Qin State, Great Buddhist Temple.

The temple that used to have distant bells now presents a desolate and dilapidated scene.

In front of the gate of Tianxiong Hall, the gatekeeper who was always guarded has disappeared.

Looking from a distance, this place feels a bit cold and scary.

——

In a monk's room somewhere in the back mountain.

A bald man was sitting at a simple wooden table, writing something quickly on a piece of talisman paper.

This person wears a robe and has Buddhist beads on his wrist. He has regular facial features and a shadowy look in his eyebrows.

It was Qiao Nai, a former disciple of Yutian Sword Sect who ran away from home and escaped into Buddhism.

It has been several months since I came here.

He originally wanted to spend the rest of his life quietly practicing Buddhism, but he inadvertently discovered a shocking secret here.

This matter is related to the huge hidden dangers that may arise in the entire Qin Kingdom and even in the seven countries and one state. He has to choose to take action immediately at this critical node to convey some of the information he considers the most important to the most trustworthy people.

And this recipient of the letter is his cousin, the current Chief Morning Star of Lingyue Sect - "Qiao Rui".

The old table was covered with scratches, and the crumpled spiritual paper was wet with sweat.

I saw the letter said:

"Xiao Rui, long time no see, I'm Qiao Nai."

"You must have heard about the fact that I left the Qiao family and came to the Great Buddha Temple.

Although my cousin really wants to catch up with you again, time is running out, so I have to tell you the biggest secret I discovered here in the shortest and fastest way.

First of all, I hope you can leave Lingyue and Qin State, preferably to Zhongzhou. There are many masters there. If there is any possibility, I hope you can try your best to join Jinghua Palace to avoid the tragedy that is about to happen.

The demon is involved!"

At this point, the handwriting on the letter was obviously distorted due to excessive tension and fear. However, even though his body was trembling slightly, Qiao Nai still tightened his grip on the spiritual ink pen and finished what he wanted to say.

Described thereon—

“This matter started a few months ago.

When I arrived at the Great Buddhist Temple, I discovered that for some reason, the number of monks in this Buddhist sect that did not participate in the Sword Alliance battle was reduced by more than half compared to the original number.

Although I had some doubts at the time, I didn't pay much attention to it and asked the kind-hearted deputy apostle to shave my head.

Later I learned that the abbot here passed away for unknown reasons. I was curious——

Master Xu Zhi, who cultivated in the Nascent Soul stage, had no injuries or diseases, and his life span was not yet reached. How could he pass away without any reason?

But as a new disciple, I naturally had no right to ask anything, so I just entered the door in a daze..."

“After that, I took the Buddhist name ‘Xurui’, took the Vajra Prajna Jackfruit Sutra handed over to me by the deputy chief apostle, and began to practice Buddhism day after day.

After a few days of adapting, I discovered that except for being allowed to go out for a breath of fresh air when eating fast, I had to stay in my monk's room to practice hard at all other times... It was no different from the strictly managed swordsmanship sect.

!

I obviously came here to practice, but how could I know that I was bound everywhere as if I were entering a prison? This kind of life made me very unhappy.

What makes me even more confused is that the morning classes and chanting of sutras that Buddhists must have in the morning and evening have been canceled in this big Buddhist temple as if they are not needed at all. If I want to see other disciples every day, I can only go to the fasting hall

Only then can it be done.

During this gap, I discovered that every day, the number of fellow disciples around me was inexplicably decreasing.

I asked the deputy chief apostle who is responsible for taking care of all external affairs of the temple and learned that they were "called away by the chief apostle." As for what they were going to do specifically and why they were delayed in returning, he could not give me an answer. He only called me

'Practice with peace of mind and don't ask other people's questions'...

That day, I came up with the idea of ​​​​escape from here."

"I began to feel that this place was weird and I couldn't stay for a long time. So I planned to leave in the dark late at night the next day.

