Chapter 952: Forcing You Out of the Buddha School

This was Baima Temple's Demon-Subduing Protector. Responsible for the temple's security, he now looked around with a face full of rage. When his gaze landed on Dharma Seal Vajra, he demanded, "Dharma Seal, was it you? You're the one who's been out and about the most recently!"

Dharma Seal Vajra clasped his hands together. "To answer the Demon-Subduing Protector, your disciple did not encounter the Infernal Desolate Beasts. This great calamity was not brought about by your disciple."

The Demon-Subduing Protector coldly scanned the others. "Then who was it?"

No one answered, nor dared to answer. The Infernal Desolate Beasts had arrived with the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar. This was more than just a great calamity; it was an impending catastrophe! Who would dare to admit it?

Abbot Puguang, with a solemn expression, looked at the approaching Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar and said, "Prepare for battle!" The eminent monks and their mounts immediately surged with powerful magic. They watched the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar intently.

It was closer. And closer still! It truly was the legendary Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar, said to summon ancient giants. The monks of Baima Temple braced themselves as if facing a formidable enemy!

However, as the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar drew near, they realized it wasn't being carried by Infernal Desolate Beasts. Instead, it was on a spiritual boat speeding across the sea. At the bow stood a woman of exquisite beauty, like a figure from a painting. Behind her, a black-robed youth sat cross-legged. He bore the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar, and two thirty-foot-tall illusory figures circled him. One was an eight-armed divine statue radiating dazzling light. The other was an Emperor's figure, wearing a golden dragon robe, a nine-stringed crown, and wielding an Emperor's sword.

As the Golden Cloud Spirit Boat docked, the black-robed youth suddenly opened his cold eyes, transforming into a bolt of lightning that descended from the sky. From his lips came a chilling roar: "Cang Qiong Demon Emperor! Get out here! And die!" Powerful currents swept through, igniting a patch of vegetation and starting a raging inferno. Jiang Fan stood amidst the flames, bearing the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar, radiating murderous intent. He was like a harbinger of death from the underworld!

The guests were stunned. Many eminent monks of Baima Temple were also stunned. It wasn't Infernal Desolate Beasts that had arrived, but a vengeful youth!

The Demon-Subduing Protector regained his composure and sternly shouted, "How dare you act wildly in our Buddhist sanctuary! You have some nerve..."

"Shut up!" Jiang Fan's eyes turned red as he furiously pulled the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar from his back and plunged it into the ground of Baima Temple. "I give you Baima Temple two choices! First, hand over the Cang Qiong Demon Emperor! Second, accept the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar! There are no other options!"

The Demon-Subduing Protector was enraged! Telling him to shut up? No one in the entire Great Taicang Prefecture dared to utter those two words to him. "Seize him!!!" he roared.

Jiang Fan drew his purple sword, holding it horizontally to his neck, and laughed furiously: "If I die, the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar will stay here forever!"

The faces of the eminent monks changed dramatically. They cried out in unison, "Stop! Benefactor, wait!" In a thousand years of history, no one had ever been known to move the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar. Jiang Fan was the only one. If he died, the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar would indeed be rooted in Baima Temple. Unless they abandoned this Buddhist court and found another place to rebuild Baima Temple, otherwise, they would face the catastrophe of ancient giants!

The eminent monks of Baima Temple, who had been preparing to seize Jiang Fan, all stopped. Jiang Fan sneered aloud, "Come on! Aren't you Baima Temple dominant? Don't you do as you please? Why aren't you daring to move now? Come on, all of you!"

The Demon-Subduing Protector's face was a mixture of anger and uncertainty. He fumed, "I don't believe you'd dare to commit suicide! Attack!"

Jiang Fan spun the purple sword without hesitation. This action startled the Demon-Subduing Protector, whose face paled as he hastily said, "Wait!" A bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. What was wrong with this person? He actually dared to do it! If Jiang Fan truly died due to his provocation, leaving the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar at Baima Temple, then he would be a sinner against the temple.

