The abbots, Huiming, Xianzhi, and Jingxu, each stood at a cardinal direction, forming a triangular formation. They raised the tourmaline beads, a wooden fish made of Fomitopsis fomentaria, and a sheet of fish skin paper respectively. Forming mudras with one hand, a syllable "Fan" transformed into a misty spiritual light that enveloped the objects.
The tourmaline beads, Fomitopsis fomentaria, and fish skin paper then transitioned from ordinary items into three commas suspended in mid-air, encased in the blue light.
The three venerable abbots looked up at the commas, their voices deep, husky, and resonant as they chanted Buddhist scriptures: "Open the gate of life, the gate of Dharma body, the gate of the three Tathagatas—action without body, action without speech, action without mind; not action, not non-action; not slander, not non-slander…"
As each person recited their verses, the steady and silent stone tablet gate suddenly blazed with light. The three commas were sent to the front of the gate and then settled into the positions of Heng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang in the twelve branches of the Heavenly Stem. Immediately, a piercing, faint glow formed in the center of the stone wall, presenting a spatial passage before them.
The suction within it was vortex-like, with sand and stones swirling, and a forceful wind pouring in.
"What's in here?" Lu Ziyin fanned himself, his gaze fixed for a moment. "Is the Demon-Slaying Arrow inside?"
Abbess Huiming's face was now pale and drawn, her spiritual power clearly depleted. Without enough time to meditate and recover, she said tiredly, "This is the Three-Tongue Gate, and the Demon-Slaying Arrow… is within."
Abbess Jingxu and Abbess Xianzhi were only slightly better off, but not by much. They were currently too exhausted to lead the way. Simply opening this passage had drained their strength.
Abbess Xianzhi, the most direct of the three, her sharp features set in a stern expression, stated, "But let me be clear, the Demon-Slaying Arrow is enshrined by seven Buddhist lotus lamps and protected by a formation of the Crimson Heaven Brightness Five Elements, using 108 great Buddha sariras. Anyone who enters with evil intent will be annihilated by its formation."
Abbess Jingxu, who was usually quiet, but more observant, had been secretly watching Gu Junshi and the others as Abbess Xianzhi spoke.
Most of the people standing there appeared thoughtful, showing no signs of nervousness or retreat.
The only ones who seemed hesitant and tense were Kaishangui and the other two, being demons. However, because they had been trailing behind Gu Junshi and the others, most of Abbess Huiming's attention was focused on Gu Junshi's group, so they did not notice this immediately.
Of course, these three evolved Asura ghosts, blood demons, and great demons were not simple minions. Any fleeting display of inappropriate expression was quickly concealed.
Although Gu Junshi had remained outwardly calm, she observed the overall situation and knew what Kaishangui and the others were thinking, worrying about, and concerned with.
She took the initiative to say, "Since I seek the Demon-Slaying Arrow, I will retrieve it. The three abbots are exhausted from opening the barrier, so you may wait outside with everyone else."
Upon hearing this, Abbess Huiming, Abbess Xianzhi, and Abbess Jingxu felt their lingering wariness ease considerably.
It wasn't that they fully trusted her, but if she harbored ill intentions, entering this place would be like a trapped beast in a cage. Either the beast would perish in the cage, or the cage would break and the beast would escape. The latter possibility was extremely remote. If she could enter and emerge unharmed, only then could they completely trust her.
Cang Yu Yao Yu's long, flickering eyes tightened as he watched Gu Junshi.
Was she truly not afraid of going and never returning?
The mention of seven Buddhist lotus lamps, great Buddha sariras, and the Crimson Heaven Brightness Five Elements formation alone made the hearts of these wicked and treacherous beings pound.
Jidou Mo hesitated, "My Lord…"
As her subordinates, and bound by contract, they naturally followed her wherever she went. Even if she were to venture into a sea of fire and mountains of swords, they could only accompany their lord with their lives. How could they, her contracted servants, remain in safety and idleness while she took risks?
"There are too many people, and this is the most sacred place in Mercy City. If not for this calamity, this secret would likely have remained sealed forever. Since it is not an absolute necessity, one should understand its solemn and guarded secrecy. My going alone is sufficient," Gu Junshi stated.
Her words, though veiled and concealing her true intentions, were spoken with such understanding and grace. Only Gu Junshi could do that.
"I shall accompany you, Flower Benefactor. You are unfamiliar with Buddhist defenses, and even ordinary people are not entirely safe within," Chenghong said at this time.
He seemed particularly concerned about the presence of "Hua Mi," and every time he showed unusual behavior, or volunteered to speak, it was related to her.
This made Abbess Huiming and the others ponder again.
From the beginning, Abbess Huiming and the others had planned for the Buddha's Son to accompany them. This way, they could thoroughly monitor Hua Mi's every move and smoothly retrieve the Demon-Slaying Arrow. If anything went awry during this process, the Buddha's Son should know better than anyone how to utilize the entire layout of the underground palace to drive away or eliminate those with ulterior motives.
The marks of age etched on Abbess Huiming's face seemed to soften slightly. She cupped her palms together in a gesture of respect and said, "Then we shall trouble the Buddha's Son."
