Chapter 391: Hearing the Path Creates Illusions

As the numerous pilgrims inside and outside Daliang Temple gradually departed, the temple's hustle and bustle faded, a rare occurrence that brought quiet to Daliang Temple well before dusk.

The temple was now so quiet that bird song could be heard. This allowed the monks of Daliang Temple to not only relax but also to deeply appreciate the special tranquility. Those monks with keen insight and Buddhist devotion could hear faint, resonating sounds of the Dao from every corner of the temple.

"Creeeeak... *thud*."

With a series of creaks, the heavy wooden main gate of Daliang Temple slowly closed as two strong monks pushed it shut. Inside, two other monks raised the crossbar to secure the lock.

Outside, a large agarwood plaque had been hung, bearing the inscription: "This temple is closed to pilgrims and meditation from today onwards."

No time or reason was given, but beside it hung an enchanted golden Buddhist token, which was the very one bestowed by the former emperor of the Tinliang Kingdom.

As if awaiting the temple's closure, shortly after all front and back gates of Daliang Temple were sealed, discussions on the Dao and extraordinary phenomena began beneath the large tree in the temple's backyard. A hazy, mist-like radiance extended across this courtyard, even reaching beyond the inner courtyard, covering approximately half the area of Daliang Temple.

Within this area, the closer one was to the center of the discussions, the more pronounced the Dao sounds and phenomena became, and the greater the challenge to one's mind.

At this moment, among all the monks of Daliang Temple, only Monk Huitong could barely stand near the tree. Other senior monks, including the former abbot, had long been unable to bear it and had either left on their own or been carried out by monks who had sealed their ear canals.

On the periphery, monks took their meditation cushions or simply sat on the ground, engaging in quiet meditation at appropriate distances, gradually moving outwards as time passed.

Although nearly all the pilgrims outside cooperated, with so many people visiting Daliang Temple daily, there were naturally a few rebellious and overly curious individuals. If they also believed they possessed some skill, they might act boldly or rely on others to satisfy their curiosity.

More than an hour later, as the sun began to set, Daliang Temple was enveloped in a golden twilight. The shadows in front of the temple stretched long, and visibility took on a yellowish hue.

At this time, several nimble men quietly approached the deserted market outside the temple from a distance. Although there were no longer any vendors or shoppers, many stalls and tents remained.

After quietly approaching, they quickly found a tent on the outskirts and crouched down, hiding behind the tent and the tables and stools inside.

From this vantage point, Daliang Temple appeared to have its front portion dark and shadowed, while the back was illuminated by the lingering sunset, making it seem as if golden light radiated from above, imbued with profound Buddhist meaning.

A man in a gray shirt peered out for a moment, then asked his companions.

"Brother, what do you think happened at Daliang Temple?"

"If I knew, why would I be here?"

The speaker was a man in dark brown clothes, with a gaunt face and a small mustache.

Another man nearby, dressed in blue activewear, interjected.

"Everything was normal at Daliang Temple just now, then suddenly a large group of monks came out, asking pilgrims to leave. They even used the imperial Buddhist token, which hasn't been touched since it was bestowed years ago. It seemed very rushed."

The mustached man pondered for a moment, then his expression suddenly changed.

"Brother Tan, could something have happened to the Eldest Princess inside?"

However, the man in blue activewear immediately shook his head.

"No, no. I asked Sixth Master earlier. He said the Eldest Princess visited Master Huitong today, but the master was still receiving guests, so she returned to Tongqiu Manor's villa. Whatever happened at the temple shouldn't concern the Eldest Princess."

"Alright, let's wait until it gets darker, then go in and take a look!"

The three fell silent for a short while, watching the sunset's afterglow gradually fade as night deepened.

"Brother, and Brother Tan, I heard that Daliang Temple truly has high monks, those who can subdue demons and banish ghosts. And Master Huitong, they say he's over fifty, but still looks like a handsome young man of twenty. Will it be alright for us to go in?"

"Haha, young Brother Tang is right, but there's no need to worry too much. Sixth Master already said that high monks rely on Buddhist dharma to subdue demons and banish ghosts, and that dharma isn't very effective against robust, living people like us. Martial arts are still more useful. With our combined lightness skills, we can escape before the monks even realize what's happening."

"Yes, yes. I don't have much confidence in other things, but I'm very confident in my lightness skill."

Finally, night fully descended. However, for the three men, the night was not ideal because the stars in the sky were exceptionally bright, even more dazzling than usual.

Under the starlight, their surroundings actually felt clearer than at twilight. But they couldn't concern themselves with that now; hoping for clouds tonight was impossible.

"Let's go. Remember to be light on your feet!"

"Understood!"

The three emerged from their hiding place, and with a few quiet leaps on their tiptoes, they reached the outer wall of Daliang Temple. They were not at the main gate but at a corner of the wall.

From a distance, they glanced at the agarwood plaque hung by Daliang Temple. The imperial golden token beside it was still quite visible under the starlight, a golden glint adorning the wooden plaque.

"Aren't the monks of Daliang Temple afraid the imperial golden token will be stolen?"

"Who cares!"

After muttering a few low words, the men hugged the wall and rounded to the side of the temple. They listened intently but heard no sound from inside. Then, after nodding to each other, they scaled the wall simultaneously.

Like three agile swallows, they landed on their tiptoes after crossing the wall. Their lightness skill combined with their movements produced virtually no sound.

Their landing spot was a small square outside the Hall of the Furious-Eyed King. The three looked around to find it empty. Except for the perpetual lamp lit inside the hall, there was no light from the other monks' quarters or meditation halls.

