The Merit Box

Foreword:

Sparrows frolic among the firewood fence; how can they know the flight of a swan?

--Cao Zhi

[Part 1: Wildfire]

Baimu chased the rat all the way to the local earth god temple, growing increasingly anxious. The scorching sun had left its skin raw and bleeding, and the thought of that dead rat, Jinxu, filled him with dread. Had it become disloyal?

If Jin Xu had escaped down the mountain with the Peeling Tree, that would have been a minor matter.

If it sides with the Buddha Sculptor and tells him about the assassination plan to lure the enemy in, then after a while, the Buddha Sculptor will be on guard, and it will be much harder to kill this bald monk.

"You ungrateful beast! How dare you betray me?!"

Enraged at this thought, Bai Mu searched the four local temples but found no clues. Grabbing his magic weapon, he decided to go all in and charge directly into Black Wind Town.

He still only knew the first level and couldn't recognize Wu Xiuwen's true form. He couldn't even reach or touch the second level of Goddess Zhuzhu.

Jiang Xueming left Wu Xiuwen a fake tree; without this imitation, Wu Xiuwen wouldn't have come down the mountain, and without Wu Xiuwen coming down the mountain, Bai Mu wouldn't have chased after him.

--Without Hundred Eyes Great King overseeing Black Wind Village, Xue Ming would have had the opportunity to lure Zhuzhu away from the mountain and kill Zhuzhu.

Later on, Xue Ming no longer had the ability to design such schemes, and everything depended on Wu Xiuwen's wisdom and courage. If the boy wanted to survive, he had to find a way to fight for his own life. As for the "nine methods" mentioned in the silk scarf, Jiang Xueming did not write them down in detail, as he did not intend to teach them in the first place.

Xue Ming believed that Xiuwen, this clever boy, would find a way out—this was his retribution for his death, and also the cause and effect of his rebirth. He owed the Zhao Brothers and Xiangxiang three lives, and Xiuwen had to repay them himself.

If we were to go into detail about these nine methods, remembering five of them would be enough to save your life.

Firstly, continue impersonating Daoist Jin Xu and truthfully inform the Buddha Sculptor that the Hundred Eyes Great King is planning an assassination, letting the two tigers fight to the bitter end. Find an opportunity to leave Black Wind Town under the pretense of preaching, return to Zhuzhou City, and use Jinxu's false identity to send back the news of Wu Xiuwen's death, thus escaping alive—this was Wu Xiuwen's first thought, and also Jiang Xueming's most reliable escape route.

Secondly, poison the underground water veins of Black Wind Ridge. Every household in Black Wind Town has a well, and they will all be implicated. When the Buddha Sculptor is halfway up the mountain, go and bewitch the village Priest Elder, saying that the Buddha Sculptor is colluding with Hundred Eyes to poison the people of Black Wind Town as a living sacrifice for Hundred Eyes Great King. Xiuwen has seen the Blood Jade Guanyin and can secretly sabotage the project to steal the magic treasure. At that time, the Buddha Sculptor will have to face the predicament of being attacked from both sides.

Thirdly, revealing his true identity to the Buddha Sculptor and betraying Zhang Congfeng would allow the Buddha Sculptor to consider Wu Cheng Zhang's official authority in Zhuzhou and the friendship of spreading the Dao. He would then focus on enlightening the Hundred Eyes Great King, leaving him unable to deal with Wu Xiuwen, thus ensuring his survival. This is a poor strategy.

Fourth, while the Buddha Sculptor was on the mountain, they hid in the forest with the Zhao Brothers and then set fire to the mountain. Black Wind Village was on the northern slope, and the ascent was from southeast to northwest. The area was constantly exposed to hot and humid sea breezes. The strong winds from the Pearl River Delta, combined with the poisonous miasma and thick smoke, could wipe out Bai Mu and the Buddha Sculptor in one fell swoop. These two devils would be severely injured, if not killed, and might even take Zhang Congfeng down with them.

Fifth, after absorbing enough poisonous miasma and contracting the strange disease evolved from the Vita Imprint, he used Immortal Honey to seal the acupoints of his spine, becoming a blood-transmitting freak. He then infiltrated the team of Buddha Sculptor and acted according to circumstances, helping whoever won. This was a last resort for survival.

The remaining four ways to struggle for survival all require the use of psychic energy. Xue Ming knew that Wu Xiuwen had just awakened his psychic energy talent—this kid still needed time to transform.

