Enemies were bound to cross paths

The dark muzzle of the gun was pointed at him; the elongated barrel, the large caliber, and the cold, indifferent expression of the person holding it all made the young monk's heart tighten and his skin crawl.

He could single-handedly defeat several martial arts practitioners, following the path of a martial monk, but he was still far from reaching the Spirit Refining Realm and would absolutely not be able to avoid the bullet attacks from the musket.

The young monk's eyes darted around, and he subtly suppressed his anger and arrogance, putting on a beaming smile.

"Please do not act rashly, benefactors. This is Buddhist School temple, where killing is forbidden. If you truly wish to enter the temple, this humble monk will go and inform them immediately."

Li Lingsu said sarcastically, "No, no, we wouldn't dare trouble you, Your Majesty. We are just a group of ordinary mortals."

As he spoke, he released the safety on his musket.

The little monk took a step back in fright and swallowed hard.

Li Lingsu asked in surprise, "Huh, so even the Buddha is afraid of muskets?"

Nearby, several martial arts figures laughed heartily, feeling triumphant.

It's still better to be a person from the Central Plains. When faced with the arrogant Buddhist School of the Western Regions, we can quickly form a united front and stand up for them without hesitation, even though we have never met before.

A flash of hatred crossed the young monk's eyes, and he waved his hands repeatedly. "It's not that I'm trying to stop you, but the abbot has already instructed that no outsiders are allowed to enter the temple. The pagoda has been completed, and it will not be open to the public this year."

He paused for a moment, then said in a gentle tone, "If you gentlemen insist on going in, then this humble monk will go and inform them. Please wait a moment."

As he spoke, he tentatively took a step back. Seeing that the man with the gun did not react violently, he immediately turned around and fled back into the temple.

"Senior, shall we continue to test him?"

Li Lingsu looked at Xu Qian: "That little monk is narrow-minded; he must have gone to call for reinforcements. If we've tested him enough, let's leave."

Xu Qi'an shook his head. "Not enough."

The current information is that Sanhua Temple is closed to visitors and outsiders are not allowed to enter.

However, Xu Qi'an was still unclear about how many experts were in the temple and what their combat strength was.

"My cultivation is sealed, and you don't look much better. You can't even beat a peak fourth-grade cultivator," Li Lingsu grinned.

Then, he saw Xu Qian hand him a brocade pouch.

"Take the items and hide in an open area," Xu Qi'an said.

". good."

After taking the brocade pouch, Li Lingsu silently disappeared into the bushes outside the steps.

Xu Qi'an then looked at the group of martial arts figures. "You all stay back."

He knew that gossiping was the most beloved form of entertainment among people in the martial arts world, and forcibly driving them away would not achieve the desired effect.

"Brother, be careful."

The man who had just been humiliated reminded him, "Great Feng of Buddhism, the Leizhou government and locals dislike Buddhist School. Therefore, the monks of Sanhua Temple are very united, always siding with their own people regardless of whether they are right or wrong."

Why aren't the monks of Qinglong Temple in the capital sticking together? Hmm, in the capital, even if they did, it wouldn't make a difference. Xu Qi'an nodded.

Thank you.

The group of martial arts practitioners immediately retreated, but stopped a short distance away.

Before long, hurried footsteps approached, and the little monk with the broom returned, leading a group of monks. Some wore robes, some wore kasayas, some held prayer beads, and some carried sticks.

The young monk pointed at Xu Qi'an and shouted, "Uncle-Master Hui'an, the one who pointed a gun at me just now was this man's companion!"

Looking around, he said resentfully, "That person must have escaped."

A middle-aged man dressed in a yellow and red robe stepped forward, his hands clasped together in prayer.

"This humble monk is Huian, the guest master of the temple. Benefactor, why do you resort to violence in this serene Buddhist School?"

Xu Qi'an clasped his hands together, returned the greeting, and said:

"We were only interested in worshipping Buddha and wanted to enter the temple to burn incense, but the gatekeeper of your temple not only uttered arrogant and insulting words, but also physically injured my companion."

He pointed to several martial arts figures in the distance and continued, "We had no choice but to threaten him with muskets to force him to stop."

"Nonsense."

The young monk angrily retorted, "Those two are just meddling in other people's business! They even threatened me just now, saying they would kill me. Uncle-Master, if I hadn't yielded, I might already be dead under their muskets."

Monk Hui'an nodded slowly, looked at Xu Qi'an, and explained:

"The abbot has ordered that our temple no longer accept worshippers. We have troubled you to carry out his orders. What wrong have we done?"

Xu Qi'an said "Oh": "What's wrong with physically assaulting someone or verbally abusing them?"

Monk Hui'an seemed not to hear him and continued, "Your Excellency has threatened the disciples of the temple with a musket. As the temple's guest master, I cannot stand idly by. Kongjian, go and return the favor with a punch."

He never asked Xu Qi'an for his opinion or paid him any attention, and simply went through the process on his own.

A monk in a blue robe strode out; he was strong and his muscles stretched the loose robe.

He stood on the steps, looking down at Xu Qi'an, and clasped his hands together, saying, "Amitabha."

