Survival in an apartment, starting with a stroke of luck on a plane

A cool and pure energy instantly flowed through the body, sweeping away any traces of impurity and fatigue from the outside world. The body felt as if it had been cleansed and refreshed, and the [Purification] effect was enhanced once again.

Having replenished his fluids and improved his condition, Lin Yu didn't linger any longer.

He formed hand seals and uttered a low shout: "Shadow Clone Technique!"

With a soft "bang" and a puff of white smoke, a clone that looked exactly like his original body, even down to the eyes, appeared in the living room.

"This is the true self." The clone nodded in acknowledgment.

"You stay in the Taoist study and continue your research," Lin Yu instructed.

Previously, because he was about to go out and the level of danger in the outside world was still unclear, Lin Yu did not create shadow clones to consume his magic power.

Now that he has figured out the strength of the cultivators in Iron Tree County, he no longer needs to worry and can let his shadow clone conduct research with peace of mind.

"Understood." The clone replied succinctly, then turned and walked into the study, where he sat cross-legged before the statue of [Qingyuan Miaodao Zhenjun] and quickly entered a meditative state.

After arranging the "logistics," Lin Yu himself didn't stay here for too long. He just rested for a while, then pushed open the apartment door and went back to the outside world.

Lin Yu got on his bike and headed down the mountain.

As he approached the foot of the mountain where people were active, Lin Yu put away his electric bike in advance. Like an ordinary traveler, he walked for a while and then arrived at the east gate of Tieshu County again.

He revealed the "Immortal Guide," and the city guards remained as awe-inspiring as ever, allowing him to enter the city smoothly.

This time, his target was the west of the city—the Black Buddha.

The official practitioners, represented by Master Wumu, have already met with him.

He needs to go and see for himself, to gather more information about this twisted world.

The atmosphere changed noticeably as soon as you entered the western part of the city.

The buildings here are lower and more densely packed, the streets are narrow and winding, and the air is filled with a complex smell—a mixture of the incense smell often found in temples, a kind of indescribable, sweet smell like cheap cosmetics, and even a faint, rusty smell.

The further you go towards Blackfoss, the stronger the smell becomes, as if invisible tentacles are teasing your sense of smell.

Most of the pedestrians on the street had an unhealthy pale complexion, but their eyes were unusually focused, even to the point of being almost fanatical.

They rarely spoke, and when they did, their voices were low. Their steps were hurried, yet their destination was clear: they were converging on Blackfoss.

The temple of Black Buddha was more magnificent than Lin Yu had imagined, with black tiles, dark red high walls, and a tall temple gate that was wide open.

Pilgrims came in an endless stream, silently queuing to enter, the atmosphere solemn yet somewhat oppressive.

Lin Yu mingled among the worshippers and stepped over the high threshold. To the right of the entrance, there was a simple incense and candle stall, where several young novices dressed in gray robes were busy at work.

What's striking is that these young monks have black skin, making them look like Black people, yet their faces are normal Eastern features, creating a stark contrast with their dark skin.

They looked like yellow-skinned people whose bodies had been deliberately dyed black.

Lin Yu's gaze fell on the incense and candles displayed at the stall, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.

The incense sticks and candles also looked quite strange. They were not made of bamboo sticks or wooden cores, but of a dark red, slightly translucent material that resembled some kind of biological tissue. You could even see fine, vein-like textures on the surface.

He subconsciously touched it lightly with his finger, and felt a strange, warm and elastic sensation on his fingertip, as if he were touching a piece of meat.

[Fragrant Flesh] (Black Iron Grade)

Category: Props

[Effect: After being lit, it will slowly absorb the blood and life essence of the person who lit it, mix with the incense, and form a special smoke.]

This smoke may have a weak attracting or calming effect on specific targets.

[Flesh Body Candle] (Iron Grade)

[Effect: Similar to the fragrance of the flesh, but with a longer burning duration and slightly higher efficiency in absorbing life essence.]

[Description: A special offering made using unknown secret methods; if offered sincerely, it may please certain beings.]

Lin Yu immediately understood. No wonder he felt a faint but real mixture of blood energy and spiritual energy in the air as soon as he entered the temple grounds.

