Seeking Truth with a Sword

Chapter 358 - 312: Ancestor Master

This place was indeed the hidden Mountain Gate of the Jialan Sect on the Mountain of Mind and Heart, three months after Emperor Yang was assassinated.

Due to the rampant conscription and militarism of the court in the late Sui period, the chaos had already become evident.

Currently, the Jialan Sect was led by Abbot Liao Wu and Abbot Lian Nan, both high monks of great virtue. They felt that the Jialan Sect, as the wealthiest sect, was like an innocent man who becomes a target by possessing a treasure. Thus, they dispersed their wealth to avert disaster, taking a group of disciples and devout, reliable pilgrims into the hidden Mountain Gate and activating the Mountain Guarding Array.

They brought thousands of pilgrims for several reasons. Firstly, these people were very dedicated and trustworthy contributors to the Mountain of Mind and Heart. Secondly, both Abbot Liao Wu and Abbot Lian Nan felt that this chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty might last for decades, or even over a century. If the chaos lasted too long, the disciples of the Jialan Sect hidden within the deep mountain array might all die out. Since disciples of the Zen sect are forbidden from marrying and having children, they needed some civilians who believed in Zen to procreate and help continue the legacy of the Jialan Sect. In some way, it was quite similar to Noah’s Ark from Li Ang’s memories of the Otherworld.

"The good news is, there are nearly eight thousand pilgrims staying here, among whom are more than a hundred Cultivators. And of the monks of the Jialan Sect, there are nearly ten thousand, with over eight hundred at or above the Qi Sensing Body Storage Realm."

After finishing their vegetarian meal in the Great Vegetarian Hall, Li Ang and the others walked and chatted in the courtyard, discreetly exchanging the information they had gathered in a corner.

"Abbot Liao Wu and Abbot Lian Nan are both experts. Thanks to ample resources, the Jialan Sect’s Mountain Guarding Array covers an extensive and robust area. It is capable of withstanding a full-force attack by Candle Cloud Cultivators for a long time. We lack neither food nor water."

Ashina Que Teqin frowned and asked, "What’s the bad news?"

"If the fortress can’t be breached from the outside, then problems can only arise from the inside," Jiu Fenghai said ominously. "Historically, the Jialan Sect was completely destroyed, with corpses everywhere and no survivors. This means that if we don’t find a way to escape, we won’t be able to return and could even die here."

"TCH." Sui Yi smacked her lips. She deeply regretted devoting all her effort to Sword Study and not taking an additional course in historical research. Perhaps then she could have visited the ruins of the Mountain of Mind and Heart to check if her own remains were there.

"Escape? Where to?" Xia Jun replied coldly. "The Mountain Guarding Array is two-way. It serves to prevent people outside from discovering this place and breaking the barrier. It also stops people inside from escaping. There might be agents from other sects among us who could reveal this location and draw other sects to attack. Not to mention whether the few of us could even break out. Just showing the slightest intention to leave the Mountain of Mind and Heart would make us the public enemy of the hundreds of Cultivators here."

"Let’s calm down first." Li Ang raised a hand to interrupt Xia Jun’s complaint. "Let’s summarize our current situation. We are here because the three Buddha-Demon hybrid statues in the Grand Hall awoke and transported us here. To return, we first need to understand the origins of those three Buddha statues. We need to know why they turned into demons upon awakening, how they sent us back three hundred years, and how to reverse their teleportation ability..."

"Everyone," the young monk named Kongwo, who had earlier announced mealtime, entered the courtyard and announced to the pilgrims, "Due to the large number of people in the temple, today it is the turn of those staying in the rooms of the ’Ren’ row to tour the Jialan Mountain Gate.

"I will introduce the regulations and taboos of the Mountain Gate to everyone, as well as which areas are off-limits."

The ’Ren’ row...

The group looked at each other. That was exactly the row their room was in! Monk Kongwo began his explanation. "...The Jialan Sect can be traced back to the Pre-Qin Period. At that time, Buddhism had completed its third synod. The great monk Mahalekhituo journeyed to the Yuana world, and Yuana was also known as Han Land. The Jialan Sect, along with the Pure Thought Sect, was listed as the oldest Zen sects of the Central Plains, and their teachings were the closest to the original intent of the Buddha...

"On both sides are the meditation rooms for the monks to rest and meditate. To the north of the Zen rooms are the Supervisor’s Court, the Abbot’s Court, and the Abbot Courtyard. Next to these three courts are the four halls: the Dharma Hall, the Light Hall, the Lecture Hall, and the Scripture Hall. The last courtyard contains our Scripture Pavilion. Beside the Scripture Pavilion is the Floating Tower, where the Buddha’s relics are enshrined.

