This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 305 Standing for the Common People
Although he knew that the current Lingshan Sacred Realm might not be the real Lingshan, Zhuang Lin was still somewhat shocked when he actually arrived there.

The entire sacred realm of Lingshan did not seem to be completely hidden from the secular world. At least when Fayun approached, Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao could see the Buddha's light that almost filled the western sky from afar, and they really had a feeling that the Buddha's light shone on everything in peace.

This was Zhuang Lin's first time attending the Great Ullambana Festival, and also his first time visiting Mount Ling. Xi Miao, who was beside him, was also visiting for the first time.

Atala stood on the cloud of Dharma with a hint of pride.

"This is my sacred mountain, where the Buddha's light shines for three thousand miles, delivering all those suffering throughout their lives!"

Zhuang Lin couldn't find fault with the first half of the statement, but the second half was somewhat boastful. However, it could be considered a grand ambition, so he didn't say anything more.

"We are a little late this time. The Ullambana Festival should have already begun. Please forgive us if we have been negligent!"

Ataluo said this in advance because he knew that the Confucian immortals were reasonable, and the latter indeed did not say much, but simply nodded to indicate that he understood.

Within the sacred realm of Lingshan, the Ullambana Festival has indeed begun.

The sacred realm was filled with dazzling light, and countless people from all corners of the world came to participate, including immortals, Buddhas, demons, and even monsters, as well as offerings from all directions.

Besides the Buddha's seat at the foot of the mountain, tables and desks extend from both sides. Countless seats are located in the mountain and in the sky, on the mountain body and in the clouds. Countless figures are in the spiritual pool and spiritual circle. They are far away from the Buddha, but they also feel very close to him.

At the foot of Mount Ling, amidst the attention of countless people, the Buddha first announced important matters, including some words to enlighten the world and the return of Mahakala to its rightful place.

Of course, the matter of the Five-Colored Divine Peak is actually the most important, but it is not appropriate to talk about it during the Ullambana Festival.

Therefore, such informational remarks are merely opening formalities; the real grand event begins with receiving offerings and sharing tributes.

This offering is no ordinary thing; it is the combined power of incense offerings and prayers from all corners of heaven and earth, along with some special blessings. Under the Buddha's instruction, it is shared with all those participating in the Ullambana Festival, which is something many people eagerly anticipate.

These offerings were treasures from all corners of the world, including not only spiritual plants and fruits, jade dew and fine nectar, as well as pills and medicines, but also magical artifacts and robes.
Athara's timing was perfect; he seemed to have missed the reward for Mahagateti's reinstatement, but returned before the formal procedures.

Within the sacred realm of Mount Ling, there will be only one voice: the peaceful voice of the World Honored One reaching everyone's ears.

At this point, the World-Honored One had already explained all that Mahagateti had experienced.

The story of how he was banished to the mortal realm for making a mistake in his spiritual practice, and how he finally awakened after enduring hardships, is told in a mystical yet fatalistic manner.
The Buddha smiled and looked around.

"Mahagater, it is time for you to return to your rightful place. You are hereby granted permission to resume your original duties and enjoy the offerings!"

As the Buddha's words fell, Monk Moke felt a dazzling light emanating from the Buddha's direction. Then, the light fell upon him, and he felt a golden light erupt around him, accompanied by a warm current. At the same time, a Buddha's light shone on his forehead, and a golden mark appeared on his forehead.
Almost instantly, Monk Moke sensed more things, vaguely perceiving many temples in the world, feeling some connection to incense offerings, and even those faint, differentiated entities.

Of course, this is just a kind of intuition. The monk Mo Ke, who experienced the Foguang Temple incident, knew that sometimes such feelings can be deceiving. Even the powerful Erxiang Tianyin Bodhisattva could not detect the fall of the Erxiang evil Buddha.

Overall, at this moment, Monk Moke did indeed feel as if he had regained his status. If it were him in the past, he would have been extremely excited.

At this moment, Monk Moke stepped forward from his already relatively close position and bowed to the front.

"Disciple receives the decree, and thanks the World Honored One!"

Monk Moke remained remarkably calm, which surprised many people slightly, while the Buddha above smiled and nodded.

"For you, this is both an ordeal and a blessing. Well done, well done!"

Monk Moke bowed in thanks as always.

The Buddha also held the reinstated Mahagateti in high regard, and then smiled.

"The bestowal of honors is now complete; all of you should now join in the grand celebration and enjoy the offerings."

