The most terrifying thing in the world is an innocent person who has been brainwashed. And when these so-called innocent believers discover they've been deceived, their rage can consume everything.
Qin Yexuan, standing alone with his feet on the lotus platform, didn't need to speak. He simply pointed at Dongling Temple.
The special guards of the War Department, disguised among the believers, understood immediately. They began to raise their arms and shout, "The monks in Dongling Temple are fake! The one upstairs is a fake Buddha Mother! We've all been fooled!"
"Let's go and get an explanation from the monks!"
"Smash this temple occupied by demons!"
"Make the monks return our incense money!"
Tens of thousands of believers surged forward, armed with stones, garbage, bottles, iron rods, and shards of glass – anything they could find. They charged directly at the temple.
The so-called virgin boy and maiden scattered in fear. Where the Buddha Lotus had been, a black mist rose.
When the believers surrounded the area, the Buddha Lotus had vanished, leaving only the Peacock Ming King's attire. Even the Buddha hat was torn to shreds by the mob.
"Charge! Into the temple!"
The monks of Dongling Temple were petrified and tightly shut the main gate.
But against the tide of believers, no gate could hold.
The main gate shattered with a crash. The believers were like madmen.
All the monks in the temple were dragged out and forced to kneel before the main hall.
At this moment, someone discovered the location of the cellar.
This was it. All the sins and secrets hidden within Dongling Temple were now exposed to the believers.
The sandalwood underground, the monks forced into hard labor, and the piles of white bones found below.
All of this proved one thing: this was a den of evil, not a holy Buddhist sanctuary!
"Tie up these demons and burn this temple!"
The turn of events even surprised Qin Yexuan.
As flames soared into the sky, he couldn't help but shake his head, "It seems Dongling Temple's tens of thousands of believers will still need time to change. If these people won't wake up, they must be guided!"
Li Tianxing's War Department had already surrounded the area and would soon come to clean up the mess.
Qin Yexuan turned and looked, a smile playing on his lips as he walked towards the Ten Thousand Buddha Platform.
The place was a mess. The believers were still surrounding Dongling Temple, and the ground was covered with garbage.
The "Lotus Girl" was now slumped in a corner of the Ten Thousand Buddha Platform, seemingly injured.
Hmm, during the chaos, she slipped away from the black mist and managed this in such a short time. Didn't she find it tiring?
Qin Yexuan found it amusing.
It seemed Buddha Lotus was still unwilling to give up. She still wanted to gamble, betting that he didn't know her true identity.
Buddha Lotus's actions were, of course, for the sake of the three great mysteries.
Now, two of the great mysteries had been solved. The only thing they didn't know was the woman who was neither human nor ghost…
Qin Yexuan was the only one who knew Wang Jiaqian's secret for now.
Qin Yexuan walked over gently, helped Buddha Lotus up, and examined her, "Did those believers push you just now? Look, you've even hit your head."
Buddha Lotus put on a pitiful act, "I was so scared, especially when I saw the monks of Dongling Temple appear. I remembered being abused by them before, so I accidentally fell."
Qin Yexuan picked her up and smiled, "Dongling Temple is finished. The believers stormed in and smashed the Buddha statues and halls. They all want to rescue the true Buddha Mother."
Buddha Lotus's heart ached, but she forced a look of joy, "Dongling Temple has fallen, what need is there for a Buddha Mother?"
Qin Yexuan deliberately sighed, then put her down, his eyes clear, "Lotus, you are the true Buddha Mother. From now on, Dongling Temple, the island, and the Azure Dragon Temple on the Korai continent will all require you to be the Buddha Mother to control them!"
Buddha Lotus was stunned, not understanding what he meant.
Qin Yexuan smiled, "Didn't you say before that you were nominally the Peacock Ming King's Buddha Mother of Dongling Temple? That scoundrel Fa Wu has always used you as a substitute Buddha Mother… How perfect! The real Buddha Mother was killed by me. You can impersonate her, and I can use you to control these believers."
Buddha Lotus couldn't believe it.
Qin Yexuan continued without any pretense, "I know you are a fake Buddha Mother, used by them. But now you have to do something better, guide them towards kindness. So, I will make you the true Buddha Mother."
As he spoke, some men from the War Department carried over the golden lotus platform.
Qin Yexuan pointed at the lotus platform and fiddled with a Sarira, "What, Lotus? You're unwilling? This is a good thing…"
Buddha Lotus's breath hitched.
This… this scoundrel, shameless, detestable! He was more like a demon than anyone from any demonic sect.
Qin Yexuan, however, remained calm and composed, "Dongling Temple's goal was to manipulate believers and commit evil deeds. I, on the other hand, want to save these brainwashed people. So, although you are a puppet, you were a bad puppet before, and now you will be a good puppet. Do you understand?"
Understand your ass!
Buddha Lotus was almost furious enough to faint.
Qin Yexuan's move was too ruthless, too poisonous. It wasn't enough to destroy Dongling Temple; he wanted to take over the believers she had painstakingly cultivated!
But she had no words.
After all, she had willingly become a spy, willingly disguised herself as a good person, and now she was Qin Yexuan's personal secretary. What right did she have to object to such a "good thing"?
Finally, Buddha Lotus gritted her teeth and appeared with Qin Yexuan before the ruins of Dongling Temple. Beneath that golden lotus platform, she accepted the worship of the surprised believers.
The statue of the Peacock Ming King still stood, and the faith in the Buddha Mother remained.
Qin Yexuan transformed himself into the "Chief Venerable Master under the Buddha Mother!"
Buddha Lotus, suppressing her grief and pain, forced a smile and watched as Qin Yexuan gradually gained control of her tens of thousands of believers.
This was the foundation built over so many years, with so much effort. In the blink of an eye…
Unwilling, unbearable!
The more she thought about it, the more stifled she felt. Buddha Lotus's vision darkened, and she almost fainted again.
Qin Yexuan, looking at the arriving Li Tianxing, chuckled softly, "Dongling Temple will disappear from this day on, but the faith in the Buddha Mother won't vanish overnight. Let's rebuild a temple here, on these ruins."
Li Tianxing looked at his teacher with reverence.
Such a massive case, a seemingly unsolvable situation, and Mister had single-handedly brought Dongling Temple to ashes with a wave of his hand. What profound wisdom this was.
"Mister… no, Great Venerable Master, what should we name the new temple?"
Qin Yexuan pondered for a moment, and the figure of Su Mingyue, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, suddenly appeared in his mind.
He clasped his hands behind his back and smiled, "Mingyue Temple!"
Li Tianxing departed on his orders. Qin Yexuan gently waved to the believers, his gaze fixed in the direction of Chaoge.
With the demise of Dongling Temple, he could now focus his attention on the chaos in Chaoge!