Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 255 In Lingyin Temple, Don't Be Shameless

Another hour later.

The headquarters of NaDuTong, Zhao Fangxu's office.

Zhao Fangxu was waiting anxiously when he saw Han Yun appear out of nowhere. He was startled at first, and then quickly stepped forward.

"Chairman Han, you're finally back! We just detected an extremely powerful energy burst in the Kyoto area from the Japanese side, even triggering a small-scale earthquake and tsunami warning. Was it you...?"

"solved."

Han Yun interrupted him, his tone still calm: "The headquarters of Takamagahara has been destroyed, the Grand Master has been executed, and the three sacred treasures are all in my hands. Of the twelve Divine Lords, five are now gone, leaving only seven Divine Lords in Shenzhou."

Zhao Fangxu opened his mouth wide, unable to close it for a long time.

Although he had some estimate of Han Yun's strength, he still felt dizzy when he heard such earth-shattering results mentioned so casually.

This efficiency is terrifying!

How long has it been?

long time?

They just wiped out someone's ancestral home, which they'd built up over a thousand years?
They even stole the national treasure?
"So...what's next?"

Zhao Fangxu finally managed to regain his voice.

Han Yun walked to the map, his gaze sweeping over the sealing marks on the land of China once more.

"The core of Takamagahara has been eliminated, but their hidden forces and established plans in China will not stop. They may even become more reckless and unscrupulous because their headquarters has been destroyed."

"Notify all regions to be on high alert and guard against any desperate measures taken by the enemy. At the same time, expedite our investigation and reinforcement of key sealed-off areas."

"The rest is up to you to handle."

Zhao Fangxu suddenly looked up and asked, "Chairman Han?"

Han Yun waved his hand, interrupting Zhao Fangxu's question: "I've already dealt with the toughest nut to crack. Chairman Zhao, you can't possibly tell me that my Divine Continent can't even handle a few mere God Lords, can you?"

"With the Ten Elders and various factions holding sway over the place, plus the company's forces surrounding and intercepting them, no matter how capable they are, they can't cause any trouble on my home turf."

Han Yun extended a hand and slowly closed it, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Since they can't escape our grasp, let's prepare them properly, and while we're at it... give our troops some training!"

Zhao Fangxu raised an eyebrow, seemingly understanding, and said, "Chairman Han, do you mean to take this opportunity to hone the abilities of the company's employees?"

"not only that."

Han Yun's gaze was deep, and he said meaningfully, "When a family grows too big, it becomes harder to manage. People say that one should be prepared for danger in times of peace, but now that we have enjoyed peace for so long, it is time to take this opportunity to make the world of extraordinary people in Shenzhou nervous."

"Moreover, it's not easy to have such an external enemy that can bring the 'family' together, so I naturally can't let them fall apart so easily."

Zhao Fangxu smiled slightly: "Understood!"

The two, one old and one young, looked at each other and resembled two foxes.

-----

Somewhere inside the scene, seven figures of different shapes and obscure auras slowly coalesced through a mental illusion.

In the center was a stunningly beautiful woman, dressed in an elaborate and gorgeous twelve-layered kimono. Her face was breathtaking, yet her aura carried a hint of eeriness and antiquity, with nine fox tails appearing and disappearing behind her.

She is none other than the leader of the remaining deities in this operation in Shenzhou, the legendary great demon, Tamamo-no-Mae.

To his left is a gaunt monk wearing a black robe and a straw hat, holding a string of black prayer beads in his hand, his eyes lowered, exuding a sense of compassion.

Beside the monk stood a sinister-looking sorcerer, dressed in a blend of modern and classical clothing, his face covered in eerie black patterns, and his fingertips radiating a visible aura of curse.

On the right is a shrine maiden holding a Kagura bell, dressed in white robes and crimson hakama, her face cold and aloof, yet her eyes sharp as knives. Beside her stands an elderly man in traditional Shinto priest's attire, holding a cypress fan, his aura chilling.

Further away, there were two more non-human figures.

One was a spider-like monster, grayish-brown in color, exuding an earthy and violent aura; the other was shrouded in a hazy mist, with only a pair of cold eyes vaguely visible.

At this moment, the atmosphere among the seven people was terrifyingly heavy.

"The news has been confirmed."

Tamamo-no-Mae's ethereal yet icy voice broke the silence: "The Divine Palace has been razed to the ground, and the Grand Master has confirmed that the Tamamo-no-Mae has been destroyed. The auras of the four guardian deities—the Sword, the Ninja, the Serpent, and the Fox—have completely vanished, and the connection to the Three Sacred Treasures has also been severed."

"Bagaya Road!!"

The sorcerer suddenly looked up, the black markings on his face writhing as if alive, his eyes blazing with a frenzied hatred: "How dare you, you strange beings from the Divine Land, do this! This is an irreconcilable feud!"

