Male Inferiority and Female Supremacy in the World of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 35 - . Dear benefactors are predestined with Buddha

Lanruo, also known as Alanruo, is a Buddhist term that originally refers to the forest, denoting places of tranquility and remoteness, signifying a location to avoid the hustle and bustle of the human world — it's a general term for Buddhist monasteries.

Therefore, monasteries are also commonly called Lanruo Temple.

So don't just barge into Lanruo Temple shouting for Xiaoqian, you'll get chased out by the monks.

The Lanruo Temple at Wild Tomb Ridge keeps its doors shut even in broad daylight, no wonder no one comes to offer incense, they don't even understand the principle of opening doors to welcome visitors.

Han Li took the initiative to knock on the door, and after a short moment, the gate cracked open slightly, and a bald young monk peeked half her body out.

Though Fang Zhou was mentally prepared, he still felt an overwhelming urge to comment upon seeing this bald young monk.

This was a female monk.

Why Fang Zhou could identify her at a glance? Because this young monk had quite the figure.

The young monk put her hands together in a gesture of respect and asked, "Are the three benefactors here to offer incense and worship Buddha?"

Han Li replied with a clasped hand salute, "Little Master, the three of us are passing through the area and hope to stay for a few nights. Could your temple do us this courtesy?"

The young monk didn't say anything else, just nodded her head, then pushed the gate open to lead the three inside the temple.

The temple covered a large area, and while many places looked old, none were in disrepair; it was clear that people maintained and cleaned them regularly.

The young monk led the three to a side hall and came before a plump middle-aged female monk.

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"Amitabha."

The female monk said with a smile, "I am Hui Neng, the abbot of this temple. We welcome the three benefactors to our temple. Are you here to stay, to offer incense, or to seek the secret treasure?"

Fang Zhou and Han Li had odd expressions; this monk didn't seem like a religious recluse but more like a businessman welcoming customers to his shop.

However, Ling Xiaoyue inquired, "Monk, do many people come here seeking the treasure?"

Hui Neng nodded her head and explained with a smile, "Indeed, ever since the news of the Secret Treasure was revealed, despite not knowing how the information leaked, many benefactors have traveled from afar to seek it. Some benefactors leave after seeing the treasure, while some choose to stay in our temple. The three of you are here for that as well, right?"

Ling Xiaoyue, excitedly probing, asked, "Tell us about this Secret Treasure, what's the deal? Is it real or fake?"

With her hands joined together, Hui Neng assured with a solemn face, "Of course it's real, monks do not speak lies."

She explained that the Secret Treasure was not actually in Lanruo Temple but at the site of the old Lanruo Temple, which was still a mountain away from their current location.

The story began over a year ago when, unexpectedly one night, the monks of Lanruo Temple noticed seven-colored rosy clouds being emitted from the mountaintop at the site of the old Lanruo Temple and faint Buddha's voice and Buddhist chants could be heard.

At that time, Hui Neng was already the abbot of the temple. Thrilled with the discovery and believing it was the arrival of the Buddha, she quickly led all the monks to go worship.

By the time they reached the old site, the seven-colored rosy clouds and the Buddha's voice and chants had disappeared. Hui Neng was deeply disappointed, but she could feel that the old site had changed; originally a place of ordinariness, after the appearance of the seven-colored rosy clouds, it was now filled with Spiritual Energy, full of vitality.

Since then, every several days or after about a month, seven-colored rosy clouds and Buddha's voice and chants would intermittently manifest at the site of the old Lanruo Temple.

Hui Neng had organized multiple expeditions to investigate and even assigned people to live at the old site, but they could never determine the cause of the appearances.

She initially ordered the monks to keep the matter a secret, but the truth eventually slipped through, and soon enough the news had leaked out, attracting many treasure-seekers.

"Three benefactors, if you want to witness the seven-colored rosy clouds and hear the Buddha's voice and chants for yourselves, you must do so at night. Since the dates of the Secret Treasure's appearances are erratic, you may need to extend your stay at our temple," Hui Neng said with a chubby smiling face, resembling Maitreya Buddha.

"The three benefactors need not worry about missing it, for our temple has designated people to keep watch day and night. If the Secret Treasure emits the seven-colored rosy clouds, we will immediately inform you all. Additionally, we have constructed the Treasure Viewing Platform with an excellent vantage point, so there is no fear of missing the spectacle."

Hui Neng was like a passionate merchant, explaining the origins of the Secret Treasure and the timing and method of viewing it.

Fang Zhou felt an exhausting inability to retort; he felt as if he had come not for treasure-seeking but for sightseeing at a tourist attraction, with Hui Neng resembling those businessmen in tourist areas, trying hard to sell to their guests.

Stop, this isn't an adventure at all; you're killing the entire adventurous atmosphere.

