Chapter 149: Unending Light
The entire inn became unexpectedly quiet.
Qiao Wan felt heavy-hearted.
The truth was too burdensome.
Success leads to the sacrifice of countless lives.
Regardless of the outcome, war only brings meaningless sacrifices and boundless pain to people.
Yu Xingzhi tightened his lips, feeling a sudden confusion in his chest.
Elder Lu and what they are doing at Sun Tao College, is it truly right? But, when it has come to this point, how can they give up? How can they willingly accept it?
Wang Ruyi hesitated for a moment, then quietly reached out and covered Yan Shiyuan's hand, saying, "Boss Yan..."
Yan Shiyuan smiled bitterly as old wounds resurfaced, "Ruyi, I'm fine."
"This is the truth about this terrifying coffin," Yan Shiyuan said, bringing his attention back. He looked up and asked Ma Huaizhen, "Taoist friend, do you still have any unanswered questions?"
Ma Huaizhen replied in a deep voice, "I understand, thank you for explaining the background of this matter. However, I have one more question about the ghost market, I hope you can enlighten me."
Yan Shiyuan said, "Feel free to ask, taoist friend."
Ma Huaizhen continued, "From what you mentioned, you have been in this ghost market for hundreds of years. Do you happen to know the true nature of that Buddhist pagoda?"
Yan Shiyuan pondered for a moment and replied, "I only know that the ghost market worships these evil Buddhas. As for why they worship them and who is behind it, I have no way of knowing."
However, near the Buddhist pagoda, there is a family surnamed Chu. The head of the family is called Chu Yongsheng . They have a son and a daughter who often like to play in the pagoda. Some time ago, maybe about three months ago, their eldest daughter went missing in the pagoda. Recently, the younger brother has been searching for his sister. Perhaps our taoist friend can go to their house and ask about it.
Ma Huaizhen nodded, "Thank you, Boss Yan, for clearing it up."
After speaking, he turned his wheelchair and said in a deep voice, "Let's go."
Qiao Wan was taken aback, "Go?"
"To the Buddhist pagoda," Ma Huaizhen turned his wheelchair without looking back, "Since we have doubts in our hearts, let's personally go and see."
His decisive tone, sharp posture, and calm composure instantly shocked Qiao Wan , Wang Ruyi , and Yu Xingzhi .
Yu Xingzhi took a step forward, but caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye, "You two stay, Lu Cixian and I will go."
Yu Xingzhi 's face slightly changed, "Senior, don't you want me to go with you?"
Ma Huaizhen glanced boldly at Yu Xingzhi and smirked, "Are you sure you want to go with us like this?"
As if remembering something, Ma Huaizhen reached into his pocket and pulled out two small bottles.
He handed one to Qiao Wan and the other to Yu Xingzhi .
"Use it to clean yourselves up," he said.
Skin and Bone Regeneration Dan?
Yu Xingzhi clenched his fist tightly when he saw the bottle in his hand.
"What's wrong?" Ma Huaizhen glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "Don't want to use it?"
Yu Xingzhi remained silent, his usually sharp and handsome eyes now filled with a touch of sorrow. "Senior misunderstood. It's not that I don't want to use it. It's just that I'm in this condition now, and it would be a waste of such a valuable medicine."
Skin and Bone Regeneration Dan, as the name suggests, can regenerate skin and bones. However, his injuries were too severe and he was bitten like this. The toxin has already infiltrated his body, and there is almost no chance of recovery.
He handed the bottle back to Ma Huaizhen , saying, "Senior, please take the medicine back."
He was proud of his handsome appearance, even though he was young, he was already highly skilled compared to his peers. Now that he had lost a leg and an arm, his once proud appearance was ruined. How could he face Elder Lu after going out like this?
Ma Huaizhen smiled slyly, "This look? Are you looking down on me?"
Upon hearing these words, Yu Xingzhi suddenly realized that the man in front of him was also disabled, missing a leg, an arm, and half of his face. Perhaps it was because ever since Ma Huaizhen entered the Ghost Market, he had been assertive and decisive, making people temporarily forget that he was a cultivator who could only use a wheelchair.
"I didn't mean it that way."
"As you can see, I am also missing an arm and a leg," Ma Huaizhen laughed, "but I am still living well."
Since he knew what kind of ghost he had become, he decided to stay at the inn and focus on healing. Ma Huaizhen, not caring about the feelings of disabled people, smirked and said, "Instead of being sad and hurt, you should think about what you want to do in the future."