The spider demon let out a deep, thunderous roar: "You destroyed the foundation of my Takamagahara and stole my national treasure! Such a great humiliation can only be washed away by a bloodbath across the land!"

The old priest's face was ashen, and his cypress fan creaked as he gripped it: "A thousand years of accumulation, destroyed in an instant! If we do not take revenge, how can Takamagahara have any face left to live in this world? We must make Shenzhou pay the price!"

Although the shrine maiden did not speak, the Kagura bell she was holding trembled slightly, clearly indicating that she was not at peace with herself.

Tamamo-no-Mae's gaze swept over the agitated group of people, finally settling on the silent monk: "Aoki Kurō, what do you think?"

The monk slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of cloudy yet deep-set eyes beneath his bamboo hat. He murmured a Buddhist chant, his voice hoarse:

“Amitabha Buddha, the people of China are filled with resentment and have committed countless murders. To commit such an act of exterminating one’s entire family is truly a grave sin, and they are tormented by karmic fire.”

"Although the Buddha is compassionate, there is a saying that he will not save those who are not destined to be saved, nor will he extinguish the calamity that will destroy them... Alas, perhaps this is their fate."

His words, though seemingly compassionate, were actually just an excuse for revenge. The fleeting glint of greed in his eyes revealed his desire to take advantage of the chaos to seize benefits in China.

Tamamo-no-Mae sneered inwardly. How could she, with her shrewdness, not see through the little scheme of the monk and most of the people present?

She hesitated for a moment, a hint of doubt appearing on her beautiful face: "China has a profound foundation and is extraordinary. They are clearly prepared now."

"Furthermore, there's that terrifying being who could easily destroy headquarters and kill the Grand Master. If we continue, we risk total annihilation. Should we... retreat to our homeland for now and reconsider?" "No!"

The sorcerer immediately objected vehemently: "Lady Tamamo-no-Mae! If we retreat now, won't we become like stray dogs? Our headquarters has been destroyed, our compatriots have perished. If we cannot repay blood with blood, what dignity will we have left?!"

The spider monster roared, "That's right! Even if we have to retreat, we must first turn the world upside down! Release those sealed monsters and let Shenzhou taste the pain of losing everything!"

The old priest echoed in a sinister tone, "I have studied the ancient books of Shenzhou for many years and know the weaknesses of several key seals. Rather than fleeing in a sorry state, we should go all out and deal a heavy blow to Shenzhou! At that time, we will have room to maneuver, whether we advance or retreat."

The witch nodded slightly and said coldly, "The extraordinary people of Shenzhou must pay the price for their actions."

The figure shrouded in mist let out a soft laugh, its voice icy as it said, "I'm not willing to slink back like this. I'll have to bring back some 'souvenirs'."

Looking at these seemingly harmonious but actually scheming "companions" before her, Tamamo-no-Mae couldn't help but let out a cold snort.

What a bunch of... short-sighted fools!
What kind of time is this? Instead of thinking about saving your own life, you're still dreaming of revenge?
But with these guys blocking my way, I can better escape unscathed, right?

Just like thousands of years ago, and more than a thousand years ago.

"Since you have all made up your minds..."

A strange glint flashed in Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes before she regained her alluring composure. "Then let's proceed according to plan. Target: the sealed lands throughout the Divine Continent! We will do everything in our power to completely disrupt them!"

"Let this ancient land play its lament for the fall of Takamagahara!"

The seven figures reached a consensus within the inner realm, then dispersed, preparing for their final and most insane act of revenge.

------

Suzhou and Hangzhou, Lingyin Temple
The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly over the ancient eaves and brackets of Lingyin Temple, draping this thousand-year-old temple in a layer of cool silver gauze.

All was quiet except for the rustling of the wind through the ancient trees and the occasional chirping of insects.

A dark figure, as silent as a ghost, leaped over the high wall and disappeared into the shadows of the temple. Dressed in a dark monk's robe, he moved with light steps, seemingly quite familiar with the paths within the temple, heading straight for Feilai Peak at the back of the mountain.

It was one of the lords of Takamagahara, the monk known as "Aoki Kurōbō".

He arrived at the foot of Feilai Peak, gazing up at the rugged and craggy rocks that appeared even more striking in the night, a hint of eagerness flashing in his eyes.

He clasped his hands together and muttered incantations, not Buddhist chants, but rather obscure mantras. As he chanted, he forced a drop of crimson blood from his fingertip, drew a talisman on his palm, and gently pressed it against the mountain wall.

"Om-"

On the mountain wall, the ordinary rocks suddenly lit up with golden lines, which upon closer inspection turned out to be countless tiny Buddhist Sanskrit characters!

