We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

Xiao Mo and Jiang Xin settled down in Kongnian Temple.

After arriving at Kongnian Temple, Xiao Mo and Jiang Xin were arranged to stay in a relatively secluded courtyard, some distance away from where the ordinary monks lived.

After bringing Jiang Xin to Kongnian Temple, Xiao Mo didn’t leave immediately but stayed for several days.

Over five or six days, Xiao Mo would often go to the front hall of Kongnian Temple, which was where pilgrims burned incense and worshipped Buddha.

Although Kongnian Temple had a good reputation, Xiao Mo still wanted to personally see this foremost Buddhist temple of the Western Region.

What differed most from his impression of Buddhist temples was that Kongnian Temple had no so-called “first incense,” and didn’t rank pilgrims by status.

No matter how much money you donated to this temple, whether you donated a thousand taels of silver or just one coin, you were treated the same as any other pilgrim.

Besides this, Kongnian Temple also established a meal hall.

Anyone could go in to eat, with each bowl of noodles costing five coins, but no one collected payment.

If you couldn’t afford it, you could just leave directly and come back to pay when you had the ability.

Not only that, Xiao Mo also saw a Daoist couplet on both sides of the main hall:

“Keep evil thoughts in your heart, and burning incense brings no benefit. Stand upright and proper, and seeing me without bowing causes no harm.”

This greatly surprised Xiao Mo. Whenever he came to the front courtyard of Kongnian Temple, he would stop and look at it for several breaths.

“This old monk sees that the benefactor often stares at this couplet in a daze.”

On the fifth day of staying at Kongnian Temple, when Xiao Mo once again came to the front hall and stared blankly at this couplet, Abbot Xu Jing walked over and asked with a smile.

“Greetings to the abbot.” Xiao Mo cupped his hands in greeting and replied, “This junior has lived in Kongnian Temple for several days and just has some doubts in his heart.”

“Oh?” Abbot Xu Jing smiled, “If the young benefactor doesn’t mind, you can tell this old monk about them.”

“Then this junior will boldly ask for guidance.” Xiao Mo looked at this couplet. “First is why Kongnian Temple would have a Daoist couplet.”

Withdrawing his gaze, Xiao Mo looked toward the Buddha statues in the main hall again, “Second is why the Buddha statues in the main hall are all made of clay.”

“Hahahaha,” Abbot Xu Jing laughed and looked at this black-inked couplet, saying, “May I ask the young benefactor, do you think this couplet makes sense?”

Xiao Mo nodded, “Naturally it makes sense.”

“Since it makes sense and can persuade people toward goodness, then what’s wrong with hanging a Daoist couplet in a Buddhist temple?” Abbot Xu Jing said openly.

Xiao Mo was slightly stunned, then smiled, “That’s true.”

“As for why the Buddha statues are clay sculptures,” Xu Jing answered Xiao Mo’s second question.

“Actually, the Buddha statues in Kongnian Temple were indeed covered with gold leaf before, but whenever poor people couldn’t survive, Kongnian Temple would remove a piece of gold leaf, cut a little from it, and lend it to them.

Over time, all the Buddha statues in Kongnian Temple became clay bodies.”

“Haven’t people ever repaid them?” Xiao Mo asked.

“Naturally there have been some,” Xu Jing turned around and looked at the clay statues in the main hall, his eyes showing compassion tinged with helplessness.

“But how could those who repay gold be more numerous than those who borrow gold? Perhaps when the day comes that those repaying gold outnumber those borrowing gold, the Buddhist teachings will have achieved some true meaning.”

Xiao Mo fell silent.

Abbot Xu Jing looked toward Xiao Mo, “Although the young benefactor is young, your wisdom is no different from ordinary people, and I see that you also have spiritual roots. Would you consider entering our Kongnian Temple?”

“Thank you for the abbot’s kind intention, but I haven’t thought about becoming a monk.” Xiao Mo politely declined.

