Western Ox Continent, Zheng Yin Dharma Temple.
The situation had drastically changed, and Xu Jin naturally rejected the young monk’s proposal.
He had never trusted the words of the Buddhist sect to begin with—truth or falsehood could only be determined by seeing with his own eyes.
If they were to join forces and suppress the so-called "Malevolent Buddha" first, what if there were hidden schemes? The other party might turn hostile, leaving them with no information and wasting their efforts for nothing.
Not even Chu Xingchen would tolerate such a thing, let alone Xu Jin himself.
A Malevolent Buddha was just that—a Malevolent Buddha. At worst, the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect, the Tianyan Sect, and the Buddhist sect could unite to hunt it down.
But if what was hidden was a demon, the implications would be entirely different.
As a core disciple of the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect, Xu Jin understood priorities and wouldn’t be easily swayed by mere words.
Thus, despite knowing the faceless Buddha statue was suspicious, Xu Jin chose to suppress the Buddhist monk first.
However...
The Malevolent Buddha mentioned by the young monk had begun struggling wildly against its shackles the moment it regained its strength.
Ignoring Xu Jin, the young monk focused all his efforts on suppressing the faceless Buddha statue.
Xu Jin had intended to continue subduing the young monk, with no plans to attack the Malevolent Buddha.
But then, Arhats and Bodhisattvas surged forth from the Malevolent Buddha’s domain, launching indiscriminate attacks.
As if convinced that Xu Jin and the young monk were conspiring to exterminate it, the Malevolent Buddha wasted no more words. Surging waves of karmic power rolled forth, assailing the two with relentless fury.
It sought to drive them back, buying itself time to break free from its chains.
"I told you! This Buddha’s methods are sinister beyond belief. If it gets the upper hand, we’ll be in deep trouble. What kind of person are you, blindly fighting me instead? What do we do now?"
The young monk’s voice was thick with fury as he watched the overwhelming karmic power surge skyward, the countless golden chains trembling precariously. The bloodthirsty Arhats emerging from the Buddha’s domain were even more outrageous—how could second-rate karmic power achieve such might?
Xu Jin swept his sword through an incoming Arhat, his gaze shifting to the Bodhisattvas and Arhats leaping forth from the faceless Buddha’s domain, guarding the Great Hero Hall.
"What kind of fools are the Buddhists? Knowing this Malevolent Buddha can manipulate karmic power, yet still using it for suppression?" Xu Jin’s voice was calm. "How to deal with this is your sect’s problem."
The young monk was momentarily speechless—was this even human reasoning?
"Send word to Bai Xuanling! Tell her to stop blocking people!" he snapped.
Xu Jin acted as if he hadn’t heard, focusing only on defending himself.
The young monk glared at him. Who said Buddhists were the ones pretending to be deaf and mute? This core disciple of the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect was far worse!
"Suppress this Malevolent Buddha, and I’ll let you and Bai Xuanling see everything—how about that?" the young monk relented, offering terms.
Xu Jin chuckled but didn’t respond.
The young monk understood—Xu Jin didn’t trust his promise.
"I am a Buddha! A monk does not speak falsehoods!" he declared.
Yet all he received in return was Xu Jin’s scornful laughter.
The young monk’s tone darkened. "The truth is right before your eyes. Must you bring calamity upon the world to be satisfied?"
"Us? Bringing calamity?" Xu Jin finally spoke. "Did I create this Malevolent Buddha? If your Buddhist sect had a clear conscience, why the secrecy? You know what you’ve done—and so do I. That’s why I’m here."
If Chu Xingchen had confirmed that the Buddhist sect was nurturing a demon using karmic power, then the sect must have known it was a demon—and willingly cultivated it, differing only in degree.
They knew everything about the great calamity of the past.
How many had died? How many cultivators perished? The world itself had nearly been overturned.
Even the Heavenly Dao had to intervene to protect what remained.
And yet, despite all that, they still dared to nurture a demon? Did they regret that humanity hadn’t been wiped out back then?
And now they spoke of "bringing calamity upon the world"? How laughable.
The young monk turned his gaze to Xu Jin, meeting icy eyes filled with undisguised mockery.
"If you refuse to act, then at least don’t hinder me," the young monk said, all emotion draining from his voice. "I’ll suppress this Malevolent Buddha alone."
Xu Jin remained silent, sword in hand.
With a sidelong glance, the young monk raised his Nine Dragons Staff and pressed down.
His Buddha domain expanded behind him, descending upon the Great Hero Hall below.
Golden light blazed around him as he single-handedly bore down. The Malevolent Buddha was well-versed in Buddhist divine abilities, making other methods unreliable.
The only one capable of suppressing it—Xu Jin—would undoubtedly remain a bystander no matter what was said.
Only the Buddhist golden body, self-cultivated and flawless, could prevail.
With a roar, golden Sanskrit scriptures swirled across the young monk’s body as he swung his Nine Dragons Staff, smashing toward the sinister Arhats and Bodhisattvas.
Xu Jin stood with his sword, watching impassively as Buddhist radiance clashed against the surging karmic power.
What to do, how to act—he knew. As for what the young monk assumed, it had nothing to do with him.
But then, sensing something, Xu Jin frowned slightly and retrieved a talisman.
The talisman dissolved into motes of light, merging into his body.
A moment later, he sighed softly.
"Really… I owe him this."