Hui Lun’s words greatly surprised Zhao Yi.
All along, the information Zhao Yi had received was that the Buddha had left the Cultivation World and ascended to the Spirit Realm.
Although the Sage of Ti had previously ntioned not seeing the Buddha in the Spirit Realm, Zhao Yi hadn’t thought much of it.
The Cultivation World had been sealed by sages from the Spirit Realm and the Three Thousand Small Worlds for over a hundred thousand years.
In such a long span, the Buddhist Sect struggled to develop, never reaching the pinnacle of the Cultivation World.
The early tens of thousands of years were the era of the "Spirits", followed by the Heaven-Facing Sect for ten thousand years, until a thousand years ago when the Zhao family overthrew the Heaven-Facing Sect to establish the Great Xia Dynasty.
The history of transitions in the Cultivation World may not be dramatic, but in this grand Chapter, there has never been a trace of the Buddhist Sect.
Even just recently, Zhao Yi nearly eradicated the Buddhist Sect, destroying the Buddha’s sanctum.
If the Buddha were still in the Cultivation World, Zhao Yi couldn’t understand why the Buddhist Sect couldn’t thrive — why their stronghold was destroyed and yet they still greeted their enemy with smiles?
Hui Lun was also a shrewd person.
Seeing Zhao Yi’s expression, he easily guessed Zhao Yi’s thoughts.
"Amitabha."
Hui Lun clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, "Your Highness, this humble monk knows you have many questions. Please move to the Great Hero Hall, where the Buddha will explain personally to you."
The Great Hero Hall?
Zhao Yi frowned and said, "I rember the Great Hero Hall was struck down by lightning. Did you rebuild it?"
"Amitabha."
Even with Hui Lun’s good temperant, hearing Zhao Yi ntion the Great Hero Hall being struck by lightning caused the corner of his mouth to twitch slightly.
Hui Lun clasped his hands together and repressed his inner agitation, forcing a smile, "The Great Hero Hall at Little Leiyin Temple is the sanctum of the Buddha’s earthly form; the place where the Buddha resides is the true Great Hero Hall."
"I see!"
After a mont of hesitation, Zhao Yi nodded, "Since the Buddha himself is here, there’s indeed no reason for not to visit. Lead the way, I shall pay a visit to the Buddha!"
Seeing Zhao Yi agree to go, Hui Lun exchanged glances with the monks behind him, and they all showed signs of joy.
Witnessing this scene, Zhao Yi beca increasingly cautious.
These monks were behaving too strangely!
Simultaneously, Zhao Yi beca more curious about the Buddha.
Judging from these monks’ reactions, there must be sothing wrong with the Buddha.
And the problem seed quite serious.
If not, with the Buddha’s power, they would have already smashed anyone coming up the mountain with Zhao Yi into nothing.
It would certainly not be as it is now, with Hui Lun and others acting like brothel keepers, incapable of seeking revenge against those who killed their fellows, and instead bowing and scraping to them as patrons.
Knowing that sothing was amiss with the Buddha, Zhao Yi felt less concerned.
Hui Lun and the others, knowing Zhao Yi lacked cultivation, had specially prepared a soft sedan for the trip.
Without hesitation, Zhao Yi sat in the sedan and let the monks carry him in the direction of the valley.
Soon, the sedan was set down.
Zhao Yi stepped out from within, imdiately stunned by the scene before him.
Previously on the way up the mountain, he hadn’t noticed, but now arriving in the valley, Zhao Yi discovered a gigantic Buddhist temple residing within.
The main hall of the temple was also the Great Hero Hall.
This Great Hero Hall was built against the mountain, towering several dozen zhang, with massive timber pillars requiring several people’s embrace at the entrance, and the doors and ridges made entirely of thousand-year-old Golden Rattan Wood.
Zhao Yi didn’t even need to open the Heaven-Reaching Treasure Eye to realize the astronomical value of this hall.
"Wow, what lavishness from the Buddhist Sect!"
Zhao Yi knew the Buddhist Sect was wealthy, but hadn’t imagined them to be so opulent.
The pillars alone at the entrance were enough to feed an average family of three for generations.
Seeing Zhao Yi astounded by the grandeur of the Great Hero Hall, Hui Lun exchanged glances with the monks behind him, displaying expressions of pride.
Although the Heaven-Facing Sect and the Great Xia Dynasty had their ti of dominance, in comparison with the deeply-rooted Buddhist Sect that had stood firm for tens of thousands of years, the gap was undoubtedly vast.
"Amitabha!"
Hui Lun interrupted Zhao Yi’s musings, smiling, "Your Highness, please co inside. The Buddha is within the hall."
Zhao Yi nodded, taking one last look at the massive rattan wood pillars and suppressing his pounding heart as he entered the hall.
"So many treasures, they’re all mine!"
Little did Hui Lun realize he was letting a fox into the henhouse.
Seeing Zhao Yi’s attention fixed on the rattan trees, Hui Lun smiled slightly, "There’s more rattan wood in the temple. If Your Highness likes, you may take so later!"
Hearing this, Zhao Yi’s eyes lit up instantly.
This Golden Rattan Wood, there’s actually more?
And from Hui Lun’s tone, it seed like there was quite a lot of it!
It was a windfall!
Suppressing his excitent, Zhao Yi nonchalantly said, "Since the abbot insists, I won’t stand on ceremony! My Crown Prince’s Mansion was mostly burned down by thieves, and is currently under reconstruction. Your rattan wood will be put to good use! I won’t take too much; just prepare a thousand or eight hundred pieces for !"
Zhao Yi’s words were a blatant attempt to extort.
His thought was that he would na an exorbitant price so that the old monk could haggle it down.
However, Zhao Yi did not expect the old monk to agree without hesitation.
"Well said, well said!"
Hui Lun maintained his calm smile, "Your Highness seeks to establish a refuge, and this humble monk cannot be stingy. A thousand pieces of top-quality Golden Rattan Wood will be sent to the Crown Prince’s Mansion later."
This ti Zhao Yi was the one who couldn’t remain calm.
He looked Hui Lun up and down, frowning, "The abbot is so generous, there must be a significant motive! Why not speak plainly, so I can decide if I should accept this rattan wood!"
Hearing this, Hui Lun did not reply directly but instead gestured towards the hall with a inviting motion.
"Your Highness, all your answers lie within the hall. Once you’ve t the Buddha, you’ll understand the reason behind everything this humble monk has done."
Zhao Yi turned, looking into the Great Leiyin Temple.
The valley was dimly lit, and the grand hall had no lamps, making the interior of the Great Hero Hall pitch black, devoid of the usual glimring, grandiose aura of other Buddhist temples.
When Zhao Yi looked inside the Great Hero Hall, he suddenly felt a gaze erging from within.
That gaze contained so kind of will.
When Zhao Yi t its eyes, he instantly felt his divine soul tremble, as though he carried a mountain on his back that pressed him down, unable to lift his head.
Alongside the enormous weight, waves of malevolence, wicked thoughts, rancor, and hatred surged toward him like a tide.
"What is that?"
Zhao Yi’s expression changed drastically; he quickly averted his gaze, involuntarily stepping backward a few paces.
Looking again at the Great Hero Hall, Zhao Yi lost his previous carefreeness.
He gazed into the dark hall, feeling as if whatever was inside was not the Buddha, but an extrely evil demon!
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