I became a prince in a martial arts world.

Chapter 93 Scolding the Great Vajra Temple

"Daijō-ji Temple?" The group looked at each other in bewilderment.

Although the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion and the Great Vajra Temple were neighbors, their relationship was actually not good, because the Great Vajra Temple was not a pure martial arts sect, and its land and wealth far exceeded that of ordinary martial arts sects.

Compared to the Taihua Sect, which is also located in Hexi Road, the Taihua Sect only has some farms at the foot of the mountain and some shops run by outer disciples in the surrounding towns. The rest of them rely on the support of small forces within their radius of influence to support the hundred or so disciples on the mountain.

The Great Vajra Temple, on the other hand, not only maintained good relations with the government, but also owned land and estates throughout Daxing Prefecture, and its business in towns far surpassed that of the Taihua Sect.

For this reason, the Great Vajra Temple has nearly a thousand monks and countless masters. In name, it stands alongside the Taihua Sect as one of the two major orthodox sects in Hexi Road, but in reality, its overall strength far surpasses that of the Taihua Sect.

Qianqian looked at Wang Yu with a teasing look in her eyes.

Wang Yu understood the meaning in her eyes; she was teasing him for stealing the Snow Lotus Jade Marrow Pill from Baolun Temple, and now the Great Vajra Temple was coming to cause trouble.

However, before Wang Yu could reply, Li Yunxiu spoke first, "Although my husband was forceful that day, what he said did make some sense. If the Great Vajra Temple doesn't even have this much magnanimity, then the rumors of them supporting bandits to enhance their own prestige are not a good thing to say."

Zhao Rong asked, "Who is it that has come?"

The doorman replied, "The other party claims to have the Buddhist name Zongjian."

Zhao Rong narrowed his eyes and said to Wang Yu, "Abbot Zongjian is the head of the Sumeru Courtyard of the Great Vajra Temple. I'll go and greet him."

Sumeru Courtyard was the main courtyard of Dajingang Temple, where it handled land and shops and interacted with its own worshippers and outer disciples. Outsiders didn't have much contact with it, but as a neighbor, Zhao Rong knew about it.

The Great Vajra Temple has nearly a thousand monks and is divided into many halls and courtyards, such as the Discipline Hall, the Maha Hall, and the Arhat Hall. Ordinary martial artists have more contact with the Guest Hall, because whether it is paying homage to the mountain or challenging others, it is the Guest Hall that deals with these martial artists.

However, in any case, as long as one is the head of an academy, he must be a master of innate skill.

Wang Yu nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Rong."

Although Zong Jian was a master of the innate realm and the head of the Sumeru Courtyard of the Great Vajra Temple, he was not the abbot of the Great Vajra Temple after all. In terms of status, he was equivalent to the steward of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion, so it was enough for Zhao Rong to go and greet him.

Everyone put down their chopsticks and waited in the reception hall for a while. Suddenly, they heard a commotion coming from the front hall, followed by the whistles of the Prince's guards and the shouts of other strangers.

"What's going on?"

"They actually made a move?"

Wei Gutong and Yan Ziyu were the fastest, disappearing from the reception hall in the blink of an eye.

-

Wang Yu and the others immediately got up and quickly passed through the back hall to the front hall. They saw dozens of imperial guards blocking the entrance of the main hall, swords drawn and daggers drawn, looking menacing.

Inside the main hall, Zhao Shan, Zhao He, and several other skilled guards stood behind Zhao Rong. Opposite them were five or six middle-aged monks in robes, led by an old monk with gray hair and beard, who was fighting with Zhao Rong.

Zhao Rong raised his palm to form a blade. Although he did not have a steel blade in his hand, each chop brought forth a howling wind and a heat wave. The sharp aura pressed down on the surrounding curtains, making it seem as if a ball of fire was burning and scorching winds were rising.

The old monk opposite him was equally stern, with a solemn face and his feet neither too far apart nor too far apart. He rarely moved, using stillness to control movement. His palms struck out like diamonds drilling mountains, with powerful force that made Zhao Rong's clothes flutter.

