Others follow advice and imitate celebrities, but you start by pretending to be a god?

The news spread and soon caused a stir in Chang'an City. Outside the City God Temple, a handsome young man in white, Little White Dragon Ao Yu, saw the recruitment notice posted on the wall. He was moved and walked into the City God Temple involuntarily.

"Master, the contemporary emperor of mankind has issued a call for talents, gathering people with both legal and moral principles to hold a water and land conference to liberate the homeless souls of the world." The little white dragon Ao Yu reported to Lin Nan.

Lin Nan shook his head, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone: "The people selected here are all Buddhists, to help those dead souls to be reborn. How many Taoists in the world are willing to participate?"

"For Buddhists, this is a good thing to accumulate merits; but for Taoists, it is better to practice well on their own." He continued, "After all, there are countless wronged souls in this world, how can we save them all?"

"Even if there are tens of millions of Buddhist scriptures, they are nothing more than self-hypnosis." Lin Nan's words revealed a hint of disdain.

As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily turned towards the direction of the palace, and a complex emotion surged in his heart.

"I had done something to make Emperor Tang realize his mistake, but I didn't expect him to remain stubborn." Lin Nan sighed, "Can the wronged souls in this world be solved by just praying for their salvation?"

"As long as the Tang Dynasty still has problems, wronged souls will continue to come. The Buddhists are happy to do this, because this is a good opportunity for them to expand their influence." He continued, "When the people are suffering, the government asks them to worship Buddha, thinking that the Buddha nature can alleviate their suffering. However, even if ordinary people worship Buddha all their lives, what can they change? They will still be poor."

"This Emperor Tang has not thought about solving the problem fundamentally so far. Instead, he still hopes that Buddhism can save the world. This is so stupid!" Lin Nan expressed his disappointment with the Emperor Tang without hiding it.

Previously, Lin Nan had deliberately done what happened in the underworld. He thought that after what happened, the Emperor would change, learn from his mistakes, and solve the problem fundamentally. However, the Emperor was still confused by Buddhism and did not realize the essence of the problem.

The preparations for the Water and Land Dharma Assembly were still in full swing, and the Emperor of Tang still placed his hopes on Buddhism to save the world, which made Lin Nan extremely disappointed.

"How stupid!" he couldn't help but sigh again.

Disappointed, Lin Nan decided to do something to change the situation. After pondering for a moment, he came up with an idea.

The recruitment of talents in Chang'an was also ongoing. After layers of screening and strict examination, a monk named Chen Xuanzang was finally selected.

In Chang'an City, a grand water and land assembly was going on in full swing. Chen Xuanzang, a carefully selected monk, presided over the assembly. He would spend the next 49 days praying for the souls of the wronged and praying for peace.

This water and land assembly was held at a very high level. The royal family, civil and military officials in Chang'an all participated enthusiastically. The grand event was unprecedented. In Huasheng Temple, Master Xuanzang sat on the altar, holding Buddhist scriptures, and spoke endlessly about the profound meaning of Buddhism. On the same stage with him were 1,200 monks, who either chanted scriptures or struck instruments to assist Xuanzang in completing this grand ritual.

Outside the venue, people gathered in droves, standing or sitting, listening attentively to Master Xuanzang's lecture. In this bustling crowd, two seemingly ordinary monks quietly appeared, holding cassocks and staffs in their hands, and hawking loudly along the streets and alleys of Chang'an. These two monks were actually the incarnations of Guanyin Bodhisattva and Mu Zha. The cassocks and staffs in their hands were the brocade cassocks and nine-ring staffs bestowed by the Buddha himself, and were priceless. However, the price they offered was shockingly high, seven thousand taels of silver, which made many people stay away.

At the same time, a young Taoist priest walked out of the City God Temple. He was dressed in a Taoist robe and looked like an immortal. He was accompanied by a handsome follower in white. This Taoist priest was Lin Nan, the Grand Master of Chechi State, and the follower was his capable assistant, Little White Dragon Ao Yu. The two of them walked along the way and headed towards the venue of the Water and Land Conference.

Unconsciously, Lin Nan and Xiao Bailong bumped into Guanyin and Mu Zha. Xiao Bailong was sharp-eyed and saw at a glance that the cassock and the staff were extraordinary. He couldn't help but say, "Master, look at what the two monks are holding. They don't seem to be ordinary items."

Upon hearing this, Lin Nan glanced at it calmly, and then said, "Of course it is extraordinary. The cassock is a brocade cassock, and the staff is a nine-ring staff. They were all given by the Tathagata Buddha himself."

Little White Dragon was startled when he heard this, and then he looked at the two monks, and had some guesses in his mind: "Could it be that they...?"