“Being a lay disciple would also be good,” Xu Jing seemed somewhat persistent.

Xiao Mo still shook his head, “The person who taught me blade techniques is still waiting for me to return. If I stayed here and didn’t leave, I’m afraid it would bring quite a bit of trouble to your temple.”

“Is that all?” Xu Jing asked.

Xiao Mo raised his head and looked toward the direction of the courtyard where Jiang Xin lived, “If I were here, Jiang Xin wouldn’t be able to cultivate properly. I don’t want to delay her, and moreover, I have already cultivated blood baleful qi, so I can’t switch to cultivating other things, nor is it suitable for me to cultivate other things. There are some things this junior must do, but I need cultivation realm and strength.”

“Furthermore,” Xiao Mo smiled, “Don’t look at how that woman from Ten Thousand Dao Sect usually doesn’t care about anything, but if I’m not there, she’ll be bored.”

“Amitabha,” Xu Jing pressed his palms together and chanted a Buddha’s name.

“This old monk understands. Please trouble the young benefactor to give this old monk’s regards to Benefactor Xue Kui.”

“Certainly.” Xiao Mo nodded.

“By the way, when will the benefactor leave?” Xu Jing asked.

“Tonight at the hour of yin.”

“Does little benefactor Jiang Xin know?”

“She doesn’t.” Xiao Mo shook his head. “It’s better not to let her know.”

The sky gradually darkened.

That evening, after Xiao Mo and Jiang Xin finished dinner and looked at the stars together for a while, they went back to their rooms to sleep.

Soon after, Jiang Xin also went into her little room.

Just as the hour of yin arrived, Xiao Mo woke up, picked up his Spirit Absorbing Sword, and quietly walked out the door, leaving the courtyard.

Moonlight illuminated the entire mountain forest, and insect songs continuously echoed through the woods.

Gradually walking down the mountain, on the tranquil Kongnian Mountain, one could even hear the sound of clear spring water flowing but when Xiao Mo reached the halfway point of the mountain, he sensed something and looked behind a large tree.

Under the pine tree, the little girl’s clear eyes met Xiao Mo’s gaze.

The little girl trembled slightly like a small rabbit in fright and quickly hid behind the tree, but soon sneakily peeked her head out again.

Seeing that Xiao Mo was still looking in her direction, the little girl pulled her head back again.

“I can see you already, come out,” Xiao Mo sighed and spoke.

Knowing she had truly been discovered, Jiang Xin could only muster her courage and walked toward Xiao Mo while rubbing her small hands together.

“Did Abbot Xu Jing tell you I was leaving?” Xiao Mo asked directly.

After all, the fact that he was leaving at the hour of yin had only been told to the abbot.

“Mm,” the little girl who didn’t know how to lie nodded, “Grandfather Abbot said you were going to leave secretly and told me to see you one last time so I wouldn’t have regrets.”

“Abbot Xu Jing really is…” Xiao Mo shook his head helplessly.

Under normal circumstances, most people would keep others’ secrets, especially when that person was currently the highest authority in Buddhism.

Yet he had secretly revealed it.

One could only say this abbot was truly different.

“Are you really going to leave?” Jiang Xin clutched her hemp clothes and looked at Xiao Mo nervously.

“Yes.”

“I… I want to go with you,” Jiang Xin said with mustered courage.

“Ah Xin, you can’t come with me. I have to return to Ten Thousand Dao Sect, and you have the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, this is where you should be.”

Xiao Mo spoke earnestly.

“Here, no one will harm you.”

“Here, you’ll have the best master to teach you.”

“Here, you’ll cultivate Buddhist teachings, enter the Buddhist path, be revered by the world, and all the gods and Buddhas in the temple will protect you.”

“But Xiao Mo,” Jiang Xin reached out her hand and gently tugged at the corner of Xiao Mo’s clothes.

“Compared to all the gods and Buddhas in this temple, I’d rather be with you.”