The sky was already fully bright, Buddha Sculptor at the foot of the mountain kept urging the Fake Doctor to prepare the gifts.

The Soul Dissolving Sword has returned to Hundred Eyes Great King. Although it is meant for healing and pregnancy, the Buddha Sculptor still has to be wary and considerate—constantly wondering if his guard dog will be like before, forgetting the pain after being beaten by the Lingguang Buddha, and thinking of rebelling as soon as it gets the magic weapon.

These ten or so jars of Daughter's Red wine are just a small gift to us when we meet. Giving them to Bai Mu is like giving a dog a treat; only after the animal has tasted the sweetness will it remember the kindness of its master.

On the other side of the group, Wu Xiuwen pretended to inspect the jars while casually explaining to the Buddha Sculptor, "Ah, this vintage is here, it smells sweet, but the appearance is a bit lacking— Buddha Sculptor, does the winery have any other stock?"

The Buddha Sculptor, growing annoyed, casually replied, "These are all the best wines chosen by the priests. You black-haired rat, you're just too fond of causing trouble—there's nothing better!"

"Uh..." Wu Xiuwen's expression changed, and he lowered his eyes and approached the Buddha Sculptor: "It's not that I'm being picky, Buddha Sculptor, the Hundred-eyed Immortal Venerable is my mentor. This little gift is probably not enough to ensure that these twenty or thirty porters and laborers return safely from Black Wind Village."

The Buddha Sculptor raised an eyebrow, sensing that Jin Xu's words had a hidden meaning. He immediately dismissed the onlookers and found a quiet place to discuss their private matters alone.

In the eyes of the people of Hefeng Town, Hundred Eyes Great King was a heinous demon. Naturally, the Buddha Sculptor could not associate with such a monster. He could only communicate with him secretly through his disciples, such as Jinxu, by hanging up a sign for a local earth god temple.

Only through the cooperation of both forces can the great merits of the Blood Jade Guanyin Bodhisattva be accomplished.

Kim Suk's words were clearly a reminder to the Buddha Sculptor.

If you want to descend the mountain safely, bringing so few people is simply not enough, and bringing gifts won't help either.

Jin Xu initially came to the mountain disguised as a doctor, along with Guling and Jingguai.

When he came down the mountain, he had a completely Wu Xiuwen face, Wu Xiuwen. His face was covered in mud and dirt, and he looked like he had fled down the mountain in a very disheveled state.

Something must have happened at Black Wind Village.

"--Jin Xu, do you have something to say?"

The Buddha Sculptor asked casually.

"Don't be afraid, there are no outsiders here, please speak freely."

Wu Xiuwen immediately clasped his hands and said, "Heaven is bestowing upon you a miraculous blessing! Buddha Sculptor!"

Buddha Sculptor: "Fate? What fate?"

Wu Xiuwen immediately started spouting nonsense, his brain working up a fire.

"I took the Imperial Physician up the mountain and met Dan Chenzi. That unreasonable Tiger Vanguard stole my credit, took the Imperial Physician and the precious sword, and led Xiangxiang to the Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord to claim credit."

"I had no choice but to confront the tiger, but it actually wanted me to lick its shoes and humiliate me."

"So it took Wu Xiuwen's name and secretly went into the mountain, wanting to use the pretext of spreading the Dao to complain to the master. But the master didn't care about me. Its temperament changed drastically. It didn't want others to know about this. It wanted to keep the magic treasure for itself and wanted to kill people to silence them."

"Not only did Dan Chenzi suffer, it also tried to kill me—after obtaining the magic weapon, its power surged, and I only managed to escape back by using my escape technique to traverse mountains and valleys. All the way back, I thought, Bai Mu has obtained the magic weapon, and with the Imperial Physician helping to nurture the fetus, this centipede monster must want to come down the mountain to harm and kill you; it's going to rebel."

"I can't even step inside the ancestral Black Wind Village Stronghold, nor can I gain any benefit from it,"

"So I came to see you immediately. The villagers were all here, so I didn't dare to say a word. I only told you about this in private, Buddha Sculptor — the Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord doesn't want to stay in Black Wind Village anymore. He wants to take over Black Wind Town. He wants to become the divine beast under the seat of the Lingguang Buddha. He doesn't want to be a monster anymore. He wants to become an immortal!"

The Buddha Sculptor frowned upon hearing this and immediately stuck out his long tongue to lick Wu Xiuwen's sweat, trying to distinguish the truth from the pheromones—he tasted the pungent sweat again and again, finding fear, excitement, elation, and a little bit of trepidation, but mostly genuine feelings.

