Purple Light Spirit Trapping Scroll

Blue Lotus Monk's supernatural ability took effect, and he personally obscured the truth, sparing Chen Ming the trouble of dealing with Lotus Temple coming after him.

Although Monk Jieding's death had left the disciples of his branch without a backer, they were still members of the Buddhist sect.

The squabbles within the sect were family matters, settled behind closed doors. When facing outsiders, they still had to stand together as one to endure.

Blue Lotus Monk pressed his palms together and said, "Since we've already put aside our differences, I won't hide anything from you!"

"That Ghost Cultivator in the city won't find safety by entering the temple!

"I stayed here without destroying him outright, not out of compassion.

"It's because the Old Crow Temple in the city has already been rigged by a disciple of the Divine Firmament Sect!"

"The Divine Firmament Sect?" Chen Ming had never heard of this sect.

Seeing that Chen Ming had never heard of the Divine Firmament Sect, Blue Lotus Monk explained.

The Divine Firmament Sect had once been highly prominent. Its founding patriarch had cultivated to the Origin Return Realm, seen through the illusory boundary between life and death, and left this region.

Although the Divine Firmament Sect had produced several Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators over the years, no one had ever again reached the Origin Return Realm, much less seen through the illusory boundary between life and death.

As for the Divine Firmament Sect today, only a single Spirit Condensation Realm Sect Master remained to hold it together.

And it wasn't just the Divine Firmament Sect. Across this whole region, only a few ancient sects and great schools might still have Origin Return Realm experts.

These days, achieving the Spirit Condensation Realm was already an impressive feat.

To advance further within the Spirit Condensation Realm and cultivate a Great Supernatural Ability like that of the Three Immortal Aunts of the Myriad Laws Sect was rarer still!

Even so, the three Immortal Aunts of the Myriad Laws Sect had yet to reach the Origin Return Realm. They were still in the Spirit Condensation Realm.

Blue Lotus Monk had noticed that a disciple of the Divine Firmament Sect had laid a trap in Golden Sun City. He had refrained from acting outright because he didn't want to sour relations between Lotus Temple and the Divine Firmament Sect.

After all, the Divine Firmament Sect had once enjoyed great glory. It still had deep reserves, and some face and goodwill to its name.

If they went too far, it would look bad.

Chen Ming's expression shifted slightly as he listened. I never would've guessed there was something like this going on!

Fellow Daoist Situ still owes that old crow a favor. I only survived because she gave me the Mountain God Yellow Scroll. It wouldn't sit right to watch that old crow die without doing anything.

Chen Ming's thoughts turned, and he said to Blue Lotus Monk:

"That Ghost Cultivator who entered the temple came from Vast Mountain, and I know him as well. Divine Monk, why not come with me to witness the proceedings and see the Divine Firmament Sect's methods for yourself?"

Blue Lotus Monk smiled, as if he had some scheme of his own, chanted a Buddha's name, and agreed.

The two set off one after the other. Before long, they reached the newly built Old Crow Temple in Golden Sun City.

The Ghost Cultivator Wuhun had somehow learned to infuse a little Incense and Fire Qi into the Soul Hooking Wind he had refined.

By reversing the Magic Art and blowing it out, he turned the Soul Hooking Wind into a Soul Soothing Wind.

The mortals in front of Old Crow Temple were blown by the Soul Soothing Wind. One by one, they benefited from it: minor illnesses and misfortunes left them, and they felt much more at ease.

Having received these benefits, the mortals grew more devout and generated plenty of Incense and Fire, which settled upon Wuhun.

After receiving the Incense and Fire Qi and refining it, Wuhun slowly recovered the magical power he had expended.

Besides blowing the wind, Wuhun put on all sorts of strange, mysterious displays. After he had busied himself for most of the day, the mortals' ceremony finally came to an end.

"Invite the god into the temple!"

The Old Crow Temple's priest recited a prayer, arranged the offerings, and lit the incense and candles.

Then some people carried in a statue covered with red cloth and set it on the altar.

