Chapter 324: Choice

No one had expected the sudden change in Militan Temple.

Normally, most of the ruins within the Heaven-Reaching Tower should have had Arrays to defend against outsiders. How could a ruin actively pull them inside?

Chen Yuan guessed it was likely because he had shattered the Vajra Statue, triggering a secondary effect of the Array.

The Blood Fiend Power erupted. Chen Yuan tried to hold his ground, but he found the suction force was only growing stronger.

Even his Blood Fiend Power was being drawn in.

Of the Martial Artists fighting Yue Ling’Er, two had already been slain by her, and the other four were sucked in.

Meanwhile, Martial Artists with weaker foundations like Feng Tiande also couldn’t resist the pull and were drawn in as well.

In the end, only Gu Lichuan, Chen Yuan, and Zhang Xuanzhong were able to hold on against the suction.

Chen Yuan’s expression shifted slightly. ‘This Array’s power is rather sinister,’ he thought. ‘If this keeps up, my strength will be rapidly depleted with every breath I spend resisting.’

So, Chen Yuan said directly to Gu Lichuan, “Brother Gu, stop fighting it. Let’s go in and explore.”

They would have to enter Militan Temple to explore eventually anyway. Rather than resisting out here and wasting their strength for nothing, it was better to go inside, see what dangers awaited, and then decide whether to use their trump cards.

Gu Lichuan nodded and immediately stopped resisting, maintaining only his Protective True Qi. The two of them were instantly sucked into the temple.

Seeing Chen Yuan and his companion go in, Zhang Xuanzhong hesitated for a moment before he too gave up resisting and was pulled inside.

After being pulled into Militan Temple, Chen Yuan found himself in a dim, cramped space. Before him stood rows of massive stone gates inscribed with Sanskrit, each carved with a different Buddhist statue. A quick glance revealed there were at least a hundred of them.

The other Martial Artists had also been pulled in here. Forgetting their hostilities for the moment, everyone began to survey their surroundings.

No one could read the Sanskrit on the gates. ‘If only there was a Martial Artist from a Buddhist Sect here,’ they thought. ‘They might be able to gather some information.’

Just then, a grand, deafening Brahma Sound echoed through the space. Although no one could understand the words, they were somehow able to grasp the meaning it conveyed.

Each person must choose a gate and enter to eliminate their karmic obstacles with Buddhist Teachings. Only then may they enter the inner sanctum of Militan Temple.

The expressions of everyone present changed.

‘Eliminate karmic obstacles? How?’

Among those present, with the probable exception of Yue Ling’Er, almost everyone had taken lives. Their karmic burdens were likely no less than those of the most vicious criminals in the Jianghu.

‘Once we enter these gates, will we be physically annihilated? Is that how our karmic obstacles will be eliminated?’

Seeing this, the Martial Artists who were Loose Cultivators grew fearful.

They had come to the Heaven-Reaching Tower seeking opportunities, but none were in sight. Ahead lay only a path of uncertain fate. They would rather retreat and search for more reliable prospects.

Thus, after a moment of consideration, one of them turned and tried to retreat.

But in the next instant, a golden Buddha Light flared, blasting the Martial Artist into a pile of mangled flesh!

As the golden light shone, everyone finally saw what was in the space above them. Countless statues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, and Bright Kings were packed densely together, staring down and enclosing them within the narrow space.

In that moment, a chilling sense of dread washed over everyone.

They no longer had a choice. If they didn’t enter the gates, they could only wait for death. Anyone who tried to retreat would be instantly killed on the spot by the statues.

The power just now had instantly killed a Condensing Truth Realm Martial Artist. Even a Martial Artist of Zhang Xuanzhong’s Level would have to use their full strength to block it.

The problem was, he might be able to block one, but with this dense cluster of statues, could he block them if they all attacked at once?

At the very least, Zhang Xuanzhong had no desire to find out.

Just then, Yue Ling’Er cried out in alarm, “The statues are getting closer!”

Everyone quickly looked up, their expressions changing drastically.

When they were first pulled in, the statues had been hidden in the darkness overhead, and they hadn’t noticed them.

But now, the statues had descended from the darkness. Even without any light, everyone could faintly make out their silhouettes, which proved that they were running out of time.

But the Sanskrit and patterns on the gates were all different. Which one should they choose?

Shen Wugui narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then decisively chose a gate carved with a Vajra Divine Statue and entered.

‘If these gates have different difficulty levels, then the ones with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Bright Kings are surely the hardest. The Vajra ones should be slightly easier.’

Seeing Shen Wugui’s choice, the others seemed to have an epiphany and immediately rushed toward the gates with Vajra Patterns. Moments later, only Chen Yuan and his two companions remained.

Yue Ling’Er and Gu Lichuan both looked at Chen Yuan, clearly waiting for his opinion.

Chen Yuan took out the Human Skin Evil Book and asked it directly, “How should we choose?”

A line of text appeared on the Human Skin Evil Book: “Militan Temple worships countless Esoteric Divine Buddhas. These Divine Buddhas also represent countless Esoteric Dharma Gates.

The stronger the being you choose, the stronger the Cultivation Technique you will receive after breaking your karmic obstacles.

Master, if you want a Buddhist Inner Power, I suggest you choose one of the Buddha statues.

If you want to complete the Nine-Character Secret Mantra, I suggest you choose the thirteenth gate from the left, the one with the Bodhisattva Statue.

