A Tale of Encounters with Immortals: A Peach Blossom Temple in the Martial World

The old monk originally planned to set fire to Lingzhou City, causing countless people to become homeless, and then use suffering to spread Buddhism, save people from their suffering, and recruit them into the religion.

The plan was ingenious.

Qin Fangguan led the people to the City God Temple, and then, while everyone was watching the play, she used datura pollen to put them into a hallucinatory state, and then used Buddhist chants to guide them into the Buddha's paradise.

Then they set fire to Lingzhou City.

Even if they can't burn down the entire city of Lingzhou, as long as some people are left homeless, they will have succeeded.

If some homeless people convert to religion, it will encourage more people to convert as well.

People may not believe the government's promises, but they will definitely believe the rumors circulating among the people.

This is the catfish effect.

To disrupt the greatest interests at the lowest cost.

The lanterns throughout the city were for setting fires.

Even if the clear-headed people set fires, it wouldn't achieve the desired effect.

A carrier pigeon landed in the old monk's palm. He opened it, looked at it, and handed it to the white-haired old man beside him. He sighed and said, "All our efforts have been in vain!"

After saying that, he looked forlornly in the direction of Lingzhou City and sighed.

The white-haired old man was also looking at the note.

in silence.

Regardless of the circumstances, he was already bound to these people.

Qin Fangguan didn't die, but she was practically dead.

Qin Honglian and her were stopped as soon as they left the city.

A monk stopped the two of them.

"Monk, you go your way, I'll cross my bridge..." Qin Honglian put down Qin Fangguan and held her sword in front of her.

The monk clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha..."

"Get out of here, you idiot!"

"Please come with me to see someone, and I will naturally let you leave." The monk was a stubborn monk, and he just wouldn't let them go.

"Please come with me, both of you."

What if I don't?

The monk didn't speak, but took out two monk knives.

What's the point of talking? Let's just show our weapons!

We all make a living by our skills, so if reasoning doesn't work, then we'll show off our talents.

Qin Honglian waved her hand, and a wisp of white thread shot towards the monk.

The monk uttered "Amitabha," and immediately with the sound, a gust of air blew out of his mouth, instantly obliterating the white powder.

"Kill you!"

As the white thread was blown away, Qin Honglian moved with lightning speed, her short sword transforming into a streak of silver light.

"Oh!"

The person wasn't stabbed, but was struck in the back by a palm strike.

A mouthful of blood spurted out, like specks of peach blossoms.

A top-tier expert against a master of innate cultivation is utterly useless. Qin Honglian knew she couldn't win, knew she would die, yet she still charged forward without hesitation.

He lay on the ground, his chest heaving rapidly.

"You knew you couldn't beat me, you're all wicked!" The monk looked at Qin Honglian, who was gasping for breath on the ground, with great regret.

Qin Honglian was still laughing.

"I'm willing!"

“But if you die, I will have to take Qin Fangguan with me.” The monk continued, glancing at Qin Fangguan, who was now powerless to resist. She was sitting slumped on the ground, her face pale.

"I'm willing!"

"Amitabha Buddha, this humble monk will take you back to heal your wounds. You can still live."

"Haha, I'm not afraid. Even if I die, I'll be free."

Qin Honglian laughed loudly, but as she laughed, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which scattered into a sky full of red raindrops, falling to the ground like peach blossoms falling in the wind, leaving a fragrant scent of rouge on the ground.

The monk was shocked. He reached out and examined the girl, only to find that she had already severed her own meridians and died. He was deeply moved and recited the Heart Sutra several times over Qin Honglian's corpse.

Qin Fangguan kept her eyes closed, seemingly ignoring what had just happened.

The monk walked up to Qin Fangguan and said, "Come on, benefactor, I'll take you to see someone."

Qin Fangguan did not move.

The monk gave one more piece of advice.

“Benefactor, we are doing great things for the country and the people. Your merits will be remembered by Buddha. No matter what happens in the future, you will eventually ascend to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Come with me.”

Qin Fangguan remained motionless, her eyes closed, not even glancing at him.

The monk grew impatient and, disregarding the proper etiquette between men and women, reached out and pulled Qin Fangguan.

The moment his hand touched her, Qin Fangguan felt completely disoriented.

Unable to maintain the cross-legged position, he slumped to the ground, motionless.

When the monk reached out his finger to check her breath, she had already stopped breathing.

died!

The renowned courtesan, famous throughout Lingzhou City and a sensation in Jiangnan, a person whom the Lotus Sect had painstakingly cultivated, died silently.

The monk was stunned.

Both women would rather die than go with him.

Aside from Buddha, isn't death a great fear for these ordinary people? Why aren't they afraid of death?

The monk was stunned, unable to understand.

But he still recited the Rebirth Mantra twice in front of the two corpses.

