Chapter 1187: Chapter 797: River Immortal Village
According to Yang Xiao’s information and everyone’s analysis, Imam Musa concluded that they were brought back by the high monks of the temple, who had intentions of using them as substitutes for the Worldly Alms Bowl to undergo tribulations.
"Using us as substitutes to die?" Juan, with his fiery temper, exploded upon hearing this. He had encountered such matters often in tasks.
"Noisy," Musa gave Juan a cold glance, not sparing his face. "If you don’t know, don’t speak. I’ve heard of this Worldly Alms Bowl concept. Those selected for it must have a great connection with Buddhism and share a bond of mutual glory and loss with the temple high monks. They can’t intend to harm us unless they seek to harm themselves too."
"Could it be that having the Worldly Alms Bowl nearby empowers the high monks with mana, giving them more confidence in dealing with those evil spirits?" Datou, a burly man, spoke in a low tone. He was a very steady individual. "Or perhaps there are some matters the high monks find inconvenient to handle themselves, requiring us to step in."
"I agree with Datou’s view," Yang Xiao voiced his support.
Back then, an Esoteric Sect martyr had once told him that the Worldly Alms Bowl essentially binds one’s fate to that of the high monks.
If the high monks deviated onto a demonic path during their cultivation, the person embodied as the Worldly Alms Bowl would suffer backlash. If the high monks unfortunately met with sudden death, the lingering Worldly Alms Bowl would bear and repay the unfinished karmic debts of the monks.
"So, our task this time is to cooperate with the temple’s high monks to solve the supernatural events here and ensure the monks’ safety," Maria’s voice was calm and clear as she stated.
"That seems to be the case," Musa nodded solemnly. "Simultaneously ensuring our own safety."
"Hopefully, these high monks genuinely possess real skills and aren’t frauds," Adila took the lead in heading towards the town.
Soon, Yang Xiao and his group were discovered by the early risers in the town. Upon learning of Yang Xiao and his group’s intentions, they were taken to a house to rest, while another villager ran to the temple to notify them.
Not long afterward, several people dressed in monk robes hurried over, escorted by many villagers. They wore saffron-dyed cloth, exposing their right shoulders, wrapped in coarse hemp, with bare feet. The middle-aged monk leading them had a humble and compassionate demeanor.
Listening to the surrounding people, they all addressed the leading monk as Saiyaduo.
Imam Musa explained in a low voice, in the ancient Balinese scriptures, "Saiya" means teacher or guru, and "duo" is an honorific suffix, translatable to high or esteemed.
The two monks behind the middle-aged monk had brawny builds, with fierce eyebrows and glaring eyes, resembling Vajras.
The monk on the left held a Black Iron Ring Knife, while the monk on the right carried a Black Alms Bowl, exuding an aura of authority.
Before Yang Xiao and the others could react, the middle-aged monk knelt down, performing a kneeling salute to Yang Xiao and his group, a scene that left everyone stunned.
And when the middle-aged monk rose and spoke, it left Yang Xiao and his group utterly shocked.
The high monks of the temple had already passed away, just over a month ago.
"All of them?" Maria’s voice became urgent.
"All of them. There were six high monks in the temple, including my teacher, the former Saiyaduo," the middle-aged monk spoke with a distressed expression.
Yang Xiao and his group felt a chilling despair. As the Worldly Alms Bowl for the monks, they would have to bear the unresolved karmic debts of the monks.
Yang Xiao clasped his hands together, pressing, "Master, how did the six high monks suddenly pass away?"
Upon saying this, Yang Xiao noticed the nearby villagers’ expressions turned strange. A couple of women standing on the outskirts turned pale, seemingly drained of blood.
The middle-aged monk took a deep breath, lips trembling, "The high monks were harmed by an evil spirit, those vengeful souls, fierce ghosts of River Immortal Village."
"River Immortal Village..." The group keenly caught the strange name.
