Huo Ban dragged Yan Shouyi before him, his eyes filled with immense greed.
Sensing Huo Ban's threat, Yan Shouyi decided not to hesitate any longer.
"General, I am ready," Yan Shouyi said in his heart.
General Qing Jiang remained silent for a moment. "Then do as you said. Do your best, and leave the rest to fate."
General Qing Jiang's support was somewhat reluctant. Once the seal Yan Shouyi spoke of took effect, neither of them knew when they would be able to break it.
But he and Yan Shouyi were one. Neither could escape alone.
"Stupid girl!"
Yan Shouyi suddenly shouted Lin Zitong's nickname, then continued, "I will hold Huo Ban off, for as long as it takes. As for the rest... it's up to you!"
He believed in Lin Zitong. He believed that if she was given enough time, she would surely find a way to get rid of Huo Ban and rescue himself and General Qing Jiang.
Lin Zitong's eyes reddened, but she nodded firmly. "I will find a way! Wait for me, no matter how long, wait for me!!"
Receiving Lin Zitong's response, Yan Shouyi let go of all his worries.
Even facing the terrifying Huo Ban, he could meet the challenge calmly, even with a brave smile on his lips.
Huo Ban, seeing this, seemed somewhat enraged.
He raised countless tentacles and thrust them all towards Yan Shouyi!
*Poof!*
The tentacles were like spears, piercing Yan Shouyi's body one by one!
"Young master..."
"General..."
Taohua Ying and Lian He could not bear to watch. If they felt this way, how much pain must Lin Zitong be in?
But Lin Zitong did not avert her gaze. Instead, she stared intently at Huo Ban.
Suddenly, golden light erupted from Yan Shouyi's body!
Huo Ban immediately felt threatened, recoiling his tentacles as if electrocuted, and simultaneously glanced towards a direction on the shore.
"What's happening?" Lian He did not quite understand what had occurred.
Above the Mercury River in the Imperial City, a chanting voice could be faintly heard. The sound was solemn, profound, and so powerful that merely listening to it instilled a sense of sincere worship, as if one were witnessing the Great Thunderclap Temple bathed in Buddha's light.
"Is this a Buddhist technique?" Taohua Ying was a little bewildered.
Wasn't the young master a descendant of Lu Ban? How could he know Buddhist techniques?
It was only then that Lin Zitong finally understood what Yan Shouyi intended to do.
"This move, other Lu Ban descendants might not know it," she murmured to herself. "Because it's content left by Yan Shouyi's grandmother in the Lu Ban Shu. It's a Buddhist technique from Mount Emei!"
Yan Shouyi's entire body was enveloped in Buddha's light, making him appear incredibly sacred, as if a holy Buddha had descended.
In his hands, he continuously shifted Buddhist mudras.
Tandhutra Dīpa, Maṇi-ratna Dīpa, Maṇi-cakra Dīpa, Dhāraṇī Dīpa, Sarva-duṣṭa-nāśaka Dīpa, Sūrya Dīpa.
Each mudra represented a Kṣitigarbha, collectively known as the Six Realms Kṣitigarbha.
Tandhutra Dīpa was specifically for rescuing beings in the hell realm.
Maṇi-ratna Dīpa was for saving those in the hungry ghost realm.
Maṇi-cakra Dīpa was for aiding the animal realm.
Dhāraṇī Dīpa was for helping the asura realm.
Sarva-duṣṭa-nāśaka Dīpa was for delivering those in the human realm.
Sūrya Dīpa was for benefiting the deva realm.
With each shift of the mudra, the golden light radiating from Yan Shouyi grew stronger.
To everyone's ears, the six-syllable mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" seemed to resound!
Lin Zitong murmured, "Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva once made a great vow: 'Until hell is empty, I will not become a Buddha.' These Six Realms Kṣitigarbha are the mudras Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva uses to guide the six realms..."
Suddenly, Lin Zitong turned and left.
Taohua Ying and Lian He were somewhat caught off guard and hurried after her. "Miss (Princess), where are you going?"
