In this world, all things come into being through causes and conditions!…
According to Buddhist scriptures, the universe is vast, unimaginably distant, and the myriad worlds possess countless forms and characteristics. Each world contains a central mountain called Tu Di. Surrounding Mount Tu Di are four continents: Bac Cau Lu Chau, Nam Thien Bo Chau, Dong Thang Than Chau, and Tay Nguu Hoa Chau. Humankind resides in Nam Thien Bo Chau, also known as the realm of Diem Phu De.
Furthermore, since ancient times, humanity has tirelessly sought the truth of birth and death, yearning to reach the pinnacle of glory: to achieve eternal life, longevity equal to heaven and earth, to possess special abilities capable of conjuring clouds with an upturned hand and rain with a downturned hand, to break through realms and escape the realm of Diem Phu De, and to stand equal with gods and Buddhas.
Yet, even heaven and earth are not eternal or everlasting. For countless millennia, folk tales about methods and strange arts of immortality, of summoning gods and becoming saints, have captivated generations of people, driving them to seek these things out. Rumors spread like wildfire, one telling ten, ten telling a hundred, a hundred telling a thousand, weaving fantastical tales. From these absurd stories, supernatural gods and saints proudly emerged, worshipped with great prosperity for generations.
It is also unknown since when, but humankind, driven by greed, anger, and delusion, began to contend for power and profit, giving rise to countless evil intentions. Everyone considered the gods of their own religion to be the true path, viewing "different doctrines" as thorns to be removed, which led to tragic bloodshed. Great religious wars bathed sentient beings in blood for millennia, until finally, three major cultivation sects emerged: Phat Gia, Dao Gia, and Thien Gia.
Among these three sects, Phat Gia currently boasts the largest number of followers, including both lay and monastic disciples. Bao Quang Temple, with its thousands of monks and nuns, and its profound Buddhist teachings, is renowned throughout the realm for converting sentient beings. It has not only become a pillar of Buddhism but, along with Tam Thien Giao of Dao Gia and Thanh Giao of Thien Gia, has also become one of the three largest sects in the realm of Nam Thien Bo Chau. These three sects, with their profound cultivation methods, expel evil and banish demons, causing devils and monsters everywhere to flee.
The story begins at the foot of Bao Quang Temple.
Bao Quang Temple is situated on the Bao Quang Mountain Range, from where one can gaze upon the vast ocean. Its name signifies "precious light." The Bao Quang Mountain Range stretches endlessly, spanning a realm, standing majestically before the mortal world, having endured countless vicissitudes of time.
Ancient records state that a thousand years ago, the founding patriarch of Bao Quang Temple, while traveling and spreading dharma through this mountain, recognized that the place possessed the auspicious geomantic formation of a Green Dragon on the left, a White Tiger on the right, a Vermilion Bird in front, and a Black Tortoise behind, along with a flourishing vein of dragon qi. He thus decided to stay and establish a small hermitage, daily observing vegetarianism, chanting Buddha's name, and cultivating his dharma. After enduring many trials and tribulations, the patriarch's dharma reached the divine threshold. Proficient in Buddhist teachings, he often descended the mountain to save the world, eradicating demons, devils, and monsters, earning him widespread renown in the region. Gradually, disciples from all over flocked to request to become monastics, cultivate, and study Buddhist dharma, and Bao Quang Temple thus expanded its influence far and wide.
Furthermore, humankind is inherently prone to greed, anger, and delusion. When unable to achieve their desires, they cling to illusions, viewing gods and saints as saviors to escape the sea of suffering and delusion. Therefore, the number of people seeking out Bao Quang Temple grew increasingly large, allowing it to hold an important position in the world without needing to contend for power or profit.
Not far from the triple gate of Bảo Quang Temple, along the sole path leading up the mountain, lay a small village named An Thái. The villagers here once made a living by foraging for firewood in the forest or hunting birds and beasts. However, ever since Bảo Quang Temple became immensely prosperous, attracting people from all over, most of them abandoned their old trades, switching to commerce and providing services. Their lives consequently became much more affluent.
