With Ye Kunlun’s saber strike, a colossal Buddha Dharma image manifested within Jing Kong, radiating from his body. As Ye Kunlun’s lightning saber descended, the Buddha’s palms joined, directly catching his lightning strike. The benevolent Buddha opened its eyes, and two beams of golden Buddhist light shot towards Ye Kunlun. Ye Kunlun let out a cold snort, starlight blazing in his eyes, as he met the Buddha Dharma image head-on!
*Poof—*
Jing Kong spat out another mouthful of blood. The Buddhist light on his body dissipated instantly, his face turning incredibly pale. The next moment, the surrounding desert vanished, and the two returned to the Buddhist hall. Jing Kong’s face was pale, but the sharpness in his eyes remained undiminished. The Buddhist light flickered faintly on his body as he rapidly healed. Ye Kunlun looked at him indifferently, not rushing to attack.
After a moment, some color returned to Jing Kong’s pale face. He joined his palms and said, "Is the benefactor also here for the Evil Buddha Relic?"
"No!" Ye Kunlun knew the other party might have misunderstood. He replied calmly, "As I said, I was just passing by."
Jing Kong’s eyes scanned Ye Kunlun, as if trying to see through him. A profound power enveloped Ye Kunlun. Ye Kunlun snorted coldly, his expression turning grim, "Are people of the Buddhist sect so brazenly prying into others?"
Ye Kunlun’s cold snort, to Jing Kong’s ears, sounded like a roaring lion, shaking his mind. "Sumaru Lion’s Roar, how do you know the secret Buddhist technique of Lesser Sumaru Mountain?!" Buddhist secret techniques were never passed down, let alone those from Lesser Sumaru Mountain. It was as if Ye Kunlun were a core disciple of Lesser Sumaru Mountain. But Ye Kunlun clearly wasn't a Buddhist disciple!
"Enough of the nonsense," Ye Kunlun had no time to bicker with Jing Kong. "I ask you, did you set up this Buddhist hall here?"
Jing Kong shook his head and replied, "No, this humble monk is currently cultivating at Jingbei Temple."
"Jingbei Temple?"
"It’s the temple not far from the Northern Frontier Military Region," Jing Kong explained. "Since the benefactor is not here for the Evil Buddha Relic, please leave quickly."
"Since this Buddhist hall was not built by you, why are you, little bald monk, meddling in so much unnecessary business?" Ye Kunlun sneered repeatedly. "If I hadn't held back just now, you would have already gone to see the Buddha."
Since Jing Kong kept mentioning the Evil Buddha Relic, Ye Kunlun asked, "What is this Evil Buddha Relic you speak of? Does it have anything to do with the barbarians?"
Hearing Ye Kunlun's words, Jing Kong’s expression changed slightly, and his aura became sharp again. "The benefactor still says they are not here for the Evil Buddha Relic."
"You are no match for me," Ye Kunlun said with a blank expression. If Jing Kong didn't know better and dared to offend him again, he wouldn't mind sending him directly to the Western Pure Land.
"Alright, let's not go in circles!" Ye Kunlun felt a headache coming on. Dealing with people from the Buddhist sect was simply troublesome.
"Someone in Kandatown has contracted Dream Soul Syndrome, this matter is related to the barbarians, and the person who contracted Dream Soul Syndrome had been to the Tibetan Buddha Cave and bought a four-eyed Buddha pendant!" Ye Kunlun quickly explained to Jing Kong.
"So, you suspect the Buddhist hall is also related to the barbarians?" Jing Kong temporarily believed Ye Kunlun.
"Yes!" Although Ye Kunlun had fought with Jing Kong earlier, strangely, he harbored no ill will towards him. Jing Kong also carried a killing intent, but it was more of a purity, a purity Ye Kunlun had never seen in others. That was why he patiently explained.
"This Buddhist hall is indeed related to the barbarians, but it has nothing to do with the power of misfortune!" Jing Kong's words made Ye Kunlun raise an eyebrow. "You know about the power of misfortune?"
