Chapter 361: There Really Is a Backup Plan

At this moment, Lu Shan-jun's demon body was like a big cat's paw towering over a cricket compared to Jue Ming. His golden, wheel-like eyes exerted immense pressure on Jue Ming and the three old monks.

As their gazes met, a unique sense of terror spread. Even the three old monks could faintly hear their heartbeats growing louder. This was a very abnormal state; their mental composure had been unknowingly affected. Yet, even knowing it was a demon's technique, they were powerless to resist.

The leading old monk, whose cultivation was ultimately higher, suppressed the influence on his mental state. He clasped his hands together and recited a Buddhist name.

"Amitābha, Great Ming King Buddha," he began, "Patron Lu, Jue Ming is extremely important to our Buddhist sect. Our sect is willing to take on all karma on his behalf..."

"Thump..."

Before he could finish speaking, the old monk's heart suddenly lurched. It was as if his soul had momentarily left his body and then returned.

Afterwards, the old monk fell into a dazed state. His muscles stiffened throughout his body, and his mouth could not open or close. He could do nothing but gasp for breath. The other two old monks were in the same condition, as if they had all turned into wooden figures.

Lu Shan-jun gently exhaled a breath, creating a whirlwind that swept the three old monks aside. Only Jue Ming, though unable to open his eyes and swaying from the wind, was not blown away.

Throughout this process, he kept his gaze on Jue Ming, as if nothing else was worth his attention.

"Alright," he said, "since you want to be free, do it yourself."

Lu Shan-jun waved a hand. The monastic staff, which had been embedded in the ruins of a distant building, flew back and stopped in front of Zhao Long.

"Perhaps because these monks were here, you've been unable to free yourself," Lu Shan-jun said. "Rest assured, now, no monk in all of Daming Temple can stop you. Do it yourself. Use this sacred staff; one strike will annihilate your body and soul."

Lu Shan-jun lowered his head and leaned closer to him. His golden, wheel-like eyes were now only about a foot from Jue Ming.

"Do it," he pressed. "Back then, when you were drunk and your secret was overheard, you didn't have the courage to face the consequences of ruin and disgrace. Today, surely you have the courage to end it yourself?"

Among those two sentences, the part about the monastic staff being able to annihilate Zhao Long's body and soul was entirely made up by Lu Shan-jun. He had no understanding of Buddhist artifacts, but he said it with his own intentions.

Wisps of demonic flame coiled around Monk Jue Ming. The demon's giant, golden-wheel-like eyes were like a massive, pale gold mirror, reflecting the figure in monk's robes and also magnifying the emotions in his heart, whether they were good or evil, right or wrong.

Monk Jue Ming looked at the monastic staff hovering before him. With Lu Shan-jun's immense golden eyes as the background, the silver staff's sanctity was even more pronounced.

Although Ji Yuan was currently in the clouds, with his Dharma Eye fully open, and given that the entire Daming Temple contained both demonic qi and Buddhist dharma, and Zhao Long's body was also extremely special, it was rare that Ji Yuan could see everything with such clarity.

In Ji Yuan's eyes, Lu Shan-jun was currently employing a special divine ability.

'Captivating minds, reflecting with a mirror, consecrating objects, and mutually illuminating forms and shadows!'

Whether Lu Shan-jun had thought of this technique on the spot was unknown. It might even just be an intuitive application, like brightening a dim indoor light to make stains on the floor more visible, allowing both guests and the homeowner to see them clearly.

Under these circumstances, perhaps only Lu Shan-jun could perceive some of the deeper aspects of the mind. However, Ji Yuan's Dharma Eye could see something else: for instance, a faint, golden, film-like layer enveloping Zhao Long's body, with subtle light flowing upon it, forming Buddhist scriptures. It was unknown if Lu Shan-jun had also seen this.

Trembling, Jue Ming raised his hand, slowly reaching for the monastic staff. He paused slightly the moment he touched it, then grasped it.

"This is for the best..." Jue Ming murmured. "I was never truly a monk anyway..."

Jue Ming mumbled to himself, tightened his grip on the staff, swung it outwards, his arm muscles slightly bulging. Then he closed his eyes, gathered his true qi, and fiercely brought it down towards the crown of his head.

"Clang..."

The staff's blow did not land on Jue Ming's crown, but struck one of Lu Shan-jun's outstretched claws, producing a metallic clang.

As Jue Ming opened his eyes and looked at Lu Shan-jun in surprise, the latter had already spoken first.

