Some covered their ears with both hands, others blocked their mouths with their hands, and some thrashed and tore... There were even more brutal ones who simply took up arms, intending to chop off that head.
Unfortunately, all these attempts were futile.
The head that was chanting sutras could actually move.
Therefore, they could only cry and shout:
"Please, stop chanting."
"Shut up, I tell you to shut up."
"I'll kill you, kill you."
"Ahhhh... It hurts so much, please shut up, I can't take it anymore."
As far as the eye could see, millions of people were wailing.
Tears and snot mixed as they rolled in the dust, and even more extreme individuals attempted self-harm to end their torment.
Then quickly, a change occurred.
Some people, in extreme pain, suddenly turned red in the face and then flipped over to vomit.
Unclean chunks of flesh, grease, and various filth representing desires mixed together, cascading down like a small waterfall.
Amid the intermittent sounds of vomiting, the Qiantang province city, originally surging with Buddha Light and resembling the Pure Land of Ultimate Happiness, instantly transformed into a filthy realm.
It was like a mountain of garbage, a decaying city.
The stench was overwhelming, making one want to vomit too.
This scene, however, lit up Tao Qian's eyes as he suddenly understood:
"This must be some kind of detoxification secret technique. Fragrant oil and Demon Buddha Origin Qi are like opium-like addictions to the Mortals of the Human Clan."
"As long as their bodies can be freed from the addiction, and they are brought to their senses, the Wish Power dissipates, and the Human Incense will naturally extinguish."
"This is indeed the right cure; truly it is the work of a high monk."
"Anyone could understand the keys to it, but to detoxify millions of people at once is not something an ordinary person could accomplish."
"Great Abyss Zen Master is certainly extraordinary, but... what is the cost?"
As Tao Qian marveled, he simultaneously thought of something.
Immediately, he looked up at Great Abyss Zen Master.
Once the Innate Spiritual Vision was activated, Tao Qian felt his eyes filled with an overwhelmingly intense Buddha Light.
At this moment, Great Abyss Zen Master had already lost all human form.
The whole person had turned into a wildly burning scented Buddha Lamp.
His body, embodying pure Buddha Nature, and soul, were being intensely consumed along with the chanting.
The flames of the lamp brought Tao Qian a sense of burning pain so intense that golden tears continuously streamed from the corners of his eyes.
At the same time, messages began to burst in his mind:
[Peering into Great Abyss Zen Master's Ding Guang Dharma Form...]
[Great Abyss Zen Master in his previous life was a reclusive Buddhist practitioner "Ding Guang Arhat," who had joined major Buddhist Temples, cultivated various Buddhist Laws, and finally achieved realization. Out of compassion for the suffering of the world, he made a great vow to save the world, intending to turn calamities many times, perfecting the Buddhist Law to save the world, as this is his second incarnation. Since childhood, feeling innate wisdom, he avoided an invitation from the Free Temple and came to Qiantang knowing he would meet his end to this calamity.]
[He has already ignited his "Ding Guang Dharma Form," transforming into a Buddha Lamp to burn away, paying the price for forcibly detoxifying ten million people.]
When Tao Qian saw this, his complexion immediately changed.
It was at this moment that a new Record emerged: [As he is about to pass away and because the Buddha Natures align... Great Abyss Zen Master wishes to pass half of the Nameless Buddha Sutra to you.]
When Tao Qian saw this Record, he also met eyes with Great Abyss Zen Master.
Previously, Yuan Gong was still speaking about maybe bringing him over.
Little did they expect, their gazes met.
Unfortunately, with the Zen Master about to die, recruiting him was probably no longer possible.
Great Abyss Zen Master, truly a high monk with profound foundations, Tao Qian barely glanced at him when he was noticed.
He was clearly using divine power, battling with Cheng Arhat.
Yet he was still able to divert his attention, his voice resonating unexpectedly in Tao Qian's mind:
"Little monk, who are you exactly?"
"I see that your body holds complex energy, and each strand comes from an extraordinary origin. Shenxiu already mentioned you are from the South Sea; I have also been there, but we had no karma to meet you and your master."
"How is Zen Master Qingjing, I wonder? Although you possess a multitude of Buddhist treasures, you have never cultivated any Buddhist Scripture."
As expected by Tao Qian, Great Abyss Zen Master's voice was gentle and warm, peaceful and distant.
From his voice alone, one could know: here indeed was a very worthy senior monk.
In these few sentences questioning his identity, Tao Qian could detect no malice.
