Chapter 173: Addiction

Upon reaching the fifth floor, all the strange phenomena vanished.

Here, it truly became an ordinary wooden building, devoid of the things that made Li Qi blush.

However, this wooden building was decorated extremely luxuriously; the four sides were adorned with gold and jade, with agarwood for covers, spiritual grass painted on the walls, and mushroom-like patterns on the ceiling, from which hung a hundred flower buds, and below were many clay sculptures.

There were clay sculptures of canopies, pipa, demon-subduing pestles, nine-ringed monastic staves, flowing cloud trays, multi-treasure vases, pagoda bells, lotus leaf petals, Bumpa vases, dragon-patterned treasure pearl plates, treasure banners, square flags, Habari drums, and Kapala bowls.

None of them were genuine; all were fake, made of clay, then colored and fired.

Beneath the numerous clay sculptures, there was a Buddha seat, inside which was a Buddhist shrine, a throne, and a treasure bed.

Within the Buddhist shrine, a Buddha statue was enshrined, less than a foot tall, very small.

However, though small, it was made with an extreme amount of fine Materials; the Materials Li Qi could discern alone included Guang Glue, green powder, alum, ochre, cinnabar, realgar, orpiment, gamboge, rouge, red gold, and gold.

All these Materials were ground into powder and made into a paste, then drawn onto the Buddha statue's skin, making it lifelike, as if it were a real person, its skin appearing to have a truly soft touch.

The Buddha statue's headbands, flower crowns, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces were all exquisitely crafted, as if real.

Around the shrine, colorful murals were painted, all golden lacquer oil paintings, with the main subjects of the murals being roaring lions, elephants, Divine Horses, Divine Mules, Divine Oxen, foreign images, Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Monks.

The content of the painting depicted a harmonious scene of all living beings, centered around Monks, with all things in harmony, situated amidst mountains, rivers, trees, bridges, colorful clouds, and landscapes.

Beyond the edges of the various Divine Beasts, the murals extended outwards, revealing tigers, leopards, bears, dogs, sheep, wolves, cranes, orioles, and parrots, gradually spreading outwards until the mural ended.

The entire shrine was six feet wide, two feet deep, and three feet high, and in front of the shrine were two people.

One person sat cross-legged, with an open scripture in front of him; he closed his eyes, his expression ecstatic, with golden light emanating from his body.

This person was wearing an official uniform, seemingly not even having had time to change before eagerly sitting here.

The other person was standing, dressed in white with cloud patterns, possessing a graceful demeanor, holding a scripture in his hand and carefully reading something.

This standing man was extremely handsome; Li Qi felt somewhat overshadowed in his presence, and his white attire accentuated his unparalleled temperament; however, from the style, it did not resemble the clothing of Bailin Kingdom, nor even that of Baiyue.

The pendants, cloud patterns, and cut of his clothes were all unfamiliar to Li Qi.

It was just that he was indeed very good-looking.

Coupled with the fact that this person was a handsome man, it further gave people the feeling of a refreshing breeze.

Compared to the middle-aged man in official uniform who was ecstatic, almost immersed in The Way of Dreams, and completely unaware of Li Qi, this young Young Master immediately put away his book upon seeing Li Qi's arrival.

"Ah, someone can actually pass through the four lower floors, that's interesting. Who are you?" The Young Master put away his book, placed it on the offering table in front of the shrine, and walked towards Li Qi.

As he walked over, Li Qi felt a strong pressure.

It was like...

What was it?

Li Qi couldn't describe it.

But he felt a sense of restraint, an unconscious restraint when facing this person.

It was like, when a normal person is alone, they feel very at ease, and might even be unkempt.

But if he were speaking at a very important meeting, unless he truly had a strong heart, he would likely be more restrained, paying attention to his posture and speech.

It was that kind of feeling.

He felt his body unconsciously straighten his back and puff out his chest.

This feeling was very bad, which made Li Qi's expression change; he activated his Martial Dao Inner Qi, forcibly broke free, and messed up his hair and collar.

His hair was originally tied up, but now it was pulled loose, becoming disheveled; as a result, the “disorder” on his body outweighed the “order,” and that feeling of restraint instantly vanished.

Breaking through this restraint, Li Qi's heart remained full of vigilance.

"Your Excellency is?" Li Qi subtly took two steps back, carefully staring at the other party.

"I am Wang Baiyan. I apologize for startling you. It's just that I was surprised to see someone capable of passing through the four lower floors," the Young Master said.

The young man in white, who introduced himself as Wang Baiyan, stood in front of Li Qi with a curious expression: "The four lower floors, the Arhat Hall observes whether your mind is pure, the Bodhisattva Hall observes whether you carry Karma, the Three Buddhas Hall tests your mind and patience, only the scriptures there are truly unprotected, but they can barely be considered a test of your resolve."

