Chapter 306: Extremely Blissful World

A dense curtain of rain wove through the air, reducing the world to a chaotic grey-white curtain of water.

The young monk, holding an oil-paper umbrella, steadily advanced through the wind and rain, like a guiding talisman. Gu Mo, Ye Chen, and the still-shaken Yun Song and Yun Qing followed closely, treading the muddy, slippery mountain path towards the brightly lit manor halfway up the mountain.

As they drew closer to the manor, the boisterous human voices and the decadent strains of strings and flutes grew increasingly clear, even drowning out the drumming rain. This created a stark contrast, like heaven and hell, compared to the deathly quiet Mud Bottle Town below.

The manor's main gates stood open, unguarded. A massive plaque hung above the lintel, bearing four large, gilded characters, written in a vigorous, flowing style:

Little Thunderclap Temple.

"Little Thunderclap Temple? A temple?" Ye Chen looked at the plaque, then at the magnificent lights and shadows spilling from within and the bursts of noise. His mouth twitched. "This temple dedicated to Maitreya Buddha… it's certainly unique."

The young monk seemed not to hear, still wearing that calm, almost eerie smile, as he led the four across the high threshold.

Stepping inside felt like entering another world.

Warm, dry air, thick with an almost suffocating scent, wafted over them. The mingled aromas of wine, roasted meat, perfume, and incense created a heady, intoxicating atmosphere.

The scene before them opened up dramatically. This was no serene Buddhist temple; it was clearly a lavish pleasure den!

The vast courtyard was as bright as day.

In the center of the main hall stood a high stage. On it, scantily clad, graceful dancers swayed to the decadent music. Their long sleeves flowed, and their seductive eyes shimmered like silk, drawing loud cheers from the surrounding men.

In an adjacent hall, another high stage was set up. A group of handsome, shirtless men posed provocatively, making the eyes of the women and girls watching below gleam with delight.

Ye Chen offered a smile and remarked, "This Maitreya Buddha truly practices the Buddhist teaching of equality for all. Men have beautiful dancers to admire, and women do too. Heh, this might just be a true Buddha!"

For a moment, Gu Mo and the others couldn't discern if Ye Chen's words were praise or sarcasm.

The young monk leading the way slowly said, "The benefactor is correct. Before our Buddha, all beings are equal."

Ye Chen quickly retorted, "That still doesn't make sense. Why do these people get to sit and enjoy, while those on stage have to pose provocatively for entertainment? Isn't that inequality?"

The young monk replied, "All beings are equal, each fulfilling their role. In this Little Thunderclap Temple, everyone is equal. The dancers on stage are here by their own free will; this is what they enjoy.

There are many types of people in this world. Some enjoy pleasure, some enjoy being noticed, some enjoy being busy, some enjoy power, some enjoy groveling…

Here in Thunderclap Temple, the Buddha offers Mahayana Buddhist teachings, helping all beings achieve their desires!"

Gu Mo asked, "Where is your Buddha? Didn't you invite us here? Why hasn't he appeared yet?"

The young monk quickly replied, "Benefactors, do not rush. When the time is right, the Buddha will meet you. You may explore freely, and perhaps you will find what you seek here. This humble monk will wait here. Should you require anything, simply inform this humble monk."

Ye Chen asked, "Brother, what do you say?"

Gu Mo said in a low voice, "Let's look around first. I'm quite curious what sort of trick this so-called Buddha is playing."

Immediately, the four walked further inside.

As soon as they crossed a wall, they were met with a clamor of voices. The crisp clatter of dice in cups, the dull thud of pai gow tiles on tables, and a cacophony of frenzied laughter and hysteria were interwoven. It was clearly a vast casino.

Gamblers, their eyes bloodshot and faces flushed with excitement, were piling heaps of gold, silver, and jewels onto the tables.

But strangely, most of the people there were dressed simply, appearing to be ordinary common folk. Yet each of them was spending lavishly.

To their right, a pavilion glowed with ambiguous pink light, and the sounds of laughter and chatter drifted out. Leaning on the railings were several stunningly beautiful women and men of varied temperaments. The women smiled enchantingly, their eyes casting captivating glances. The handsome men displayed various expressions.

It was clearly a top-tier brothel.

From time to time, guests, embracing beautiful companions, stumbled in and out, often drunk. The patrons included both men and women; there were even instances of a woman embracing two or three men.

Straight ahead was a magnificent restaurant. Through its enormous floor-to-ceiling crystal windows, one could see people toasting each other, and an array of exquisite food and fine wines.

Acrobats performed, and musicians played never-before-heard, decadent tunes…

The entire manor was a condensed essence of ultimate earthly pleasure… a paradise!

"Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder Buddhists say the Western Heaven is the Pure Land! If Little Thunderclap Temple is this enjoyable, wouldn't Great Thunderclap Temple be out of this world?" Ye Chen watched, dumbfounded, exclaiming, "Maitreya Buddha's Little Thunderclap Temple is actually like this, tsk tsk tsk. Could it be that the old Buddha himself enjoys a bit of gambling and a night out?"

Gu Mo smiled and said, "I don't know if the Buddha likes to play a bit, but monks certainly do."

While speaking, Gu Mo pointed towards a gambling table in the middle of the noisy casino.

Ye Chen looked and saw a monk in a kasaya. He was joyfully shouting by a gambling table, one arm wrapped around an attractive middle-aged woman, the other clutching a small wine jar. The hand around the woman was very restless, fondling her freely.

"This monk really knows how to have fun!"

Ye Chen, quite curious, leaned closer to see. It was an old monk with white eyebrows and a white beard, whose benevolent face would have made him seem like a virtuous master outside.

The monk noticed Ye Chen's gaze, turned his head, smiled slightly at Ye Chen, and asked, "Benefactor, looking at this humble monk like this, do you have any advice?"

Ye Chen shook his head. "No advice," he said, "just curiosity. Master, as a monk, how can you… indulge like this? Don't you all pursue the purity of the six senses and see through worldly illusions?"

The old monk smiled slightly and replied, "Benefactor, if this humble monk does not first immerse himself in the mundane world, how can he hope to transcend it? If he does not first experience defilement of the six senses, how can he then attain their purity?"

"So, Master, is your spiritual cultivation insufficient, leading you to be a hedonistic monk?" Ye Chen asked.

The old monk shook his head. "Not so," he replied. "This humble monk was enlightened by Maitreya Buddha, and my realm has reached that of a Buddha. It is precisely because my realm is sufficient that I can be in the mundane world without being of it. I entered this mundane world only to transcend it. This is the essence of Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddha once cut his own flesh to feed a hungry hawk and offered his body to a starving tiger. This humble monk enters this mundane world solely to deliver all sentient beings."

"How do you deliver?" Ye Chen asked.

"Relieve the worries of the world's people!" the old monk said.

Ye Chen chuckled and said, "Master, am I considered a worldly person?"

"Yes."

"Then you save all sentient beings, relieving people's worries. So, Master, are you willing to relieve my worries?" Ye Chen asked.

"Naturally willing," the old monk said.

Ye Chen's mouth curved slightly upward, and he spread his palm before the old monk, saying, "Master, my worry is simply a lack of money. Since you have the heart to save all beings, why not give me some money? That would resolve my worries, wouldn't it?"

Ye Chen looked at the old monk with a somewhat provocative gaze.

The old monk, unhurriedly, took out a money bag and placed it in Ye Chen's hand. It felt heavy, containing at least fifty or sixty taels of silver.

Ye Chen: "??!"

He actually gave it?

The old monk asked with a chuckle, "Benefactor, are your worries resolved?"

Ye Chen weighed it in his hand, then smiled cunningly, saying, "Not enough."

The old monk took out another money bag and handed it to Ye Chen. This time the amount was even larger, at least a hundred taels.

"Are you still worried, Benefactor?"

Ye Chen looked bewildered and said, "Old monk, honestly tell me, did you steal your Buddha's golden statue and sell it?"

The old monk smiled faintly. "The Buddha resides in the heart, not in a golden statue, Benefactor. Your question is not important. What matters is whether your worries have been resolved. This humble monk cares about this question, and the Buddha cares about it too, wishing only for all beings to achieve ultimate bliss!"

Ye Chen took a deep breath. This old monk's cultivation was indeed profound. He immediately said, "Monk, look, you enter the mundane world and all you seek are women. But I, at my young age, don't even have a woman. I am deeply troubled by this. How about you give me a woman?"

The old monk nodded and said, "What the benefactor said makes sense, but the benefactor said one thing wrong."

"Where?" Ye Chen asked, puzzled.

The old monk said, "With the benefactor's youthful vigor, how can one woman be enough? At least two, two a day!"

"Huh?" Ye Chen was stunned.

The old monk stepped forward, hooked Ye Chen's shoulder, and pointed towards the nearby brothel. "Come, Benefactor," he said, "this humble monk will take you to a brothel. My treat! You can stay as long as you like. All your expenses for food, drink, gambling, and visiting the brothel – I will cover them all!"

