“It is not that my Hall of Discipline acts with harshness, but rather that the innate nature of the successive heads of the Hall of Discipline is harsh. We, the Hall of Discipline, are charged with oversight and upholding the precepts. If we do not maintain the rules, who shall?”

Kuti made no attempt to conceal his emotions, stating directly, “My duty is here. I ask only that Zen Master refrain from further intervention.”

Zen Master Zhi E appeared much younger than Kuming and the others, seemingly only in his forties. This suggested he had attained the Divine Sense realm around this age, thereby arresting his physical aging. However, his features were undeniably fierce, not at all resembling a person of the Buddha Gate.

Facing Kuti’s discontent, his browbone arched, a clear display of ferocity, yet his voice held no trace of anger. “Even according to the mountain gate rules, there is no reason to seek out Guanyan further. He no longer owes the Xuankong Temple.”

Respecting one’s teacher and honoring the Dao, and deferring to elders, are indeed proper. However, fulfilling one’s duties and maintaining the rules are equally so. Between these two, Kuti’s choice was clear. He did not yield, and even revealed with some sharpness, “Having been in seclusion for years, perhaps you no longer recall the mountain gate rules.”

Throughout the Xuankong Temple, the head of the Hall of Discipline was renowned for being stubborn and inflexible, recognizing only the dictates of the rules. Aside from the muddleheaded monk Ku Jue, no one could make him deviate. Zen Master Zhi E was a senior high monk, and Kuti was the head of a hall. If a significant conflict were to arise between them, it would naturally be detrimental to the Xuankong Temple.

In contrast, the Abbot Kuming suddenly had a realization and spoke, asking, “You mentioned before the merit of teaching and transforming for five hundred years. Were you referring to…”

“Have none of you yet discovered it?” Zen Master Zhi E sighed. “Look at the Dingyu Tower.”

Only then did Kuti turn his gaze towards the Dingyu Tower. At this sight, he was suddenly struck with shock. Out of respect for the high monks Yuanji, they had not peered inside the stone tower the first time. Now, under Zen Master Zhi E’s reminder, they looked within, and were suddenly astonished to find that inside the Dingyu Tower, besides the original golden body of Master Dingyu, a smaller golden body had appeared at some unknown time!

Its form and features were as if, lifelike, with a flowing golden light, solemn and respectful. This stone tower had clearly become a double golden body tower.

“It is Zhixiang.”

Zen Master Zhi E’s voice resonated softly. “The condensation of this golden body is the merit of teaching and transforming, virtue upon virtue. Erected anew today, besides Guanyan, who else could it be? What he did over these five hundred years can be seen from this golden body. Do any of you still have doubts?”

“He used his merit to sculpt a golden body for his master. He left a golden body for my Xuankong Temple. Does he, upon the Xuankong Temple, still have any debt?”

This life, ultimately, he did not become Buddha. This life, ultimately, he did not become Buddha. Kuming recited this sentence twice in his heart. Many people say, “I did not become Buddha, I did not do this thing,” when in reality, they were incapable of doing so in the first place. But from this merit, it was evident that Guanyan truly had the opportunity to become Buddha. And he truly gave it up. This kind of relinquishment, alone, made one feel the weight of his choice.

“Namo Sakyamuni Buddha in the South.” Kuti pressed his palms together and recited the Buddha’s name. “It is Kuti who failed to observe, and almost wronged a great virtue. I am willing to face the wall for one month to atone for this karma.”

He held no personal like or dislike for Guanyan; he was simply staunch in upholding the rules. But recognizing his own error, he did not feign ignorance and admitted it immediately.

“Excellent!”

With a faint voice, Zen Master Zhi E’s figure had already vanished.

“To think that old man is still alive!”

As soon as Zen Master Zhi E departed, Kubing impatiently spoke up, “chatting quietly.” Of course, his voice still resonated like the striking of a bell. Zen Master Zhi E was a senior high monk he deeply revered. The illustrious reputation of “Zhi E” was not simply spoken of; it was fought out! To a monk like him who believed “the fist reaches, then the Buddha’s reason reaches,” Zen Master Zhi E was simply bathed in ten thousand rays of golden light. Thus, even though he himself was already quite old, he couldn’t help but be deeply excited.

