Chapter 822: Beholding the True Buddha Today

Listening to the sound of his Stone completely shattering.

Huai Yuan slowly widened his eyes, then slowly raised his hand and looked at his palm.

At this moment, whether it was Buddha Nature or Spirit, or even the identity of the Empowerer, and even… the identity of the monk, he had lost them all.

Perhaps he still wore the robe, perhaps the scars on his head still existed.

But the fact was, at this moment, he could not feel the Buddha, nor the Spirit, nor his own… Righteous Fruit.

…The half-perfect Righteous Fruit he painstakingly cultivated was gone.

When he noticed this.

Huai Yuan was stunned in place.

Then, before he could react.

Distracting thoughts began to proliferate.

After shedding all the Righteous Fruit.

He reverted to being human.

And all those fears, unwillingness, fury, confusion… everything, all the obsessions, all surged into his heart.

Along with these emotions, also came the original grand ambition when he first became a monk, which had been suppressed, and eventually even forgotten, while becoming an Enlightened Monk, cultivating the Righteous Fruit, as his power gradually grew, and with tourists arriving wave after wave, with the continuous incense burning.

…To save the world and deliver all beings.

This thought had just emerged.

Then.

Huai Yuan… remembered Chen Lu Si’s words just now.

Bodhisattva Guanyin, practicing deep Prajnaparamita, perceives the emptiness of all five aggregates… and relieves all suffering.

Plop—

A slight sound of water droplets falling suddenly echoed.

Huai Yuan was stunned again, then the hand he raised slowly touched his face.

Only then did he realize he was already full of tears.

Feeling the warm touch on his fingertip.

Huai Yuan slowly regained his senses, then… sobbed lightly.

Then.

The sobbing grew louder.

Finally, it turned into a heartbreaking cry… a heart-wrenching cry.

“…Bodhisattva Guanyin, practicing deep Prajnaparamita, perceives the emptiness of all five aggregates, and relieves all suffering.”

Huai Yuan’s heart-wrenching cries and brief words echoed in Jiming Temple, echoing among all the Zen Masters…

And under the afterglow of sunset, Jiming Temple remained quiet, peaceful, dignified, and serene.

At the highest point, the Medicine Buddha Pagoda, under the sunset, shone with golden light, like… holy light illuminating, overlooking the Human World, the Buddha.

“…”

Many Zen Masters listened to Huai Yuan’s heart-wrenching cries, facing the sunset with a bit of scorching feeling, as if welcoming the gaze of the Buddha.

At this moment.

Their thoughts were extremely complex, and their expressions were extremely complex.

Huai Yuan.

A fallen Buddha… had actually reverted to being human.

A human who could cry out loud…

And all of this was achieved not by a member of the Buddhist Sect, but by a… Celestial Strategy Mansion’s Celestial Strategy.

And they didn’t even know what the other party had done.

Accompanied by Huai Yuan’s cries, all the Enlightened Monks turned their heads once more toward the direction Chen Lu Si had left.

Chen Lu Si had already reached the corner.

When they looked over.

Chen Lu Si didn’t even pause, she walked straight forward, completely disappearing from their sight.

“…”

Zen Master Huizhao sat on the ground, watching Chen Lu Si’s back, and the previously shock-like emotions miraculously calmed down in an instant.

He was stunned again, then glanced around.

The Little Monk looked blankly in the direction Chen Lu Si had left.

Temple bells and drums sounded.

The sound of evening drums and faint Sanskrit chanting came vaguely.

The sunset shone on the temple buildings, splendid and magnificent.

… Great Sun Buddha, light illuminating everywhere.

At a certain moment.

Zen Master Huizhao seemed to see a north-facing upside-down Bodhisattva Guanyin statue.

… Asking the Bodhisattva why the upside-down position, lamenting why sentient beings refuse to turn back.

“The mind itself has a Buddha… break the obsession.”

Zen Master Huizhao suddenly understood, looked again in the direction Chen Lu Si left, then sighed, clasping his hands together, slowly closing his eyes: “Today I see the true Buddha.”

