Chapter 158 - 144: Mental Clash

Chapter 158: Chapter 144: Mental Clash

Dao Yi Chen Sha.

Upon hearing these four words, Water Moon Temple instantly fell into a dead silence. The weight behind this name was simply too massive.

Chen Sha had only descended the mountain a mere half a year ago. Yet, in that short time, nearly every country, sect, and religion in the world had heard his name. Because of his deeds, barely any faction could afford to turn a blind eye to this young man in his twenties.

An Ruyue looked faintly at Teng Zijing, gazing at the Great Roc Demon King. "To think the seventh strongest person in the world would be controlled by someone and willingly serve as a servant..."

Teng Zijing’s cold expression remained unchanged. He simply stood there with his hands behind his back, his massive aura invisibly oppressing everyone present.

"I, Teng, am merely delivering a message for my master. Since you have heard my words, make your preparations as soon as possible," he said.

An Ruyue replied, "Please pass a message to Sect Leader Chen on my behalf, Great Roc Demon King. We at Water Moon Temple do not understand what he means. Senior Sister Rusu ceased to be a disciple of Water Moon Temple over ten years ago. Those past matters are like water under the bridge now. Please ask Sect Leader Chen not to listen to others’ slander and destroy the harmony between our two sects."

Teng Zijing remained expressionless. "My master anticipated that you would deny it. Therefore, he gave you a second choice. If you do not bring the person to see him, there will be no need for your Water Moon Temple to exist in this world anymore."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the numerous Buddhist Sect monks, nuns, and Martial Artists present shifted in shock.

This Chen Sha...

He actually dared to send someone to spout such arrogant words right in front of the Sect Leader of one of the Buddhist Sect’s two Holy Lands. If they didn’t comply? Could it be he really planned to come over and flatten this place?

Judging from the implications in Teng Zijing’s relayed message, that was exactly his intention. Even the white-clad woman carrying a sword behind An Ruyue frowned deeply, glaring at Teng Zijing.

However, a serene and peaceful aura gradually emerged from An Ruyue. As soon as this aura washed over the area, even the most anxious people on the scene couldn’t help but calm down.

She spoke up, "It seems the Great Roc Demon King is here on behalf of Sect Leader Chen to threaten our Water Moon Temple."

Teng Zijing maintained his indifferent expression, not bothering to explain. He simply flicked his sleeves, and two wings sprouted from beneath his ribs. The message had been delivered. How to choose was Water Moon Temple’s business, and he had no patience to stay here any longer.

Unexpectedly, right at the exact moment Teng Zijing was preparing to leave, an incredibly ethereal voice rang in his ears, sounding as if it could transport one into the Spirit Mountain Sacred Realm.

"Although I do not know why Sect Leader Chen wishes to pin such a stigma on our Buddhist Sect, there is at least one thing this humble nun is certain of. With your status, Great Roc Demon King, you are most likely not willingly driven by the Dao Yi Sect Master."

Upon hearing this voice, Teng Zijing’s eyes instantly became slightly dazed. He seemed to sense an extremely peaceful power within that voice. Turning his head back, he met An Ruyue’s gaze.

This Water Moon Temple Sect Leader held a deep sense of compassion in her eyes. This compassion didn’t look like an emotion that could flow from a human; rather, it seemed like an emotion exuded by a Buddha Statue in a temple.

When Teng Zijing saw these eyes, he immediately felt a powerful Heart Spirit and spiritual power. It was as if a Bodhisattva of the Buddhist Sect was gently reaching down to caress the crown of his head, granting him deliverance from his suffering.

In his trance, this Bodhisattva’s hand slowly overlapped with An Ruyue’s slender, jade-like fingers, preparing to tap on the center of Teng Zijing’s brow and break Chen Sha’s Brain God technique.

Right at that moment...

"Hmph!"

A moderate, cold snort materialized directly within the minds and spirits of both Teng Zijing and An Ruyue.

In an instant, a spiritual thunderclap exploded inside their brains, causing an expression that didn’t belong to Teng Zijing to surface in his eyes.

