Knife splashing

Chapter 479 Buddha Town Grottoes
The mountains are undulating and the cliffs are thousands of feet high.

There are grottoes built into the cliff, which are densely packed with Buddha statues, some large, some small, some sitting, some standing, in various shapes and with vivid expressions.

Walking along the mountain path, you can see groups of stone Buddhas standing on both sides, sometimes visible and sometimes hidden, mottled and showing their vicissitudes of life.

The autumn wind blows gently, carrying the fallen leaves and scattering the golden color all over the ground.

The afternoon sun penetrates the clouds and casts a faint glow on the stone Buddha, which carries five parts of eternity and five parts of Buddhist charm, as if traveling through a Buddhist kingdom.

This place is the famous Dazu Grottoes.

A group of people walked along the mountain path.

Shalifi was wearing a robe of a wealthy man, and sitting on a sedan chair with a golden sword, surrounded by servants in front and behind, looking quite grand.

Lu San wore a bamboo hat and followed behind him like a servant, very inconspicuous. He made some hand gestures from time to time and listened to the movements around him.

And in front, there were several elderly craftsmen leading the way.

"During the Tang Dynasty, Wei Junjing, the governor of Jingnan Army, built Yongchang Village in Beishan. At the same time, he built statues of the Northern Heavenly King and Thousand-armed Guanyin. The trend of cliff carving gradually became popular..."

"Since the Song Dynasty, the trend of making statues has become a grand spectacle. Today, there are more and more statues in the mountains..."

"This is a blessed land. If Mr. Sha is willing to invest in building a Guanyin statue, it will surely increase blessings and longevity, and ensure that the family will be rich and prosperous forever."

As the old stonemason explained, he secretly glanced at the sand flying.

The Dazu Rock Grottoes are world-famous, so there are naturally many stonemasons here. They have even formed a guild, supported each other and set rules.

It is said that the world is bustling with people, all for the sake of profit.

The stonemasons certainly didn’t work in vain.

There were many people who contributed money to build the statue. There was a devout monk who begged for alms for decades just to build a Buddha statue in this cave.

There were also wealthy merchants who came from the capital Nanjing and other places thousands of miles away and funded the construction of Buddha statues to show their devotion to Buddhism.

The rich guest from Shanzhou in front of him was the same. Although he spoke crudely and looked like a poor man who had suddenly become rich, he was very generous in giving money.

If they curry favor with him, the disciples will never have to worry about food and drink for several years.

Thinking of this, the old stonemason looked even more humble, and said flatteringly: "Mr. Sha, how big do you want to build it?"

Sharifei touched his big bald head and laughed, "Of course the bigger the better, it would be best if it was the same as the one in Jiazhou."

puff!
A young stonemason almost laughed out loud.

The old stonemason glared at him fiercely, forced a smile, and said, "To be honest, it's not easy to build the Lingyun Buddha."

"It was built in the early years of the Tang Dynasty and was interrupted several times. The governor of Xichuan donated 200,000 coins from his salary, and Emperor Xuanzong granted him the 'hemp salt tax', but it was still not enough. It was not until 80 years later that the Buddha was completed."

"You are wealthy, that goes without saying, but this is taking too long, and I can't make it..."

The old stonemason is really good at talking.

He clearly said that there was not enough money, but he found other excuses.

Sharifei was talking nonsense, so he didn't care. He stroked his chin and said calmly, "That's true. However, the Buddha statue I make can be small, but it must be extraordinary."

"When I was in my hometown, I heard about a thing. There was a place where many people died and strange things happened frequently. They built a Buddha statue to suppress it, and then peace came immediately. This is what we need."

"Do you have such a place here? If there is a similar Buddha statue, please build one for me according to its appearance."

This is his real purpose.

They had been here for several days and had been searching the mountains without any results, so they pretended to be merchants and tried to get information from the stonemasons who were familiar with the area.

The old stonemason was confused and shook his head, saying, "Mr. Sha, you are joking. This is a holy place for Buddhism. How could there be any dead people here?"

"Besides, we can't make that thing..."

He was telling the truth.

In order to build a Buddha statue that can suppress evil spirits, it is necessary to "decorate" and "consecrate". Not only Taoist craftsmen but also Buddhist disciples are needed to help.

Sharifei narrowed his eyes, "You can't build it even if you pay?"

The old stonemason answered truthfully: "No amount of money can build it."

"That's it."

Sharifei suddenly lost interest.

"do not!"

The little stonemason who was laughing just now suddenly became anxious, "Master, isn't there one near Wangu Town? You know it..."

"Shut up!"

When the old stonemason heard this, his face changed suddenly.

Sharifei touched his chin and said with a dark face: "You are an old man who makes Buddha statues. Why are you so dishonest and hiding something?"