At this stage, while enjoying the spiritual objects, there will be a more crucial next step: the Buddha's sermon.
But just then, a voice came from afar to report.

"Reporting to the World Honored One, Adra has brought the Confucian immortal to see you—"

The voice was not that of Atala, but that of a monk from Mount Ling, causing everyone, including the Buddha, to look into the distance.

The World Honored One was even more surprised. Had he really been invited? And this Confucian Immortal was indeed quite skilled; I hadn't sensed his coming at all!

What surprised the World Honored One even more was that the Confucian Immortal actually came. Logically speaking, such a person would not like such occasions. Of course, since the other party was coming, he would not turn him away, but instead wore a serene smile.

"Before the Ullambana Festival, I already knew that a Confucian immortal had been born into the world again, so I sent Atara to invite him. It would be wonderful if he could attend the festival. Please invite him quickly!"

As the Buddha's words fell, a cloud of Dharma entered the sacred realm of Mount Ling in the distance, and everyone's gaze turned in that direction, as the rich Buddhist light of Mount Ling shone upon it.

As Zhuang Lin moved forward through the air with the Dharma Cloud, he felt something different from the Buddha's light surrounding him. It was as if his heart was a vast ocean, so it was not just pure Buddha's light.

Under the illumination of this Buddha's light, it can be said that even the most subtle changes occur within the Buddha's mind.

Zhuang Lin frowned slightly, and a righteous aura emanated from his body, forming a white light around him.

Within the sacred realm of Ling Mountain, countless eyes were fixed on that cloud of Dharma. Zhuang Lin couldn't even tell how many people were there for a moment, let alone the fact that those who could come here to participate in the meeting were no ordinary people.

The righteous aura blocked the Buddha's light. If we were to take it too seriously, this could be considered somewhat unreasonable in the context of Mount Ling. Even Atala felt a tightness in his heart as he watched.

However, the Buddha's demeanor at this moment was very kind, showing no sign of displeasure.

Clearly, the Buddha had no reservations. In fact, he knew that the Confucian Immortal must have noticed something, which was enough to show that the Confucian Immortal was indeed extraordinary. Moreover, it was quite an honor for someone of his stature to attend the Ullambana Festival.

At this moment, Zhuang Lin also restrained some of his righteous aura, keeping it within a ten-foot radius of him. The Dharma Cloud landed in the center of the main venue at the foot of Mount Ling, and Atuo Luo bowed forward.

"Your disciple has successfully delivered the master to his place!"

The Buddha nodded and smiled, then looked at Zhuang Lin and Xi Miao.

Xi Miao had already perfectly transformed into human form, and in the eyes of the Buddha, she seemed to be a person with demonic aura. However, he knew who she was at a glance, and his gaze fell on Zhuang Lin without lingering. The latter's clear eyes showed composure and tranquility.

Few in the world can look at me with such eyes, but the Confucian Immortal is one of them!

The Buddha was certainly aware of the legends about the Confucian immortals, and even tacitly approved of their seemingly unreasonable behavior.

"It is truly an honor for our sacred Lingshan to have you here to participate in the Ullambana Festival, sir. Please come forward and take a seat!"

A slight smile appeared on Zhuang Lin's calm face as he cupped his hands in a respectful bow.

"It is my good fortune that the World Honored One thought of me. Although I do not like such noisy occasions, Master Adhara is learned, wise, and compassionate towards all living beings, which has piqued my interest. If I were not invited, the World Honored One would be displeased, so I will come here as well! After all, one may not see such a grand event many times in one's lifetime."

The Confucian immortal was indeed an extraordinary figure in the world, but his words also revealed a piece of information that people already knew: lifespan.

Because they are too involved in the mundane world, Confucian immortals are often entangled in many affairs, and their lifespan is far shorter than that of ordinary cultivators, often only two or three hundred years.

This is one of the reasons why Confucian immortals are respected. They truly put themselves into the situation and care about the common people. You may say that Confucian immortals are old-fashioned, but in the world, especially in the human world, if there are injustices, you can often seek justice from Confucian immortals. They are really likely to stand up for justice.

Atala was half relieved and half sweating. He was relieved that his teacher hadn't contradicted the Buddha, but sweating because while he was pleased to be praised, why did the Buddha bring up the matter of blame?
Athara looked cautiously at the Buddha, who was smiling.

"Adra"

"The disciple is here!"

"You're so thoughtful. Please, sir, take a seat!"

"Disciple accepts the order!"