"This is bad!" An Ruyue cried out inwardly. Before she could even calm the spiritual explosion raging in her mind, the Teng Zijing in her sight seemed to transform into another person altogether.

In a daze, although her eyes were looking at Teng Zijing, the image of another man surfaced in her heart.

This man was exceptionally handsome, his fair skin tinged with a healthy red, and his figure tall and imposing. As he appeared in her Heart Spirit, his entire being exuded a Divine Demon-like masculine charm. He lifted his head and looked directly into her spirit. Those were eyes sparkling like stars. Across the ethereal spiritual void, they seemed to see straight through An Ruyue.

WHOOSH.

Simultaneously, a trace of agony flashed across Teng Zijing’s expression. Letting out a furious roar under the influence of this spirit, he threw a palm strike straight at An Ruyue!

A boundless hurricane rose out of nowhere. Air currents, sharp as blades, lunged toward An Ruyue and her heir beside her, Guan Miaoshan.

"Miaoshan, step back!"

"Sect Leader, watch out!"

The moment Teng Zijing made his move, a hoarse voice belonging to an elderly nun echoed through Water Moon Temple. Her figure flashed through the expansive space like a beam of moonlight, instantly appearing in front of An Ruyue. Pressing her palms together, she formed a Hand Seal in the shape of a bottle.

CLANG.

It was as if Teng Zijing’s palm had truly slammed into a Pure Water Bottle. The sounds of sloshing water and the CRACK of a fracturing bottle echoed through the vast space.

PFFT!

Blood trickled from the corner of the elderly nun’s mouth, and she was forced into a half-step retreat.

After delivering this palm strike, the confusion in Teng Zijing’s eyes intensified, and he was on the verge of losing his reason entirely. At that moment, a single word rang out from the bottom of his heart:

"Return."

As soon as this word appeared, Teng Zijing abruptly retracted his hand, leaped into the air, and shot straight up into the clouds above Water Moon Temple, flying off in the direction of Yuanjing.

After his departure, Water Moon Temple erupted into absolute chaos. Turning their gazes back to the scripture-preaching high platform, the crowd saw that not only was the elderly nun who had taken Teng Zijing’s attack vomiting blood incessantly, but even Sect Leader An Ruyue had a trace of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth, her brows furrowed tightly.

"Master, how did you get hurt like this..." The white-clad Miaoshan carrying the sword immediately stepped forward to support An Ruyue’s swaying arm.

"I saw that Teng Zijing’s expression was dull and puppet-like, evidently having his mind manipulated by someone. I figured it was Chen Sha’s doing. I originally wanted to use our Buddhist Sect’s Spirit Observation Heart Method to break Chen Sha’s control, so we could then ask this Great Roc Demon King to clarify a few things. I just didn’t expect..."

An Ruyue clutched her chest, bearing the agonizing pain as she continued, "To think that at his young age, he has genuinely cultivated the Brain God Divine Abilities of the Dao Yi Sect’s Great Yellow Court to such a profound level. Just a single wisp of his Divine Sense imprinted in Teng Zijing’s brain was enough to severely wound my Heart Power."

Guan Miaoshan’s heart trembled as she listened. To think her master had actually been injured in a spiritual clash with the Dao Yi Sect Master.

In today’s Martial Arts world, Water Moon Temple could be considered the undisputed ruler when it came to Martial Arts that cultivated the spirit. In this specific field, they didn’t just have an orthodox art like the Mid-Yin Purification Body Spell, but also an ingenious Skill like the Spirit Observation Heart Method. Such Spiritual Marvelous Skills were unparalleled when it came to probing and sensing people’s hearts. They were practically unrivaled in the world.

Who would have thought...

Her master, the Sect Leader, was actually wounded in the spiritual domain—Water Moon Temple’s greatest area of pride—by a Daoist Sect Leader who was barely in his twenties.

Great Yellow Court, Brain God?

An Ruyue murmured to herself in bewilderment, "Could it be that he has already mastered all of the Twenty-four Gods?"

The Brain God of the Great Yellow Court was the most difficult of the Twenty-four Gods to cultivate, and it was generally the last one to be completed. For a moment, she couldn’t make an accurate guess.

