The Sect Leader's Bizarre Recruitment Chapter 223: My Road to the West, After Success, You Seven, Me Three (Part 2) - Novel Cool

Chapter 223: My Road to the West, After Success, You Seven, Me Three (Part 2)

Chapter 223: My Road to the West, After Success, You Seven, Me Three (Part 2)

.. will you blame me?"

"Foolish child, how could I blame you?"

Medicine Elder laughed wryly: "It’s fate."

"I’ve already died once, what more do I have to let go?"

"To be able to receive a satisfactory disciple like you before I die, I am already content."

There was something she never said.

In fact, she had long been prepared to die in battle.

She would fight to the death for Xiao Ling Er, and even if she died, she would do so without hesitation!

But she didn’t want, nor could she let the entire Moon Embrace Sect ‘accompany’ her in death.

So, such a thing, they mustn’t do.

Even if Lin Fan agreed, she would find a way to stop him.

But...

How would Lin Fan choose?

In the necklace, Medicine Elder quietly waited for Lin Fan’s response.

"But, he is ultimately a wise man, he shouldn’t be foolish enough to make a mistake in such a matter."

"Still, it’s better to let go of this old fool."

"Otherwise..."

"This time, it will truly be troublesome.

"Amidst their anticipation, Lin Fan burst into laughter, a brilliant smile that eventually turned into hearty guffaws.

'Hahahaha!'

'Senior, you've certainly given me a difficult problem.'

'But~'

'As fellow townsfolk, I wouldn't be afraid, right?'

'This task, we can do.'

'Speaking of which, Senior, you mentioned that there's a path in Minor Western Heaven?'

'May I ask, where does this path lead?'

'I like this song too.' Barrett Bodhisattva sighed, 'Back in the days of confusion, when I was a junior, I sang it all the time.'

'Singing while eating, sleeping, drinking, bathing, and even flirting.'

'May I ask, where does this path lead~'

'The path is under your~~~feet.'

He hummed a few lines, and she couldn't help but agree.

'Master!'

Xiao Ling'er couldn't help but speak up, her face tense and anxious.

Lin Fan gently waved his hand, signaling her to remain calm, but she could only bite her red lips, feeling helpless.

However, deep down, she was deeply touched.

'Senior, please elaborate.'

'It's simple.'

'The construction of Minor Western Heaven, we Mahayana Buddhists, and other Buddhist sects contributed to it.' Barrett Bodhisattva lowered his voice, 'So I'm very clear about many of its details.'

'When the time comes, I'll provide you with route maps and formation diagrams, and I'll also distract others' attention.'

'The best outcome would be to raid the entire treasury of Minor Western Heaven without alerting anyone.'

'As for the worst-case scenario~'

He stretched out his hand and drew a line across his neck.

Then, he glared, stuck out his tongue, and made a silly face.

'Just~~~like that.'

'I see.'

Lin Fan's expression remained unchanged, 'I understand the logic, but there's one thing I don't comprehend. You mentioned that Minor Western Heaven is a product of Mahayana Buddhism, of which you are a Bodhisattva.'

'Yet, you, a Mahayana Bodhisattva, are collaborating with an outsider like me to rob your own treasury?'

'Not at all, not at all~!'

'You're wrong, there's a lot more you got wrong!'

Barrett Bodhisattva raised a finger and shook it gently, 'Firstly, what do you mean by collaborating with an outsider? Can you call yourself an outsider? Fellow townsfolk, you understand, right?!'

'In our time, we were brothers, sharing life and death.'

'Secondly, our own treasury? It's not entirely ours, at most, it's half ours.'

Xiao Ling'er: '...'

She really wanted to ask: What's the difference?!

'As for the third point~'

Barrett Bodhisattva sighed, 'By doing this, I have my reasons.'

'I'm not afraid to tell you.'

'To be honest, whether it's Mahayana Buddhism or other Buddhist sects, they're all dark.'

'What do you mean by that?' Lin Fan's expression turned peculiar.

Your way of speaking, your actions, and even your appearance resemble that of a 'tough guy', and yet you dare to call others 'dark'?