Sure enough, the Zen Master's tone changed again as he continued:
"You should not study other Buddhist scriptures indiscriminately, as it would not be favorable. I have a half volume of Buddhist scriptures here, still unfinished, hence unnamed."
"I am dying and I wish to transfer this scripture to you. Are you willing to accept it?"
"I have never deceived anyone in my life, and even in death, I cannot break my vows, so I must explain the price to you clearly."
"If you accept the Great Book of Buddhist scriptures that I have written across my past and present lives, it also means that you are karmically linked with me. Do not be deceived by my appearance of being unworldly; in reality, I have many troubles, which will inevitably stick to you in the future, and you may not be able to handle them."
"Of course, there are some benefits as well."
"It is not just self-praise, but this half volume of Buddhist scripture is ranked top even within the Great Reincarnation Temple, Great Freedom Temple, and other major temples."
"Once you possess it, you may be able to establish a lineage."
Given Master Tao's usual caution and his lack of interest in the Buddhist Technique,
He should have refused under such circumstances.
Yet inexplicably, he was moved. He looked over the city where a million people were vomiting, then glanced at the Zen Master clones flying around Qiantang; a mysterious intuition rose in his heart.
In the depths of Tao Qian's heart, a voice sounded:
"It is not because I covet the Great Book; it is just that I feel a connection."
"This scripture and I are fated."
As this thought was transmitted, Tao Qian's eyes, still streaming with golden tears, immediately reflected the change in expression of the Great Abyss Zen Master.
At first, he was taken aback, then he showed a smile, as if he had guessed something.
Inside Tao Qian's heart, the voice of this gentle and noble monk sounded again.
However, it was not to expose his identity but rather directly, through an incomprehensible secret technique,
He forcefully implanted the incredibly complicated, vast scripture filled with unfathomable Buddhist principles directly into Tao Qian's mind.
Given Tao Qian's current state of the Spirit Treasure Sublime Body and Cultivation Realm, he instantly felt his head swelling, nearly exploding.
He had no time to examine further Records that burst forth but then heard the voice of Great Abyss Zen Master taking care of the aftermath:
"I had long foreseen the journey to Qiantang, which would make this life perfect. I will undergo transformation and complete this life, with the scriptures I've written finding their disciple in you."
"We do not have a master-disciple karmic connection, but we are connected in the passing of the light."
"I was somewhat worried before, concerned that, with my help, Qiantang Province might fall to Great Freedom Temple, which would certainly be a trouble."
"Now that I have seen both you and your disciple, this worry can be put aside."
"Demon Buddha Temple cannot have it, Free Temple cannot have it, very good, very good. The so-called Buddha Country is absurd and should be discarded."
"When I reincarnate, and the timing is right, I will find you again, to pass on the remaining half volume of Buddhist scripture..."
Tao Qian endured the swelling in his head, striving hard to think through the information contained in the last words of Great Abyss Zen Master.
At the scene, this most unexpected Salvation Battle was coming to an end.
Everyone could clearly see:
First in the province city, as a million people vomited out their internal contaminants, the Human Incense naturally extinguished.
Then in other cities and counties within Qiantang Province, the same scenes continuously unfolded.
Originally, as many as "tens of millions" of Human Incense sticks were extinguished frantically.
During the process, Cheng Arhat naturally tried to stop it, and even Shipi Arhat tried to interfere stealthily.
Unfortunately, it completely failed to affect the Buddhist Secret Technique accrued over two lifetimes by the Great Abyss Zen Master, a technique that had never appeared before.
With the chanting of scriptures and vomiting echoing throughout Qiantang Province, almost in every corner,
Everyone knew who the loser was, Cheng Arhat; he lost.
Now, the Lord of the Earthly Buddha Country, having become a "dried corpse," was helplessly seated in the White Bone Glaze Tower, glaring at the Great Abyss Zen Master with intense hatred.
The latter truly transformed into a Buddha Lamp illuminating the entire sky and the whole province of Qiantang.
The intense Buddha Light directly blinded Cheng Arhat.
Tears flowed, the oil was exhausted, and the light faded.
Even so, he still wailed and cursed:
"Who exactly are you, you bald dead man? What grudge do I have against you, why must you treat me ?"
"Why, why destroy my Dao Path, why?"
The once dignified King, now reduced to a state akin to a fishwife cursing in the streets, had completely lost his former majestic appearance.
But among the warlords present and the rest of the audience, everyone understood his feelings.
Ultimate Happiness Realm, ah!
To be ruined by a nameless ascetic, anyone would find it hard to let go.