Amidst the pouring rain, Yan Shouyi's voice drifted, ethereal as mist, echoing profoundly and endlessly.
As he chanted Buddhist scriptures, his voice brought an inexplicable sense of calm, as if the world had suddenly fallen silent, all the thunder and rain drowned out by the sound of his recitation.
Only one sound remained in heaven and earth – Yan Shouyi's chanting!
Initially, Yan Shouyi chanted slowly, but later, his voice grew louder, his pace quicker, his pronunciation becoming blurred yet incredibly coherent, like a musical instrument being played.
Suddenly, a wave of Brahma sounds filled everyone's ears!
Brahma sounds, referring to the sounds of the Buddha, possessed five pure qualities: uprightness, harmony, clarity, fullness, and far-reaching resonance, one of the Buddha's thirty-two physical attributes.
"It's actually Brahma sounds..."
Among the onlookers, those with some understanding of Buddhism showed surprise.
Ordinary people chanting scriptures found it awkward and tedious, their voices becoming grating like flies and mosquitoes after a while.
But the chanting of truly enlightened monks brought peace and tranquility, making one feel as if they were in a vast wilderness, their hearts expanding with inclusiveness, awakening their true goodness and beauty.
Yan Shouyi's manifestation of Brahma sounds indicated that he was either a "great monk" with a Buddhist heart and affinity, or that he harbored the utmost sincerity and goodness towards humanity, possessing a righteous spirit that led him to the same ultimate destination as Buddhism through a different path!
Regardless of which category Yan Shouyi belonged to, his feat was astounding.
After all, his true identity was a successor of a folk sect.
As the Brahma sounds arose, golden light emanated from Yan Shouyi's body, shimmering in harmony with the "卍" symbol beneath his feet.
The golden light pulsed, as if breathing, not static but seemingly imbued with spirit.
Shi Kui's golden body, clad in black, dimmed under the pressure of the Buddhist light and Brahma sounds.
This made him deeply uncomfortable.
Moreover, in the depths of his heart, Shi Kui felt a sense of dread. Even though he believed his strength far surpassed Yan Shouyi's, he remained uneasy. The novel on Da Feng.
He must not be given an opportunity; it was best to eliminate him on the spot!
As soon as this thought arose, Shi Kui acted immediately!
He suddenly shook the vajra bell in his hand, emitting a piercing sound, attempting to disrupt Yan Shouyi's concentration and stop his recitation of the Heart Sutra.
To his surprise, Yan Shouyi's Brahma sounds intensified, overpowering the vajra bell and rendering it silent!
"Excellent!"
Monk Miaoji exclaimed, "The vajra bell is ultimately a Buddhist artifact. How can a mere magical treasure contend with the Heart Sutra?!"
The Brahma sounds suppressed the vajra bell, holding a natural and absolute advantage.
Shi Kui's expression darkened. Realizing the vajra bell was ineffective, he immediately discarded it. Then, he broke the prayer beads from his other hand and scattered the black beads towards Yan Shouyi.
Before the prayer beads even touched the ground, they transformed into eighteen bronze figures wielding staffs!
They were all martial monks, not Arhats, but their strength was not to be underestimated.
The eighteen bronze figures surrounded Yan Shouyi, swinging their staffs and striking!
When the staffs hit flesh, they should have produced dull thuds. However, as the eighteen bronze figures' staffs struck Yan Shouyi, the sound resembled that of striking a bell.
"This fellow..."
Shi Kui gritted his teeth.
He hadn't expected these bronze figures to shatter Yan Shouyi's golden body, but the staffs of the eighteen figures not only inflicted physical damage but also evoked remorse in the one being struck.
Anyone with a guilty conscience would abandon all struggle and defense, willingly accepting the blows and repenting.
This was an excellent offensive method, but to Shi Kui's surprise, it had no effect on Yan Shouyi.
Could it be that this young man had never felt regret?!