"I want to go with Mother too," Gu Sijun said, tightly gripping Gu Junshi's hands.
This was a clear declaration that he would not be left behind alone.
Le Bao glanced at Gu Sijun, slightly surprised.
He hadn't been like this before. He was a solitary, cold, and stubborn child, as others privately described him. But now, he was completely unrestrained and doted upon, like a child spoiled by adults.
The one who spoiled him to such an extent, allowing him to act without consequence, could only be "Hua Mi," who else?
Le Bao felt a pang of jealousy. He had always thought his brother, who was down on his luck and pitiful outside, was living so freely. He couldn't imagine how they interacted in private. His mother treated him… very well, otherwise, he wouldn't dare to ask her for whatever he wanted.
Only those who have been repeatedly rejected can understand how difficult, embarrassing, and nerve-wracking it is to ask someone for something.
And only those who have had their requests constantly fulfilled can, like him, ask so brazenly.
"Can… can I go too?"
He wanted to be like his brother, but as soon as he spoke, he inexplicably felt a strange shyness and nervousness. In the end, his voice was a mere whisper, timidly muttered to himself.
Le Bao and Gu Sijun did not look very much alike, but both were handsome children. Le Bao appeared more sunny and prone to smiling, like a little sun, while the young Sijun had a more serious and somber little face, like the moon on a starry night. However, before Gu Junshi, it was somewhat the reverse.
Le Bao, due to unfamiliarity and nervousness, was unsure and dared not speak much, unable to even manage his expression.
Gu Sijun, on the other hand, was bold and clingy. Because he had accepted her and had been instilled since childhood that his mother loved her children more, he had reverted to the genuine nature of a child, expressing whatever he felt naturally.
Gu Junshi was also reluctant to entrust the two children to others. "Together."
At this moment, Liu Jiang Fusheng took Le Bao's hand and, persistently ignoring and remaining aloof towards Gu Junshi, said, "Then let's go together."
"Then… then I'll go too."
Li Sheng, seeing that Liu Jiang Fusheng was going, also pouted and looked at Gu Junshi with a pair of clear, innocent eyes like transparent glazed glass, like a harmless, wet puppy begging for attention, making it difficult to refuse.
As more people arrived, one pulling the other, forming a chain, and seeing half of them about to go in to search for the Demon-Slaying Arrow, Lu Ziyin, who couldn't miss such excitement, could no longer sit still. His moist, shallow eyes flickered towards Liu Jiang Fusheng, and he clapped his fan, smiling, "Since we're all here, let's go in together."
As if possessing extreme social skills, his single sentence sealed the outcome, completely disregarding the twitching mouths of the three abbots, and he happily made the decision.
Fu Wanyan's footsteps hesitated, but she resolutely stood beside Liu Jiang Fusheng. She glanced at him and was about to speak, parting her soft lips, when she was interrupted by a tone of annoyance and helplessness.
"The passage can only be maintained for half an hour, and we don't know when it will open again. If you're going, go in together and don't waste any more time."
Abbess Xianzhi waved her hand, having given up on further communication with them.
Regarding the habit of this group of people, who appeared to be from different factions but preferred to act together, Abbess Huiming and the others were too weary to delve into the reasons. Anyway, as long as their conscience was clear, there was no danger in the underground palace. If they wanted to go, let them.
Furthermore, now that the location of the Demon-Slaying Arrow had been exposed, and the method of opening the passage revealed, they had no intention of returning the Demon-Slaying Arrow to its original place. Therefore, it didn't matter whether many or few people went.
Instead, it could be an opportunity to test if there were any spies or enemies mixed among them.
Seeing that time was short, and if the dense, sinister blood-red vortex above the city completely descended, they might even lose this last remaining sanctuary. Thus, Abbess Xianzhi began to urge them to hurry.
Gu Junshi scooped up the two children into her arms and transformed into a stream of purple-black light, entering the stone tablet gate. Liu Jiang Fusheng issued an order to his two subordinates to "guard the gate" and followed closely.
Chenghong and Li Sheng entered almost simultaneously. Yan Tianjiao, with his hands behind his back, followed as a stream of icy blue light. Bringing up the rear were Lu Ziyin and Fu Wanyan, the former not rushing to claim a position, and the latter, with the lowest cultivation, not keeping pace.
Finally, only the three of Kaishangui remained, along with Liu Jiang Fusheng's two subordinates. One group guarded the stone tablet gate, stern and fierce like gatekeepers, while the other continuously monitored for any potential accidents or changes.
—
Upon entering the passage, in an expanse of boundless darkness, Gu Junshi suddenly felt a surge of heat within her body. When her vision regained light, she saw a dazzling, brilliant scene before her.
There is a poem that reads, "Lotus leaves reaching the sky, infinitely green; lotuses reflecting the sun, unusually red." Describing the scene before her, it was perfectly apt. However, the "lotuses" filling the pond were not real lotuses, but a pond of lotus-shaped lamps floating on the water, creating a picturesque scene of a blooming pond.
Weren't there said to be seven lamps?