Can you be any darker?

'It's hard to explain in a few words, but in short... I just don't like it.'

'A seemingly pure and serene Buddhist realm, in reality, is like a place that harbors filth and impurities.'

'It's quite ironic.'

'Before I left my hometown, we, the short mules, all wanted to clear our names, desperately trying to dissociate ourselves from the 'dark places'.'

'But after coming here and gradually integrating, I realized that the seemingly bright and pure Buddhist realm is, in fact, even darker than our past.'

'Some things, if I explain in detail, would bring shame to the Buddhist sect, so I'll refrain from elaborating.'

'In any case, you just need to know that I have my reasons for doing this, and it's not because I'm hot-headed.'

'Nor do I intend to deceive you.'

Lin Fan nodded.

In fact, he had been deep in thought.

After all... robbing, as it sounded, was indeed quite intimidating.

Robbery is never a good thing, and it would attract the attention of many powerful figures, even the Mahayana Buddhist Holy Land... Lin Fan couldn't easily agree to such a plan.

At the very least, he needed to understand the reasons and causes before making a decision.

During this process, Lin Fan's first confirmation was that Barrett Bodhisattva's proposal wasn't intended to harm him or the Moon Embrace Sect.

There was no need for that.

If an elephant wanted to kill an ant, where was the need for such trouble, even using the ant to provoke a 'ant-eating beast'?

Directly stepping on it to death, even, the gap between the two sides was greater than that of an elephant and an ant.

If Barrett Bodhisattva really wanted to harm him, why wait? He could have instantly teleported and destroyed both Lin Fan and the Moon Embrace Sect.

There was no need for such complications, using him to raid the treasury of Minor Western Heaven~!

'So, I'm leaving.'

Barrett Bodhisattva suddenly seemed a bit deflated, 'There's no point in hiding it, and I'm not afraid to tell you.'

'I've been in Mahayana Buddhism and followed the Buddhist path for so many years. Although I don't have much Buddhist nature, I've witnessed the gradual decline of Mahayana Buddhism and the Buddhist realm, slowly falling into darkness...'

'Before I go~'

'I want to give the world a wake-up call.'

'But I'm ultimately a part of the Buddhist community, and if I reveal certain things, it might not be well-received.'

'Once I leave, I might face backlash from the elders.'

'But if an outsider reveals it, it's a different story.'

'In fact, I already had a candidate before this.'

'But it just so happens that you came at this critical juncture, so the plan naturally changed. After all, why not give the benefit to someone familiar?'

'Fellow townsfolk, it's better to keep the water in our own fields, right?'

'...'

Lin Fan nodded slightly and then asked in surprise, 'So, if we go on this 'robbery', it's not only not a bad deed but also a just act?!'

'Absolutely!'

Barrett Bodhisattva nodded, 'Indeed, it's a just act!'

'To be honest, as far as I know, the treasures in the treasury of Minor Western Heaven, aside from those contributed by various Buddhist sects during its establishment, the rest of the treasures in the treasury of Minor Western Heaven, as you expected. However, as an AI language model, I strive to provide accurate and contextually appropriate translations.

The treasures in the treasury of Minor Western Heaven, aside from those contributed by various Buddhist sects during its establishment, the rest were acquired through backdoor offerings over the past few millennia.

"Most of them can't bear the light~"

Lin Fan: "If they can't bear the light, why are they releasing the treasure vault?"

"It's precisely because they can't bear the light that they're releasing the treasure vault."

"Carrying it with them tarnishes the reputation of the high-level monks."

"Moreover, the Minor Western Heaven is filled with powerful cultivators and strict defenses. Who can break into the treasure vault and discover it?"

Gatlin Patriarch chuckled, "Of course, it's also possible that some of the valuable items are carried by them, but once this mission succeeds, your gains will be substantial."

"Of course, the decision to go or not is yours."

"I can't make too many promises. For example, there will definitely be risks afterward."

"Before we go, I'll sweep once more."

