A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Moreover, the booklet stated: Painted Images of the Four Great Wisdom Kings, Nos. 1-10.

Duan Rong immediately pointed to the string of numbers and asked Tang Xiong, "What's the deal with these painted statues of the Four Great Kings numbered 1-10?"

Tang Xiong was puzzled as to why Duan Rong specifically asked about the statue, and why his expression was so solemn. He replied, "This statue is mainly for the monks of the Bodhidharma Academy."

"Damo Academy?!" Duan Rong's eyes narrowed.

During his time here, he had already gained some understanding. The Dharma Hall of the Faxiang School was basically equivalent to the inner disciples of the Seven Schools, whose main task was cultivation and who did not concern themselves with worldly affairs.

Duan Rong asked, "Do we have to make these statues every year?"

Tang Xiong said, "That's not necessarily true. It's Master Yu Dai who makes the arrangements. The monks from the Bodhidharma Academy all received approval from the academy before coming here to take the statues. Master Yu Dai will assign the task of making the statues to each group based on the amount of stock in the warehouse."

Duan Rong said, "So, you mean there are already statues numbered 1 through 10 in the warehouse?"

Tang Xiong said, "Yes, we have stock. For the largest statue, number 10, we need at least two sets in stock. For the smallest statue, number 1, we need to ensure we have twenty sets in stock. These rules were set by Master Yu Dai. Once a statue is taken, if there is any shortage, the task of making a new statue will be assigned."

Duan Rong secretly admired him. This Yu Dai was indeed a master of quantitative management; no wonder he could manage these craftsmen at the Faxiang Sect.

Duan Rong said, "Would it be convenient for you to take me to the warehouse? I'd like to see these statues."

Tang Xiong said, "If you want to see it, sir, you can. All six team leaders have the keys to the warehouse. Besides, it's late now, so no one will be paying attention."

Duan Rong really wanted to see the painted statues of the Four Great Kings.

After all, since these statues are specifically for the Bodhidharma Institute, they are very likely related to techniques for enhancing spiritual power. The Bodhidharma Institute is a place for cultivation, not a place for holding Buddhist rituals.

Moreover, the Garbhadhatu Sutra is a practice derived from the Faxiang School, and its cultivation relies on the same deity, which is evidence that their practices share the same origin.

There was another point that also piqued Duan Rong's curiosity.

When he was practicing the Womb Treasury Sutra at the Taiyi Sect, he used the statues of the Four Great Kings, but they were not painted.

However, the Four Great Vidyarajas statues in the Faxiang School are painted, which is already a difference. This is not merely a matter of Buddhist culture and rituals; there are likely differences in the methods of practice involved.

Duan Rong said, "Alright. Let's go then."

"Yes," Tang Xiong replied, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

Duan Rong thought for a moment, then rolled up the booklet in his hand and took it with him.

The two walked down the dimly lit corridor to the first floor.

Tang Xiong said, "The warehouse is underground."

Duan Rong listened, but simply walked on in silence.

They arrived at a secluded corner on the first floor, where there was a large iron gate.

Tang Xiong took out his key and unlocked the brass lock on the large iron gate that was wrapped with iron chains. Then, he removed the iron chains from the gate as quietly as possible.

Tang Xiong held the tangled iron chain in his hand and gently pushed the door open. Then, he and Duan Rong stepped into the darkness.

It was pitch black before him, so dark he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. Duan Rong's divine sense had already been released, and everything around him was clearly visible.

Tang Xiong was clearly very familiar with the place. He placed the iron chain in his hand on the table next to him in the dark, then turned around and closed the large iron gate. Only then did he take out a tinderbox, blow out a flame, and light the ram's horn lamp hanging at the door.

Tang Xiong, carrying the ram's horn lantern, looked at Duan Rong and said, "Let's go this way."

Even though they were in the warehouse, Tang Xiong did not address Duan Rong as "Lord Duan." This was not disrespect, but rather a sign of caution. Duan Rong gave Tang Xiong a rather appreciative look, and followed him along the narrow passageway of the warehouse.

The warehouse is very large and filled with all sorts of things.

The two arrived at the innermost part of the warehouse, where a large space was filled with various large and small painted stone statues of deities, all of which were statues of the Four Great Kings.

Tang Xiong lit the two hanging lamps on the stone wall, and the dim light illuminated the space.

The Four Great Kings already had ferocious appearances, and their painted statues were even more lifelike. When illuminated by the lights, they resembled a Yama's Palace filled with vengeful ghosts.

Duan Rong walked to a corner where the largest statues of gods were placed. He examined them carefully by the light of the lamp.

