Chapter 185 - Heaven Punishment
On that Wordless Jade Wall, numerous golden crude words appeared, such bizarre thing, even PuHong Master and all of the other Tian Yin Temple monks had never seen it before. On that Jade Wall, majestic auras rose at times, glimmered with dark red light at times, solemn and dignified golden light mixed with strange unfathomable red light, gave one a feeling of suffocation.
Ghost Li in the air, lifted his head up and gave a long scream, he looked like he was in pain, his eyes then shifted to that Wall, saw the wavering seething words. Around him, the Soul-devouring strange light turned brighter and brighter, the evil power emitting from his body, also turned stronger and stronger.
Even the monks on the ground, felt a never-before ice cold energy, coming from Ghost Li’s body, enveloping them. These three days after being grinded by the Buddhist formation, the Sinister Orb’s evil power did seemed to weaken, instead it seemed to trigger all of its power out, unprecedentedly powerful.
PuHong Master seemed anxious, right now was the critical point of the situation, his expression like the weather in the horizon, changing constantly, unable to decide his move.
PuFang instead was worrying, he looked at Ghost Li who was bathed in dark green light, his brows frowning, looked at PuHong Master and shouted, “Senior brother, what shall we do now?”
PuHong Master took a deep breath, decisively said, “This person is the descendant of PuZhi junior brother, he also has his lifetime of great aspiration, we cannot stand by.”
He had just finished speaking when he shouted an order, again sat cross-legged down, his mouth chanting, SanSkrit song indistinctly started again, following which, the monks around him saw the abbot casting spell, all followed too. The next moment, a solemn dignified golden light, again floated out from these Tian Yin Temple monks.
Just that the Buddhist golden light this time, was different from the Buddhist formation in the past three days, in the solemness it was less merciful, more stern and harsh. However Ghost Li, did not notice the rising golden light below which was approaching himself, his attention right now seemed to be totally absorbed in those glimmering words on the Wall.
Nobody could have expected, even if those Tian Yin Temple monks saw with their own eyes, would not understand it, right now glimmering on the Wordless Jade Wall, on this most revered noble and unsullied sacred Jade Wall, was the legendary fourth volume of the Evil Sect Classic !
The heavenly laws boundless, the things of the world changeful, how much can one predict?
Tian Yin Temple monks day and night performed ceremony for the Buddha, still did not know it; Ghost Li with his rough lifetime of experiences, vicissitudes of life in the world, he too didn’t know!
But Ghost Li right now, how would he consider so much, in his eyes, almost instinctively mesmerized by those glimmering words.
Every pulsing sentences, were all of the missing and unexplainable portions of the strange skill which he arduously trained in solitary, one by one appearing before him, like one whose road ahead was full of countless cliffs and precipices, hesitating at the dead end, suddenly there was a road in the cliff, bridge across rapids, what kind of exhilaration that was, how could he still be distracted and care about other things?
For a moment, the arduous and obscure parts of his past cultivation, suddenly like seeing the light, slowly revealed. From the first volume of general principles seen ten years ago in KongSang Mountain Thousand Bats Ancient Cave Blood Dripping Cave, ten years of time like tide elapsed, this man hovering in the horizon of changing situation, for the first time felt, breathing as one with Heaven and Earth, yet forgetting each and every living thing.
Panting, deeply panting!
From top to toe, every part of his body felt like it was going to explode, numerous and complicated strange whistling noise, tightly shrouded him. The different breaths in his body seething like huge waves, all surging and turbulent. The Sinister Orb evil power cold, Inferno Fire Mirror pure yang energy blazing harder and harder; TaiJi Xuan Qing Way gentle and unbiased, Great Brahman Wisdom solemn like mountain; in addition drifting out from the different areas of the body, Ghost Li past cultivated three volumes of true vitality energy, copious amount and unable to stem.
Heaven and earth changing, creating miracles!
Under the dark clouds, the strange light emitted from the figure in the air increased in brightness while the sky turned darker and darker, a direct show of might rebelling against the heavens. The thunder rumbled in the horizon, flashes of lightning were seen scurrying within the clouds, as if the heaven was already infuriated. In the clouds, strong winds blew, the clouds slowly started to spin, just above Ghost Li, gradually evolving into a giant vortex.
