“Alright, let’s think this through…”
Qi Xinli pressed his fingers to his forehead and said, “First, Zhongzhou has already gathered three types of monsters: sea, land, and air; second, Zhongzhou has also received invisible and intangible ghostly beings; third, Zhongzhou will give birth to demons and monsters that evolve from humans into ghosts; and lastly, right now, we only have Si Nuocheng as an awakened person.”
It’s like starting in hell mode. Qi Xinli felt deeply that reciting sutras wouldn’t lead him to awakening; it was more suited to helping him transcend.
“The giant snake and the huge rat at least have physical bodies, and can be killed. Even if they’re some kind of foreign species crawling out from the Lingdong Gate, the military can handle it. There will be casualties, but the threat is manageable.”
“But ghostly beings are a different story.” Qi Xinli recalled the tragic scene on the ruined highway, his tone heavy. “Just seeing them is already a problem, let alone fighting them. The moment you see them, it means you’ve already entered their dimension. It’s hard to even protect yourself. I asked Laki, and he could take on twenty enemies without breaking a sweat, but in the ghost dimension, he couldn’t do anything.”
“If he’s like that, then most people won’t be able to escape unscathed.”
“Then there are the demons…” Qi Xinli continued, “If we can only distinguish them by the shape of their pupils, then we’re completely defenseless against them. When an ordinary person can tell if their pupils are vertical or round, they’re already too close to the demon.”
Face-to-face with someone wearing the same human skin, it’s like chatting online under a fake name—who knows what’s actually hiding beneath the skin? Is it a person or a ghost?
It’s even harder to defend against than ghostly beings.
“So, in such a perilous situation, how are we supposed to find time to focus on awakening?” Qi Xinli said. “I even feel like there’s no time to study it!”
What Qi Xinli worried about was exactly what everyone else was concerned about. The threshold for awakening seemed out of reach, and danger lurked everywhere, creating a suffocating feeling.
Ji Si chuckled. “When you’re desperately searching for something, it always seems to evade you. But when you decide not to look, it unexpectedly shows up in front of you.”
“Awakening is like an epiphany. When the time comes, it will come naturally, so don’t force it.”
“Also, don’t fall into the illusion that ‘ghostly beings are invincible.’” Ji Si continued. “Yin and Yang, hardness and softness, light and dark—all things exist in harmony and conflict. Since ghostly beings exist, there must be something to counter them.”
“What is it?”
“It’s—things you’ve long been accustomed to and think are ordinary.” Ji Si smiled lightly. “For example, Buddhist scriptures, Taoist talismans, Western exorcism practices, even cedar, obsidian, and Bodhi beads. These things have always been around you, but it’s funny that you’re still searching elsewhere.”
Everyone froze.
“Some words, both in pronunciation and writing, shouldn’t belong to the three-dimensional world. Yet, they’ve come to you, become a part of your culture, and subtly infiltrate your daily life to protect you.”
“Try to discover that—this is also a form of ‘awakening.’”
“Pick it up, put it down, recognize yourself, and you might just have a breakthrough.”
Ji Si’s words were as gentle and accommodating as he was, and just listening to them could soothe the anxiety in people’s hearts.
But, come to think of it, physical monsters can be killed by the military, illusory monsters can be restrained by certain things, and as long as you’re cautious, you can likely avoid demons.
With that thought, maybe the world isn’t that difficult after all? Hm!
The atmosphere eased slightly, and the energy around them came alive.
Laki stared intently at Qi Xinli, starting to settle old scores. “Bro, you’ve changed! You always used to call me ‘Vladimir,’ but now you call me ‘Laki.’”
Qi Xinli: “…That’s not the point.”
Jiang Qining, ever observant, asked, “Should I go buy a sutra-reciting machine?”
Si Nuocheng grasped the main point. “Garlic, onions, and crosses should sell well next quarter. I’ll look into that kind of business.”
Ji Si: …
Are you planning to go from Zhongzhou’s CEO to Zhongzhou’s farmer? No, that’s not the point.
…
As Si Nuocheng had anticipated, after tacitly allowing the police to follow and observe, many troublesome issues were resolved.
By the evening of the 14th, the key suspects behind the violent incidents were arrested, and the Hai Luo Bay team had captured them all. But they didn’t have time to catch their breath before the team’s forensic expert laid a stack of photos on the table, saying they’d encountered something bizarre.
