"Master Yongxin, please don't be overconfident."
"Yes, this is the evil creature's territory. Be careful of danger."
In the past, they would have definitely said, "Leave everything to Master Yongxin. With his strength, he can surely subdue the evil creature." But now... there was an inexplicable lack of trust.
"Do you have so little faith in this old monk?" Master Yongxin looked at them strangely. "Or did my cautious demeanor just now give you the wrong impression? Did you think I was weak and therefore should be afraid?"
He thought it over. It made sense.
Having Lin Fan around gave them a strong sense of security. But the evil shark's dramatic entrance, the fierce aura it exuded, was truly terrifying.
It was obvious at a glance that this was no ordinary evil creature.
"Master Yongxin, we believe in you."
"Absolutely."
"Just do what you can, and be careful."
Everyone encouraged Master Yongxin, but their actions betrayed their anxiety as they all edged closer to Lin Fan.
Lin Fan asked, "Do you need help?"
He noticed that the strange shark was enormous, while Master Yongxin was rather small. Furthermore, being elderly, he must be frail. Young people bullying the elderly was a very bad thing.
"No need. This old monk has been looking forward to this for a long time," Master Yongxin said firmly.
He longed to battle a powerful evil creature.
Of course, the previous evil cockroach demon didn't count. That thing was too strong.
Yongxin admitted he wasn't a match for it. He had to choose an opponent he thought he had a chance against, and absolutely nothing that could instantly kill him. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have the chance to cry for help.
He had to choose an evil creature that would give Lin Fan time to rescue him.
"This old monk wants to fight you."
Master Yongxin put his palms together, then widened his eyes in a wrathful glare, hoping to intimidate the evil shark with his gaze. However, the evil shark responded with a sudden halberd strike.
"I haven't even made a move, and you're already launching a sneak attack? How excessive!"
"Diamond Body!"
Master Yongxin's entire body radiated a golden light, as if coated in liquid gold. He met the halberd with his Great Compassion Palm.
Combat was a serious matter.
He had to give it his all.
Boom!
The halberd and palm collided, creating a shockwave that swept through the surroundings.
Master Yongxin smiled. In that brief exchange, he had gauged his opponent's strength and speed. Both were very strong and fast, but still within an acceptable range.
He could finally have a good fight.
He hoped to improve his cultivation in the process.
"Evil Shark Benefactor, your戾qi (negative energy) is too heavy. This old monk has a Buddhist scripture here. Reciting it for a few hours daily can help eliminate戾qi and achieve inner peace. As the saying goes, Buddha saves those who are destined. I see you, Evil Shark Benefactor, as the destined one in this old monk's heart."
"My Buddha's Golden Light Palm!"
While Master Yongxin spoke soothing words, his hands moved relentlessly, displaying the valiant and invincible might of a Buddhist master.
He fully embodied the ferocity of a tank.
Boom!
Boom!
Dull thuds echoed continuously. Even as a tank, he possessed absolute destructive power.
"Diamond Body!"
Master Yongxin braced against the halberd. With a clang, the halberd shattered.
The evil shark was momentarily stunned, clearly surprised by the toughness of his opponent's physical body. Master Yongxin, however, felt the impact of that blow.
Despite his Diamond Body, the evil shark's strength was truly formidable.
"Well done! This old monk will save you!" Master Yongxin's palms glowed with golden light as he struck his opponent. For years, he had been part of a four-person team, acting as the tank, charging forward. He was used to being hit.
That was why he had taken that blow head-on, even though he could have dodged it.
Who said the esteemed Master Yongxin didn't like showing off?
Even in his old age, he still had a heart that yearned to impress.
The surrounding special agents marveled.
"Master Yongxin is indeed one of Yanhai City's top experts. His physical body is too strong."
"Yes, Buddhist masters are known for being tanks. Everyone loves to team up with them."
"This evil shark is among the strongest at the City Guardian level, but judging by the current situation, it's losing ground. Master Yongxin's strength is truly impressive."
They sang his praises.
Lin Fan watched with excitement. Seeing Master Yongxin's battle, his blood boiled.
"Lin Fan, what's wrong?" Old Zhang asked curiously.
Lin Fan replied, "Their fight is so intense. It's giving me some ideas."
"I've noticed you've changed," Old Zhang sighed. "You weren't like this before. Back at Qingshan Mental Hospital, you loved nature, cherished peace, and never liked fighting with others."
But now... he realized Lin Fan had truly changed.
"No, I feel like this is a form of cultivation. Don't you think I'm right?" Lin Fan said.
