Chapter 235

The marks, similar to ritual facial patterns, that had remained on Lin Shuyou’s body were the power of the deity’s statue he had absorbed on the island but had yet to fully digest.

At this moment, these marks began to disappear rapidly.

The power that Lin Shuyou temporarily could not digest was no problem at all for the White Crane Deity.

Previously, Li Zhuiyuan had forcefully compelled the White Crane Deity to absorb only half, insisting that the remaining half be left for Lin Shuyou, even knowing that the low conversion rate would result in waste.

Now, with the two united, intertwined as one, they were truly a single family with no need for separate concerns.

As the old marks vanished, new ones quickly emerged.

They still bore the White Crane Deity’s previous style of ritual face paint, but this time, they were not drawn with pigments. Instead, they seeped from within, permeating outwards.

Each mark perfectly conformed to his skin, with distinct colors, as if a natural part of his body. This extreme coordination maximized the efficiency of divine power flow.

Unlike the ritual face paint of the Guan Jiang Shou of old, which primarily served as psychological deterrence and held little substantive meaning.

This was the advantage of a spirit medium’s physical body becoming a Yin God: power that was one’s own versus power borrowed from others were two entirely different concepts.

Lin Shuyou could feel the White Crane Deity’s divine power surging wildly within him, undergoing a transformation.

Long-term changes and adjustments would require considerable time. For now, what could be done were initial adjustments for more immediate and convenient use.

In the past, the White Crane Deity would never have done this.

Firstly, the divine power brought forth with each descent was limited, allowing no such luxury. Secondly, time was severely constrained; usually, a battle began almost immediately upon arrival, leaving no opportunity to remodel a body. Besides, even if it were remodeled, it would revert to its original state once the Deity left and returned for the next descent.

Now, the situation was different. This time, the White Crane Deity had brought all of its divine power down in one go, completely entering Lin Shuyou’s body.

The time limit imposed by the spirit medium state thus ceased to exist.

Because Lin Shuyou was now the “divine statue” that the Deity could permanently inhabit.

The drawbacks inherent to the Guan Jiang Shou tradition were largely eliminated.

Admittedly, this current lineage still had its flaws, such as significant limitations in its transmission and development, but one thing was certain: this was the state in which the True Monarch’s power could be maximally unleashed.

Most importantly, the White Crane Deity would no longer have to proportionally report and hand over earned merit as in the past.

From now on, whatever it earned would be its own... well, their family’s.

Previously, no matter how busy or weary the Deity was, the gains were limited, so the proportional offering was simply part of the deal, as all Guan Jiang Shou Yin Gods had done.

But when the Deity began to integrate into the young man’s “river-journeying” team through Lin Shuyou, it was akin to joining a project with vast prospects, and what was more valuable was that the current profit sharing was already very considerable.

At this point, asking it to continue giving proportional offerings would be like tearing out its heart.

Shared interests forge the strongest bonds, but the Deity’s claim that it couldn’t abandon Lin Shuyou was also true. Among many spirit mediums, the Deity recognized Lin Shuyou’s character; with A-You present, its current and future “original shares” would be protected.

After all, no matter how great the benefits, without A-You’s reassuring presence, it wouldn’t have dared to descend.

“Crack... crack...”

Lin Shuyou stood up. With this simple movement, a series of crisp bone pops emanated from his body. Beneath his skin, liquid seemed to surge in multiple places, and his entire being underwent a complete stretching.

When he raised his head and let out a roar, it thoroughly signified the official birth of the White Crane True Monarch!

Simultaneously, in all temples that genuinely housed spirit mediums capable of summoning Yin Gods—excluding performance-only Guan Jiang Shou temples—the White Crane Deity’s statues either shattered or collapsed.

From this day forward, Guan Jiang Shou would no longer be able to perform spirit medium rituals to summon the White Crane Deity!

Lin Shuyou’s grandfather, Lin Fu’an, stood in the partitioned area of the Shrine Hall. A separate section there previously displayed the statues of the White Crane Deity and the Two Generals of Merit and Demerit.

Now, the White Crane Deity’s statue, which had just been repaired not long ago, had crumbled into a pile of fragments.

The previous commotion had been significant, and Lin Fu’an had promptly ordered the front and back doors of the Shrine Hall closed, preventing anyone else in the temple from entering.

Chen Shoumen opened the door to enter, closed it behind him, then hurried over.

“Master, the Deity’s statues in other temples have also shattered.”

Lin Fu’an closed his eyes upon hearing this, sighed, and said:

“If it were just cracks in the statues, like last time, it could be explained as minor conflicts or issues among the Yin Gods, which could be resolved and harmonized.

But for one Yin God’s statues to collectively shatter in all temples, it can only mean one thing: the White Crane Deity no longer belongs to our Guan Jiang Shou lineage, either dismissed by the Bodhisattva or having left on its own.”

“Master, could something have happened to the White Crane Deity?”

“Even if the White Crane Deity were to fall, its statue would remain unharmed. It would simply transition from being worshipped as a Yin God to traditional commemorative veneration.”

“So, it seems the White Crane Deity has truly left?”

Lin Fu’an seemed to suddenly remember something and immediately said, “Quick, bring the temple register.”

Chen Shoumen promptly opened a brand new temple register to the first page. On this newly established branch, only Lin Shuyou’s name was recorded.

“Master, A-You’s name is still here.”

“Phew...”

Lin Fu’an breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but his breath was cut short by a gasp of surprise.

“Master, look!”

Lin Fu’an looked down to see that Lin Shuyou’s name in the temple register was gradually turning black as if scorched, until it was completely covered.

The two looked up at the shattered statue of the Deity on the platform, then back down at the temple register in their hands.

A preposterous yet highly probable guess rose in their minds:

“A-You ran away with the White Crane Deity?”

The monkey had noticed the commotion over there a long time ago, but it was still entangled with Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin. Furthermore, events had unfolded too quickly: one instantly knelt, another was instantly sealed.

There had been no build-up, yet everything happened with lightning speed.

In short, before it could disengage and intervene, the White Crane True Monarch had already completed the ritual, risen, and faced them. The familiar aura of a True Monarch began to emanate.

The monkey was among Sun Baishen’s earliest followers. In the past, its favorite thing to do was to assert its seniority by showing up before a newly ordained True Monarch, proclaiming, “I’ve got your back from now on.”

