129: Chapter 129 The Stone Statue Deep Within Kasyapa Temple, the Mysterious Old Monk

Just as those two Elders of the Heavenly Sword Profound Sect fell at the hands of Xia Jin,

a major event was also unfolding at Kasyapa Temple in the Western Regions.

The Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Profound Sect was currently hovering in the air above Kasyapa Temple.

After emerging from the Everlasting Valley in the Northern Border, he had encountered almost no meaningful resistance all the way to the Western Regions.

Those Western Region Sects possessed no power to resist him at all. It wasn't until he stood before this Kasyapa Temple that he paused his footsteps slightly.

What surprised him somewhat was that the old bald monk standing outside the mountain gate had actually managed to withstand three of his moves.

One must know that with his strength, wiping out a second-rate Sect on the Tianqi Continent was as easy as flipping his palm; even ordinary experts in the Land Immortal Realm would have no power to fight back against him.

“Interesting.” The corner of the Grand Elder's mouth curled up slightly, but his eyes were incredibly cold. “On the East Xuan Continent, you are the first who could endure three moves under my hand.”

Head Monk Liansheng's expression was somewhat strained. The brilliant Buddha light of the Eight-Grade Golden Lotus Platform floating before him had already dimmed considerably.

The Buddha Bone Sarira in his hand had likewise exhausted more than half of its Buddha Power.

“Amitabha.” Head Monk Liansheng pressed his palms together. “Benefactor, your killing intent is too heavy. If you persist in your reckless actions, I fear you will invite boundless karmic retribution.”

“Hahahaha, karmic retribution?” The Grand Elder laughed toward the sky as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world, his laughter filled with mockery. “Bald monk, your Buddhist rhetoric of Karma and Reincarnation is fine for deceiving commoners, but you think you can use it to restrain me?”

He slowly raised his right hand, his fingers curling into a hollow grip.

In an instant, the world changed color.

A pitch-black spear condensed above his palm. The sheer pressure of its formation caused the buildings of Kasyapa Temple to shake incessantly.

Head Monk Liansheng’s body was pushed a foot deep into the ground, his expression more solemn than ever before.

“The sea of suffering is boundless; turn back to the shore.” Liansheng struggled to maintain his prayer gesture. “Benefactor, your cultivation reaches the heavens; you should know that the Heavenly Dao is a cycle, and retribution is certain. If you destroy my Buddhist Legacy today, you will surely be haunted by a Heart Demon in the future.”

“Shut up!”

The Grand Elder shouted harshly, the killing intent in his eyes surging violently.

The black spear in his palm accelerated its rotation, the silver light at its tip condensing into a piercing point of starlight. “Bald monk, delaying for time is useless. Today, even if your Buddha himself descended, he could not save this Kasyapa Temple!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he gave Liansheng no further chance to talk.

His lowered palm suddenly pressed downward!

“Boom!”

The black spear transformed into a silver meteor. Before the spear even arrived, the pressure reached first; the roof of Kasyapa Temple's remaining main hall collapsed with a bang, and the temple walls fell in large sections.

“Do you truly intend to destroy my Kasyapa Temple?!” Head Monk Liansheng roared. The Eight-Grade Golden Lotus Platform vibrated violently, and a massive phantom of a golden lotus with layer upon layer of petals blocked the path of the spear.

Head Monk Liansheng spat out a mouthful of blood toward the sky, but he forcibly steadied his form.

“Head Monk!”

Four cries of grief rang out simultaneously.

The four Monastic Monitors who had been standing behind Head Monk Liansheng could no longer care about anything else and landed beside him.

The four sat cross-legged at the same time, thrusting their palms out to press against Liansheng's back. Pure Buddha Power was continuously funneled into Liansheng's body.

Receiving the support of the same source of Buddha Power, a trace of color returned to Liansheng's pale face.

He looked at the spear in the sky, a trace of despair flashing in his eyes.

“It's no use...” Head Monk Liansheng took a deep breath and continued to control the Eight-Grade Golden Lotus Platform. “All of you, leave quickly. I will hold him back first.”

“As long as the Head Monk is here, Kasyapa Temple remains!” one of the Monastic Monitors roared, his eyes bloodshot. “Even if we must perish in body and soul today, we will not retreat half a step!”

“Humph! A mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating your own strength!”

In the sky, the Grand Elder looked down at the few people struggling in their death throes, his eyes devoid of any pity, containing only a hint of contempt.

“Since you wish to die together, I shall fulfill your wish.”

He brought his hands together and pressed down once more.

The spear suspended in mid-air shuddered violently and stabbed down fiercely toward that thin golden barrier below!

“Boom!!!”

The light barrier shook violently; it held for only a single breath before shattering with a bang.

The four Monastic Monitors simultaneously sprayed blood as their bodies were sent flying backward.

Head Monk Liansheng watched helplessly as that silver light rapidly enlarged in his pupils.

It was over.

The thousand-year Legacy of Kasyapa Temple was ultimately going to be lost at his hands today.

He closed his eyes and whispered a final Buddhist chant: “Amitabha...”

However, at the very moment the silver spear was about to pierce Head Monk Liansheng's skull,

“Buzz...”

A slight vibration came from deep within Kasyapa Temple.

“Hmm?” The Grand Elder frowned, his movements subconsciously slowing by half.

The silver spear hovered three inches in front of Head Monk Liansheng's forehead.

“What was that sound?” The Grand Elder's gaze shifted toward the depths of Kasyapa Temple.

At this moment, inside a Stone Pagoda within Kasyapa Temple,

on the first floor,

in the most inconspicuous corner, stood a Stone Buddha that had been covered in dust for a long time.

Right now, this Stone Buddha was undergoing a strange transformation.

First, at the tip of the index finger on the Stone Buddha's lowered right hand, which was formed into a mudra, a crack quietly split open.

“Crack.”

Soon, the crack spread rapidly.

Wherever the crack passed, the stone surface began to peel off, falling to the ground in pieces.

A few breaths later, the entire right arm was completely revealed.

The peeling of the stone skin did not stop.

The cracks spread from the right arm to the shoulder, then to the torso, the left arm, the legs, and finally the entire head.

“Crack, crack...”

The peeling sounds became more frequent and louder.

Soon, the true form within the statue was revealed—it was a thin, gaunt old monk. When the last piece of stone skin fell away, those eyes that had been closed for untold ages slowly opened.

He did not stand up; he simply looked toward the mountain gate of Kasyapa Temple. In the next moment, his cross-legged figure rippled like a shimmering reflection and suddenly vanished.

When he reappeared, this figure was already standing in front of Head Monk Liansheng.

With his back to Head Monk Liansheng, he looked at the black spear slowly descending from the sky and simply extended a single finger, lightly tapping the tip of the spear.

That black spear, which Head Monk Liansheng and the four Monastic Monitors could not withstand even with their combined strength, began to annihilate inch by inch starting from the tip under the casual touch of that finger.

The pressure on Head Monk Liansheng and the others vanished completely along with the dissipation of the spear.

“This guy... where did he pop out from?” The Grand Elder looked at the old monk before him, his pupils shrinking violently as a look of uncertainty appeared on his face for the first time.

Meanwhile, Head Monk Liansheng and the four Monastic Monitors all stared blankly at the back of the figure shielding them.