Chapter 37: A Wake-Up Call

Ma Ye's chest rose and fell, his emotions clearly turbulent. He spoke in a frigid tone, "I severed my own arm and sent it to the Great Thunder Sound Temple. Its divine power returned, yet you still pursue and kill me, tearing apart my wife and children? Since you insist on my death, why can I not transmit the Great Thunder Sound Temple's divine power to the outside world?"

The old monk shook his head. "Junior Brother, one arm does not contain all of the divine power."

Ma Ye chuckled coldly. "The divine power on my body doesn't all originate from the Great Thunder Sound Temple. Do you intend to cripple the rest of my powers as well? I may have come from the Great Thunder Sound Temple, but that year, I fought my way out with my own two hands. At that time, you dared not stop me. Now, after I found a wife and had children, you come knocking again. For the safety of my family, I willingly severed an arm and returned the Great Thunder Sound Temple's divine power!"

His face was grim. "And what happened then? You pursued and killed me, separating my wife and children, leaving my family broken and dead!"

The old monk's white eyebrows twitched. "Rules are rules. If they change, they cease to be rules. The mundane world interferes with cultivation. Junior Brother, we do not wish to kill you, but to save you from the bitter sea of the mortal realm, to return to the Great Thunder Sound Temple to cultivate and achieve true enlightenment. If you had not given in to worldly desires that year and fought your way out, the position of Tathagata in the Great Thunder Sound Temple would be yours. If you are willing to follow me back to the temple, the old Tathagata will surely be pleased, and the position of Tathagata will still be yours." (Note: In common parlance, Tathagata refers to Shakyamuni, but in Buddhist professional terms, Tathagata refers to a Buddha. As long as one is a Buddha, one is a Tathagata. In Buddhist scriptures, it is said, 'Thus come the True Way, hence called Tathagata,' referring to the realm of Buddha.)

"Go back?"

Ma Ye's voice was wooden. "That year, I fought my way out. If I were to return, I would naturally have to fight my way back in!"

The old monk's face fell, and he sighed. "Tathagata will be most disappointed. This youth on the stage, is he your disciple? You taught him the Thunder Sound Eight Styles, but not the Great Thunder Sound Temple's cultivation method, the Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra."

He looked towards Qin Mu, who was battling a young man on the stage. "The Tathagata Great Vehicle Sutra is a method for subduing demons. Without cultivating this method, even the strongest Thunder Sound Eight Styles are mere empty display. Today, I have brought my disciple here, Ming Xin, to greet his Senior Uncle!"

Behind him, a tall and thin young monk stepped forward, holding Buddhist beads in his hands, and bowed with palms together. "Senior Uncle."

The old monk's white eyebrows fluttered upwards. "Ming Xin is also a Spirit Embryo Realm warrior. My Zen Staff is pressed here. Junior Brother, do you gamble?"

Si Po Po's eyebrows rose, and she was about to speak, but Ma Ye's face remained expressionless. "Clean rules and precepts are all nonsense. I will gamble with you. How does my head compare to the weight of your Kasaya and Zen Staff?"

The old monk nodded. "Their weight is almost the same."

Blind Man, Si Po Po, Apothecary, and the others frowned deeply, about to offer advice, but Ma Ye declared decisively, "If Mu'er loses, you may take my head back to the Great Thunder Sound Temple to see Tathagata. If Mu'er wins, the Zen Staff remains, and you depart as far as possible."

"Good."

The old monk turned to the young monk Ming Xin. "Today, you will reclaim the Great Thunder Sound Temple's divine power from this rebel of the temple for your master. If you win, it will be your merit."

Ming Xin agreed and stepped towards the stage.

On the stage, the young man contending with Qin Mu was a sword technique expert, following the path of Senior Brother Qu from the Li Jiang Five Sons. His treasured sword never left his body by more than three feet. Unlike Senior Brother Qu, his sword was not large, more like a dagger, only eight inches long, small but exceedingly dangerous!

This small sword would occasionally stab out from strange angles, such as from under his arm or between his legs, and would even disappear into his clothes, only to emerge from his sleeve when Qin Mu engaged him in a palm strike!

To control a sword with qi, and master sword control technique to this degree, was already comparable to Qian Qiu, a disciple of Li Jiang, and far surpassed Senior Brother Qu.

