Urban Seduction: Housewives Club

Chapter 2186 - 507: The Enlightened Monk 3

The Demon-Buddhaʼs voice was centered and calm, with a grounding quality that acted like a sedative on the crowd. Since the plaza was filled with his followers, everyone fell in line.

Those who scored pills didnʼt get cocky, and those who missed out didnʼt try to start a riot. Everyone just quietly queued up to leave the square.

Suddenly, a voice rang out right in Wang Yueʼs ear: ”Young friend, would you care to step inside the temple for a chat?”

Wang Yue gave a subtle nod. He grabbed Cancanʼs hand and started pushing against the flow of the crowd toward the temple entrance.

Watching the two of them head inside instead of leaving, the surrounding devotees looked on with pure envy.

Even though the monk had used a private telepathy technique to speak to Wang Yue, it was obvious to anyone watching: these two had been chosen by the Demon-Buddha himself for a face-to-face.

Inside the temple, the monk greeted them with a small smile and a prayer gesture. ”Greetings, travelers. This humble monk offers his respects.”

”Back at you, Master,” Wang Yue replied with a fist-and-palm salute. ”Iʼm Wang Yue, and this is my wife, Yang Cancan. What should we call you?”

”This monk goes by Xuanji. Greetings to you both,” he replied.

”Wait, I thought your name was the Wave-Walking Demon-Buddha?” Cancan blurted out.

She wasnʼt one of his followers and didnʼt buy into the whole religious thing, so she didnʼt feel any particular awe toward the guy.

Plus, she was a straight-shooter by habit—if she thought it, she said it.

”If thatʼs what youʼd like to call me, thatʼs fine too,” Xuanji said with a smile. ”A name is just a label, and this body is just a shell. Youʼre free to call me whatever you like, as long as I know youʼre talking to me.”

”Nice mindset, Master,” Wang Yue laughed. ”But isnʼt claiming the title of ʼBuddhaʼ a little arrogant?”

Xuanji kept his peaceful smile. ”All living things are equal. Anyone can be a Buddha, and a Buddha is just a man. There is no ʼbigʼ or ʼsmallʼ when it comes to arrogance.”

Cancan cut in, ”If thatʼs the case, why does a Buddha need people to burn incense and bow down to him?”

”Incense was originally used to keep mosquitoes away,” Xuanji explained.

”Buddhist disciples have physical bodies too, and we donʼt like getting bitten, but weʼre forbidden from killing. So, we used smoke to drive them off. Over time, people twisted it into a ritual of respect. As for the bowing? The Buddha never asked anyone to kneel. Thatʼs just another misunderstanding.”

”Really?” Cancan said, hearing this for the first time. She pointed at the massive, gold-dusted statue in the hall. ”If you donʼt want people kneeling, why keep that giant thing around?”

”The statue is just a symbol. Itʼs a way for disciples to remember the teacher, no different from a family hanging a portrait of their ancestors. But it became an object of worship for some,” Xuanji sighed.

”Truth is, they arenʼt bowing to the statue or even the Buddha himself—theyʼre bowing to the obsession inside their own hearts.”

”Obsession?” Cancan asked, looking lost.

”Greed, anger, ignorance... theyʼre all obsessions,” Xuanji said.

”Some people want to get something; others have done something wrong and want a clean conscience. Either way, they canʼt do it themselves, so they dump their hopes on a statue. Take the people asking for things—that request is born from greed. The very first rule of Buddhism is to let go of greed. Asking the Buddha for things while being greedy is like asking a blind man for directions, isnʼt it?”

”Is it really like that?” Cancan thought about herself. She wasnʼt religious, but when life got too hard and she was desperate for a miracle, sheʼd occasionally mutter a few ”Amitabhas” under her breath.

Hearing this high-level monkʼs take made her feel a little ridiculous.

”Of course,” Xuanji smiled. ”If you could truly live without wanting and with a clear heart, youʼd have total freedom. Why would you need to bow to a hunk of clay covered in gold dust?”

Clap, clap, clap. Wang Yue couldnʼt help but applaud. ”Master, your perspective is truly old-school and impressive. I like it.”

Then, his tone shifted. ”But I donʼt get one thing. If youʼve got it all figured out, why arenʼt you off somewhere practicing in peace? Why set up a temple here and let all these people keep ʼasking the blind man for directionsʼ?”

”The real reason is something I canʼt talk about just yet—and itʼs actually why I bothered you, young friend,” Xuanji said seriously. ”Besides, being here allows me to help a few people every two weeks. Why not do a little good while Iʼm at it?”

Wang Yue knew he was talking about the pills heʼd just handed out. The fair happened twice a month, meaning the monk was constantly distributing medicine. It was a genuine act of mercy.

