Chapter 509: The Blazing Temple

Countless cultivators had been tricked into entering the Palace of the Moon. Although the three cursed effigies had killed plenty of them, there were many still alive. The fact that they had survived for so long meant that they largely had some lifesaving trick or another.

They continued to hide all over the palace, worried that the three cursed effigies would find them.

Ao Shuai and his subordinates were likewise hiding in a secluded corner. He used a bubble-like relic to surround himself and his subordinates, hiding them from sight.

"Master, my avatar has informed the Eastern Aspect about the matter and urged Xiao Nanfeng to hurry up. The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost himself is right beside Xiao Nanfeng's avatar and ensuring that he's working hard to rescue us at all times," one subordinate reported.

"Hurry! Have Silverfrost urge Xiao Nanfeng again. These three cursed effigies are too strong. They're finding all the hidden cultivators left and right. This relic won't be able to trick them for long," Ao Shuai urged.

"I've done so," the subordinate reported.

"Look, Master! Xiao Nanfeng's here too. He's been possessed!" One subordinate pointed into the distance.

Ao Shuai blanched and fumed, "Damn it! Has Xiao Nanfeng been possessed too? We're all in danger now."

Then, shortly thereafter, Ao Shuai's eyes widened. "Something's wrong. They're starting to fight! Xiao Nanfeng was just acting!"

"Xiao Nanfeng trapped one of the cursed effigies in black fog, and the other in the Yin-Yang Cauldron! Is he going to defeat them all?!" one subordinate shouted.

Ao Shuai gaped. "This can't be happening!"

All the cultivators hidden around the palace gaped as well.

"To think Martial Aspect Xiao can actually take down these cursed effigies!"

"We're going to be saved!"

The cultivators sighed in relief.

Although one of the cursed effigies eventually got away, it didn't possess Xiao Nanfeng's subordinates. That was a clear sign that it feared Xiao Nanfeng!

Everyone waited expectantly, believing that they were now safe.

However, none of them dared to reveal themselves. Xiao Nanfeng might be able to deal with that cursed effigy, but that didn't mean that they could. If the cursed effigy got to them first, they would be done for.

"Quick, urge Xiao Nanfeng to deal with the final cursed effigy as well—or have him open up the barrier so we can leave!" Ao Shuai commanded.

"Understood!"

The subordinate quickly reported, "The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost just inquired with Xiao Nanfeng, who said that he couldn't unlock the barrier with the access token and that Princess Lingjun would have to do so once she regained consciousness. He also said that, if you didn't believe him, you could investigate on your own."

"Nonsense! Who would dare show themselves? The final cursed effigy might be in hiding, but it's surely lurking around the vicinity. The moment we show ourselves, we'll perish. What sort of foul plan is he devising? Have him deal with the final cursed effigy, quickly!" Ao Shuai shouted.

"Xiao Nanfeng said, he said..." The subordinate gulped.

"Said what?"

"To shut your mouth and stop wasting his time," the subordinate reported.

Ao Shuai: ...

While everyone's eyes were on Xiao Nanfeng, he brought Zhang Lingjun to the side of the barrier.

He considered the barrier carefully. He would be able to get out, but what the black lotus said next made him give up on that notion.

"The Past Buddha might be in hiding, but it's certainly keeping careful track of what we're doing. Right now, the barrier is sealed and it can't escape. If you open even the smallest slit in it or escape using your candleflame powers, it can take the opportunity to escape as well."

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Xiao Nanfeng immediately gave up on the notion of leaving.

He and the Past Buddha were enemies now. If he were to allow the Past Buddha to escape, he might well suffer calamity in the future.

"Senior, is the Past Buddha deliberately waiting here for me to open up the barrier?"

"That's right. I can sense traces of its cursed spiritual power in the vicinity, and I'm confident it'll be able to teleport to us if you do anything. Without my presence, it would already have attacked you."

"In that case, Senior, let's think of a way to deal with it after we finish melting down the cursed effigy in the cauldron."

"I'm afraid it won't give us the time we need."

"Oh?"

"I can sense a particularly potent spiritual aura from afar. You haven't yet opened up the barrier, so it must have guessed that you aren't going to do so. It's going to try to attack me now while I haven't yet devoured the cursed effigy in the cauldron and don't yet have the strength to oppose it. It's going to counterattack now, so be careful. This spiritual power is exceptionally strong."

Xiao Nanfeng took a deep breath. "In that case, Senior, please protect everyone else while I attempt to deal with him."

"Be careful. Although it has been grievously wounded by the Heavenly Emperor, it used to be one of the Buddhas of Three Aspects who ruled over the world. It has countless techniques at its disposal."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

The black lotus flew out of Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape again in a burst of fog that shrouded his surroundings.

"Everyone, listen up!" Xiao Nanfeng commanded his subordinates. "No matter what happens, don't leave this cloud of black fog. In addition, listen to whatever you're told to do. Commands will be written out in black light."

