Inside the stairwell of Mingyuan Building.
After hearing the Demon Monk's voice, Ren Ye entered a meditative state, his body stiff, his expression vacant, his pupils lifeless.
Yet in his consciousness, he saw a magnificent palace.
The palace had a peculiar design. Built entirely from enormous grayish-white stones, it towered into the mountain, as broad as a city wall. The two doors at its entrance, in particular, were several dozen meters tall. Even if they were meant to convey grandeur, doors like these were far too exaggerated.
What sort of person lived here to need such enormous doors?
A familiar figure stood outside the palace, clad in a monk's kasaya, his right hand resting on a monk's staff. With red lips and white teeth, he was exceptionally handsome.
It was Mumu!
Ren Ye recognized him at once, but the kindness and purity in Mumu's eyes had completely vanished. Though he still looked like a monk, his entire being radiated a vicious, evil aura.
Before the palace doors, a man in his thirties stood calmly with his hands behind his back. "Leave. It won't acknowledge you."
"I want to go inside."
"Then you'll have to kill me first." The man looked at him impassively.
"Heh. Giving up your life for a stone? What a fool." Mumu's eyes brimmed with contempt and disdain.
"You don't understand faith. I'm the last Night Watch Security Guard here. Protecting it is my destiny," the man replied, his gaze calm.
Boom!
A powerful, baleful aura erupted from Mumu's body.
The ancient Reincarnation Lotus Lamp appeared, slowly floating into the air. Its wick ignited on its own, a sinister black flame flickering to life and swaying in the wind.
"Hahaha! Faith? I asked the Buddha, and even the Buddha didn't know. The world worships him, and all