Gentlemen, it's time to enter the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.

Chapter 60 What if another Buddhist sect is established?

Chen Ye was startled when he heard the monk Fang Yuan say that he wanted him to be the abbot of Cixin Temple.

I don't know if the old monk was joking or serious.

Chen Ye dared not accept this and quickly shook his head, saying, "Master, please don't joke. I can't abide by the rules and regulations. It's impossible for you to make me chant scriptures and eat vegetarian food."

“Vegetarianism? Cixin Temple only prohibits killing, so there is no need to be vegetarian. I love meat the most in my life, but I rarely get to eat meat because I have to consider the mood of the donors when I go for alms.”

Chen Ye couldn't help but laugh and said, "Not seeing the killing, not hearing the killing, not being killed for me, Master, you ate the three kinds of pure meat, right?"

Upon hearing this, Monk Fangyuan's eyes lit up immediately: "That's right, that's exactly it, but no one has ever described it so accurately. Thank you, benefactor. My Cixin Temple now has another written rule: meat that is not pure is forbidden to eat. Benefactor, you do indeed know many lost secrets of Buddhism. But if I may be so bold as to ask, how did you come to know this?"

Chen Ye naturally didn't explain, and directly changed the subject: "Master, just assume I knew this from birth. Let's get back to the original topic. Besides this Qi Sea Realm secret technique, I also need to exchange some things with Cixin Temple. Don't worry, I won't empty your treasure trove."

“Amitabha, please speak, benefactor.”

Chen Ye said, "I want a technique for escaping, a protective divine ability or a magical artifact that can protect me, some materials for refining weapons, pills for cultivation, and all the books related to divination from Cixin Temple."

Chen Ye spoke at length, but Monk Fang Yuan didn't pay any attention. He only spoke up to remind him after hearing the last sentence: "Divination? Please forgive my bluntness, but for a cultivator at the Qi Sea Realm to want to learn divination is really a bit too ambitious."

Chen Ye confidently replied, "Master, rest assured, I have my own plans."

Seeing Chen Ye's determination, Master Fangyuan readily agreed: "Alright, this humble monk agrees. However, half of the Heart Sutra is not enough."

Chen Ye smiled and said, "Is the Heart Sutra enough? How about adding the Diamond Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, and the Agamas?"

Master Fangyuan's expression changed drastically, and he uttered "Amitabha" three times in a row before calming down.

“Benefactor Chen, you have almost broken this humble monk’s Buddhist heart. These Buddhist scriptures are not something you made up.”

"Heaven and earth bear witness, this is by no means a fabrication. However, I still have to say something. So-called Buddhist scriptures are nothing more than the thoughts and ideas of our predecessors. It is better to have no books than to believe everything in them. Masters can study them, but don't become obsessed with them."

Chen Ye's words prompted the monk Fang Yuan to chant Amitabha Buddha's name again.

"Your wisdom is truly exceptional; are you not prepared to become a monk?"

Chen Ye: ...

"What a pity."

Monk Fangyuan murmured his regret, then reached out and grabbed something beside him.

A huge rock, half a meter high, was dug out of thin air and flew into the palm of the monk Fangyuan.

Layers of gold were applied to it, and the massive boulder, weighing thousands of pounds, rapidly shrank until it was reduced to a piece of topaz the size of a fingertip.

This ability to turn stone into jade astonished both Chen Ye and Su Chunyi. Was this the Returning to the Void Realm? The skill of turning decay into wonder was truly like that of an immortal.

The monk Fangyuan chanted incantations, and countless golden rays transformed into runes, falling into the yellow jade.

After a long while, Monk Fangyuan handed the yellow jade to Chen Ye.

