Bodhi Messenger Kasaya

Lin Baici ignored them, watching the covered boat and the lake surface near it.

The intense hunger indicated the presence of God's Taboo Objects nearby, meaning Rule Pollution could happen at any moment, or might have already occurred.

Splash! Splash!

The sounds of tourists swimming broke the tranquility of Lotus Lake.

"Paddle faster!"

The Hook-nosed Man sneered as he saw the swimmers. If these people were foolish enough to get ahead of him, he wouldn't hesitate to be rude.

The covered boat moved quickly, only about ten meters from Lake Heart Island.

"Bad luck, miscalculated!"

Jiang Hong was frustrated. Just as he was pondering what to do, the covered boat suddenly capsized and disappeared into the water.

Plop! Plop!

The Hook-nosed Man and his group fell into the water like jiaozi.

"What's going on?"

"What the hell?"

"Why did the boat capsize?"

The tourists on the shore were okay, but those in the lake were nearly scared to death. They all stopped immediately.

The covered boat sank without any warning, as if a toy boat had been forcibly pulled underwater by a giant's hand.

The tourists on the two sampans panicked.

One frantically paddled back towards the shore, but the next second, it splashed and sank into the lake. The tourists on board shouted a couple of times before falling silent.

Seeing this, the other sampan paddled with all its might towards Lake Heart Island. After all, it was close, and getting ashore first was the priority. However, after paddling less than three or four meters, it also sank.

The tourists wading in the lake, intending to swim across, were in utter panic and turned to swim back desperately.

But it was too late.

Splash! Whoosh!

They were dragged underwater as if by water ghosts.

"Help!"

"Help me!"

"Don't kill me!"

The shouts, cries for help, and curses vanished within ten seconds. Not a single one of the fifty-plus people who had entered the water could be seen.

Only ripples spread slowly across the lake's surface.

Everyone standing on the shore felt a chill run through their bodies.

Dozens of people, wiped out in an instant.

This was too terrifying.

Jiang Hong, who had been regretting not leaving earlier, was now filled with relief.

"Heaven protect me! Heaven protect me!"

Jiang Hong glanced at Lin Baici. Following this kid was indeed the right decision.

After about two or three minutes, the covered boat and the two sampans reappeared on the surface and slowly drifted back to the dock.

But this time, no one dared to rush for them.

"Baici, what should we do?"

The Old Aunt was covered in sweat, unsure if it was from the heat, anxiety, or fear, her clothes soaked and clinging to her.

"Search nearby. There should be a God's Taboo Object. Destroy it!"

After Lin Baici finished speaking, he walked along the grassy ground by the lake.

The willow trees planted here were lush, their leaves emerald green, like new silk spun by a spider.

Everyone quickly followed.

Lin Baici ignored them. He was searching for the God's Taboo Object based on his hunger. As long as his hunger intensified, it meant the object was nearby.

The biggest fear now was that the God's Taboo Object was on Lake Heart Island. That would be troublesome.

Sister Xiao Li was about to speak when Hua Yueyu stopped her.

"Don't disturb him!"

Hua Yueyu turned back and advised, "Everyone go search for the God's Taboo Object. Don't follow him!"

No one moved.

Everyone was worried that if they left, what if you two took the opportunity to go to the island yourselves?

"Stop trying to persuade them, they're all counting on Oppa now!"

Jin Yingzhen looked up, trying to find if there were any wild flowers elsewhere besides Lake Heart Island. After looking around, she found none.

Lin Baici felt even hungrier.

He turned his head and looked in the 10 o'clock direction, about thirty meters from the lake shore. There was a cluster of Stone Buddha Statues, about thirty or so.

These Stone Buddha Statues were one meter tall, not even reaching Lin Baici's waist.

Their torsos were weak, their limbs slender, like they were severely malnourished, starving to the brink of death.

Yet, they had disproportionately large heads, especially their bulging eyeballs.

"This design is too disgusting!"

The Old Aunt felt very uncomfortable.

Lin Baici and his group walked closer.

These Stone Buddha Statues bore traces of wind and sun exposure.

"What if they suddenly move?"

Hua Yueyu worried.

"Don't scare me!"

The Old Aunt started to tremble, moving closer to Lin Baici.

"Let's go in and take a look!"

Lin Baici saw one stone Buddha was different; it was draped in a kasaya.

Everyone followed, but as they approached the stone Buddha cluster...

Swish!

All the stone Buddhas turned their heads in unison, staring at them.

"Ghosts!"

"Holy crap!"

"Run!"

Everyone was terrified. Except for Lin Baici, who took a step back, everyone else turned and ran.

Jin Yingzhen ran a few steps, then stopped when she saw Lin Baici wasn't running: "Oppa?"

[A group of Big-headed Stone Buddhas, on the verge of starvation, are filled with murderous intent and greed for any food, but because they cannot move, they can only watch, not eat!]

"Cannot move? That means as long as I don't get close to them, I'll be fine?"

Lin Baici was relieved and his gaze fell on the Red Kasaya.

It was sewn from red cloth, similar to the kind worn by the Abbot in ordinary temples, except this one had rows of golden symbols written on it, which should be some kind of text.

Whatever it is, let's burn it first.

Lin Baici held the Pine Torch and walked up to a stone Buddha, and with force, he slashed at it.