Daliang Temple was excessively quiet tonight; there was no chanting of scriptures nor the sound of bells.

However, the three men, skilled and daring, felt no fear. Besides, this was Daliang Temple; there wouldn't be any evil spirits or monsters here.

Daliang Temple had too many visitors, so to manage the flow, there were courtyards with walls throughout the temple. This prevented a crowded feeling. Although it made getting lost easier, monks were usually stationed everywhere to help with directions and difficulties.

But for the three men now, there were certainly no monks to guide them. They passed through several courtyards without seeing a single monk.

"Strange, where have all the monks of Daliang Temple gone?"

The younger man named Tang was about to step through an archway when his elder brother pulled him back, then pointed to a corner ahead.

All three cautiously looked in that direction and saw a dozen or so monks, sitting in a row against the wall on meditation cushions. Some maintained a meditative posture, while others leaned against the wall as if asleep.

"What do you say?"

"Let's not disturb them. We'll go around and take a different route."

The three changed course, intending to go deeper. However, after circling one area, they still found monks meditating there. They changed direction several times, sometimes seeing one or two, sometimes over a dozen, all sitting on the periphery, mostly leaning against walls.

After a long while, the three stopped in front of a courtyard wall on the west side. Before them lay two monks on the ground.

"They seem to have formed a circle, but we haven't seen many old monks. There must be something strange happening inside the circle!"

"Exactly. Let's go in from here!"

After a brief exchange, they continued without pause. Like three light swallows, they soared over the courtyard wall where the monks lay unconscious, landing four or five *zhang* deep into the courtyard beyond.

Seeing nothing unusual around them, the three continued forward. As they walked, however, the youngest one began shaking his head repeatedly.

"What's wrong?"

"Brother, there are always sounds like poetry ringing in my ears, long and short, making me feel hazy and confused."

"There's no poetry. Stop talking nonsense and focus!"

They walked a bit further, and this time, the mustached man named Tang also saw something unusual. As they passed a small pond, he noticed lotus flowers growing and emerging from the water, then immediately blooming into golden lotuses, from which he could smell a delicate fragrance.

"Golden lotuses?"

The man exclaimed, and using his lightness skill, he leapt over, intending to touch a lotus leaf and then pluck a golden lotus...

"*Splash*..."

Water splashed, disturbing the pond. There were no lotus leaves or flowers in the pond, no golden lotuses blooming.

"Shh... Brother Tang, what are you doing?"

"Golden lotuses, there are golden lotuses blooming!"

"What golden lotuses? Are you possessed? Quickly, pull your brother out!"

The two men together pulled the mustached man out of the small pond, slapped his face to wake him up, and then continued forward. Along the way, they saw several more unconscious monks, but even in their slumber, their expressions remained serene, with faint smiles on their faces.

By this point, it wasn't just one person experiencing hallucinations. Faint, ethereal rainbow lights drifted around them, and the brilliant starlight from the sky seemed to fall like silver rain.

In their ears, indistinct voices of conversation rose and faded. Sometimes they were like booming thunder, sometimes like the gentle tinkling of a clear spring, sometimes like an old monk chanting scriptures, and sometimes like a refined scholar playing the *guqin*, evoking the sounds of mountains and flowing water.

The three men had long since stopped walking, their sight and hearing immersed in a profound shock.

Several times, they even saw huge illusory mythical beasts floating in the air, descending from the sky and passing by them. They also saw celestial cranes dancing, transforming into smiling fairies who approached them.

Many times, the three almost cried out loud in astonishment, but managed to restrain themselves with their remaining composure.

"Immortals, Buddhas, spirits, demons, devils... all sentient beings in the world have a heart inclined towards the Dao."

"Sir, your words are mistaken. Immortals, Buddhas, spirits, and demons may be so, but not necessarily devils!"

"Master, what you say also makes sense. Then let me correct myself: a portion of devils still possess a heart inclined towards the Dao, such as those consumed by obsession or driven by stubbornness, which only those with unwavering resolve can achieve."

"Excellent! Without the thought of life, one cannot become a devil. When human thoughts reach their extreme, so too does devilry. Seeking gold, seeking silver, seeking office, seeking power, seeking immortality, seeking eternal life—as thoughts grow heavier, desires grow stronger..."

As these voices filled their ears, the minds of the three martial arts experts who had sneaked in fell into a state of confusion. It felt as if desires were being stirred within them layer by layer, yet at the same time, someone seemed to be fiercely admonishing them that this was not the right path.

"Ah, I can't take it anymore!"

The young man named Tang couldn't help but lash out wildly with his fists and feet, striking his stumbling brother and friend, forcing them back several steps. But the two did not regain consciousness; instead, they wandered around as if drunk, their faces shifting between expressions of delight and tears.

"Namo Mahakali Mingwang Buddha! Three benefactors, you should not have come!"

An old monk appeared in the courtyard and decisively subdued the three. He then quickly pressed several points on their bodies, stimulating their acupoints and injecting a trace of spiritual energy.

"Master..."

The man named Tan stared blankly at the old monk before him.

"Three benefactors, this is why our Daliang Temple is closed to visitors. Please depart swiftly!"

"Yes, yes, yes! We're leaving now!" "Right, right, we're leaving immediately!"

"Our apologies, our apologies, we're going!"

Seeing that the monk did not intend to punish them, the three men, as if granted a great pardon, quickly leaped outwards, pushing their lightness skill to its limit. They escaped the affected area just before their minds became hazy again, then left Daliang Temple without looking back and disappeared into the distance.