"It seems to make sense. It's like when I give people acupuncture. Only by practicing more can I improve. Since I started giving those people acupuncture, I've found my skills have improved." Old Zhang pondered, feeling that Lin Fan had a point.
Drip!
It started to rain.
A light drizzle fell, landing on their heads.
Master Yongxin looked up, frowning. Why did it have to start raining?
"Hahahaha..." The evil shark laughed狰狞ly, spreading its arms and reveling in the power brought by the rain. It slowly lowered its head, its ferocious eyes fixed on Master Yongxin. "Foolish bald donkey, do you know what rain means to me?"
"Amitabha, Evil Benefactor, if you must insult this old monk, you may call me a bald donkey. But could you perhaps omit the word 'foolish'? This old monk possesses a wise Buddha heart and does not consider himself foolish." Master Yongxin chanted, feeling wronged by the insult.
"Heh." The evil shark sneered. Its skin, nourished by the rain, crackled as its muscles bulged, its form becoming even more imposing, like dark steel, brimming with explosive power.
In the blink of an eye, the evil shark vanished. Its dorsal fin acted like a jet engine, creating a sonic boom as it propelled itself forward.
"Such speed!"
"This pressure... this old monk's heart is pounding."
Master Yongxin felt a hint of pressure.
This pressure was self-imposed. No matter what, Master Yongxin believed he was not inferior to this evil shark.
"What?"
Master Yongxin exclaimed.
The evil shark appeared before him, its five fingers spread wide, covering his face and gripping it tightly. Then, with a violent swing, it hurled him towards a distant tree. With a crash, the tree snapped. This sudden turn of events gave Master Yongxin a bad feeling.
"Well played, Evil Benefactor. Your strength increases with the rain. Truly astonishing." Master Yongxin coughed up blood, forcing a smile to hide his embarrassment.
Inwardly, he cursed.
Damn it, this evil shark was way too strange.
The observing special agents discussed the situation.
"This is bad. Master Yongxin seems to be struggling."
"This evil shark is very strange. It becomes stronger with the rain. Master Yongxin had a slight advantage before, but now it's gone."
"Mount Tai is truly terrifying. We haven't even reached the collapsed area, and we've already encountered such a powerful evil creature. If we reach the innermost part, the evil creatures there must be..."
They couldn't imagine it.
The special department had wanted to investigate the collapsed sinkhole on Mount Tai for a long time, but everyone knew it wasn't a place you could just go to as you pleased.
It depended on whether the evil creatures would let you.
Even Master Yongxin, one of Yanhai City's peak experts, was encountering a formidable opponent. Would they need multiple people to clear this area?
It seemed highly unlikely.
Almost impossible.
Master Yongxin's fighting spirit was ignited. A strange feeling surged through him. Without hesitation, he unleashed his ultimate move and engaged the evil shark in a fierce battle. Each collision generated violent shockwaves.
"Prajna Palm!"
Seizing an opportunity, Master Yongxin struck the evil shark's abdomen with a palm strike. This palm technique possessed immense penetrating power, capable of shattering internal organs. Even if it was an evil creature, surely it couldn't survive having its organs pulverized.
Boom!
Master Yongxin landed the blow and smiled. The evil shark stumbled back a few steps but remained steady.
Awkward.
Master Yongxin felt uneasy. The situation wasn't unfolding as he had envisioned. He looked up and saw the evil shark's contemptuous gaze fixed on him.
The evil shark swung a paw.
"I'll take it!"
Master Yongxin roared, appearing as if he would take the hit head-on. But with ghostly speed, his hands pressed against the evil shark's body, delivering a flurry of palm strikes, each imbued with terrifying power.
The Eighteen Buddha Hand Techniques.
Similar in principle to the Daoist Roaming Dragon Eight Trigrams Palm.
However, for Master Yongxin, the Roaming Dragon Eight Trigrams Palm was nothing special. All martial arts originated from Shaolin. Buddhist martial arts were the best in the world; all others were mere imitations.
Master Yongxin, the tank, displayed unprecedented agility.
He usually tanked hits to show off his prowess. Tanking was always the most domineering and visually impressive tactic.
"Evil Shark Benefactor, how about this old monk's Eighteen Buddha Hand Techniques?"
Master Yongxin smiled.
He appeared confident.
But inwardly, he was panicking. The evil shark's abilities had increased significantly, a drastic change from before.
Now, he was constantly dodging the evil shark's attacks. Although none of the shark's blows landed directly, the wind generated by its paws was razor-sharp, slicing his face painfully.
Slap!
