Li Qingshan smiled.
Little Ann landed gently in front of the grand hall. The sunlight gilded her. When she smiled, even the heavenly flowers and golden lotuses dimmed. She did not hide her aura. Her surroundings seemed to be enshrouded in a buddhist glow, possessing both the restraint and self-discipline of the school of vinaya and the cleverness and naturalness of a zen disciple.
"One Will greets the Dauntless abbot."
"Amitabha. One Will, you've finally returned!"
The Dauntless monk suppressed the joy on his face and chanted the buddha's name softly. Compared to a secular disciple like Li Qingshan who was so mischievous that he had almost fallen into the demonic path, Little Ann was the true star of hope for the monastery. Her almost-godlike rate of cultivation had left him overjoyed once again.
The Unraging monk glanced at Li Qingshan. Compared to his murderous, unruly appearance, the goddess-like Little Ann did indeed possess the bearing of a buddhist disciple.
"You're One Will?"
The Monk King of the Seven Treasures' eyes lit up. He attempted to scrutinize Little Ann with a critical gaze, but he discovered he could not find any faults with her at all. Even though it was just her bluish-white monk's robes, it made his embroidered kasaya pale in comparison, yet he could not develop any jealousy.
Little Ann nodded and said nothing more.
"You want to compete with me?" the Monk King of the Seven Treasures asked.
Little Ann nodded again. She remained rather impolite, but she seemed dignified and generous, such that the Monk King of the Seven Treasures was unable to develop any anger at all. Instead, he praised, "I've heard of your great name in the Lingguo temple, but I never thought you'd already undergone the third heavenly tribulation. You truly are a buddhist genius!"
"You're too kind, Monk King."
"You want to compete with me for this child?" The Monk King of the Seven Treasures pointed at Li Qingshan.
"For the monastery." Little Ann brought her palms together and said in a manner that was neither obsequious nor overbearing.
"Amitabha." The Dauntless monk chanted the buddha's name, feeling gratified from the bottom of his heart.
Li Qingshan curled his lips and thought to himself, "This old man, I've done so many good deeds, but you've turned a blind eye to it. Little Ann's words have made you so happy!"
It seemed that even the eminent monks of Buddhism could not avoid being deceived by this Great Beauty Illusion. Especially after she comprehended the unity of Buddha and Devil, and found her human heart, her Great Beauty Illusion reached a new realm. Moreover, it seemed to have a special effect on Buddhists.
The Seven Treasures Monk King pondered for a moment, then sighed, "Forget it, we are both Buddhist disciples, I don't want to fight with you."
Li Qingshan couldn't help but say, "Hey, I'm also a Buddhist disciple, even though I'm a layman disciple!"
The Monk King of the Seven Treasures glanced at Li Qingshan. He felt that it was beneath him to talk to him. Then he said to Little Ann amicably, "With your cultivation, it's enough for you to be conferred the title of Monk King. Why don't you come with me to the Lingguo Temple in the Dragon province to be conferred the title? The imperial advisor has asked about you before. He'll definitely bestow you with grace when he sees you."
"The imperial advisor knows me too?" Little Ann asked.
"Yeah, and he even praised me very much. Now that I've seen you today, you really do live up to your reputation!"
"Senior brother Seven Treasures, you don't have to go to the Lingguo Temple to be conferred the title of Monk King, right?"
The Dauntless monk immediately stood forward to object. He felt an intense sense of danger.
"There's a saying, 'It's a waste to be a monk if you don't go to the Lingguo Kingdom'. Being conferred the title is only a small matter. Broadening your horizons is what's important!"
After seeing Little Ann, the Monk King of the Seven Treasures changed his target for this trip. Standing up for Si Qing was only a small matter. Recruiting a talented disciple for the Lingguo Temple was what was important.
The reason why the Lingguo Temple could become the greatest temple in the world was not because of the support of the Great Xia empire alone. Instead, it had absorbed talents from the entire nine provinces and constantly nurtured its foundation. There would be a time when the Great Xia empire would fade away, but the Lingguo Temple could continue on for generations to come.
Many of the talents that the Lingguo Temple absorbed were outstanding disciples from other temples and sects. However, they would never force their way in, nor was there a need for them to force their way in, as buddhist disciples all had the habit of travelling the world to broaden their horizons and temper their minds. As a holy land of buddhism, the Lingguo Temple was often their first choice.
Countless monks visited the Lingguo Temple. As long as they demonstrated sufficient strength or potential, they would receive special treatment, and the resources they received would be even greater than what they received from their original sects. Most of these monks stayed there. Although they did not originate from the Lingguo Temple, they were no different from the monks of the Lingguo Temple.
As time went by, the Lingguo Temple became stronger and stronger, and it could absorb the strengths of others, accepting the thoughts of various schools of thought. Even if many monks could not receive special treatment, they were still willing to stay there to cultivate, increasing their cultivation through constant communication.
Although the other temples and sects had lost disciples, they could only suffer in silence, as this was a set of rules that had existed since the founding of buddhism. It was of great benefit to the entire buddhism, and the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga was no different from the Green province.
"One Will has just returned from the Mist province. There's no need for her to go to the Dragon province to broaden her horizons!" The Dauntless monk's face immediately sank, and his voice became cold and forceful.
"The Mist province is a land of wilderness. Evil sects run rampant, and demonic cultivators run amok! How can it be mentioned in the same breath as the Dragon province and the Lingguo Temple? "the Monk King of Seven Treasures answered with a question.
"In senior brother Seven Treasures' opinion, even the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga of the Green province is nowhere close to the Lingguo Temple!" the Dauntless monk said coldly.
"I've never said that," said the Monk King of Seven Treasures, but his expression was even more convincing than his words.
"Don't go too far, Seven Treasures! This is the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga, not the Lingguo Temple!"
The Dauntless monk was angered, but he was actually rather guilty. Little Ann had not grown up in the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga, so her extraordinary temperament was particularly difficult to grasp. She did not seem to have much loyalty towards the sect, only a bitter pursuit of the ultimate buddhist dharma.
Going to the Guoqing temple was indeed the best choice, let alone the fact that the Imperial Advisor had taken a liking to her. If she really agreed to go to the Lingguo temple to cultivate, it would not even be considered a betrayal.
"What, do you want my blood to splatter across Great Buddha mountain too, junior brother?" The Monk King of Seven Treasures smiled.
As the Dauntless monk and the Monk King of Seven Treasures confronted each other over whether Little Ann would stay or go, Li Qingshan suddenly felt like he had become irrelevant. He could not help but shrug. "Does this have anything to do with me?"
Little Ann arrived beside him silently and held his hand gently. "It's fine."
"Girl, you sure know how to steal the limelight. You're basically the bane of monks!" Li Qingshan rubbed her head and raised his head, only to see the Monk King of Seven Treasures glaring at him.
"The bane of monks? How horrible. " Little Ann stuck out her tongue and said to the Monk King of Seven Treasures, "Master, thank you for your kindness, but forgive me for not being able to go to the Dragon province for now."
The Dauntless monk sighed inside. Some things had not changed after all. He was unable to stop her from going to the Mist province in the past, but he never thought there would be a day when he would use this method to make her stay in the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga.
"Fine then!" The Monk King of Seven Treasures sighed. Suddenly, he looked at Li Qingshan again. "Do you still want to clash with me?"
"Up to you." After what had happened, especially after seeing Little Ann, his temper had improved. He no longer had much killing intent anymore.
"Then come at me!" The Monk King of Seven Treasures swung his staff.
"Master Seven Treasures, I think you'd better let me experience what you're capable of!"
"Move aside. I said I don't want to clash with you."
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