The venue for the Martial Dao Tournament was the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple in Xihu Province.
It stood where the Buddhist Sect’s domain met that of the Great Derivation.
In the past, the Great Derivation had always held de facto control over Xihu Province. But a decline in their power in recent years had caused their territory to continuously shrink.
As a result, Xihu Province was now under the Great Derivation’s authority in name only. In reality, the Buddhist Sect had long since come to regard it as their private domain.
After occupying Xihu Province, the Buddhist Sect sectioned off a large swath of land, built dozens of massive Buddhist Pagodas, and named the complex the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple.
The Buddhist Pagodas within the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple were even more magnificent than the Dayan Imperial Palace. Carvings of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas adorned every surface—some benevolent and kind-eyed, some with glares of fury, and others with visages of solemn dignity.
Just as a thousand people have a thousand faces, so too does a Buddha.
The prosperity of the Buddhist Sect was evident from this alone.
When the invited Jianghu Martial Artists set foot inside, they couldn’t help but click their tongues in admiration as they gazed upon the statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, each coated in a thick layer of Gold powder.
One Jianghu person remarked sincerely, "The Buddhist Sect truly lives up to its name as one of the Four Great Upper Sects of the world. Such extravagance! Looking across the entire Central Plains, I’m afraid only the Dayan Imperial Court’s Imperial Palace could compare!"
Someone rolled their eyes and retorted, "Give me a break. This Ten Thousand Buddha Temple isn’t the Buddhist Ancestral Court; it’s just a new temple built in recent years. If you’re making a fuss over this, wouldn’t you be blinded if you ever visited the real Buddhist Ancestral Court?"
Many of the more knowledgeable Jianghu People nodded in agreement. Someone even muttered under their breath, "In terms of wealth alone, the Dayan Imperial Court might not even compare to the Buddhist Sect. After all, their followers are spread all over the world. Even the Central Plains Martial Arts world has disciples of the Buddha. They have countless ways of amassing wealth!"
Today was the first official day of the Martial Dao Tournament, and the Buddhist Temple was filled with outsiders. Thus, the Jianghu People dared to gather the courage to comment and criticize freely.
Some of the bolder Jianghu People couldn’t help but drool as they stared at the brilliant golden gleam on the statues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
’So much Gold.’
’Just scraping off a piece or two would be enough for them to live lavishly for half a year!’
’How could one not be tempted when it’s all laid out so brazenly?’
If it weren’t for the monks with unfathomably deep auras sitting cross-legged in guard before each statue, some Jianghu People would have already been unable to resist taking advantage of the situation, prying off a few pieces of Gold, and making a run for it.
...
Li Chang’an arrived outside the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, dressed in a Python Robe.
Many of the Jianghu People outside the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple noticed him—or rather, the Four-Clawed Python Robe he was wearing. For a moment, they all stopped in their tracks, their gazes filled with shock and uncertainty as they sized up Li Chang’an.
Judging by the Bright Yellow Python Robe he wore, Li Chang’an could have only one identity: the Crown Prince of the Dayan Imperial Family.
The problem was, both the Li Family and the Buddhist Sect were mortal enemies of the Great Derivation. Anyone in the world showing up at this Martial Dao Tournament wouldn’t be strange, but Crown Prince Dayan was the very last person who should be here.
’Did he get tired of living and decide to serve himself up on a platter to be killed?’
’Or has someone become so audacious that they dare to wear the Python Robe, which only the Crown Prince can wear, in broad daylight?’
Li Chang’an stood before the entrance of the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept slowly over the resplendent temple, then turned to the yellow, sandy expanse of Xihu Province. After a long silence, he finally let out a breath and said, "This Buddhist Sect... seems quite wealthy, doesn’t it? Their Buddhist Pagodas are built even taller than the Imperial Palace!"
Hearing his question, the commander of the Shadow Guard behind him quickly explained, "The Buddhist Sect not only rules the Western Regions but has also established Buddhist Temples throughout the Central Plains. Their followers are innumerable. It would be no exaggeration to say they are as rich as a nation!"
At this point, the Shadow Guard commander’s voice paused, but he continued with some indignation, "But these bald-heads have really been pushing their luck lately!"
"Xihu Province is clearly under the Imperial Court’s jurisdiction, yet not only have they conscripted the people of Xihu Province into their Buddhist Temples, they’re also proselytizing aggressively here. And now they’re even openly hosting a Martial Arts tournament... They have far too little respect for our Great Derivation!"
Li Chang’an did not respond.
The splendor of the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple and the famine-stricken lands of Xihu Province were two diametrically opposed realities.
Inside the Buddhist Pagodas, the faces of countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were coated in thick Gold powder, their expressions benevolent and their bearings solemn. From a distance, they looked like true Buddhas descended to the mortal world.
Outside the pagodas, however, was a scene of northern winds sweeping the land and snapping the white grasses. Countless commoners were enslaved, serving as the lowest form of labor, building temples for the Buddhas, yet they could not even be guaranteed a basic meal.
They had no personal freedom, no land to call their own. Once they became serfs, they were the private property of the Buddhist Temple and the landowners for life. Their children and grandchildren would be raised like livestock, with no hope of ever breaking free.
If one had to say there was a Paradise in the Western Regions...
...then the Buddhist Temple was surely it.
Because outside the Buddhist Temple was an Asura Hell from which the common people could never escape, life after life!
Li Chang’an sighed and murmured, "The Buddha said all living beings suffer. If this is truly how the so-called Buddhas treat the people of this world, then ’suffering’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s a life worse than death!"
Behind him, the few Shadow Guard commanders heard his words and were about to respond, but they suddenly tensed up. Each placed a hand on the hilt of the blade at their waist, looking as if they were facing a great enemy.
Following their line of sight, Li Chang’an saw a young monk with a benevolent, kind-eyed face.