CHAPTER 353: CHAPTER 307 THE RICE JAR

Despite saying this, Sui Yi’s expression still carried traces of hesitation.

In the Former Sui’s Cultivator World, times were much more chaotic than today, with an endless stream of feuds and assassinations, and Aliens were even more active.

Within such a collectively competitive environment, Cultivators’ creativity was maximally inspired, resulting in a plethora of novel Cultivation Techniques, talismans, and even Evil Techniques and Demonic Techniques emerging.

As the final stronghold of Hidden Sects, the Mountain Guarding Array could be described as a jewel in the crown of the Former Sui Cultivation World; even today, the Academic Palace had only been able to restore around twenty varieties of Mountain Guarding Array.

If there had been a Doctor who thoroughly understood the Array and Prohibitions of the Jialan Sect, they would have been celebrated within the Academic Palace by now, their achievements sufficient to be immortalized in the gallery of portraits at the school history museum.

Could it be that, for this trial, the Academic Palace deliberately held back the news of the successful restoration of the Array, waiting for the trial’s results before announcing it?

"The Water Condensation Talisman is still usable," Li Ang flicked the talisman in the air and used Mind Threads to shape a bowl, collecting some clear water. "There’s enough water, but food... Senior Sister, did you bring any to eat?"

"I didn’t bring any." Sui Yi shook her head. "I thought there would be plenty of food sources inside the mountain."

"I didn’t bring any either." Li Ang rubbed his temples with a headache. Humans are iron and food is steel; without a meal, one feels the pinch.

Who knows when the Prohibition will be lifted, or when the next group of Trialists with food will come in.

"Should we explore here for now?" Li Ang suggested. "Currently, the Alarm Talisman hasn’t been triggered. If we really can’t get out, we can trigger the Warning Talisman to let the Mountain Master and the others come to rescue us, right?"

"Okay." Sui Yi nodded and, along with Li Ang, ascended the steps into the Heavenly King Buddha Hall.

As the wealthiest Sect in the mundane world during the Former Sui, the Buddhist temple built by the Jialan Sect was extremely magnificent and grand. The hall featured a total of twenty-two beams and pillars. These beams soared over thirty feet high and were so thick that it took five or six people to encircle one with their arms. All were crafted from ancient timber from the Ten Thousand Desolate Mountains. This wood was resistant to insects, impervious to fire, and incorruptible by rain; indeed, even the Former Sui Emperor’s palace could only use it sparingly.

At the center of the hall, on a high platform, sat a Maitreya Buddha statue with an exposed chest and belly, laughing heartily, flanked by the four wrathful Heavenly Kings as guards, with Weituo Bodhisattva behind them.

Each Buddha statue was towering and majestic, with exquisite craftsmanship that gave their expressions, whether compassionate or stern, a lifelike quality that nearly brought one to their knees in worship.

Perhaps due to the broken brick and tile and the constant exposure to wind and rain, there was little dust on the floor of the hall. As Li Ang and Sui Yi walked through the vast and empty hall, they momentarily felt as if they were in the land of giants.

"Hm? This Weituo Bodhisattva statue... why is it sitting?" Sui Yi noticed something unusual and asked, puzzled.

Weituo, also called Weituotian, is a protector deity in Buddhism, usually found in a Buddhist temple’s Heavenly King Hall, backing the Maitreya Buddha statue. It signifies the subjugation of Demons and protection of the Buddhist teachings.

The typical Weituo Buddha statue is standing, but the one before them sat erect in a chair, with a Buddhist staff on its shoulders.

"It’s understandable to have the Buddhist staff on the shoulders," Li Ang explained. "Many Former Sui Emperors were devout Buddhists and issued Dudie widely, which greatly increased the number of Monks. These Monks traveled and trained throughout the various State Mansions, visiting other Buddhist temples for food and lodging. Though all Zen Sects were considered one family, the wealth of individual temples differed. Since turning away visiting Monks was not ideal, they used subtle Zen methods to convey their capacity. If Weituo placed the staff on the ground, it indicated that the temple was poor and could not provide free food and lodging for visiting Monks. If Weituo held the staff horizontally in his hands, it signified a mid-level temple that could host visiting Monks for a few days. If Weituo carried the staff horizontally on his shoulders, it showed a wealthy, large temple that could host visiting Monks for ten days to half a month."

Li Ang stroked his chin. "As for Weituo sitting, it might be related to a local legend of Lingzhou?"

"Legend?"

