Li Huowang tilted his head up at the Buddhas. With the moon behind them, he could not see their faces.
All he could see were the palms writhing behind them like tentacles, and their enormous black heads. He could also smell the strange mingling of blood stench and incense upon them.
Li Huowang took several steps back. After looking around and confirming that he was truly alone here, he shook his head at the Buddha before him.
"I'm not going." Resolute, Li Huowang reached behind himself and gripped the sword hilt.
With a creak, the enormous Buddha bent down, blocking the moonlight overhead. A crushing pressure bore down on him.
Li Huowang could feel the Buddha's lantern-sized eyes staring at him from the darkness.
"Amitabha. Benefactor, you should still come with us. We are doing this for your own good." Unexpectedly, Jian Dun did not attack directly, but continued persuading him in a calm tone.
"If you really mean me well, then how about letting me leave? Aren't monks supposed to hold compassion in their hearts? What would it hurt to let me go?"
"It is precisely because monks hold compassion in their hearts that we cannot allow you to leave, Benefactor."
Just as he said this, a stone flew over and struck the Buddha's head with a crisp clang.
Li Huowang and Jian Dun both turned toward it, only to see Bai Lingmiao and the others standing in the distance, holding Night-Shining Stones.
"Senior Brother Li! Run!!" More stones were hurled their way. After striking the Buddha's body, they dropped feebly to the ground.
"Amitabha~ The Sea of Bitterness is boundless; turn back, and there is the shore." Jian Dun's enormous hands came together heavily in prayer. His slender legs crouched slightly, then kicked off with force.
With a