Longyou, Prefecture.
Xituo Mountain.
More than three months had passed since the Demon Suppression Division's search.
Now, Xituo Mountain seemed to have returned to its former tranquility.
Morning bells and evening drums, Buddhist chants echoing.
Pilgrims still came in an endless stream, even more so than before.
Due to the great commotion that night, Baosha Temple's public statement was that the Buddha's Dharma was boundless, suppressing evil spirits.
This indeed led many ignorant men and women to prostrate themselves in worship.
They truly believed that a Bodhisattva had manifested to protect the Region.
As for the Demon Suppression Division's search...
It was all thunder and no rain.
The Longyou Commandery currently had no Commander presiding over it. Although Wei He had his methods, facing a centuries-old major sect, without concrete evidence, he could only raise his hand high and then gently lower it.
After several rounds of negotiation, they searched the outer courtyard a few times, arrested a few scapegoats, and on the surface, the matter was dropped.
Behind Xituo Mountain.
Inside an extremely inconspicuous meditation room.
Three people sat around.
The Head Monk of the Arhat Courtyard, Forgetting the Mundane, even in his cassock, had muscles that looked like they could burst through his clothes at any moment.
He picked up a teacup and gulped it down.
It wasn't like savoring tea, but rather like drinking wine.
"These days are truly stifling!"
"Those court dogs have been swaggering up the mountain every other day for the past three months, claiming to search for demon remnants, but in reality, they're just trying to annoy us!"
"The day before yesterday, a few Squad Leaders even dared to spout nonsense in the Guest Courtyard, saying that our Golden Bodhisattva statue wasn't sculpted well and looked like a man-eating monster!"
"If it weren't for our apprehension of the court, I would have smashed the brains out of those scoundrels with my staff long ago!"
The Head Monk Forgetting Thought, sitting opposite him, still maintained his benevolent appearance.
"Senior Brother, watch your words."
"In these times, we still have to give the court some face. Although Wei He is just a Demon Quelling General, he is still an official of the court. If we truly made a move, we would be giving them leverage."
"At that time, we would be in the wrong."
"In the wrong?!"
Forgetting the Mundane's eyes widened, and veins bulged on his neck.
"Junior Brother Forgetting Dust is dead! His body is barely cold!"
"In today's Longyou Jianghu, who isn't gossiping about us behind our backs? If we keep enduring this, even stray dogs on the roadside will come to piss on our temple gates!"
At the mention of Forgetting Dust, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze.
The Head Monk of the Bodhi Courtyard, Wang Jue, who had been silent, slowly raised his eyelids.
"Forgetting Dust entered Core Formation many years ago, yet he died at the hands of that girl... That girl is probably not simple..."
Forgetting Thought sneered, "So what if they are from the Demon Suppression Division?"
"Are there not enough officials who die mysteriously every year in this Longyou Circuit? A life for a life, a debt for a debt, that is only natural."
"Since that girl dared to kill Junior Brother Forgetting Dust, she has formed a mortal enmity with my Baosha Temple. If this grudge is not avenged, the reputation my Baosha Temple has accumulated over hundreds of years will likely be ruined."
Forgetting the Mundane slapped his thigh fiercely. "But I heard that girl has gone to the capital. If she truly hides in the capital and doesn't come out, are we supposed to charge into Chang'an?"
...
Everyone fell silent.
Indeed.
Although their Baosha Temple was a major sect in Longyou.
If they really went to Chang'an... what would they be considered? Nothing!
Not to mention their group of Core Formation monks, even those who had entered the Ink Dot Realm would have to tread carefully there.
Just then.
Boom—!!!
A muffled sound.
A terrifying, heart-palpitating aura suddenly erupted from the Forbidden Land behind the mountain.
"This commotion..."
The faces of the three in the room changed simultaneously. They abruptly stood up, their gazes filled with shock and uncertainty as they looked towards the back of the mountain.
That direction... was the cultivation retreat of that beast!
The flesh on Forgetting Thought's plump face trembled. "This aura... could it be that beast... has entered the Ink Dot Realm?!"
Forgetting the Mundane and Wang Jue exchanged glances, both seeing apprehension in the other's eyes.
If it entered the Ink Dot Realm, in a place like Longyou, it could almost walk unhindered... And then they remembered the Black Bear's sudden rampage and killing that night... If this beast also turned hostile like its brother, how could Baosha Temple withstand the slaughter of an Ink Dot great demon?!
The three were about to set off for the back mountain to investigate.
Suddenly.
Urgent footsteps broke the brief silence.
A monk stumbled and scrambled into the courtyard, his face pale, covered in sweat.
"Head... Head Monk!"
"Disaster! A disaster has occurred!"
Forgetting Thought frowned and reprimanded, "Why are you panicking! You have no discipline!"
"No... it's not that..."
The monk swallowed, pointed towards the mountain gate, and stammered, "Outside... outside came a monk!"
"A monk?"
Forgetting the Mundane sneered, "What's so strange about a monk coming? On Xituo Mountain, there's no shortage of monks! Even if he's just seeking lodging, it shouldn't scare you like this!"
"No... he's not seeking lodging..."
The monk's eyes were filled with terror, as if recalling some horrifying scene. "That monk... is very young, looking only about twenty, but... but his methods are truly terrifying!"
"He stood outside the mountain gate, claiming he wanted to see the abbot."
"The Junior Brother guarding the gate merely asked one more question, and he was... he was..."
"What happened to him?!" Forgetting the Mundane impatiently pressed.