Wuhun attached himself to the statue, waiting for the moment he could take his place and absorb the dense Incense and Fire, transforming his body into a Divine Dharma Body.

But just as the statue touched down, purple light suddenly burst from the altar. In an instant, it became chains that wrapped around the statue.

Wuhun hadn't been prepared for this. He hurriedly tried to flee, but the purple chains spread and caught him too.

The purple light flared, then tightened. Wuhun cried out in pain!

The purple chains seemed designed specifically to target Ghost Cultivators without physical bodies. Wuhun couldn't even maintain a human shape. He became a ghostly Old Crow, wailing in grief!

"Wretched beast! A mere Old Crow Ghost Soul dares to enter a temple and pose as a god!"

The shout came from the priest's mouth.

Purple light flashed across the priest, revealing his true identity: a disciple of the Divine Firmament Sect named Fuyunzi.

Fuyunzi wore a splendid Magic Robe. He stepped through the ritual footwork, formed a hand seal, and bound Wuhun tightly with the purple chains.

No matter how Wuhun struggled, it was useless.

By then, Chen Ming and Blue Lotus Monk had entered the temple and witnessed the scene.

"The Divine Firmament Sect has a Supernatural Ability called the 'Purple Light Spirit Trapping Scroll.' It targets Ghosts and Gods specifically. Once it captures them inside the scroll, they can be made to serve its wielder, and their lives are no longer their own!"

Seeing the purple chains around Wuhun, Blue Lotus Monk recognized the Supernatural Ability Fuyunzi had used.

Chen Ming glanced over. Fuyunzi's cultivation was in the Contemplation Realm. He had subdued Wuhun through his secret preparations and the advantage of his Supernatural Ability.

If Wuhun had been prepared, he wouldn't have ended up in this state.

Chen Ming circulated his magical power and was about to release Poisonous Smoke to rescue Wuhun.

Blue Lotus Monk's brow twitched. He stopped Chen Ming and said, "If you release that smoke, Fuyunzi won't be able to resist, and you'll offend the Divine Firmament Sect. It's unwise to make enemies on all sides. Let me try to talk him down first!"

"Very well." Chen Ming withdrew the Poisonous Smoke.

Blue Lotus Monk revealed his presence, and Buddha Light shone around him.

Fuyunzi sensed him and recognized him.

He bowed and said, "Greetings, Blue Lotus Divine Monk. I'll be on my way once I've captured this wretch. I know Lotus Temple has its eye on Golden Sun City's Incense and Fire and plans to build a branch temple here!"

Blue Lotus Monk chanted a Buddha's name and said, "Fuyunzi, this Old Crow came from Vast Mountain and has done no evil in the outside world. Please spare him this once!"

Although Fuyunzi was only in the Contemplation Realm, his sect had once been glorious, and he had seen many Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators. Knowing that he was a disciple of the Divine Firmament Sect, they all treated him with courtesy.

He sneered. "Divine Monk, you've gone too far. My patriarch was in the Origin Return Realm. What Realm was yours in?"

Blue Lotus Monk's mouth twitched. He chanted a Buddha's name and said:

"Fuyunzi, if you won't listen to reason, so be it. I've done what I can. Even if your patriarch came here, he couldn't say that Lotus Temple had stood by and let a fellow cultivator die!"

With that, Blue Lotus Monk stepped aside and fell silent.

Chen Ming stepped forward. The White Bone Demon Pot in his hand radiated an oppressive force. "Divine Monk, remember to use that concealment ability from before one more time in a moment!"

"Another Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator. Are you here to try to talk me down too?"

"My patriarch was in the Origin Return Realm. What Realm was yours in?"

"Today, I'm taking this Old Crow Ghost Soul, no matter what!"

Fuyunzi formed a hand seal, and the purple chains blazed brightly. Wuhun writhed in agony.

Though Wuhun had become an Old Crow Ghost Soul, his mind remained clear.

He cried out, his call turning into a plea for help, desolate and wretched, steeped in sorrow: "The pain! Fellow Daoist, save me!"