Chapter 486 : Dazzling Flames
486: Dazzling Flames
Naturally, Yun Qingyue and Jiang Mo's journey to the bottom of the blood pool wasn't for nothing. Besides surveying and mapping the entire formation, Yun Qingyue had also left some contingency measures—though she didn't recognize the grand formation or understand its purpose, thanks to the Formation-Breaking Cone, she could identify the formation's critical points through its lines, and had already planted measures at these crucial locations.
As spiritual energy flowed from Yun Qingyue's fingertips, points of light appeared on Jiang Mo's formation diagram, each representing a node under her control. Counting carefully, there were several dozen.
Sect Leader Zhu's eyes immediately brightened, especially when she discovered these nodes were indeed all at critical points: "Good, good, good! I knew when you went to the pool bottom and saw the formation, you wouldn't have done nothing." She then pointed at the diagram: "Although this formation differs slightly from what I know, here, here, and here are all critical points. If destroyed, at least most of this Blood Reversal Grand Formation would be dismantled."
She pointed to seven or eight locations, all within Yun Qingyue's control, growing even more excited.
Seeing her reaction, Jiang Mo lightly coughed and reminded her: "Ah Yue has considerable expertise in formations. When we were at the pool bottom, she already identified these critical points. It was only because of Tan Xin that she couldn't take action."
The conversation returned to its starting point. Hearing this, Sect Leader Zhu instinctively looked toward Tan Xin, then couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath.
Everyone turned at the sound and witnessed a frightening scene—the sarira that the Buddha Sect elder had placed on Tan Xin's chest to suppress the black energy had transformed. The once crystal-clear gemstone radiating Buddha light was now infiltrated with wisps of black energy. Perhaps initially it was just a single thread, but now nearly half the crystal had turned black, and the Buddha light flickering from the sarira had weakened to near invisibility.
Yet it had been only a moment since the elder had placed the sarira for suppression. If even this Buddhist treasure couldn't contain the black energy's corruption, one could imagine how terrifyingly Tan Xin's constitution had changed—truly, there wasn't a moment to waste.
The Buddha Sect elder's expression was grave, but he made a decisive judgment: "So be it. The Buddha's disciple faces this tribulation; we must consider the greater picture."
The others immediately understood—he was prepared to abandon Tan Xin. A Buddha's disciple was exceedingly rare to the Buddhist path, and had there been even the slightest hope, the Buddha Sect elder would likely have saved him. But compared to the entire cultivation world, a single Tan Xin seemed insignificant. Without the concern for him, everyone could act more freely.
Indeed, the Buddha Sect elder didn't just speak empty words. After finishing, he recited a Buddhist phrase, and when he raised his eyes again, the usual compassion was gone, replaced by severity. He then took the first action against Tan Xin.
He removed the prayer beads hanging around his neck and tossed them upward. The one hundred and eight beads instantly scattered, suspended in mid-air. Then, as he formed Buddhist hand seals, these beads transformed into golden light that fell around Tan Xin. As each bead settled into place, the golden Buddha light rapidly connected, instantly forming a demon-suppressing formation.
Tan Xin remained unconscious, but the demonic energy within him became agitated when confronted with the demon-suppressing formation. However, before this energy could do anything more, the elder's next Buddhist seal had already landed on Tan Xin.
More Buddhist seals fell one after another. In a brief moment, the Buddha Sect elder had cast eighty-one seals, instantly sealing all the vital points on Tan Xin's body.
These movements were faster than lightning, clearly costing the Buddha Sect elder considerable energy. By the time the final seal landed, even this Great Achievement cultivator showed beads of sweat on his forehead. But he had no time to worry about this, urgently turning to shout at the others: "Now!"
The group hadn't previously discussed what to do next. Jiang Mo, caught off guard, hadn't yet processed how to act and almost followed the elder's lead against the little monk. Fortunately, the main actor responded accurately—before Jiang Mo could decide what to do, Yun Qingyue had already formed hand seals to detonate the formation at the bottom of the blood pool. With several muffled "booms," the blood pool beneath the stone bridge churned violently.
Seeing this, Jiang Mo sheepishly withdrew her hand, inwardly relieved that she hadn't acted too quickly. But thinking of the connection between the pool's formation and Tan Xin, she hurriedly turned her gaze toward him.
By now, Tan Xin had been completely sealed by the Buddha Sect elder's seals. Both spiritual energy and demonic energy within his body were in a sealed state, with dazzling Buddha light filling his vital points, being rapidly consumed. Fortunately, Yun Qingyue's coordinated action was fast enough—when the formation at the pool bottom was destroyed, the Buddhist seals on him hadn't been completely depleted, minimizing the impact.
Even so, the unconscious figure violently coughed up blood when the formation at the pool bottom was destroyed.
Tan Xin's complexion visibly deteriorated, even faintly emitting a hint of death energy.
Seeing this, Sect Leader Zhu immediately exclaimed that this was bad and quickly took out a life-saving spiritual medicine to feed to Tan Xin. A Great Achievement cultivator's life-saving medicine was naturally extraordinary, but even so, Tan Xin's complexion showed no improvement. His life force continued to drain at a visible rate.