Moreover, this person also possessed profound attainments in battle techniques. His palm methods were profound, his momentum like a towering mountain. With a burst of force from his palm, mountain patterns would suddenly appear from its center.

However, at this moment, the outcome of the battle on the stage was already clear. Qin Mu's strength was immense and fierce, his footwork swift. The young man suffered a significant loss in the first exchange of palms, as Qin Mu's vigorous vital qi directly crushed his!

Qin Mu displayed the Nine Dragons Control Wind Thunder. Although he had only unleashed three layers of its power, it had already injured the young man's internal organs. Despite his exquisite sword technique, defeat was inevitable.

Qin Mu's footsteps were erratic, like hundreds of chaotic snakes slithering through grass, suddenly darting east, then west, then forward, then back, making it impossible for the young man to discern the direction of his attack. The next moment, a pain shot through his back, and he was sent flying by Qin Mu's palm.

The young man landed, stunned for a moment, then bowed towards Qin Mu on the stage. "Many thanks, little brother, for showing mercy."

Just now, although Qin Mu's palm had landed on his back with great force, the power was not fierce, and did not injure his heart and lungs. Otherwise, with Qin Mu's strength, he could have easily shattered his internal organs!

"Junior Brother, do you wish to rest?" Ming Yue, who had been quietly waiting, spoke after Qin Mu defeated the young man.

Qin Mu's gaze fell upon him. This monk was young, clad in a white monk's robe without a speck of dust, even the shoes on his feet were white. He was clean and fair. Despite his shaved head, he was still very handsome, unconsciously inspiring goodwill in others.

He was about to answer that there was no need, when suddenly Si Po Po's voice came, "Rest, you must rest!"

Qin Mu did not understand her meaning, but still followed Si Po Po's words and sat down to rest and regulate his breath. His "Overlord Body Three Dan Skill" was suited for cultivating while in motion. Although he had already battled more than ten warriors, his vital qi had not been significantly consumed, and he was still at his peak. His body was merely a little tired.

Si Po Po carried a cup of water onto the stage and handed it to Qin Mu. She said in a low voice, "Mu'er, no matter what means you use, you must win this time. You absolutely cannot lose! Your Grandpa Ma Ye has gambled with that old bald thief, staking his own life!"

Qin Mu's heart leaped. He quickly looked towards Ma Ye. Ma Ye's face was calm, and his voice carried over. "Mu'er, the Overlord Body is unparalleled and will never lose! I believe in you."

Although he said this, Qin Mu was still somewhat panicked. While the people in the village were all his relatives, the ones he was closest to, besides Si Po Po, were Ma Ye. It was Ma Ye who, with one arm, carried the statue and came out of the village with Si Po Po that year, picking him up from the riverbank and saving his life!

If he lost, wouldn't he be endangering Ma Ye's life?

At this moment, Apothecary also frowned deeply. Ma Ye believed that Qin Mu was the unparalleled Overlord Body and had confidence in him, but Qin Mu was not the Overlord Body after all.

He now somewhat regretted helping the Village Chief conceal that well-intentioned lie. If he had told them the truth earlier, Ma Ye would not have bet his own life.

It was precisely because Ma Ye trusted in Qin Mu that he gambled his own life with that old monk!

Suddenly, a fierce light shone in Apothecary's eyes. "If Mu'er loses, we will kill this old bald donkey and the little bald donkey. We cannot let Ma Ye be sent to his death!"

On the stage, Qin Mu urgently wanted to steady his mind, but with the life of his closest person at stake, how could his heart settle down?

Mute gestured with his hands, making a few sounds. Blind Man, leaning on his cane, leisurely said, "No need to remind him. This temple fair is a test. If he passes, he has grown up. If he fails, he is still a child."

After a moment, Qin Mu slowly stood up, looked towards the tall and thin young monk opposite him, and slowly said, "Monk, is there a Buddha in your heart?"

Ming Xin put his hands together and solemnly said, "My Buddha is always in my heart."

Hoo—

Qin Mu exhaled a turbulent breath. The vital qi within his body became overbearing and intense, a kind of lawless demeanor surging out from his small body.

"I!"

He stepped forward, a momentum surging from his small frame that gave people a sense of divine heroism. His voice was deafeningly loud. "In my heart, there is no god, no Buddha, no demon! I am god, I am Buddha, I am demon!"

Upon hearing these words, the old monk sitting opposite Ma Ye showed a shocked expression and turned his head to look at Qin Mu!