He was born as a blacksmith, but he dominated the world

Chapter 433 The So-called Holy Mountain

At this time, the army had already penetrated hundreds of miles into the Buddhist country. They did not encounter any resistance along the way, and everything they saw was quiet and peaceful.

Ma Ningyan ordered the army to rest, and everyone knew that she was hesitating at the moment whether to continue the conquest of the Buddhist Kingdom.

After all, they had already slaughtered 200,000 Buddhists who had never resisted. If they continued to kill, even a heart of stone would melt.

This is a residential area, the houses are clean and tidy.

The road is wide and almost dust-free.

"Mr. Hong, what do you think about turning this place into a temporary blacksmith shop?" someone came over and asked.

This man's name is Qu Zhong, and he is also a blacksmith, but he is currently responsible for taking care of Jiang Lin's food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Jiang Lin nodded casually. He didn't care where the military blacksmith was located. As long as he had a furnace and a hammer, he could forge iron.

"Then Mr. Hong, take a rest first. I will move the things over."

Qu Zhong led the way and took Jiang Lin to the largest house nearby.

Although it’s big, there are actually only two rooms.

Jiang Lin walked in and glanced at the furnishings in the house. There were tables, chairs and benches.

"Mr. Hong, can I make you a pot of tea?" Qu Zhong asked eagerly.

Jiang Lin did not reply, but walked to the dining table in the middle of the room, picked up the bowl and chopsticks and looked at them.

"It looks well-made." Qu Zhong praised.

"Yes." Jiang Lin nodded and said, "And it's very new, as if it has never been used."

"Yes." Qu Zhong responded.

Jiang Lin put down his bowl and chopsticks and asked, "How many years has this house been built?"

Qu Zhong looked up at the beams, estimated based on their age, and said, "It must be at least seven or eight years old."

"It's a seven or eight year old house, but everything inside is brand new. Even the bowls and chopsticks look as if they've never been used. Do Buddhists not need to eat?"

This question stumped Qu Zhong.

He looked down at the dishes on the dining table and thought to himself, "Yeah, don't Buddhists need to eat?"

"Maybe it's because they just changed it?" Qu Zhong said.

"Go and have a look at other houses." Jiang Lin said.

Qu Zhong responded and hurried out the door.

After a while, he hurried back and said with a strange look on his face, "It's really strange. The dishes and chopsticks in all the houses are new, and there's not even a speck of dust on the stove. It's as if no one lives here at all."

"But if no one lives in them, what are these houses and belongings for?"

"Show it to others?"

Qu Zhong was talking to himself, and Jiang Lin said calmly: "Perhaps, it is just for others to see."

Qu Zhong was stunned when he heard this, and subconsciously asked, "Who are you showing it to?"

"Put it on display for those who think that the Buddhist country is a peaceful and holy place on earth." Jiang Lin said.

For some reason, Qu Zhong felt a little creepy when he heard this.

To show it to those who think that the Buddhist country is a peaceful and holy place on earth?
That means that the Buddhist kingdom is not peaceful at all?
There are houses but no one lives in them. Where are the people?

"Come to think of it, I only saw Buddhists along the way, and it seems that I didn't see any ordinary people."

Qu Zhong's face turned pale. Although the journey was hundreds of miles, he still killed 200,000 Buddhists.

But in such a large area, are there only 200,000 Buddhists?

What about the people?
"Mr. Hong, this... I will go and talk to them right away!" After saying this, Qu Zhong turned around and walked out.

Jiang Lin did not stop him. Some things cannot be proved by words. After all, you have to see it with your own eyes.

Soon, Qu Zhong found the generals leading troops nearby and told them what he and Jiang Lin had discovered.

The general was skeptical, but since it was related to Jiang Lin, he couldn't deny it directly.

He called a few people at random and went to investigate the nearby houses.

Not long after, those people came back and reported that the house was indeed clean and tidy as Qu Zhong had said.

Although all the necessary household items were available, there was no sign of anyone staying there or cooking.

Even on the floor of the house, they didn't see any fresh footprints.

The general was stunned when he heard this. He realized something was wrong and reported the matter to Marshal Xu Wanqun.

Xu Wanqun did not ask anyone else to investigate, but went directly to find Ma Ningyan.

Upon learning of this discovery, Ma Ningyan frowned.

There are also houses outside the Buddhist kingdom, but they all show signs of habitation.

How come this place, which should be more prosperous, is deserted?

"Send scouts to investigate further until the people are found." Ma Ningyan ordered.

Xu Wanqun immediately ordered one of his lieutenants to lead hundreds of scouts to investigate in person.

According to Ma Ningyan's order, they would return when they found the people.

However, after the deputy general was gone for several days, there was no news at all.

Xu Wanqun sent more scouts, but all of them fell on deaf ears and there was no news.

No matter how dumb you are, you know something is wrong.

The Buddhists we met along the way all did not resist.

Even if the scouts encountered it, there shouldn't be any danger.

Now so many days have passed and no one has come back.