Yu Xingzhi's face slightly changed. He had never been rudely confronted like this before. In the past, with his personality, he would have definitely refused to accept it. But now, he was neither human nor ghost.
Yu Xingzhi closed his eyes halfway. Ma Huaizhen was right, he was indeed unwilling. Even with his current appearance, he was still unwilling.
If we talk about Yu Xingzhi, relying on his seniority, cultivation level, and good looks, he always looked down on others. He and Qiao Wan had almost the same list of enemies, enough to go around Kunshan. Now, due to one careless mistake, he had become disabled, and surely there would be people coming to seek revenge.
Since he couldn't accept this fate, Yu Xingzhi thought silently about what he could do without his leg and arm.
"Well, I'm leaving," Ma Huaizhen urged, looking at Qiao Wan who was still lost in thought.
Just before leaving, Qiao Wan hesitated for a moment, thinking about the figure in the green clothes stained with blood. Unable to resist, she turned back and asked, "Sir Yan, have you ever heard of a man named Meng Guangze?"
"Meng Guangze?" Yan Shiyuan blinked. "I haven't heard of him."
Qiao Wan understood and thanked Yan Shiyuan. "I see, thank you, sir."
After Ma Huaizhen and Qiao Wan left, Yu Xingzhi nodded slightly at Yan Shiyuan and went straight up the stairs.
Wang Ruyi was confused for a moment, then turned to Yan Shiyuan with worry. "Yan... boss?"
Yan Shiyuan shook his head. "Ruyi, I'm fine. Go back and rest."
After saying that, he silently picked up the scattered wooden box on the ground and slowly walked up the stairs.
In the past, Feng Zhao turned most of his former comrades into fierce zombies. When he built this coffin, he intended to suppress them.
In the future, he will continue to carry this fierce coffin and search for answers in this grave.
After Yan Shiyuan left, Wang Ruyi also went upstairs.
At the door of Yu Xingzhi's house, someone knocked.
Although Yu Xingzhi listened to Ma Huaizhen’s words and decided to plan for the future, he sat on the bed for half a day after returning home without coming up with a solution. Sun Tao College's second senior brother, who usually had a quick temper, became even more irritable.
"Miss Wang," Yu Xingzhi heard the noise at the door and opened it with an unpleasant expression and a cold tone. "Why are you coming to see me so late instead of resting?"
But the withered female zombie in front of her seemed oblivious and said earnestly, "I came to see you."
"See me?" Yu Xingzhi scoffed, feeling provoked. "Are you here to see what I look like now?"
Wang Ruyi scratched her head in confusion, "What's wrong with your appearance? It looks good to me. Anyway, you're much better looking than I am."
Yu Xingzhi paused, taking a rare moment to really look at the "girl" in front of him.
Barely resembling a girl, despite being ugly, she was wearing a wedding dress and had a golden hairpin tilted on her head. Realizing his tone might be a bit hurtful for a young lady, Yu Xingzhi fell silent for a while and asked, "Do I really think that way?"
"Lower your head," Wang Ruyi said.
"You see," Wang Ruyi took a step back and furrowed her eyebrows, carefully examining him. She reached out and gestured in front of Yu Xingzhi , covering the half of his face that was bloody and disfigured. "Just cover this part, then it will be fine. After all, your other half of the face looks so handsome."
If Wang Ruyi didn't hesitate to say that he looked good, Yu Xingzhi might have laughed coldly, not believing a word. But Wang Ruyi did say it and even spoke bluntly, asking him to cover up his half-disfigured face, which made the statement "that half of the face looks so good" much more believable. It must be admitted that this statement greatly comforted Yu Xingzhi's wounded pride.
This little mummy isn't that ugly.
The young man's sinister and cold face softened Rarely, after a moment, he said with pursed lips, "Thank you."
Wang Ruyi quickly waved her hand and glanced behind Yu Xingzhi, saying, "Can I go in?"
Yu Xingzhi glanced at Wang Ruyi and took a step back, saying, "Never mind, you can come in."
...
Thinking of Meng Guangze, Qiao Wan seemed a bit lost in thought. She silently touched the wound on her left arm that she got when dragging Meng Canglang earlier at the temple.
The man who was originally walking in front seemed to have eyes growing at the back of his head.
Ma Huaizhen glanced to the side.
The young man's eyes were clear, and he touched the wound on his left arm as if lost in thought, not knowing what he was thinking.