Each time, Sun Baishen would watch it with doting affection from the side.

But this time, the newly ordained True Monarch was clearly coming for it.

The monkey sneered, “You fake Bodhisattva, how dare you continue to ordain!”

Lin Shuyou lifted his leg and stepped forward. The Three-Step Praise, which he had used countless times before, exhibited far greater speed at this moment.

In almost the blink of an eye, Lin Shuyou appeared before the monkey, his twin maces raised high.

The monkey was about to charge with its staff, but Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin, with renewed ferocity, recklessly obstructed its movements again.

This confrontation had long ceased to be a mere battle; there were no proper exchanges of techniques, no aesthetic beauty of combat, only the most primitive struggle in a quagmire.

Run Sheng and the others had long acted more like wild beasts than the monkey.

“Bang!”

Lin Shuyou crossed his maces, swinging them into a blur, and slammed them heavily into the monkey’s chest.

For the first time, the monkey completely lost its balance, stumbling backward. A blunt impact indentation appeared on its chest.

Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin also seized the opportunity to disengage from the monkey’s body, landing beside Lin Shuyou.

Run Sheng had the most contact with the monkey earlier and faced the greatest threat, so he naturally received more attention. Now, large areas of his body were severely burned, with hardly any good skin left.

As his qi gates opened and closed, his wounds were forced to tear open further, and pus continuously dripped out.

Comparatively, Tan Wenbin’s burns were not as severe. His body was inherently very cold, and moreover, the two children had actively absorbed the scorching flames, enduring more pain and injury themselves to protect their godfather’s body.

Lin Shuyou glanced at his sides. He blamed himself for being late, but also felt fortunate that he had finally arrived.

At the same time, Lin Shuyou’s vertical pupil noticed that it had suddenly become much brighter around him, as if two spotlights on a stage were shining on his left and right, encircling his two companions.

Run Sheng, so gravely injured as to be almost indescribable, slowly raised his twisted arms, emitting a guttural growl like a beast.

The burned areas on his body did not heal but transformed into a peculiar dryness, like being encased in a rigid shell, rubbing and colliding with the pulsing of his qi gates.

His twisted and fractured joints, after a violent internal grinding, did not reset but became even more grotesque, yet, by making the best of a bad situation, they became maximally functional.

Only because Lin Shuyou knew it was Run Sheng, otherwise he would have truly believed a ferocious revenant stood beside him!

Tan Wenbin’s transformation was even more bizarre. Still on the balls of his feet, his body no longer swelled and grew large as it did with his Ghost Control Art. Instead, it seemed to deflate from within; his muscles began to atrophy, his hair gradually turned white, and his entire appearance increasingly resembled a malevolent ghost just crawled out of the underworld.

Just as Li Zhuiyuan had told Pudu True Monarch, they also had allies.

Regardless of whether Sun Baishen was a true Bodhisattva or a fake one, this was at least his home ground.

Initially, the struggle between Sun Baishen and Pudu True Monarch had reached a balance, but Li Zhuiyuan’s appearance broke this equilibrium.

Theoretically, whatever amount of Pudu True Monarch’s white light Li Zhuiyuan’s karma fire could burn away, Sun Baishen would have more dark power available.

Therefore, ultimately, it was the young man’s and Pudu True Monarch’s attrition that added assistance to his allies’ side.

The monkey twirled its staff flamboyantly. Its expression was now rather grim. It had expected to easily crush these “ants,” but now they were not only uncrushed but growing larger.

The main reason was that the one who used to heal and restore it during its charges was now on the opposing side.

And Pudu True Monarch was still enveloped in white light with the young man; it hadn’t managed to quickly deal with the person in front of it, and Pudu True Monarch hadn’t managed to deal with the young man either.

A hint of unease arose in the monkey’s heart, despite its usual boundless confidence. But soon, its eyes narrowed, and it became utterly resolute again.

It was on the side of the true Bodhisattva; how could it possibly lose!

“Thud!”

The monkey’s staff stood on the ground. Flames still burned on its body, and blood surged anew, injecting into the staff in its hand. The staff began to turn red and hot, with a faint sensation of flowing, like molten lava.

“It’s useless! No matter how much help you give them, it won’t change the outcome, because I am your former subordinate, the most formidable True Monarch!”

Lin Shuyou held his maces horizontally in front of Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin and said, “You two rest for a bit. Next, I’ll handle it.”

It wasn’t that Lin Shuyou was deliberately trying to show off; his vertical pupil discerned that while Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin still retained combat ability, their current condition was very poor.

The darkness within the hall was a contaminated, sinister merit. As it continuously flowed into them, Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin’s very nature began to mutate.

This mutation could not simply recede and might even be irreversible.

Even though Lin Shuyou had great confidence in Li Zhuiyuan’s abilities, the Deity’s will told him that this change might not be fully reversible.

Therefore, if Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin continued to fight and absorb, the former might permanently transform into a revenant, and the latter into a ghoulish corpse.

This was not merely a change in the nature of their being; changes in their consciousness and thoughts were also unavoidable.

Run Sheng’s eyes no longer showed any other expression, and the two children on Brother Bin’s shoulders had also become dull-witted, acting purely on instinct.

The monkey attacked again.

Run Sheng shoved aside the maces in front of him and charged forward on all fours. Because his arms and legs were now uneven in length, his running and crawling were somewhat uncoordinated, but Run Sheng adjusted quickly, immediately finding his balance in this deformed state of movement.

Tan Wenbin leaned back, his feet sliding on the ground, bypassing the maces from below. His ten fingers, now without nails, were covered in dense curse power.

Seeing that he couldn’t stop his two companions, Lin Shuyou didn’t dare delay further. He stepped forward, pushing the effectiveness of the Three-Step Praise to its limit, getting ahead of his companions on both sides to confront the monkey.

Staff and maces collided with rapid, forceful blows. They were no longer mere blurs; to the ordinary eye, it looked like slow motion, but the dense, muffled clang of metal indicated just how fast the exchanges truly were.

Soon, Lin Shuyou felt signs of exhaustion in his arms. There was a hierarchy of strength even among True Monarchs, and how could he, a newly appointed True Monarch with an unacclimated body, truly be a match for a veteran True Monarch?

However, this kind of prolonged, head-on weapon clash was something unseen in previous confrontations.

Monkey: “You? You think you’re worthy?”

The monkey was certain that with the next strike, it could send the maces flying from his hands.

