Super Gene Ⅱ: Evolution

The three didn't want to waste any more time and strove to find the teleporter and leave this place during daylight.

Although they possessed a bow, a token, and a kerchief that could save their lives in the dark, who knew if these things would always be effective?

Previously, only the Golden Crow had taken action; if an existence more terrifying than the Golden Crow made a move, would the bow still be enough to fend it off?

The trio hastened on their way, paying their respects before entering each temple they came across to check inside.

They definitely didn't dare to take anything, just to see if there was a teleporter inside.

All the temples here had been severely damaged, yet the main halls were all intact. However, the statues inside the main halls had all been hung up, making it seem as though the gods had collectively hanged themselves.

Despite pondering over it, Lin Shen couldn't figure out what was going on.

After searching many temples without finding the teleporter, they suddenly came upon a massive temple they had never seen before.

Unlike the dilapidation of the regular temples, this temple was not only free from any signs of decay but was also incredibly resplendent, as if built from golden bricks, with even the roof being golden.

Having seen so many broken-down temples, the sight of such a temple surprised all three of them.

"It seems that if there's a place where the teleporter could exist, it would be here," Ouyang Yudu said.

"Since we're here, let's go in and take a look," the three of them said as they approached the resplendent temple, and from a distance, they saw a large golden plaque hanging above the massive door, engraved with three golden characters: "Golden Buddha Temple."

"The more Buddha is worshipped, the more Buddha will bless us. I like this place," Lin Shen said with palms pressed together in salutation before he went up to push the door.

However, this push had no effect on the massive doors, which left Lin Shen slightly taken aback.

The doors of the other temples had opened with a push; why wouldn't the doors of the Golden Buddha Temple budge?

While he was puzzling over it, a squeaking sound came from the door, which then opened by itself.

Instinctively, Lin Shen and his companions stepped back, readying themselves for battle, only to see a shiny, bald head poke out, followed by a monk in a moon-white robe stepping out from within.

"Where have the three of you come from, and what brings you to my Golden Buddha Temple?" the monk asked, holding prayer beads and looking at them.

The three of them looked at the monk incredulously; they never dreamed that there would be a human in this place.

"You... you are... human..." Lin Shen asked tentatively as he scrutinized the monk.

"Benefactor jests. My dharma name is Master Chao Du, and since I have not yet achieved enlightenment, I naturally remain human," the monk replied with a smile.

"Master Chao Du, how come you are here?" Lin Shen asked the odd monk, perceiving his Dharma name as peculiar — who would use such a strange name.

"Since I was young, I've lived in the Golden Buddha Temple, where else would I be?" Chao Du answered.

Lin Shen and his companions exchanged looks before Ouyang Yudu spoke up, "We've lost our way and wonder if Master Chao Du could enlighten us?"

"I have never stepped out of the Golden Buddha Temple, so I know nothing of the outside world. Please forgive my inability to assist," Chao Du replied, bowing his head.

"Master Chao Du, as night falls, may we stay overnight in the temple?" Ouyang Yudu asked.

Chao Du appeared hesitant, but after a moment of contemplation, he nodded, "You may stay, but please do not wander about carelessly, lest you disturb the Buddha."

"We will be sure to conduct ourselves with propriety," Ouyang Yudu assured him.

Master Chao Du then pushed the door open and welcomed the three of them inside.

The Golden Buddha Temple looked splendid from the outside, but its interior was even more opulently extravagant. Even the bricks on the floor seemed to be made of gold.

Upon entering, the three saw a spacious courtyard, opposite which stood the majestic main hall, with the words "Golden Buddha Hall" inscribed on the golden plaque beneath the eaves.

Through the open doors, they could see a Golden Buddha Statue inside; however, the door was too low—or perhaps the statue was too gigantic—so only the golden lotus pedestal at the bottom was visible.

"Master Chao Du, let's pay our respects to the Buddha first. Although we're just staying temporarily, it's important to observe the proper rituals," said Ouyang Yudu.
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"Very well," Master Chao Du led them into the hall, where they saw the towering Golden Buddha Statue, which stood over ten meters tall and was exceptionally imposing within the hall.

Looking around the hall, aside from the Golden Buddha Statue, they did not see anything else of note—mostly just items used in Buddhist worship. They did not catch sight of any teleporter.

Master Chao Du lit incense and handed one to each of the three, directing them to bow and offer the incense to the Buddha.

After paying their respects without noticing anything amiss, they came out, and somewhat puzzled, asked Master Chao Du, "Why haven't we seen any other monks?"

With a puzzled expression, Master Chao Du asked, "What other monks? There's only this poor monk in the Golden Buddha Temple."

"Just you in such a large temple? How did you survive when you were young?" Lin Shen asked, looking at Master Chao Du with confusion.

"From childhood to the present, this poor monk has been the only one in the Golden Buddha Temple. It was the Buddha who took me in and raised me," Master Chao Du stated as if it was a matter of course.

Lin Shen and the others exchanged looks. The Buddha taking him in and raising him—how could such a thing happen in this world?

Putting aside whether there was even a Buddha present on this planet, even if there truly was a Buddha, it would likely be an alien being—how could it possibly raise a human?

But thinking about the temples they had encountered before, it seemed not entirely impossible.

Maybe those terrifying beings suddenly developed a merciful heart and took a liking to the little BABY, deciding to raise him.

Even so, how did Master Chao Du come to be? He couldn't have just appeared out of thin air at the Golden Buddha Temple, could he?

This vast Golden Buddha Temple only enshrined a Golden Buddha in the main hall, with no other side halls or such places having any other deities.

Master Chao Du arranged for Lin Shen and the others to stay in the side rooms and then left to chant scriptures in the main hall.

When leaving, he cautioned the three not to leave the courtyard or walk around indiscriminately, lest they commit any taboo.

Lin Shen always felt there was something incongruous about everything in the Golden Buddha Temple.

Even the dilapidated temples hadn't given him this feeling. Yet this resplendent Golden Buddha Temple did, making him feel a sense of disjunction, as though the temple did not belong to this place.

Lin Shen shared his feelings with Ouyang Yudu and Wei Wufu, who felt the same way.

"I think this Golden Buddha Temple wasn't originally from this planet. It's a mystery who might have moved it here," Lin Shen mused.

"All the other places we've seen were temples, but this is named a temple. It indeed doesn't seem to be an original structure here," Ouyang Yudu added.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

From the direction of the main hall, the sound of a wooden fish being struck was transmitted. In the quiet of the Golden Buddha Temple, the sound of the wooden fish was especially clear. It must be Master Chao Du worshiping and chanting sutras.