Huo Yuanzhen's repeated performances had left the three old monks in a disheveled state, earning him the respect of the crowd.
Had Huo Yuanzhen achieved this through sarcasm or mockery, people wouldn't have respected him as much. However, every word he spoke seemed so natural, neither too warm nor too cold, and carried a hint of Zen wisdom. Although he was still a young abbot, at this moment, in the hearts of the common people, he had already surpassed those old monks by a thousandfold.
Faced with this situation, the Fahwang Temple had no choice but to quickly hold a grand consecration ceremony to unveil the Great Hero Hall and resolve the awkward situation.
The red silk that had covered the entire Great Hero Hall was drawn down, revealing the so-called divine sight that had been hyped for so long.
The hall, with a radius of several dozen meters, could only be described as resplendent.
The entire hall was painted in a golden yellow, and under the sunlight, it sparkled, looking as though it were made of gold.
The four corners of the eaves curved upwards, adorned with auspicious symbols such as immortals, sea horses, dragons, and phoenixes. The glazed tiles on the roof were not of a single color but were a mix of yellow, red, and blue, glistening in the sunlight.
The red lacquered doors, with neatly arranged golden door nails and heavy copper rings, looked grand and imposing.
The surrounding railings were made of fine white marble, intricately carved, enclosing the hall. The same white marble steps led up to nine levels, raising the hall high above, making one feel a sense of reverence as they gazed upon it.
Although the common people had lost respect for the monks, when this hall was revealed, there was a collective intake of breath from the crowd.
Good heavens, if this was a human-made structure, it would have easily cost at least one hundred thousand taels. Could the Fahwang Temple have that much money? It really might be a true divine relic from the Buddha.
Seeing the crowd stunned into silence, Lixian, the King of Dharma, and others finally managed to reveal a smile, wiping away the earlier embarrassment.
Lixuan stood up, addressing the crowd: "This Great Hero Hall was a gift from the Buddha himself, measuring twenty by ten meters. The hundred and eight white marble railings correspond to the number of stars in the heavens. Inside, you can see the true form of the Buddha, as well as exquisite statues of the Four Great Bodhisattvas and paintings of the Five Hundred Arhats. This was the Buddha's scene during his teachings. It arrived in our Fahwang Temple a month ago, following the earnest prayers of our abbot, Master Liko, and is certainly not the work of any..."
At this point, he shot a glance at Huo Yuanzhen but hesitated to continue, evidently still feeling uneasy about their earlier encounter.
He then moved toward the red door, rubbing the copper rings, and added, "This door has three hundred sixty-five copper nails, and the door is one foot thick. It can only be opened with divine strength. Since the arrival of this hall, it has only been opened once."
At this moment, Guan Shanyue, acting on Huo Yuanzhen's instructions, suddenly spoke: "This door must have cost a few dozen taels."
Lixuan, engrossed in his own words, didn't notice who had spoken, and casually responded, "A few dozen taels? Think again. Let me tell you, at least..."
Many in the crowd began to chuckle quietly. The old monk was so caught up in his own narrative that he didn't realize he had almost revealed something embarrassing.
Lixuan turned in anger but, seeing no one in particular, quickly regained composure and returned to Liko's side. After asking a few questions, he declared, "Alright, let's now open the doors. Those who wish to admire the Buddha's divine relics, please prepare incense. Once the doors open, you may come forward to offer your incense."
At this point, many young monks began preparing the incense. These incense sticks were thick, and their prices were high, with one stick costing at least one tael of silver. No bargaining was allowed, and incense brought from home could not be used in the temple.
Despite the repeated embarrassments, the Fahwang Temple still had a rich history, and this Great Hero Hall was indeed magnificent, so many people were still queuing up to purchase incense.
While preparations were made to sell incense, four monks approached the temple doors, preparing to open them.
The red doors were incredibly heavy. Four young and strong monks called out chants, exerting all their strength to push the doors open with a creaking sound.
As the doors opened, Lixian, Liko, Lixuan, and others knelt at the door, with the governor of Zhengzhou, Lu Xuezhang, and many monks behind them, all kneeling.
Even many visitors and believers followed suit.
The head abbot, Liko, knelt in the center, as he was the chief monk of the Fahwang Temple, with Lizi, the Zen master, kneeling beside him.
