"Master!?"
This sudden turn of events left Wen Yuxian and the others at a loss.
Even if Miaohui Shitai had the possibility of being transformed by Asura, it should have been at her weakest moment. But she had already accepted the truth and overcome the most difficult hurdle.
How could she be controlled by her inner demons and forcibly transformed into Asura just as she was about to reveal the location of the Lotus Array's core?!
Miaohui Shitai, now with three heads and six arms, clutched her face with her six hands, emitting beast-like roars from her throat.
She seemed to be struggling, resisting the inner demons. This was akin to using her own consciousness as a battlefield; whether she or the inner demons gained the upper hand, it would cause her immense pain.
"Go! You all go quickly!!"
Miaohui Shitai, with the last trace of her reason, yelled at Wen Yuxian and the others.
But how could Wen Yuxian and the others abandon Miaohui Shitai?
"Junior sister, chant the sutras!"
Wen Yuxian made a decisive move. He sat cross-legged with Guan Yun Shitai and began chanting the "Great Compassion Mantra."
The Great Compassion Mantra is also known as the Heart Calming Mantra, the Tranquil Mind Mantra, or the Pure Heart Mantra. All sentient beings are troubled, and all troubles lead to suffering. All troubles are unarising and undying, not impure or pure, not increasing or decreasing. The tangible arises from the intangible, the intangible gives rise to the tangible, and the tangible returns to the intangible. Circumstances arise from the mind.
Reciting the Heart Calming Mantra would prevent one from being swayed by emotions, and at this moment, it could also have a certain effect on Miaohui Shitai, helping her resist the inner demons.
"Namo, Ratna, Trayaya, Namo, Arya, Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva, Maha-sattva..."
The two were enveloped in Buddha's light, their voices chanting Sanskrit mantras, shrouding Miaohui Shitai.
This tactic actually had an effect. Miaohui Shitai's pain immediately lessened significantly. Even the heads and arms that had already grown seemed to be retracting slightly!
"What's wrong with Miaohui Shitai?"
At this moment, Long Feicheng finally came to his senses and asked the question with confusion.
Miaohui Shitai would not be transformed by inner demons for no reason. Something must have been the trigger for her... but nothing had happened just now, and Miaohui Shitai was clearly about to overcome that hurdle.
Yan Shouyi frowned. If Miaohui Shitai's mind was clear, then there must have been an external cause that led to her transformation into Asura.
Where did this external cause come from?
Suddenly, a beam of light shot from a corner towards Guan Yun Shitai!
Yan Shouyi reacted quickly, blocking Guan Yun Shitai and drawing his saber to deflect the light.
The beam of light landed on the ground, revealing its true form – a flying knife coated in poison!
"Who's there?!"
Yan Shouyi roared, while Long Feicheng, Tian Jue'er, and the others quickly moved closer to Miaohui Shitai. Everyone had their backs to Miaohui Shitai, facing in all directions to prevent further sneak attacks.
Were there others hiding on Mount Emei besides their group?
In the mountain forest, a figure slowly emerged.
Yan Shouyi looked closely and saw an unfamiliar face.
This person was not from Mount Emei.
He was a man, no more than 1.6 meters tall, a short person. He wore a white lotus monk's robe, no hat, had long hair, wore a string of prayer beads around his neck, a red cloak draped behind him, a long red-sheathed saber tucked at his waist, and held a wooden fish supported by a lotus in his hand.
At first glance, the person seemed full of contradictions – wearing a monk's robe but having long hair, wearing prayer beads and holding a wooden fish while also carrying a saber.
Was this person a Taoist, a Buddhist, a thief, or a knight?
But one thing was certain: his appearance at this moment was undoubtedly related to Miaohui Shitai's loss of control. He was definitely not a benevolent figure!
"White lotus monk's robe, red-sheathed saber?... White Lotus Society?!"
Upon first seeing the newcomer, Yan Shouyi didn't immediately recall his identity. But with closer observation, a terrifying folk religious sect appeared in his mind.
During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism and Manichaeism, among other religions, took root in the Great Tang. Although most of these religions disappeared after the persecution by the Tang court after Emperor Wuzong, they still saw new development in the Song Dynasty.
In the Song Dynasty, Pure Land Buddhism and Manichaeism merged, forming the White Lotus Society. The White Lotus Society and Manichaeism were often used to organize resistance forces, hence they were regarded as heterodox cults by the rulers of the Song Dynasty and subsequent dynasties. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Han Song regime, to which Zhu Yuanzhang had pledged allegiance, was established on the basis of the White Lotus Society.
After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Manichaeism died out due to the Ming Dynasty's high-handed policies, but the White Lotus Society continued to exist. During the reign of Emperor Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty, the leader of the White Lotus Society, Xu Hongru, led a famous anti-Ming uprising. During the reign of Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty, the White Lotus Society and its derivative sect, the Society of Heavenly Principles, frequently launched rebellions against the Qing government.
The reason why the White Lotus Society was able to develop and grow rapidly, and quickly gain popular support, was its characteristic feature: normal Buddhist sects advocated chanting Buddha's name and observing precepts, adhering to discipline, not killing, not stealing, not engaging in illicit sexual acts, not lying, and not drinking alcohol, whereas the White Lotus Society had no restrictions on its followers.
Their teachings were simple and their practice was easy. By the late Southern Song Dynasty, they were even regarded as "demon-worshipping heretics" by some local officials and Buddhist monks who considered themselves orthodox.
Strictly speaking, the White Lotus Society was actually a folk religious sect that evolved from Buddhism.
The white lotus monk's robe and the red-sheathed saber were the hallmarks of the White Lotus Society. Although they had disappeared decades ago, Yan Shouyi was not surprised to see someone from the White Lotus Society at this time: other folk religious sects might be eliminated by the times, but a sect like the White Lotus Society, which relied on bewitching the populace for its existence, would never completely disappear.
Indeed, the White Lotus Society was both righteous and unorthodox. They were adept at bewitching people to achieve their goals. In their hands, righteousness and unorthodoxy were merely a matter of a single thought.
At this moment, Yan Shouyi was certain that it was this member of the White Lotus Society who had caused Miaohui Shitai to transform into Asura.
Clang!
Yan Shouyi swept his saber horizontally, the tip pointing to the ground, cold light glinting on the blade. He asked coldly:
"Who are you, state your name!"
The man's face was expressionless, like a Buddha devoid of emotions. He replied, "White Lotus Society, Pu Shi."
Then he added, "And also, among the New Xuan Mountain Sect's Four Duties and Five Ghosts, I am the 'Jiao Gui' (Ghost of Persuasion)."
Yan Shouyi and the others were horrified.
The New Xuan Mountain Sect had several important organizations: the Four Duties and Five Ghosts, the Twelve Earthly Branches, and the Twenty-Eight Mansions.
Among them, the Twenty-Eight Mansions were decimated in the battle of Chang'an by Li Chongxi and others. Second Uncle Wei Changqing had also defected to Yan Shouyi, and they were no longer a threat.
Several members of the Twelve Earthly Branches had been killed by Yan Shouyi, and now he also had their list. Eliminating them was only a matter of time.
Unexpectedly, one of the Five Ghosts had now appeared. What ability did Li Genmiao possess to recruit so many powerful individuals to serve him?!
The Five Ghosts were the Ghost of Wisdom, the Ghost of Learning, the Ghost of Literature, the Ghost of Fate, and the Ghost of Persuasion. Among them, Jiao Gui meant to bewitch people's minds.
Appointing this White Lotus Society believer to the position of Jiao Gui truly suited Pu Shi's persona.