Chapter 108: This Sect is Too Ruthless!
When Chu Xingchen returned, he saw Yuan Kong standing by the pond with his head lowered in dejection. The candied fruit in his hand was probably given by Chen Baiqing.
Chen Baiqing was reading a book by the pond at this moment. He seemed uninterested in paying attention to the little monk.
Chu Xingchen asked in confusion: "What are you doing here?"
Yuan Kong turned back, and upon seeing it was Chu Xingchen, he said frankly: "My senior brother wants your sarira and wanted to come over and talk with you."
Chu Xingchen nodded in understanding and said no more, instead walking directly toward the great hall.
Pushing open the hall door, he saw Li Yingling with her head lowered, not speaking, while Yuan Jing at the side also had a look of regret on his face.
It was obvious from their appearance that the negotiations had failed.
Hearing the door being pushed open, both of them looked over at the same time.
Li Yingling very considerately stood up and yielded her seat to Chu Xingchen.
Chu Xingchen stepped forward, closed the door behind him with spiritual power, and looked at Yuan Jing: "Yuan Kong told me. You want the Kalpana Sarira?"
Yuan Jing reached out and touched the handwritten copy on the table: "I am willing to trade with a top-tier heart sutra of the Central Plains' Buddhist sects."
Hearing this, Chu Xingchen frowned slightly. A top-tier Buddhist heart sutra? What use would I have for such a thing?
After sitting in the main seat, Chu Xingchen decisively refused: "We don't need this thing. Firstly, it's not very significant. I have no plans to open a temple, so I can't just recruit monks for the sake of this heart sutra, can I?"
"Secondly, I see the Abbot made this decision on his own, right? For something I don't need, and possibly provoking the Central Plains' Buddhist sects, what would I gain from it?"
"It can't just be for the collection value of this thing, can it?"
Hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Yuan Jing's face. Li Yingling's words of refusal were almost identical to Chu Xingchen's.
"What Patron says is reasonable... How about Patron tells this poor monk what you would like?"
Chu Xingchen thought for a moment, then asked first: "Why don't you tell me first, Abbot. What do you need the sarira for?"
Yuan Jing put his palms together: "The sarira is the bone, the Buddha Heart is the mind. Remove the bone and exchange for the mind, to reshape the innate foundation."
"The Abbot is certainly generous. But I see that Yuan Kong wants you to live well. Why bring him into this messy affair? Wouldn't it be better to use the Buddha Heart yourself to live longer and accompany him?"
"He no longer has the chance!" Yuan Jing looked at Chu Xingchen with a calm gaze: "If Yuan Kong doesn't set foot on the path of cultivation now, he will never have another chance."
"What do you mean?" Chu Xingchen asked in confusion.
"This poor monk cannot say, but that is the fact. A monk does not speak falsehoods!"
There must be some inside story to this matter, and it was not convenient to continue asking.
Chu Xingchen nodded lightly, then said: "I inquired about the price in the beginning. A Bodhisattva sarira is generally around thirty thousand spirit stones. How about a friendship price for the Abbot, twenty-five thousand?"
Hearing this, Yuan Jing's reaction was calm. This price could indeed be considered a friendship price.
It was just that Chanlin Temple did not have that many spirit stones... If he had that many spirit stones, why would he need to trade a Buddhist sutra?
Yuan Jing said with a sincere expression: "We do not have that many spirit stones right now. The entire Chanlin Temple can gather at most one thousand spirit stones. As for the rest, Yuan Kong can assume this debt in the future. He is the Buddha's Son, and his future cultivation will at least be at the Transformation Deity level. He will surely be able to repay this debt."
"If Patron is willing to part with it, my junior brother will be deeply grateful and will surely repay you in the future."
If not for the System, this would have been somewhat persuasive.
But now, among his own three disciples, none had aptitude weaker than this Yuan Kong. By the time he reached the Transformation Deity stage, Chu Xingchen estimated he would already be undergoing his Heavenly Tribulation. At that time, he surely wouldn't still be lacking spirit stones, right?