“Look at this hand!” the forensic expert said. “This one’s black—yes, this incision—it’s smooth, perfect, and even polished. The effect of laser cutting can’t compare to this. I’ve never seen such a wound!”
“And this.” The forensic expert picked up a few sealed bags containing parts. “These are bullets that were fired into a crowd but were cut by the same kind of external force, scattered around the edges of the scene.”
“Next up… this table corner, the tablecloth, and the plates—same cutting marks. Sorry, but tell me, did our team just acquire some ultra-modern weapons?”
The senior officers carefully examined everything and couldn’t help but look at Shen Yunling. “Team Leader Shen, you were there at the scene, what is this…?”
Shen Yunling calmly responded, “Hmm, this is why our team had to follow that group of youths.”
“Weapon smuggling?”
“No, some of them have superpowers.”
Hai Luo Bay team: …
Stop making things up! I’ve read a lot of books, but you can’t fool me.
Silence. Silence was the conch of that night. The team truly couldn’t believe that a public official would utter the words “superpower.”
“I know you don’t believe me; I didn’t believe it at first either.” Shen Yunling said truthfully. “I was willing to believe that animals could mutate or that aliens could invade, but when it came to ‘humans’ having superpowers, I thought it was all nonsense, and I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it.”
“Because we’re human, and we don’t have superpowers, so we project that onto others, assuming they don’t have them either.”
This is the common “I don’t have it, so you probably don’t either” mentality.
“But it really exists.” He nailed it down!
Shen Yunling was no slouch. His team didn’t just track people; they did it at a master level. He was direct and forthright, and since he brought up superpowers, he wasn’t spreading false information.
He handed over two video recordings to the Hai Luo Bay team: one was of the Hai Luo Bay city at night, and the other was from the restaurant during the violent incident.
“Among that group of youths, one of them is our inside contact. He told us there were five people in total, two of whom have superpowers.”
“Five people? Wait… wasn’t it four?”
Shen Yunling nodded. “I haven’t seen the fifth person either, but our inside contact told me he’s always been there.”
Hai Luo Bay Team: …I feel like you’re telling a ghost story.
“This one here is one of the targets.” Shen Yunling played the restaurant footage and pointed at Si Nuocheng. “His name is ‘Si Nuocheng,’ he’s 23 years old, over 185 cm tall, and is the heir of the Si Group.”
“Since last December, he’s been moving between Lingdong, Jing Du, Ning Yuan, and Hulu Port, and now he’s reached Hai Luo Bay. Every place he stops at has been a location where major events from the prophecy took place.”
Someone was shocked. “He…he’s that High Priest?”
Shen Yunling shook his head. “No, the High Priest should be the fifth person we’re looking for… Everyone, focus on the footage! Pay attention to his hands!”
Everyone watched intently, and in the footage, the criminal raised his gun. Suddenly, Si Nuocheng in the restaurant flicked his hand. In the blink of an eye, sparks exploded in midair.
The footage suddenly froze, rewound, and played again, this time much slower. Raise the gun, lift the hand, sparks! Play it again, slow it down… Gradually, the officers watching the video widened their eyes, their faces full of disbelief.
They finally understood what was happening!
When Si Nuocheng raised his hand, he flung a dinner knife out, just in time to collide with the first bullet fired by the criminal! The dinner knife shattered the bullet, buying time for the people in the restaurant to react!
“Throwing a knife to intercept a bullet?” The forensic expert was stunned. “I-I didn’t missee that, did I? Is this really human reflexes?”
“Quiet! Keep watching!”
Everyone held their breath, eyes glued to the screen. After the first scene in the footage, Si Nuocheng raised his hand again and threw a fork, creating another spark.
These two precise and sharp methods of intercepting bullets shattered the officers’ worldviews. It wasn’t a movie, it wasn’t a legend, it wasn’t edited! There were really people in this world who could catch bullets in mid-air!
“The first time could be called a prediction and luck, but what about the second time?”
“Luck? That’s clearly a superpower! Show me your lucky shot if you think it’s just luck.”
“Shut up! Keep watching!” A voice gritted through clenched teeth.
