Chapter 482: The Buddha

Mountains rose and fell, cliffs towering a thousand ren high.

Within the cliffs lay caves, densely packed with Buddha statues—large and small, seated or standing, each with unique forms and vivid expressions.

Walking along the mountain path, one saw rows of stone Buddhas on either side, sometimes hidden, sometimes visible, weathered and mottled, bearing the aura of ancient times.

Autumn wind drifted, carrying fallen leaves in spirals, blanketing the ground in golden hues.

Afternoon sunlight pierced through the clouds, gilding the stone Buddhas with a faint radiance—half ancient, half Buddhist, as if walking through a Buddha realm.

This place was the famed Dazu Rock Carvings.

A group walked along the mountain path.

Sha Lifei, clad in a squire's robe, sat astride a palanquin with legs spread wide, flanked by servants, exuding grandeur.

Lu San wore a conical hat like a servant trailing behind, unremarkable, occasionally forming hand seals to listen to the surroundings.

Ahead, several elderly craftsmen led the way.

"During the Tang, General Wei Junjing of the Jingnan Army built Yongchang Fortress on Beishan, and carved statues of the Northern Heavenly King and the Thousand-Armed Guanyin—thus began the widespread trend of cliff carvings…"

"Since the Song, the carving tradition flourished; today, the number of statues in the mountains continues to grow…"

"This is a blessed land. If Master Sha were to sponsor a Guanyin statue, it would surely bring blessings, longevity, and ensure your family's enduring wealth."

The old stonecutter spoke while sneaking glances at Sha Lifei.

The Dazu Rock Carvings were renowned worldwide; naturally, there were many stonecarvers here, even forming a guild with shared rules.

As the saying goes: all under heaven bustle for profit.

The stonecarvers wouldn't work for free.

Nor were donors lacking—some devout monks had begged for decades just to fund a Buddha statue here.

Others came from afar—from the capital Jinling and beyond—wealthy merchants sponsoring statues to show their devotion.

This wealthy guest from Shanzhou was no different; though crude in speech and dressed like a newly rich peasant, he paid swiftly.

If we win his favor, our apprentices won't go hungry for years.

Thinking this, the old carver's tone grew even more humble: "Master Sha, how large a statue do you wish to commission?"

Sha Lifei rubbed his bald head and laughed: "Naturally, the bigger the better—preferably like the one in Jiazhou."

Pfft!

A young stonecarver nearly laughed out loud.

The old carver shot him a furious glare, then forced a smile: "Master, the Lingshan Great Buddha is no easy feat."

"Construction began in the early Kaiyuan era, halted multiple times. The Sichuan Military Governor donated twenty thousand cash, and Emperor Xuanzong granted the 'salt and hemp tax'—still insufficient. It took eighty years before the Buddha was completed."

"Your wealth is unquestioned, but the time required is too long—you won't have patience for it…"

The old carver truly knew how to speak.

He claimed the money wasn't enough, yet offered another excuse.

Sha Lifei was merely bluffing; he didn't care, and merely stroked his chin: "True enough. But my statue, though smaller, must be extraordinary."

"Back home, I heard of a place where many died, plagued by strange phenomena. After a Buddha statue was erected to suppress it, peace returned instantly—that's the kind I need."

"Do you know of any such place here? If there's a similar statue, replicate its form for me."

This was his true purpose.

They'd been here for days, searching the mountains with no results, so they disguised themselves as merchants, probing the stonecarvers for information.

The old carver blinked, shaking his head: "Master Sha, you jest. This is a sacred Buddhist site—how could there be deaths?"

"Besides, we couldn't make such a thing even if we tried…"

He spoke the truth.

A Buddha statue capable of suppressing evil required "filling the cavity" and "opening the eyes"—needing not only Daoist craftsmen but also Buddhist disciples' aid.

Sha Lifei narrowed his eyes: "Even with money, you can't make it?"

The old carver answered honestly: "No amount of money could make it."

"Then forget it."

Sha Lifei instantly lost interest.

"Wait!"

The young carver who'd snickered earlier panicked: "Master, isn't there one near Wangu Town? You know it too…"

"Shut up!"

The old carver's face turned pale.

Sha Lifei stroked his chin, darkening: "You're a Buddha carver—why lie? You're hiding something."

"Hmph! Let's go. I don't believe you're the only ones here…"

With that, he waved his hand; the hired servants turned the palanquin and prepared to leave.

