The Little Thunderclap Temple, perched atop the highest peak of the Blissful Plateau.
Here, immortal mists permeated the air, and five-colored auspicious clouds coiled around. The numerous temples were constructed from gold bricks, adorned with various jade and precious stones, radiating splendor and grandeur.
Buddhist chants echoed everywhere, and Buddha's light soared into the sky, exuding solemnity and reverence, akin to the Pure Land.
However, for those with profound cultivation or possessing the Heavenly Eye that could pierce through illusions, the feeling was entirely different.
The Buddha's light here was not sacred and serene, but rather dim and chilling, causing souls to tremble and bodies to turn cold.
"I remember visiting this place a long time ago. Back then, Bodhi Seeds were still present, and the Little Thunderclap Temple could be considered a pure land of Buddhism. Now, it has become a den of iniquity, filled with the stench of blood, decay, and putrefaction."
The Four Unlike stood at the entrance of the Little Thunderclap Temple, sniffing the air and muttering with great disdain for the place's aroma.
Ji Hanhan, with a greedy look on his face, approached a building and couldn't resist poking it with his finger.
He gasped in surprise. He had initially thought the building's exterior was merely decorated with gold leaf, but it turned out to be solid gold bricks, incredibly heavy.
Looking around, he saw an endless expanse of gleaming golden buildings. It was impossible to estimate the sheer quantity of gold here; it was truly extravagant.
"Poverty has limited my imagination."
Ji Mo put on a show of being unworldly, sneakily pried off a chunk of gold, and secretly stuffed it into his pocket.
The Four Unlike widened its donkey eyes, unable to comprehend the meaning behind this action.
Just days ago, Ji Mo had generously given away so many medicinal pills comparable to Nine Revolutions Immortal Elixirs without batting an eye, displaying immense wealth. Yet now, he was coveting a small piece of worthless gold.
Along with the Four Unlike, many other beings who had followed from a distance were equally stunned and bewildered.
They had trailed Ji Mo from afar, eager to witness the unfolding events firsthand. Among them were those with ulterior motives, hoping to take advantage of the situation and reap benefits when Ji Mo clashed with the Little Thunderclap Temple.
"Amitabha, we welcome your honored presence to our Little Thunderclap Temple!"
A gentle voice sounded, and a young monk strode out from within the temple.
The monk wore a moon-white kasaya, formed a Buddha mudra with his hands, and wore a smile on his face. A soft Buddha's light emanated from him, giving the impression of basking in a spring breeze.
Jiumo Shi had arrived. Although he wished to kill Ji Mo, he showed no outward signs of it, instead adopting an appearance of warm hospitality.
It had to be said that Jiumo Shi was indeed something. He had brutally murdered his own father not long ago, yet now he came to greet Ji Mo as if nothing had happened.
Despite his outwardly relaxed demeanor, his heart was heavy, as he had already learned of Ji Mo's glorious achievements – single-handedly sweeping aside all opposition and effortlessly reaching this place.
Jiumo Shi looked at Ji Mo, momentarily lost in thought.
What did he see?
That incredibly ferocious evil Buddha, acting like a thief, sneakily pried off a piece of gold and put it in his pocket!
If someone of this caliber coveted a piece of gold as worthless as dirt, he would never believe it, even unto death.
"Could it be that this fellow is hatching some scheme, deliberately acting this way to shatter my Buddhist heart?"
Jiumo Shi's mind raced, believing Ji Mo was setting a trap for him, so insidious.
Buddhahood, above all, emphasized the cultivation of the heart.
As long as the Buddhist heart showed even the slightest flaw, the consequences would be endless.
Ji Mo was also taken aback. He had killed many people from the Little Thunderclap Temple, so why was the other party showing such a friendly attitude?
He exposed him on the spot: "Monk, you are truly hypocritical!"
Jiumo Shi's lips twitched slightly, and he gritted his teeth. It was the first time someone had openly called him hypocritical, causing him to lose face.
For many years, he had strived to cultivate the persona of a compassionate saint who saved all beings, enjoying an excellent reputation and being deeply loved by his followers.
Apart from having a troublesome father, he was practically flawless.
Now, being exposed by Ji Mo, he felt both anger and shock.
Jiumo Shi believed his Buddhist teachings were profound and did not believe Ji Mo could see through his depth.
