Mouliti watched helplessly as the place turned into ruins. He had guarded the casino for twelve years and had never encountered such an outrageous event.
The Great Strength Divine Ghost, though a demonic general condemned by the Buddhist sects, had not died under Ji Xiang's barrage of firearms. He staggered to his feet, a gaping hole in his abdomen, his physical body almost destroyed. This sent him into a frenzy.
How would he explain this state to King Milong?
Ji Xiang was now on a killing spree, showing no mercy to any living being in the Three Realms – be it a cultivator, a demon, a ghost, a god, or a mortal! Anyone appearing in Milong Casino would be put to death!
A celestial demon descending to the mortal realm, utterly unreasonable!
Blood splattered within the casino, coating the pillars and floors, but there were almost no remnants of flesh and blood. All those individuals had been pulverized into dust by Ji Xiang, leaving no trace of their remains!
"Oh, you're up. I thought you were dead."
Ji Xiang approached Mouliti, carrying the cannon. Mouliti, naturally, went mad with rage!
Just as the inner landscape divine tablet had foretold.
He first used the Entangling Technique, unleashing torrents of ghostly energy!
Ji Xiang chanted three words: "Li, Jing, Duan!"
The Entangling Technique was instantly broken!
He then attempted the Fundamental Six Roots of Affliction Great Dharma, but to his surprise, Ji Xiang chanted the incantation along with him:
"Chi, Yi, Dai, Bu Xin, Hun, Diao, Heng, Wei, Ran."
As a result, before his spell could even be cast, it vanished. All the magic and power he had gathered were annihilated.
As a monk, before his fall into becoming a demonic general, Mouliti knew precisely where the scriptures Ji Xiang was reciting originated. He was struck with terror and disbelief:
"Abhidharma-kosha-shastra Prajnaparamita Sutra... This is actually from Master Xuanzang..."
The *Abhidharma-kosha-shastra Prajnaparamita Sutra* comprised forty volumes!
These "Nine Words of Buddhism" could counter all afflictions, desires, and greed-related techniques. They could also dissolve most spells cast by the ten evil thoughts that arise in the human heart, and they could resist the corruption of evil methods. Their power was immense and their applications endless. However, very few people knew of them. After the collapse of the Tang Dynasty, no one understood the true purpose of these nine words, and they were hidden within the forty volumes of scriptures, lost to obscurity!
Mouliti, at this moment, seemed to have a sudden enlightenment. He repeated these nine words: Chi, Yi, Dai, Bu Xin, Hun, Diao, Heng, Wei, Ran.
A sliver of clarity returned to his original mind. He looked at his hands, then at his appearance, and burst into laughter!
"So my cultivation was flawed. In those years, I never knew how to resist temptation. The means were within the scriptures, hidden away and gathering dust. Today, I finally hear the true Dharma, and it comes from the mouth of a Taoist! Are you blaspheming the Buddha, or am I?"
"I even wondered, if Buddhist teachings were effective, why couldn't I resist Milong's temptations? It turns out it wasn't that I couldn't resist..."
"Hahaha! It's too late for regrets!"
His so-called regret was self-mockery, not directed at Ji Xiang. At this moment, he was like someone whose doubts had been resolved. He repeated the nine words again, and his heart gained more clarity, but he could not return to his original form.
Having already become something non-human, the Buddha could allow you to protect the Dharma, but your essence remained that of a demon, a ghost, an external divine general.
"You've said enough, now go and die. You absolutely cannot leave here alive today. Even if you repent now, I will not spare you."
Ji Xiang's words were ruthless. He cared not for what the other person had been in the past; anyone who committed evil would be killed!
Kill without mercy! A prodigal son turning over a new leaf and stopping at the brink of a precipice simply did not exist!
Did you think that by dropping your butcher's knife, you could achieve enlightenment and become a Buddha instantly!
Upon hearing Ji Xiang's words, Mouliti's face contorted. He roared two or three times, accusing the Buddha of favoring Taoists over his Buddhist followers, which only drew a burst of laughter and a mocking remark from Ji Xiang!
"You chose to cultivate Buddhism, it wasn't forced upon you by the Buddha. Now, you blame the Buddha for your failure? That's hilarious!"
I, Ji Xiang, can bear witness that the Tathagata Buddha remained silent within the Great FuluLi!