The old carver's expression flickered, then he glared at his apprentice again, sighing: "Master Sha, don't rush—this matter has hidden dangers. Getting involved recklessly invites trouble."

"Decades ago, a martial arts magnate named Cai Jiuyuan took refuge in the Maitreya Sect in Jinzhou, returned home, led a rebellion, seized control of Shu, and declared himself the Nine Heavens Buddha Lord—until the court crushed him."

"Legends say countless died in battle; Cai Jiuyuan himself became a ghost lord, haunting the land—until a high monk from Emei built this cave to suppress him."

"Too much time has passed. The people of Wangu Town are now peaceful, and they deeply fear mentioning this—don't go prying."

"Some old monks still guard it. I know them well—if you're serious, I'll go first to sound them out…"

His words made Sha Lifei feel slightly ashamed.

After all, he wasn't truly here to commission a Buddha statue.

Thinking this, Sha Lifei feigned impatience: "A Buddha statue? Why so complicated?"

"Forget it. I'm done. Here's a hundred taels—take it as payment for your trouble. Don't say I'm unfair!"

With that, he turned and led his men away.

Watching their retreating figures, the stonecarvers exchanged glances.

"No sincerity—why bother carving a Buddha at all…"

The young apprentice muttered.

"Shut your mouth—you talk too much!"

The old carver scolded, then shook his head: "Enough. Keep searching. Year-end's near—if we secure work soon, we can all have a peaceful New Year…"

………

On the other side, Sha Lifei led his men to a crossroad, paid them off, then entered the dense woods beside the path with Lu San.

"San'er, what do you think?"

Sha Lifei asked eagerly.

"Hard to say."

Lu San shook his head: "According to Brother Li Yan, the 'Corpse Grove' is older—the Indian illusionist monk was from Tang times. His tomb near Dazu may be connected to the 'Corpse Grove.'"

"But the 'Corpse Grove's' location came from the Sacred Maiden of the Fragrance Sect's secret scrolls. This 'Nine Heavens Buddha Lord' was also from the Maitreya Sect—perhaps linked."

"Why overthink it?"

Sha Lifei shook his head: "We finally have a lead—we must investigate. Tonight, we go…"

Before he finished, Lu San suddenly looked up.

A black dot sped through the sky, wings flapping loudly as it landed—Eagle Liding.

Lu San tossed it a piece of rabbit meat, calmed it, then removed a bamboo tube from its leg and unrolled the secret message.

After two glances, his face turned grim.

"Something happened?"

Sha Lifei sensed trouble.

Lu San's face darkened as he handed the letter over: "The Shu Prince's mansion moved. They issued a bounty."

"Brother Li Yan, to buy us time, decided to act openly—he's coming straight through, heading to Neijiang before turning to meet us."

"A bounty?"

Sha Lifei read the letter, cursed: "That Shu Prince's brain's been kicked by a donkey—he's drowning in his own filth, why target us?"

"No time left—we go tonight!"

In a remote valley among wild mountains, deep and hidden.

Night fell, the sky ink-black, no stars—only fierce wind howling through the gorge, striking the cliffs with mournful cries.

At the gorge's deepest point stood a colossal stone Buddha, five zhang tall, draped in a kasaya, crowned with a Vairocana hat, holding a khakkhara.

The statue was exquisitely carved; though ancient, it remained intact, its features compassionate and solemn, as if silently watching the gorge.

This was a classic statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

But unlike others, the surrounding rock walls bore carvings of roaring flames, biting ice, forests of knives, and ten thousand wailing ghosts.

This was Ksitigarbha's Hell Form.

As the vow goes: "If hell is not empty, I will not become a Buddha." Such carvings symbolize the Bodhisattva using wisdom and compassion to liberate lost souls.

Below the cave stood an ancient temple, small, its walls peeling, beams and pillars weathered by time.

The temple gate stood half-open, a single candle flickering dimly within.

!.

Before a bronze statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, several old monks sat in meditation.

Their robes were faded, patched countless times; if not for their cleanliness, they'd look no different from beggars.

All were ancient, hunched, with wild white beards, sunken cheeks, and splotches of age spots.

They looked like living corpses.

These elderly monks were the very ones who built the statue all those years ago, and now only a few of them remain.

In the canyon, Sha Lifei crouched low, gripping the Divine Fire Gun, constantly scanning his surroundings, his eyes filled with caution.

"San'er, something's off about this place."

Sha Lifei swallowed hard and whispered, "Why do I keep feeling cold on my back? Like something's watching us?"

