Chapter 22: Fa Hai

  A bolt of lightning struck Ou Wang, just as Shen Tu Jian arrived from the other side to rescue him. Immediately, Ou Wang's body stumbled, and at this moment he was frantic and confused, acting solely on instinct. He immediately turned around to attack Shen Tu Jian, and Xiao Qing narrowly escaped disaster.

  Xu Xian ordered: "Take turns using thunder talismans to attack him."

  At this moment, the crimson array still exists. If given a few people time, they might be able to break through the array and escape. But where is the time? Although this courtyard is large, it can barely accommodate the enormous enemy king. With just one step, one stretch of its claws, it can almost reach anywhere. Its massive body makes any attack meaningless. Shentu Jian's current knife swings are only able to leave a tiny, insignificant wound on the enemy king's body, which will quickly heal.

  Three people ran back and forth in this small courtyard, exhausted from running around. Xu Xian's monkey swordsmanship was brought to its peak, although he didn't use a sword, his twists and turns were as agile as a monkey. Even carrying someone, they could barely dodge.

  But with just one mistake, it would be a fatal outcome. The Lei Fu in his hand could save his life, but the three of them couldn't last long against Chou Wang.

  Shen Tu suddenly roared: "Lei Fu is left with only one." Xiao Qing also shouted: "Mine is too."

  Xu Xian suddenly stopped hiding and stood still. He shouted loudly: "Wait for my command, then attack together."

  The enemy king is now even more frantic, seeing Xu Xian not moving, he immediately grabbed him.

  Xu Xian threw Yin Hong's sleeve to Xiao Qing, raised his head high and looked at Chou Wang's eyes. In the gaze, one was calm and the other was frantic. As soon as he grasped it, Xu Xian ordered: "Use."

  Two flashes of lightning struck the body of King Pan Da, and his giant claws stretching towards Xu Xian paused.

  But Xu Xian did not take advantage of the situation to dodge, but instead swept past the giant claws and flew straight at Chou Wang.

  Xiao Qing was shocked and lost color, once entering Chou Wang's attack circle, it would be much harder to get out, or rather, impossible.

  But Xu Xian didn't think of going out, but rather thought of going in.

  With a wave of his hand, he cut open an opening in the abdomen of the enemy king and flew into it.

  Innumerable vengeful spirits and evil ghosts in the body of Qi Wang rushed towards Xu Xian, wanting to tear him apart and devour him, but a layer of golden light surged up from Xu Xian, blocking the swarm of ghosts.

  A faint golden flame began to spread within Ou Wang's body, slow and steady.

  Shen Tu Zhang, Xiao Qing and Yin Hongxiu stood on one side, seeing Chou Wang, after being stunned by Lei Guang's thunder, did not attack them again. Instead, he stretched into his own belly, as if trying to grab something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't grasp it. He let out an anxious and irritable roar, using even more force to grab, but could only tear the wound on his abdomen wider and wider.

  A wound several meters long, with countless faces screaming inside. Xu Xian moved forward against the tide in this ocean of vengeful spirits, and the layer of golden light on his body was thin and seemed to be torn apart at any moment. The ghost claws almost caught him several times.

  Finally, as if hitting a wall, Xu Xian exerted himself to cut with his sword, but couldn't cut through. Seeing the ghost claws coming again from behind, Xu Xian dodged to the side, and the ghost claw ripped open a hole on the wall. Xu Xian took this opportunity to swing his sword once more, enlarging the hole, and leaped out, landing beside Xiao Qing.

  Xiao Qing looked at Xu Xian in surprise as he emerged from Qiu Wang's abdomen and then exited through his back, seemingly more comfortable. She thought of attacking him again, but her heart ached, feeling exhausted after the brief respite. Her attention turned to Xu Xian beside her, still with that calm expression, only with a hint of fatigue added.

  Xu Xian felt Xiao Qing's gaze and turned back to her saying: "I won!"

  Xiao Qingxi asked: "Really?" After everything tonight, she had already been very convinced of Xu Xian's divine calculation.

  As expected, Chou Wang's massive body suddenly stagnated, and then violently convulsed like a madman. The scars on his body were torn open one by one, and in Chou Wang's frantic howls, rolling black smoke gushed out. Chou Wang was like a leaking balloon, his body rapidly withering away, until only a layer of dry skin remained.

  Shen Tu was stunned, and the enemy king suddenly absorbed so many spirits that he couldn't control them in the end. If only a few more people could hold on for a while, Xu Xian would have buried the true fire of the sun into the enemy king's body, and if the enemy king could fully control it, it wouldn't be a big deal, just extinguish it. However, the ghosts in his body dispersed and escaped one after another, which led to his eventual downfall.

  A few people came to Xu Xian's side, wanting to say something, but they all withered on the ground, unable to utter a single word. Only Xu Xian remained standing, propping up his sword and gazing up at the bright moon that looked like a silver plate. His figure in the moonlight was deeply etched into the minds of several people, impossible to forget.

  Yin Hongxiu looked at Xu Xian, her eyes shining brightly, and after collecting her thoughts, she said: "Ah-choo!" Wearing such thin clothes in winter was bound to be cold, but she had been on the verge of life and death just now, and only felt the chill now. Moreover, dressed in such a shameful attire, how could she say anything?