***
That night.
A streak of lightning tore across the sky, momentarily illuminating the world with dazzling brilliance, clearly revealing the entire village of An Thái. The flash faded, and immediately afterward, the village plunged back into silent darkness.
The mountain wind blew fiercely, dark clouds swirled, and flashes of lightning flickered continuously at their edges, signaling an approaching storm.
From afar, on the rugged mountain path, a figure slowly approached, appearing unburdened, heading towards Bảo Quang Temple. This person tilted their head back to look at the sky, and seeing the dark clouds swirling overhead, let out a sigh. Another flash of lightning lit up, followed by a terrifying "boom." The figure flinched slightly, then relaxed their body, uttering, "Amitābha!" It turned out to be a monk.
On closer inspection, the monk was old, his face gaunt and covered in countless crow's feet, showing the untold hardships he had endured in life. He wore a faded but impeccably clean kasaya, and carried a heavy shoulder bag slung over his shoulder.
As the old monk reached the graveyard at the edge of An Thái village, his expression suddenly turned serious, his eyebrows furrowing as if witnessing an unpleasant sight. From within the graveyard, a large tree was ablaze, burning fiercely, clearly having just been struck by lightning.
The burning tree illuminated the surroundings brightly, clearly revealing countless graves, unevenly scattered, making the scene even more eerie. But the old monk showed not the slightest tremor.
Inside the graveyard, a surge of demonic energy suddenly welled up, causing the old monk to momentarily freeze. He subtly recoiled a few steps, his heart stirred.
"Thump... thump... thump..." several sounds echoed from beneath the ground. Then "crack... crack... crack," as if someone was breaking wood. These sounds continuously echoed through the graveyard amidst the dark night, making the old monk feel that something was amiss. He quickly reached into his shoulder bag and pulled out a bell and a mallet.
"Pfft... pfft... pfft..." the old monk clearly saw dead bodies rising from the graves in the graveyard, causing soil and coffin planks to violently burst forth from the ground. All the corpses in the graveyard shuddered and rose from their graves, a truly grotesque sight.
The wind howled eerily, dark clouds swirled, thunder rumbled – lightning flashed. On the ground, hundreds of corpses stood erect, softly moaning mournful, hollow sounds. The old monk squinted, observing that these corpses were of all kinds, old and new. The new ones still had intact bodies, while the old ones had tattered clothes and exposed bones, all emitting an unbearable, pungent stench, indescribably horrifying.
"Corpse Charm Zone," the old monk softly groaned, his right hand holding the bell, his left hand holding the mallet, preparing to unleash the Buddhist sect's divine power to suppress demons.
On closer inspection, the mallet and bell were intricately carved, clearly indicating they were Buddhist magical artifacts. The bell was made of gold, about the size of a medium bowl, with the Six-Syllable Great Bright Mantra of Buddhism carved on its exterior. The mallet, made of white jade, was about a handspan long, carved with dragons and phoenixes vying for a precious pearl. At its tip was a small, round object emitting a faint golden glow, clearly a luminous pearl.
Before the old monk could strike, he suddenly heard a loud peal of bells, emanating from Bảo Quang Temple. The chimes were long and urgent, and ringing out in the dead of night, they signaled that something major was happening.
The corpses, hearing the bell chime, suddenly shuddered and began to move, heading towards Bao Quang Temple as if controlled. However, they moved forward very slowly, letting out mournful cries as they went.
The old monk's face turned pale as he looked towards An Tai Village, which was now brightly lit with torches and lamps. The villagers poured out onto the streets, looking towards Bao Quang Temple, their faces filled with endless doubt. For thousands of years since the temple was founded, this was the first time they had heard such urgent bell chimes in the silent dead of night.
Suddenly, the old monk trembled, staring wide-eyed at the billowing smoke rising from Bao Quang Temple. In the dark night, the swirling smoke, accompanied by blazing flames, lit up the area like torches. Strong mountain winds caused the smoke and fire to spread rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, it enveloped the entire large temple halfway up the mountain.