The entire left arm, from the shoulder to the fingertips, had flesh stripped away, revealing stark white bones. Throughout the journey, the young man never made a sound.
"What happened to this wound?" Qiao Wan woke up like from a dream and explained simply, "I got injured in the temple before."
To come all this way without ever complaining, this young man truly had courage.
Compared to the unreliable undercover disciples under his command, he was even more courageous.
Thinking of this, Hall Master Ma couldn't help but sink into deep contemplation.
The person was ruthless and didn't talk much, but had good skills. If only he could work for him.
Believing in making the most of everything, the ruthless and cunning Kunshan shashen, like a greedy capitalist, began to seriously consider the possibility of stealing Lu Cixian away and having him work as his sidekick, completely unbothered by any psychological pressure.
Is Lu Cixian from Buping College?
Even though Qiao Wan is not very skilled, she can still handle things well. Ever since that jerk left the mountain, Ma Huaizhen has been regretful because he can't find a sword as handy as hers.
You should know that those who have fought on the battlefield in the north and have witnessed their comrades dying in front of them without changing their expression, these tough men don't normally get emotional over the death of a younger person.
The inn is not far from the pagoda.
After walking just a few steps, Qiao Wan and Ma Huaizhen arrived at the Chu family, as mentioned by Yan Shiyuan.
The Chu family makes shadow puppets and is quite popular in this strange city.
There are roughly made tables and chairs in front of the shoddy stage.
When Qiao Wan and Ma Huaizhen arrived, the shadow puppet show was just ending. The puppets held up by the sign seemed alive, with vivid red and green colors, long and slender eyebrows, as if they had come to life.
Qiao Wan found a seat and sat down with Ma Huaizhen, waiting for the shadow play to finish before going backstage.
"Are you looking for Jiaojiao?"
A middle-aged man, also known as Chu Yongsheng, spoke up.
Chu Yongsheng was packing up his things, hesitating for a moment before forcing a smile.
Qiao Wan asked, "Jiaojiao?"
Chu Yongsheng forced a bitter smile and said, "Jiaojiao is my daughter."
Dealing with small talk was mostly left to Ma Huaizhen.
Qiao Wan followed behind Ma Huaizhen, silently listening to their conversation.
Suddenly, a clear voice came from behind.
"Dad."
Chu Yongsheng turned around in surprise and asked, "Rong'er, how did you come out?"
Qiao Wan turned around and saw a young boy around the age of five or six, who looked exactly like Chu Yongsheng. He was holding a shadow puppet tightly in his arms.
The little boy in his arms held a smooth and shiny shadow puppet, shaped like a little girl with two round buns on her head. She wore a red jacket and had a smiling face.
Qiao Wan and Ma Huaizhen both looked at the shadow puppet in the boy's arms at the same time.
Chu Yongsheng remained silent for a moment, then sighed. "This was made in the likeness of Jiaojiao."
"After Jiaojiao was gone, Ronger couldn't sleep because he missed his big sister so much. So I made this shadow puppet for him. He loves it so much that he carries it every day, saying it's his big sisternd even sleeps with it at night."
Ma Huaizhen looked away and murmured softly, "Take care of yourself."
Bringing up sad matters, Chu Yongsheng fell silent for a while before speaking again. "Though my wife and I often go to the temple to pray, I'm not sure what's inside the temple. It's all Buddha statues, right?"
Chu Yongsheng, not knowing what mysteries were inside the pagoda, couldn't find a way to ask about it. After comforting him with a few words, Ma Huaizhen turned his wheelchair and said, "Let's go."
Just a few steps away, a little boy holding a shadow puppet suddenly asked, "Are you going inside the pagoda?"
Ma Huaizhen raised an eyebrow and replied, "Yes."
The little boy, clutching the puppet in his arms, hesitated and said, "Can you help me find my sister?"
"My sister looks just like this puppet in my arms." The little boy carefully held up the shadow puppet in front of them.
Under the light, the shadow puppet glowed brightly, with vibrant colors and lively eyes.
"Okay," Ma Huaizhen said without hesitation, "I promise I will keep an eye out for your sister."
With Ma Huaizhen leading the way and Qiao Wan walking behind the man, they entered the pagoda, and Qiao Wan felt a bit relieved.
If there was any danger later, she could hide behind him.
They entered the pagoda yesterday during the evening.
Ma Huaizhen asked, "What time is it now?"
Qiao Wan replied, "It's midnight, almost there, just two more quarters of an hour."
