Giving Suggestions

Nanzhan Continent, Cangwu Kingdom.

This capital, adjacent to the Xuanwu Kingdom, was currently plunged into an inexplicable frenzy.

No one knew what madness had taken hold of a group of monks who should have been chanting their sutras in temples, causing them to suddenly start promoting the so-called Hinayana Buddhism.

At first, everyone thought it was perhaps just a normal Buddhist activity.

Until this movement exceeded everyone's expectations.

Many Buddhist cultivators suddenly arrived in the entire Cangwu Kingdom to preach Hinayana Buddhism, and at the same time, all the temples in the kingdom took action together.

Under the guise of saving people and accumulating personal merit through Hinayana Buddhism, they began purchasing land in large quantities and reclaiming wasteland, while attracting poor commoners with extremely low land rent.

All the reclaimed and purchased land belonged to the Buddhist sect of the Central Province.

In the fields, stone steles were erected one after another, engraved with extremely rough but highly intimidating large characters: Great Thunderclap Temple.

This kind of action by the Buddhist sect clearly exceeded normal bounds. Ordinarily, other immortal sects situated in the Cangwu Kingdom would have stepped in to stop it.

After all, preventing the disorderly expansion of Buddhist forces was in the interest of all immortal sects, not to mention the absurd fact that the purchased land belonged to the Central Province Buddhist sect.

Many monks with cultivation bases went to propagate Hinayana Buddhism. Normally, they would at least be criticized by other immortal sects for bewitching the common people.

But this time, the situation was extremely unusual. Almost all the immortal sects located in the Cangwu Kingdom ignored the Buddhist sect's actions; even criticism and rumors were extremely rare.

People with insight naturally and keenly caught onto the anomaly: this was a massive operation by the Buddhist sect.

Although no one understood what the Buddhist sect intended to do, they could still clearly recognize Buddhist cultivators with cultivation bases.

When the land reclaimed by the Buddhist sect was no longer enough to accommodate more poor tenant farmers, a notice regarding land donation and enshrinement was posted in all the temples of the Cangwu Kingdom.

Although it was nominally voluntary, the various temples had the backing of Buddhist cultivators. The donated land would be protected by the Buddhist sect, and one could also share in the profits.

The monks of the various temples were not fools; how could they not understand that this notice was meant for them to see?

After all, the wealthy elites were not fools either. How could they truly take out their family assets for this so-called land donation? Even if they did give, how much would they actually give?

Everyone in the world understood one principle: robbing definitely yields more than taking what is offered!

The various temples, in the name of seeking alms, began hoping that the wealthy elites would donate land—just look at how many starving people there are outside. If they do not eat their fill, how can we accumulate our merit?

If you do not let me accumulate merit, then I will have to accumulate you as merit.

Killing a person leads to hell, but saving a life builds a seven-story pagoda.

Hell has eighteen levels, but if there are enough pagodas under one's feet...

No one knew where this shameless saying originated, but it was certainly intimidating enough.

Especially the tenant farmers and commoners, who finally had extra hope, finally understood the situation.

Hinayana Buddhism is damn good; hurry up and promote it to the entire Cangwu Kingdom. Let's quickly give all this merit to the monks in exchange for food to fill our stomachs.

This kind of support naturally gave the various temples enough confidence: listen to the voices of the people, you selfish bugs!

These methods, which were only slightly better sounding than open robbery, naturally triggered a massive uproar.

The stolen land was their root; the accumulated silver was their life.

The noble families who were originally resisting Li Junzi instantly threw the matter of Li Junzi to the back of their minds.

Li Junzi was merely digging at their roots, but the Buddhist sect before them not only wanted their lives but was also digging up their coffin boards on the spot.

Soon, a noble family refused the Buddhist sect's demand for open robbery and clearly expressed their stance: money is more important than my entire family's lives. If you fake monks have the guts, then go ahead and turn my whole family into merit.

