Bitter Realm: My Feet Step Through the Flames of War

“Your Excellency, Xueyi from the Western Confucian School greets you.”

Fawei stood up and bowed: "So it is the Eight-Colored Scholar Crane, indeed you are extraordinary."

“Venerable Sir, the three of us have come here to deliver a Buddhist scripture to your temple’s Akasagarbha.”

"Akasagarbha? What Buddhist scripture is that?"

Upon hearing these three words, Fawei dared not hesitate. The events of several months ago were still vivid in his mind. A high-ranking member of the Ghost Prison lived in the Void Treasury. Fortunately, Wu Jun and Buddha Shou exposed him, thus restoring peace to the Western Buddha.

Shanshuilang took out a booklet from his chest and handed it over. Fearing that it would be lost, he dared not put it in the book basket on his back, but kept it close to his body day and night.

"It's actually 'The Tale of the Lamp Lighting at Lingjiu'!"

Fawei was even more astonished. This was a Buddhist scripture written by the Venerable Buddha himself, recording the Venerable Buddha's lifelong study of the Western Buddhist treasures. Since the Venerable Buddha's Nirvana, this Buddhist scripture has mysteriously disappeared for a thousand years.

Since the matter was of utmost importance, Fawei dared not stand on ceremony and hurriedly led the three to Ganlu Cave to meet with Shizhi Garan.

At this moment, Garan had just returned from the Water Moon Terrace in the southern corner, and his heart was like a small boat sailing on a vast expanse of waves, drifting aimlessly.

Just now, Guanyin of the Fourth Dhyana Heaven told the Sangharama a story, a story about the Buddha's Disc destroying the Ghost Prison. In this story, the seal of the Ghost Prison must first be broken in order to completely eradicate this scourge.

The Guanyin of the Near Moon told the Sangharama that she was originally a person from the Ghost Prison, named Blood Sea Guanyin·Du Mo Lian.

Long ago, the Venerable Buddha made a bet with the Heavenly Ghost. The Heavenly Ghost bet that the Venerable Buddha would definitely kill someone, while the Venerable Buddha bet that the Heavenly Ghost wanted to kill someone but couldn't.

"The Venerable Buddha thus developed a desire to kill the Buddha. Subsequently, the Venerable Buddha cleverly used this desire to set up a scheme, and this scheme is related to you."

Because the most important Eight-Faced Demon Rong in the Buddha's thousand-year plan had been killed by the Martial Lord and the Buddha's head, the plan had changed. After thinking hard for a long time, he had no choice but to reveal everything.

Garan instantly understood that in this game, he was the Buddha's secret weapon.

The Ganlu Cave remained empty, and the monk Shizhi, who was usually as comfortable as if he were sitting in a spring breeze, suddenly felt a chill.

So this is what my destiny is all about. Everything my master gave me was just to help me successfully complete the grand plan to destroy the Ghost Prison.

“Sacrificing oneself for righteousness is what the monastery desires; Master, there is really no need to hide it from me.”

The emotional turmoil didn't last long. Shi Shengjialan quickly accepted his fate and secretly plotted how to send his head out in order to deceive the Ghost Prison.

Chapter 434 The Martial Lord Returns to the Western Buddhist Realm

Ganlu Grottoes.

The monk took the "Record of Lighting the Lamp at Lingjiu" from the mountain and water man and confirmed that it was the handwriting of the Buddha.

The crowd listened to Shan Shui Lang recount the events again, and Xi Xueyi also confessed that Gui Yu had sent Zuo Qiu Mo to infiltrate Xi Ru and steal Wan Xiao Huang Yan.

"I see……"

Based on the words of Guanyin near the moon, the complete plan for honoring the Buddha gradually emerged in the mind of the Venerable Sangharama.

Garan gazed at the mountain and water man, who looked relaxed after delivering the Buddhist scriptures, and felt sorry for him for sharing the same fate as himself.

The Buddha is compassionate, and the temple does not want the young man from the mountains and rivers to be sacrificed in a muddled way.