He helplessly cast a glance at the abbot. Abbot Puguang looked at Jiang Fan and said, "Benefactor, you are too late. The Cang Qiong Demon Emperor has already joined Baima Temple. If there is any grievance between you, this humble monk is willing to mediate..."

"I'll mediate your eighteen generations of ancestors!" Jiang Fan's eyes blazed with overwhelming hatred. "If it weren't for Dharma Seal Vajra's interference, could the Cang Qiong Demon Emperor still be committing evil? Now you have the nerve to talk about mediating grievances? The sin of him slaughtering 158 members of the demon race was caused by your Baima Temple!"

Without that wooden carved golden Buddha, the Cang Qiong Demon Emperor would have died long ago! Where would he have had the chance to harm Ling Shu's people? Baima Temple's hypocrisy is the greatest evil!

Dharma Seal Vajra frowned slightly. "Benefactor Jiang, your hostility is too strong."

Jiang Fan laughed furiously, looking up at the sky. "My hostility is too strong? You caused the deaths of 158 people, killed my beloved, and made me watch her spirit die. Yet you blame me for having too much hostility? Hahaha! Fine! Then let my hostility be strong! I'll only ask Baima Temple one thing! Cang Qiong Demon Emperor, will you hand him over, or not? If not, then you can await the descent of the ancient giants and rivers of blood!"

The monks' hearts trembled. They exchanged glances, weighing the pros and cons.

Dharma Seal Vajra still frowned. "Benefactor Jiang, if you had arrived earlier, I could have handed him over to you. But you heard the abbot's words. The Cang Qiong Demon Emperor has already joined..."

Jiang Fan coldly interrupted him, "What if he joined Baima Temple? Is Baima Temple the Western Buddhist Heaven, or the Jade Palace of the Nine Heavens? Does joining Baima Temple make one a god or a Buddha? Does it mean they can't be killed?"

Dharma Seal Vajra was silent, rendered speechless by the question. Because no one had ever shown such contempt for Baima Temple.

Jiang Fan shook his head and said, "I don't want to waste any more words with you. You have three breaths to make your choice! One! Two! Three!"

No sooner had he finished speaking, Puguang's ears twitched, and he looked back in slight surprise at the sacred grand hall in the deepest part of Baima Temple. After a brief moment of contemplation, he chanted a Buddhist prayer, "Amitābha Buddha. The Cang Qiong Demon Emperor's six roots are not purified; he has no affinity with our Buddha. Dharma Seal, bring him out."

Dharma Seal Vajra hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes, Abbot." He also cast a deep glance at the grand hall in the depths of Baima Temple. Confusion appeared in his eyes. The Bodhisattva had actually compromised. He didn't understand. But he still carried out the instruction conveyed by the Bodhisattva to the abbot, bringing the Cang Qiong Demon Emperor out.

"Shanming, you have an old friend here to see you."

Monk Shanming looked at Jiang Fan before him and smiled gently. "Benefactor Jiang, I hope you have been well." He seemed to have forgotten the grievances between them, letting a smile erase all animosity.

Jiang Fan pointed his sword at Shanming's neck and said coldly, "Dharma Seal Vajra, restore him to his original form. Don't tell me you can't!" No one could transform into a completely different person in such a short time, unless there was a spell suppressing his true nature.

Dharma Seal Vajra glanced at the abbot, who nodded. Only then did he reluctantly wave his sleeve. A faint, ethereal wisp of sacred Buddhist light was drawn from Monk Shanming's chest.

Soon, Monk Shanming shook his head, and the sharp glint from his former days reappeared in his once peaceful eyes. He asked, bewildered, "Dharma Seal Vajra, what are you doing? Didn't you say you were going to guide me into Buddhism?"

Behind him, a voice as chilling as if from hell spoke. "You did enter Buddhism. But I pulled you back!"