Above the Great Dao

Chapter 1271 596: Weathering Hard Times Together (Part 2)

Feng'an Land God said: "I am a minor being who violated the divine law and was beaten to death."

Chen Shi slightly frowned: "Violated the divine law?"

"A Divine has divine authority, and overstepping it is a violation of the divine law, punishable by death. My divine authority covers Feng'an County's land; whenever people from Feng'an County have requests, I strive to fulfill them. However, since the Bodhisattva from the Western Heaven arrived, many wealthy merchants and landlords of the county began donating a lot of land to the Bodhisattva's Mahana Bo Temple. The more they donated, the fewer places I could exercise my divine authority."

Feng'an Land God said, "One day, a woman came to me crying, saying a monk was forcing her daughter to become a bright concubine in the temple and asked me to get her daughter back. So I went to the Mahana Bo Temple, intending to steal her daughter back. As soon as I entered, I was caught and told I violated the divine law by entering Western Heaven's territory."

His complexion darkened as he said, "I was then beaten to death by those monks."

The Black Pot beside him asked in confusion: "Woof?"

Chen Shi nodded lightly in agreement, and asked: "So, was that bright concubine really forced by the monks to be bought?"

Feng'an Land God shook his head: "The woman and bright concubine also came, saying her daughter willingly joined Mahana Bo Temple, and there was no coercion or sale. I noticed her daughter's beauty, which led me to try to take her."

The Black Pot couldn't help but bark several times.

Chen Shi said: "The Black Pot says, could it be that the woman and the bright concubine were both part of a trap set by Mahana Bo Temple, aiming to make you overstep your authority, violate the divine law, and thus eliminate you? Otherwise, why were you caught just as you entered Mahana Bo Temple?"

Feng'an Land God remained silent for a moment, and said: "The woman cried sincerely, it didn't seem fake."

Chen Shi said: "They lured you to overstep your authority, caught you in the act, and after your death, there wouldn't be much divine competition for incense in Feng'an County, making the entire county his domain for incense."

Feng'an Land God shook his head and said: "This is just your speculation, no solid evidence."

Chen Shi paused, smiled and said: "Indeed, there's no solid evidence. Maybe, I'll practice my whole life without finding proof of this speculation."

Feng'an Land God's complexion darkened, saying: "I ran onto someone's territory and exercised divine authority, making me violate the divine law. That was Western Heaven's territory, they had every right to kill me."

Chen Shi nodded.

The divine law is the divine law; those who violate it will face execution.

"But, who is actually performing the Cloud Formation and Rainfall?" He still felt puzzled.

Feng'an Land God sighed, sat on the threshold of the Land God Temple, frowning: "Even if I live again, I am still a violator of the divine law."

Chen Shi laughed and said: "Come with me, I'll take you to see your disciple Chu Xiangxiu."

Feng'an Land God became spirited and said joyfully: "Xiangxiu has returned?"

Chen Shi laughed and said: "You've violated the divine law, and your disciple has violated it even more gravely. He is even better at causing trouble than you."

Feng'an Land God was shocked and hurriedly followed him.

Mahasthamaprapta Mud Bodhisattva watched Chen Shi lead the Land God toward him, somewhat surprised. He never thought this Heavenly Soldier would actually bring Feng'an County's Land God back to life!

Is this something that a Heavenly Soldier can really accomplish?

Chen Shi greeted the Mud Bodhisattva and recounted the incident, saying: "Bodhisattva, your monks at Mahana Bo Temple killed Feng'an County's Land God, leading to Chu Xiangxiu seeking revenge and paying incense to you, causing a case of Great Dao Contamination. The evidence is now conclusive. Bodhisattva, your temple monks abused punishment by executing a True God of the Heavenly Court, what crime is this?"

The Mud Bodhisattva said: "Is there such a thing? I was unaware. However, Mahana Bo Temple's territory belongs to the Western Heaven. He intruded into Western Heaven, attempting to abduct the bright concubine, violating the divine law, logically deserving death. My monks didn't make a mistake."

Chen Shi laughed and said: "Your temple monks purposely set up a trap, enticing the Land God to violate the divine law, seizing the opportunity to execute him. Murdering the True God of the Heavenly Court is also a violation of the divine law, deserving death. Did this matter come from the Bodhisattva's command?"

The Mud Bodhisattva slowly shook his head and said: "This was done by those monks, I wasn't aware. If I had known, I would have shown leniency and pardoned Feng'an County's land."