But Cancan couldnʼt help herself. ”If youʼre so kind, why not give out more? Why not help everyone?”

Xuanji gave a small, helpless smile. ”My power is limited. I have the heart for it, but not the resources.”

”Then why not give the pills to the people who really need them? Distributing them randomly like that—arenʼt you afraid someone who doesnʼt need it gets one while someone dying misses out?” she pushed.

”Iʼm just one man. How could I possibly know everyoneʼs story? I have to leave it to fate,” Xuanji said. ”And like I said, thatʼs not the real reason Iʼm stuck here.”

Wang Yue and Cancan were curious about why he was camping out in Kaifeng, but since the guy said it wasnʼt the right time to talk, they were smart enough not to pester him.

Xuanji, however, kept the conversation going. ”Before we get into why Iʼm here, I have to ask... which Martial Holy Land do you come from?”

”What makes you think Iʼm from a Holy Land?” Wang Yue shot back.

”From the way you pulled that pill through the air earlier,” Xuanji said with total confidence.

”I couldnʼt peg your exact level, but I can guarantee youʼre at least at the early Transcendence Stage. And yet, your bone age says you arenʼt even twenty. A teenage powerhouse like that? Only the mysterious Holy Lands could churn out a monster like you.”

Wang Yue could tell Xuanjiʼs general level because his own Qi was so much purer—it was a qualitative difference. Xuanji, on the other hand, had standard-quality Qi, making it nearly impossible for him to gauge Wang Yueʼs true ceiling.

”Your logic is solid, Master,” Wang Yue nodded. ”But you missed the mark this time. Iʼm not from any Holy Land.”

”Impossible,” Xuanji frowned. ”Do you have some secret technique to mask your cultivation?”

”No, you got that part right—Iʼm definitely above the Transcendence Stage,” Wang Yue laughed. ”But who says you have to be from a Holy Land to be a badass?”

”Fair point. I suppose youʼve had your own set of miracles,” Xuanji nodded, seemingly satisfied.

The word ”own” implied a lot. Wang Yueʼs interest piqued. ”Master, your cultivation has reached the Super-Ascension Stage. Which Holy Land did you come from?”

”Like you, Iʼm not a Holy Land guy,” Xuanji said bluntly. ”I got my power through a stroke of luck, too.”

”Then why are you asking about them? You looking to join one?” Wang Yue asked.

”Hardly. The Holy Lands are strong, but they hide from the world. Thatʼs not my style,” Xuanji shook his head. ”My goal is to walk the earth and help the masses. I canʼt waste the power the Buddha gave me.”

”Respect,” Wang Yue said, feeling a genuine sense of admiration. ”But if thatʼs your goal, why have you been cooped up in Kaifeng for over ten years? Kaifeng has its problems, but itʼs relatively safe. Why not head to the front lines?”

Xuanji sighed. ”You think I donʼt want to be out there saving people from the jaws of beasts? My hands are tied. I literally cannot leave.”

Wang Yue was surprised. ”Someone threatening you?”

”No,” Xuanji shook his head. ”The reason... look, since you arenʼt from a Holy Land, youʼre better off not knowing.”

”Why does it have to be a Holy Land?” Cancan cut in. She hadnʼt understood all the ”Transcendence” and ”Super-Ascension” talk, but she could tell Xuanji was looking down on Wang Yue, and she wasnʼt having it.

Xuanji didnʼt get angry at her tone. He just said calmly, ”Because only a Holy Land has the muscle to solve the problem Iʼm facing.”

”Sounds like you donʼt have much faith in me, Master,” Wang Yue grinned. Curiosity was one thing, but he was also itching for a fight. Heʼd never gone up against a real Super-Ascension master before. ”How about a little sparring session? You can judge for yourself if Iʼm strong enough to help.”

Xuanji had no interest in ego-tripping. ”Fighting for the sake of it isnʼt my way. You should let it go.”

”Itʼs just sparring, not a grudge match,” Wang Yue pushed. ”And if my skills pass the test, maybe I can actually help you out of this jam.”

Seeing Wang Yueʼs confidence, Xuanji went quiet for a moment. ”Fine. But a scrap between us is gonna make a lot of noise. Letʼs find somewhere else so we donʼt accidentally level the neighborhood.”

”Works for me. Lead the way,” Wang Yue agreed.

”Follow me.” Xuanji led them out the back door and took off into the sky, streaking north.

Wang Yue wrapped an arm around Cancanʼs waist and followed suit, lifting off and staying right on the monkʼs tail.

Both of them were moving so fast that even if someone looked up, theyʼd only see a faint blur. No risk of causing a scene.