"Dying is simple enough," Lu Shan-jun said. "But since you once made a grand vow of 'Immeasurable Life, Immeasurable Fruit,' and it makes these monks so anxious about you, you must be material for a Buddha's disciple. Do you really intend to just end everything?"

Jue Ming looked at Lu Shan-jun. In the moment he had just tried to strike himself with the staff, all sorts of emotions had reached their peak. Now, after such a dramatic swing, his mind had become quite calm. He then asked,

"Then what do you think, Shan-jun? Should I go down the mountain to atone for my sins and then die?"

Lu Shan-jun bared his sharp fangs and teeth, and shook his head.

"Even if I can trust you," Lu Shan-jun said, "I cannot trust these monks who have confined you. Since you are already seeking death, there is another way. While it cannot reveal what is truly in your heart, it can allow me to truly know the transformation of good and evil in your thoughts and discern your sincerity. It can repay the outcome of the agreement between us. Afterwards, you may cultivate Zen, and your vows will not be affected."

"What method?" Jue Ming asked.

"Heh heh heh, it's very simple," Lu Shan-jun chuckled. "Let me eat you and turn you into a monk-like 'chang-gui.' Then I can perceive the changes of good and evil within you and know whether your thoughts are devout. As long as I don't interfere, you can cultivate Zen and repay karma, and even save yourself the trouble of begging for alms."

Jue Ming gave a somewhat absurd laugh.

"Then why are you telling me all this?" Jue Ming asked. "You can swallow me anytime, regardless of whether I resist. The Abbot and the entire Daming Temple cannot stop you. What am I?"

"No, no, no," Lu Shan-jun replied, "if I didn't know you truly seek death, I truly couldn't swallow you."

Lu Shan-jun raised his head, looking towards the seated Ming King statue in the distant main hall. At this moment, the gold-leaf-covered Ming King statue was solemn and dignified. The perpetual lamp illuminated the statue, making faint golden light flicker on its form.

"You have immeasurable Buddhist dharma bestowed upon you," Lu Shan-jun stated. "The Ming King's incarnation at Daming Temple has never manifested. I originally thought this temple was merely superficial, but just now, when I used my divine ability to examine your body, I realized that most of the Ming King incarnation's immeasurable Buddhist dharma is on you!"

Lu Shan-jun lowered his head again to look at Jue Ming.

"Zhao Long," Lu Shan-jun continued, "since your heart seeks liberation, then disperse the Buddhist dharma on your body. I know you don't understand these things, but dharma moves with the mind. You just need to sincerely chant scriptures, thinking in your heart that the Buddhist dharma returns to the Ming King. The dharma seals on your body will naturally fade away. At that time, I'll be able to swallow you!"

Ji Yuan watched what was happening below and couldn't help but nod slightly at Lu Shan-jun. Lu Shan-jun had indeed found out that there was another hidden stratagem on Zhao Long.

The Buddhist dharma on the Ming King's incarnation could actually flow directly into a mortal who wasn't even considered a Buddhist cultivator. If successful, it would be like a living manifestation of the Ming King.

Ji Yuan suspected that the Ming King's Buddhist dharma on Zhao Long was flowing little by little, and that he had been continuously beneath the Ming King statue, slowly drawing in the Ming King's power. This process was slow and imperceptible. Zhao Long himself very likely didn't know this, and perhaps this talent was why Daming Temple was so anxious about Zhao Long.

If Zhao Long's Buddhist nature could be further awakened, and he truly turned his heart towards Buddhist dharma, his future would be limitless, and Daming Temple could also rise.

Lu Shan-jun likely only discerned that a profound Buddhist dharma was hidden within Zhao Long. Ji Yuan, however, only guessed at this deeper, potential essence through Lu Shan-jun's words.

If Lu Shan-jun hadn't noticed this, and had disregarded it to directly swallow Zhao Long, it would have "upset his stomach," and severely so. Even directly killing Zhao Long could have activated the Ming King's power, turning Zhao Long into a physical incarnation of the Ming King.

'Truly brilliant!' Ji Yuan thought.

Ji Yuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. He grew even more curious as to which master could have discovered this and guided it. It could only be guidance, not the direct action of a high monk, because even the Ming King himself might not be able to achieve it.

This master also shared a Dharma name, Huitong, with someone he had known previously. But Ji Yuan didn't believe it was the same monk.

'But my disciple isn't bad either!'