"Everyone can pass through the corridor directly to the Scripture Pavilion to borrow books. But please be careful not to enter the Zen rooms or areas like the Supervisor’s Court or Abbot’s Court, so as not to disturb the monks in their Cultivation.

"The Floating Tower was originally open for visitors, but due to some inconvenient incidents that occurred recently, we are temporarily refusing visitors."

Monk Kongwo explained the temple’s layout to the pilgrims with a smile. His expression changed slightly when he mentioned the Floating Tower. But he quickly adjusted himself and continued to lead the way with a calm demeanor. "Please follow me, the Grand Hall is just ahead."

At last, they had arrived.

Li Ang and his companions exchanged a barely noticeable glance and blended in with the pilgrims, climbing the steps into the Grand Hall, where they witnessed an unexpected scene.

The general structure of the Grand Hall was the same as they had seen not long ago. The difference was that the positions of the Twelve Perfect Enlightenment Bodhisattva Statues on both sides of the hall were correct, and in front of the Shakyamuni Buddha in the center of the hall, there were not three Buddha statues, but four.

One more?!

Monk Kongwo walked ahead and said softly with a smile, "In the Grand Halls of the secular world, Buddha statues are revered following a pattern of one, three, five, or seven.

"Usually, five Buddhas are enshrined, representing the Five Directions Buddha: the Great Sun Tathagata, the Eastern Unmoving Buddha, the Southern Treasure Buddha, the Western Amitabha Buddha, and the Northern Unattainable Achievement Buddha.

"However, our Jialan Sect’s Grand Hall actually enshrines only one primary Buddha.

"The four statues in front are of four sages of our Jialan Sect."

Monk Kongwo calmly explained, "During the Pre-Qin Period, the great Zen Master Mahalekhituo crossed thousands of miles of snowfields and the Hundred Thousand Desolate Mountains to reach the Han lands. Back then, the Desolate Mountains actually numbered a million.

"While crossing the Desolate Mountains, Mahalekhituo suffered severe injuries and passed away soon after.

"Before his death, he accepted two people as his disciples, officially starting the history of Zen in the Central Plains.

"Those two disciples were the founding masters of the Jialan Sect and the Pure Thought Sect."

Monk Kongwo paused and sighed sorrowfully, "Our Jialan Ancestor wandered the Human World, accepting disciples and spreading the earliest Zen teachings in the Central Plains.

"At that time in the Northern Land, there were four demons named Yi, E, Yan, and Wu.

"These four demons were incredibly powerful, slaughtering people indiscriminately. The local ruler, powerless to suppress them, could only offer three hundred boys and girls annually, begging the demons not to engage in widespread slaughter.

"Deeply troubled by their wickedness, the Jialan Ancestor took his four most trusted disciples to the Northern Land. They ventured deep into the mountains and, after a series of fierce battles, finally killed the four demons.

"However, the aftermath of the battle also caused the continuous mountain ranges to collapse, which unfortunately led to the deaths of nearly a thousand commoners.

"The Jialan Ancestor and the four sages felt deep remorse. They ordered their disciples and grand-disciples to keep their names hidden and not allow their deeds to be celebrated.

"The Jialan Ancestor himself left no image behind.

"Therefore, these four sage Buddha statues are enshrined within the hidden Mountain Gate of our Jialan Sect, unseen in the outer mountain gates."

Monk Kongwo bowed reverently toward the Buddha statues. Just as he was about to continue with a smile, there was a sudden SNAP.

A middle-aged man in a menial worker’s attire, with white hair and a limp, was sweeping. He accidentally knocked the offering table with his broom, upsetting the incense flowers and the Buddha lamp. Oil from the lamp spilled out, its flame flickering and nearly igniting the Buddha Altar.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha!"

Monk Kongwo quickly waved his hand, condensing water vapor from the air to extinguish the flames.

"Ah, ah."

The white-haired man who had knocked over the Buddha lamp hurriedly squatted, righted the lamp, and gestured anxiously, full of apology.

"It’s okay."

Monk Kongwo managed a faint smile, reassuring the mute man and telling him to leave for now and wash his oily hands.

Seemingly noticing the pilgrims’ puzzled expressions, Monk Kongwo explained, "He was originally a tenant farmer of the Jialan Sect. After an incident, he became mute and lame. The abbot, pitying his cruel fate and physical disabilities, allowed him to perform some miscellaneous tasks in the temple."