Ye Chen gave a thumbs up, exclaiming, "Master is truly a highly accomplished monk, enlightened by the Buddha; what a remarkable state of being! I am thoroughly impressed. Master, from now on, you are my Buddha!"

The old monk smiled, "The Buddha is in the heart, all beings can be Buddha!"

Ye Chen quickly said, "I understand, Master, I understand, I am the Buddha, the Buddha is me!"

The old monk said with great satisfaction, "Benefactor has good comprehension!"

Ye Chen chuckled. "So, if I am the Buddha now, Master, shouldn't you allow me, as Buddha, to see the legendary Buddha-land and take my seat upon a lotus throne?"

The old monk slowly withdrew his hand from Ye Chen's shoulder, took a step back, and clasped his hands together. In that instant, the old monk's aura suddenly transformed. From a disrespectful, hedonistic monk, he suddenly became a highly accomplished sage, radiating an aura of profound compassion.

He bowed slightly towards Ye Chen, and recited very devoutly, "Welcome my Buddha, return to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"

In that instant, Ye Chen suddenly realized his surroundings had changed!

The opulent, boisterous casino, brothel, and restaurant receded like a tide. The pungent scent of perfume and alcohol was replaced by an ethereal, vast, yet invisibly oppressive fragrance of sandalwood.

Beneath his feet was no longer a clean floor or muddy mountain path, but a warm, smooth glazed surface that shimmered with a seven-colored glow. Looking up, the dome stretched endlessly high and distant, adorned with countless star-like sarira, emitting a soft and sacred light.

Magnificent and solemn halls rose from the ground, gilded and splendid, with carved beams and painted rafters. Countless colossal golden Buddha statues sat upon lotus thrones, some with compassionately lowered eyes, others with wrathful Vajra gazes. Each assumed a different, majestic posture.

This, astonishingly, was the legendary Western Pure Land of Bliss!

Ye Chen and the old monk stood in the center of a vast plaza, directly facing the immensely colossal golden Buddha at the highest point of the grand hall — the Tathagata Buddha!

The Buddha's eyes were slightly closed, his body radiating a universal divine light. It seemed to contain the ultimate truth of the universe, compelling all to avert their gaze.

The old monk, now clad in a resplendent seven-jewel kasaya, his face solemn and devout, clasped his hands together and bowed deeply to the Buddha above. His voice, loud and clear, resonated throughout the boundless Buddha-land:

"World Honored Buddha, your disciple is fortunate to have not failed your mission. I have guided the true spirit of the 'Buddha of Wonderful Joyful Freedom' back to its rightful place! The worldly delusion has been broken, and the Buddha-nature has manifested. Please, World Honored One, bestow a lotus throne and guide the Buddha to ascend to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"

His voice was filled with supreme glory and conviction.

The Tathagata Buddha, high upon the lotus throne, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze, like two blazing suns, held supreme majesty and compassion. He nodded slightly, his voice like a mighty bell, reverberating through the cosmos:

"Excellent! Buddha of Wonderful Joyful Freedom, returned after countless eons, your merits are complete. Ascend the lotus throne and forever enjoy ultimate bliss!"

As the Buddha's voice faded, a colossal nine-petal golden lotus throne, formed of pure light, appeared out of thin air beneath Ye Chen's feet. It rotated slowly, emanating a warm, powerful drawing force, as if to lift him and merge him into the boundless Buddha light.

The surrounding Bodhisattvas and Arhats chanted the Buddha's name in unison. Their Sanskrit chants shook the heavens, forming a powerful spiritual torrent, urging and enticing Ye Chen to step onto the lotus throne, which symbolized eternal liberation and supreme honor.

Just then,

Ye Chen, however, had an extremely clear, scornful curl to his lips.

He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the magnificent, light-filled halls, looking directly at the "Tathagata Buddha" on the high platform. He then glanced at the devout old monk beside him, letting out a perfectly clear scoff:

"Master, your Great Thunderclap Temple is not as attractive as your Little Thunderclap Temple!"

Ye Chen's voice was not loud, yet it carried a peculiar penetrating power. In the solemn, sacred Sanskrit chanting, it sounded jarring, like a massive stone dropped into a placid lake.

The old monk calmly spoke, "Buddha of Wonderful Joyful Freedom, this is the sacred land of the Buddha-realm, and the World Honored One is before you. Ascend the lotus throne swiftly, and do not be further deluded—"

His voice possessed a unique penetrating power, instilling an inexplicable sense of conviction in anyone who heard it, making them unconsciously believe his words.

However,

An ordinary person would undoubtedly have succumbed to the mental influence.

But he was currently facing Ye Chen, the third most skilled martial artist in Chu.