As Master Yongxin dodged, the evil shark struck, grabbing his face. Then, with a single step, it slammed him into a giant tree.
Boom!
The tree shattered.
Master Yongxin spat out blood, his eyes wide with shock. He hadn't expected the evil shark's strength to be so overwhelming.
"Foolish bald donkey, die!"
The evil shark drew back its arm, clenching its fist, preparing to crush Master Yongxin's head with a single punch.
Master Yongxin's expression remained calm.
Even if the punch landed, his head wouldn't explode. At worst, he'd suffer a concussion.
He was so composed because he still had a trump card.
This trump card was his greatest reliance. Then, Master Yongxin yelled at the top of his lungs:
"Lin Fan, save me!"
His cry for help was loud and clear.
Full of vigor.
He didn't sound like someone who had just been beaten up by an evil shark.
"Foolish bald donkey, no one can save you!"
The evil shark roared.
It threw a punch, its thick arm bulging with狰狞veins, the force terrifying.
Slap!
"Don't do that."
Lin Fan grabbed the evil shark's wrist, instantly stopping its punch. Then, he grasped the arm that was choking Master Yongxin and gently pried it open. Shaking his head, he said, "He doesn't want to fight you anymore. Let him go."
Cough! Cough!
Master Yongxin coughed a few times, clearing his throat.
He could have continued fighting the evil shark, but the end result would have been serious injuries, and he might not even win.
Since that was the case, there was no need to continue.
Admitting defeat wasn't shameful.
Moreover, he was a Buddhist powerhouse, well-versed in Buddhist scriptures, and unwilling to fight with others. To put it bluntly, if he wanted to find an excuse, he could find dozens right now, and you wouldn't be able to refute them.
That's how domineering he was.
"Lin Fan, after exchanging blows with this evil being for a short while, this old monk has gained some insights and no longer wishes to continue the fight. I'll leave the rest to you," Master Yongxin said calmly.
He decisively retreated to the side of the team members.
Before the members could say anything, Master Yongxin smiled and said, "You all saw the battle just now. It was pretty much a draw between me and the evil being. However, this rain is falling rather strangely. It seems to be enhancing the evil being's strength, leaving this old monk somewhat caught off guard."
The special department members nodded silently.
Yes, the eminent monk was absolutely right.
Although they all had eyes, at a time like this, they were willing to pretend to be blind. Whatever the other party said was right, and they didn't want to argue.
There was no need.
Not a single bit of need.
Then everyone looked at Lin Fan.
For them, the situation between Lin Fan and the evil shark was what they were most looking forward to. They wondered if it would turn into a fierce battle.
"The scars on your body look very cool," Lin Fan said, looking up and smiling at the evil shark.
The evil shark widened its furious eyes and stared directly at Lin Fan. "Do you want to die?"
Lin Fan shook his head. "No."
"Heh heh," the evil shark let out a gloomy chuckle. "Pitiful little thing, that's not something you can avoid just because you don't want it to happen. Your naivety makes me want to laugh."
"Hahaha."
The evil shark's laughter was ferocious. Suddenly, his smile froze, and he struck directly, a fist slamming into Lin Fan's face. A dull booming sound echoed, and the heavy force vibrated through the air in rippling waves.
"You look so ferocious, and yet you're so unfriendly. I just complimented your scars, and you suddenly hit me. That's really unpleasant."
Lin Fan pushed a palm against the evil shark's chest.
"Huh?"
The evil shark's eyes widened abruptly, as if it had seen a ghost.
This power...
The evil shark's back suddenly bulged. With a bang, its huge body flew backward, crashing through one giant tree after another.
"It's over already?"
The special department members stared blankly at the scene before them.
Then they looked at Master Yongxin.
Although they didn't say anything, the meaning in their eyes was clear.
The difference was a bit big, wasn't it?
You fought to the death, but Lin Fan sent him flying with a single palm. Judging by the current situation, it seems like the other party will have a hard time getting up.
"Ahem!"
Master Yongxin coughed lightly.
"Wow, Lin Fan, you're so amazing! Much better than that bald donkey," Xiao Bao clapped excitedly.
Master Yongxin felt that this little friend was not respectful enough towards him.
He needed a good lesson.
Far away, the evil shark's entire body was embedded in the mountainside. Rolling its eyes and sticking out its tongue, it had lost consciousness from that single palm strike.
The soil loosened.
The evil groundhog poked its head out and sighed. "The weak are so fond of humiliating themselves."
Then it burrowed into the ground and dug its way out.
Four technicians came to Lin Fan's side. "Lin Fan, we want to take a look inside. Can you take us in?"