He was very familiar with the Four Great Kings statues in the Taiyi Sect's Garbhadhatu Sutra, since he had carved them himself. Comparing the two now, these statues were practically identical, with no difference in details. The only difference was that the statues here were painted.

In addition, Duan Rong was also paying attention to the size of these statues.

The smallest statue, number 1, is only about knee-high. The largest statue, number 10, is only about two people tall.

Based on his experience cultivating the Womb Treasury Sutra, there is a corresponding relationship between the size and height of the deity statue and the level of the cultivation technique. He remembered that when he cultivated the Womb Treasury Sutra, a deity statue of a certain height corresponded to a cultivation technique of more than ten levels.

"Could it be that the monks of the Bodhidharma Academy can only cultivate to the tenth level at most?" Duan Rong couldn't help but mutter to himself.

His eyes suddenly lit up, and he gently placed his hand on a stone statue beside him, thinking to himself, "Reading the spirit of the artifact."

Then, a data panel, glowing faintly, appeared in the dim space.

Artifact: Painted statue of Acala (Fudō Myō-ō)

Spirit Rank: Not yet Ranked
Devouring requirements: None
Devouring effect: None
Duan Rong looked at the data panel in front of him and gently removed it. It was indeed a blank screen.

This statue is hidden in a dark room, unnoticed by anyone, and it probably hasn't been long since it was made. Such a statue wouldn't have a spirit.

Of course, the statues in the Bodhidharma Institute should have spirits.

However, if the largest statue in the Bodhidharma Academy is this No. 10 statue, which is only about two people tall, it is probably not the one Duan Rong is looking for.

Because these two cultivation methods share the same origin, but the same method cannot further increase spiritual power. What Duan Rong is looking for is essentially the cultivation methods after the twenty-first level of the Womb Treasury Sutra.

The Garbhadhatu Mantra was created by the founder of the Taiyi School, based on the Garbhadhatu Mandala of the Faxiang School. The Garbhadhatu Mandala originally only had twenty-one layers.

However, the Faxiang Sect also possesses a spiritual cultivation technique called the "Great Vajra Realm Mandala," which has twenty-eight levels. Duan Rong is looking for the latter part of this technique.

These two statues, which were quite tall, were clearly not his target.

Duan Rong stood there, looking at Tang Xiong, and asked, "Is this the largest statue made for the Dharma Institute?" Duan Rong was naturally referring to the Fudo Myoo statue beside him.

Tang Xiong said, "Yes. The number 10 statue is the largest."

Duan Rong frowned slightly. He believed that this statue was by no means the largest. Perhaps it was an even larger statue that these craftsmen had never had the chance to come into contact with.

If that's the case, then it's prickly.

Duan Rong was somewhat disappointed. Despite his efforts to get in, he still couldn't reach the places he wanted to access. Moreover, he had been taking advantage of his free time recently to learn about the Faxiang Sect.

Unlike the Taiyi Sect, the Faxiang Sect is almost entirely covered by talisman arrays. Any slightly important area is enveloped in talisman arrays.

This is absolutely impossible within the Taiyi Sect.

This is not surprising in the Faxiang Sect, since their craftsmen can travel all the way from Xidu Prefecture in talismanic artifacts. This shows that talismanic arrays and artifacts are quite common in the Faxiang Sect.

This alone makes it a completely different civilization from the Seven Sovereigns.

However, what's worse is that the rune array restricts Duan Rong's activities.

Rune arrays and rune artifacts are crafted by cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or higher. He, on the other hand, had only just reached the mid-stage of the Cavern Realm and could not possibly comprehend the mysteries of rune arrays.

Even though he possessed the Ten Thousand Crows Fire Scarf, which allowed him to conceal his form, it still couldn't penetrate the talisman array.

This means that if these craftsmen cannot access a certain area, then he cannot infiltrate it either. This is because the Faxiang sect is filled with talisman arrays and has very strict rules.

However, Duan Rong had already made up his mind. Now that he was here, he was determined to get what he wanted. Otherwise, he would rather die of old age in the Faxiang Sect than leave.

After all, given enough time, he could slowly investigate and explore until he found an opportunity to get in. There is no impenetrable wall in the world.

Thinking of this, Duan Rong looked at Tang Xiong again and asked, "Does the Faxiang Sect have larger statues of the Four Great Kings?"

Tang Xiong was puzzled. Why was the lord so concerned about the statues of the Four Great Wisdom Kings? Was there some connection between them?

Although Tang Xiong's mind was racing, he still answered, "There are bigger ones."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Where is it?"

