Chapter 591: Battle, Victory over Buddha
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Besides a certain concealed object, Primordial Thirteen Arrows were Ning Que’s most powerful means. They even surpassed the valiant Great Spirit in his body. It was because of the Primordial Thirteen Arrows that he was able to find a glimmer of hope among despair whenever he came across a powerful enemy that was of a higher state than him. They even left his enemy in despair.
By using Primordial Thirteen Arrows in the depth of the Wilderness, he managed to destroy Long Qing with one arrow even though he was in the Seethrough Realm. He also began a long entanglement with Ye Hongyu, who was in the Knowing Destiny State. If he could not use the Primordial Thirteen Arrows facing off against Master Boshu and Cheng Ziqing – two Knowing Destiny State professionals, he would’ve had to admit defeat.
In the past, enemies had different ways of dealing with Primordial Thirteen Arrows: Ye Hongyu made use of her intricate and horrifying plans in battle, Long Qing counted on his unique experience to anticipate the enemy’s actions, Master Boshu counted on his Buddhist relic – Yue laan Bell and Cheng Ziqing broke his Natal Sword, though he could only do so once.
However, Qi Nian had managed to forcefully distort space with bell sounds from the ancient temple. This was a powerful method that nobody could have imagined. Was this the highest standard in the cultivation world?
No matter how powerful one’s will was they would despair now. However, Ning Que didn’t. Once again, he pulled back his bow, like a full moon that couldn’t exist in this world, as he keenly analyzed the resounding echoes of the ancient temple’s bell. In an indistinguishable moment, he released the bowstring, firing another arrow.
This time, the Primordial Thirteen Arrow found a gap in the bell’s tempo. It was like finding real space among the twisted space in front of the temple.
Facing this arrow, Qi Nian seemed unusually calm and resolute. His body was still – as though he were meditating.
Two profound Buddhist auras invoking endless auras of heaven and earth, appeared from the space on either side of him. Just like the heavy gates of the ancient temple, they closed in front of him.
The metal arrow shot into the air, which was as viscous as water, appearing like a black bolt of lightning.
The metal arrow’s speed decreased rapidly, rubbing against the air at a high speed, sending out a palpitating wail. The arrow’s body was set aflame, releasing a pungent smell, before stopping.
The metal arrow was suspended in air quietly, three feet from Qi Nian’s face.
Qi Nian furrowed his brows slightly.
The iron arrow fell from the air.
Without waiting for the metal arrow to fall, Ning Que released the third arrow.
Qi Nian could no longer defend with just meditation. He brought his hands, that were in the kapok kasaya, together as two residual shadows followed. He placed them together in front of his chest.
The invisible gate, which was formed and brought about by the Qi of Heaven and Earth from the Buddhist aura, closed even more tightly.
The iron arrow shot into the invisible aura gate.
A visible ripple appeared in the air in front of the hall. It then dispersed to all sides in a circular fashion.
The metal arrow was at the center of those ripples.
Every ripple was another impact.
Qi Nian’s face, which was as tough as stone, changed color: it turned pale, then slighty red and pale again. It changed 4 times in an instant, which was exactly the same number of times as there were ripples in the space in front of him.
Ning Que released the fourth arrow.
This metal arrow was so accurate that it shot into the tail end of the third arrow.
The two arrows collided and produced a clear metallic clanging noise.
This metal arrow was just like the incredibly heavy metal hammer in Sixth Brother’s hands. It landed heavily on the nock, forcefully pushing the third arrow further through the air in front of Qi Nian.
Qi Nian’s heart trembled.
He raised his heel as the old kapok kasaya drifted in the wind, surging back at least thirty feet.
His straw sandals rubbed hard against the bluestone floor, braking apart and leaving behind thirty feet long straw shred streaks.
At this moment, Ning Que’s second arrow landed on the ground, producing a clanging sound.
Together with the noise, Qi Nian’s calm heart was disrupted. Fresh blood spurted out from the corner of his mouth.
Even the Buddhism Sect World Wayfarer was hurt by the Primordial Thirteen Arrows!
Witnessing this scene, people in the temple were stunned and speechless.
Qi Nian looked quietly at Ning Que with a heavy expression. His eyes became complicated.
A little pity, a little regret, a little sadness.
Ning Que had no idea what this monk was thinking.
He only wanted to kill this monk.
So he continued shooting without any hesitation. He prepared the fifth arrow.
Just as he strung his arrow.
Qi Nian began his meditation again.
This time, however, he wasn’t defending but rather – attacking.
A merciful attack was still an attack.
This was the first time Qi Nian really did something today.
The figure of Buddha appeared before Ning Que.
He knew this was his own spiritual world.
Qi Nian’s meditation had come into his sea of knowledge.
Ning Que knew how mighty his psyche powers were and hence, even though he knew that this Buddha was created by Qi Nian’s incredible natural meditation, he wasn’t afraid.
He intended to use his own psyche powers to crush this meditation, which the other party had sent over, dealing a heavy blow to him and even prepared to retaliate with his own psyche.
However, the next moment, he suddenly realized he had lost all desire to battle.
It’s not that he lost the will to battle, but rather – the desire to battle.
Under that golden light and the Buddha that was filled with calm, compassionate aura – not only his desire to battle – all negative emotions like violence and competition seemed to have disappeared.