Looking at the chaotic crowd below, she had no choice but to say, "Have everyone disperse for now. I must go pay my respects to the Elders and explain this matter to see how we can deal with this disaster aimed at our Buddhist Sect."

After speaking, An Ruyue allowed the injured elderly nun to support her. "Martial Uncle Jinghui, let us go."

A short while later, the two of them arrived inside a Buddhist hall at the back of Water Moon Temple.

TOK TOK TOK.

The melodious tapping of a wooden fish echoed throughout the hall. At this moment, seven elderly nuns sat cross-legged on eight round cushions inside the hall.

After Nun Jinghui supported An Ruyue into the room, she slowly sat down on the eighth cushion.

The seven elderly nuns in the hall looked at their appearances.

"Although the incident just now took place a good hundred feet away, we sensed the entire situation from start to finish..."

An ordinary-looking elderly nun glanced at Jinghui’s injuries and sighed. "To think that even you, who possesses the second-highest Power among us, couldn’t withstand a single strike from the Great Roc Demon King. It seems the top ten strongest figures in the world are indeed all elites among the Innate realm."

Water Moon Temple had gone into seclusion when Chen Canxuan dominated the world. It had been thirty years since they last sent anyone to roam the Jianghu, allowing them to evade the great calamity of Chen Canxuan wiping out the Jianghu to reign supreme. Thanks to this, they had managed to preserve eight Elders. Among these eight elderly nuns, Nun Jinghui’s Innate Power ranked second.

An Ruyue spoke up slowly, "Since all you Elders have heard it, then regarding the past case Teng Zijing mentioned..."

She frowned and continued, "Is what Chen Sha said about Senior Sister Rusu being afflicted with the Mid-Yin Purification Body Spell actually true?"

The eight elderly nuns fell silent.

Then, they replied, "Ruyue, you have been diligent and responsible in managing our great sect these past years. However, there are some things you shouldn’t know about. In short... within ten days, we will give you an answer."

An Ruyue closed her eyes slightly. "Elders, Chen Sha is not an easy opponent. It is entirely possible that he rarely meets his match in this world anymore. Furthermore, Senior Sister Rusu’s true identity is the Princess of Yuan Country. If Yuan Country learns of this matter, demanding her back will only be secondary. If they spread this news first... regardless of whether it is true or false, our Buddhist Sect will become a target of public criticism."

Three days later.

An Ruyue was proven right. The entire Yuan Country was shaken to its core after Teng Zijing delivered his message.

It would have been one thing if this was merely a simple Buddhist Sect scandal. The crux of the issue was that the Buddhist Sect had actually plotted against a pregnant woman. To pin such vicious behavior on the Buddhist Sect, which always prided itself on benevolence and mercy, delivered an absolute shockwave to the minds of every faction.

In no time at all, public outcry rapidly surged everywhere across the world.

Even the Buddhist Sect believers in Jinling City flocked to Water Moon Temple day after day, demanding to know the truth. Some of these believers had personally heard the words Teng Zijing spoke in front of everyone. Because of this, no matter how much Water Moon Temple tried to explain, rumors and gossip were already spreading like wildfire throughout Jinling City.

Inside the Buddhist hall.

An Ruyue’s expression was grave. "Elders, given the current situation, I’m afraid our only sliver of hope is to go and meet Chen Sha first."

But just who exactly was the main culprit who cast the curse that Chen Sha was asking for? Even she didn’t know.

Could it really be one of the eight Elders sitting before her? Did someone in their Buddhist Sect truly commit such a vile act against Gu Rusu all those years ago?

If it was really one of these eight people, did that mean she had to take one of the Elders to Yuanjing to turn herself in?

But at that very moment, An Ruyue never expected that someone would actually admit to it.

"Amitabha Buddha. I am the culprit."

It was the ordinary-looking elderly nun. Pressing her palms together, she spoke in a calm demeanor. "All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. All he seeks is karmic retribution. I shall accompany you on this trip. I alone shall bear the consequences of this karma."