Guanyin Mountain

Chapter 49: Guanyin Mountain

--So that's where it is.

The surrounding darkness dissipated silently. With the second erasure of the evil manifestation, the strange figures that had gathered nearby vanished completely. The ominous night returned to a state of tranquility; although dawn was still far off, the enemy's offensive had come to an end.

Si Ming tilted his head, his gaze piercing through the night sky. The secret of the distant horizon was now reflected in his eyes.

He knew Li Ruonan's hiding place—and the true form of the Great Black Buddha Mother was surely not far from that area.

He really wanted to launch a nuclear missile there right now.

No, that probably wouldn't be necessary—not if the Reincarnators hadn't visited this world, or if they hadn't done anything over these past three days. If that were the case, intercontinental ballistic missiles would likely be falling upon that mountain range, or even the entire island, as frequently as raindrops in a summer storm.

Then...

Si Ming tilted his head slightly. While checking the communication link, his gaze swept over the Guanyin Temple behind him.

The main hall of the ritual was already saturated with holy white light, which was extending outward bit by bit. It was hard to say how many times Jacob had recited the Lotus Sutra there. Outside the hall, Yu Zhiwei was sitting on the steps, staring blankly while clutching the scepter that, to this day, no one knew the actual use of.

She looked quite relaxed, her legs dangling in the air and swaying rhythmically. When Si Ming's gaze fell upon her, she even had the leisure to look up and stick out her tongue.

Her face really wasn't suited for making faces, and she was certainly more severely injured than she appeared—but since she didn't say anything, he would grant her a certain degree of privacy and respect.

Thus, Si Ming nodded slightly at her and looked in other directions—

Valentina had handled her side cleanly. With crossfire, area bombardment, and her own precision clearing of high-risk units, her defensive line was the most intact and pristine. She was currently reloading ammunition beside her Tarantula Turret.

It wasn't an infinite-ammo type, which was quite frugal. Presumably, she had upgrade plans for it later, so he would let her reload at her own pace.

Then, there was the final side—

Si Ming furrowed his brows slightly, then relaxed. He saw that the pile of evil parasitic corpses in Song Tian's direction had grown into a mountain. Just a moment ago, that ten-meter-tall mountain of corpses had collapsed toward Song Tian's position.

"Need a hand?"

He asked over the communication link. At the same time, two Rock Colossi strode forward to excavate the shattered bones scattered everywhere.

A Five-Colored Blade Aura surged violently, and a cold snort came through the link. Song Tian neither agreed nor refused, but the colossi were already in action, tossing the chaotic mess into a massive trench, where it was then viciously doused in flames by someone.

Someone did it.

He didn't know who, but it was definitely someone who used flaming blade qi.

Si Ming pursed his lips slightly. It wasn't easy for him to bring this up directly—it was Song Tian's freedom to dislike using firearms and explosives to solve problems from a distance. Regardless, he had finished his share of the work. As for the trivial details, as his teammate, his job was to cooperate and handle the aftermath, not to stand by and point fingers from a position of comfort.

After all, it was Song Tian who had been buried by a mountain of corpses and ended up in such a disheveled state despite winning, not him. All he had to do was try his best to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth if it happened again.

After all...

--I am not a troublemaker like Yu Zhiwei.

"Haha, haha! You actually went to take a bath, swordsman."

As a hint of dawn appeared in the sky, Si Ming walked into the temple and saw Yu Zhiwei clutching her stomach in laughter while Song Tian's face was as dark as water. The air surged with murderous intent. Invisible blade qi and invisible telekinetic force collided back and forth, and he simply acted as if he were temporarily blind and deaf.

"Want some?"

He could hear again, as Valentina was holding out a bag of salted pistachios. He nodded and took a handful. This stuff actually tasted similar to sunflower seeds, only the shells were harder, the kernels were larger, and it was more expensive—a comprehensive, high-end upgrade.

The taste wasn't bad.

Si Ming had no intention of intervening.

Because there was no real animosity between the two. And also because...

The time had come.

A pure white light suddenly erupted from the main hall. This light swept rapidly past the people outside the hall, expanding and extending outward toward the distant horizon beyond their field of vision.

A feeling of peace and serenity quietly filled their bodies and minds.

The surrounding temples, pillars, and moss-covered painted walls suddenly became solemn and majestic.

Song Tian's brows smoothed out, and Yu Zhiwei subconsciously straightened her back. Valentina swallowed a pistachio kernel she hadn't finished chewing. Si Ming also looked toward the entrance of the main hall.

Light was pouring out from within.

A softer, purer light.

Jacob led the way, while Ms. Chen followed, bowing with a face full of piety. As for the little girl known as Guan Shiyin, a cluster of clear light was already swirling behind her head.

She was no longer just her.

She was more than just her.

Despite being only half the height of the Reincarnators, her presence was as majestic as a great mountain. Her youthful eyes were now filled with compassion. A Jade Purification Vase was held in her hands, with a few Willow Branches resting upon it.

Guanyin Mahasattva.

The Reincarnators all bowed to her in respect.