“…”

Other Zen Masters remained silent, gaining recognition and approval from the Celestial Strategy Mansion, but unexpectedly not elated.

On the contrary, many people, facing the direction Chen Lu Si left, also clasped their hands together, closed their eyes, and silently recited Amitabha Buddha.

Finally.

Under the sunset.

In Jiming Temple, only Huai Yuan’s cries… were echoing.

…

“…Boss, what exactly is wrong with these bald monks?”

From a distance.

From a high point.

A member of the Security Army looked at the scene, remained silent for a long time, then took his eyes off the sniper scope, looked at Zhou Jian beside him, incredulous, his voice trembling slightly: “They were just fighting fiercely, even looking like they were about to revolt, and… wasn’t the previous scene an illusion? Why do they now all seem soulless?”

“Why? What do you think?”

Zhou Jian took the binoculars down, turned his head.

“I think…”

That Security Army member, hearing this, instinctively looked in the direction Chen Lu Si had left, but didn’t continue speaking, just recalling everything that had happened just now.

With a look of shock.

At this moment, other Security Army members also raised their heads and looked at the two.

Zhou Jian shook his head: “You already have the answer.”

“So what exactly just happened…”

That Security Army member came back to his senses, still with an incredulous expression: “Clearly, it was like a Ghostly Land over there just now; suddenly, everything changed, what exactly did Chen Tiance do…”

“Those monks are probably thinking about this question too at the moment.”

Zhou Jian stood up, patted the dust off his body: “And this question, only Chen Tiance can answer.”

Hearing his words.

All the Security Army members turned to look in the direction Chen Lu Si had left.

Their faces showing both yearning and fervor.

Then they stayed silent for a while.

“Do we still need support from the Celestial Strategy Mansion Headquarters?”

Suddenly, the Security Army member in charge of communication remembered something, with a slightly odd expression, he asked.

“No need.”

Zhou Jian shook his head, “The matter is resolved, perhaps even the Buddhist Sect’s issues are solved as well. Inform them and reassure them at the same time.”

Communicator: “…”

Zhou Jian noticed the expression on the communicator’s face, thought for a moment, and added, “Don’t worry, just tell them Chen Lu Si is safe and sound, and that the incident has been perfectly resolved. It’s my fault, really. When Chen Tiance disappeared back then, it was indeed too hasty; Ji Xin will be calm to listen to you this time.”

“Understood.”

The communicator nodded.

However.

At the very end.

He couldn’t help but mutter sotto voce, “But to be honest, who would have thought that Ji Xin Celestial Strategy, who always maintained a poker face, would end up calling others idiots and fools…”

Others, upon hearing this, had strange expressions.

Evidently.

Everyone had heard Ji Xin’s scolding just now.

Zhou Jian gave a wry smile, his gaze sweeping past the Jiming Temple where the evening bells and lilting sacred chants were faintly audible, then slowly moved, looking at Chen Lu Si and his group who had already walked out of the temple, and he whispered, “There’s no getting around it, Chen Tiance is too important, no matter which side you consider.”

“…”

The communicator looked over upon hearing this, then nodded.

“Let’s go see Chen Tiance and ask about the situation over there while we’re at it.”

Zhou Jian withdrew his gaze, then began to instruct others to pack up the equipment.

…

At the same time.

Jiming Temple, exit.

Chen Lu Si held Si Jiayan’s little hand as they walked out of the exit.

And behind them, Xia Panqiu, Tang Language, and Si Yujie were constantly glancing back.

It was clear.

They still hadn’t fully come to their senses.

They hadn’t even processed what had just happened.

At that moment, they were all in a daze, following Chen Lu Si out solely because of their trust in him.

Because everything happened too fast.

One second they were in the Ghostly Land, the next, it had turned into the splendid Jiming Temple under the twilight.

And Chen Lu Si had suddenly agreed to the monks’ requests and proceeded to walk away just like that.

Those Zen Masters didn’t look very happy either.

Not to mention happy.

There were even sounds of crying.

Crying?

The three heard the faint cries and finally fixed their gazes on Chen Lu Si’s back, full of doubts, but for the moment, they didn’t know how to ask.

And in the end.

