Chapter 1058: Chapter 1056: The Huichang Persecution of Buddhism 3
Dream Dao Attainment, Opening Scheme Against Cultivators
Dream-Making Expert
The Buddha Ancestor Tathagata roared, and everything clicked.
“Hmph.”
“This old monk thought he had some astonishing method.”
“But it turns out it’s just the same medicine in a new bottle.”
“Back then, you tricked this old monk into carrying out the Extermination of Buddhism in the Human Realm, sowing discord, causing this old monk to fall out of favor with the Buddhist Supremes.”
“And now you actually want to pull the same trick again.”
“Trick this old monk into this Huichang Persecution of Buddhism historical event.”
“Haha.”
“The same scheme and trickery won’t work on this old monk!”
“Shut up, you wicked creature! Beat him! Beat him to death!” Yun Jiu.
The Abbot was so furious his beard bristled and his eyes glared. He roared, personally raised the Commandment Staff, and killing intent arose in his heart.
The Buddha Ancestor Tathagata believed he had already seen through Lin Qi’s scheme.
So he let out a cold laugh, fearless of death, and pointed at his own head as he said to the Abbot.
“Come, come, come. Hit me right here. If you can’t beat this old monk to death today, then you might as well retire and return to lay life!”
“Bang!”
A tremendous crash.
The Commandment Staff in the Abbot’s hand broke clean in two.
The Buddha Ancestor Tathagata’s head immediately rang with a buzzing noise, his vision went black, and he knew nothing more.
When he woke from the deep darkness, head spinning and dizzy.
He found himself lying on a wooden plank bed, his body seemingly deprived of all sensation, unable to move.
He laughed coldly to himself, assuming Lin Qi had failed with one scheme and devised another.
But his heart was as clear as ice; even if the heavens fell, he would not be startled.
He couldn’t even be bothered to open his eyes. Tired. Destroy it all.
Lin Qi, do whatever you want. Just see if this old monk pays you any attention.
As the thought of lying flat arose in his heart, the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata suddenly felt the world grow vast.
Just like that, he lay flat and gave up, reluctant even to open his eyes, letting someone manipulate his body like a vegetable, not hearing, not listening, not seeing.
How long passed like this, ignorant of the cold and heat, day and night.
Suddenly.
Hasty footsteps rushed in. It was the Abbot of Great Ci’en Temple.
“Little Lin still hasn’t recovered?”
The Abbot of Great Ci’en Temple looked at the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata lying on the bed like a vegetable, unable to hide his anxiety.
Back then, in a fit of rage, he had nearly beaten this body of the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata to death.
Now he regretted it greatly.
Because it was already the second year of Huichang.
And just two days ago.
The Emperor had already begun to move against the Buddhist order, forcibly ordering Buddhist disciples to return to lay life.
In Chang’an alone, as many as three thousand Buddhist disciples were forced to return to lay life.
At the same time, among the Buddhist temples in Chang’an, only four could be preserved.
Although Great Ci’en Temple was one of the four preserved temples.
It still had a large number of disciples forced to return to lay life.
If not for the old incense ties left by Xuanzang, Great Ci’en Temple likely would not have escaped either, and could not even have kept its quota of thirty monks.
The world had suddenly changed so bizarrely.
The Emperor’s displeasure with the Buddhist order was plain for all to see.
Under those circumstances, even the most optimistic Buddhist disciples could not help but feel uneasy, worried that the Extermination of Buddhism that had once occurred would come again.
Under such circumstances.
The Abbot of Ci’en Temple, while bleeding inside as he selected the list of those who could remain in the temple, suddenly remembered the wicked creature who had nearly been beaten to death on his orders for blaspheming the Buddha.
It would have been better not to think of it.
The moment he thought of it.
The Abbot of Ci’en Temple suddenly recalled the words this wicked creature had once said about the Huichang Persecution of Buddhism.
So he hurried over.
Seeing the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata lying on the bed like a living corpse.
The Abbot of Ci’en Temple could only treat a dead horse as a live one.
He ordered disciples to quickly fetch the best physician, while he sat cross-legged beside the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata, reciting scriptures, muttering endlessly in the hope that the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata would quickly wake.
