However, while there were benefits, the drawbacks were also immense.

The price for using these Scripture Scrolls, it turned out, was the implantation of a Buddha Seed into the reader’s subconscious. It would turn their hearts toward Buddhism, convincing them that its cultivation was the one true Great Dao.

’This must be what Elder Monk Hai Shu meant by "Buddha Nature Perfection".’

Reading the information about these Scripture Scrolls, Yang An felt as if he had just walked into a pyramid scheme.

Of course, the Great Virtue Temple’s methods were infinitely more sophisticated. The change was subtle and gradual, making it nearly impossible for anyone to detect.

Through the quiet, accumulated changes over days and months, these Scripture Scrolls would eventually transform anyone into a devout and unwavering follower of the Great Virtue Temple.

’Such a scheme!’

Yang An didn’t put the Scripture Scrolls down. A cold sneer simply touched his lips.

He had only just arrived at the Great Virtue Temple, yet he already had a full seventy-two Scripture Scrolls assigned as his studies. This was a privilege reserved for the Buddha’s Son, one that others could likely never enjoy.

’But it doesn’t matter.’

’I just need to use Purification. It’s nothing to worry about.’

A moment later, he stored all the Scripture Scrolls in his Meat Burial Talisman and took out the golden paper for the Jade Kala Vajra Body, which he had received from Elder Monk Hai Shu.

’This is what’s most important.’

Using the golden paper was simple. He just had to channel his Mana into it and crush it.

But an indispensable step came first. Yang An would only dare to proceed after using Purification to eliminate its hidden costs.

The golden paper, now infused with Mana, felt as soft as a piece of bread in his hand. With a gentle squeeze, it disintegrated into dust. A flood of Scripture Mantras poured out, just like the scene he had witnessed in the Heart Buddha Hall.

The shimmering Scripture Mantras seemed to possess a life of their own as they surged toward Yang An and flowed into his mind.

In a matter of moments, all the Scripture Mantras in the Quiet Chamber vanished. Yang An sat cross-legged, working to quickly digest the vast amount of information about the Body Refining Method that had flooded his mind.

More than an hour passed before Yang An finally opened his eyes.

He now fully understood the complete Cultivation Method for the Jade Kala Vajra Body.

Although it was an improved version of a former Old Technique, the process remained exceedingly tedious and complex.

Just to reach the entry level, he needed not only Golden Dust but also more than ten other types of Spiritual Objects.

’Body Refining Techniques were all like this.’ Yang An was already prepared for this. He was determined to learn this Body Refining Technique, no matter how difficult.

Only by first grasping the core of this Body Refining Technique could he possibly reverse-engineer the Old Technique from this New Technique.

Fortunately, while the list of materials was long, the Great Virtue Temple was likely to have many of them. As the Buddha’s Son, he was entitled to such resources.

After reviewing the detailed Cultivation Method for the Jade Kala Vajra Body one more time, Yang An immediately left Mingxin Zen Courtyard.

Outside the Zen Courtyard, he found a passing Gami. Seeing the monk’s respectful demeanor, Yang An asked him to lead the way to the place where resources were distributed within the Great Virtue Temple.

The Great Virtue Temple was so enormous that even after several days, Yang An still hadn’t familiarized himself with his surroundings and needed a guide.

The place for requisitioning resources was an area called Grand View Cave Zen. It looked somewhat similar to Mingxin Zen Courtyard, but it wasn’t comprised of Zen Rooms for the temple’s Monks.

Grand View Cave Zen actually referred to the entire district.

This district contained all sorts of buildings and facilities.

There was the Spirit Gathering Hall, which was responsible for finding and collecting various Spiritual Objects from the outside world.

There was also Danfo Hall, responsible for finding Pill Formulas and concocting various Elixirs.

There was also Mijin Tower, which specialized in collecting materials to forge Magical Artifacts...

These buildings were all concentrated in the Grand View Cave Zen district, and everything they contained was collectively referred to as "resources."

Anyone in the Great Virtue Temple who wished to requisition resources had to go to the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny.

The Buddha’s Hall of Destiny was the department specifically in charge of managing and distributing resources. Most people were not qualified to enter the other buildings.

After escorting Yang An to the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny, the Gami excused himself and departed. Yang An entered the hall alone.

It was currently around 3:00 PM, so there weren’t many people coming and going in the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny.

When Yang An appeared, his attire immediately drew a great deal of attention. A Monk in a gray Monk’s Robe with silver-trimmed sleeves and collar immediately approached him.

This man was a Protector, as well as a Supervisor Monk in the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny.

