novelapdf Chapter 299 Conferring the Title of Female Bodhisattva
Chapter 299 Conferring the Title of Female Bodhisattva
The statements are contradictory.
According to the tree spirit Si Rumeng, her sister is a white lotus flower.
Xu Chen is a heartless man and an executioner.
When it comes to Zhao Xianzhen, Xu Chen becomes the victim of being deceived in love, while the tree demon sister is the real culprit who harms the people.
The filling inside a steamed bun will be different if you bite into it from either end.
As for the truth, twelve years have passed, and neither side's words alone are enough to determine it.
It seems I'll have to go back and ask Xu Fu.
That kid must know something, otherwise he wouldn't have pretended to be dead as soon as he saw Si Rumeng.
"I see."
Jiang Mu responded with a casual remark.
Chu Lingzhu listened for a while, but wasn't very interested in these old stories.
She tugged at Jiang Mu's sleeve and whispered:
"Boss, have you finished discussing your business? Come with us to the street and buy some clean clothes."
We'd been at sea for days, and we reeked of salted fish. We also bought some food; we were getting sick of eating fish.
Jiang Mu turned her head and glanced at it.
Chu Lingzhu's light green dress was indeed covered in gray and black stains.
Lan Rou'er fared even worse.
The hem of her plain white dress was torn in two places, and there were still oil stains on the cuffs from when she was grilling fish on the boat.
Although the two women were naturally beautiful, even the prettiest faces can't withstand not changing clothes for five or six days.
He told Zhao Xianzhen and then took the two women to the street to buy things.
The three of them went to the grain shop first.
In addition to the usual dry rations, Jiang Mu also bought a whole bunch of snacks such as dried meat, dried fruit, and candied fruit.
There was no other way; a little one, a reincarnation of a glutton, had appeared in our family.
The amount of fish I fed her along the way could have opened a seafood shop.
Fortunately, Jiang Mu's companion space had ample capacity; even with the pile of fish still crammed into a corner and not yet processed, it could easily hold several hundred kilograms of dry rations. After buying food, the three of them went into a clothing store.
The two women knew that now was not the time for sightseeing, so they didn't fuss and casually chose a few long dresses.
Jiang Mu spotted several clothes with exotic styles and bought them.
He planned to have Chu Lingzhu dress him up and admire him on the way, to alleviate his loneliness.
The three of them had just come out of the clothing store carrying large and small bags, intending to go to the pharmacy to get some more medicinal herbs for Chu Lingzhu, when a commotion suddenly broke out on the bustling street.
"The Holy Buddha Jingtan has arrived!"
Someone shouted out.
The next moment, a scene that left Jiang Mu and the other two speechless unfolded.
The street vendors began to scramble to pack up their stalls, and the fishmongers huddled their fish baskets in their arms... all kinds of merchants, vendors, and pedestrians retreated to both sides of the street.
A wide avenue was immediately cleared on the street.
The people around them, like dominoes, knelt down one by one on both sides of the street, their foreheads pressed against the pavement.
Jiang Mu and his two companions stood out awkwardly on the street, like three wooden stakes exposed after the tide receded.
Several merchants not far away, who were also clearly from out of town, were equally bewildered.
But soon, they were grabbed by the hem of their clothes by their local guides or companions and forced to kneel on the ground.
"Young men, why are you all just standing there like idiots!"
An elderly woman with a full head of white hair, kneeling beside the vegetable stall, saw this and anxiously urged,
"Kneel down immediately! The Holy Buddha has graced us with his presence. If you offend the Buddha, you will be punished by heaven and cause great trouble!"
"What holy Buddha?" Jiang Mu looked down at her.
The old woman explained, "The Holy Buddha Jingtan is the abbot of Jingtan Temple; he's a living deity. Young man, you're from out of town and don't know the rules. Quickly kneel down, or you'll really get into trouble."
A cold smile curled at the corner of Jiang Mu's lips.
What kind of bullshit saint or Buddha is this?
I dared to kill even the emperor's own uncle, and I dared to chop up even the Eight Realms Supervisor. Who do you think you are, daring to make me kneel down?
"Thump...thump..."
The sound of a wooden fish drum came from the end of the street.
Accompanying the sound of the wooden fish was a series of ethereal chants of Buddhist hymns.
A group of monks slowly approached.
Leading the way were about a dozen dignified-looking martial monks.
Following them were two rows of monks in yellow robes, their hands clasped together, their lips moving, and deep chanting of scriptures rolling from their throats.
Further on, there were sedan chairs.
In the very center of the procession, eight muscular, bare-chested warriors covered in gold powder were carrying a huge and luxurious white jade lotus sedan chair.
Golden wind chimes hung from the four corners of the sedan chair, tinkling crisply in the wind.
Snow-white curtains hung all around.
As the light shimmered, one could vaguely see a figure sitting quietly inside the sedan chair.
As the wind occasionally lifted a gap in the curtain, Jiang Mu caught a glimpse of the person inside the sedan chair.