He continuously scrutinized Li Qi: "To walk all the way up without any unusual phenomena means your heart is free of malevolence and杂念, you have no Karma from past or future lives, your mind and endurance can withstand the illumination of Buddha-Dharma, and you are not greedy for scriptures. To be able to do so many things, if not a natural Buddha-Child, then you must be a true hero. Looking at your appearance, you don't seem to be someone of high status; you have calluses on your hands, and though your clothes are clean, your spine is somewhat crooked, suggesting you've practiced martial arts and done heavy physical labor, not like someone with delicate skin."

"I guess you must have been of humble origin before, then seized an opportunity and rose up with your talent, but your cultivation hasn't improved much yet. So, you are both a hero and a Buddha-Child, my friend, you have great wisdom!" Wang Baiyan looked at Li Qi and exclaimed.

Li Qi was embarrassed, but he had important business to attend to, so he didn't respond, but instead asked Wang Baiyan: "Your Excellency is joking. I am here on a mission and have no time for jokes. May I ask if this person here is the Guangyang Sima?"

As he asked, he pointed to the middle-aged man who was immersed in the Buddhist scriptures.

But Li Qi also did not relax his vigilance; he simultaneously observed this person.

This person, he also seems to be a Ninth-Rank?

But what Dao path does he cultivate? I've never seen it. He doesn't seem like a martial artist, nor does he have the ghostly Qi of a Shaman, and he's even less like someone from the Daoist sect.

But that feeling of restraint he imparted, Li Qi always felt very familiar.

Fortunately, the other party was only a Ninth-Rank, so this restraint couldn't truly suppress him.

"Precisely, he is the Guangyang Sima, but now he is already immersed in Buddha-Dharma and has no mind for worldly affairs. You probably can't wake him now," Wang Baiyan said to Li Qi.

"Can't wake him?" Li Qi's expression darkened, then he ignored Wang Baiyan, walked directly in front of the Guangyang Sima, and pushed him.

But with a gentle push, the other party remained seated cross-legged, his expression entranced, not acknowledging Li Qi.

Seeing this, Li Qi used great force, pushing hard.

However, this time, the surrounding golden light burst forth with a repulsive force, dissolving Li Qi's push, and he was not moved at all.

Li Qi took a deep breath, activated his Carp Current Intent, swung his fist, and unleashed tens of thousands of pounds of immense force, striking down with a punch!

But with this strike, the golden light actually burst forth directly, and Li Qi, caught off guard, was directly pushed away by this golden light, retreating more than ten steps until he hit the edge of the wooden Pagoda, only then stopping.

"See, I told you, you probably can't wake him," Wang Baiyan watched from the side and said.

"How can this be? Golden light protecting the body, this is not a common occurrence." Li Qi was not injured; he dropped from the wall, his expression grave.

Damn it, what's going on?

Golden light protecting the body while reading scriptures indicates that he himself set it up, usually when he has just entered an important stage of cultivation, so he sets up a layer of protection to prevent others from disturbing him.

In other words, the Guangyang Sima himself actively did not want to be disturbed, actively shielding himself from the outside world.

"Do you have something urgent?" Wang Baiyan asked curiously.

But Li Qi didn't have time for him; could this person possibly sign for him instead of the Guangyang Sima?

So Li Qi just stood up: "Military matters are urgent, please forgive me for not being able to tell you the truth. Farewell."

After he finished speaking, he immediately set off, going downstairs without delay.

He was going to find Monk Chan Zhi.

This Tianning Temple was his territory, so naturally, he had to find Monk Chan Zhi for such a matter. If Monk Chan Zhi couldn't do it, then he would probably have to return to the city immediately to seek a decision from the Guangyang Prefect.

Running down the Pagoda, Li Qi only felt it was absurd.

Absurd, utterly absurd!

A Sima of a prefecture, neglecting his duties, running here to comprehend Buddha-Dharma, and even making it seem like he was gaining a lot.

If you really want to dedicate yourself to these things, then resign!

Occupying a position and doing nothing, perhaps the chaos on the front lines is also his fault.

Neglecting such an important position is simply a disregard for human life.

Li Qi ran all the way down and saw Monk Chan Zhi sweeping the floor.

He walked forward and proactively said to Chan Zhi: "Great Master Chan Zhi, the Guangyang Sima is immersed in Buddha-Dharma and ignores worldly affairs. Could you please help me awaken him? I truly have urgent military intelligence, concerning the lives of tens of thousands of people, a matter of life and death. All the way here, I have heard that the Great Master is a kind and good person, who normally saves even one person. You should not stand by and watch the danger to hundreds of thousands of lives, right?"

Chan Zhi heard this and looked up: "Benefactor, could you tell this Bhikkhu about the matter you speak of? If I do not know the specifics, this Bhikkhu may find it difficult to judge whether I should help you."

Li Qi pondered for a moment, then said: "The pass is under attack by demons; civilians need to be evacuated urgently. Tens of thousands of people need to be relocated, but military provisions are insufficient. Guangyang City must allocate grain, but all military provisions and funds require the approval of Sima. He is currently in cultivation, but the military situation is urgent. I hope Great Master can help."