This name instantly reminded Yang Xiao of the events from the previous night, the island that mysteriously appeared in the misty lake.
The middle-aged monk dismissed the villagers and explained everything to Yang Xiao and the others. It turned out that the lake they saw was not a lake a decade ago, but a depression.
There was a village in the depression that had existed for many years. The villagers rarely contacted the outside world, almost living a self-sufficient life.
One year, continuous torrential rains broke a nearby earthen dam. The rushing floodwaters submerged the village completely, and not a single person escaped. Overnight, the depression where the village was located became a lake.
The high monks of the temple, with compassionate hearts, annually recited scriptures and prayed for the villagers who perished at the bottom of the lake.
But just a month ago, on a rainy night, six high monks, as usual, were reciting and praying in the temple hall. However, by the next morning, it was discovered that all six high monks died terribly in the hall, shocking a young monk into madness.
"What did the bodies look like?" Juan swallowed nervously, asking.
"They were drained of all bodily fluids, becoming shriveled mummies as if they had been dead for many decades," when mentioning the tragic state of the high monks, the middle-aged monk clasped his hands together, as he is currently the acting temple host.
"Did your temple have any prior connection with the village that was submerged?" Adila inquired tentatively.
Yang Xiao knew he actually wanted to ask if there was any past grudge between the tragically deceased high monks and the village.
"No, the villagers were very peculiar, almost never contacting the outside world. There was no enmity," the middle-aged monk cautiously responded.
At this moment, Yang Xiao suddenly realized something. Six high monks died violently, but there were twelve of them, six men and six women, which didn’t add up.
The middle-aged monk explained that every high monk had a male and female Worldly Alms Bowl. High monks practiced liberation, past appearances bore no substantial form, while the Worldly Alms Bowl lacked such capacity, hence the division by gender.
Musa tentatively mentioned that they accidentally saw something stirring at the lakeside last night, possibly a boat emerging from the mist. They even lost someone because of it.
Indeed, upon hearing this, the middle-aged monk’s complexion worsened. He stared intently at Musa, as if verifying something extremely crucial, "Did anyone see the returning Netherworld Boat? Did you spot River Immortal Village?"
"Is that the village floating in the mist on the lake? Like a solitary island?" Aisha asked.
At these words, the middle-aged monk gasped and looked at Aisha’s face, which grew even paler, lightly rubbing his fingers as if silently reciting scriptures.
"It seems..." The middle-aged monk faltered in his speech, "This is a disaster for the Buddhist temple. As Worldly Alms Bowls of the high monks, you cannot escape it."
Just as Yang Xiao and the others wanted to continue questioning, they were interrupted by the monk’s raised hand. He told Yang Xiao and his group to rest first, and later he would arrange for someone to take them to the temple. Only under the protection of the Buddhist temple might they have a chance to escape this calamity.
"Master, we have a friend who got lost near the lake where we launched the paper boat," Maria spoke quickly.
Shari was most likely in grave danger, everyone understood that, but if they could find her body, they would gather many clues from it, which was what concerned them.
The middle-aged monk did not refuse this. He said he would send monk slaves with villagers to search, but whether they could find her was uncertain.
Implied in his words was that Yang Xiao and the others should not have high expectations.
"Monk slave..." Davi was puzzled, as this term was very unfamiliar to her. The monks she knew weren’t like this.
However, her odd reaction was quickly covered up by Yang Xiao and the others. Yang Xiao shot her a warning glance to keep quiet, scaring Davi into silence.
The first lesson for newcomers is to learn silence, which is crucial.
Yang Xiao and the group were temporarily settled in a civilian home, with the intention to await the blessing ceremony before being taken to the temple.
After some simple food and drink, the group rested until dusk when a thunderous piece of news was delivered,
Yang Xiao and the group were temporarily settled in a civilian home, with the intention to await the blessing ceremony before being taken to the temple.
After some simple food and drink, the group rested until dusk when a thunderous piece of news was delivered,
