Infinite Professions

Chapter 400: Chapter 208: Origin of Events

"This..."

Not only Zhu Xiaolian, but others also saw the transformation of the painted wall and showed expressions of shock.

"What is happening?"

"A painting within a painting?"

"No, how is this painting revealed?"

"Could it be a divine manifestation in the temple?"

The crowd discussed in astonishment, all with eyes wide in wonder.

A painting within a painting, though seemingly extraordinary, isn’t actually much, as many methods can achieve this, a trick often used by Jianghu con artists.

But this Red Lotus Temple is a place of the Buddhist Sect, where the Venerable Red Lotus presides, what Jianghu trickster would dare play such tricks here?

Therefore, this painting...

The crowd felt both shocked and doubtful, Zhu Xiaolian was even more lost in distraction, staring at the painting on the wall, filled with terror and confusion.

In the painted wall, a black-faced evil spirit, akin to a Yaksha, stood above, stepping on dark clouds, wild winds howling, with an aura of menacing threat.

Below was a garden, full of blossoming flowers with pavilions and water kiosks; now the roof of the pavilion had been lifted by the gale, a figure in a red robe stood imposingly, with a young girl kneeling behind him, her expression frantic and eyes full of panic.

The ferocity of the evil spirit, the might of the divine figure, and the girl’s delicate panic were all vividly depicted, life-like and animated.

Such a painting left Zhu Xiaolian trembling, cold sweat forming on his forehead, his back soaked with sweat.

Was everything just now... real?

"Boom boom boom!"

Just as Zhu Xiaolian was stunned by fear, a heavy, intense tolling of a bell suddenly echoed.

Then came the sound of footsteps, a team of Red Lotus Martial Monks filed in, immediately taking control of the temple entrance.

Leading the monks was a bald-headed middle-aged man, with thick eyebrows, draped in a large red Kasaya, holding a bronze staff, he entered the hall with authority: "There are bandits causing chaos in the temple, I ask you distinguished patrons to sit down and cooperate with us in capturing this thief!"

After speaking, he ordered the martial monks to advance, intimidating everyone to sit down.

Inside the hall were mostly gentry, wealthy and distinguished, unaccustomed to such treatment, ready to angrily rebuke.

But seeing the cold harsh expressions of the martial monks, and the threatening staff array, their anger was instantly extinguished, each cooperating to sit down, allowing the monks to inspect.

Though wealthy gentry they were, compared to the long-established Red Lotus Temple, they were still nothing, naturally having to comply.

Zhu Xiaolian was among them, pulled to the ground by a few friends, yet his soul remained unfocused, staring still at the painted wall.

At this moment, the painting on the wall changed again.

In the mortal world, within hell.

Shen Hex revealed his true form, lazily waving a folding fan, utterly disregarding the black-faced evil spirit standing atop the clouds: "Red Lotus, let him come see me!"

"Who are you to dare call the Venerable by name?"

Upon hearing this, the black-faced evil spirit was also filled with wonder.

Yet Shen Hex paid no mind: "To fight for incense offerings, you even capture living souls, committing heinous crimes, now that your deeds have been exposed, why don’t you surrender immediately?"

"You...!?"

With narrowed eyes, the black-faced evil spirit then roared in anger: "Where did this minor deity come from, daring to flaunt here!"

As he spoke, he thrust his heavy mace forward, booming like thunder, aiming directly for Shen Hex.

He intended to silence him!

This painted wall is none other than the Red Lotus Hell Transformation.

The Eighteen Layers of Hell, originating from Buddhist teachings.

This hell transformation is its depiction, also known as Hell Map, Hell Painting, Hell Transformation, illustrating scenes of hell’s punishments, as warnings to encourage good and punish evil.

As a Buddhist temple, Red Lotus Temple having a hell transformation is reasonable, not something incriminating.

But the way they utilize this hell transformation is not quite reasonable.

They even imprison living souls, capturing them into this painted wall, producing the Desire Hell Painting, to tempt Confucian scholars, wearing them down with longing, and ultimately transforming them through the Buddhist Technique, leading them into the Void Gate to become monks of Red Lotus Temple.

This is the fight for incense offerings!

In this world, Divine Dao is supreme, with the three religions and nine schools competing for incense offerings.

Such competition can be righteous or evil, good or bad.

The actions of Red Lotus Temple represent unrighteous and malignant competition, using the Desire Hell Painting to convert Confucian Sect disciples, seizing Confucian Qi, turning it into their incense offerings, strengthening their power.

Zhu Xiaolian and Li Yunqing are victims of this.

Zhu Xiaolian is a renowned young talent in Jinyang Prefecture, rising to prominence at a young age, the Prefecture Champion Scholar.

Though this world does not speak of Spiritual Roots, there is a division of aptitude, and even some peculiar fortunes and destinies, creating differences between people, forming hierarchies.

Zhu Xiaolian is extraordinary, a rare talent who, upon entering the Void Gate, is destined to become a great monk, greatly increasing the Buddhist Sect’s incense offerings and expanding its Qi.

Thus, Red Lotus Temple sought to draw him into this hell transformation, allowing Li Yunqing and other Flower-Scattering Celestial Maidens to seduce and serve him, wearing down his spirit, transforming his Literary Qi, leading him into the Buddhist Sect.

Like Zhu Xiaolian, Li Yunqing is also well-endowed, hence being targeted by Red Lotus Temple, capturing her soul into hell, transforming her into a Flower-Scattering Celestial Maiden.

The Flower-Scattering Celestial Maiden is essentially a Daoist Soldier, but this Daoist Soldier isn’t adept at fighting, only used to wear down people’s spirits, seducing and capturing souls.

It is precisely through such means that Red Lotus Temple has taken many talents from the Confucian Sect over the years, resulting in the rise of numerous Great Monks within the temple, with even their families becoming entangled, worshiping the temple incense offerings.

This conduct violates Celestial Rules, a grave offense.

However, Red Lotus Temple’s concealment is excellent, even the Confucian Sect cannot catch any evidence, and the transfer of faith, competition for incense offerings is compliant with regulations, so although the Confucian Sect has suspicions, they cannot do anything about it.