Kuming, with a furrowed brow and bitter face, shot him a look. The meaning was obvious: perhaps the person hadn’t gone far yet, could you not lower your voice a bit? Years of tacit understanding between fellow disciples resulted in Kubing looking aggrieved… I have already lowered my voice!

Outside the mountain gate of Xuankong Temple, the old monk Ku Jue followed Jiang Wang step by step, seemingly unintentionally asking, “That technique you used just now to burn the monk’s robe was quite beautiful.”

Jiang Wang’s reaction was very flat. “Overpraised.”

This answer obviously couldn’t satisfy Ku Jue. He blinked his eyes and changed his angle. “This technique of the Flame Flower, I am actually quite familiar with it. Perhaps I can offer some pointers. Right, who did you learn it from?”

Jiang Wang remained unmoved. “Such a marvelous low-level technique of the fire element is readily available in many places, isn’t it?”

“Tsk tsk tsk, I thought you were an honest child.” Ku Jue circled to stand in front of him, smiling and squinting. “You are hiding something from your master.”

“Great Master,” Jiang Wang sighed. “A great monk of your high virtue and standing should be managing ten thousand matters every day, shouldn’t you? How do you still have time to follow me? Aren’t you busy at all?”

“I have no matters… cough.” Ku Jue’s words shifted quickly. “I am quite busy. But we master and disciple haven’t seen each other in so long; we must reconnect emotionally, mustn’t we? Look, you are already estranged from your master now!”

Jiang Wang rolled his eyes. Great Master, when were we ever close?

“Hey, if you don’t want to say, it doesn’t matter. We master and disciple can chat about other things.” Ku Jue, with a strained smile, changed the topic. “I told you before that Kubing is the most annoying. Actually, besides being a bit stupid, a bit noisy, a bit fierce, and a bit ugly, how is he as annoying as Kuti? Only if I curse Kuti will he be heard by him. This person is petty. I don’t worry about anything else; he can’t do anything to me. I’m just worried he’ll target my precious disciple…” As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Wang, deliberately putting on a show. “That’s you.”

Jiang Wang did not react.

The old monk Ku Jue was not disheartened and continued to nag. “Who knew I wouldn’t curse him, and he’d still be so insolent to me, hey! I should have just cursed him earlier!”

Jiang Wang silently observed the route, thinking about how to quickly shake off this old monk.

“What’s wrong?” The old monk Ku Jue naughtily nudged Jiang Wang with his shoulder, causing the unprepared Jiang Wang to stumble. “Just now in the temple, wasn’t Master magnificent?” He wore a proud expression. “You are my precious disciple. How could I let him bully you?”

“Master, Master, what about me?” Jing Li, following behind, shouted.

Monk Ku Jue’s brow furrowed, feeling the atmosphere he had carefully built was ruined. He turned around and asked, “Copying scriptures?”

Jing Li’s smiling face instantly collapsed. “You didn’t say today you wanted me to copy scriptures…”

“Does Master still need to say this?” Ku Jue suddenly became angry. “Does all this need Master to say? Is your cultivation for Master? When Master cultivated, did Master’s ancestor Master need to tell him? Master was diligent, self-disciplined, and self-reflective, which is why Master has the status he has today and receives people’s admiration! But you are so lazy! You tell me yourself, without even this bit of self-awareness, how will you inherit Master’s robe and bowl in the future?”

“Master…” Monk Jing Li opened his mouth.

“Master what! Do you listen to Master’s words? If you don’t listen, don’t call me Master!”

“No, Master…”

“Still resisting? You’re still talking back to Master? Your wings have hardened, Jing Li!”

“No, Master,” Jing Li almost cried out. “Little Master Disciple seems to have run off!”

Only then did Ku Jue suddenly turn his body. He saw the clouds faintly in the horizon, but where was Jiang Wang’s figure to be found!