"Humph! Let's go. I don't believe it. Anyway, there are more than just your family in this place..."

After saying this, he waved his hand, and the hired servant immediately turned the sedan chair around and prepared to leave.

The old stonemason's face was uncertain, and he glared at his apprentice fiercely before sighing, "Don't worry, Mr. Sha. There is a hidden story behind this matter. If you get involved carelessly, you will get into trouble."

"Several decades ago, there was a charismatic man named Cai Jiuyuan nearby. He worshipped Maitreya in Jinzhou, then returned to his hometown and led his people in rebellion. He dominated Shu and called himself the Nine Heavens Buddha. He was later suppressed by the imperial court."

"It is said that countless people died in the battle, and Cai Jiuyuan himself turned into a ghost and started haunting the place. Later, a high monk from Emei built a Buddhist cave, and the situation was suppressed."

"It's been too long. The people of Wangu Town are now good citizens, living a peaceful life. They are also very taboo about this matter. Don't ask around."

"There are some old monks guarding there, and I am quite familiar with them. If Mr. Sha is interested, I will go and test the waters first..."

These words made Sharifei feel a little embarrassed.

After all, he didn't really want to build a Buddha statue.

Thinking of this, Sharifei pretended to be impatient and waved his hand, saying, "It's just making a Buddha statue, why is it so troublesome?"

"Forget it, I don't want to play anymore. Take this hundred taels of silver as hard work money for running errands. Don't accuse me of not following the rules!"

After saying that, he turned around and left with everyone.

Looking at their receding figures, the stonemasons looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Without sincerity, what's the point of building a Buddha..."

The young apprentice couldn't help but complain.

"Shut up, you're the only one who talks too much!"

The old stonemason cursed, then shook his head and sighed, "Forget it, just look for a while longer. It's almost the end of the year. If you can find a job soon, you can have a peaceful year..."

.........

On the other side, Sha Lifei brought his men to the intersection, gave them money and sent them away, then he and Lu San entered the dense forest beside the road.

"San'er, what do you think?"

Sharifei asked quickly.

"Hard to say."

Lu San shook his head and said, "According to what Brother Yan said, the 'Charnel Ground' is even older. The Indian monk Huan Seng lived during the Tang Dynasty, and his tomb was chosen near the Dazushi Grottoes. Maybe it is related to the 'Charnel Ground'."

"But the location of the 'Charnel Ground' was found in the secret scroll hidden by the Saint of the Wenxiang Sect. This 'Nine Heavens Buddha Lord' is also from the Maitreya Sect, so perhaps there is a connection."

"Why do you think so much?"

Sharifei shook his head and said, "We finally got a clue, so we have to investigate. Let's go tonight..."

Before he finished speaking, Lu San suddenly looked up.

But in the sky, a black dot approached quickly, and then flapped its wings and landed. It was the falcon Lidong.

Lu San threw a piece of rabbit meat to the falcon to calm it down, then took out the bamboo tube from under the falcon's feet and checked the secret letter.

After just two glances, his expression turned serious.

"problem occurs?"

Sharifei felt something was wrong and asked immediately.

Lu San's face was gloomy. He handed him the letter and said in a cold voice, "The Shu Palace has taken action and issued bonuses."

"Brother Yan decided to act in a high-profile manner to buy us some time. He will fight all the way here and then rendezvous with us in Neijiang."

"Bonus?"

Sharifei also finished reading the letter and cursed: "This Shu King must have been kicked in the head by a donkey. He is full of shit, why is he bothering us?"

"Time is running out, let's go check it out tonight!"…………

In the corner of the wilderness mountains, there is a deep valley hidden.

As night fell, the sky was as dark as ink, without the glow of stars. Only the strong wind blew through the valley, hitting the rocks and making a whimpering sound.

At the deepest part of the canyon stands a giant Buddha in the cave, about five meters tall, wearing a cassock, a Vairocana crown on his head, and holding a staff in his hand.

The Buddha statue is exquisitely carved. Although it is very old, it is still well preserved. Its facial features are compassionate and solemn, as if it is quietly watching the canyon.

This is a typical statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

But what is different is that on the stone walls around the Buddha statue, there are carvings of blazing flames, biting ice, mountains of swords and the wailing of thousands of ghosts.

This is the hell form of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

As the saying goes, "I will not attain Buddhahood until hell is empty." Carving this kind of shape represents the Bodhisattva's use of wisdom and compassion to save the souls of the dead.

Below the grottoes stands an ancient temple, which is not very large. After years of erosion, the walls have peeled off and the beams and pillars have long been mottled.

The temple door was half open, and the candlelight was dim like a bean.

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Several old monks are meditating in front of the bronze statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Their monk robes were gray and full of patches. If they were not washed clean, they would look like beggars.

