Ruins' End, Great Thunderclap Temple Appears

Before them lay an adult human skull, nearly weathered away by the passage of time, as though it would crumble to dust at the slightest touch.

Yet what truly sent chills down their spines was the perfectly round hole in its forehead.

The hole was just wide enough for a finger, its edges smooth and even, as though it had been precisely pierced through by some incomparably sharp weapon. It was astonishing.

At the sight of the hole, Lin Yu's heart jolted. He secretly wondered, Could this have been done by the offspring of that sealed great alligator?

He immediately said, "It seems this place is filled with unknowns and dangers. Though this is only a set of dry bones, perhaps left behind years ago, we should still proceed with caution."

In this utterly unfamiliar environment, with so many uncertainties before them, a chill quietly crept into everyone's hearts.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yu continued steadily toward the source of the light. Seeing his firm, confident stride, Ye Fan and Pang Bo could not help growing curious. Ye Fan finally asked:

"Daoist Lin, aren't you curious why such an enormous ruin has appeared here?"

Lin Yu remained calm as he slowly replied, "Even something as bizarre as Nine Dragons Pulling Coffin has already happened. These ruins were most likely built by an ancient civilization of cultivators. As for why they have all fallen into ruin, that remains unknown. The two of you must be careful and never let your guard down."

Ye Fan nodded and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Lin. In this unfamiliar place, it would be best for us to explore together."

"That's right. My name is Lin Yu. I used to be responsible for managing Mount Tai Jade Emperor Temple," Lin Yu briefly introduced himself.

"Hehe, Daoist Lin, I'm Pang Bo, and this is my best buddy, Ye Fan. I usually call him Yezi.

"We were originally attending a class reunion, but who would've thought that Nine Dragons Pulling Coffin would muddle-headedly bring us all the way to Mars? I wonder how worried our families must be?"

As Pang Bo spoke, his voice gradually lowered, and his face filled with worry.

Hearing this, Ye Fan immediately pictured his parents' faces. The same gloom and concern welled up in his heart.

Seeing this, Lin Yu hurriedly comforted them:

"Heaven never bars all paths. Don't lose hope. Since Nine Dragons Pulling Coffin could bring us here from Earth, there must be a way back.

"For now, our top priority is to explore these ruins and see whether we can find any clues left behind by ancient cultivators."

As they talked, the group moved forward cautiously. After going around the enormous broken wall, they finally reached the end of the ruins.

In an instant, an immensely comforting aura washed over them, as though a divine beam of light had swept through the void and abruptly entered everyone's sight.

By then, they had completely left the ruins and arrived behind the broken wall, finally getting a clear look at the source of the light ahead.

Just fifty meters away stood an ancient temple in silence. Within it, a bronze lamp flickered and an ancient Buddha sat in solemn majesty. That bean-sized flame was faint, yet it seemed especially warm amid the darkness.

Before the ancient temple stood an Ancient Bodhi Tree, proud and towering. Its branches were vigorous as Coiled Dragons, twisting and winding. The entire tree appeared dried up, as though its life were about to fade away, yet five or six green leaves dotted its trunk two meters above the ground.

Every leaf was crystal clear, gleaming with emerald light. They resembled divine jade carved from emeralds, radiating a mysterious and alluring luster.

The ancient temple, the lamp, the Buddha statue, and the bodhi tree together formed a strange, unique atmosphere. A sacred aura slowly spread through the air.

"Could this be a temple where deities once lived?" someone could not help murmuring.

"Could Buddhas truly exist in this world? Though the ancient temple has fallen into decay, it still makes one feel a serene and peaceful Zen realm," another person sighed.

The entire ancient temple was silent, as though time had stopped there. Peace filled every corner.

Above the dilapidated ancient temple hung a rust-stained bronze plaque engraved with four ancient characters. The script twisted like dragon-serpents, filled with endless Zen intent, yet it was still that intricate and difficult-to-decipher bell-and-cauldron script.

"Great... Thunderclap... Temple!" Lin Yu stared at it for a moment before clearly reading the words out one by one.

"The Buddha's voice expounds the Dharma, resounding like thunder." That was the origin of Great Thunderclap Temple!

Everyone was shocked. Great Thunderclap Temple was the sacred site where Shakyamuni resided in myth and legend. Could this seemingly ordinary little temple truly have some profound connection to the legendary Buddha, to dare take such a grand name?

Standing beneath the Bodhi Tree, Ye Fan seemed deep in thought. As if guided by some mysterious force, he crouched down and carefully found a Bodhi Seed among the roots.

Seeing this, Lin Yu smiled faintly, then stepped forward and gently picked up the bronze lamp. He searched around the temple and eventually found half of a Vajra Scepter.

Though it had been buried in dust for who knew how many years, now that it had been unearthed, it still gleamed brilliantly, giving off a heavy, condensed presence. Had one end not been damaged, it would have been a flawless masterpiece of forging, powerful and exquisite.

Lin Yu swung it with force. The half Vajra Scepter streaked through the air like golden lightning, shining brilliantly with imposing might.

Pang Bo, meanwhile, turned his attention to the bronze plaque. After studying it for a while, he removed it.

Everyone entered the temple and continued exploring.

Just then, Zhou Yi, who had entered right behind them, stepped on the thick dust with a CLANG, uncovering an alms bowl.

"Meditation mat!" A male classmate found an old meditation mat beneath a pile of ashes. The years had failed to wear it away.

Ye Fan then found half of a broken wooden fish in the dust before the stone Buddha. Three Bodhisattvas were engraved upon it, some solemn, some compassionate, all lifelike.

Not long after, a female classmate found a strand of Red Sandalwood Prayer Beads beneath the thick dust. Time had not damaged it in the slightest. After the dust was blown away, it still retained a faint luster.

At that moment, Wang Ziwen felt his foot kick something hard, producing a clear metallic tremor.

He hurriedly brushed aside the piled ash and soil in that corner, revealing a palm-sized Broken Bronze Bell. A piece of its wall was missing, and its simple, ancient design gave off an aged aura.

"Dong..." He shook the bronze bell, and a melodious chime rang out at once. It seemed like a Buddha's voice lingering in the air, calming their minds.

Almost at the same time, Li Xiaoman found half a Jade Ruyi Scepter beneath the stone Buddha's feet. She gently wiped away the dust, and the crystal-clear fragment of jade immediately shimmered with soft radiance, dreamlike in its beauty.

Looking at the items everyone had found, Lin Yu pondered inwardly. Nearly all the Buddhist treasures of Great Thunderclap Temple had been taken away. Without these treasures to suppress it, the alligator would soon break free. Perhaps it was time for them to leave.