Even so, the old monk did not dare to use his palms to withstand Zhao Rong's hand strike.

"The Great Vajra Palm technique is nothing special!" Zhao Rong sneered, slashing diagonally with his hand.

The old monk's ears twitched, and he shifted his palms, using the edge of his left palm to receive Zhao Rong's knife strike first, using the momentum to deflect the force. Then, he used the edge of his right palm to clash head-on with Zhao Rong, retreating a foot.

"Amitabha, benefactor's Fiery Cloud Blade Technique is indeed exquisite, but the scorching flames consume too much energy, and the higher one's skill level, the harder it is to maintain self-control." Zong Jian exhaled a breath of scorching heat and put his palms together as he spoke.

Zhao Rong didn't move an inch, but just snorted coldly, "My Zhenxi Prince's Mansion doesn't need monks to worry about it. You should worry about your own affairs."

A monk behind Zong Jian shouted, "We're here for our own business! Who cares if the martial arts of the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion will shorten lifespan!"

Zhao Rong glanced at the monk, then raised his hand and slashed out with his sword.

With a surge of energy, Zongjian flashed in front of the monk and shattered the energy with a powerful Vajra Palm. "Amitabha, Manager Zhao, why bother arguing with a junior?"

Zhao Rong snorted, "When did a high-ranking monk of the Hong generation become a junior?"

Zong Jian bowed respectfully, then looked at the screen behind the hall, saying, "I wonder when two more experts have joined the Prince's residence? Please show yourselves."

Wei Gutong and Yan Ziyu walked out hand in hand, cupped their hands and said, "Greetings, Master Zongjian."

Zong Jian suddenly realized, "So it's the Gu Tong Zi Yu Xian couple. This old monk didn't know that the Xian couple had a past connection with the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion."

Wei Gutong smiled slightly, not replying, but simply asking, "Master, you've come to the Prince's residence, surely you have something to discuss, but I wonder why you and Brother Zhao started fighting?"

"Because the Prince's Palace has abducted many tenant farmers from the temple's property, this old monk has come to discuss with you and request that the Prince's Palace send them back."

Zong Jian clasped his hands together and said, "Unfortunately, despite my kind advice, Steward Zhao simply refused. If you and your wife are acquainted with the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion, you might as well try to persuade Steward Zhao, so as to avoid damaging the harmony between the two families."

Before Zhao Rong could speak, Zhao Yingjie scoffed, "What do you mean by 'cheat'? Our announcement clearly states that for every farmer willing to work at the Wangfu Farm, we will provide housing, clothing, food, seeds, and farm tools. Farmers come voluntarily, and we will only charge 50% of their grain yield each season, with no other miscellaneous taxes. We honor our promise. May I ask, Master, where is the 'cheat'?"

The monk who had just interrupted angrily retorted, "Those are all farmers from the temple!"

Zhao Yingjie rolled her eyes at him. "Did he sign a contract of servitude?"

The monk fell silent, only managing to argue, "They have been renting land from the temple, and they still owe the temple a lot of money."

Zhao Yingjie chuckled and said, "Aren't monks supposed to be compassionate? Why are they involved in loan sharking?"

"you!"

"Amitabha!" Zongjian interrupted the monk, "Hongyue, shut up!"

After Hongyue stopped speaking, Zongjian turned to the rear of the palace and said, "Greetings to the Prince of Zhenxi."

Wang Yu emerged from behind the hall, chuckling, "I was wondering what wind had blown the eminent monks of the Great Vajra Temple here; turns out it's just that no one's tending their own fields?"

The Hexi region is located in the northwest, with a vast but sparsely populated area, unlike the prosperous Central Plains and Jiangnan.

The Dajingang Temple was located in a good area of ​​Daxing Prefecture, but the departure of many tenant farmers made it impossible for the temple's fields to be planted in the spring. So, before the New Year was even over, they came to the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion to demand people.