Either they met with an accident, or... until now, they haven't found a single living person.

If it is the former, it is at most unexpected but reasonable.

Just because the Buddhists before did not resist does not mean that the ones after will not resist either.

But what if it is the latter possibility?

Ma Ningyan's eyes were gloomy. These few days were enough to run hundreds of miles away.

Adding the distance already penetrated, the total distance is over a thousand miles.

What does it mean that there are no living people for thousands of miles?
She couldn't help but recall that when she asked Jiang Lin how to deal with the Buddhist Kingdom, she got a decisive answer.

"kill!"

From the initial trust, to the previous suspicion, and then to now.

A trace of gloom flashed across Ma Ningyan's eyes: "Buddhist country..."

Her intuition told her that this place might not be what she imagined, but instead it might hide some secrets.

Buddhists are all adults, there are no children.

Even if all the people become Buddhists, what about the children?

Where have they gone?
Ma Ningyan couldn't sit still, so she stood up and ordered, "Break camp immediately and keep moving forward, quickly!"

Xu Wanqun stood aside and asked, "If I meet a Buddhist again..."

Ma Ningyan's voice was deep and full of unquestionable meaning: "Kill!"

"Whoever stands in the way will be killed until the common people and children are seen!"

"Yes!"

The army set out again, and many people were puzzled.

Didn’t you say you wanted to take a rest? Why are you suddenly going to go out again?

Soon the news came back, and upon learning of the strangeness of the house, these soldiers who had fought on the battlefield for many years subconsciously looked around.

The house was indeed clean to the point of being a little weird, and even the road ahead was spacious and clean, as if no one had ever walked on it.

If the common people are not around, will the Buddhists not walk either?
If they don't need shelter, why build it?

The houses are obviously new and clean.

But in the eyes of these soldiers, there was gradually a hint of horror.

When the news spread throughout the army, everyone subconsciously quickened their pace.

They really want to see a few ordinary people hanging around in front of them. Even if they do nothing, it will make them feel more at ease.

As the army moved forward, they met some Buddhists.

They still did not resist, and this time, the knife chopped down much faster than before.

Some soldiers could not bear it any longer, so they grabbed the Buddhists and asked them sternly, "Why are there no civilians or children here? Where are they?"

The Buddhists just looked at him and kept chanting repetitive words.

"If you kill me, you will be incinerated by the Red Lotus Fire and suffer countless disasters!"

"If you kill me, you will be incinerated by the Red Lotus Fire and suffer countless disasters!"

"If you kill me, you will be cursed with red lotus fire and suffer countless disasters!" All the Buddhists around were like this.

A spear came forward and pierced the Buddhist's head.

The spear tip was pulled back, and the gushing blood covered the soldier's head and face.

He turned around and saw a deputy general who said coldly, "Don't waste time."

The soldier gritted his teeth, grasped the long sword in his hand, and walked towards a Buddhist practitioner next to him.

With a wave of his hand and a slash of the knife, the head fell to the ground.

After walking for several hundred miles, the number of Buddhists ahead increased.

They are like locusts in a disaster. Even if the knife is blunted, it seems that they will never be killed.

After they were all killed, more Buddhists immediately swarmed in and blocked the road.

In front of us, we can see the majestic mountain towering into the clouds, the holy land of Buddhism, Mount Sumeru.

But with millions of Buddhists blocking the road, no matter how ruthless the soldiers were, they would eventually become exhausted by the fighting.

Ma Ningyan raised her hand and ordered the entire army to stop advancing and rest for a while.

At the same time, she walked out of the tent, walked forward, and met Jiang Lin.

At this moment, Jiang Lin was wiping his long sword.

Ma Ningyan came over and saw that he was holding a clean rag in his hand. There was clearly no dust on the blade, but he was wiping it very carefully.

"Grandpa Hong, it has been wiped clean." Ma Ningyan reminded.

Jiang Lin didn't look at her, but continued to wipe it, saying, "It's not clean enough."

Ma Ningyan looked at the blade that could almost reflect a person's face: "Isn't this clean enough?"

"Well, only after killing them all can we be clean." Jiang Lin said.

Ma Ningyan was slightly stunned, and then she understood what he meant.

What is unclean is not the long sword, but the Buddha's kingdom.

Jiang Lin put down the rag and picked up the Sun-Chasing Bow to wipe it.

Seeing his serious actions, Ma Ningyan asked, "Grandpa Hong, do you know anything about the Buddha Kingdom? Can you tell me what happened here?"

Jiang Lin shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"Then why did you want to destroy the Buddhist Kingdom without hesitation?"

"I don't know, because I haven't seen what the Buddha Kingdom looks like." Jiang Lin then looked up at her and said, "But I have seen what the Buddha Kingdom looks like after it was destroyed. I think it should be not much different."

"After the Buddha Kingdom was destroyed?" Ma Ningyan was stunned for a moment, and instinctively asked: "What was it like?"

Jiang Lin continued to wipe the bow of the Sun Chaser with his head down, and said in a low voice: "Man-eating monster."

