Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 682 - 569: The Old Monk

Though it was unclear why in the depths of the Hell Dao Divine Artifact's Eighteen Layers of Hell in the Middle-Aged Demon Sect's main altar, there would be a scent of sandalwood wafting through.

However, the External Incarnation distinctly sniffed out this aroma of sandalwood.

And it was precisely emanating from the depths of this bluestone cavern.

Interesting.

In the depths of the Demon Sect's main altar, a fragrance of sandalwood, typical only of the Buddha Sect, was present, indicating that there might be some hidden secrets within this Hell Dao.

The appearance of the sandalwood made Qi Xiu vaguely sense something unusual, and he immediately instructed the External Incarnation to continue venturing deeper into this Eighteen Layers of Hell.

The soil underfoot felt soft to the touch, while shimmering dew droplets gathered at the jagged ends of the bluestone above.

The deeper into the Eighteen Layers of Hell one goes, the stronger the scent of sandalwood that permeates the air.

After turning a corner, the view in front of the External Incarnation suddenly burst with dazzling white light, revealing at the end of the cavern a small temple standing quietly.

The small temple was not large, and the vermilion paint on the temple's door was already peeling off, leaving only faint traces of red.

The stone steps at the entrance were so clean it was as if no dust could be seen.

At this moment, the temple doors were slightly ajar, and the white light just now seemed to have emanated from within, as if waiting for someone to arrive.

Having confirmed that the sandalwood scent originated from this small temple, the External Incarnation's gaze shifted slightly, and he proceeded towards the temple.

Creaaak—

The ancient temple door was gently pushed open, emitting a deep sound.

Behind the precarious door, inside a large Buddha hall with a giant Buddha statue erected, a hunched figure wearing a light gray monk's robe sat cross-legged beneath, gently knocking a wooden fish, with an old dog whose fur was nearly all shed lying beside him.

"Suddenly entering the temple, I apologize for any disrespect. May I ask the master's name?"

Arriving at the entrance of the Buddha hall, the External Incarnation softly addressed the old monk who was striking the wooden fish.

Qi Xiu's voice caused the old monk's movements to pause, and the rhythmic sound of the wooden fish came to a halt.

"I assume this must be... Hunyuan Myriad Laws True Monarch."

As the old monk spoke, the expressions of both the External Incarnation and Qi Xiu's true self, who remained in the seventeenth layer of Hell, changed.

Obviously, they did not expect this extremely mysterious old monk to be able to call out his identity.

"How does the venerable master know of me?"

Calming the astonishment in his heart, Qi Xiu placed his hands together and lightly bowed, sincerely inquiring of the old monk.

"Haha, True Monarch need not be nervous. To tell you the truth, actually, the resurrection of the Hell Dao Divine Artifact was not the doing of that Primordial Spirit True Honor earlier.

He merely inadvertently awakened me. The reason for the resurrection of the Hell Dao Divine Artifact is because of this old monk."

Slowly turning around, the old monk's voice was withered and hoarse, yet his face was youthful, creating a contradictory feeling that was extremely surreal.

More shocking than the old monk's odd appearance and voice was his statement to Qi Xiu.

The source of the resurrection of the Hell Dao Divine Artifact turned out to be this old monk, and not Gao Tianxiong?

But why did he resurrect the Hell Dao Divine Artifact?

This old monk residing in the depths of the Eighteen Layers of Hell, and able to transform the normally terrifying and grim Hell into such a serene state, must have an extraordinary origin.

Did he revive the Hell Dao Divine Artifact out of enmity with our sect?

Could it be, he is a senior figure in the Hell Dao?

At this thought, Qi Xiu's gaze instantly became stern.

This old monk can singlehandedly invoke the resurgence of the Hell Dao Divine Artifact, his power is likely unfathomable.

The old monk across from him also noticed the change in the External Incarnation's gaze and immediately chuckled softly:

"True Monarch misunderstood; this old monk is not a person of the Hell Dao.

