111: Chapter 109 Maitreya Sect 111: Chapter 109 Maitreya Sect Yue Hongling gritted her teeth in frustration.

She thought to herself, Zhao Changhe, who hasn’t been seen for a while, now frequents brothels at night.

That’s one thing, but why did he get so excited and show off when he mentioned me?

What does that mean?

But something didn’t seem quite right.

When she stayed at his place, he truly respected her, going out of his way to avoid anything that could embarrass her.

If it was unrequited love as others suspected, there had been plenty of opportunities for him to flirt with her.

Pretending to be the chieftain’s wife by default, at least calling out “my lady” in public, wouldn’t have allowed her to flare up, right?

But he showed no such interest…

Could it be his unspeakable thoughts were hidden so deeply?

Or had he changed for the worse in the months they hadn’t seen each other…

Look at him now, visiting brothels, where he used to be so honest.

Regardless of her seething heart, Yue Hongling actually wanted to see Zhao Changhe.

Yangzhou now gave her a sense of underlying treacherous currents, and it wasn’t just the matters concerning the Maitreya Sect.

Was Zhao Changhe in Yangzhou because he knew something?

If…

If you’re truly infatuated with me, just don’t say it out loud.

I’ll pretend to be unaware, and we can interact as usual…

As she hesitated on whether to go to the Xiao Xiang Inn to find Zhao Changhe, she saw a monk rushing to report, “Zhao Changhe has arrived, saying he has come to worship Buddha.”

The abbot was not surprised and smiled, “Yesterday, Dong Liu made it clear enough to him.

We mean well towards him, and if he has no objections, he will naturally come to visit…

After all, he doesn’t have any particularly strong heritage to fall back on.

Invite him into the hall for a chat, hm, there’s no need to arrange those messy matters yet, let’s talk first.”

“Yes.”

Yue Hongling soon saw Zhao Changhe, whom she hadn’t seen for several months, striding into the monastery with monks leading the way.

She noticed that each time she saw Zhao Changhe, his demeanor had subtly changed.

He was still green and naive when she first met him at Zhao Mansion; then at Beimang, he had already become the Mountain Village Chief, rough and domineering, exuding an air of unrefined vigor.

This time, after the trials of the Worldly Society and encounters with the Aristocratic Families, his sharpness had dulled considerably, and he looked more composed and solemn, as if he had managed to integrate the bookish air he had at the beginning.

But the unrefined vigor was still there, unchanged in its defiance.

With his tiger’s stride and dragon’s march, he always caused Yue Hongling to momentarily see the likes of Wan Tianxiong—a towering figure of the southeast—before her.

The trials of the Worldly Society really do temper a person.

In just half a year, he has grown into such a…

um, a man who visits brothels.

As the thought crossed her mind, Zhao Changhe had already entered the main hall.

Seeing only the abbot and a few monks waiting in the vast empty space, Zhao Changhe seemed a bit surprised, “I thought your monastery would have many devotees and countless monks…

Or did I come too early and didn’t see them?”

The abbot smiled, “Benefactor Zhao is not aware, our practice encourages believers to worship from their homes, and we have never had a large number of monks.

As for our devotees, they leave immediately after their prayers, as they still have their livelihoods to tend to.”

Zhao Changhe’s thoughts flickered.

No wonder this monastery is called White Lotus; it seems the Maitreya Sect has adopted quite a few templates from the White Lotus Sect.

If it were a pure Maitreya Sect, one that encourages violence, it would be rare for them to engage in such practices.

But traditionally, the White Lotus Sect and Maitreya Sect are closely related.

This branch might not know too much about the so-called “previous epoch.” It’s just a superficial repackaging, so mixing in some elements is quite normal.

It’s a pity that I’ve almost returned all my history lessons to my teacher.

My understanding is no better than theirs; we’re both lacking.

The abbot was saying, “Benefactor, please take a seat.”