"Indeed, the Jialan Sect originated in Lingzhou. The local chronicles record a Zen tale of dubious authenticity," Li Ang said. "There was a temple housing hundreds of Monks, diligently practicing the Buddha’s teachings without slacking for a single day. It so happened that a severe drought hit the local State Mansion, and the temple’s fields yielded no crops. The nearby common people and pilgrims had barely enough food for themselves, let alone enough to support the Buddhist temple. Seeing the empty rice vat and having no recourse, the abbot gathered the Monks and questioned their purpose in studying the Buddha’s teachings. The Monks replied that they sought to transcend life and death, to attain liberation and freedom. The abbot then said, ’If that is the case, everyone should remain committed to the path and continue to toll the bell and chant prayers. If indeed there is no rice left, perhaps it is because we have committed heavy sins in the past, and this hardship is the retribution drawn by our karmic forces.’ The Monks assented. Then the abbot used the last of the rice in the vat to cook a thin porridge, had the Monks eat and rest, and ordered the temple’s main gates to be locked. After these deeds were done, he went to Weituo Hall, knelt before the Bodhisattva, and asked why they, Monks who normally performed good deeds, accumulated merit, and never slacked in their study of the Buddha’s laws, had to suffer such a calamity."

"And then what?" Sui Yi could not help but ask. "Did Weituo exercise his Mana, and miraculously, rice filled the vat?"

Not likely. Weituo isn’t some kind of genie who just makes rice appear.

Li Ang shook his head and said, "The story has two parts. Meanwhile, over in Jiangnan by the sea, a fleet of dozens of cargo ships encountered fierce winds and great waves, with all crew members on the verge of capsizing into the sea. A Monk stood on the tossing deck and began to recite Buddha Sutras. As the sound of the sutras echoed, the sky-high waves miraculously calmed swiftly, and the fleet steadied once again. The ship’s owner, knowing the Monk possessed profound Mana, led his crew to kowtow in sincere gratitude, offering to gift all the cargo and wealth aboard the fleet to the Master. But the Monk declined all the goods; he merely requested that the owner urgently send three ships’ loads of grain to a certain temple in Lingzhou."

"Lingzhou... That’s over three thousand li from Hangzhou, right?" Sui Yi pondered briefly. "By the time the grain arrives, it’ll be too late, won’t it?"

"That’s what the ship’s owner also said. But the Monk replied that he had his ways and asked only that everyone retreat into the cabins and neither look nor listen to the commotion outside. Everyone on board did as the Monk instructed. While in their cabins, they only felt fierce winds howling, the vessel rocking, and the light of the sun and moon streaming past. After one night, the vessel astonishingly docked outside Lingzhou port, and the Monk had vanished without a trace. The crew kept their promise, unloading sacks of rice from the ships and delivering them to the deep mountain temple. The abbot, besides being grateful, was bewildered by the sudden appearance of the three ships with emergency grain. Then it dawned on him—his questioning of the Weituo Statue the night before. Thus, with trepidation, he led the ship’s owner to Weituo Hall. The moment the owner laid eyes on the Weituo Buddha statue, he blurted out that the visage of the Buddha statue before him was precisely that of the Monk who had rescued their fleet three thousand li away in Hangzhou the previous night. Only then did the abbot notice that the Weituo Bodhisattva statue’s forehead was covered in sweat. Filled with immense shame, he knelt in repentance and asked the Weituo Bodhisattva to rest well. No sooner had he spoken than the Weituo Bodhisattva’s statue unceremoniously sat down. From then on, the world had its first seated Weituo statue."

Li Ang paused and added, "I also read this story in the local chronicles, which did not specify the temple’s name. However, it seems likely that it was indeed the earliest Jialan Sect."

"Hmm..." Sui Yi squinted, scrutinized the Weituo Statue, and even reached out with her Spiritual Sense to probe, but found nothing unusual. "Strange... If the legend is true, to transport three full ships of grain upstream, in one night, over three thousand li—how immense must the Mana be?"

The so-called ’carrying a mortal across the river weighs as heavy as a mountain’; Cultivators are no immortals. Even a Telekinesis Master of the Candle Cloud Realm would find it difficult to lift a fully-loaded ship over a distance of more than two hundred li—the Qi Sea can’t keep up.

Three thousand li...

Sui Yi murmured, "Could it truly be the Buddha himself descending?"

"Who knows," Li Ang shook his head. "But if it indeed was a divine manifestation of Buddha, then the Jialan Sect wouldn’t have met its destruction in the end."

BOOM!

A thunderous sound came from the distant Grand Hall, and Li Ang and Sui Yi simultaneously turned to look.