But infuriatingly, that beast was circling behind it again, preparing to cling to its back.

No, it couldn’t continue to follow their rhythm. Even if it came at a cost, it had to win!

The monkey raised its leg and kicked Lin Shuyou in front of it.

Lin Shuyou met the kick with his mace, slamming it heavily into the monkey’s knee.

A slight shattering sound was heard, but the monkey still used that force to quickly retreat. Its back crashed violently into Run Sheng, and at the same time, its reddened staff stabbed backward, directly into Run Sheng’s chest.

The monkey and the man rapidly retreated until they hit a pillar.

Run Sheng clung desperately to the staff with both hands, but as the monkey exerted further force, with a “thud,” the staff broke through Run Sheng’s hands, impaled his chest, and then plunged into the pillar.

The monkey grabbed one end of the staff, intending to bend it and, with the resulting shockwave, completely tear Run Sheng’s body apart.

“I don’t believe it! If I shatter him, you won’t be able to save him again!”

Two shrill infant cries came from above. Tan Wenbin appeared above the pillar, then quickly slid down, landing on the monkey’s shoulder.

The next moment, Tan Wenbin wrapped his hands around the monkey’s head, and the flames on the monkey’s body surged onto his.

By rights, close-quarters combat was not Tan Wenbin’s strong suit. But the problem was, the monkey deliberately kept its flames burning to block the invasion of its curse power; without physical contact, the curse power couldn’t be applied.

The flames on the monkey’s body rapidly surged upwards. Tan Wenbin let out two wails, but his hands remained tightly clasped, reaching for the monkey’s eyes.

The monkey closed its eyes, intending to shred one opponent before dealing with the next. It was now willing to endure the cost of injury.

The staff was pulled to a certain extent, and the monkey released its grip. However, Lin Shuyou’s figure appeared in the direction the staff rebounded. He used his chest to block the staff’s recoil, simultaneously raising his twin maces and slamming them violently into the monkey’s head.

“Bang!”

The monkey’s physique was truly astonishing; even with such a heavy blow to the head, it didn’t shatter. It merely bulged, its eyeballs protruded, and its eyes snapped open.

Lin Shuyou spat out a mouthful of slightly golden blood and was sent flying backward. Had he not sacrificed himself to block the staff’s rebound, Run Sheng, who was impaled by the staff, would have been shredded.

Tan Wenbin seized this opportunity from above, thrusting his fingers into the monkey’s eyes. Curse power surged wildly from his fingertips.

Tan Wenbin was screaming and wailing, but at the same time, they were also exhilarated!

Under a comfortable life, the two children had even begun learning English prematurely, having forgotten the tragedy of their birth.

Now, their long-sealed memories and feelings were rekindled. Only in front of Tan Wenbin were they truly children; in fact, they were the most malevolent aggregate in this world, born as curses.

“Ah!”

The monkey let out a furious roar. More painful than fingers in its eyes was the constant influx of curse power, which brought forth images of its past with Sun Baishen.

Everyone has their own self-consistent logic. Traitors with poor character are especially adept at deceiving themselves; it would never admit its own fault or wrongdoing. Instead, it would distort and modify past memories, for it was unwilling to even experience the pangs of conscience.

The vivid, real past, driven by curse power, continuously assaulted its mind.

“Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva...”

“I told you, I am not a Bodhisattva, do not call me that.”

“I don’t care! You are the Bodhisattva in my eyes! I will call you Bodhisattva! Squeak, squeak!”

The monkey quickly steadied itself and reached out to grab Tan Wenbin on its body.

Run Sheng, who was impaled and pinned to the pillar by the staff, actively grabbed the front end of the staff and pulled himself off.

High temperatures continuously scorched his body, but he seemed to feel no pain, only moving forward relentlessly. Then, he wrapped his legs around the monkey’s waist and grabbed the monkey’s arms with his hands.

The last time it fought like this, True Monarch Li Yuan was still a real monkey, fighting with other monkeys in its troop who bullied it. They bit and grappled, resorting to every dirty trick.

Now, the monkey wanted to break free. It continuously slammed its body against Run Sheng behind it, simultaneously intensifying the flames on its body to incinerate the person clinging to it.

Lin Shuyou, who had been thrown back earlier, reappeared with his maces. He didn’t waste the excellent opportunity his companions had created for him. He swung his twin maces, relentlessly and recklessly smashing them into the monkey’s chest.

“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”

Under the heavy blows, the monkey bared its fangs and snarled. It wanted to pull out its staff, but the staff was tightly wedged in Run Sheng’s body, and its arms were firmly held by Run Sheng. Thus, the monkey could only haphazardly kick Lin Shuyou, who was attacking it from the front.

Lin Shuyou did not dodge at all, allowing the monkey to kick him away repeatedly. But each time he was sent flying, he would rush back at top speed before even landing, bringing his maces down on the monkey’s chest again.

Screams, wails, and roars intertwined; blood, shredded flesh, ghostly aura, malevolent energy, and True Monarch divine power unleashed wildly in the flames.

Now, a bloody balance emerged.

Unlike the ease with which Li Zhuiyuan had previously directed the siege on the Gatekeeper True Monarch, a similar effect was ultimately achieved here, because the monkey was simply unable to break free.

Black mist continuously surged into Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin’s bodies, sustaining them while also profoundly altering their very existence.

Lin Shuyou no longer had the energy to worry about Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin’s future, because the only thing he could do now was to continuously charge forward, swing his maces, and smash them down!

Time passed, and Lin Shuyou forgot how many times he had been kicked away. He only remembered how many of the monkey’s ribs he had broken by now.

His hometown people loved beef meatballs, especially the chewy, hand-beaten kind.

Now, he felt he was doing something similar.

The monkey’s chest had been shattered by him, black fur and shredded flesh matted together. With each mace strike, there was a sticky initial impact, followed by a rebound.

He felt it was close—if not the next strike, then the one after. In any case, he was certain he could completely shatter the monkey’s chest like an eggshell.

Tan Wenbin’s hair was completely white, his face sunken, and his flesh was shriveling into skin and bones.

The more black mist he absorbed, the more gaunt he became. But even if he turned into a dried corpse, his hands remained clamped tightly around the monkey’s eyes.

And because his body had become so thin, his fingertips grew harder and sharper, slowly drawing blood from the monkey’s eyes.

