Killing Monks

Although Xu Jinying is over sixty years old, as a martial artist who has entered the Earth Realm for many years, his vitality is far superior to that of ordinary people.

He looked to be only in his forties, with a tall and muscular build. His muscular physique stretched his long silk robe taut, his temples bulged, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

Earth Realm martial artists can initially fuse the power of heaven and earth with their internal energy, generating unique attributes such as ice, fire, and lightning. However, the "Copper Head and Iron Arms" technique he cultivates only strengthens himself.

Only by becoming strong can one be truly strong.

So much so that at his age, he could easily sleep with ten women in one night.

At this moment, he was standing on a temporarily cleared space inside the fortress, staring solemnly at something in front of him.

It was an octagonal bronze mirror lying quietly on a black cloth. The mirror was simple and unadorned, with intricate lotus scroll patterns and four small characters "正念观业" (meaning "right mindfulness and contemplation") engraved on the edge.

Although the mirror was half-covered by a black cloth, wisps of hazy golden light still peeked out from the gaps, carrying an eerie allure.

This mirror was discovered this morning by servants in a mass grave on the back hill, which had been washed away by rain.

At first, I thought it was just an antique, but after cleaning it and putting it in the sunlight, a strange change occurred!

Suddenly, the mirror burst forth with intense golden light. Anyone touched by that light, whether servant or guard, had bloodshot eyes, became delirious, and drew their weapons to frantically slash at those around them!

Even those who tried to rescue them were controlled by the mirror's light. Even when the disciples in the fortress risked their lives to cover them with black cloth, they still couldn't block out the mirror's light.

In less than half an hour, several people had died tragically, and even more were injured, their blood staining the mass grave on the back hill.

Upon receiving the urgent report, Xu Jinying rushed to the scene immediately.

At first, he thought it was the work of an evil spirit, but when he saw the patterns and words on the mirror, he was shocked!

"Mindfulness: A Mirror for Reflecting Karma!"

He blurted it out, his eyes instantly flashing with uncontrollable greed.

In his youth, he and his younger brother Xu Yinying joined the Northern Border Army and participated in several campaigns against the Southern Tang Dynasty, gaining a deep understanding of the Buddhist forces within the Southern Tang.

He was very familiar with the legend of the "Eight Great Buddhist Soldiers".

Each Buddhist weapon possesses incredible power and is a treasure coveted by people in the martial arts world!

There is also a secret rumor circulating among high-ranking martial artists.

It is said that among the eight great Buddhist weapons lies a shocking secret concerning the ultimate martial arts and the safety of the martial world!

Whoever can unify the martial arts world, or even conquer the world!

Now, this legendary Buddhist soldier has actually appeared in the back mountain of his Twin Eagle Fortress!

Isn't this fate?

Isn't it because he, Xu Jinying, is destined to be with him?

It was fate that destined the Xu family to rise to even greater heights, and perhaps even... achieve a great empire!

Xu Jinying frowned as he watched the fortress guards still fighting each other under the golden light.

He took a deep breath, his chest bulged, and then he let out a deafening roar:

"roar--!!!"

The roar was like a thunderclap on a flat plain, or a tiger roaring in a valley, containing the powerful and unparalleled true energy and spiritual awe of a martial artist at the Earth Realm!

Where the sound waves passed, the crazed garrison guards were struck as if by a heavy blow. Their movements froze, their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Having quelled the commotion, Xu Jinying did not rashly touch the still-glowing mirror.

He knew that such Buddhist treasures were mysterious and unpredictable, and that personally touching the golden light might be dangerous.

He lowered his stance, mounted his horse, and from several feet away, suddenly extended his right palm and grabbed at the air!

A powerful surge of true energy erupted from his palm, not with a gentle suction force, but condensed into a fierce and domineering invisible force, like an invisible hammer, which slammed hard onto the bronze mirror body that was slightly suspended in mid-air!

"clang!"

With a muffled clang like metal striking metal, the bronze mirror was struck down from the air by the immense force and landed on the ground covered with a thick layer of dust.

Xu Jinying then stomped his right foot.

The ground shook, and a large amount of dust was kicked up, precisely covering the mirror surface and completely burying the alluring golden light.

As soon as the mirror light went out, the unsettling and eerie atmosphere in the room also dissipated.

This is the tactic of a seasoned veteran who has seen it all and is used to all kinds of storms.

When faced with unknown and eerie things, the first choice is never to risk one's life, but to isolate oneself from their influence in the most direct and safest way.

He ordered his trusted aides to carefully collect the mud-covered mirror in a specially made lead box and personally led it into the deepest, most heavily guarded underground chamber in the fortress.

He wanted to carefully study this "Mirror of Karma" and comprehend the profound Buddhist principles it might contain, as well as... that legendary earth-shattering secret!

But while Xu Jinying was secluded, studying Buddhist weapons and dreaming of dominating the land, rumors began to quietly spread throughout Sanye City and the surrounding areas.

The news was half true and half false, but it was told in great detail.

Some say that a Buddhist treasure called the "Mirror of Illumination" has appeared in the back mountain of Shuangying Fort. Its light can bewitch people's minds and has immense power, causing many disciples of Shuangying Fort to kill each other.

This news was confirmed by the people of Twin Eagle Fortress.

There are no truly impenetrable walls in the world, especially since the people of Shuangyingbao frequently come to Sanye County to buy goods and have fun.

Some say that this mirror was brought here from the direction of the Great Lake Gorge in the Buddhist Kingdom of Southern Tang, which vaguely corresponds to the previous strange events in the Great Lake Gorge and the inexplicable fighting among the martial arts practitioners.

Coincidentally, recently, some caravan travelers from the direction of Dahu Gorge mentioned in casual conversation the strange battle in the gorge and the rumors of a mysterious bronze mirror.

Who could describe the Great Lake Gorge in such detail if they hadn't seen or experienced it firsthand?

Comparing the two, the credibility of the news that "Buddha soldiers have appeared in Shuangying Fortress" suddenly soared to 70-80%!

Many things in this world are believable if they are 30% to 50% true, let alone 70% or 80%.

By the time Xu Jinying calmed down from the initial excitement of his comprehension and realized that something was amiss, the entire city of Sanye and its surroundings were already rife with undercurrents.

Various probing and spying gazes, like vicious dogs that have smelled blood, began to subtly drift toward the direction of Eagle Beak Mountain.

Many fellow martial artists even began sending letters to him, inquiring about the Buddha's weapons.

"Someone is up to no good." In the secret room, Xu Jinying stroked the cold lead box, his eyes dark.

Having spent decades navigating battlefields and the martial world, he immediately sensed a conspiracy.

But he immediately snorted coldly, a hint of disdain and arrogance on his face.

So what if they play tricks?

So what if they spread rumors?

Xu Jinying is a martial artist of the Earth Realm, possessing the "Copper Head and Iron Arm" hard skill. He has been operating Shuangying Fortress for decades, with a deep foundation, hundreds of fortress guards, and a strategic location!

This is Northern Zhou, this is Sanye County, this is the territory of his Shuangying Fort!

Even if there are villains coveting it, or certain forces drawn by rumors, what does he have to fear?

He wanted to see who dared to come to his Twin Eagle Fortress and steal Xu Jinying's "fate" and "opportunity"!

He was fearless.

Because he is Xu Jinying!

Xu Jinying of Shuangyingbao!