Zhao Long himself had the grand vow of Immeasurable Life and Immeasurable Fruit, and combined with his unique physique, he served as a foundation for receiving the Ming King's power. Lu Shan-jun's instruction for Zhao Long to actively repel the Buddhist dharma and disperse the Ming King's power was to sever this foundation. Only Zhao Long himself could do such a thing; even Ji Yuan lacked the means to do so.

Of course, killing him with a single sword stroke or burning him to death with a breath of fire would be simple. But would that count?

"Alright, what should I do?" Jue Ming asked.

As Jue Ming spoke, the three old monks nearby, whose limbs were unresponsive due to the demonic qi's erosion, showed extremely agitated expressions on their faces. They kept making hoarse "ho-ho" sounds.

Lu Shan-jun ignored them completely, merely smiling.

"It's not complicated," Lu Shan-jun explained. "Recite any scripture you know. Even if you don't know any, simply chanting 'Amitābha, Great Ming King Buddha' will suffice. As long as your heart wishes to cleanse yourself without relying on external things, and for the Buddhist dharma to depart, that's enough."

At this point, Jue Ming said no more. He sat down cross-legged on the spot and began to chant scriptures. After only two breaths, golden stream-like Buddhist dharma scriptures astonishingly began to float out from his body. One could even see shimmering golden characters on them. Monks who recognized it would know it was precisely the "Seated Ming King Sutra."

At this moment, Zhao Long's entire body instantly turned a brilliant golden color, immeasurably stronger than the state of the three old monks when empowered by Buddhist dharma. He exuded an almost Vajra-like presence.

"Announcing to the Seated Buddha, you and I share the same qi; Ming King's celestial bond, initial aspiration..."

Monk Jue Ming chanted the scriptures devoutly, but the Buddhist dharma on his body was continuously receding, forming a golden river of dharma that flowed towards the Ming King statue in the main hall behind him.

Lu Shan-jun merely watched this scene indifferently. At this moment, he was willing to believe that Zhao Long was indeed sincere. However, he was determined to turn Zhao Long into a chang-gui. Perhaps only Daming Temple would strongly object to this.

But Lu Shan-jun would not care about them. If Zhao Long remained in Daming Temple, he might not be able to descend the mountain for decades.

Although Buddhism had many great virtuous eminent monks, many monks also harbored selfish thoughts. Lu Shan-jun believed this was the case at Daming Temple. He would not meddle in Buddhism's unnecessary affairs, but his involvement with Zhao Long was perfectly reasonable and justified.

Furthermore, as he had just said, after eating Zhao Long, the Nine Heroes' agreement would conclude. And even after becoming a chang-gui, it wasn't impossible to become an eminent monk.

Contemporary Buddhism always claimed that one could achieve Buddhahood even in purgatory. Why not also as a chang-gui? At least Lu Shan-jun would never interfere with Zhao Long's fulfillment of his vows and karma. It merely meant he could no longer accommodate the manifestation power of Daming Temple's Seated Ming King statue. But what did that have to do with Lu Shan-jun? And what did it have to do with Zhao Long?

Time gradually passed. Jue Ming chanted the scriptures over and over again, and the golden glow on his body grew fainter and fainter.

However, Ji Yuan, from his position in the sky, shifted his gaze from Daming Temple's plaza to the main hall of the temple. As Zhao Long's golden body light grew fainter, the golden body in the direction of the main hall grew stronger.

Although everything was extremely quiet apart from Zhao Long's chanting, in Ji Yuan's perception, he could feel a sense of vibration intensifying rapidly from its inception. This time, even Lu Shan-jun was completely unaware.

"Rumble, rumble, rumble..."

'As expected, they couldn't hold back!' Ji Yuan thought.

The next moment, just as Ji Yuan thought.

A golden light rose from Daming Temple's main hall.

"Buddha... dharma... boundless..."

A solemn and vast voice echoed from the main hall. Streaks of golden light formed halos, manifesting in the area. The Buddhist chant swept through the entire Daming Temple, and all the monks who had been suppressed by Lu Shan-jun's intimidation technique immediately awoke.

"Boom!"

The main hall's doors and courtyard walls in that direction directly exploded. From the dust and smoke, a massive golden Buddha palm print flew out, instantly striking towards Lu Shan-jun.

"Roar..." "Thud..."

Under the hasty impact, the massive demon body directly scraped the ground and slid for dozens of feet before coming to a halt.

The three old monks, overcome with emotion, clasped their hands and prostrated themselves towards the main hall.

"We respectfully welcome the arrival of our Buddha Ming King!"