Anyone Dares Bully you, Call Uncles! novel Chapter 575

After handing the lady her business card, Lilly reached the peak of the mountain within half an hour.

The Temple of Light stood before her, adorned with fresh paint, shining brightly. Next to the temple's entrance was a table, upon which various sizes of incense sticks were placed. Behind the table sat a man dressed in a yellow robe, serving as the caretaker.

Lilly felt a slight surprise upon visiting the temple for the first time.

Is this what a temple looks like?

At that moment, a young man who appeared to be a college student approached and asked, "How much do these cost?"

The man in the monk's robe responded, "Are you seeking blessings for your family?"

The young man nodded.

The caretaker explained, "This is the Prayer Incense, priced at 299 dollars. We also have the Incense stick for sincerity priced at 999 dollars and the Filial Incense for 1799 dollars. It's important to pray with utmost sincerity for the well-being of your family!"

A trace of embarrassment appeared on the young man's face as he replied, "I'm just a student, and I don't have that much money..."

The caretaker glanced at him and casually handed him the 299-dollar incense stick, saying, "Then take this one!"

The young man grew even more embarrassed and asked, "Don't you have a cheaper option?"

This time, the caretaker paused in taking out the incense and looked to the side, saying, "Over there, three sticks for ten dollars. Help yourself."

The young man quickly grabbed three incense sticks, scanned the QR code, made the payment, and left, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Lilly frowned and whispered to Blake, "Daddy, this doesn't seem like a genuine temple."

Buddhism, as well as other belief systems like Confucianism and Taoism, possessed deep heritage and wisdom. But the initial impression Lilly got from the Temple of Light before her did not seem to reflect that.

Lilly had initially intended to burn some incense as a sign of respect since they had arrived.

However, when Lilly wanted to pay her respects, she felt like the other party treated her as a fool.

Paying 1799 dollars for the biggest incense burner that costs 99.99 dollars?

Blake suggested, "Let's go inside and take a look."

Lilly nodded and lost all interest in purchasing the incense.

Upon entering the temple, they saw five Buddha statues and thirty-three more statues, with five main halls, one pavilion, six sections, and ten subsidiary halls. The temple was truly splendid, with newly cast golden statues, creating an awe-inspiring atmosphere. However, it seemed more focused on wealth than spiritual enlightenment.

Lilly suddenly recalled the questions asked by Jessie.

"Are they bad people?"

"Why do the bad guys want the Gods to bless them?"

She began to grasp the underlying meaning.

What if the entities in front of them were not genuine gods?

In a hushed voice, Blake asked, "Lilly, can you sense his presence?"

Lilly responded, "I'm not sure. Let's keep looking."

The Light Hills Scenic Area required an admission fee, but visitors did not need to buy their tickets upon reaching the Temple of Light. Tourists were free to wander through the temple halls, choosing whether to worship the gods, burn incense, pray for blessings, or light lamps. There were also additional services available for special cases, such as transcendence, which required separate arrangements.

Furthermore, there were lottery drawings. Right outside the temple gate, on one of the descending steps, a "monk" in a yellow robe sat behind a table, conducting lottery draws and offering fortune-telling services. On the step below, there were individuals selling amulet jades, bracelets, and charms.

Lilly was astonished.

This did not feel like a temple but rather a business.

After thoroughly exploring the area outside, there was still no sign of King Libra.

Lilly held a coin in her hand, occasionally glancing at it, deep in thought.

"Not out there," Lilly stated firmly.

Blake suggested, "Then let's go inside."

Previously, they had been wandering around the Temple of Light, merely glancing through the open doors of each worshiping hall without entering.

Lilly nodded.

They first made their way to the Thirty-three statues. The colors of each statue were vibrant, and even adorned with gold powder. The statues were towering, with four or five levels in the pavilion, and Avalokitesvara was among them. Looking up, the sight was magnificent, but Lilly could not sense any aura emanating from their eyes.

Continuing their exploration, they entered the Hall of Five Buddhas.

This place felt slightly different.

As Lilly walked through, she could not shake the feeling that a chilling gaze accompanied the smile on each Buddha's face.

No matter which angle she looked from, it felt like their eyes were fixed on her.

"Daddy..." Lilly quietly tugged at Blake's clothes.

She focused on one of the Buddha statues.

The monk's expression turned cold, but Blake's expression was even colder as he questioned, "What about your business license? Which department oversees your operations? Do you pay taxes according to regulations every year? Have you reported the prices here to the Price Bureau, and have all the Buddha-related transactions been approved?"

The monk was silent.

Cloud's mouth twitched.

He was taken aback by the last question!

"Who are you?" the monk asked with a furrowed brow.

Blake exclaimed, "I'm from the Market Supervision Bureau! Where is your abbot? Tell him to come out!"

Lilly was silent as she thought to herself.

Daddy has so many identities! Is this what they call wearing multiple hats?

"Let's go, Lilly." Seizing the opportunity provided by Blake's "supervision," Cloud immediately led Lilly toward the Grand Hall.

…

Beneath the Grand Hall, a dark aura swirled around the base of the Buddha statue.

King Libra sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, absorbing the malevolent energy gathered around him.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, sensing the strengthening of his body, and a hint of satisfaction gleamed in his gaze.

"Heh... the world is truly intriguing."

Those who prayed to gods and Buddhas had no idea which gods and Buddhas they were actually praying to.

Those who studied Buddhism and engage in Buddhist practices, none of them have truly learned the authentic teachings. They either lack self-discipline and can only chant prayers hypocritically, or they harbor wicked thoughts and exploit Buddhism as a business.

This place was truly the epitome of hypocrisy in the world...

People's reverence for Gods and Buddhas could transform into a form of power known as willpower.

The cultivation of willpower was practiced by both gods and Buddhas. However, in a temple devoid of genuine reverence for the Buddha, where only calculations for Buddha-related business take place, the gathered energy is not that of sincere vows but rather of malevolence.

He greatly appreciated this type of situation, as it allowed him to regain his strength by seeking refuge here, an idea that would never occur to the young and naive Lilly!

It was like killing two birds with one stone!

Right as he pondered over this, a sudden loud noise echoed in his ears...