Wandering Gods of Day and Night-Chapter 1111 - 429: Three Incenses of Buddhist Renown (Part 2)
... Tsk tsk, then you would have risen to fame and fortune."
Upon saying this, the Wolf Spirit swayed its body and pretended to say, "By then, you would be the Supreme Virtuous Savior of Suffering."
With the Wolf Spirit’s words, Master Lu Xue seemed to see the lively shad and bass jumping toward him.
He looked up and saw the sky filled with brocade kasayas fluttering like a myriad of colorful butterflies.
He asked the Wolf Spirit, "Brother Wolf, Brother Wolf, have I been ungracious to you in any way... With such a good thing, why haven’t you told me sooner?"
"It’s not that I didn’t tell you, but the Gray Mouse Immortal has a condition."
"What condition? Just speak your mind," the Master said.
"Well, the Gray Mouse Immortal is also a lover of the Buddhist Law. He wishes to enter your Mahayana Temple to cultivate, and daily, partake of the Buddha energy, seeking to make a name for himself."
"This is easy to arrange."
Master Lu Xue said, "In the Mahayana Temple, there is a cellar reserved for the Gray Mouse Immortal to practice; the place is spacious and serene."
"If every day, there could be two or three sturdy monks for the Gray Mouse Immortal to enjoy, it would be ideal."
What the Wolf Spirit calls "it would be ideal," actually means "must agree."
Master Lu Xue pondered, "This matter might not work... If the monks are tricked into being eaten outside the mountain, that’s one thing, but inside the temple, if someone were to discover it, I’m afraid my Buddha name would be tarnished."
"Rest assured, the Gray Mouse Immortal is an acquaintance of mine, he’s a cautious individual, meticulous in all matters, and surely won’t leave any trace."
After the Wolf Spirit’s repeated persuasion, Master Lu Xue’s doubts were finally dispelled, and he agreed to let the Gray Mouse Immortal enter the temple.
Since that day, the monks in the temple have been dwindling in number, while the epidemic at the foot of the mountain has grown increasingly severe,
Each time a monk inquired about the whereabouts of those who disappeared, Master Lu Xue excused with, "There is a great epidemic below the mountain, and those disciples, fearful at heart, have fled to avoid disaster."
If any disciple asked too urgently or pressed too hard, Master Lu Xue naturally lured them into the cellar that very night, serving as a meal for the Gray Mouse Immortal.
Days turned into more than a month with the epidemic worsening, spreading to over ten counties, and hundreds dying each day,
The first to become uneasy was the Wolf Spirit, who rode on the back of a coy creature, donned a kasaya, and disguised as an itinerant monk, traveled to the Mahayana Temple for a secret talk with Master Lu Xue.
"Master, the epidemic below the mountain is worsening by the day, aren’t you going to seek out the cure to relieve the suffering and save lives?"
"I rely on the epidemic to earn my Buddha reputation, so naturally, the more severe this epidemic is, the better."
"Too many dying each day is against the natural order," even the Wolf Spirit could no longer endure.
However, Master Lu Xue responded with a smile, "If not enough people die, how will the world recognize my Divine Skills, as if an Ancient Buddha descended?
If hundreds do not depart daily in front of their families and friends, how will the living remember my kindness?"
Upon hearing these words, the Wolf Spirit felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, chilled from head to toe—Master Lu Xue’s heart was so callous that even it, a spirit monster that eats people whole, felt frightened.
It sighed and asked again,
"Master, your hometown village is also afflicted by the epidemic—your secular wife, children, and parents are suffering greatly too, are you going to just watch them die?"
The Wolf Spirit hoped to rely on Master Lu Xue’s family to stop this absurd epidemic, only to hear Master Lu Xue gently smile and say,
"I am a renounced monk, severing worldly ties, so where would I have family?"
After hearing this, the Wolf Spirit said no more, bowed, and said, "Master, farewell."
From then on, the Wolf Spirit never saw Master Lu Xue again—it dared not, fearing one day it too might become the Master’s "family"...
This epidemic orchestrated by Master Lu Xue lasted all of fifty days, with over ten thousand deaths,
When Master Lu Xue, holding the cure given by the Gray Mouse Immortal, descended the mortal realm, he earned unprecedented Buddha fame within days.
"In these days, I, this little monk, have been perusing ancient scrolls in the temple daily, only seeking a way to save the world, and recently, an Ancient Buddha descended into my dreams, delivering the perfect remedy."
"To hasten the concoction of the medicine, my secular parents, wife, and children perished in the epidemic, and I never even inquired about them, which is pitiful indeed."
Assisted by tens of thousands of citizens, Master Lu Xue, facing the bodies of his parents, wife, and children, garnered the final renown from this epidemic.
"The Master saves the suffering, forsaking his own family for the greater good, truly a Bodhisattva come down to earth."
"You are the Ancient Buddha incarnate, a living Bodhisattva."
"The people of nineteen counties, indebted to the Master, henceforth, I, the Zhao Family, shall fund the construction of the tallest and largest Buddha Tower in the Yellow Field Prefecture for the Master."
"I shall contribute money too, I also want to donate."
Amidst the cries from the populace, Master Lu Xue gazed down upon his family’s corpses,
Having fulfilled his wish, gained immense fame, without having to bear the burden of murder, naturally rejoiced with a burst of "sob, sobbing" laughter,
This was Master Lu Xue’s second incense of Buddha fame.
He had soared to become a renowned monk in the Yellow Origin Prefecture.
"What a ruthless heart, what a ruthless monk."
Wu Ya Zen was lost for words.
"In the heart of this Fish Monk dwells not a ghost, but a demon."
Zhou Xuan said: "What a pity for the whole city of people, day and night using their meager income, earnestly nurturing this demon."
