Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

When the birthday banquet ended, the strange pressure weighing on the monks silently disappeared. The group of monks hurriedly found an excuse to leave the banquet hall. However, when they reached the streets, the Southern Barbarian Song and Dance Troupe had vanished without a trace.

”Master, the demon has escaped!”

A relatively young monk spoke, while the older monk clasped his hands together.

”Amitabha...”

For this group of monks, their luck was remarkably poor. They came from the Western Buddhist Nation and naturally came to the Great Han to preach. Of course, another reason for their visit was the news that this place had a very magical technology capable of mass-producing texts.

For Buddhists, the Buddhist Scriptures are also an important part of spreading their teachings, so they traveled a long and arduous journey to get here.

Of course, for these monks, they had no concept of buying. They initially hoped to take the high-level route, discussing scriptures with officials and nobility, guiding them to focus on Buddhism, then ”mendicancy.” However, what these monks did not expect was to encounter unexpected difficulties as soon as they arrived here.

First, the idea of taking the high-level route was simply unworkable because the laws of the Great Han stated that any public official could not practice religion. So when the officials heard they wanted to talk about the Full Sky of Gods and Buddhas, they were simply turned away. Although they wanted to preach to the public on the streets, they would also be driven away by the city management, as according to the law, religious individuals can only preach after applying at designated locations and cannot spread religion in public places.

Thus, with no other choice, this group of monks had to apply, only to be told they did not meet the requirements. Applying for a religious sermon required a ”unit address,” but these nomadic monks, without even a place to live, had no unit to speak of.

This group of monks felt despair for the first time.

They could not understand why this country seemed so strict with religion. In other places, they were treated with respect. Moreover, this was not only from the upper levels, but even among the common people, most had little interest in the sermons of these monks. Occasionally, they even asked questions that made them feel embarrassed...

To this, Fang Zheng commented, ”Did you think my century-long compulsory education for literacy was a mockery?”

The dialectical materialism is most effective against your absurd religious sophistry. You want to preach? If you can’t even convince those you preach to, what’s the point of preaching?

Perhaps the heavens never close a door without opening a window. This group of monks accidentally came into contact with Old Master Shen’s wife, who was evidently very interested in what they preached about the Buddhist doctrines. They took this opportunity to propose borrowing a place to preach and deliver sermons to the public.

However, the monks were subsequently told in desperation that all land in the Great Han belonged to the state, and no one could change the land’s use without permission. If they wanted to apply, they would have to navigate the bureaucracy themselves...

At this moment, these monks truly despaired. They deeply understood the difficulty of ”proving your father is your father” — only legitimate religious institutions could apply for sermons, and legitimate institutions needed legal proof to verify their identity, while legal proof required owning religious land to apply, and only legitimate religious institutions could qualify to propose land use changes for religious purposes...

At this moment, the monks felt an indescribable malice from an unknowable force...

They even considered going into the remote mountains to build something themselves, only to be told again — constructing any building without permission would be deemed illegal and forcibly demolished...

This country is too strict!

In the monks’ eyes, this strict country was practically Hell! Yet, the stricter it was, the more determined they were to make the people of this country believe in Buddhism. With Mana, they naturally saw the Underworld delineated by Fang Zheng. In their view, this was the eighteen levels of Hell as Buddha spoke, but without the Heaven of Western Paradise. This firmed their resolve to rescue the people from this suffering, enabling them to ascend to the Western Paradise Bliss and experience the compassion of Buddha!

Luckily, Fang Zheng didn’t hear these words, or else he would transform into the Undead Squad and scorch the Tathagata Buddha in Western Paradise.

After all, he had already burned many gods and buddhas in the sky and didn’t mind another one.

Of course, this seemed only a matter of time.

And today, attending Old Master Shen’s birthday banquet and seeing the Southern Barbarian Song and Dance Troupe, the monks believed the time was ripe. Although the Southern Barbarian Yokai possessed a unique method to conceal their Demon Aura, the monks had a knack for demon exorcism and naturally saw through their disguise immediately.

