Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 106 - 102: Accidentally Entering the Buddha Bone Temple

Chapter 106: Chapter 102: Accidentally Entering the Buddha Bone Temple

Back in the room, as soon as Li Ping’an lay down and closed his eyes, his mind was filled with the image of the Dragon King of the Jing River wielding the Thunder Technique. That earth-shattering spectacle was truly magnificent and his heart was still tumultuous from the experience.

Li Ping’an pondered learning the Thunder Technique himself; if he couldn’t find Zixia in the next couple of days, he would return to the real world to search for Taoist scriptures about the Thunder Technique. As he was lost in thought, he unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

However, the scene that occurred in the Fallen Dragon Pit was unknown to others, but atop the Ascension Tower within the Golden City of the Chang’an Imperial Palace—the mystical domain of Emperor Li Gai of the Great Tang—a pair of eyes had been silently watching everything that happened in the Fallen Dragon Pit. After a long while, they voiced a cry of alarm:

"The Destined One has arrived!"

The next morning, Li Ping’an woke up, freshened up, and began searching for Zixia in the vast Chang’an City. After seeking her around numerous streets of Chang’an for the whole morning, he still did not catch a glimpse of Zixia.

"Chang’an is big, but it shouldn’t be this hard to find Zixia!"

Exhausted and hungry, Li Ping’an looked at the bustling streets and couldn’t help complaining:

"Where on earth has Zixia disappeared to? She said she came to Chang’an for an important task, but never mentioned what it was. It’s got me running around like a headless fly. This is truly torturing me!"

"Move aside, you man in front! Make way quickly!"

Suddenly, a large crowd surged on the street where Li Ping’an was, consisting of the old and the young, the poor and the wealthy, men and women. They filled the whole street like a swarm of locusts, leaving no space unoccupied, and madly rushed toward a temple up ahead.

Facing this massive crowd, Li Ping’an had no place to dodge and was directly swept along by the people into a majestic temple: the Buddha Bone Temple.

The Reception Monk in the temple began to attend to the sudden influx of devotees: those who came to offer incense did so, those who came to worship did so, those who came to joyfully donate did so. It seemed as if they had made the temple their own home, while only Li Ping’an, who had been swept in without rhyme or reason, aimlessly looked around bored at the entrance of the Great Hero Treasure Hall.

"You, lay Buddhist, have no sense of propriety. Everyone else comes here with proper decorum, yet you alone stand so brazenly inside the temple. Kneel and pay homage to the Buddha, and then offer incense money!"

Seeing that the monk spoke harshly, Li Ping’an feigned the behavior of a devotee coming to offer incense and made a bowing gesture:

"Mage, there’s a misunderstanding. I am an itinerant Taoist Priest, and upon seeing the thriving incense offerings at this sacred temple, I was curious about which esteemed monk presides over the teachings here?"

Upon hearing that Li Ping’an was a Taoist, the monk immediately became arrogant and proudly introduced:

"Although you are an itinerant Taoist Priest, it seems you do have some discernment. Our temple’s presiding mage indeed has an extraordinary background. The attending senior monk’s dharma name is Yongxin. He is the tenth-generation heir to Master Xuanzang’s mantle, preaching the Magical Lotus Sutra that was sought and obtained. Master Xuanzang entered parinirvana right here in this temple, leaving behind the Buddha’s Bone and Teeth, which remain in the pagoda to this day."

The moment Li Ping’an heard this, he laughed. He came from the modern era, and his province had a temple where Chen Xuanzang once translated scriptures after his return from the quest for sacred texts, a local tourist spot he had visited with an admission ticket. He had never heard about Chen Xuanzang leaving behind any Buddha’s Tooth or Bone upon his parinirvana. Hearing the monk’s words was like listening to someone break wind; immediately, he realized he had encountered a phony monk.

"Mage, as far as I know, Chen Xuanzang did not enter parinirvana, nor did he leave behind any Buddha’s Bone and Teeth. Who is spreading such fallacies here and deceiving the people, stirring up the masses? Is it you, this monk? Hm?"

