There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 326 Ancient Temple Collapses, Mountains and Rivers Destroyed

"Boom!"

The earth is shaking!

Chen Qing's punch carried the accumulated incense and prayer power of Hanyue Temple. How vast was its power? It was as if a million believers worked together to turn their most fervent thoughts and most instinctive prayers into a torrent and crash it against the mountain gate!
The protective array was as fragile as paper; it couldn't even hold on for a moment before collapsing completely amidst a piercing cracking sound!

Palaces and pavilions collapsed and crumbled in large swaths!

Glazed tiles, gold-powdered pillars, and jade steps were all reduced to dust!
Where the fist struck, the mountain let out a mournful cry of unbearable pressure, the main peak collapsed, as if a section had been forcibly cleaved in half! Then, under the impact of the subsequent force, it crumbled with a deafening roar, and countless boulders, accompanied by dust and smoke, rolled down like rain!

Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, spreading across the fields and partially obscuring the sunlight.

A thousand-year-old temple, a place of heritage, was reduced to ruins in an instant!
"stop--"

Abbot Shi Yong's eyes were bloodshot, and he let out a shrill, desperate roar, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his body swaying precariously.

Almost at the same time that the mountain gate shattered and the main peak collapsed, the last remaining life force of the old monk Xuanhai was also completely extinguished.

He had already burned his blood and marrow, and his golden body was shattered. At this moment, he was connected with the fortune of the mountain gate. With the destruction of the mountain gate, he had also reached the end.

"puff……"

A soft sound.

Xuan Hai's already tattered body turned to ashes, and the nascent soul he had painstakingly cultivated for hundreds of years also shattered after losing its last support!

In an instant, the celestial phenomena changed drastically!

The illusory image of the cold, bright moon was the first to shatter, turning into countless icy fragments of moonlight that scattered across the surrounding mountains!

Wherever the fragments passed, vegetation froze and withered, and rocks were covered with thick frost. The once beautiful mountains were instantly transformed into a desolate, frozen wasteland!

Immediately afterward, the night sky dissipated, and a thick darkness spread out like ink, enveloping a large area of ​​the sky and earth. Light was swallowed up, the temperature plummeted, and a howling wind dragged the area into a long period of darkness, breeding countless eerie whispers that disturbed people's minds!

The final thing to collapse was the exterior of the meteor vortex.

Amidst the roar, countless chaotic streaks of light, trailing flames, crashed into the earth!

Each streak of fire that fell created a scorched crater, spewing forth earth fire and flowing lava. Furthermore, specks of star energy seeped into the earth's veins, causing the land to harden and its spiritual energy to become impure, making it difficult to nurture life!

The three fragmented external forces intertwined and raged, turning the hundred-mile-long landscape surrounding Hanyue Temple from a pure Buddhist sanctuary and a place of spiritual beauty into a desolate and treacherous place filled with ice, darkness, and scorching heat!

The spiritual energy was chaotic, and the Dao traces were distorted, making it seem like a cursed land abandoned by heaven and earth!

"The patriarch has fallen?"

"The mountain gate... is gone?"

"How could this happen... Buddha..."

The surviving monks of Hanyue Temple, seeing the scene before them, the billowing dust, and feeling the pervasive aura of destruction and the dissipation of Buddhist energy when their patriarch fell, were all struck as if by lightning, their faces ashen white.

Some people's legs went weak and they collapsed to the ground, their eyes vacant, as if their souls had been taken away.

Some people, acting like madmen, tore at their monks' robes and wailed hysterically, "A thousand-year legacy! A thousand-year legacy! Destroyed in an instant! Destroyed in an instant!"

Even worse, some people's Dao hearts collapsed, and they pointed at the ruins, crying and laughing at the same time!

"What's the point of practicing Buddhism? What's the point of worshipping ancestors? It's all illusion! It's all just a bubble!"

Some of the younger disciples trembled with fear, huddled under the ruins, their eyes filled with terror and bewilderment.

The elders and heads of the academy, who were once high above and in charge of power, were all distraught. Some beat their chests and stamped their feet, tears streaming down their faces; others were ashen-faced and muttered to themselves.