Screech!

The torch ignited, and the orange-red light dispelled some of the chill.

Everyone stayed put, watching Lin Baici walk into the stone statues.

This...

So bold!

Suddenly, the Big-headed Stone Statues all raised their heads, pouted their lips, and screamed with all their might.

"Ah!"

A bizarre tone spread throughout Lotus Lake, even causing ripples on the lake's surface.

"So painful!"

Lin Baici covered his ears with one hand.

The others were in a worse state. The screams were like sharp iron spikes, hammered into everyone's skulls by a giant with a sledgehammer, piercing their brains.

But what was even more terrifying was that with this scream, on the shore of Lotus Lake, with a splash, the lake water surged upwards, and a three-meter-tall monster leaped out, charging straight at them.

The monster should be a Buddha statue, with ushnishas on its head, long earlobes, and a string of prayer beads around its neck, but apart from these, there were no other Buddhist elements to be found.

The monster's muscles were bulging and fully developed, as if it had been fed protein powder. Veins and sinews protruded on its skin.

Also, this guy was only wearing a pair of leather shorts, tightly wrapped around its body.

As it charged forward, its muscles contracted and expanded. Its large feet stomped on the ground, and with each step, dirt and grass flew, leaving half-finger-deep indentations.

This posture was full of explosive power and visual impact.

Splash!

The tourists turned and fled.

This is a joke, this monster is strong enough to compete in a bodybuilding competition. Killing everyone here would take less than a minute.

"Oppa, run!"

Jin Yingzhen shouted.

Lin Baici glanced at the monster Buddha statue and immediately sprinted.

He was going to burn that kasaya.

This damned thing must have been caused by that.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The monster Buddha statue charged, rapidly approaching Lin Baici.

Fortunately, he was close enough to the kasaya and arrived in time. Just as he extended his torch, intending to set the kasaya ablaze, the God of Gluttony spoke.

[This is a Bodhi Messenger Kasaya. Wearing it can summon a Buddha who will help you with laundry, cooking, chopping wood, and feeding horses. If you want to fight, it can also hand you a knife and bury bodies.]

The God of Gluttony suggested, [As a professional gourmand, you need some servants. This Buddha messenger can be used for now.]

"What the heck?"

Lin Baici was confused.

This thing could be a servant?

If it punched me, I wouldn't cry for long, I'd ascend directly.

Lin Baici's will was firm. Whatever it was, he'd burn it first, otherwise, when it reached him, he'd be the one to die.

[Put on the kasaya, and you can enslave it. Simple and effective.]

The God of Gluttony's comment made Lin Baici move his torch away the instant he was about to ignite the kasaya.

"That easy?"

Lin Baici couldn't believe it. He thought of the Dark Great Buddha in the Great Hero Hall. If he had a Muscle Buddha as a thug, he might have a chance against that Great Buddha.

With this thought, Lin Baici swiftly reached out to pull the kasaya off the stone statue.

The monster Buddha statue arrived, lunging forward with its body bent, its right fist like a shooting star smashing towards Lin Baici's head.

"Oppa!"

"Baici!"

Jin Yingzhen and Hua Yueyu couldn't bear to watch.

Swish!

Lin Baici flicked his wrist, draping the kasaya over his shoulders, covering half his body.

The golden scriptures were exceptionally dazzling amidst the willow and stone statues.

Whoosh!

The gust of his punch stirred, making Lin Baici's Manchester United Jersey flutter.

The monster Buddha statue's heavy fist stopped in front of his forehead.

"Oh my god, that was so scary!"

Only now did Lin Baici realize how dangerous his actions had been. If the God of Gluttony's assessment had been wrong, or if his action of putting on the kasaya had been a beat too slow, his brain matter and blood would have already been coloring these stone statues.

The monster Buddha statue planted its feet, straightened its body, then clasped its hands together. It bowed slightly towards Lin Baici before its entire body faded and disappeared.

"Oppa!"

Jin Yingzhen rushed over, sobbing uncontrollably, "You scared me to death!"

Although they hadn't known each other for long, Lin Baici's intelligence, bravery, and, most importantly, his good looks, had already made a great impression on the Korean beauty.

If he walked her home tonight, Jin Yingzhen would definitely invite him into her bedroom for a bowl of instant noodles.

Lin Baici shrugged and adjusted the kasaya.

It was just a piece of cloth, draped over his shoulders and left arm, secured with ties.

Seeing that the crisis had passed, everyone else came over.

"Baici, don't do things like that again, it's too dangerous!"

The Old Aunt's voice trembled. She didn't understand why Lin Baici wasn't afraid.

"Was that Muscle Buddha statue monster the culprit who killed those tourists in the water just now?"

Jiang Hong was excited. If so, did that mean crossing the lake was safe now?

Speaking of which, where was that Muscle Buddha?

Had Lin Baici subdued it?

Jiang Hong's gaze fixed on the kasaya on Lin Baici's body. It must be a good item.

He wanted it!

"Oppa, this kasaya is a God's Taboo Object. Wearing it might cause you to be polluted!"

Jin Yingzhen was worried.

"No choice!"

Lin Baici estimated that he had a certain chance of resisting this Rule Pollution, otherwise the God of Gluttony wouldn't have let him use it.

[You won't be polluted, but you might get beaten by it!]