Lin Nan smiled and said, "Yes, they are acquaintances. However, we are here to attend the Water and Land Assembly and listen to what kind of Buddhist teachings Master Xuanzang is talking about and whether he can save the world. Why should we care about them?"

After that, Lin Nan and Xiao Bailong continued to walk towards the venue of the Water and Land Conference. Guanyin and Mu Zha also saw them and recognized Lin Nan and Xiao Bailong's true identity at a glance.

"Buddha, that is Lin Nan, the great master of Chechi Kingdom." Mu Zha said in a low voice.

Guanyin Bodhisattva nodded and said, "Looking at the direction they are heading, it seems to be the venue of the Water and Land Conference. Could it be that Lin Nan is here to cause trouble again?"

Mu Zha said with some concern: "Buddha, Lin Nan has profound magical powers and many tricks. We have to be on guard."

Guanyin Bodhisattva seemed calm and unhurried. She said softly, "It's okay. Everything in Chang'an is under control now. The Land and Water Conference has been successfully held. The Journey to the West has been decided. He can't make any waves."

After that, Guanyin and Muzha continued to move forward. However, they did not go far before they were stopped by a Tang Dynasty official named Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu believed in Buddhism. Seeing Guanyin's extraordinary temperament, he secretly guessed that she was of extraordinary status, and immediately said that he would take Guanyin to see the Tang Emperor.

Guanyin and Muzha naturally followed Xiao Yu to the palace. Looking at their departing figures, Xiao Bailong couldn't help but mutter, "Xiao Yu is really a person who doesn't know the real thing. He only saw the monk but didn't notice our master."

Hearing this, Lin Nan smiled and said, "No problem. Let's go to the Land and Water Conference and see what Master Xuanzang is capable of and what kind of heresy he is talking about."

Guanyin and Muzha followed Xiao Yu into the palace to meet the Emperor. When the Emperor saw the brocade cassock and the nine-ring staff, he knew they were extraordinary items and immediately decided to buy them and give them to Master Xuanzang. However, just as the Emperor was about to summon Xuanzang, a guard suddenly came to report: "Your Majesty, Master Xuanzang is debating Buddhism with a Taoist priest at the Water and Land Assembly."

Hearing this, the Emperor of Tang was somewhat surprised: "Master Xuanzang is so talented, can he still debate with others for a long time?"

The guard replied, "That Taoist priest seems to be no ordinary person either. He claims to be the Grand Master of Chechi State and is currently debating with Master Xuanzang on the significance of Buddhism to the country."

"Grand Master?" The Tang Emperor was startled, stood up suddenly, and asked anxiously, "But is it the Grand Master of Chechi Kingdom?"

The guard nodded and confirmed, "That's right."

The Emperor of Tang was unable to calm down. He exclaimed in amazement, "He is actually the great master of Chechi State, the strange man who once traveled to the underworld!"

In the court, all the ministers were present. When they heard about this, they were all surprised. They had heard of the name of the Grand Master of Chechi Kingdom. They had heard from the Emperor that he was an extraordinary person. Now when they heard the name of the Grand Master, they couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. "The one debating with Master Xuanzang turned out to be the Grand Master of Chechi Kingdom?" The Emperor could no longer sit still. He immediately ordered, "Come here, prepare the carriage. I want to go to the water and land conference venue in person!"

When the ministers heard this, they all echoed, "I will go too, I will go too!"

This scene made Mu Zha unable to help but glance at Guanyin and whispered, "Why does Xuanzang have such a high status in the hearts of the Tang Emperor and others? All the ministers in the court couldn't calm down when they heard his name."

Although he was secretly complaining in his heart, Mu Zha still had to follow Guanyin and go to the water and land conference venue with the Tang Emperor and his ministers.

Soon, they arrived at Huasheng Temple. On the altar, there sat a monk and a Taoist priest, both of them young, promising and handsome.

The monk had a shaved head and a fair complexion, and an outstanding temperament. He was Master Xuanzang.

The Taoist priest was as gentle as jade, with an elegant demeanor. Except for the Emperor of Tang, none of the ministers knew him.

"Could that Taoist priest be the Grand Master of Chechi State?" a minister asked in a low voice.

"So young? I wonder if it's true or not." another person echoed.

Emperor Tang recognized Lin Nan at a glance. He had seen Lin Nan chatting and laughing with the Ten Kings of Hell in the underworld and was deeply impressed.

As soon as he saw him, he recognized him immediately and couldn't help but exclaimed: "What a great master!"

The arrival of the Emperor and his ministers brought an instant silence to the scene. Even Master Xuanzang, who was on the altar, could not help but bow in greeting.