It turns out that the "incense offerings" of this Black Buddha Temple are actually based on exploiting the life force of its believers.

These pale-faced, yet fervent-eyed worshippers are likely losing their health and even their lifespan as these sticks of "flesh incense" burn.

As he was secretly surprised, a gentle, mellow voice, yet strangely tinged with greasiness, rang out beside him: "Amitabha, this benefactor has an unfamiliar face but an extraordinary bearing. Is this your first time visiting my Black Buddha Temple?"

Lin Yu turned his head and saw a fat monk with dark, shiny skin, wearing a yellow robe, who was smiling at him with his hands clasped together.

The monk had a fat head and big ears, and looked somewhat like the kind and gentle Maitreya Buddha in the secular world. However, his eyes, which were squeezed into narrow shapes by his fat, occasionally flashed with a shrewd and calculating light that did not match his appearance.

Moreover, judging from the strange aura emanating from him, he was obviously also a cultivator. As for his strength, Lin Yu sensed it briefly and found that he was also at the Bronze level, but much weaker than Master Wumu.

"Greetings, Master." Lin Yu's mind raced, but he didn't show any timidity on the surface. He returned the greeting with a cupped hand and a calm expression: "I've been traveling around and just arrived here. I heard that Black Buddha Temple is a famous local site with profound Buddhist teachings, so I came here to pay my respects and hope to gain some Buddhist affinity."

The fat monk's smile grew even brighter, like a black chrysanthemum blooming: "Excellent, excellent! It is truly a good karmic connection that you have the heart to turn to Buddhism."

Strangely enough, last night when I was meditating, I received a compassionate reminder from Buddha that a distinguished guest with wisdom would visit us today, and that we would have a karmic connection with our temple.

"I was specifically instructed to greet you here, and now it seems the Buddha was right; you are indeed our honored guest."

Lin Yu sneered inwardly. Was this some kind of dream from Buddha?

Such a clumsy excuse might fool an ignorant country bumpkin, but to use it to fool him is an insult to his intelligence.

If he wasn't mistaken, he estimated that the three cultivation forces in Tieshu County already knew of his existence the moment he entered the door yesterday.

But his face subtly displayed a mix of flattery and bewilderment: "Oh? Is that so? I'm just an ordinary person, how could I possibly be qualified to have the Buddha appear in my dream to offer such a reminder? Master, have you mistaken me for someone else?"

"Buddhist affinity is mysterious and difficult for us ordinary people to guess," the fat monk chuckled, his fat face jiggling. "Since you are a person with affinity, if you don't mind, how about I lead the way and introduce you to the Buddha statues and their stories in the various halls of this temple? My Dharma name is Huiming, and I am the guest monk of this temple."

"So you are Master Huiming, I've heard so much about you." Lin Yu took the opportunity to speak, as he was just worried about not finding a chance to learn more about this evil temple, so he naturally wouldn't refuse this "kind offer": "Then I'll trouble you, Master."

"Please follow me, benefactor." Monk Huiming gestured for Lin Yu to follow, then led him past the crowd of worshippers and deeper into the temple.

The first place we arrived at was the most spacious front hall.

The hall was dimly lit and housed a huge Buddha statue, entirely black, seated cross-legged on a black lotus pedestal.

This Buddha statue is completely different from the solemn and benevolent Buddha statues in ordinary temples. Its face seems to be shrouded in a layer of flowing black mist, blurry and indistinct, with only a pair of huge, empty, and cold eyes vaguely visible.

The Buddha statue is not surrounded by auspicious clouds and mythical beasts, but rather by countless tiny, human-like figures of various shapes. They twist, struggle, and wail, as if they are drowning in an endless sea of ​​darkness and suffering, never to be reborn.

The hall was filled with worshippers who devoutly lit the flesh-colored "flesh incense," knelt on the cold prayer cushions, and kowtowed. Wisps of smoke, carrying the scent of blood, rose and merged into the black Buddha statue, making the blackness of the Buddha statue seem even deeper and more vivid.

It was definitely not a good thing.

