A master of comedy!

"Its daybreak?"

In White Snake Village, someone got up in the middle of the night and was surprised to find that it was as bright as day outside.

In the distance, golden light shone like the sun in the clouds, dazzling and radiant.

"Giggle!"

Even the roosters kept in the cages thought it was dawn and started crowing.

"Strange, why am I still so sleepy? Did I not sleep well last night?"

"I think I just heard the sound of rain, but it's stopped now?"

……

"Oh no, it's dawn?!"

The chanting stopped abruptly, replaced by a chorus of panic.

The monks of Yaofo Temple were thrown into chaos. Under the "sunlight," those with weaker magical powers showed signs of burns, and the yin energy was gradually dissipating.

They originally clung to the Buddha statue, and the high mountains and dense forests of Zhuiyun Valley allowed them to move around freely under the scorching sun.

However, when they came to White Snake Village to set up the formation, they all left the Buddha statue in order to avoid being seen, and thus lost their protection.

"Why is there a sun even though it's not sunrise yet?"

"Abbot, what exactly happened?"

Where did Uncle Cikun go?

Some monks continued to ask questions, while others looked at the abbot, who stood silently with his hands clasped together, as if they had realized something.

They tried to escape, fleeing in all directions, but an invisible barrier of Brahma light appeared, enveloping their surroundings.

They crashed into the barrier, screaming in agony, their souls cracking from the shock of the Buddha's power.

"Abbot, what are you doing?"

At this moment, they all realized that it was all the abbot's doing.

It wasn't just the abbot; there were also several senior monks of the Ci generation. The demonic aura on their faces dissipated, and they murmured a Buddhist chant. Although they looked at the disciples with reluctance, they stood behind the abbot.

"What a Buddhist disciple should do."

The abbot's gaze was deep as he looked at this land that had been soaked in blood years ago. He seemed to have come to a realization and sighed with relief.

"Perhaps, this is the best place for us to settle down."

Upon discovering that his disciples had fallen into demonic possession, he made a ruthless decision without hesitation.

He pretended to be possessed by a demon, and then led his disciples to a desperate situation.

The burial place where he fought the dragon was the same burial site he chose for himself and the other monks.

"So you deliberately tricked us into coming out of the Buddha statue, and then tricked us into expending our magical power to clear the mountain path and chant sutras to pray for rain!"

"Abbot, I've been chanting scriptures with you since I was fourteen! How cruel you are!"

"Senior brother, we grew up together since childhood, do you really want to cause our souls to be scattered?"

"Abbot, under the scorching sun, we are all going to perish together. Are you really going to just stand by and watch the lineage of Medicine Buddha Temple be completely severed?"

The relics in the sky seemed to have been imbued with all the Buddha's power, becoming even more intense and dazzling, while the sunlight shone on the earth and onto the monks.

Even those with profound cultivation began to panic, their yin energy dissipating continuously.

Even the abbot and those old monks who had not yet fallen into demonic possession began to experience turbulence in their souls and dissipate their yin energy.

Yet they stood firm as a rock, like nails driven into the earth, their magic power flowing into the surrounding barrier, making it impregnable.

Faced with these questions, the abbot's long eyebrows trembled slightly, and he uttered a familiar phrase.

"If I don't go to hell, who will?"

The sunlight grew increasingly blinding, and the scene was filled with the monks' heart-wrenching screams; some had even lost their souls.

At that moment, the abbot's snow-white eyebrows instantly turned crimson, and drops of blood fell.

It was a heart-wrenching pain and guilt that almost tore his soul apart. Even a great monk with a will as firm as diamond couldn't help but shed tears from his long eyebrows. These monks were all his family, who had followed him steadfastly in his battles against the dragon, and even after falling into demonic possession, they still trusted him completely.

But he was determined to lead the monks to their doom.

"I regret... sending Huinian to deliver the invitation..."

This was the abbot's biggest regret at that moment. He would never hear the performance of "The Medicine Buddha" again, and it had even cost Huinian his life.

That innocent and simple-minded Huinian, although not highly qualified in cultivation, had a heart as pure as crystal. If he were still alive, Yaofo Temple would surely have incense burning again.

Just as the abbot closed his eyes in regret, remorse, and pain, awaiting death, the blinding sunlight suddenly dimmed.

The monks' screams stopped, and they lay on the ground panting, a hint of relief in their eyes.

The "sun" that the relic had transformed into went out.

It didn't just go out; it fell like a shooting star.

The abbot's pupils dilated, revealing an expression of disbelief. Junior Brother Cikun possessed profound magical power and a firm will, and had hardly been tainted by demonic energy. It was absolutely impossible for him to give up halfway.

Why did he suddenly stop?

Whoosh!
The relic transformed into a streak of light and landed in a slender, fair hand. The relic contained Cikun, who glared angrily, seemingly shouting a rebuke, but was completely ignored by those cold, stern eyes.

With a clasp of his palms, he collected the relic into the immortal stone.

Zhou Sheng slowly stepped forward, holding the Yazi Precept Knife and wearing the Ksitigarbha Mask. He was not dressed in white as usual, but in a bright yellow monk's robe, with a string of sandalwood prayer beads around his neck.

Every gesture exudes a serene and crystal-clear Zen-like quality.

“Benefactor Zhou…you…”

The abbot stared at the figure with surprise and disbelief, his eyes filled with shock. He had guessed that the one who made the move would be the mysterious mastermind, but he never expected it to be Zhou Sheng.

"I admire the abbot's righteousness."

Zhou Sheng clasped his hands in a salute, and then the Ksitigarbha mask on his face slowly disappeared. Just now, he had used the power of Ksitigarbha Buddha to forcibly obtain the relic.

His handsome face held a confident smile, and his eyes shone like stars.

"It's just a written agreement, but my Zhou family troupe's performance of 'The Medicine Buddha' hasn't even started yet."

At this moment, Jinse, Hongxian, Xiaowu, Yunniang, Uncle Wei, and others also stepped forward, all with smiles on their faces.

"Yes, we've been rehearsing day and night for this scene, so you can't ignore it."

"We must perform well in the first show of the Zhou family troupe, no matter what!"

"Don't worry, Master, we're all ready!"

Upon hearing this, the abbot's lips trembled slightly, and his eyes were moved.

He knew perfectly well what those words meant.

Zhou Sheng and the rest of the Zhou family troupe are determined to use this dark play to awaken the Buddhist hearts that have been corrupted by demonic energy.

It's like a doctor making a final, daring attempt to save a dying patient.

This is an extremely dangerous act, because if the occult practice fails, these possessed monks will have a chance to catch their breath and recover their magical power.

When the demons join forces, even if Master Zhou is powerful and unafraid, what about the others in the opera troupe?
They swarmed forward, a chaotic frenzy ensued. Could he, alone with only a sword, truly hold them off?
"...It's too late."

"There's still time."

Zhou Sheng's words were resolute and firm.

"Please give Zhou a chance, and give...they a chance too."

On this land stained with blood, they were given a new lease on life.

Perhaps, this is the true meaning of Yinxi (a type of Chinese opera).

"Red line, let's begin!"

"Order!"

...(End of this chapter)