Ch. 1107 - Golden Cicada Lord, Do You Want To Try?

The three of them casually found an inn.

The inn was named Pleasant Tavern.

Its scale was decent, with a moderate flow of guests.

They sat by the window seats facing the street and ordered a full table of dishes.

“I heard that in this Brahma City, there’s a place called the Border Tower, it specializes in gathering intelligence about the inner workings of Heaven's End, Ocean's Edge,’” Miss Jing said. “If the Xuanyuan Clan has ever shown up in there, chances are the records will be found there.”

“Jeez... How do you know everything?” Xu Zimo chuckled.

“I’ve been to this Brahma City before. Besides, the Border Tower is famous here, second only to the Saint Sovereign Tower,” Miss Jing replied.

The three were chatting when suddenly, from outside, a group of monks marched in.

Their footsteps were synchronized, rumbling in unison.

Each monk carried a wooden staff. They had the aura of warrior monks and quickly surrounded the entire inn.

“Looks like they’re here for us,” Moon-Pluck Fairy remarked.

Xu Zimo lifted his wine cup and took a light sip.

The monks halted in formation, their staves pounding the ground, producing a booming sound that made the whole inn tremble.

“Reverend monks, what is the matter?” the innkeeper hurriedly stepped forward to ask.

The monks parted, opening a path. A fat monk with big ears, dressed in a golden kasaya, stepped inside.

“Our Golden Cicada Temple lost something,” the monk said lightly, looking at Xu Zimo and the others. “I heard these few stole it. Now, I must trouble you to come with us.”

“To impose guilt where none exists, there’s never a shortage of excuses,” Moon-Pluck Fairy said coldly.

“I don’t care what excuses you have. Once we’re at Golden Cicada Temple, you can explain yourselves,” the fat monk said as he reached a large hand toward Moon-Pluck Fairy.

Moon-Pluck Fairy snorted coldly. Her jade-like hand swept out with a burst of palm force. Boom! Their palms clashed, and the monk staggered back several steps. Moon-Pluck Fairy, however, remained calm and unshaken.

The monk’s expression darkened. With a loud shout, he commanded, “Take them down!”

All around, the monks lifted their staffs. As they encircled the trio, they began to move in a circular formation, chanting.

At once, a holy radiance enveloped them.

Moon-Pluck Fairy’s cold snort echoed. She rose gracefully, robes fluttering as her aura soared skyward.

Her delicate fingers pointed into the void, ripples spreading through space.

Behind her, her True Fate manifested, the illusory image of a Nine-Flame Phoenix appeared.

Its cry shook the heavens, phoenix flames blazing.

Wings spread wide, scorching the boundless world.

The phoenix’s piercing cry split the silence of the void, and suddenly the inn burst into flames.

The innkeeper’s face went pale. While scrambling to douse the fire, he shouted, “If you must fight, go outside! My little inn cannot withstand this! If you don’t stop, I’ll report this to the Brahma Monarch God Realm!”

But no one paid him any attention.

Moon-Pluck Fairy formed seals with her hands. From her brow, a crescent moon erupted in radiance.

The Nine-Flame Phoenix’s power instantly multiplied dozens of times, and diving at the fat monk.

In moments, the entire inn was reduced to ashes.

The surrounding monks screamed as they were sent flying in all directions.

Still, the Nine-Flame Phoenix pressed on, swooping once more.

At that moment, a colossal Buddha’s palm descended, smashing down. In the roar, the Nine-Flame Phoenix was obliterated.

Moon-Pluck Fairy’s gaze sharpened as she looked ahead.

From not far away, an old monk approached, clad in a purple kasaya, holding a Buddhist staff. Eight scars were visible on his bald head.

His beard was white, his body radiant with Buddha’s light. His skin was as smooth as a newborn child’s, without a single wrinkle.

As he walked, the crowd seemed to hear chants of “Amitabha” resonating all around.

“There’s no need to report to the Brahma Monarch God Realm,” the old monk said calmly. “Our Golden Cicada Temple is itself a part of the Buddha Faction.”

He stood with staff in hand, like a Buddha descending to the mortal realm.

In his murmurs, all things seemed to fall silent, ten thousand Buddhas appeared in the mind’s eye, and the great Dharma Wheel revolved.

“It’s the Golden Cicada Lord!” someone exclaimed in shock.

Some devotees of the Zen Sect even dropped to their knees.

“Greetings, Golden Cicada Lord!”

“Abbot!” the fat monk scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply.

“I told you to invite the guests for questioning, why did it turn into a brawl?” Golden Cicada Lord frowned.

“They refused, and even attacked us,” the fat monk explained hurriedly.

“A monk does not lie,” Golden Cicada Lord snorted.

“Wu Xing, do you admit your fault?”

The fat monk immediately knelt. “This disciple is willing to accept punishment.”

“Since it’s your first offense, rise,” Golden Cicada Lord said, waving him off before walking toward Xu Zimo and his companions.

“That youth at the central plaza, was it you who injured him, young lady?” he asked, looking at Moon-Pluck Fairy.

“It was me. What of it?” Moon-Pluck Fairy replied.

“All things have cause and effect. He harassed you, and you struck him, that much is natural. But you were too heavy-handed. The cause does not balance the result,” Golden Cicada Lord said evenly.

“What do you propose then?” Moon-Pluck Fairy asked.

“Come with me to Golden Cicada Temple. Suppress your body beneath the Buddha Tower for thirty years. After thirty years, you will be free,” Golden Cicada Lord said calmly.

“And if I refuse?” Moon-Pluck Fairy asked coldly.

“Then it won’t be up to you,” Golden Cicada Lord replied. With a Buddhist gesture, his aura surged, as if a Grand Buddha rose from the earth.

“In that case, I can only ferry you across today.”

Moon-Pluck Fairy’s eyes narrowed. From her brow, moonlight blossomed like a full moon in the night sky, her aura exploding upward.

But when Golden Cicada Lord raised his hand, her moonlight was instantly suppressed.

The overwhelming might of an immortal pressed down.

“You have the heart of the moon, but not the virtue of the moon. Today, I shall strip away that moon within you,” Golden Cicada Lord declared.

Seeing Moon-Pluck Fairy immobilized, Xu Zimo casually picked up his chopsticks and gave them a light flick.

A single leaf of green vegetable shot forth like a blade, tearing through the heavens, and slashed toward Golden Cicada Lord.

Boom!

The monk’s great palm was shattered. A thunderous shockwave blasted out, hurling Golden Cicada Lord backward. He crashed through several inns before finally stopping.

“This dish tastes a little too heavy,” Xu Zimo said casually.

Golden Cicada Lord immediately rose to his feet, Buddha’s chant resonating. His eyes turned golden, piercing through layers of void to stare at Xu Zimo.

“May I know who you are, noble sir?”

“Just a guy, eating his meal,” Xu Zimo smiled.

“I heard you want to ferry others. But tell me, can you ferry yourself?”

“You’re with her,” Golden Cicada Lord said gravely.

“That doesn’t matter,” Xu Zimo said with a grin.

“What you should be considering is, how will you leave here alive?”

“I am of the Buddha Faction. Do you dare kill me?” Golden Cicada Lord said coldly.

In Brahma City, being of the Buddha Faction was the ultimate shield.

“Do you want to try?” Xu Zimo slowly turned his head, smiling faintly.

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