The lineage was severed, the patriarch perished, and the mountain gate was reduced to ashes.

The entire Hanyue Temple was shrouded in despair and deathly silence.

Chen Qing stood in mid-air, the four external landscapes slowly receding, his eyes indifferent, showing no pity whatsoever.

The cycle of cause and effect, retribution is unhappy.

"Zizzi-"

Suddenly, billowing black mist seeped out from the void in all directions and rushed towards the monks!
Having lost the protection of the sect's fortune and the ancestral master's power, the sinful karma accumulated by Hanyue Temple over hundreds of years suddenly backfired!

"not good!"

"My cultivation!"

A large portion of the surviving monks suddenly screamed in agony, and a visible blackish-red foul aura rose from their bodies!
The higher one's cultivation level and the deeper one's connection with the sect, the more severe the backlash will be!

Several Golden Core elders were the first to be hit. They were already severely injured. At this moment, the Buddhist light dissipated, cracks spread on their Golden Cores, and all the magical power they had painstakingly cultivated poured out, causing their Dao foundation to collapse!
In just a few breaths, their ruddy faces withered and ashen, their blood and essence drained away, and their aura rapidly declined. In the blink of an eye, they went from being high-ranking cultivators to ordinary sick men. Some even turned into withered old men, slumped on the ground, unable to even move a finger.

Many more disciples suffered complete loss of cultivation amidst their wails, their meridians twisted, and they afflicted with a host of illnesses.

Chen Qing looked down at the scene below and felt a sense of reflection.

"If you seek benevolence, you will receive benevolence; if you seek evil, you will receive evil. Everything in this world has its due price. If there is no retribution, people will have no reverence, and morality will decline, and etiquette and music will collapse!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the suppressed potential for his Nascent Soul's advancement and the raging incense and vow power within him surged once more, causing the surrounding space to slightly distort! "I can't suppress it any longer, I must go into seclusion as soon as possible!"

Gathering his thoughts, he forcibly suppressed his aura, flicked his long sleeves, and took in the ownerless ebony prayer beads and a wisp of golden light from the "ancient Buddha's blood marrow" that had not yet dissipated.

The moment the golden light was obtained!
A sudden surge of fear erupted within him!
He felt a cold gaze piercing through the void from the far west and landing on him!

Chen Qing felt a chill run down his spine, but he immediately understood the reason and looked straight ahead to the west.

"I have already remembered today's 'generous gift'! You don't need to exert any more pressure or intimidation. One day, I will personally visit Moon Wheel Temple to demand an explanation from you!"

After saying that, he raised his hand and pointed forward!
"Thorn-"

A rotating portal appears!
Xuanmen (Taoist sect) guidance!

Then, Chen Qing stepped in, disappearing into the spatial ripples without looking back.

That gaze then disappeared.

After a few breaths.

"Whoosh whoosh—"

Only a moment after Chen Qing left, the group of people who had been spying on the place approached after confirming that Chen Qing had left.

Looking down at the ruins of Hanyue Temple, now a scorched earth and a scene of utter desolation, even this well-traveled man couldn't help but turn pale with horror.

"Single-handedly, he flattened the mountain gate and killed a Nascent Soul cultivator! What a ruthless person he is!"

"Hanyue Temple has been officially removed from the list."

"This person is ruthless and possesses uncanny abilities; he is definitely not someone to be trifled with! Immediately send a message to your sect to investigate his background. Under no circumstances should you provoke him!"

Just as everyone was still shaken and secretly on guard, a series of whooshing sounds came from the distant horizon, and a majestic and righteous aura was rapidly approaching.

"It's the imperial court's men!"

"The commotion was too great, and it did alert them."

These people were unwilling to confront the official forces, fearing they would be drawn into this tumultuous storm. They immediately used their own methods to transform into streaks of light and disperse in all directions.

Almost at the same time that the group left, several powerful auras descended upon the ruins.

The leader was dressed in a robe with a four-clawed dragon, a jade belt around his waist, and a golden crown on his head, walking with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger.