To explain in detail what the Huichang Persecution of Buddhism was.
The Buddha Ancestor Tathagata, disturbed by the Abbot of Ci’en Temple so badly he could not sleep, very much wanted to get up and give him a big slap.
But he held back.
He realized this was probably Lin Qi’s scheme.
It was meant to force him to participate in the Huichang Persecution of Buddhism, and perhaps even to lead the Buddhist order in resistance.
And then be ruthlessly beaten by Lin Qi again.
Hmph, this old monk has already seen through your scheme.
Not listening, not listening, the tortoise chants scriptures!
The Buddha Ancestor Tathagata was dead set on lying flat, determined to be a wise man who does not enter schemes.
So the Abbot of Ci’en Temple could only leave helplessly, but he did not completely give up, choosing to keep the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata on the big list of thirty names.
Afterward, cold and heat came and went, time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, it was the seventh month of the fourth year of Huichang.
The Emperor’s decrees against the Buddhist order not only did not subside, but grew fiercer and fiercer.
Last year’s Order to Purge Monks had already shocked the world.
This year, new decrees came down, beginning the forced demolition of Buddhist temples across the realm.
The Abbot of Ci’en Temple was so anxious he wished he could infiltrate the palace and assassinate the tyrant.
But the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata was still lying flat and giving up.
And that wisp of phantom will of the Supreme Tathagata was likewise quietly watching.
“It seems This Venerable’s blade still isn’t fast enough?”
“They still haven’t made a move.”
“It seems they haven’t yet been pushed to the point of complete desperation.”
“That’s right.”
“After all, according to historical records.”
“This Huichang Persecution of Buddhism ultimately did not exterminate the Buddhist order’s Dao Lineages.”
“After the Huichang Persecution of Buddhism, the Buddhist order’s传承 still flowed on and on.”
“They are not panicking, not rushing. That is understandable.”
“Then let’s continue.”
“Let’s see just how long they can endure!”
Lin Qi’s gaze was indifferent.
He was greatly dissatisfied with the forbearance of the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata and the Supreme Tathagata.
After all, others might not know, but how could the two of them not know?
The Buddhist order had no place to stand in the future Dream Bubble Shadow.
The Sixth Precept that Lin Qi had descended using the Demon Buddha as sacrifice: There Is No Buddha in the World might not truly be able to completely sever the Buddhist order’s future in the New World.
But with this Sixth Precept present.
The Buddhist order’s development in the New World was destined to struggle at every step, to get half the result with twice the effort.
If they wanted to restore the Buddhist order’s glory in the New World, the Buddhist order had to find another path.
For example, colluding with Lin Qi.
And Lin Qi was now giving the Buddhist order a chance.
As long as the Buddhist order was willing to cooperate with him to perfect the history of the New World’s Earth, and even integrate the entire Buddhist order’s inheritance into the history of the New World’s Earth.
Only then.
Even if the Sixth Precept: There Is No Buddha in the World would not be altered or canceled by Lin Qi.
As long as the Buddhist order was willing to cooperate with Lin Qi in suppressing the cultivation paths of the other forces.
Then the Buddhist order could likewise stand on the same starting line as the other four Supreme Forces.
Leading an opponent is not easy, but can’t you drag an opponent back?
Lin Qi did not believe that the Supreme Tathagata, with his wisdom, could fail to see his arrangements and plans for Ancestral Star Earth.
Once the Buddhist order was willing to join in.
The rest was hard to say.
But within Ancestral Star Earth, the Buddhist order could naturally stand once more on the same starting line as the other four Supreme Forces, hard to tell who was superior.
Because Ancestral Star forbade cultivation.
And this was also the key reason why Ancestral Star Earth, once it succeeded in Refining the False into the True, could truly determine the fate of the New World.
With individual great power absent, Ancestral Star Earth, invulnerable to all methods, would be difficult for anyone to control or grasp.
If one wanted to seize the Supreme authority of the New World by grasping and controlling Ancestral Star.
They could only rely on the mortals of Ancestral Star Earth.
Under these circumstances.