"You're hiding something from me."

The Buddha Sculptor believed most of it, but still wanted to provoke the Fake Doctor.

Wu Xiuwen immediately said, "I say this is the Buddha Sculptor's good fortune! The Hundred Eyes Demon is definitely no match for you. Killing it is a merit, nurturing the immortal fetus in Zhuzhu is also a merit, and quelling the internal strife and sending the immortal fetus—these two merits combined—no one can compete with the Hundred Eyes Demon. When the people of Black Wind Town see your heroic and immortal figure slaying the monster, they will surely praise you to the highest esteem."

"At that time."

The Buddha Sculptor, growing impatient, said, "Just say what you have to say."

Wu Xiuwen immediately clarified the key point. "I want to go to Zhuzhou, and use this Wu Xiuwen persona to spread my teachings and seize the official hat of that corrupt official Wu Cheng Zhang. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"No wonder you came to see me with that face." The Buddha Sculptor sneered, "You devoured Wu Xiuwen without my orders, and I didn't hold it against you. I was already planning to send you, Jin Xu, to Zhuzhou to clean up this mess—but you've come full circle, waiting for me here all along? Quite the schemer, Jin Xu?"

Wu Xiuwen quickly lowered his head and admitted his mistake. "I have no other skills, I can only wear human skin, do human things, and speak human language."

"That's true." The Buddha Sculptor was now confident and prepared to return to the ancestral hall to retrieve the magical artifact from the hearth. "Of all the disciples under Bai Mu, besides Yu Zhen, you are the most understanding of human nature—you will handle this matter."

"Yu Zhen is still in Zhuzhou. She's closest to Zhuzhu and has recognized Baimu as her godfather. You..."

Wu Xiuwen quickly replied, "I will handle it."

"But I have another question," the Buddha Sculptor said, changing the subject. "Ten beautiful women clearly went into the Mu Family Manor, two of whom were dressed Guling and Jingguai. Where did the other eight go?"

"Uh..." Wu Xiuwen had finally reached this hurdle. He thought the Buddha Sculptor wouldn't ask this crucial question. "It was Zhang Congfeng who killed him."

The Buddha Sculptor's tongue swiftly licked Wu Xiuwen's face, his eyes changing rapidly.

"He... killed someone?"

Wu Xiuwen: "Yes, this Foreign Doctor has a strange fetish; he likes to kill people, especially beautiful women!"

The Buddha Sculptor couldn't believe that such a thing didn't exist on the Xiabang Continent, so he licked it again.

"He knew the relationship between the Buddha Sculptor and Bai Mu, and wanted to help the demon have a healthy pregnancy. With this backing, he revealed his true form, which was actually a murderer—he wasn't satisfied until he killed eight. He only stopped when the Guling and Jingguai came," Wu Xiuwen said.

The Buddha Sculptor licked half of Wu Xiuwen's face clean, confirming that the little mouse wasn't lying, and couldn't help but sigh, "I understand now—the Nine Realms Continent is indeed so terrifying. The doctor has fallen into demonic ways and also enjoys killing for pleasure."

Wu Xiuwen bowed his head and asked about the next steps.

"Buddha Sculptor, I found a way to survive under the clutches of the Hundred-Eyed Demon. He knew I escaped and must have made preparations. What's next?"

"Hmph," the Buddha Sculptor sneered, "I'll go get the jade bottle and the fire fan, and then use the magic staff to defeat the monster—it's no match for me. You just wait here. When the magic battle begins, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals under Hundred Eyes' command will take the opportunity to rush into the town. You then lead the priest and the elders and villagers to fight the monster."

"Yes, yes." Wu Xiuwen nodded quickly, also letting out a sigh of relief.

[Part ②: A Fight to the Death]

Watching the Buddha Sculptor fly onto the roof and use his light-footed skills to head towards the fire pit, Wu Xiuwen knew that the Zhao Brothers and Xiangxiang were alive, and that the bandit leader had already forgotten about these three innocent and helpless ordinary people.

After most of the day had passed, Wu Xiuwen, in a very professional manner, told the betting team to rest on the spot and wait for the Buddha Sculptor to return.

At this very moment, Jiang Xueming is working hard to improve his KDA at Black Wind Village, being a dedicated middle-aged man and enjoying a happy life.

