"That guy, Zhu Tang, and I—we're somewhat alike. Ethan Zhang, though called a divine beast, isn't truly one. Real divine beasts can never come to the world of the living; they're restricted by the laws of heaven. No matter how hard you try, you'll never see one."
Spirit Snake started to speak. I let out an 'ah' and looked over.
"Is it the power of faith that forms them?"
I asked, and Zhu Tang nodded.
"This is the faith of Buddhism, slowly accumulated and built up, manifesting in the world of the living. Still, treat him as a real divine beast. His power may be less than one ten-thousandth of a true divine beast, but it's already very formidable."
I swallowed, then stopped thinking about it. I had more urgent matters now.
"Excuse me, about Master Richard Ming and the others..."
"That young monk Mingde... sigh, forget it, failure. How could the abbot position be handed to him? Sigh, a failure. He, to rid himself of inner demons, is now in secluded meditation with his disciples, fasting and preaching. It will take eighty-one days."
I swallowed. Doesn't that mean there's still over a month to go?
"You all keep waiting. I'm going to sleep now. It's late, and honestly, you people are something else."
Golden Howler spoke, then turned to look at the shattered stone platform. Still, he walked over, swept away the rubble with his paw, and lay down on the ground. The golden glow gradually faded, and he turned back into a statue.
"To be able to manifest something like this—even if it's a replica, it's no different from the real thing. Heh, these monks are truly impressive."
Spirit Snake spoke, but the Yin Ghost chuckled darkly.
"It wasn't manifested for just any reason, you know. I happen to know that over six hundred years ago, the Brahma Order was nearly wiped out."
The Yin Ghost laughed mournfully. All of us looked at her; she seemed to know something.
"People from the Ghost Syndicate once came to Universal Temple. Back then, the Brahma Order and the Ghost Syndicate were on good terms, without major conflict. But for some reason, a monk in this temple slaughtered many fellow monks in a single night. That incident was the Brahma Order's moment of life and death."
The Yin Ghost continued, and we listened quietly. Nearly all the high-ranking monks from the outer regions of the Brahma Order returned, but even with everyone working together, they couldn't defeat the crazed monk. Just as the Brahma Order was about to be annihilated, the surviving monks gathered, prayed devoutly, and prepared to journey to the Western Paradise.
But then, a miracle happened—a golden beast descended from the heavens. Because of the monks' deep-rooted faith, accumulated over thousands of years, they triggered a miracle. The Bodhisattva's mount, Golden Howler, manifested in the world of the living and devoured the crazed monk.
Only then did everything finally quiet down. For the next six hundred years, no ghosts or anyone else caused trouble at the Brahma Order, thanks to the divine beast guarding the mountain.
"Isn't that even more powerful than a Ghost Sovereign?"
I muttered in surprise, and the Yin Ghost shook her head.
"Not necessarily. Even during the era when Ghost Sovereigns ran rampant, the Brahma Order never stirred up trouble on purpose. So both sides remained peaceful. And this Golden Howler can't leave Universal Temple."
Then the Yin Ghost continued. There are also two Buddha Statue of Visions here, still slumbering, both immensely powerful. One of them was the culprit that sealed Yuna Ji in Brahma Tower years ago.
I found it odd—how did Yin Ghost know all this? Then she chuckled darkly.
"Poison Dreadstar told me to pass this on to you. I didn't miss a single word."
I stared at the Yin Ghost in surprise, scratching my head.
"When did this happen?"
"Just a few days ago."
I let out a sound of surprise. I had no recollection at all, but thinking back, I had once let my Ghost Souls leave my body to investigate the surroundings.
As I thought about it, I wondered how Poison Dreadstar knew I was coming to Universal Temple. The Yin Ghost just smiled.
"Poison Dreadstar attended your cousin's wedding too."
I let out a sound of surprise, staring at the Yin Ghost in confusion.
But my immediate problem was how to enter Universal Temple. I couldn't possibly wait here with Louis Ox for a month. Growing anxious, I stood up, ready to walk over.
"Qingyuan, don't go over. Buddhist formations are different from Taoist ones."
I responded, helplessly gazing at the tightly shut temple gates. Suddenly, I remembered—I didn't necessarily need to enter right now. Tomorrow, I could possess Kevin Chiu, and then, using the Spirit Snake Shedding Skin to completely mask my ghost aura, I could just walk up and knock on the door.
Although I couldn't consult with Master Richard Ming and the others in advance, at least they'd notice me when I arrived. Then I could find a chance to speak with Master Richard Ming during a break.
Having made up my mind, I prepared to head down the mountain. But I couldn't move yet, so I had to rest. It looked like it was already three or four in the morning. I was a bit worried about the situation below the mountain. Golden Howler seemed to have withdrawn his power, so Sonny Four probably wouldn't have any major issues.
Finally, as dawn approached, I had mostly recovered. I quickly flew down the mountain and, in less than a minute, returned to our inn. I found Sonny Four—he was still in the Bone Ash Urn. I put the urn back in the car.
Just then, I realized there was someone in my room.
I went in immediately. It was Louis Ox. I stared at him in surprise—he was sitting in a chair, smoking, and looking at Kevin Chiu on the bed with a puzzled expression.