"Understood!" everyone shouted.

Xiao Nanfeng set Zhang Lingjun by the side of the barrier as he strode out of the fog.

Death chants could suddenly be heard from afar.

"Again?" Xiao Nanfeng narrowed his eyes.

A ray of golden light illuminated the corners of the Palace of the Moon. The light became incredibly bright, then shot toward Xiao Nanfeng like a tsunami, covering up the sky.

Xiao Nanfeng was sent flying by the golden light.

"What's going on? How could the light have knocked me down? No, this is an illusion!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

While he was a mortal, he had entered illusory realms in this manner, his consciousness reeling from the impact.

Knowing that something was amiss, he immediately transformed into his yin body. At the very least, he still had control over all his spiritual power.

He struck the ground in a heap.

He could hear voices from afar. Those cultivators who had been hiding around the Palace of the Moon had all been dragged into the illusion by the golden light as well.

"What sort of illusion is this? Why can't I break free?"

"What a powerful illusion!"

"It's been years since anyone has been able to drag me into an illusion. How could they have succeeded this time?"

"Damn it, we've been exposed!"

Cries rang out from all around.

The next moment, the cultivators began to investigate their surroundings. The illusory realm was vast and expansive. There was a huge mountain range in the distance, near which a stone tablet had been erected. It proclaimed the mountain range to be Mt. Vulture.

Fog and clouds surrounded Mt. Vulture. There were plenty of temples and pagodas on the mountain range, and holy light seemed to illuminate the mountains. There were countless cultivators reciting scripture, and the sound carried across land and sky. At the very top of Mt. Vulture was a huge palace, the 'Blazing Temple'.

In the courtyard of the Blazing Temple were thousands of golden arhats, seated cross-legged as they recited scripture. Small 卍 symbols emerged from their mouths as they chanted, floating high above them and forming a huge 卍 in the air. Fortune surrounded the 卍 symbol, illuminating it in its full majesty. [1]

The Blazing Temple's doors were wide open. There were lotus platforms in every color within, a grand, imposing Buddha seated on each one. Although none spoke, the aura that they gave off was overwhelming and could be detected even from afar.

Deeper into the temple, the lotus platforms all turned gold. On each golden lotus platform was a Buddha radiating with light. The hall pulsed with golden light, seemingly imbued with power over creation and annihilation.

And on the golden lotus at the very center was an ancient, weathered man, strongest of all the Buddhas. Only he had open eyes, and only he was watching the gathered cultivators.

"Buddhas, awaken," the ancient man called out.

The sound of scripture vanished. All the arhats and Buddhas opened their eyes simultaneously to look at the aged man.

"We greet the Past Buddha," all the monks chorused, bowing.

"The Past Buddha?" The cultivators who had been dragged into the illusion blanched.

The golden lotus platform on which the Past Buddha was seated flew out of the Blazing Temple, along with all the arhats' and Buddhas' platforms. They considered the nearly thousand cultivators who had gathered outside the temple.

"Past Buddha, if you were able to use such a technique, why wait until now to do so?" Xiao Nanfeng called out.

If the Past Buddha had used this illusion sooner, who could have evaded the Past Buddha for so long?

The Past Buddha eyed Xiao Nanfeng coldly. "It took me a great deal of effort to find my Buddhist relics in the Palace of the Moon's treasury. They've all been damaged to some extent, and entering this illusion will incur further damage. Even so, even if I have to use up all their strength, I had to manifest this illusion to kill you all. Where is it? Why hasn't it shown itself?!"

The Past Buddha was naturally referring to the black lotus. The black lotus had plenty of tricks of its own, and hadn't been dragged into the illusory realm. Even Chang Bing and the others were safe.

Xiao Nanfeng smirked. "I'm more than sufficient to deal with you. My senior doesn't need to make a move."

"Xiao Nanfeng, you really do overestimate yourself, don't you?" the Past Buddha demanded.

"Rather, you've miscalculated. There are a thousand of us cultivators here. It would be trivial for us to take you down." Xiao Nanfeng turned toward the gathered cultivators. "Everyone, it's alone. There are a thousand of us here, so let's charge forward and kill it together!"

The cultivators stiffened and cursed inwardly, "Don't drag us into your showdown!"

"Together? Very well. Arhats, Buddhas, make your move! Kill these demons!" the Past Buddha shouted, pointing at the gathered cultivators.

"Understood, Buddha!"

The next moment, they glowed with golden light as they shot toward the gathered cultivators.

"Xiao Nanfeng, what have you done?!"

"We can't take them on. Run!"

"Take me out of this illusion! Help me flee! Save me!"

Shouts rang out from all around.

1. To be clear, the swastika 卍 was of religious and cultural significance to Buddhism long before its appropriation by Nazis, who use the 卐 (clockwise) swastika instead. ☜