Martial law has been declared in Lingzhou City.

The government became aware of what happened last night and mobilized the city's garrison to guard against any potential unforeseen circumstances. Even the Four Heroes of Kunshan were so busy that they could only quickly say goodbye to Zhang Zhengdao before leaving.

After having something serious to do, the four of them clearly felt a sense of fulfillment in their lives.

Being a little busy was fine; the four of them felt the respect people showed them. This sense of fulfillment, both spiritual and physical, is the true meaning of life!

They didn't understand before that they had taken the wrong path.

At daybreak, the streets were under martial law, so Zhang Zhengdao did not go to the streets but prepared to leave the city.

The White Lotus Temple on Qiufu Mountain is located east of Lingzhou City.

Zhang Zhengdao went out from the east gate of Lingzhou City.

However, all four gates of Lingzhou City were heavily guarded by soldiers, and many people were stranded at the city gates. People outside the city could not enter, and people inside the city could not leave.

People stood at a distance, not daring to approach the city gate guards.

Normally there's only one small squad here. Four people at the city gate, and about ten resting in the shed next door. Today, more than a dozen of them are guarding the gate, all carrying knives and guns.

"That Taoist priest... he's calling you, stop right there..."

The soldier, holding a spear, shouted at Zhang Zhengdao as he approached.

Zhang Zhengdao bowed and uttered "May the Heavenly Venerable grant boundless blessings," then took only one step forward. The soldiers' vision blurred, and he vanished in an instant. As they looked around, they could only see the back of a Taoist priest, already far away outside the city gate.

The road leading to Bailian Temple on Qiufu Mountain is quite easy to travel.

A wide stone-paved road, large enough to accommodate a horse-drawn carriage and pedestrians on both sides.

This road leads directly to the White Lotus Temple.

The temples of wealthy families are different; even the roads are so wide, and they extend directly from the official road after leaving the city gate, making it convenient for many people to worship Buddha.

Zhang Zhengdao was very envious.

We arrived at the White Lotus Temple along the way.

Before even getting close, one can see a wide, bluestone-paved courtyard and a staircase that allows ten carriages to pass side by side, leading directly to the main hall of the towering White Lotus Temple.

Just as he stepped onto the stairs, a young novice monk approached Zhang Zhengdao and said, "Benefactor, if you wish to worship Buddha, please come this way to register your name. We have prices for various incense and candles here, as well as a merit book for recording names before Buddha."

Sure enough, there was a room filled with incense and candles next to the steps. Some were long, some were short, some were large, and some were small.

Zhang Zhengdao asked, "How do I buy incense and candles? How do I register my name in the merit book?"

The young novice monk beamed with joy.

"If you want small incense and candles, it's only twenty copper coins. If you want medium-sized ones, it's one tael of silver. If you want large ones, it's six taels of silver. Generally, only wealthy families or high-ranking officials use them. I think for someone like you, small ones will be fine, twenty copper coins."

Zhang Zhengdao was shocked.

He even suspected that the abbot of the White Lotus Temple might have been reincarnated from some mysterious planet. They've mastered the tricks of tourist attractions on Earth!

Or perhaps the tourist attractions' formulas are simply a legacy from ancient times.

Is this the true teaching of the various Taoist or Buddhist sects?

I remember using the same tactics at Fuyun Temple in Tianmu Mountain, Qingzhou, before. They were very skilled at it and used all sorts of manipulative tactics on tourists.

Judging from your appearance, just buy the cheapest one. If you want it to be effective, of course the better the better, and the most expensive one is the most effective...

These kinds of PUA (Pick-Up Artist) tactics are readily available to the Taoist priests who solicit business.

Then, upon hearing the voice announcements of the funds arriving via Alipay and WeChat Pay, I beamed with joy.

The root of the problem wasn't with me, but with the ancients.

How much does the Register of Merit cost?

The young novice chuckled, as if to say, "How could you, a poor wretch, afford this?" But he still explained, "It depends on whether you're making a small or a large donation."

Zhang Zhengdao felt as if thunder was rolling in the sky.

The familiar formula is back.

The young novice monk felt a sense of smugness at Zhang Zhengdao's shocked expression.

"A small act of merit only needs to be reported to the City God, costing twenty taels of silver. A medium act of merit requires reporting to a regional emperor, costing fifty taels of silver. For a truly great act of merit, it needs to be reported to the Heavenly Court and personally approved by the Heavenly Emperor, so it will cost at least one hundred taels. Is this a small act of merit, benefactor? A bargain—"

Zhang Zhengdao felt that once his Taoist temple was renovated and became a famous one, he could also develop similar businesses.

At that time, you'll make a fortune every day...

Tsk tsk tsk, everyone here, tonight's expenses are on Zhang Daozun...