Had he never done anything wrong?!
He never regretted anything?
This was utterly impossible in Shi Kui's understanding!
But the reality was thus: the attacks of the eighteen bronze figures had no effect on Yan Shouyi!
Unwilling to accept this, Shi Kui raised his hand gripping the monastic staff and struck the ground heavily with it.
Dong—
The heavy staff plunged into the ground, the silver rings at its top spinning rapidly, emitting visible ripples that struck towards Yan Shouyi's mind!
The staff concealed Buddhist precepts. Yan Shouyi did not abstain from meat, nor did he abstain from women. By violating the eight precepts of Buddhism, if he had produced Brahma sounds due to a Buddhist heart and affinity, he would now be influenced by these precepts and immediately abandon all resistance, entering monastic life!
Shi Kui believed that Yan Shouyi must have been influenced by Monk Miaoji to produce Brahma sounds, implying that the youth possessed at least some Buddhist affinity, and would therefore be affected by the staff.
At the same time, Monk Miaoji also explained the effects of these Buddhist magical treasures to everyone.
The viewers in the livestream, upon learning the function of the staff, also began to worry that Yan Shouyi might enter monastic life.
If he became a monk, he would spend his days fasting and chanting scriptures, and would likely have no connection to their folk sect, let alone lead them.
More directly, Yan Shouyi would be defeated by Shi Kui, and his survival would be uncertain.
"The staff indeed possesses such power, but..." Monk Miaoji placed his palms together and smiled, "Shouyi has never been exposed to Buddhist teachings. Apart from knowing Buddhist golden body and the method of deliverance, he has no connection to Buddhism whatsoever!"
Monk Miaoji's words were broadcast, and the netizens in the livestream exploded.
Yan Shouyi's lack of exposure to Buddhist teachings meant he had no Buddhist heart or affinity.
Yet, he had undeniably produced Brahma sounds...
This meant that Yan Shouyi harbored the utmost sincerity and goodness towards humanity, possessed a righteous spirit, and, through a different path, arrived at the same destination as Buddhism – he was a true savior of the suffering!
In an instant, everyone stared intently at Yan Shouyi.
As long as Yan Shouyi could withstand the influence of the staff, no one who witnessed this battle today would fail to be convinced by him!
Who would dare oppose a person who was truly guiltless and held great righteousness in their heart?
Yan Shouyi had firmly established himself on the side of justice. Anyone who opposed him now would be voluntarily pushing themselves to the side of evil!
And Yan Shouyi, guiltless and holding great righteousness, was the person favored by the folk sect!
The silver rings on the staff spun, emitting a shrill whistle, like stern questioning and reprimand, rushing towards Yan Shouyi!
But Yan Shouyi remained with his palms together, seated like an ancient bell!
He was not affected in the slightest!!!
"This... this is impossible!"
Shi Kui's face contorted, and he shrieked.
How could there exist in this world a person so guiltless and concerned with the well-being of all humanity?!
In Shi Kui's understanding, even an enlightened monk who had spent a hundred years tapping a wooden fish could not achieve this!
Yet Yan Shouyi had done it...
He was not a Buddhist, yet he was indistinguishable from one...
Seeing that Yan Shouyi was unaffected by the staff, Wei Changqing, who had remained silent, suddenly had his eyes redden, with tears welling in the corners of his eyes.
He took a trembling breath through his nose, looked up at the sky, and murmured to himself:
"Master, Shouyi was raised by you personally. His integrity was guided and cultivated entirely by you. If Shouyi is no different from Buddha, then what level must you have reached?"
Yan Shouyi's growth was inseparable from his grandfather, Yan Baixiang. Without Yan Baixiang's ten years of tutelage, Yan Shouyi would never have become the person he was.
As if affected by the prayer beads and the staff, Wei Changqing's heart was filled with regret. Unable to control himself, he turned his back and wept, his emotions unable to calm for a long time.