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Chapter 394: Chapter 394: Divine Imprint

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse exchanged curious glances.

Since entering the Buddha-Forbidden Ten Thousand Mountains five days ago, Zhong Shan had been hearing the six-syllable mantra of Buddhism through his Red Luan Pink Lotus. The mantra seemed to echo faintly from all directions within the mountains, a sound only perceptible to him in his enlightened state. He kept this strange occurrence to himself, pondering its meaning.

"Senior brother, we have guests!" Sekong called out cheerfully towards the formation ahead. His face lit up with joy.

At Sekong\'s shout, the foggy formation suddenly radiated a golden light, a majestic display of Buddhist splendor.

The mist gradually dissipated, revealing the scene of Kongfeng Temple.

The main hall of Kongfeng Temple was built atop a mountain peak, with various palaces and buildings constructed on the flattened areas of the mountain. At the base, there were numerous buildings where monks in yellow robes busied themselves with their tasks.

From the topmost hall, three yellow-robed monks flew down, dressed similarly to Sekong.

"Little monks Sejie, Sechen, and Sechi greet the two fellow Daoists," the three monks greeted respectfully.

"Greetings to the three masters," Zhong Shan responded, eyeing them curiously.

"These two are my saviors. When I was besieged by the Demon Nightmare Legion, they saved me and annihilated the entire legion. Tomorrow, I plan to take them to the Pure Land, but today, let them stay in our master\'s Zen courtyard as a token of gratitude," Sekong explained.

"Amitabha," the three monks nodded, looking at Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse with interest.

"Please, follow me," Sekong said warmly, leading the way.

"Kongfeng Temple is small, and its formations are simple. We have to open the formation to allow people in," Sekong explained as he guided them.

"No problem," Zhong Shan replied with a slight smile.

Soon, the four monks led Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse to a very clean Zen courtyard halfway up the mountain.

The three senior monks excused themselves, leaving Sekong to enthusiastically guide Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse around the courtyard, showing them their rooms and providing information about the Buddha-Forbidden Ten Thousand Mountains.

"We haven\'t rested in a long time. I\'m quite tired," Zhong Shan interrupted Sekong\'s enthusiastic introduction.

"There\'s a hot spring in the backyard. Please rest, and I will come by in the evening," Sekong suggested.

"Thank you," Zhong Shan replied politely.

Sekong slowly retreated. Once he had left the courtyard, Zhong Shan\'s eyes narrowed.

"Mr. Corpse, there\'s a sleeping incense here. Be cautious," Zhong Shan said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Mr. Corpse nodded.

The two exchanged serious looks.

"When did you notice?" Mr. Corpse asked Zhong Shan.

"I suspected earlier but couldn\'t be sure. It turns out Sekong indeed has ill intentions," Zhong Shan replied, taking a deep breath.

"Oh?" Mr. Corpse looked at Zhong Shan, intrigued.

"Their sect is too small for someone of Sekong\'s strength. Even a minor sect would have more significant grounds if it housed Nascent Soul stage monks and their elusive master. The understated reactions of his three senior brothers were also suspicious. And why was Sekong in that town without any apparent purpose? Was he waiting specifically to lead us to the Pure Land? All these doubts were confirmed when I smelled the sleeping incense in the courtyard. Sekong definitely harbors ill intentions," Zhong Shan explained coldly.

"We need to be on guard," Mr. Corpse said, nodding in agreement.

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse then set about ensuring their defenses, preparing for any potential deceit that might come from their seemingly gracious host.

"This is \'Deep Sea Death Mist,\' colorless and odorless. How did you detect it?" Mr. Corpse asked, looking at Zhong Shan in confusion.

"Huh?" Zhong Shan looked at Mr. Corpse in surprise.

He had detected the sleeping incense thanks to the Red Luan Pink Lotus. How did Mr. Corpse know about it, and even its name?

"How you knew is how I knew," Zhong Shan replied with a smile, not intending to reveal the source of his knowledge or pry into how Mr. Corpse knew about it.

Mr. Corpse smiled and shook his head, saying no more.

"It seems they have their eyes on the two treasures you\'re carrying," Mr. Corpse said, pulling out the green crystal and the small pouch from his robe.

"Do you recognize these?" Zhong Shan asked, staring at Mr. Corpse.

"I\'ve seen them before," Mr. Corpse nodded.

"Oh?"

"The green crystal is called a Soul Search Stone. It can store souls for a thousand days," Mr. Corpse explained.

"A thousand days?"

"Yes, a thousand days. Normally, souls cannot stay in the living world for long due to the excessive yang energy, which harms them. This Soul Search Stone can shield them from yang energy, allowing them to persist longer. That\'s why it can\'t be stored in a storage bracelet when it\'s holding souls," Mr. Corpse explained.

"What\'s the purpose of storing souls?" Zhong Shan asked.

"To craft some sinister magical artifacts, such as the \'Hundred Ghosts Night Banquet Diagram\' or the \'Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Bone Banner\'," Mr. Corpse replied.

At the mention of the banner, Zhong Shan\'s pupils contracted, and a wave of killing intent emanated from him, causing Mr. Corpse to feel puzzled.

"You can\'t store it in a storage bracelet now, but after a thousand days, the souls will convert into energy within the Soul Search Stone, making it storable," Mr. Corpse added.