Therefore, he said in a harmonious voice: "In the 'Lingjiu Lighting the Lamp Record,' in addition to the soul consciousness of Zhang Chou Wuqi, there is also a Lingjiu Holy Seal. This Holy Seal was also left by the Buddha to repair the sacred energy of the Void Treasury."

"Oh, I see. Then it has nothing to do with me anymore, right? Goodbye."

Shanshui Lang slung his book basket over his shoulder and prepared to leave the Western Buddhist Realm.

"Wait a minute."

Garan walked up to him and bowed deeply: "In the past, the Buddha cut off his own flesh to feed the eagle, and Mahasattva offered his body to the tiger. Today, to quell the calamity of the Ghost Prison, the Venerable Buddha has laid out a thousand-year-old plan. Please grant it, benefactor."

What are you talking about?

Shan Shui Lang was completely bewildered, but Xi Xue Yi and Fa Wei Jingang discerned a clue.

Xi Xueyi asked in a deep voice, "I escorted this person here, and I have a responsibility to take him back. Please tell me, Holy Balance, what exactly is the Buddha's plan?"

“A life for a life, please forgive the ruthlessness of the Garan. If Zhang Chou is to be resurrected, Shan Shui Lang must die.”

"What! You're lying!"

Gu Su Huanjian, who had been admiring the scenery, jumped up as if he had stepped in dog poop upon hearing this.

"Buddhists do not lie."

Xi Xueyi asked again: "The Venerable Buddha preserved Zhang Chou Wuqi's soul back then so that he could be resurrected one day, thereby breaking the Ghost Prison Seal of the Devouring Mouth."

"Of course."

"Hmph, Gusu Huanjian doesn't trust you monks. You're all full of scheming. I want to revive my friend, but I don't want to kill this young scholar in vain."

Xi Xueyi stopped Gu Su from interrupting, then asked, "What happens after the seal is broken?"

"I'm sorry, the rest are matters within the Western Buddhist Realm, which are responsibilities we must bear. Garan can guarantee that we will not let Shanshui Lang's sacrifice go to waste."

"no!"

The usually gentle Xueyi refused outright.

On the contrary, Shan Shui Lang was dumbfounded. It turned out that he hadn't died back then because he hadn't really been saved by the Buddha, but because the Buddha wanted to leave him until now to die.

Gu Su scratched his head, troubled, and said, "Although it's a life for a life, I can't do such a thing. My friend's soul is still here, so I'll find another way to revive him."

"Amitabha."

The conversation was not very pleasant, and Xi Xueyi then took her leave: "We are temporarily residing at Youxiantai. If there is anything we need to discuss, Saint Heng can send someone to Youxiantai. Thank you."

"please."

Garan respectfully escorted the three people in snow-white robes to the outside of the Ganlu Cave. After they had gone far away, he and Dharmakṣa Vajra arrived at the Vulture Peak Stupa.

After being possessed by the Eight-Faced Demon King for a long time, both the stupa and the Akasagarbha were filled with ghostly energy and turbid air.

Master Shi Zhi held the "Record of Lighting the Lamp at Lingjiu" in his hand, but hesitated to make a move.

"The Saintly Balanced One?"

"Ok?"

"Why not open the Buddhist scriptures and release the sacred seal?"

"If Garan's prediction is correct, once the Holy Seal is released, the fate of that Mountain and Water Man will come to an end, in exchange for Zhang Chou's indefinite return."

"this?"

The Vajra of Dharma joined his palms and sighed.

Just as Garan was struggling to make a decision, a powerful voice echoed into the West Buddhist Temple.

"When a hero draws his sword, another ten years of calamity befall the people. Luo Hou has come to visit the Holy Balance and requests an audience."

"Hmm? It's Lord Wu. Garan has failed to greet you properly."

After carefully putting away the "Record of Lighting the Lamp at Vulture Peak," the monk Shi Shengjialan left the stupa and hurried to the mountain gate to greet him.

