Chapter 255: Magic Too Strong

"Thank you, Buddhist Son," Qin Mu said gratefully. With Buddhist Son Fo Xin by his side, he felt it was improper to ride the Dragon Qilin, so he dismounted and walked, observing proper etiquette.

"It's already dark outside; we really should have offered you a place to stay tonight, Sect Master," Fo Xin remarked. The two descended the mountain at a leisurely pace, yet their speed was still over ten times faster than an ordinary person's. Fo Xin continued, "Though Sect Master Qin's stay at Great Thunderclap Temple was brief, it caused quite a commotion. Several monks lost their lives, and some even left the monastery to return to secular life. Despite all this, the Tathagata still permitted you to leave."

Qin Mu chuckled, "I deeply admire the Tathagata's magnanimity; he truly is the foremost enlightened being in Buddhism. I am especially grateful that he set aside sectarian differences to help heal Granny Si."

Fo Xin smiled, "Sect Master, I was wondering if I could take another look at the Great Creation Demonic Scripture?"

Qin Mu produced the Great Creation Demonic Scripture, unrolling it to reveal countless characters. Buddhist Son Fo Xin read as they walked, shaking his head. "This is truly a pernicious scripture," he declared. "Every divine ability and cultivation method seems designed to take lives, and the practices themselves are exceedingly wicked."

Qin Mu looked surprised. "Buddhist Son, what makes you say that?"

Fo Xin explained, "Look at this Creation Heaven Demon Art. It speaks of flaying skin to make garments and sealing souls and vital energy within them to create clothes that can transform endlessly. Is that not an evil art?"

Qin Mu chuckled, "The Creation Heaven Demon Art primarily focuses on inner cultivation. It's used to seal one's *own* soul and vital energy to prevent external demonic invasion, not to flay skin for garments. If transformations are desired, the Creation Heavenly God Art combined with the Creation Spirit Art can achieve that."

Fo Xin shook his head. "Sect Master, I believe you're misunderstanding it. The Heaven Demon Arts are infamous; who hasn't heard of them? You're young; how many books have you truly read? It's natural for your interpretation to be off. Look again at this Creation Innate Art. It's clearly a demonic technique that can only be cultivated by extracting the innate qi from newborn infants! To achieve eternal youth with this method, imagine how many infants would have to be harmed!"

Qin Mu gave a wry smile, correcting him. "The 'innate' here doesn't refer to infants themselves, but to the state of an infant. Before birth, an infant embodies the innate state, a primordial unity at the very beginning of yin and yang. The placenta connects to the innate mother, and the infant's soul is pure and unblemished, requiring no breath. Buddhist Son, you've misunderstood. Practicing this method doesn't involve consuming placentas or infants; it's about returning oneself to an infant-like state."

Fo Xin shook his head. "Sect Master, are you still going to deny it? This Creation Earth Elemental Art—isn't it a demonic technique that gathers demonic flames from the sun and earth to incinerate living beings? The more people it kills, the more vengeful spirits it accumulates, and the stronger its power becomes, ultimately transforming into a hellish realm, hence 'Earth Elemental'!"

Qin Mu chuckled, "This technique also contains the word 'creation.' It's meant for cultivating the divine and strengthening one's primordial spirit."

"Using others' souls to strengthen one's primordial spirit—isn't that still a demonic art?" Fo Xin pressed.

Qin Mu shook his head. "When this technique is combined with the Creation Innate Art, it allows the mind to achieve primordial unity, transforming into an infant-like state. One then connects with the earth, drawing in the earth's vital essence to strengthen the primordial spirit. It can also be used to create all things. Buddhist Son, I've been cultivating the Great Creation Demonic Scripture recently, and my spiritual embryo has become exceptionally robust. The effects of these two techniques are quite significant. You could even try them yourself."

Fo Xin chuckled, "No, I won't cultivate it. I simply wanted to offer a critique."

Qin Mu gazed at him intently, finding Fo Xin's demeanor open and guileless.

Qin Mu smiled. "Very well, Buddhist Son, please continue."

Fo Xin resumed studying the Great Creation Demonic Scripture. "Your Heavenly Devil Cult certainly lives up to its name," he remarked. "Its demonic nature is simply too profound. The more I read these cultivation methods and divine abilities, the more unsettling they become. This one, for example, called the Funeral Service Art—to master it, does one have to wipe out entire families?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "That technique is actually from the Funeral Hall of my Heavenly Saint Cult. It involves crafting paper effigies and paper horses, performing funeral rites, warding off malevolent spirits and deities, and bringing blessings to descendants. Buddhist Son, if you approach this with such prejudice, perhaps it's best not to read further. I'd hate for it to tarnish your Buddhist heart."