The scorching staff remained lodged in Run Sheng’s chest. The smell of roasting flesh had long permeated the air. Run Sheng was now like a shrimp almost cooked.

However, because Run Sheng and the monkey were pressed together, his qi gates acted like suction cups, holding him tightly to the monkey.

No matter how the monkey struggled, he wouldn’t let go.

In truth, both Tan Wenbin and Run Sheng had by now lost the ability to think. Fortunately, at such a desperate juncture, there was no need to think too much.

This bloody struggle was essentially a continuation of the stalemate that Sun Baishen and Pudu True Monarch had maintained here for countless years, but transformed into a different form of presentation through Li Zhuiyuan’s intervention.

The two sides in the great hall were like two snakes, tightly coiled around each other, each biting the other’s body and refusing to let go, waiting for the other to gasp its last!

Inside the white light.

Li Zhuiyuan was drenched in cold sweat. Had he not swallowed four lotus petals earlier, he might not have lasted this long, losing who knows how much nosebleed alone.

Even so, the sensation of his brain gradually drying up began to appear; though not yet at the point of exhaustion, it was not far off.

Pudu True Monarch: “Amitabha!”

Separated by the white light, Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t perceive the situation outside, but upon hearing this Buddhist chant, he knew that the external situation hadn’t collapsed; his side might even have a slight advantage.

Otherwise, Pudu True Monarch would have no reason to attempt another move to break their stalemate.

The next moment, Pudu True Monarch’s consciousness surged towards the young man again, attempting to pull him back into the illusion.

“I can swear on the Buddha-nature that if you stop now and no longer interfere in these matters, I will guarantee your and your people’s safe departure.”

“With stakes raised to this level, there’s no possibility of leaving the gambling table with a draw. For both of us, not winning... means losing!”

“Stubbornly unrepentant.”

“You’d best think clearly before you act. Don’t be like last time, where after you targeted me, I had to consider whether to thank you.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have the chance this time.”

The familiar illusion reappeared, still that rural countryside, but this time, Li Zhuiyuan wasn’t in a house; he was standing with Pudu True Monarch in the fields outside.

Pudu True Monarch: “Today’s trial requires shattering all bottles and jars, traveling lightly, to cultivate into a Buddha anew!”

The green lotus was once again invoked by Pudu True Monarch, its fingers flicking continuously.

One, two, three, four petals... the remaining four lotus petals all flew towards Li Zhuiyuan at this moment, entering the young man’s brow.

Pudu True Monarch displayed an extraordinary decisiveness this time. Accustomed to always having things under control, it could not accept the possibility of ultimately losing.

The simultaneous entry of the four lotus petals caused Li Zhuiyuan’s body to stiffen. He was simply overwhelmed.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Pudu True Monarch’s sudden generosity meant it intended to make new arrangements, and moreover, it believed that this time, it would succeed.

The bare green lotus platform flew out. Guided by Pudu True Monarch, it first floated above Li Zhuiyuan’s head, then quickly descended, pressing against the young man’s brow.

Soon, four clear green lights and four dim ones appeared within Li Zhuiyuan’s body.

The former were the freshly swallowed lotus petals; the latter were the remnants of previously swallowed, still undigested petals.

From the lotus platform, a green projection emanated, casting forward, materializing into a large door.

A black figure appeared within the door, its face unclear for now, but its height and build were identical to Li Zhuiyuan’s.

Li Zhuiyuan: “You...”

Pudu True Monarch: “Since you are the inner demon, I shall summon your true self forth, grant him freedom, and give him a chance for revenge.”

The undigested lotus petals were fishhooks cast into the depths of Li Zhuiyuan’s soul; the lotus platform was the fishing rod. The purpose was to find Li Zhuiyuan’s true self and release it.

The principle was almost identical to last time, except that last time the goal was to control the true self with the inner demon, while this time it aimed to suppress the inner demon with the true self.

In any case, Pudu True Monarch’s goal was to cause internal strife within Li Zhuiyuan’s self-awareness, making it easier for him to control and push for the self-annihilation of Li Zhuiyuan’s consciousness and even soul.

Otherwise, Li Zhuiyuan’s mind had been meticulously cleaned by himself, leaving no weaknesses to exploit.

Pudu True Monarch: “Come out.”

The “Li Zhuiyuan” inside the door stepped out, but as soon as his left foot emerged, an azure wind appeared, pushing him back.

Pudu True Monarch: “An inner demon biting back at the true self is not uncommon, but for an inner demon to seal the true self is indeed rare.”

Having said that, Pudu True Monarch’s gaze swept, and a richer green light emanated from the lotus platform, pouring into the “Li Zhuiyuan” inside the door.

Li Zhuiyuan, still digesting the four lotus petals and unable to escape the lotus platform’s suppression, saw his true self within the door being infused with the power of the green lotus and immediately chuckled:

“Heh heh, are you playing the ‘lift a rock to drop it on your own foot’ game again?”

“Crack!”

The seal on the “Li Zhuiyuan”’s left foot, symbolizing the “Liu Clan’s Qi-Sensing Art,” was broken.

But when “Li Zhuiyuan” stepped out with his right foot, a mist of water condensed into a flood dragon, blocking the right foot again and pushing it back.

Pudu True Monarch: “There’s another seal, surprisingly.”

Another rich green light emanated from the lotus platform, pouring into the “Li Zhuiyuan” inside the door. A crack appeared on the lotus platform.

The next moment, the seal on his right foot, symbolizing the “Qin Clan’s Dragon-Viewing Method,” was broken.

But as “Li Zhuiyuan”’s waist was about to emerge, a black, whip-like entity bound his body, stopping him again.

Pudu True Monarch’s expression froze slightly.

A familiar sensation reappeared. This scene, this rhythm, felt like déjà vu.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Heh heh, are you perhaps afraid?”

Pudu True Monarch stared intently at Li Zhuiyuan. The young man’s face only showed the pain of digesting the lotus petals, not panic.

The young man was feigning composure.

Pudu True Monarch’s gaze swept again, and another rich azure light emanated from the lotus platform, pouring into the “Li Zhuiyuan” inside the door. The cracks on the lotus platform became denser.

The reason for investing four lotus petals last time was due to sunk cost fallacy.

This time, it was an all-in gamble, because Pudu True Monarch had already realized that the monkey outside seemed incapable of winning that stalemated struggle.