And Ghost Li, his attention still on the Jade Wall, oblivious to the surroundings.
And at this moment, the SanSkrit chant on the ground burst into power, solemn golden light charged to the sky, immediately enveloping Ghost Li. This golden light was extremely powerful, accumulating several Tian Yin Temple monks’ cultivation forces, how would it be ordinary, instantly suppressed the evil power from Ghost Li, containing it tightly.
Once the golden light rose, enveloped Ghost Li, the force of the thunder and lightnings in the horizon seemed to be restrained, immediately slowly turned weak, the huge vortex forming in the sky also seemed to gradually disintegrate.
PuHong Master gazed at the firmament, slowly let out a breath, the withered old monk beside him suddenly spoke coldly, “This person’s lifetime of cultivation actually invoked ‘Heaven Punishment Stern Thunder’, the powerfulness of the evil power can be seen, heaven is intolerant too. Abbot disregarded everything to save and protect him, I’m afraid it might not be correct too.”
PuHong Master’s countenance changed, turned and looked at him, that withered old monk coldly stared back, PuHong Master for the moment was speechless. Actually with PuHong Master’s level of skills, how would he not sense the waves of malevolent evil power emanating from Ghost Li, definitely not Good Faction’s skills, what he did today, it really could not be said to be right. Just that once he thought about his PuZhi junior brother who passed away in bitterness, and Ghost Li’s great merciful act towards PuZhi’s remains a few days ago, PuHong Master who was deeply touched could not watch and do nothing.
PuHong Master did not speak, after a long pause was about to speak, suddenly a stir of commotion was heard beside, many of them exclaimed, at the same time a strange energy emanated from the formation, it seemed to have change, he quickly looked up, immediately his face changed.
Under the protection and suppression of the great Buddhist formation wielded by many of the Tian Yin Temple monks at the same time, Ghost Li’s evil power was forcibly suppressed, all of it contained in the golden light formation. The mysterious storm in the sky was unable to find its target, slowly dispersed. Unexpectedly at this moment, the weak beams of light on Ghost Li, suddenly lit up again, and its turbulent energy, was even more powerful than before.
[Rumble]
A shock of thunder, exploded out in the horizon.
Wild winds raged, in the thunder, Ghost Li again screamed long to the sky, light flashed around him, dark-green, red, gold, bright red, rotated ceaselessly, finally in the end merged, evolved into the most simple black white colours, this black white colours were also rather strange, at times totally white, at times totally black, unpredictable but the indistinct power in it, was felt by all of the Tian Yin Temple monks.
In the mid air, consolidating several Tian Yin Temple monks’ power, that golden light formation, seemed unable to resist Ghost Li’s new-born power, slowly weakened. At the same time, wind and clouds rolled in the sky, the enormous vortex appeared again, and its speed surpassed the previous, swiftly formed and just above Ghost Li.
Looking up from the ground, in that layers of cloud vortex, lightning flashed madly, thunder sounds rumbled, there was also a strange [si si] whistle, like the sky’s ferocious mouth, was about to pick someone and devour.
The monks on the ground, their faces revealed pain, it had become a struggle to maintain this formation, right now not only Ghost Li’s body was resisting the golden light, in the sky, that mysterious vortex, a powerful force descended, clashed heavy on top of the golden light formation.
The golden light formation received attacks from the front and back, its light swiftly dimmed, PuHong Master and the rest were shocked, and at this moment, a sound of thunder suddenly in the sky, from that unceasing bottomless vortex, a thick lightning struck down from the firmament, onto the golden formation.
Deafening cracking sound, PuHong Master and the rest of the monks’ bodies shook, those monks who were lower-skilled, their faces flushed red, some already spat out blood. The golden formation wavered and flashed, finally dispersed dejectedly, vanished.
PuHong Master’s felt a tightness in his chest, as the leader of the formation, he received the hardest hit but right now his attention was all on the sky, in his anxiety, he actually stood up.
Since the golden light formation had broken up, Ghost Li no longer was restrained, the pressure on his body instantly disappeared but felt that although his body was relieved, the newborn vitality energy in his body revolved ceaselessly, growing incessantly, absolutely free from inhibitions.
