396: Buddha's light dispels evil and devours souls

On the ice wall of the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, the water mirror reflected the churning black clouds above the Xuantian Sect.

Wang Chongyang's message talisman transformed into a streak of golden light, unfurling a line of text on the ice desk: "The soul devouring banner has already consumed three hundred living souls. The black Qi contains Nether Death Qi; it requires the power of extreme Yang to suppress."

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertips lightly on the ice desk, his gaze falling on the phantom holding Buddhist beads within the summoning array. Due to the continuous injection of Spiritual Qi from the jade mine, the spiritual power in the array had risen to 98%. As the runes circulated, the phantoms of Buddha light and black Qi collided fiercely at the array's eye.

"Zhao Gao," he suddenly spoke, "prepare the sacrifices needed for the summoning."

Zhao Gao bowed in acknowledgment and quickly retrieved three items from the treasure vault: a pigeon-egg-sized "Sun Essence Crystal," a string of eighteen "Bodhi Seeds," and a kasaya embroidered with the swastika symbol. These were the essential items for summoning prompted by the System, specifically targeted at threats of an evil art nature.

Summoning initiated, Holy Monk descends.

[System Prompt: Nether Death Qi and evil art threat detected, triggering "Purification-Type" summoning.]

[Summonable Character: Sweeping Monk]

[From: "demi-gods and semi-devils" world]

[Realm: Peak Land Immortal Realm]

[Martial Skill: Seventy-Two Ultimate Skills of Shaolin (Perfection), Muscle Tendon Changing Classic (Transcendent), Indestructible Vajra Body (Impervious to blades and spears)]

[Specialty: Purification (90% suppression effect against evil beings), Enlightenment (can resolve resentment, deliver wandering souls)]

[Summoning Cost: 97% Spiritual Qi]

The summoning array erupted with brilliant golden light. The Sun Essence Crystal and Bodhi Seeds dissolved at the array's eye, transforming into golden fluid that merged into the runes. The Sweeping Monk, dressed in grey monastic robes and holding a broom, condensed in the light. His face was aged, yet his eyes were clear. He clasped his hands together and bowed to Jun Xiaoyao: "This old monk greets the Young Lord."

[Character Panel: Sweeping Monk]

[Status: Standby]

[Special Ability: Vajra Wall (a barrier formed by Buddha light, capable of withstanding a full-force strike from a Land Immortal Realm), Deliverance Mantra (can purify the resentful souls within the soul devouring banner)]

[Loyalty: 90%]

[Current Thought: The Xuantian Sect's black Qi is soaring; if not purified in time, it may lead to a great disaster.]

"The Xuantian Sect's soul devouring banner, I will leave it to you, Great Master." Jun Xiaoyao pointed at the black pillar of light in the water mirror, "There is no need to show mercy."

The Sweeping Monk nodded, his figure flickering as he stepped into the teleportation array. Half an hour later, at the Xuantian Sect's mountain gate, he walked slowly forward holding his broom. Wherever he passed, the black Qi dissolved like snow meeting the sun. The guarding Disciples slashed with their swords, but were repelled by the Buddha light surrounding him; their weapons snapped in two when they hit the ground.

Buddha light breaks the banner, resentful souls are delivered.

In the water mirror, the Xuantian Sect Master stood before the soul devouring banner, his black robes covered in black veins; he had clearly been eroded by the resentment within the banner. Seeing the Sweeping Monk break through the mountain gate, he roared and waved the banner: "Where did this wild monk come from! How dare you meddle in the affairs of my Xuantian Sect?"

The soul devouring banner suddenly unfurled, and three hundred resentful souls transformed into black shadows, pouncing toward the Sweeping Monk while emitting shrill shrieks. The Sweeping Monk, however, remained unmoved. He clasped his hands together and chanted softly: "Namo Amitabha..."

Buddha light erupted from his body, forming a massive golden halo. When the black shadows touched the halo, they instantly stopped screaming, their faces showing expressions of relief as they dissipated into specks of golden light. The Sect Master watched this scene in horror: "Impossible! My soul devouring banner..."