The young man’s and its own attrition were constantly providing Sun Baishen with more leeway to unfairly intervene. With this constant ebb and flow, as long as the monkey was restrained, its defeat was practically inevitable.

Therefore, since the monkey was unreliable, Pudu True Monarch had to find a breakthrough with the young man.

It believed it had seen through the young man’s feigned composure this time. Most importantly, it did not believe that there could be a true self in this world who wouldn’t want to eliminate their inner demon, especially an inner demon that had successfully bitten back!

In this world, something far more hateful than being killed oneself is being replaced, having one’s identity usurped, inheriting all worldly relationships in one’s name, and living in one’s stead.

The black binding around the waist broke, and the restraint vanished. “Li Zhuiyuan” fully emerged, but after emerging, he stood motionless with closed eyes, like a manipulated puppet.

Pudu True Monarch closed its eyes. Soon, its eyes opened again, and another green light emanated from the lotus platform, whereupon the lotus platform disintegrated and collapsed.

All eight lotus petals entered Li Zhuiyuan’s body, and all the green lotus power within the lotus platform poured into the true self.

“Li Zhuiyuan” opened his eyes, staring at Li Zhuiyuan standing there.

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head slightly, a little helpless, and sighed.

Pudu True Monarch: “Go. I grant you the opportunity for revenge.”

Li Zhuiyuan with difficulty raised his hand, and karma fire ignited in the formerly clear sky.

Pudu True Monarch raised its head. White light descended, enveloping the karma fire, preventing the sky from being burned through and the illusion from shattering. However, the previously cloudless sky became overcast as a result.

“Pfft...”

Pudu True Monarch’s body trembled. It lowered its head in disbelief, discovering a hand had pierced its body, and a dense karma fire was burning in the palm.

Li Zhuiyuan still stood there, digesting the lotus petals, temporarily unable to make many movements.

Pudu True Monarch turned its head in disbelief, looking at the “Li Zhuiyuan” who stood behind it, the one it had just released and summoned.

How was it possible? As the true self, after gaining brief freedom, why did he not retaliate against the inner demon but instead directly attacked it, and with such decisiveness?

There was no struggle, no hesitation, as if he had already decided to do this even before he emerged from the door.

Pudu True Monarch: “Why...”

Why would there be a true self in this world who wouldn’t kill their inner demon?

“Li Zhuiyuan” did not answer. His indifferent eyes showed no emotion.

Li Zhuiyuan provided the answer, his tone conveying a sense of obviousness: “Because he knows that whether he kills me or I kill him, as long as we fight each other, it’s just giving you an opportunity to destroy us. Of course, he wouldn’t be that foolish.”

Upon hearing the last sentence, “Li Zhuiyuan” glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, then looked away.

When he realized that the True Monarch intended to release his true self this time, Li Zhuiyuan knew that this would be the outcome.

The true self would definitely act against the True Monarch.

He wanted to find a way to eliminate his true self, and the true self also wanted to erase him, the inner demon. This was almost explicitly clear; neither concealed it nor bothered with any pretense of affection or mutual admiration, because they both knew they couldn’t fool each other. But that was an internal conflict belonging to “one” of them.

Pudu True Monarch: “Those seals...”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I didn’t place that many seals on him. Those seals, he placed on himself.”

He had received a total of eight lotus petals, leading to an increase in his soul-mind. His true self was unwilling to fall behind and wanted to seize the opportunity to get a share and restore balance.

“Li Zhuiyuan” knew his inner demon would cooperate with him, and in fact, Li Zhuiyuan did just that.

Suppressing the true self was not the main conflict now. The most urgent task was to thoroughly extract the green lotus as soon as possible to make Pudu True Monarch’s state decline and break the current situation.

Without communication or discussion, not even a meeting to divide spoils, Li Zhuiyuan and his true self reached a tacit understanding and performed this act.

Karma fire in “Li Zhuiyuan”’s hand erupted further, incinerating Pudu True Monarch.

Li Zhuiyuan temporarily withdrew the karma fire he used on the upper sky to break this illusion, and the sky regained its clarity, with blue skies and white clouds.

Immediately after, Li Zhuiyuan, still in a state of digestion, slowly squatted down and placed his hands on the ground.

The surrounding environment distorted and shifted. Pudu True Monarch was actively trying to end this illusion and return to reality.

But it was startled to find that the illusion only trembled violently, yet never broke, preventing its consciousness from escaping.

Because Li Zhuiyuan, squatting on the ground in front, was actively reinforcing this illusion, delaying the “dream’s” awakening as much as possible.

One was responsible for burning, the other for locking. The division of labor was clear, the rhythm precise.

Pudu True Monarch felt as if it was witnessing the most absurd scene in the world. Was this something an inner demon and its true self could do?

Li Zhuiyuan: “I’m too full.”

“Li Zhuiyuan” raised his other hand, pointing to the sky. Feng Shui energies appeared, assisting in reinforcing this illusion.

Meanwhile, Pudu True Monarch, unable to leave, had half of its body burned away. Without the green lotus as a vessel, it was no longer its former self.

In the real world, inside the grand hall, the white light was rapidly receding, and darkness began to assert dominance.

Finally, Pudu True Monarch completely dissipated, meaning that this part of its consciousness, invested in Li Zhuiyuan’s soul, was utterly annihilated.

“Li Zhuiyuan” clapped his hands, and the karma fire in his palm extinguished.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, moving slowly, as his stomach was uncomfortably full.

The two Li Zhuiyuans stood facing each other from a distance.

Li Zhuiyuan did not ask if the other was willing to separate, like Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Pudu True Monarch.

Because it was impossible. What they both contended for was the identity of “Li Zhuiyuan.” Their relationship would always be one of endless struggle, with no room for reconciliation.

Wei Zhengdao had already set an example for the same thing. He had split into so many clones, and the current Li Zhuiyuan could be certain that Wei Zhengdao’s method ultimately did not work.

“Li Zhuiyuan” turned and walked towards the large door.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his head, intending to leave this illusion.

“Li Zhuiyuan” suddenly stopped and said, “You can wait a little longer, delay a bit more time.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “No need to wait.”

“Li Zhuiyuan”: “There’s a certain probability that Sun Baishen can help them become stronger.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Even if they become stronger, if they are no longer themselves, then it will be meaningless to me.”

“Li Zhuiyuan”: “You live such a tiring life.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You live such a meaningless life.”

