The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 358 Bloodshed at the Holy Land of Buddhism!

Meanwhile, within Luoyang city, the government also began taking action against the Jingnian Zen Temple.

Located in the southern suburbs of Luoyang, the renowned Jingnian Zen Temple is situated here. Judging from the name, one might assume it consists of only a few Zen temples, but in reality, there are hundreds of buildings of varying sizes, including a bronze hall entirely cast in bronze.

"Tap!"

The dense yet orderly sounds rang out on the street, and the torches stood out conspicuously in the night, looking like a long dragon from afar.

Xu Ziling, dressed in a black Taoist robe, looked somewhat grim in the firelight. He stared at the Zen temple in front of him, his eyes filled with memories. Years ago, he and Xiao Zhongchu joined the Song Clan and were soon taken to wipe out Buddhist temples. There, they witnessed many horrifying and chilling things.

Even though they grew up in the city and had seen all sorts of people, they couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines. It was that incident that forged Kou Zhong's current bloodthirstiness. The temple in front of him was the most illustrious Buddhist holy site in the world.

If we want to get to the root of the problem and change the bad habits, Jingnian Temple should be the first to be targeted. Not to mention that they assisted the Li clan back then and even sent monk soldiers to help in the Battle of Luoshui. Even if Song Que doesn't pursue the matter, the court will not let them off the hook.

The vast Buddhist temple was a den of iniquity, a place where people were exploited and plundered. Even standing outside the gate, Xu Ziling could vaguely see the magnificent buildings inside.

According to the local people of Luoyang, Jingnian Temple had seven main halls and a bronze hall that was three zhang wide and deep and one and a half zhang high. All the buildings were covered with tricolor glazed tiles, which looked brand new. In front of the bronze hall was a platform square built of white stone and surrounded by white stone railings. In the center was a bronze statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva riding a golden lion, as well as the three Buddhas of the three times: Bhaisajyaguru, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya.

These Buddha statues, sculpted and adorned with gold, are quite imposing. There are also five hundred Arhats cast in gold and bronze, each with their hands forming mudras and their expressions lifelike.

Thinking of all this, Xu Ziling couldn't help but marvel at the wealth and power of the Buddhist community. If they were to confiscate this one Zen temple, the refined copper they obtained would be enough to mint a considerable number of copper coins. In this era, copper meant money.

Even in the imperial city of Luoyang, no palace was cast entirely in bronze.

This Zen temple is even more luxurious than a royal palace!
"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Song Que already had an old feud with the court. Now that Song Que has unified the country, he will soon return to the capital. Naturally, the Luoyang government should share the emperor's burdens and take care of these minor matters first.

At this moment, Xu Shiji led a group of soldiers over and said, "Daoist, we have surrounded this Zen temple completely and will not let a single monk escape."

Xu Ziling bowed and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your trouble, General Xu."

Just as the soldiers surrounded the Jingnian Temple, the people in the surrounding streets quietly opened their windows and secretly watched. The people who could live around the Jingnian Temple were all rich and noble. How could ordinary people live in the residences around the Buddhist holy site?
The Buddha does not save the poor; this has been true since ancient times!

The more powerful and wealthy a person is, the more they believe in Buddhism and Taoism. Among these people are many believers of Jingnian Temple, but at this moment they dare not show themselves, simply because it is the will of the imperial court.

In the face of the government, how many people dare to stand up for themselves because of their status?

They worship Buddha simply to find peace of mind; they are not fanatical believers. If they were to step forward at this time, they would only risk getting themselves into trouble.

For hundreds of years, Buddhism has taken root in China. Even with the power of the imperial court, it was impossible to completely ban Buddhism. Just like in later generations, even if people banned his books and consciously downplayed his existence, his thoughts still live on in the world, and countless people still miss him.

Of course, how could mere Buddhist teachings compare to him?

After Song Que left Sichuan, he stopped banning Buddhism. At that time, all the resources were used to conquer cities and fortresses, and the court could not spare any energy. Now that the world is unified, the court can finally spare the time to deal with these former enemies.

By leveraging the imperial court's authority, the foundation upon which the Buddhist community depends for survival can be weakened. The reputation of the government is enough to intimidate these ordinary believers. Without the faith and worship of ordinary believers, the power of the Buddhist community will not only be greatly reduced, but will at least cease to expand.

Upon seeing him return the greeting, Xu Shiji quickly stepped aside, turned around, put on a cold expression, and went to the gate of Jingnian Temple, pounding heavily on the brass ring on the door, shouting, "Open the door, open the door quickly!"

"Bang bang bang!"

A heavy sound echoed in the night. Inside the Jingnian Temple, a group of monks gathered in the white jade square in front of the bronze hall. They sat cross-legged in front of the five hundred Arhats, silently reciting Buddhist scriptures, and a solemn atmosphere permeated the air.

