Chapter 170: Nuo Ghost Enters the Temple

Chapter 170: The Nuo Ghost Enters the Temple

The Hour of the Ox.

Crimson light bathed the heavens; thunder erupted from flat ground, reverberating through the entire temple.

Viewed from the sky, a dense mass of shaven heads poured out of the dormitories like ants fleeing a nest, gazing in panic at that rampaging dust dragon tearing through the grounds.

Boom!

Yet another dormitory collapsed amidst the deafening roar; the rising dust, like the flying scales and claws of the dust dragon, shredded the monks' courage to pieces.

In all the years since Luohan Temple was founded in Chongqing Prefecture, this was the first time someone had brought the fight to their doorstep.

Just who was this person, to be so arrogantly brazen?!

"Hey, can you spare me some attention? At a time like this, shouldn't you be taking me hostage?"

He Zangjia shouted and yelled, baring his teeth in a grimace.

Yet his suicidal antics garnered no response whatsoever.

At this moment, every martial monk in the Dharma Hall wore the look of one facing a formidable enemy, eyes locked on that distant dust dragon.

Only the First Seat of the Dharma Hall remained solemn, staring at the dark, lightless night sky above the ruins.

"To wield such astonishing destructive power... could it be the 'Fire General'? But if it were him, why has the 'Divine Listener' security system failed to lock onto his figure for so long?"

Doubts unresolved, a sudden upheaval arose.

A panic of unknown origin spread through the hearts of the Dharma Hall martial monks, as if fire were searing their hearts and lungs, leaving them scratching their heads and unable to sit or stand still.

"Silence!"

The First Seat, seated cross-legged on his cushion, barked the command in fury.

But the very instant the words left his mouth, the pupils fixed upon this stretch of night sky abruptly contracted.

In that thick darkness, he actually saw two points of starlight, bright to the extreme!

"Watch the roof!"

The martial monks looked up in horror, seeing a ferocious Nuo mask emerging from the night!

Only now did they finally hear the whistling sound of clothes flapping in the wind!

Boom!

Moving with such speed it nearly condensed into a single black line, a figure smashed through the golden roof of the Dharma Hall.

Debris carried the savage momentum like rampaging stray bullets, striking the Subduing Demon Vajra enshrined in the hall until its gold paint was mottled and ruined.

Alarm bells rang in the First Seat's heart; he dared not hesitate in the slightest, his robust frame leaping from the cushion, flipping backward to dodge.

Thud!

That cushion, along with the ground beneath, cracked inch by inch.

A fist sank deep within, buried up to the elbow!

The First Seat landed after a mid-air twist, glaring at the strangely attired enemy before him, and roared, "You are not of the 'Eight Generals of a Thousand Gates'! Who exactly are you?!"

Clatter! Clatter.

The fist withdrew; shattered stone fragments fell from the arm, hitting the ground with a crackling patter.

Beneath the ghostly, ferocious Nuo mask, no sound emerged; it merely turned slightly, gazing at the youth lying on the ground, alive or dead unknown.

Suddenly, a figure covered in blood, wretched beyond measure, crashed into view, lunging with the ferocity of a starving tiger to shield Zhou You.

"Big Bro, you're finally here! These bald donkeys aren't even fucking human—they actually want to dig out Zhou You's brain alive and stuff it into the Buddha Kingdom!"

Though he didn't recognize this Nuo mask, He Zangjia knew who lay beneath it even if he thought with his toes.

He wiped the blood from his face, expression high-spirited: "But Big Bro, rest assured, as long as I have a breath left, I won't let them harm Zhou You!"

"You've had it hard."

Lines shifted on the heavily inked Nuo mask, forming a grin terrifying and ferocious, sending a chill through He Zangjia's entire body.

Fortunately, he was a man who had seen the world; he steadied his mind, immediately contorting his features into a wronged expression.

"Not... not hard, just a bitter life."

The Nuo mask turned back, its gaze sharp as a blade sweeping toward the First Seat of the Dharma Hall.

"This benefactor, this humble monk's Dharma name is Hui Nan, First Seat of Luohan Temple's Dharma Hall. Today's matter is a pure misunderstanding; why not cease hostilities and sit for a detailed talk?"

