Chapter 359: Chapter 209: Spiraling Out of Control
Chen Kuang did not turn around, but he knew those three demons were likely watching him with a smug expression.
As for what kind of emotions might be in their eyes or eye sockets, Chen Kuang couldn’t say for sure, but they were likely filled with malice.
The demons from the Desire Realm, toward the real world, naturally brim with a desire to possess and destroy.
After this Jie Lan Temple gathering, the Pure Land truly held a seven-day vegetarian banquet, devotees decked in flowers, carrying aromatic fruits, walking streets with songs and laughter, offering mutual blessings.
The monks put down their wooden fish beads, roaming the streets, enjoying this festive banquet.
Everyone wore smiles, doors remained unlocked at night, the Scripture Banner Pagoda surrounded by brilliant lights, incense smoke almost obscuring the sky, seemingly a paradisiacal scene.
Chen Kuang, as the center of the celebration, the returning Buddha’s Son Lion Heart, was pulled to sit on the Golden Lotus Seat supposedly left by the Buddha, touring the entire Pure Land in a magnificent carriage, everywhere he went, the streets emptied, carts brimmed with flowers and fruits.
The spectacle of this veneration was so vast that Chen Kuang thought of the legend of Watching Wei Jie to Death.
If not for constantly recalling those three demons’ ferocious appearances, he too might be deceived by such opulence, indulging in the Pure Land’s transcendent and ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere.
The clearer the image of those demons, Chen Kuang sat in the luxurious carriage, watching through layers of flying veils and scripture flags the people reveling amid incense, his cold sweat intensified.
This was truly a murder in praise...
According to the demons’ plan, betting on human desires, no matter Chen Kuang had other intentions, what then?
Who would be willing to give up such power above thousands, who would forsake such heartfelt acclaim and fervent adoration?
As long as Chen Kuang sat on the Golden Lotus Seat, one command, one thought, he could control life, death, thoughts, this unparalleled and unchecked power was a thousand times more terrifying than the earthly Emperor.
Once a trace of such desire arose, one could only comply, be used by them.
Unfortunately, Chen Kuang’s nature truly differed from others.
Though not loathing power and wealth deeply, he wasn’t much moved by them either, what he desired existed solely between life and death.
In other words, either seeking life in death or seeking death in life.
To some extent, this was indeed an accumulation of past life impediments and Heart Demon left within him.
Yet precisely because of this, desires irresistible to the average person had no effect on Chen Kuang.
The parade took just three days, for the next four, Chen Kuang remained in Jie Lan Temple, discussing Zen with Pure Land monks who came in admiration.
Though he had no study in Buddhist teachings, within the Karma Fire Red Lotus lay Lion Heart’s past thoughts.
Thus even when conversing with eminent monks, Chen Kuang never showed fear.
Occasionally he even used some sophistry from past life studies to prevail.
During these seven days, by intertwining some Celestial Demon discussions during debates, Chen Kuang had confirmed once those demons left the Zen Room, their sensory ability was nearly null, Divine Sense trapped within bodies unable to extend.
Otherwise they wouldn’t have allowed Chen Kuang to secretly warn.
Thinking carefully, if these three Saints could act as they wished, what use would there be for Chen Kuang, Pure Land would have been destroyed long ago.
However, Chen Kuang also discovered among monks there were insiders allied with those demons, unclear if they were also occupying bodies as "demons."
But what puzzled Chen Kuang most was the Bodhi Tree in front of his Zen Room.
Returning to his room on the day of the gathering, he found something unusual—
Beneath the Bodhi Tree were drops of fresh blood.
Additionally, fresh, belonging to human blood.
Chen Kuang’s heart sank, deducing the appearance of the blood likely was last night.
Yet he hadn’t sensed someone near his room at the time... thus only one possibility remained.
This Bodhi Tree, there’s a serious issue!
Still, no matter how Chen Kuang attempted communication with the Bodhi Tree, it would only repeat "You’re back."
For others coming to the Bodhi Tree for enlightenment, there weren’t any issues.
Chen Kuang gradually grew acquainted with Xiuxin, mentioning the Bodhi Tree, the latter hadn’t noticed anything unusual, even once pondered below the Bodhi Tree.
Chen Kuang even considered dissecting the Bodhi Tree for inspection, yet being the Pure Land’s Sacred Tree, as Buddha’s Son, cutting the tree without reason might incite pursuit.
But the idea didn’t vanish.
Rather it evolved into a more refined plan.
Chen Kuang sought Xiuzhu for a discussion, the next day held a Zen debate themed "Cultivating the Heart."
Chen Kuang believed only through experiencing worldly affairs could one cleanse the heart, Xiuzhu believed if thoughts are already clear as a mirror, external aid becomes unnecessary, the two staunchly maintained opposing views, leaving in discord.
The monks who heard this debate also divided into two factions, argued for days, never reaching a conclusion.
...
After seven days, the Pure Land returned to normal, but when Chen Kuang walked the streets, he could clearly feel whether devotees or monks carried a lingering sense of indulgence.
And the once accustomed rules and precepts suddenly became shackles, constraining them.
In the next month, the situation began to worsen.
Desires long suppressed finally unleashed, three days could still settle, seven days started to become irrecoverable.
Many devotees began organizing processional banquets in good faith to host monks, whereas monks meant to uphold self-restraint, forbidding indulgence, now many chose acceptance.
One led to a second, a third... such incidents grew common, eventually some temples outright dropped constraints.
Banquet sizes kept growing larger, for organizational needs, originally residing on the outskirts of Pure Land, secular disciples and devotees began moving inward, mingling among temples.
Simultaneously.
The number of monks breaking precepts kept increasing... initially unnoticed, until the host of Jie Lan Temple conducted a tally, realized this month astonishingly surged hundreds of times!
This doesn’t mean many broke precepts.
Previously precept-breaking counts were practically single digits, generally zero.
Even multiplied hundreds of times meant just hundreds, compared to tens of thousands of Pure Land’s Buddhist Disciples, this number was negligible.
But such phenomena must not be ignored.
Jie Lan Temple’s host, Dharma name Hui Jue, likewise holds Profound Profound Realm, an advanced monk in state.
Hui Jue keenly perceived the severity, understood connection to the seven-day vegetarian banquet, yet the banquet was proposed by three Great Zen Masters, at the time all present approved...
He wanted to voice it poorly, yet couldn’t.
Wouldn’t this equate to scolding the Great Zen Masters to their faces?
But such matters couldn’t be left unchecked.
Hui Jue thus went to find Xiuxin, Xiuxin likewise anxious, furrowed his brow saying:
"I knew there’d be something like this... thus wanted to question Chen Kuang to impede the three Great Zen Masters, but now his position steadfast, I acknowledged him as Lion Heart senior brother, it’s unfeasible."
Hui Jue’s heart startled.
What Xiuxin said meant he hadn’t truly doubted Chen Kuang back then, he was questioning the three Great Zen Masters!
That’s a genuine rebellion...
But within his heart, Hui Jue felt similar displeasure towards the Great Zen Masters’ arrangement.
"Lion Heart senior brother must stand by the Great Zen Masters, currently only Xiuzhu can unite with."
Xiuxin considered for a moment, promptly decided:
"Find him, tomorrow we’ll advise the Great Zen Masters together!"