"How does it store souls?" Zhong Shan asked.

"As long as it\'s placed within five kilometers of the souls, they will instinctively move toward it, seeking refuge from the yang energy. However, extracting the souls from within requires a specific method," Mr. Corpse explained.

Zhong Shan took a deep breath, furrowing his brows.

"As for this pouch, I can\'t tell you much about it. However, you should avoid using it, especially in front of others. It\'s a very sensitive item," Mr. Corpse said, shaking his head. The pouch\'s origins seemed tied to secrets Mr. Corpse didn\'t want to disclose.

Surprised, Zhong Shan nodded and tucked the items back into his robe.

"What should we do now?" Mr. Corpse asked.

"Sekong must be interested in these items; otherwise, he wouldn\'t have gone through such lengths to bring us here. We can\'t stay here long. We need to find a way to escape," Zhong Shan contemplated.

"The Zen courtyard is surrounded by a formation. I can\'t extend my spiritual senses beyond it," Mr. Corpse noted with a wry smile.

"Yes, the formation activated when we arrived. Initially, I thought it was to maintain the privacy of the Zen courtyard, but now it seems this isn\'t Sekong\'s master\'s courtyard but a trap," Zhong Shan nodded.

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse assessed their surroundings, realizing the urgency of their situation. The Zen courtyard\'s seemingly serene environment masked its true purpose as a cage.

"We need to disrupt this formation," Zhong Shan said, eyes narrowing as he formulated a plan.

"Agreed. If we can create a diversion or find a weak spot, we might be able to break through," Mr. Corpse added.

The two men began exploring the courtyard, seeking any anomalies or weaknesses in the formation. They moved quietly, knowing they had to act swiftly and decisively. As they examined the courtyard\'s boundaries, Zhong Shan\'s mind raced with possibilities.

Their immediate goal was clear: escape this treacherous trap and reach the Pure Land, all while safeguarding the treasures they carried and uncovering the deeper motives behind Sekong\'s seemingly benevolent facade.

"Zhong Shan! Mr. Corpse!"

Two voices called from outside.

"It\'s Sekong. He\'s coming to check on the sleeping incense\'s effect so soon?"

"Let\'s wait for him to come in! We\'ll seize the opportunity to escape this prison!"

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse prepared themselves for action.

The door to the Zen courtyard creaked open slowly.

"Bang!"

Zhong Shan swung his blade with force, slashing down hard as he flew out the door.

It was Sekong who had entered, thinking Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse were unconscious. To his surprise, not only were they awake, but they were also ready to escape the moment he opened the door.

Sekong and Zhong Shan both flew out, with Sekong being caught off guard by the sudden attack. As Sekong tumbled through the air, he let out a loud roar, emitting a surge of black energy that halted his fall. He twisted his head to glare at Zhong Shan with a vicious expression.

Zhong Shan now saw clearly that Sekong\'s forehead bore a black mark, exuding dark energy and emitting a sinister glow.

A \'幺\' character!

Sekong had a \'幺\' character on his forehead? And all around, the other monks, who had once seemed solemn, now had fierce expressions and eyes glowing green. Each of them also bore a \'幺\' character on their foreheads, emitting the same dark energy.

The Demon Nightmare Legion? Every member of the Demon Nightmare Legion had a \'幺\' character on their foreheads.

Zhong Shan was taken aback. Sekong and these monks were part of the Demon Nightmare Legion? No, it seemed like all these \'monks\' were with the Demon Nightmare Legion.

Behind him, the Zen courtyard appeared to be enveloped in another formation, trapping Mr. Corpse inside. From the doorway, Mr. Corpse could see the outside, and his expression mirrored Zhong Shan\'s surprise upon seeing the \'幺\' characters on the monks\' foreheads.

Initially, they had thought Sekong was simply after their treasures, but now it seemed far more complex.

"How are you still conscious?" Sekong asked coldly.

"Are you all with the Demon Nightmare Legion?" Zhong Shan asked gravely.

He had noticed the strange behavior of the Demon Nightmare Legion members before, but this new revelation was far more disturbing. An organized slaughter with internal collaborators?

"Hand over the \'Bat Pouch\' and the \'Soul Search Stone\'," Sekong demanded coldly.

"What? Sekong, you\'re merely at the Nascent Soul stage. You saw what happened on the battlefield. Do you want to be cut to pieces by my blade? Even if you all attacked me, it wouldn\'t be enough," Zhong Shan replied coldly.

"Those \'fools\' couldn\'t activate their \'Divine Imprint,\' so they could only act mindlessly. But those who can activate the Divine Imprint can increase their power by an entire realm. I now have the strength of the Integration stage. Everyone here can activate the Divine Imprint. The Bat Pouch and Soul Search Stone cannot be exposed to the outside world; they must be reclaimed!" Sekong sneered.

Divine Imprint? Zhong Shan glanced at the \'幺\' character on Sekong\'s forehead.

Sekong\'s words made Zhong Shan realize the true extent of the danger they were in. These \'monks\' were not just after the treasures; they were part of a more sinister plot.

Zhong Shan tightened his grip on his blade, readying himself for the impending confrontation. The stakes had risen, and the challenge before him was far more formidable than he had initially thought.

(To be continued)