"Master, what does 'feudal superstition' mean?" Liaofan the monk asked his master.

"It's nothing but nonsense."

Kongyuan the monk clasped his hands together and bowed to the laborer:

"Amitabha, thank you benefactor for enlightening us."

"Alright, let's not chat anymore, I have to deliver goods to the street up front. Just keep walking straight and at the street entrance, turn left to get there."

"Thank you, benefactor."

Kongyuan the monk led his disciple forward, following the laborer's directions, and quickly found the temple altar.

No one was guarding the entrance of the temple altar, and the door was very small, as was the plaque. On either side, there was a pork shop and a lamb restaurant, both of which looked much grander than the temple altar.

After the master and disciple entered, they found a small table behind the inner door, with a clerk sitting behind it, yawning.

Seeing someone had arrived, and noticing their monk robes, the clerk opened the booklet in front of him, picked up a brush, and asked:

"Name, place of origin, where have you been, tell me carefully without error."

"I am Kongyuan, this is my disciple Liaofan. I am a Qian person, ordained in Qian State, later entered Chu State, received the Certificate of Ordination, here it is."

The clerk reached out to take the Certificate of Ordination handed over by the old monk, glanced at it, but didn't really care, he returned it to the old monk and said:

"So you're monks, recite some scriptures for me to hear, clearly and loudly."

Kongyuan the monk signaled his disciple to step forward,

Liaofan walked to the table and began reciting scriptures with clear and articulate enunciation, without a trace of hesitation. As he listened to the recitation, his mood seemed to calm down, and he felt a slight coolness in the scorching summer heat.

After listening for a while, the clerk somewhat reluctantly raised his hand and said:

"Stop, that's enough. Keep these two tokens with you, go inside to the courtyard, the main entrance is for lectures, the left path is the dining hall, the right path is the dormitory, and someone inside will rearrange you."

"Thank you, benefactor."

"Thank you, benefactor."

Kongyuan the monk led his disciple inside, without hesitation, they first turned left into the dining hall. As it was past mealtime, there were not many people inside, only two women busying themselves. Seeing two monks arrive, one woman shouted:

"Only steamed buns are left."

"Steamed buns are fine," Kongyuan said.

"Steamed buns are good," Liaofan said.

Six steamed buns were brought to them, already cold, yet with hot water, the two monks ate them with delicious enjoyment. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

After finishing their meal and just preparing to leave, they saw a soldier in armor walk in, pointing at them and saying:

"You're the newcomers, right? Come, go inside, the lecture is starting."

"Is there a virtuous high monk preaching Buddhism here?" Kongyuan the monk asked.

Beyond the confines of society, the main schools are Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, with more besides. Regardless of the sect, to promote their teachings, people of virtue inevitably opened lectures to spread their philosophies, hoping to attract more disciples.

"Haha," the soldier chuckled and said, "You'll find out when you get there. Hurry up, don't dawdle."

The master and disciple did not dare delay and went straight inside, only to discover that there were already dozens of people seated within.

Some wore Daoist robes, others monk's robes, and there were those in all sorts of peculiar attire, all sitting there, listening attentively.

The lecturer was not a virtuous high monk but a blind man.

This blind man looked quite young. He was speaking with closed eyes, yet his words were very coherent, giving a very pleasant feeling.

Kongyuan the monk and his disciple found two cushions and sat down,

The blind man's lecture was neither Buddhist Dharma nor Daoist scripture, yet it was still deeply related to both Buddhism and Daoism, and even reflected elements of many other teachings. Despite being an amalgamation of so much, it didn't sound chaotic or burdensome. The structure was clear, and with ample illustration and citation, it instinctively made you feel that it was indeed the truth;

As they listened,

Liaofan the monk showed an expression of being thoroughly engrossed,

while Kongyuan frowned deeper and deeper,

He immediately reached out and pinched his disciple.

But Liaofan the young monk seemed unaware, still completely absorbed.

"Amitabha."

Kongyuan the monk chanted a Buddhist invocation softly, then performed a hand seal, tapping directly on his disciple's forehead.

Liaofan the monk finally snapped back to his senses, gasping in a cold breath, as the place where his master had pinched him was really stinging.

"Master?"

"Let's go!"

Kongyuan the monk immediately grabbed his disciple and headed for the exit.

At that moment,

the blind lecturer, who had been speaking,

smiled a meaningful smile at the corner of his mouth.

When Kongyuan the monk led his disciple out of the temple altar's gate, the clerk at the inner door saw them but didn't stop them, only saying:

"Once you leave this door, you can't come back in for free meal and lodging."

"Master, we shouldn't go!"

Liaofan the monk immediately held onto his master.

"Heh,"

Kongyuan the old monk chuckled lightly, looked back at the lecture hall, and said:

"A place that devours the mind like this, staying any longer and you'll be consumed from head to toe, what's the need of a belly to eat food?"

With that,

Kongyuan the monk forcefully dragged the young Liaofan the monk out of the temple altar.

On the second floor of the lamb soup restaurant next to the temple altar, sat Lord Zheng who woke up late today and came here to drink soup. Beside Lord Zheng sat A Ming.

"Oh, how curious, to escape through the blind preacher's words and still manage to leave on one's own,"