Lin Yu glanced at the Buddha statue, wanting to check its contents, but it didn't seem to be a game item, so he couldn't figure out anything about it.

"This is the main deity of my Black Buddha Temple—'Great Black Nirvana Buddha'." Monk Huiming introduced with a tone full of awe: "It symbolizes the ultimate truth that all things eventually return to Nirvana and all sentient beings cross the sea of ​​suffering."

Believers burn incense and pray here, offering their bodies and minds, which helps them cleanse their karmic obstacles and ascend to the Pure Land of Nirvana as soon as possible.

Lin Yu looked at the pale-faced but fanatical worshippers, and then at the black Buddha that was absorbing the scent of blood and incense, and a chill ran down his spine.

This is hardly a cleansing of karmic obstacles; it is clearly a naked sacrifice of life.

After the introductions were quickly completed, Monk Huiming led Lin Yu through the front hall to the slightly smaller middle hall.

The atmosphere in this hall was even more eerie, as it housed a black Buddha statue with eight arms.

The eight-armed Buddha statue has a ferocious face with exposed fangs. Each arm holds a strange ritual implement, some of which are prayer beads made of human skulls, some are heart lamps with a cluster of eerie green flames, and some are miniature drums covered with unknown leather... all of which exude an ominous and evil aura.

What's most unsettling is that the Buddha's exposed belly isn't round and plump, but rather has a huge, irregular crack. Inside that crack isn't internal organs, but a constantly spinning, bottomless, dark vortex.

It looks quite distressing.

There were fewer worshippers in the hall, but they all had empty eyes and ashen faces, as if their souls had been taken away. They just knelt and offered incense mechanically.

"This is the 'Eight-Armed Devourer of Karma'," Master Huiming explained. "It is dedicated to devouring the afflictions and karmic obstacles of the world for sincere believers. The deeper the karmic obstacles and the more one offers, the stronger the Devourer's devouring power becomes, and the purer the believer becomes."

His words were calm, but Lin Yu keenly caught a fleeting glimpse of greed deep in his eyes.

Finally, Monk Huiming led Lin Yu to the rear hall area, the deepest part of the temple.

This place is generally not open to the public; the temple doors are closed, and there are dark-skinned monks dressed as martial monks guarding it.

Monk Huiming gestured for Lin Yu to stop outside the hall. Through the crack in the door, one could vaguely see that the light inside the hall was very dim. It seemed that what was enshrined was not a specific Buddha statue, but a huge shadow made up of countless black, twisted, and intertwined human-shaped limbs that was constantly writhing and changing.

A vast, chaotic force, filled with extreme pain, resentment, and madness, surged out of the hall like a tide. Even through the hall doors, Lin Yu felt as if countless vengeful spirits were howling in his ears.

"This is the fundamental Dharma form of my Black Buddha Temple—'The Buddha Mother Who Makes All Bodies Return to One'." Monk Huiming's voice was filled with utmost piety and reverence, lowered to a level that could be heard by only the two of them: "The Buddha Mother has no fixed form; she is the manifestation of the ultimate destination of all spirits."

Only those with great perseverance and exceptional opportunity can see its true form, nor can they gaze at it for an extended period; otherwise, their minds and spirits are easily assimilated and swayed.

Lin Yu nodded. This black Buddha statue, from the incense and candles to the Buddha statues, exuded an eerie aura.

This is not a pure Buddhist sanctuary for saving all sentient beings, but a den of demons that uses faith as a guise to devour lives and collect negative energy.

Throughout the visit, Lin Yu frequently spoke with Monk Huiming, trying to extract more information.

"The Buddhism taught at your temple is indeed... very unique, quite different from Buddhism in the Central Plains. I wonder what the methods of practice are, and what the core principles are?"

The monk Huiming laughed and said, "My Black Buddha lineage emphasizes 'destruction before construction, and death before life.'"

The mortal world is a sea of ​​suffering; the physical body is a shackle and a burden of karma. Only by being courageous enough to dedicate oneself, merging one's flesh, soul, and even all karma into the light of Buddha's Nirvana, can one sever the cycle of reincarnation and attain true freedom and liberation.