Zong Jian lowered his eyebrows and said calmly, "Those tenant farmers are all virtuous guests under the Buddha's seat, who have listened to the Dharma for many years. However, they have not yet severed their worldly desires and have gone astray. I beg the Prince of Zhenxi to release them. This old monk is willing to pray for Your Highness before the Buddha, that the Northwest may be peaceful and that you may live a long and healthy life."

Wang Yu laughed heartily and asked Zhao Yingjie, "How much is the rent for the land rented by those tenant farmers at Dajingang Temple?"

Zhao Yingjie sneered, "The Great Vajra Temple is merciful and only accepts 70% of the grain, but they still have to bear the land tax and labor tax themselves. At the end of the year, they have very little left."

""

“That property originally belonged to the temple. They grow grain and are able to make a living; that is already a sign of the Buddha’s compassion,” Hongyue argued. “Moreover, in times of famine, the temple also provides porridge and loans to save lives and prevent people from becoming homeless. How can that not be considered compassion?”

Zhao Yingjie was speechless after being retorted. He looked at Wang Yu and said, "If this is considered compassion, then can we all become Buddhas?"

Wang Yu laughed and scolded, "If you want to become a Buddha, go ahead. I still have two beautiful queens, so I'm not going to become a monk."

The two joked and teased each other, completely ignoring Hongyue's response.

Seeing Hongyue's face flush red and on the verge of losing his temper, Zongjian said in a deep voice, "Does Your Highness mean it's not going to be allowed? Aren't you afraid of a poor harvest of Buddhist grain and the Buddha's wrath?"

Wang Yu's face also darkened. "Old bald monk, have you gotten so used to dealing with ordinary people that you've forgotten your place? How dare you come to the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion to demand someone? Did Buddha give you this courage?"

Zong Jian suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with a cold light, and Wang Yu even felt a slight stinging pain in his eyes.

But he quickly regained his composure, pointing his finger and shouting, "I'm too lazy to argue with you anymore. Since you don't have any indentures, go back to where you came from. As for the money I owe you, come and collect it with your IOUs, and I'll pay it back for you!"

"As for the people—" Wang Yu sneered, "None of you will be going back!"

"Buddha is punishing us?" Wang Yu looked at Zong Jian and said in a sinister tone, "How many masters does Buddha have—Tiger Warriors? You bring Buddha down, and I'll have my 50,000 warriors fight him one-on-one!"

But if anyone dares to use the Buddha's name to secretly disrupt the Northwest, I wouldn't mind sending troops to quell the rebellion on behalf of the court. After all, the world is engulfed in war, and I'm acting expediently out of necessity. As long as I don't enter the capital region, it should be justifiable, right?

Wang Yu kept referring to himself as "I" and forgot the proper etiquette of referring to himself as "this king" in formal settings, which shows that he had a volatile temper.

Zong Jian's eyes flashed with a cold light, as if he wanted to kill Wang Yu with a single blow.

In fact, Wang Yu was right. As the head of the Sumeru Academy, Zong Jian usually dealt with the younger disciples in the academy, as well as the managers and stewards of the estates and shops outside.

These people who were superior to others outside had to be cautious, trembling, and humble in front of him. Over time, Zong Jian did become a little arrogant.

Moreover, with Zhao Zheng dead, the new Prince of Zhenxi was a spoiled brat, and only Zhao Rong was there to hold his own. Compared to the countless innate masters in the Great Vajra Temple, they were simply not on the same level.

Martial arts masters are accustomed to fighting in the martial arts world and subconsciously tend to underestimate the power of the army. This is because the army cannot be mobilized lightly, as it is costly in terms of money and supplies, and once a fight breaks out, it can easily lead to a life-or-death feud.

Even though Zhao Zheng was rampant in the Northwest and had many conflicts with the Great Vajra Temple, he never used his troops. At most, he would bring a few guards from the Prince's Palace with him.

