The ground was overgrown with weeds, the doors and windows were broken, and the Buddha statues were covered in dust and dimmed with age. It seemed as if they had been forcibly pushed from their lotus pedestals, shattered into pieces. One head had rolled to the edge of the wall,恰好 “gazing” at Meng Qi and the others with a compassionate smile still on its face.
This sight sent a chill down Meng Qi’s spine. The Great Sage was a demon, Benbo’erba was a demon, and Grandma was also a demon, yet their styles were completely different. Could it be that they had encountered the latter?
Jiang Zhiwei and the others examined the meditation hall but found no notable features or signs of enemies.
Ge Hua’en’s expression turned serious. He took several deep breaths, closed his eyes for a moment to compose himself, and then threw several copper coins from his palm.
Everyone knew he was divining and dared not interrupt, each keeping watch in different directions.
Ding… The sound of the rolling coins gradually faded. Ge Hua’en looked closely at them, his expression shifting slightly: “This place is extremely ominous!”
“Which direction is more auspicious?” Meng Qi asked. After all, they were all clueless about their current location and the source of the danger. Following the divination result was at least a viable option amidst helplessness.
Ge Hua’en picked up the coins and cast them several times. His expression grew increasingly grave. Even with his usually calm and composed demeanor, he now seemed slightly gloomy: “Every direction bears ill omens. It seems we are trapped in a deadly place.”
Everyone exhaled deeply but did not feel overly disheartened. Otherwise, this wouldn’t be a deadly mission.
“If that’s the case, night is approaching, and we should stay rather than leave,” Luo Shengyi stated confidently, his opinion easily gaining agreement.
Outside the window, the sun sank into the west, staining the sky red, and the surroundings had already turned dim.
Meng Qi nodded directly: “That makes sense.”
After all, he had read Journey to the West and, based on the description of the “Demon King of the Six Paths of Reincarnation,” could imagine the terrifying scene of a mountain filled with demons. Many demons were skilled at hiding and hunting prey at night. Traveling at night would be extremely dangerous. One careless step could lead to being captured and steamed or fried. It was better to hold our ground in this ruined temple until dawn.
“Fine,” Jiang Zhiwei had no objection.
Zhang Yuanshan, known for his steady and meticulous approach, immediately suggested: “Then let’s inspect the temple together and eliminate internal threats.”
At a time like this, everyone must stand united. Splitting up or acting alone was strictly forbidden, or else the next meeting might only be with a corpse.
No one opposed his suggestion. Meng Qi took the lead, others followed in their respective positions. As he pushed open the door, a cacophony of cawing erupted. A flock of crows took flight from the rooftops, creating the sensation of dark clouds rising. The ruined temple, set against the backdrop of dusk, appeared desolate and eerie.
Meng Qi’s gaze swept across the square outside the meditation hall, which was also overgrown with weeds. Bird droppings and animal excrement were everywhere, with broken walls and scattered tiles, giving the impression that no one had visited for countless years.
“We must finish the inspection before nightfall,” Luo Shengyi habitually took command, though compared to before, he clearly showed more respect for Meng Qi and the others’ opinions.
Meng Qi nodded, his right hand gripping a blade and his left a sword, leading the group to inspect each room and courtyard. They found the place completely deserted. Some wooden tables and chairs were so rotten that they collapsed at a touch. Occasionally, a gaunt rat strutted past as if it owned the place.
Roughly half an hour later, the sky grew darker, already feeling like night. Jiang Zhiwei and Fu Zhenzhen lit firebrands to illuminate the surroundings.
They had roughly searched the main body of the temple without discovering anything strange or valuable. Some animal carcasses were scattered and half-eaten, clearly visited by wild dogs and the like.
“It seems these aren’t demons that can command ghosts,” Zhang Yuanshan judged.