Wu Xiuwen thought to himself that the spokesperson for the Blood Jade Guanyin should also call upon the elders of various families—otherwise, when it came to the battle of magic, there would be no audience below the stage, and the good name of subduing demons and eliminating evil would not reach the ears of the Lingguang Buddha.

That beast will definitely do that--

--Wu Xiuwen was certain in his heart, but his anger grew stronger. Holding the <Knight Combat Techniques>, he would find a spare moment to study the book by the torch in the temporary camp. It wasn't until the sun was fully up that he reached the section <The General Operating Rules and Core Interests of Cults in the Classic of Literature>.

According to the scriptures, the Buddha Sculptor is a man-eating demon disguised as benevolence and compassion, wielding the sword of morality.

These dozen or so human pigs were all punished so cruelly for violating the rules set by the Buddha Sculptor's twisted and heretical doctrines.

These young men and women were unwilling to marry according to Jin Xu's wishes. In the eyes of the family elders, they were unfilial descendants who had committed a heinous crime.

They gouged out eyes, pierced ears, cut off tongues, severed limbs, and brewed them into wine. These were then offered as gifts to demons.

Thinking of this, Wu Xiuwen was so angry that his hair stood on end and his whole body turned red.

This ridiculous and despicable Buddha Sculptor is going to fight like a dog with a hundred eyes, and will definitely continue to gild the Blood Jade Guanyin Bodhisattva's body. He wants all the authoritative elders in the village to come and see.

--When the children in the villages heard these heroic tales, the Buddha Sculptor's position became even more secure, and his moral sword became even sharper. Anyone who dared to disobey him was disobeying the Bodhisattva, disobeying the righteous hero, and sooner or later would be labeled as disloyal, unjust, unkind, and unfilial, and would be killed by the moral sword.

The poor people of Hefeng Town were originally from a place nestled against mountains and by water, with iron and copper mines; it was a treasure trove.

Such a place, where men till the fields and women weave, enjoys favorable weather and abundant harvests, is practically a paradise compared to the war-torn and famine-stricken kingdoms of the Copper River region.

Wu Xiuwen understood the meaning of the scriptures.

Without Bodhisattvas, where would demons come from?

Even assuming there are demons, does that mean humans can't defeat them without the protection of Bodhisattvas?!

He finished reading one page and immediately turned to the next, completely engrossed in the book. This "Knightly Combat Techniques" was a dragon-slaying art that he couldn't learn in the private school—he only had half a day, and he couldn't possibly understand it.

He ran out of time when he reached the page on "The Preparation and Use of Substances that Counteract Blood-giving Monster" in the "Wujing Archery Chapter".

A procession slowly emerged from the village. The Buddha Sculptor, under the scorching sun, held a torch as his leader, surrounded by villagers. He appeared to be a demon-slaying messenger, now dressed in a splendid robe, holding a precious fan and a vase.

Wu Xiuwen quickly put away his books and squeezed closer to the dozen or so children, doing something underhanded—he poured in all the remaining immortal Immortal Honey he had, hoping that these half-grown children would feel more comfortable, that they could grow eyes again, speak again, call out "father" and "mother," and cry out in pain.

From the two pigs closest to him, only hissing sounds could be heard. They had no tongues and their vocal cords were damaged. They felt that the Immortal Honey was taking effect and seemed to be in less pain, so they tilted their heads and leaned towards Wu Xiuwen.

At that moment, the Buddha Sculptor walked straight toward Wu Xiuwen.

"You monster! You dare to harm people!"

Wu Xiuwen was astonished and horrified, momentarily paralyzed by the overwhelming spiritual pressure.

A faint green light suddenly shone forth, and a divine incarnation sprang from the soil— the Buddha Sculptor's Soul Power [Merit Box]—this incarnation resembled a wise old monk with a long beard, holding a glossy green jade staff, which he held upside down and pierced through Wu Xiuwen.

The Buddha Sculptor roared, "Fellow villagers, watch closely! The Hundred Eyes Demon of Black Wind Ridge is about to descend the mountain to harm people again! This shameless scoundrel is the demon's henchman! Watch as I unleash my magic and use my signature move to beat it until it reveals its true form!"

That blow nearly killed Wu Xiuwen.

He never imagined that the Buddha Sculptor would be so vicious, wanting to use the golden dog as a sacrifice to establish his authority!

The special spiritual power of the [Merit Box] began to take effect. He felt as if a stone had grown in his stomach, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to move!