"Playing tricks! Break—!!!"

The final word, "Break," exploded like a thunderclap!

Ye Chen's body suddenly erupted with an unimaginably vast internal energy, unleashing a sonic attack.

Boom—!!!

The scene before their eyes shattered like a fragile glass mirror, instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks! The magnificent halls of the Buddha-land, the solemn myriad deities and Buddhas, all violently shook and twisted amidst Ye Chen's roar, infused with immense internal energy and a will to shatter illusion!

Crack! Crackle!

The sounds of shattering were incessant!

The sacred Sanskrit chanting devolved into piercing shrieks. The solemn Buddha light twisted into grotesque colors. The compassionate expression on the face of the "Tathagata Buddha" seated on the lotus throne instantly froze, then morphed into a blurred, distorted monstrosity of light and shadow!

The attendant Bodhisattvas and Arhats, their forms like reflections disturbed by stones, wildly rippled and shattered!

"Ah—!"

The old monk let out a furious shriek of shock and anger. His seven-jewel kasaya shattered inch by inch, revealing the worn monk's robe beneath, stained with wine and perfume.

The pungent scent of perfume, the rich aroma of wine and meat, the clatter of dice and pai gow, the playful banter of men and women… The boisterous, decadent atmosphere of "Little Thunderclap Temple" instantly surged back like a receding tide, once again overwhelming their senses.

The old monk looked at Ye Chen, surprised, and said, "What profound martial arts true intent, what an excellent sound wave technique!"

Ye Chen did not pay attention to the old monk, but turned his head and shouted to Gu Mo, who was walking over with the Yun brothers, "Brother, this old monk should be the person we are looking for!"

Gu Mo had been observing Ye Chen. He had noticed when the old monk used a spiritual secret technique to draw Ye Chen into an illusion. However, though Ye Chen's personality was a bit erratic, his martial arts were exceptionally strong, and Gu Mo felt no concern.

"Amitabha!" The old monk clasped his hands and bowed to Gu Mo again, saying, "Benefactors, do you also have worries that need my Buddha's salvation?"

Gu Mo clasped his hands. "Master," he said, "let's not beat around the bush. Where have all the villagers from the town below the mountain gone? What happened to those hanged individuals in the inn? Why did you bring us here?"

"Amitabha," the old monk said, "The villagers from the mountain are all here, and so are the people from a hundred-li radius. As for those in the inn, they were horse bandits who deserved execution. However, my Buddha is compassionate, and still guided them to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

As for why I invited you, it is because this humble monk received guidance from the Buddha to travel the world on behalf of our Buddha, delivering all sentient beings. And you, as sentient beings of this world, have by chance arrived at the place where this humble monk resides. Thus, you are naturally destined to be guided to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"

Ye Chen pursed his lips. "Old monk," he said, "why are you still pretending in front of us? What Buddha, what Western Heaven? I've already shattered your spiritual illusion. Is there any point in continuing this charade?"

"Amitabha," the old monk said, "Benefactor misunderstood. Although this humble monk used some means, this humble monk was truly guided by the Buddha to guide ten thousand people to enjoy ultimate bliss and enter the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"

Gu Mo lightly smiled, pointing to the men and women around them who were still absorbed in gambling or flirting. "Your so-called ultimate bliss," he said, "is to subject them to your spiritual manipulation, making them act like madmen?"

The hall at this moment was unsettling.

Gu Mo and the others confronted the old monk, yet the surrounding people seemed to exist in a different world. They were engrossed in their own activities, oblivious to their surroundings. Even when Ye Chen's sonic attack shattered many objects in the hall moments ago, no one so much as glanced up.

Gamblers were still shouting hysterically, lovers were still openly indulging, and those who had feasted to their fill remained entranced by their food…

At first glance, these people appeared normal, but a closer look revealed something terrifying.

Such profound addiction!

"Amitabha!"

The old monk clasped his hands and bowed to Gu Mo. "Benefactor," he said, "just look at them. Are they not happy? Are they not content? But look outside: smoke signals rise everywhere, people struggle to survive, starved corpses litter the fields, bones stretch for a thousand miles. All beings suffer, and their suffering is unspeakable.

Even when the country is stable, the common people suffer; when the world descends into chaos, they suffer even more. Many, many people have suffered since birth, never knowing happiness or satisfaction in their entire lives. This humble monk is guiding them to ultimate bliss."

As he spoke,

the old monk walked over to a gambler. "This benefactor," he said, "loves to gamble, but he always lost, squandering his fortune and scattering his family. Now, I grant him victory in every gamble. He is joyful, utterly blissful!"

