Chapter 549: Fated With The Buddhist Path (I)
Within the demon cave, the roars of yaos rose and fell without end. The demonic qi here was incredibly dense. The moment Lin Zheyu passed through the energy barrier, he felt the thick demonic qi pressing in, surging toward his body as if trying to burrow into him without cease.
A yao resembling a rat, yet stretching three to four meters in length, shot out from the dense forest. Lin Zheyu stepped through the air, and with a casual flick of his hand, a blade of light sliced through the air. With a sharp cry, the yao fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
A woman who had been fleeing from the yao stopped when she sensed the disturbance behind her and offered her thanks with respect.
"Many thanks, Senior!"
Lin Zheyu did not even turn his head as he sped toward the nearest space-time node. His action had been nothing more than a casual gesture. As a fellow human, seeing someone chased by yaos, it cost him nothing to lend a hand, nor would it bring him any trouble. He was not so cold-blooded as to stand by and watch someone die.
"Kill!"
From not far away came the synchronized, forceful rhythm of marching steps. With a thunderous shout of 'Kill!', a terrifying killing intent surged into the sky, condensing into a towering figure over ten meters tall. The figure wore savage black armor, the signature armor of the Demon-Suppressing Army, and wielded a massive, vicious blade. As the roar rang out, the blade cleaved down toward the head of a distant yao.
Lin Zheyu passed by, casting a curious glance. It was a hundred-man squad of the Demon-Suppressing Army. Each soldier was shrouded in astonishing baleful qi, their bodies swelling in size, some even showing signs of demonization.
A hundred elite soldiers can use a formation to condense a dharma-form phantom with strength comparable to that of the Foundation Establishment realm. No wonder they are one of Great Wei's strongest armies, Lin Zheyu thought to himself.
This was only a hundred-man squad. If it were a thousand, ten thousand, or even a hundred thousand soldiers, the dharma form they condensed would reach an unimaginably terrifying level. Lin Zheyu only gave it a passing glance. Not seeing Guo Wenzi or Chen Ding among them, he paid it no further attention.
Within the demon cave, there were many such elite squads of the Demon-Suppressing Army. Along the way, Lin Zheyu had already sensed two of them. Formations composed of soldiers lacked flexibility, and their primary task was to clear out the powerful yaos entrenched within the demon cave. As for the weaker ones, they were left to ten-man squads or other cultivators to hunt.
The wind howled past his ears with a whoosh. Before long, Lin Zheyu arrived near the space-time node.
The sound of rushing water echoed through the air. It was the flow of a demonic river. Wherever a space-time node existed, rivers infused with pure demonic qi would pour out from space-time rifts, forming streams that steadily eroded the world around them.
As soon as Lin Zheyu approached, a soft murmur drifted into his ears.
"As he passed by the city god, he walked slowly through the gates, composed and dignified, observing the rites with solemn reverence. At that time, Ananda[1], while on alms rounds, entered a chamber of desire and encountered a great illusion. The maiden Matanga[2] invoked the Brahma incantation of Savikara..."
Though he was not well-versed in the Buddhist sect, Lin Zheyu immediately recognized it as a Buddhist scripture. The moment he heard it, his mind grew utterly calm, and a sense of compassion welled up from within. His expression softened into serene tranquility as he narrowed his eyes and looked toward the space-time node.
There, seated cross-legged, was an ordinary young monk. His hands were pressed together, a gentle smile on his face, lips slightly parted as he chanted an unknown scripture. Behind him loomed a massive Buddha phantom, so vast that it enveloped the rift of the space-time node. The enormous crack rested at the Buddha's brow, as though it had become a third eye.
From the rift, rivers of water laden with dense demonic qi flowed endlessly, like black tears sliding down from the Buddha's brow. A closer look revealed that the face of the Buddha phantom was none other than the young monk himself.
Lin Zheyu needed only a single glance before he was drawn in. In his perception, the Buddha phantom grew larger and larger, until it stood as if holding up heaven and earth, leaving nothing in existence but this single divine figure.
Wave after wave of grand, solemn chanting filled with boundless compassion flowed from the Buddha's mouth. Hearing it, Lin Zheyu found himself unable to resist bringing his hands together and kneeling to prostrate before the immense Buddha in reverence.
