NOVPUB"Little brother, the cup is already full; why do you keep pouring into it?" the monk robed elder asked Xu Zimei, puzzled.
"I know," Xu Zimei nodded in reply.
"Your hearts are just like this cup before us, filled to the brim with your own thoughts and stubbornness.
I must pour out all this water before we can discuss the merits of our respective Buddhist teachings."
Upon hearing Xu Zimei’s words, the two fell silent.
After a long while, the little acolyte brought his palms together, offered a slight bow to Xu Zimei, and said, "I have learned much!"
Just then, the street outside the Buddhist refectory suddenly erupted into noise.
The crowd was in chaos as if something had happened.
A few of them stepped out of the inn, only to see a group of people blocking the street so tightly that not even water could get through.
Countless onlookers gathered around to watch the excitement.
"This person dared to steal in Buddhist Rites City; beat him to death."
"Use the butcher’s knife to send him to Hell; it’s blasphemy against the Buddha Ancestor."
The noise from all around sparked a fury among the crowd.
Only after inquiring did Xu Zimei learn that such a commotion was caused by someone stealing something.
In other places, stealing might be a common offense, leading at most to an argument or compensation.
But things were a bit different in Buddhist Rites City.
The people here believed that the Buddha Ancestor protects this city.
Everyone in Buddhist Rites City is supposed to be good-hearted and kind.
Any greed or desire here would be met with public condemnation.
And their thinking was extremely extreme.
They would not go into the so-called profound truths of "the sea of suffering is endless, lay down the butcher knife to find salvation on the shore."
Extreme thinking led them to believe that only by killing all the bad people would there be only good people left in the world.
So, for those who violate the core values of the city, they use the butcher knife as a solution.
On a larger scale, this train of thought is too pathological and unrealistic.
Those who fight demons should be wary of becoming demons themselves.
But on a smaller scale, starting from the perspective of a single city,
it was precisely because of such thinking that Buddhist Rites City remained safe and peaceful.
People wouldn’t steal or do anything that went against the core values of the city.
Because even the slightest mistake here would be met with strict treatment.
......
At this moment, Xu Zimei and his companions squeezed into the crowded crowd, looking toward the center.
There was a man dressed in tattered clothes.
He wielded two stolen steamed buns in his hands, and the people around him were condemning him.
He sat crouched and trembling all by himself, too afraid to utter a word in his defense.
"It’s him," murmured the little acolyte beside him.
"You know him?" Xu Zimei asked, curious.
"Near our Buddhist Rites City, there is a Sword Twilight Sect.
Though the Sword Twilight Sect is merely an ordinary sect not considered prestigious,
they possess a high proficiency in the Sword Dao," the little acolyte explained.
"I used to visit the Sword Twilight Sect often to spread the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, and I’m quite familiar with their Sect Master.
I’ve seen this young man a few times too; he was once the most talented disciple of the Sword Twilight Sect."
"How did he end up like this now?" Xu Zimei asked, curious.
"Later, the Sword Twilight Sect was destroyed. It’s said they found an ancient Divine Sword," spoke the little acolyte.
"As for whether that’s true or not, who can say?
After the Sword Twilight Sect fell, he was captured and subjected to harsh interrogation, but nothing came out of it.
His enemies were afraid to kill him, and from then on, there was no more news of the Divine Sword."
```
They eventually released him, and now he’s in this state of madness."
"Young Master, I feel the aura of the True Divine Sword on him," just then, Qing Ling within him suddenly spoke up to remind.
"A fragment of the True Divine Sword?" Xu Zimei slightly furrowed his brows.
It seemed that things had gotten a bit interesting; originally, he had not intended to meddle.
Xu Zimei walked into the crowd and looked at the trembling man.
He then turned to the others and said, "Everyone, my apologies.
This is my brother, and his mind is a bit abnormal. It’s my fault for not watching him closely and letting him run out.
Please be understanding.
In fact, he is very kind-hearted."
"Whether he’s kind-hearted or not, I don’t know. All I saw was him stealing my steamed buns," a bald, burly man stepped out from the crowd.
The burly man was tall and muscular, clad in a light blue monk’s robe, with a fierce and somewhat demonic appearance.
"We are willing to compensate," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"How will you compensate?" the big man inquired.
"However you would like compensation, just state your price, and we will comply," Xu Zimei responded.
The burly man’s eyes lit up slightly, and then he said, "I could choose not to kill him.
But to give him a painful lesson, you must compensate me a hundred times the value of these steamed buns."
"No problem," Xu Zimei smiled.
He waved his hand grandly, and in an instant, a large pile of Spirit Stones appeared before him.
"You can count them if you like," Xu Zimei said, pointing at the pile of Spirit Stones.
"No need, no need," the monk-robed man shook his head, his eyes beaming as he slowly packed the Spirit Stones into his Storage Ring.
"All right, then we shall take our leave," Xu Zimei said to the startled man beside him.
And with that, he turned to leave.
The man stood in place silently for a while and eventually followed Xu Zimei.
Ignoring the man who was still counting Spirit Stones beside them, Xu Zimei walked out of the crowd and patted King Qinyou on the shoulder.
He said indifferently, "I hope he won’t see tomorrow’s sun."
King Qinyou nodded nonchalantly, his hoarse voice replying, "Understood."
...
Bringing the ragged man back to the monastery, Little Acolyte had prepared a room and clean clothes for him alone.
During dinner, Xu Zimei looked at the man wolfing down his food and smiled as he asked.
"What’s your name?"
The man ignored him, merely continuing to bury his head in his meal.
Occasionally he would raise his head and give Xu Zimei a silly grin.
"Are you also here for this so-called Divine Sword?" King Qinyou asked, seeing this scene with resignation.
"Is that not allowed?" Xu Zimei countered.
"You believe those rumors from the outside world," King Qinyou shook his head.
"Besides, when has a Crown Prince from the Imperial Rule Immortal Sect ever lacked a sword?
The blade behind you seems quite fine to me."
Xu Zimei chuckled but didn’t reply.
As the sky gradually darkened, after eating dinner, everyone returned to their own rooms.
The flickering candle slowly extinguished, and the silent room was so quiet that even the beating of a heart could be heard.
The madman lay on the bed, his eyes shining as he stared into the darkness before him.
Remaining silent as if lost in thought.
Just then, a gust of wind blew in from the outside, opening the window.
The madman’s expression tightened, and he quickly got out of bed to close the window.
He went to the table and lit the few remaining candles.
His anxious heart was somewhat soothed.
Just as he turned to sit down, he was suddenly struck with a chill.
```
