Chapter 287: They……came……

The first bolt of lightning struck down, heading straight for the Buddha's head.

When the lightning hit the Buddha's head, brilliant golden light burst forth, illuminating the area as bright as daytime.

The lightning's blood‑red hue was quickly swallowed by this Buddha‑light.

So that's how it is.

The Buddha's head existed precisely to shield the three‑eyed toad from the heavenly tribulation.

If the Golden Scale hadn't been retrieved, once that section of dragon vein formed in the grave pit, drawing the dragon vein into the ancient battlefield, the dragon vein's spiritual qi would ultimately all be sucked into the Buddha‑head mountain peak.

But why does the grand lama value the three‑eyed toad so highly?

What exactly is special about the three‑eyed toad?

The grand lama values it, and Mao Jingxuan even risks his life for it.

Yet something so important—why was it dug up when Qiu Fengnian's father was buried?

Thinking of this, I suddenly realized a question… what did the three‑eyed toad do after it was dug up?

It almost drained the Qiu family's fortune across generations, nearly dooming the whole clan.

And the Qiu family are the richest in Chang City!

One could say the Qiu family occupy almost half of Chang City's fortune!

Even after the Qiu family is exterminated, there will be another 'Qiu family', then another……

So what the grand lama wants is for the entire Chang City's fortune to escort the three‑eyed toad through this tribulation!

A mere beast—what gives it the right!

Crackle!

Just as I was thinking about this, another thunderclap boomed.

This thunderclap accompanied the lightning striking the Buddha's head, but the Buddha's head did not burst forth golden light again.

After the lightning entered the Buddha's head, all sound and light vanished completely.

The whole world fell into pitch darkness.

Even the raindrops hitting me were silent.

That feeling was as if someone had flipped a switch, muting the entire universe.

But this process lasted no more than three or five seconds.

The next moment, the ground seemed electrified, with bright flashes of lightning converging from all directions toward the Buddha's head.

Countless bolts of lightning linked to the center of the Buddha's head.

The instant the Buddha's head lit up again, I saw a person standing above it!

A figure covered head to toe in golden copper coins, one hand palm‑out before the chest, the other holding prayer beads, body slightly bowed, earnestly praying… a monk.

For a moment I actually couldn't tell who he was.

Could it be Liu Junyan?

Or the Copper Coin Person?

Or Liu Xingyi?

At this moment I actually felt relieved that Bai Shulan had already left.

Otherwise, if she saw this, she would completely lose her mind!

Rolling thunder rumbled continuously in the clouds; the heavenly thunder hadn't ended, and the three‑eyed toad's tribulation wasn't over.

The heavenly thunder was like being paused, slowly gathering in the clouds.

What's going on?

I faintly sensed that something had changed, but what exactly had changed?

No!

This is too bizarre.

This tribulation of the three‑eyed toad is big—definitely big.

But two heavenly thunderbolts have already struck in succession; even if there are more, they shouldn't be larger than the first two.

Even if they were larger, they shouldn't be accumulating power like this.

Yet from the current situation, it doesn't look like the three‑eyed toad is about to open its eyes; instead it seems poised to ascend straight to become a true Buddha.

No, I can't wait any longer—I need to find someone to consult.

My earlier deployment was aimed at the three‑eyed toad, but now it's clearly insufficient.

Just as I lifted the Soul‑guiding Lamp, preparing to first find Hui Moqiong, the barrier at Small Camp Mouth… suddenly opened on its own.

Moreover, I felt that not only was the Small Camp Mouth barrier opening, the one on the ancient battlefield side was opening too.

At that moment I heard hurried footsteps approaching me.

Soon after, Hui Yuomo, Hui Xiaotiao, and Fang Chuan Zong's senior sister Fang Luo arrived almost simultaneously at my side.

Everyone's faces were grave.

Fang Luo spoke first: "The barrier on the ancient battlefield side has been withdrawn; we can't sense any yin‑sha qi—it's too bizarre."

Hui Xiaotiao said: "Raindrops fall into the river without raising a ripple; it feels as if the underwater creatures have instantly vanished without a trace."

Hui Yuomo nodded: "Same here on my end."

Indeed, I had guessed correctly.

Hui Moqiong was the last to arrive; though he was drenched in rain, I could still discern beads of sweat on his face.

He wiped his face, and when he looked at me he seemed on the verge of tears.

Seeing Hui Moqiong like that made my heart start pounding thump‑thump‑thump.

I heard my own voice tremble as I asked him: "What happened?"

Xiao Jiu'er, this time… this time Seventh Lord might really have messed up.

Hui Moqiong showed an unprecedented lack of confidence; I've never seen him like this.

He pointed to the distant village, and we all turned our gaze in the direction he indicated.

In the darkness, nothing could be seen.

But none of us spoke again.

No one again asked Hui Moqiong what had happened.

Because we all knew, the great change… had silently arrived.

The rain, it was still falling.

Just moments ago, the raindrops seemed muffled, but now they pattered against us, patter‑patter.

Amidst the sound of those raindrops, a chanting suddenly rose from the direction of Buddha Head.

The chanting rose from the direction of Buddha Head and continuously expanded outward.

It spread outward in wave after wave.

It passed the stone monument at Small Camp Mouth.

It crossed the river surface.

It went over our feet.

It seeped toward the more distant village…

Hui Moqiong gazed far toward the area above Buddha Head, that familiar yet unfamiliar silhouette, and murmured, "He's still so foolish!"

"Back then, he was just as foolish!"

"He thought that by immersing himself in evil, venturing into peril, he could overturn the heavens with his own strength, but in fact, he lost."

"Last time he lost, this time…"

"This time, he has us!"

I spoke up to interrupt Hui Moqiong, firmly repeating, "This time, he has us! We won't let him lose!"

Hui Moqiong slumped and said, "Xiao Jiu'er, we might… have already lost."

He said this, raising his hand, pointing toward the village.

That direction remained dark.

There was still nothing there.

Within our field of view, there was only darkness.

In our ears, there was only the chanting.

But soon, we heard footsteps.

Big and small, deep and shallow, stumbling…

Hui Moqiong despondently whispered, "They… are coming…"

A faint light tore through the layers of darkness.

A little girl carrying a white lantern was the first to step into our view.

She came wading through the water.

The rolling river water nearly reached her waist, yet she felt no fear, stepping forward one step at a time.

Immediately after, we saw the second boy behind her.

The boy also held a white lantern in his hand.

Then came the third, fourth, fifth…

One after another, older children each held a white lantern, stepping through the river water, slowly walking toward Small Camp Mouth.

They linked up one after another, each child's small hand resting on the shoulder of the one ahead, the other hand holding the lantern high, forming a line.

The lanterns held high wound backward, endless, gradually fading into the darkness and meeting the river, like… a white dragon about to emerge from the water…