He changed his tone, saying lightly: "Chen Tianbing, you claim this matter was orchestrated by my temple monks, do you have concrete evidence? Without concrete evidence, it's best not to speak carelessly."

Chen Shi smiled and said: "And Chu Xiangxiu, who has violated the divine law, I must take him to the Heavenly Court for trial. Please, Bodhisattva, hand over Chu Xiangxiu."

The Mud Bodhisattva shook his head and said: "Chu Xiangxiu has committed numerous crimes, killed countless people, and slaughtered my monks from Mahana Bo Temple, he deserves to be sent to Western Heaven for trial."

Chen Shi's eyes flashed with fierceness, and Black Pot came out from behind him, flanking the Mud Bodhisattva from left and right.

The Mud Bodhisattva felt a chill in his heart, having suffered losses at the hands of Chen Shi and Black Pot before.

Chen Shi summoned the Purple Heaven Gourd, releasing two Sword Qi, sharper than before, and said coolly: "Please, Bodhisattva, give me face."

The Mud Bodhisattva hesitated for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand to withdraw the Eighteen Right Mind Beads. Chu Xiangxiu was already befuddled from being refined within the Buddha Beads' Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, tottering. Feng'an Land God rushed forward to support him.

At this moment, Zhang Xian and Zhong Lin, leading the soldiers of the Fire Camp, arrived, and Chen Shi motioned them to apprehend Chu Xiangxiu.

Everyone swarmed forward, using the Binding Immortal Rope and Binding Immortal Lock to tie up Chu Xiangxiu.

"Seize Feng'an Land God too!" Chen Shi ordered.

The crowd bound Feng'an Land God securely.

The Black Pot sprayed a mouthful of water on Chu Xiangxiu's face, making him gradually awaken, shocked and delighted upon seeing Feng'an Land God: "Master, you're alive!"

Feng'an Land God said: "Xiangxiu, you used Great Dao Contamination, turning everyone into mud figures? These people are fellow countrymen, with whom you have no grievances, let them go."

Chu Xiangxiu choked up in tears, responded affirmatively, and withdrew his Daoist skill.

Mud Bodhisattva held the Eighteen Right Mind Beads, while guarding against Chen Shi, glanced down to see his hands rapidly recovering, Golden Body returning, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

With his Golden Body restored, his power surged, no longer fearing a joint effort from Chen Shi and Black Pot.

For some unknown reason, he did not take action.

This transformation spread all around, where it passed, the mud figures restored to flesh and blood, various mud-made livestock, poultry, and beasts, each returned to their original state. However, some mud figures with dismembered limbs, in mud form, faced no threat of life, once restored to flesh and blood, injuries rapidly flared up, meeting their end.

There were also some people, unharmed, with only limbs or faces deformed, not returned to their original state, making their appearance and form bizarre.

Zhang Xian no longer activated the Exorcism Banner, which then whooshed into countless pieces, its power exhausted.

Chu Xiangxiu withdrew the Outer Dao; his body also gradually returned to normal, transforming into flesh and blood.

He was a tall, lanky young man, hunched over, somewhat shy.

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva's Golden Body restored, gazed deeply at Chen Shi, and said in a deep voice: "Mr. Chen, you truly have some means, I concede. I shall take not a penny from Feng'an County's incense. I will migrate Mahana Bo Temple, and from then Thunder Mystery Province, no longer has Western Heaven's Daoist Field."

Chen Shi looked at him in surprise, saying: "Bodhisattva, I am only following orders to handle a case, and have no intention of driving the Bodhisattva away. Why must you insist on moving?"

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva glanced at the sky and said: "Lost is lost, staying here is meaningless. You haven't found out who exactly is casting spells to bring rain, have you?"

Chen Shi nodded.

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva looked at the sky, eyes flickering: "I haven't found it either. But I suspect someone wants to take this chance to make me and the Thunder Department fight, and incite a conflict between Western Heaven and the Heavenly Court, at the cost of sacrificing tens of thousands of human lives. I come to spread the Dharma for incense and the Buddhist legacy, not to offend the Thunder Department, nor do I want to be someone else's tool."

Chen Shi looked up at the sky, lost in thought, thinking: "It's the work of an Immortal. This Immortal wants to provoke a war between Western Heaven and the Heavenly Court, weakening both sides. He's still in Feng'an County."