"Amitabha, I, Liko, abbot of Fahwang Temple, along with all the monks, respectfully welcome the Buddha's divine relic!"
"Respectfully welcome the Buddha's divine relic!" The crowd echoed in unison.
As the doors slowly opened, more and more of the interior became visible.
The hall, still dark at first, began to lighten as the doors were fully opened. People craned their necks to get a better look.
Accompanying the opening, there were drums and music to add to the atmosphere, as if to hype up the divine moment.
As the light filled the hall, what was revealed inside shocked everyone who saw it.
The sight caused many to gasp in disbelief, their mouths hanging open in awe.
Seeing the strange atmosphere, Liko and the others quickly raised their heads.
And when they did, they all let out a collective cry. Liko fainted, collapsing onto the ground.
At that moment, no one had the time to care about him. All eyes were fixated on the shocking scene before them.
The Five Hundred Arhats paintings were still intact, and all the customary Buddhist items like incense altars, lotus platforms, oil lamps, and offerings were in place.
The building hadn't collapsed, nor was it leaking or infested with insects.
But the Buddha statues... were another matter.
In the center, where the Amitabha Buddha was supposed to sit, there was instead a statue of an old nun, dressed in a monk's robe, her bald head partially visible, smiling happily, with a rather attractive figure.
The Four Great Bodhisattvas' positions were also occupied by four young nuns, each of them with delicate features, their robes fitting so tightly that they left little to the imagination, showing off their voluptuous figures.
Lixuan's jaw nearly hit the ground. He stared for a long while, and only when he noticed his fainted abbot, did he rush over to help: "Master, please wake up!"
Lizi Zen Master, however, did not help his fainted disciple. He closed his eyes and muttered, "My fault, my fault. I was wrong. From today on, I will lock myself in solitary confinement to repent to the Buddha. If the Buddha does not forgive me, I would rather grow old and die."
After saying this, Lizi left without sparing a glance at the unconscious Liko.
As Lizi departed, the monks from the Great Xiangguo Temple followed suit.
The drum music ceased, replaced by whispers and murmurs from the crowd.
"This is more beautiful than any Buddha statue!"
"Look at this! Those who thought the divine relic was fake are now glad they came!"
The Governor of Zhengzhou, Lu Xuezhang, who had been kneeling, stood up and snorted, leaving with his entourage.
Lixuan, still desperately calling for his teacher to wake up, looked around and found that nearly everyone had left.
In a fit of rage, he turned around and glared at Huo Yuanzhen, as if ready to kill him.
"Yijie! It was you, wasn't it? I know it was you who did this!"
Huo Yuanzhen sneered: "Master Lixuan, you shouldn't speak carelessly. Didn't you just say that if you missed the auspicious moment and angered the Buddha, it had nothing to do with me? Now, how can you blame me?"
"Yes, yes! He said it himself, we all heard him!"
"Right, wasn't this supposed to be the Buddha's divine relic? If it can be ruined, then it's obviously fake, right?"
Huo Yuanzhen then turned to Lixuan: "Master Lixuan, do you hear that? You can go to my Shaolin Temple and see the Buddha's divine relics. If you can destroy them, I'll acknowledge your skill. But if you believe this relic here has been tampered with, it only proves that it was never divine in the first place—just a trick to deceive the people. Do you dare to admit that?"
With his final words, Huo Yuanzhen used a forceful shout, imbued with the power of the Buddhist lion's roar, shaking Lixuan to the core.
"Faking divine relics, deceiving the people, and even worshipping a nun's statue—your intentions are clear. Such behavior insults the Buddhist Order. I would never associate with you. My presence here was a mistake, and now, I will return to Shaolin to repent to the Buddha!"
With that, Huo Yuanzhen turned and left, with Guan Shanyue following closely behind.
As Huo Yuanzhen walked away, the crowd automatically parted to make way for him. As he passed, each person stood with hands pressed together in reverence, showing him the same respect they would offer to the Buddha.
None of the monks dared to stop him.
Only when Huo Yuanzhen had left through the temple gates did the loud voices of the crowd finally resound: "Yijie Abbot, farewell!"
Just as he thought he had left with great dignity, Huo Yuanzhen stumbled slightly, nearly falling. He couldn't help but feel awkward, thinking, "Farewell?" That sounds so ominous.