Naturally, the Buddhist cultivators would not really charge in and turn them into merit; after all, there is a big difference between talking big and taking actual action.

After all, the Buddhist sect also adhered to the ancient separation of immortals and mortals, not interfering with mortal dynasties. Such blatant killing was an obvious breach of the pact.

The noble families also quickly discovered that the Buddhist cultivators only spoke ruthlessly but actually did not dare to make a move at all.

Thus, a counterattack organized by the noble families swept in.

The initially fiery promotion of Hinayana Buddhism came to an abrupt halt. As for the land with the Great Thunderclap Temple steles, those noble families didn't dare to actually destroy them, so the only ones they could pick on were the tenant farmers.

Many tenant farmers began to be harassed, demanded to withdraw from Hinayana Buddhism, and forbidden from farming Buddhist land.

Monks without cultivation bases naturally could not stop the powerful and deeply rooted noble families, but monks with cultivation bases could not do much to the noble families either; all they could do was protect the Buddhist temples from being invaded.

The vigorous promotion of Hinayana Buddhism was on the verge of being extinguished in an instant.

This was the reality that Wu Wang had to accept.

Miaoyuan Temple.

Wu Wang gazed at the numerous poor commoners dressed in tattered clothes, kneeling all over the ground. They were all begging the Buddhist sect to protect them, or at least not let them be completely driven out like this.

Outside the gates, many people wearing well-fitted clothes and holding incense surrounded Miaoyuan Temple. They neither spoke nor stopped anyone from coming to burn incense and worship Buddha—although no one dared to come anyway.

Besides Wu Wang, there was naturally someone in Miaoyuan Temple responsible for supervising matters and judging whether Hinayana Buddhism could continue to be promoted. This important job was naturally taken on by—Yun Li.

Yun Li stood beside Wu Wang, looking at the poor commoners who almost filled the inside of Miaoyuan Temple on their knees, and sighed lightly:

"It's a pity that there is a barrier between immortals and mortals. Orthodox sects like yours and mine cannot act as recklessly as evil cultivators."

"Fellow Daoist, you have seen the situation today. If Hinayana Buddhism cannot even be effectively promoted in this small kingdom..."

Yun Li did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was extremely obvious.

Wu Wang's gaze was calm, but he did not speak to answer.

Looking at Wu Wang's expression, Yun Li carefully recalled the instructions of his master and eldest senior sister, and felt that the reality was probably about the same.

After all, Wu Wang had been here for several days, and during this time, he had not come up with a suitable solution.

Yun Li coughed lightly and, following the script, tentatively said:

"Fellow Daoist, if you are out of options, then I will have to report back to the sect leader."

Hearing this, Wu Wang slowly turned his gaze towards Yun Li:

"Fellow Daoist, you might as well have a little more patience."

Hearing this, Yun Li felt reassured in his heart. So he put on an act, sighed, and said with a helpless look:

"How can you say I have no patience? I am also in charge of this matter. Getting this done is always better than failing, and it gives me something to report to my master."

Hearing this, Wu Wang performed a Buddhist salute and said:

"Since that is the case, Fellow Daoist should give it a bit more time."

Yun Li sighed helplessly:

"Looking at your distressed expression, I know you have no solution. It's a pity for the believers who trusted in your Hinayana Buddhism... They are all poor people who could have survived, but by believing in Hinayana Buddhism this time, they really are the first to be freed from the sea of suffering."

Hearing this, Wu Wang finally could no longer control his expression. A hint of anger flowed in his eyes as he looked toward the people standing outside the temple.

Seeing this, Yun Li then spoke:

"Forget it, I'll just consider it taking pity on these poor folks. I do have a method, but the potential consequences are quite clear. If something goes wrong, I won't take responsibility, and neither will my sect leader. Furthermore, I will never admit to having come up with this idea in the future."

Hearing this, Wu Wang did not turn around. He merely asked in a cold voice,

"What idea?"