The Sweeping Monk waved his broom lightly, and a beam of Buddha light shot toward the soul devouring banner like a sharp sword. The black veins on the banner quickly receded, revealing the original white silk surface. "Such evil things are of no use left behind." He flicked his finger, and the Buddha light enveloped the banner. With only a "crackle" sound, the soul devouring banner was reduced to ashes within the Buddha light.

Seeing his Magic Treasure destroyed, the Sect Master lunged forward, his eyes splitting with rage: "I will kill you!" Black Qi surged around his body, and he recklessly burned his essence blood to boost his Realm, temporarily breaking through to the Early Stage Land Immortal Realm.

The Sweeping Monk sighed, activating his Indestructible Vajra Body and allowing the opponent's palm wind to strike him. When the Sect Master's palm touched the Buddha light, it immediately made a "hissing" sound, black smoke rising from his palm, causing him to scream in pain. "Turn back before it is too late." The Sweeping Monk said softly, and struck the Sect Master's chest with one palm.

This palm appeared gentle, yet it contained the extreme Yang power of the Muscle Tendon Changing Classic. The Sect Master flew backward, crashing into the hall's pillar. The black Qi within his body was purified by the Buddha light, and he collapsed on the ground, withered and possessing no more fighting strength.

The Net's secret agent, Holy Land secrets.

Taking advantage of the chaos in the Xuantian Sect, the Marshal of the Unruly quietly infiltrated the Sect Master's secret chamber. A map hung on the wall of the secret chamber, marking seven locations that had dealings with the Xuantian Sect, one of which was actually the back door of the Tianshu Hall. He used a rubbing talisman to copy the map, and then found a diary behind the bookshelf. Upon opening it, his pupils constricted—

[Diary Content: The envoy from Tianshu Hall promised that as long as three thousand living souls are offered, they will impart the secret method of Shattering the Void. The soul devouring banner is just a cover; the true purpose is to use the living souls to feed the Spirit Devouring Beast of Tianshu Hall...]

The Marshal of the Unruly quickly rubbed the diary, and just as he was about to leave, he heard footsteps outside the door. He quickly hid in a secret compartment, only to see two Elders walk in. One of them said: "The Sect Master has been captured; how are we to answer to the Tianshu Hall envoy?"

The other sneered: "What is there to fear? We still have a backup plan—we have long since buried 'Heart-Rotting Gu' in the Qingming Jade Mine. As long as the people from Beyond Heaven come into contact with the ore vein, they will die of Dantian rot within three days."

The Marshal of the Unruly, hiding in the secret compartment, felt a shock in his heart and immediately recorded this conversation on a message talisman. The talisman paper turned into a wisp of blue smoke and headed straight for Hanyue Valley.

Heart-Rotting Gu appears, Cheng Lingsu resolves the crisis.

In the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, Jun Xiaoyao looked at the news sent back by the Marshal of the Unruly, his expression darkening slightly. In the water mirror, the miners of the Qingming Jade Mine were showing signs of abnormality one after another. Some clutched their stomachs and fell to the ground, with black insect shadows faintly visible wriggling beneath their skin.

"Cheng Lingsu," Jun Xiaoyao called out.

Cheng Lingsu stepped out from the shadows, the seven star begonia in her medicine basket emitting a faint purple light: "Young Lord."

"Do you have any clues on how to solve the Heart-Rotting Gu?"

Cheng Lingsu nodded: "This Gu is a secret technique of the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult. It requires the nectar of the 'Midday Lotus' to lure the Gu out, and then sulfur powder to kill it. I happen to have a Midday Lotus in my medicinal garden; I can refine the antidote in half an hour." She turned and walked toward the medicinal garden, tapping her fingertips lightly on the petals, and the Midday Lotus blossomed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In the water mirror, Cheng Lingsu's figure appeared at the ore vein. She mixed the Midday Lotus nectar into water and had the miners drink it. Soon, the insect shadows beneath everyone's skin gathered toward their mouths. "Open your mouths." Cheng Lingsu took out sulfur powder and blew it gently toward each person's mouth.

