paranoianovel Chapter 126 Cause and Effect
Chapter 126 Cause and Effect
"Benefactor Fang, I know you are in a hurry, but please don't rush..."
Fang Hongxuan's turbulent emotions could no longer withstand such torment. He tried his best to lower his voice and asked through gritted teeth.
"Master, please say whatever else you have to say... Although I have no special skills, I can still withstand this much hardship."
Dao Yuan laughed heartily. He first leaned down to get closer to Fang Hongxuan, and then looked at Fang Hongxuan solemnly.
"Benefactor Fang, do you believe in this humble monk?"
"Of course... If you don't believe me, why would I have followed the monk to this Golden Summit Mountain to deceive those monks?"
Upon hearing this, Dao Yuan's expression became even more satisfied.
"Amitabha Buddha, it's not that this humble monk is unwilling to say more, but the time is not yet ripe; if I were to speak, it would be futile..."
Fang Hongxuan, who seemed to have been prepared, simply nodded in silence and did not ask any further questions.
"It's 'Buddha said: It cannot be spoken' again. Which Buddha forbids you from speaking...?"
Seemingly sensing Fang Hongxuan's disappointment, Daoyuan changed his tone and asked a question.
"Benefactor Fang, do you know why Da Ruo Temple holds that almsgiving ceremony and the Five Branches Grand Competition every year?"
"....."
Completely oblivious to the awkward silence, Daoyuan continued to explain to Fang Hongxuan.
"Whenever there is a thought, coupled with various aspirations, a divine thought can be born under certain circumstances... Do you know which deity is visualized in the only practiced mantra, the 'Taramanta Mantra,' at this Great Temple?"
"I've encountered the 'Prison Crossing Tara Locking Curse' more than once before. It must be related to this..."
Dao Yuan cast an approving glance at him, then smiled and looked at Fang Hongxuan.
"That's right, the lineage here is that of the Holy Salvation Buddha Mother... Although the one residing in the Great Ruo Temple is not the Buddha Mother herself, she still possesses seven-tenths of her power... Since the Great Ruo Temple has not inherited the corresponding binding mantra, it can only temporarily appease her by sacrificing the lives of disciples who have cultivated the relevant mantras to her."
Fang Hongxuan was certainly not stupid. With Dao Yuan's deliberate guidance, he quickly came to his senses.
"Does the Master mean... that Da Ruo Temple can no longer appease this Holy Savior Mother... that she will awaken soon and bring calamity upon this place, leading Da Ruo Temple to utter destruction?"
Although Daoyuan did not respond, the expression on his face said it all.
Based solely on the few words Dao Yuan revealed, Fang Hongxuan sensed that the kind-faced and compassionate Venerable Dao Yuan before him was far from being a pedantic person. In fact, one could say that although he disdained the sordid affairs of the Secret Realm, he could be quite ruthless.
"If the monks of Da Ruo Temple successfully reinstate Dao Yuan, then the calamity brought by this so-called Holy Salvation Buddha Mother will naturally be inevitable... If Da Ruo Temple harbors any disloyalty, then it is destined for destruction... What ruthless methods... to disregard the lives of so many monks..."
But Fang Hongxuan thought about it again and tasted a different flavor.
"Without ruthlessness, it is difficult to attain the position of Hutuktu in the Secret Realm... This path is paved with countless corpses."
"If nothing goes wrong, then Daoyuan will not only have the means to return to the Secret Realm, but the measures he set up earlier to prevent any unforeseen circumstances will also be unnecessary... According to Daoyuan, this Great Ruo Temple was a backup plan set up by his disciples to prevent any accidents from happening to Daoyuan's reincarnation."
"Now that Ōyō-ji Temple is no longer used by those seeking enlightenment, there is indeed no need for it to continue existing..."
"He wouldn't pin his hopes of returning to the Hidden Realm on me, would he...?"
"....."
"Tomorrow is the grand competition among the five families, what should we do then...?"
"They shouldn't tolerate any accidents at this time. They've probably already instructed their disciples to kill us both... This place does indeed need iron and blood to stabilize the situation... Don't hold back. Anyone who shows murderous intent should be killed..."
*Clang...clang...clang...*
A rapid yet soft knocking sound came from outside the silent door.
"What is it about?"
Fang Hongxuan quietly pushed open the door, and the monk, who was about to knock again, suddenly bumped into Fang Hongxuan.
"Abbot Huijing is waiting for my two senior disciples in the Sutra Repository... I hope you two senior disciples will accompany me..."
The two exchanged a glance and silently followed behind the gaunt monk. As if thinking of Dou Yan'an, Fang Hongxuan asked curiously:
"My dear junior disciple, what should we do with the people that Uncle-Master Huiyin brought back today?"
The monk, who had been trembling with fear, was no longer nervous upon hearing this. He secretly sized up Fang Hongxuan:
"Uncle-Master, should I inform the dungeon about the supplies you need for cultivation? The supplies Abbot Huiming brought back yesterday have been completely used up. If you wish to cultivate, you'll have to wait until next year's almsgiving ceremony... The people you brought back today cannot be used anymore, as they need to be reserved for the abbots to select new disciples after the Five Branches Grand Competition..."
"Do I need to inform you in advance?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Hongxuan waved his hand dismissively.
"No need, I was just asking casually..."
"What's going on with these consumables...?"
"In the current Secret Realm, everyone practices the method of helping others to save themselves... regarding the various organs of the human body as consumables for cultivation... If you cultivate, never use this method... If you become tainted by it, you are destined never to see the true Mahavairocana Tathagata..."
Dao Yuan's ethereal voice echoed in Fang Hongxuan's mind once again, and Fang Hongxuan narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing it.
"No wonder it's called an evil sect..."
"In that case, Dou Yan'an should be safe for the time being..."
...
The Sutra Repository is not far from the Dharma Hall and the monks' quarters. It is surrounded by trees and bamboo of varying shapes and sizes, and stone streetlights guide the way. The path, paved with cobblestones and blue bricks, leads to a deep darkness at its end.
In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the three arrived at an extremely magnificent Buddhist pagoda.
The plaque above the pagoda bears the inscription "Scripture Repository," its strokes powerful and its presence imposing. It is immediately apparent that it was written by a master calligrapher.
"Amitabha, this humble monk has important matters to attend to and cannot accompany my two senior uncles any longer..."
"You may leave... We will take care of this place..."
'Squeak...'
Fang Hongxuan pushed open the old wooden door. Contrary to his expectations of dimness, the place, while not exactly bright as day, was still well-lit. Inside, dozens of monks were organizing scriptures, sweeping away dust, and patrolling for potential hazards.
As the wooden door was pushed open, the monks, who were originally performing their duties, all turned their heads to look at the commotion at the doorway.
"My two senior monks, please follow me. Abbot Huijing has been waiting for you for quite some time..."
The entire library has six floors arranged in a U-shape. However, the stairs leading to the upper floors are extremely steep and narrow, with only enough space for one person to pass at a time. This design was naturally intended to save more space to accommodate more prayer wheels and various documents.
"Abbot Huijing is located in the pavilion on the sixth floor... This humble monk does not have sufficient authority to enter the sixth floor, therefore I can only see my two senior uncles off at the top of the stairs... Please forgive me..."