Screams erupting from An Tai Village made the old monk startle and turn around. The corpses that had just risen from their graves, for unknown reasons, had quickly swarmed into the village, rushing to bite and tear at the living. An Tai Village was filled with cries, desperate screams, and utter panic.
Without a moment's thought, the old monk's body stirred. With a single crouch, he shot high into the air like a kite, charging into the village.
"Bong...bong...ong..." From high above, the old monk swung his arm, striking the bell with its mallet, producing clear, resonant sounds. The sound that emanated immediately glowed brightly, swirling and spreading in all directions, and hearing it, one felt peaceful and at ease, forgetting all worries.
The bell chimed, echoing. As soon as the chime faded, a deep, warm sound suddenly stirred the entire space, and everywhere, it was as if the sound of chanting Buddha's name erupted:
"Namo Surangama Assembly, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!"
Chanting it three times, the old monk assumed the lotus position, sitting proudly in mid-air, the bell and mallet by now floating automatically before him. The old monk swung both hands, moving them through the void, his fingers flexing and extending, forming the White Parasol Buddha Crown Mudra. As soon as the mudra was formed, the bell and mallet automatically struck each other, and the Buddha's sound emanated, reverberating downwards.
The corpses that were rushing to bite and tear at the villagers, hearing the bell chime, immediately roared as if in great pain, hastily letting go of the people. Seeing this, the villagers scattered in all directions.
The Surangama Mantra then echoed. The old monk's voice was sometimes fast, sometimes slow; sometimes emphasizing, sometimes clear and distinct, as the Dharma spread, completely suppressing the frenzied corpses below. Just as it seemed everything was coming to an end, suddenly from behind the old monk, a fierce beam of light shot forth from the darkness.
The old monk was no pushover; in an instant, he detected an ambush, softly crying out, "Amitabha Buddha!" and in the blink of an eye, he was gone. The beam of light shot forth, as if cutting into the void. However, the sneak attack interrupted the Surangama Mantra, and the corpses, no longer suppressed, lunged into the panicked fleeing crowd.
A loud roar echoed down from above. A figure clad in black, with their face completely covered, only two piercing eyes visible, slowly descended, seemingly injured. *Whoosh*, from high above, the old monk's figure shot down very quickly, unleashing a kick.
With a *thud*, the black-clad figure extended a hand to block the old monk's descending kick, causing the ground around them to collapse into a large crater.
The black-clad figure roared, pushing the kick forcefully upwards. The old monk flipped once, landing several *zhang* away, his eyes glaring, and he roared:
"You audacious demon, how dare you use the Corpse-Driving Charm to slaughter living beings!"
Khu Thi Chú, a spell of wandering cultivators, was used to control corpses. However, for the spell to be used to control hundreds of corpses to attack the living, it proved that its user had reached an extremely high realm.
"Rotten old monk, today is the day Bảo Quang tự dies."
The old monk frowned, his gaze sweeping towards Bảo Quang tự, where the fire had already spread rapidly. He subtly focused his senses to observe, suddenly hearing the shouts of people, the sounds of fighting, and the booming deployment of magic artifacts up there. It proved that Bảo Quang tự had been ambushed by a large force so suddenly that they couldn't react in time.
"You talk too much, demon!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the black-clad figure saw the ground rumbling. From above, a brilliant golden light shone down from the mouth of a bell onto where he stood. The black-clad figure was no novice; in an instant, he realized what was happening and crouched to dodge. As he leaped high, an object struck him with a thud in the stomach, causing him to immediately spit out a mouthful of fresh blood. It turned out to be a stone club that the old monk had directed to strike.
At this moment, in the village, corpses lay scattered everywhere, and hordes of the dead rumbled as they moved towards Bảo Quang tự. The old monk glanced, knowing he could do nothing, and sighed softly: "Amitabha! Amitabha!"
