Chapter 1500 Priest Rihu

Jiulin Mountain Changzai Temple.

This is the name of the temple, which enjoys certain renown in the Mino Region and even throughout Japan.

This is primarily because the temple follows the Nichiren Sect. It is the only temple in the Rice Leaf Region that practices the Nichiren Sect.

In today’s times, the Nichiren Sect stands as the most prestigious and influential branch of Japanese Buddhism.

The difference between the Nichiren Sect and other sects lies in the fact that it is not directly related to Buddhism that originated from the Western continental lands. The sect is named directly after its founder, ’Nichiren’.

It is a Buddhist sect that originated in Japan itself.

The teachings of the Nichiren Sect hold that only the "Lotus Sutra," also known as the "Saddharma Pundarika Sutra," is the true Buddhist Technique, while denouncing other sects as heretical.

During the era of its founder, Priest Nichiren, he even petitioned the Japanese Court, seeking to officially declare the "Lotus Sutra" as the true teaching and abolish other sects like Pure Land Sect, Shingon Sect, Zen Sect.

This extreme approach led Priest Nichiren to face several exiles.

After all, in most instances, people would use their brains.

But today, the world has been in turmoil for eighty-eight years. The more chaotic the world becomes, the more market there is for extreme doctrines and sayings, gathering supporters.

Across the East and West, humans are essentially the same.

No one is smarter or more rational than the other.

Thus, in this chaotic Sengoku Era, the Nichiren Sect is akin to the Eternal Fire Church of the Magical Middle Ages.

Due to its extreme doctrines, it can conduct activities with better organization and efficiency compared to other sects.

Priest Rihu gazes toward the courtyard.

From the courtyard halfway up the mountain looking down, the Changliang River is just opposite.

The towering mountain before the temple, rising from the Mino Plain, is Rice Leaf Mountain.

"If it were decades ago, one would see a verdant green on Rice Leaf Mountain from here, without a hint of other colors."

Wearing a magic robe adorned with gold threads, and a monk’s hat decorated with jade and pearls, the Temple Abbot spoke softly, seemingly in self-reflection.

From the back, such dignified attire might make one appear bulky, yet simultaneously imposing.

However, the few people maintaining a kowtow posture, huddled nervously behind the Abbot knew that if seen from the front, Priest Rihu’s face actually appeared peaceful and youthful.

The jaw was slightly wide, the eyebrows slender as mountain blue, eyes gentle, lips rosy, reminiscent of the noble women in paintings.

Yet even though they had seen the Priest’s gentle face, which had some feminine features, they dared not move a muscle.

"A pity." Sure enough, after lamenting, Priest Rihu continued, "Ever since Falan Fang came to Mino and secured his footing, building this Rice Leaf Castle, the patch of mixed colors on the mountain grew larger. It is simply like a spreading sore."

"It’s truly unsightly, isn’t it?" Priest Rihu slightly turned his head, revealing a profile, "Country bumpkins with no sense of elegance, ruining the scenery for a mere castle."

The group behind Priest Rihu, though wearing ordinary clothes, beneath them in their kowtow position, displayed clearly defined hard outlines.

These people were armored, and despite being covered by clothes, there was still a distinct scent of blood.

With disheveled hair and fierce eyes, anyone traveling in this era would instinctively think—bandits!

They indeed were bandits, more accurately, they were leaders of various bandit groups within the Mino Country!

But presently, these bandit leaders who killed, plundered, ate meat, and drank wine, were quietly kneeling like a few house dogs behind an outsider, a high monk Abbot.

Just like Asuras and Yakshas depicted in Buddhist murals, transformed by Buddha and sincerely paying homage.

If witnessed by the congregation of Changzai Temple, they might shed devout tears, marveling at the boundlessness of Buddhist Techniques...perhaps?

But more likely, the congregation who saw this scene would immediately vanish from the world.

The bandit leaders dared not speak, knowing that Priest Rihu actually didn’t want to converse with them—things without surnames, akin to pigs and dogs.

He was merely lamenting.

And who was being lamented?

Falan Fang, as the bandit leaders knew, should be the Dharma name of the "Mino Viper" from his youthful monastic days.

Back then, his close associate Priest Rihu was known as Nanyang Fang.

It seems that Priest, who hailed from the powerful Nagai Family of Mino, even after being shown mercy by the opponent, did not find his resentment and regret diminished in the slightest.

The bandit leaders thought haphazardly.

The opponent came from the Nagai Family, and even became the esteemed Temple Abbot of Changzai Temple. In Mino, most prominent figures were related to or acquainted with the priest.

Not akin to the likes of themselves, country bumpkins. Understandably so, right?

"Gentlemen, it is time to start preparing to make a fortune."

After expressing sentiments, Priest Rihu turned and spoke pragmatically, quite in tune with reality.