In the main world, there had once been an era of demonic chaos, with various demons emerging one after another. Although they were later suppressed by the Human Emperor and retreated to places like Tianhaiyuan, they occasionally reappeared to cause havoc. Therefore, records of demons were detailed among the major sects. As a direct disciple of Zhenwu, Zhang Yuanshan naturally possessed various methods and techniques for inspection.
Meng Qi looked back toward the temple gate, where the outside was pitch black, seemingly brimming with endless danger: “Then we should mainly guard against demons outside.”
The signboard above the main gate seemed long gone, leaving them unaware of which temple they were in.
“Let’s return to the initial meditation hall first; that location is most suitable,” Jiang Zhiwei suggested after weighing the conditions of the various courtyards and their distances from the gate.
Meng Qi naturally had no objection and walked ahead again. It was evident that the meditation hall they had just left was the main hall of the temple.
As they neared the meditation room, under the firelight, Meng Qi suddenly caught sight of a glint of gold.
“Huh? The gold lacquer on the Buddha statues has long faded; where is this gold coming from?” Meng Qi frowned slightly, walking closer. He discovered it was a signboard covered in moss and weeds, with a golden stroke visible in the characters.
“A signboard?” Jiang Zhiwei’s sharp eyes questioned, “Let’s see which temple this is.”
Although they were in an unfamiliar reincarnation world, knowing the temple’s name or location was useless. However, it was at least a Buddhist temple. Perhaps it aligned with the Buddhist sects of the main world, allowing them to deduce some information, just like the Shaolin Temple in the Dorchad world, which not only matched the layout of the main world’s Shaolin but also enshrined the Tathagata.
Meng Qi did know the names of several temples in the Journey to the West world, such as Golden Mountain Temple. Perhaps he could use this to determine their location. Thus, he used “Light Whisper” to clear away the weeds and moss.
With his skills, the bottom character was soon revealed, a Sanskrit word for “temple.” If it weren’t for Meng Qi’s studies at Shaolin, no one present would likely recognize it.
He continued scraping upward, revealing the Sanskrit word “Yin” (sound). Meng Qi’s expression slightly changed, his breath catching. Could it be “Xiaoleiyin Temple” (Small Thunder Sound Temple)? Not to mention the Yellow Eyebrow Elder who had been captured, any leader from there could easily devour them all.
“Something wrong?” Ruan Yushu seemed to notice Meng Qi’s tension, and everyone’s breathing immediately grew lighter.
Meng Qi shook his head and continued scraping off the weeds and moss. After 800 years, the demons here should have long moved on, especially since the Yellow Eyebrow Elder had been taken by Buddha Maitreya.
The golden Sanskrit characters gradually emerged. Meng Qi’s heart skipped a beat—it was indeed the character for “Lei” (thunder)!
Xiaoleiyin Temple… This meant they were in the Western Continent of Niuhuo? Truly a place teeming with demons large and small!
Feeling he had confirmed the result, Meng Qi relaxed slightly. Judging from the ruined state, it didn’t seem like any powerful demons resided here.
He casually removed the remaining weeds, intending to reveal the character for “Xiao” (small), when suddenly he chuckled inwardly: “It’s not ‘Xiao,’ it’s ‘Da’ (big). So it’s not Xiaoleiyin Temple after all. Not bad…”
Just as he thought this, his pupils constricted violently, his expression freezing, his mind surging with shock.
If it wasn’t “Xiao” but “Da,” then it was “Daleiyin Temple” (Great Thunder Sound Temple), the temple where Buddha Tathagata resided in Journey to the West?
The voice of the Buddha, preaching the Dharma, resounded like thunder!
This defied logic… Meng Qi’s face turned blank. How could this place resemble Daleiyin Temple? If even Daleiyin Temple had become like this, what unimaginable catastrophe must have occurred? It was like a heavy blow to him right from the start!
Don’t panic, don’t panic. Perhaps it was just some wild fox sect that named itself… Meng Qi’s changing expression made Jiang Zhiwei and the others increasingly vigilant, but his demeanor prevented anyone from asking questions immediately.