He had been abandoned, but he couldn't die yet!
Seeing this, Peak Master Qingyu immediately stepped forward and took out another pill to feed to Tan Xin, barely managing to sustain his last breath.
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The group had risked severing Tan Xin's connection to the blood pool, but the situation did not improve—rather, it grew worse. As time passed, the Buddhist seals cast by the Buddha Sect elder were eventually consumed completely, and the sealed vital points in Tan Xin's body were forced open by the black energy within him. Then, as if realizing it had lost its source, this black energy began to converge toward Tan Xin's chest.
This was unacceptable—Tan Xin's chest was the closest point to the Seven Treasures Glass Heart, and now with the Blood Fiend Beast Pearl there, who knew what consequences would result if all the black energy gathered there?
Immediately, everyone employed their own methods—forming seals, freezing with ice, or like the cold and merciless Peak Master Qingyu, directly severing the meridians near Tan Xin's chest to block the black energy... These efforts had some effect, but it was ultimately limited, and such actions caused extreme damage to Tan Xin. The breath they had barely sustained now seemed about to scatter.
Seeing this, even Jiang Mo felt reluctant, increasingly regretting her insistence on saving the little monk's life back then.
Yun Qingyue immediately saw through Jiang Mo's thoughts and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it in comfort. Then she turned with a serious expression to address the three elders: "Tan Xin can't hold on much longer. What should we do next?"
Though she appeared to ask all three, her gaze fell on the Buddha Sect elder—when it came to suppressing demonic forces, the Buddhist path clearly had more expertise. Besides, given the elder's earlier statement, he likely had a method to conclude this matter.
Sure enough, under Yun Qingyue's gaze, the Buddha Sect elder once again stepped forward. However, he said nothing, simply walking to Tan Xin's side and sitting cross-legged. Then, with one hand pressed against Tan Xin's forehead, he began to recite scriptures.
Though everyone present had high cultivation and keen hearing, the scripture was in Sanskrit, which none of them understood.
Jiang Mo tugged at her Senior Sister's sleeve, asking softly: "Ah Yue, what is he doing?"
Yun Qingyue shook her head, indicating she didn't know, and glanced at her master and the sect leader, but neither responded. However, compared to normal, both their expressions were solemn, creating a heavy atmosphere.
Jiang Mo dared not ask further and could only remain silent, watching and listening.
The elder's scripture recitation was lengthy. Under his steady voice, everyone's anxiousness gradually calmed. Meanwhile, as the elder continued his recitation, golden Buddha light slowly emerged from beneath his palm on Tan Xin's forehead. Somehow different from before, this Buddha light didn't cause the black energy in Tan Xin's body to surge—rather, it became increasingly calm.
Jiang Mo watched in amazement, thinking the elder had finally found a way to counter the black energy. Suddenly, her hand was tightly gripped—it was Yun Qingyue holding her firmly. She turned in confusion and saw her Senior Sister's tense profile.
What was wrong?
Before Jiang Mo could ask, her peripheral vision was suddenly filled with dazzling golden light. She quickly turned to look and was startled once more.
Beneath the elder's palm, a golden ethereal figure slowly floated out from Tan Xin's spiritual platform—unmistakably Tan Xin's soul. At first, all she saw was golden light, as if Tan Xin's soul contained endless Buddha light. But as more of his soul emerged, the golden light diminished, and once his shoulders appeared, a grayish-black hue became faintly visible...
Jiang Mo's heart sank, giving her an ominous premonition. Indeed, when Tan Xin's soul completely left his physical body, his once brilliantly radiant soul had been stained half-black.
Buddhists speak of reincarnation, but with Tan Xin's soul in this state, it would likely impede even his rebirth.
Just as Jiang Mo was thinking that Tan Xin could no longer be a Buddha's disciple in his next life, the previously closed eyes of his soul suddenly opened. Those eyes, once clearly black and white, transparent and pure, now flashed with a red light upon opening—as if possessed by demons. Fortunately, the red light vanished in an instant, and his eyes quickly returned to their former clear black and white state.
Tan Xin had been unconscious since his sacrifice, and upon suddenly regaining awareness, he was momentarily confused by his surroundings. But he quickly noticed his unusual state and realized his soul had awakened.
He didn't ask why he wasn't dead, nor did he inquire about the current situation. He simply put his palms together and asked: "What can this humble monk do?"
The little monk was too perceptive—perhaps when asking this question, he had already guessed what he would face. Yet he remained neither humble nor proud. Even seeing the guilt in Jiang Mo's eyes, he didn't blame her for stubbornly insisting on saving him, which had led to his current predicament.
However, the more composed he was, the less everyone knew how to respond.
After a long moment, the Buddha Sect elder finally spoke, briefly explaining the current situation without elaborating further.
Tan Xin understood his meaning, and with a mixture of compassion and resignation, he let out a long sigh before saying: "I understand."
Jiang Mo didn't know what he understood... or perhaps she did but was unwilling to think about it. Regardless, in the next moment, her vision was filled with dazzling golden flames, so bright they made her eyes moisten.