"Presumptuous! This is a sacred Buddhist site—how dare you spout such nonsense?! Do you know the price for speaking recklessly in this place?"
The high monk waved his hand grandly, his luxurious kasaya sweeping in a wide arc, his posture haughty. Yet his eyes dared not meet Yuan Kong's gaze directly, instead fixing upon his nose.
This fellow was uncanny—not worth the risk of confrontation.
"What price? Does this eminent monk wish to cut out my tongue?" Yuan Kong's smile never faltered as he fired back.
"From where I stand, this doesn't look like a sacred Buddhist site. It looks more like a living hell."
The high monk choked on his words, pointing at Yuan Kong, mouth opening to speak.
But before the monk could say anything, the smile faded from Yuan Kong's face. He had no intention of continuing this debate—smashing rotten wood would only produce a dull thud. His tone turned serious:
"Buddha Child Nankong has come to seek instruction. Go and report at once. Do not waste words."
Because Buddha Children were rare, each one was registered and archived in Zhongzhou. However, what was recorded was not their cultivation Dharma name.
Zhongzhou would directly bestow a Buddhist title upon each Buddha Child, for one who could be called a Buddha Child was destined to sit upon a Buddha seat.
This was a determination made from result to cause.
A Buddha Child's title, besides being kept in Zhongzhou, was also registered at orthodox Buddhist temples across the realm. When necessary, they could reveal their title to seek aid.
Originally there had been a token to verify their identity, but Yuan Kong hadn't brought one, so he could only choose to reveal his Buddhist title.
Although Yuan Kong had not been taken in by the Zhongzhou Buddhist sect due to certain reasons, that did not mean he had lost his Buddha Child status.
The Buddhist path was vast. It would not create gossip over a single precedent, nor let people think the Buddhist sect had degenerated into something as worldly and snobbish as the secular realm.
Yuan Kong still enjoyed the treatment of a Buddha Child. The Zhongzhou Buddhist sect could provide for him and support him—this cost little and caused no trouble. They simply would not cultivate him with devoted care.
Yuan Jing simply believed that even if one could not cultivate, it did not mean one could not cultivate the Buddha in their heart.
To hand him over to Zhongzhou just like that would be no different from destroying Yuan Kong. Even if he couldn't become a Buddha, he should at least become a decent person.
In Zhongzhou it was providing for him; in Chanlin Temple it was also providing for him.
The high monk's eyes widened as he looked at the beggar-like Yuan Kong before him. He saw the young man forming a Dharma seal with his hands, his gaze calm and undisturbed. For some reason, the high monk seemed to genuinely detect a hint of Buddha's aura from Yuan Kong's beggarly appearance.
He dared not say anything more. Instead, he waved away the other novices who were closing in, ready to assist.
The high monk dutifully pressed his palms together. "Please wait here a moment."
With that, he immediately turned and left, though his departing footsteps were somewhat unsteady, his movements uncoordinated.
Yuan Kong watched the so-called high monk scurry away in panic, his expression remaining calm.
Nor was he disappointed that the Zhengyin Dharma Temple could produce such a high monk—he had never held much expectation to begin with.
Even before entering this temple, Yuan Kong had already seen through things.
This so-called Buddhist temple had long been a den of corruption, with hearts as varied and monstrous as demons themselves.
Mouths chanting Buddhist sutras, hearts cultivating demons.
Yuan Kong's eyes were useful—perhaps too useful—making it all too easy to feel disappointed.
The report came quickly.
The one who came to receive him was not the previous high monk.
A burly Nascent Soul Arhat with blazing eyes strode forward. His gaze merely brushed over Yuan Kong, and without needing any token for confirmation, the Arhat recognized that the beggar-like figure before him was indeed a Buddha Child.
That pure Buddhist intent had already seeped through his skin. In the Arhat's eyes, Yuan Kong was almost blindingly radiant.
But this brilliance only affected Buddhist cultivators like himself.
This was not the Arhat's first time seeing a Buddha Child, but one so purely constituted was exceedingly rare.
