"Hmph!" Black Bear Spirit let out a cold snort, clearly displeased.
"Jinchi, dont pretend to be ignorant. You're the one who called me here to take the Brocade Cassock! What, planning to deny it now?"
Since Black Bear Spirit was only confronting Elder Jinchi and hadn't harmed any of the monks, the disciples had gathered nearby, watching the scene unfold. Black Bear Spirits words sent a ripple of shock through them.
"What?! The Abbot was involved? That cant be true!"
"The Abbot working with a monster?"
"Have we been deceived by the Abbot all this time?"
Elder Jinchi's face turned red with embarrassment under the murmurs and glances from the monks. He quickly rebuked Black Bear Spirit, trying to save face, "Black Bear, don't slander me! This Brocade Cassock has always been mine—I would never reach out to a monster! Besides, Im a monk, youre a demon. Buddhism and demons cannot coexist. How could I ever contact you? Stop spouting lies!"
In that moment, Jinchi's indignant and righteous appearance was almost convincing. Many of the monks, especially the ordinary disciples, felt inclined to believe their Abbot.
But was Jinchi truly innocent?
With a derisive smirk, Black Bear Spirit replied, "Oh, come on, Jinchi. Quit pretending. Without my help over the years, do you really think your Avalokiteshvara Monastery could've grown so much?"
"Lies! Dont listen to him!" Jinchi's face turned pale.
"Lies? Youve made quite a fortune over the years by pretending to exorcise monsters. Now that an actual demon's here, why don't you give it a try?" Black Bear Spirit taunted.
The monks, previously loyal and hopeful, looked expectantly at Elder Jinchi, waiting for him to showcase his supposed powers.
But Jinchi hesitated, unable to act. He knew his own limitations too well. He was just a frail old monk without any true exorcising abilities. His past "exorcisms" were merely staged with the Black Bear Spirit's cooperation.
"Since you won't make the first move, then allow me! And here's a friendly warning—this time, it's deadly!" Black Bear Spirit grinned maliciously, his right paw morphing back into its beastly form as he swung it toward Jinchi with overwhelming power.
Jinchi's face turned ghostly white in terror. Even without the Black Bear Spirit's demonic power, he couldn't withstand a blow from an ordinary bear, let alone one as strong as this.
Just as the massive paw was about to strike Jinchi, and he closed his eyes in anticipation of death, the Buddhist Brocade Cassock he wore suddenly emitted a powerful golden light, forcing Black Bear Spirit backward.
"This…"
Black Bear Spirit steadied himself, gazing in astonishment at the Brocade Cassock draped over Jinchi. The treasure was truly remarkable, and greed sparkled in his eyes.
"Hahaha! I have the sacred Brocade Cassock! You can't harm me!" Realizing he was unharmed and that the Brocade Cassock had protected him, Jinchi rejoiced internally. He was immensely grateful for having acquired the Brocade Cassock from Tripitaka the night before.
"Think that'll save you?" Black Bear Spirit sneered. "Bear Dominance Technique—Roar!"
With a thunderous shout, Black Bear Spirit transformed fully into his demon bear form, emitting a dark aura that blanketed the skies above Avalokiteshvara Monastery. The Brocade Cassock's golden light flared in response, struggling to hold its own against the dark aura, but it was visibly losing ground.
After all, the Brocade Cassock's full power required a worthy wielder, and as a mere mortal, Jinchi couldn't sustain its full power.
"This Brocade Cassock is mine!" The giant black bear snarled, reaching out to snatch the Buddhist Brocade Cassock.
"No!" Jinchi cried out in despair as he watched his precious treasure slip from his grasp. Yet, powerless, he could only watch.
"Amitabha. This is where it ends," came a serene voice. Just as Black Bear Spirit's paw was about to make contact with the Brocade Cassock, a wave of Buddhist chanting filled the air. Instantly, the Brocade Cassock's golden light exploded, warding off the demon bear's assault.
"Who dares to interfere with my plans?" Black Bear Spirit bellowed, his eyes ablaze with anger as he searched for the intruder.
"Amitabha. I am Bodhisattva Guanyin of the Southern Sea," declared Guanyin, appearing amidst a radiant glow, holding her Jade Pure Bottle, and standing upon her lotus throne.
"Bodhisattva! The Bodhisattva has manifested!" Jinchi cried out in relief. Although his monastery bore Guanyin's name, it was his first time seeing the Bodhisattva in person.
"Trying to intimidate me with tricks? Just because you're Guanyin doesn't mean I fear you!" While taken aback by Guanyin's presence, Black Bear Spirit was not one to cower. Ever since gaining his powers, he had never met a true opponent—he had yet to experience a real "wake-up call."
"Amitabha," Guanyin murmured, wasting no words. She performed a hand seal, causing the Buddhist Brocade Cassock to expand a thousandfold, enveloping Black Bear Spirit in a golden light.
Black Bear Spirit, suddenly filled with dread, unleashed all his powers to break free of the Brocade Cassock's grip. However, his attacks dissipated as though swallowed by a vast ocean, leaving no trace.
Within seconds, the Brocade Cassock had tightly bound him. Yet, undeterred, Black Bear Spirit remained confident in his strength. As a demon bear by nature, he possessed extraordinary strength, and in his true form, his power was unmatched. He was certain that this mere Brocade Cassock couldn't hold him.
As he attempted to break free, though, he quickly realized something was wrong. No matter how much force he applied—even as he exerted his full strength—the bindings wouldn't loosen. In fact, the Brocade Cassock's grip only grew tighter with each attempt, until he could no longer maintain his demon form.
Despite reverting to his human guise, Black Bear Spirit found himself entirely immobilized, unable to make the slightest movement.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。