The City of Corpses was about to host the Western Buddha Sect's seasonal Lotus Gathering.
Inside the venue, images of Buddhas painted on human skin adorned the walls. Ritual monks beat the Human Skin Drums, chanting the Buddhist Chant to announce the approaching ceremony.
The leading monk, dressed in red robes, lit Sandalwood Incense in front of a Buddha statue, respectfully placing it into the incense burner. Then, he mixed a crimson liquid into the oil, igniting rows of lamps. An extraordinary fragrance immediately filled the hall.
Musicians played bone flutes made from the legs of full-moon infants, and waved the Damaru drums, their sounds intertwining with the chanting of the monks.
In front of the central table, Skull Bowls were laid out, each filled with a thick, red and white viscous substance. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be pulsating.
The entire gathering lacked any semblance of the solemnity and purity of a Buddhist holy ground. Instead, it exuded an indescribably eerie and sinister atmosphere, much like Asura Hell.
"The Chief is here!"
A shout rang out, and the monks in the hall, along with the tens of thousands of believers listening to the Dharma, all stood up and bowed in respect.
Soon, a group of martial monks with Supreme Realm cultivation lined up in an orderly fashion, five to the left and four to the right, standing in their designated positions.
Following them, three monks wearing Heavenly Grade Buddhist Robes with solemn expressions strode proudly to the front of the presiding seats and sat down in order.
Wrathful Bright King, in the lead, sat down in the middle, followed by Desire Sinks, who sat to the left, and finally Sighing Sorrow and Joy, who sat to the right.
The three of them exuded extraordinary auras, and their unmatched cultivation was subtly revealed as they opened and closed their eyes.
"The Lotus Gathering officially begins!"
With a deep shout from Wrathful Bright King, eight Brahmin Monks immediately carried a wooden stake into the hall.
On the wooden stake, a woman with disheveled hair and scantily clad was tightly bound by ropes and brought to the Buddhist Execution Platform, where she was laid flat in a "大" shape.
Wrathful Bright King waved his Buddhist robes, checked the time, and was just about to order the monks with the Discipline Knives to begin the Lotus Gathering when a loud shout came from outside the hall.
"The Buddha's Son has arrived!"
As the words fell, Heng the Buddha's Son, accompanied by a Bhikkhuni whose face was completely covered by her monk's robes and hood, strode into the hall.
"Greetings to the Buddha's Son!"
The monks all bowed to Heng the Buddha's Son.
"All of you, my Buddhist friends, rise!"
Heng the Buddha's Son returned the greeting and then walked to the foot of the steps leading to the three head seats, performing a Kesa bow: "Third Brother, I am late."
Desire Sinks replied, "Amitabha. Brother, you've arrived just in time. The Lotus Gathering has just begun. I was worried that you wouldn't make it to such a grand event."
After speaking, he glanced at the Bhikkhuni beside Heng the Buddha's Son, revealing a look of questioning.
"This is a Bhikkhuni from the Victorious Dharma Nunnery, following this Buddha's Son in the study of Buddhist teachings. Today, at the Lotus Gathering, I brought her to listen to the teachings of the three senior brothers."
Heng the Buddha's Son replied unhurriedly, his expression calm, always maintaining a trace of elegance on his face.
Wrathful Bright King suddenly asked, "Junior Brother! I wonder if our Master, the old man, is well?"
Heng the Buddha's Son: "The Sect Leader is perfectly fine. Before leaving, he specifically instructed this Buddha's Son to seek more guidance on Buddhist teachings from the three senior brothers."
Sighing Sorrow and Joy: "Junior Brother, since you're here, quickly take your seat. The Lotus Gathering is solemn, do not delay the auspicious time."
Heng the Buddha's Son nodded, then sat down with the Bhikkhuni at the prepared seat.
As soon as he sat down, Sighing Sorrow and Joy suddenly asked again, "Junior Brother, why didn't Shatuo and the others accompany you on this trip to protect you?"
Heng the Buddha's Son sighed softly, "Shatuo and the others were harmed by the Heretics while protecting this Buddha's Son. They have already gone to the Pure Land."
