Chapter 44: Evil God Seed

Although Jiang Yan had anticipated this through the mural, seeing it with his own eyes...

... still left him stunned by the scene before him.

He had read in Zhao Zhao Yinman's notes that many ancient existences influence superficial history and even the present world through the river of history, spreading eerie knowledge.

One such method involves hollowing out the internal organs of living beings, encasing them in golden bodies, and performing secret rituals to gather incense and become gods.

This "god," of course, does not refer to the ancient immortals and deities who overlook eternity.

It refers to gods of incense.

They are like gods but not gods; they can devour incense in vast quantities, birth bizarre abilities, and because the incense is poisonous, their thoughts become chaotic, making them extremely prone to evolving into evil gods that bring calamity to a region.

Their spread is comparable to memetic contamination.

The Historical Correction Bureau strictly emphasizes that once discovered, one must immediately destroy the mountain and break the temple, burning the statues.

If your strength is insufficient, then call for reinforcements!

Who would have thought that within this plague domain, someone actually wanted to create a god of incense.

Fortunately, the Shadow-Winged Serpent spotted it and successfully seized the initiative.

Otherwise, if a god of incense were to emerge, no matter how weak, it would be at least at the Law Seed realm, leaving absolutely no chance for a comeback.

Just as Jiang Yan prepared to annihilate it, he suddenly found himself unable to move, and his thoughts began to gradually stiffen.

"What!?"

He looked down; the internal organs that had been scattered on the ground had, at some point, turned into molten copper, silently appearing and rising up his feet, copper-fying the flesh and blood wherever they passed.

The strange transformation of the temple suddenly vanished; instead, root-like veins spread from beneath his feet, beginning to take root in the earth below.

At this moment, Jiang Yan once again felt the sorrowful emotion from the eyes of the ape in the mural.

Only this time, it was lamenting itself.

This time, it lamented that Jiang Yan's fate was the same as its own: to become a statue.

Standing here forever!

"This is..."

Jiang Yan's eyes widened in shock as laughter came from not far away.

"Hahahaha..."

Abbot Shou'ei laughed heartily, saying proudly, "Humans, all forms are illusions. You saw that Huang Mao was the Heart Ape, claiming what he saw was false, yet you forgot: is what you see truly real?"

"Your Shadow-Winged Serpents can hide in the shadows; even ordinary Law Seed realm cultivators cannot detect them. But unfortunately, this temple is under my control, watching everything at all times."

"I simply chose to ignore you, inviting you into the trap."

Jiang Yan fell silent.

Abbot Shou'ei seemed to be in a good mood, and having held back for too long, continued speaking:

"Let me tell you a story. Long, long ago, a group of rabbits lived in the mountains. Although they were often preyed upon by fierce beasts, under the protection of their King, they could still thrive and multiply.

However, one day, a massive beast egg surfaced from the depths of the river of history, descending into This World. Life was born from it, named—the Six-Armed Heart Ape.

It possessed powerful bloodline and strength, yet was exceptionally innocent, believing itself omnipotent, protecting the weak, and even teaching us the Buddhist Practice Method.

After witnessing the suffering of all things, it sought to create a pure land, establish rules, so that all beings would no longer kill each other but live in harmony.

Gradually, these beings became addicted to pleasure, forgetting hierarchy. The rabbits no longer worshipped the King but instead worshipped a monkey. It was simply... utterly foolish! The strong devouring the weak is the law of the Heavenly Dao!"

At this point, Abbot Shou'ei's face became grotesque, his eyes filled with intense jealousy:

"But it was precisely this foolishness that allowed me to seize the opportunity. Claiming it was for the peace of the world, I successfully tricked it into suppressing another powerful demon. In the end, both were severely injured, yet it did not die. So, using the excuse of helping it heal, I hollowed out its internal organs and sealed it alive within a clay sculpture.

That night, the Heart Ape died.

I thought it was over, but unexpectedly, this fellow resurrected, becoming the mountain beneath my feet, the trees in the forest, everything in my eyes. It is everywhere.

Heh, did you think this could scare me? If I could be killed while alive, what fear is there in death? The peach formed from its corpse can only become my food.

Since it refuses to leave, then help me with one arm. I have been cultivating the Practice Method and have comprehended a special ritual—the Inverted Demon Egg Transformation of All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—which can artificially create a god of incense."