Si Nuocheng’s performance was truly outstanding. It seemed like he knew exactly what the criminal was going to do next. Whether it was the thrown plates or vases, he was always able to intercept the attack just in time.
But at the same time, some of his actions were particularly strange. For instance, he would reach out and grab… things that didn’t even exist in the air?
“What is he grabbing?”
The puzzled voices suddenly stopped—
They saw Si Nuocheng flick his hand upward, and a criminal’s arm was immediately severed! As blood spurted out, Si Nuocheng forcefully swung his arm. The next moment, the scattered crowd was “dragged” to the back door, and a few children were “whirled” out and thrown away.
The criminal aimed his gun at the crowd, and Si Nuocheng curled his fingers towards them. The person who was supposed to be shot didn’t bleed a single drop…
Unconsciously, the officers looked at the bullets and photos that the forensic expert had brought.
After comparing, they looked at each other in disbelief.
Dead silence. Shen Yunling played the second video. “This is the footage we recorded while following them. Si Nuocheng left the hotel in black clothes and entered the alley.”
The tall man leaned against the wall, disappearing into the darkness, then tilted his head to gaze at the night sky, waiting quietly. When the time in the footage reached midnight, they saw—Si Nuocheng suddenly made a pulling motion!
The familiar gesture, the familiar appearance. It was exactly like the motion he made in the restaurant, but no one could see what he was pulling.
In an instant, Si Nuocheng kicked his foot into the air, and his whole body vanished from sight.
Hai Luo Bay Team: …
The camera angle shifted, and the scene froze on the roof of a building. Si Nuocheng’s figure flickered in and out of view as he fought an invisible force in the air, finally disappearing in a strange way.
With that, the video ended.
Hai Luo Bay Team sat in silence for a moment, before an outburst of curses filled the room.
Honestly, seeing it firsthand was far more shocking than hearing about it. Many people felt their blood boiling, almost wishing they could grab him and ask him everything.
For the first time in their lives, they were witnessing a super-powered individual! It was so new and intriguing, with a hint of excitement and exhilaration!
“Superpowers, is this something innate or something triggered later?”
“I’m more curious about what he was fighting with on the roof. It looked intense.”
“He’s strong! If he joined the police force, he’d be the one solving the big cases!”
“Did you report it?” Someone asked urgently. “I think this person is dangerous. He can’t be allowed to roam around freely. Since the evidence is conclusive, why not let the military take him? What if…”
“There’s no ‘what if.’” Shen Yunling said firmly. “Si Nuocheng may be exceptionally powerful, but he’s never harmed anyone. That kind of mindset deserves to be acknowledged. The higher-ups want us to continue monitoring him.”
“If, one day, we reach a cooperative relationship, these two video clips won’t be secrets anymore. At that point, we might be welcoming a very special team, so…”
Shen Yunling finally spoke his purpose. “If they sneak to the coastal defense line tonight to help, please, Hai Luo Bay team, just turn a blind eye and let them pass. Don’t shoot them.”
Hai Luo Bay Team: …
How can we give them a green light? Ha, if they jump off the rooftop and die, we still won’t give them a green light!
That night, Si Nuocheng successfully made his way to the coastline.
…
At 3 AM on the 15th, no one could sleep. When the first beast roar came with the night wind, the explosion of gunfire followed closely behind.
The monster that came ashore was a water monkey, resembling an ape, over 60 meters long.
Its body was covered in long hair, soaked and wrapped around it, with a human-like face in a mossy green, and its mouth sharp like a bird’s beak.
Looking down, they saw its throat and lower abdomen covered with a string of human heads, embedded like tumors in its flesh. Each head had dark skin, high noses, and deep-set brows—entirely resembling the faces of people from Yujia Country.
Yujia Country, Water Monkey…
“Uuuu—” The water monkey wailed long and low, and the human heads on its body opened their eyes one by one, also wailing along with it. This sound formed a strange rhythm, carrying far, far away.
Si Nuocheng staggered slightly, his mind momentarily blank.
The military’s attacks clearly slowed down. He looked around and saw several soldiers had put down their guns, their eyes unfocused as they stood still. Their teammates were yelling at them frantically, but they were completely unaware, even lifting their feet and walking toward the water monkey…
Their teammates quickly knocked them out, clean and efficient.
