Runan looked at Ruzhong's gaze. His expression was neither joyful nor sorrowful. He raised his hand to push away Ruzhong's hand resting on his shoulder and rebuked him with a Dharma voice:
"Ruzhong has been bewitched by the Evil Buddha. The desires and greed in his heart are like a calamity."
"Attendants, take him down and suppress him for a century. Let the numerous supreme Buddhist scriptures cleanse his mind and purge the filth until his sanity is restored."
The Dharma voice rippled outward.
Outside Zhengyin Dharma Temple, echoes also rippled in distant waves.
As soon as Runan's words fell, the attendant Arhats stood up and approached Ruzhong.
Ruzhong did not resist in the slightest, allowing the Arhats to reach out and grab his arms.
These words spoken here would eventually spread out, at least within the Buddhist Sect. If Runan did not handle it, or if he tacitly approved, it would mean that matters long settled in the past could potentially be overturned and revisited.
The dispute over the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings, besides being about the fundamental doctrines of the Buddhist Sect, was actually mixed with other interests.
The most important and critical aspect was the Secular Buddhas of the Buddhist Sect.
If the theories of the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings were truly followed to the letter, the Secular Buddhas should not exist within the Buddhist Sect at all.
The Secular Buddhas themselves were created by the Buddhist Sect for the sake of survival and profit, absorbing external cultivators in the process.
Not to mention now, even back then, the Karma Buddhas looked upon the Secular Buddhas with disdain, viewing them as inferior.
They did not understand the Buddhist Dharma, nor did they comprehend the future.
They did not know the principles, nor did they understand cause and effect.
If the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings were truly established as the main doctrine, the status of the Secular Buddhas would drop even further.
There was a high probability they would be stripped of the title of Buddha, and correspondingly, their interests and rights would rapidly decline.
From the perspective of the Secular Buddhas, it was simply unacceptable for the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings to become the mainstream.
At that time, the situation of the Buddhist Sect was not very good either. With the changing external circumstances, they could not accept the Secular Buddhas deviating, let alone rebelling against the Buddhist Sect.
At least, not at that time.
What exactly the theory of the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings entailed, or whether it was a step forward, was no longer a problem to be considered at that time.
A great Dharma reform should not happen at the most critical moment.
Some Karma Buddhas were disappointed by the events of those years and left the Buddhist Sect to wander, like Huawu True Buddha. There were also those like Buddha Ruzhong, who chose to give up on themselves, and there were Buddhas who perished because of it back then.
Taking advantage of this, the Secular Buddhas took deep root within the Buddhist Sect.
It would not be easy to push the issue again.
Later on, there were various reasons.
Runan looked at Ruzhong with a clouded gaze. The situation now was exactly the same.
Xuanqing Heavenly Sect, Tianyan Sect, and Taidao Sect had united and broken their tacit understanding, marching directly into the Western Niu Continent, destroying Buddhist temples and dismantling faith.
News from the Southern Continent had also been delivered back. Chu Xingchen had indeed slain one of the Celestial Demons in the Southern Continent.
Not all sects among the Eighteen Immortal Sects were interested in the other four continents.
Many sects only managed their own territory. The flow of spiritual veins was enough to drive a sect's ascension, so why compete with other sects for spiritually barren lands where the benefits were not that great.
The Eighteen Immortal Sects had already reached an extremely high position. For them, the principle that no conflict means no disaster held true.
Chu Xingchen's purpose in slaying demons had also become clear.
Even these reclusive sects had begun to contact the three sects to inquire about the situation and whether a joint effort was needed…
Moreover, previously, Chu Xingchen had even implicitly stated that among the Buddhas, there might be a Celestial Demon lurking like a tiger.
How should the Buddhist Sect conduct itself?
The three sects' joint target was the Buddhist Sect.
If the three sects were to unite and investigate the Secular Buddhas of the Buddhist Sect, how should the Buddhist Sect conduct itself?
If they agreed, whether they would be destroyed or not, wouldn't that be handing the right to choose to the other side?
If they didn't agree, would there be even greater changes?
But choosing to hand over their cards for others to play was undoubtedly the most unacceptable thing.