In front of the square, four monks sat cross-legged in front of the bronze Arhat. They were dressed in yellow robes, with solemn and dignified appearances, and their bodies exuded a faint Buddhist aura.

Among them, a gaunt, sorrowful-looking middle-aged monk sighed softly, "This day has finally come."

Another monk, whose face looked older, said in a deep voice, “My Jingnian Zen Temple has been established for over a hundred years, experiencing ups and downs, and has been a pillar of Buddhism. The matter of supporting the Dragon Court was extremely dangerous. I had long ago advised Brother Kong, but unfortunately they insisted on their own way and took away the masters in the temple. Now, in such a large Zen temple, there are only four of us who are truly capable. It’s a pity!”

"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of in the Wu Kingdom's court? Senior brother, I don't believe that if the monks in the monastery charge out, they can't seize a chance to survive. Are we really going to suffer humiliation?" A monk with a fierce face and cold eyes said, suppressing his anger.

The words had barely left his mouth when the old monk who had spoken earlier immediately shouted, "Fearless! Shut up! Don't forget, there is still one person in Luoyang City. Even if all of us were combined, we wouldn't be a match for that person. Do you want us all to die here?"

The fierce glint in the eyes of the monk named Bujue faded, replaced by a hint of fear. "Brother Butan, are you talking about that person?"

Monk Bu Tan nodded slightly, a bitter smile on his lips. “If it weren’t for the sudden appearance of that Jade Daoist, our Buddhist sect wouldn’t have suffered defeat after defeat. Fearless, infatuated, and angry, you three remember this: as long as Jade Daoist and Song Que are in this world, our Buddhist sect can only bow down.”

To this day, the name of Yu Daoren has spread throughout the world. Everyone knows that three grandmasters in the martial arts world died at his hands. No one has ever achieved such a powerful record before. He used the heads of three grandmasters to establish his position as the number one in the world.

The fierce look on the monk's face vanished, and his expression became dejected. "Senior brother, I understand what you mean."

The monk Bu Tan slowly rose, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Let's go. We'll have to face this sooner or later. This is a calamity for our Buddhist sect!"

A moment later, surrounded by many monks, four monks slowly emerged from the depths of Jingnian Temple. They arrived at the temple gate, their gazes sweeping over the soldiers outside before finally settling on Xu Ziling.

"This fellow Daoist must be Fellow Daoist Xu of the Misty Sword, right?" After saying this, the four of them put their hands together and nodded slightly.

Xu Ziling nodded, his expression unchanged. "It is indeed this humble Taoist. May I ask your names?"

The old monk said in a deep voice, "This humble monk is not greedy. They are my junior brothers. I am not angry, not foolish, and not afraid."

The Misty Sword is the signature martial art of Jade Daoist. This person is none other than Jade Daoist's disciple, Xu Ziling.

All the monks' gazes fell upon Xu Ziling, who stood calmly in place. His unwavering, profound demeanor inspired goodwill in those around him. Bu Tan and the others secretly sighed, "This young man is only twenty, yet his martial arts are already superior to ours. Given time, he will become a supreme grandmaster. Even if Yu Daoren and the others are no longer here, our Buddhist sect may not have anyone who can defeat him." "Amitabha," the other monks nodded to Xu Ziling simultaneously, softly chanting Buddhist prayers.

Xu Ziling nodded in return, and after observing for a few moments, said, "Jingnian Zen Temple is indeed extraordinary."

In the Battle of Jian Ge, several Grandmasters of Jing Nian Temple died, including the abbot. Unexpectedly, another one has emerged, namely Monk Bu Tan. The other three are also at the peak of the Acquired Realm, just one step away from becoming Grandmasters.

The monks behind them were also skilled in martial arts, and quite skilled at it. They were all experts in the martial arts world and could serve as the backbone of the sect. In one or two decades, not to mention a grandmaster, there would be no shortage of peak-level masters.

Don't be fooled by the fact that over ten Grandmasters died in the Battle of Jian Ge. Most of the Grandmasters from the Buddhist sect were there. The Li clan, for example, didn't even have a single Grandmaster in their main family. This is the norm. As for Great Grandmasters, forget about it.

The sheer number of skilled individuals gathered at Jingnian Zen Temple speaks volumes about its strength.

Xu Ziling composed himself and said in a deep voice, "Master Bu Tan, my master has something he wants me to tell you."

The four monks' expressions turned solemn. "Please enlighten us, Master."

"Misfortune and fortune have no fixed gate; they are summoned by oneself. The retribution for good and evil follows like a shadow."

After listening, the four men, without fear or anger, showed doubt, while those without greed or delusion displayed thoughtful expressions. "We are deeply grateful for the Master's guidance."