With ’money-making’ spoken, the bandit leaders who were just curled up kneeling, now had a glint in their eyes and raised their heads.

"Go and burn, kill."

Priest Rihu’s calm and low voice, at this moment, burrowed into people’s ears and minds like living worms.

"Soon, numerous places will erupt in chaos. Then, it will be the perfect time for you to rush into villages, commit atrocities, and amass wealth."

The luxurious magic robe enshrouded the serene monk, as his delicate hands manipulated the sandalwood Buddhist Beads.

Yet the serene and compassionate monk calmly and candidly spoke words that caused the bandits to unconsciously break into smiles.

"Rape women and girls, slaughter infants and elders, seize men for labor, loot property slaughter livestock..."

Priest Rihu continued speaking serenely, as the Buddhist Beads turned, the bandits’ grins widened.

"Just, just like what we did earlier?"

In their excitement, the bandits dared to interrupt.

Priest Rihu was completely unfazed, smiling like a kindly elder.

"Yes."

"Do as you please, kill, burn. Torture those pig-like despicable commoners however you wish. Their resentment, their filth... all are worthless things."

"Wretched things." The priest’s monk hat shook gently, "Even in death, they remain wretched."

The bandits felt nothing amiss.

They had been working for Priest Rihu for years, and indeed, as the priest said, committing murders and robberies, wantonly torturing others, yet never tainted by any impurities.

Even living deep in the mountains, no foul things ever came looking for them.

All of this owed to the protection of Buddha!

"So, how should we arrange the sequence this time?"

A bandit leader asked impatiently.

"It should be our turn to act first, right, priest?"

To avoid attention, it was arranged so people would not notice several groups of bandits in Mino had been consolidated into one.

Usually, they even had to follow orders and plans to pillage.

Murder and robbery had almost become a business requiring rules.

But this time...

"No, no need."

Priest Rihu spoke softly, yet the excited bandits immediately fell silent.

"Go, all of you go. Burn, kill."

The words sounded almost thoughtless.

But for some reason, although it was a bright morning, the sunlight shining into this Zen monastery gave no warmth.

The bandit leaders also seemed to lose their minds inexplicably.

Faint traces of red glimmered in their eyes.

"Accumulation is complete."

Priest Rihu spoke ambiguously, as he rose steadily amidst the rustle of luxurious fabric, and took out two boxes, one large and one small, from a shelf in his room.

One was square, the other rectangular.

He pushed the box that could almost be called a chest towards the bandits and opened the lid.

Suddenly, a mesmerizing golden light reflected into everyone’s eyes.

Those already reddened eyes appeared even more intoxicated and obsessed amidst the enchanting golden glow.

Even pure gold in the sunlight could never be so alluring, so beautiful.

"Take the Spirit Stones. Use them as you wish."

"Whether to summon demons as vanguards or embed them in your own comrades, I’ve taught you all, right."

"Moreover, no matter how you stir trouble, someone must go to the Thirteen Cherry Blossom Village that disrespects Buddha, just like that."

Silently, the smiles on the faces of several bandit leaders widened.

They hugged the box, their arms tangled together, like none wanted to let go. The armor beneath their clothes started clanking loudly, yet they refused to release their grip.

Priest Rihu no longer looked at them, merely listened as the sounds of scuffling breath grew distant.

Then he leisurely moved a drawing frame from beside the bookshelf.

Opened the remaining rectangular box, hung a scroll on the frame, letting it unfold slowly.

A simple composition and color picture of a woman appeared on the frame.

Priest Rihu knelt before the woman’s picture, as if appreciating it seriously.

But outside, as the sunlight flickered, a bizarre sound seemed to rise from the earth’s seams.

This sound was like the wind, passing through the courtyard.

As if human screams and wails under burning and chopping.

Making it indistinguishable if it was an illusion of the wind or genuine screams.

On the scroll, the originally graceful woman, who had her eyes closed, gradually opened her eyes amidst the shifts of light and shadow, her serene expression turning ferocious, and fangs grew out.

A gray smoky ink, invisible to ordinary people, spread from the scroll, dripping to the ground, extending toward Priest Rihu, who knelt admiring the painting.

The priest did not move, suddenly, by his side appeared a mystical beast.

It was a Mopan, like the mesmerizing golden light earlier reflected on human faces, its body bearing the crown and Shinto talisman designs.

As it opened its mouth, its long nose inhaled, the spreading ink was swallowed whole, then spat out, covering the scroll again.

The dream-eating Mopan crouched beside Priest Rihu.

Like the man and beast, both were enjoying this filthy painting.

[Impurities] tend to target and stain someone... saying this was already incredible enough.

However this astonishing malice, hatred, was suppressed effortlessly in front of Priest Rihu just by the Guardian Spirit’s swallowing.

Even those impurities couldn’t deplete themselves.

Priest Rihu demanded these impurities be consumed to a point before they were worthy of consuming anything.