“Li Zhuiyuan” walked through the door, and then the door disappeared.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes simultaneously in both the illusion and reality.

Before him, Pudu True Monarch’s chest was aflame with karma fire, and the white light that had previously enveloped him had become incredibly thin.

Pudu True Monarch: “Do you know who I am?”

The True Monarch’s voice echoed in Li Zhuiyuan’s ears again.

Pudu True Monarch: “Do you know the consequences of offending me? Do you know how great a sin you have committed?”

The True Monarch’s voice became agitated, losing its previous serenity.

Pudu True Monarch: “All struggles are futile, all hopes are laughable. You don’t know yet, your and that one above’s fate is already sealed! Hahaha!”

At this moment, Pudu True Monarch clearly seemed to be losing control.

A part of its consciousness had been annihilated, like losing one’s soul as described in folklore. Its entire emotional state and cognition were thereby flawed, no longer whole.

In short... it had gone mad.

Pudu True Monarch: “You’re finished, you’re finished, you’re definitely finished! Hahaha!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You should be affected, but not this completely insane. What are you afraid of?”

Pudu True Monarch: “I am a supreme being! What do I need to fear? Everything has cause and effect, all things follow a fixed destiny. I will never lose, never lose!”

Just as Li Zhuiyuan intended to further destroy Pudu True Monarch’s physical body in reality, a black mass suddenly appeared on Pudu True Monarch’s body, enveloping it.

This blackness was Sun Baishen’s power; he was stopping Li Zhuiyuan from continuing to attack Pudu True Monarch.

Li Zhuiyuan did not attempt to break through this blackness. If he were to touch it, he would fall into endless exile, just like the other True Monarchs outside the hall.

Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan probably guessed why Sun Baishen was preventing him from doing so now.

The young man waved his hand, dispelling the white light that had confined him, and he walked out.

In an instant, almost ninety percent of the white light in the entire hall was drawn away, meaning Pudu True Monarch was completely at a disadvantage. The only reason it could still exist here was Sun Baishen’s final intervention.

The lotus platform high above radiated light. This light could penetrate the blackness, illuminating the hall.

Sun Baishen’s eyes, too, finally began to slowly open at this moment.

When the white light broke and the young man emerged, the monkey’s heart sank. Seeing the young man looking refreshed while Pudu True Monarch stood there with its chest ignited by karma fire, the monkey felt its faith crumble.

When Sun Baishen on the lotus platform opened his eyes, the monkey felt immense pressure and deep despair.

“Crack!”

The monkey’s physique could have endured for a while longer, but its inner defense crumbled first, causing its vital essence to dissipate from its body.

Or perhaps, it had long realized it couldn’t win. Its ability to hold on until now was due to placing its hope in Pudu True Monarch, and now, that hope was shattered.

“Bang!”

Lin Shuyou’s mace finally smashed open the monkey’s chest, penetrating deep inside, then began to furiously churn.

Tan Wenbin’s fingers were almost fully inserted into the monkey’s eye sockets. Curse power poured in frantically, and soon, black smoke began to seep from the monkey’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Run Sheng suddenly leaned back, and with a “whoosh,” as if a bound finger was forcibly ripped apart with brute force, the entire piece of flesh from the monkey’s back was torn off by Run Sheng, like shedding clothes, from back to front.

The monkey’s body began to shrink. It could no longer maintain its previously towering form, like a deflating ball, gradually shrinking to the size of an ordinary monkey.

When Lin Shuyou pulled out his twin maces, the disemboweled and skinned monkey lay prostrate on the ground, twitching continuously. A small, furry hand reached out towards the lotus platform.

“Save me... Bodhisattva... Bodhisattva... save me...”

It called for Bodhisattva, but not Pudu True Monarch; it called for Sun Baishen.

The monkey knew very well who would be more likely to save it at all costs when it was severely injured and on the verge of death.

Sun Baishen on the lotus platform merely gazed down, his eyes open, but he said nothing.

This duel, which had originally been so imbalanced in strength, was ultimately won by Run Sheng and the others through sheer will.

Just by looking at their current state, Li Zhuiyuan could imagine how brutal the recent battle must have been.

Suddenly losing their target, the three, who had been swept up in the fight, felt a little disoriented.

Lin Shuyou vigorously shook his head. His vertical pupil dissipated first, followed by the blood-red color in his eyes.

Tan Wenbin opened his mouth, letting out a hoarse shriek. Because Lin Shuyou had fought alongside him earlier, he did not attack Lin Shuyou. Instead, he directed his curses at the “unfamiliar” young man.

Lin Shuyou sensed the aura of the curse and turned in surprise to Tan Wenbin beside him: “Brother Bin, that’s Little...”

Li Zhuiyuan quickly walked over, forming hand seals as he moved. When Tan Wenbin’s curse was released, Li Zhuiyuan’s curse was also unleashed, and after the two streams of curse power collided, they quickly dissipated into nothingness.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan pressed down red clay with his right hand and swiftly dabbed it onto Tan Wenbin’s brow. Tan Wenbin’s body trembled, and his previously shriveled, taut body relaxed slightly.

Immediately, Li Zhuiyuan placed his hands on Tan Wenbin’s shoulders, releasing his own aura.

Upon sensing the young man’s aura, the two resentful infants’ hollow eyes slowly regained some vitality, followed by an uncontrollable sense of dread.

Under normal circumstances, they dared to fight fiercely against the terrifying monkey, but they would not act impudently in front of the young man. Their reverence for this “big brother” was deeply ingrained in their soul-minds.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Sleep now. Sleep with your godfather.”

The two resentful infants closed their eyes, each clutching Tan Wenbin’s arm, and fell unconscious.

Li Zhuiyuan examined Tan Wenbin’s body. The bad news was that Tan Wenbin’s body was now more like a ghost corpse than a ghost corpse itself. The good news was that Tan Wenbin’s soul had been carefully protected by the two children, so upon waking, Tan Wenbin would still be Tan Wenbin.

However, rehabilitating his body would be a very tricky issue. It wasn’t impossible, but Tan Wenbin might not be too willing.

“Swish...”

Run Sheng tore off the monkey’s fur that was stuck to him and stood up. Like Tan Wenbin, he was still driven by the momentum of the fight, almost instinctively wanting to attack the next target, choosing Li Zhuiyuan, who hadn’t been there at the start of the battle.

