Chapter 40: The Bodhisattva Descends into the World

What, I’m the one becoming the Buddha?

Seriously?

Zhou You examined the old monk’s face, trying to find some sign of insanity in it.

What he found instead was absolute determination.

“Yes, Benefactor, I hope that you will become the Buddha. But don’t worry, I don’t mean that you’ll have to sit up there forever like a real Buddha statue,” the old monk explained calmly. “In truth, as long as there is incense faith and wishes, whatever sits up there can perform the duty of suppression. The problem is that to draw in the faith and wishes, the vessel must first be consecrated. So I hope you will sit up there first and serve as the Buddha for one round. Once I finish the consecration, you can come down, and this old monk will take your place.”

“It’s just that there may be intense pain involved. Since we have no way to carry out a normal consecration over several days, we’ll have to use some unorthodox methods. The only question is whether Benefactor can endure it.”

At this point, what else could Zhou You say?

As he had just said, at worst he would merely spend one resurrection token.

So he climbed onto the lotus throne without hesitation, sat cross-legged upon it, took a deep breath, and said,

“Let’s do it.”

The old monk wasted no words.

Using one hand, he scraped the painted coating from the shattered Buddha statue and gathered it onto his cassock. Then he grabbed his water-skin-like abdomen and sliced it open with force.

The ghost blood stored within his body poured out and mixed with the paint, forming a strange and revolting slurry.

The heroic expression on Zhou You’s face immediately stiffened.

Well... to be honest, I’m having second thoughts.

Before he could voice any objections, however, the old monk somehow produced a box of extraordinarily long golden needles. Dipping one into the mixture, he drove it directly into Zhou You’s body.

With that single stab, Zhou You nearly jumped into the air.

This was not ordinary pain.

This was no longer something that self-mutilation or carving away flesh could compare to.

It felt as if someone had driven a steel spike directly into his medulla. Every corner of his mind screamed only one sensation:

Pain.

Yet Zhou You ultimately did not leap up.

Looking at the old monk’s extremely cautious expression, he gritted his teeth and even swallowed back the cry that had nearly escaped him.

Thus, only the sound of the old monk’s chanting remained within the hall.

“At that time, the World-Honored One entered a samadhi known as the Vajra Peaceful Image Samadhi of All Tathagatas.”

“Rising from that samadhi, He spoke of molding, painting, carving, and adorning all Buddha images.”

“Let the acharya who understands the Dharma perform the rites according to the mantra ritual, invite the Buddha into the image, make offerings and praises, and thus obtain the descent of the Tathagatas and holy sages, who rejoice and bring the accomplishment of merit...”

No one knew how much time had passed.

Zhou You only clearly remembered the moment the forty-sixth needle was driven into his body.

At that instant, the old monk’s voice abruptly ceased.

Then came a long exhalation of relief.

“It’s done!”

Done?

With great effort, Zhou You raised his head.

What he saw was a face filled with apology.

Even when presented with such a perfect opportunity, the monk still had not made a move against him.

“I’m sorry for making you suffer, Benefactor. Leave the rest to me.”

As he spoke, the old monk extended a hand to help Zhou You down.

But Zhou You merely grinned and gently pushed the arm away before climbing off the lotus throne under his own power.

“No need. I can still handle something this minor myself. Though, Master, I’m wondering about...”

His words abruptly stopped.

Not because he had noticed anything unusual.

Rather, the mechanical female voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

“Congratulations, player. You have obtained the blessing: Protection of the Dharma Spell of Sanzhi Xiumo.”

“Blessing rank: Blue.”

“Sanzhi Xiumo is one of the Twenty Devas of Buddhism. He is also a son of Hariti, the Mother of Demons. The Dharani Collection Sutra records that Hariti had three sons. The eldest was Vaishravana, the second was Sanzhi Xiumo. Those who receive this blessing will gain enhanced physical capabilities.”

“Your talent, Keen Observation, has undergone a mutation due to this blessing.”

“Keen Observation has become: Eye That Perceives Causes and Origins (Green).”

“Effect: You can occasionally identify the attributes of objects, and under certain specific conditions, glimpse the past of those you come into contact with.”

What was this?

A reward after suffering?

Before Zhou You could fully process it, the old monk had already completed his preparations.

He placed all the long needles that had been stained with Zhou You’s blood onto the lotus throne, arranging them into something resembling a mountain of swords.

The object the monk had consecrated was not Zhou You himself, but these terrifying needles.

Then he lifted his monk’s robe and sat down cross-legged without the slightest hesitation.

The needles pierced straight through his flesh.

One after another, the sharp tips emerged from his withered legs.

Yet not the slightest trace of pain appeared on the old monk’s face.

Instead, he lowered his remaining hand naturally, palm facing outward, fingers extended downward, forming the Buddhist Gesture of Granting Wishes.

Then his outer skin rapidly hardened as though weathered by wind and sand, taking on the color and texture of clay.

His head likewise stiffened with astonishing speed, until it seemed no different from the shattered Buddha heads scattered across the ground.

Yet before he completely transformed into a divine statue, the old monk still managed to open his mouth and speak.

“Benefactor, there is one more thing this poor monk must remind you of.”

“Because I have become the Buddha with my own body, I can no longer complete the final steps. The suppression of these three temples therefore cannot be made perfect.”

“If you wish to completely seal away the Auspicious Tranquil Ghost Mother Bodhisattva, you must find a way to evade His pursuit, then locate His sacrificial offering and destroy it.”

“Remember, it must be smashed into pieces. Otherwise...”

Before the sentence was finished, the man had already solidified.

When Zhou You looked again, only a statue of Sanzhi Xiumo remained seated there.

In an ordinary story, this would have been a magnificent sacrifice.

For the sake of the entire city’s survival, he had willingly transformed himself into a clay idol to save countless lives.

Even in the moments before his sacrifice, his concern had not been for himself, but for how to completely seal away the ghostly monster responsible for everything.

The problem was...

For some reason, Zhou You continued to feel a faint sense of discord in his heart.

He could not put his finger on what it was.

It was not quite a thorn in his throat.

After all, the old monk had never harmed him.

Yet something felt strange.

Very strange.

Just as he frowned and sank into thought, a sudden chill ran through his body.

He had no time to think further.

Quickly grabbing the incense, he rushed out of the temple and looked into the distance.

There, at Longsong Slope, a pillar of blood shot into the sky.

Countless chunks of flesh surged toward it from every direction, piling layer upon layer, rising higher and higher until they formed a column of meat over ten metres tall (~33 ft).

In the next instant, the crimson pillar split open.

A hideous bodhisattva stepped out from within.

Not a single patch of skin covered His body.

Dark red blood vessels and pale white fat stretched across Him from head to toe.

Apparently having finally sensed the danger, this terrifying monster had forced Himself into the world two full days ahead of schedule.

Then the bodhisattva turned His head toward Zhou You’s direction and softly uttered a single word.

“Hum.”

Instantly, Zhou You felt thick blood flood his nostrils.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself standing amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

All around him, countless flayed creatures cried out in misery.

They repeated only two phrases.

“Save me.”

“Kill me.”

“Save me!”

“Kill me! Aaaaaaaaaah!”