14

At the same time, atop the mountain, an old monk and a middle-aged scholar sat silently at a tea table in the meditation room, waiting for the kettle on the charcoal stove to boil.

The scholar,Mr Lin Mo, continued talking,"Master, isn't the current world exactly the 'Age of Decadence' Buddha mentioned? There have been constant strange phenomena lately.

I don't understand why Buddha foresaw all this but didn't give a direct solution. Or why doesn't he use his supreme power to end the calamity instead of waiting for Maitreya to come and teach people again?"

The old monk silently got up, moved the kettle off the fire, and waited for the water to cool. He put a pinch of jasmine tea into a large clay tea pot and poured in the hot water.

Lin continued,

"Buddha predicted that only after Maitreya's reincarnation will this chaotic world return to normal. Before his nirvana, Buddha entrusted two artifacts to his disciples, instructing them to pass them to Maitreya.

When Maitreya accepts the artifacts, he will awaken to his past and present lives, beginning a new era of teaching and salvation.

But what if something goes wrong with the artifacts' inheritance? Wouldn't eternal darkness be like an endless night?"

"Drink some tea," the old monk handed over a cup of tea.

Lin took a sip instinctively,"The water's hot!" he exclaimed, spitting it out. The old monk smiled and drank slowly, unaffected.

"Don't you find it hot?" Lin asked curiously.

The old monk chuckled,"A cup of tea at 190 degrees Fahrenheit—some find it hot, some find it cool, some just right. The tea's temperature doesn't change; it's our hearts that waver." Linpaused in thought.

The old monk continued,"Young man, are you still worried about the end times? Whether you fear it or not, it will come! Whether you think it's good or bad, it will come!

"Living in this world, people hope good things happen to them and bad things to others. When encountering evil or bad events, they wish those responsible would go to hell. But Buddha told us the end times will come, bad things will come, just as in a forest there are predators and herbivores. People are mixed with good and bad; that's nature.

Do you think wolves are bad and rabbits good?"

Lin almost nodded but shook his head instead.

"So should we do nothing and let fate decide?" Lin asked, perplexed.

"If practitioners give up and wait for Maitreya to save us, we may wait another 10,000 years with no result," the old monk said slowly. "Everyone has a Buddha within them. Only by diligent practice can we have the chance to see him." The monk's words left Lin deep in thought.

"No matter the trials Buddhism faces, the true teachings won't be destroyed, just as disciples will pass down Buddha's artifacts through many hardships." The old monk continued drinking his tea calmly.

"Buddha wanted to teach us how to find inner peace and balance. Finding our Buddha nature means not being swayed by time, life, death, or emotions. This ultimate heart knows no distinctions between good and evil, saint and demon. I can't find your Buddha nature for you. All practices are fleeting like dew or lightning. Your path must be found by yourself."

Linfelt as if he stood before an abyss, his thoughts chaotic but knowing this was a journey of inner exploration and enlightenment.

"Have I wasted my time all these years?"

"No, we practitioners are fortunate to read Buddha's teachings, learning from his and others' experiences of finding their Buddha nature. We're already on the path, just still walking it." Linfelt a wave of shame, bowed his head, and left slowly.

The monk closed his eyes, surrounded by the fragrance of jasmine tea, a peaceful atmosphere filling the room.

---

Meanwhile, the forest was fraught with danger.

Alex's spear stood ready, keeping the intelligent flying assassins at bay, but their tactics kept evolving. Four assassins trembled, their speed increasing as they dove from four directions simultaneously.

Alex watched their trajectories, ready to shatter the final four, but noticed their target was just out of reach of his spear. The machines collided with an ear-piercing metallic screech!

Boom!

Metal fragments exploded like shrapnel, hitting a 10-meter radius. Leaves fell like they'd been shot.

"Dammit—!"

A flash of cold light in his eyes, Alex instinctively turned and shielded Brooke, his body absorbing the impact.

Shards tore into his back and head, soaking his clothes in blood. Pain blurred his vision until he finally blacked out.

-----------------

The night was deep, and the forest was filled with the scent of damp earth. Elder Yang moved nimbly among the trees, anxiously searching for his grandson, grumbling to himself.