Lin Shuyou immediately stepped sideways, blocking Li Zhuiyuan.

However, Li Zhuiyuan gently pushed Lin Shuyou aside, stepping forward to face Run Sheng alone.

The young man believed that Run Sheng would never harm him, even if he temporarily forgot who he himself was.

Indeed, Run Sheng stopped when he rushed in front of the young man.

Then his body swayed, he fell to his knees, and then leaned further forward, collapsing.

Run Sheng’s injuries were simply horrific. From a normal human perspective, even if he were healed, he would be a cripple, with no possibility of full recovery.

But Run Sheng was now more like a revenant. Injuries that humans couldn’t heal were not impossible for a revenant.

He would need to find a place with extremely dense revenant malevolent energy, allowing Run Sheng to recover his injuries in his revenant form first.

Such a place was extremely demanding and hard to find, and typically, these places were near great malevolent entities. To enter their territory and absorb malevolent energy, one would first have to deal with them.

However, for Li Zhuiyuan, this place was both far away and close at hand.

Beneath the peach grove, wasn’t that convenient? According to the village’s contract, that peach grove was still under his name.

Li Zhuiyuan gently pulled up Run Sheng’s eyelid and found that Run Sheng’s eyes were still covered in a milky white film.

Unlike Tan Wenbin, who had two adopted sons fiercely protecting his consciousness, Run Sheng could only wait for his injuries to heal before a way could be found to revive his consciousness.

Lin Shuyou asked with concern, “Little Yuan, are they...”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Big problems, but all solvable.”

Lin Shuyou breathed a sigh of relief. Since Little Yuan said it could be solved, then there was certainly no problem.

Yin Meng came over to bandage their wounds. Her expression was somewhat grim, her lower lip bloody where she had bitten it.

Earlier, when Run Sheng and the other two were engaged in fierce close combat with the monkey, her venom was completely useless. She wanted to join the fight to help, but at that level of power exchange, let alone participating, even getting too close might involve her, not only failing to help but potentially becoming a burden.

Lin Shuyou had been ordained a True Monarch. Although Run Sheng and Zhuang Zhuang looked very terrifying at the time, they also displayed greater power than before.

Only she was left behind.

Previously, she had worried about her role in the team, but now she didn’t need to worry anymore... she had become the one who had precipitously fallen to the very bottom of the pack.

What was even more infuriating was that even if she wanted to switch to support, no one dared to eat the food she cooked.

At this moment, a thought urgently surfaced in her mind: When would Little Yuan decide to return to Fengdu?

Yin Meng had a premonition that only by going to Fengdu could she find the opportunity to become stronger.

She truly wasn’t afraid now that her ancestors would get angry and bury her directly in the ancestral grave, because if there was a next time, she also wanted to fight with all her might.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Lin Shuyou, focusing on his brow.

“You’ve become a True Monarch?”

“Mm.”

Lin Shuyou grinned. His injuries were actually very severe; normally, he would have been lying down with Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin long ago.

But after becoming a True Monarch, with the Deity continuously supporting him from within, A-You could still remain steadfast.

Li Zhuiyuan shifted his gaze downwards, meeting A-You’s eyes.

His vertical pupil flashed briefly, then returned to normal—that was the Deity greeting the young man.

Lin Shuyou instinctively scratched his head and found his fingertips sticky. He spread his palm and saw that the wound on the back of his head, which had just stopped bleeding, had been accidentally scratched open again.

“No choice, Little Yuan. The Deity has its difficulties. If I don’t become a True Monarch, it’s not convenient for him to descend.”

“He won’t act without a clear advantage.”

However, the Deity’s willingness to gamble to this extent also exceeded Li Zhuiyuan’s expectations.

“Little Yuan, from now on, will the people in the temple no longer be able to perform spirit medium rituals to summon the Deity?”

“Mm, but your grandpa and parents are an exception.”

“Huh?”

“True Monarchs establish spirit medium connections through bloodline ties. This means your grandpa and others can perform rituals by worshipping you as a Yin God, thus borrowing your power.”

“That’s possible too.”

“Mm, bloodline connection isn’t just about looking down the lineage; looking up is also possible.”

Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze fell upon the monkey. The young man had deliberately let the monkey crawl forward with hope for a while, giving it hope, like marinating a side dish before cooking.

Now, the monkey had climbed the stairs leading to the lotus platform.

A warm smile appeared on the monkey’s face. It must be experiencing Sun Baishen’s first memory, accompanying Sun Baishen to meet guests, and during which, it was allowed to take a plate of food and enjoy it alone in a corner.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed his hand at the monkey, simultaneously looking at Sun Baishen seated high above.

Sun Baishen’s eyes, though open, showed no emotion.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Drag the monkey over here.”

Lin Shuyou stepped forward and picked up the monkey.

After being torn from the memory scene, the monkey started to shriek “squeak, squeak, squeak” in terror and cried out to Sun Baishen above:

“Bodhisattva, save me! Bodhisattva, save me!”

“Sir, save me! Please, save me! I was wrong, I know I was wrong!”

“Master, please spare my life, give me another chance, Master!”

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Sun Baishen could sense all of this, but Sun Baishen made no response.

He had once deeply cherished this monkey, raising it like a child, personally nurturing and teaching it, and even helping it, as a demon, attain the rank of True Monarch.

Yet, what he received in return was the monkey’s repeated betrayals, and it was always at the forefront of them.

Lin Shuyou: “Little Yuan, how should we deal with it?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “There’s a pot and seasonings in the bag. Let’s make monkey brain soup.”

When Li Zhuiyuan uttered the words “monkey brain soup,” Sun Baishen’s eyelids trembled slightly.

Once, that person had told him not to trust this monkey, nor to trust Bodhisattvas.

As it turned out, his experience proved just how right that person had been.

Lin Shuyou’s taste was quite traditional; he didn’t usually like exotic meats, and monkey brain soup was truly...

But soon, A-You’s eyelids twitched.

The Deity’s meaning was clear: if he found it disgusting and couldn’t eat it, then it would. How nourishing must a demon monkey’s brain of this level be?

“Remember to rinse your mouth after eating.”

Lin Shuyou made the reminder, then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he decisively handed control of his body to the Deity.

The Deity picked up a mace and walked to the monkey’s side.

Monkey: “Don’t kill me! I can follow you, be a servant, help you clear paths and charge ahead! I can do many, many things for you! Please, don’t kill me, let me stay...”