"Shh, someone's on the mountain—don't look up!"

Lu San tugged at his clothes, whispering a warning.

Sha Lifei understood at once, feigning ignorance, and whispered, "Are there others watching this place too? Who are they?"

"I don't know."

Lu San whispered, "They're using paper doll spirit arts—weak in cultivation, but numerous. They're all hidden in caves above the valley, which is why we didn't notice them when we entered."

Even so, Sha Lifei dared not let his guard down. He pondered for a moment and said, "Leaving now would only draw suspicion. Let's pretend we're just a couple of petty thieves and find out what's going on first."

After walking a short distance further, they finally saw the statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the distance, along with the dim glow of candles below it.

Lu San's expression changed slightly, and he stopped walking.

"What's wrong?"

Sha Lifei jumped in surprise.

Lu San stared at the distant statue and said gravely, "This place is indeed suspicious. The Buddha statue suppresses spiritual powers."

In Wushan, he had accidentally dreamt his way into the Goddess Palace and successfully built a tower, just like Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan, reaching the Third Tower.

At the Third Tower, one can awaken a new spiritual power.

Perhaps due to the accidental nature of his tower-building, Lu San had not awakened a new power, but his original Ear Power had grown far stronger.

Now, his divine ears could hear sounds over twice the distance of Li Yan's—reaching hundreds of meters.

Any slightest movement escaped his hearing.

Beyond that, he could not only understand the speech of birds and beasts, but even glean information from plants.

It was far beyond the norm for a spiritual power at his level.

Yet even this was suppressed here.

Such suppression only occurs at sacred mountains and great rivers, where temples and monasteries are rich with incense and devotion.

"What do we do?"

Sha Lifei asked gravely.

He had ample experience in the Jianghu and could handle many situations, but when it came to matters of the Daoist sects, he had to leave it to Lu San.

Lu San thought for a moment, then stared at the distant statue and muttered, "Let's go see. We can't afford to delay any longer."

"Alright."

Sha Lifei gritted his teeth and gripped his Divine Fire Gun tighter.

The two moved forward cautiously. Fortunately, nothing happened along the way, and they arrived safely outside the ruined temple.

"Ah~"

Before they could speak, a weary sigh came from inside the ruined temple: "Venerable guests, have you still not given up?"

Sha Lifei's eyes darted, and he chuckled, "Master, you misunderstand. We're not villains—we only wish to ask a few questions."

One elderly monk inside the temple slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were milky white—he had been blind for years.

The other elderly monks were the same.

"Leave."

The lead monk said calmly, "Some things are not meant for you. To take them would bring disaster. Why must you suffer for this?"

Sha Lifei was speechless. "Hey, monk, I told you we're not villains—why won't you even ask us why we're here before kicking us out?"

Another elderly monk spoke up: "This place is desolate. If you're not villains, then why are you here?"

Sha Lifei replied, "We're looking for something."

The monk asked, "Is it yours?"

Sha Lifei shook his head. "No."

The monk sighed. "Then isn't it the same?"

"You..."

Sha Lifei's head throbbed.

He was usually quick-witted, but he felt he couldn't communicate with these old monks at all—their words never touched the point.

Lu San suddenly turned his gaze behind them, abandoning all pretense, and bowed gravely: "Venerable Masters, we are not villains. Outside, a group is lying in wait, approaching this place—they're almost certainly not good."

He had already realized these monks were elderly and not powerful at all—likely close to death.

Yet the monks paid him no heed.

Lu San had no choice but to speak: "We're searching for the 'Corpse Grove.'"

At these words, the monks' expressions finally changed slightly.

The lead monk fell silent for a moment, then said, "Come in."

Sha Lifei and Lu San exchanged a glance, then entered the ruined temple cautiously, one behind the other.

To their surprise,

there were no arrays, no traps.

It was merely a dilapidated, shabby temple on the verge of collapse.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of the canyon, a dense sound of footsteps emerged.

A group of people, wielding weapons, hurried toward them.

They were of all kinds—monks, Daoists, men, women, even hunters in rustic garb.

As soon as they appeared, they surrounded the ruined temple.

Their leader was a fat man dressed like a merchant, with a kindly face but chillingly cold eyes: "Old monk, we have no time to waste with you."

"Tell us—where is the Buddha Lord's tomb hidden?"

At this, Sha Lifei immediately suspected something.

These people were from the Maitreya Sect...

(End of Chapter)