The Vajra meets ghosts and gods, yet the words spoken are not 'lay down the butcher's knife,' but 'cease hostilities.'

How bitterly ironic.

"No can do. I'm in a bad mood today; can't talk."

Hearing the icy voice from beneath the Nuo mask, Hui Nan's brows couldn't help but knit tight.

"Luohan Temple values courtesy, but we absolutely do not fear trouble! Does Your Excellency think to make an enemy of my temple's hundreds of monks all by yourself?"

"Just them?"

Li Jun raised his eyes in a sweeping glance; where his gaze fell, the martial monks fell silent as winter cicadas, none daring a sound. "A bunch of clay chickens and tile dogs."

It's all those worldly possessions that ruined my Buddhist sect.

Hui Nan watched this scene, a sudden pang of sorrow rising in his heart.

In the years of the 'Great Martial Divide,' the Buddhist warrior monks were so valiant, daring to fight Martial Dao Sequencers head-on, never knowing fear.

Yet now, facing a mere suspected Sequence Seven evil demon invading the temple, they actually cowered, not one stepping forward.

Step.

Li Jun stepped forward, his pace unhurried.

"Benefactor, if you remain obstinate, do not blame this humble monk for showing no mercy."

Monk Hui Nan's face was cold, but in his mind he roared urgently: "Abbot Senior Brother, what is happening at the Mahavira Hall? Why has the Earthly Buddha Kingdom not yet deployed?!"

"That Nuo mask has a shielding function; the temple's Buddha Kingdom mainframe has been unable to complete the lock."

An ancient voice echoed in the depths of his heart.

Hui Nan's tone was shocked, "Then what do we do?"

"Junior Brother Hui Nan, I fear the only way is to smash that Nuo mask to pieces. As long as we can drag this madman into the Buddha Kingdom, victory is assured!"

If I had the confidence to smash that Nuo mask, I might as well just blow this guy's head off; why would I need you to open the Buddha Kingdom?

Could the Abbot be trying to use this chance to kill me, to reshuffle the Dharma Hall?

Hui Xin, you damnable old bald donkey.

Hui Nan's mental curses hadn't ceased when they were interrupted by the bone-chilling killing intent assaulting him.

Li Jun's steps grew faster with each stride; five zhang out it was like violent rain on tiles, ten zhang out more like charging war drums!

Another step fell, and the ghost-god stood before the monk.

Using the spine as axle, the waist as root, twisting the body, swinging the arm, he smashed downward with all his weight!

Baji Pigua, Single Splitting Palm!

"Hah!"

A mountain-crushing might bore down from above; Hui Nan no longer had the mind for those bizarre thoughts. He only heard himself roar in fury, his face suddenly twisting hideous, a vicious qi rising between his brows.

In a flash, tiny golden Sanskrit characters surfaced beneath the skin exposed outside his monk's robes, his whole person as if gilded in a layer of dazzling golden light.

Bright yellow Buddhist light erupted from the precept scars atop his crown, linking into rings in the air, hanging a golden Dharma wheel behind his head!

Buddhist Dao Sequence Seven — Demon-Subduing First Seat!

Hui Nan's pillar-thick arms crossed above his head, meeting the descending, whirling arm with the force of one lifting a tripod cauldron!

*Clang!*

The terrifying giant force transmitted through the arm pressed Hui Nan's massive body downward in a sudden drop; his left leg bent, a single knee hitting the ground, the golden brick beneath his feet instantly pulverized into dust.

Within that square inch, Li Jun bounced forward with a knee strike, smashing aside the arms Hui Nan had hurriedly lowered in panic to defend.

Hui Nan's hands were flung wide, his center gate instantly thrown wide open.

Li Jun followed the momentum, whipping out his right leg, lashing it square into Hui Nan's chest.

Immense force shoved this Arhat who had activated his Vajra Transformation backward in a horizontal slide, plowing a trench of overturned brick and soil through the bright, clean scripture hall.

"Pure flesh-and-blood power... he is of the Martial Dao Sequence!"

A strand of viscous white blood trailed from the corner of Hui Nan's mouth, starkly glaring against his golden skin.

Yet his eyes suddenly erupted with a terrifying brilliance, followed immediately by an excitement and greed that defied description!