"Since that’s the case, we can also make some arrangements in Luzhou in the North." Someone instantly responded.

"Amitabha Buddha, this matter is of great importance. Who among you is willing to travel to Luzhou in the North?" Maitreya spoke.

Everyone looked at each other, but no one dared to answer. Luzhou in the North was truly a dangerous place, teeming with monsters and a mixture of various forces, intricately intertwined.

It was not an easy task to gain a foothold in such a place.

Moreover, due to past incidents, monsters were not very fond of the Buddhist Sect, and each of them was unruly. Entering Luzhou in the North rashly could likely lead to being surrounded and attacked.

All present were cultivators with vast divine skills, yet the thought of facing such a situation also made them shiver with fear, and none dared to take on this heavy responsibility.

Just then, Guanyin stepped forward from the crowd and said, "Since that’s the case, let me make the journey."

Seeing this Bodhisattva step forward, Maitreya showed a delighted expression and said, "This task is arduous, only the Venerable Guanyin with her vast divine skills can succeed."

He also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, for after this crisis, his prestige had greatly diminished. If these four Bodhisattvas did not lend him a helping hand, it would be difficult for him to secure his position as Buddha.

Fortunately, because of Marx, the Buddhist Sect had set aside their struggles for power and profit, creating today’s harmonious scene.

However, the thought of Marx caused the Maitreya Buddha Ancestor a great headache. Truly, he was a formidable foe from the past, that Demon King who, upon escaping from Mount Ling, began to create chaos.

In the Xiniu Continent, he extensively nurtured Demon Heads, and this time he had set his sights on the disciples of the Buddhist Sect.

It seemed that the Demon Heads transformed from these disciples were even more bizarre and terrifying.

In a short period of time, this Demon King had committed several major crimes. Although there were a few times when ascetic monks thwarted his attempts, the number of his Demon Heads still grew visibly.

Meanwhile, in a temple in Xiniu Continent, a terrifying incident was occurring.

The originally peaceful and serene temple was now disturbed by screams of terror, and all the faithful Buddhists were too frightened to venture outside, only daring to shiver in their rooms.

Young Novice Monk Shanxing hid his bald head under the covers, trying hard to block out the screams echoing in his ears.

But no matter how hard he tried, those sounds persistently resurfaced around him, seemingly grasping at the deepest fears in one’s heart.

The Little Monk had never seen such terrifying events before and could only tremble, doing his best to recite the scriptures and praying for the Buddha’s blessing.

Thinking back to the harmony of the group not long ago felt almost like a dream.

He also dimly remembered an ordinary day back then when he and his fellow disciples proceeded with their morning lessons as usual.

The eldest disciple struck the bronze bell, its majestic sound echoing through the temple, filling every corner with the disciples’ chanting.

Sitting properly on a meditation mat, he was outwardly chanting scriptures, though in reality, he was secretly slacking. The early morning lesson demanded by their master was quite torturous for someone who loved to sleep like him.

Luckily, he had already mastered the art of falling asleep while pretending to chant, and each time he managed to deceive his master.

The rising smoke of incense framed the majestic Buddha statue, adding to its sanctity.

However, this harmonious scene was shattered by a scream, as the third disciple, who should have gone down the mountain to beg for alms, rushed inside covered in blood, the source of the scream.

"They’re dead, all dead, it’s too terrifying!" By then, the third disciple had completely lost his sanity, muttering these words unconsciously.

For some reason, everyone felt an innate fear. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The third disciple couldn’t explain the situation at all and instead, bizarrely died with his eyes wide open in the main hall shortly after.

The master’s face darkened as he slowly closed the third disciple’s eyes, sighed deeply, and then instructed everyone to return to their rooms.

Later, some disciples mentioned that the third disciple seemed to have encountered the legendary Demon Head, which led to his current state.

It had been many years since anyone had seen such a thing, and their temple, being quite remote, had never expected a Demon Head to appear there.

The incident should have faded over time, but the events took a more sinister turn.

Initially, the third disciple’s screams began to haunt every night, and somehow, the abbot also had become somewhat unrecognizable; he who always wore a smile and was kindly to everyone.

But since that night, his eyes were always red, as if he saw each person as his enemy.

Latterly, the fourth disciple died mysteriously in the same manner as the third disciple, and everyone said that the third disciple had returned as a fierce ghost.

However, Shanxing didn’t believe it; the third disciple was a good person, always saving his food until last, fearing his brothers might be hungry, always ready to help others with their troubles.

Such a person should have gone to the Pure Land. How could he possibly turn into a fierce ghost to wreak havoc in the Mortal World?

But no matter what Shanxing thought, the tragedy occurred again and again. To date, four disciples had died inexplicably at the temple.

Moreover, the screams that lingered in the nights seemed to grow even more harrowing and terrifying.

"Amitabha Buddha, may Buddha protect my brothers and keep them safe," Shanxing prayed to the Buddha, huddled under his blanket.

He couldn’t understand why such horrible incidents were happening in a temple dedicated to Buddha.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the door, heightening Shanxing’s fear. He dared not leave his blanket, let alone peek outside to see what was happening.

Yet the footsteps kept getting closer, as if coming specifically for him.

Then, Shanxing felt someone nearing him. He covered his mouth in fear, holding his breath, afraid to be discovered, yet tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Was he going to die here?

A cry of terror shouted inside Shanxing’s heart.

"It’s not time yet," a rather hoarse voice reached Shanxing’s ears, then the footsteps gradually moved away from him.

Relieved by the departing footsteps, the little monk breathed deeply in relief.

He crawled out of the blanket and looked toward the door, only to find it tightly shut, as if everything that had happened were just his illusion.

But Shanxing knew clearly, it was not an illusion. There truly was a terrifying presence in the temple, choosing someone to kill every night.

If it continued this way, he too would one day die here. Shanxing had never longed to escape the place he had grown up in as much as he did today.