A Gami could be promoted to a Protector upon reaching the Visceral Stone Cultivation Level and making sufficient contributions.

But even though this man was a Protector, he still had to maintain the utmost respect before Yang An, not daring to show the slightest offense.

The status of a Buddha’s Son was equivalent to that of a Zen Master. In the Great Virtue Temple, status was paramount. Even if this Monk’s Cultivation Level surpassed Yang An’s, he was still required to respectfully address him as "His Highness the Buddha Prince"!

"Amitabha. Greetings, Your Highness the Buddha Prince!"

With Yang An’s identity revealed, everyone in the Buddha’s Hall of Destiny bowed to him.

Yang An returned the gesture with a slight nod. Not wanting to waste time, he waited until the Supervisor Monk had led him to a secluded area before stating the purpose of his visit.

"I need some materials."

Yang An was prepared. He retrieved a Jade Scroll from his Meat Burial Talisman, on which he had already recorded the names of all the materials he required.

The Supervisor Monk took the Jade Scroll, examined its contents, and asked Yang An to wait for a moment.

Before long, the Supervisor Monk returned holding a register, a troubled look on his face.

"Your Highness the Buddha Prince, of the fifteen materials you requested, we have small reserves of fourteen of them here in Grand View Cave Zen. However, there is one that we do not have in our collection."

’Could it be the Golden Dust?’

"Which material is missing?"

Yang An asked with a frown. All of the dozen-plus materials for the Jade Kala Vajra Body were indispensable. If even one was missing, he couldn’t even attempt it.

"It is a material called ’Fox Wolf Wood Heart’," the Supervisor Monk replied.

Hearing that it wasn’t the Golden Dust, Yang An breathed a small sigh of relief.

The Golden Dust was the most crucial component for Refining the Physical body with this technique. It was certainly extremely difficult to collect, so its absence would have been a major problem.

’That’s a relief.’

"The Spirit Gathering Hall doesn’t have it either?

If the Fox Wolf Wood Heart is missing, just have the Spirit Gathering Hall go out and collect it. I don’t mind if it takes a little while. I can wait," Yang An replied.

The Spirit Gathering Hall’s entire purpose was to collect these rare and strange Spiritual Objects. If they could acquire it in a short amount of time, he was willing to wait.

But once Yang An finished speaking, the complicated expression on the Supervisor Monk’s face remained.

"Replying to Your Highness the Buddha Prince, the Spirit Gathering Hall did once possess this item. It was part of our Great Virtue Temple’s old reserves. However, half a month ago, the last of our small stock was taken by someone from the temple. To collect it again... I’m afraid it would take half a year at the very least."

"Half a year? That long?"

Hearing the Supervisor Monk’s words, Yang An’s brow furrowed.

He could wait ten days or even half a month, but half a year was far too long.

’Who knew what might happen in half a year?’

Mastering the Jade Kala Vajra Body as soon as possible would provide him with a way to conceal his true origins, minimizing the risk of his identity being exposed. It would also give him a powerful tool against his enemies and allow him to comprehend the core of the Body Refining Technique that much sooner.

"This is because the place where this item is found is not within our Great Virtue Temple’s Sixty-four States, but in a State Territory under the Golden Thread Pavilion’s jurisdiction..." the Supervisor Monk immediately explained.

Hearing this, Yang An understood instantly.

Given the hostile relationship between the Great Virtue Temple and the Golden Thread Pavilion, collecting materials from their territory was indeed an incredibly difficult task.

But without this material, Yang An couldn’t cultivate the Body Refining Technique. What was he to do?

Half a year was simply too long. The Spirit Gathering Hall would probably need to plan extensively just to attempt to collect such a material. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

’Should I perhaps go myself? Travel to the Golden Thread Pavilion’s territory and collect the material on my own?’

The thought flashed through Yang An’s mind.

But he dismissed it in the very next instant.

’No!’

He had gone to great lengths to infiltrate the Great Virtue Temple and become its Buddha’s Son. It was a hard-won position.

To rashly return to the Golden Thread Pavilion’s State Territory before he had even secured his footing in the Great Virtue Temple... the risk of exposing his identity was far too great.

Unfortunately, he had no way to proactively contact his master, Elder Zhuan Yu. He could only wait for Elder Zhuan Yu to contact him, and there was no telling when that might be.

’If I could contact him, I could ask for his help.’

’But as things stand...’

Yang An pondered for a moment. Then, an idea struck him, and he looked at the Supervisor Monk.

"You just said the Fox Wolf Wood Heart was taken by someone from the temple half a month ago? Who was it that took it?"