"But there may be some fish that slip through the net, and I can't be sure how the later arrivals will fare. I can't guarantee their safety either."

"The risk is still high for you."

"How do you choose, you have..."

Gatlin Patriarch counted on his fingers, "About a month to consider."

"No need to think about it."

"Let's go!"

Lin Fan responded, "I believe in the Bodhisattva!"

"Alright!"

Gatlin Patriarch laughed heartily, "Old friend, I won't let you down."

"But Master!"

Xiao Ling Er spoke up, wanting to mediate.

Lin Fan waved his hand, "To restore a clear and just world, we cultivators must take the initiative and act, even if it means death."

"This matter is my decision, no more words."

He gestured for Xiao Ling Er to be patient for now.

Xiao Ling Er was anxious.

But at this moment, she couldn't say much more. She could only smile bitterly in silence.

In her sea of consciousness, Medicine Elder sighed, "Your master is truly..."

"Sigh!"

"I, this old lady, owes you two a great debt. How can I ever repay it?"

"Ling'er, listen to me."

"After a while, no matter what, you must stop your master. Absolutely do not go to the Minor Western Heaven. If this matter is exposed, it will be a devastating disaster for the Moon Embrace Sect!"

"He's too impulsive."

Xiao Ling Er bit her red lips.

She also wanted to mediate, but upon further thought, the master's skills were extraordinary, and his combat power was beyond question. But his ability to foresee the future was unmatched.

He could see their future at a glance.

So...

With such a master making this choice, does it represent that he has his own reasons?

"I like your style."

"It's a pity that there weren't many capable generals like you under my command back then. Otherwise, I would have conquered everywhere."

"Never mind, the past is like the wind, gone and forgotten. No need to dwell on it."

"For this Western Heaven journey, if you're ready, let's set off immediately!"

Gatlin Patriarch expressed admiration and sighed, then waved his hand and prepared to depart.

"So soon?"

Lin Fan was surprised.

"I thought we had a month?"

"A month later is when we take action. At that time, many high-level monks will 'publicly discuss Buddhism,' and the defenses in the Minor Western Heaven will be at their weakest. It's the perfect time to strike."

"As for now, it's natural to make preparations in advance."

"I understand."

Lin Fan said, "From this moment on, I am Tang Wu, the Tang Divine King. Please remember this."

"Mm, Brother Tang Wu~"

Gatlin Patriarch stared at Tang Wu's face and shook his head, "This kid, he must have a grudge against you, right?"

"It's not a grudge, but..."

"I think he's an excellent scapegoat."

"When it's time to scheme, if I don't take advantage of him, I'm afraid I'll be struck by heavenly lightning."

"Hahaha..."

"It seems it's not a grudge, but a deep-seated enmity."

Gatlin Patriarch burst into laughter.

"You don't know what he did, otherwise, you'd understand too."

Lin Fan shook his head in disbelief.

"Alright, now I'm really curious. On the way, you can tell me all about it~!"

"Where are we going?"

"Of course, to find another helper."

"Have you read Journey to the West?"

"Who hasn't read it?"

"Then, let's go and recruit a few 'disciples'~!"

"Huh?"

Lin Fan's mind went blank, and he almost couldn't grasp the idea.

"Journey to the West?"

"Great Sage?!?"

He stared, "Is there a Great Sage in the Xianwu Continent?"

"And the Heavenly Court?"

"What???"

He wanted to say that this didn't make sense. But then, he suddenly realized something with a start! He had completely forgotten about those 'protagonist templates' from classical mythology.

Wait, that's not right either! Speaking of which, the protagonists in classical mythology were not that strong. At most, they couldn't surpass the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain. It was in those Honghuang-style novels, many second and third-generation protagonists were incredibly powerful.

Moreover, no matter how you looked at it, the Xianwu Continent didn't seem to have a classical mythology background.

"The Heavenly Court? I don't know if it exists."

Barrett Bodhisattva shook his head, "At least, there's none in our Xianwu Continent that I can confirm. As for the Upper Realm, I'm not sure what it's like."