"Of course!" Mentioning the power of misfortune, Jing Kong’s face also turned a bit solemn. "Three years ago, when this humble monk came down the mountain and passed by this place, I discovered that the barbarians were shrouded in misfortune, so I asked a friend to help build this Buddhist hall!"
"The Buddha you see here is named Vajrapani, a guardian of the Buddhist sect, capable of suppressing demons." Jing Kong explained to Ye Kunlun, looking at the black-faced Buddha statue before them. "After the Buddhist hall was completed, this humble monk stayed at Jingbei Temple to cultivate, attempting to purify the misfortune of the barbarians!"
Ye Kunlun thought carefully; the Buddhist sect indeed had a set way of researching ominous powers like misfortune and hatred. It was not surprising that Jing Kong could detect the barbarians' power of misfortune.
"It's just that my Buddhist cultivation is limited. For three years, not only have I failed to purify the power of misfortune, but I have also found that the power of misfortune has grown stronger. Jingbei Temple and Vajrapani are no longer able to suppress it."
"Amitabha!" Jing Kong recited a Buddhist chant, a hint of compassion appearing in his eyes.
"What is this Evil Buddha Relic you speak of? Why, upon my appearance in the Buddhist hall, did you assume I was here for it?" Ye Kunlun asked.
"Vajrapani is no longer the Vajrapani of three years ago; it has been backfired by misfortune!" Jing Kong continued to explain to Ye Kunlun. "For three years, the power of misfortune has condensed within Vajrapani into an evil relic, which I have named the Evil Buddha Relic."
"Half a year ago, someone passed by the Buddhist hall, discovered the Evil Buddha Relic within Vajrapani, and wanted to take it. I stopped them!"
"Once the Evil Buddha Relic within Vajrapani is taken, the misfortune of the barbarians will erupt even faster, and the Evil Buddha Relic entering the world will bring misfortune and disaster!"
"Therefore, when you said you were passing by the Buddhist hall, I mistakenly assumed you were also here for the Evil Buddha Relic." Jing Kong finished, his eyes showing apology.
"You little bald monk, you attacked me right away, and now you can talk!" Ye Kunlun shrugged and cursed.
"It was this humble monk's rashness." Ye Kunlun turned and looked at the Vajrapani before him again. He sent out his divine sense and indeed discovered a Buddhist prohibition at the dantian position of the Buddha statue. No wonder he hadn't detected the Evil Buddha Relic at first.
"Although the Evil Buddha Relic has been sealed by me with a prohibition, Vajrapani's Buddhist power has been almost entirely devoured, turning it into an evil Buddha."
"This humble monk comes here every seven days to purify Vajrapani and inject Buddhist power into it anew!" As he spoke, Jing Kong sat down on the prayer mat before Vajrapani.
"Please wait a moment, benefactor!" With that, Jing Kong began reciting Buddhist scriptures. Ye Kunlun recognized that what Jing Kong was reciting was the "Great Compassion Mantra" from the Buddhist sect. The "Great Compassion Mantra" can be used for seeking peace, blessings, and to ferry departed souls, and it can also be used to purify and suppress demons.
As the Sanskrit chant echoed, the Buddhist hall filled with a holy and peaceful aura. Ye Kunlun faintly heard as if countless gods and Buddhas were chanting the "Great Compassion Mantra" along with Jing Kong.
Having exchanged blows with Jing Kong, Ye Kunlun could tell his Buddhist cultivation was profound. Besides Buddhist cultivation, Buddhist nature was even more important. Ye Kunlun suddenly had some realization. The purity that Jing Kong possessed, which others lacked, was precisely his Buddhist nature.
"My fourth master said that the most powerful Buddhist cultivation in this era belongs to Lesser Sumaru Mountain and Floating Sky Temple. My fourth master's Buddhist cultivation is different from Jing Kong's. It seems Jing Kong should be from Floating Sky Temple." Ye Kunlun made a guess about Jing Kong’s identity.
As Jing Kong chanted, a layer of golden Buddhist light gradually condensed on Vajrapani's Buddha body! After about ten minutes, the Buddhist light faded.
"Done." Jing Kong stood up, but when he turned to look at Ye Kunlun, he froze.