392: The ancient temple of Mount Sumeru has been destroyed!

His sudden appearance stunned the few remaining Ancient Buddhas below; immediately, a strong light of survival burst from Changsheng Ancient Buddha's eyes.

"Junior Brother Huixin! Quick! Activate the Great Thunder Sound Temple's foundation, save us, and let us fight this demon together!"

However, Ancient Buddha Huixin ignored him, simply looking at Xiao Hei with a calm gaze and continuing:

"This poor monk has not come to block Fellow Daoist's path, nor do I dare to be your enemy."

"Fellow Daoist's Divine Ability is peerless, and your insight is keen. Today's calamity for the Mount Sumeru lineage is self-inflicted; it is a cycle of Karma, and the retribution is just. This poor monk has nothing to say."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Ancient Buddhas like Changsheng and Wisdom changed drastically, the hope in their eyes instantly turning into venomous resentment: "Huixin! You dare..."

Xiao Hei's cold gaze fell upon Ancient Buddha Huixin for the first time, seemingly with a hint of scrutiny.

Ancient Buddha Huixin felt the pressure in that gaze and his body swayed slightly, but he forced himself to steady and continued: "This poor monk only asks Fellow Daoist to hear a word from me, and also to ask this question of Karma on behalf of my Buddhist Sect."

"Fellow Daoist established a hundred-year pact to protect your sect; this is only natural and right."

"Mount Sumeru Ancient Monastery was blinded by greed, broke the rules, and secretly plotted; it is truly unrighteous and deserves punishment."

"However," his tone shifted, his voice carrying a deep compassion.

He looked down at the countless ordinary monks and believers trembling in the aftermath with despair on their faces, and even some young Novices with low cultivation and little Karma of sin in their eyes.

"The sentient beings below number in the tens of millions. Most of them are just practicing ignorantly, drifting with the tide, forced by livelihood, or trapped by faith. Not everyone participated in the conspiracy, and not everyone has hands full of sin."

"Among them, there are also those who are sincerely devoted to Buddha and are kind by nature."

"Buddhism says: Heaven has the virtue of loving life. Fellow Daoist has boundless Divine Ability and should be able to distinguish between good and evil Karma."

"This poor monk is bold enough to implore Fellow Daoist to only execute the chief culprits and settle accounts with the masterminds."

"As for these ordinary Disciples and innocent believers, could you show mercy, spare their lives, and give them a chance to turn over a new leaf or enter Reincarnation?"

"In exchange."

Ancient Buddha Huixin bowed deeply once more, his posture extremely humble.

"This poor monk swears in the names of the past Ancestral Masters of the Great Thunder Sound Temple that from now on, the Great Thunder Sound Temple is willing to lead them back to the true Dharma and wash away their sins."

"If there are any repeat offenders, there is no need for Fellow Daoist to act; this poor monk will personally clean the house without mercy. Furthermore."

He reached into his robe and took out three beads the size of dragon eyes, emitting a warm and clear seven-colored glazed radiance, with the faint sound of Wisdom Zen chanting coming from them.

As soon as these beads appeared, even the violent energy around them quieted down.

"These are the inheritance treasures of my Great Thunder Sound Temple—the 'Three-Life Bodhi Seeds'. They contain supreme Wisdom and the true meaning of enlightenment, helping one to see their own nature and break through delusions. They have a mysterious effect on comprehending the Great Dao, and are effective even for Great Emperors."

"I am willing to offer them to Fellow Daoist, or the person behind Fellow Daoist, to express my apologies and forge a good affinity."

Ancient Buddha Huixin's posture was already as low as the dust.

He pointed out that the Buddhist Sect was in the wrong, acknowledged the legitimacy of Xiao Hei's actions, only asked for mercy for the potentially innocent ordinary Disciples, and offered a Buddhist treasure that would tempt even a Great Emperor as an apology, promising to take over the mess.

It could be said that he gave plenty of face and plenty of benefits.

However—

Xiao Hei's gaze remained ice-cold, without the slightest fluctuation.

He looked at Ancient Buddha Huixin, at the three Three-Life Bodhi Seeds, and then at the several Ancient Buddhas below.