When Hunwei pulled out his staff, no more blood flowed from the wound. Xiuwen felt he was close to death and could not make a sound. Sitting beside the earthenware pots, he heard a burst of cheers from the crowd.

The Buddha Sculptor began to panic.

--Why didn't Jin Xu's human skin peel off after that blow?

Is this rat demon still putting on a brave face?

"Monster! Take another hit from my staff!"

Xiuwen finally realized what was happening and cried out in a piercing voice, "I'm a human! I'm a human! I'm a human!"

The monk's staff struck hard, knocking Wu Xiuwen's head to the side, but he didn't die on the spot. Just as Zhao Jianxiong had joked with him before—he was oozing pus from his head, bleeding from his eyes, and his seven orifices were red.

His head was also affected by the [Merit Box]; a crack appeared in his skull, and it instantly turned into hard, brittle stone. But contrary to the Buddha Sculptor's expectations—beneath this layer of human skin, there was no other face!

"Wu Xiuwen?!" The Buddha Sculptor finally came to his senses and realized that something was terribly wrong.

"I'm a human being! Buddha Sculptor! How could you kill someone!" Wu Xiuwen struggled to his feet, leaning against the earthenware pot. His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were bloodshot. He shouted to the villagers, "The Buddha Sculptor has killed someone! He's going to kill someone!"

This time, it was the Buddha Sculptor who lost his composure; he never expected this outcome.

He was a monk, and at least in Black Wind Town, he absolutely could not commit such a heinous act as murder. To uphold the sword of morality, he himself must first abide by morality.

He was also puzzled. An ordinary person struck by this staff would be instantly reduced to a pile of mud and rubble, unable to survive, with just one blow. Wu Xiuwen was just an ordinary person; where did he get his magical power? How could he possibly contend with the spiritual energy of the [Merit Box]?

The Buddha Sculptor looked closely and saw that Wu Xiuwen had only staggered a few times before straightening up. There was a stone hole in his stomach from which debris was constantly falling out. The boy rushed into the crowd and started questioning the villagers.

"Look! Am I not human? Am I not human?!"

He grabbed a little girl and demanded that she tear off his face.

"Look! Do I look like a human being? I am the son of the prefect! This monk wants to kill me! Help me! Help me!"

He was fatally wounded. At first, no one came to his aid; they just yelled and cursed at him. Later, he stopped them one by one to question them. It seemed that these people couldn't tell who was the demon and who was the ghost, and they all avoided him. Even thirteen or fourteen-year-old children didn't dare to pity him. At the Buddha Sculptor's command, they just cheered and applauded.

The Buddha Sculptor's mind was in a state of utter confusion; killing him was one thing, but not killing him was another. Seeing Wu Xiuwen's wounds, his curiosity grew even stronger.

--True essence was flowing from the wound! That true essence transformed into threads, blocking the attack, yet the staff couldn't kill him! This kid knows magic! Who taught him?!

Xiuwen wasn't afraid; all that remained in his heart was an extremely strong will to survive. He knew that there was no time left for the Buddha Sculptor, because today had passed, and tomorrow would soon follow. His master had said that if they could get through these two days, there would definitely be a way out, there would be hope.

As the sun was setting, a centipede over ten feet long rushed out of the forest.

The centipede first peeked out of the forest with its long antennae, seemingly searching for enemies. Pairs of golden eyes shone from the joints of its carapace, and as it fixed its gaze on the Buddha Sculptor, it immediately let out a piercing shriek!

The Buddha Sculptor, disregarding everything else, gritted his teeth and shouted—

"--I'll kill these demonic offspring! The Hundred Eyes Demon has come for revenge! Folks, don't panic! Watch me subdue this demon!"

The Hundred Eyes Great King's insect body quickly condensed into an armored human form, and he charged towards the Buddha Sculptor with his sword in hand.

"Bald monk! You brought a quack doctor who endangered my wife's life! You've ruined our important pregnancy! The Lingguang Buddha will surely kill you!"

It continued to follow Zhang Congfeng's account, spouting moralistic nonsense that the Buddha Sculptor couldn't understand.

"I am here to cleanse the sect on Lingguang Buddha! Prepare to die!"

This scene is truly magical.

In Wu Xiuwen's view, both monsters felt wronged and wanted to use the sword of morality to kill their enemy.

Hearing the shouts of fighting, Wu Xiuwen suddenly smiled with relief and quickly hid in the crowd, retreating to a safer place.

He couldn't figure it out, so he stopped thinking about it.