This person is none other than Prince Jing of the Great Yan Dynasty, the younger brother of the current emperor, who holds the power of the Imperial Clan Court and wields immense influence.

Beside him stood Su Zhijin, whose face was solemn, and An Ning, whose eyes held a complex expression. Behind them were several elite warriors.

They naturally came following the earth-shattering commotion. Standing on the ruins, feeling the lingering Daoist affliction in the air, everyone turned pale and their minds were shaken!

Prince Jing took a deep breath and looked at Su Zhijin beside him: "Lord Su, was the person we spotted earlier the one who made the move, the one you mentioned, the head of Mingxia Mountain?"

Su Zhijin was filled with turmoil. Upon hearing this, he composed himself and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness, it is indeed this person. However... his methods far surpass what I have ever seen before."

Prince Jing frowned, flicked his sleeve, and ordered his two black-armored attendants behind him: "Go, investigate! I need to know exactly what happened here, and not a single detail should be missed!"

"Here!"

Two armored guards bowed and accepted the order. With a swift movement, they went to investigate and inquire. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they returned.

One of them spoke up, but his voice trembled slightly: "Your Highness, after investigation, Abbot Shi Yong of Hanyue Temple has been seriously injured and unconscious, and the Nascent Soul Ancestor Xuan Hai has been confirmed dead! Of the monks in the temple, seven or eight out of ten have lost their cultivation, and the rest have all suffered serious injuries. The mountain gate buildings have been completely destroyed, the earth veins have been damaged, and the mountain protection formation has been completely shattered."

Another added: "According to the remaining Daoist aura and eyewitness accounts, the one who made the move was undoubtedly Chen Qing from Mingxia Mountain! During the fierce battle, he manifested four Nascent Soul appearances, smashed a mountain and destroyed a temple with a single punch, and then disappeared into thin air without a trace. We were unable to track him down."

Four scenes appear simultaneously! A single punch destroys a temple! A Nascent Soul cultivator perishes!

Prince Jing's eyes flickered, and after a few moments of silence, he suddenly waved his hand: "Issue my order! From this moment on, all matters concerning Mingxia Mountain and its related forces, regardless of their importance, must be reported to me first!"

Everyone solemnly agreed, knowing that after this battle, the name of Chen Qing and the weight of Mingxia Mountain were completely different in the mind of this powerful prince.

Immediately, Prince Jing turned his gaze to Su Zhijin and An Ning, his expression softening: "Lord Su, An Ning, you two have such foresight, forging good relationships with such figures so early on!"

As they were talking, a scholar suddenly came up and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Oh?" Prince Jing's expression changed slightly, and then he said to Su Zhijin, "Although Sect Leader Chen displayed great power this time, it seems that he has also gotten into some trouble..." He took out a token engraved with dragon patterns from his bosom and handed it to Su Zhijin, "Lord Su, take this token and go to the Xuanjuan Pavilion immediately to retrieve the highest-grade divine incense restraint and refining method! All expenses required shall be recorded under my name, and we must ensure that the highest grade and the best effect are achieved! After finding it, send it to Mingxia Mountain and say that it is a congratulatory gift from me to Sect Leader Chen to congratulate him on his great progress in supernatural powers."

Su Zhijin was taken aback.

Prince Jing then said meaningfully, "Furthermore, please convey my message that I have long admired him and will personally visit him at Mingxia Mountain in a few days!"

Su Zhijin and An Ning exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

Prince Jing's move was not just a gesture of goodwill, but a near-equal alliance!

Su Zhijin immediately accepted the token, nodded and said, "I will obey the king's command!" Then, without delay, he and An Ning took off in their escape light.

Watching the two leave, Prince Jing withdrew his gaze: "Indeed, there are hidden talents in the wilderness; seeing them is astonishing! I was forced to leave the capital this time, thinking all hope was lost, but I never expected that this small Nanbin would harbor such hidden talents! Could it be that Heaven intends for me to succeed? I wonder where that Master Chen is now..."

(End of this chapter)