The next moment, he cracked the steps beneath his feet and leaped high into the air, like a tiger pouncing on its prey.

Monk!

At this moment, the martial monk with the Dharma name "Kongjian" suddenly felt a chill and sensed danger from all sides.

Even though there were no enemies or ambushes around, he sensed danger coming from all directions.

With his feet sinking, he forced his way down, then stirred his energy, attempting to shake off the unseen dangers.

With a whoosh, the air transformed into a gale, whipping up fallen leaves and dust from the stone steps.

The monk Kongjian's vision went black, his legs lost their strength, and he collapsed to the ground, his body limp. He shakily raised his hand and pointed at Xu Qi'an:

"You, you"

Xu Qi'an ignored him, looked at Monk Hui'an, and asked, "How is it?"

Several martial arts figures in the distance stared in disbelief, completely unable to comprehend how Xu Qi'an had made his move.

Monk Hui'an's expression was solemn. He stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and said, "Amitabha, have compassion, do not resort to violence."

These words, imbued with the power of Buddhist School precepts, cleansed Xu Qi'an's ferocity, softening his thoughts and making it difficult for him to feel anger again.

Seeing this, Monk Hui'an approached his next move, chanting incantations that went from indistinct to clear, then to deafening, echoing in Xu Qi'an's ears and in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, the idea of entering a Buddhist monastery gradually took root in his mind, and he developed the idea that Buddhism was the source of all profound truths and that the Buddhist School was the ultimate destination of life.

He had experienced a similar feeling when he was involved in a battle of wits within the Buddhist School.

Forced brainwashing?

While resisting, Xu Qi'an pretended to be deeply influenced and converted to Buddhist School. Then, he slowly climbed the steps and looked at the monks with gentle eyes.

"Hey!"

The little monk grinned smugly.

Anyone who hears the entire scripture will be drawn to Buddhist School, crying out to heaven and earth for the chance to enter the monastic order. But Buddhist School will not accept such a person immediately; it will assess their sincerity.

Sincerity can be demonstrated by kneeling and praying outside the temple for three days and three nights, or by donating one's entire fortune to Sanhua Temple. There is no specific standard; it depends solely on the sincerity of the person.

Of course, it would be difficult not to be sincere.

The young monk eagerly anticipated the scene of the other person kneeling outside the temple, weeping and begging the Sanhua Temple to perform a ritual for him to be saved.

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt a burning sensation in his lower abdomen.

"This... this..."

The little monk's face was filled with terror.

The other monks were in an uproar and fell into chaos, because their experience was exactly the same as the young monk's: their faces were red, their mouths were dry, and their minds were filled with confusion.

My senior classmates' butts look so tempting.

I want a woman.

I feel so awful.

The monks looked at each other, an eerie atmosphere brewing among them.

When they saw each other's eyes darting around their backsides, they retreated in terror, their eyes filled with wariness and distrust.

Everyone is eyeing their fellow disciples' backsides, but no one wants their own backside to be coveted.

Monk Hui'an's face turned red and his mouth became dry. Seeing the monks around him in disarray, he immediately put his hands together in prayer, trying to use Buddhist School precepts to help his fellow monks clear their minds of distractions.

But just then, a figure emerged from the shadows behind him and slapped him unconscious with a chop to the neck.

At the same time, he activated the aphrodisiac, spraying out even more aphrodisiac gas.

The monks' eyes grew increasingly fervent and frenzied, with some even setting their gaze on Xu Qi'an's buttocks.

Xu Qi'an used Shadow Leap to escape from the crowd.

The monks, burning with lust, immediately turned their gaze to Hui'an, the only one present who was unconscious.

Choosing an irresistible target for the most primal transmission of genes is an instinct for every living organism.

Danger! Huian! Danger!

"Beauty is but bones, form is emptiness."

Suddenly, a soft chanting voice came from behind Xu Qi'an. Everyone who heard the voice had the realization that "women only affect my speed in drawing my sword," and they suddenly understood.

The monks, who were trapped in their desires, were suddenly awakened and freed themselves from the influence of hormones.

They clasped their hands together in shame, repenting for their mistakes.

Xu Qi'an suddenly turned around. About ten feet behind him stood a young monk with deep features and characteristics of a Western Region person.

He has deep-set eyes, a straight nose, and a handsome appearance.

Xu Qi'an's heart sank suddenly, as the colorless and odorless poison and aphrodisiac gas were secretly emanating.

The young monk clasped his hands together, lowered his eyes, and smiled, saying, "Benefactor, monks are detached from worldly desires."

At least a fourth-rank official Xu Qi'an, made the judgment.

The young monk continued, "However, the Dharma Protector Vajra is dedicated to slaying those who oppose the Buddha. Benefactor, since you are engaging in violence in the pure Buddhist School, please come with me to meet the Dharma Protector Vajra."

Once I get there, I'll either be "exorcised and defended," or I'll be brainwashed by you. Xu Qi'an didn't resist the hand extended to him and laughed:

"Master's Dharma name?"

"This humble monk purifies his mind."

