The Tianxu Temple is solemn and solemn, with numerous monks everywhere.
With Monk Dao Chen leading the way, Chen Qingyuan arrived at the Buddhist hall without encountering any obstacles. Standing at the entrance, he could see that there were over a hundred eminent monks standing inside the hall. Chen Qingyuan steadied his mindset and walked in with Monk Dao Chen. All the eminent monks turned their heads to look at Chen Qingyuan, their faces expressionless and their thoughts hard to fathom.
In the innermost part of the hall, an old monk dressed in simple shackles sat cross - legged, chanting scriptures with his eyes closed and a solemn look on his face.
"Abbot, he is here," Monk Dao Chen bowed with his hands clasped together towards the old monk and said softly.
"I greet all the eminent monks," Chen Qingyuan said with a serious face, bowing with his hands clasped in front of him, feeling a little nervous.
The eminent monks looked at each other, communicating secretly through sound transmission and discussing Chen Qingyuan. They were astonished. They wondered what the significance was of the Dao - Yi Academy sending a cultivator at the Golden - Core Realm. If a Golden - Core cultivator could solve this problem, why would the Buddhist temple need to seek help from others?
A very small number of monks showed contemptuous and displeased looks, believing that the Dao - Yi Academy was insulting the Dongtu Buddhist Temple. However, since the abbot of the Tianxu Temple had not yet spoken, none of the monks dared to utter a rebuke and remained silent.
"When a distinguished guest arrives, there is no need for excessive courtesy," the old monk opened his eyes, stopped turning the Buddhist beads in his hand, stood up shakily, and said in a hoarse voice.
When the old monk stared at him, Chen Qingyuan felt very uncomfortable.
"This benefactor is named Chen Qingyuan, and he is the disciple of Vice - Dean Yu of the Dao - Yi Academy," said Monk Dao Chen. He was the direct disciple of the abbot and held a very high status. As long as he didn't make mistakes in the future, he would most likely become the abbot of the Tianxu Temple.
When the monks learned Chen Qingyuan's identity, they looked at him a few more times.
Originally, the monks thought that Yu Chenran would come in person. At the very least, the academy should send a top - level elder proficient in the academy's profound arts. Chen Qingyuan's arrival made them feel very confused and somewhat slighted.
"Benefactor Yu acts with great discretion. This move must have a deep meaning. All monks, do not have improper thoughts," said the old monk, whose Buddhist name was Xuankong. His Buddhist knowledge was extremely profound, surpassing all in the Dongtu.
"Yes," replied the monks. They did not dare to have random thoughts and immediately suppressed their distractions.
In fact, the old monk couldn't figure out Chen Qingyuan for the time being and didn't understand what Yu Chenran meant. However, he believed that Yu Chenran would not treat this matter casually.
So, the old monk dismissed the other monks and walked with a faltering step towards Chen Qingyuan, smiling kindly, "Benefactor Chen, please come with me."
In a side hall of the Tianxu Temple, it was very quiet with no one to disturb.
The old monk and Chen Qingyuan sat close to each other. There was fragrant tea on the table, and wisps of tea fragrance drifted to Chen Qingyuan's nose, slowly dissipating his nervousness.
This tea had the effect of calming the nerves and was not an ordinary thing.
The old monk in front of him was the leader of the Buddhist sect in the Dongtu. One could guess that he was an extremely powerful being at the Mahayana stage. Facing such an existence, Chen Qingyuan felt somewhat ill at ease.
"Does your master have any message for you to convey?"
The old monk had returned to a simple and unadorned state. On the surface, he looked like an ordinary person, with kind - looking eyes and a very amiable appearance.
"There is an item," said Chen Qingyuan.
When he came, Yu Chenran had given Chen Qingyuan a jade slip and asked him to hand it personally to the abbot of the Tianxu Temple.
The jade slip had a special seal. With Chen Qingyuan's abilities, he couldn't unlock it. Only a very powerful major cultivator could know the contents of the jade slip.