Fo Xin burst into laughter. "Sect Master Qin, my Great Thunderclap Temple allowed you to read the Tathagata Mahayana Sutra. Are you now going to forbid me from reading the Great Creation Demonic Scripture?"

Qin Mu smiled faintly. "Very well, suit yourself."

The two continued their descent. Fo Xin kept shaking his head more as he read, and by the time they reached the foot of the mountain, it was late at night. He had by then read through the majority of the Great Creation Demonic Scripture.

Qin Mu looked around. This was the territory of the Eternal Peace Empire; going straight ahead would lead to Eternal Peace, while descending the mountain from the other side would take them to the Great Ruins. However, the Great Ruins were currently enveloped in darkness and could not be entered.

The New Year's festivities were over, and it was now February. The sky was clear with sparse stars and a crescent moon that emitted a tranquil, faint glow, significantly brighter than usual.

As this area was near the Great Thunderclap Temple, the high monks had long since cleared away any dark clouds overhead, leaving the sky exceptionally clear.

There were also several villages nearby where the inhabitants practiced Buddhism and worshipped the Buddha. However, all the land belonged to the Great Thunderclap Temple, and the villagers were tenant farmers. They cultivated the land for grain, paying no rent to the imperial court, only tribute to the Great Thunderclap Temple.

Qin Mu had already intended to return to Eternal Peace: first, to continue his cultivation, and second, to manage the Heavenly Saint Cult. Furthermore, Li Tianxing, who had recently escaped from the Thousand Buddha Pagoda, was also headed for the Eternal Peace Empire.

Fo Xin was still engrossed in the Great Creation Demonic Scripture. They arrived at the mountain gate, where the monk on duty sat with a lantern, and a strange beast, a "Si Bu Xiang," slept peacefully beside him.

Nearby were several attendants who promptly rose upon seeing them. Buddhist Son Fo Xin stepped forward to inquire, and they explained, "We are the Prince's retainers, all secular individuals, so we are not permitted to enter the temple. Thus, we have been waiting respectfully outside."

"I must escort the Demonic Sect Master down the mountain and have no time to properly entertain you; please forgive me," Fo Xin said. He then called the Si Bu Xiang, led the strange beast over, and addressed Qin Mu. "Sect Master Qin, I still need about half an hour to finish reading. If you don't mind, I can accompany you a bit further. My Great Thunderclap Temple's Si Bu Xiang has listened to Buddhist scriptures for years; its cultivation is quite profound and it can easily keep pace with your Dragon Qilin."

Qin Mu smiled. "That would be excellent."

The Si Bu Xiang walked alongside the Dragon Qilin. A Buddhist aura manifested behind Fo Xin's head, illuminating the Great Creation Demonic Scripture as he continued to pore over it.

"The Demonic Sect Master?" The Prince's attendants' eyes lit up. "Which Demonic Sect Master?"

The monk guarding the gate replied, "Who else could it be? Sect Master Qin of the Heavenly Devil Cult, he came with such force and enticed many of our temple's monks to return to secular life. In fact, over the past few days, monks have continuously left the mountain to become secular, even several of my martial uncles and grand-uncles."

The attendants exchanged glances, then smiled. "Our chance for a great deed has arrived! The Heavenly Devil Cult killed Sun Nantuo and destroyed Nantuo Temple; it was that Demonic Sect Master who orchestrated it all. We never expected to run into him here! Come on, let's seize this opportunity!"

The monk quickly interjected, "Gentlemen, please do not commit the evil of killing! Do not harm the Buddhist Son!"

The Prince's attendants laughed. "Don't you worry about that!"

Qin Mu sat on the Dragon Qilin's back, gazing continuously at the moon, his body gently swaying with the creature's movements. It was the eighth day of the second month, and the crescent moon was quite slender.

Fo Xin exhaled in relief, returning the Great Creation Demonic Scripture to Qin Mu. "This humble monk has finally finished reading it," he said. "It truly is a classic of the demonic path. Sect Master Qin, why have you been looking at the moon the whole time?"

"There's no moon in my Great Ruins," Qin Mu replied, withdrawing his gaze. He then lightly tapped the Great Creation Demonic Scripture, which transformed back into a ball of thread. He smiled. "That's why whenever I see the moon, I find it so beautiful and enchanting. Also, I was curious to see where the boundary of the Great Thunderclap Temple lies."

Fo Xin paused, then asked curiously, "The boundary of Great Thunderclap Temple?"

