As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 377 We really are friends

Injustice has its head, and debt has its owner.

Mingchen was indeed unhappy, but he wouldn't blindly hit someone.

The young monk appeared before him and conveyed this information to him in a reasoned and well-founded manner.

He didn't detect anything wrong, so he wouldn't draw his knife.

Only a muscle-bound idiot would engage in constant fighting and killing, provoking the entire world and making enemies wherever he goes.

Wang Huai is dead, injustice is dead.

The relationship between Mingchen and the unjust person behind the Buddha has broken down.

However, the Buddha behind Bu Chen is Ming Chen's friend.

The conflict between Bu Chen and Ming Chen led to this connection.

The young monk successfully met with Mingchen, turning hostility into friendship.

The tense atmosphere gradually eased.

These few words with the little monk, however, conveyed a wealth of information, proving many of Mingchen's guesses.

The deity sitting at the top that day was not indifferent or fair, nor was he without desires.

On the contrary, they are also entangled in their own interests and secretly fighting each other.

It is even more complex than the power struggles of human dynasties.

What great wisdom is there?

What precepts or rules are there for greed, anger, ignorance, hatred, and so on?
Some of them... are all about self-interest.

Mingchen smiled and asked the little monk, "My heart is set on Buddha Fuyuan, and my will is firm and sincere. I wonder where I can find the future Maitreya Buddha? I hope the divine monk can give me some guidance."

At first, they called him Buddha, but now that they've guessed his identity, they call him a divine monk.

The young monk has now clearly stated who his friends are and who his enemies are.

He naturally wanted to ask some questions.

The young monk shook his head: "Good sir, you jest. How could this humble monk possibly know of such a powerful being?"

Although the Buddha appeared before Mingchen disguised as a young monk, he never admitted his true identity.

But everything should be done in moderation. Above the three Buddhas is the supreme Buddha!

In any case, we are all Buddhists.

Their infighting and internal discord are their own business.

The two Buddhas faced each other with smiles on their faces.

If outsiders are involved, we should openly and legitimately lead Mingchen to seek revenge and cause trouble for the other party.

That would be a very poor choice.

That's not dignified.

If the two sides really fight, he will be held responsible.

Therefore, the young monk could not reveal to Mingchen how to find the other party, even if Mingchen said something like "I respect the Buddha and my heart is firm and sincere".

At the very least, he won't make this matter too explicit.

Mingchen smiled, not annoyed at all: "I see..."

An expected answer.

This Buddha, who has cultivated for millions of years, is naturally wise and acts flawlessly, leaving no room for Mingchen to exploit.

His foundation has only existed for about twenty years.

These days, it is already extremely difficult to arouse the fear of these gods and to engage in dialogue on an equal footing.

The young monk smiled at Mingchen: "Good man, do not be discouraged. With a firm heart and sincere will, the Way is there. Turn around and you will find paradise."

"The Buddhist sinner was killed by a virtuous and heroic person, his soul and spirit were destroyed, and the virtuous person performed a great service. Maitreya Buddha is in the north, and moved by the virtuous person's sincerity, he will surely have a karmic connection with you."

"Really?"

Mingchen narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

The little monk's words sounded like kind words, but in reality, they were a warning to Mingchen.

Listen carefully to the underlying meaning; this is not what is meant by "performing a great service".

The other party had already revealed their enemy-friend relationship to Mingchen.

Injustice killed Wang Huai, and Wang Huai killed Injustice.

Mingchen's relationship with this revered Buddha is dead.

Moved by sincerity, a destined connection will surely come.

Translation is just the beginning; this matter is far from over.

Wang Huai's desperate strike was probably no simple matter.

The little monk said that the injustice's soul and spirit had been destroyed, and he was probably completely dead. Even someone of Buddha's level couldn't save him.

Mingchen remembers the other party's grudge, and the other party also remembers Mingchen's grudge!
The injustice was originally the attendant of Maitreya Buddha, representing the face of the top Buddha in Buddhism.

Even if there is a real mistake, the punishment and conviction can only be determined and dealt with by the people involved themselves.

Mingchen blocked the Bodhisattva, and Wang Huai, enraged, killed the unjust one, annihilating his soul and leaving him no room for maneuver.

It's like disrespecting the other party and slapping them in the face in public.