Then, without waiting for any actions from him, he who had raised the alarm in the heavens, deep inside the dark clouds in the sky, rolling cracks of thunder rumbled, like a light beam descending from the sky, overwhelmingly, as if directly penetrating through Heaven and Earth, struck down with a loud crash, it was heading straight towards him.
Where it traversed, blazing fiercely, the sides of the column made [chi chi] sounds unceasingly, not knowing if it was because the temperature was too high, all of the things beside it were all reduced to malleable. And what Ghost Li was facing, was this colossal might of Heaven and Earth, unavoidable, inescapable…
Looking as Ghost Li was about to be hit by this colossal light beam, body to be smashed to pieces, PuHong Master and the rest of the monks could not bear to watch, all closed their eyes and turned their heads over, PuHong Master felt even more grieved, couldn’t figure out, he was only having a good intention to enlighten Ghost Li, hoped to resolve the evil energy in his body, how did it turn out to be like this, invoking not seen for ten thousand years, existing only in legends, the Heaven Punishment Stern Thunder!
Don’t tell him, Heavens really could not accept this man?
The light beam looked to be arriving soon, before it reached his body, Ghost Li’s face pale, in the howling wild storm opened his mouth and shouted but there was no sound at all, all were drowned in that colossal might of Heaven and Earth. But he, wrapped under the divine might, blood flowing out of his face’s seven apertures, his expression desolate and despair, even the Soul-devouring evil baton which had always protected him loyally, this moment facing the Heaven Punishment, was suppressed and had no light.
Everything, seemed about to end!
The dominating firmament, a dirge seemed to be heard faintly, reverberating in the horizon.
Suddenly, behind Ghost Li, the Wordless Jade Wall which had gradually dimmed, seemed to sense something, numerous glimmering words again flashed up, especially the nine words in the center: Heaven and Earth heartless, treats all living things as straw dogs! Dazzled with glaring intensity, lighted up, looking at its impetus, it indistinctly carried a trace of insufferably arrogance and obstinate air.
Even if, facing the heaven which countless of mortals prostrated in worship, that Heaven Punishment which seemed eternally invincible, the light on the Jade Wall, did not retreat the slightest!
The light on the wall reached its ultimate, it was as if the most resplendent meteor ablaze in that instant, no one could look at its light. The light which seemed to go into a frenzy, in an instant blotting out the sky and covering up the earth, charged over, from bottom upwards, entirely enveloping Ghost Li’s body within, at the same time, an even bigger unparalleled brilliance charged up to the sky, that infinite impetus, actually charged directly towards that enigmatic colossal vortex in the horizon.
[Hong!]
[Hong!]
[Hong long!]...
The canopy of the heavens, deafening thunder sounds, each seemed to have the force of cracking the sky, like being agitated, in that instant, that incomparable might of the Heaven Punishment light column shifted a few degrees, leaving Ghost Li, struck onto that unyielding brilliance that rose up from that Wordless Jade Wall!
Two forces of blazing light columns, collided with a crash between Heaven and Earth, the mountain ranges on the ground quaked, numerous giant rock walls cracked opened, in the rumbles of thunder, thousands of beasts cried out, like the end of the world had arrived.
Between Heaven and Earth, the dazzling light which could not be viewed!
Heaven and Earth froze, seemed in that instant.
On the jade wall, the polished-like-mirror stone wall, cracking sounds were heard, from the center of the wall, [pu] a crisp sound, a small opening cracked opened, following which numerous thin fissures extended out from this opening, enlarging. Finally, in the confused cries, a sound of loud rumble, this huge stone wall, stones and rocks flew, collapsed!
In the horizon, the huge light beam slowly dispersed, the looming dark clouds seemed to have vented their anger, the wild winds slowly ceased, thunders too. Following which, heaven and earth seemed to resume its tranquility all of a sudden, the dark clouds gradually scattered, that calm sky, gradually lit up.
A figure, slowly fell from the sky, it was Ghost Li, blood streaming from his face, unconscious, and protecting his body, was a faint mysterious light, after his body landed, wavered a few times, eventually dispersed, leaving not a trace.
