Chapter 167: Chapter 136 Master, give a sermon! Why don ‘t you?_2
Translator: 549690339
“Where is there room for differentiating between you and me, Brother, when we are stuck in this Ghost Nation? If we are to chant scriptures, then we brothers shall do it together. If we must face adversity, we endure it together!”
“Amitabha, well said, well said!”
Soothed, the monks started to chant. The delicate sounds of the Buddha’s scripture echoed in the monastery, causing the hundred-odd trapped ghost creatures to shriek in agony amidst the Zen Sound and Buddha’s light.
Similar to being scorched by a fire, these immobilized ghost bodies made sizzling noises. Dense black smoke swirled around them, but the smoke was not smoke. It was a physical manifestation of sinister energies being forcefully expelled from them.
However, as the Buddha’s light cleansed the sinister energies, the agonized roars of these ghost creatures diminished, becoming feeble. Some of the originally solid ghost bodies even began to fade, as if they were about to dissolve in the Buddha’s light.
Faced with the prospect of the ghost creatures turning to ashes in the chanting, the monks paused in their recitations. If there were no more ghost creatures, they might disappear along with them.
“Continue the chant!”
The icy voice rang out again. Upon hearing the indifferent command of their ruler, the weakening chanting resumed distinctly, and ghost creatures began to perish in the increasingly intense Buddha’s light.
However, some ghost creatures regained their sense in the Buddha’s light due to the purging of the sinister energy, their minds clearing and their crazed demeanor calmed, revealing fear in their eyes.
“Just as I expected!”
As the monks started chanting, the You Huang Ghost Country’s ruler floated in the sky, watching everything without any surprises. She didn’t even spare a glance at the Ghost creatures that perished, with madness persisting till death.
She did pick out those ghost creatures that had come to their senses. On her, the vast Buddha’s light and Zen Sound had no effect.
She was no stranger to Buddhist scriptures. She often listened to them with her father and even used them to cultivate her Daoist heart. Buddhist teachings aimed at salvation, but they could also be used to strengthen the mind.
“Are these monks of any use?”
Looking at the ghost creatures brought back to their senses, Youyou perched on the shoulder of You Huang felt surprised.
“If Buddhist scriptures cannot even accomplish this much, they can hardly be considered righteous.”
To You Huang, this outcome was not surprising at all. The greatest challenge was getting convincingly knowledgeable monks to cooperate. For Buddhism, madly raging ghost creatures only had a salvation path, there was no need to save them. Even if they were saved, their fragile minds wouldn’t last long and would fall back into madness.
“Have these monks purify the creatures individually. Select the one with the greatest Buddhist accomplishment to give lectures to my ghost generals and ghost officials!”
“Okay!”
Youyou, the phoenix, fluttered her wings and rose into the air to take charge of this matter. After all, not everyone could ignore the golden light of Buddhism like her and You Huang.
Ten days later, in front of the Bodhi Monastery, fierce ghosts crowded in. Towering goliaths, ghost kings, and others arrived. Still, regardless of their ferocity, even the ghost kings had to transform into human-sized versions upon arrival. No unruly behavior was tolerated since it was the commander’s order.
The monastery, situated in a village and fairly large, was still too small compared to the Ghost Nation. Entry to hear the scriptures was a show of power and position for the ghost creatures.
Because of this, many powerful ghost creatures gathered outside the monastery. They stared at the little monastery with unwillingness in their eyes. They wanted to go in but couldn’t due to the lack of a quota.
These ghost creatures didn’t have a Darticular longing for Buddhist scriDtures.
They just knew that these were led by the nation’s ruler and comprised of the highest-ranking ghost generals and ghost officials. If they could mingle among them and gain someone’s favor, they could possibly rise in status.
In the monastery, which had become the site for the Ghost Nation’s power play, the monks wore detached expressions. All of them emitted faint Buddhist light, resisting the increasingly intense ghost atmospheres seeping in from all directions.
However, joy subtly overshadowed the numbness on most monks’ faces. This was because all they had to do was ward off the ghost energies naturally emitted by the powerful ghost creatures gathering around them. “Yixiu, avoid arrogance and impatience, calm your mind and do not panic!”
The highest-ranking fat monk looked sorrowfully at the old monk sitting opposite him, whose eyes were equally numb, but they were filled with despair, his hands trembling as he turned his Buddhist prayer beads.
He was greatly honored to be chosen as the preacher by the ruler of You Huang Ghost Country, so today he would be facing the exceptionally strong and powerful upper echelons of the Ghost Nation, including some of the strongest ghost creatures, many of whom were as fierce as the Ghost Kings themselves.
Thus, even Master Yixiu, who could be called a venerable monk, was on the verge of a mental breakdown. This was not like a few days ago when he was dealing with a bunch of ghost creatures bound and plunged into madness.
At that time, even if he didn’t do well and accidentally purged a ghost creature, it was not a big issue. The ruler of the Ghost Nation clearly didn’t mind.
Later, he would face a group of Ghost Kings, the commander of the Ghost Nation, and the most elite Ghost Generals. There would be no restraint on them.
As an old monk from the human world, full of vibrant vitality, he had to recite scriptures that could restrain and purify these powerful ghost creatures.
Master Yixiu had no doubt that he would die here today, devoured by a group of ghost creatures.
His very presence was already a great temptation for the ghost creatures. Reciting Buddhist scriptures would likely provoke the anger and madness hidden in their hearts. Once they went mad, his fate would be gruesome.
But he had no choice. The ruler of the Ghost Nation gave him no room for refusal.
Overwhelmed and devoured by the ghosts!
Amitabha Buddha!
What great sins had he committed to end up like this?
“Where is the Buddhist preacher? It’s time to start preaching, why isn’t he showing up?
“Could it be that he’s scared of us, so he’s hiding in his house, too terrified to come out?”
“Hahaha, it’s highly likely. But that won’t do. We came here to hear the preaching, we can’t waste this trip!”
“Exactly, exactly. All of us have important matters to attend to. How can we waste our time like this?”
“Master, if you don’t start preaching soon, we will have to invite you out!”
Outside the building, the ghost creatures were making fun and joking. Although the ruler had commanded them not to eat the monk from the human world or harm him, some casual words and a little interaction were still permitted, right?
“Yixiu, we will go out with you. We must not let these ghosts look down on us.
We cannot disgrace the Buddhist Gate and Bodhi Monastery!”
The irreverent words of the ghost creatures caused the numbness on the monks’ faces to recede. If there truly was no escape from their tragic fate, they might as well face it with fortitude.
“Thank you, master uncles. Thank you, brothers. Since the ruler has appointed me to preach to the ghosts, then I should face it alone. You don’t need to risk yourselves with me!”
At this moment. Yixiu became tranauil. The outrageous behavior of the ghost creatures outside stirred his demon-controlling heart. He had even already thought about the content of his sermon:
“Acala-Vidyäräja, the Conqueror of Demons.”
As this thought settled, the old monk stood up, opened the door, and walked outside. In an instant, hundreds of oppressive gazes fell onto him.
At that moment, the eerie, ghost-filled monastery fell into silence. A ghost general wiped off the saliva trickling from his mouth.
Just then, a languid black wolf walked casually into the monastery. The old monk, who was stiff all over, suddenly widened his eyes and stared at the black wolf. He raised his trembling hand clutching the prayer beads, pointed at Black
Mountain,
“It’s you!?”
