Chapter 256 — The Demonic Nature Is Hard to Purge
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
Though I am a monk of the Great Thunderclap Temple, I never heard the elders speak of it. Hierarch Shen, I have heard that the Dark Demon Cult does not cultivate the heart, and makes few demands as to the depth of one's mental state. Your cult's arts are quick to master, but because you train the art and not the heart, they easily lead to demonic deviation. " Shen Mu stood beneath the boundary stele, looking up and studying the writing on it: "There is such a saying. " Foxin's eyes flickered: "The Buddhist gate's arts temper the heart.
Joined to the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Sutra's speed of mastery, would that not be perfect and flawless?
" Shen Mu was still studying the characters on the stele and said carelessly: "That I do not know. " Foxin watched his back; Shen Mu watched the stone stele before him.
Neither spoke again.
Suddenly Buddha-light blazed and demon-breath rose thick; beneath the boundary stele, Buddha and demon split the world between them, one upright, one wicked, and crashed together with a roar!
Shen Mu turned around, Buddha-light blazing behind his head, like a great yellow-robed Buddha; thunder-peals sounded at his every movement, and what he drove was the Thunderclap Mahayana Sutra. And Foxin was thick with demon-breath, demon-fire burning all around him, and what he drove was the Creation Earth Origin Art!
Without a word the two clashed beneath the boundary stele. Above Shen Mu's head the vital breath gathered like cloud, faintly revealing five layers of heavens, ten thousand Buddhas paying homage to the source; around Foxin demon-breath churned and the demon-fire burned ever fiercer. Beneath the Great Thunderclap Temple's boundary stele the two moved swift as a hare rising and a falcon stooping; suddenly a great crashing roar came, and Foxin gave a stifled grunt and fell back a step.
Shen Mu stepped forward, chopping at him palm after palm, each palm as heavy and solid as the boundary stele itself! Foxin retreated without cease; fresh blood ran from his eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Boom.
Shen Mu brought another palm down, as though a great Buddha dealt out the karmic fire of ignorance. Foxin raised a hand to take it head-on; the sound of breaking bone came from within his body, and he fell back again, then suddenly felt the stele against his back, and his heart sank. Boom!
Shen Mu struck another palm.
Foxin grunted and dropped to sit beneath the boundary stele, raising a hand: "No more.
I yield. " Shen Mu lifted his fist and smashed down, fist after fist. After a while he rose to his feet; Foxin was a blur of blood and flesh.
"Your demon-nature is too heavy.
I mean to leave you alive, and see how you will bring ruin upon the Great Thunderclap Temple in the years to come. " Shen Mu drew back his hand; blood dripped from his fingertips, pat, pat, pat.
Looking at Foxin beneath the stele, his face no longer recognizable, he said softly: "In the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Sutra you twisted every single art; you are more demon than the demons.
If I leave you, the Great Thunderclap Temple will surely be destroyed at your hands.
" Foxin still had a breath left in him and was about to speak, when suddenly a sword-light came flying and, with a whistling hiss, pierced through the space between his brows; the flying sword passed through his skull and nailed him to the boundary stele. A voice said delightedly: "The Demon Cult's Hierarch is dead at last! This wretch was heavy with demon-nature! " "That Buddha-son was too kind-hearted after all; he did not have the heart to strike the killing blow.
" Another voice laughed: "But in the end it is all to our benefit! Cut off his head and collect the reward from the Crown Prince!
"