However, these magical artifacts were not actually easy to sell. In the beginning, when Li Xingtian had not yet left, Chu Xingchen had taken him to try selling them and ask about the price.
But without exception, the prices were all slashed severely.
Because this equipment was just short of being engraved with the exclusive mark of the Buddhist sects, and because the Central Plains' Buddhist sects seemed particularly unpopular, they also had a bit of a "don't care anymore" attitude.
Regarding a Buddhist treasure in the hands of an outsider... it wasn't quite outright robbery, but one way or another, they would have to ask about its origins and investigate the item's history.
But if they really investigated, which of the Buddhist treasures circulating out there didn't have some questionable background?
Because the offered price and his psychological price differed too greatly, Chu Xingchen did not sell.
Using it as a decoration to raise his own sect's status was better than having it bought for a rock-bottom price by that group of profiteering merchants.
"The difficulty in worldly affairs lies in the fact that you have your difficulties, and I have mine. These conditions are just not enough."
Chu Xingchen sighed lightly and changed the subject:
"I heard that the Abbot has a renowned reputation in Yuzhou City and several nearby cities?"
Hearing this, Yuan Jing was stunned, not knowing why this was suddenly brought up, but he still answered:
"I do indeed have some reputation for good deeds."
"My sect plans to hold a disciple recruitment ceremony. How about the Abbot helps promote it for me? Also, you might be richer than you think."
Hearing this, Yuan Jing looked at Chu Xingchen in astonishment, then quickly stood up, put his palms together, and said:
"Thank you, Patron..."
"Wait, you're thanking me too early. Yingling, go get a piece of paper. I'll have a further chat with the Abbot about other additional conditions."
Half an hour later.
The great hall door was pushed open once more.
Yuan Jing, with a heavy expression and not a trace of joy on his face, walked out slowly with heavy steps.
Yuan Kong looked up and, seeing his senior brother's expression, knew the negotiations had failed.
But in his heart, he was finally relieved. It was good that it failed. This way, his senior brother could live much longer.
Yuan Kong quickly ran to Yuan Jing's side, supporting his hand.
The two walked out in silence.
After they had walked some distance away.
Yuan Kong saw Yuan Jing look at him with a somewhat grief-stricken gaze.
"Senior brother, I'm fine. I was originally lazy, so if I don't cultivate, then so be it!"
"You're fine?! You're not fine either!" Yuan Jing took a deep breath and shook his head silently. "Let's go! Your senior brother's heart aches right now!"
Too ruthless. This was completely a case of jacking up the price on the spot!
It was also the first time Yuan Jing knew that he could actually be this rich!
That contract from earlier was just short of Yuan Jing mortgaging his next life!
But Yuan Kong's half a lifetime was definitely sacrificed. Still, sacrificing half a lifetime was better than sacrificing a whole lifetime.
This sect! It's simply too ruthless!
Yuan Kong looked at his senior brother's angry and frustrated expression with a blank face.
He remembered that his senior brother had guaranteed him before leaving that even if things didn't work out, he wouldn't get angry. He had even said a lot to justify it.
Yuan Kong had found it all very reasonable at the time.
But now that it had really failed, wasn't his senior brother still angry and frustrated?
A senior brother's words cannot be completely trusted.
The sect's great hall.
Li Yingling couldn't help but shake her head as she looked at the contract in her hand, which was six or seven pages long.
As expected of Master. I am still too young.
This thing is even harsher than an indenture contract!
How does Master come up with these things?
Chu Xingchen stretched lazily in satisfaction, his gaze falling upon his eldest disciple: "Yingling, I have already spoken with the Demon Suppression Division. Have you thought about your... trial?"
Li Yingling nodded confidently: "It's almost ready. I will give you the detailed plan tomorrow evening, Master! I guarantee this trial ceremony will be absolutely spectacular!"
"Very good. If your plan contains ideas that are like demons and monsters..."
"I will reward you with a Ten-Complete Great Tonic Pill, personally refined by me, your master!"
Hearing this, Li Yingling gasped.
In an instant, she directly deleted a third of the content from her plan in her mind.
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