If the Buddhist order could take deep root in the history of Ancestral Star Earth, eternal and undying.
Then even if they could not manifest in the Human Realm, or roam the Star River.
It would still be enough to let the Supreme Tathagata and the other Buddhist Supremes stand undefeated in the New World.
But unfortunately, the Supreme Tathagata did not seem to believe that Ancestral Star Earth, which currently existed only in the illusion of a dream, could become the key to determining the Supreme authority of the New World in the future.
Or perhaps He simply did not believe Lin Qi had the ability to truly create the New World Earth from the Supreme hunt.
“But with your wisdom.”
“Even if you don’t believe This Venerable can do it.”
“Can it be you don’t even understand the principle that all eggs cannot be placed in one basket?”
“The opportunity is already before you.”
“Even if you don’t think This Venerable will succeed.”
“Why not have your Buddhist order place a small bet, gamble on a one-in-a-thousand chance!”
Lin Qi muttered to himself within the imperial palace, not hiding his designs.
But he did not rush.
Instead, he continued advancing bit by bit according to the remaining process of the Huichang Persecution of Buddhism event from the fleeting glimpse in his memory.
Soon.
Time came to the fifth year of Huichang.
The final climax recorded in the annals regarding this Huichang Persecution of Buddhism arrived as scheduled.
This year.
The Emperor’s targeting of the Buddhist order was thoroughly undisguised.
According to the history Lin Qi had read.
In the third month of this year, Emperor Wuzong of Tang, Li Yan, first ordered an investigation of all temples in the realm, forbidding the Buddhist order from building more estates, and also demanded an audit of Buddhist monks’ property.
By the fourth month.
Emperor Wuzong of Tang, Li Yan, formally ordered the Extermination of Buddhism.
It was decreed that Chang’an could keep four temples, Luoyang could keep two, and the thirty-four prefectures where military governors resided could keep one temple each.
Beyond that, all temples must be completely destroyed, and all fields and property confiscated.
Bronze Buddha statues were melted down to cast coins, iron ones made into farm tools.
And in temples across the realm, all monks and nuns under fifty years of age were to return to lay life.
At this point the Huichang Persecution of Buddhism had thoroughly entered its final stage.
According to history.
If Emperor Wuzong of Tang, Li Yan, had not died in the sixth year of Huichang.
Then this Huichang Persecution of Buddhism, recorded in history, even if it could not completely cut off Buddhism’s inheritance, would still be enough to make Buddhism sink into decline.
After all, at this time Emperor Wuzong of Tang, Li Yan, was only thirty-three years old.
“In true history, Emperor Wuzong of Tang, Li Yan, will naturally die next year.”
“But at this moment This Venerable sits upon the dragon throne.”
“Supreme Tathagata, if you still refuse to enter and make a move.”
“Then This Venerable doesn’t mind completely erasing the Buddhist order’s existence from the future Ancestral Star Earth.”
“When that time comes, if This Venerable loses, you can naturally be indifferent.”
“But if This Venerable has even the slightest chance of winning.”
“Supreme Tathagata.”
“You will become the Buddhist order’s true sinner.”
“So, will you enter this game or not!”
Lin Qi’s gaze was indifferent as he looked toward Great Ci’en Temple.
This was just a dream, a great dream relying on the Root of the Great Dream, still countless difficulties away from truly Refining the False into the True.
But Lin Qi knew, and the Supreme Tathagata must also know.
This dream might be false, but this dream might also be real.
So, whether or not to follow.
Within Great Ci’en Temple.
The Abbot, old and frail, having lost all his essence, qi, and spirit, knelt before the Divine Statue of the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata.
Behind him were the last nine disciples of Ci’en Temple.
Among them was still the living dead Little Lin.
Finally.
After who knew how long, amid near-despairing scripture chanting.
That clay Buddha statue finally opened its eyes. The Supreme Tathagata glanced coldly at the imperial palace, then, under the Abbot’s shocked gaze.
A golden light descended from the Buddha statue, landing exactly upon the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata who was half-dead and lying flat.
The voice was indifferent, the will majestic.
“Go.”
“Go to the imperial palace and beat him to death!”
……
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