"He just looked at him... and the person seemed to be possessed, digging out his own eyeballs!"
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, the pupils of the three instantly contracted.
Just a glance?
Such methods... were definitely not something an ordinary martial artist could achieve!
Even ordinary evil spirits and demons might not possess such ability!
"Outrageous!"
Forgetting the Mundane flew into a rage, grabbing the iron staff leaning against the wall, his entire body surging with Evil Qi.
"Do they really think my Baosha Temple is made of clay?!"
"The Demon Suppression Division is one thing, but now any random cat or dog dares to act wildly in front of my mountain gate?!"
"Go! Follow this old monk to meet him!"
"This old monk wants to see who this divine being is, daring to commit violence in my Baosha Temple!"
Forgetting Thought and Wang Jue exchanged glances, also seeing the anger in each other's eyes.
Even a clay figurine has three parts of anger.
If they didn't respond to these repeated provocations, the reputation of Baosha Temple would truly be ruined on the streets.
The three no longer hesitated. Their figures flickered, transforming into three streaks of light, speeding towards the mountain gate... In front of Baosha Temple's mountain gate.
The originally solemn bluestone steps were now permeated with a faint scent of blood.
Several temple guards lay on the ground, rolling and wailing in pain, their hands covering their faces, crimson blood seeping through their fingers.
And beneath the majestic mountain gate.
A figure in a monk's robe stood with his hands behind his back.
By his appearance, he was only in his early twenties, with delicate features, fair skin, and rosy lips. If it weren't for his bald head, one might mistake him for a Young Master from a noble family out for a spring excursion.
He looked leisurely, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding tragedy, merely observing the weather-beaten plaque above the mountain gate with interest.
"Precious Temple..."
He chuckled softly, his tone carrying a hint of unknown meaning, "Decades unseen, this plaque, however, appears even more aged."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three powerful auras, carrying rolling dust, roared down from the mountain.
"What Prodigy dares to harm my Disciples?!"
A furious roar, like a sudden clap of thunder.
Head Monk Forgetting the Mundane, with his burly figure, holding an iron staff, was like an enraged Vajra, slamming heavily onto the ground, stirring up a shower of shattered stones.
Forgetting Thought and Wang Jue followed closely, flanking him, forming a pincer attack, firmly locking onto the young monk.
"Oh?"
The young monk slowly retracted his gaze, looking at the three murderous figures before him.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards, forming a gentle smile.
"So it's Senior Brother Forgetting the Mundane, Senior Brother Forgetting Thought, and... Senior Brother Wang Jue."
He pressed his palms together, bowing slightly in a graceful and impeccable manner.
"Decades unseen, the three Senior Brothers are still as magnificent as ever. Truly commendable."
...
The three were all stunned by his words.
Senior Brother?
Forgetting the Mundane frowned deeply, scrutinizing the unfamiliar young man before him. His mind frantically searched his memories, but found nothing.
"Who are you?!"
"Stop claiming kinship! This old monk has never had a Junior Brother as young as you!"
"Hmph! Playing tricks!"
Forgetting Thought sneered, "No matter who you are, having harmed my Disciples, you won't leave here unscathed today!"
Before his words finished.
He had already made his move.
Although his figure was corpulent, he moved as agilely as a civet cat.
With one step, the bluestone beneath his foot instantly cracked.
Carrying a force capable of overturning mountains and seas, he fiercely struck towards the young monk's chest.
This palm strike was capable of shattering stone tablets and splitting rocks with ease.
However.
Facing this palm strike, powerful enough to severely injure a Core Formation practitioner.
The young monk neither dodged nor evaded.
His slender finger, like plucking a flower, casually pointed.
Pfft—
The powerful and heavy palm actually stopped abruptly three inches from the opponent's chest.
Immediately after.
Forgetting Thought's expression drastically changed.
A terrifying force surged back along his arm.
"Thump, thump, thump—"
He was forced back several steps uncontrollably, only barely stabilizing himself when he retreated to Forgetting the Mundane's side.
Looking at that hand again, it was trembling uncontrollably.
"You..."
Forgetting Thought's eyes were filled with horror.
Just one finger!
It actually dissolved eighty percent of his palm strike's power and even forced him back!
Such methods... such cultivation... Forgetting the Mundane and Wang Jue also had their pupils contract slightly, their expressions instantly becoming serious.
A Master's move reveals their skill.
This young monk was definitely not to be trifled with!
His cultivation... was even above Core Formation!
"Amitabha."
The young monk withdrew his finger. "Senior Brother Forgetting Thought, the mastery of your Great Falling Stele Palm seems to have not progressed much. If Master were still here, I fear you would be punished to meditate facing a wall."
"You..."
Forgetting Thought's face turned green and then pale. He wanted to retort but didn't know how to speak.
The other party's condescending tone of commentary gave him a strange sense of familiarity.
"Just who is Your Excellency?!"
Forgetting the Mundane stepped forward, shielding Forgetting Thought behind him, and said in a deep voice, "Since you can call out our dharma names, why hide your identity?"
The young monk sighed, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
"It seems the three Senior Brothers have truly forgotten your Junior Brother."
He shook his head and slowly raised his eyes.
"So be it."
"Since we have forgotten each other in the Jianghu, then let's not speak of old affections."
"Senior Brother Forgetting Worry... oh, it should be Abbot Forgetting Worry now..."
His gaze swept past the three and looked towards the mist-shrouded back mountain.
"Where is he?"