and curled his lips, "What is there to be envious of? Envy them for competing for second place?"
"Oh?" Master Yishen raised his eyebrows: "Can you guess who is the first?"
Monk Shenmu pointed at the figure in front.
"Look, Master Abbot, that's Li Chu that I mentioned to my master." Monk Shenmu chuckled, "He can never lose in a competition with anyone."
"That young man with unfathomable cultivation? Your master did mention him to me..." Master Yishen pondered for a moment, "But I remember he wasn't a Taoist priest?"
"Hi." Monk Shenmu touched his bald head and guessed, "I guess he might be doing the mission for money. Based on my understanding of him... let alone attending a Buddhist meeting, as long as the money is in place, he can shave his head."
…
The highest peak on Hongdu Mountain.
The handsome young monk in a loose monk's robe stood up again, standing in front of the cliff, gazing into the sky with a compassionate look.
The old monk stood behind him respectfully.
"Is this Buddhist meeting going to be easy?"
After a long while, the little monk asked.
"Alas." The old monk sighed, thinking that this scene seemed familiar, and then replied: "People's hearts are no longer the same as before, and the world is fickle. A temporary Flower City Convention... has sucked away all the popularity..."
The little monk continued, "Our Buddhist fate, which has been passed down for thousands of years, will become less and less important. Then how can the Buddhist Hall of Yunfu Temple become better and better? Have you ever reflected on this?"
"I've reflected on it." The old monk nodded quickly.
"What's the result?"
"The people of Shenluo City..." the old monk replied, "are not decent."
"Ha." The little monk smiled, "That's all you can think of?"
"My disciple is stupid." The old monk bowed his head repeatedly.
"You are dull, I am dull too, who in the world is not dull?" The little monk seemed to have felt something and sighed. However, his voice was too childish, and he didn't sound experienced at all, but rather cute.
"I wonder if the Supreme Thunder Sound will appear at this Buddhist Fate Conference."
"The Supreme Thunder Sound has not appeared for nearly twenty years." The old monk said: "As for the picture of the kingdom of heaven, it can be traced back to hundreds of years ago."
"White Dragon Temple... has not lost yet." The little monk looked up at the sky, "I haven't lost yet either."
"I have reincarnated nine times, and each life lasted less than twenty years. I have made full preparations to wait for this immortal fate. I cannot lose."
The old monk kept silent.
He knew that there were some topics that he couldn't get involved in.
Perhaps his cultivation was already among the best in the world, but there were still some things about which he was not even qualified to speak.
…
Buzz——
As Zen Master Faqing made a series of complex seals, strange phenomena began to appear in the ancestral stele forest.
Scriptures from past generations.
The contestants who were sitting cross-legged in this ancient forest of steles suddenly heard the mysterious chanting sound in their ears. Traveling through endless time and space, so close yet so far away.
When I closed my eyes, I could see great monks with unimaginable accomplishments, carving their realms on the hard stone stroke by stroke. From then on, the hard stone turned into gold.
The strange thing is that the sound of the scriptures in the Forest of Steles is like thunder in the ears, but outside the Forest of Steles, there is no sound at all.
Because, in fact, these scriptures are just some residual thoughts, and the sounds they heard are directly poured into their souls.
Naturally, the outside world cannot perceive anything at all.
From the moment the first verse was spoken, cold sweat broke out on the forehead of some contestants.
The mental pressure brought by this scripture... is absolutely unimaginable to ordinary people. Even if ordinary people hear just one syllable, they will probably vomit and faint immediately.
Many monks sat cross-legged, trying to calm themselves by entering a state of meditation. But the more they closed their eyes, the clearer the scripture echoed in their minds. In an instant, an illusion appeared! "Hua Qiluo is my wife! Hua Qiluo is my wife!"
After a moment, one of the contestants stood up and shouted something incoherently.
Zen Master Faqing outside the Forest of Steles frowned, waved his sleeves, and a gust of wind lifted the man out.
"You couldn't hold on for just a short while and fell into the illusion." Zen Master Faqing shook his head.
He looked around with his bright eyes and found that most of the contestants in the Forest of Steles were still meditating quietly.
Only three or two people started to move, gradually they started waving their hands and feet, and there were signs that they might be eliminated at any time.
And the contestant who was a Taoist priest was also among them.
Master Faqing nodded in satisfaction. It was a good thing that he was eliminated. The Buddhist Association of Bailong Temple couldn't let the Taoist priest go to the end.
Li Chu was indeed frowning and looking around at this time.
This level was actually more difficult than he had imagined.
The difficulty lies in...
"Why can't I hear any sound?"
Li Chu looked around and saw people frowning, gritting their teeth, sweating, or roaring...all with expressions that seemed like they were wearing masks of pain.
And I felt like the only student who didn’t bring headphones during the listening test.
Can't help.
Lost in thought.
Is there something wrong with me? Or is there something wrong with them?
Li Chu was actually a little unconfident for a moment.
(End of this chapter)
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