"Sure," Lin Fan smiled.
"But it will be very dangerous inside," a technician said.
Lin Fan said calmly, "I will protect you. Stay close to me, and I won't let you get hurt."
The biggest dream of a technician was to pursue the truth.
They really wanted to know what was going on with the Mount Tai landslide.
And now Lin Fan gave them a great sense of security. This sense of security wasn't something they could just imagine; it was a personal experience. Master Yongxin was very powerful, indeed, but compared to Lin Fan, he was simply incomparable.
Master Yongxin said, "You tech nerds, don't lose your lives in pursuit of the truth."
The other strong members of the department nodded silently, agreeing with Master Yongxin's words.
Lin Fan said, "It's okay. When we get inside, just stay close to me. I can protect you."
The technicians were reassured. With Lin Fan's confirmation, they packed up their things and continued forward. Master Yongxin sighed helplessly. They were truly a group of people who would risk their lives for the pursuit of truth.
Yanhai City, Special Department.
One-Eyed Man stayed in the monitoring department, tracking the latest news at any time.
Tang Wensheng said, "They are about to reach the landslide area. It's extremely dangerous. Moreover, according to the data just retrieved, the situation at Mount Tai is not good. The frequency of crustal activity is extremely high. Do you think the rumors about Mount Tai are true or false? Could it really be the opening of a passage to hell, and the evil beings are coming out from there?"
"Do you believe it?" One-Eyed Man asked.
Tang Wensheng said, "I don't. I always believe in science."
"I do," One-Eyed Man said.
He didn't believe it before, but after some things, he really started to believe it, and as they continued to investigate, his belief grew stronger.
Tang Wensheng was speechless. It was difficult. One-Eyed Man was the leader, and whatever the leader said was right. Contradicting the leader was a very bad habit. If you wanted to have a good life, you had to praise the leader well.
"They shouldn't go any deeper. It's too dangerous," he changed the subject.
One-Eyed Man shook his head. "No, I think this is an opportunity. I believe in Lin Fan's strength. If we miss this opportunity, there won't be another chance to learn about the situation at Mount Tai. This will be hugely beneficial for humanity."
"Uh!" Tang Wensheng didn't want to say anything. He always felt that One-Eyed Man was targeting him. No matter what he said, One-Eyed Man would say the opposite. Was it his illusion, or had he discovered the truth?
Mount Tai.
"From here on, cracks start to appear in the ground, and there's gas escaping from the fissures in some places. Collect some and take it back for research. We might discover something."
A technician was collecting gas, which was like a volcanic eruption, with hot air surging up from the depths of the earth.
Only there was no smell of sulfur.
There was no peculiar smell at all.
It was obviously not the kind of gas they knew.
Master Yongxin chatted with Xiao Bao. He felt that this little friend didn't have a very good impression of him. As a practitioner of Buddhism, he had a benevolent face and looked like a kind old grandfather.
Women liked him, old ladies liked him, why did children dislike him?
"Xiao Bao, do you have an opinion about this old monk?" Master Yongxin asked.
Xiao Bao rolled his eyes and glanced at him. "Hypocrite."
Master Yongxin touched his face and then his kidney.
Not fake, and not obscene either.
"Lin Fan, you really will protect us later, right?" a technician asked cautiously.
Lin Fan touched his head and gave a confident smile. "Don't worry, I will protect you."
A young man stroking an old man's head. The scene was always disharmonious. It felt like something was wrong. Be good.
"I used to cultivate often."
"I am very strong."
"I can protect all of you."
Lin Fan spoke with the utmost confidence, giving them infinite motivation. Soon, they saw the sunken pit ahead, surrounded by many evil beings.
Those evil beings were lying at the edge of the collapsed pit, their bodies leaning forward, as if they were looking inside, or as if they were inhaling the smell emanating from within.
"That is..."
"Black gas, somewhat different from what we just collected."
"No, look, there are evil beings crawling out of the pit. Are they really coming out of hell?"
They talked softly among themselves, and their appearance also attracted the attention of the evil beings. However, those evil beings didn't pay attention to these humans, continuing to do their own thing as if nothing had happened. Occasionally, they would let out roars, as if they were saying something.
The evil rooster was very panicked. It could sense how much danger was hidden around. Those compatriots ignored the humans, not because they didn't see them, but because they simply didn't take humans seriously. Because the evil beings had just said, let's ignore the humans first, they are already doomed, let's absorb this gas first.
It never thought that stupid humans would court death like this.
Even if you are very powerful, so what?
Can you see where you have already arrived?
The collapsed land of Mount Tai, where evil beings haunt, is not a place where just anyone can come.