“Bang!”

The White Crane Deity said no more, simply brought its mace down with all its might, killing the monkey instantly.

Pudu True Monarch’s voice echoed in his ears again:

“Amitabha! Do you intend to treat me like you treated this monkey? Impossible! A pipe dream!”

“I will never let you go! You will never have a good end! You should know who I am, you know it!”

“Hahaha, I can’t lose! There’s no reason for me to lose! I cannot disgrace him, absolutely not!”

Pudu True Monarch seemed to have fallen into hysterics. It no longer expected any response, merely immersed in its own world.

Sun Baishen’s voice resonated through the hall: “Why have you come?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied: “For the sake of righteousness.”

Following this, Sun Baishen remained silent, only Pudu True Monarch continued to ramble on, becoming increasingly deranged as the karma fire continued to burn.

Then, it suddenly fell silent, and in a lowered voice, it said:

“If I die, we all die together! No matter what, I’ll drag you down with me as burial sacrifices!

I know you all know who I am,

But I will tell you one more time, in a dignified manner:

I am Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!”

The indictment scroll held in Pudu True Monarch’s hands burst into flames, turning into blood-red fire.

The Buddha head located in the center of the temple complex now ceased to bleed. The giant Buddha head began to turn, facing the innermost depths.

Outside the temple, in the ocean, the headless Buddha statue also slowly turned, “looking” towards this place.

Pudu True Monarch: “If I die, we all die together! I will take you all as burial sacrifices! Hahaha!”

It no longer concealed itself but actively sought to attract the Bodhisattva’s attention, causing the Bodhisattva’s gaze to descend.

Pudu True Monarch had done dirty work for the Bodhisattva, and it was certain that the Bodhisattva would leave no one alive who knew about it.

This was the best revenge it could conceive of before death.

Some matters, as long as they remained unexposed, still had room for maneuver. But once they were openly laid bare, neither side had any other choice.

Even if this matter was handled in secret here, Li Zhuiyuan would still need to be wary of the true Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s attitude afterwards.

Moreover, now, it was considered completely exposed.

Suddenly, without any substantial descent, an invisible gaze, laden with immense pressure, projected into the hall.

The White Crane Deity, squatting on the ground, instantly stiffened. It wasn’t being controlled; it simply dared not move.

Li Zhuiyuan could sense that the gaze swept across the environment and the people here, as if making some kind of mark.

At this moment, Sun Baishen’s voice once again echoed within the hall:

“Decree:

I have decided, from this day forward, to seal the temple and fill the sea, retreating with all the old True Monarchs to meditate on Buddhist teachings, cut off from all outside contact. We shall not emerge until all have attained Buddhahood!”

Li Zhuiyuan understood Sun Baishen’s intention. His earlier obstruction of Li Zhuiyuan from killing Pudu True Monarch’s physical body was to give Pudu True Monarch a chance to attract the gaze of the true Bodhisattva.

Sun Baishen wanted to help him resolve his karmic entanglement with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, as for Li Zhuiyuan’s current self, the true Bodhisattva was still too terrifying. Who would want to be constantly watched by a Bodhisattva from behind?

This was Sun Baishen’s protection for him. He must have realized the connection between Li Zhuiyuan and Wei Zhengdao, and had even made a final confirmation earlier.

Pudu True Monarch: “You fake! Even now, you still dare to impersonate a Bodhisattva! The Bodhisattva is me! I am the Bodhisattva! I am the true Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!”

Li Zhuiyuan faced the lotus platform and bowed deeply to Sun Baishen above:

“Li Zhuiyuan, the sole contemporary successor of the Qin and Liu Dragon King lineages, and personal disciple of Emperor Fengdu, pays respects to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!”

His first two titles were genuine, and the last one couldn’t be called false either.

At this crucial moment, it was necessary to wield authority, and the greater the authority, the better.

Li Zhuiyuan believed Emperor Fengdu wouldn’t mind; after so many times, the Emperor should be accustomed to it by now.

Sun Baishen: “Buddha has myriad forms, myriad thoughts, myriad tribulations. One must not be blinded by a single leaf. Know that taking a step back, turning around, and reaching the shore reveals the true self.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I am deeply grateful for your teachings.”

Sun Baishen: “Evil is karma, debt is karma, hatred is karma, difficulty is also karma. You have a karmic connection with my Buddha. Having overcome hardship, you shall now walk a clear path, blessed by Buddha. Amitabha!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Thank you, Bodhisattva.”

Pudu True Monarch shrieked, “He’s a fake Bodhisattva! Why are you bowing to him? I am the true Bodhisattva! You should bow to me, you should kneel to me!”

Sun Baishen knew he was a fake Bodhisattva, but he used the tone of a Bodhisattva to resolve this karmic entanglement with Li Zhuiyuan.

After all, Li Zhuiyuan had witnessed the unsavory matters here, and had acted against Pudu True Monarch after knowing its true identity. He had also taken away the White Crane Deity, and the Two Generals of Merit and Demerit were reserved as puppet reserves.

He could be said to be slapping the Bodhisattva’s face while vigorously undermining its foundation.

This was a hidden danger. Before the young man fully matured, it was unwise to provoke such an entity too deeply.

At the same time, the young man’s identity was highly sensitive; besides his own connections, he was also under the scrutiny of the Heavenly Dao.

With the words spoken here, all was karma.

Now, it remained to be seen whether the true Bodhisattva would acknowledge what the fake Bodhisattva had said.

In truth, as for whether Pudu True Monarch or Sun Baishen was the true Buddha-son, or the “authentic” Bodhisattva avatar and human agent...

No one else in this world counted, not even their own words.

Only Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva himself could declare who was real, and that person... would be real!

Above, the invisible, majestic gaze slowly converged.

Ultimately, it transformed into a wisp of sacred Buddhist light, shining upon Sun Baishen’s brow on the lotus platform, marking it with a red mole.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had made his choice.

Pudu True Monarch shrieked in disbelief, “Impossible! This is impossible! This is impossible! He’s real, then what am I? What do I count for? Who am I? Who am I, really?”

Li Zhuiyuan asked Sun Baishen, “May I ask, Bodhisattva, what crime is due for impersonating a Bodhisattva and desecrating my Buddha, such an act of great disrespect and blasphemy?”

Sun Baishen: “Death!”

This was Sun Bais