"You are... the one from Rongcheng..."
The abbot still dared not utter Yan Shouyi's full name, but the word "Rongcheng" was enough.
It wasn't that Rongcheng represented Yan Shouyi, but that Yan Shouyi represented Rongcheng.
Covered in the golden light of Buddhism, Yan Shouyi landed and continued to approach the abbot unhurriedly.
This time, the abbot panicked.
"The one from Rongcheng" had done many earth-shattering things. He was now a leader among the five major folk religious sects. Even the abbot's patron might not be his match!
Why would such a killer god, instead of staying in Rongcheng, come to my humble Qianlü Town?!
The abbot was filled with regret. He should have let Brother Yang go directly. Thinking back, Yan Shouyi had seemed unwilling to escalate things before, trying to conceal his identity.
He gave me a chance, but I didn't seize it.
Yan Shouyi's gradual advance put immense pressure on the abbot. Although the abbot was the one with a mountain-like physique, the pressure Yan Shouyi exuded was like Mount Tai bearing down on him.
"Don't come any closer, don't come any closer!!!"
The abbot suddenly cried out in collapse, his voice filled with terror.
But Yan Shouyi paid him no mind, leaping up and landing on the abbot's head.
"If you hadn't recognized me, you might have had a slim chance of survival. But since you did, your fate is sealed," Yan Shouyi said calmly.
The abbot dared not move, but his pleas continued: "I can pretend I never saw you. I will never tell anyone what happened today!"
"Why should I believe you?"
"I'll do whatever you want. My cultivation is hard-won; I don't want to die like this!!!"
As the abbot spoke, his skin began to wrinkle, his facial flesh formed lumps, and strange branches grew from his head, eventually transforming him into a towering ancient tree.
"I am a sapling planted in Sid Temple a thousand years ago by a high monk of Zhengde Temple. I cultivated for a millennium to become a demon. When Sid Temple was impoverished, I appeared and used some tricks to help Sid Temple stand to this day. I have never killed anyone over the years, only extorted some money. My crimes do not warrant death!"
Yan Shouyi stood on the abbot's head, looking down to see the abbot's branch-like hands clasped together.
"In this world, not only killing is considered evil," Yan Shouyi stated, unwilling to back down.
Just then, Abbot Haixin, along with two martial monks, rushed out, knelt before Yan Shouyi, and kowtowed, shouting:
"We beg the esteemed expert to spare the abbot!"
This scene stunned even the abbot.
Was the abbot usually so good to Haixin and the others?
Or had they developed Stockholm Syndrome and wished to continue being bullied by me?
It didn't make sense; why would they plead for me?
Yan Shouyi was also perplexed. He still held his Zanpakuto above the abbot's head and asked:
"Are you in league with this tree demon? Then stop pleading. Stay put. Once I kill this tree demon, I'll send you all to the west!"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Abbot Haixin's face turned pale with fright, and he quickly explained:
"Esteemed expert, please see clearly. We are not complicit with the abbot. For years, the tree demon has coerced us into robbing passing civilians. This is absolutely true!"
"Then why are you pleading for him?"
"Esteemed expert, you may not know, but the abbot has Zhengde Temple as his backer. His senior brothers from Zhengde Temple visit him every month, and they share the ill-gotten gains during these visits. If you kill the abbot and leave, when his senior brothers arrive, we will be in dire straits!" Abbot Haixin said with a bitter expression.
Zhengde Temple?
Yan Shouyi pondered for a moment, recalling the origin of Zhengde Temple.
Zhengde Temple was considered a third-rate Buddhist sect, far inferior to Hanshan Temple where Changshan resided. However, in the Huizhou region, Zhengde Temple held some influence.
Zhengde Temple was also one of the most resistant to folk religious sects among the renowned sects. If they discovered his whereabouts, it was likely that within half an hour, news would spread throughout the Huizhou region, and they would begin an endless pursuit of him.
"If what you say is true, then I have even more reason to kill him," Yan Shouyi said calmly.
The abbot was extremely dejected. Abbot Haixin's words, rather than helping, had made things worse. Was this pure revenge?
Seeing that he couldn't dissuade Yan Shouyi, Abbot Haixin gritted his teeth and said:
"Esteemed expert, if you must kill, then kill this old monk!"
Yan Shouyi looked at Abbot Haixin strangely: "Are you sick?"
Abbot Haixin shook his head: "This old monk is perfectly lucid!"
"No, you have a serious illness." Yan Shouyi could not comprehend Abbot Haixin's thinking at all.
Abbot Haixin clasped his hands together and said in a low voice:
"The world is vast, yet there is no place to find peace. This Sid Temple is an ancient temple left by monks from a thousand years ago. We cannot leave this place. Although the abbot has done wrong, if you kill the abbot, Sid Temple will cease to exist!"
"This old monk implores the esteemed expert, if you must kill, please kill this old monk and spare the abbot's life. However, please request that the abbot cease his wrongdoing and treat this old monk's two disciples kindly..."
"In ancient times, Buddha cut flesh to feed the eagles. Today, this old monk wishes to sacrifice himself for the greater good. If this can move the abbot, it would be worthwhile!"
The abbot stared blankly at Abbot Haixin: "Haixin, you..."
Yan Shouyi snorted coldly and stomped on the abbot's head with his foot, asking:
"Are you moved?"
The abbot quickly shook his head: "I dare not move, dare not move."
"I asked if you were moved by Abbot Haixin's actions?!" Yan Shouyi said angrily, stomping on the abbot a few more times. Was this the time for wordplay?
The abbot finally understood, shedding tears of regret: "Moved! Deeply moved!"
Yan Shouyi pondered for a while.
He realized that the ones truly causing trouble in Qianlü Town were not Abbot Haixin, nor the tree demon abbot, but the tree demon abbot's senior brothers from Zhengde Temple.
Monks should uphold compassion. These senior brothers from Zhengde Temple should have purged their own ranks, yet they were now complicit, possibly even forcing the abbot to do evil.
Simply eliminating the abbot was useless; the roots must be eradicated.
However, he was currently in another region and should not be meddling...
After a moment of hesitation, Yan Shouyi said to the abbot:
"I will give you two choices. You decide."
The abbot was overcome with emotion: "Please, tell me!"
"First, I kill you, but I will try to make it as quick as possible..."
"Please, don't say anymore, I choose the second one!!" the abbot shouted.
The second choice couldn't possibly be worse than death, could it???
Receiving the abbot's answer, Yan Shouyi nodded and reached into his shoulder bag, pulling out the Demon Refining Pot.