"Let me first explain the reason. Sigh... This is truly a bloody and tearful chapter in the history of the Zen Order."
I didn’t know what to say. The faith of the Lama Order is truly unwavering. It’s because of this faith that they have survived until now. In the past, countless natural and man-made disasters struck—I know a little about that. As for the Three Great Buddhist Purges, I remember learning about them in history class.
"I think we should reach out to the Zen Order—and also the Dao Sect. At a time like this, instead of clinging to doctrines that are basically meaningless, why not join forces?"
But Logan shook his head.
"In the past, the Lama Order also faced disasters and problems, but they never asked anyone in the occult world for help. Even if it meant death, they never wavered. They’ve survived with that conviction until now. It’s admirable, but also a little tragic."
I responded with a hum, thinking of the Mount Mason Order—a sect just as unique. In the Dao Sect, most practitioners don’t even recognize Mount Mason’s status.
Logan began to explain to me.
The so-called Three Great Buddhist Purges refer to the suppression under Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, and Emperor Wuzong of Tang—three devastating campaigns against the Zen Order. The reasons were essentially the same: the Zen Order didn’t pay taxes, its economy kept expanding, and its faith took root among the people. To stabilize their power, the rulers carried out ruthless purges—any monk caught was executed on the spot.
The persecution in the late Tang dynasty was the most severe. Because of Tang’s openness, many sects began to flourish—especially after Emperor Taizong had Master Xuanzang bring back Mahayana Buddhism. Only then did the Zen Order truly rise from a folk belief dominated by the Dao Sect to a sect that could rival the Dao Sect.
So the Zen Order reached its peak, and since it didn’t pay taxes, this severely damaged the national treasury and expanded economically. Moreover, Emperor Wuzong was a devotee of the Dao Sect. Under the persuasion of a Daoist named Zhao Guizhen, Emperor Wuzong ordered the cleansing of Zen Order temples throughout the country.
Any monk of the Zen Order with a shaved head and ordination scars was executed. Among them was a general who committed unspeakable atrocities against the Zen Order. People called him The Headless General—once a member of the Zen Order, but he had returned to secular life for certain reasons, making him intimately familiar with their secrets.
The Headless General mercilessly carried out Emperor Wuzong's orders—killing monks, burning temples, and seizing everything of value from the Zen Order. Later generations called this movement the Huichang Catastrophe.
During this brutal massacre, the Zen Order’s factions were shattered. It was then that some members of the Lama Order fled this land, preserving their faith. After arriving here, they endured great hardship and were shunned by the local warlords.
"That truly was a disaster."
I sighed, and Logan laughed quietly.
"But eventually, they managed to take root here, passing down the traditions of the Lama Order."
Logan continued. The story of The Headless General was grim—he profited greatly from the purge, but as the warlord era descended and the Tang dynasty collapsed, chaos and atrocities multiplied. Some warlords exploited their ties to the Zen Order as an excuse for brazen pillaging.
In the end, The Headless General was killed by another warlord, who severed his head. But death brought no peace—he became a Wraith, cursed by the countless lives he’d taken, most of them once his own brethren. His burdens in life became monstrous in death, and his malice only grew.
The Headless General grew even more hateful and terrifying, spawning disaster after disaster. By then, Emperor Wuzong had died, and many monks who had fled to the mountains finally saw hope—the purge ended, and the rulers, seeking to ease the people's pain, encouraged the Zen Order’s revival. The Zen Order barely survived and began a slow recovery.
When the Zen Order emerged again, their first goal was to subdue the rampaging ghost—The Headless General. But by then, he had devoured countless victims, his karmic burden immense, and gained power far beyond a typical Wraith. He did not become a Green Wraith, but something stranger and more dangerous, consumed by hatred for monks and a thirst for vengeance.