An unjust death may be a small matter, but the face of Buddha is a big deal.

This feud was naturally formed.

If they do not retaliate, then the power and status of this revered Buddha will be undermined.

The child was hacked to death, his soul and spirit destroyed. You, Buddha, don't even offer any thanks? Who will follow you then?

The young monk was giving Mingchen some pointers.

This isn't over yet.

In the future, they will meet again and have another battle.

The phrase "Maitreya Buddha is in the North" also answered many of Mingchen's questions.

This was not to reveal the location of Maitreya Buddha to Mingchen, but to express the other party's position to him.

What's to the north?
Bei Lie!

The Buddha is revered in the north. What does this signify?
His unjust actions may not have been solely his own idea; perhaps they were also instigated by a deity.

Mingchen asked him with great interest, "Does your Buddhist sect also want to get involved in this matter?"

Based on Mingchen's speculation, which combines information from various sources, the force supporting Bei Lie is most likely one of the three Venerable Masters of the Daoist sect.

According to popular legend, there are five supreme beings and nine emperors who govern the world.

However, the Nine Emperors are not complete; one is still missing.

This massive catastrophe, this chaotic world rife with war, served as a stage for it all.

The one who unifies the world and ends the chaos will be the one who achieves great merit and is promoted to the last Master.

Through this Emperor's reign, those immortals and gods can further strengthen their influence over the human world.

The forces of the Underworld have already made their appearance, aiming to aid the already destroyed Chen Kingdom, but they show no intention of genuinely helping; their attitude suggests they are merely playing the field, spreading fear for amusement. The Lord of the Underworld is clearly not on Bei Lie's side, and even has some connection with Ming Chen himself.

The world is in chaos, and many strange cultivators have emerged, but apart from Bu Gong Bu Chen, Ming Chen hasn't seen many monk cultivators. They seem to have nothing to do with the gods and Buddhas of the Blissful Other Shore, and the Supreme Buddha, one of the five, is even more Buddhist, showing no attitude whatsoever.

There aren't many options left, and it's not hard to guess who's behind Bei Lie.

However, to his surprise, the young monk has now brought Mingchen news of the Buddhist sect's entry into the sect.

Mingchen needs to determine whether this is merely the will of this revered Buddha, or whether it represents the entire Buddhist sect. Furthermore, does it represent the supreme Buddha existing in a higher dimension?

The young monk shook his head: "You jest, sir."

"We have entered the Buddhist order. Having received the blessing of enlightenment, we will no longer concern ourselves with worldly affairs. How can those who have left home be involved in worldly troubles and influence the rise and fall of dynasties?" In other words, Buddhism does not want to get involved.

This is merely the idea of Maitreya Buddha himself in the future.

Although he was nominally in charge of the entire Buddhist sect, the three Buddhas were of equal rank and often engaged in open and covert struggles with each other, so he naturally could not stop them from doing so.

Mingchen looked at him with interest: "Oh?"

His words carried a somewhat enigmatic meaning: "So it seems we really are friends!"

At this point, everything became clear in Mingchen's mind, and he was able to fully connect the reasons behind the entire story.

There are three Buddhas in Buddhism, the one in front of us, the young monk, is Shakyamuni Buddha.

However, the three Buddhas were actually of equal status, yet they were at odds with each other and often engaged in open and covert struggles for power and profit.

The leader of the Northern Daoist sect orchestrated this chaotic coup of the Human Emperor, filling the final seat of the throne and enhancing his influence and control over the human world.

When Maitreya Buddha learned of this, he also joined in and invested. If the project succeeded, he would also increase his influence. Just like in the human world, injustice gathered resistance in Qian Yuan and then joined Bei Lie, achieving fame and fortune. He invested to help, and he should also enjoy the benefits.

In this way, he might be able to change the situation, increase his bargaining power in the struggle for Buddhahood, and perhaps even gain the upper hand over Shakyamuni Buddha, who has always been the leader. Perhaps he will be the one in charge of Buddhism in the future.

Now, this Buddha Shakyamuni appeared and told Mingchen this story under the pretext of the conflict between Buchen and Mingchen, revealing the underlying interests behind everything in a way that was both concealed and concealed.

At the same time, his attitude was also hidden within it.

He certainly didn't want the future Maitreya Buddha to have his way.