Ma Ningyan trembled slightly and did not ask any more questions.

Jiang Lin's answer made her feel as if she had seen a purgatory on earth that was even more miserable than not having enough food to eat and starving people everywhere.

"Will you take action too?" Ma Ningyan asked.

"Yes." Jiang Lin nodded: "Otherwise you might not be able to win."

The current Buddhist kingdom may not be in its heyday, but the current Daqian is also not the strongest.

Jiang Lin had no favorable impression on either the Buddhist kingdom or asceticism.

If it is really as I guessed, I will definitely take action.

Whether it is to help Ma Ningyan clear away the evil obstacles in the world, or to maintain her own beliefs.

Ma Ningyan glanced at the long sword that had been wiped clean to be almost dust-free and then turned and left.

After a while, Jiang Lin heard the herald's voices coming one after another.

"The whole army forms an array!"

"March towards Mount Xumi!"

Ma Ningyan was wearing a black battle armor and holding a holy weapon sword, with five heavy cavalrymen from Tiannan Prefecture following behind him.

Even though they were already marshals, generals, and deputy generals.

But when Ma Ningyan personally led the troops to war, they would still be just her guards, just like they had been many years ago.

"war!"

The roars from the millions of soldiers in the battle array were like thunder.

Nearly a thousand Buddhists in front were instantly blown to pieces by the sound.

A rain of blood and broken limbs rushed up into the sky and then fell heavily down.

The Buddhists' chanting was not to be outdone, and it became louder and deeper.

Everyone can feel that the aura of Buddhists has changed.

Before, when they did not resist, they were very peaceful, like a wisp of smoke, floating in the air.

Can’t be touched, can’t be seen through.

And now, the breath is deep.

Perhaps it was because of the corpses of the Buddhists or something else, but a hint of bloody smell wafted into the noses of many people.

"war!"

The million-strong army advanced again, unstoppable.

However, their pace of progress has slowed down now, not because they are reluctant, but because the Buddhists' obstruction has increased.

Previously, they could advance dozens of miles a day, but now they can only advance less than ten miles.

Ma Ningyan led five heavy cavalrymen, all wearing black armor. The swords in their hands were constantly raised and then chopped down quickly.

The sword energy was dozens of feet long and spread across the sky, leaving countless limbs and arms broken wherever it passed.

Under the influence of the battle formation, their strength was raised to a strange realm that surpassed the Divine Martial Realm, but was different from the Dao Martial Realm.

Very strong!

The sword energy increased from tens of feet to hundreds of feet, and then exceeded a hundred feet.

Every time he swung his sword, it seemed to tear the void apart, bringing up gusts of wind, and blowing the blood and dust on the battlefield further away.

Ma Ningyan's eyes were as cold as ice. There was no mercy in her heart anymore. She just wanted to know the answer.

The five heavy cavalrymen beside her were in tune with her. Their movements were almost completely consistent, as if they were one, bringing the power of the battle formation to the extreme.

The Buddhists' chanting sounds echoed across the battlefield, as if using Buddhist teachings to purify this land shrouded in killing.

But what is truly purified is not the killing.

"what happened!"

Ma Ningyan turned her head and saw some soldiers on the edge of the battle formation melting like burning candles.

She felt an unusual aura of power, and when she looked at those Buddhists again, the murderous intent in her eyes became even stronger.

“It’s the so-called Buddha sound!”

"Kill!" Ma Ningyan growled, her voice echoing in the armor with unquestionable determination.

The sword light surged again, like five black dragons tumbling in the air. Wherever they passed, the Buddhists were ruthlessly cut into pieces.

When at least thousands of the million soldiers were melted, Mount Sumeru finally became clear in Ma Ningyan's vision.

When he saw the appearance of Mount Sumeru clearly, Ma Ningyan stopped swinging her sword.

Her face was filled with astonishment, disbelief, and uncontrollable anger.

Where is the mountain then?

Countless men, women, old and young were strung up one by one by the tentacle-like spikes that protruded from the mountain.

The blood flowed from the mountain to the foot of the mountain, gathered into a river of blood, and then poured into the bottom of the mountain and disappeared.

Their expressions were painful, but they did not struggle.

Because if they made any movement, the mountain beneath them would open up and swallow them completely.

All Ma Ningyan could see was endless despair.

The corner of her eye was broken and blood was flowing.

There is no tragedy in the world that is more tragic than millions of living people being treated as food by a mountain!

On the side of the battle formation, Jiang Lin slung his long sword and picked up the Sun-Chasing Bow.

The ancient purple gold wood flashed with golden-red light rapidly. Jiang Lin seemed to feel it and rubbed his thumb on the bow.

He looked toward the towering holy mountain of Buddhism, and golden flames seemed to rise in his eyes.

"You want to kill them all, too?"

"Then kill!"

A Xuanwu Holy Weapon Arrow was pulled out from the quiver and placed on the bowstring made of the tendons of the ancient thunder eagle beast.

(End of this chapter)