Atala was finally relieved. The Buddha's tone, demeanor, and feelings indicated that he would not blame him. He then looked at Zhuang Lin and invited him to take a seat. The latter did not say anything more and took his seat as well.

The Buddha's smile widened; with the arrival of the Confucian immortal, this grand gathering would be even more perfect.

"In that case, having shared in the offering of fruit, I shall also preach the Dharma to you all."

Enjoying the spiritual creatures of Mount Ling while the Buddha preaches is a truly special opportunity and experience.

Meanwhile, many people on Mount Ling also glanced at the location of the Confucian Immortal from time to time. Xi Miao, who had been by his side, naturally attracted a lot of attention. Most of them were learning for the first time that another Confucian Immortal had appeared in the world, and some even had many plans in mind.
The background of the sacred mountain was Buddhist chanting, and many spiritual objects shone like rain. Spiritual objects appeared on various tables and even on some rocks and trees, which excited many people.

Golden lotuses bloom in the lotus pond, and the Buddha's words resonate with Buddhist scriptures, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility as well as a powerful feeling.
The scene at the Ullambana Festival was slightly different from what I had imagined. Although there were many people, it didn't feel noisy or chaotic.

Zhuang Lin listened quietly from his seat. The Buddha's sermon was indeed insightful, and he could benefit from it. Xi Miao, on the other hand, smiled and said.

"Sir, many people are watching you; they probably need something from you later."

Ataluo was also nearby. Hearing this, he nodded slightly, thinking to himself that with the Confucian immortal still alive, many people in the world who felt injustice would have hope again.

Zhuang Lin remained silent, simply listening quietly to the Buddha's sermon. After all, the fifteenth of the seventh month was a time of great yin energy, and the scriptures recited at the Ullambana Festival were related to universal salvation, including content on liberating the souls of the deceased and resolving their resentment.

Zhuang Lin listened intently, not in a hurry to interrupt, calculating the right moment. At the same time, he knew that the Buddha had been watching him all along, and that the omnipresent Buddha light was like a pair of eyes.

When the Buddha descended upon the souls of the deceased, who were struggling to find liberation and needed to be guided by Buddhist teachings, Zhuang Lin, who had remained calm throughout, revealed a slight smile and shook his head slightly.

Sure enough, the Buddha noticed something and looked at Zhuang Lin. If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but this one made the Buddha pay a little attention, and he couldn't help but pause for a moment.

"If everyone in the world were without desires, then all suffering would disappear. What do you think, sir?"

Zhuang Lin looked up at the tall, golden Buddha statue.

“The Buddha’s words are very good. However, even those who are practicing cultivation find it difficult to be without desire. People are immersed in the world, and the world is bustling with people coming and going for profit. If one is without desire, all suffering will disappear. It is good, but it is as good as a dream!”

"Amitabha Buddha, people are foolish, which is why we need to spread the Dharma to guide them towards goodness! The more good one does, the less resentment one will have after death; the Dharma helps those who are guided to preserve their spirit."

Zhuang Lin nodded.

"well said!"

The World Honored One smiled slightly. This Confucian Immortal was not as unkind as rumored. Today, he had a friendly discussion with the Confucian Immortal, which should be considered a good story.

Zhuang Lin then changed the subject and stood up.

"Today's Ullambana Festival is naturally a grand gathering on Mount Ling, but it is also a day of reversal between Yin and Yang, a day for all living beings, especially people, to remember their ancestors. The World-Honored One just gave a sermon that included many words of salvation. Since everyone present is a virtuous person and follows the righteous path of Heaven and Earth..."

As Zhuang Lin spoke, his gaze swept across all directions, looking at the demons and monsters in some corners and even some more obvious places. The words "righteous path" seemed a bit too heavy, causing many people to avoid his gaze.

"May I ask why the fate of heaven and earth is so chaotic, why the common people suffer so much, and why the people are so miserable? Since the righteous path prevails in the world, and since the World Honored One speaks of the Buddha and the gods, and all fellow Daoists guide people toward goodness, then why has it come to this?"

"Is this good deed established for the sake of all living beings, or for yourselves?"

They've started to make trouble! Sure enough, the Confucian Immortal's arrival here couldn't just be for the sake of joining in the fun!
Many people may have had this thought for a long time, and many have been anxious or even looking forward to this moment. And this moment has indeed come. He truly deserves to be called a Confucian sage!
The Buddha's expression turned slightly solemn. Perhaps he had considered the possibility of something similar. Atara felt a cold sweat break out, but dared not utter a sound. He was on pins and needles.
(End of this chapter)