Qiantang Province City, Little Leiyin Temple.
Surrounded by myriad statues of Vajras, Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas, a grand banquet was in full swing.
The gathering at the banquet included distinguished Cultivators, Demons and Monsters, and warlords from over thirty provinces of the Northern Land. Given its high caliber, this assembly was renown throughout the world. After all, aside from those in power, it could truly be said that strong people were as common as clouds.
Particularly, the three Arhats of the Ultimate Happiness Realm, seated at the head of the gathering beneath the hundred-yard Buddha statue, each displayed a different Dharma Image, all appearing as if they were True Buddha Arhats from the Western Heavenly Bliss Land, inspiring a sense of reverence in anyone who cast eyes upon them.
Just beneath them was Cheng Arhat, the "King" of Qiantang Province in name, presiding over this Earthly Buddha Country.
He was originally just a warlord who had seized the opportunity to ascend swiftly to heaven. According to the memories of Zhen Buchi's Heart Soul, the Demon Buddha Temple had recognized him and intended to support him as a true Arhat.
Earlier, outside the city, his shameful history had been exposed by Great Abyss Zen Master, revealing him to be a hypocritical villain who had betrayed his master and origin.
However, this corpulent monk felt no shame in it; instead, he took pride.
Now lying within the Dragon Chariot, his body exuded a golden, sticky, and stenchy oil that slowly oozed out and dripped down the chariot, attracting dozens of red-haired rats from who knows where to steal bites below.
After consuming the human oil from his body, the Rat Demon radiated a glow. Its bones and skin crackled in noise, and it metamorphosed into a dangerously charming and beautiful Desire Heavenly Girl. Climbing onto the Dragon Chariot, she stuck out her tiny tongue and frantically licked more of the golden oil... This scene, though seemingly revolting, somehow felt as if imbued with some Buddhist truth, truly Abnormality.
At this moment, the hall was filled with countless such Mutations.
But that was normal, given many guests belonged to neutral camps or were part of heresy and heterodoxy.
Even more, however, were evil cultivators of sorts.
Fortunately, Tao Qian and Yunrong, known for their 'Ten Lifetimes of Resentful Couples' persona, required no others to join their intimate gatherings—nothing could be more reasonable.
You wouldn't believe it, but Lian Sha Arhat's most pampered disciple, the Beautiful Corpse, along with "Lady You Rui," the number one beauty of the Northern Land, tried to approach them but were brutally rejected, losing face.
The rest, sensing the power of this Buddhist couple, thought to fawn upon them, but witnessing this scene, they extinguished such thoughts.
They figured it would be more convenient to seek an audience at another time, or simply wait until South Sea Qingjing Zen Master established his teachings.
With everyone considering not to disturb them, Tao Qian took the opportunity to divert some of his Spirit and began to listen to the conversations intermingling with reckless festivities that leaked information in the hall.
"I possess immense Human Dao Destiny and have stumbled upon some secret techniques, allowing me to glimpse the major events of the seventy-two provinces without leaving my home."
"But that's just a rough outline; details and hidden secrets are hard to discern."
"Almost half of the Demons and warlords in the hall are destined to become dry bones in tombs, material for Refining Treasures. But after all, their statuses are no ordinary; they're just what I need to supplement my shortcomings. The only question is how to get them to talk more... Fortunately, I need not put in extra effort."
As Tao Qian chuckled to himself, his gaze swept over the Buddha candles in the hall as tall as a person and as thick as barrels, burning and exuding Exotic Fragrances.
A Record suddenly burst forth in his mind:
[Record Type: Buddha Fat Soul-Entering Incense Candle.]
[Record Type: Alien.]
[Record: This unique item comes from the Demon Buddha Temple. Within the temple, there are Arhats Bodhisattva Buddhas whose Dharma Bodies Mutated and secrete Buddha Fat daily. Heavenly Girls scrape it off and refine it into various treasures. Soul-Entering Incense Candle is one among them that causes one to divulge one's secrets involuntarily and leaves no trace afterward. Depending on their ranks, the effect varies in strength.]
[Note one: The candles in Little Leiyin Temple are of the weakest rank, merely guiding people to converse about secrets and gossip but unable to extract significant secrets.]
[Note two: Among the guests, like Gao Tianci, Yelü Baoshan, You Changqing, Zhu Xun, Shi Zhongsheng, Li Zhixian... a cohort of major warlords and representatives have all prepared high-grade candles in their rooms, wishing to stealthily steal the hidden secrets and Cultivation Techniques within the guests' spirits.]
[Note three: Your room has been prepared the same way. The Three Arhats are all curious as to what kind of techniques Qingjing Zen Master has Cultivated to be so powerful.]
Reading these Records flowing past, Tao Qian was speechless.
He knew there was no such thing as a free banquet, and the Demon Buddha Temple was a well-known Demon Sect - it wasn't exactly opening a Kaisan Hall. How could such hospitable treatment not have a hidden agenda?
In the meantime, before using these Demons to refine treasures, doing something else was only natural.
But could they really be this shameless?
Treating your guests with one visit?
While Tao Qian inwardly criticized, he also telepathically shared his findings with Yuan Gong.
In the next moment, Yuan Gong's voice, full of disdain and satire, came through telepathy:
"Youngster, your sharp Dharma Eyes have uncovered a big secret of the Demon Buddha Temple just by taking your seat."
"That is how the Demon Buddha Temple grew to power. We have always called those thieves 'Stealing Technique Temple.'"
"In fact, the 'Soul-Entering Incense Candle' is merely one of their least noticeable schemes. There are many more shameless tactics. Thousands of years ago, when the Great Freedom Temple and Dharma Cakra Temple held the highest respect, the Demon Buddha was weak. But then those vile monks used some secret technique to cultivate a massive number of Buddha Infants with Wisdom Heart Clarity and natural Buddha bodies."
"These Buddha Infants, under their secret arrangements, were taken in by various temples as True Inheritors and were taught all the secret techniques."
"Centuries later, the Buddha nature exploded within these accomplished True Inheritors, causing them to betray their temples en masse and join the Demon Buddha."
"After this event, although the Demon Buddha Temple had alienated almost all the Buddhist Temples, their power surged overnight, and no one could do anything about it."