Chapter 140: The Sanctuary of Ten Thousand Buddhas

Witnessing the scene before me, I didn’t know how to describe this environment.

Incense burners stood in the four corners of the side hall, and candles flickered on the altar table.

The entire living area was completely sealed off, illuminated only by a few sparks of fire.

It was so dark I could barely see anything, resembling the cultivation room of an esoteric ascetic.

On the other hand, the Buddhist light in the room was dazzlingly bright, keeping the entire hall bathed in a radiant glow.

It was as magnificent as a sacred Buddhist land, and this contradictory contrast made me very uncomfortable.

Staying here made me feel quite unwell, not just because of the scent of the incense, but because the Buddhist essence was simply too dense.

It caused me physical discomfort and led to constant auditory hallucinations of Sanskrit chanting.

“I’m sorry, little girl, for making you wait. Please sit down and have some tea,” the old lady said.

Since there were no tables in the side hall, I had to sit on a prayer mat.

She brought over a cup of tea brewed from black leaves.

This time, I didn’t have the Iron-wire Dragon to drink the tea for me, so I could only take a small sip myself.

Strangely, after drinking a bit of the tea, my head felt much lighter.

The pressure the environment exerted on me seemed to diminish significantly.

I quickly took a few large gulps.

Though the tea was bitter, it possessed a unique fragrance.

More importantly, I felt as if my mind and body were being washed clean; the Buddhist essence here no longer repelled me.

“How is it, little girl? This is tea brewed from Bodhi leaves I picked at Lanbu Temple while traveling in Tibet. It has the effect of clearing the mind and refreshing the spirit. Many of my tenants like it very much,” the old lady said happily, seeing me drinking heartily.

“Mhm, it’s very good. I feel my spirit lifting,” I nodded.

“By the way, I’m sorry for the sudden intrusion. I’ve prepared a small gift; please accept it.”

I felt a bit embarrassed as I pulled out the packaged jade Buddha.

To be honest, the craftsmanship was quite poor—it was clearly a cheap item.

I had thought the gift wouldn’t be too low-class before entering, but after seeing so many genuine Dharma artifacts in her home, I felt this gift was barely fit to be shown.

“Is this for me?”

The old lady took the gift box and opened it.

Upon seeing the jade Buddha, a smile immediately spread across her face.

“Oh my! You’re far too polite, little girl. Why did you bring such a precious gift? Really, now.”

Despite her words, she took the jade Buddha out of the box and couldn’t seem to put it down.

She stroked it and examined it repeatedly, clearly very fond of it; she certainly wasn’t going to decline.

I found it very strange.

Her home was filled with Buddhist treasures, every single one of them a Dharma artifact.

Presenting this low-quality handicraft in front of her felt like an amateur trying to show off to a master.

It was like being invited to a noble’s tea party and bringing a bottle of iced black tea from a convenience store.

Yet the old lady’s delight was genuine and definitely not feigned.

It seemed Fan Yuxuan was right—she loved everything related to the Buddha. His intel was remarkably accurate.

“Thank you. I will cherish this gift,” the old lady said, placing the jade Buddha on her display cabinet alongside the other statues and treasures.

Immediately, I saw a massive amount of Buddhist essence surge into the jade Buddha.

It merged perfectly with the surrounding energy field and atmosphere in an instant.

It was a marvelous feeling—as if it had been a fake monk just a moment ago, but after being placed with the Bodhisattvas and Arhats, it had “attained Buddhahood” and become one of them.

I suddenly recalled what Xiao Qing had told me: Dharma artifacts can be nourished and born within an energy field.

Even an object that isn’t a Dharma artifact at the start can become a true one if left at the center of a powerful energy field for a period of time.

I understood instantly why there were so many Dharma artifacts here.

Because of the energy field, this room—filled with so many Buddhist items—had formed a “Pure Land.”

Any object related to the Buddhist sect would merge with this energy field the moment it entered.

Of course, the core was still the pagoda on the altar table.

The energy fields of all the artifacts were oriented toward it, converging in one place.

The setup gave off a feeling of “Ten Thousand Buddhas Paying Homage to the Source.”

I estimated that most of the treasures here weren’t Dharma artifacts originally; they were just ordinary handicrafts.

Under the influence of the pagoda, they slowly transformed into Dharma artifacts, which in turn formed this dense energy field of Buddhist light.

Anything related to Buddhism placed in this house would be assimilated by the light and gradually become an artifact.

This place was essentially a production line for Buddhist Dharma artifacts.

I also realized that if these artifacts were frequently changed or sold, it would cause the energy field to become unstable and the light to scatter, eventually losing the ability to transform objects.

It was precisely because the old lady sincerely worshipped and loved collecting these items that this situation could be maintained.

After setting the jade Buddha in place, the old lady walked back.

“You truly are a devout disciple of the Buddha,” I said with a smile.

“Hehe, that’s because a high monk saved my life when I was young. Back then, he told me I shared a destiny with the Buddha,” the old lady replied.

“Oh? Would you mind telling me about it?” I asked, intrigued.

“You might not believe it, but do you know about being ‘possessed’?” she asked.

“Do you mean like being possessed by a ghost or losing one’s soul?” I asked, recalling the definitions I had recently read in the books.

“Yes, exactly. I can’t remember exactly what happened back then, but when I was very small, it was as if my soul had vanished. I couldn’t speak or move. My parents were so worried they invited everyone they could find, but no one could save me.”

“Then, a relative recommended a high monk. He came to my bedside and chanted a scripture, and my soul seemed to be summoned back. He also said I had a destiny with the Buddha.”

“My parents were so overwhelmed with gratitude they wanted the master to take me as a disciple or let me call him my foster father. But the master refused everything, saying that those who have left the secular world must be free of the six desires, so he wouldn’t take a female disciple or a foster daughter.”

“However, he still gave me a Buddhist treasure for protection. Afterward, he kept in touch with our family and helped us out of many difficult situations. From then on, I sincerely believed that the Lord Buddha would truly protect me.”

“Later, when the master passed away, his will dictated that the Sarira left after his cremation, along with his inheritance, be given to me. He also gave me instructions: I was to use his inheritance to buy an apartment here in Liubai Court and enshrine his Sarira here. He said it could suppress demons and evil spirits, so I moved here.”

“That pagoda is the Sarira Stupa enshrining the master’s remains. Since I moved here, I’ve worshipped with a sincere heart, and the Lord Buddha has blessed me with good health and constant wealth. Now, I’ve even bought the lower floors; the rent alone is enough to keep me well-fed and clothed for the rest of my life.”

Perhaps the old lady was too lonely living by herself, or perhaps she just really loved telling the story of that high monk.

Since a guest had finally arrived, she told me a great deal in one go.