He maintained his smile and said calmly, "A monastic who speaks ill of others will surely face karmic retribution and descend into the Avici Hell."
"Karmic retribution?"
Ji Mo narrowed his eyes, observing Jiumo Shi. His gaze fell upon Jiumo Shi's right hand, where he noticed a wisp of blood-red resentment. He retorted, "If speaking ill of people sends one to Avici Hell, then what kind of karmic retribution does killing one's own kin incur, and which layer of hell should one descend into?"
As these words fell, Jiumo Shi could no longer maintain his smile, and a look of horror appeared in his eyes.
He could not fathom how Ji Mo had learned that he had killed his own kin. Could he predict the future?
The Little Thunderclap Temple was enveloped by vast Buddhist resonance, capable of concealing everything. Only a divine being skilled in calculation could possibly deduce that he had committed murder.
"He must be talking nonsense; he cannot possibly be a god?"
Jiumo Shi tried his best to regain his composure, refusing to believe that Ji Mo possessed special abilities that only divine beings could wield.
"What? Isn't it rumored that the Buddha's son, Jiumo Shi, possesses a great compassionate Buddha heart and never kills, so how could he have killed someone?"
"As everyone knows, Jiumo Shi's only relative was his troublesome father, the Holy Buddha. Does he mean that Jiumo Shi committed patricide!"
Exclamations from the distance erupted in a chorus, and the crowd began to discuss animatedly.
After all, patricide was an act that went against human nature, something even beasts would not do. They found it difficult to believe that a Buddha's son would commit such a heinous act.
However, such a matter was easy to verify. If the old man with the goatee appeared later, it would prove Ji Mo was slandering him. If he failed to appear, then Jiumo Shi would be unable to escape suspicion.
Jiumo Shi panicked. If his patricide were exposed, his reputation would be ruined. He began to regret his earlier impulsiveness in killing his father.
"I treated you with good intentions, yet you are so malicious, slandering me and tarnishing my name. You shall descend into hell."
Jiumo Shi dropped his pretense and attacked immediately.
Originally, he had planned to lure Ji Mo into the depths of the Little Thunderclap Temple before making a move, but he could no longer wait.
Only by killing Ji Mo and then silencing all the onlookers who had heard too much could his shameful secret be kept.
Hum…
Jiumo Shi clasped his hands together, his eyes filled with killing intent.
The entire temple behind him began to glow, like a volcanic eruption, as immense Buddha's light surged in all directions.
Jiumo Shi formed various Buddha mudras, a cold smile on his lips. A lotus platform rose beneath his feet, and endless Buddha's light, under his control, swept westward.
"Retreat quickly!"
"Oh heavens, this bastard Jiumo Shi is not human."
The assembled beings turned pale with terror and retreated at their fastest speeds, attempting to escape.
They knew the danger and avoided this Buddha's light as if it were a venomous snake, fleeing in panic, wishing they had more legs, and regretting their curiosity.
They also couldn't understand why Jiumo Shi was attacking them. Could it be that what Ji Mo said earlier was true, and Jiumo Shi intended to silence them?
The Four Unlike was shrewd and immediately hid behind Ji Mo, unwilling to withstand this Buddha's light.
The nearby onlookers who had come to watch the spectacle could not escape and were instantly engulfed by the Buddha's light.
Some immediately bled black blood from all seven orifices and died tragically.
Others fell to their knees, their minds becoming hazy, their bodies emitting Buddha's light, and were soon converted.
A small number of beings unleashed powerful magical treasures, erupting with waves of immortal light to protect themselves, struggling to hold on.
"Jiumo Shi, you hypocrite, how can you be so vicious, wanting to kill us all!"
A Golden Immortal roared in anger, filled with righteous indignation.
Now, they had finally seen Jiumo Shi's true face.
"Hmph, seeking death!"
Jiumo Shi angrily slapped out a palm, and the Golden Immortal, along with his protective magical treasure, was instantly torn apart into fragments.
Even a Golden Immortal could not withstand his single strike; his power was truly terrifying.
"Next, it's you."
Jiumo Shi glared venomously at Ji Mo. If it weren't for this fellow, he wouldn't have had to go on a killing spree and could no longer pretend to be a good person.
In mid-air, a Buddha palm as large as a mountain condensed and roared down upon Ji Mo.