Chapter 137: A Desperate Plea

"The physical body is merely a skin bag. As long as I can attain the supreme fruit, this humble monk can discard it at any moment." Liaoran smiled like Maitreya Buddha, his half-closed eyes brimming with joy.

"How does that saying go again? Lay down the butcher's knife and immediately become a Buddha. Great monk, why don't you use a butcher's knife to cut off your own head? That way, you'd probably become a Buddha on the spot!"

"The Marquis truly possesses a Buddha-nature, and this humble monk admires you immensely. It is a pity that this humble monk has made a grand vow to deliver ten thousand living souls; otherwise, what would be the harm in severing this head?" Liaoran walked leisurely up to Cai Cong, speaking with a smile.

Cai Cong cast a disgusted glance at him and uttered a cold single word.

"Get lost!"

This monk probably had no idea how fake his smile looked; the twitching corners of his mouth formed the exact same arc every time he smiled.

"Hehe, this humble monk came today to deliver the Marquis. How could I possibly leave just like that?"

"If there is a Buddha in one's heart, everyone is a Buddha. Who needs you lot of bald donkeys to deliver them?"

"Yet the Marquis has a demon in his heart, completely devoid of Buddha-nature, which is why this humble monk has come."

Liaoran spoke calmly, completely unfazed by Cai Cong's insults.

"Buddha and demon are separated by a single thought. Even the Buddha of your house possesses a demonic nature. You wish to deliver me—are you worthy? Is your Buddha worthy?" Cai Cong pressed aggressively. Liaoran's expression changed drastically at the audacity of insulting the Buddha. Cai Cong, however, remained indifferent. A prince from some minor state—worth less than a dog in Chang'an—who sat beneath a tree for a few days and now wished to place himself above the heavens? Who gave him that right?

"The Marquis speaks presumptuously. Are you not afraid of the Buddha's retribution?" Liaoran withdrew his smile, speaking coldly. His eyes were filled with chilling frost, devoid of even a trace of compassion.

"Can't take it anymore, are you? Didn't you say your Buddha is compassionate? Didn't you say something about cutting your flesh to feed a tiger? How is it that the moment I say you are unworthy, you resort to retribution? Great monk, put away your murderous intent, or I'll send you to meet your Buddha right now."

Cai Cong's eyes were like blades, soaking Liaoran's back in a cold sweat as he froze in place, too terrified to move. He dared not move, fearing that the slightest twitch would prompt the guards behind Cai Cong to slaughter him.

"Amitabha. Junior fellow apprentice Liaoran, you have fallen into an illusion. Benefactor Cai is right; the Buddha dwells in the heart. Your Buddha-heart is already shattered. Go back and face the wall in repentance!"

Kuner walked in from outside the courtyard, speaking calmly. Liaoran wore a look of unwillingness, but he dared not defy Kuner's words. He made a Buddhist salute and retreated.

"Forgive the unseemly sight, Benefactor Cai. Although this junior fellow apprentice of mine is plump, his heart in serving the Buddha is exceptionally sincere, to the point that he has strayed from the path."

"The Marquis cares nothing for this. I only wish to ask, why must an otherworldly expert like the Great Master struggle in the muddy mire of the secular world?" Cai Cong sighed. He did not bear a grudge against Buddhism; toward ascetic travelers like Kuner and Kunan, whose spiritual cultivation and altruistic deeds were one, he held deep respect.

"If one does not become a Buddha, where is not a muddy mire?" Kuner sighed.

"Then this Marquis wishes the Great Master an early attainment of the Buddha fruit." Cai Cong said sincerely, turning to leave.

"Benefactor, stay your steps!" Kuner called out loudly, walking up to Cai Cong. "Presently, Buddhism faces a great calamity. We earnestly hope the Marquis of Chang'an will lend a helping hand."

"The human favor owed to mere Kunan is not worth this Marquis fighting to the death with the Daoist sect for your sake. Not to mention he is already dead; even if he were still alive, this Marquis would not care about such a favor."

Cai Cong sneered. The Li family revered Laozi as their ancestor, so the Daoist sect was naturally bound to flourish. It was only natural that Buddhism could not compete.

"With a great calamity at hand, if the Marquis is willing to lend a helping hand, my Buddhist sect will owe you a favor."

"I cannot afford to accept this favor. The crisis facing Buddhism was brought upon yourselves by your own actions; no one else can help you."

Without any further hesitation, Cai Cong strode away. Li Shimin had not issued a single ordination certificate this year; how could he possibly wade into muddy waters like this?