The monks thought this was a great opportunity. Though they didn’t know why these Yokai were here, demons were clearly bad, so they tried to force them to reveal themselves, intending to exhibit the Boundless Magic of Buddha to suppress them, and simultaneously showcase the great achievements of Buddha.

However, they were stopped.

Silently.

It was not by the actions of demonic outsiders; at that time, everyone sensed a formidable pressure akin to that of the Buddha. However, unlike the Buddha’s benevolence, this pressure was extraordinarily domineering, rendering them unable to resist. Fortunately, the other party didn’t intend to harm them and withdrew once the Southern Barbarian Song and Dance Troupe left.

It seems in this country, the obstacles to preaching and teaching were tougher than imagined.

The leading monk remained silent, yet it was hard to understand that it was probably a warning to them. Although he didn’t know why, it seemed the situation was more perilous than he had imagined...

Fang Zheng didn’t care about these monks’ thoughts. Just as they encountered, when Fang Zheng designed the system, he intentionally added various religious restrictions. For native religions, these restrictions were minor annoyances, but for any foreign preachers, it was as challenging as ascending to Heaven, essentially a procedural loop akin to a deadlock.

Although cultural exchange is necessary, Fang Zheng adopted a fully isolationist policy regarding religion. In his view, no foreign religion needed to take root on this land.

Since what the monks did hadn’t crossed Fang Zheng’s bottom line, he ignored them. If they had, it wouldn’t matter, because at that time, Fang Zheng would directly wage a Twilight of the Gods war against the gods of the West.

After all, the idiots proselytizing are the little minions. Eliminate the boss, and the threat dissipates, right?

At this point, the Southern Barbarian Song and Dance Troupe, having evaded disaster, returned to their base.

”I didn’t expect those bald heads would come here!”

The leading man angrily slammed the table with a ”thud.”

”I thought we had already escaped them!”

”But didn’t someone help us? It means we’re still safe in this country, right?”

Another woman with bronze skin, wearing a bikini, uneasily spoke.

”Although I heard the Great Han is very open to Yokai, we’re still foreign Yokai...”

”But Chief, are we going to keep hiding like this?”

At this moment, the peacock acting as a pet in the troupe suddenly opened its mouth and spoke — clearly, this dance troupe was far from ordinary.

”It’s the only choice we have...”

The Yokai below were discussing without noticing Fang Zheng above. At this moment, Fang Zheng gathered some understanding from their conversation about their origins. They seemed to be original Yokai from the Southern Barbarian, seeking refuge in the Great Han due to those bald religionists, but unaware that the Yokai here were already under formal management. Thus, they thought they could blend in following wild Yokai rules.

But, at that moment, their conversation suddenly changed direction.

”But, is it really okay to continue like this? I’ve heard the Black Dragon is recruiting many Demon Beasts to build some kind of realm of yokai and plans to attack the Great Han... If this place becomes a battlefield, wouldn’t it be worse?”

However, just as the man’s words fell, he saw the expressions of those around him change instantly, leaving him bewildered. Before the man could think further, Fang Zheng’s voice quietly emanated from behind him.

”I’m quite interested in this news; can you elaborate?”

”Who is it?!”

The man was clearly a Yokai. Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s voice, he leaped up, stretching his arms mid-air, transforming into a giant white tiger — only to be engulfed by an invisible giant hand, slamming him to the ground with a ”bang.”

In fact, under Fang Zheng’s Dragon Might, almost all of the Southern Barbarian Song and Dance Troupe members fell to the ground, with one exception.

”You must be the real boss behind this dance troupe.”

Fang Zheng crossed his arms, looking at the girl before him. She appeared fifteen or sixteen, dressed in ordinary Southern Barbarian attire, with brown skin, resembling those rural kids always rambling in the fields. Yet, under Fang Zheng’s Dragon Might, she stood firm, indicating much.

Hearing Fang Zheng’s query, the girl smiled slightly.

”I didn’t expect you to see through me. Truly, the Yokai of the Great Han are impressive, Madame salutes you.”

”Madame...”

Hearing this self-reference, the corner of Fang Zheng’s eye twitched slightly.

Miss, could you be the legendary Celestial Maiden?