Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

Jiang Yining met his gaze without backing down, and the vitality in her fingertips not only did not weaken, but became even stronger.

"I stand in this pool of merit not because of your compassionate charity, but because I have seized this life myself."

The two remained locked in a stalemate in the golden pool.

The ripples on the water's surface expanded in a circle, crashing against the pool wall with a dull echo.

A slight tremor ran through Fan Chenxin's fingertips.

The tremor traveled down his arm and spread directly into a violent fluctuation of Buddhist light over the entire Great Thunderclap Temple.

Jiang Yining keenly sensed the abnormality of this fluctuation.

She lowered her head, her gaze piercing through the golden pool water, locking onto the dark golden light that was still struggling wildly between Wu Bao's brows.

The foundation of the laws of the divine realm is not rooted in the bloodline of the Five Treasures, but rather it is repeatedly reignited by the distorted perception of fear.

As long as the Five Treasures remain fearful, these dark golden chains will continuously draw power from the void.

"I see."

Jiang Yining muttered to herself.

"What have you discovered, benefactor?"

Fan Chenxin forced herself to shift her attention.

"fear."

Jiang Yining immediately changed her hedging strategy.

She no longer used the purple-gold vines to forcibly strangle the outer chains.

All the chaotic vitality under her manipulation transformed into a fine and soft vine net.

This net precisely avoided the sharp edge of the divine realm's laws, directly enveloping the fragmented emotional pieces deep within the Five Treasures' souls.

Jiang Yining activated the bowl of Nine-Tailed Fox's Heart Blood that remained in the Five Treasures' bodies.

The aura belonging to Bai Ze was reactivated by the chaotic life force and flowed slowly along the meridians of the Five Treasures.

She lowered her head, pressed her lips to Wu Bao's cool earlobe, and spoke in an extremely soft and gentle voice.

"Wu Bao, don't be afraid. Smell this scent; it's your father's scent."

Wu Bao's tense little face trembled slightly.

"Your third sister is still waiting for you outside. She said she would take you home. No one can separate us."

After hearing these words, Wu Bao's tense little face finally relaxed a little.

The illusory fox tails behind her, which had previously been aggressive, stopped thrashing about.

One of the fox tails even drooped down softly, unconsciously wrapping around Jiang Yining's wrist as she was still casting a spell.

The dark golden chains, having lost their nourishment from fear, were completely shut out by the purple-gold vine net.

Under the light of Buddha, the chains gradually dissolved, and the churning golden water in the Merit Pool finally calmed down, restoring its crystal-clear appearance.

Fan Chenxin stood aside, watching the five treasures gradually settle into a peaceful sleep, the light in her eyes flickering uncertainly.

"The Chaos Devouring Technique actually managed to avoid the carnage and protect emotions and consciousness."

Fan Chenxin seemed to be in a daze, murmuring these words that completely defied his common sense.

"Surprised?"

Jiang Yining raised her eyelids and glanced at him, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Buddhist teachings say that all things are empty, and emotions are most likely to give rise to demons. Your actions... have overturned this humble monk's understanding."

Fan Chenxin spoke truthfully.

"You think devouring only leads to destruction? You've really turned your Buddhist practice into a block of wood."

Jiang Yining's tone was undisguisedly sarcastic.

"As long as it's someone I want to protect, even if it means swallowing the sky, I can still make room for her in a clean place."

She shook off Fan Chenxin's wrist.

Fan Chenxin staggered half a step, barely managing to steady herself.

"So don't try to scare your mother with your preordained notions; I don't fall for that."

Jiang Yining pulled the five treasures closer to her chest, her gaze passing over Fan Chenxin's shoulder and looking down into the water.

"My daughter's fate is not determined by destiny."

Fan Chenxin's understanding of Jiang Yining's methods completely collapsed at this moment, and he was speechless for a long time.

Just then, she caught a glimpse of something unusual at the bottom of the pool out of the corner of her eye.

Among the Bodhi beads that had just scattered, a few were caught up by the aftershocks of the Dark Gold Law.