Abbot Shou'ei's gaze grew deep as he smiled, "For this ritual, I have prepared for thirty years, sacrificing ninety-nine Historical Travelers. With their heart-blood, I successfully corrupted the Heart Ape's abilities, transforming its 'seeing the true nature of the mind' into the birth of bizarre heart-demon soldiers and horses.

Now, only the final step remains. Unfortunately, the Heart Ape's lingering will restricts me from breaking through. Even the living beings in the temple cannot do it; they are all suppressed by it.

Only an outsider with a sufficiently powerful soul and strength, such as a Historical Traveler, can see through the Heart Ape, actively shatter it, thereby initiating the ritual and completely dispersing the Heart Ape's will.

Refining its remnant body, the spirit of incense, and even This World itself into my exclusive protective dharma form—the Six-Armed Immovable Heart Ape Venerable!"

Upon saying this, Abbot Shou'ei's expression became excited:

"At that time, relying on the flesh and blood of Historical Travelers as anchors, my entire clan can ascend to the present pure land, enjoy supreme bliss in the world, and let that Heart Ape know that I am the one who is right!"

As the words fell, Jiang Yan also turned into a copper statue.

Motionless.

Abbot Shou'ei exclaimed, "What a beautiful Sacrificial Offering!"

Many novice monks stepped out, softly chanting the Diamond Sutra and the Ksitigarbha Sutra, though it was unclear whom they were delivering.

Just as Abbot Shou'ei was about to begin the ritual, Xiao Bai pleaded:

"King, once everything succeeds, please spare Sima Sima Luoshui's soul. Let me nurture him to become one of our people."

"What a kind-hearted child..."

Abbot Shou'ei sighed, then slapped her away. She rolled on the ground, vomiting blood uncontrollably.

"Sister!"

Xiao Hei saw this, rushed forward to help Xiao Bai up, but was pierced through the body by a bead flying through the air, leaving holes everywhere, and fell to the ground with a thud.

Her body gradually became ethereal. Looking at Xiao Bai, she forced a smile and whispered:

"In the future... don't be so foolish again..."

"You love freedom and looseness, you love interesting things. How could I not? But... we are not worthy to seek these things... You must... survive."

"Sister!"

Little White stared blankly at the scene, her eyes wanting to shed tears but unable to, watching Little Black vanish completely.

Many memories flashed through her mind.

When Little Black first appeared, she was different from other Heart Monkeys, liking nothing more than to scare her.

Every time she scared Little White to tears, she would silently guard by her side.

Little White could no longer bear it and asked her why she did this.

Little Black merely said coldly, "I scared you until you got used to it; after I'm gone, you won't be afraid anymore."

Little Black also said she wanted to be the older sister.

But Little White didn't agree, saying an older sister should protect the younger sister.

Little Black said nothing.

Little White felt she didn't trust her, but Little Black only said, "I don't need your protection; I just need you to stay alive."

For so many years, it was she who had always protected Little White, preventing her from witnessing too much darkness.

"I was too foolish..." Little White sobbed while lying on the ground, resenting her own stupidity.

And resenting her own powerlessness,

unable to change anything from beginning to end.

"You are merely a Heart Monkey born from your heart; kill it and a new one will be born after a while. Acting so deeply attached as sisters is truly laughable."

Shou E sneered disdainfully, looking at Little White lying on the ground, and said calmly:

"You traitorous thing, truly thinking you practice Buddhism, your compassion overflowing. You are nothing but livestock I raised; what right do you have to negotiate with me?"

The reason he kept these clansmen who once betrayed him was not because he was kind-hearted, but simply because these fellows...

followed the same path as him.

Especially Little White, able to condense such a rational Heart Monkey and elevate to the Dao Foundation; she should make a fine supplement.

As food, she could save a lot of effort.

Thinking of this,

Shou E licked his lips and, within the Jie Chan Hall, used Jiang Yan's statue to initiate the ritual.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

Countless threads of blood spread out; these were the refined blood of historical travelers who had been killed, now seeping from the walls.

They intertwined, forming a massive magical array,

and in an instant, crimson flames rose up, igniting the entire temple like a house of fire.

"The method to advance the Law Seed is today!"

The method to break the deadlock has been foreshadowed. Two chapters of five thousand words each. Requesting monthly votes, requesting continued reading, requesting recommendation votes.

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(End of this chapter)