"Mahāyāna Buddhism does not kill, so we did not kill Patron Zhao. However, the doctrine says that when faced with evil aberrations, converting them is the same as saving all living beings under Heaven. Thus, disagreements between us were inevitable, and so were misunderstandings. Such misunderstandings are unavoidable among all living beings." The monk answered me calmly.
"She is a perfectly good young woman. Why do you want to convert her? Are you monks planning to open a nunnery too?" I asked with a frown. I had never understood what this so-called conversion was supposed to mean.
"Heh heh, Patron Xia, you jest. All living beings are not born evil aberrations; they merely stray onto the wrong path later because of karma and reincarnation. Our Xiyuan Temple brings these evil aberrations back to the temple, painstakingly converts them, and then sends them to the Pure Land. Of course, conversion has no other meaning. We simply teach them the Buddhist scriptures of Mahāyāna Buddhism. There are even examples of heinous criminals taking refuge in the Buddha, so Patron, you may rest assured." The monk spoke with utmost seriousness, as if he still wanted to use this to persuade me.
"She is a disciple of the One Heaven Sect. Has she killed anyone? Has she bullied women or men?" I demanded, sweeping a glance over the monks moving around us. I knew they were setting up a formation.
The monk shook his head. I immediately laughed. "Since she hasn't done any of that, why do you need to convert her? Even if something went wrong, the One Heaven Sect would take her back and discipline her. Don't tell me your Xiyuan Temple is sticking its nose into other people's business?"
"Patron Xia, she was together with a cultivator who killed a disciple