Chapter 1340: Second Thoughts

Every time Ye Qing took a step, the corpses would shift their bodies, their resentment would grow, and the Buddha Forest would grow a tad eerier. If he was anyone else, they might have lost their consciousness and become a part of Buddha Forest already. However, Ye Qing continued to smile as if he was very satisfied with this change of scenery.

“This is more like it. There is no way a Buddha could exist in this heaven forsaken place, right?”

Ye Qing chuckled as he continued to walk toward the center of the Buddha Forest.

Seeing that their demonic noises or resentment were unable to stop Ye Qing, the corpses let out a soundless roar before charging toward him. They looked like they were plotting to rip him into a million pieces.

Alas, they all disintegrated into ash as soon as they came within a meter of him.

By the time Ye Qing arrived at a great hall located at the center of the Buddha Forest, the ground behind him was completely covered in a thick layer of ash.

There seemed to be an unlimited number of corpses in the Buddha Forest though. Despite their peers’ swift demise, they kept charging Ye Qing as if they didn’t know fear.

The corpses abruptly stopped attacking when they arrived at the great hall though. Their resentment gradually subsided, and their snarling faces returned to peace and tranquility. It was as if they had returned to the state Ye Qing had originally seen them.

Even the eerie Buddha Forest had regained its earlier tranquil and paradise-like appearance.

Ye Qing paid no attention to the changes of his surroundings. His attention was centered on the great hall in front of him.

The hall was built from countless corpses just like the forest, but it did not appear eerie or dark. On the contrary, it looked imposing, grand, and glorious.

There was only one Buddha statue at the great hall.

The Buddha statue was sitting with his legs crossed. It was over a hundred meters tall and pointed one hand at the sky, and the other the earth. Its expression was merciful and dignified.

It was as if the statue was saying that he alone reigned supreme above the heavens and below the earth.

“What do you think of my kingdom of Buddha, benefactor?”

Suddenly, the Buddha statue lowered its gaze onto Ye Qing and asked in a dignified voice.

“It’s not bad. It suits this heaven forsaken place perfectly!” Ye Qing replied.

“In that case, are you willing to join me and become the master of this Buddha Forest; king of the kingdom of Buddha?” The Buddha statue asked.

“No.”

Ye Qing shook his head. “How can anyone become a Buddha in a purgatory like this? Speaking of which, would you like to leave this place? This city of illusion and darkness?”

“No.” The Buddha statue—the Old Buddha—declared firmly, “My Buddha is most merciful and determined. So what if this is a purgatory? Until the day I clear this purgatory, I will not ascend and take my rightful place as a Buddha! Amitabha...”

“Is that so?” Ye Qing smiled and took one step forward, crossing into the boundary of the great hall.

Rumble rumble rumble...

As soon as Ye Qing stepped into the great hall, the entire thing began shaking violently. Slowly, the rumblings spread to the entire Buddha Forest and sounded like the end of the world itself.

Every corpse in the Buddha Forest disintegrated into ash, and the Buddha statue in the great hall became covered in cracks.

Ye Qing lifted his head and stared into Old Buddha’s eyes. “So? Having second thoughts yet?”

Old Buddha remained silent for a moment. In the end, he said, “I do.”

“Are you? Good boy.”

Ye Qing smirked, and the rumblings that shook the entire Buddha Forest disappeared just like that. “Now then, let’s talk about conditions.”

“It’s not a difficult task to take you away from Void Stomach City. I’m willing to lend you a hand as well. However, I would need you to find some people for me.”

“Who?” Old Buddha asked after a few breaths of silence, though his voice was now far more cautious and wary than before.

“My friends,” Ye Qing replied while sending over a wisp of demonic thought containing the necessary information. “This is what they look like. If you help me, then I can take you away from Void Stomach City.”

Old Buddha replied, “I will... this poor monk will do what he can!”

“You won’t do what you can, you

will

find them. And I want them alive.”

Ye Qing’s voice suddenly became much more suffocating. “If you don’t find them, or if they died before you do, then I will send you to the Buddha you so desire to meet.”

“This poor monk... obeys.”

Old Buddha bowed his head, and the corpses wept both inside and outside the Buddha Forest.

“Cease your whining.”

Ye Qing grunted, and his aura abruptly enveloped heaven and earth like a thunderclap. The weeping immediately stopped.

“I don’t care what method you use so long as you get me results.”

Ye Qing finally turned away and walked toward the exit, ignoring Old Buddha. “Do well, and you will be rewarded properly. Do poorly, and you will die.”

The corpses did not say a word. Only Ye Qing’s voice echoed in the airspace of Buddha Forest for a long, long time.

......

Void Stomach City was a corrupted, chaotic purgatory that was worse than death. However, there existed a marvellous place that was filled with beautiful landscapes, chirping birds, and fragrant flowers. It was the Mountain Water Art City.

The Mountain Water Art City was a city. A beautiful city of art. The buildings were stacked in an organized fashion and richly ornamented, the people came and went the streets like rivers, and everyone had their own life and occupations. They were also wearing peaceful and happy smiles on their faces.

It was because there were no Strangers, no horrors, no dangers, no famine, and no killing in the Mountain Water Art City. There was only peace and harmony, happiness and joy. Naturally, everyone living in the Mountain Water Art City led a great life.

Although people still needed to work in the Mountain Water Art City; although the people weren’t immune to old age, sickness or death, Mountain Water Art City remained a paradise everyone in Void Stomach City desired to go to.

That said, not everyone was allowed to enter the city.

Only the good-hearted and those whose body had not been twisted by the corruption of Void Stomach City were allowed to enter.

Not only that, one could never leave the Mountain Water Art City after they entered it. They would live and die there.

The reason was very simple. It was because Mountain Water Art City itself was a painting; an ink wash painting drawn by the Mountain Water Old Man.

It was how the city got its name.

There was no doubt that the master of Mountain Water Art City was Mountain Water Old Man.

However, no one knew what he looked like or where he was staying.

The people living in the Mountain Water Art City did not mind though. Here, they could eat well and sleep well. Here, there were no disasters or dangers. Who cared about the true identity of Mountain Water Old Man, or if the guy was even the true master of the Mountain Water Art City?

Just the same, no one paid attention when Old Man Yan—just an unassuming old man sitting at the street entrance—was suddenly visited by a young man?

Old Man Yan let out a sigh. Old Man Yan was in his fifties, and he had a pair of spotty white mustaches. He sold art for a living, and he loved nothing more than to sit at the street entrance and paint portraits for customers for the cheap price of a couple copper. He would then spend his earnings buying a jar of wine and a roasted chicken and sit at the window view of the restaurant, eating and drinking to his heart’s content. If he happened to earn more money than usual, then he would pay the local brothels a visit and indulge in a woman’s pleasure.

Although Old Yan led a poor life, he was a man who knew satisfaction. He was kind, affectionate, and always smiling. No one had ever seen him sighing or wearing a look of worry on his face.

Today though, Old Yan looked different. His expression was grave, and his gaze was dark.

It was because an uninvited guest had appeared in front of his art stall.

A young, but unbelievably powerful guest.