Chapter 1347: Seeking Eternal Life
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The voice sounded like it came from the depths of hell, causing chills to run up people’s spines.
If the inscriptions on the round platform did not emit light, it would be even more difficult for ordinary people to stay calm after hearing the voice in such a creepy and dark environment.
The people of the Evil Sky Pavilion, Qin Renyue, and the 49 swordsmen hovered in the air looking in the direction of the voice.
Lu Zhou, needless to say, stood in front of everyone. With a million merit points in reserve, he was not afraid he would not be able to deal with the other party. However, if it was one of the zombie kings, how was he going to deal with it? Zombies were not alive, not in the true sense of the word. How could one kill something that was not alive? Would the Deadly Strike Card be effective against such an entity?
The scenes from the past in the golden lotus domain were still vivid in Lu Zhou’s mind. There were scenes of the witchcraft cultivator controlling the Sect Leader of the Righteous Sect, Zhang Yuanshan. Then, there was the grand shaman, Ba Ma, and his junior sister, Mo Li.
Lu Zhou found the entire idea of animating corpses disgusting. However, it was not a bad thing if the zombie kings were similar to the witchcraft cultivators’ puppets from the corpse-animating techniques. At the very least, these things were afraid of the Great Void Seed and the Heavenly Writing’s powers.
At this time, a figure suddenly rushed up and landed on the round platform. The person was bald and dressed in a kasaya. One of his hands was raised in front of his chest as the other hand held a string of Buddhist beads. His eyebrows were white and long, and his face was filled with wrinkles. His expression was very fierce as he glared at everyone. He said, “Amitabha. Outsiders are prohibited from trespassing into the forbidden ground. Please leave.”
“He’s a monk?!”
“Why is it a monk?!”
Everyone was surprised.
Mingshi Yin and everyone turned to look at Zhao Yu in unison, waiting for an explanation. If even a member of the royal family had no idea what was going on, then the others had no hope of figuring this out.
Seeing all the eyes on him, Zhao Yu shook his head and said, “I… I don’t know anything either…”
Qin Renyue had lived a long time so he was knowledgeable and experienced. He said speculatively, “Back then, the late Emperor Emeritus was hellbent on attaining immortality. He recruited many extraordinary figures. All of them were skilled in different areas such as pill refinement, formations, secret techniques, and so on. This monk should be someone he had recruited.”
The monk’s gaze was fiery as swept his eyes across everyone present. With a slight wave of his hand, another two figures flew over.
The two figures were not monks. They were two cultivators dressed in Hessian robes. Their faces were haggard, and their eyes were lifeless.
Lu Zhou frowned slightly. “Wei Jiangnan? Wei Jingye?”
These two were cultivators whom Lu Zhou met during his first trip to the Unknown Land using the White Tower Council’s runic passage. At that time, the two were looking for mystic life grass.
Kong Wen and his brothers looked at Lu Zhou before Kong Wen asked, “Pavilion Master Lu, you recognize them?”
“I’ve met them once,” Lu Zhou replied.
“They’re independent cultivators who worked for various forces. Just like us brothers, they risked their lives all year long just to make a living. I didn’t expect them to end up like this,” Kong Wen said with a sigh. He could empathize with Wei Jiangnan and Wei Jingye since they were similar in the past.
Ji Shi, one of the four elders of Mount Li, said, “Not too long ago, the mausoleum was being repaired and maintained. It was ordered by the emperor. How is it…”
Clearly, Ji Shi did not expect to see others here. However, when he thought about it, he thought it was not that surprising. After all, there was the tradition of burying living people in mausoleums and tombs of royal families. These people were considered guards of the emperors’ tombs.
Qin Renyue asked, “There aren’t any Buddhist sects in Great Qin. Where did this monk come from?”
The four elders of Mount Li looked at each other before they shrugged, indicating they did not know.
The monk said, “I’m from the red lotus domain. My Buddhist name is Jian Zhen. I’ve already said what I should say. If you don’t leave now, you’ll have to bear the consequences.”
“As it turns out you’re Jian Zhen, the abbot of Thousand Blade Temple,” Lu Zhou said.
Jian Zhen was slightly taken aback. “You know me?”
“I heard from Fa Hua, the abbot of the Blood Sun Temple, that in the early days you were one of the few Ten-leaf experts in the red lotus domain. Later on, you disappeared,” Lu Zhou said.
Jian Zhen asked, “Who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter who I am. I’m here to look for something,” Lu Zhou said.
