Chapter 1964 - Sacrifice

The Bodhi Abbot stared at Qin Wentian while sighing in his heart. His palms were pressed together while he bowed to Qin Wentian, “Benefactor Qin, it isn’t impossible if you want me to give you a recommendation for you to enter the western paradise. But have you ever thought that even if you controlled me and ensure that I didn’t leak this secret, things might not go your way. The western paradise isn’t an ordinary place. Benefactor Qin, why do you insist on acting like this, ignoring your own safety?”

Qin Wentian looked at the Bodhi Abbot. The abbot’s gaze was clear, like he was truly worried about Qin Wentian’s safety. Even though Qin Wentian could see through all illusions and deceit, he didn’t see anything hypocritical about the abbot. It was like this abbot was truly concerned about him.

However, there were simply too many buddhist arts and techniques, Qin Wentian couldn’t really be sure what was true or false. However, he couldn’t take the risk. Since he has revealed his identity, he had to make sure that he can control the Bodhi Abbot.

“A daughter of my good friend is being controlled by the Karma Buddha. I have to go to the western paradise no matter what. If abbot is really concerned about my safety, I hope that you can cooperate with me and send me there.” Qin Wentian calmly spoke.

“Amitabha.” The abbot pressed his palms together and spoke, “Benefactor Qin is willing to walk into danger for the people around you. From this, I can tell that you are a kind-hearted soul. Even if the Heaven Vault expands under your control, it probably won’t endanger the Supreme Ancient Immortal Realms. Maybe, the Buddhist Sect is wrong.”

“Benefactor Qin, how do you want this old monk to cooperate? Just state it out.” The Bodhi Abbot spoke.

“Let me join the sect under the Karma Buddha.” Qin Wentian’s eyes gleamed with sharpness.

“The Karma Buddha is a buddha lord of the western paradise. Although this old monk has some face in the western paradise, I cannot promise you for sure. I can only try my best.” The abbot replied.

Qin Wentian stared at the abbot in bewilderment, he didn’t expect that the other party would really cooperate with him. Also, Qin Wentian wasn’t able to see anything hypocritical about the Bodhi Abbot.

“If this is the case, I have to thank Reverend. If I have to offend you later, please don’t take offense.” Qin Wentian spoke. For the sake of safety, he still had to control the Bodhi Abbot.

However, the abbot merely gracefully smiled. His aged eyes suddenly became bright. The him now actually looked much younger than before.

“Can this old monk ask Benefactor Qin something?” The abbot spoke.

“Reverend, please feel free to speak.” Qin Wentian nodded.

“If Benefactor Qin attains your dao in the future, I hope you won’t hate the buddha dao. The innate nature of the buddha dao is one of kindness, it’s just that the human heart is unfathomable. It isn’t the fault of the dao itself.” The Bodhi Abbot spoke. Qin Wentian’s eyes flashed, the abbot’s words weren’t wrong. The energy that was generated from the dao had no sin. Kindness or evil depended on the human heart.

“I will consider reverend’s words.” Qin Wentian calmly spoke. The abbot nodded his head. Only to see him sitting cross-legged on the praying mat and gradually, resplendent buddha light radiated from him. The buddha lamp nearby began to glow, like it was burning. The body of the abbot was now also like a buddha lamp, the wick of his life was burning away as his body grew illusory.

Qin Wentian frowned, his expression changed, “Reverend, what do you mean by this?”

“I’m naturally helping Benefactor Qin to enter the western paradise.” The Bodhi Abbot calmly spoke. His body grew more and more illusory, he then transformed into motes of buddhic light, no longer having a body of flesh and blood.

“Reverend!” Qin Wentian’s gaze froze. After that, the motes of light continuously seeped into Qin Wentian causing Qin Wentian’s body to glow with buddhic light too, exuding a holy intent. After that, a string of bodhi buddha beads appeared at the location where the abbot vanished. It floated up and hung around Qin Wentian’s neck. A voice then rang out in Qin Wentian’s mind. “Benefactor Qin has some misunderstanding about the buddha dao. I hope this old monk’s action can resolve Benefactor Qin’s misunderstanding to some extent.”

As the sound of his voice faded, the buddhic glow from Qin Wentian grew increasingly brighter. A formless energy was released, breaking through the seal of this room.

At this moment inside the ancient temple, countless people turned their gazes towards the room. Over there, golden light shone brilliantly, it was like they could see the illusory form of the abbot slowly fading away. In an instant, countless voices rang out in chants. The people in the temple pressed their palms together and chanted buddhist verses, as they bowed in the direction of the room.

“The abbot has passed away.” A voice rang out, but the voice was extremely calm. There was no sorrow, no resentment, only calmness. It was like passing away to them was a kind of deliverance.

The buddha chants filled the air, causing the temple to seem even more imposing. Many monks began to walk over to the small room and when they arrived outside the room, they only saw Qin Wentian walking out. At this moment, Qin Wentian was in a daze. He inclined his head and stared at the skies, his gaze was a little vacant.

The monks didn’t ask Qin Wentian why the abbot passed away, all of them merely calmly looked at him. Finally, one of them spoke, “Benefactor, you have fate with the buddha dao. The abbot gave his life up to help you accomplish your wish. We will send you to the western paradise for cultivation.”

Qin Wentian didn’t feel any joy after hearing this. He was able to enter the western paradise flawlessly. The Bodhi Abbot chose to give his life up to aid him. The risks which he imagined that he had to face when entering the western paradise no longer existed, he could simply go with the flow and enter there now. This should originally be a joyful matter, wasn’t this what he wanted?

However, he wasn’t able to feel happy at all. What just happened earlier caused his heart to be unable to remain calm.