Chu Xingchen wanted to eliminate demons, but wouldn't other sects use this as an excuse to tear apart the Buddhist Sect, attempting to carve it up and devour it?
The Buddhist Sect still occupied spiritual veins, and this temptation was enough to drive people mad.
Among cultivators who could ascend to the Tribulation Transcendence realm, where were the truly stupid ones?
Great talent and intelligence were also key points for cultivators to ascend to higher realms.
Once the wind changed direction, the Secular Buddhas alone might be enough to tear apart the current Buddhist Sect.
What Runan's true thoughts were no longer mattered. What he could do now was to appease these Secular Buddhas. At the very least, on the debate over the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings, he must take a firm stance.
How many people had devoted their blood and sweat to the continuation of the Buddhist Sect to this day? How many predecessors had bravely sacrificed themselves?
Changes could be made in the future, but they could not allow it to completely fall apart at this very moment.
Inside the main hall of Zhengyin Dharma Temple, the attendant Arhats gently led Ruzhong away, retreating slowly.
Ruzhong stepped backward, his gaze calmly meeting Runan's half-closed eyes, watching as he no longer raised his gaze to look at him even once.
He spoke softly, his tone sincere:
"Junior Brother, if it truly comes to choosing between the Buddhist Sect and the common people of the world, what would you choose?"
Runan lowered his gaze, pretending not to hear these words.
"If a choice had been made earlier, could there have been a bit more peace in this world?" Ruzhong stared directly at Runan, who was clad in a gorgeous kasaya, his eyes lowered and seeing nothing of the world.
This obsession had ultimately obscured the gaze of the most sincere Buddhist Son of the past.
Ruzhong opened his mouth to speak, but looking at Runan's expression, he didn't know how to say it.
Once Ruzhong was led out of Zhengyin Dharma Temple, Runan raised his eyes and ordered:
"Attendants, relay the order. Tighten the encirclement and slay the Evil Buddha on the spot. Do not let him escape the borders of the Western Niu Continent."
The Dharma voice fell. A crimson-gold transmission flew out. The order had been given.
At this moment, the hall returned to peace.
Time flowed, and the Buddha statues stood solemn.
The chanting continued endlessly, saving all sentient beings.
After an unknown amount of time, a Buddha quickly entered from outside the hall. After performing a Buddhist salute, he looked at Runan and reported directly:
"Huang Miao of Xuanqing Heavenly Sect has pressed upon the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. Chen Xiao of Tianyan Sect is advancing toward the Evil Buddha's location."
"Daoist Yuyang of Taidao Sect sent someone to reprimand and deliver an order, asking why we are not keeping our promise. Some time ago, Chu Xingchen's fourth disciple, Lin Luoyu, arrived at Daoist Yuyang's place holding a token."
"Furthermore, disciples of the three sects are disrupting our arrangements."
"Now that Chu Xingchen has resolved the matter in the Southern Continent, he has already changed direction."
"This man has a meticulous mind and diverse methods; we must be on guard against him."
"He must clearly understand the role of the Evil Buddha. If he truly rescues and takes the Evil Buddha away, the future situation will inevitably become even more difficult."
Runan sat up and looked at the Secular Buddha below, his tone calm:
"There are a total of sixteen Buddhas who have crossed the river this time. I will take nine to intercept them, and the rest will go and quickly suppress the Evil Buddha."
"My order has been given. Go and execute it quickly."
The Buddha received a satisfactory answer, performed another Buddhist salute, and turned to leave.
After all, compared to facing top-tier cultivators like Huang Miao, and who knew how many Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, taking only nine people was already very few.
Although the Evil Buddha had a terrible reputation, he was the only one at the Tribulation Transcendence realm, and he had been suppressed for a long time.
If seven against one still couldn't win, then the Buddha seat should have been taken by the Evil Buddha back then.
Just as Runan was about to rise and leave, whether by some sudden intuition or enlightenment, he suddenly turned his head to look at the enshrined Buddha statue.
This Buddha statue… was carved to bear a slight resemblance to him.
Runan withdrew his gaze and walked out, ordering at the same time:
"Rebuild this Buddha statue."
The Arhats and Bodhisattvas replied in unison:
"We obey the Venerable's command."
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