The Holy Bodhisattva Has Always Been Equal to All Living Beings

The large, bean-sized flame flickered weakly in the dim room, illuminating the figures of the three people.

It was already late at night. Silence reigned both inside and out, with not even the chirping of insects to be heard.

Yang An, however, was ecstatic.

He had been racking his brain for a reason to leave Jiu Nan Town with the two true cultivators before him, when Pan Shi had unexpectedly offered to travel with him.

It was like a pillow arriving just as he was falling asleep – he couldn't have asked for more.

Still, Yang An didn't show his excitement, his expression remaining unchanged.

He knew he had to maintain the composure expected of a "cultivator" when faced with change, to make himself seem like the real deal. Thus, he reacted to Pan Shi's request with a feigned indifference.

A hint of hesitation flickered across his face. Yang An pretended to consider for a moment before nodding.

"Then I shall impose upon you."

As Yang An showed his hesitation, Pan Shi also tensed up.

Only when Yang An nodded in agreement did he finally breathe a sigh of relief, his face immediately breaking into a look of joy.

"You are too kind, Daoist. My senior brother and I couldn't be happier to travel with you."

Beside them, Pan Yu rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Senior Brother, do you know what you look like right now?"

"What?"

"Like a simp!"

"..."

Pan Shi didn't know what "simp" meant, but he was sure it wasn't a compliment. His face immediately flushed with embarrassment. He pretended not to hear, coughed awkwardly, and shot her a glare.

Yang An glanced at Pan Yu with some curiosity. Although the light in the room was dim and her features were unclear, she seemed to be a woman of considerable beauty.

Of course, that wasn't the main point.

What struck him as odd was that Pan Yu had used the word "simp."

Wasn't that a term that originated from modern society's internet? How could it exist in this era?

Or perhaps she hadn't meant it that way, and the word she used just happened to sound like "simp"?

"Daoist Yang, if you are free now, perhaps we should depart immediately? The Communal Feast Convention is fast approaching. If we miss the timing, the good items will go to others."

While Yang An was still pondering, Pan Shi spoke.

Since Yang An wasn't targeting the White Buddha Temple, it meant he could leave at any time. Departing now would allow them to reach the Xi Yue River earlier, and perhaps they could even find some good items before anyone else.

Yang An couldn't have been more pleased with Pan Shi's suggestion.

He was eager to leave this place as soon as possible, to avoid any further trouble.

So, he nodded and readily agreed.

"Alright, let's set off now."

Yang An replied, preparing to pack his belongings. He would take anything useful, including his savings. Although it wasn't much, he would definitely need it to survive outside Jiu Nan Town in the future.

No matter the era, one couldn't get anywhere without money.

But just as Yang An agreed and turned to pack his things.

The already dim light in the room was suddenly extinguished.

The blood in the bowl had been completely consumed, and the candle flame naturally died out.

Yang An's body trembled. He knew the blood would eventually run out, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

His current body couldn't withstand any further depletion. Even if he used his own blood to maintain the Lighting Method, it would only make him weaker.

And without the mind-clearing and spirit-calming effects of the Lighting Method, he was already in a very weak state, relying entirely on it to maintain his consciousness.

The moment the candlelight died, Yang An immediately felt the heaviness in his body. He was utterly powerless, and his consciousness began to blur rapidly.

In the darkness, Yang An fell to the ground with a thud.

In the last moment before losing consciousness, he tried his best to glance in the direction of Pan Shi and Pan Yu. He could only pray in his heart that the siblings wouldn't have any thoughts of robbing and murdering him.

Time flew by, and it was dawn.

The weather today was a bit overcast and drizzly. As early as the morning, a thick mist had begun to drift over Jiu Nan Town.

With a loud, long crow of a rooster, the residents of Jiu Nan Town had officially survived another day.

On the streets and alleys, at the street corners and ends, people slowly began to open their doors, only to glance out briefly before quickly closing them again.

Only when someone dared to step out onto the street did more people gradually emerge from their homes, starting to search for which neighbor had fallen victim to demons the previous night.

"Old Zhang from the blacksmith shop is gone, his head is really gone..."

"Aunt Li's child, alas, I just heard he was getting married not long ago, and now he's gone too."

"And that family by the river bridge on the east side, the entire family of three also..."

"That orphan from the Yang family, so pitiful. His name was Yang An, wasn't it? They can't even find his body. The house was just full of black ash, and there was a blood bowl with the blood all burned dry. So pitiful."

"When will this world ever end? Do we common folk have no way to live?"

Too many people had died in one night, and Jiu Nan Town, already under an overcast sky, was once again plunged into gloom and despair.

At this very moment, at the White Buddha Temple.

The White Buddha Temple wasn't large, just a grand main hall with a few courtyards of varying sizes. However, it housed quite a number of monks, over a dozen.

Aside from those dispatched to guard the homes of wealthy families, only a dozen or so monks remained at the White Buddha Temple, engaged in their morning rituals. A harmonious and serene chanting began to rise.

But just then, a monk entered the main hall with a hurried gait, arriving at the very front.

"Abbot!"

The monk called out softly.

Before him sat an old monk, clad in a crimson kasaya, meditating with his eyes closed, chanting scriptures. His face was marked with age spots and wrinkles, and his eyebrows were a pale white.

The old monk, addressed as the Abbot, slowly opened his eyes.

"What is it?"

The monk who entered first glanced at the other monks below, who were chanting and meditating, before bowing his head and whispering to the old monk.

"Abbot, something terrible has happened. The four Holy Na Mo Bodhisattvas released last night are gone. One of them had already condensed a Holy Bone, and the Holy Bone is also gone!"

The old monk, who had a serene expression, suddenly widened his eyes upon hearing the monk's whisper, a flicker of anger in his gaze.

"Where were the remains of the Holy Bodhisattvas found?"

"All in the same place, inside the house of a family on the south side of town. The Holy Na Mo Bodhisattvas have all turned to ash, not even a Holy Bone was left behind."

"And that family, are they still there?"

"I've inquired. There was only one person in that family, an orphan. But now that person is also missing, and no body was found."

"The Holy Bodhisattvas have always viewed all beings equally. They take only a sip from the three thousand rivers, and would not leave behind remains and blessings without reason. If no body was found, it means this person must still be alive!"

The monk delivering the message was startled by this.

"Abbot, are you saying that orphan might be a cultivator? That he destroyed the Holy Bodhisattvas and fled out of guilt? But I inquired, he was just an ordinary mortal, flesh and blood. Many people in town know this person."

"No!"

The old monk shook his head.

"This matter must have had outside interference. But the current clues might be found through that orphan. As long as he is alive, we must retrieve the Holy Bone and bring him back to atone before the Holy Bodhisattvas!"

"You go immediately. Take Guang Du and Guang Xian with you. No matter who interfered, if they dare to meddle in the affairs of our White Buddha Temple, we cannot let them escape justice. They will suffer the torment of the sea of reincarnation, engulfed by the fires of karma, and fall into the cycle of rebirth forever!"

"Yes!"

The monk glanced at the old monk with some fear. The Abbot was truly enraged this time. He quickly nodded and soon left the main hall.

"Amitabha..."

The old monk clasped his hands together, his face returning to a state of serenity.