Looking at the Buddha that was sitting between heaven and earth in front of him, Ning Que was calm – he didn’t have any desire to fight.
There was a vague sound by his ears.
“Set aside the cleaver and embrace Buddhism.”
Ning Que had told Master Boshu previously in the hall that he didn’t believe in Buddha.
There were people who had read Buddhist scriptures in the Academy and even Senior Brothers who had practiced Buddhism. However, if one were to really look closely, there wasn’t a single person at the back of the mountain who believed in Buddhism. In fact, no one respected the Buddhism Sect.
Such ingrained thoughts started from Youngest Uncle and were spread by Second Brother.
Ning Que followed Youngest Uncle’s example, looked up to Second Brother and inherited the legacy of Master Lotus, who saw the Buddhism Sect as a tortoise. Hence, even though he studied Buddhism in the Lanke Temple, practiced the true Emblematic Gesture and was moved by Master Qishan, he still didn’t believe in Buddhism and had a contemptuous attitude towards it.
Even if a real Buddha were to appear before him, he would shoot and slash at it. What’s more, this Buddha in front of him was just an image – a fake.
In this world, everything was founded on faith.
Not believing is breaking this foundation.
Ning Que turned back and looked at Sangsang who was lying weakly against his shoulders.
If there was a true Buddha, this is the true Buddha.
He then looked at his hands.
He wasn’t holding a cleaver but a metal bow instead.
Hence he stood straight and drew his bow again.
In the depths of the world.
Master Lotus could be vaguely heard laughing.
In front of the metal arrow, the majestic figure of Buddha disappeared.
Only a moment had passed in Lanke Temple.
Though Ning Que had paused slightly, he still loosed the fifth arrow.
Qi Nian had a slightly unusual expression. He remembered that all the disciples in the Academy were crazy and had no faith, and couldn’t help but sigh.
Ning Que’s fifth arrow lacked a sharp arrowhead. Instead it had a little iron pot.
In the autumn rain at the front of Red Lotus Temple, the little iron pots were overused.
Previously, in the hall, to deal with Master Boshu, he had used one of them.
This was the last one.
The air whirled and thundered.
Monks on the stone terrace at the back of the temple were struck by the waves but still maintained a perfect posture, as they kept reading the scriptures.
The front beam of the temple was struck again and with a sizzling sound, and showed signs of collapsing.
The thick invisible gate in the air was finally destroyed.
Countless sharp metal plates whistled as they swept past Qi Nian’s body.
The worn kapok kasaya became increasingly worn out.
Countless wounds appeared on Qi Nian’s body and fresh blood spewed out.
However, he still looked just as calm and resolute.
Ning Que pulled back the bowstring again. His hands started trembling, but his voice was steady as he said, “I do not believe in evil and, naturally, I do not believe in Buddhism. If you do not want to show your true prowess, then I want to try shooting you till you die.”
At this moment, a bell sound was heard from the back of the horse carriage.
Master Boshu, who had lost an arm, knelt with much difficulty in a pool of his own blood. His fingers had touched the Yue laan Bell.
The bell sound rang throughout Lanke Temple.
Light of Buddha that came from the peak of Wa Mountain became increasingly thick as it landed on the black horse carriage.
Inside the horse carriage, the Big Black Umbrella became thinner as the ribs of the umbrella started shaking, giving out a clattering noise.
Under the might of supreme Buddha, it was the first time the big black umbrella showed fear.
Sangsang spat blood out again.
Ning Que’s face turned pale as he suddenly turned around and shot an arrow into the hall.
However, this arrow landed on Qi Nian!
Qi Nian had entered the temple unknowingly.
He sat on his knees in front of Master Boshu. His gaze was droopy and his expression merciful.
The darkish iron arrow had pierced deeply into his chest.
The arrow’s shaft was still vibrating, giving off a humming sound.
Qi Nian’s expression didn’t change, almost as if he couldn’t feel the pain.
What was more puzzling was that the powerful Primordial Thirteen Arrow couldn’t shoot through the monk’s body!
“Acala power!”
Master Qishan leaned in monk Guan Hai’s embrace as he looked at the iron arrow in Qi Nian’s chest, looking incredibly weak, his gaze was incredibly shocked as he said, “Ning Que, he has the powers of Acala… give up.”
Qi Nian raised his head and looked quietly at Ning Que, shaking his head.
He hadn’t said a word but Ning Que understood him.
“You are much stronger than the rumors, but you can’t kill me.”
Master Boshu sat in the pool of blood, his face was pale but determined as he used his remaining arm to continuously ring the bronze bell.
The Light of Buddha erupted, Ning Que carried Sangsang on his back as she continued puking blood, she had almost puked out all the fresh blood in her. The blood that came out now was black and as thick as ink.
Ning Que strung his bow and aimed at Boshu. His face was pale, his fingers were trembling and his tight lips quivered along with the bowstring that was touching them. It drew a thin cut on his lip.
Between him and Boshu, there was a monk named Qi Nian who sat with his legs crossed.
Having just entered the Knowing Destiny State, he was able to force the World Wayfarer of the Buddhism Sect into such a state – force him to use his powers at the expense of damaging the Buddha’s heart. It was something to be proud of. From a certain perspective, today’s battle had finally proved that the Academy had won the battle – he didn’t bring shame to the Academy.
But if the results cannot change, then what was the point of everything?
