NOVEL NEXT Chapter 370 - 389 Two Big Scammers
Chapter 370: Chapter 389 Two Big Scammers
“Look who’s talking about fooling, as if there’s a difference between inside and outside the cabin.”
“Unlike you, who is adept at fooling and filling the cabin with lies.”
The two communicated their thoughts, both thinking the other was trying to deceive.
Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva didn’t despise the way Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu handled things. If Yuan Wuxing was unconventional, then these two had broken from the existing framework and looked at the problem from a completely different perspective.
Buddhism encourages this kind of thinking.
Despite Jiang Li having fooled Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva to the point she wanted to swear.
“Would the two of you consider joining our Buddhism?”
Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva believed these two God-transformation stage cultivators possessed wisdom and inherent Buddha-nature. If they were to enter Buddhism, they could easily earn the title of Bodhisattva or Arhat, regardless of their existing ranks.
Both had changed their appearances and hidden their cultivation levels, making them appear as ordinary God-transformation stage cultivators to outsiders.
Jiang Li waved his hand: “No, thanks.”
Before he became the Human Emperor, the old Buddha of Sumeru had repeatedly invited him to join Buddhism due to his profound Buddha-nature and considered him as the next Buddha. But Jiang Li always politely declined, to the old Buddha’s regret.
“I’d like to try it,” Bai Hongtu enthusiastically said. He was tired of being the Sect Master of Dao Sect and felt it was time for a change – to go to Buddhism and display his talents.
Jiang Li, fearing that Changcun Xianweng would break Bai Hongtu’s legs, pulled him aside and declined on his behalf.
“This man has an unrighteous intent. I’m afraid he will disturb the purity of Buddhism, better to abandon this idea.”
Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva didn’t take this to heart as she didn’t think Bai Hongtu was capable of disturbing Buddhism’s purity. However, seeing Jiang Li’s firm stance, she had no choice but to give up on the idea.
The first trial allowed many to obtain the Diamond Sutra, yet they were not satisfied. They felt they should still strive to catch the inheritance’s interest in the second trial.
Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva scattered the Bodhi leaves, and everyone again came to a separate little space.
They found themselves meditating in a forest with a sky where an eagle monster was chasing a pigeon. The pigeon, finding no escape route, flew into the cultivator’s sleeve, hoping to escape the ordeal.
“Let the second trial begin. Protect the pigeon from being eaten by the eagle monster.”
Some cultivators saw the low cultivation of the eagle monster and laughed in contempt.
“A Foundation Establishment Stage eagle monster dares to be so arrogant?”
They were about to kill the eagle monster to protect the pigeon when a copy of the Yanhua Sutra appeared in their hands, saving the eagle monster.
Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva stepped in to explain upon seeing the cultivator’s confusion: “To save one living creature by killing another goes against the principles of Buddhism.”
Both the eagle monster and the pigeon were beings raised by Buddhism and were not fictitious.
Yuan Wuxing protected the pigeon but also knew he couldn’t harm the eagle monster.
“Why can’t you let this pigeon go, believing in the virtue of respecting all life as heaven’s creation?”
The eagle monster retorted: “If I let this pigeon go, it lives, but I starve to death. Does heaven only favor pigeons and not me?”
Yuan Wuxing gritted his teeth and said: “I am willing to exchange meat of the same weight for the life of the pigeon.”
“That will do.” The eagle monster pulled out a balance, putting the pigeon on one side, indicating Yuan Wuxing could start cutting the meat.
Yuan Wuxing took out a small knife and slowly began to cut the meat.
For some unknown reason, Yuan Wuxing, a Divinity Transformation Stage cultivator, couldn’t turn off his sense of pain. He endured the pain of the knife-cut, and gave the eagle monster an equal amount of his flesh.
Moreover, he couldn’t heal his wound.
The balance still leaned towards the pigeon’s side. The eagle monster, expressionless, said: “You didn’t cut enough meat.”
Yuan Wuxing was helpless and could only continue to endure the pain of cutting his flesh. He kept cutting, but the balance always leaned towards the pigeon’s side.
