Told You I Can Turn Back Time
Chapter 229 - 167: Going to Worship Buddha?

Chapter 229: Chapter 167: Going to Worship Buddha?

Although the Fixed Portal opened in a location far from human habitation, thanks to Bai Yiyi’s astonishing speed, the trio found a village just over an hour later.

Under Lin Xing’s command, Bai Yiyi dashed toward the location of the village, intending to ask for directions there.

As soon as they entered the village, Zhao Wanxi began to film with her camera, pointing it at the dilapidated clay houses and the gaunt villagers.

Shortly after Bai Yiyi and her companions arrived, all kinds of shouting erupted in the village.

Before long, dozens of villagers armed with scythes and pitchforks rushed toward them.

"Put down that big box of yours."

"This girl is pretty, let’s keep her too."

Zhao Wanxi quickly aimed her camera at the shouting villagers with fierce expressions.

Zhao Wanxi said, "This is the daily life of Mirror World, where every village is filled with enthusiastic and hospitable villagers."

At this point, Lin Xing slowly opened his eyes, and the next moment, streaks of Sword Intent soared into the sky.

The surrounding grass and trees swept across the villagers gently, and in the blink of an eye, they were all knocked to the ground.

Zhao Wanxi hastily shouted, "Senior Brother! Don’t kill anyone on camera, it looks bad."

Lin Xing replied discontentedly, "Do you really think I would kill recklessly?"

After dealing with the villagers, Lin Xing inquired about their location and if there were any nearby towns or villages.

Only after the villagers honestly responded did Bai Yiyi carry Lin Xing and hasten their departure.

That night in the wilderness.

Zhao Wanxi was filming a video of Lin Xing and Bai Yiyi pitching a tent and cooking together; after eating, the three crawled into the tent.

Zhao Wanxi said to the camera, "Everyone, we are going to sleep now, we will stop filming for today here."

The moment Zhao Wanxi snapped off the camera, Bai Yiyi immediately sprang from the ground.

She rushed to a large box nearby, rummaging through it, and quickly pulled out a folding portal.

This was a prop specially made by the officials, which unfolded into a small door that allowed one person to pass through.

After Bai Yiyi set up the door, Zhao Wanxi began to open it using the Secret Technique of the Immortal Gate.

Watching the two people’s eagerness, Lin Xing felt as if he was seeing two students who had finally made it to Friday’s school dismissal.

He said helplessly, "Don’t forget, I’m opening the door in six hours; you have to remember to come back."

Bai Yiyi replied impatiently, "I know, I know."

As the Secret Technique of the Immortal Gate was completed, the two went through one after the other, and when they came back to their senses, they had already appeared in a room in building C.

Looking at the familiar modern setting in front of them, both of them became excited; the first thing they did was to turn on their cell phones to surf the internet.

Jing Shiyu said to Zhao Wanxi, "Did you finish editing the video? Don’t forget to send it to me."

In the days that followed, Lin Xing and his companions delved deeper into Jiangyang Province, quickly heading Northwest.

Zhao Wanxi’s camera continued to record the harsh natural environments they encountered while dining under the sky and lodging in the open.

Besides this, along the way, they passed through the territories of various martial arts sects, factions, and warlords.

With their strange attire, coupled with the beauty of Bai Yiyi and Zhao Wanxi, conflicts were inevitably brewing.

Thus, the videos of their exploration of Mirror World always included attacks from the indigenous inhabitants, including ambushes, surround and annihilate tactics, lying in wait, and poisoning... thoroughly showcasing the harsh aspects of Mirror World to the people of the modern world.

The modern world had not experienced war for over a hundred years and had been without serious criminal incidents for many years.

Most modern people had long grown accustomed to peace and stability since that was the world they were born into.

They couldn’t imagine what a world filled with war and slaughter, like the one from a hundred years earlier, was like.

In this era, many small countries had already disbanded their armies, and even police forces had pitifully few members.

And the dangers and malice in Mirror World were, to say the least, beyond the imagination of the modern people, constantly challenging their worldview.

The videos by Lin Xing and his companions soon sparked a significant reaction in the modern world.

Aside from making many modern people wary of Mirror World, various other opinions emerged too.

Some said that Mirror World was too cruel, almost like hell, and that they should find a way to help those in that world.

Some argued that the aggressiveness of Mirror World’s inhabitants was due to a scarcity of resources and that if the modern world could provide support and help develop Mirror World, then the malice of its inhabitants could be gradually eradicated.

Others believed that the people of Mirror World acted the way they did due to a lack of education and that by allowing them to immigrate to the modern world and receive modern education, their hostility could be eliminated. Furthermore, the robust physicality of Mirror World’s people could compensate for the modern world’s labor shortage, forming a mutual benefit.

And while the videos shot by the trio gradually made many aware of the dangers of Mirror World.

The powers of Mirror World, including Da Guangming Temple, had not ceased their own media campaign.

The powerful individuals from Mirror World, led by Du Kong and Hui Ling, continued showing their kinder side to the people of the modern world.

More and more disciples of Da Guangming Temple began expressing their love for the modern world online.