If Maitreya Buddha wants to help Bei Lie in the future, then he will help Ming Chen.

So, according to Mingchen, they really are friends.

Bu Chen and Ming Chen had a good relationship, but when their opinions clashed, they still drew their swords.

Personal relationships may not be the bond that connects people; interests and positions are.

Mingchen and the young monk in front of him share common interests and common enemies, so they are the closest of friends.

The young monk naturally couldn't publicly declare his support for Qian Yuan, saying that he would definitely provide manpower and resources to help Qian Yuan win in the future.

However, Mingchen will inevitably receive his help, both overt and covert, in the future.

He will contribute as much effort as Maitreya Buddha.

He simply clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and smiled at Mingchen, saying, "Sir, you are exceptionally wise, quick-witted, and deeply understanding of righteousness. I have long admired you."

This can be seen as an admission of Mingchen's words.

The two exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without a word.

Some alliances, even with covenants, are not effective.

In some alliances, even if no words are exchanged, the necessary assistance is never lacking.

Mingchen waved his hand: "You flatter me, venerable monk."

Seeing that Mingchen seemed to have no aversion to Buddhism, the young monk pursed his lips and said to Mingchen, "I observe that you are born with a blessed appearance, with clear and bright eyes, a body filled with the light of wisdom and tranquility, a heart full of Bodhi, pure, compassionate and unhindered."

“You have a great affinity with the Buddha. Would you be willing to join my Buddhist order?”

"This humble monk can guide the virtuous person to the Pure Land in the future, where they will sit on a lotus throne, immortal and indestructible, and transcend the sea of suffering."

Mingchen: ...

Peace and quiet?

mercy?

No hindrance?
Go ask those souls who died at Mingchen's hands about these things.

Of the five poisons of Buddhism—greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt—which one hasn't Mingchen been tainted by?

The nine precepts of Buddhism are: not to steal, not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to lie, not to drink alcohol, not to wear sachets, not to sit or lie on high or wide beds, not to eat at inappropriate times, and not to hoard gold or silver. Mingchen did not violate any of these precepts.
There are few people in the world who are more greedy, more deceitful, more lewd, and more fond of enjoyment than him.

What is the purpose of being an official? Isn't it to enjoy wealth and luxury, to bully men and women, and to take a petty gamble?

He can be described as having every vice imaginable.

Every step he takes into the Pure Land defiles that other shore of wisdom.

This little monk actually managed to say those things with his eyes wide open.

Ultimately, all that wisdom, those precepts, those rules... are just things said to others, just the framework for building a power system.

Mingchen's value lies in his talent, his strength, and his status.

He is more likely to meet the Buddha, glimpse the Pure Land, and sit on the lotus throne than those eminent monks who spend their days in ascetic practice and meditation.

This is an invitation personally extended by the Buddha.

If Mingchen nods in approval, he will likely achieve the status that many Buddhist believers dream of.

Mingchen simply scratched the back of his head and laughed, "Baldness is too ugly. I'm lazy by nature and can't stand those arduous cultivation practices. Besides, I have a beautiful wife at home!"

Mingchen could never have imagined that he would shave his head and chant 'Amitabha' with his hands clasped together every day.

The young monk simply smiled and glanced at the sleeping Buchen beside him: "Good man, you are overthinking it. Cultivation is about cultivating the mind. As long as you have Buddha in your heart, everything is possible."

"No need for tonsure or abstinence."

Don't you see that this disciple of Buddha still kills living beings, drinks alcohol, and eats meat!

The purpose of precepts is to help people cultivate their minds, clarify their own conduct, and make their minds as clear as a mirror, unblemished, so that everything can be accomplished.

Rules can be flexible when dealing with certain people.

Mingchen waved his hand, about to say something.

Just then, a cold, drafty wind blew in from nowhere.

Mingchen didn't feel anything, but the little monk trembled and his smile faded.

A vague, invisible will enveloped his entire body.

The air was bone-chillingly cold, eerie and sinister, exuding a deathly aura.

There was no sound, no words.

However, he vaguely sensed a message conveyed by a will.

"roll!"

There are very few people in this world who dare to talk to him like that.

This was only directed at him; Mingchen felt nothing at all.

He twitched the corner of his mouth and glanced at Mingchen again.