The nature of the buddha dao is kindness. Only the human heart is unfathomable, it isn’t the fault of the buddha dao.

He knew that the abbot chose death because he intended to help atone for part of the crimes committed by the western world. At the same time, the abbot wanted to lessen the resentment and hatred Qin Wentian felt for the buddha dao.

This abbot was truly a highly respected and esteemed reverend. Sadly, he was no longer alive.

Who could judge the good and evil in this world? The human heart determines everything. Humans chose to pursue cultivation for the sake of fame, power and glory. Evil would naturally be magnified but there were still people of great kindness in the world.

Qin Wentian turned and bowed three times towards the direction of the room. Only after that did he lift his head, “This junior will carve Reverend’s words deep in my heart.”

The Bodhi Abbot could give up his life in an attempt to neutralize Qin Wentian’s misunderstanding about the buddha dao. From now on, Qin Wentian would no longer misunderstand. However, to him now, those hypocritical monks seemed to be even more detestable. These people ought to be eradicated from the Buddhist Sect. Only by doing so would the Buddhist Sect truly stand for the Buddha Dao.

…

After several days, a group of monks traveled across the Pureland of Bliss and arrived outside the western paradise.

Within the western paradise, holy light glowed, the atmosphere was filled with peace and tranquility. Some monks from within came by to welcome the group. And after they saw Qin Wentian and the others, they bowed in courtesy. The monks from the Bodhi Temple pressed their palms together and returned the bow. After that, they turned and left just like that, they didn’t exchange any words. Their purpose for coming was just to send Qin Wentian here to the western paradise.

One of the monks turned his gaze onto Qin Wentian as he spoke, “We have already heard about the incident regarding the Bodhi Abbot. He gave his life up for the dao to aid Benefactor. I believe Benefactor is fated to have destiny with the buddhist path. After entering the western paradise, there would be sacred buddhas imparting the buddhist dao to benefactor.”

Qin Wentian nodded. Sacred buddhas were a term used in the western world to describe heavenly deities of the buddha dao.

After that, Qin Wentian followed them and entered into the sacred grounds of the Buddhist Sect in the western world. The western paradise.

Golden light illuminated the ancient path, auspicious clouds could be seen in the sky. Occasionally, peacocks and phoenixes could be seen flying overhead. This place seemed to be not of this world. Just by standing here, one could feel a sense of peace calming their hearts. The name holy ground was truly apt. However, even such a peaceful place could give birth to so many monks with evil intentions.

Qin Wentian was brought to a simple courtyard for cultivation. He didn’t release his divine sense to probe the western paradise. He knew the experts here were as common as the clouds. If he used his divine sense, he would instantly reveal himself. What he needed to do now was just to wait patiently.

After several days, he was brought to another buddhist hall as a sacred buddha spoke about the dao.

He recognized the speaker. It was none other than Seven Abstinences. Now, Seven Abstinences’s knowledge of the buddha dao was extremely consummate, he was already incomparable to the past.

After finishing the dao lecture, his gaze landed on Qin Wentian, glancing at the string of buddha beads around his neck. He then spoke, “The Bodhi Abbot has imparted the dao in the ancient temple for many years, he is someone of great kindness. Now, he actually chose to give up everything for you. I believe that you have fate with the buddha dao. I heard that you wanted to enter western paradise? Now that you are here, are you willing to join my sect?”

“The Bodhi Abbot gave his life for me, yet I don’t know if I truly have fate with the buddha dao or not. I’m willing to continue staying here to listen to the dao lectures before I make a decision. I don’t dare to decide rashly.” Qin Wentian spoke. Seven Abstinences nodded his head lightly, “You are unflustered and not arrogant. There are many sacred buddhas imparting the dao in the western paradise. Which sacred buddha do you wish to listen to?”

“My desire to enter western paradise actually caused the Bodhi Abbot to give up his life. I’m sure this is all karma. Hence, I wish to learn more about the dao of karma under the Karma Buddha.” Qin Wentian replied. The eyes of Seven Abstinences flashed. “The Karma Buddha is a buddha lord. But since the Bodhi Abbot is willing to sacrifice himself to help you, I will speak for you. But as to whether the buddha lord is willing to accept you or not, I cannot decide that.”

“Many thanks sacred buddha.” Qin Wentian pressed his palms together and spoke.

After Qin Wentian returned, he simply waited quietly until someone came by with a message saying that the Karma Buddha was willing to meet with him. This caused waves to rise in Qin Wentian’s heart. Everything seemed to be proceeding so smoothly. However, he understood that if the Bodhi Abbot didn’t help him, things wouldn’t be like this.

Today, Qin Wentian finally met the Karma Buddha. This was the second time he met him. The first time was when the Karma Buddha led a bunch of monks to pay a visit to the Qin Heavenly Divine Sect. However, at that time, no one knew that he was a buddha lord character, they only knew that he was a heavenly deity. After that, he planted a seed of karma in Fan Ye which led to everything later happening.

Now that he saw the Karma Buddha again, Qin Wentian had to suppress the rage in his heart, forcing himself to remain calm. The Karma Buddha seemed as ordinary as ever, no different when compared to other heavenly deities. He exuded no aura, yet the people around him were extremely respectful of him. Their gazes were filled with reverence from the depths of their hearts when they looked at him. Because, he was a buddha lord.

“I heard that you wish to join my tutelage to learn about the dao of karma?” The Karma Buddha calmly spoke.

“Yes.” Qin Wentian nodded.

“Do you know what karma is?” The Karma Buddha asked. Qin Wentian shook his head. What is karma? The types of energy from the buddha dao has always been mysterious and unfathomable. Karma has ties to fate and samsara, how could one explain it clearly?