Even the Buddha is speechless, and you, you bastard, are blaming the Buddha? If you can't shit in the latrine, it's truly amusing for both me and the Buddha.
Mouliti was utterly humiliated by the scolding. Ji Xiang, thinking he was about to perform his final protective domain spell, prepared to chant the corresponding incantation. Unexpectedly, Mouliti's face contorted, and he suddenly began to weep, crying out, "My Buddha, my Buddha, in giving equally, and in the results of that!"
The meaning of this corresponding incantation was essentially, "The kind of giving the mind engages in will return a corresponding karma." An evil mind leads to evil causes, resulting in evil fruit; a kind mind leads to kind causes, resulting in kind fruit.
Mouliti then chanted the Nine Words of Buddhism, looked at the ruins, and burst into laughter.
A peak Golden Core master was no more than a lamb to the slaughter before Ji Xiang. The power of a ghost and god brought him immense strength but also led to his complete and irreversible downfall. He chanted Buddhist names, intending to commit suicide, but Ji Xiang stopped him.
Then, with a blast from the cannon, his body was shattered into pieces, scattering his remains!
"What kind of repentance ritual are you performing before death?"
"If you truly repent and your ghost soul enters the pure land of Buddhism, that would be a joke! Wouldn't all those you harmed in the past have died in vain!"
"Once you step onto the evil path, you are doomed for eternity. Don't even think about starting over!"
Ji Xiang gave him no chance for repentance. Even though he had shown signs of remorse, he was interrupted, and then Ji Xiang personally sent him to the west!
Only when people make mistakes do they revere gods and Buddhas, because they hope that the gods and Buddhas will protect them in this life, and at least protect their next life if not this one! And Ji Xiang's purpose was to tell these people...
This life, you will be crushed to pieces; the next life, your souls will be scattered!
A celestial demon from beyond the heavens, to guide the world, to guide until death!
Ji Xiang killed Mouliti, like a wind sweeping away fallen leaves, like a raging fire burning a mountain. The gamblers here were all wiped out and died. Feng Menglong, with wide eyes, lying on the ground and witnessing Ji Xiang's actions, was so excited that he trembled uncontrollably!
Ji Xiang picked him up, and the floating Golden Light Charm expanded its range, forming a protective circle.
Removing the foul rag from his mouth, Feng Menglong looked at Ji Xiang as if he were a dream lover, shouting loudly:
"The Wenxiang Temple suffered a great calamity from the Gu, and Daoist Ji burned the demon lair with fire!"
"I have a story now, I have a story... Brother Ji, your skills are amazing! Your might is unmatched, your spirit soars a thousand feet into the clouds, like a heavenly lion descending from the clouds, like a divine beast shaking the earth and appearing on its throne!"
"Like a demon lord descending from heaven, truly a divine being of the year!"
Feng Menglong's writer's itch flared up. He felt no joy in surviving the disaster, but instead was immensely excited by witnessing a battle between gods and demons. He even cheered loudly, completely forgetting that he, a mortal, was still in the demon lair. The little fox was immobilized, unable to move or think. Ji Xiang retracted all his magical artifacts, but something was still missing.
The North Emperor Tianpeng Ruler, which revealed the true forms of demons and ghosts wherever it pointed, had disappeared. Its sudden vanishing was thought-provoking.
Ji Xiang stuffed his belongings into his pockets and then released the immobilization spell.
"Aowoo!"
The little fox remained in a dazed state, looking ferocious. Ji Xiang slapped it to the ground, and it even muttered:
"The Nine Lotus Fox Ancestor will come to help me! All you mortals will be eaten by the Nine Lotus Fox Ancestor! Yingyingying!"
Feng Menglong slapped the little fox and cursed, "What the hell is wrong with you..."
Before he could finish, the little fox bit him with a "hanchi," causing him to yelp in pain. Ji Xiang then struck again, sending the little fox spinning in place before it fell to the ground with a thud.
"Hiss! What happened to Hu Xiao Shi! It's like he's possessed!"
Feng Menglong blew on his arm. Ji Xiang explained, "He's been possessed. What happened to you guys earlier?"
"We don't know either. As soon as we entered the temple, we didn't see you. Then, in the main hall, some Taoists came with incense, and Hu Xiao Shi became very affectionate towards them. I smelled a fox-like odor from the incense, it was disgusting, it stank! I'm going to report it to the authorities and report that temple! I'm a scholar!"