He was a white-robed monk with red lips and white teeth.
A touch of cinnabar between his brows; his appearance was both handsome and alluring.
His eyes were slightly closed, one hand rested on his knee, and his fingertips held a white lotus flower that was about to bloom.
With the tip of her other finger, she flicked a string of prayer beads.
It radiates a sacred glow.
On either side of the white jade sedan chair, two women dressed as "female bodhisattvas" followed, their steps cascading like lotus blossoms.
They were graceful, holding jade bottles in their hands.
He would occasionally dip a willow branch into the water in the bottle and sprinkle it on the believers around him.
At the outermost edge of the procession were dozens of beautiful maids in colorful robes, carrying flower baskets and scattering fragrant petals along the way. As the procession drew closer, the kneeling crowd around them grew increasingly fervent.
"The Holy Buddha is merciful and saves all sentient beings!"
"May the Holy Buddha bestow blessings!"
People were shouting at the top of their lungs.
Just moments ago, people were only touching the ground with their foreheads, but now some have started to kowtow vigorously with loud thuds.
The old woman who urged Jiang Mu to kneel down was making loud thumping noises.
His face was filled with a morbid obsession and ecstasy.
Jiang Mu's eyes twitched.
If I keep kowtowing, I'm afraid I'll end up knocking myself out of there first.
Looking at this group of people who seemed to be suffering from some kind of mass hysteria, Jiang Mu couldn't help but sigh.
The brainwashing skills of this Buddhist monk are even more outrageous than those of the Red Umbrella Cult.
Just then, Jiang Mu suddenly sensed something was wrong.
The chanting of the monks sounded peaceful, and the scriptures seemed unremarkable, yet they concealed a power of spiritual corruption. This sound, penetrating the eardrums and entering the mind, amplified the weaknesses and piety within ordinary people.
He is a seventh-realm venerable being, his divine consciousness as stable as a mountain.
This slight fluctuation was like a mosquito's buzz to him, and naturally had no effect whatsoever.
But Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er behind him were just mortals.
Jiang Mu turned around and saw that the two women's eyes were gradually becoming unfocused and their expressions were solemn. Their knees were also starting to weaken and were slowly bending downwards.
He was about to kneel down along with the crowd around him.
Jiang Mu coughed.
The two women snapped to attention and immediately came to their senses.
However, the cough also caught the attention of the monks leading the way.
The three gray-robed monks turned their heads and their gazes fell on Jiang Mu and his two companions, who stood out from the crowd. A fierce glint flashed in their eyes.
"presumptuous!"
Two martial monks, wielding fire and water staffs that reached their eyebrows, glared menacingly and strode forward.
The tip of the stick was pointed directly at Jiang Mu's face, and he shouted fiercely:
"You audacious mortal, why do you not kneel before the holy Buddha Jingtan?"
Jiang Mu sneered:
"They're nothing but a bunch of bald monks pretending to be gods and bewitching people. How dare they spout nonsense here? Even if you were some kind of holy Buddha, I still wouldn't worship you."
"presumptuous!"
"Insulting the holy Buddha deserves death!"
The monk flew into a rage and was about to swing his water-and-fire staff.
"stop!"
A clear shout rang out from beside the lotus sedan chair.
Then, the barefoot female bodhisattva gracefully walked over from beside the sedan chair.
With each step, an illusory lotus flower blooms beneath one's feet, exuding utmost purity and holiness.
The three monks quickly put their hands together and stepped aside, their expressions respectful.
The female bodhisattva walked closer, stepping on the petals scattered on the ground. Her gaze skipped over Jiang Mu and landed on Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er.
After looking it over, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Amitabha."
Then the female bodhisattva clasped her hands together and raised her voice:
"The Holy Buddha, moved by the suffering of the world, saw that these two women possessed wisdom and radiant spirits, and had a karmic connection with our Buddhist community from past lives."
To see it in the dust today is truly the will of Heaven.
These two women are hereby conferred the titles of Precious Moon Bodhisattva and Pure Lotus Bodhisattva, placing them under the tutelage of holy Buddhas, to receive incense offerings from the world.
May they soon shed their mortal bodies and enter my Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
The once fierce and menacing monks immediately turned around in fear and trepidation, bowing to Chu Lingzhu and her companion with faces full of reverence: "We were blind and offended you two bodhisattvas! Forgive us!"
The female bodhisattva took a willow branch from the mutton-fat vase and waved it gently.
A few drops of water were sprinkled away.
The maids carrying flower baskets rushed forward and showered them with handfuls of red petals.
The surrounding people were already in tears.
They kowtowed repeatedly in the direction of Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er, chanting incoherently:
"Congratulations, Bodhisattva! Congratulations, Bodhisattva... May my son recover!"
May the Bodhisattva bless you so that everything goes smoothly this year.
"Buddha………"
Jiang Mu's brows furrowed into a deep frown.
These are a bunch of lunatics.