Lin Zitong's footsteps did not falter, and she said, "When that big fool made his move, Huo Ban felt threatened and immediately looked towards a certain direction in the Imperial City. This means there is something there that scares or makes him wary!"
Lian He's eyes lit up. "Princess, do you mean that if we find what makes Huo Ban afraid, there might be a chance to defeat him?!"
"Exactly."
Although she desperately wanted to stay with Yan Shouyi, Lin Zitong knew that only by remaining calm and finding a way to defeat Huo Ban could she rescue Yan Shouyi.
After all, he was already preparing to use "that move."
"I must hurry."
Lin Zitong thought this to herself, and her pace quickened. Finally, she summoned Xue Da and rode out on Xue Da.
Taohua Ying and Lian He quickly followed.
...
Seeing Lin Zitong leave, Yan Shouyi breathed a sigh of relief.
His greatest fear was that Lin Zitong, fearing his loss, would lose her reason and rush over to help.
He now saw clearly that the only thing he could do was to seal Huo Ban along with him. As for how to deal with Huo Ban, that would have to be planned carefully and left to Lin Zitong.
He believed that his wife would not disappoint him.
With Lin Zitong gone, Yan Shouyi could face Huo Ban with confidence.
The Six Realms Kṣitigarbha mudras in his hands changed rapidly, emitting dazzling Buddha's light that even surprised Qing Jiang.
"How many more tricks do you know?" General Qing Jiang couldn't help but ask.
"This move is truly my last resort," Yan Shouyi said with a wry smile.
The Buddha's light grew increasingly brilliant, even beginning to dispel Huo Ban's ghostly aura.
Huo Ban knew he could wait no longer!
He let out a strange howl, and the souls in the Mercury River surged towards the bronze coffin as if eager to be devoured by Huo Ban.
Yan Shouyi saw that these souls had suffered greatly and wished to be devoured by Huo Ban sooner, thus finding release.
Such despair from the souls ignited Yan Shouyi's anger.
He suddenly struck, slamming his palm onto Huo Ban's forehead!
"The Buddha told Indra, merit is due to all heavens. The sick are healed, the fearful are at peace. Evil spirits and malevolent gods are all driven away, disaster is averted, good fortune descends. Great compassion, great vows, great sages, great mercy. Until hell is empty, I will not become a Buddha!"
Six Realms Kṣitigarbha · Demon-Subduing Divine Seal!!!
*BOOM!*
The earth trembled, and the Mercury River churned with monstrous waves!
From Yan Shouyi's body, waves of golden Buddha's light radiated outwards!
Wherever the Buddha's light reached, all souls were transcended!
These souls, trapped for two thousand years, were finally liberated!
"Om, ah, ra, ma, lin, tuo, ning, so, ha."
Yan Shouyi recited the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva mantra again, and the Buddha's light ripples that had spread out actually began to contract!
Huo Ban felt threatened and struggled wildly!
But the returning Buddha's light had already transformed into a golden lotus beneath Yan Shouyi's feet, its petals beginning to close.
Enveloping Yan Shouyi and Huo Ban within!
A fierce glint flashed in Yan Shouyi's eyes. "Huo Ban, as long as I, Yan Shouyi, am in this imperial tomb, you will never see the light of day again! Stay with me in this sunless imperial tomb, unable to leave the Mercury River for eternity, and repay the debts you owe!!"
As his words fell, he leaped into the bronze coffin!
"No!! No!!"
Huo Ban was filled with terror. What he feared was not death, nor being sealed, but continuing the two thousand years of darkness!
He did not want to wait any longer, did not want to be plunged into nothingness again!
But alas, Yan Shouyi had resolved to perish together, and his immense power left no room for Huo Ban to resist!
In his screams, Huo Ban was also dragged into the bronze coffin!
Immediately after, the Buddha's light retracted, and the lid of the bronze coffin slammed shut!
The Mercury River gradually calmed down, and the riverbank fell silent.
A Buddhist scroll drifted down from the sky and slowly settled upon the bronze coffin.
This was the Six Realms Kṣitigarbha · Demon-Subduing Divine Seal.
Yan Shouyi had sealed himself and Huo Ban together within the bronze coffin!