The Prodigies War

Although the sword saint had fallen, their skeleton still stood proudly in the world, refusing to topple over.

The scene struck Lin Xun dumb.

But when he remembered that the sword saint originated from the Great Luo Ancient Domain, one of the other eight domains, he felt only respect and not a shred of awe or admiration!

Only by acknowledging the strength of one’s opponent could one realize one’s own shortcomings.

“What is that baldy planning by chattering non stop along the way?” muttered the big black bird, finding his actions suspicious.

“He is after all just a clone. It can’t create any storm. Just watch his performance,” Lin Xun reassured calmly.

Unexpectedly, Ancient Buddha Son spoke aloud.

“Lin Xun, are you surprised why I’m telling you all this?

“Actually, it’s very simple. I just want to tell you that, in the eyes of Earth Treasury Temple, a heretic like you is no different from the cultivators of the eight domains.

“Years ago, countless enemies from the eight domains were buried here, and today, you will also be slain here.”

Ancient Buddha Son’s voice was righteous and calm.

If Lin Xun hadn’t pulled the big black bird back, he would have already cursed out loud. That baldy is crazy. If it wasn’t for this operation, would he have survived until now?

Before long, Ancient Buddha Son came to a standstill, pointing to the distance. “Look, that’s the Three Thousand Stupa Tower, where the Saint Buddha passed away in the ancient era.”

They turned to the direction his finger was pointing and saw a majestic and towering stupa tower standing between heaven and earth. It was built entirely out of bones and exhibited a pure white luster.

However, it was not a creepy or horrifying sight, and instead, radiated a sense of sacredness and solemnity.

Faintly, a Buddhist chant echoed like the ring of the morning bell.

The big black bird marveled, “This bloody place is a testimony to the greatly merciful and compassionate. The stupa is a tower built from supreme merits and virtues. The saint buddha must be a saint with great wisdom, great compassion and great ability.”.

Lin Xun was also surveying the surroundings. The Three Thousand Stupa Tower, formed from white bones, stood strongly in the world and suppressed all evil forces in the area. This seemingly chilling sight was filled with holiness and solemnity.

It was indeed not something that extraordinary people could achieve.

The clone of Ancient Buddha Son suddenly came to a stop and fell silent.

His calm, ripple-less face took on a complicated expression.

“Hey, has the baldy discovered our plan and is refusing to find his true body?” asked the big black bird gravely.

When he came to the Stupa Brahma Land, he had already made a plan with Lin Xun to get rid of Ancient Buddha Son’s true body in the operation.

And his clone would play a key role in the operation.

“Wait a little longer,” Lin Xun said in a low voice.

“Lin Xun, do you think that good will be rewarded with good and evil with evil?”

After a long period of silence, Ancient Buddha Son’s clone spoke aloud. He did not look back and was still staring blankly at the Three Thousand Stupa Tower in the distance. His voice was a little deeper than before.

“In this world, those who do good suffer poverty and live a short life, while those who do evil enjoy glory and wealth and live long. This has always been the case since ancient times.

“In this world, those who kill and plunder wear belts of gold, while those who repair bridges and mend roads die without their bodies ever being found. Similarly, we cultivators use the excuse of seeking the great dao to act without scruples, not distinguishing between good and evil, between the clear and the murky.

“What do you think is good and what is evil?”

Lin Xun and the big black bird looked at each other, sensing that the clone of Ancient Buddha Son seemed to have become a different person ever since it arrived here.

“They say the net of heaven has large holes, but nothing escapes it. But we cultivators act against the heavens and kill and destroy anyone who obstructs our path. How can we talk about reward for the good and retribution for the evil?

“In ancient times, Saint Monk Duji of Earth Treasury Temple once said that the law of heaven is bright and clear. All living beings can be deceived, but the mind and heart can’t be deceived. Karma is unavoidable and so is retribution.

“Unfortunately, it is futile. If you wish to distinguish between good and evil, then all living beings in this world have their evils. This is true for all beings, and for saints!

“The so-called transcending life with good and evil...”

Ancient Buddha Son abruptly stopped and pursed his lips.

The big black bird explained, “I understand, the baldy is in a confused state of mind! He practices the Good and Evil Transcension Sutra created by the Good and Evil Cleansing Buddha King, but he seems to have fallen into the obstacle of attachment to self!”

“In your opinion, how do you distinguish between good and evil?” Lin Xun asked curiously.

The big black bird sneered, “What is good? What is evil? Since ancient times, even the almighty sages have not been able to figure it out. What do you and I know? Don’t listen to the baldy’s nonsense. Saint Monk Duji once said that there is no good or evil in your actions, you only need to act with a clear conscience. As long as your conscience is clear that is enough.”

His words took Lin Xun aback.

Act with a clear conscience and as for good or evil, leave that for the future generations to judge!

The big black bird muttered in puzzlement, “It’s strange. The baldy is just a clone who is about to reunite with his true body. Why would he fall into a confused state of mind?”

Lin Xun also did not understand.

But they both had a feeling it was related to the arts that Ancient Buddha Son practiced.