He slowly shook his head, his calm voice carrying an unquestionable final judgment:

"Not enough."

Those two cold words made Ancient Buddha Huixin's heart sink to the bottom and shattered the hope in the eyes of the five Ancient Buddhas below once again.

"Once the rules are established, those who touch them die."

"Hypocritical Buddhas, harboring filth and hiding evil, feeding on faith and treating sentient beings as straw dogs; their existence itself is a sin."

"As for you..." Xiao Hei's gaze locked onto Ancient Buddha Huixin again.

"Considering your aura is clear and your Karma is clean, and you are not of the same path as these hypocritical bald donkeys. Leave now, and you may live."

"If you block me again."

Xiao Hei's giant palm, which covered the heavens and earth, suddenly surged with the intent of destruction!

"Then perish along with this kingdom of false Buddhas!"

The cold words, like a final judgment, echoed in the deathly silent world, leaving no room for negotiation.

Ancient Buddha Huixin's withered body trembled slightly, and the last trace of color faded from his face.

But his hands joined in prayer were not lowered, his deeply bowed posture did not change, and he did not leave immediately as Xiao Hei had said.

He slowly straightened up, his eyes calmly meeting Xiao Hei's eyes that contained the silence of the end. A faint, almost liberated smile appeared on his withered face, and his voice was low but clear:

"Amitabha."

"This poor monk is willing to suffer this fruit together with the sentient beings here."

He did not plead, did not defend, and did not retreat. In his calmest posture, he chose to go to the Yellow Springs together.

At this moment, all was silent.

All the Divine Thoughts spying on this place held their breath.

Huixin was going to sacrifice himself for his path, using his own demise as a final, silent protest and prayer.

"This monk is acceptable."

A calm, indifferent voice sounded directly in the depths of Xiao Hei's mind; it was Gu Changge.

"His Karma is clean; he is not of the same path. Let him stay to clean up the mess."

Xiao Hei's cold gaze lingered on Huixin's resolute face for a moment.

His giant palm, which had gathered endless power and was about to crush down, paused slightly.

It was just this imperceptible pause. In the next instant, an invisible and intangible yet magnificent Divine Thought, as if it could reflect the source of the nature of all spirits in the heavens...

Like mercury spilling on the ground, or like the Heavenly Dao's Dharma Eye opening, it swept silently across the vast ruins of the Buddhist Kingdom below, centered on Xiao Hei!

Wherever this Divine Thought passed, it did not harm the mountains, rivers, or land, nor did it destroy the trees or buildings; it only reflected the deepest Karma, thoughts, and original mind of the living beings.

"No—!"

"Buddha, save me!"

In an instant, shrill, short screams and wails of despair erupted throughout the Buddhist Kingdom, then stopped abruptly!

Those monks who, although not directly involved in the core conspiracy, usually used the name of Buddha to seize by force or trickery, hypocritically converted others, and whose hearts were filled with greed, anger, and delusion, and were entangled in Karma.

Those fanatics who harbored resentment, secretly cursed, and were full of evil thoughts about the destruction of the Buddhist Sect.

Even including those five Quasi-Emperor Ancient Buddhas whose bodies were entwined with countless threads of Karma.

Their bodies had no scars, but the light in their eyes instantly went out.

Their Divine Souls were as if burned away by an invisible fire, their auras completely dissipated, and they fell straight down, their lives and path extinguished!

As the Divine Thought swept past, those with heavy Karma and evil thoughts were all annihilated!

But more of them, those ordinary believers and Novices who only ignorantly believed in Buddha, were trapped by livelihood, and whose hearts were relatively pure.

Those low-level monks who, although practicing Buddhist Dharma, had not committed evil and even harbored good thoughts.

Even some ascetic monks who had not participated in the filth and only practiced diligently... they only felt an indescribable pressure that seemed to see through their Souls sweep across their bodies and minds.

It brought a moment of cold trembling, but they themselves were unharmed, only slumping to the ground in a daze, at a loss.

With this single thought, Xiao Hei had accurately completed the discrimination of good and evil and the settlement of Karma among billions of sentient beings!

The Buddhist Holy Land passed down through the ages, Mount Sumeru Ancient Monastery, was completely annihilated at this moment!!!