The black-clad figure took a blow, flying back more than ten *trượng*, spitting a mouthful of blood into the air, his eyes revealing immense pain. Nevertheless, he immediately regained his composure, his hand reaching behind him to grasp a sword hilt, then drawing it with a *clang*.
The sword blade glinted, swaying slightly, shimmering with dazzling silver light, as several wisps of white *qi* slowly rose into the air.
"Demon, you won't surrender, and still want to resist? Quickly dispel the Khu Thi Chú."
The black-clad figure laughed loudly, then widened his eyes and hissed through his mask:
"Rotten monk, don't talk nonsense."
As his voice faded, the black-clad figure swung his sword overhead, delivering a powerful slash forward. Sword *qi* surged forth from nowhere, carving a deep gash in the ground, and rushed furiously towards the old monk.
As fast as lightning, a golden bell shot down from above, appearing before the old monk, shimmering with dazzling golden light, glowing like a lamp, ready to meet the sword *qi*. With a *bang*, dirt flew and stones rolled, a powerful shockwave erupting in all directions, flattening the vegetation on both sides. Just then, a woman from the village, carrying her months-old child, ran over frantically, her face showing utter terror. The woman ran straight into the shockwave, let out a gasp, and was flung far away, her child also flying off.
The smoke and dust quickly dispersed, only to reveal the old monk still standing tall and firm, seemingly unharmed by the attack. The black-clad figure showed a flicker of fear, retracting his sword and sweeping his gaze over.
Suddenly, a long howl echoed, causing both the black-clad figure and the old monk to look up and listen.
"Old monk, quite impressive, but today is the end of Bảo Quang tự; not a single soul will be spared." After hearing the howl, the black-clad figure turned his head and said to the old monk.
The old monk let out a hearty chuckle, as if he had just heard a hilarious joke.
"Rotten monk, what are you laughing at?" The black-clad figure widened his eyes and hissed.
"What makes you think you can defeat this old monk?" The old monk's face showed a hint of disdain as he slowly spoke.
The black-clad figure seemed to curl his lips into a smile, but his face was covered, so it couldn't be seen. He glanced towards Bảo Quang tự, then immediately turned his gaze back to the old monk and said:
"Stupid bald monk, just watch."
From afar, the sound of something tearing through the air suddenly echoed, indicating that the black-clad figure's comrades were rushing to provide assistance. The old monk stirred slightly, turning his face towards Bao Quang Temple. Eleven streaks of light were shooting rapidly towards them, moving with urgency, leaving towering flames in their wake. By all accounts, these were supreme masters. Their aerial flight techniques had reached an uncanny, almost supernatural level. The old monk hesitated for a moment, then muttered to himself, "Such karma."
In the blink of an eye, the eleven figures landed beside the black-clad individual. All eleven were dressed in black, their faces completely covered save for their eyes. Though all wore the garb of assassins, their physiques varied greatly. Some were tall, others thin, and a few even hinted at a feminine form.
The old monk swept his gaze over them, seeing that the clothes of all eleven were soaked with human blood. This proved they had slaughtered countless monks of Bao Quang Temple, and a furious rage ignited within him.
"What offense did Bao Quang Temple commit for you to act with such cruelty?" the old monk hissed, his eyes burning with immense indignation.
The eleven newcomers fixed their gaze on the old monk, then turned to look at the black-clad figure. One of them spoke, her voice clear and crisp, revealing her to be a woman:
"Who is this old monk?"
"I don't know. Earlier, when I was casting the Khu Thi Chú, this bald donkey appeared from nowhere to interfere, forcing me to rush out. This bald old man's techniques are profound and unpredictable; he absolutely cannot be underestimated. I never expected Bao Quang Temple to harbor such a monk."
After hearing the black-clad figure's explanation, the woman immediately turned to the old monk and spoke:
"Hey, old bald man, are you from Bao Quang Temple?"
The old monk replied:
"No, but having witnessed such an injustice along the way, I absolutely could not help but intervene."
