The rooster crows at the fifth watch.
Mr. and Mrs. Xu got up early.
Opening the door, the surrounding fields are silent. The dilapidated thatched hut collapsed in the cold dew, and was empty inside and outside. Like most people in Yuzhou, their families were in poverty and they couldn't even keep a yellow dog.
Following her usual habits, Mrs. Xu picked up the hoe and basket, but a voice sounded behind her:
"You bitch, are you confused?"
With such a reminder, Mrs. Xu patted her forehead, a rare smile appearing on her dull face.
Yes, today is different from the past.
……………………
The couple were not originally from Yuzhou, but because of Li Hu's rebellion a few years ago, the family came to Yuzhou to escape the military disaster. Along the way, bandits robbed demons and ghosts for food, and only three members of the family were left to do all the work. A tenant of a great monk.
But the great monk's "Buddha Field" was not easy to cultivate. The couple tried their best to farm but could not feed their family of three. Seeing their young son screaming from hunger at night, the couple gritted their teeth and sent their only son up the mountain. go.
Now that he has entered Buddhism, he has nothing to do with the world anymore. Naturally, the youngest son on the mountain lost contact with him. I only heard a few words, saying that he had good luck and was chosen by a certain great monk to become his disciple, and he was given a Buddhist name called "Original Wish".
The Xu couple thought they would never see their son again in this life, until yesterday, news came from the temple that their son had successfully studied Buddhism and achieved physical Buddhahood.
I am going to give a sermon at today’s Uncensored Conference.
This is a great thing that will bring glory to our family!
……………………
The smile on Xu's face was a little stiff, perhaps because laughter had become unfamiliar to her since she was a child.
She happily put down the farm tools in her hands, turned around to heat hot water, dug out the soap locusts that were rarely used a few times a year, and washed them carefully with her husband.
After that, he took out another package, and when he opened it, he found two pieces of clothes that were fully patched. He took off his tattered clothes and carefully put on the clothes. These were borrowed from a neighbor, and he couldn't afford to pay for them if they were damaged.
After sorting it out, it seemed to be a bit rich. The couple looked at each other, one opened the door to the room, and the other dug out a cloth bag in the corner, took it out, counted a few coins, and buried the half-empty cloth bag back. After carefully putting away the copper, the couple breathed a sigh of relief, looked at each other, and went out with smiles on their faces.
At this moment, the sky is slightly bright, and the Thousand Buddha Temple in the distance is built on the mountain. Its golden roof of glazed glass and whitewashed walls glow with golden light in the morning sun.
It is magnificent and magnificent, just like the palace of an emperor in the earthly world, and also like the residence of gods in the outside world.
……………………
"Master, is this Buddhism?"
The little monk's face was full of doubts. He was used to practicing hard in the mountains and was completely confused by what he saw in front of him. He turned around and asked the old monk wearing a hundred-neck robe beside him.
At this time, the atmosphere of the Dharma conference was in full swing.
Believers gathered from all directions filled the square. A gorgeous high platform was erected in front, surrounded by colorful ribbons and banners. One by one, eminent monks walked up and down the stage like a revolving door.
Under the stage, fat monks were walking among the crowd holding merit boxes.
The little monk's words happened to be heard by the Xu couple next to them, and their expressions changed immediately.
"What did the young master say? How can this not be Buddhism?"
The questioning voice was quite loud, causing the surrounding believers to turn around and stare angrily.
The old monk quickly clasped his hands together and bowed to apologize:
"The old monk and his disciples have come to your place for the first time. They have never seen such a scene. Please be kind to all the donors."
At this time, a fat monk came here with a shy belly. Without saying a word, he just put the merit box in front of the person.
The Xu couple ignored the argument and carefully took out a copper coin from their arms and put it into the box. This was not because he was stingy, but it was just that there were still nine days left in the Dharma Assembly. If you put in all your money today, what would you put in the next day?
The fat monk snorted and placed the box in front of the old monk again.
The old monk said "Amitabha" with kind eyes, but he didn't have half a penny.
The fat monk made a disdainful expression on his shiny face and turned around to find the next donor.
at this time.
There was a burst of cheers in the field.
"The Living Buddha is out!"
It was originally the finale of the Dharma conference, and this year's living Buddhas were going to the stage to... give sermons.
Only the sound of a gong was heard, and the muscular monks, carrying the rosette, filed out from behind the curtain on the stage.
The living Buddhas sat on the lotus platform, holding flowers and smiling. Although they could not open their mouths, they had exquisite Buddhist speeches.
Isn't it really "magical"?
"this……"
The doubts on the young monk's face became more and more serious, but suddenly he was grabbed by the hem of his clothes by the couple next to him.
"Look, little monk, the second one on the left is my son!"
Seeing the excitement on the faces of the two couples, the young monk was about to say something, but was stopped by the old monk beside him.
……………………
It's getting dark.
Today's Dharma conference also reaches its final climax.
As the living Buddhas on the stage sang together, countless white lotus petals suddenly fell from the field.
The believers were so shocked that they prostrated themselves on the ground, shouting "My Buddha appears holy" and "Bodhisattva bless you", or made some random wishes in a low voice.
Only the little monk pursed his lips.
"Fantasy... Ouch."
But the old monk knocked him on the head, shook his head and said, "Be careful what you say."
…………
The puja ends.
The monks carried the lotus platform back behind the scenes, and then turned all the way into a side room.
The presiding monk of Qianfo Temple had been waiting for a long time. He waved the monks to leave and immediately asked impatiently:
"how?"