Lin Nan, who was sitting opposite Xuanzang, turned his head and looked over.

Emperor Tang took a few steps closer and saw Lin Nan's appearance clearly. He couldn't help but sighed, "He is truly a great master! When we said goodbye in the underworld, he said that we would have a chance to see each other again in the world of the living. Now I have really seen him!"

Lin Nan nodded slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, and said calmly: "Yes, I see you again this time. Your Majesty looks very good and has a long life span. You can stay on the throne for another few decades."

This made the Emperor of Tang very happy. However, under the altar, there was a monk who was not used to Lin Nan's attitude and scolded him, "You Taoist priest, why don't you bow to the Emperor of Tang? Master Xuanzang was granted the right to see His Majesty without bowing, why don't you pay homage to the Emperor of Tang!"

The monk said this before the Emperor of Tang spoke. Lin Nan did not speak, but the little white dragon Ao Yu in the audience sneered and said, "Oh, my master is a great state teacher of a country, with an extremely noble status, and also holds the position of an immortal official. Even when he meets the Jade Emperor in heaven and the Ten Kings of Hell in the underworld, he only needs to nod his head to greet him. Although the Emperor of Tang is the emperor of the contemporary world, how dare he accept the courtesy of my master?"

Xiaobailong's words were so choking that Emperor Tang was both shocked and somewhat displeased.

However, Emperor Tang had seen Lin Nan's status in the underworld, so he naturally did not dare to force him to perform the ceremony.

So the Tang Emperor reprimanded the monk, "Don't say too much! The Grand Master and I are acquainted. How can I treat him as a monarch and a subject?"

The next moment, Emperor Tang's expression changed, and he looked at Lin Nan with a smile on his face: "Grand Master, please don't be offended. I and Grand Master have a good relationship."

This change in attitude surprised Master Xuanzang. Little White Dragon Ao Yu snorted and thought to himself: The Emperor of Tang is quite sensible at this moment and did not disrespect his master.

"I didn't expect that the Grand Master would also come to participate in this water and land conference." Emperor Tang said with a smile.

Lin Nan said calmly, "I was traveling in Chang'an City and heard that Master Xuanzang was giving lectures at the Water and Land Assembly, attracting people from all over Chang'an to come and listen. I was curious, so I came to listen as well."

As he spoke, Lin Nan glanced around and saw that the area was densely packed with people, some standing and some sitting, all listening attentively to Master Xuanzang's lecture.

With the arrival of the Tang Emperor, the originally noisy scene suddenly became silent. At this time, Lin Nan spoke up to break the silence: "I heard that the Water and Land Conference invited Buddhists and Taoists from all over the world to participate in the discussion of scriptures. I couldn't wait to come and participate."

After saying this, his eyes gently passed over Xuanzang, but with a barely perceptible sense of loneliness: "It's just that, coming here this time, I can't help but feel a little lost."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Tang's eyebrows flashed with curiosity: "Oh? Why did the Grand Master say that? What exactly made you disappointed?"

Lin Nan sighed softly and said, "It's not that I'm dissatisfied with Master Xuanzang personally, but I'm actually saddened by the entire Buddhist community and even the current situation of the Tang Dynasty."

When the Emperor of Tang heard this, his expression suddenly became solemn, and he asked, "How did Buddhism make the Grand Master sad? How did my Great Tang make the Grand Master so disappointed?"

Lin Nan slowly started the topic, with a hint of helplessness in his tone: "Buddhism is supposed to be a place to persuade people to be good, but it also breeds laziness in people. Look at this water and land ceremony. Thousands of monks suddenly appeared in Chang'an City. Their food, clothing, shelter and transportation are all earned from the blood and sweat of the people."

He paused and continued, "Your Majesty's Tang Dynasty not only did not curb this, but allowed this trend to spread. I walked along the way and saw that outside Chang'an City, there were still hungry people begging on the streets, with no clothes to cover their bodies and no food to fill their stomachs. However, inside the Huasheng Temple, there was peace and tranquility, Buddhist music lingering in the air, and a trend of extravagance prevailed."

Lin Nan's gaze fell on Emperor Tang again, and his tone became heavier: "Your Majesty, in the underworld, has witnessed with your own eyes that there are many homeless souls in the world of the living, but you have never thought of solving the problem fundamentally. Instead, you have spent a lot of money and resources to hold this water and land conference."

His words were like a sharp blade, hitting the point directly. Not only did he make a sharp criticism of Buddhism, but he also questioned the Tang Emperor's policy of governing the country. The Tang Emperor's face instantly became extremely gloomy, and the atmosphere became extremely tense for a moment. (End of this chapter)