All twelve burst into laughter, which made the old monk uncomfortable. He formed a hand seal and mumbled, activating his power. Instantly, a golden bell and a mallet appeared before him from nowhere, radiating an even more dazzling golden light. Both magical artifacts swelled up like sails catching a strong wind, their golden light intensifying rather than fading.
The twelve immediately stopped laughing, realizing that the two golden-lit artifacts were indeed Buddhist treasures, ones that only cultivators of a thousand years could wield simultaneously.
"You... you are a monk from where?" a tall, black-clad figure asked, his voice slightly trembling.
The old monk's aged face curved into a slight smile as he replied:
"I am Huyen Quang."
The name, once uttered, was like a thunderclap in their ears. The twelve, without a word, subtly retreated a few steps, as if they had encountered a demon risen from the eighteen layers of hell.
"Huyen Quang! The second abbot of Bao Quang Temple? Are you joking?" the tall man asked, trembling.
"It seems you have some knowledge. Indeed, it is this old monk," the old monk named Huyen Quang nodded.
Since the founding patriarch established the temple, it had a thousand-year history and had seen four generations of abbots. If what he said was true, Huyen Quang would be over a thousand years old—a truly absurd notion. At this thought, all twelve involuntarily burst into uncontrollable laughter. Their laughter suddenly ceased, and the tall man shouted loudly:
"Form the formation!"
Instantly, the twelve spread out into ranks, their magical artifacts simultaneously shooting forth before them, hovering in the air, radiating dazzling colors that illuminated a section of the ground.
Upon seeing this, the old monk Huyền Quang stirred slightly, and in a flash, he shot into the air. His hands intertwined, fingers moving to form the Lotus Samadhi Mudra. The old monk sat cross-legged in mid-air, took a deep breath, brought the mudra before his heart, and chanted loudly seven times: “OMÏ PADMA UDBHAVÀYA SVÀHÀ”. As soon as the mantra was recited, the mudra unfurled above his head. Immediately, his entire body glowed brilliantly, and from behind him, a shimmering golden lotus bloomed. The space was suddenly filled with pure light, and the faint sound of Buddhist chants echoed. The lotus continued to expand, shimmering with vibrant hues; the air seemed cleansed, pure and filled with benevolent thoughts.
On the ground, twelve individuals had formed an unusual formation, resembling the twelve stars in the sky. All of them simultaneously raised their swords high, and with a sword gesture, the light from their magical artifacts transformed unpredictably, quickly coalescing into a gigantic sword. It stood majestically in the sky, shimmering with gold, green, red, and purple.
The lotus and the giant sword defiantly glared at each other in the dark night. From afar, they looked like two suns shining, blinding to behold.
Huyền Quang blinked his eyes slightly, his brows furrowed, and he groaned:
“A Daoist technique! You all…”
Before his words were finished, the giant sword was already fiercely whistling through the air, diving towards the lotus. The lotus, as if provoked, slowly rotated before suddenly rushing towards the giant sword. With a thunderous, earth-shattering roar, sword energy surged skyward, and golden light radiated, plunging the entire village of An Thái into a strange glow, imbued with boundless power.
The subsequent blasts after the great explosion were like a raging storm, swirling outwards and causing houses and trees to sway violently.
Amidst the dazzling light in the dark night, the lotus was quickly shattered, bursting into thousands of fragments of light, streaking across the sky like fireworks. From within these fragments of light, a Dharma wheel quickly formed, slowly rotating in mid-air, with the Buddhist swastika in its center blazing fiercely.
The twelve people on the ground, their bodies glowing, channeled their spiritual energy, adding immense power to the giant sword above as it charged towards the newly formed Dharma wheel. The Dharma wheel spun clockwise, awaiting the fiercely approaching giant sword.
Another earth-shaking rumble, as if the entire Bảo Quang mountain range trembled violently. One could only see that after colliding with the giant sword, the Dharma wheel suddenly reversed its spin, moving counter-clockwise, then flared up intensely, engulfing the entire space in a faint light.