Jian Zhen said expressionlessly, “Amitabha. The dead are to be respected. This is the mausoleum and tomb of the late Emperor Emeritus. How can you be so disrespectful?”
Zhao Yu retorted, “I don’t even have any objections so why are you making such a huge fuss?”
Jian Zhen glanced at Zhao Yu and said, “Please leave.”
Then, Jian Zhen waved his hand.
Two square Buddhist seals appeared in front of Wei Jingye and Wei Jiangnan before the duo rushed out.
Qin Renyue said, “They’re already dead, nothing more than zombies. It seems like this monk isn’t pure of mind.”
Then, Qin Renyue launched two palm seals out, which were subsequently stopped by Lu Zhou.
Qin Renyue was puzzled.
Lu Zhou explained, “I’ve met these two once, and they’d helped me then. Humans are the same despite their ranks. These two should be afforded kindness even in death…”
Qin Renyue nodded. “You’re right.”
When Kong Wen and his brothers heard Lu Zhou’s words, their hearts moved slightly. After people, people were born into the world with the distinction between superiority and inferiority. How many cared for those they deemed inferior?
With this, Kong Wen and his brothers’ loyalty went up by 10 points each, reaching almost 70 points.
Lu Zhou launched a seal, restraining Wei Jiangnan and Wei Jingye on the round platform. Then, he flashed and appeared in front of Jian Zhen.
Jian Zhen’s eyes widened as he said, “I’m just a tomb keeper. Why are you doing this?”
Lu Zhou raised his hand and launched a palm seal, and Jian Zhen dodged immediately, leaving afterimages on the round platform.
“As expected, you’ve already broken through the Ten-leaf stage,” Lu Zhou said.
Jian Zhen’s voice reverberated in the surroundings.
“1,000 years ago, I risked my life and came to the green lotus domain. I spent ten years assimilating in the green lotus domain. Buddha was merciful and led me to the late Emperor Emeritus. After his death, I guarded his tomb. He was so kind to me so how can I allow people to desecrate his tomb?”
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Buddhist palm seals filled the air and shot toward Lu Zhou.
Lu Zhou recited the mantra for the Heavenly Writing and imbued his body with the divine power.
“Golden Buddha’s Body.”
When the huge golden Buddha appeared on the round platform, Jian Zhen was momentarily stunned.
Buzz!
The Golden Buddha’s Body thrummed, bursting forth with energy.
All the Buddhist palm seals were destroyed in just a second.
Jian Zhen hurriedly leaped up into the air.
Lu Zhou moved the Golden Buddha’s Body hand and grabbed Jian Zhen with fingers that looked like dragon’s claws.
“You!” Jian Zhen’s eyes widened. He was truly surprised by the Golden Buddha’s Body.
“Do you still plan to stand in my way?” Lu Zhou asked.
“I’m trying to save all your lives. The deeper part of the mausoleum is guarded by Ying Gou.”
“Save our lives?”
“Ying Gou is undying. Even Venerable Masters can’t do anything to it. There were many tomb raiders in the past, and I’d always warn them to leave. Unfortunately, there were always those who refused to heed my warning,” Jian Zhen said.
“You hypocritical monk, spouting lies about benevolence, justice, and morality.”
Bang!
A palm seal sent Jian Zhen flying.
Then, Lu Zhou used his palm seal to grab Jian Zhen again before he asked, “Why are Wei Jiangnan and Wei Jingye here?”
At this moment, Jian Zhen spat out black blood, staining his kasaya.
Upon seeing the ink-colored blood, Ji Shi shook his head and said, “He’s already been poisoned by Ying Gou. I’m afraid he’ll soon become a zombie like Ying Gou.”
“What can I do? Only with this way will I be able to live forever!” Jian Zhen said.
“Live forever?” Lu Zhou sighed. “Since ancient times, countless cultivators have defied the heavens and changed their fate. However, has there ever been one person who has truly gained eternal life?”
Jian Zhen tried his best to raise his hand, chanting Sanskrit scripture. Then, the soundwave turned into a blood-red halo that shot toward Lu Zhou.
“Brother Lu, watch out!” Qin Renyue cried out.
Lu Zhou shook his head. “Ignorant.”
When the blood-red halo drew close to Lu Zhou, the divine power surged out, devouring the blood-red halo and leaving no trace of it behind.
Jian Zhen. “…”
Bang!
Jian Zhen flew out horizontally.
Lu Zhou flashed and appeared above Jian Zhen. Then, he stomped his feet down.
Whoosh!
Jian Zhen’s kasaya was torn into pieces.. The Buddhist beads flew up in the air, looking like red stars shining in the sky.
