You're an Elder?

The old monk's face filled with shock and disbelief when he saw the Black Lotus Curse Mark on my left palm.

His eyes practically bulged out of their sockets.

And the look he gave me became incomparably respectful...

When the other two Black Monks heard that, they also noticed the Black Lotus Curse Mark on my left palm.

Their expressions changed drastically as well, their faces full of astonishment and disbelief.

"B-Black Lotus Mark!"

"H-He has a Black Lotus Mark!"

"That's right. This is a Black Lotus Mark that only elders—only elders can possess."

"..."

I froze for a moment upon hearing that, but said nothing.

It seemed Daoist Qingshan had been right.

Within Black Lotus Buddhism, only evil monks of very high status possessed this Black Lotus Curse Mark.

The moment he saw this mark, he had called me "Elder."

It seemed that only Black Lotus elders could bear such a mark...

Yet after their initial shock, their eyes remained filled with disbelief. They simply could not accept it.

Seeing that they had fallen silent, I curled my lips into a faint smile.

"Do you think I am?"

The three Black Monks froze, staring at me in confusion.

Seeing that I was alone here, the three Black Monks began to speculate.

"Y-You aren't?"

"No, that can't be right. Only our Black Lotus sect possesses the Black Lotus Mark. It is a blessing bestowed by the Black Lotus Buddha. Outsiders absolutely cannot possess such a mark!"

"Could it be? Could it be that Elder had no choice but to kill us?

Was it to infiltrate the Daoist sect?

To spread the radiance of our Black Lotus Buddha?

For the future prosperity of Black Lotus Buddhism, was this something you had no choice but to do?"

"That must be it! If