Xu Ziling ignored them and continued, "Jingnian Temple is an enemy of the imperial court, and its crime is unforgivable. Prime Minister Pei has personally ordered the temple to be searched and ransacked as a warning to others. Master, with war at hand, please do not act rashly."

In any case, he came here today not on his own behalf, but on behalf of his master. His mere presence here demonstrates his stance and is enough to deter many people with ill intentions.

The monk Bu Tan sighed deeply, “Amitabha, the cycle of cause and effect is inevitable, and the Buddhist community is destined to face this calamity.” After saying this, he stood still and closed his eyes, as if he had become a statue.

Seeing that they did not make a move, Xu Shiji came out and led his soldiers into Jingnian Temple, where they captured and put all the monks in the square under guard.

Subsequently, the soldiers systematically looted the property. The money, food, gold and silver jewelry, bronze Buddha statues, and bronze halls in the temple were all completely dismantled. The whole process was orderly.

These were veterans of the Song Clan who had risen to power. They were well-versed in the procedures for raiding temples in Sichuan, but even so, the wealth of Jingnian Temple still terrified them. They had never seen such a luxurious place before.

During the incident, some monks, seeing their temple being raided, couldn't help but resist and try to stop it, but were riddled with crossbow bolts and died on the spot.

The army surrounded Jingnian Temple, and not a single monk was able to escape. The process of moving the monks lasted for seven days and seven nights. All the monks in the temple were imprisoned and awaited their fate.

It must be said that the monks of Jingnian Temple are indeed extremely wealthy. Their accumulated wealth over hundreds of years is more than the money and grain in Yang Gong's treasury. And this is only their floating wealth; they also have real estate in secret, such as fields and shops.

Almost every major Buddhist temple engages in commerce and lending. Jingnian Temple, which supports so many monks to practice martial arts, naturally needs a huge amount of money and food to support them. These immovable properties were gradually inventoried by the government.

Finally, the entire court was shocked, because the total amount of money in Jingnian Temple was several times more than the annual tax revenue of the previous dynasty. This figure was simply too enormous.

Almost every government office is always in need of money; there's never enough money to go around. Don't even mention that the government is in charge of taxes and doesn't lack money. Post-war livelihoods, city construction, sacrificial ceremonies, military training, and a whole host of other things all require huge expenditures of money and supplies.

……

With tears welling in her eyes, Zhao Rumeng spoke with a voice dripping with anguish, "Your Majesty, is the world so vast that it cannot even accommodate a small place like Cihang Jingzhai?"

"If you all behave yourselves and quietly recite Buddhist scriptures, I can tolerate any number of nunneries. Ask yourselves honestly, is Cihang Jingzhai such a pure Buddhist place?" Looking at the angry eyes of the Cihang Jingzhai disciples and Zhao Rumeng kneeling in the rain, Song Que's expression turned cold.

"Cihang Jingzhai has no reason to exist."

In an instant, Zhao Rumeng knew she could no longer persuade him, and her face darkened. But the Cihang Jingzhai disciple behind her drew his sword, his true energy surging, and suddenly slashed the air with his sword, aiming at Song Que.

However, the moment the longsword was drawn, the rain within a hundred feet of Song Que suddenly stopped, drawn by a powerful will, and condensed into transparent water blades that fell from the sky.

The longsword, spitting out sword energy, sliced ​​through the sky, and countless water blades fell, smashing into the crowd. In an instant, the nuns present were pierced through by the water blades and were dead beyond any hope of survival.

"Oh!"

At this moment, within this hundred-zhang space, Song Que seemed to be the sky itself. Under the guidance of his sword intent, bricks, pillars, halls, and pavilions collapsed with a roar, and the entire Cihang Jingzhai instantly turned into ruins. Apart from him, there was no one else alive.

At that moment, he looked up at the sky, a trace of melancholy flashing in his eyes. He took a step and reappeared several feet away.

After a cup of tea, the rain grew heavier and the wind grew stronger. Song Que arrived alone at the foot of the Xishan Giant Buddha. Amidst the raging wind and rain, the towering Xishan Giant Buddha stood on the mountain peak, its eyes slightly closed, as if it were showing pity for the world.

"Humph!"

Song Que glanced at the Western Hill Buddha, then used his palm as a blade to slash fiercely. A dazzling blade of light suddenly appeared in the gloomy sky, so bright and beautiful that it vanished in the blink of an eye and disappeared into the Buddha.

He unleashed a palm strike and left without looking back.

"Crack!"

After Song Que left, the towering Xishan Buddha slowly tilted over, and a huge knife mark slowly appeared from the Buddha's shoulder to its waist, with the Buddha's body sliding down along the knife mark.

Finally, it collapsed with a deafening roar, instantly shaking the mountains and forests, and causing birds to take flight.

At the foot of Mount Meng, the crowd was deeply shocked to see the Buddha statue collapse in the distance.

Such a large Buddha statue, just like that, gone!
(End of this chapter)