Tang Xiong said, "In the Great Image Cave."

Duan Rong's face showed a look of astonishment. "A cave?!"

He never expected that the Faxiang sect would have caves.

Tang Xiong said, "There are three large statue caves, namely Cave No. 1, Cave No. 2 and Cave No. 3, which are of different sizes, with Cave No. 3 being the largest. In addition to these three large statue caves, there is another largest cave, which is the cave containing the four great Mingwang mountain statues."

"The cave containing the giant statues of the Four Great Kings!?" Duan Rong's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He was certain that what was inside the cave containing the giant statues was exactly what he was looking for.

Tang Xiong said, "The mountain is as large as a cave, quite magnificent. The four statues stand as majestic as mountain peaks, and they are inside the cave. The cave is so large, it's like the universe..."

Tang Xiong's voice carried a hint of excitement.

Looking at him, Duan Rong immediately understood one thing: Tang Xiong had been inside. Since Tang Xiong had been inside, then he also had the opportunity to go in.

The mountain resembles a cave, and since it contains the largest statues of the Four Great Kings within the Faxiang Sect, it represents the highest level of spiritual cultivation techniques. If he can enter it, he can obtain these techniques by devouring the spirits of the artifacts.

Duan Rong asked, "That mountain looks like a cave. Have you been inside?" Duan Rong really needed to confirm this.

Tang Xiong said, "I've been inside. The mountain is as big as the statues in the cave, which are also painted statues. They need to be repaired every six or seven years."

"Repaired every six or seven years?!" Duan Rong asked, "When was the last time it was repaired?"

Tang Xiong said, "It was only repaired last year. All six of our teams went in and it took us more than half a year to finish the repairs. Every time we deal with that stuff, it almost kills us!"

Tang Xiong's face still turned bitter as he recalled the arduous repair work. That was a giant mountain statue!

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he suddenly asked, "Since those statues are inside the cave, sheltered from the wind and rain, the repair work shouldn't be too much of a project, right?"

Tang Xiong said, "Although it is inside a cave, after six or seven years, a lot of the painted lacquer has peeled off. Wind and rain will not erode it, but the monks inside often perform smoke offerings and fire offerings. The statues are covered in smoke and fire, and over time, a lot of the lacquer has peeled off."

Duan Rong's expression tightened slightly upon hearing the words "smoke offering" and "fire offering," but he remained silent. The Taiyi Sect clearly inherited some of these rituals of cultivation.

It was only repaired last year; if we wait for the next repair, it will be another six or seven years. His timing was really unfortunate!
However, even if it takes six or seven years, it is still good news for Duan Rong.

At least we know the location—it's inside a cave resembling a giant elephant in the mountain. And we can get in, it'll just be a few years away. That's already very good news.

Duan Rong looked at Tang Xiong and asked, "Do you have a way to get into these caves?"

Tang Xiong said, "Cave No. 3 of the three large statue caves will be undergoing repairs next month. But that's not a good job, so Yu Dai probably won't assign it to me."

Duan Rong asked, "Is Cave No. 3 the largest of the three large statue caves?"

“Exactly,” Tang Xiong said. “Although the statue in Cave No. 3 is much smaller than the statues in the mountain caves, it is the largest among them, except for those in the mountain caves.”

Duan Rong asked, "Do you have a way to get into the mountain cave?"

Tang Xiong's eyes flashed, and he immediately said, "These caves are all secret places of the Faxiang Sect. Especially the mountain caves, unless they are under repair, only cultivators can enter them."

Duan Rong sighed inwardly. He had anticipated that these places would be difficult to enter, so he said, "Let's try to get the job repairing Cave No. 3 next month. Are there any difficulties?"

Tang Xiong laughed and said, "What's so difficult about that? Everyone avoids this kind of hard work. It's not hard to get a job; nobody's going to fight for it."

Duan Rong said, "That's good."

Since it's not easy to enter the mountain caves, let's go to Cave No. 3 first, so we can at least learn about the spiritual cultivation techniques of the Faxiang Sect.

After all, those are real statues of the Four Great Kings, and it's a place where monks of the Faxiang sect practice their spiritual cultivation techniques year-round. The statues there must have spirits.

Tang Xiong looked at Duan Rong, feeling quite puzzled, wondering why he was so obsessed with these statues. Although Tang Xiong had some doubts, he didn't dare to ask.

After all, Duan Rong was the senior member of the sect. Since Duan Rong wouldn't speak, how dare he ask? Asking random questions was a major taboo for a spy. (End of Chapter)