“Uuuu—” The call of the water monkey and the human heads sounded again, a second wave of sound control, and an abnormality appeared in the city of Hai Luo Bay.
People who had been quietly seeking refuge started emerging one after another. They came out from apartments, villas, and dormitories, slowly gathering like a black stream, which then turned into a large river, all heading towards the sea.
There was no resistance, no self-awareness, like zombies breaking free, forming a dark mass…
Ji Si stood by the window, sensing the form of the water zombie.
With a human head growing from its belly, it had devoured over ten thousand people. This water zombie had preyed on Yujia, then Dannan, and then Bai Xiang and Zhongzhou. It had absorbed so many human beings, no wonder it developed confusing skills.
Evolutionary water zombies generally couldn’t bleed because their blood was as powerful as their skills. Once the scent of blood spread, it could easily cover an entire city.
But there was no way the military would leave the monster alone! Therefore, bleeding was inevitable.
Before long, a faint, fishy smell began to seep in through the cracks. The wailing from outside continued, now with a faint rising intensity. In the tremors caused by the eerie sounds, fewer and fewer people were able to keep their rationality.
Inside, Jiang Qining shakily got up, but Laki knocked him out with one punch. However, the hulking man was also struggling to hold on, his mind gradually collapsing: “Ji Si… knock me out…”
“Hang in there.” Ji Si said calmly, “I won’t interfere, and I can’t save anyone.”
Although the greenhouse cabbage was large, it wasn’t resistant to pressure. Sometimes, it needed to be put outside to feel the thunder and rain, to grow better.
Tsk, growing vegetables really makes one worry!
“This water zombie came ashore on purpose, to attract a large number of prey.” Ji Si didn’t even know who he was speaking to, “Once it succeeds, the survivors it intentionally released will spread news of its ‘wounds and bleeding.’ Then it can wait for the second batch of food to hunt it down.”
“Very clever, and it knows how to scheme. Seems like it’s developed intelligence.”
Ji Si continued: “Si Nuocheng is in trouble. He’s so close to the sea, he’s more susceptible to its influence.” He smirked, “When he turns around, he’ll see the whole city heading towards the sea. If you can’t hold on, you might see him by the seaside soon.”
Qi Xinli: …
Laki: …
Hang on! Hang on! No, really, it’s getting hard to hang on…
The wailing of the water zombie spread, making the hotel’s glass tremble. Laki initially wanted to knock out Qi Xinli while he still had some rationality, but as soon as he raised his hand, it dropped.
His eyes lost their gleam, his chestnut-colored hair hung down, casting a shadow on his face.
He turned, lifted his foot, and staggered towards the door.
“Laki…” Just calling his name left Qi Xinli feeling drained. His thoughts were sluggish, his mind muddled, as though drifting in a semi-dreamlike state, making him feel lost and uncertain.
Suddenly, Ji Si’s voice pierced his mind: “Calm your heart.”
Calm your heart…
Enter deep meditation?
Qi Xinli jolted back to his senses, snapping awake like the ringing of a bell. He was indeed a smart person; no need for hand-holding instructions. Struggling, he sat cross-legged, forcing himself to slow his breathing and empty his mind.
The noise from the glass grew louder, and Laki’s footsteps could no longer be heard. The distant gunfire had ceased, leaving only a few sporadic sounds struggling to hold on. He didn’t know what was happening on the front lines, didn’t know if Si Nuocheng was okay, and he didn’t understand why Ji Si had said “Calm your heart.”
He only knew to focus on himself, empty his mind, and listen to the Buddhist chant.
[Dong——] The sound of a bell echoed in his mind, and all the noise began to fade layer by layer. It was as though he had returned to the serene environment of a temple.
Quiet, peaceful, and stable, the faint fishy smell in his nose transformed into a rising sandalwood scent. It swirled above his head, lingering for a long time. In the darkness of his mind, a small butter lamp lit up in his heart.
[Take up, put down, recognize yourself, and maybe you’ll awaken.]
Take up, you have attachment; put down, you return to unity.
Recognize yourself?
He was Qi Xinli!
[Dong!] The bell’s sound spread out in waves, like tides crashing against the shore. The Buddha’s name echoed from the mountain peak, accompanied by the solemn Great Compassion Mantra, blending with the mercy of the Rebirth Mantra.