The old monk then pointed to a scantily clad woman. "This benefactor," he said, "lost her man when she was a teenager, yet she was constrained by worldly customs and rules, condemned to a life of widowhood. But humans have desires, and there are times of loneliness. Now, I grant her the freedom to indulge in pleasure. For food and sex are natural human desires. She is joyful, utterly blissful!"

"This benefactor toiled his entire life, never earning a single coin, all of it going to the landlord. I grant him immense wealth. He is joyful, utterly blissful!"

"That benefactor never once ate a full meal in his life. Here, I grant him endless delicacies. He is joyful, utterly blissful!"

The old monk named over a dozen people in one breath, then looked at Gu Mo and the others, and said, "Benefactors, is this not the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? Is this humble monk not saving all sentient beings?"

The others exchanged glances.

Ye Chen transmitted his voice: "Brother, why do I suddenly feel this old monk makes a lot of sense? Forget about Northern Zhou; even in your Qian Kingdom and our Chu Kingdom, many common people go hungry. This so-called Little Thunderclap Temple could truly be called a Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss for those people!"

Gu Mo frowned slightly. "Then, Master," he asked, "you said earlier that the people from a hundred-li radius are all here. But here, at most, there are only a few hundred people. Where are the others?"

The old monk looked satisfied and said, "They have gone to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Ye Chen: "??!"

"Don't tell me that by "going to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss" you mean they died just like those hanged horse bandits in the town!"

The old monk quickly said, "That's certainly not it."

Ye Chen subtly exhaled in relief.

The old monk said, "Those horse bandits were burdened with sin; it was only after they suffered the extreme penalty of hanging that this humble monk guided them to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. But the common people are different. They departed for the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss while still experiencing bliss, to enjoy eternal bliss!"

Ye Chen hadn't fully exhaled, and said in horror, "Do you mean that all the common people from a hundred-li radius have been killed by you?"

"No, this humble monk guided them to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!" The old monk smiled slightly.

Ye Chen took a deep breath, pointed to the people around, and said, "The price for enjoying food, drink, and entertainment here is life. Isn't that price too high?"

"Benefactor misunderstood," the old monk said, "This humble monk is saving all sentient beings on behalf of my Buddha, helping people escape the sea of suffering and forever enjoy ultimate bliss, Amitabha!"

Ye Chen sneered, "Then, does that mean if I kill you now, you would still have to thank me for sending you to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?"

The old monk shook his head slightly. "This humble monk's joy lies in saving all sentient beings," he said. "When the Buddha enlightened this humble monk, I made a grand vow to guide ten thousand souls. Currently, there are only six thousand four hundred and thirty-two. Therefore, I cannot yet depart for the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"

Ye Chen shook his head and said, "This monk is truly insane!"

The old monk calmly replied, "The world is ignorant, and you benefactors are no exception. Since that is the case, this humble monk shall guide you benefactors to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to see for yourselves!"

In an instant,

Golden light emanated from the old monk's body, accompanied by bursts of Sanskrit chanting. His internal energy instantly surged.

Ye Chen chuckled lightly. "Old monk, are you going to fight me?" he asked. "Do you even know who I am? I am Ye Chen, the Fated One of Chu Kingdom!"

"Amitabha," the old monk said, "This humble monk has remembered. Once I guide Benefactor Ye to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, this humble monk will surely inform the Buddha of your name."

Ye Chen's mouth twitched as he realized the monk had never heard of him. He then pointed to Gu Mo. "You may not know me, but do you know who *he* is?" he challenged. "He's the foremost martial artist in the current jianghu. Are you really going to fight him?"

The old monk was slightly stunned. "This humble monk recalls that Sword God Su Qianqiu is already over eighty," he said. "This benefactor is only in his twenties. Amitabha, Benefactor, all beings are equal; you are yourself, and there's no need to impersonate others!"

Gu Mo: "…"

Ye Chen said blankly, "No, is news in Northern Zhou really that slow? Brother, you've been the world's foremost martial artist for two or three years now, haven't you?"

However,

At this moment, the old monk clearly had no time to listen to Ye Chen's introductions.

"Amitabha!"

He took a step forward, and immediately, a brilliant golden light flared, as if he were a Buddha manifesting to guard the world. Golden rays burst forth from beneath his feet, spreading across the blue bricks like molten gold bubbling in a cauldron. Where he trod, ethereal lotus blossoms sequentially unfurled. His kasaya billowed without a breeze, and the hanging golden threads transformed into countless rays of Buddha light.

"Please, benefactors, go to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"

With a palm strike, he suppressed them.

The moment his palm turned,