Chen Qingyuan took out the jade slip and handed it to the old monk.
The old monk looked at the jade slip in his hand and sent a wisp of Buddhist thought into it.
Hum!
The jade slip vibrated slightly. Yu Chenran, who was far away in the Northern Wilderness, sensed it and knew that the seal of the jade slip had been broken.
"Old monk, regarding this cause and effect, it depends on whether you have the courage to accept it. This is both a calamity and an opportunity," Yu Chenran was sitting cross - legged on the water in the middle of the lake, fishing calmly.
In the side hall of the Tianxu Temple, Chen Qingyuan sat upright and remained quiet.
After a short while, the old monk opened his eyes and understood what Yu Chenran intended to convey.
When he looked at Chen Qingyuan again, there was a more complex look in the old monk's eyes. For a moment, the old monk had the thought of asking Chen Qingyuan to leave directly.
However, the moment this thought emerged, the old monk immediately suppressed it, calmed his state of mind, and thought to himself, "Sin, sin."
If he didn't know Chen Qingyuan's identity and origin, it wouldn't matter if the old monk expelled him. Even if he found out later, it wouldn't be a big deal.
But now that he knew, if he drove Chen Qingyuan away, it would more or less affect his state of mind in cultivation.
As the leader of the Buddhist sect in the Dongtu, the old monk was well - aware of the cause and effect related to the Qingzong and deeply understood the contributions made by the Qingzong for the common people in the world. Driving away the heir of the Qingzong, although it wouldn't directly involve him in cause and effect, would definitely cause some harm to his state of mind in cultivation.
After all, the purpose of Buddhism is to help the world and save people. How could they drive away the heir of the Qingzong, who had great merits?
Alas!
Old Yu, your overt scheme is really cunning!
The old monk kept staring at Chen Qingyuan, lost in thought.
"Why is this old monk constantly looking at me?" Chen Qingyuan muttered in his heart, and goosebumps rose all over his body, making him feel very uncomfortable.
For the future of the Qingzong and for Chen Qingyuan's safety, Yu Chenran had thought for a long time before deciding to tell the old monk about Chen Qingyuan's identity and origin.
With the old monk's character and their friendship, he would definitely not harm Chen Qingyuan, nor would he spread the news.
Therefore, Yu Chenran chose to do this.
The Qingzong had suppressed the Demon Abyss for three hundred thousand years, and the accumulated merits were unimaginable. Only because the Heavenly Dao was somehow blinded and unable to bestow the merits, the Qingzong's strength declined from generation to generation.
If the Buddhist sect in the Dongtu helped the Qingzong and became involved in this cause and effect, they might obtain great opportunities in the future. However, such opportunities come with great risks.
"Master, why... are you constantly looking at me, a junior?" Chen Qingyuan asked in a low voice, feeling very uncomfortable all over.
"This poor monk thinks that Benefactor Chen has a karmic connection with our Buddha, so I took a few more glances," the old monk said with a smile.
Hearing this, Chen Qingyuan gave an awkward smile and didn't reply.
"Benefactor Chen, please stay in the guest room and rest for two days," the old monk planned to think about it more carefully.
"Okay," said Chen Qingyuan, unable to figure out the old monk's thoughts.
Then, the old monk asked Monk Dao Chen to arrange a place for Chen Qingyuan to stay.
In a closed - off temple, the old monk sat alone under a Buddha statue, knocking on a wooden fish, calmly thinking about this matter.
In the past, the Buddhist sect was afraid of the terrifying cause and effect of the Demon Abyss, and monks were not allowed to step into the Dizhou to avoid bringing disasters to the Buddhist sect. Now that Chen Qingyuan had come to the Buddhist sect, the old monk couldn't avoid it and had to face this issue directly.
"Is the Buddhist sect wrong?" The old monk looked up at the golden - bodied Buddha statue and asked himself.
If the Buddhist sect in the Dongtu had made the same choice as the Qingzong back then, the current situation would surely not be any better.