Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Before long, several hundred monks had arrived. In the middle stood an old monk with snow-white eyebrows and white temples, wearing a light gray robe. When they saw Daoji wearing a golden robe embroidered with golden flowers, his unique temperament was unmatched among the monks.

Fahai couldn't help but think to himself, "What a flamboyant monk!" He then put his palms together and said, "Amitabha! This humble monk Fahai greets you."

Upon seeing Fahai arrive, Li Xiuyuan smiled slightly, clasped his hands in return, and said, "This humble monk is Daoji. Let us monks explain the Buddha's meaning."

As they spoke, their eyes met briefly before they quickly sat down on the prayer mats.

The two sat on the throne, behind them a towering Buddha phantom, its outline barely visible but its form indistinct. The Buddha's hands were clasped together, its body surrounded by golden scriptures, its gaze serene and compassionate as it looked at the black and white Buddha sitting cross-legged in front of it.

One black and one white, twin Buddha statues, several meters apart, both gazing silently at each other.

"The body is like a Bodhi tree, the mind like a clear mirror; constantly wipe it clean, lest it be covered with dust..."

Golden clouds appeared all around, and from within the clouds, a clear and proud voice rang out. When everyone looked up, they saw the illusion that had appeared in the clouds.

Li Xiuyuan, dressed in a monk's robe, seemed to radiate golden light. His exceptionally handsome chanting filled the Great Buddha Hall. Heavenly flowers seemed to fall from the sky, and the ethereal music made the monks bow their heads in gratitude for his teachings of Buddhism...

Not to be outdone, Fahai displayed his skills, unfurling the image of the Great Sun Tathagata on his back. Unfortunately, the method he practiced was to contemplate the original image of the Tathagata Buddha. No matter what kind of strange phenomena he observed, they were far inferior to Li Xiuyuan's contemplation of his own future Buddha.

Fahai said calmly, "I have a request that can explain the meaning of Buddhism!"

He paused and recited: "Bodhi has no tree, the bright mirror is not a stand; originally there is nothing, where can dust alight!"

Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "Zen Master Fahai, this humble monk disagrees. Cultivating Buddhism is cultivating oneself, like climbing a mountain step by step. If you only describe the scenery at the top of the mountain but do not point out the path, how can you lead people up the mountain and ultimately attain Buddhahood? This is seeking the result while neglecting the cause, which I do not agree with..."

"The mountaintop is empty, all things are empty, even Buddha is empty, so why bother with cultivation? One moment of enlightenment, and you will be free!"

Li Xiuyuan pointed at the sea: "All living beings seek truth and spirituality, which is the reality of the world. You say that everything is empty, then aren't these fish and shrimp real?"

Are all things in this vast ocean not real? Ten thousand years later, the ocean will turn into mulberry fields, undergoing endless changes, and there is a reason for this. Our Buddha sits in the void, showing compassion to the world.

Chapter 156 Debating Buddhism and Taoism

Are all things in this vast ocean not real? Ten thousand years later, the ocean will turn into mulberry fields, undergoing endless changes, and there is a reason for this. Our Buddha sits in the void, showing compassion to the world.

Throughout the ages, a single thought arises and vanishes. If the ultimate attainment of Buddhahood loses itself, how can one perceive this true reality?

"The mysteries of heaven and earth are governed by cause and effect, and by the laws of the universe. They cycle and return. What does it matter if all things change, or if the world changes from sea to land? If you see it, it exists; if you don't see it, it doesn't exist. When annihilation comes, all things are empty. So why should people go to see its true nature?"

The scenes were constantly changing, and various strange phenomena kept appearing in the hall. The two monks debated repeatedly on the mountain, in the sea, in the mortal world, on the battlefield, and beyond the heavens.

Li Xiuyuan refuted Fahai time and time again. However, this old monk was indeed formidable. Even though he had obtained the memories of Jianglong, he dared not say that he was stronger than the other party in terms of Buddhist and Taoist attainments.

Fahai pressed further, asking, "What is Buddha?"

Li Xiuyuan clasped his hands together, pondered for a long time, and said, "I am Buddha!"

Fahai's eyes gleamed, and his voice seemed to carry an air of authority: "Who am I?"

Li Xiuyuan answered with a focused mind: "The mind is me!"

Fahai pressed on, asking again, "And where is the heart?"

Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "The heart is persistent!"

Fahai seemed to be angry, his voice carrying a chill: "You wicked child, are you trying to say that Buddha is attached?"

Li Xiuyuan, however, did not take it to heart and calmly replied, "Without attachment, how can one endure countless tribulations and attain enlightenment?"

The two monks exchanged questions and answers very quickly, and in the blink of an eye, they had asked more than a dozen questions. The monks below were completely captivated by what they heard.

After a long while, ten rays of Buddhist light flashed behind Li Xiuyuan, as dazzling as the sun. Buddhist chants and hymns faintly rang out around him. His golden monk's robe was so clean that it seemed it would never be stained with a speck of dust, and his appearance was exceptionally handsome.

With a solemn and dignified appearance, as he stood up, a faint rumbling sound came from the void above his head, and the phantom of a great Buddha appeared and disappeared...

The Buddha's light shone brightly, the sacred chants descended from the heavens, and all demons fled in terror...

Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "Amitabha! You have lost."

At this moment, Fahai's expression faltered, as if he were struggling slightly. At this time, his Buddhist heart was not firm, unlike Li Xiuyuan, who cultivated by observing his future Buddha, and thus had a clearer understanding of his own actions under certain circumstances.

It can be said that Li Xiuyuan is the Buddha, while Fahai, even after years of cultivation, is still no match for Li Xiuyuan, as his Buddhist heart is not firm.

Fahai sighed slightly, seemingly a little unwilling, and said, "Amitabha! This humble monk has learned much."

As he spoke, he clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully to Li Xiuyuan.

The monks were listening with rapt attention when Fahai suddenly lost, unable to understand a word the two men were saying.

Li Xiuyuan replied calmly, "Amitabha!"

Subsequently, at Fahai's signal, the monks in the main hall gradually withdrew.

Li Xiuyuan knew in his heart that the primary task of this Buddhist conference had probably been accomplished, and that he had written a legend as a victor.

The hundreds of monks at Jinshan Temple were quite surprised to hear that Fahai had been defeated for the first time. As can be seen from the original text, Fahai was a very stubborn person, and it was by no means easy to make him lose a debate.

However, Li Xiuyuan actually defeated him in Buddhism and Taoism, which is truly not to be underestimated. After everyone had left, he took another closer look. The old monk was dressed neatly, with snow-white eyebrows and white temples.

Ah!

Li Xiuyuan thought to himself, if he was right, Fahai should be from "The Legend of the White Snake", and that version was played by Zhao Yazhi, otherwise the monk wouldn't look so old.

Afterwards, the group finished discussing Buddhism, and someone brought them tea. Clearly, Fahai had some understanding of Li Xiuyuan's abilities and knew he was no ordinary person.

As for ordinary tea, there's no need to drink it. What's being served this time is actually a thousand-year-old tea plantation from Wuyi Mountain. If ordinary people drink it, it might even harm their health.

Li Xiuyuan looked at Fahai. This person's cultivation level was at the Earth Immortal level, not much weaker than his own. Then Bai Suzhen was also an Earth Immortal. Moreover, because Fahai had many treasures, he was definitely much stronger than the White Snake. He wondered where she was now.

And then there's Xiaoqing. Ten years have passed in a flash. She's sitting as the Mountain King in West Lake. It's time to go and see her.

In Li Xiuyuan's mind, now that he had arrived at Jinshan Temple, he should also get involved in the plot of the White Snake. After all, Xiaoqing was his maid, so how could he let Fahai make things difficult for her?

The two of them, after finishing their Buddhist sermon in the main hall, began to talk about all sorts of things.

Looking at the stubborn Fahai, Li Xiuyuan thought of someone: Jin Chanzi. It seemed that even the golden bowl in his hand was a magic weapon of the Buddha.

Meanwhile, the grand Buddhist plan is slowly unfolding. Jin Chanzi was banished to the mortal realm for arguing with the Buddha.

In reality, it's just that Jin Chanzi is reincarnated a hundred times in the mortal world before going to the Western Paradise to retrieve the scriptures. Even the demon lord Sun Wukong hasn't been born yet, so his reincarnation has probably only just begun!

As for why Li Xiuyuan knew this, it was a deduction he made based on his memories from later generations and the memories passed down in Subduing the Dragon. Moreover, Fahai's appearance was indeed very similar to that of Jin Chanzi.