Qin Mu nodded, seeing the moon in the sky partially obscured by dark clouds. He leaped off the Dragon Qilin's back, landing precisely where moonlight illuminated one side and the shadow of the clouds darkened the other. He smiled. "The boundary of Great Thunderclap Temple should be right around here. Buddhist Son, observe: the high monks of Great Thunderclap Temple have swept away all the dark clouds within their domain. The clouds beyond are those of the Eternal Peace Empire, no longer under the temple's jurisdiction."

Fo Xin dismounted the Si Bu Xiang, looked up at the sky, then down at the ground, expressing his surprise. "I never knew Great Thunderclap Temple had boundaries. So, there should be a boundary marker nearby, right?"

Qin Mu's interest was piqued. He smiled. "Why don't we try to find it?"

Fo Xin, too, seemed to possess a youthful spirit. The two young men searched for a moment, and after a while, discovered a broken cliff. It was a barren hilltop, standing solitary and cut in half, more than ten *zhang* tall, with the words "Great Thunderclap Temple Boundary" inscribed upon it.

Fo Xin clapped his hands and laughed. "There really is such a stone tablet! Even though I'm a monk of Great Thunderclap Temple, I've never heard my elders mention it. Sect Master Qin, I've heard that the Heavenly Devil Cult doesn't focus on cultivating the mind, placing few demands on one's mental state. Your cult's techniques are easy to master quickly, but because they train the body without training the mind, one can easily suffer cultivation deviation."

Qin Mu stood beneath the boundary marker, looking up at the inscription. "That's a common belief," he remarked.

Fo Xin's eyes glinted. "Buddhist techniques cultivate the mind," he mused. "If combined with the swift mastery offered by the Great Creation Demonic Scripture, would that not create something perfectly flawless?"

Qin Mu was still examining the inscription on the boundary marker. "That, I couldn't tell you," he replied nonchalantly.

Fo Xin watched Qin Mu's back, while Qin Mu gazed at the stone tablet in front of them. Neither spoke for a moment.

Suddenly, a brilliant Buddhist light erupted, accompanied by dense, ominous demonic energy. Beneath the boundary marker, two distinct forces—one righteous, one evil—collided with a thunderous roar, as if Buddhism and Devilry were dividing the world.

Qin Mu turned around, a brilliant Buddhist aura emanating from behind his head. He resembled a great Buddha in yellow robes; every movement produced a thunderous sound as he channeled the Tathagata Mahayana Sutra. Fo Xin, however, was shrouded in a sinister demonic aura, his body engulfed in fierce demonic flames, as he channeled the Creation Earth Elemental Art!

Without a word, the two fiercely engaged in battle beneath the boundary marker. Above Qin Mu's head, vital qi swirled like clouds, faintly manifesting five layers of heavens, with myriad Buddhas paying homage. Around Fo Xin, demonic energy seethed, and the demonic flames grew increasingly intense.

The two fought swiftly beneath the Great Thunderclap Temple boundary marker, their movements as rapid as a leaping rabbit and a soaring falcon. Suddenly, a thunderous boom resounded. Fo Xin grunted, staggering back a step. Qin Mu advanced, striking him with palm after palm, each blow as heavy as the Great Thunderclap Temple boundary marker itself!

Fo Xin retreated ceaselessly, blood trickling from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Boom—Qin Mu brought down another palm, like a great Buddha unleashing the fires of ignorance. Fo Xin raised his hand to block, and the sound of bones snapping echoed from within his body. He retreated further, suddenly feeling his back press against the stone tablet, and his heart sank.

Boom! Qin Mu struck down with yet another palm. Fo Xin grunted, collapsing to sit beneath the boundary marker, and raised a hand. "Stop fighting," he gasped. "I surrender..."

Qin Mu raised his fist and brought it down, punch after punch. After a moment, he stood up. Fo Xin lay beneath him, a bloody mess.

"Your demonic nature is too profound," Qin Mu said. He retracted his hands, blood dripping from his fingertips. Looking at the disfigured Fo Xin beneath the boundary marker, he spoke softly. "I considered letting you live, just to see how you would eventually corrupt Great Thunderclap Temple. But the way you misinterpreted every single technique in the Great Creation Demonic Scripture, making it seem even more sinister than it is—if I left you, Great Thunderclap Temple would surely be destroyed by your hands."

Fo Xin still had a breath left and was about to speak when, suddenly, a streak of sword light pierced his glabella with a soft hiss. The flying sword passed clean through his skull, pinning him lifelessly to the boundary marker.

A voice exclaimed joyfully, "We finally killed the Demonic Sect Master! That fellow's demonic nature was so intense!"

"The Buddhist Son, after all, was still too benevolent; he couldn't bring himself to deliver the killing blow," another voice chuckled.

"But in the end, it worked out in our favor!" the second voice added. "Let's take his head and claim the reward from the Prince!"