“Lin Xun, you acquired the inheritance of Great Treasury Silent Scripture so you are a heretic that the Earth Treasury Temple must eliminate, but in your eyes, am I also a heretic?” asked the Ancient Buddha Son’s clone.

After that, he chuckled to himself, his face resuming its usual calm and unwavering expression. “Discussing Buddhist teachings with you is like casting pearls before swine. Forget about it.”

Then, he continued onwards.

Along the way, he did not say much.

The closer they got to the Three Thousand Stupa Tower, the stronger they felt the holiness and solemnity of the tower. The invisible aura that filled the air compelled them to feel awe.

However, the bloody corpses around the bottom of the stupa tower ruined the sacred atmosphere.

The corpses were of both male and female and all strewn in chaotic disarray. There were over hundreds of them, all of which had died recently as indicated by the fact they had yet to be completely decomposed.

Their faces were all twisted with expressions of fear, despair, bitterness, and unwillingness.

And they all died miserable and brutal deaths. None of the corpses was intact!

Lin Xun and the big black bird glanced at each other, and saw shock flash past each other’s eyes.

Could the bloody scene be the doing of the real Ancient Buddha Son?

The stupa tower stood tall amidst the quiet and still surroundings. In addition to the sacred atmosphere, the air was pervaded by a chilling stench of blood.

The clone of Ancient Buddha Son paused for a moment before he continued onwards, becoming increasingly quiet.

At the bottom of the Stupa Tower, a door swung open.

Under the intent gazes of Lin Xun and the big black bird, the clone disappeared through the door.

“We’re halfway there. When the clone merges back with the original body, the little tricks that I have planted on the clone will be triggered and then…hehehe, killing him will be as easy as slaughtering a chicken!”

The big black bird grinned sinisterly, full of excitement.

He did not rescue the clone of Ancient Buddha Son out of kindness, but instead because he wanted to use it to plot against Ancient Buddha Son!

“Are you not too evil and cunning?” Lin Xun glanced at him.

The big black bird hopped about in anger. “Don’t forget how the baldy schemed to trap us in the Underworld River. You were lucky to have only been trapped for four years. If not, do you think you would be able to stand here?”

Lin Xun immediately shut up.

The big black bird was right. Ancient Buddha Son had attacked him more than once!

“We are just letting him have a taste of his own medicine. This is not cunning or evil, but the inevitable way of karma.” The big black bird sighed, and then asked, “Are we just going to wait here?”

Lin Xun was about to answer him when a furious roar rang from Stupa Tower—

“You…”

That one word was brimmed with all sorts of emotions—surprise, fear, disbelief…

It ended abruptly!

The clone of Ancient Buddha Son!

Lin Xun and the big black bird looked at each other in dismay, feeling a chill in their hearts. Without any wavering, they rushed through the main door of Stupa Tower.

The tower was three thousand feet tall, with a stone staircase leading up to the top. The walls of every level were engraved with ancient simple diagrams as though recording secrets of the past.

However, most of them were indistinct and incomplete.

The azure lanterns hung on the stone pillar swayed slightly, the flames flickering and casting fleeting shadows on the walls.

Lin Xun and the big black bird had no time to investigate the walls, and just darted up the stone staircase, reaching the eighteenth floor in the blink of an eye.

This was the highest point of the tower. It was a huge empty space with eighteen mysterious diagrams engraved on the four walls.

In the center of the hall, frightening sword qi spread outwards, turning into a vortex and producing a forbidding aura that swallowed everything it touched.

Vaguely, a slender and tall figure in a sitting stance loomed. The threatening vortex of sword qi precisely came from that figure.

Next to it was a mutilated corpse riddled with sword wounds, eyes still wide open with anger. It was the clone of Ancient Buddha Son!

It had been less than ten breaths since the clone entered the tower, but it had already met with misfortune!

The pupils of both Lin Xun and the big black bird shrank, staring at the slender figure sitting cross-legged.

It was a young man in a jade-colored robe. He had big and bright eyes, thick and long black hair, and his back straighter than a sword.

His facial features were perfect, particularly his long shapely brows. Even if he was only sitting there casually, he was akin to a peerless sword that had been polished over thousands of years. He had a restrained bearing, not dazzling or showy, yet still induced fear into everyone!

Wisps of sword qi were rising from the pores all over his body, gathering together like a dreamy illusion and transforming into a giant vortex. The space wailed and crumbled around it.

Shua!

Sensing the gazes of Lin Xun and the big black bird, the young man snapped open his eyes.

A bolt of blinding lightning seemed to tear through eternal darkness, illuminating the world and seizing souls.

The big black bird was rooted to the spot, feathers standing on ends; he felt a bone-chilling pressure bearing down on him.

That guy is terrifying!

But I am certain that he’s not Ancient Buddha Son!

At the same time, Lin Xun was also shocked into silence, and then, a slash of unparalleled brightness burst forth from his unfathomable abyss-like dark eyes.

The big black bird felt a gush of terrifying murderous intent spreading from Lin Xun like a tide!

The air whimpered, and the hall seemed to be flooded by an endless cold air current.