"Mr. Ji, should we overturn the entire Blissful Plateau and slaughter all these hypocritical baldasses at Little Thunderclap Temple?"
The Four-Unlike wasn't a pushover; it possessed a naturally belligerent gene.
Hearing Ji Mo's intention to destroy Little Thunderclap Temple, it felt immensely excited.
Buddhism always proclaimed its compassion and its mission to save all sentient beings, but some monks, while appearing benevolent to others, secretly committed heinous acts.
Even those who considered themselves Buddhas were not free from worldly desires, preying on their followers and accumulating immense sins.
The Four-Unlike detested these hypocrites the most and strongly supported Ji Mo's plan to raze Little Thunderclap Temple.
"What are you talking about? I've always been refined and easy-going, how could I be a cruel person? This time, I will win them over with virtue."
Ji Mo pinched his chin, a sharp glint in his eyes, having already conceived his next move.
"Refined and easy-going? There's no one more brutal than you in this world."
The Four-Unlike grumbled inwardly, recalling Ji Mo's kick to the goatee old man's groin the previous day.
It suspected that Little Thunderclap Temple was in for big trouble.
"Let's start here."
Ji Mo looked up at a distant pagoda and strode towards it.
"Mr. Ji, how are we going to do this?"
The Four-Unlike trotted along, filled with curiosity.
Ji Mo smiled enigmatically and uttered a Buddhist chant. His entire demeanor shifted instantly, and wisps of Buddhist charm began to flow from him.
The pagoda was intricately carved and resplendent with gold and jade.
A distinguished monk sat cross-legged in the center, lecturing and enlightening the surrounding believers, his presence solemn and dignified.
Before him lay a large pile of treasures, including immortal crystals and fine jade.
Clearly, listening to his teachings was not free; it required payment, and a hefty one at that.
No one knew what the eminent monk was saying, but the surrounding devotees listened with rapt attention, nodding frequently. They then took out various treasures and respectfully offered them before him. Ji Mo chose this spot because he could no longer tolerate a monk so brazenly fleecing these ignorant believers.
Monks were supposed to be detached from worldly possessions; how could such greed be fitting?
"Master, I have a confusion in my heart that I cannot resolve. I implore you to guide me."
Ji Mo entered the pagoda, appearing humble, and addressed the eminent monk, seeking his counsel.
The eminent monk glanced at Ji Mo indifferently, noting that he was merely a young man in ordinary attire, and displayed a hint of impatience.
Ji Mo continued, "Master, if you can resolve my confusion, you will certainly receive ample incense money."
Seeing Ji Mo's understanding, the eminent monk's expression brightened. "Please speak."
"Master, if a walnut is caught in a door, can it still nourish the brain?"
Ji Mo posed his first question.
Upon hearing this, some people nearby couldn't help but chuckle, believing Ji Mo was deliberately causing trouble.
The eminent monk glared at Ji Mo, also thinking he was there to stir up trouble. However, he soon furrowed his brow, sensing an unusual Buddhist charm emanating from Ji Mo.
His expression turned serious, and he pondered Ji Mo's question carefully, believing it held a profound meaning. Regardless of whether he answered yes or no, he would fall into the other's trap.
After much deliberation, he still could not come up with a foolproof answer.
Ji Mo chuckled softly. It seemed this monk's business acumen was lacking. He then posed his second question: "Master, let me ask a simpler one: if a pregnant woman assaults someone, does it count as a group assault?"
"Naturally, it doesn't..."
The eminent monk answered immediately, wanting to save face. But upon seeing the faint smile on Ji Mo's face, he felt uneasy and immediately changed his tune, "It should count."
Buddhist teachings state that all things have a spirit, let alone a fetus, which is another entity. Therefore, a pregnant woman could be considered two people, making it a group assault.
However, if he were to definitively state that a pregnant woman assaulting someone counted as a group assault, the surrounding believers might just think his own brain had been caught in a door.
The eminent monk quickly shook his head, rejecting this answer, as he did not want to be perceived as an idiot by outsiders.
"This fellow is here with ill intentions, using such trap-laden questions to scheme against me. How insidious!"
The eminent monk was extremely anxious, unable to devise a suitable answer despite racking his brain, his mind in turmoil.
Such questions could not be answered carelessly; one wrong move could damage his reputation or even lead to his downfall.
"Since Master cannot answer the first two questions, I will ask the simplest one. Master, which came first in this world, the chicken or the egg?"
Ji Mo looked at the now utterly flustered monk and posed his third question.
"Naturally, the chicken came first, then the egg, as everyone knows chickens lay eggs... No, chickens hatch from eggs. Without eggs, where would chickens come from? Should it be the egg first? That's not right either..."
The eminent monk's brow was deeply furrowed as he muttered to himself.
He couldn't help but scratch his ears and rub his cheeks, his mind becoming increasingly confused as he got tangled up.
This question, seemingly simple, was in fact profoundly deep, containing the origin of life and the true meaning of the Great Dao.
His mind was in chaos, and in his anxiety, he stood up and paced back and forth.
His eyes gradually lost focus, his heart lost its clarity, and his entire demeanor became erratic.
"Holy cow, what is Mr. Ji doing? With just three questions, he's driven a distinguished monk of Little Thunderclap Temple to madness!"
The Four-Unlike was incredibly shocked. Seeing the master jumping and laughing, it was clear his Dao heart had faltered, and he had fallen into a state of obsession.
To have an eminent monk driven mad by questions like this was too terrifying!
The other believers around them all retreated a considerable distance in fear, gazing at Ji Mo with terror, lest they too be affected.
Ji Mo, however, did not linger and turned to leave.
He had expected the eminent monks of Little Thunderclap Temple to have some substance, but it seemed they were truly unimpressive.
Next, Ji Mo continued his journey, entering various temples along the way and engaging in debates with the eminent monks within.
A terrifying phenomenon occurred: no matter how distinguished or virtuous the monk he encountered, Ji Mo easily defeated them with just a few Buddhist phrases.
Of course, Ji Mo won using the most orthodox Buddhist principles, achieving victory with integrity.
As his debates continued to be successful, the Buddhist aura emanating from Ji Mo grew rapidly.
Even though there was no trace of Buddhist light on him, with every gesture, Buddhist charm flowed, making him appear like a true Buddha walking the earth.
Even the Four-Unlike dared not approach Ji Mo too closely, fearing it might lose control and become Ji Mo's devoted follower.
It looked on in disbelief. In such a short period, Ji Mo's Buddhist cultivation had grown terrifyingly, his comprehension absolutely unparalleled, both in the past and the future.
Throughout the long years, the Four-Unlike had witnessed countless prodigies and heroes, but Ji Mo was the most heaven-defying talent it had ever encountered.
Ji Mo pressed onward towards Little Thunderclap Temple. As he continued to win debates, more and more believers began to gather behind him, including even over a dozen figures with large tonsures.
These were the eminent monks he had defeated, who, having been convinced by his arguments, willingly chose to follow him.
Ji Mo's deeds caused a tremendous stir.
It had been many years since anyone dared to cause trouble on the Blissful Plateau. Such actions were undoubtedly a direct affront to Little Thunderclap Temple, and they were destined to have no good outcome.
As expected.
Upon entering the heart of the Blissful Plateau, with Little Thunderclap Temple now within sight, Ji Mo finally encountered resistance.
"What demon dares to disturb the sacred purity of the Buddhist realm? You shall be executed!"
Four golden, radiant Arhat figures appeared, sealing off all directions and firmly trapping Ji Mo.
The Four Great Vajra Protectors of Little Thunderclap Temple had arrived in unison, jointly attacking Ji Mo.