Young master, why not become a corpse immortal?

Chapter 344 Today I will ascend to the stars!
"Ah? What is this?"

Xiao Shanshen popped out from his sleeve and exclaimed softly.

When the thick fog rolled in earlier, she couldn't see what was happening inside the fog, so she simply hid in Lin Jiang's sleeve.

That's how Lin Jiang saw this thing for the first time.

Lin Jiang's eyes were gloomy.

The sight of these densely packed fingernails is deeply unsettling. If someone with trypophobia were to see this, they would probably faint on the spot.

Although Lin Jiang felt a little uncomfortable, what bothered him even more was the aura emanating from above his fingernails.

Smell.

It was not the stench of disaster.

Rather, it is a "stench" that comes from the extermination of humanity.

Its taste is not much better than that of a calamity.

"Sir?"

Yu Wenyun noticed a slight change in Lin Jiang's expression and couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt.

He walked slowly to the stone Buddha and squatted down with Lin Jiang to examine its interior.

However, when he saw those fingers, Yu Wenyun suddenly burst into tears:

"So many lives lost! What kind of people could commit such a heinous crime!"

Lin Jiang glanced at Yu Wenyun.

This was not the first time he had cried or laughed so loudly; it seemed that his emotions were more prone to extremes than those of ordinary people, which might be a consequence of being possessed by calamity.

"Do you recognize what kind of method this is? It's impossible for someone to leave fingernails here for no reason," Lin Jiang asked Yu Wenyun directly.

Yu Wenyun wiped away her tears, and her sobbing gradually subsided.

He stared at the pile of fingernails, examined them for a moment, then rubbed his temples in thought:

“I have guarded the southern border for many years and have indeed seen barbarians use such methods. Some people can devour parts of other people’s bodies to obtain their thoughts and memories, but their level of evil is completely different from that here.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Jiang remained silent for a moment:
"Is it possible to absorb lifespan through devouring?"

Yu Wenyun fell into deep thought again:
“Martial arts cultivation is slightly different from other cultivation methods. For a moment, I wondered if it was possible. I was not sure, but it was generally feasible. After all, the fingers are also called the three jiaos, which are actually extensions of the body. Some secret methods can indeed condense lifespan in the fingertips.”

Lin Jiang thought for a moment, then asked again:
When did the disaster strike Northwest China?

"The Northwest was hit by a disaster? That's been going on for quite some time." Yu Wenyun recalled carefully: "It's been about twenty-two or twenty-three years. Back then, the Northwest was suddenly hit by a locust plague. They were all demonic creatures that were cultivating. We did our best to find the source and eradicate them. The desolation of Feng'ao Mountain was created by that time."

More than two decades...

Based on what I saw in the mist, the high monk was already on the verge of death, yet he is still clinging to life.

It is likely that this method was used to forcibly prolong life.

Lin Jiang was puzzled by only one thing.

When the abbot first bit his finger, a faint black aura had already dissipated from his body, but when he injected life energy into him earlier, there was not a trace of black aura left in his body.

So pure and clear, as if one had never been tainted by sin.

How exactly can they hide?

Lin Jiang could understand that the fingernail was placed inside the golden Buddha, and that the merit generated by the daily worship of the people was used to suppress the black energy. However, the golden Buddha was not the abbot himself, and it was impossible for Lin Jiang not to notice anything when he was in such close contact with it.

There was no explanation for the stone Buddha, and Lin Jiang couldn't figure it out either.

Can't figure it out...

Then I won't think about it.

Just go and ask that abbot!
Now that we have obtained the crucial evidence, there is no need to be polite with the other party anymore; we must seize the opportunity when it is time to take it.

Just as the two were about to turn and leave, Lin Jiang suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He gently ran his fingertips across his lapel and noticed that it was covered with a thin layer of frost.

Beside him, the tear tracks on Yu Wenyun's face had already frozen into two icicles. He carelessly wiped them down his cheek, ripped them off, and tossed them aside. Then, he smiled and said:

"Young master, it seems this man wants to confront us head-on."

Lin Jiang's expression was slightly subtle.

Seeing the young monk standing to the side frozen stiff, he gently blew a breath of warm summer air in that direction.

The next moment, a warm, soft light formed around the little monk, warming his body and stopping his trembling. He turned over, assuming a comfortable position, and fell into a deep sleep again. "The benefactor is truly kind-hearted."

The doors of the main hall opened silently, and the withered old monk slowly entered.

A faint, gentle smile graced his face as he looked at Lin Jiang with a calm gaze.

It was the abbot who had been infused with life force by Lin Jiang during the day.

He looked at Lin Jiang, his eyes calm and even filled with sincere gratitude:

"If it weren't for your vibrant life force, young master, this old monk would probably have to stay in bed for another three to five days before he could get up."

