Arrival at the Great Wheel Ming Temple

As Gu Changyuan spoke, he swiftly led the group toward the Great Wheel Ming Temple.

Xiang Xuanyin and Xu Mengyao did not ask much.

The fact that their master could directly state the name meant he had already uncovered everything behind the scenes.

They did not need to know the details, nor the causes and effects; they only needed to know one thing.

The Great Wheel Ming Temple dared to lay a hand on their child.

Today's matter had to be paid in blood.

And the moment Gu Changyuan left, the cultivators below instantly turned into a mist of blood.

...

Four hours later.

The sky over the Western Continent had darkened, the setting sun sinking beneath the horizon, leaving only a final streak of dark red in the sky.

The Great Wheel Ming Temple was nestled within a continuous mountain range. Built against the mountain, the temple's overlapping structures extended all the way from the foot of the mountain to its waist.

White walls and golden tiles, with upturned eaves and flying corners, countless halls and pavilions loomed faintly in the twilight.

The mountain gate was tall and majestic, and the four golden characters "Great Wheel Ming Temple" on the lintel glowed faintly in the dusk.

The temple's incense burned prosperously; even at this hour, faint bells and the chanting of sutras could still be heard.

The twilight was heavy, and as the last glimmer of light fell from the horizon, Gu Changyuan arrived.

He stepped out of the void, and the moment his foot landed in the sky above the Great Wheel Ming Temple, it was as if the entire world trembled beneath his feet.

The space above the Great Wheel Ming Temple shattered beneath him, cracks spreading in all directions, leaving shocking black fissures across the canopy of the sky.

A powerful aura poured down from Gu Changyuan, crashing toward the Great Wheel Ming Temple.

Under the pressure, the temple's mountain gate let out an overwhelmed creak. Several golden tiles shattered, sliding off the hall roofs and smashing onto the ground with crisp sounds.

The prayer beads in the hands of the Buddhist cultivators chanting in the halls snapped simultaneously, scattering across the floor, while the oil lamps before them went out all at once.

The stone slabs beneath the feet of the disciples sparring in the martial arts arena simultaneously developed fine cracks that spread in all directions.

The entire Great Wheel Ming Temple fell silent at this moment.

The temple's mountain-protecting grand array automatically activated the instant that aura appeared. A golden light barrier rose from the temple, enveloping the entire complex.

The grand array operated for less than two breaths before fine cracks began to appear on the surface of the light barrier, spreading from the center to the edges. The runes twisted, deformed, and dissipated within the cracks.

Figures flew out from below the Great Wheel Ming Temple. There were elders wearing golden kasayas, protectors holding monk's spades, white-haired old monks, and middle-aged monks with angry expressions.

Their cultivation ranged from the Tribulation Transcendence realm to the peak of the Half-Immortal realm. Dozens of figures drew golden streaks across the night sky, landing not far from Gu Changyuan.

The leading old monk wore a bright red kasaya. His hair and eyebrows were completely white, his face was kind, and his entire body radiated a golden light of universal salvation.

His gaze swept over Gu Changyuan, Xiang Xuanyin, and Xu Mengyao, his expression remaining with the calm and composure unique to an enlightened high monk.

"Benefactor, may I ask why you have suddenly descended upon our Great Wheel Ming Temple?"

His voice was peaceful and mellow, carrying the compassion and gentleness unique to Buddhist cultivators.

"This poor monk observes the benefactor's countenance; you do not appear to be a heinous and wicked person. If there is a misunderstanding, why not enter the temple for a chat? This poor monk is willing to substitute tea for wine and talk peace with the benefactor over a cup."

They appeared calm, but their hearts were already churning with stormy waves, not peaceful in the slightest.

Xiang Xuanyin and Xu Mengyao—one a demon cultivator, the other a human cultivator—were publicly recognized as top-tier experts in the Nine Heavens Realm.

But the most important of all was Gu Changyuan, who stood at the very front.

A fiend who could casually instantly kill a Half-Immortal and wipe out a top-tier family had suddenly descended. The Great Wheel Ming Temple was likely facing an imminent disaster.

The abbot of the Great Wheel Ming Temple was at the peak of the Half-Immortal realm. He had lived for thousands of years and seen countless experts.

But he had never seen an existence like this. He was clearly just standing there, clearly without any spiritual energy fluctuations, yet he made the abbot feel as if the entire world was under his control.

The commotion here was immense and naturally attracted the attention of other factions around the Western Continent.

Experts from various major factions used their divine senses to investigate, but no one dared to approach. They all chose to observe from a distance and watch the show, with absolutely no intention of lending a helping hand.

What a joke, who would think their own faction was living too peacefully and go provoke two behemoths like the Heavenly Human Sacred Land and the Heavenly Demon Pavilion?

Furthermore, looking at Gu Changyuan's posture, he was obviously here for revenge. Stepping forward at this moment would undoubtedly be seeking death.

"I came to wipe out the Great Wheel Ming Temple."

Gu Changyuan's tone was calm.

"The elders of your Great Wheel Ming Temple spent money to hire assassins, wanting to murder my grand-disciple who was out gaining experience. Since you did it, you must know the consequences."

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of all the elders of the Great Wheel Ming Temple changed in unison.

Hiring assassins to kill his grand-disciple—this was provoking someone far beyond their league.

The smile on Abbot Huiming's face stiffened for a moment, quickly returning to normal, but something deep in his eyes was slightly trembling.

He took a deep breath and pressed his palms together.

"Benefactor, there may be some misunderstanding in this matter."

His voice remained peaceful.

"If it was truly the doing of an elder of our temple, this poor monk will personally uncover the truth, punish them without leniency, and certainly provide an apology gift that satisfies the benefactor."

He paused, his gaze sincere.

"Please give this poor monk some time, this poor monk will—"

"There is no need."

Gu Changyuan interrupted him, his voice as calm as before, yet it made people shudder.

"Not just that. Decades ago, the elders of your Great Wheel Ming Temple coveted my second disciple's inherited sword intent, a matter I have yet to settle with you.

Over these decades, the bald donkeys of your Great Wheel Ming Temple have repeatedly hindered my sacred land's disciples from gaining experience in the Western Continent, a matter I also haven't settled with you.

Today, old scores and new debts will be settled together."

Over these decades, whether they were outer or inner disciples of the Heavenly Human Sacred Land, whenever they formed teams to gain experience in the Western Continent, they would always encounter interference from the Buddhist cultivators of the Great Wheel Ming Temple.

Although it never caused any major casualties and the impact was small, it was like a mosquito constantly buzzing around, which eventually became annoying.

These matters had long spread within the sacred land and had reached Gu Changyuan's ears one by one. He had just been too lazy to bicker about it, but now was the perfect time to settle all old and new debts together.

Gu Changyuan raised his right hand, spreading his five fingers and curling them slightly downward.

The phantom of a massive longsword condensed into shape in the sky above the Great Wheel Ming Temple.

The longsword hung vertically above the temple, its tip pointing down, aiming at the largest Buddhist hall of the Great Wheel Ming Temple—the Mingshan Treasure Hall.

"Since you like disturbing people's peace so much, then I will simply eradicate you."

As his words fell, the longsword plummeted.

Abbot Huiming's expression changed drastically. He pressed his palms together, golden light flourishing around his body, and a golden barrier condensed into shape in front of him.

The other ancestors and elders also made their moves simultaneously, dozens of golden barriers stacking layer upon layer to block the trajectory of the falling giant sword.

But before the giant sword, they were like paper paste.