"Scholar my ass! Even a provincial scholar is useless!"
Ji Xiang said, "A fox-like odor, that must be the work of the incense. That 'Nine Lotus Profound Fox Ancestor' is just a demon fox that gained power. The fox's scent attracted Hu Xiao Shi because he is also a fox spirit."
"What! He's a fox spirit? Are there male fox spirits?"
Ji Xiang patted Feng Menglong, almost making the latter gasp for breath.
"Never mind male or female. Hu Xiao Shi is a legitimate fox immortal from the Fox Immortal Hall of Longhu Mountain. The Heavenly Master enlightened him into human form. Fox immortals are not fox demons; they are true divine generals and celestial beings. It's just that young Xiao Shi is a poor student, lacking in talent and Taoist magic, which is why he was deceived by a mere fox demon."
"That must be a female fox with great cultivation. But this is Jining Prefecture. A female fox daring to cause trouble in Shandong territory truly shows no respect for the majesty of the Sun-Moon Palace!"
Ji Xiang's gaze turned cold. He decided to make that fox spirit truly feel the power of righteous Dharma.
In this Shandong territory, under the command of the Holy Mother of Mount Tai, the Golden-Furred Celestial Fox of the Sun-Moon Palace is a true divine general. With a single incense memorial burned into the heavens, he would invite the divine generals of the Sun-Moon Palace to assist, ensuring that these seductive foxes who mislead others' disciples and grandchildren would be burned in a fierce inferno!
"She took my North Emperor Tianpeng Ruler, fearing I would reveal her form? Foxes are most easily found by other foxes. I will now burn an incense memorial and send it with the gentle breeze towards Mount Tai!"
Just as Ji Xiang was about to act, the ground suddenly trembled, and screams erupted.
"Good heavens, what was that sound!"
Feng Menglong was greatly startled. Ji Xiang patted him again, "There's a great demon, it should be Milong!"
The screams from underground grew louder, accompanied by a strange commotion. Ji Xiang realized something was wrong, grabbed Feng Menglong, and with three or five steps, flew outside!
"Take Xiao Shi with you, and use these talismans. Don't be stingy. If you encounter any demons, slap them in the face!"
Ji Xiang threw a handful of talismans to Feng Menglong, and also tossed him the Vajra Bell. This bell could prevent ordinary people from being deceived by resentful spirits and ghosts, and it was very effective in dispelling evil energy and wicked thoughts.
As the three of them emerged, the entire casino instantly collapsed, revealing its true form: a seven-story pavilion, with the destroyed casino being only the uppermost layer!
There were six more layers below, but they were all tilted. From the lowest pavilion, a roar of rage emanated. A fat, obese man, draped in a kasaya and wearing a Taoist's feathered shoulder cape, was strangely attired. With a large head and big ears, he had clearly just broken through his confinement. His complexion was pale, his hair disheveled, and he looked like a malevolent ghost!
"The Seven Treasures Platform, my Seven Treasures Platform has been destroyed like this!"
"It's you! You black-robed Taoist, I kindly invited you to the casino for entertainment, and you killed all my gamblers!"
"You actually possess such ability! Your life belongs to me! I will use you to replenish this destroyed Seven Treasures Platform!"
As he spoke, countless rays of light suddenly flew out from the massive building behind him. Those collected wishes also ascended into the air. The man turned back blankly, saw this scene, and was both shocked and enraged!
"What, what is happening now! My wishes, my treasures, my Taoist fruits!"
...
At the East Great Vehicle Temple, Xu Hongru saw through the True Son Flying Frost Mirror and foresaw Milong's misfortune. The mirror displayed a black character for "凶" (fierce).
A blood-red "凶" indicated a minor misfortune, while a black "凶" indicated a fatal calamity.
He muttered to himself, having learned of the destruction of the Seven Treasures Pavilion and the uncontrolled radiance of the treasures within. The disciples of the Wenxiang Sect had already begun to perform rituals, accepting the radiance of the treasures, while chanting a phrase:
"As stated in the *Old Nine Lotus Sutra*: When Maitreya attains Buddhahood, celestial demons will burn the palace, and the Seven Treasures Platform will be scattered and destroyed in an instant!"