The residual power of a century's worth of vows on those few Buddhist beads actually formed a miniature array at the bottom of the water, briefly suppressing the remaining divine poison patterns around them.

Jiang Yining reacted quickly, flicking a purple-gold vine from her sleeve.

The vines, like nimble tentacles, coiled around the bottom of the pool and scooped up three Bodhi beads that were still shimmering with the purest golden light of merit and vows, placing them directly into her wide sleeves.

Fan Chenxin saw her actions but did not speak to stop her.

Jiang Yining stood up straight, holding the five treasures, water droplets dripping down her chin.

"Next time, I will use the power of merit and vows to cleanse the surface toxins, and I will use the chaotic vitality to protect her soul, and then use the blood of the Nine-Tailed Fox to stabilize her bloodline."

Jiang Yining's gaze fell on Fan Chenxin's chest, which was soaked with water.

"As for you, Master..." She raised her chin slightly, pointed to the huge rock on the shore, and drew a line for this high-ranking Buddhist disciple.

"You just need to stand on the shore and chant the sutra across the pool."

"Without my permission, you are not allowed to go into the water again, and you are not allowed to get close to touch the spirits of the Five Treasures by spreading the Buddha's light."

Jiang Yining's tone conveyed absolute control.

As Fan Chenxin listened to her commands, her gaze fell on her empty wrist.

There were still red marks left by Jiang Yining's fingertips.

The broken thread clung limply to his finger, as if mocking his utter defeat today.

"Amitabha."

A suspicious blush instantly appeared on the tips of Fan Chenxin's ears.

He glanced down at the rosary in his hand, now containing only a single empty red thread, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

"This humble monk has noted it down."

He didn't dare look at Jiang Yining's face, which was even more alluring because of the misty air.

The moon-white monk's robe drew a chaotic arc in the water.

This Buddhist disciple, revered by thousands, leaped out of the Merit Pool almost as if fleeing in panic.

His soaked, moon-white monk's robe fluttered in the wind. He didn't even dare to turn around to pick up the other Buddhist beads scattered at the bottom of the pool, and his steps were more unsteady than usual.

Jiang Yining watched his disheveled retreat and snorted coldly.

"They run fast."

Holding the peacefully sleeping Wubao, she slowly walked ashore on the white jade steps.

The wind from the shore blew across her soaked skirt, bringing a touch of coolness.

Jiang Yining took out a thick, fluffy cloak from her storage ring and carefully wrapped Wu Bao up tightly, then tied the collar ties securely.

Then, she joined her index and middle fingers together, and a purple-gold light emanated from the tips of her fingers. She gently touched the center of Wu Bao's forehead, adding a purple-gold soul-protecting mark.

Wu Bao's breathing became even and deep, and his condition was finally stabilized.

The Merit Pond has returned to its pristine state, and the white lotuses on its surface, nourished by the Buddha's light, have begun to bloom slowly once more.

From a distant side hall came the sound of Fan Chenxin chanting scriptures during his seclusion.

At first, the sound of the wooden fish striking the drum was rapid and chaotic. After a long time, the sound gradually became steady and returned to its previous rhythm through repeated forced suppression.

Jiang Yining took out three Bodhi prayer beads from her sleeve.

The prayer beads still carry a faint trace of body heat and sandalwood scent.

"The master's items are excellent for use as a baptismal array."

A satisfied smile appeared on Jiang Yining's lips as she put the Buddhist beads into her storage ring.

The jade pendant at her waist suddenly began to vibrate.

Da Bao's cold voice came from the jade pendant, his tone revealing undisguised murderous intent.

"Mother, did that bald monk bully you?"

"He wouldn't dare."

Jiang Yining picked up Wubao and walked towards the side courtyard.

She stopped as she passed the closed side hall.

The temple doors were tightly shut, and the deep, rhythmic sound of the wooden fish drum emanated from within, as if the person chanting the sutra was focusing all their attention on controlling the rhythm.

"Master, thank you for your hard work these past forty-nine days."

Jiang Yining's voice pierced through the palace doors, and the sound of the wooden fish inside the palace abruptly stopped.

After a long while, a dry, hoarse sound finally rang out:

"Amitabha."