Then, a hint of curiosity crept into his voice:
"When I was young, I also traveled the world and met several great medical masters. They possessed similar skill to yours, young master. However, this profession is inherently difficult, and usually only those who have reached the inner hall realm can acquire such abilities. Young master, you are so young, may I ask who your master is?"

"This is just my personal cultivation method. There is a Lin family over there in Baishan. I wonder if the abbot has heard of them."

“The Lin family… oh, the Lin family.” The old abbot gently tapped his forehead, as if he had suddenly remembered, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Jiang’s face: “I remember now, I have indeed met members of the Lin family. They were all outstanding in appearance. Time flies, and I almost forgot about them.”

"Unexpectedly, it was an old acquaintance."

"We're not exactly close; we've only met once."

The abbot gazed at Lin Jiang, a subtle longing finally rising in his eyes.

It was neither greed for treasure nor thirst for power.

It was more like a primal throbbing that arose deep within one's blood.

appetite.

"Young master, have you noticed the fingernail marks on the back of the Buddha statue?"

Lin Jiang turned to look at the huge golden Buddha, where dark tears were slowly seeping down his face from the Buddha's eyes.

“These… are probably refugees from the past.” Lin Jiang pointed to the golden statue behind him. “You devoured the lifespans of disaster victims from over twenty years ago.”

"Young Master, you've come here specifically to investigate this matter?" The abbot's cloudy eyes revealed deep doubt. "Back then, I was extremely cautious in my actions. There were many refugees, and if a few people were to disappear without a trace, no one would notice."

“Indeed, it’s not easy to detect.” Lin Jiang’s gaze was icy as he scanned the monk from head to toe. “You, on the other hand, act as if it’s perfectly natural.”

"What are you referring to, young master? Are you saying that this old monk... shared the food with those refugees?"

The abbot let out a deep sigh.
"That was all their own choice. At that time, food and cooking were exhausted, and there were always people who had to be abandoned. Children, the elderly, and the wounded. What could be done? They would all eventually be buried on the road."

“Even if I opened the gates of my temple and emptied the granaries, it would still be difficult to provide for them all. Some of them may have family members who begged me to take them in, or they may have voluntarily gone with me. I will carefully send their bodies back to dust, and only… I will keep a finger bone as a memento.”

The old abbot slowly raised his head, his gaze calm and unwavering, looking directly into Lin Jiang's eyes, as if stating something self-evident:
"In my opinion, this act cannot be considered an evil deed or malicious act."

His eyes were clear and pure, his words were frank and genuine, and his expression remained unwavering, clearly showing that he truly believed it without a doubt.

“I have been worshipping the Buddha for many years and have devoted myself to spreading the Buddha’s compassion. However, it is precisely because of this persistent practice that my spiritual practice has stagnated before the point of star-pointing, and I have not made any progress for a long time. I urgently need to prolong my life, so I have chosen this method.”

“Your every word and action is as clear as a mirror.” Lin Jiang shook his head: “Unfortunately, this method is ultimately immoral and against reason. You have gone astray.”

"What does the young master intend to do? Does he intend to become my enemy in this very temple?"

A faint smile appeared on the old abbot's withered face:

"Young master's arrival this time is perhaps somewhat unfortunate."

Before he finished speaking, the dormant Qi around him began to rise steadily like an undercurrent.

"In the past, I consumed too many secret techniques, staining my body with darkness, and was ultimately bound by the path of cultivation. Realizing that this kind of cultivation would make it difficult to even glimpse the path of the Star Pointing Technique, I sought out three spiritual children and planted all the roots of greed, anger, and ignorance within their hearts. Today, the three children have completed their training and returned. Fortunately, the young master is full of vitality. Tonight will be the time for me to break through the barrier and reach a new realm!"

He opened his arms, a sudden flash of fanaticism in his eyes:
"From this day forward, a new star will emerge in Buddhism, and from this day forward, this old monk will no longer be limited by lifespan!"

Lin Jiang put his hand to his forehead.

He glanced at Yu Wenyun, who strode straight to the abbot of Mingde Temple and delivered a resounding slap.

Caught off guard, the abbot spun around like a top that had been struck, then stumbled and tumbled down at Lin Jiang's feet.

Lin Jiang kicked his knee hard, and with a crisp crack, the knee broke.

The abbot collapsed to the ground with a thud, his body curled up and prone, a look of bewilderment instantly appearing on his face.

What...what's going on?

Lin Jiang and Yu Wenyun moved with lightning speed. Before the abbot could even react, he was brutally beaten in a daze.

The abbot, who was lying prostrate on the ground, struggled to raise his head and look at Lin Jiang.

Behind Lin Jiang, the golden Buddha statue, its eyes dripping with black blood, stared menacingly at the old abbot.

(End of this chapter)