These Sanskrit characters, like living chains, intertwine to form a vast net, deeply embedded in the mountain. Amidst the flowing golden light, a vague, bird-shaped figure, exuding an aura of arrogance and sharpness, can be faintly seen rising and falling deep within the seal.

The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra says: "Like a golden-winged bird, flying in the sky, abiding in the sky, observing the ocean with pure eyes..."

This is a guardian bird of Buddhism, possessing great power and also great anger. In the past, a high monk felt that its fierceness was harming living beings, so he used the supreme Buddhist teachings and the terrain of Feilai Peak to seal it here, temper its ferocity, and guide it towards goodness.

Upon seeing this, Aoki Zangbo was overjoyed and exclaimed in his heart, "It really is here! The Garuda King's Conversion Mantra! This humble monk painstakingly searched for this conversion mantra in Varanasi, and today it is time for me to use it!"

"As long as we bring this golden-winged roc spirit back to Japan and worship it with incense, it will surely become the guardian spirit of our temple in time, protecting our sect for a thousand years!"

The look of compassion on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by undisguised greed.

He quickly took out the magic artifacts he had prepared beforehand from his sleeve: several small banners engraved with inverted swastikas, and a pottery jar that exuded a mixed scent of sandalwood and blood. He began to set up a magic array around the golden, shimmering mountain wall.

However, just as he was fully focused and about to complete the final step of the magic array—

"Boo-boo-boo-"

Suddenly, countless flashlights lit up the surrounding area, illuminating it as bright as day.

Dozens of martial monks, wielding staffs and with piercing eyes, appeared from behind the mountains and temples, instantly surrounding him and exuding a chilling aura.

The leader, with white hair and beard and wearing a kasaya, was none other than Master Jiekong, the abbot of Lingyin Temple and one of the Ten Elders.

Holding prayer beads, he looked calmly at Aoki Zangfang and slowly said, "Amitabha, Venerable Aoki, this old monk and fellow practitioners have been waiting for a long time."

Aoki Zangfang froze, then looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment: "You...how did you know that this humble monk would come tonight?"

He believed his whereabouts were secretive, and in order to avoid detection, he even went so far as to use the Buddhist method of depicting sentient beings, transforming into various forms, and employing a variety of methods to conceal his aura.

Master Jiekong gave him a meaningful look, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate one's heart: "Has the Master forgotten? The net of Heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. After all, you are on my divine land."

In fact, Gao Erzhuang from the headquarters of Nadutong had already used nationwide network monitoring and information analysis to pinpoint the approximate location and potential targets of these extraordinary individuals who had infiltrated China.

Combined with the information about the sealed land provided by Zhang Zhiwei and Master Jiekong, their movements were almost transparent to the company.

Aoki Zangfang's expression shifted, his face filled with sorrow. He raised one hand to his chest, forcing himself to remain calm, and said, "Amitabha, Master Jiekong, we are both disciples of Buddhism, why must we turn against each other? The Buddha said, 'Lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot.' Why doesn't the Master offer a helping hand?"

Master Jiekong shook his head: "The Dharma Master is attached to appearances. The one with deep attachments is not this old monk, but the Dharma Master. This golden-winged bird is a spirit of the Divine Land, which was enlightened and suppressed by the Buddhist teachings of my ancestors. It should also be protected and guided by the Buddhist community of the Divine Land. This is cause and effect, and also a responsibility."

"The sorcerer's attempt to seize things by force with evil methods is not salvation, but enslavement; he has already entered the demonic path. The sea of ​​suffering is boundless; turn back and you will reach the shore."

"The demonic path? Haha!"

Aoki Zangfang seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and a mocking look appeared on his face: "Master Jiekong, your Lingyin Temple is surrounded by treasures, so naturally you don't know how difficult it is for my fellow practitioners in the Japanese Buddhist sect to pass on their teachings!"

"Such a powerful spirit is simply sealed away in your Lingyin Temple, which is like a pearl being covered in dust! Why not give it to this humble monk to help me spread Buddhism? Wouldn't that be a greater merit? Buddhism is vast and saves all sentient beings. Does it have to be divided between China and Japan?"

Upon hearing this, even the highly cultivated Master Jiekong couldn't help but spit out, "Bah! What a foreign monk! His skin is even thicker than mine!"

"You dare to rob and seize by force, and you make it sound so noble! The things of my land are governed by the laws of my land, how dare you steal them with your clever words and flattery?"

The two exchanged words, their wit and sharp exchanges concealing hidden meanings, but Aoki Zangfang's silver tongue kept Master Jiekong from giving an inch.

Seeing that words were useless, Aoki Kurō finally lost his patience. The feigned calm on his face vanished completely, replaced by a sinister and ruthless expression.

(End of this chapter)