138: Blood debt must be paid with blood, the anger of Buddhism

Happy Buddha's life force was completely extinguished.

Xiao Huohuo withdrew his fist, his knuckles showing no trace of blood.

Ling Ke'er's sword was already sheathed, as if it had never been drawn.

The vast palace was deathly silent.

The two exchanged a glance, said nothing, and turned to walk towards the imprisoned women.

The chains of the cages snapped, and the women, their eyes hollow and numb, walked out one by one.

They did not cry or express gratitude, but silently walked out of the palace.

The Hell here had ended.

"Everyone," Xiao Huohuo spoke, his voice not loud, "Is there anyone who knows a girl named A'cao?"

The crowd paused, and faces looked around, all with blank expressions.

No one answered.

Just as everyone was about to disperse, in a corner, a frail girl, curled up, said in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, "Young hero, are you looking for someone?"

She paused, as if using all her strength.

"These past few days, many people have died.

Those guards found it troublesome, so they... they piled them all in the storeroom on the right."

These words were like a basin of ice water.

Xiao Huohuo and Ling Ke'er's hearts instantly sank.

The storeroom door was kicked open.

A thick, almost suffocating stench of decay and blood rushed out.

Before their eyes were hundreds of naked young corpses, casually piled together like discarded livestock.

Traces of abuse and torture remained on every body.

Human Hell was nothing more than this.

Xiao Huohuo was silent.

Ling Ke'er was also silent.

The two said nothing, but silently searched, body by body.

Finally, at the very bottom of the pile of corpses, they found an exceptionally petite body.

Though the face was bloodless, filled with pain and despair, its delicate contours and tightly furrowed brows bore a seven or eight tenths resemblance to A'cao.

It must have been her.

...

A'cao's home was in the deepest part of the slum.

When the cold corpse was brought back, A'cao froze.

She didn't cry immediately, but stared blankly at the familiar face, her small hands trembling uncontrollably.

For a long, long time.

"Wah—!"

A heart-wrenching cry tore through the dead silence.

She pounced on her sister's already cold body, crying heartbreakingly, as if her guts were tearing apart.

Xiao Huohuo and Ling Ke'er stood quietly to the side, offering no consolation.

They knew that any words at this moment would be pale.

Until A'cao cried herself into a faint, then slowly regained consciousness, her eyes, which should have been clear, were filled with endless hatred and bloodlust.

"Little Thunderclap Temple... Buddhist sect."

She gritted her teeth, enunciating each word, her voice hoarse, yet revealing an undeniable resolve.

"Irreconcilable!"

At the same time.

Western Regions, Little Thunderclap Temple, Soul Lamp Hall.

"Crack!"

A soft sound.

The Soul Lamp, enshrined on the high platform, representing Happy Buddha's life force, extinguished without warning.

The monk responsible for guarding it instantly turned pale, all color draining from his face!

"Another... another... Buddha's Soul Lamp... has gone out!"

The news instantly swept through the entire Little Thunderclap Temple.

Countless powerful Qi surged from various Zen courtyards!

Shashui City, this ordinarily unremarkable border town, became the center of the entire Western Regions' storm overnight.

The citizens of the city now felt extremely complex emotions.

Fear, because they were afraid.

Afraid that the Little Thunderclap Temple's wrath would implicate the entire city, turning them all to scorched earth.

Shock, because they couldn't believe it.

That Devil Head, who had been so arrogant and was hailed as a Buddha's Reincarnation, was actually killed!

And by two obscure young people at that!

But even more, there was joy!

It was that kind of suppressed, finally released, morbid ecstasy!

That Devil Head was finally dead!

...

"Go!"

Inside the inn, Xiao Huohuo made a decisive move.

He knew that the Little Thunderclap Temple's retaliation would soon descend.

Ling Ke'er had already packed everything, and A'cao had also wiped away her tears, her tender young face filled with a determination unsuited to her age.

The three of them wasted no time, and under the cover of night, they once again slipped out through the dog hole in the north of the city.

Just an hour after they left.

Shashui City, City Lord's Mansion.

"Boom!"

The mansion's main gate was violently shattered by an overwhelmingly domineering force.

Seven or eight old monks, clad in golden kasayas and with Qi as deep as the sea, slowly stepped in.

Leading them was Du Chen, the head of the Little Thunderclap Temple's Disciplinary Hall!

A genuine Martial Saint expert!

They looked at the mess on the ground and Happy Buddha's unclosed eyes, their faces ashen.

"Investigate!"

Du Chen's voice was bone-chillingly cold.

After some questioning, a lucky surviving guard recounted the general appearance of the two young people and the fact that they had taken a female corpse.

"A'cao..."

Following the clues, the Little Thunderclap Temple's efficiency was terrifying.

In just half an hour, they had already identified A'cao and found the mud house in the slum.

The house was already empty.

Only on the mottled earthen wall, written crookedly in charcoal, was a line of text.

"The lecherous monk has been executed, you bald donkeys, wash your necks and wait!"

"Presumptuous!"

Du Chen trembled with rage, striking out with a palm, and the entire mud house, along with the defiant words, instantly turned to dust.

"Chase them for this Seat!"

"Even if you have to dig three feet deep, you must drag these three little brutes out for this Seat!"

At this moment, above the endless Gobi Desert outside Shashui City.

Three figures, facing the swirling yellow sand, were rapidly flying high in the sky.

Behind them was the city, battered by wind and rain.

Ahead was an unknown journey, full of killing intent.