"Filthy monk, Ethan Zhang, didn't you already kill me?"
The Deathbane Ghost snapped awake, staring at us blankly, and then suddenly burst out laughing.
"Very well, then die once more."
My eyes widened. All around, the entire mountaintop was already shrouded in Deathbane Aura. The raging aura surged toward us like giant waves, threatening to engulf everything.
"Master..."
I screamed, but Master Frank Yuan remained perfectly calm, stepping forward at a measured pace.
"Amitabha. Benefactor, I hear the voice of your heart—kill, kill, kill. Such a word, so tragic, so lamentable."
Master Frank Yuan raised his hand, and a golden image of the Buddha shot outward. The moment it appeared in the sky, the Deathbane Aura burst like a pitch-black balloon, vanishing instantly and revealing a sky full of stars.
"Filthy monk, you court death."
The Deathbane Ghost roared, swinging his twin swords down at Master Frank Yuan.
"The Buddha says all things are one. Benefactor, let go—your murderous intent means nothing to this old monk."
My eyes widened as the Deathbane Twin Blades seemed to strike only at a phantom, passing straight through Master Frank Yuan's body without touching him. The now-maddened Deathbane Ghost howled and swung his blades wildly, yet Master Frank Yuan stood unmoving, not a single blow landing.
"How pitiful, benefactor. Amitabha. If you wish, this old monk is willing to share a story with you over tea."
"I've decided. Heh, since I can't kill you for now, I'll slaughter Ethan Zhang first."
As the Deathbane Ghost spoke, he started toward me. But just then, like a phantom, Master Frank Yuan—whom no blade could touch—grabbed the Deathbane Ghost with one hand and, with a forceful motion, sent him flying.
"Benefactor, be quiet for now. This is a place of Buddhist purity—do not let delusions arise."
A clanging sound rang out as golden pillars of light rose from the ground, trapping the Deathbane Ghost inside. He got up, furious, and swung his Deathbane Twin Blades at the now radiant golden prison.
The Deathbane Aura dissipated the instant it touched the golden light, and no matter how the Deathbane Ghost struggled, he could not escape.
"Hmph, once I'm out, I'll kill you all. Not a single one will be left."
"This guy must be insane."
I muttered under my breath, and Master Frank Yuan just smiled and shook his head.
"Not so, Ethan. This Deathbane Ghost was born from the human heart."
"Hahaha, old monk, you do know how to talk. That's exactly how I came to be—born from the human heart. Kill him, kill her, kill it. Heh, the human heart is truly terrifying. No real authority, yet it can slaughter at will, do as it pleases. Hahaha!"
"Ethan, in your opinion, what is the greatest sin in this world?"
I stammered out a reply.
"It's... killing... taking life, I guess..."
"Amitabha, Ethan, indeed, killing is a great sin. But killing to survive, killing to compete, killing to protect, and killing for greed, for fame and fortune—these are all called taking life. Once you've killed, you've stripped the victim of their right to live. After death, only eternal sleep remains, bones and dust, perhaps a lingering soul, maybe even a ghost—but they are long dead, no longer truly alive."
I swallowed, looking at this creature, wondering why the Deathbane Ghost was like this. It must be murderous intent—just as Master Frank Yuan said. No matter how fancy the excuse, killing is killing. Simple and direct: it ends a life, and the intent to kill is the essence of Deathbane Aura.
Now I understood completely why this creature had no humanity. It could speak, recognize, and think, yet it lacked any trace of human nature.
"That's the way of the world, Ethan. Its origin and outcome are beyond us. Don't dwell on it—these are things we ordinary folk can never fully understand."
I nodded. There's no point thinking too much about it. What mattered most now was—what to do about the Deathbane Ghost?
"What's wrong, old monk? Aren't you supposed to be powerful? Let me out, let me out! I want to kill you, I want to slaughter you all..."
The Deathbane Ghost howled in rage, but after a while, he began to cry.
"Please, let me kill you. Hurry, let me..."
I watched as the Deathbane Ghost's body began to swell, growing larger and larger. Black sludge oozed from his skin, while the golden glowing prison started to creak. Master Frank Yuan looked troubled as he watched it all unfold.
"Ethan, you should withdraw for now. Leave this to me. As long as you stay inside the Grand Hall, nothing outside can harm you."