The Tian Yin Temple monks stared dumbfoundedly at the ruins of the Wordless Jade Wall, looked at Ghost Li who actually by a stroke of luck escaped from the Heaven Punishment, speechless.
This sleep, seemed to be another distant slumber.
Seemed like during this time, many people walked past himself, extremely busy, some spoke beside him, the volumes loud and soft at times, and at times, there seemed to be arguments too. But most of the time, it was quiet.
He in this insipid peace, not knowing how long he had slept, indistinctly felt some sensations but still did not regain consciousness.
Maybe, remaining in this deep slumber, instead was the ardent hope deep inside his heart!
Footsteps were heard outside the door, FaXiang, in the meditation room, glanced out, quickly stood up, put his palms together and bowed to PuHong Master who was walking in. PuHong Master nodded, glanced at the sleeping Ghost Li on the meditation bed, quietly said, “Is he still good?”
FaXiang nodded and said, “Since that day, Zhang patron has been unconscious like this. Just that his breathing is at ease, there is no abnormal sign, and his body did not have any other injuries, by right should long be up but for some reason, he is still unconscious like that?”
PuHong Master was silent for a moment, said, “He is fortunate to escape death under the Heaven Punishment, as such it is already a tremendous luck. Thinking back that Heaven Punishment is a rare divine power in ten thousand years, unexpectedly it would happen on him, it can’t be...he is really an evildoer untolerated by Heaven?”
FaXiang’s countenance changed, secretly glanced at PuHong Master, PuHong Master looked grave but there was no other expressions, thus he placed his suspended heart back, quietly said, “Teacher, is it that the other teacher uncles argued with you?”
PuHong Master laughed bitterly but did not speak.
FaXiang was silent.
After a long time, PuHong Master slowly said, “The Wordless Jade Wall was our Tian Yin Temple sacred ground treasure, moreover the Buddhist remains handed down by our founders, this time destroyed by Heaven Punishment, it is all because of my selfish motive. I have decided after Zhang patron regain consciousness, I will resign from my position as abbot, from then face the wall and comprehend Buddhist truth, so as to atone for my sin.”
FaXiang’s countenance changed greatly, exclaimed, “Teacher, how, how can you say that, this is not your fault!”
PuHong Master shook his head, said, “Your teacher uncles are right, I was filled with gratitude to Zhang patron for resolving PuZhi junior brother’s resentful spirit and vicious energy and so presumptuously made the decision, overestimated myself and assumed to use Buddhist power on the sacred ground to enlighten him. Thus invoking the Heaven Punishment, destroyed the Jade Wall, this is really my sin. Just that…”
He smiled instead, said to FaXiang, “Just that I never once regretted, do you know why?”
FaXiang silently shook his head.
PuHong Master smiled and said, “On that day, when the Heaven Punishment struck down, this Zhang patron by right would not be spared but the Jade Wall on its own accord saved Zhang patron. Although the reason for it, we all do not know but the Jade Wall had spiritual intelligence, it must be it was not willing to watch Zhang patron die under the Heaven Punishment and therefore did so. Since the Jade Wall did that, it can be seen what I did was not wrong. Therefore although it is my fault that the Jade Wall is destroyed, I intend to seek forgiveness but in my heart, I did not regret a bit.”
FaXiang clenched his teeth, raised his head and called out, “Teacher…”
PuHong Master patted his shoulder, smiled and consoled with a few words, walked to Ghost Li side and carefully looked at him, nodded and said, “Seems like he is looking much better already, if nothing unexpected happens, I guess he will wake up in these few days, you must take good care of him.”
FaXiang put his palms together, said, “Teacher please be assured.”
PuHong Master nodded, took another look at Ghost Li, turned and about to walk out.
Just when he was about to step out, suddenly, Ghost Li moved, making a soft groan.
FaXiang was shocked, said in pleasant surprise, “Teacher, he seems to be awakening.”
PuHong Master was greatly delighted, strided over, sat beside Ghost Li on the bed. Under the watchful gazes of the teacher and disciple, Ghost Li’s eyes gently fluttered, finally slowly opened.