Xu Qi'an, a peer of Jing Si and Jing Chen, glanced at the hand on his shoulder and asked, "What if I don't want to go with you to see the Dharma Protector?"

Monk Jingxin shook his head. "That's not up to you, benefactor."

That's really domineering!

Xu Qi'an maintained his smile, looking in a certain direction. "I think it's not up to the master."

Jingxin followed his gaze and her expression immediately turned serious.

On a distant hill, twelve cannons were lined up in a row, aimed at the Sanhua Temple on the hilltop.

A plainly dressed, ordinary-looking young man, holding a torch, looked at Jingxin with a smile.

"Tsk tsk."

Xu Qi'an smiled and said, "I wonder if Buddhist School, like Confucian School, holds the belief of 'better to be a broken jade than a whole tile'?"

Jingxin slowly asked, "Are you a member of the imperial court, benefactor?"

"If you say so, then so be it." Xu Qi'an raised the corner of his mouth.

Jingxin withdrew her hand from his shoulder, said nothing more, and silently brushed past him.

Xu Qi'an waved to Li Lingsu in the distance, then descended the stone steps. The latter opened her sachet and collected the cannon.

What just happened?

"Damn, I don't understand it at all."

"Is that gentleman someone from the imperial court?"

"Of course, otherwise where would we get twelve cannons?"

Several martial arts practitioners in the distance stared in disbelief. Apart from understanding the cannon threat against the monk, they were completely baffled by the previous actions.

Meanwhile, Xu Qi'an and Li Lingsu met up at the archway at the foot of the mountain.

"Are you someone from the imperial court?"

Li Lingsu handed the brocade pouch back to Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an took the brocade pouch, put it in his pocket, and asked in return, "Because of these Law Artifact?"

Li Lingsu nodded.

The brocade pouch contained not only cannons, but also ballistae, wheeled ballistae, muskets, and military crossbows—all heavy-duty magical Law Artifact.

Only the elite troops of the Great Feng could be equipped with Law Artifact of this scale.

Facing Li Lingsu's intense gaze, Xu Qi'an looked into the distance and said calmly:

"It's a prize I won from playing chess with the supervisor back then. It's just a little trinket. If you like it, I'll give it to you."

He won the game against the supervisor. Li Lingsu's pupils dilated slightly, in disbelief.

"No, no need!"

He waved his hands repeatedly, mentally reassessing Xu Qian's identity and cultivation level. Having lived for hundreds of years, the third rank was the bare minimum. Yet, he was able to compete with the Supervisor and win so many Law Artifact from him.

This... this is probably beyond the capabilities of a third-rank official.

"When we return to the sect, we must properly consult the Celestial Venerable. Perhaps the Celestial Venerable knows Xu Qian's background. There aren't many top figures in the Nine Provinces, and even if they are not familiar with each other, they are aware of each other's existence."

The Holy Son thought to himself.

Phew! How sensible! If you really have the nerve to accept it, I'll feel too embarrassed to go back on my word! Xu Qi'an secretly decided that he would be more careful when creating a persona in the future.

"Senior, that monk's cultivation was quite high. I didn't even see how he appeared behind you. Do you know what happened?" Li Lingsu asked.

"I didn't see it at all," Xu Qi'an said calmly. "A mere trifle."

He thought to himself that if a third-rank monk couldn't enter the pagoda, the Buddhist School would most likely send that monk Jingxin to enter.

I just don't know if there are any other four categories besides Pure Mind.

Jingxin is a Zen master, not a martial monk. This is very bad. Xu Qi'an has many ways to deal with martial monks, but Zen masters are able to resist love curses, poison curses, and heart curses.

Furthermore, Sanhua Temple is closed to visitors and guarded by a third-rank Vajra, making forced entry virtually impossible. So how can one gain entry?

By the way, the Witch God Cult also wants to enter the Floating Pagoda, so a conflict between the two sides is inevitable. Could we take advantage of this?

Just then, he heard Li Lingsu curse in a dialect he couldn't identify, and the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect's expression changed drastically.

Ahead, a procession slowly approached, with nine strong men carrying a huge, open sedan chair. The curtains were drawn, revealing two beautiful women with different temperaments but identical appearances.

The two masters of the East Sea Dragon Palace.

Dongfang Wanrong, Dongfang Wanqing.

Li Lingsu's eyes flashed with the pain of "kidney deficiency," her lips twitched slightly, and she lowered her head, leading the horse, and whispered:

"Senior, let's go quickly."

Xu Qi'an hummed in agreement.

The two men, leading their horses, walked along the roadside, heads slightly bowed.

Keep a low profile. I'm just an ordinary person now. With the pride of those two sisters, they won't pay attention to an unremarkable passerby. Li Lingsu tried her best to control her heartbeat and breathing, pretending that she was just a random passerby.

Excessive tension and a frantic heartbeat were easily detected by Qingjie, a peak fourth-grade martial artist.

The two met at a certain point and were about to pass each other when Li Lingsu suddenly saw Xu Qian beside her, raised her foot, and kicked her away forcefully.

"!!!"

Li Lingsu stumbled and bumped into the East Sea Dragon Palace's procession.

PS: Typos will be corrected later.