Midday.

The sun blazed high in the sky.

Across Chang City, various media outlets gathered at the gates of Zen Spirit Temple.

Everyone's faces were filled with an indescribable excitement and thrill.

An hour ago, the enlightened monk from Zen Spirit Temple contacted them personally, announcing that today, the Abbot Master would come forth to vanquish the demon for the common people!

The news caused a massive upheaval in the media industry.

From all the journalists in Chang City to private bloggers engaged in self-media, all rushed in at the first moment, hoping to broadcast in real-time this astonishing event of exorcism!

These days.

News about Daoists capturing ghosts frequently appeared online.

Netizens were increasingly curious about the existence of demons and monsters.

And now, the Abbot Master of Zen Spirit Temple openly declared his descent to vanquish the demon for the good of the people.

The sensational nature of this news can be well imagined!

"Abbot Master, may I ask why you suddenly announced your decision to come down the mountain to exorcise demons? Was it a spur of the moment decision, or was it planned long ago? Could you elaborate?"

"Abbot Master, as we understand, a video of a Daoist exorcising a demon went viral locally yesterday. Is your decision related to this?"

"Or perhaps, is this decision made to compare with the Daoist Sect?"

"Additionally, do you know where demons and monsters exist? Do you have absolute confidence in dealing with them?"

"Abbot..."

...

Clad in a kasaya and exuding an aura like the abyss, Fa Ling emerged from the Buddhist Hall.

As soon as he appeared, those who had been waiting surged forward, true to their profession as media personnel, firing questions that were highly topical and controversial.

Fa Ling was not angered by this; he patiently responded, "There has never been absolute certainty when it comes to exorcising demons. For a humble monk like myself, whenever demons create havoc, I must strive to transcend them."

"Even if I am defeated, I must hold the spirit of 'if I do not enter Hell, who will enter Hell?'"

"I am only stepping down this time because a pilgrim from the temple was killed by demons, and their family sought us with tears at the Buddhist Hall."

"The distress of such a request moved me to decide to come down the mountain and vanquish the demon!"

Fa Ling spoke calmly and leisurely, his hands clasped and his eyes lowered with compassion, fully embodying the temperament of an enlightened monk.

The phrase 'if I do not enter Hell, who will enter Hell' stirred a sense of reverence among those present.

Fa Ling continued to respond to questions.

"As for the Daoist exorcising demons..."

"Honestly speaking, I spend my days and nights with scriptures, so I am unaware of these events."

"And even if it were true, it is actually not surprising."

"One must understand that the Daoist Sect, like our Buddhist Sect, is a reputable righteous path. Should demons cause havoc, it is an obligatory duty to suppress them."

"What's there to make a fuss about?"

At this point, Fa Ling, with a slight smile, continued:

"Of course, if given the chance, I would like to meet this exorcising Daoist, to express my inner respect."

"After all, in today's time, there are few in the Daoist Sect who still take vanquishing demons and aiding the world as their duty..."

"He truly deserves admiration!"

Facing the cameras, Fa Ling expressed his views on the Daoist exorcism not arrogantly but with gentle dignity.

Emphasizing the notion that as a righteous path, exorcising demons is an inescapable duty.

Fa Ling was not stingy with praise, expressing respect for that Daoist.

On the surface, it seemed magnanimous without any hint of the rumored contention between Buddhism and Daoism.

There seemed to be nothing but mutual admiration between righteous paths.

Yet the subsequent comment pointed out the rarity of Daoists who still take on such noble responsibilities, thus worthy of esteem.

This seemed to praise the other party.

But in reality, wasn't it a subtle belittlement of the entire Daoism?

"Master truly lives up to the name!"

Some Elders, standing by with the surname Kong, couldn't help but secretly give thumbs up upon hearing the Abbot's composed responses to the journalists.

Kong Wen felt an immense admiration.

He prided himself on being more sophisticated than many of his peers, but compared to his Master, he was nothing.

If it were him answering those loaded questions,

he couldn't guarantee he'd be as flawless.

To elevate oneself while subtly belittling Daoism is no small feat.

You have to admit, it's impressive!

"The Abbot truly is the Enlightened Monk of Chang City, 'if I do not enter Hell, who shall?' This righteousness invites immense admiration!"

Many people sighed in admiration.

Including some self-media hosts and their audience in live studios.

"The Master is compassionate, aiding the world, please accept my bow!"

"I've always heard that Buddhism and Daoism are incompatible, with overt and covert struggles. But now, it seems that's not the case at all."

"Exactly, the Master praised that Daoist freely, where's the Buddhism and Daoism conflict?"

"No wonder the older generations favor Buddhism; such Masters truly deserve our veneration!"

"Not descending the mountain, cultivating Buddhism and reciting sutras, responding to pilgrims' requests by vanquishing demons when needed, that's what makes a high monk!"

"Enough of that, early tomorrow, I'm off to the temple with my grandma to burn incense!"

...

As several questions were progressively answered, and the media personnel on-site started showing admiration,

Fa Ling knew it was the right moment.

At that point, he did not hesitate any longer, addressing the numerous cameras, he said:

"Well, exorcising demons can't be delayed, any further questions will be addressed after dealing with the demon."

"Now, let us proceed down the mountain!"

The phrase 'down the mountain' was firm and forceful.

The compassion on Fa Ling's face shifted to resolute righteousness as he strode down the mountain path.

The media personnel immediately trailed after him in throngs.

"Master, where are we heading first?" Kong Wen softly inquired along the way.

Fa Ling replied calmly, "The Chaotic Burial Mound of the former dynasty in the North Suburb."

Kong Wen paused for a moment, then allowed a faint smile to emerge.

...

...

On the other side.

After resolving the crematorium issue, Lin Heng rode with Yan Tong to the North Suburb.

According to Yan Tong,

On an expanse ten miles wide in the North Suburb, there lay a Chaotic Burial Mound over a hundred years old.

It is said that during the feudal era, this place was once a large prison, and due to the frequent warfare, local officials ordered the execution of all inmates before fleeing.

Later on, it became a Chaotic Burial Mound filled with intense resentment.

As time passed, the dark aura of the burial mound grew denser each day, and the cultivation of certain formidable ghosts surged, with three to five of them reaching the Postnatal Realm.

Though to say how strong they actually were,

it wasn't considerable.

The primary reason being that the powerful members of the Spirit Suppression Bureau were tied up elsewhere,

which is why the formidable ghosts here haven't been dealt with until now.

"Observatory Master, this is the first stop. After resolving this location, we can move southward, where numerous nests of formidable ghosts await to be quelled along the way."

Yan Tong pointed toward the Chaotic Burial Mound, heavy with ominous winds, in the distance and said.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.