"You... you..." Xuanzang, his face pale and trembling, pointed at Xu Xiao, "How could you be so cruel? Even if they were wrong, they didn't deserve to die!"
"You claim to be an True Immortal, yet you harm ordinary people like this?"
"What, Yamato, do you have a problem with what I did?" Xu Xiao turned around, his eyes cold. "These people deserved to die. Don't forget, if I hadn't taken action, you and their whole family would be dead today."
"This humble monk would rather die himself than watch you indiscriminately slaughter the innocent." Xuanzang shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.
"The Buddha taught that compassion is the foundation of all virtues. You could subdue them; why take their lives? These wicked people were also born of parents; perhaps one day they will repent..."
"Repent?" Xu Xiao sneered, pointing to the trembling child beside him. "They didn't even spare such a young child, do you believe these beasts will repent? Your compassion is using the lives of innocent people to give evildoers a chance to change their ways?"
"But you are True Immortal, you have the ability to stop them from harming the innocent, why must you kill them? You are committing indiscriminate killing!" Xuanzang's voice suddenly rose.
Buddhist teachings say, "Lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot! Aren't you afraid of the laws of nature by doing this?"
"Heh! That's none of your business. As a righteous deity of the Heavenly Court, I have the duty to patrol the Three Realms and punish injustice. As for your so-called 'lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha' theory, heh, that's utter rubbish."
Xu Xiao sneered. His identity as Duty Officer of the Sky-Patrolling Bureau had not been erased with the arrival of the tribulation. Let alone killing a minor criminal, he could also handle any disturbances caused by immortals and gods.
Last time, when Guanyin was caught altering the karma of mortals, Xu Xiao was actually obligated to punish her, had it not been for the fact that he might not have been able to defeat her.
Xuanzang was speechless. He didn't know Xu Xiao's celestial rank, but he couldn't tolerate Xu Xiao's insult to Buddhism: "But your methods are too ruthless! If everyone killed like you, without giving anyone a chance to correct their mistakes, would the world only be left with killing?"
"Otherwise what? Admitting mistakes and accepting punishment, committing crimes and being executed—this principle applies equally in heaven and on earth." Xu Xiao spoke matter-of-factly, then, seeing Xuanzang's indignant expression, he chuckled and said, "What? Do you want to lecture me, or debate the Dao with me?"
Xuanzang wiped the grime from the corner of his mouth, his face as pale as paper. "Although you are a celestial official, you are ruthless and disrespectful to Buddhism. Today, this humble monk will have a discussion with you on the Dao."
"Heh, interesting, but I have no intention of wasting my breath on you." Xu Xiao sneered. "If you have the guts, I'll take you on a trip to the Underworld, let you see what these beasts are doing in Karmic Mirror Terrace, and then we can debate your so-called Buddhist principles."
'Dare you?'
"What is there that this humble monk wouldn't dare to do?" Xuanzang raised his head, his neck stiff.
"Alright, you've got some guts. Come with me then."
Xu Xiao smiled and stepped forward, then pointed his finger and pushed Xuanzang's soul out of his body.
Xuanzang felt a sudden lightness in his body, and then he saw another version of himself. He immediately exclaimed in panic, "You... what is this?"
"The mortal body cannot go to the Underworld; only the soul can act."
Xu Xiao spoke calmly, and the Xuanzang soul in front of him was covered with a faint layer of golden light, which was very different from ordinary souls.
This is a sign of his good deeds protecting him; ordinary ghosts and spirits dare not approach him at all.
Xuanzang's previous life was Jin Chanzi. Although he was reincarnated ten times, Xuanzang was a monk in every life. Although he was an ordinary person, he loved to do good deeds, so his merits did not decrease but increased.
" Wukong, you guard his body. I'm taking him to the Underworld," Xu Xiao said to the monkey.
"I know, brother."
Xu Xiao nodded, then Teuchi a burst of Magic Power to capture the souls of all the bandits around him. He then turned to Xuanzang and said, "Let's go."
"Which way?" Xuanzang asked, puzzled. This was his first time experiencing an out-of-body experience, and he had no idea how to get to the Underworld.
Xu Xiao did not speak to him, but instead cast a Magic Power to envelop Xuanzang, then disappeared in a ray of starlight.
As the Duty Officer of the Sky-Patrolling Bureau for patrolling the Three Realms, he was also familiar with the Netherworld Underworld.
Enveloped in starlight, they quickly traveled from the human world to the afterlife, where the souls of the dead reside.
Only the old shepherd boy and his family remained, staring at the miracle before them, speechless for a long time.
"This is truly divine..."
Underworld Yellow Springs Road
A sliver of starlight streaked Yellow Springs Road and then stopped at the entrance to the Underworld.
The ghost guards escorting the spirits saw this starlight fall and quickly stopped, signaling the spirits behind them to halt as well.
When Xu Xiao, emanating an aura of immortality, appeared, all the ghosts escorting him and the ghost generals guarding the entrance to the Underworld clasped their hands in greeting. "Greetings, sir. May I ask what brings you here?"
The souls of the dead are first detained and must pass through the Gates of Yellow Springs Road Ghost Gate Pass. Only after passing through the entrance to the Underworld can they truly enter the real Underworld.
Although Xu Xiao is a celestial being from the Heavenly Court, he cannot simply transform into starlight and fly into Fengdu City; that would be far too impolite. He is not Wukong.
Since it's not official business, I can slowly walk in here and ask the person in charge of the Underworld for a favor.
"I am Duty Officer of the Sky-Patrolling Bureau. I have come to Fengdu today to have a talk with King Qin Guang. Please inform him first." Xu Xiao nodded.
"Please wait a moment, Immortal, I will go and inform him immediately."
Upon hearing Xu Xiao's background, the ghost general guarding the gate hurriedly ordered his deputy to keep watch, while he himself, enveloped in a wisp of yin wind, quickly headed inside.
Xu Xiao didn't mind, and with a flick of his wrist, he pulled Xuanzang out of his sleeve as well.
Although it doesn't possess the Universe in the Sleeve power of Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi, it's more than capable of capturing souls.
As soon as Xuanzang emerged, he found himself surrounded by pitch blackness and an eerie atmosphere, which startled him. "Is this Hell?" he wondered.
The golden light of merit emitted a faint golden glow, allowing Xuanzang to see many illusory figures gazing into the distance.
" Zhengyi, this is the Underworld. Hell is where evil spirits are punished. Also, turn off the golden light of merit emanating from you; these souls can't withstand your radiance."
Upon hearing Xu Xiao's words, Xuanzang realized that the vast golden light emanating from his body had forced the surrounding souls several feet away, and he was startled.
"This... this... I don't know how to accept it."
"Close your eyes and concentrate, and this golden light of merit will naturally enter your body."
Following Xu Xiao's instructions, Xuanzang succeeded after trying twice.
After receiving the golden light of merit, the souls dared to approach again, following the road to the Yellow Springs Road into the Underworld.
In the vast Southern Jambudvipa Continent, countless people die every day. Looking at this scene shrouded in ghostly shadows, Xuanzang was filled with a sense of melancholy.
'Indeed, the human realm is difficult, and so is the realm of ghosts; all beings suffer. I must seek the Mahayana Buddhist Dharma teachings to liberate all people and guide them to rebirth in the Pure Land.'
'Of course, we absolutely cannot allow these celestial beings to wantonly harm the common people.'