"Look at these devotees, benefactor. The more thoroughly they dedicate themselves, the closer they are to the Buddha, and the more serene their expressions."

He pointed to the pilgrims who were pale-faced but had unusually "bright" eyes.

Peaceful? Lin Yu looked at those faces that seemed to have been drained of life and felt a wave of nausea.

He then asked, "The monks of your monastery, their skin color... seems to be a result of their spiritual practice?"

Monk Huiming touched his dark, shiny arm, a proud look on his face: "This is a manifestation of long-term service to the Buddha, being nurtured by the light of Nirvana, shedding the impurities of the mortal body, and gradually acquiring the 'Buddha's bronze appearance.' The darker the skin, the deeper the merit, and the closer one is to the Buddha."

Lin Yu understood that the so-called "Buddha Bronze Form" was probably the result of long-term erosion and transformation by the mixed energy that had been devoured.

These black monks are products of this evil practice.

I just don't know what the specific effects of these dark skin treatments are.

After walking around, Lin Yu gained a deeper understanding of the Black Buddha's sinister nature.

He declined the monk Huiming's invitation to "go to the meditation room for tea and delve into the subtleties of Buddhism," citing his desire to visit other attractions in the city.

The monk Huiming personally escorted Lin Yu to the temple gate, his face still bearing that kind smile like that of Maitreya Buddha. With his hands clasped together, he said warmly, "Please take care, benefactor. The gates of Buddha are always open to those with affinity. If you feel a connection with Buddha and have any feelings for him, you are welcome to come again at any time."

Lin Yu politely returned the greeting: "I have learned a lot today thanks to the master's guidance. Farewell."

After saying that, he turned and blended into the flow of people on the street, walking calmly without looking back.

However, the moment Lin Yu's figure disappeared around the street corner, the smile on Monk Huiming's face vanished as quickly as ice and snow melted away, replaced by an expression that was a mixture of extreme greed, excitement, and malice.

His eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and he no longer resembled a virtuous monk; he looked more like a ravenous wolf that had discovered an unparalleled delicacy.

He turned around quickly and silently passed through several courtyards filled with incense smoke, bypassed several seemingly ordinary monks' quarters, and finally arrived at a low meditation room in the deepest part of the temple that looked inconspicuous and even somewhat dilapidated.

The wooden door of the meditation room was mottled, as if it hadn't been repaired for many years, and it was out of place with the "solemnity" of the rest of the temple.

After looking around to make sure no one was following him, the monk Huiming muttered some incantations and made a strange hand seal with his hands, pressing it against the wooden door.

A ripple appeared on the surface of the wooden door, and then he gently pushed it open, disappearing inside.

The scene inside the door was completely different from that outside. It was not a cramped meditation room at all, but a spacious and magnificently decorated secret hall.

The walls inside the hall were not made of brick or stone, but were cast in one piece of some kind of dark golden metal, with countless twisted and writhing eerie runes carved on them.

The dome was inlaid with luminous pearls, the ground was covered with a thick and soft scarlet carpet, and the air was filled with a strange smell that was rich, like a mixture of various precious spices, yet with a faint hint of blood.

At the deepest part of the hall, a huge Buddha statue, three zhang tall and carved entirely from some kind of black jade, stands majestically.

The Buddha statue was extremely terrifying. It did not resemble a human figure, but rather a mass of constantly writhing and changing black flesh, along with countless twisted arms and ferocious faces. The Buddha's face had only one huge, constantly opening and closing vertical pupil.

The Buddha statue exudes a suffocating aura of evil and chaos.

In front of the Buddha statue, there are three purplish-black prayer cushions.

On two of the prayer cushions sat two old monks, their skin several times darker than Huiming's, like charcoal repeatedly burned by a raging fire, covered with deep wrinkles, so dry that it seemed as if it would crumble at the slightest touch.

They wore black robes embroidered with gold thread, and the eerie power emanating from them was extremely strong, seemingly reaching the threshold of the silver level, much stronger than the Ebony Taoist priest in the government office.