Zhao Changhe sat down on the cushion in front of him, and a monk brought over a cup of tea.

The atmosphere did indeed feel like he had seriously gone to a temple to inquire about Zen.

“May I know the master’s Buddhist name?” Zhao Changhe asked.

The abbot replied, “Fa Yuan, a name of no significance, Benefactor Zhao probably has never heard of it.

Before becoming the abbot here, I was a lay practitioner with the title Zhang Banfu.

You might have heard of that, perhaps.”

Zhao Changhe seemed to recall something.

Back when the Four Symbols Sect tricked Han Wubing to view their swords, he, too, had looked for Chichi for several days…

Of course, they had interactions, and Han Wubing mentioned that the Four Symbols Sect had agreed to assassinate Zhang Banfu in exchange for convincing him that inviting to view the swords was to hire a hitman, which increased credibility.

That was just an excuse the Four Symbols Sect had made up; such a high-profile figure was surely beyond Han Wubing’s capability to kill.

But to come up with a nemesis’s name on the fly, and it’s this name, it proved that in Chichi and the others’ eyes, this Zhang Banfu was a target to be killed, and any name they mentioned would be his.

As a key person in charge of the Maitreya Sect in a major area…

This guy was probably still on Tang Wanju’s hit list, except others were likely unaware that he had changed his appearance and became the true monk Fa Yuan.

Ironically, it was he, the supposed “ally of the Maitreya Sect,” who accidentally knew the situation.

“It seems I’ve heard it somewhere, but I don’t remember clearly,” Zhao Changhe said with a naive smile.

“I haven’t been in the Worldly Society for long and don’t recognize many heroes and great men.”

Fa Yuan did not take offense and smiled, “It is precisely because Benefactor Changhe has set foot in the Worldly Society for only a short time yet has established such a reputation that it is all the more admirable.”

Zhao Changhe feigned anger, “Master is being unfair, calling me a ‘Bloodthirsty Shura’ truly sounds unpleasant.”

Fa Yuan clapped his hands with laughter, “Not knowing Benefactor’s preferences, please don’t take offense, for you must know that we mean well.”

Good intentions, perhaps not; it was just an incidental product of undermining the face of the Four Symbols Sect and the Blood God Sect.

Of course, Zhao Changhe would not expose this and smiled, “I had not thought about it beforehand, but it seems I truly have quite a fate with your sect.

As the master is aware, I was originally a man of the wilderness, completely ignorant of the Buddhist Law.

Since fate has brought us here, may I ask if the master could elaborate?

Perhaps I truly have a fate with Buddha as well.”

This came off as a genuine desire to understand and see if he could join, especially since it was so direct and nearly void of nonsense.

In fact, Fa Yuan and the others had always felt that this was a very normal thing.

The Maitreya Sect was a cult and an enemy of the officials, which, in the eyes of an outlaw like Zhao Changhe, who had been wanted, was not a big deal at all.

It would only make him feel closer.

Especially since he went to great lengths to save the Cui Family’s girl, only to be driven out by the Cui Family under the name of outlaw.

If Fa Yuan put himself in Zhao Changhe’s shoes, he would be full of rage, thinking ‘damn it, someday I must trample over the bones of nobility in the streets, crush these conceited Aristocratic Families under my feet, snatch Cui Yuanyang and play with her at my leisure.’ Those were the thoughts Zhao Changhe should have.

‘Waiting for three more years for the Human List, your mother’s list?’

And among the rebels and Demon Sects, he was a traitor to the Four Symbols Sect and the Blood God Sect…

If this didn’t make him a perfect match for the Maitreya Sect, then what did?

This was why they had no guards against Zhao Changhe; he was a prime candidate for indoctrination.

Even Yue Hongling, who was secretly observing from the beams, was a bit skeptical.

Out of trust for Zhao Changhe, she continued to listen.

