Ethan Shu, with unwavering resolve, continued to vanquish the remaining malicious spirits in the valley. After subduing the mountain spirits, wild creatures, and demons like the Gray Immortal and the Yellow Immortal, he accumulated an additional 4,000 cultivation points.
Just as he was about to strike down the Fox Spirit, Clara Ning
and Serena Nie intervened.
"Wait… Little Monk, hold on!" "Fox Spirit is good—just like us. She has never harmed the innocent." "If not for her help, we wouldn't have held back the other Five Immortals," they pleaded on her behalf.
The Fox Spirit, intimidated by the Buddhist aura emanating from Ethan Shu, revealed her true form, trembling on the ground. Even Clara Ning and Serena Nie felt the intense heat of his aura, unable to get close.
Ethan Shu activated the S-shaped golden line on his forehead, using his Brahmic Eye to examine the Fox Spirit, with lotus petals swirling in his gaze. Seeing that her karmic burdens were minimal, he spared her life. The Fox Spirit sighed in relief, but her legs were so weak she couldn't stand.
"Little Monk, your aura is too overwhelming. It's causing us harm… Could you restrain it a bit?" Serena Nie asked fearfully.
Ethan Shu nodded slightly, shifted his hand to form a Buddha Seal, and chanted, "Mighty Celestial Dragon, return to me!"
Roar!
The Mighty Celestial Dragon gave a long cry, circling a few times before diving into Ethan Shu's back. The dragon tattoo on his powerful back still glowed faintly red. As the white monk's robe descended from the sky, draping over him, the intense aura of Buddhist power receded slightly.
With the Buddhist aura restrained, the pressure on Clara Ning
, Serena Nie, and the Fox Spirit lightened dramatically, as if a mountain had been lifted off them.
Pfft! The elderly monk could no longer contain his injuries and coughed up blood, collapsing to the ground.
"Master!" Ethan Shu rushed to support him, helping him sit in a lotus position and channeling what little Buddha force he had left into his body.
The monk, his voice fading, said, "I knew you had a deep Buddhist fate and a unique destiny." "Seeing how much you've achieved in just a year brings me peace."
"Master, please don't speak…" Ethan Shu focused all his energy, placing both hands on the monk's back, transferring his remaining Buddha force in a desperate attempt to keep him alive.
The monk shook his head. "It's no use, my disciple… my time has come."
The relic that had been floating in the air began to dim and descended slowly. "Ethan Shu, I have one last request."
He entrusted his relic to Ethan Shu. "If you ever have the chance, return to the Great Hsuan Temple and deliver this relic there." "And the demon who killed my master, Chan Master Laikong, is the young sect master of the Demon Sect." "If you ever reach the Golden Body realm, destroy as many of those Demon Sect fiends as you can!"
"I have little left to give you. The prayer beads were destroyed in the battle against the Martial Protector General; only the purple-gold monk staff remains. I hope it serves you well."
With that, the elderly monk closed his eyes, his peaceful expression serene as he entered eternal rest.
"Amitabha…" He murmured his final Buddha name and passed away, his aura fading entirely.
"Master!" Ethan Shu held the monk tightly, throwing his head back in a sorrowful cry. "Aaaah…!"
The sinister soil surrounding them erupted, with thousands of pounds of dirt and stone flying into the air. From a distance, Clara Ning, Serena Nie, and the Fox Spirit stood silently in mourning.
After the grief subsided, Ethan Shu used the last of his Buddha force to carry the monk's body, walking away one slow step at a time. He was returning to the temple.
"Little Monk…" Serena Nie wanted to comfort him, but Clara Ning stopped her, shaking her head. "Let him find peace on his own," she whispered ，Serena Nie halted, watching as Ethan Shu departed with the monk's body.
On the third day of the third month, the world lay blanketed in snow, yet to thaw. Step by step, Ethan Shu climbed the stone steps from the mountain's base, following the winding path to the summit. Amidst the endless expanse of white, his solitary figure and footprints seemed infinitely lonely and desolate.
"Master, we're here… We've come home." Passing through the snow-covered temple gate, he looked up at the sign above: Huiming Temple.
He remembered changing the character "Lan" to "Hui," transforming the sign into "Huiming Temple." The monk had been both amused and annoyed, chasing him around the temple grounds with a broom, running several laps along the outer walls.
Ethan Shu entered the courtyard. Snow blanketed the trees and stone table. He seemed to see faint images—a monk and a young disciple sitting at the stone table playing Gomoku, sweeping fallen leaves into piles, then roasting sweet potatoes by the fire. Scene by scene, the memories came alive before his eyes. Snowflakes fell onto his lashes, melting into crystalline teardrops that traced down his face.
"Master, I'll restore Huiming Temple, and I'll make sure it thrives." Wiping away his tears, Ethan Shu raised the purple-gold monk staff, pressing it firmly into the ground. He carried the monk's body into the main hall.
The hall's altar bore no Buddha statue. Ethan Shu placed the monk's body upon the altar, preparing to enshrine him as a relic.
He found a mat, sat cross-legged, and kept vigil over the monk for the entire night.
At dawn, the first ray of golden light broke over the mountains, casting its warmth upon the temple hall. Sunlight streamed through the doors, illuminating Ethan Shu's back.
He rose, following his usual routine, taking up a broom to sweep the grounds. The system rewarded him with a new treasure—a Brocade Kasaya of lower-grade Buddha quality.
The Brocade Kasaya sparkled, as if woven from the finest silk and adorned with jade, resplendent and eye-catching. Ethan Shu, dressed in this brilliant kasaya, with his handsome, jade-like face, appeared more like a saint descending to earth.
Yet he felt neither joy nor sorrow. Donning the Brocade Kasaya, holding the purple-gold monk staff, he looked ready for a journey.
"I have completed the final level of this journey. It's time to descend the mountain."
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