Among the young and middle-aged monks coming and going, he, this elderly man in his eighties, stood out conspicuously.

Everyone else had trekked over mountains and rivers and was nearly exhausted, but only Brian Cooper, who had been carried up the mountain the whole way, was instead full of energy.

With his hands behind his back, he walked slowly and entered the main hall at the mountain gate.

As soon as he stepped into the main hall, the light suddenly dimmed.

The firelight cast a yellowish glow inside the hall. Before Brian Cooper could even take in the scene, he felt a chill simultaneously sweep in from both sides.

By the firelight, he first glanced to the left.

The dim light outlined a clay statue three zhang tall, with a blue face and fangs, bulging eyes and nose, holding a vajra club, bare-chested, standing before the side wall.

Brian Cooper looked up at the statue, and his gaze happened to meet the eyes painted onto the statue.

In that instant, he felt as if the statue’s eyeballs moved slightly, as if a bit flustered.

How could the eyeballs of a clay statue move?

He was momentarily stunned, then focused his gaze on the statue again, but it remained completely still, as if he had just imagined it.

Brian Cooper turned to look to the right, where there was also a three zhang tall statue, with a fierce face, holding a steel fork, standing bare-chested.

This statue showed no sign of anything unusual.

It was just a clay statue.

But the chill that had swept in from both sides earlier was definitely not Brian Cooper’s imagination.

At this moment, William Grant stopped and introduced the two clay statues to the people behind him: “These are the Secret-Trace Vajra, known as the Great Ghost King.

They can suppress all yin spirits.

That’s why statues of the Secret-Trace Vajra are often placed at the entrance of Buddhist temples, using their power to subdue evil yin spirits that offend the Three Jewels.”

The Great Ghost King, skilled at suppressing yin spirits?

Hearing William Grant’s introduction, Brian Cooper felt rather strange inside.

He was full of ghosts himself. As soon as he entered the mountain gate hall, he felt the chill from the two Vajra statues directed at him. Could it be that the two Vajra were trying to suppress him?

Yet after the chill, nothing happened at all.

It seemed even the Secret-Trace Vajra could not restrain the ghosts on him.

Brian Cooper sighed inwardly, saluted the two statues along with the other youths, and then followed William Grant out of the mountain gate hall.

Just as Brian Cooper was saluting the statues, a very faint sound came from within the statues.

Ka...

After the sound, cracks quietly appeared on the chests of both Vajra statues.

Leaving the mountain gate hall, they saw temple buildings standing among a sea of lush trees, each with stone steps and small paths leading to the various halls. David Grant was sitting in a pavilion beside a winding path, waiting for everyone with a cold expression.

“Why did it take so long?”

His face was impatient. Seeing William Grant leading the group over, he couldn’t help but question.

William Grant just smiled and didn’t respond to David Grant’s question. As he led everyone down the path, he said, “To become a monk at this temple is not something that happens overnight.

I’ll first take you to the laymen’s courtyard to settle in.

After staying in the laymen’s courtyard for three days and resting up, the temple will teach you the core method of the ‘Heart Buddha Root Sutra.’

At that time, you’ll go to the Great Buddha Hall and silently recite the Heart Buddha Root Sutra to awaken the ‘True Seed of the Heart Buddha.’

Only then will you officially become monks of this temple.

Depending on the differences in your awakening of the ‘True Seed of the Heart Buddha,’ you’ll be assigned to different peaks and courtyards.”

The young people began to discuss among themselves. None of them had expected the Heart Buddha Temple to be so generous, willing to pass down the true teachings even before they had officially joined, so that everyone could awaken and cultivate.

Someone worriedly asked William Grant, “If we’re not smart enough and can’t awaken the True Seed of the Heart Buddha, will we be kicked out of the temple?”

William Grant shook his head and smiled, “There are plenty of fields, herb gardens, forests, and livestock pens at the foot of the mountain. Those who can’t awaken can be settled there, so there’s no need to worry.”

He added meaningfully, “Not being able to awaken isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

A clever youth asked, “If someone awakens the True Seed and then takes the opportunity to leave the temple, wouldn’t the temple’s true teachings leak out?”

David Grant shot a cold glance at the speaker and curled his lips, “The Heart Buddha Temple’s tradition has lasted for who knows how long and is renowned far and wide, yet never has anyone managed to leave after awakening the True Seed of the Heart Buddha.

If you’re interested, you can try…” The questioner immediately fell silent, not daring to speak further.

It was clear that awakening the True Seed of the Heart Buddha not only set one on the path of cultivation, but also bound one tightly to the Heart Buddha Temple, making it nearly impossible to leave.

All of them came from hardship, and just having enough to eat and wear was already a great blessing. Why would they care whether they were monks for a while or for a lifetime?

They laughed and chatted as they walked, still full of hope for the future, paying no attention to what David Grant had said.

But Brian Cooper, walking at the end of the group, had not spoken a word from beginning to end.

His mind was focused on something else.

After leaving the mountain gate hall, a cold male voice sounded in his mind: “The current environment’s spiritual energy is manifesting. You can sign in repeatedly. Would you like to sign in?”

Just as Brian Cooper had expected, the Heart Buddha Temple was no ordinary temple.

Spiritual energy was manifesting, and repeated sign-ins were possible.

An environment with spiritual energy was likely a place where ghosts and spirits often came and went.

Could it be that there were ghosts and spirits residing in the Heart Buddha Temple, thus creating an environment where ‘spiritual energy manifests’?

Brian Cooper became even more aware of the Heart Buddha Temple’s mysterious and extraordinary nature.

Of course, now was not the time to ponder the temple’s background. Without hesitation, he answered in his heart, “Sign in!”