She felt that someone like Zhao Changhe, who seemed lawless yet was actually chivalrous at heart, was just like her.

He should not choose to join an organization like the Maitreya Sect, unless he was completely unaware of the sect’s true nature and was deceived.

If that was the case, she would have to find an opportunity to warn him.

But then she heard Fa Yuan say, “Benefactor may have heard…

In the past, the Buddhist Law spread widely and the Buddhist was flourishing.

Yet, over a decade ago, the current Emperor carried out an unpopular act of destroying Buddhism.

Within a few years, the stupas were destroyed, temples burned, and monks were forced to lay aside their robes, leading to the decline of the Buddhist Law.”

Zhao Changhe had seen some mention of this when reading books, but had found it drowsy and not detailed, perhaps subconsciously feeling that it wasn’t unusual for a person like Xia Longyuan to destroy Buddhism…

He then asked, “But now temples are still openly built, right?

There’s no problem.

It’s just that the scale is small.

I’ve traveled north and south but haven’t seen many temples, and I don’t seem to have heard of any strong Martial Arts Sects that are Buddhist.

Oh, I don’t know if your sect counts.”

Fa Yuan shook his head, “Since it was unpopular, it naturally could not last long.

With too much protest from the court and the public, the Emperor could not persist alone.

Hence, a gradual relaxation ensued, and signs of a revival appeared.

However, the Maitreya Sect had already been secretly growing long before this revival.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Is it because you use the name of an association to practice at home, with high secrecy, and hence are not easily attacked?”

“Exactly…

but a more critical point is that we have aligned with the prophecy.”

“What prophecy?”

“Of course, the prophecy that Maitreya will become Buddha in his next life.” At this point, Fa Yuan’s expression turned solemn, clearly deeply believing, “‘Shakyamuni Buddha declines, Maitreya Buddha shall sustain the world’…

This prophecy appeared even before the Emperor’s destruction of Buddhism.

Doesn’t the Emperor’s act fit perfectly?

Our Sect Hierarch is the reincarnation of Maitreya from the previous epoch, come to lead our Mahayana.”

The surrounding monks were clasping their hands and chanting, their expressions fervent.

Damn these cults…

Zhao Changhe was inwardly speechless.

In his view, it was a far-fetched correlation—if it made sense at all, it was merely a coincidence.

If it were not a coincidence, Xia Longyuan was the more astounding one capable of causing Shakyamuni to decline!

Yet they were fervently devoted to Maitreya, and they didn’t seem foolish…

Of course, outwardly, he had to seem extremely interested, “If so, perhaps your Sect Hierarch truly possesses Ancient Secrets?”

“Undoubtedly, who among today’s Martial Artists does not seek Ancient Times?

All sects claim to have teachings from the ancient past, but only our Maitreya Sect holds the true secret of Buddha.”

“What proof is there?”

Fa Yuan smiled mysteriously, “Like the issue of your meridian being set, I believe no other sect has a solution, but we do.”

Zhao Changhe’s heart leapt violently, and he subconsciously held his breath.

Who could have thought that here, he would hear of a solution to the problem that had plagued his entire life as a Martial Artist?

Even Yue Hongling internally cursed, well aware that this was indeed the most lethal temptation for Zhao Changhe, far more alluring than ten thousand feigned Yue Honglings.

Seeing Zhao Changhe’s expression, Fa Yuan smugly smiled and began to assert control, “Of course, this is not attainable except by a Bodhisattva.

Benefactor Zhao, please return.

Begin studying the Buddhist Scripture, and perhaps the position of a ten-stage Bodhisattva may be yours.”

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, calming himself, and said woodenly, “I haven’t read a single Buddhist Scripture; how can I study?”

Fa Yuan’s smile grew more suggestive, “Buddha crosses those with fate.

Since Benefactor and our sect are fated, we will naturally have someone teach you the meanings of the Scriptures, and perhaps Benefactor may discover new surprises.”