Lin Zheyu's body trembled as he jolted awake, breaking free from the illusion. "Hm? What a strange Buddhist sect..."
His chest rose and fell as he gasped for breath. Just moments ago, a sudden impulse had surged within him to lay down the butcher's blade and convert to the Buddhist sect. Though it had lasted only an instant, it was deeply unsettling. He felt no disturbance within his sea of consciousness, and the vast golden energy within it remained completely still. Yet the power of the Buddhist sect had strangely bypassed both his sea of consciousness and his soul, directly influencing his mind.
Lin Zheyu clasped his fists and offered a respectful salute to the monk. "I am Xiao Yu of the Martial Alliance. Greetings, Master."
This monk was powerful, terrifyingly so. To stir his inclination toward Buddhism without affecting his soul was no ordinary feat. Lin Zheyu remained on guard and immediately invoked the Martial Alliance's name as a shield. He genuinely feared the monk might abandon all restraint and forcibly convert him. If that happened, he was not certain he could resist. Against such an eerie ability that directly influenced the mind, even Origin Force would be useless. Origin Force could not alter one's thoughts or convictions.
The monk opened his eyes and said with a gentle smile, "Amitabha. Benefactor, you are fated with the Buddhist path. Would you be willing to enter the Buddhist sect and cultivate with this humble monk?"
Though phrased as a question, it carried the weight of a statement, imbued with a force that was difficult to refuse. An invisible wave of energy rippled outward, and Lin Zheyu's heart stirred as he nearly agreed on the spot.
Damn it!
Lin Zheyu cursed inwardly as goosebumps spread across his skin.
Ever since entering the Blood Qi realm, he had not felt goosebumps like this. Yet this bald monk had managed to provoke them. The man was actually trying to trick him into joining the Buddhist sect. Lin Zheyu had once held a fairly good impression of the Buddhist sect, but this young monk's actions had shattered that completely.
Lin Zheyu cupped his fists and said, "My worldly ties remain unresolved. I have no affinity with the Buddhist path. Farewell!"
Without hesitation, he turned and left, abandoning the idea of entering the demonic realm through this space-time node. The monk had left far too poor an impression on him. Lin Zheyu truly feared that the man might disregard all decorum and act directly.
After all, anyone capable of suppressing a space-time node alone possessed terrifying strength, far beyond someone like Fan Hongwei. He had already exchanged greetings and invoked the Martial Alliance's name, and this place was not far from Demon-Suppressing City. Surely the monk would not stoop so low as to attack him outright.
"Amitabha." The young monk gazed in the direction Lin Zheyu had departed and softly recited a Buddhist invocation.
A trace of confusion and something strange flickered in his eyes before they returned to their usual calm. He resumed chanting as if nothing had happened.
Lin Zheyu glanced back warily. Seeing that the monk had not followed, he let out a small breath of relief.
Lin Zheyu frowned and muttered, "What exactly is with that guy?"
He could not make sense of it. Was Great Wei not allied with the Buddhist sect? Why would such a powerful monk suddenly try to convert him? Could it be that he truly had some affinity with Buddhism? Was he some legendary prodigy with unparalleled talent in the Buddhist path?
"To hell with that..." Lin Zheyu muttered under his breath as he sped off in another direction.
This time, he deliberately chose a known space-time node guarded by the Demon-Suppressing Army. It was farther away, but far safer and more reliable.
As soon as Lin Zheyu arrived at another space-time node, a patrolling soldier stopped him. "Halt! Who goes there?"
Lin Zheyu handed over his token and said calmly, "I am Xiao Yu of the Martial Alliance. This is my identity token. I intend to cross the space-time node to train. Please inform your superiors."
"Please wait, sir." The soldier accepted the token respectfully and turned to report to his superior.
1. Ananda (Ānán) was a close disciple of Gautama Buddha, known for his exceptional memory and for preserving many of the Buddha's teachings; often appears in scriptures as a compassionate yet human figure who can be susceptible to illusion. ☜
2. Matanga (Módēngqié) was a woman in Buddhist scriptures (often linked to Ananda) who uses illusion or enchantment to seduce him, symbolizing temptation and the power of delusion. ☜
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