"Amitabha!"
The three of them chanted a Buddhist Chant in unison upon hearing this.
"There are actually heretical evils within the Buddha Country."
"The Buddha Country does not tolerate desecration, nor does it tolerate doubt of the Buddha."
"Could it be a counterattack by the remnants of the Zen Sect?"
"This matter must be thoroughly investigated."
While the three chief seats were communicating telepathically, Heng the Buddha's Son was also observing the scene around the hall.
Human Skin Drums, human paintings, leg bone flutes, Skull Bowls – each item went against the basic tenets of Buddhism.
Furthermore, the seemingly solemn Buddhist temple was surrounded by a faint, black Ghost Cloud, which would sometimes condense and sometimes dissipate, as if monitoring everyone present.
"Head Priest, the auspicious time has arrived."
"Begin the extraction!"
With a stern shout from Wrathful Bright King, two red-robed monks holding Discipline Knives, their expressions ferocious, walked towards the woman bound to the Buddhist Execution Platform.
The surrounding monks and believers immediately began chanting Buddhist scriptures. The Buddhist Chant immediately echoed throughout the entire temple, appearing exceptionally eerie and sinister.
The woman's eyes were vacant…
"Wait!"
Heng the Buddha's Son suddenly spoke to stop them.
The three elders were all stunned.
"Buddha's Son, what are you doing?"
"Don't delay the auspicious time of the Lotus Gathering. We can talk about anything else after it's over."
Heng the Buddha's Son smiled faintly, his hands clasped together: "Three senior brothers, may I ask how many years the Lotus Gathering has been held? Has there been any real progress?"
Wrathful Bright King: "Buddha's Son, what exactly are you trying to say?"
Heng the Buddha's Son: "This Buddha's Son believes that continuing this seemingly glorious but actually time-wasting gathering is meaningless.
A hundred years ago, this Buddha's Son already proposed abolishing the Lotus Gathering. It would be better to spend more energy on things that are truly worth studying."
"However, the monks strongly opposed it, which was truly frustrating."
Desire Sinks: "Buddha's Son, don't speak nonsense."
Heng the Buddha's Son: "Nonsense? Three senior brothers, may I ask, since the Lotus Gathering was first held, how long has it been, and has it ever succeeded?"
Sighing Sorrow and Joy: "Buddha's Son, do not question the Buddha's decree."
Heng the Buddha's Son gave a light laugh: "What? Third senior brother, in front of so many believers and Buddhist friends, you aren't willing to admit the true purpose of holding this gathering?"
"Silence!" Wrathful Bright King shouted angrily, "Buddha's Son, now is not the time for you to show off. In short, wait until the Lotus Gathering is over, and then we can talk."
Heng the Buddha's Son stood up and said: "Since you are unwilling to listen to this Buddha's Son,
then this Buddha's Son is also unwilling to stay here and waste this boring time with you. Please allow this Buddha's Son to go around the city."
Desire Sinks: "Buddha's Son, you are becoming increasingly excessive. Is it that the Master has indulged you too much, causing you to lose the decorum that a Buddha's Son should possess?"
Heng the Buddha's Son: "Amitabha. This Buddha's Son merely believes that instead of wasting time on these meaningless things, it's better to do something truly meaningful.
Even putting makeup on a watermelon would be better than staying here to watch a pretentious ceremony."
After speaking, he called a Bhikkhuni beside him and walked out of the Buddha Hall without looking back.
"Wait! You are not allowed to leave!" Wrathful Bright King roared, "As a Buddha's Son, you should be a model for all monks. Since you've come, how can you just leave? I forbid you from leaving!"
"Hahaha, senior brother, you should know this Buddha's Son's temper. If this Buddha's Son wants to leave, who can stop me except the Master? You all continue; this Buddha's Son won't join you."
With that, he directly left the Buddha Hall.
Desire Sinks: "Senior brother, look at that."
Wrathful Bright King clenched his fist and said in a low voice, "The Lotus Gathering is postponed. We'll wait for the next auspicious time. Sighing Sorrow and Joy, you preach first. Desire Sinks, you come with me to bring the Buddha's Son back!"