"That cheeky boy, making such dangerous decisions without consulting me!"

He knew Jordan's nature all too well—full of youthful exuberance but lacking real combat experience. The forest had become a killing ground, and any delay could mean finding his grandson's cold, lifeless body.

Suddenly, he paused, his face changing as he slowly looked up at a massive ancient tree in the distance.

The night wind stirred, causing the treetops to tremble, casting dappled moonlight through the leaves. A soft sigh came from the canopy, and soon, a striking red figure appeared, like a blossoming flower.

A woman in a red qipao lazily leaned against the trunk, her long, white leg draped over a branch. The moonlight gave her an otherworldly sheen, creating a dangerous yet alluring beauty.

"Who knew Lord Gong would show up in person—what a surprise," Elder Yang spoke lightly, though worry weighed heavily on his heart.

Tonight's alien invasion was already mysterious enough, and the presence of one of the Ten Demon Generals, Lord Gong, was no coincidence.

The Demon King ruled a dark corner of the world, the enemy of the gods, hidden in shadows.

Few knew that where there were gods, there were also demons. The Demon King's claws reached everywhere, and his most loyal servants were the Ten Demon Generals.

Lord Gong before him was no ordinary general. She was the Demon King's trusted aide, delighting in manipulating minds and causing chaos, far more cunning than her peers.

Her presence here... what did it mean?

Elder Yang frowned, unable to waste time. He said coldly,"Lord Gong, I have no time for games. Move aside."

Lord Gong laughed softly, her jade hand covering her lips, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"Old Yang, the older you get, the more fiery you become. That's not good," she cooed, her gaze as sharp as a blade.

"Less talk," Elder Yang took a deep breath."Let's settle this quickly with a duel."

"Ha... Elder Yang, alone and unarmed, you think your life is worth betting on?" Lord Gong sneered, her tone mocking.

The duel was imminent.

Elder Yang's eyes darkened, his feet shifting slightly. In the next moment, he shot forward like an arrow, his long corn-stalk pipe thrusting at Lord Gong's brow like a spear!

Lord Gong raised her hand to block, her nails growing inches longer, sharp as red blades, trying to catch the pipe. But Elder Yang's attack didn't stop. He flicked the pipe, sending embers flying like sparks in the darkness, shooting at Lord Gong's eyes!

"Hmph!" Lord Gong snorted, her figure turning into a wisp of red smoke, vanishing.

In the next instant, she reappeared on the other side, but Elder Yang's fingers were already reaching, his hawk-like talons aiming for her heart—if he hit, he'd tear it out!

But Lord Gong just smiled seductively, twisting her waist to dodge, becoming smoke once more, avoiding the deadly strike.

Losing sight of her again, Elder Yang paused, listening intently. A ghostly laugh whispered beside him. He turned quickly, ready to change direction.

Suddenly, a wildflower's stem silently became a sharp spike, shooting at his carotid artery.

Elder Yang sensed the danger, spinning and crushing the spike into pink dust that floated away.

"Tricks!" he scoffed.

He lunged right, clawing at a blackened tree trunk. As he ripped away the bark, it turned into a red cloth. A scream echoed,"Old man, just ask if you want my stockings!"

The cloth turned to smoke, vanishing, leaving only a glimpse of white thigh.

The two clashed, attack and defense intertwined, every strike deadly.

The fight spread deeper into the forest, with Elder Yang unknowingly being drawn into darker depths...

Before him lay an open space, an ancient well covered in moss. Elder Yang approached cautiously, peering down. A thin mist around the well's rim made him freeze, unable to move his neck.

A woman's sly voice echoed,"Do you know the funniest joke I heard? Why did the old man fall in the well? Because he couldn't see that well!"

Lord Gong appeared behind Elder Yang, taunting with a cold smile."Weren't you always trying to catch me? Now that I'm here, why so still?"

Her smile grew triumphant as she pushed him into the ancient well.

"Fool, don't you see you've fallen for my trap?"

Elder Yang's heart sank, realizing—

He'd been led away!

And the real target... was Jordan and the others!