This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 129 The Mysterious Case of Wanfo Temple

Above the Wanzhang Foguang Temple, Zhuang Lin held the pagoda in his hand. After leaving the temple below, he looked around and also looked towards Xiangyang.

It is no exaggeration to say that even though Zhuang Lin was trapped in the tower just now, he was still the one in control of the overall situation. Naturally, he knew that the almost visible ghost den was blocked by the moat of Xiangyang.

It seems that the Water God will still perform his functions and to a certain extent prevent some things from invading the city. However, it is not known whether this passive and regular thing is really reliable.

However, what interested Zhuang Lin was not the Shuiyong God, but the shadow of another god that he had just seen in the blue-eyed, square-pupiled state, which also appeared on the edge of Xiangyang City.

However, the shadow of the god was not on the side of the moat close to the Wanzhang Foguang Temple, but on the side where the moat connected to the Han River. Judging from the fate, he was the god of the Han River.

"So the God of the Han River already knew about the secrets of Wanzhang Foguang Temple?"

After pondering for a moment, Zhuang Lin did not stop and looked towards Xiangyang City again. Then, with the help of the Wood Element Wind Controlling Technique, he transformed into a wisp of breeze and disappeared above Foguang Temple.
-
In Xiangyang City, the county government seat, the Xiangyang prefect was processing official documents in the government office. Then an anxious soldier with a panicked look came with the servants from the government office to report the situation.

At first, the prefect scolded the soldiers at the city gate for being ignorant of etiquette and being improper. After scolding for a while, he allowed the trembling soldiers to explain the situation. However, when he heard some details, the prefect's hand holding the official document became unsteady.

No one could immediately believe such absurd things as the Foguang Temple being shrouded in darkness and evil monsters coming to attack Xiangyang City. However, several people came to report this in panic.

Then the Xiangyang prefect walked out of the government office and looked outside, and saw that half of the city was covered by thick dark clouds, especially the south of the city, which was the darkest direction, which was where the Wanzhang Foguang Temple was located.

Fortunately, not long after that, the dark clouds in the sky dissipated, and the sun regained its absolute dominance, illuminating the entire Xiangyang City.

But no matter whether the previous report was a farce or there really was some evil spirit, the government would definitely send someone to investigate.
-
In Xiangyang City, Zhao Chenyu and Liu Hongyu were walking on the street together.

Although the dark clouds in the sky have completely dissipated, this trip has caused Zhao Chenyu considerable psychological pressure. He only wants to go home quickly and does not want to stay outside.

Liu Hongyu felt very relaxed at this moment, so he let Zhao Chenyu take him away. Anyway, his master would definitely come soon.

The two walked quite fast. There weren't many pedestrians on the street at the moment, and even if there were, many of them were discussing the strange changes outside the city.

As a wealthy and famous city, Xiangyang enjoys the dual convenience of land and water transportation. In the past, the main streets in the city were bustling with traffic at this time, but today it seems a bit deserted.

Just as Liu Hongyu was walking in a hurry, Zhuang Lin's calm voice suddenly sounded in his ears.

"Hongyu, I've dealt with the evil spirit in Foguang Temple and will not be showing up for the time being. Please apologize to Mr. Zhao for me. I'm going to Xiaosheng Mountain first. You can do whatever you want!"

Master!

Liu Hongyu's heart moved, and he immediately looked up at the sky. Sure enough, he saw a breeze in the sky carrying wisps of faint light, which disappeared in an instant.

While paying attention to the sky, Liu Hongyu was suddenly pulled by Zhao Chenyu to the sides of the street to avoid, followed by a burst of hurried horse hooves and footsteps approaching.

"Move aside, move aside, this is official business, please move aside——"

"Hurry up, hurry up——"

There were sounds of footsteps coming from the crowd. It turned out to be a team composed of officials from the Xiangyang city government and soldiers from the city. The man leading the team on horseback wearing half armor was none other than Peng Hong, the captain of Xiangyang.

Peng Hong was riding a tall horse at this moment, with several riders following him. Weapons and bows and arrows were hung on both sides of the horse. He rode in front of the team and shouted to both sides.

"Don't leave anyone on the street—if you don't need to, please go home quickly—"

Passing riders also shouted.

"If you are not necessary, please return home immediately—"

No matter whether it was Peng Hong or those riders, their voices were extremely loud. If you listened to them nearby, you would probably think you heard thunder. It was obvious that each of them had extraordinary skills.

The group of people quickly passed through the main streets of Xiangyang and then headed straight for the South Gate. The gatekeepers and officers there had already opened the city gate early.

However, when the Xiangyang commander arrived at the city gate, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he called the gatekeeper and took him out of the city to the edge of the moat, where he listened to his detailed report of everything that had just happened.

After the gatekeeper finished recounting what had happened before with lingering fear, Peng Hong looked towards the now quiet Wanzhang Foguang Temple and couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly.