After all, when Jianglong was at Mount Ling, his status was by no means much lower than that of Jin Chanzi, being the leader of the Eighteen Arhats. Moreover, the two had met many times, and his amazing performance in defeating Fahai in the debate on Buddhism was entirely understandable.

In everyone's eyes, Li Xiuyuan had awakened his past life memories, while Jin Chanzi was still in the cycle of reincarnation and naturally did not know his true identity.

After a long while, it got dark. The three of them stayed in a meditation room at Jinshan Temple under Fahai's arrangement. It must be said that Jinshan Temple has been passed down for many years and is indeed much better than Lingyin Temple.

Chapter 157 The Beginning of the White Snake

No wonder the old monk sent Li Xiuyuan after Fahai sent an invitation. However, Li Xiuyuan was confident that he could develop Lingyin Temple into a larger temple than Jinshan Temple within thirty years.

Afterwards, the group stayed at Jinshan Temple for half a month. When Li Xiuyuan saw that it was about time, he prepared to bid farewell to Fahai.

Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "Amitabha! I am very grateful for the hospitality of Zen Master Fahai these days. However, there are still matters to attend to at Lingyin Temple, and it is time for this humble monk to return."

With that, he clasped his hands together, indicating that he was taking his leave.

Upon hearing this, Fahai said gently, "Amitabha! Master Daoji, why don't you stay at Jinshan Temple for a while longer? This humble monk has many questions I would like to ask you!"

As he spoke, he felt a little reluctant, but of course, it wasn't because the two of them were gay.

Rather, Li Xiuyuan possessed the memories of Jianglong, making him far superior to Fahai in cultivation. Over the past few days, he had repeatedly sought his guidance.

Li Xiuyuan was already fed up with him, and with the Qingming Festival approaching, the plot of "The Legend of the White Snake" was about to begin, so how could he miss it!

Otherwise, if Xu Xian had taken the peach, wouldn't Li Xiuyuan have been filled with regret? Bai Suzhen! In mythology, she is one of the most perfect women, and even Xiaoqing is just a maidservant by her side.

Now that he had run into Li Xiuyuan, how could he possibly let him go?

Upon hearing this, Fahai said bitterly, "In that case, let this humble monk escort the master down!"

As he spoke, although he was reluctant, he naturally wouldn't force the other party since they had already made their decision.

To be fair, Fahai in "The Legend of the White Snake" is by no means a great villain who subdues demons; it's just that everyone thinks from the perspective of the White Snake.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan's lips curled up, and he chuckled, "Then I'll have to trouble you!"

As he spoke, he led Guangliang and Biqing out, while Fahai walked alongside him. The two arrived at the gate of Jinshan Temple.

Finally, Li Xiuyuan stopped and said calmly, "If fate allows, we will meet again. Farewell!"

As he spoke, he led Biqing and Guangliang down the mountain. The two of them were really reluctant to leave. Because of Li Xiuyuan, they were well-fed and well-treated at Jinshan Temple, much better than at Lingyin Temple.

After leaving the temple, Li Xiuyuan's lips curled up and he chuckled, "What's wrong? You're walking so slowly, are you reluctant to leave the mountain?"

As he spoke, he activated the 'Divine Demon Clone Technique', preparing to split into two people and send the clones back to Lingyin Temple with the two people. As for the main body, naturally, there were other matters to attend to.

Bi Qing shuddered and immediately said, "How could that be? As the saying goes, there's no place like home."

He knew perfectly well that if he really said Jinshan Temple was good, then Uncle Daoji would make him stay at Jinshan Temple, and he would have nowhere to cry.

After all, whether Jinshan Temple would even take you in is another question!

Li Xiuyuan smiled slightly upon hearing this and said, "Hmm, that makes some sense. Alright, let's hurry back!"

As he spoke, he told the two people to hurry towards Lingyin Temple. Having a clone made things easier, as it would prevent them from being discovered.

The two nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes!"

Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "My goal this time is to help you lose another ten pounds. Let's get running!"

"Ah! This is going to kill me! Daoji finally got out of here, there's no need to go back so soon!"

"Yes! Uncle Daoji, why don't we just enjoy the scenery along the way?"

"Hmph, you wish! If you don't achieve this monk's goal, you won't get any food tonight!"