He had looked up the Buddhist title on his way here and naturally recognized this as the Buddha Child from the archives who could not cultivate and had been left in Nanzhanbuzhou.
Yet the Yuan Kong before him now possessed Foundation Establishment cultivation, and also carried traces of wish power and the essence of a Bodhisattva.
Somewhat strange... but then again, not so strange.
Being a Buddha Child was enough.
A slight smile appeared on his face, his tone sincere:
"Buddha Child Nankong, you already bear the Buddha's form. Please forgive any discourtesy."
Yuan Kong met the Arhat's gaze directly, and after a moment pressed his palms together in return. "I apologize for the intrusion. I have come to inquire about the Dharma."
The Nascent Soul Arhat bowed toward the Foundation Establishment Yuan Kong:
"Please follow me."
Stepping through the gates, the path was lined with Buddhist pagodas and monastic structures of various designs.
As they walked, Yuan Kong's casual glance caught sight of numerous Mahavira Halls.
But the further inward they went, the more modest the architecture and sculptures became, losing the ornate splendor of the outer areas.
Finally, the Arhat stopped before the entrance of an aged Buddhist temple. Calling it a temple was generous—the only thing setting it apart was the low wall surrounding the building.
The entrance bore no decoration. The old doors had long since lost their paint, left half-open.
The only thing that could be considered new was the plaque hanging high above the gate. The brushstrokes were upright and commanding, and four large characters radiated pure orthodox Buddhist intent—Zhengyin Dharma Temple.
The Arhat had deliberately stopped here, seemingly aware of the exchange between Yuan Kong and the high monk. He spoke pointedly:
"Only stepping through this gate counts as entering the Zhengyin Dharma Temple. Beyond these doors are merely worldly novices—those whose eyes are clouded by form and delusion."
It was an explanation, and also a gesture of goodwill.
Yuan Kong smiled faintly and nodded, asking with seeming curiosity:
"So the Buddha's voice of the Zhengyin Dharma Temple only exists within this small courtyard? Beyond this low wall, there's no sound at all?"
The Arhat looked at Yuan Kong, pondered for a moment, and then spoke. His tone still carried respect:
"The Thunder Pure Land is vast, yet compared to this world, it is very, very small. The Buddha's voice is great, but to those unwilling to hear, it becomes extremely faint."
"The same holds true for the Zhengyin Dharma Temple. It appears large, yet is also small."
"If one truly has the heart, they would naturally enter through this gate. Why would they only posture outside?"
"Whether one can hear or not does not depend on how loud the temple's voice is, but on whether one is willing to listen."
"Buddha Child Nankong, wouldn't you agree?"
A smile appeared on Yuan Kong's face, and he nodded as if in agreement.
Seeing Yuan Kong nod, a trace of satisfaction stirred in the Arhat's heart. But then he noticed Yuan Kong's lips move as if speaking—only to fall silent.
Then Yuan Kong's eyes seemed to pose a silent question—You were truly listening. What did I say?
The Arhat's gaze sharpened, and the smile faded from his face.
Yuan Kong said nothing more on the matter, suddenly speaking in an ordinary tone:
"Thank you for leading the way, Arhat. May I wander freely within the temple, or would you like to continue guiding me?"
The Arhat pressed his palms together and bowed. "You are a Buddha Child. Either is your choice."
Yuan Kong gave a slight nod and without hesitation stepped through the temple gate alone.
The Arhat stood in place, watching Yuan Kong's departing back with calm eyes. Then his gaze shifted to what lay behind—the novices draped in kasayas, standing beneath the Buddha statues.
Their expressions devout, their chanting measured.
The sound was loud, yet devoid of Buddhist intent.
The Arhat was not angry. Though he had been put in his place, he bore no ill will toward Yuan Kong.
Perhaps it was because Yuan Kong was a Buddha Child. Perhaps it was because what Yuan Kong said was truly reasonable.
Only... this had nothing to do with him whatsoever.
As for Yuan Kong the Buddha Child, the Zhengyin Dharma Temple was naturally open for him to explore. There was nothing that couldn't be shown to him.
After all, a Buddha Child belonged to the Buddha's path.
[
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