They are all old, with hunched bodies, messy white beards, sunken cheeks and age spots.

They look like old zombies.

These old monks were the ones who built the Buddha statue back then. After so many years, only a few of them are left.

In the canyon, Sharifei lowered his body, holding the magic gun, looking around from time to time, his eyes full of vigilance.

"San'er, something is wrong with this place."

Sharifei swallowed his saliva and whispered, "Why do I always feel a chill on my back, as if something is staring at us?"

"Shh, there are people on the mountain, don't look up!"

Lu San pulled his clothes and reminded him in a low voice.

Sharifei understood what he meant, pretending not to notice, and whispered, "Are there any other people eyeing this place? Who are they from?"

"do not know."

Lu San whispered, "They used paper puppetry. Their skills are average, but they have a lot of people. They were all hiding in the cave above the valley. We didn't find them when we entered the mountain."

Even so, Sharifei did not dare to be careless, and said thoughtfully: "If we leave now, it will arouse suspicion. Let's pretend to be two petty thieves and find out what's going on first."

After walking a short distance, they finally saw the statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the distance and the dim candlelight below.

Lu San's expression changed slightly and he stopped.

"what happened?"

Sharifei was startled.

Lu San looked at the statue in the distance and said in a deep voice: "There is indeed something wrong with this place. That Buddha statue can suppress supernatural powers."

When he was in Wushan, he unexpectedly dreamed of entering the Palace of the Goddess and successfully built a building. Like Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan, he also built a three-story building.

When you reach the third floor, you can awaken new magical powers.

Perhaps because of the accidental construction of the building, Lu San did not awaken any new magical powers, but his original ear magical power became even more powerful.

At this moment, the range of his divine ears was twice that of Li Yan, reaching hundreds of meters.

No matter how small the noise is, it cannot escape his ears.

In addition, it can not only understand the language of birds and animals, but can even hear some information from plants.

It can be said that it is far superior to other ear abilities of the same level.

But even so, it was suppressed.

This situation only occurs in Taoist temples with famous mountains and rivers and strong incense.

"How to do?"

Sharifei asked in a deep voice.

He has rich experience in the martial arts world and can handle some things, but when it comes to things involving the mysterious world, only Lu San can handle it.

Lu San pondered for a moment, looked into the distance and said in a muffled voice: "Let's go and have a look. We don't have time to delay any longer."

"Row."

Sharifei gritted his teeth and clenched the magic gun in his hand.

The two of them moved forward cautiously. Fortunately, nothing happened along the way and they arrived safely outside the ruined temple.

"Ah~"

Before they could say anything, an old sigh was heard from the dilapidated temple, "Donors, are you still not giving up?"

Sharifi rolled his eyes and said with a smile: "Master, you have misunderstood. We are not bad people. We just want to find out something."

An old monk in the dilapidated temple slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes turned white and he had actually gone blind.

The same is true for other old monks.

"Let's go."

The old monk in the lead said calmly: "Some things are not meant for you. If you get them, it will bring disaster. Why bother, donors?"

Sharifei was somewhat speechless, "Ah, you monk, you have already told me that we are not bad people, but you chased us away without asking clearly."

Another old monk said, "This place is desolate. If you are not bad people, why are you here?"

Sharifi replied: "Looking for something?"

The old monk asked, "Is that thing yours?"

Sharifi shook his head, "No."

The old monk sighed, "Isn't that the same thing?"

"you…"

Sharifei suddenly felt a headache.

He was also good at talking, but it seemed like he couldn't communicate with the old monk at all, and his words never got to the point.

Lu San suddenly looked back, not caring about talking nonsense, and said in a deep voice: "Masters, we are not bad people. There are some people ambushing outside and heading here. Most of them are not good people."

He could already see that these monks were old and not masters, and they were probably not far from death.

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the old monks ignored him completely.

Lü San had no choice but to say, "We are looking for the 'Cemetery'."

After these words were spoken, the faces of several monks finally changed slightly.

The leading old monk was silent for a moment, "Come in."

Sha Lifei and Lu San exchanged glances, and cautiously entered the ruined temple one after the other.

It was beyond their expectations.

There are no formations or mechanisms here.

It is just a shabby and dilapidated temple that is about to collapse.

At the same time, dense footsteps were heard in the darkness of the canyon.

But I saw a group of people holding weapons, walking quickly towards me.

They have different appearances, including monks, Taoists, men, women, and even men dressed as hunters.

As soon as they appeared, they surrounded the ruined temple.

The leader was a fat man who looked like a businessman. He had a kind face but an unusually cold look in his eyes. "Old monk, we don't have time to waste with you any more."

"Tell me quickly, where is the Buddha's tomb hidden?"

When Sharifei heard this, he had some guesses in his mind.

These guys are from the Maitreya sect...

(End of this chapter)