After saying this, he ordered people to take the two women bound on the Buddhist Execution Platform away.
Outside the temple, wherever Heng the Buddha's Son passed, everyone, whether monks or believers, uniformly bowed to him in respect.
He only stopped when he reached a dilapidated alleyway and saw Zhou Yu (the female shopkeeper) disguised as a delivery slave.
"Buddha's Son, please follow me."
The three of them entered the alley, and after winding through it, they disappeared.
In the distance, Wrathful Bright King and Desire Sinks, who were watching everything, had grave expressions.
欲沉沦 sighed, "Senior Brother, it seems the Buddha's Son has indeed been killed, just as we heard yesterday.
If I hadn't seen the difference in your attitude today, I wouldn't have wanted to accept this fact."
Wrathful Bright King exuded an aura, "The Buddha's Son's death, I will make them pay tenfold. But to break that shackle, we must rely on this person."
欲沉沦 said, "Senior Brother, Master has repeatedly instructed us not to let anyone near that forbidden ground. This matter concerns the survival of the Buddha Land."
"After more than ten thousand years, the divine sense within the forbidden ground is already weak. If we can use their hands to achieve our goal, our Buddha Land will have no more worries."
"But what if something goes wrong? How will we explain it to Master?"
"I will explain to Master. Now we just need to wait for those few to break the formation, then we can catch them all! The urgent matter is not to alert the enemy. Let them do as they will, and we will follow quietly."
In the northwestern corner of the City of Corpses, in front of a secluded, dilapidated little Buddhist hall, the atmosphere was strikingly different from other places. Instead of the ubiquitous Buddha statues and the sound of Buddhist Chant, this place was exceptionally quiet.
"This is the place I mentioned, you two."
"Are you sure this is the place I'm looking for?"
Heng the Buddha's Son frowned.
Zhou Yu nodded vigorously. "I've followed your instructions and brought you here. You will keep your promise to me, right?"
Heng the Buddha's Son didn't speak, but strode forward.
Immediately, a brilliant light erupted three steps away from his feet.
"Be careful!"
The Bhikkhuni beside her cried out in alarm.
She saw the Sanskrit formation in front of Heng the Buddha's Son completely envelop the area around the Buddhist hall.
"It's the Nine-Grade Lapis Lazuli Formation!"
The Bhikkhuni exclaimed.
"I never thought I would see a formation of such a grade in this place."
"It seems that what we're looking for is inside."
After saying this, Heng the Buddha's Son took out a wine gourd from his storage ring and took a big swig.
In an instant, the aura around Heng the Buddha's Son changed dramatically.
"Kid, you."
"There's no time. I can only forcibly break the formation, Master Xuanzang, forgive me!"
With that, he raised his fist, which was condensed with azure flames, and drawing energy from his dantian, slammed it fiercely against the Buddhist light barrier.
The next moment, the Buddhist array shattered, turning into specks of Sanskrit star rain, scattering in all directions.
"Ah~"
In that instant, the monks and believers within the City of Corpses clutched their heads, writhing in pain on the ground.
Black qi emerged from their foreheads, shooting up into the sky.
Inside the Buddhist hall, Sighing Sorrow and Joy, who was lecturing, immediately sensed the anomaly in the surrounding Buddhist energy.
Before he could react, the believers inside the Buddhist hall let out waves of agonizing howls. Even the nine core disciples clutched their heads, beads of cold sweat pouring down their faces.
Above the Buddhist hall, black Qi shrouded the area, forming a swirling Ghost Cloud, which made the entire hall appear incredibly sinister.
"Gabora Midosa."
Sighing Sorrow and Joy endured the discomfort of the out-of-control spiritual energy within him and silently recited a passage of scripture.
The next moment, the black Qi floating in mid-air swirled and returned to each person's body.
Everyone seemed to have gone through a battle of epic proportions, utterly exhausted, and collapsed weakly to the ground.
"Hmm? Senior Brother!"
Sighing Sorrow and Joy called out in surprise, and then his figure transformed into a ray of light, flying towards the outside of the hall.
-----------------------
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