While speaking, Li Qi kept scrutinizing Chan Zhi. To be honest, he didn't quite trust this Monk.

But to his surprise, Chan Zhi actually agreed with Li Qi's words.

After hearing Li Qi finish, he actually said with urgency: "So that's how it is. It is indeed an urgent matter. This Bhikkhu will go and help the benefactor awaken him now."

Then, he led Li Qi quickly upstairs.

Once upstairs, he quickly stepped forward and pushed the Guangyang Sima: "Benefactor Qian, Benefactor Qian, quickly wake up, quickly wake up."

The Guangyang Sima's golden light burst forth again, but this time it was directly broken by Chan Zhi, who then shoved him.

"Who is it!!?" The Guangyang Sima roared in fury, immediately standing up.

Li Qi and Wang Baiyan's expressions changed; both closed their eyes simultaneously and then fled towards the door.

The wrath of a Seventh-Rank expert was something these two Ninth-Ranks weren't even qualified to witness; looking too much could directly shatter their hearts and guts.

Death wouldn't necessarily occur, but severe damage to their cultivation was certain.

But before they could run, they saw Monk Chan Zhi clasp his hands together and lightly chant a Buddhist invocation.

Amidst the Buddha-sound, golden light materialized beneath his feet.

There were various wonderful flowers, of Jambudvipa gold color, like a swirling fire wheel, with great radiance, transforming into countless banners and precious canopies.

And there were lotus flowers, perfectly round with twelve petals, playing the sound of the Dao, their sound subtle, expounding on suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and no-self, all Paramitas, gushing forth with golden, subtle light, each petal of the lotus flower appearing in a hundred precious colors, with eighty-four thousand veins, like a celestial painting, each vein having eighty-four thousand lights, all clear and distinct, allowing all to see.

Also, there were musical instruments, suspended in the Void Realm, like celestial treasure banners, playing by themselves without being struck, and in all these sounds, the chanting of Buddha, the chanting of the Dharma, and the chanting of the Bhikkhu Sangha were spoken.

This illusion flashed by, and the Guangyang Sima's anger completely vanished, his mind clear, and his face showed shame: "I lost my composure, Great Master. What is it that you wish to awaken me for?"

"Good man, this is not the fault of sentient beings; this is the fault of defilements. The wise observe well and do not resent sentient beings. I naturally have no reason to blame you, but constantly indulging in anger fills the mind with impurities, obscuring the pure mind that is becoming sacred, preventing it from clearly seeing all things." Chan Zhi clasped his hands together and said to the Guangyang Sima.

"Qian Bin accepts the teaching. It's just, Great Master, what is the reason you awakened me?" The Guangyang Sima calmed down and asked.

Seeing this, Chan Zhi turned around and looked at Li Qi and the others who had just been hiding: "Benefactor Qian has been awakened. Please, Benefactor, quickly explain the situation. This Bhikkhu will withdraw for a moment."

With that, Monk Chan Zhi prepared to exit the fifth floor.

Li Qi quickly thanked him: "Thank you, Great Master, for your help, and thank you, Great Master, for your protection."

"Thank you for the protection," Wang Baiyan also nodded in gratitude.

Without Chan Zhi's earlier intervention to block the wrath, the two of them would certainly have encountered some trouble there.

"No need. Benefactor Wang, would you like to go down with this Bhikkhu? After all, Benefactor Qian and this Benefactor Li seem to have important matters to discuss," Monk Chan Zhi said.

"Very well, then I shall go down with the Great Master."

Li Qi, however, took a deep breath after hearing that sentence.

He hadn't told Chan Zhi his name.

How did Chan Zhi know? And he called it out so nonchalantly?

But he didn't expose this point; instead, he watched them leave, then closed the door, walked in front of the Guangyang Sima, and, under the other party's puzzled gaze, said: "Sima, urgent military intelligence!"

After speaking, without waiting for the Guangyang Sima's reply, he rattled off the entire story of the White Rhinoceros Army and the relocation of over a hundred thousand civilians.

Then, he took out the token and military flag, and also the official document he had prepared in advance: "Please, Sima, sign and seal this so I can go and procure the provisions."

"Just this kind of matter? You come to disturb my pure cultivation? Utterly absurd! In the future, for such matters, go find the Situ, don't bother me!" The Guangyang Sima seemed very angry, but he barely suppressed his rage, waved his brush, stamped the seal, and then waved Li Qi away, picking up his Buddhist scripture again.

Seeing this, Li Qi sighed, but said nothing more.

He went straight downstairs and bade farewell to Chan Zhi.

Wang Baiyan seemed to want to strike up a conversation with him, but Li Qi had no time for idle chatter. He simply gave a perfunctory reply or two, then quickly descended the mountain, mounted his old horse, and hurried towards the military provisions warehouse.