Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 2279: Chapter 2278: Buddha or Demon

”To accuse someone, any excuse will do. Now that my junior brother has passed into Nirvana, you can say whatever you want. Really, it’s disgraceful how Mount Longhu can go to such lengths for personal gain.”

Luckily, Pu Zhu was quite articulate and didn’t suffer any losses.

But the stance of Mount Longhu was clear—they had brought quite a few people and were insistent on getting to the bottom of the matter.

Bai Ruozhu, being one who knew the truth, speculated that perhaps Qiu Zheng was not necessarily trying to frame Master Pudeng, but had known his secret for years and couldn’t let it go even after the latter’s death.

However, Bai Ruozhu had little fondness for such a person.

Firstly, if Master Pudeng had done something evil, you should have come to take him away, rather than accuse him after he had benefitted the people and done so much for everyone, clinging to superficial appearances to denounce him.

Moreover, even if Master Pudeng had done evil in the past, why didn’t you come sooner? You wait until after he is dead to step forward, which is hardly serving justice for the people, but rather for your own fame and gain, isn’t it?

Secondly, whether Buddhist or Taoist, there should be an understanding: when someone dies, it’s like a lamp being extinguished. When they have already passed, why make a fuss? Is it because your skills were inferior before, so you swallowed your pride, but now that he’s gone, do you think the temple is easy to bully?

In the end, it’s just taking advantage of someone’s misfortune.

At this moment, not only Bai Ruozhu but even ordinary people who came to pay their respects spoke up for Xinchan Temple.

”You old Taoist must be jealous that Master Pudeng had more talent and virtue, and was more respected than you. Look at all the things he did for us while he was alive. Where were you then? Now you’ve come to make false accusations.”

”Exactly, if Master Pudeng was a demon, how could he be adept in Buddhist teachings, chant sutras for blessings? How could he leave behind Buddhist relics after his death?”

”Master Pudeng has just departed, and you’ve already come to cause trouble. How despicable of you, Mount Longhu!”

”From now on, we won’t seek out anyone from Mount Longhu for anything. How shameless!”

”...”

The crowd cursed and hurled insults, and the faces of the people from Mount Longhu changed several times. Fortunately, they either didn’t want to or couldn’t be bothered to argue with ordinary people, and didn’t start any conflict with the crowd.

”This is a matter between Mount Longhu and Xinchan Temple. Outsiders, keep your mouths shut. Affairs between the Dao and Buddhism aren’t something ordinary people can meddle in!” Qiu Zheng suddenly spoke up, his voice seemingly mixed with some kind of Brahmic accent. No, Bai Ruozhu thought, it shouldn’t be called a Brahmic accent from Mount Longhu, it should be called righteous and proper Qi.

All the voices were suppressed, and the crowd was stunned into silence, not speaking for a long while.

However, no matter how powerful his force was, it couldn’t surpass the place Master Pudeng held in the hearts of the people. Pudeng had just passed into Nirvana, so emotions were high, and this was not a good time for Qiu Zheng to challenge it.

Qiu Zheng had no choice either. He could only prove his past judgment after Pudeng’s passing through Pudeng’s corpse. If he arrived late and didn’t see Pudeng’s corpse, all would be in vain.

Unfortunately, he was indeed a step too late.

”Where is Pudeng’s body? Are you at Xinchan Temple so afraid that his body will be seen?” Qiu Zheng glared at Pu Zhu and asked, ”Your evasiveness suggests a guilty conscience, does it not? In that case, we’ll have no choice but to search the temple!”

”Insolence!” Xinchan Temple’s elder shouted angrily, ”Xinchan Temple isn’t a place you can search as you please!”

Qiu Zheng sneered, ”Xinchan Temple isn’t Shaolin Temple. Why shouldn’t Dragon Tiger Gate be able to search?”

Bai Ruozhu squinted from a distance—this was truly bullying too much!

Qiu Zheng implied that Xinchan Temple was just a group of monks chanting and worshiping, lacking the martial monks of Shaolin Temple. Searching Xinchan Temple would be as easy as turning a hand over, which was nothing but bullying, wasn’t it?

Before, with Master Pudeng overseeing things, they dared not provoke trouble, but now that he had passed, they had come to bully the temple. Despicable!

If even this outrage could be tolerated, Bai Ruozhu would have received Master Pudeng’s kindness in vain.

She walked to the middle of the main hall and loudly declared, ”Anyone who wants to search Xinchan Temple, needs to see if I, this officer, agree!”

The onlookers were stunned. How could a woman emerge and claim to be ”this officer”?

Bai Ruozhu aimed to impose with this aura. She glanced at Qiu Zheng lightly and said, ”At the time of Master Pudeng’s passing, I was right beside him. Master Pudeng removed an evil technique curse from me. Without the virtue of a high monk, it would have been impossible. As for saying he was a demon, that’s sheer nonsense.”

”You were there when Pudeng died? Who exactly are you?” Qiu Zheng, though intimidated by Bai Ruozhu’s authoritative demeanor, had to respect that even Dragon Tiger Gate, with its reputation in Taoism, would avoid easily coming into conflict with the Imperial Court, thus had to be cautious when Bai Ruozhu claimed to be ”this officer.”

”I am a fourth-rank female Chief Doctor, Bai Ruozhu, and also the leader of the Medical Alliance of Danliang Country.” Bai Ruozhu stated this as she took out her officer’s token and the emblem of the Medical Alliance, showing them briefly before stowing them back into Space.

At this, someone among the onlookers shouted, ”I’ve heard of the Medical Alliance. They give free consultations to the people every month. I heard the leader is a Divine Doctor, surname Bai!”

”Wow, a Divine Doctor! A Divine Doctor called Master Pudeng a monk of profound virtue. Mount Longhu’s old Taoists should leave quickly!”

The surrounding onlookers began discussing loudly again.

Bai Ruozhu was pleased inside. Her founding of the Medical Alliance was out of goodwill, and now it seems the name of the leader had become larger than her official title, like unintended consequences flourishing.

”Did you really witness Pudeng’s death? Then, where is his body?” Qiu Zheng asked anxiously, ”Please, Lord Bai, don’t shield Pudeng. Even if he helped you, it doesn’t change the fact that he might be a demon. Not of our kin, their hearts must be different. Who knows if he laid any hidden dangers in your body while seemingly helping you?”

Bai Ruozhu let out a cold laugh, ”The skill of Mount Longhu in slaying demons and exorcising evil isn’t notable, but its skill in sowing discord and fabricating stories is world-class. I indeed watched Master Pudeng pass into Nirvana, just as the abbot said, where streams of golden light emanated from his body, followed soon by a spontaneous heavenly fire that consumed his body, leaving only a few Buddhist relics.”

”Impossible! Didn’t you see anything else?” Qiu Zheng asked unwillingly.

”What does the Taoist mean by anything else?” Bai Ruozhu retorted.

Qiu Zheng choked, thought for a moment, and said, ”I’m not sure, something that may transform into a non-human form?”

Bai Ruozhu snorted, her face full of mockery, ”If the Master doesn’t even know, how can he claim Pudeng was a demon? By your logic, which demon do you think he was? Why couldn’t you subdue him in those days?”

”I...” Qiu Zheng was choked with anger; another quick-witted person—how could a man like him, who was poor with words, compete?

At this point, a young man behind Qiu Zheng, full of righteousness, said, ”Master, no need to waste words on such ignorant people. Once we find the demon’s body, they will have no choice but to believe!”