The Daoist sect had played a brilliant chess move. When those Daoist priestesses stepped forward at the critical moment, Li Shimin praised them greatly. Even so, what he wrote was about heroines not yielding to men, rather than praising the Immeasurable Celestial Venerable.

Kuner watched Cai Cong's retreating figure. He stood in place chanting sutras, though whether he was chanting for the Buddha or for Buddhism remained unclear.

When he returned to the main hall, Lady Cai had already finished her Buddhist devotions. The remaining matters would naturally be handled by the servants, requiring no worry on her part.

"Son, where off did you run to? I wanted you to pay your respects to the Buddha and let the Buddha bless you!" Lady Cai asked immediately upon seeing Cai Cong.

Cai Cong thought with inner disdain that right now, it was these Buddhists begging him; whether anyone was blessing anyone else remained to be seen. Instead, he smiled and said, "I went to chat with Great Master Kuner to listen to some of his Buddhist philosophy. He is a truly remarkable master."

"That's how it should be. They have provided relief to countless people, and their mastery of the Dharma is profound. Listening more to them will do you no harm." Lady Cai said as if it were only natural. Cai Cong felt a surge of irritation—how could someone who had barely stepped foot outside her doors know of such an ascetic monk deep in the mountains?

"Mother, leave the matters here to the servants. Tomorrow we shall return. Sister's affairs must also be dealt with, and we need to give an explanation to Great-uncle." Cai Cong thought for a moment and spoke. Lady Cai did not think much of it and nodded in agreement; Chu瑶's affairs could not be dragged out any longer.

After dinner, Cai Cong called Weiguo aside alone and instructed, "Go back and check who in the estate is a Buddhist devotee, and who constantly chatters about Buddhism in front of my mother. Find a pretext to dismiss them all."

"Wouldn't that be inappropriate? If the mistress finds out, she'll give me a hard time." Weiguo said with a troubled expression, as he was not blind and could see that Lady Cai was deeply devoted to Buddhism.

"Must we let my mother know? Even if she finds out, it must be done. These people don't stick to their duties and only know how to run their mouths as messengers. I'd like to see if those who sent them will care whether they live or die, and whether their Buddha will provide them with food."

Cai Cong said coldly. Had these people not been meddling, Lady Cai would never have known that Master Kunan was from the Shaolin Temple, nor would she have thought of coming here to fulfill vows and repay favors.

"Very well then! I'll look into it the moment we return." Weiguo replied swiftly. Having sensed that deeper currents were at play, he cast aside his other misgivings.

"Alright, go back and get some sleep early! We must rise early tomorrow." Cai Cong told Weiguo, his gaze fixed on the pitch-black darkness ahead.

As soon as Weiguo left, Kuner emerged from the shadows, wearing a sorrowful expression as he said, "Why must the Marquis make things difficult for servants? They are merely pious believers."

"The ones who harmed them are you people. This Marquis cannot keep people in the estate who can be influenced by a few words from outsiders to go and badger the mistress of the house. As for whether they can survive after leaving the Marquis's estate, that is up to you."

Cai Cong spoke quite bluntly. Good or bad, I no longer trust them; you caused this, and whether you care for them is your affair.

"It is indeed my Buddhist sect that has failed them. We can only repay them in the next life." Kuner said with a heavy heart, knowing all too well that the Buddhist sect could never afford to support these people.

"What a wonderful line—'repay them in the next life.' Buddhism truly knows no shame."

"The Marquis is mistaken. The karma of this life bears fruit in the next; their devotion to the Buddha in this life ensures they will enjoy a lifetime of blessings and fortune in the next."

"Spare me your nonsense. Wandering through the great void, I see neither my past self nor my future self, yet you preach to me about karmic retribution. Do you not find it absurd?" Cai Cong directly interrupted him, speaking with impatience. Kuner remained silent. Cai Cong was an enlightened Daoist master, and his experiences were enough to make even Kuner feel envy, jealousy, and hatred. To debate such matters with him was simply courting humiliation.

"What price will it take to make the Marquis lend a helping hand?" Since he could not win the argument, he would speak directly of interests! The Daoist sect was pressing forward step by step; whether it was the grand prominence of Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng or the Daoist sect's involvement in treating the plague, it all left Buddhism utterly helpless.

"Hmph! How can I help you? Kuner, do you still fail to understand even now? Buddhism has decayed. Did the eighteen staff-wielding monks really save the Prince of Qin back then because they saw that His Majesty was the True Son of Heaven? Wasn't it because Wang Shichu occupied Shaolin's land?"