The two men had their eyes closed, their withered fingers slowly and rhythmically tapping a wooden fish made of human skulls in front of them, while chanting scriptures with strange syllables that made people dizzy.

Huiming's entry broke the eerie silence. One of the old monks slowly opened his eyelids, revealing a pair of eyes with no pupils, only deathly white sclera, the whites of his eyes covered with fine blood vessels. His voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together: "Huiming, how's the investigation going?"

Huiming stepped forward quickly, bowed respectfully, and couldn't help but show his joy: "Reporting to Uncle Heisha and Uncle Heichen, I have investigated carefully and it is Heaven's blessing upon my Black Buddha lineage!"

This time, the one who came was definitely not an ordinary person. This kid was very young, looking to be under twenty years old, but his blood and energy were vigorous and powerful, like a furnace.

Most importantly, this kid's soul is pure and refined, like crystal. In all my decades of cultivation, I have never seen such perfect 'resources'.

"He's ten or even a hundred times purer than those rogue cultivators we've targeted before, just like the legendary 'Immaculate Body'! If we could use him as a medicinal ingredient, combined with secret techniques..."

Another old monk, known as Uncle Black Anger, also opened his eyes. His eyes were normal, clear and bright, but his gaze was as cold as a venomous snake. He slowly replied, "Oh? A body of immaculate purity? Are you sure? Didn't that old tree root of Ebony and that sick cat on the mountain notice anything? Is this kid related to them?"

Huiming answered confidently, his tone carrying a hint of smugness: "Uncle Heichen, rest assured. I have tested him many times. He claims to be a wandering cultivator and seems to be unclear about the situation in Tieshu County."

Although we met Wumu once when we entered the city, according to our informant at the county government, it was just a routine questioning. Wumu didn't show much interest. He didn't have the Buddha's Eye, so he couldn't possibly see through this kid's special qualities.

This is a golden opportunity bestowed upon us by Buddha. If things succeed, perhaps not only will we be able to help our two senior uncles condense the 'Black Buddha Golden Body,' but even I... will benefit and make great progress in my cultivation!"

The old monk, whose eyes were mostly white and who was known as Uncle Black Fiend, grinned, revealing the few remaining black and yellow teeth, and let out a strange "heh heh" laugh: "Good... very good, the Immaculate Body, this is the most perfect 'Great Medicine'."

If we were to extract his life essence and blood, draw out his soul, and then use the life essence and blood of eighty-one devout believers as a sacrifice to ignite the "Fire of Ten Thousand Souls' Resentment" to offer to the Buddha Mother...

This will surely attract the Buddha Mother's boundless grace, helping us break through our bottlenecks, and perhaps even... offering hope of finding the path to immortality!

A glint of greed flashed in Uncle Hei Chen's eyes, but he was even more cautious: "That's what you say, but if you're going to do it, you have to do it cleanly and neatly, without leaving a trace."

Although Ebony and that sick cat don't interfere with us, if they knew we had received such benefits, they might get jealous and team up to cause trouble.

There might be unforeseen circumstances at that time.

Huiming revealed a sinister smile, clearly having planned it all along: "Uncle-Master, rest assured, I have a well-thought-out plan. This kid must have just come down from the mountain, hence his interest in cultivation methods."

Tonight, I invited him to the temple's meditation room for a talk, using the excuse of "discussing a newly discovered ancient Buddhist scripture."

When the time comes, we'll close all the temple gates, and with the three of us and the monks working together, even if this kid has incredible skills, he won't be able to get out of there. He'll be trapped with no way to escape.

"Once we succeed, all we need to do is tell everyone that this person left overnight. With so many worshippers coming and going at the temple every day, the disappearance of one or two outsiders is perfectly normal. Who will trace it back to us?"

Uncle Black Fiend nodded in satisfaction: "Yes, I'll leave this matter entirely to you."

"You must ensure everything goes perfectly. Once we succeed, you will surely have a Black Lotus seat under the Buddha Mother."

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master!" Huiming bowed excitedly, his face filled with a desire for power and a longing for his future status.

The three black-clad monks looked at each other and laughed. The low, twisted laughter echoed in the hall, filled with boundless anticipation for the upcoming "feast."