Chapter 126 - 111: Confrontation

Time flowed like a river, and Lin Fang sat for many days, during which the atmosphere in Zhilei Mountain grew increasingly oppressive.

As the Mount Ling Buddhist Soldiers began to appear nearby, everyone realized that the steps of war were drawing near.

In the Cave Mansion, King Niumo gathered the Demon Kings under his command. Holding a glass of fine wine, he gazed down at the densely packed crowd below and roared, "We are born demons, naturally free, but the Buddhist Sect wants us to follow the ancient path of the monk. Do you agree?"

"No," the crowd exclaimed, energized.

"Some fear the Buddhist Sect, but I do not. They are but a group of deceivers, masquerading kindness but acting like bandits. We live peacefully here; they have no right to attack us."

"Drink this wine, and let’s resist the Buddhist Sect together and defend our home." King Niumo drained the wine in his hand.

The monsters happily agreed, drinking the fine wine in their hands.

"Resist the Buddhist Sect, defend our home!" The crowd chanted in unison.

"With that settled, let’s go and prepare for the upcoming battle!" King Niumo waved his hand, signaling the monsters to get ready.

Within a short time, the monsters dispersed; the once bustling Cave Mansion became empty.

King Niumo looked at the now quiet Cave Mansion, slowly sat on his throne, and sighed gently, losing the previously grand and commanding demeanor.

A beautiful figure quietly appeared behind him, stretching out a delicate jade hand to gently press on his shoulder.

"Why do you sigh, my king?" the Jade-faced Princess asked softly.

King Niumo seemed to enjoy this moment of warmth. After closing his eyes for a while, he said, "The Buddhist Sect is aggressively advancing. It’s said that the Future Buddha himself leads the army. It seems they are determined to win!"

"I didn’t expect the Buddha to be so impatient. The Journey to the West group hasn’t even arrived here, yet he is already restless," said the Jade-faced Princess with a playful laugh.

The Long-Live Fox Kingdom boasts the largest brothel in the Xiniu Continent, hence has very informed sources. Even some secrets of the Buddhist Sect could be uncovered.

"Naturally, this Buddha doesn’t seem as benevolent as he looks. To inherit the Buddhist Sect, one must have corresponding achievements. It seems we are being used as stepping stones," King Niumo said, laughing, though his face was all smiles, his eyes were filled with coldness.

"They want to use me as a stepping stone; I will make sure they regret it," King Niumo crushed the wine glass in his hand.

Outside the Cave Mansion, the scene had already changed dramatically. Countless trees were cut down, exposing the bare mountain rocks. Uncounted little demons walked in the mountains, each holding a sharp blade, their faces showing intent to kill.

Thousands of miles from Zhilei Mountain, innumerable Buddhist Soldiers, led by Arhats and Gālans, converged from all directions, closing in step by step.

Temples and Stupas were erected on numerous high mountains. Grand chants of meditation resonated around, and the monsters at the periphery sensed the overwhelming advance of the Buddhist Sect.

Scattered skirmishes had already broken out in these woods. Savage little demons and fanatical Buddhist Soldiers fought in the mountains, gradually staining the woods with blood.

The Buddhist Sect encountered unprecedented resistance; King Niumo had made thorough preparations, mobilizing all the monsters in the entire region.

Moreover, due to the Buddhist Sect’s frantic expansion during this period, countless monsters were displaced and joined the ranks of King Niumo.

These monsters harbored a deep-seated grudge against the Buddhist Sect, and thus, as soon as they met, they entered a frenzy of attack, and initially, the Buddhist Sect’s advancement was hindered.

Gālan, who had once clashed with Lin Fang, stationed himself with a group of followers from the Buddhist Sect on a nearby mountain, frowning as he watched the fearless little demons continuously slaughter the Buddhist Soldiers.

"Protector, this mountain terrain is treacherous and the jungle is dense. Our Buddhist Soldiers, who excel in team combat, simply cannot deploy effectively here," a monk said with some concern.

During this time, many Buddhist Soldiers had already been buried in this very patch of mountain woods.

The lush green forest seemed to transform into a terrifying beast that silently devoured the lives of those Buddhist Soldiers.

Gālan also spoke with a worried face, "What you say, how could I be unaware of it, but the situation is such, what can we do about it?"

"Why not set the mountain on fire? Without cover, they would be like toothless tigers," someone suddenly suggested.

Everyone around immediately looked at him with a very peculiar gaze, causing the monk who made the suggestion to feel an intangible pressure but not understand why he was being treated as such.

"Amitabha Buddha, Jìngxīn, your method is against Heaven’s harmony. Our Buddhist Sect, harboring compassion in its heart, how could we commit such a wicked deed?" Gālan said with a face of compassion.

In fact, when the proposal was first made, he was momentarily tempted, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

The Buddhist Sect, as a current top power in the Three Realms, still needs to be mindful of its reputation, especially since it espouses compassion. If it were to commit such an act, it would likely be met not with praise but with furious wrath.

After all, whoever is to inherit the great mantle of the Buddhist Sect can hardly be a cruel person.

The admonished monk sheepishly withdrew half a step, and the crowd, recognizing him, showed no more surprise; after all, this person was well-known as a fierce bandit before he became a monk, having killed countless people.

Although he had given up the butcher’s knife to become a Buddha, the marks of his past still remained, so it was normal that he could come up with such a drastically harsh method.

"But what should we do now? Although the Buddhist Soldiers do not die or perish, they still need to consume the power of the Eight Treasures Merit Pool. If this continues, it will be difficult to explain," a difficult dilemma faced everyone present.

Gālan bit his teeth and said, "Order the Buddhist Soldiers to stop the attack. I’ve already become the laughingstock of Mount Ling, and I’m not afraid of more laughter,—continuing like this is not a solution. Sooner or later, a strategy will emerge from above. All we have to do is wait and see."

At this moment, Gālan was very aware that if the strategy was not changed, progress would be impedible. By then, keeping his forces intact, he would have the chance to establish great merits.

Upon hearing this, everyone silently breathed a sigh of relief; the casualties during this period had been alarming, and they too feared blame from above.

Surprisingly, similar scenes were unfolding within a thousand miles around Zhilei Mountain.

King Niumo had given the Buddhist Sect a resounding slap in the face, letting the sect, which had been smooth sailing lately, feel the pressure.

The news of victory at the front soon reached Zhilei Mountain. King Niumo happily drank a jar of fine wine, as countless Demon Kings gathered in Moyun Cave at Zhilei Mountain, praising King Niumo’s wisdom.

"I see that the Buddhist Sect is not all that impressive after all; for so many days, they have not advanced an inch, but instead suffered heavy losses. My troops slew many Buddhist Soldiers, a pity these fellows are deceptive and left no bodies; otherwise, we’d have the pleasure of tasting them."