Because fights in the martial arts world can be stopped when the point is reached, especially among experts or powerful forces. As long as no one dies, it's just a matter of who loses and who gains, without the crisis of a sect being wiped out or an entire family being destroyed.

That's why Hongzhao dared to keep Wang Yu or Wang Bin in custody. Under these circumstances, they could only accept their fate and couldn't possibly mobilize a large army for this matter. Otherwise, if the Great Vajra Temple retaliated, it wouldn't just be a matter of house arrest.

Because once the conflict breaks out, the massive army can certainly wipe out the lower and middle levels of these forces and sever their foundations, but it cannot touch the top experts. And if the top experts assassinate and retaliate, one's entire family is likely to be wiped out.

Commonly known as: mutual destruction.

Therefore, as long as there is no complete breakdown in the competition, the one with the stronger skills will generally have the advantage. In daily affairs, the Great Vajra Temple actually has the upper hand when facing the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion.

This time is no different; it's just a matter of tenant farmers. Zong Jian doesn't think such a trivial matter would cause the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion to directly mobilize a large army. At most, it would just be a conflict between martial arts practitioners.

In the struggles of the martial world, without Zhao Zheng, a master of innate cultivation, how could the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion be a match for the Great Vajra Temple?

Moreover, they were in the right; it was indeed the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion that had abducted all the tenants of their Great Vajra Temple.

So Zongjian didn't even greet his own abbot before bringing several disciples from the Sumeru Courtyard to demand the person back. As a result, firstly, he couldn't defeat Zhao Rong, and secondly, he was even scolded by Wang Yu!

Zong Jian was furious. When had he ever been so disrespected and talked back to, or even insulted to his face?

But he was, after all, someone who could cultivate to the Innate Realm, so he was at least not a fool.

Wang Yu pointed and cursed, and although the curses were harsh, they did wake him up.

Wang Yu is not Zhao Zheng. He is a spoiled second-generation rich kid who was already famous in the capital. He is eccentric, arrogant and domineering, and fearless because of Zhao Zheng's influence.

Although Zhao Zheng is no longer alive, he has returned to the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion and is now in charge of an army of 50,000.

If Wang Yu goes mad and his 50,000-strong army wreaks havoc, the Great Vajra Temple really won't be able to withstand it!

As for whether he would go crazy over such a trivial matter, Zongjian really wasn't sure.

If Wang Yu were to raise an army of 50,000 and perish together with the Great Vajra Temple, he truly couldn't bear that responsibility.

Even if the 50,000-strong army couldn't defeat the experts of the Great Vajra Temple, these experts could still send Wang Yu's entire family to meet Buddha afterward. However, the territory under the jurisdiction of the Great Vajra Temple would inevitably be thoroughly searched by the 50,000-strong army of the Prince of Zhenxi.

In this way, the lower and middle levels of the Great Vajra Temple will definitely suffer heavy losses, leaving only a few experts to start over. It is not impossible for the Great Vajra Temple to fall into the ranks of the two major Buddhist sects, which is really not worth it.

But what can you do when the Great Vajra Temple and the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion are neighbors? Being so close has its downsides.

If they weren't neighbors, Zong Jian could have killed Wang Yu with a single blow. But how should I put it, if they weren't neighbors, they probably wouldn't have had this conflict.

Zong Jian stared at Wang Yu, stroking his beard without saying a word.

Damn it, everyone else is wearing shoes, but Wang Yu's personality makes him look like he's barefoot!

Wang Yu glared at Zong Jian, raising his eyebrows in a defiant manner, "I've heard that the Great Vajra Temple has nearly a thousand monks, and I happen to have thirty thousand troops in the rear. How about we have a fight? Whoever wins takes those tenants away?"

For the sake of some tenant farmers, a regional prince and a powerful clan are completely embroiled in a war?

Zong Jian's lips twitched. He wasn't going to go crazy with him, so he bowed to Wang Yu and the others, then turned and left without saying a single harsh word.

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