262: Moonlight Buddha Appears

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse, yet inside the entire Bright Moon Temple, they were busily preparing for something!

In the main hall of the Mahavira Hall, to the right of the statue of the Moonlight True Buddha, a new divine seat had been added. It was a lotus throne made of gilded pure copper, and it was the spot the temple had reserved for the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit.

The old abbot, Yuelang, pressed his palms together and bowed respectfully to the statue opposite him. He then stood up and said to the monks behind him, "Someone, go to the underground palace and invite the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit out!"

"Yes, we will respectfully follow your decree!"

A monk about the same age as Moon Spirit bowed in acknowledgment and then, accompanied by four bald, muscular men who looked like bodyguards, walked toward the back.

The old abbot then ordered, "How is the almsgiving outside the temple going?"

Another monk bowed and said, "The female believers south of the mountain have already filled the treasure chests!"

"Hehe, very good, very good. We monks open wide the doors of convenience; let them all come in. Tonight, they shall witness the grand spectacle of my Moonlight True Buddha converting a Mortal into a Buddha, so that they may know that all who believe in my Buddha have the opportunity to become a Buddha!"

Yuelang laughed so hard his eyebrows seemed to stand on end.

"Yes, we will respectfully follow your decree!"

Several more monks left the main hall and walked toward the entrance.

There were over a hundred monks in the main hall; whether they were real monks or fake ones, none dared to raise their heads. They all kept their heads bowed, chanting scriptures, not daring to speak.

The Old Monk smiled and said, "You don't need to be nervous. I have already found an outsider to achieve the Buddha's golden body; it won't be your turn tonight!"

Only then did those monks raise their heads, let out a long sigh, and completely relax.

In a corner outside the main hall, three people were currently hidden, watching this scene. They heard a clamor outside the temple, followed by the sound of countless footsteps. There were nearly a thousand men, women, old, and young, surging in like a mighty tide. Among them were local officials leading the way, as well as wealthy merchants, gentry, landlords, and nobles, alongside the destitute, poor families without even a complete set of clothes. There were elderly people advanced in age, as well as women holding infants in swaddling clothes... In short, you could find people from every social stratum you could imagine.

As soon as they entered, they spontaneously and consciously knelt toward the Mahavira Hall. Their eyes were so devout it was as if they were possessed, kowtowing incessantly and chanting the name of the "Moonlight True Buddha."

"...I really want to rush out there and kill those fake monks right now!"

Nezha curled his lips and said.

"If you really killed them, you would provoke the wrath of the masses. Didn't you see how crazy these believers are?"

Xingyunzi said helplessly, "I wonder how the Holy Monk is doing over there, and if he has found the secret to how this so-called True Buddha is deceiving people!"

"These ignorant people are so devout to this evil spirit, all because my Great Tang's education is insufficient... If everyone in my Great Tang, regardless of gender or age, could read the books of the sages, how could it come to this!"

Wei Zheng watched this scene and couldn't help but sigh, "No, after I return, I must submit a memorial to Your Majesty, hoping he will broaden education so that those children, regardless of wealth or poverty, can all have books to read!"

"That's a matter for later..."

A voice sounded from behind them. Nezha didn't even need to think; it must be Tang Ku who had returned.

Everyone turned their heads and were startled to see Tang Ku standing behind them, carrying that Moon Spirit monk. Xingyunzi hurriedly used the Water and Fire Transformation Blanket to cover Tang Ku as well.

"Holy Monk, how is the situation?"

Wei Zheng couldn't help but ask first.

"I have a general understanding!" Tang Ku narrowed his eyes and said, "You should have heard it too; the one they said they were going to convert into a Buddha is me!"

As he spoke, he told the others what he had seen and heard!

Wei Zheng couldn't help but stroke his beard and frown, "They are turning you into a golden Buddha statue and want to keep your soul inside the statue. Could it be that..."

Xingyunzi interrupted, "The golden feathers of the Roc bird are turned into gold lacquer. Not only can it ensure the Physical Body does not decay, but it can also transform an ordinary Physical Body into a diamond-hard physique. If my guess is correct, they are creating henchmen for themselves, and with a soul Seal, this body can be more agile!"

"Mm, that's what I think too!"

Tang Ku nodded and said, "This evil spirit has big plans. It's better to wait and see and act according to the plan... Mm, right, is the Brick in position for the ambush?"

"Everything is ready, just waiting for your command!"

Nezha said excitedly, "Damn it, I've long found this place an eyesore. I really want to burn this eerie temple to the ground!"

As they were discussing, suddenly, a person wearing official robes in the kneeling crowd stood up and said to the Old Monk who had just walked out of the temple, "Great Master Abbot, when will we be able to see the True Buddha manifest? These pious men and women have been waiting here for a day and a night. I hope you will show mercy, Great Master!"

The abbot stroked his beard and smiled, "Hehe, Lord Yao, as for when the True Buddha will appear, this Old Monk is not entirely sure. He has always been compassionate and accommodating; going out to subdue demons and devils always takes a process. Please set your mind at ease. Before long, when the True Buddha manifests, Your Excellency's great cause will be secure and worry-free!"

This Lord Yao's eyes lit up, and he asked in surprise, "Is this true?"

"Hehe, would I lie to you? After today's manifestation, you will be the emperor of the Daqi Dynasty. If you appoint me as the State Preceptor, I will ensure your Dynasty remains prosperous for a thousand years. How about it?"

The Old Monk laughed with assurance.

"Haha, then I will take your auspicious words, Great Master..." Lord Yao puffed out his chest and held his head high, as if he had already truly ascended the throne as emperor.

"This dog thief, I'm going up there right now to stab him to death with one sword strike!"

Wei Zheng, hiding in the shadows, drew half of his precious sword, furiously intending to settle the score with that man surnamed Yao, completely forgetting that he was one of the people who had just persuaded Nezha.

"Old sir, please keep calm; this guy won't be rampant for much longer..."

Tang Ku narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I guessed it long ago. There must be a reason for this evil spirit to appear. Now it seems this reason has been found... Hehe, the job of rebelling is not simple; it's rare that they could endure for so long... Mm, let's watch the show first and follow the plan step by step. There will be plenty of opportunities to deal with this guy later..."

Nezha pressed on the old man's shoulder, looked at Tang Ku, and said, "Holy Monk, aren't you tired of carrying this guy in your hand?"

"Hehe, this guy will be useful in a while; you guys don't understand!"

Tang Ku narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly pointed at the Mahavira Hall, "Look, that guy is coming..."

Inside the Mahavira Hall, when a full moon shone above the temple, the clay statue of the Moonlight True Buddha actually began to emit a continuous silvery-white light, illuminating the entire hall. The hall was filled with the buzzing sound of chanting, which was quite annoying. But immediately after, a voice like a great bell resounded from within the hall.

"Amitabha... The world knows its own suffering, but does not know how the Buddha observes the world... Only when good thoughts reside in one's heart can one attain the Dao and become a Buddha..."

The hall buzzed, and all the believers prostrated themselves on the ground.

On the side, Tang Ku and Wei Zheng both couldn't help but curl their lips, sneering, "Nonsense!"