Two days later, at nightfall.
At this moment, Ten Thousand Buddha City began to be decorated with lanterns and streamers.
Colors rarely seen on ordinary civilians now began to appear on the Buddha statues one after another.
Novice monks had already started leading the common people in chanting scriptures, while others began propagating the radiance of Buddhism.
Even in the darkness of night, the continuous sound of chanting could still be heard from outside.
At this moment, this city seemed to have transformed into a Buddhist kingdom.
Chu Xingchen stood on the balcony, his expression neutral as he watched the common people below chanting earnestly.
He also observed the wisps of wish power floating upward, merging into the Buddha statues.
It seemed that anything that could be exploited from the common people would be taken.
From wealth to faith, even those hopes they chanted were false.
The essence was to extract the last bit of value they could provide.
These common people were unaware that their piety would become the path beneath others' feet.
Or perhaps... transformed into the butcher's blade aimed at them.
Ignorance is a blade that knows neither good nor evil.
It does not hesitate out of pity, nor does it favor one side out of fairness.
Unfair, yet also fair.
Chu Xingchen lightly tapped the railing, his expression difficult to read.
Yuan Jing also collected wish power, but she genuinely did something for those people, truly paying a price.
So... it was a pity that Yuan Jing, that monk, had passed away.
Xu Jin knocked lightly on the door.
Only after hearing Chu Xingchen's permission did he push open the door and enter.
He stepped into the room and saw Chu Xingchen standing on the wine tower's balcony, gazing below.
Xu Jin was about to speak, but his gaze was quickly drawn to that Foundation Establishment female cultivator from the Sky Patrol Division.
He saw Lizhi squinting slightly, her head swaying gently.
Those eyes seemed to be staring at him, yet her expression seemed to be anticipating something.
Xu Jin fell silent for a moment, then turned to look at Chu Xingchen, unable to resist asking:
"What's wrong with her? She wasn't like this when I last saw her."
How did she become like this after staying by Chu Xingchen's side for two days?
Hearing this, Lizhi's eyes returned to normal, and her head stopped swaying.
She picked up her wine cup and took a large sip, as if relieved.
The tea in West Niu He Province could only be called tea, but the wine could definitely be called good wine—at least it was strong enough.
Chu Xingchen's expression returned to normal.
He turned around, a familiar smile appearing on his face as he said:
"She's curious about whether we Nascent Soul cultivators can truly read her thoughts. She thinks I'm deceiving her and wants to test it on you."
Xu Jin didn't know how to respond to this.
But he knew that the people of West Niu He Province were straightforward and uninhibited.
Very well, business first.
Xu Jin walked to the window, looking at the common people with their devout expressions as he spoke:
"Strictly speaking, the Ten Thousand Buddha Assembly begins tonight and will reach its peak tomorrow."
"After tomorrow ends, we can trace where this wish power flows. If it branches off, we'll each follow one path."
Chu Xingchen lightly tapped the railing, suddenly asking:
"So you plan to wait until after tomorrow to make your move?"
Xu Jin looked at Chu Xingchen: "Do you have an idea?"
Chu Xingchen's smile remained unchanged as he looked below:
"Since we've come all this way, naturally we should see what Buddhist methods they have."
Xu Jin followed his gaze. What Buddhist methods could the West Niu He Province Buddhism have?
The true dharma methods were all in the Central Plains Buddhism.
But... perhaps Chu Xingchen had some intelligence he couldn't disclose?
Xu Jin thought for a moment, then readily agreed:
"Since Brother Chu has such thoughts, I will naturally accompany you."
Chu Xingchen looked at Xu Jin's determined expression, then reached out to pat his shoulder, praising him:
"Brother Xu is a real man!"
Xu Jin's originally solemn expression also showed a slight smile, and he patted Chu Xingchen's shoulder in return.
Chu Xingchen ignored Xu Jin's inexplicable laughter.
He simply took out a jade slip and a protective necklace from his spatial ring and tossed them to Lizhi, instructing her:
"You stay here to guard our base. If the protective artifact activates for no reason, inject spiritual power into the jade slip immediately."
Lizhi instinctively reached out to catch the items.
Then she looked at the two of them, afraid these two Nascent Soul powers would vanish in the next moment, and quickly called out:
"Wait!"
Chu Xingchen looked at her with confusion.
Lizhi hesitated briefly, then said: "This senior probably isn't from West Niu He Province either, right? I know a bit about the history and legends of the famous Ten Thousand Buddha Temple in this city. I can explain it in detail to both of you—it might even corroborate your guesses."
Chu Xingchen glanced at Xu Jin.
Xu Jin's expression remained calm, as if waiting for Chu Xingchen to make the decision.
——
On the main road from the Fortune Wine Tower to the city's most famous Ten Thousand Buddha Temple.
Countless people preparing to worship early were crowded on this street.
But suddenly, this crowd automatically parted to make way before returning to normal.
Lizhi watched the automatically parting crowd and whispered:
"Won't we be discovered like this? There are Buddhist cultivators in the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple too."
Chu Xingchen answered calmly: "Don't underestimate the Nascent Soul realm."
Xu Jin cast a slightly puzzled look at Chu Xingchen, but saw only his natural expression.
Lizhi nodded in understanding, then looked toward the city's tallest building—the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda.
She slowly began:
"I don't know if there are ten thousand Buddhas in the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, but I do know... even if there are Buddhas inside, they won't be true Buddhas."
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