After Hui Neng spoke at length, she finally inquired, "Have the three benefactors decided to stay in our temple?"

What a silly question. After such a long trek through the mountains to get here, did you think we came just to have a drink of water?

Han Li clasped her hands and said, "Yes, thank you for your trouble, Master."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all."

Hui Neng smiled and took out a Merit Box, placing it in front of the three of them.

Ling Xiaoyue immediately jumped, "What, you want to charge us?"

Hui Neng showed a helpless expression, "Our temple has no farmland, and can only be maintained by the monks cultivating a few vegetable plots and occasional alms-seeking outside. Since the Secret Treasure has appeared, many believers have come from afar. Our temple is overwhelmed by providing food and lodging and had to resort to this solution. I hope the benefactors can understand."

Another person might have just paid up, as Hui Neng's words were indeed reasonable, but who was Ling Xiaoyue to comply? She immediately retorted, "I've eaten vegetarian meals at the Great Mercy Temple for a whole month without paying, and you want to charge me, in this shabby place? Besides, the three of us don't need to eat. Giving you money is simply letting you profit for nothing."

Shut up, you're the only one here who doesn't need to eat!

Fang Zhou covered his face with his hand, feeling utterly ashamed. This woman, with tens of thousands of taels at her disposal, actually had the nerve to haggle over accommodation fees with a monk.

Han Li also felt quite embarrassed. She had met many distinguished figures; some enthusiastic, some indifferent, some gentle, but this was her first time encountering someone as shameless as Ling Xiaoyue.

She hastily took out some silver, "I'll pay, I'll pay."

Ling Xiaoyue instantly had no objections and even gave Han Li a look of approval.

Han Li responded with an awkward smile.

Hui Neng wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a smile, "Our dear hosts need not worry. Considering that many believers who come from afar might find it inconvenient to pay at times, our temple has specially introduced humanized services."

He took out a wooden board with three accommodation packages listed on it.

Pilgrim Package: A ordinary Zen room with three vegetarian meals provided daily, a common seat at the Treasure Viewing Platform, for ten taels of silver per person.

Layman's Package: A mid-grade Zen room, ample vegetarian meals and tea provided daily, help with feeding horses, a mid-grade seat at the Treasure Viewing Platform, for thirty taels per person.

Buddha's Blessing Meal: A top-notch Zen room, gourmet tea, snacks, and supper provided daily, meals personally prepared by the temple's chief chef, top-quality feed for horses, a top-grade seat at the Treasure Viewing Platform, accompanied by the temple's abbot for a one-day tour of Lanruo Temple, and a personal guide to the old site when the Secret Treasure appears, for one hundred taels per person.

When Fang Zhou saw these packages, he burst out laughing.

Lanruo Temple really had stumbled upon a scheme; this Hui Neng was without a doubt a genius. Why are you still being an abbot? You should go down the mountain, give up monastic life, and go into business! With this kind of creativity, you're guaranteed to have a substantial income within three years, become wealthy in five, and achieve a lifetime of success in ten.

Fang Zhou deeply suspected that the so-called Secret Treasure might not exist at all, and it was just a ploy by Hui Neng to attract visitors and boost the economy.

Just now he was complaining that Lanruo Temple didn't even know the basics of doing business and receiving guests.

Now he realized that he was the one who didn't understand business; the Great Monk was hiding his talents well.

"One hundred taels per person?"

Ling Xiaoyue's eyes widened, giving Hui Neng a menacing look, "Not bad at business, are you, Monk? Even I wouldn't dare to charge so much for my services."

You're full of it!

Fang Zhou looked at her with disdain.

Hui Neng laughed naively, "Not expensive, not expensive. Benefactor, this is specially prepared for those who are fated with Buddha. Buddha ferries the fated, can we really talk of expensiveness when it comes to Buddha's affairs? I see that our benefactors are fated with Buddha; why not try it out?"

Fang Zhou translated Hui Neng's words in his head: This package is specially tailored for suckers. Do you want to give it a try?

Ling Xiaoyue turned to look at Han Li, expectant.

Han Li was embarrassed again. She had a little over a hundred taels with her, which was what she had casually saved up along her journey of Demon Extermination.

A little over a hundred taels was a fortune to the ordinary people, but now it seemed to be slightly insufficient.

Buying a Buddha's Blessing Meal for anyone would be unequal, and buying a Pilgrim Package for her two life-saving benefactors seemed a bit stingy. In the end, Han Li bit the bullet and purchased the Layman's Package for all three of them.

After taking the money, Hui Neng immediately called a young monk in to arrange three mid-grade Zen rooms for the three lay practitioners. Their horses were also taken to the temple stables to be looked after by the monks.

The three were led by the young monk to the rooms arranged for them.