As Deputy Director Ji stood up to speak.
Instantly.
The gazes of the many senior monks surrounding them immediately turned toward him.
Retorts followed closely behind.
Abbot Yuanzhen of Purple Cloud Temple first performed a Buddhist greeting before speaking.
"Deputy Director Ji, as the Deputy Director of Lingshun 749, are you saying this to show partiality?!"
"What do you mean partiality? Have you started fighting? Or are you saying I'm not reasoning with you?"
"If you insist on putting it that way, then I'll specially recruit Wutian as an external member of Lingshun 749, subject to our supervision and management, absolutely preventing him from committing any Buddha's Enemy acts. How about that!?"
Deputy Director Ji was clumsy with words.
In debates with others, he stood no chance of winning.No choice.
He could only resort to irregular procedures, attempting to recruit Wutian. Regardless of whether this would succeed.
Afterwards, he would definitely face disciplinary action.
Because it violated regulations.
Public authority simply couldn't be used this way.
But for the sake of his friendship with Lu Ding, it was worth it!
Lu Ding was principled and had helped Lingshun so much. Even if the sky fell today and crushed his bones, Deputy Director Ji would hold out until he arrived.
However, these words revealed a weakness that Abbot Jinglong of Golden Dragon Temple immediately seized upon.
"Deputy Director Ji, you may be Deputy Director of Lingshun 749, but this is our Buddhist matter. We had an agreement earlier that Buddhism accepts supervision, but Lingshun 749 does not interfere in internal Buddhist affairs."
"Are you going to break that agreement now?"
"Moreover, you're suddenly deciding to recruit Wutian now - not earlier, not later, but precisely at this moment. Isn't this precisely abusing public power for private purposes!?"
Wutian, standing behind Deputy Director Ji and Master Kongshi, couldn't understand.
What exactly had he done wrong?
Was he guilty?
Had he violated some unforgivable prohibition?
He hadn't!
Then why was he receiving such treatment?
Shackles binding him, everyone calling for his punishment.
Fellow Buddhists, yet pressing him step by step.
Oh~ So it was because what he had realized, in its nature, questioned the Buddha's scriptures and teachings.
Therefore, he was Buddha's Enemy.
He would shake Buddhism's foundation.
Yes, he was the enemy of Buddhism. Eliminating suspected enemies - this was normal.
No problem.
This would be fine in any other sect.
Except Buddhism.
Because Buddhism holds high the banner of redemption, sacrificing oneself for others, "if I don't go to hell, who will?"
In such circumstances, putting someone to death was hypocrisy!
Wasn't this yet another questioning of the Buddha's teachings?
Wutian struggled to speak, but the shackles on him not only restricted his spiritual energy flow but also sealed his freedom of speech and action.
Deputy Director Ji knew he was poor with words. If he let things continue like this.
He would definitely misspeak more and more.
So he needed a mouthpiece, and moreover, verbal battles could buy more time, sustaining until Lu Ding's arrival.
Thinking this.
Deputy Director Ji turned and tore off the seal covering Wutian's mouth.
"Since I have supervisory authority, then I have the right to hear the concerned party speak!!!"
Wutian's speech gained freedom.
Without the slightest pause, he immediately spoke:
"You all say our Buddha is compassionate. In the scriptures, our Buddha cut his flesh to feed an eagle, our Buddha brought blessings to the world, our Buddha redeemed the most wicked evildoers, our Buddha said 'lay down your knife and immediately become a Buddha.'"
"Yet I first don't violate prohibitions, second don't kill indiscriminately, third am not some great evildoer. I hold no blade in my hand, harbor no blade in my heart!!!!"
"Facing those who hold blades and are guilty, our Buddha could still redeem them. I hold no blade and am guiltless, you who study and chant our Buddha's scriptures, you who research our Buddha's wonderful methods - why do you want to put me to death without cause!!"
"Could this be our Buddha's spirit - if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext!!"
"I hold no blade, yet you imagine I do; I am guiltless, yet you pretend I'm guilty. By what right!!!?"
Wutian's roar shook the Main Buddha Hall.
The lion's voice struck like a thunderclap, reverberating powerfully.
The injustice in his heart agitated Wutian's spiritual energy, constantly washing against his physical restraints.
Recalling the moment before his capture, he had been thinking about discussing with his master going to the front lines to support and join Lu Ding, demonstrating Lionheart's majesty, promoting our Buddha's glory, and protecting Great Han's dignity.
Yet the next moment, he was surrounded by abbots from numerous temples who forced their way in, pressuring with the threat of Buddha's Enemy.
His capture was done by his own Lionheart Temple members, but this was also the best outcome - if his own people hadn't acted and others came instead, with fists and feet having no eyes, who knows what might have happened.
At least now Wutian remained uninjured.
This point, Wutian understood clearly, and he bore no resentment toward his own temple.
The label of Buddha's Enemy was too heavy - it might not crush his teacher Master Kongshi, but it could crush the entire Lionheart Temple under Abbot Kongshi's leadership.
His words made all the Buddhists present instantly change expression.
Abbot Yuanzhen of Purple Cloud Temple pointed angrily at Wutian: "How dare you show such disrespect to our Buddha!!!!"
It must be said, the Buddha's Child was different - these senior monks who had been pressing step by step.
After Wutian spoke, they all broke composure, elevating it to a matter of great importance!
"He already shows initial signs of being Buddha's Enemy - how can Lionheart Temple still protect him!!"
"How can 749 still protect him!!!"
"Now he dares to use his identity as inheritor of our Buddhist tradition to show great disrespect to our Buddha - what he might dare to do in the future can be glimpsed from this!!!"
Whether Purple Cloud Temple or Golden Dragon Temple.
Their target wasn't just Wutian alone.
But also the current situation.
When Lu Ding destroyed Moon Toad Temple, it fired the first shot in changing the Buddhist landscape.
Abbot Kudou of Great Compassion Temple was pushed to the forefront to attract firepower. Logically, Great Compassion Temple should be facing today's situation.
Then seeking assistance from 749.
However, the strong never complain about their environment. That old bald-headed Master Kudou, who could change faces without losing beans, somehow turned certain defeat into victory, finding advantage everywhere.
Relying on his silver tongue, plus his own strength, and those beautiful memories of previous collusion.
He stubbornly resisted the joint condemnation from other temples.
Then Lionheart Temple, this maverick temple, entered everyone's sight.
Wutian's matter was just the trigger.
And since he had good relations with Lu Ding, Lionheart Temple's rise was certain.
The problem lay here.
Great Compassion Temple being supported was acceptable to others because Great Compassion Temple wasn't clean either.
Plus Old Monk Kudou promised he would lead the first rise and enable others to follow, actively handing over those reputation-damaging things Great Compassion Temple had done in the past to other Buddhists as leverage.
Of course, Lu Ding knew about these things too - Old Monk Kudou had long placed his final bet on him.
These leverage points, he had already given to Lu Ding. Now giving them to others didn't matter at all.
And those matters only affected reputation, weren't serious, not illegal, at most a violation of regulations.
Just like that, a group of people were thoroughly fooled by Old Monk Kudou, believing they could rest easy after Great Compassion Temple succeeded.
So since Great Compassion Temple's problem was solved, what about Lionheart Temple?
Lionheart Temple was too clean, so clean it made other Buddhists uneasy. And Lionheart Temple's people lacked cunning - they were all practical doers.
Naturally incapable of learning Old Man Kudou's methods.