Only Luo Hou came this time. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking relaxed and carefree, as if he were leisurely enjoying the scenery.

"Why does the Holy Ruler look so troubled?"

Luo Hou had previously visited the Western Buddhist Realm to resolve the Ghost Prison issue once and for all. Upon their first meeting, he noticed the worry on Shi Zhi Jialan's face.

Looking at Vajrapani again, he also had an awkward expression.

"Please continue this discussion at Ganlu Grottoes."

After Vajrapani withdrew, Rahu followed Shakya to the Ganlu Cave. The two sat down, and the monastery recounted the recent events that had occurred between the Western Buddha and the Western Confucian.

What worried him was not his own life, but the lives of Zhang Chou Wuqi and Shanshui Lang. Zhang Chou Wuqi was a crucial link in breaking the seal of the Ghost Prison, but he simply could not bring himself to sacrifice the scholar.

"The Martial Lord's slaying of the Eight-Headed Evil God is truly a meritorious act of the Bitter Realm. It is a pity that Garan cannot perform such a great feat as the Martial Lord."

“Sage Heng, forgive my bluntness, but the Buddha’s brilliant plan is nothing more than exchanging one child for another, sacrificing the Western Buddha and the Sword Clan to exchange for the possibility of completely resolving the Yama Ghost Prison. The risk is too great.”

"If we don't use this plan, then we must strengthen the seal so that the Ghost Prison can never be released."

Garan's face showed even more worry, and he said, "But Ghost Prison has obtained the Myriad Demon Desolate Rock, and one of the three seals has been removed. After thousands of years, like the Eight-Headed Dragon's head, the seal will loosen, and Ghost Prison may be able to break free."

"That is indeed possible."

Rahu took the initiative to release the dragon's head and allow Orochi to be reborn, thus completely resolving the calamity and apocalypse. This proactive action was worthy of the admiration of the Buddha.

The plan to venerate Buddha is exactly the same.

This is why Garan accepted Guanyin's suggestion without hesitation to use his own head to break the third seal.

Luo Hou said calmly, "To break the seal of the Devouring Mouth, it is not necessarily necessary for Zhang Chou Wuqi to be resurrected."

"Does the Martial Lord have a good plan?"

“Sage Heng, I have never agreed with the practice of exchanging one’s own for another. What is more precious than our own life than the life of our opponent, is it?”

"Sacrificing oneself for righteousness, the temple has no regrets."

"Fine, I'll handle the matter of sealing the Ghost Prison. When the time comes, you can come with me to kill your way down into the Ghost Prison."

Shi Zhijialan's eyes lit up as he recalled the legendary son of God.

"Does the Martial Lord intend to use the Grim Reaper to sweep through?"

Luo Hou smiled arrogantly: "Use whatever works. Besides, this little ghost prison is nothing more than a few flies buzzing against the wall. A few mournful cries, a few sobs. Ants climbing a locust tree boast of a great nation, how easy is it for a mayfly to shake a tree?"

"What does it mean?"

"The poems of a great man tell us that the enemy is nothing but a paper tiger, so why scare ourselves?"

"Galan has learned a lot."

This time, when the Martial Lord returned, for some reason, Galan felt that the Martial Lord was significantly different from the one he had seen last time. He exuded a more heroic and transcendent aura, like a long wind breaking through the waves and swallowing the sky.

Garan had never seen what he said in any classic texts, yet he found it endlessly fascinating.

Unbeknownst to him, Galan was infected by the infection. The worry on his face gradually disappeared, and his face was once again clear and bright, open and unhindered.

Chapter 435 The Resurrection of the Adopted Sister

Inside Youxiantai, the moonlight was like a hook at midnight.

Xi Xueyi, Gu Su Huanjian, and Shanshui Lang have not yet returned from their journey to the Western Buddhist Realm. The young master smiled and lit the candles in the room.

"I never expected that Xi Xueyi's investigation of Wanxuan's desolate cliffs would lead her to the courtesan of Youxiantai. It seems this woman is not simple. This is truly interesting."