Years ago, in pursuit of Buddhist Dharma, the old monk voluntarily gambled with the Hell Daoist, stating that if I could use Buddhist Dharma to transform all the malicious spirits and vengeful souls in the Eighteen Layers of Hell, he would disband the Hell Dao and follow me into the monastic life to practice Buddhist Dharma."

This story seemed somewhat familiar, causing Qi Xiu's expression to shift slightly, and he subsequently asked:

"And the result?"

"The result?"

Slowly shaking his head, the old monk gently stroked the almost hairless old dog beside him:

"This old monk originally thought that relying on my Buddhist Dharma, I could quickly transform the malevolent spirits and vengeful souls within the Eighteen Layers of Hell.

But who would have thought the Hell Daoist would fully open the entrance to the Eighteen Layers of Hell.

The desires of the world, pervasive and boundless.

The mortal realm is vast, and evil intent remains eternal.

No matter how many malevolent spirits and vengeful souls the old monk transforms in the Eighteen Layers of Hell, they would continue to replenish endlessly.

Hell is not empty, vows to not become a Buddha.

This grand wish was initially a chance for me to immediately become a True Honor.

Unexpectedly, it became the shackles by which the Hell Daoist eternally trapped me within the Eighteen Layers of Hell.

To prolong life, the old monk was forced to operate the Buddhist Dharma of the Flesh to seal himself within the altar, but even so, it could not withstand the measureless years.

With no other choice, before my demise, the old monk fused my own soul with this layer of hell, barely preserving a trace of consciousness, and subsequently fell into slumber.

It wasn't until recently that I was inadvertently awakened by that Primordial Spirit True Honor."

Listening to the old monk's account, Qi Xiu's previously stern expression also softened; he had Human Path Merit protecting his body, giving him an innate sense to detect potential dangers.

Relying on this sense, he could feel that what the old monk said was not false.

"Then why did the venerable master resurrect the Hell Dao Divine Artifact, causing distress throughout our sect?"

"It was to summon the True Monarch to come." Placing his hands together, the old monk displayed a hint of a smile:

"In my lifetime, the old monk had some study of Predestined Fate Understanding and prior to my death, exerted all efforts to operate this divine skill, foreseeing the method to break the predicament, and the answer I got was the True Monarch.

This is why, to bring the True Monarch here, the old monk had no choice but to agitate the Hell Dao Divine Artifact, causing its resurgence, thus prompting the True Monarch to come and resolve it."

"To find me?"

"Yes, the old monk has already passed away, and my soul has dissolved with this hell; there is no chance of rebirth.

But what I learned in this life is a major branch of the Buddha Sect, and it cannot be wasted just like that.

The old monk audaciously summoned the True Monarch today with the hope of troubling the True Monarch to return my sealed flesh to my original temple.

If the True Monarch is willing, the old monk will provide a reward that will absolutely satisfy you."

After revealing the reason he risked agitating the Hell Dao Divine Artifact to draw Qi Xiu, the old monk lowered his gaze and placed his bargaining chips on the table.

"Venerable Master, since you know that many millennia have passed since the Middle Ancient Era, whether your original temple still exists is uncertain.

And as for the reward you mentioned...

What kind of reward do you think could justify forgiving you for nearly causing my Shenxiao Sect a calamity, and be worthwhile for me to make this trip for you?"

Qi Xiu's tone gradually turned rigid and cold.

The resurrection of the Hell Dao Divine Artifact was extremely perilous, and if not for his coincidental presence in the sect, Su Buqing's seventy-two True Lords of Hell would have surely inflicted significant damage to the Shenxiao Sect.

Therefore, he did not hold much fondness for this old monk who caused the Hell Dao Divine Artifact's resurgence for his own purposes.

"The old monk ventured to invite the True Monarch here, having been well-prepared.

As for the reward... True Monarch, please look, is this reward enough?"

Using his finger as a pen, the old monk slowly wrote three large characters on the rough ground.

Dongfang Qing!

...