As for the sword-wielding brat, have him choose the twenty-seventh gate from the left, the one of the Sword-Holding Bright King.

And as for the little girl, she can just choose the rightmost Vajra gate, like the others.”

Chen Yuan put away the Human Skin Evil Book and relayed its words to the other two.

After a pause, Chen Yuan added, “This thing is an evil object. Although it knows a lot, its words can’t be fully trusted. It might be leading us into a fatal trap.”

Yue Ling’Er said immediately, “Senior Brother Chen, my master told me that if I ran into you after coming in here, I should follow all of your commands. I’ll enter whichever gate you tell me to.”

Gu Lichuan grinned. “Same here.”

Ever since he met Chen Yuan, not a single decision Chen Yuan had made had been wrong.

So, of course, he didn’t believe what the Human Skin Evil Book said, but he definitely believed what Chen Yuan said.

After a moment of thought, Chen Yuan said in a low voice, “I’ve dealt with this thing before. I doubt it would dare to pull any tricks right now. ⅇ

So, Junior Sister Yue, you should prioritize safety and enter one of the gates with a Vajra Pattern, just like Zhang Xuanzhong and the others.

Brother Gu, you and I will take on a greater challenge.”

Gu Lichuan nodded and strode directly into the gate with the Sword-Holding Bright King Pattern.

They had entered the Heaven-Reaching Tower for opportunities and treasures in the first place. Zhang Xuanzhong and the others just didn’t know that the Divine Buddhas behind these gates actually represented the Cultivation Techniques they could obtain. If they had known, they would have certainly chosen to challenge a higher difficulty.

Of course, it was possible that Zhang Xuanzhong and the others did suspect this, but they didn’t dare to gamble on it.

The ruins of Militan Temple were too well-preserved. Heaven knew what dangers lay within. Without any certainty, they didn’t dare to take the risk.

Chen Yuan was also taking a gamble—a gamble that he had disciplined the Human Skin Evil Book well enough that it wouldn’t dare to deceive him.

‘Of course, if it really dares to trick me, I still have two Divine Artifact Incarnations as trump cards. The only thing awaiting it would be to be burned to ash by Celestial Fire.’

After Gu Lichuan and Yue Ling’Er had both entered their gates, Chen Yuan thought for a moment and chose the gate with the Bodhisattva Statue.

‘One Buddhist Cultivation Technique is enough for me,’ he thought, ‘but the Nine-Character Secret Mantra is scattered all over. I should collect as many parts as I can. If I miss this chance, I might have to wait another thirty years to get it.’

The moment he stepped inside, the gate behind him slammed shut with a BOOM.

The space behind the gate was about a hundred zhang wide. Its walls were covered in golden Sanskrit Talismans, and in the very center stood a Bodhisattva Stone Statue several zhang tall.

The Bodhisattva Statue was strange, however. It had been blurry when viewed on the gate outside, but now that he saw it as a stone statue, Chen Yuan realized it was not any Bodhisattva he recognized.

Its entire body was a deep green. It wore a five-buddha crown, its right hand held an utpala flower in a Wish Seal, its left foot was curled upon a lotus-moon wheel, and its right foot hung down to step on a lotus pedestal. Amidst its sacred majesty, there seemed to be a trace of compassion.

In the next instant, the Bodhisattva Statue began to move. Dust scattered from its surface as a golden light bloomed, and a deafening Brahma Sound echoed through the world.

“The myriad faults of all beings are but cause and effect.

Originally, there was no conflict, no disaster.

A murky flower hangs in the blue sky.

Withering and falling, where is there to hide?

Om Tare Tuttare.

Ture Namo Hara Hora.

Hum Hara Svaha.”

Amidst the Buddhist Chanting, the utpala flower in the Bodhisattva Statue’s hand bloomed with a great, brilliant light. The overwhelming Buddha Light swept over him, leaving Chen Yuan no room to dodge.

Chen Yuan’s expression immediately grew solemn. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pull out the Human Skin Evil Book and burn it to a crisp!

‘This thing’s strength is off the charts! By choosing this Bodhisattva Statue, can I really get through this?’

Forming a Seal Technique with his hands, Chen Yuan’s boundless Blood Fiend erupted. The dense Nether Blood Fiend surged upward, intercepting the Buddha Light one zhang in front of him. ⅇℯ𝚕.

An immense power struck him instantly, but from within the Buddha Light came a deafening Brahma Sound. In that instant, the light grew incandescent, even tearing a small crack in his Nether Blood Fiend. The Brahma Sound pierced his ears and resounded completely within his mind.

For a moment, Chen Yuan’s mind went blank.

The power of the Brahma Sound directly suppressed his Spiritual Power and was even silently influencing his perception. For a split second, Chen Yuan felt that his sins from killing were too heavy, that his mind was clouded by inner demons. He felt an urge to shatter his own heart meridians to atone for his sins and find release!

The next moment, the Killing Intent Origin descended abruptly. That ferocious, extreme, heaven-piercing killing intent finally allowed Chen Yuan to break free from the Brahma Sound’s suppression, and clarity returned to his vision.

But as soon as Chen Yuan’s eyes snapped open, he saw that the Bodhisattva Stone Statue, which had been dozens of zhang away just moments ago, was now right in front of him. With a compassionate expression on its face, it formed a lotus Buddha Seal and brought it smashing down on his head!