The twelve people below, their formation shaking, all screamed, spat out a mouthful of blood, and their sword formation instantly dissipated. The giant sword vanished, the Dharma wheel also disappeared from the sky, and darkness instantly enveloped the space. The twelve swords, suspended in mid-air, all fell, plunging their blades deep into the ground.
On the ground, the twelve people lay sprawled, blood oozing from the corners of their mouths, their appearance utterly wretched. The group writhed for a few moments, then slowly propped themselves up, awaiting the old monk to deliver the finishing blow. A moment passed, with no movement. All twelve individuals looked around anxiously but could not find any trace of the old monk.
The night was silent, save for the mournful chirping of crickets. A chilly mountain wind blew. Halfway up the mountain, Bảo Quang Temple was still fiercely ablaze. The horde of corpses that had been so ferocious earlier now lay scattered across the paths. After their masters were injured, the Corpse-Controlling Spell didn't break but simply dissipated on its own, leaving the corpses uncontrolled, toppling to the ground, returning to their original state.
From afar, faint shouts and calls echoed, followed by the pounding of footsteps running on the road. One person stood up, urging softly:
"We must leave here quickly. Other sects are rushing to Bao Guang Temple's aid. If we don't hurry, it will be too late."
The twelve people, without a word to each other, immediately stood up. Their figures swayed slightly, and in the blink of an eye, they retrieved their magic artifacts and vanished into the night. The old monk's figure was nowhere to be found, as if he had drifted away with the clouds and wind to the ends of the earth.
***
The dawn broke with brilliant rays of sunlight. Throughout An Tai Village, corpses lay scattered, accompanied by heart-wrenching wails of sorrow. Children had lost fathers, wives had lost husbands. For them, last night's events were truly a nightmare.
Righteous cultivators from various paths had now gathered in large numbers and entered the village. Seeing this desolate scene, they couldn't help but be shocked and astonished. Xiao Fengdie, the Sect Master of the Three Thousand Sect, dressed in a white Daoist robe, with hair half-silver, half-black, and an elegant, unrestrained demeanor, led the heroes from various paths who had come to aid Bao Guang Temple. Seeing this sight, he felt a pang in his heart. On their way to Bao Guang Temple, he and the others saw a woman lying motionless by the roadside and approached to check on her.
"She's alive!" a disciple exclaimed upon seeing the woman still faintly breathing.
Xiao Fengdie quickly pulled a small bottle from his pouch, poured out a red pill, handed it to the disciple, and urged:
"Quick... give her this medicine."
As soon as the pill was placed in her mouth, the woman stirred, and a moment later, she sat up completely, her eyes scanning everyone present. Suddenly remembering something, the woman sprang up, crying out frantically:
"My child! Where is my child?"
She ran back and forth, searching as she spoke, her disheveled hair making her look like a madwoman.
"Here! Here it is!" another disciple called from a distance.
The woman and the group rushed over to see. On the wild grass lay a baby, a few months old, eyes tightly shut, its face utterly peaceful, seemingly in a deep sleep. The baby wore nothing, lying on a faded, tattered kasaya robe. Beside the baby, a silent bundle lay.
The woman laughed joyfully, then lifted the baby, hugging it tightly to her chest, cooing:
"My good child! My good child, Mama's here, Mama's here."
And so, the woman, holding her child, walked towards An Tai Village. As the woman's figure faded into the distance, another disciple pointed to a nearby bush, sighing mournfully:
"Such depraved murderers, killing even infants."
Xiao Fengdie approached and looked. The corpse of another infant, also a few months old, was wrapped in a large cloth. A glance revealed it had clearly perished from a sword qi strike.
The group instinctively looked up towards Bao Guang Temple. The temple was now nothing but a black expanse of ashes. Silently, Xiao Fengdie let out a soft sigh and said:
"We are too late."
The mountain wind blew chillingly, the sky was covered by layers of mist, somber as unspoken grief.