"This humble monk didn't carry any scriptures with me, so I'll just have to write it down for you from memory. I don't know anything about divination, but once I return to the temple, I'll copy it from the scriptures and bring it to you along with the ingredients for the elixir. However, the protective supernatural power you requested is truly a challenge for this humble monk. Your cultivation level is too low; I really can't think of any protective supernatural power suitable for you." Hearing Monk Fang Yuan mention this, Chen Ye suddenly remembered the Opening Zen supernatural power he had previously obtained. The Nirvana Sect and Cixin Temple share the same lineage; he wondered if Cixin Temple possessed any similar supernatural secrets or techniques?
"Master, have you ever heard of the supernatural power of 'Opening Zen'?" Chen Ye asked.

Upon hearing this, Monk Fangyuan nodded and said, "Of course I know. The Nirvana Sect and Cixin Temple each have similar lineages, but... those who are not Buddhist disciples probably cannot use them."

"Because this supernatural power is essentially borrowing power from the Buddha, if a non-Buddhist disciple were to practice it, they might be punished by the Buddha. Master, am I right?"

The monk Fangyuan put his hands together and said devoutly, "Amitabha, it is good that you know."

"Actually, I'd like to ask if Cixin Temple and Nirvana Temple enshrine the same Buddha?"

Monk Fangyuan shook his head and said, "No, the evil Buddha worshipped by the Nirvana Sect will not save all living beings, but will only slaughter them. The Buddha worshipped by Cixin Temple is the one who is compassionate."

Chen Ye then asked, "Then I would like to ask, where did the Buddha enshrined in Cixin Temple come from, when did it come from, and why was it created? As far as I know, Cixin Temple has only been around for a few hundred years, so the Buddha you enshrine is only a few hundred years old, right?"

Upon hearing this, Monk Fangyuan was startled and hurriedly asked, "Benefactor, do you intend to create a Buddha statue yourself?"

Chen Ye countered, "Why not?"

"This……"

Monk Fangyuan initially wanted to say that this was blasphemous to the Buddha, but then he thought, didn't Cixin Temple also reject evil Buddhism and establish its own Buddha? This young man before him also knew many lost Buddhist scriptures; who knew if it was fate that he was destined to let Buddhism flourish?

Monk Fangyuan greatly admired Chen Ye's character; few could uphold their beliefs even in the face of death. If he were to establish a separate Buddhist sect, it might not be a bad thing.

“I cannot answer your question. I will go back and ask my senior brother, the abbot, before I answer it. As long as you carry this yellow jade with you, I will be able to find you.”

"Thank you, Master. I will write down the scriptures for you right away."

Chen Ye carefully put away the yellow jade, then took out a brush and ink from his storage bag and began to write it down from memory. After working for a long time, he presented a thick scroll of scriptures.

The monk Fangyuan carefully put it away without even glancing at it.

Neither of them mentioned any further details, such as when Chen Yemo had written several scriptures or when the elixirs and books owed to Cixin Temple would be delivered.

But both of them knew what was going on.

One was a highly virtuous monk, and the other was a humble gentleman. They interacted with sincerity and did not need any written agreement.

"This humble monk must hurry back to the temple now, and you two should also leave this place as soon as possible. Last night, this humble monk repelled the triple Dharma form of Monk Yunxin of the Nirvana Sect. Although that palm strike is enough for him to recuperate for a hundred years, the Nirvana Sect may still send someone again. If needed, this humble monk can also escort you two."

Su Chunyi, who had been listening attentively, finally spoke up: "Master, you can escort the gentleman. My injuries have already healed."

“That’s right. The sword control techniques of the Qinghe Sword Sect are unparalleled in the world. Ordinary cultivators really can’t keep up.” Monk Fangyuan then turned to Chen Ye and asked, “Benefactor Chen, where are you planning to go this time?”

Chen Ye replied, "I need to go back along the way first to find my lost magic weapon, and then... since I am a rogue cultivator, I should naturally roam the world. Perhaps I should find a remote place to cultivate in seclusion."

Upon hearing this, Monk Fangyuan suggested, "If that's the case, then I recommend that you go to Baihai Valley. It's not far from Cixin Temple, so you can look out for each other. Besides, Baihai Valley especially welcomes independent cultivators to join."

(End of this chapter)