[As the common saying goes, an ordinary man is innocent, but possessing jade makes him guilty. Although the Buddha has no grudge or enmity with the Bodhisattva, its occupying so much incense power is itself a kind of fault.]

[There are some things that are inconvenient for the Bodhisattva to appear for and inconvenient for the Bodhisattva to do, while Senior Brother White Elephant is the Bodhisattva’s disciple, so naturally, when there is something to be done, you should serve.]

[Now, you and me are both handling matters for the Bodhisattva. Why not take all this incense power into your bags? When the Bodhisattva’s Dharma decree is completed in the future, you can then hand all the incense power over to our family Bodhisattva. Would that not be an excellent matter that would make the Bodhisattva smile with joy?]

[The White Elephant Demon vaguely feels that something is not right somewhere, but after thinking carefully, it also feels that your words are very reasonable.]

[It cannot help nodding, but not long after, it quickly shakes its head and says, junior brother, what you say is very reasonable, but this Void Treasury Secret Trace Buddha is a Buddha who has attained the third fruit rank. Even if you and me join hands, you cannot beat him. How can we rob the incense power?]

[You cough twice and say expressionlessly, then for now, spare his dog life. When the Buddhist Dharma of us senior and junior brothers is perfected in the future, come back and make him spit it all out with interest.]

[As you speak, you have already followed the footsteps of many incense visitors to the first precious hall in the temple, the Heavenly King Hall.]

[Within the hall, a mighty dharma-protector deity dressed as a military officer is worshiped. It has a fair face without a beard, wears armor, has flying sashes draped over its shoulders, and holds a great pestle horizontally between its elbows. It glares like a Vajra, awe-inspiring and majestic!]

[When the White Elephant Demon sees the posture of this dharma-protector deity, its face brightens with joy, and it says, junior brother, as long as we take out the ordination certificate gifted by the altar master and present it to the monks in the temple, we can receive good hospitality and also eat and stay for free for one day.]

[Seeing you completely confused, it explains to you that the dharma-protector deity in this Heavenly King Hall is named Skanda Deva, and is a dharma-protector heavenly god with great magical power.]

[Ordinary temples will worship Skanda Deva in the first hall upon entering, symbolizing the meaning of driving away evil demons and protecting Buddhist Dharma. And the posture Skanda assumes also has no small significance.]

[If Skanda’s great pestle is carried on his shoulder, it indicates that this temple is a large temple and can host wandering monks with free food and lodging for three days.]

[If Skanda’s great pestle is held horizontally in his hands, it indicates that this temple is a medium temple and can host wandering monks with free food and lodging for one day.]

[If Skanda’s great pestle is planted on the ground, it means that this temple is a small temple and, with apologies, does not host wandering monks with free food and lodging…]

[Your brow lifts. You did not expect there to be such a good opportunity to freeload.]

[You immediately find the monk standing beside the merit box, take out the ordination certificate from your robes, and present it to the monk to state your purpose.]

[The monk checks the ordination certificate made of silk, identifying the words on it that record your identity as a monk. It takes this very seriously and leads you and the White Elephant Demon to meet the temple’s Lesser Dharma King.]

[After the Lesser Dharma King learns that you are wandering eminent monks and Living Buddhas from Wusi’s All Evil Precious Temple, it is extremely enthusiastic toward you. Not only does it arrange excellent guest rooms and meals, but it also prepares to mutually discuss Buddhist Dharma and Chan principles with you.]

[This makes the White Elephant Demon somewhat embarrassed. Just now, you senior and junior brothers were still discussing how to kill another family’s Buddha. In the blink of an eye, you are eating other people’s food and living in other people’s place.]

[You have not the slightest shame about this. Instead, taking advantage of the happy conversation over meat and wine, you extract intelligence from the Lesser Dharma King.]

It was worth mentioning that in this world’s Buddhist temples, not only was meat and wine not forbidden, dual cultivation between men and women was even widely practiced.

Thinking about it, this made sense. They were already killing and sacrificing. Where was there any mercy, discipline, or precepts to speak of?

[You raise your cup repeatedly and converse happily with the Lesser Dharma King. Although you do not understand Chan principles, you have read many profound Buddhist cultivation methods, and you also have unique insights regarding cultivation…]

[The Lesser Dharma King finds its conversation with you more and more congenial, only feeling that its own magical power also shows signs of advancing.]

[Suddenly, you put down your wine cup and sigh…]

[Seeing this, the Lesser Dharma King cannot help saying, this senior brother, is there something unsatisfactory?]

[If there is any difficulty, just say it. In this Qingtang City, there is still nothing that Secret Trace Temple cannot settle!]

[Seeing this, the White Elephant Demon beside you hurriedly puts down its wine cup and does not dare drink too much. It tightens its face, not letting itself reveal any unusual expression.] 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

[It is already very experienced. As soon as it sees you like this, it knows you are about to use the Great Deception Art again.]

[You sigh repeatedly without speaking, only making the Lesser Dharma King itch with anxiety. Only when the timing is about right do you speak…]

[This senior brother does not know, but in truth, us senior and junior brothers have come to Qingtang this time with an important duty.]

[As you speak, you deliberately lower your voice mysteriously and say, senior brother, do you know Mount Kunlun?]

[The Lesser Dharma King nods and says, to ordinary commoners, Kunlun is an ethereal place that can only be seen in scriptures and hearsay. Only monks who are truly proficient in Buddhist Dharma and well-read in Chan principles and sutras know that Kunlun is not a legendary land, but a Buddhist treasure land that truly exists in the world.]

[This Mount Kunlun is about four hundred li from Qingtang. There are countless treasures and strange beasts within it. It is Enma’s garden park.]

[It is said that only Bodhisattvas and Buddhas may enter it after obtaining Enma’s permission, and only then may they take and use the heavenly treasures of the garden park.]

[And the one in charge of Mount Kunlun is a powerful yokai god named Lu Wu. If one cannot present a token bestowed by Enma, even if the Buddha Ancestor personally descended, he would be blocked outside the mountain by it.]

Lin Xun narrowed his eyes.

Entering Enma’s back garden still required a procedure?

And judging from the Lesser Dharma King’s description, the yokai god named Lu Wu was not to be underestimated in strength. The difficulty of this hidden map might also be extremely high.

[You sigh deeply and say, you also understand this principle, but that Dharma King in your All Evil Precious Temple said that recently, while cultivating joy Chan principles, he accidentally went wrong and needs a ten-thousand-year herb to regain his virility.]

[However, that kind of herb has long gone extinct in the human realm. After thinking it over and over, perhaps only Mount Kunlun still contains some.]

[You have been entrusted by the Dharma King and wish to head to Mount Kunlun to seek such a wondrous medicine…]

[Before you finish speaking, the Lesser Dharma King hurriedly leans closer and whispers, this senior brother, that kind of herb you spoke of… does it truly have such miraculous effects?]

[You see the Lesser Dharma King’s expression is solemn and grave. Its eyes are both expectant and nervous.]

[You seem to realize something…]

[The Lesser Dharma King coughs twice and immediately explains, to be honest with senior brother, it… cough, it has a friend who also has such an unspeakable trouble.]

[Seeing its friend frowning in sorrow all day long, it feels very uncomfortable in its heart. Now that it heard senior brother mention such a miraculous herb, it became somewhat excited and lost composure for a moment. Senior brother, please forgive it.]

“Good grief, making up a friend out of thin air, are we?”

Lin Xun saw through it but did not expose it, continuing to fool the Lesser Dharma King.