Meng Qi focused on the signboard. The wood had a faint greenish hue, as if still retaining some vitality. The four Sanskrit characters initially appeared ordinary, but upon closer inspection, they evoked a profound sense of peace and serenity, a quiet yet enduring Chan atmosphere. It lay there quietly, as if narrating the vicissitudes of time, unmoving and authentic.
“Could it really be Daleiyin Temple…” Meng Qi instinctively inserted his “Zi-Wu” blade and lifted the signboard. When he turned back toward the meditation hall, he suddenly realized something was off. If it truly were Daleiyin Temple, apart from the signboard, everything else should be sacred objects imbued with the presence of Buddha Tathagata. Even after centuries, they should retain an extraordinary quality, like the signboard itself. Why would everything else be decayed and ordinary, crumbling at a touch?
Could it be that this place wasn’t Daleiyin Temple, but the signboard was genuine?
But this hypothesis was equally hard to accept! Who had taken the signboard of Daleiyin Temple from the Pure Land of Ling Mountain and discarded it here?
By the time he calmed himself, he realized his unusual behavior had drawn the attention and concern of all his companions. This matter was too bizarre; with his current cultivation and mindset, he couldn’t fully control his emotions.
“What’s wrong with ‘Daleiyin Temple’?” Jiang Zhiwei asked in confusion. As a young monk from the Buddhist sect, could he know something?
According to some Buddhist scriptures from the main world, the Buddha resided in the Pure Land of Nalanda, not mentioning Daleiyin Temple, so they weren’t surprised.
Meng Qi hesitated slightly before replying: “I once read some Buddhist scriptures written by unknown authors, which mentioned that Tathagata also had the Pure Land of Ling Mountain, and at its center stood ‘Daleiyin Temple.'”
Zhang Yuanshan, Luo Shengyi, and others’ expressions shifted slightly. Meng Qi came from a Buddhist background; it was normal for him to have access to scriptures unknown to outsiders. Could it be that the demonic chaos had destroyed the Buddha’s Pure Land, turning Daleiyin Temple into ruins?
That’s impossible!
How could demons possess such power? Even a Demon Lord capable of opening his own world couldn’t achieve that!
Even if a Demon Sage were reborn, he would at most equal a Demon Lord.
Or perhaps this Buddha wasn’t from the main world’s Buddhism?
Innumerable questions arose, but none spoke, waiting for Meng Qi to continue.
Meng Qi shared his suspicions, suggesting this place wasn’t truly Daleiyin Temple, only possessing its signboard. This idea gained everyone’s agreement. Even if it wasn’t the true Buddha, a normal Buddha’s dwelling should be filled with sacred objects, far surpassing the relics they encountered in Dorchad’s world. How could everything here be so fragile, crumbling at their touch?
“Perhaps the signboard isn’t genuine either; maybe it was written by some eminent monk,” Meng Qi himself didn’t believe this explanation. If Ling Mountain were intact, and Daleiyin Temple still existed, which eminent monk would dare name his temple Daleiyin Temple?
Reflecting on the prophecy, “Eight hundred years after Journey to the West, demons will run rampant,” Meng Qi sensed an impending upheaval.
He paused briefly before continuing: “The stories in those scriptures resemble this world somewhat—demons roaming freely, demon sages everywhere. We must remain vigilant.”
“If we truly encounter a Demon Sage-level expert, vigilance won’t help. Just relax,” Jiang Zhiwei chuckled lightly, showing no fear.
As her words faded, everyone shuddered. A powerful demonic aura erupted into the sky!
Innumerable weaker demonic auras connected like a dark cloud, accompanied by rising winds, rushing toward the meditation courtyard.
“Riding the wind?” Zhang Yuanshan’s expression tightened. This must be at least a half-step beyond worldly realm demon!
Due to their innate supernatural abilities, demons could ride the wind half a cultivation stage earlier than human experts at the worldly realm.
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