However, on the night of departure, something I didn't expect happened happened——"

"I saw the chief apostle, Fusi, eating in the woods that was the only way from the back mountain to the front courtyard."

"Yes, he is 'eating'."

"He was devouring the corpse of a monk who had just died in a deserted open space covered in blood."

As he wrote this, Qiao Nai's hands trembled even more. He looked back at the door behind him that was sealed by a transparent barrier, gritted his teeth, turned around and continued writing:

"At that time, the evil thing called 'Fantasy' was no longer in human form——

Although he was wearing a robe that represented the identity of the chief apostle, the face of this beast was as terrifying as a yaksha, and the scene of devouring human flesh was as ferocious as a beast! I saw his arms turned into sharp claws, and demons sprouted from his back.

The wings can cut into people's hearts and gouge out their eyes! It's extremely shocking!

I was terrified and wanted to skip the path and run straight away. But through the Spiritual Eye Technique, I discovered that this beast's cultivation had already broken through the Golden Core stage, and it had reached the end of the Nascent Soul stage at some unknown time!

This speed is several times faster than that of Qin Shiyin, the senior sister of your noble sect. It is obviously not something ordinary people can achieve! According to my analysis, the ghost can probably enrich itself by swallowing the body of the cultivator.

It needs energy. If it breaks through to the stage of becoming a god or even the rumored tribulation in the future... there will no longer be humans in the Qin Kingdom who can get rid of this demon!"

"That night, I chickened out."

"If I just hide my body and walk past, I will most likely be discovered by this beast and beheaded on the spot.

In order not to expose my whereabouts, I chose to go back to my room and escape another day."

"But unfortunately, the deputy apostle was guided the next day and came to our residence specially to set up a barrier at the door of everyone's room. This barrier requires cultivation in the middle stage of Jindan to break it.

, and I can no longer escape."

——

"Now, the classmates next door and around have disappeared one after another in recent days. I think it will be my turn soon."

"Xiao Rui, do you know?

In this life, my cousin is least afraid of death.

But I don’t want to die without any way out for you.

I have drafted this suicide note in advance. This thing is the last 'Ten Thousand Miles Transmission Talisman' I have left. It has the ability of invisible flight and can be regarded as my last possession. The moment I am summoned, it

Then it will break away from the barrier, fly to the Twelve Peaks of Lingyue, fly to your place, and fall into your hands."

As he wrote this, Qiao Nai took a deep breath of the humid air and sighed softly.

"I, in this life, the things I have done are extremely fucked up, and it is not an exaggeration to say that evil deeds are rewarded with evil consequences.

But Xiaorui, the matter has come to this, I only hope that you can be safe, live a healthy and happy life, live in the sect you like, and become what you want to be."

…

"You know, in this life, people will always face some choices that they have to face.

Perhaps sometimes, none of the options given by God will satisfy you or be acceptable to you.

That’s why people like you choose neither of the two, but get out of control alone and rush to that ideal place alone..."

“In my eyes, that is Lingyue, a sect;

But in your eyes, it is everything."

"——Everything that can make you better and save you from the abyss."

"I'm very lucky that you, cousin, can find a home that truly belongs to you. I also regret that I didn't have the courage to stand up and say a few words for you when I was a child."

…

Snap, snap.

Something wet fell on the talisman paper.

The handwriting that had already filled the entire paper was blurred.

"Then leave this last sentence,"

Qiao Nai shook his head and wrote with trembling hands at the end:

"Xiao Rui, you must find your own happiness. This is...my cousin's last wish."

…

——

When the last word falls,

Suddenly there was a buzzing sound outside the door.

It was the sound of the trap barrier being opened.

"Sure enough, you're still here?"

The man looked back and saw a monster that looked as ferocious as the letter said, already standing in front of his door——

It opened its huge mouth and drooled with saliva.

And under its feet, there is still lingering heat——

The body of the Archdeacon.

…
Chapter completed!