Ma Huaizhen looked meaningfully at the four heavenly kings statues, and whispered, "Let's go up and take a look."
As they walked, they noticed scattered offerings on the ground and stairs. The incense table and incense burner had fallen down, and ash was scattered everywhere.
The man calmly turned his wheelchair and "walked" to an incense table. He reached out his finger and wiped off the "peel" from the table.
"Is this what they offered?"
Ma Huaizhen took out a handkerchief, wiped his finger, and casually threw it onto the incense table. He asked, "How many did you break in the temple?"
Qiao Wan replied, "About five or six."
Ma Huaizhen was about to say something when suddenly, a dark shadow flashed before his eyes!
The gentle-looking "Bodhisattva" supported himself with his hand on the ground, stretched his neck, and smiled as he looked at Qiao Wan . His thin eyebrows and eyes focused on Qiao Wan 's hand, specifically on the mark left by the person offering.
This was...
Qiao Wan's eyes widened in fear.
Oh no! It's coming after us!
The deity began to swing its arms and raised a huge axe.
"Well done."
In an instant, Ma Huaizhen reached out and pushed the wheelchair with all his strength!
The axe fell directly onto the wheelchair!
Crash--
The wheelchair beneath the man shattered into pieces!
The opponent had thirty arms, while the man only had one.
But with just one hand, Ma Huaizhen managed to hold off all thirty arms, bending and stretching his fingers.
Splat--
He forcefully tore off one of the deity's arms!
The splattering blood reflected in the man's dark eyes, adding a sinister touch to his already eerie appearance.
His swift, ruthless attack, combined with his intimidating presence, made him seem even more villainous than the deity itself.
Having torn off the deity's arm, Ma Huaizhen not only kept hold of it, but also continued to use anything he could as a weapon, swinging the arm he held and continuing to fight the deity.
Using someone else's arm, deliberately teasing others, without any self-awareness in front of younger people, perfectly showing what is called "hurting oneself while attacking others".
Qiao Wan has always been influenced by Ma Huaizhen's way of playing.
In short, it's about being practical and shameless. This is the experience that men have gained from fighting in the northern battlefield. It's ruthless and immoral, but it's also effective. Under Ma Huaizhen's fierce combo, the Buddha retreats repeatedly, as if crawling away.
"Want to leave?" Ma Huaizhen raised his lips and smirked wickedly.
His arm in hand was disabled, but he continued to reach out, exerting force and forcibly tearing off another one.
But with only one leg, he couldn't catch up to twenty-nine legs.
The Buddha disappeared in an instant at the stairs.
"Let's go." Ma Huaizhen threw his bloody arm onto the ground, then looked up and commanded, "Carry me across."
Qiao Wan tilted her head slightly, obediently crouched down, and lifted Ma Huaizhen on her back.
Thinking about Ma Huaizhen's powerful actions just now, Qiao Wan also felt a bit worried and couldn't help but ask, "Senior, are you okay?"
Ma Huaizhen's calm voice came from above, "Take care of yourself, you don't need to worry about me."
Qiao Wan immediately focused her attention and started climbing up the stairs with determination.
Just as she took a few steps, Qiao Wan felt her heart skip a beat and her mind wandered slightly.
Ma Huaizhen was lighter than she had imagined.
The master of Wenshi Hall, the famous fierce god of Kunshan, actually weighed only half of an adult man.
Realizing that the person beneath him was not fully present, Ma Huaizhen asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Qiao Wan instinctively answered, "I'm thinking about you, Senior."
"Thinking about me?"
Qiao Wan pursed her lips.
"Senior, are you okay?"
Why is she behaving like Qiao Wan ?
Ma Huaizhen's gaze darkened slightly, and a pink figure quickly flashed before his eyes.
At first, Zhou Yan didn't pay much attention to his new student, Qiao Wan. She would often come to Wenshi Hall with a bloody face to hand in her tasks. But as time went on, she became familiar to him.
Since Zhou Yan's student was willing to learn and endure hardship, he didn't mind lending her a hand. Whenever he came across any secret techniques, he would give them to her without thinking much. Unexpectedly, she took it to heart and often came to help him after cleaning herself up and changing her clothes. She would sweep the floor, wipe the tables, and do some miscellaneous tasks.
Her serious expression and respectful movements made her seem like an old woman taking care of a disabled elder. But he had lived for so many years and didn't need her to take care of him.
However, as a practical person who didn't mind being shameless, Ma Huaizhen couldn't pass up the opportunity for free household services. So, he accepted her help without hesitation.