I hurried into the Grand Hall and sat before the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. The prison could no longer hold—the golden light shattered with a snap, scattering into glowing particles. I swallowed hard.
A roar echoed out. Two golden eyes, as big as bronze bells, stared at us. The Deathbane Ghost had grown to five or six meters tall, hulking and massive, Deathbane Aura swirling around him like mud. He roared at us, sending gusts of wind that pressed Master Frank Yuan's robes flat against his body. Strangely, though, no wind reached the Grand Hall.
Even the ground outside, and everything around—the flowers, grass, and trees—remained untouched.
The Deathbane Ghost charged, swinging fists the size of sandbags. With a deafening crash, the air shook and the sound was painfully loud.
Master Frank Yuan still stood in place, completely unmoving. He raised a hand and caught the Deathbane Ghost's fist. The scene was unbelievable—Master Frank Yuan truly was formidable.
"Amitabha. Benefactor, is there nothing in your heart but murderous intent?"
Master Frank Yuan asked. The raging Deathbane Aura shrouded everything in black mist. Then I saw something strange—Master Frank Yuan's mouth opened, his raised hand lowering ever so slowly.
But the Deathbane Ghost moved with blinding speed, grabbing Master Frank Yuan and squeezing him tight. Wild Deathbane Aura wrapped around Master Frank Yuan, freezing everything—time itself seemed to stop within the black mist.
The Deathbane Aura began to burn and leap across the ground like flames, growing thicker and gathering at the Deathbane Ghost's right hand, where he gripped Master Frank Yuan.
The roaring noise forced me to cover my ears, but my head still spun. Deathbane Aura surged from the ground, and in the distance, the silvery Deathbane Falls began to flow toward us.
When the falls reached us, they turned pitch black, reverting fully to Deathbane Aura. The Deathbane Ghost grew even larger, and everything around was submerged in Deathbane Aura—except for the Grand Hall, which remained untouched.
"Amitabha. Benefactor, it seems I must seal you away for now."
Suddenly, golden light pierced through the black aura. Beams of gold broke through, and with a bang, I stared in shock as Master Frank Yuan sat cross-legged, left hand forming a Buddhist mudra, right hand moving gently. Around him glowed five golden images of the Buddha. In the sky above, a breathtaking vision of the Buddha's pilgrimage appeared.
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and the Laughing Immortal appeared amid the golden light and swirling clouds, radiating pure holiness. The Deathbane Aura vanished, and the Deathbane Ghost shrank back to his original size. He screamed as a Buddha-marked palm descended from the sky, slamming down with a thunderous crash.
A shriek rang out, then the vision vanished. The five Buddha images returned to Master Frank Yuan's body.
The Deathbane Ghost stopped moving, lying flat on the ground. A golden Buddha character glowed faintly on his forehead, sizzling with energy. The Deathbane Ghost whimpered, unable to make a sound.
I stepped out of the Grand Hall, swallowing hard.
"Master, you're incredible. There were five Buddha images?"
"Amitabha, Ethan. I am merely a caretaker of these Buddha images. I have no true connection with the Buddha. These images were entrusted to me after revered monks passed on. There are twelve in the world, and I hold only five."
The Deathbane Ghost was completely still now, his golden eyes slowly closing. I walked over, still startled by him.
In the distance, the reverse-flowing falls also receded, but now their color was black. Master Frank Yuan gazed into the distance.
"To be honest, Ethan, I am here waiting for all twelve Buddha images. Then I will open the Western Pure Land and channel all this Deathbane Aura away, fulfilling the Buddha's merit."
I made a sound of acknowledgment. I couldn't make sense of all this, nor did I plan to ask. All I cared about was—what to do with the Deathbane Ghost?
"Maybe we should just throw him down there."
Master Frank Yuan shook his head.
"Ethan, perhaps only you can save him."
I gasped, looking at Master Frank Yuan, but he only shook his head again.
"Not you, but another Ethan—one exactly like you."
"You mean Ethan Zhang?"
"Precisely—the Ethan Zhang from the world of the living."
Master Frank Yuan smiled and began to speak slowly.
"The idea that everything in the world can coexist is such an absurd and unrealistic delusion. Just like you, everything in this world will eventually meet its end."