Sworn to protect the Holy Son to the death

"What the hell?"

Ye Qingyun was utterly dumbfounded.

He had only just finished packing his luggage and was planning to move away as quickly as possible.

And now they were telling him an army had already surrounded the foot of the mountain?

What was he supposed to do now?

"Do not panic, Holy Son. With us here to protect you, we will certainly keep you safe and sound!"

Huikong spoke with his palms pressed together.

"Indeed. Holy Son, you need only remain on the mountain in peace. Even against an army of a million, we can drive the enemy back."

"This is now a sacred place of Buddhist tranquility. No worldly army may disturb it!"

The other monks spoke up as well.

Ye Qingyun's face twisted with indecision.

He seriously doubted just how capable these monks were.

Could they hold off the million-strong army at the foot of the mountain?

But now.

Ye Qingyun's idea of moving away was already impractical.

He could only stay on the mountain and leave his fate to heaven.

"All right, then. My life is in your hands."

That was all Ye Qingyun could say.

"Rest assured, Holy Son!"

Huikong and the others went down the mountain.

They would protect Floating Cloud Mountain.

Protect Ye Qingyun.

Protect their Buddhist Holy Son.

Even if they died, they would have no complaints or regrets.

News of He Yun's defeat soon reached the imperial court.

The entire court was immediately thrown into shock.

"How could he have lost so quickly?"

"He Yun is one of our dynasty's great generals. How could he crumble at the first blow?"

"Could He Yun have feared battle? Did he deliberately flee in defeat?"

"Now is not the time to discuss that. We should be thinking about how to save the Eastern Realm."

"Heh, the Eastern Realm is already beyond saving. The enemy's million-strong army has probably occupied all of it by now."

"Alas, has our Heavenly Martial Dynasty truly reached the end of the road?"

The court was in turmoil, everyone gripped by panic.

They had thought He Yun's army of four hundred thousand could hold out for at least three days.

Yet they had never expected this.

He had lost in a single day.

It had truly caught them completely off guard.

Now there was simply no time to dispatch more troops.

They could only let the million-strong allied army rampage freely across the Eastern Realm.

Guyue hurried back.

He immediately sought an audience with Martial Emperor Dongfang Su.

"How did it go?"

Dongfang Su asked urgently.

"Your Majesty, Master Ye is unwilling to act!"

Guyue spoke with grief and indignation on his face.

Dongfang Su felt as though lightning had struck him, and he seemed to age ten years in an instant.

"It seems we neglected the master, so even with our Heavenly Martial Dynasty facing disaster, he has no intention of coming to our rescue."

Dongfang Su was filled with regret.

Had he known this day would come, he would have visited Floating Cloud Mountain more often and built a closer relationship with that master.

Then things would never have come to this.

"Your Majesty, what should we do now?"

Guyue was beside himself with anxiety.

Dongfang Su drew a deep breath, a look of absolute resolve appearing on his face.

"I shall personally lead the campaign!"

"The Buddha delivers all living beings. Today, we shall deliver these people caught in worldly strife, so that they lay down their weapons and follow in the Buddha's footsteps."

The monk Huikong stood outside the gates of Shaolin Temple with the other monks, his face filled with devotion.

All the monks were just like him.

Even facing an army of a million, they remained utterly fearless.

It was as though what stood before them was no million-strong army at all.

But a group of lost children.

Who needed their enlightenment and guidance.

This was the duty of Buddhist monks!

The army arrived.

A vast, teeming mass.

Densely packed soldiers formed a great, dark sea.

At a glance, never mind counting how many there were.

There was simply no end in sight.

An ordinary person would have been trembling all over in terror at such a sight.

Yet not a single one of these monks was afraid.

Even the Song Clan father and son, who had only recently shaved their heads and become monks, wore utterly calm expressions.

With the Buddha in their hearts.

They feared nothing.

The army arrived.

Three generals riding tall, powerful horses emerged from the ranks.

Each of the three came from a different dynasty.

They were also the three vanguard generals of this million-strong army.

Earlier, it was these three who had led the million-strong army and routed He Yun's four hundred thousand troops in a single battle.

"Heh, how interesting. I never expected to find a group of monks like this within the Heavenly Martial Dynasty."

Zhao Jingming, the Nebula Dynasty's vanguard general, spoke with a smile.

"This is my first time seeing real monks. All those bald heads really are amusing."

Wu Sanjing, the Purple Sun Dynasty's vanguard general, spoke.

"Judging by these monks, could there be some important Buddhist figure on this mountain?"

Sun Zhao, the Phoenix Dance Dynasty's vanguard general, asked in puzzlement.

At that moment.

The monk Huikong stepped forward.

"Amitabha."

Huikong pressed his palms together and bowed to the three men.

"Generals, this is a place of Buddhist tranquility. Please take your troops and leave at once. Do not disturb our Buddhist practice."

Huikong's tone was gentle, his expression composed.

But this attitude left the three generals rather displeased.

You aren't the least bit afraid at the sight of our million-strong army?

Doesn't that make us lose face?

Even if you really aren't afraid, couldn't you at least pretend to look a little frightened?

"The million-strong allied army of our three dynasties has come to crush the Heavenly Martial Dynasty. If you monks don't want to die, withdraw at once. Don't seek your own deaths here!"

Zhao Jingming spoke in a grave voice.

Huikong shook his head.

"Our Buddhist Holy Son is cultivating in seclusion on the mountain. No matter what, we cannot allow you to disturb him."

"Unless you step over our corpses."

Before his words had faded.

A golden light surged around Huikong.

As though an arhat had descended, Buddhist light shone over all.

Golden light also shone around the other monks, just as it did around Huikong.

Even the Song Clan father and son, who had only just entered the Buddhist faith, glowed with a faint golden light.

All three generals frowned at the sight.

These Buddhist monks clearly possessed considerable cultivation.

If it really came to a fight, wiping them out would take some effort.

What worried them most was the Buddhist Holy Son Huikong had mentioned.

That title alone sounded like an important Buddhist figure.

But when had such an important Buddhist figure come to the Heavenly Martial Dynasty?

"Gentlemen, our goal on this campaign is to destroy the Heavenly Martial Dynasty, not to make enemies of the Buddhist faith."

Sun Zhao spoke up.

"What is there to fear from the Buddhist faith? Do you think our million-strong army is molded from clay?"

Wu Sanjing, however, looked entirely unconcerned.

He did not seem particularly wary of the Buddhist faith.

"We must take Floating Cloud Mountain. Its terrain is steep and rugged, making it suitable for our headquarters. With this place as our base, our army will have secure support wherever it advances or withdraws."

Zhao Jingming nodded as he spoke.

Seeing this, Sun Zhao said no more.

"I'll say this one last time. If you don't leave, we'll send you to your deaths!"

Zhao Jingming roared furiously.

"The Buddha is merciful and does not wish to take life!"

Huikong's expression darkened.

"But at a critical moment, even the Buddha has the wrath of a Wisdom King!"

Boom!!!

Golden light blazed, and an Immovable Wisdom King appeared behind Huikong.

The Immovable Wisdom King was the foremost of Buddhism's Eight Great Wisdom Kings, capable of sweeping away obstacles in times of peril, embodying unshakable resolve.

The wrath of a Wisdom King struck fear into the evil demons that plagued living beings and drove them away.