At the head of the monk's seat, a monk with bulging muscles pinched the face of a "living Buddha" and took out the topaz from his mouth.
Suddenly, the compassionate Buddha turned into a ferocious zombie.
The zombie had just revealed its true form, and before it could get out of the storm, the leader grabbed it by the throat. The little chicken seemed to turn over and over to check it, and finally stuffed the topaz back into his mouth and shook his head.
"The corpse nature is still deep."
"How does it compare to previous years?"
"The degree of refining is much different."
"Can you turn this corpse into a golden body within ten days?"
"I'm afraid it won't work." The leader pondered for a moment, "If we use the Demon Transformation Cave..."
"I have spent too much time transforming the Demon Cave over the past few years..."
The host shook his head and said:
"After all, my faith and vows are still weak. The number of people attending the Dharma assembly has not decreased, but the number of people who worship Buddha sincerely has decreased significantly. The roots are still in the temple."
The host was silent for a while.
"Let's go ahead and tell them that from now on the tenants' rent will be reduced by half. We should also restrain the monks on weekdays and don't go down the mountain frequently to disturb the people."
As he said this, he raised his eyes to look at the leader and said something ungentlemanly.
"Especially the monks under your courtyard."
Only Nuonuo said it was the first one.
………………
"Old bald donkey!"
After walking out of the door, the person in charge immediately darkened his face.
After cursing, he caught two passing monks and yelled at them.
"Have you found the zombie that ran away?"
"What? No trace?"
"Find me quickly! If there is any trouble here, watch your skin!"
After venting his anger, he naturally felt much better. He cursed a few more words and walked away with a crab walk.
"Old bald donkey."
The two looked at the direction where the first one left and spat hard. These two were the monks who neglected their duties that day and escaped from the zombies.
After one person scolded him, he felt indignant.
"That's not what this old bastard said when he collected the money that day."
Another person is worried.
"There's no clue as to where the zombies are, how can we find them?"
"What are you looking for? The Buddha's light shines everywhere in our temple, so the ghosts can't bear it and run away."
"But what if he didn't run away, but just hid?"
"That zombie is just a stupid thing without intelligence. How can it know how to avoid it?"
"Then what if..." The monk hesitated for a while, "What if he has intelligence?"
Are zombies intelligent?
Doesn't that mean that there is a monster that is bloodthirsty and powerful, but is also extremely familiar with and hates the temple, hiding in the darkness all the time, spying on all living things in the temple?
As soon as these words came out, the two of them looked at each other and shuddered.
……………………
After the Dharma meeting ended, the believers dispersed one after another. Only a few pious ones stayed to help the novices clean up the scene, and the Xu couple were among them.
After finishing this, it will be sunset.
Taking advantage of the remaining light on the horizon, the couple took a shortcut down the mountain.
At this time, there was no sign of anyone on the path. In the twilight, only two people could hear the rustling of thatch on the roadside as they crossed the path.
After bypassing a small forest, the couple suddenly saw a familiar figure standing on the road ahead.
Wearing a cassock and a dharma hat, isn't this the attire of a living Buddha at today's Dharma gathering?
Could it be that this is a chance encounter with Buddhism?
The couple glanced at each other, and saw joy, anxiety, and a little expectation on each other's faces. Was it Niu'er... no, was it his original wish?
The couple walked up respectfully and called in a low voice:
"Master."
The sky and the earth were dark, the wind was blowing in all directions, and the living Buddha's shoulders moved slightly.
The two couples stepped forward again.
"Living Buddha."
This time, the Buddha turned his head when he heard the words and opened his fangs.
……………………
The two corpses were already cold and hard.
The large blood stains on the ground dried and turned brown.
After a night of chaos, the officers and soldiers had already left camp, leaving two men in black robes dead in the wilderness.
The young man who looked like a rich man stood silently beside him. This man was handsome, holding a folding fan made of ivory bones, and wore a green robe with a blooming white lotus embroidered on it.
Around him, there were fierce warriors and sinister warlocks, among whom sat an officer and soldier kneeling, and an old man with a goatee was asking in a low voice.
After a moment, the old man nodded and waved, and the officer and soldier raised his hand to grab his head, and with a heart-wrenching "click" sound, he turned his face little by little to his back.
"Who killed the Wu brothers?"
The young man's voice was deep.
"Report to the left envoy." The old man came closer and returned respectfully: "It's Yan Xinglie and a short-haired Taoist priest. The saint has also fallen into their hands."
Zuo Shi's expression was indifferent, but the fan bone in his hand was creaking.
Seeing this, the old man continued: "Don't be impatient, Ambassador Zuo. There should be news from inside that the Zhenfu Secretary has made up his mind to imprison the saint in the Demon Transformation Cave of Thousand Buddhas Temple."
As he said that, the old man chuckled.
"We just need to deploy people in Yuzhou to cast the net, and wait for Yan Xinglie to knock on the door."
"Thousand Buddha Temple? Throw a net?" Zuo Shi smiled coldly after hearing this, "I'm afraid there is already a dragnet waiting for us to hit it."
After that, he waved the folding fan in his hand, and green flames immediately ignited on the corpse on the ground, and the bones and flesh were quickly eroded in the flames.
He turned to look at the eastern sky, which was in the direction of Yuzhou. The dancing green fire seemed to put a gloomy mask on his face.
"Pass the order, all roads leading to Yuzhou must be guarded. Once Yan Xinglie is discovered, he will take back the Saint at any cost!"
"Here!"