The monk immediately stomped his foot in anger upon hearing this:

"What a brazen Taoist! You come here disparaging the affairs of the Buddhist Community without even understanding your own Taoist matters! Master Xuanzang ascended to heaven five hundred years ago. From where did you get such misinformation that no Buddha’s Relics were left behind? If you continue to spout nonsense, I will have you thrown out!"

Just as Li Ping’an was about to expose the lies of this charlatan, the temple suddenly echoed with the sound of a bell, resounding far and wide. Everyone lifted their heads to look at the monk who struck the bell.

"Master Yongxin is about to commence the scripture lecture, all monks and lay Buddhists present, as well as anyone who wishes to hear the scriptures, may proceed to the Future Buddha Hall’s Scripture Lecture Hall!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than the surrounding devotees seemed to go mad, rushing towards the Future Buddha Hall’s Scripture Lecture Hall at breakneck speed, including the monk who had been quibbling with Li Ping’an.

"Interesting! Truly interesting! Since I’m free at the moment, why not see how these phony monks deceive the masses!"

When in Rome, do as the Romans do; Li Ping’an took the opportunity while the place was empty to swipe some fruit from the altar, and then followed the crowd to see this so-called tenth-generation disciple of Chen Xuanzang.

Upon reaching the entrance of the Scripture Lecture Hall at the Future Buddha Hall, all he could see inside were the noisy bell sounds and the curling incense smoke, the faithful listeners bustling about, crowding together, all kneeling on the ground in unison, very devout, waiting for the mage.

Every so often, one could see a group of monks solemnly carrying the treasured parasols and Dharma instruments, parading in ceremoniously and surrounding a middle-aged, short, and rotund monk with a repellent face as he emerged from the back hall.

Master Yongxin scanned the room, delighting in the sight of the disciples bowing deeply in devotion, only to spot a dandy youth leaning against the door frame eating fruit, frowning slightly, and in displeasure, he ascended to his high seat.

With a strike of the Jade Chime, Master Yongxin began reciting a passage from the Magical Lotus Sutra:

"At that time, the World-Honored One, having spoken these verses, addressed the great assembly thus: ’My disciple Mahakasyapa in a future life will pay homage to three hundred million Buddhas, offering veneration, respect, and praise, extensively proclaiming the immeasurable great Dharma...’"

After repeating each word to the faithful monks and lay Buddhists, it counted as a scripture lecture. He continued with the narrative:

"The thousand words of the Buddhist scriptures all teach us to do good and cultivate virtue. To practice goodness naturally involves giving, and ultimately, faith in Buddha is required. Those good men and women who give and have faith in Buddha will be promoted and ennobled, enjoy fortune and longevity, and not fall into the cycle of reincarnation."

"Bullshit! Bullshit! If that’s the case, I could start giving scripture lectures too. You’re clearly swindling money!"

Li Ping’an had listened for a while, but upon hearing the last statement, he could no longer contain himself.

"Who dares to slander the Dharma and defame the Three Jewels?"

Master Yongxin immediately looked for the person who had interrupted.

Li Ping’an, not wanting to cause trouble, quickly stooped down and whispered to a lay Buddhist sitting devoutly in front of him with closed eyes reciting scriptures:

"Shh! Be careful with the volume of your voice!"

The Reception Monk who had previously greeted Li Ping’an was beside Master Yongxin. Noticing that not only Li Ping’an hadn’t left, but he had publicly blasphemed Buddha and was brazenly eating the fruit offered to the Buddha Ancestor, he wanted to erupt in anger. However, seeing the multitude of worshippers present, he restrained himself, walked beside Master Yongxin, covered his mouth with his Buddhist robe, and informed him about Li Ping’an’s background.

"Hmph!"

After hearing this, Master Yongxin gave Li Ping’an a fierce glare, then continued to deceive the congregants, ordering them to repeat what had been said. The audience members, listening to the lecture, all nodded in agreement and praise.

The Reception Monk who had previously hosted Li Ping’an immediately began to collect incense money and offered donations from the faithful, using a brocade