They engaged with modern world’s novels, comics, TV dramas, movies, played its games, ate its various foods, and even adopted its dress and manners, claiming the modern world as their homeland.

While Hui Ling had made a fool of herself at the performance competition, this also made many modern people feel she was approachable.

Afterward, she began changing strategy, first recording a video to apologize, saying sorry to Bai Yiyi.

Then she revealed many netizens’ insults and verbal abuses toward her, indicating she had been cyberbullied, but she still decided to strive for peace between the two worlds.

Then she started making funny videos with other real-world internet celebrities and participated in reality shows, gaining more and more fans.

Xia Jianlong, who had disappeared after the performance competition, reappeared by sharing his most popular video on a social media platform.

It was a video of him being humiliated by Lin Xing on the fighting stage, and the uploader had edited it to be very funny.

Then Xia Jianlong posted a video titled "I Have Depression."

In the video, Xia Jianlong talked about his fear of people, fear of using the internet, and fear of seeing comments about himself after the competition, even contemplating suicide multiple times...

Shortly after the video was released, it climbed to the top of trending topics.

Kind-hearted people from the real world began to comfort Xia Jianlong in the comments section.

And many creators of videos that mocked Xia Jianlong were fiercely criticized by internet users.

Some even started criticizing Lin Xing for what he had done to Xia Jianlong.

"The competition was the competition, but to physically humiliate someone is really ugly."

"I wanted to say something at the time, but the atmosphere was too feverish, and I didn’t dare to speak up. What Lin Xing did was actually quite excessive."

"Lin Xing has openly tarnished Xia Jianlong’s reputation and caused such severe mental harm; this must be illegal, right?"

Partial netizen criticism of Lin Xing naturally resulted in no consequences.

However, as more and more powerful figures from Mirror World started appearing in funny videos, life blogs, and variety shows, they were increasingly seen by the masses as non-threatening.

...

On the beach.

Ma Hong, looking at the suddenly popular Xia Jianlong, who was being pursued by countless people from the real world, said with confusion, "This can even work?"

Watching Xia Jianlong retweet his video, he thought to himself, "Xia Jianlong really hates himself."

He turned to his subordinate and said, "Go ask the Divine Dragon Gang if they can get us in on this."

A moment later, the subordinate came back and said, "Elder, Xia Jianlong says you have too much damaging information and have been selling Jile Powder, so you’re beyond redemption."

...

West Sea City, outside the stationary gate base.

Niu Yihu, sitting in an SUV, frowned at his phone and said, "Public opinion changes too quickly."

Beside Niu Yihu, Tian Jizi spoke indifferently, "This is the state of the real world."

"Many people don’t want to be killed, but they also don’t want to kill."

"Of course, that’s impossible."

"But the appearance of people from Da Guangming Temple has led many in the real world to believe they’ve found a solution to the problem."

"The more Hui Ling, Xia Jianlong, and others are seen goofing around and appearing weak, the more they gain acceptance from the real world, even leading people to think they can coexist peacefully with the strong from Mirror World."

"Years of peace have made too many of the real-world populace too weak and naive, easily deceived by a few videos and performances."

"They even think that most people from Mirror World, like Du Kong and Hui Ling, can become good if they live in the real world for some time."

Passing through the stationary gate, Niu Yihu looked towards the airships above and smiled, "Xia Country is quick in their response."

"Quick?" Tian Jizi shook his head, his eyes filled with worry, "Too slow."

"Although I don’t know what Da Guangming Temple is planning, their actions are way faster than ours."

...

Jiangyang Province.

Outside the Da Guangming Mountain range.

After rushing day and night, Lin Xing and the others finally arrived at the former territory of Da Guangming Temple.

Passing through a mountain village, they were surprised to find that they were not met with hostility from the villagers; instead, they were warmly welcomed by an elderly man.

Looking at the Buddha statue in the old man’s home, Lin Xing curiously asked, "Old man, do you believe in the Great Bright Buddha?"

The old man nodded amiably, "From childhood, the village has worshipped the Great Bright Buddha, every household believes and venerates Buddha."

Lin Xing asked, "So what exactly do you do when you worship Buddha? Does Bright Temple ask you for money?"

The old man shook his head and waved his hands, "The temple asking us for money? Not at all, besides not requiring money, as long as we worship daily, the temple even gives us money."

Bai Yiyi heard this and was shocked, "They give you money?"

Just then, the sound of a drum suddenly rang out.

At the sound of the drum, the old man’s face shook, and he immediately stood up and ran towards the Buddha statue, bowing down to it.

After the old man began worshipping, he continued to ignore the outside world, regardless of how much Lin Xing and the others called out to him, receiving no response.

Just as Lin Xing found it strange, a voice from outside said, "This is a village under Bright Temple’s jurisdiction. If you want to receive your monthly salary, you must worship for nine hours every day."

"Within these nine hours, the time for eating, drinking, and personal needs must not exceed the time for burning one stick of incense. Being late or leaving early even once will result in the loss of three days’ salary."

"At the end of each month, there’s one day off, and during the New Year, there are three additional days off. However, if you’re willing to worship on those days, you could actually receive three times the salary."

"What do you think? Would you like to come and worship?"