Karmic Obstacles

Qin Yiguan scanned the surrounding darkness.

Boundless fear surged in from all directions like a tidal wave, engulfing him in an instant.

Cold, trembling, heart racing—he ultimately couldn't resist this unknown fear.

The next moment.

He rushed to the back of the black house that resembled a coffin, pressed his back tightly against the wall, stared wide-eyed, and dared not even make a sound.

He tilted his head slightly.

I saw the Shitian monk Shitian standing in the middle of the road, facing the darkness, his bright forehead like a beacon at sea, dignified and fearless.

Qin Yiguan withdrew his gaze, cold sweat dripping down his forehead, and tightly closed his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Oh?"

"Ha ha."

The Shitian chuckled with interest, "There really is a headless horseman!"

then.

Qin Yiguan heard the sound of iron hooves galloping and striking the stone pavement.

Then they heard the neighing of a spirited horse and the sound of its breath coming out of its nostrils.

Qin Yiguan had considered this possibility.

Could all of this be an illusion, or just a figment of my imagination?

The headless horseman doesn't exist!

But the reality seems to be more complex than that.

At this moment, the Shitian...

He clasped his hands together and stared intently ahead.

He saw it clearly.

In the darkness, the headless horseman was a full 3 meters tall. The steed beneath him was rotting, with maggots crawling in its mouth and its belly flesh rotting and perforating, revealing its white ribs.

The headless knight was clad in heavy armor, obscuring his physical body. Despite having no head, he could still emit deep, furious roars!

The sound of the galloping horse striking Qin Yiguan's heart was like a hammer blow, and the suffocating fear drew ever closer.

"Demons and monsters are merely karmic obstacles in one's own heart!"

But the little monk stood right in front of the wild horse, his body completely still.

Suppressing his fear, Qin Yiguan peeked out again, stealing a glance. He couldn't see the headless knight, only Shitian.

As if by illusion, a faint golden light appeared on Shitian's body.

Qin Yiguan quickly shrank back, "This little monk must be hiding his strength!"

Boom!

A loud crash was heard.

Qin Yiguan, who was hiding behind the wall, suddenly narrowed his Pupil.

The young monk was thrown away by the immense force, his body leaving the ground at least five meters high and flying backward at least seven or eight meters before crashing heavily to the ground. Even the prayer beads in his hand were sent flying several meters away!

Qin Yiguan was taken aback.

I'm fine!

But then the young monk gritted his teeth, got up from the ground, dusted off the dirt on his robe, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and once again revealed that calm smile.

He walked forward to pick up his Buddhist prayer beads.

Boom!

Shitian was knocked away again, flying another seven or eight meters before crashing to the ground, spitting out blood.

At this moment, Qin Yiguan was still locked behind the black wall, unable to see the headless knight, only seeing Shitian flying out backwards.

Qin Yiguan frowned and shouted, "Shitian, hide! Don't be so stubborn!"

"Hehe."

How can this be considered stubbornness?

The young monk stood up again. "Master said that a mind as firm as a rock can surely overcome karmic obstacles!"

Qin Yiguan was revealed by the shadow cast on the ground.

A little demon appeared beside Shitian, leaping onto his shoulder and frantically tearing at Shitian's scalp.

Then they saw Shitian's shadow suddenly move independently. The shadow stretched out its hands and tightly gripped Shitian's neck. The shadow's face seemed very ferocious, as if it would not stop until it had strangled Shitian to death.

"Hair-Eating Ghost?"

"Shadow Ghost?"

Qin Yiguan's eye twitched.

But Shitian seemed to be in a very peaceful state of mind, standing upright with his hands clasped together.

He said loudly, "My master said that he also had karmic obstacles in his heart when he was young. He was scalded by hot oil. So, in order to help him get rid of his karmic obstacles, his master threw him into a pot of boiling oil and fried him for forty-nine hours. During this process, my master was in great pain and fainted countless times. He thought he was going to die there."

"But."

"Does Benefactor Qin know that when Master finally awoke from his unconsciousness, he found himself out of the boiling oil, his skin completely undamaged, and even smooth and rosy."

"Of course, it was also because of that flawless skin that Master said he could never go into the kitchen again, and could never be exposed to even a little bit of oil and smoke. So, from then on, the task of cooking and starting fires in the temple fell to me, who was only four years old at the time."

"I'm willing; I'm happy that Master has helped me overcome this obstacle!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yiguan felt a slight sense of despair. "Shitian, can you please stop believing your master's nonsense?"

"That won't do!"

Shitian's body remained motionless. "Master said that all the terrifying things we experience in life are karmic obstacles. Fear means defeat! If you are fearless and face everything with equanimity, everything will vanish!"

Qin Yiguan saw that his persuasion was ineffective.

He gritted his teeth and poked his head out again to look at the shadow that Shitian had cast on the ground.

Then a hunched wild ghost appeared in front of Shitian. Its body suddenly split into five parts and stood in five directions around Shitian. Then the little ghost threw out five iron chains, which tied Shitian's hands, feet and neck respectively.

Five iron chains tightened, pulling the little monk horizontally into the air.

Crunch, crunch.

The sound of taut chains came from behind, and the little monk's throat was constricted, making it difficult for him to even speak.

But he still smiled and said, "Destiny is created by oneself, and appearance arises from the heart. All things in the world are manifestations. If the heart is unmoved, all things are unmoved; if the heart is unchanged, all things are unchanged!"

Qin Yiguan shouted anxiously, "Shitian, you idiot, that's not karma, you're about to die!"

It was at this time.

In the distance came once more the sound of the headless horseman's hooves, and the sound of the horseman slicing through the air with his sword.

The headless knight was charging towards Shitian, but Shitian's limbs were bound, and he was entangled with Hair-Eating Ghost and Shadow Ghost, so he could not move at all!

Once the knight strikes down with his sword, Shitian will surely be cut in two, his intestines spilling out onto the ground, and he will die a violent death!