Chapter 41: Yuan Hui Sacrifices Himself to Block the Forces of Yin and Yang

Zhuge Liuyun stepped forward. “Monster, what is your connection with the Old Demon of Black Mountain? What is your scheme?”

“Do you wish to know?” Lu Pan sneered, letting the flames devour his body as tendrils of black mist emanated from him. “Even if I lose this corporeal form, I will make sure you all perish without a trace.”

As his words fell, his entire body suddenly exploded, transforming into a dense cloud of dark energy that suppressed even the raging flames. The mist then gathered into a mass and slammed violently onto the ground.

With a deafening crash, the earth split open, the fissures spreading rapidly outward. Some soldiers, unable to evade in time, fell into the crevices, and before they could climb out, the surging dark energy engulfed them, reducing them to bleached bones in the blink of an eye.

From the cracks, wails and howls of ghosts and wolves echoed, and in an instant, hundreds of restless spirits emerged, drifting aimlessly.

“Not good! This place is connected to the underworld. It must be the jurisdictional boundary left by the previous City God, which was never destroyed and has now been occupied by demons. Now he intends to forcibly open the rift between the realms of the living and the dead, bringing forth vengeful spirits to the mortal world. The surrounding dozens of miles will become a haunted wasteland,” Yuanhui exclaimed in horror, then resolutely turned to Yifan and the others. “If the demon succeeds, countless innocents will perish. I am willing to sacrifice myself to seal the rift. I ask you, friends, to assist me.”

“Master, you—?”

“No need to persuade me further, friends. I carry a scroll of the Diamond Sutra, personally written by the abbot of Jinshan Temple. Once placed within the fissure, its power will manifest and suppress it.”

With that, Yuanhui pressed his palms together, cast a deep glance at the others, and turned to walk toward the heart of the breach. His body radiated a gentle golden light, and the sound of scripture arose.

Yifan and the others exchanged complex looks.

“We must act, friends, and clear a path for Master Yuanhui.”

Yifan sighed, leaping forward. With a flick of his hand, several bolts of “Thunder Palm” cracked through the air, sweeping away clusters of spirits. Then, wielding the Sword of Exorcism, he dispatched several charging specters with swift strokes.

“This old monk kept his treasures well hidden. If only he’d brought it out sooner,” Zhuge Liuyun remarked, for once praising someone. “A pity—he was a true master.”

…

Flames engulfed the City God’s temple, visible from ten miles away and waking countless households. Curious onlookers glimpsed a scene akin to the depths of hell and staggered back in terror, their legs turning to jelly.

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The rioting citizens ceased their advance, standing dumbfounded with faces full of fear. Suddenly, someone cried out, “A monster! Immortals have descended to subdue the fiends!”

Immediately, a great many knelt to the ground, incessantly bowing.

The soldiers lowered their weapons; if not for their captain’s steadiness, they might have joined the worshippers. The spectacle was terrifying—lightning flashing, swords flying to slay enemies—far beyond anything they could imagine.

Who else but immortals could wield such powers?

“General Chen, let the masters handle this. We should withdraw to a safe distance.”

“Understood. Protect the officials—fall back three hundred meters.”

General Chen’s face was pale, the scene too horrific. With the magistrate’s order, he sheathed his blade and mounted his horse, promptly directing the troops to retreat.

With the soldiers withdrawing, the hesitant crowd, leaving behind dozens of corpses, dispersed in panic.

…

Yuanhui moved unhurriedly, the prayer beads clasped in his palm, advancing step by step toward the temple’s center. The surrounding dark energy receded on its own accord; occasionally, a spirit would rush forward, only to be repelled by the gentle golden light.

Finally, he reached the heart of Lu Pan’s impact—a fissure several meters wide, from which dark energy surged and piercing screams echoed, as if countless evil spirits waited to pour forth.

Yuanhui took out a scroll of scripture from his robe and slowly unfurled it. Rays of golden light shot forth, rapidly dispersing the surrounding darkness. As the scripture spread open, its densely packed characters wriggled like living tadpoles, gently swimming across the page.

“Friends, I go ahead.”

With those words, Yuanhui leapt, carrying the Diamond Sutra, into the fissure. Moments later, a thunderous roar erupted, and golden light burst from the crack, which then began to slowly heal.

At that moment, a ghoul appeared from nowhere, snatching up a spirit and stuffing it in its mouth. Its eyes rolled, and it howled pleadingly at Yifan.

Yifan shook his head, not in the mood to respond. Zhuge Liuyun scolded, “Coward! Where were you just now? Whenever danger appears, you vanish!”

The ghoul bared its monkey-like face in a fawning grin, making Zhuge Liuyun want to strike it. He waved his hand, “Enough. I’ll collect a few for you.”

He took out a cloth bag, muttered a spell, and shook the bag open toward a spirit, which was immediately sucked inside. Repeating the process a dozen times, the bag swelled full. He sealed it with a talisman and tossed it to the ghoul.

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The ghoul caught it and joyfully rolled on the ground, satisfied to rush at the remaining spirits.

Before long, all the spirits were eliminated. Yifan and his companions gathered, hesitant to speak, until Yi Yanxia broke the silence. “Fellow Daoists, my husband and I will return to Huizhou tonight. As for the rewards we received, we feel unworthy and ask that you convey our wishes to Elder Deng: please send them to Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang.”

Yifan nodded. “It is thanks to Master Yuanhui that disaster was averted.”

After a few words, Yi Yanxia and her husband departed.

The soldiers had not gone far, waiting a few hundred meters away. When Yifan and Zhuge Liuyun approached, they were greeted by the magistrate and Elder Deng. “Masters, you have worked hard. What became of the demon?”

Yifan recounted everything, omitting matters related to the underworld, and relayed Yi Yanxia’s message. “As for my reward, I ask Elder Deng to send it to Jinshan Temple as well.”

“I won’t keep mine either—send it along,” Zhuge Liuyun added.

Elder Deng said respectfully, “Master Yuanhui truly was a great monk. Sacrificing himself to suppress the demon inspires admiration. Tomorrow, I will have a temple built here to honor his image.”

Yifan nodded. “Though the demon is gone, some lingering darkness remains, along with the souls of those who died unjustly. I intend to perform rites to release them. I ask the magistrate to send men to collect the bodies, lest they lie exposed in the wild.”

“Master, your compassion is admirable. It shall be done.” The magistrate immediately dispatched men to gather the corpses, then hesitated. “I must report this incident to the governor, so I’ll take my leave.”

Everyone bid the magistrate farewell. Elder Deng and his group stayed a while longer, then departed, leaving only a few dozen soldiers to guard the site. Yifan asked Zhuge Liuyun to rest first, intending to remain and investigate further.

When all had left, Yifan entered the ruins of the City God’s temple to search.

“What was the treasure left by the Old Demon of Black Mountain, as Lu Pan mentioned?”

Lu Pan’s soul was already scattered, so little hope remained of gaining anything. Yet the mentioned treasure was worth investigating—perhaps it could be refined.

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