It was the little girl who broke the silence.

“Brother…”

She tightened her grip on Chen Lu Si’s hand and timidly called out to him.

“Hmm?”

Chen Lu Si looked down at the little girl.

The little girl quietly asked, “Why does Brother have holy light on him… Is Brother going to become a monk?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Lu Si looked down at himself and then shook his head, responding gently, “No, that’s just because I received a form of recognition from their religious founder, producing a unique construct in a special environment. I’m not going to become a monk.”

“…But your holy light shines brighter than all those monks combined.”

The little girl tightened her grip on Chen Lu Si’s hand, her voice lowering.

And upon saying this.

Xia Panqiu, Si Yujie, and Tang Language paused in their steps, their beautiful eyes widening suddenly.

Tang Language couldn’t help but move forward, leaning in cautiously, then gave a slight sniff near Chen Lu Si’s back.

“…Probably because I met someone I’ve always wanted to see in the Yellow Springs and resolved my issues of the heart.”

Chen Lu Si raised his head, looking toward the sky full of crimson clouds, “Even though I’m not sure if that was an Illusion Dream, but whether it was or wasn’t, I still remembered another truth she taught me after more than ten years, along with… her acknowledgment of me.”

The little girl, upon hearing this, slightly lifted her chin, looking at Chen Lu Si’s profile, then slowly lowered her head, extending her other hand to gently clasp Chen Lu Si’s large hand too… and instinctively moved a bit closer to his side.

“…Alright then.”

Chen Lu Si felt it and came to his senses, saying nothing more, but slightly tilted his head and suddenly smiled, “Tang Language, I haven’t changed, I’m still the same Chen Lu Si, stop sniffing, you’re human, stop acting like a puppy sniffing around.”

“Hey!”

Tang Language’s actions paused, then immediately reached out to grab Chen Lu Si’s clothing.

She’s a naturally optimistic person.

There might have been some apprehension earlier.

But upon hearing Chen Lu Si’s words.

Those apprehensions instantly vanished: “So what exactly happened just now?”

Chen Lu Si turned around.

And found not only Tang Language clinging to his clothing, looking curious.

But Xia Panqiu and Si Yujie also looking equally perplexed.

“I met… quite a number of our ancestors in the Yellow Springs.”

Chen Lu Si thought for a moment and explained, “I resolved issues with my Authority Ability, then I came back. Upon returning, I saw the Foreign Country’s Buddha attached to that monk and expelled it from the country…that’s what happened just now.”

“…”

The three women listened to this extremely brief, almost perfunctory description, all remaining silent as they looked at Chen Lu Si.

Then.

“Who could understand that!!!”

Tang Language reached out with her other hand, tugging at Chen Lu Si’s clothing, leaning forward and bouncing in place.

Chen Lu Si said helplessly, “Because I also don’t know how to describe it.”

“…Are you sure it’s okay to let those monks decide on their own?”

In the end.

Si Yujie sighed, momentarily moving past the topic, looking back at Jiming Temple where the sounds of crying faintly echoed, and bringing up another question.

“It’s fine.”

Chen Lu Si lifted his head, gazing toward Jiming Temple, “They will see their own true hearts. If their true hearts still wish to depart, then let them depart… It will be alright, no matter what.”

“…”

Si Yujie, upon hearing this, turned to look at Chen Lu Si who gave an infinite sense of safety.

The two exchanged a glance.

Chen Lu Si smiled at her.

Si Yujie was momentarily dazed, then slightly turned her head, averting her gaze, recalling how she thought about him at the last moment earlier, remembering her thoughts when she saw his back, a hint of blush appeared on her beautiful face.

Soon after.

She seemed to notice her own state, as if to divert Chen Lu Si’s attention, she suddenly asked, “What about the book in your hand…”

Upon hearing this, Chen Lu Si looked down intending to answer.

“Chen Tiance.”

Zhou Jian’s voice suddenly rang out.

Also accompanied by the dense sound of footsteps.

Chen Lu Si immediately stopped the inclination to speak, simultaneously raising his right hand.

In the next instant.

The Descriptive Book in his hand disappeared without a trace.