He thought these lunatics were about to forcibly take him away.
However, to his surprise, the female bodhisattva simply smiled at the two women and then turned and left.
Immediately afterwards, the massive ceremonial procession set off again amidst chanting.
Disappearing.
As the procession moved away, the kneeling believers around them stood up.
They clasped their hands together and bowed respectfully to Chu Lingzhu and the other woman before dispersing.
But the look in his eyes when he left still revealed a fanaticism.
"Are these people crazy?"
Chu Lingzhu brushed the petals off her shoulders and hair with disgust. "What Bodhisattva? Who wants to be a Bodhisattva? I want to be a fairy, okay?" "Let's go."
Jiang Mu's expression was not good.
Losing all interest in shopping, he quickly led the two women to the Demon Slayer Bureau.
Back to the Demon Slayer Division.
Zhao Xianzheng greeted him: "Master Jiang, the carriage is ready for you."
I've chosen the finest demon horse for you in Hailing Prefecture. It can travel a thousand miles a day without a problem, and it will reach Huzhou City in six days at most.
However, it's getting late. If Master Jiang isn't in a hurry, I've prepared a simple feast in the back hall as a welcome welcome. Why not rest for the night and set off again tomorrow?
"No need, thank you for your kindness, Manager Zhao. I'm very busy with official business. I'll treat you to a meal next time."
Jiang Mu politely declined.
All he wants now is to get out of this awful place as soon as possible.
Seeing this, Zhao Xianzheng did not insist:
"Since Master Jiang is so eager to return, then I will not try to stop him any longer. I will have someone bring the carriage to the door right away."
"Excuse me."
Jiang Mu slightly cupped his hands and casually asked,
"By the way, Manager Zhao. We happened to run into the abbot of Jingtan Temple while we were strolling around the street."
The spectacle was truly grand; I saw people all over the streets kneeling and worshipping him as if he were a real Buddha.
"How can Jingtan Temple wield such influence in Hailing Prefecture?"
Upon hearing the words "Jingtan Temple," Zhao Xianzheng's facial muscles twitched slightly.
He then sighed and gave a wry smile:
"Master Jiang, you may not know this, but demons and monsters are causing chaos in the world, and natural and man-made disasters are constantly occurring in various places. The people are suffering greatly."
When people live in constant fear of uncertainty, they always need something to cling to... It's always good to have some kind of faith in a god or Buddha to hold onto." This statement was ambiguous and clearly an attempt to downplay the issue.
At this moment, his gaze swept over Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er's shoulders and saw the tiny flower petals still clinging to their dresses.
The smile on his face froze as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water on it, and he exclaimed in horror:
"You have been appointed as Bodhisattvas by the Holy Buddha Jingtan?"
"yes."
Jiang Mu scoffed, "It really is superstitious, forcibly stuffing a ridiculous title into it, it's inexplicable."
"Hurry up!"
Zhao Xianzhen ignored Jiang Mu's teasing and pounced on him, grabbing Jiang Mu's arm:
"Master Jiang, take them out of the city before it gets dark!"
Jiang Mu was startled by his tug, her brows furrowing. "Chief Zhao, what exactly happened? Did that monk dare to openly intercept and kill an official of the imperial court?" "Don't ask, just let's go!"
Zhao Xianzhen's forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat as she grabbed Jiang Mu and tried to push her towards the door.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the back room.
A demon slayer rushed into the hall.
He first glanced at Jiang Mu and the other two with a strange look, then quickly moved closer to Zhao Xianzheng and whispered something in his ear. After hearing the whisper, Zhao Xianzheng, who was holding Jiang Mu's hand, froze.
He turned around and forced an apologetic smile:
"Master Jiang, I'm so sorry. Please, you and your friend, sit in the hall for a moment."
"The Chief Minister has suddenly requested to discuss an urgent matter with me. Once I return, I will personally deliver the prepared carriage to you." With that, he turned and left.
Watching Zhao Xianzhen's departing figure, Jiang Mu narrowed her eyes.
Turning around, he instructed Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er:
"Neither of you should leave my side. Don't go anywhere, just wait here."
Just as he finished speaking, a thought suddenly struck him.
Jiang Mu took out the Buddhist lamp.
The Buddha lamp was flickering faintly.
"Si Rumeng? She's actually here?"
Jiang Mu was stunned.
This bronze Buddhist lamp contains immense power and blessings from incense offerings.
The tree demon, Granny Si Rumeng, had willingly surrendered her life soul to survive and repair her demon core, thus becoming deeply bound to this Buddha lamp. Therefore, as long as Si Rumeng appears within a certain range, the Buddha lamp will respond.
"This girl, didn't I send her to investigate the whereabouts of the Red Umbrella Sect and Nan Zhi? What's she doing in Hailing Prefecture?"
Jiang Mu murmured softly,
"Could it be that they couldn't find any clues about the Red Umbrella Cult, so they secretly came to Hailing Prefecture to look for clues about the murderer who killed her sister back then?"