"Sir, how do we do this?"

A school officer rode up to Peng Hong and asked in a low voice.

"Hmph, I don't believe there are any monsters in broad daylight. I'm afraid someone is playing tricks. Let's see what kind of monster it is. Follow me—"

At the captain's command, he led the charge towards the drawbridge, followed by the soldiers and officers. Despite the rumors circulating on the streets, the captain led a force of over two hundred men, each filled with courage, as if they were prepared to fight even the most monstrous creatures.

The nearest front yard of Wanzhang Foguang Temple was only a little over a mile away from the moat of Xiangyang, and the large group of people arrived there quickly.

Then, at the captain's signal, they gradually stopped.

The people in front were riding on horses and looking at the front gate of the temple. As a famous Buddhist temple well-known in Xiangyang and its surrounding areas, everyone, including the captain, knew about it and everyone had come here to burn incense.

But the Foguang Temple, which was once bustling with people, is now eerily quiet.

Places like temples, once abandoned and deserted, are often more eerie than ordinary deserted houses. This place is far from being deserted, but it also gives people a bit of that feeling, and even makes people feel a little cold.

"Hmph, don't be afraid, follow me into the temple to search—"

After the captain had finished speaking, he dismounted, took his sword from the horse's back and strode away. His personal followers followed closely behind him with bows and arrows.

Afterwards, the soldiers and officials filed in together, and then divided into teams and dispersed inside the temple.

If you look from the air, you will see teams of people, led by a leader, divided into several directions, starting from the temple gate and searching the entire temple from the outside to the center, while teams also arrived at several side doors and back doors from the outside.

"Look, sir, over there—"

Upon entering the temple, the captain and his companions first discovered the monks and nuns lying near the courtyard. Someone shouted, and then everyone immediately went forward to check.

The captain approached an old monk and knew that he was dead at the sight of blood coming out of all seven orifices. Others pressed their chests or sniffed his breath and confirmed some of the situation.

"Sir, there's not a single survivor, and not a single visible wound!"

"Um"

The captain frowned and looked up at the middle door. There was a corpse of an old monk leaning against the door. It was the old abbot of Foguang Temple.

"My Lord, my Lord, please come and see..."

Someone shouted in panic from the back. Peng Hong didn't have time to think about anything else. He immediately jumped up and leaped towards the back with lightness skills. Some masters around him immediately followed him.

Soon, the group arrived at the courtyard between the two main halls at the back.

When you arrive here, the first thing you see is the two golden Buddha statues sitting in the middle.
"Bodhisattva of Two Phases?" "Why is he here?"

"Shouldn't it be in the Second Phase Hall?"

Several people couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, and then subconsciously moved closer, but a group of people had already arrived there first, and it was they who made the exclamation.

The nearby courtyard walls were all cracked and about to collapse, and there were some terrifying gullies on the ground.

Most of the bluestone paving was broken, and between the two golden statues of Bodhisattvas, there was a terrifying circular gully, as if something heavy had fallen there before.
There is also a hole in the head of the two Bodhisattvas, just like when the Bodhisattvas were subduing demons, their eyebrows were pierced.
Just thinking about this situation would make ordinary people feel scared.

Peng Hong stood outside the two golden statues of Bodhisattvas, looked to both sides, and his sight extended to the two main halls.

From the two main halls to the center, the ground was broken and had some huge marks. In addition, the golden statues of the two bodhisattvas in the main hall had disappeared. It looked like two statues had rushed out from the hall to come here to subdue the demons.
Afterwards, the entire Wanzhang Foguang Temple was searched inside and out.

It can be said that other places in the Buddhist temple did not suffer much damage. Except for the collapse of some furnishings and altars in the halls, it did not seem to have been looted.

The donation boxes were all intact, and even some valuable items such as copper candlesticks and incense burners were intact.

What really makes people feel terrified are the two golden statues of Bodhisattvas that appear in the courtyard between the two halls, as well as the terrifying traces full of destructiveness.

Even more incredible was the disappearance of the iconic seven-story pagoda at Foguang Temple. There wasn't even any evidence of collapsed bricks or stonework, as if it had truly vanished.
What on earth is going on here? Is there really a demon at work?
Did the Bodhisattva win, or did the demon win?

Not to mention the ordinary soldiers and officers who came, even Peng Hong, the captain, began to feel suspicious!
The key point is that so many monks and nuns died in Foguang Temple. This is definitely a major case, but who should be arrested? Should we arrest demons that we have never seen before?

As the captain led his troops back to Xiangyang City to report to the prefect, the news of what happened in Wanzhang Foguang Temple gradually spread throughout the city.

From the government to the common people, there were many mysterious and bizarre rumors about what happened in Wanfo Temple, and it became a strange case.

(End of this chapter)