  Xu Xian took off his white robe and covered her with it. Yin Hongzhuo lowered her head, blushing, and said, "Thank you."

  However, no one noticed that Xu Xian had been staring in one direction all along.

  That red barrier dissipated slowly with Ou Wang's death, and two figures walked in. One of them rushed to Xu Xian as soon as she saw him and said, "Master." Xu Xian subconsciously hugged her, who was Nie Xiaoqian. Xu Xian had thought about asking for her help, but assassination wasn't something that got better with more people involved. More importantly, every time he thought about taking her into the depths of danger, his ordinary human heart fiercely resisted it.

  At this moment, he could only face Xiaoxian's resentful gaze, looking at Yinhongxue beside him, his eyes were also quite unkind. Xu Xian looked at her, and there was a bit more gentleness in his eyes, touching her head, but looking at another person.

  That man had eyebrows as white as snow, temples with a few strands of white hair, and wore a light gray monk's robe. He was actually an old monk. "Amitabha, the old monk saw golden light flashing here on Mount Flying Peak, it turns out that the donor is subduing demons."

  Yin Hongxiu had been biting her lip and hadn't spoken since Xiao Qian called out that one sentence, but now she hesitated and said: "Master Fahai?"

  "Yin Shi Zhu still remembers the old monk! It's been ten years already." Ten years ago, he set up an array here to suppress the ghosts. Recently, it was calculated that another incident would occur in this place, and just as he was lecturing at Fei Lai Peak Ling Yin Temple, preparing to subdue demons and eliminate evil, he didn't expect things to come so quickly.

  At this time, Zhao Wen hurried in and said: "Younger brother, are you all right?"

  Xu Xian cupped his hands and said, "Fortunately, I did not disappoint your orders." Pan Yu's kindness was repaid. He looked at Fa Hai in front of him again: "Master, we will part ways for today, and we will have another chance to meet in the future. I'm afraid that by then, I won't recognize you as my master anymore."

  Fa Hai looked at Xu Xian and saw that his magical powers were extraordinary, seeming to understand something. He joined his hands together in a Buddhist greeting and smiled: "Then let me get reacquainted with the donor."

  Xu Xian thought to himself, "I'm afraid by then I won't want to know you anymore." But on the surface, he joined his hands together in a Buddhist greeting and bowed, preparing to leave. Xiao Qian naturally pulled on his arm, intending to follow him as he left.

  "Master Nie, I see that you have a great deal of wisdom. Why be attached to this mundane world? The paths of humans and ghosts are different. Why not follow me back to listen to the Buddha's teachings and take refuge in my Buddha?"

  Even with Xu Xian's current temperament, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anger towards Fa Hai. This monk was indeed not a good thing, and his ability to dig at people's weaknesses right in front of them was quite impressive. He truly lived up to the reputation of being a monk, with skin as thick as a city wall. Xiao Qian turned around and glared at Fa Hai before moving closer to Xu Xian.

  Fa Hai, however, was not deterred and turned to say: "This donor, the old monk sees that you have a very heavy and violent aura, it's easy to be broken and easily fall into evil ways. Why don't you follow the old monk back to the mountain, every day ringing the morning bell and beating the evening drum, cleansing your heart and nature."

  Shen Tu hummed and pouted, but didn't answer him, and left directly.

  Fahai rushed to Xiaoqing and said, "And this donor, the old monk sees that you are young and lack guidance. Don't take the wrong path, or you will regret it later. Listen to the old monk's explanation of the great way of the world, which Buddha calls the Great Brightness."

  Xiao Qing rushed to Xu Xian and said: "Hey, Xu Xian, I'm Cen Biqing. Thanks a lot today! Do you think we'll have another chance to meet?"

  Xu Xian waved his hand and said: "Also, at that time I won't be able to recognize you either, just don't be too cruel."

  "Alright, I'll repay you then." With that, she leapt away and plunged into the deep darkness. Tonight's events would likely be etched in her memory for a long time to come. What she was even more curious about was the prophecy made by Xu Xian - what would become of it tomorrow?

  Four donors left, but Fa Hai still had the same expression as if he was going to ferry all living beings: "Donor Yin, the Buddha's law is boundless..." Yin Hongshou didn't listen to his words, she just stared blankly at Xu Xian, a name she had heard before, but couldn't remember where she had put it in her heart. The person in front of her was actually that Xu Xian.

  Fa Hai sighed and said "obstinately refusing to understand".

  "Cheng Huang Jun, do you still remember the vow of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to not attain Buddhahood until all hells are empty? For those in the underworld, believing in Buddhist rituals is the right path. And these four donors, with their pale and red complexions, look terrifying. It's truly a case of entering the sea of suffering and forgetting one's original appearance. I believe that as long as one holds onto scriptures and recites them daily, they will be able to regain their original appearance in the future."

  Zhao Wenhui and the four ghosts hastily retreated, leaving only Master Fahai to gaze at the moon with a sigh. The world is like a burning house, like a sea of suffering, but people in this dusty world do not understand enlightenment. Life is indeed as desolate as snow!