Qi Xinli instinctively pressed his palms together and muttered solemnly, “Namo Amitabha.”
Ji Si sincerely smiled.
He saw, centered around Qi Xinli, a blue aura suddenly expand outward. It was soft like water, light like wind, gently rippling, then falling like nourishing rain. Wherever it passed, there was the grace of compassion.
Even the faintest Buddhist chant, as delicate as it was, rang like a great bell, calling back the rationality of those around them.
The blue aura, always like the calm of the sea, the vastness of the starry sky, was the bridge between the divine and the self. It could bring peace, practicality, and transcendence, as well as healing, awakening, and settling the mind.
Qi Xinli was deeply afraid of ghosts, but he didn’t realize that he was the natural nemesis of such creatures.
The water zombie had eaten countless people, its body piled with the souls of the wronged dead. Si Nuocheng could defeat its physical body but couldn’t destroy its resentment. Fortunately, there was still a Qi Xinli.
Ji Si gently raised his hand, and all the floor-to-ceiling windows immediately swung open. The curtains fluttered wildly in the wind. The High Priest looked into the distance and said, “Let them go.”
“Namo Amitabha.” Qi Xinli emptied his mind to the extreme, diving deep into his subconscious. He felt as though he was draped in a monk’s robe, holding a prayer bead, his state of mind calm as a still lake, “Namo Amitofo, dodojiadali…”
Each word a mantra, the power of the Rebirth Sutra stirred up indescribable waves!
The blue energy surged like waves upon waves, and Qi Xinli’s soul radiated the glow of relics. The distant cannon fire exploded again, and the gathered crowd hurriedly returned home, while the giant water monkey rolled in the sea, as though enduring the pain of thousands of cuts, letting out a sharp scream!
Vapor rose from its body, transforming into a bluish light that disappeared into the sky. The completely irrational water zombie frantically launched an attack, but Si Nuocheng’s long blade severed its head…
“Zhiduojiali, Posahe.”
The final verses of the Rebirth Sutra rang out, and the water zombie turned to ash. Qi Xinli’s rosy face suddenly turned pale, and he staggered, crashing to the floor with a loud thud, losing consciousness completely.
Ji Si raised his hand, and Qi Xinli’s body slowly floated up, gently landing in the center of the bed.
“Welcome, the second awakened one, the soul of the ‘Buddha’s Child’.”
……
Qi Xinli lay down for a full three days.
He was so weak that he needed someone to help him to the bathroom, felt cold even when the wind blew, and found even warm water to be ice-cold. He was like a new mother who had just given birth, with her own child, the “awakening,” lying beside her, but she couldn’t figure out how to pick it up.
He felt deeply sorrowful, unable to stop himself from eating five portions of boxed meals.
Jiang Qining stared in disbelief. “What kind of ability did you awaken? Could it be the ‘bottomless pit stomach’?”
Qi Xinli smiled. “No, this ability is called ‘no matter how much I eat, I won’t gain weight.’” He then took the sixth portion of boxed meals from Laki’s hands.
Jiang Qining was struck by a soul-shattering blow!
Hearing this, Ji Si chuckled. “It really is ‘no matter how much you eat, you won’t gain weight.’” He continued, “Everyone’s soul is their most perfect form. After awakening, the mind, body, and soul are connected, and as this connection deepens, the body gradually aligns with the soul, slowly evolving toward perfection.”
“And this process of achieving ‘perfection’ is what we call ‘seeking the truth.’”
PS: Jiang Qining: Laki, what kind of ability do you think you’ll awaken?
Laki: …Automatic sorting?
Jiang Qining: …
PS: One day, the Reincarnation Team asked the High Priest to help them predict their romantic luck.
Fox Demon: How about me?
Ji Si: You’re flirtatious and romantic, a lifetime full of bad relationships, no true partner—just wait to die.
Fox Demon: …
Sword Immortal: How about me?
Ji Si: Dating will slow down your swordsmanship, you’ll stay single for ten thousand years, just wait to die.
Sword Immortal: …
Team Leader: How about me?
Ji Si: Captain, in this lifetime, you can only be with your knife, so just stay with them and wait to die.
Team Leader: …
After the divination, the High Priest was chased and beaten by the entire team of single dogs, running through eighteen star regions. ==