The miners coughed and spat out black insects. When the insects hit the ground and came into contact with the sulfur powder, they instantly turned into pus. "This is a long-acting detoxifying Medicinal Pill. Take one daily for seven days, and the residual poison will be completely cleared." Cheng Lingsu distributed the Medicinal Pill to everyone, and then said to Ouyezi, "The Gu insects deep in the ore vein need to be burned with Kunwu Divine Fire; I will trouble you, Great Master."

Ouyezi nodded and walked toward the depths of the mine with the Divine Eagle. The Divine Eagle spat out its symbiotic flames, while Ouyezi swung the mountain-splitting axe to split the mine walls, digging out all the Gu insect eggs hidden in the jade, and burning them to ashes in the flames.

Tianshu Hall moves, crisis on all sides.

In another corner of the water mirror, the Tianshu Hall envoy stood before the cage of the Spirit Devouring Beast, sneering as he watched the restless beast inside. The beast resembled a lion but had nine heads, each roaring, its saliva dripping onto the ground and corroding holes into the rock.

"The Xuantian Sect has failed," the envoy said to the shadows behind him, "it seems I must take action myself. Pass on my order: have Pill King Valley and Sword Forging Manor make their move. They must seize the Qingming Jade Mine within three days; the people from Beyond Heaven must not obtain the pure jade core."

A hoarse voice came from the shadows: "Envoy, that Sweeping Monk and the Divine Eagle are not easy to deal with..."

"Trash!" the envoy scolded angrily, "I have already engaged the people from the 'Blood Demon Hall.' Their 'Blood Shadow Great Technique' specifically counters Buddha light. As for that eagle, the 'Cloud-Piercing Arrow' newly forged by Sword Forging Manor is enough to pierce its wings!"

Underground Palace plans, The Net spreads again.

In the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, Jun Xiaoyao watched the envoy's face in the water mirror and nodded to Zhao Gao: "It seems Tianshu Hall cannot hold back anymore." He pointed to Pill King Valley and Sword Forging Manor on the sand table, "Have Ye Gucheng take the 'Sword' unit to Pill King Valley, and Yue Fei take the Spearman Array to Sword Forging Manor. Give them a 'big gift'."

Zhao Gao received the order and quickly adjusted the deployment: "Ye Gucheng's side will be equipped with ten Qingming swords, and Yue Fei's Spearman Array will switch to the poison spears newly forged by Ouyezi, with the tips quenched in the nectar of the seven star begonia, specifically to break the Dan-fire of Pill King Valley."

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the summoning array; the spiritual power in the array had recovered to 92% due to the purification of the soul devouring banner. "Additionally," he added, "have the Sweeping Monk guard the Qingming Jade Mine to guard against the people from the Blood Demon Hall. The Divine Eagle will cooperate with Cheng Lingsu to clear the remaining Gu insects around the ore vein."

The Sweeping Monk's voice came through the message talisman: "This old monk obeys." In the water mirror, he was sitting cross-legged at the entrance of the ore vein, the Buddha light forming a golden barrier that shrouded the entire mine.

Cheng Lingsu took the medicine boy and sprinkled sulfur powder around the ore vein. With every step taken, white smoke rose from the ground—a sign that hidden Gu insect eggs were being killed. The Divine Eagle circled in the air, its sharp eagle eyes scanning the surroundings; any living creature that approached could not escape its gaze.

The night in Hanyue Valley was quiet and cold. Jun Xiaoyao looked at the markers of The Net gradually closing on the sand table, his eyes without a ripple. The Spirit Devouring Beast of Tianshu Hall, the Blood Shadow Great Technique of the Blood Demon Hall, the counterattacks of Pill King Valley and Sword Forging Manor... these were merely stumbling blocks on the road of Beyond Heaven's expansion.

The runes of the summoning array circulated slowly, and the next summoning was already brewing.

Jun Xiaoyao knew that the moment The Net tightened completely, the entire continent would understand that the rules of Beyond Heaven were an iron law that could not be challenged.

And he, the Young Lord behind the scenes, only needed to wait quietly for the good news, watching the territory belonging to Beyond Heaven expand step by step.