"Benefactors." Her gaze brushed softly over everyone present, and a drop of nectar was drawn from the Jade Purification Vase with a willow branch and sprinkled upon the Reincarnators. Scattered wisps of black mist were instantly purged from the bodies of Si Ming and the others, and their exhausted bodies, weary from a night of toil, recovered rapidly, leaving everyone feeling refreshed and invigorated.

"For this demonic tribulation, I require your assistance once more. Please escort this vessel to the summit of Guanyin Mountain. In doing so, your path back from the Chen Clan Ancestral Home will be secure."

The current side quest had not yet ended.

A new side quest had already begun.

Yet, within the ears of Si Ming, a whisper quietly emerged.

[Refining souls from the living is a great taboo for practitioners; even if it is a creature possessed by an evil spirit, one must not do so lightly.]

[Remember this, remember this well.]

No third person heard these words, but Si Ming was certain that the moment their gazes met had lasted a fraction longer. The next instant, the clear light behind the girl vanished without a sound. She let out a soft "woo" and went limp, only to be caught by Yu Zhiwei, who was closest to her, preventing her from falling.

The Reincarnators exchanged glances.

Although they had not been together for very long, from the way their eyes crossed, Si Ming confirmed that he alone had heard the extra voice 'she' had projected.

Possessed by an evil spirit.

Must not do so lightly.

The twice-repeated 'remember this well.'

As a hint, it was certainly obvious enough. After all, there were some things that an Orthodox God whose divine duty was to 'deliver from suffering and hardship' could not easily speak aloud.

So then...

"It seems we have a new job." Si Ming glanced at Jacob, and the latter nodded. He walked into the Guanyin Temple and communicated briefly with Ms. Chen, who was still kowtowing incessantly. Within a few minutes, this middle-aged woman, who had finally let go of all her defenses and placed her full trust in the Reincarnators—having also received a blessing from Guanyin—poured out everything the Reincarnators had hoped to hear.

"My ancestors were from Chen Family Village... I know that place. It's very eerie; when I saw the footage earlier, I felt it looked familiar. But I never expected it to actually be the place my mother spoke of..."

It was no surprise; once the Reincarnators learned her surname was Chen, they had already formed a rough guess.

She continued.

"My mother told me when I was a child never to return to Chen Family Village. But if there was a reason I absolutely had to go, I should use my own blood to draw a special Incantation and carry it on me. As long as the blood on the Incantation hadn't faded, the filthy things inside Chen Family Village wouldn't be able to do anything to me..."

She reached out, wanting to draw a complex rune on the ground, then stopped. She raised her hand and patted her own head hard. Her eyes, looking at the Reincarnators, shimmered with a satisfied smile.

"Look at my brain... just now, when the Bodhisattva blessed me, I suddenly had a feeling. In the past, even if I drew this Incantation, only I could use it. But now, I think it should be able to help you experts a little."

So that was it.

This was the additional harvest gained from pushing forward the God-Inviting Ritual. It transformed from a drag-style guide who only served to lead the way—and whom they would have to split their focus to protect—into five protective talismans that could be carried and used as the situation demanded. Furthermore, there was the additional endorsement of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

"Thank you for your trouble." Si Ming nodded slightly at her.

The middle-aged woman immediately beamed, nodding repeatedly, and trotted back into the main hall. Not long after, she emerged holding five yellow talismans marked with blood. Her face was slightly pale, but her eyes were bright and piercing.

"These are them. As long as you carry them on you, they will take effect."

The Reincarnators took the talismans—the patterns on them were somewhat similar to the curse markings of the Great Black Buddha Mother, yet they were completely different at the critical points. With just those few strokes of change, the talismans, which had originally been filled with ominous and eerie energy, suddenly became grand and solemn; one look was enough to tell they were no ordinary objects.

Si Ming nodded at her and flicked a pill into her mouth—one that was useless to the Celestial Team at this stage but could significantly replenish the vitality of an ordinary person. Her pale complexion instantly turned rosy. Ms. Chen, who had likely been planning to save it for a later day, pressed her chest with a touch of regret and bowed gently to Si Ming.

"Did your mother ever mention the origin of these Incantations?"

"...I don't remember. Ah, my mother seemed to say it was a passing master she met when she was a child... I know nothing beyond that."

I see.

Si Ming nodded slightly. What needed to be heard and said had concluded, so next...

"Are you experts leaving now?"

"Yes."

"Then, will you experts come back?"

"Perhaps. If fate allows, we may meet again in the future."

Ms. Chen suddenly swallowed hard.

"Then, Nannan..." She looked at little Shiyin, who was still unconscious in Yu Zhiwei's arms.

"She should be an orphan, and she certainly deserves a proper home afterward." Si Ming did not need to ponder this for long. "When everything is over, we'll see what she wants. Perhaps she would be willing to come to this Guanyin Temple and live here with you."

A joyful light appeared in Ms. Chen's eyes.

And so, the conversation and lingering of the Reincarnators came to an end.

The next moment, Si Ming slightly obscured Ms. Chen's line of sight. He summoned the Byakhee—a creature capable of carrying quite a few people even without dimensional teleportation. Twilight-colored battle aura spread out, masking the external details of this mythological creature to avoid causing a scene while they flew.

Next stop, Guanyin Mountain.