Yuan Wuxing understood. Buddhism preaches equality for all beings. Exchanging part of his flesh for the pigeon’s life was clearly an unequal act. Only by giving his life could he balance the scales.
Yuan Wuxing apologized: “I cannot exchange my life for the life of a pigeon. I give up this trial.”
But Yuan Wuxing waited for a long time and didn’t see any consolation prize coming from the secret realm.
The eagle monster explained with a laugh: “Although you didn’t offer your life, you were able to understand the profound mystery within this, which is commendable.”
The eagle monster returned Yuan Wuxing to the Sentient Beings’ Secret Realm, and Yuan Wuxing’s wounds healed rapidly.
“Dare to snatch my food!” Bai Hongtu kicked the eagle monster away. The latter was immediately dizzied and felt disoriented.
Once the eagle monster regained its balance, its head was still spinning, but it didn’t have time to get back to its senses and immediately rushed towards Bai Hongtu.
“What are you doing!” The eagle monster looked at Bai Hongtu in horror. This man was actually setting up a fire to roast the pigeon. Was there no humanity left?
“Obviously to eat the pigeon. Not eating the pigeon means eating you?” Bai Hongtu said naturally.
The eagle monster couldn’t understand Bai Hongtu’s logic. Did this person no longer want to pass the test?
The pigeon and the eagle monster were both raised by Buddhism, and they were good brothers. The eagle monster could not stand by and watch its good brother get eaten.
“Then you eat me!” The eagle monster gritted its teeth.
Bai Hongtu thought for a moment: “That’s doable. However, I won’t eat it all. I will eat as much of you as there is meat on the pigeon.”
The eagle monster took out the balance and voluntarily cut his flesh, grimacing with pain.
Bai Hongtu showed no emotion: “Not enough, the balance is still on the pigeon’s side.”
The eagle monster endured the pain and kept cutting while Bai Hongtu continued to remind him “not enough”.
Eventually, the eagle monster had no choice but to jump onto the balance itself, finally achieving equilibrium.
Seeing the eagle monster’s fearless attitude towards death, Bai Hongtu revealed a smile and comforted: “How could I really eat you? It is commendable that you have realized the equality of all beings. Off you go.”
The eagle monster thanked Bai Hongtu, but halfway through, it suddenly felt as if it had switched places with Bai Hongtu. Had their positions reversed?
“Why do you want to eat a pigeon? Can’t you not eat it?” Jiang Li curiously asked the eagle monster.
The eagle monster was annoyed by Yuan Wuxing’s question, blurted out while pulling out the balance: “If I don’t eat it, I will eat you. You choose one.”
Jiang Li thought for a while and continued: “If you eat me, can you guarantee you won’t eat the pigeon?”
“Of course, I can guarantee.”
“Why should I believe you? You are such a murderous eagle monster, you just have to have meat. I don’t believe you.”
“I can guarantee.”
“I don’t believe.”
“I swear.”
“I don’t believe even if you swear.”
The eagle monster was exasperated: “What do you want to happen then?”
“Like this, you write a guarantee letter, saying you will never eat pigeons again, then I will believe you.”
Jiang Li pulled out paper and pen, wrote the guarantee letter and had the eagle monster press its claw print.
The eagle monster didn’t want to deal with Jiang Li anymore, thinking as soon as it pressed its claw print, the trial would end.
“I pressed it. Can I eat you now?”
Jiang Li put away the guarantee letter: “Of course not, I want to live.”
“Then I will eat the pigeon!” The eagle monster threatened. Did this person still want to pass the trial?
Jiang Li presented the guarantee letter: “You have guaranteed it. You won’t eat the pigeon again.”
The eagle monster’s eyes widened: “The premise is that I ate you!”
“The guarantee letter doesn’t state this premise.”
It was only then that the eagle monster realized it had been fooled.
Xiang Xiang Bodhisattva folded her hands together and sighed with relief: “Fortunately, I did not let these two into our Buddhism.”