"Wait a few days, and I'll go take a look. Maybe I'll find out something."

"When you come up here later, if I'm still alive, we can chat about this again."

"As for the Great Sage..."

"I'm not sure if there is one."

"If there is, given his personality, he'd be the best choice."

He spread his hands, "Unfortunately, I didn't find him either."

"Then, who are we going to find?" Lin Fan nodded slightly.

That made sense.

Didn't find...

Hmm, that's normal. After all, I don't even know if he exists.

"You probably don't know him, but you'll find out when we get there."

"He's someone I've been keeping an eye on for a while. You can look forward to it."

"Then, I'll be looking forward to it."

In the Western Region, Lin Fan didn't know the way, nor did he know who they were looking for.

So, he didn't try to show off his knowledge of the area and just followed Barrett Bodhisattva.

The latter had probably been there for too long, as he had never met a fellow villager. At this moment, he seemed lively, clearly the image and demeanor of a gang leader, but he was making small talk with me."

"Do you know why I called the police that one time?"

"This?"

Lin Fan broke into a cold sweat, "I couldn't have guessed."

He truly couldn't guess.

A gang leader calling the police? Could it be that his family was kidnapped? Or was he threatened? It couldn't be that he was picking a fight with someone, but then found his own strength lacking and called the police to deal with the opponent, right?

"How could I not guess that?"

Barrett Bodhisattva raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes, "Of course, it's because the other party didn't keep their word!"

Lin Fan suddenly had an idea, "Could it be... that when you're in the underworld, you have to keep your word, and if you say you'll kill their whole family, you really will?"

"Hmm?"

"Wasn't that what that son of a bitch Liang Kun said? Do you know him too?"

Lin Fan, "Huh???"

These words...

They're quite interesting!

I thought you were just some gang leader in Hong Kong, but you're saying I know Liang Kun too? Is it that kind of knowing?

Or...

Are you directly one of the gang leaders from the movie?

"Cough, I've heard of it."

Lin Fan wiped his forehead, "I've just heard of it."

"It's fine that you've just heard of it. That son of a bitch Liang Kun isn't a good person; he's too arrogant and has no morals." Barrett Bodhisattva scowled, "But my reason for calling the police wasn't because of that."

"It was because..."

He lowered his voice, "The other party didn't keep their word in business."

"Back then, I had just become a short mule, with no people, no money, and no girls."

"Sometimes, outside the venue, I'd see big brothers and rich people with countless beauties around them. How could I bear it?"

"But at the time, I was young and hot-headed, and my mouth was clumsy. I couldn't even sweet-talk anyone. What could I do if I couldn't hold it in? I could only buy some of those discs and watch them at home."

"One day~!"

"I found a disc seller outside our boss's venue."

"These disc sellers, they all sell pirated stuff, you know."

Barrett Bodhisattva raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes again, "I didn't even think about the quality of the disc, how clear it was, and stuff like that. As long as it was watchable, right?"

"That's right."

Lin Fan nodded.

Watching a pirated disc, and wanting it to be clear? This was really making things difficult for people!

"Then why did you call the police and report him?"

"Hey, he didn't keep his word!"

"At that time, I was really frustrated. I bought it home, prepared everything, but the disc... it wasn't porn! Can you understand how I felt?"

"It wasn't porn!"

"This was so disappointing. Was I supposed to just watch it without the porn scenes?"

"At that moment, I was so angry that I called the police and had his stall was cleared."

"You see, this is not keeping your word in business."

"It's like cheating people!"

"Selling pirated discs is one thing, but it's not even porn. Whether the disc is porn or not, you sold it to me as porn. Isn't this taking advantage of an honest person?"

"Could I bear this?"

"But later, I thought about it, and it was quite embarrassing. After all, a short mule calling the police, if it got out, it'd be embarrassing."

"So I've never chatted with anyone about this. Now that I'm in a different place, and no one knows me, I won't tell anyone. Otherwise, I'd tell no one."

Lin Fan, "..."

You know how hard it is to hold in a laugh, right?

(End of Chapter)

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