By accepting her help, it meant that Qiao Wan was now under the protection of Wenshi Hall.
With a worried expression, he had only ever seen it on Qiao Wan before. He never expected to now see it on Lu Cixian.
"Good boy," Ma Huaizhen's voice was deep and powerful, "I told you, I don't need your concern."
They arrived at the ninth floor.
Qiao Wan almost immediately noticed the shattered porcelain woman on the ground.
Her facial features, head, neck, and limbs were scattered all over the place. The porcelain piece with the "eye" was missing a corner, staring at the ceiling.
The hanging human sacrifices swayed in the wind, their bellies empty.
Looking up, Qiao Wan saw the dozen or so dried human bodies above her.
Ma Huaizhen said, "Bring them down."
Having the nerve to take down these dozen or so dried bodies required a mental strength beyond that of an ordinary person. Qiao Wan calmly walked forward and released the bodies.
Ma Huaizhen stacked the dried bodies together, took them in his hands, and continued to command, "Take them away."
Qiao Wan carried Ma Huaizhen on her back. Just as they reached the eighth floor. Ma Huaizhen, on her back, asked to be let down.
The man said, "Just set me down here."
In front of them was a beautiful statue of a Bodhisattva, sitting gracefully on a lotus platform. The Bodhisattva had delicate features and a flowing robe.
Qiao Wan couldn't help but ask the statue, "Excuse me, elder."
"Wait," said Ma Huaizhen, his eyes focused and his expression unchanged.
They waited to see what this Bodhisattva Statue would do.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the statue of the Bodhisattva slowly started to move.
The Bodhisattva opened its eyes.
Just as Ma Huaizhen expected, he smirked and tensed his facial muscles.
In this tower, there was not a single Buddha, only evil gods.
"The more offerings we bring," said Ma Huaizhen, "the higher the cultivation level of these Bodhisattvas."
"At first, they can only stay on this lotus platform," Ma Huaizhen said coldly. "But later, they can descend from the altar and walk out of the ghost market."
And then, they will walk among the people in the human world.
This and ghosts and demons belong to the same category and become stronger by devouring their own kind.
"Someone is keeping ghosts here."
Then... Qiao Wan's voice was dry: "Chu Jiaojiao?"
As soon as the words fell, midnight arrived.
The stairs, scattered offerings, and ashes turned into pieces of meat, nails, and strands of hair in the blink of an eye.
"Here." Ma Huaizhen coldly picked up a piece of nail from the gap in the table.
It was a small, shiny fingernail, with a touch of oil paint on it.
It was oil paint used for shadow puppetry.
"She's here."
The way each level prepares sacrifices is different, and for the eighth level, they are all skinned and served on the table like cows and sheep.
Qiao Wan froze, suddenly feeling a chill running through her body.
What were the shadow puppets in the little boy's arms made of?
"These people are definitely suspicious," Ma Huaizhen's eyes were cold and mocking. "Coincidentally, the mother went out with her son, and the daughter disappeared?"
Qiao Wan's eyes flickered, "She? Chu Jiaojiao?"
"Didn't Yan Shiyuan say it? This family often comes to this pagoda to worship and offer prayers."
Chu Jiaojiao is probably not missing at all. Instead, she has been skinned by her own closest family members and offered as a sacrifice.
"What's wrong?" Ma Huaizhen noticed Qiao Wan's pale face and asked, "Are you not satisfied?"
Although the young man remained silent, his eyes lit up with a fiery anger.
"Do you hate them?"
Qiao Wan clenched her throat, remaining silent.
These so-called gods and Buddhas are all devouring humans.
Perhaps it's because their daughter was a virgin, or perhaps they couldn't bear to sacrifice their own son, so this family personally offered their daughter as a sacrifice for others and spirits to enjoy.
As the ugly hour arrived, the gods and Buddhas from all realms began to move their eyeballs, coming back to life.
Ma Huaizhen didn't change his expression and calmly found a place to settle down.
"The time has come."
Looking up at the multitude of gods and Buddhas, Qiao Wan smiled with a hint of satisfaction, her eyes full of joy, and gracefully descended from the altar.
Ma Huaizhen said, "We should leave this task to the professionals."
Before Qiao Wan could ask, Ma Huaizhen suddenly started counting.
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
Time was up.
A loud and imposing shout caught them off guard! It was followed by a dazzling burst of light, with a gigantic golden palm print swirling out.
This is the Radiant Illumination!!