"Wait."
Master Yongxin shouted, pointing to a stone tablet half-buried in the ground.
"There's a stone tablet here."
Master Yongxin grabbed the stone tablet and pulled it out of the soil. The stone tablet was covered with mud, obscuring the words on it.
"Master Yongxin, what is this?"
"I don't know, let's see what's written on it first."
This was their first time here.
It was also the first time they had discovered a stone tablet here.
Everyone gathered around.
Master Yongxin wiped the mud off the stone tablet. Soon, a line of characters appeared in everyone's eyes.
"Demon Subduing!"
Their expressions changed slightly.
"This is an ancient artifact, I estimate it's at least several hundred years old."
"No, more than that, I think it's over a thousand years old."
They felt that this object was not simple, definitely not as simple as they thought. First of all, the two words 'Demon Subduing' represented some terrifying meaning.
Is the evil being a demon?
Is the Demon Subduing Stele useless? Did the evil being emerge from beneath it?
Master Yongxin rapidly brushed away the dirt on the stone stele, revealing more inscriptions.
"What kind of characters are these?"
"They're so strange, I've never seen them before. But somehow, they feel like both Buddhist and Daoist scriptures. They resemble the characters I've seen on ancient porcelain excavated by archaeological teams."
"Master Yongxin, take a look, are these what I think they are?"
Among the people present, only Master Yongxin was a high-ranking Buddhist monk. If even he didn't know, then they could only take the stele back for further research.
"These do seem to be ancient Buddhist scriptures, but I've never encountered them before. However, focusing my senses, I can still feel a faint trace of Buddhist power."
Another powerful Daoist priest said, "I find these characters somewhat similar to some Daoist scriptures, but they are more peculiar. I'm not certain if they are Daoist scriptures either."
A technician suggested, "Why don't we bring the stele back and study it slowly? Perhaps we can learn about the situation here."
It was a reasonable suggestion.
With the appearance of this stele, everyone's minds became active.
Before this, they had no idea what the situation was, but now, this stele made them feel that something wasn't quite right.
Demon Subduing!
Someone had sealed this place in the past, but later the seal dissipated, and the evil beings emerged to wreak havoc.
"I sense a very dangerous aura," Lin Fan said calmly.
Xiaobao tugged on Lin Fan's hand and asked, "Is it very dangerous?"
Lin Fan nodded. "Very dangerous. I sense a very dangerous being hidden here. I really want to have a good fight with it. I like strong opponents, I like battling with the strong."
He could sense the powerful being hidden in the depths.
Master Yongxin and the others looked at Lin Fan gravely. They knew Lin Fan would never speak carelessly. Based on what he said, there was likely a powerful entity within the deep pit.
"Are you confident?" Master Yongxin asked.
He had come this far under immense pressure. If it weren't for Lin Fan's presence, he wouldn't have come here even if he were beaten to death. Regardless of whether they could detect any useful data, he would have retreated while still on the periphery.
Lin Fan smiled. "I don't know, but I'm not afraid at all. Winning or losing is a normal part of a fight."
Shocked! Master Yongxin stared at Lin Fan in disbelief.
Truthfully, winning or losing was indeed normal, but if they lost, their lives would be forfeit.
"Ah! Not good, those evil beings are coming!" a technician exclaimed in panic.
He was rather timid and had been keeping an eye on their surroundings. He was truly nervous facing those evil beings, afraid they would suddenly attack.
But what he feared came to pass.
"Don't panic, they might just be curious about us. I'll go drive them away," Lin Fan said.
At this moment, the evil beings slowly gathered, roaring angrily. Their voices were deafening, echoing throughout the area. The combined roars of so many evil beings created a significant impact.
"You all should leave," Lin Fan waved at the evil beings.
The evil beings were briefly stunned.
"Does the human look down on us?"
"No, the human seems to be looking down on you."
"Devour it."
"I heard from the groundhog that the human is very strong. And look at the evil chicken next to him, that's a traitor to our kind."
Evil beings were arrogant. Regardless of whether what their companions said was true, it didn't matter to them. As long as it was spoken, it must be true.
A leopard-like evil being roared and pounced directly at Lin Fan.
"Don't be silly."
Lin Fan grabbed it and casually tossed it into the distance.
"Roar!"
The evil leopard flew through the air, limbs outstretched, tail tucked between its legs, its gaze vacant, expression stunned. What am I doing? Why am I flying? I'm so confused. Someone tell me what's happening.
Uproar!
The evil beings stared at the scene in astonishment, fear in their hearts.
The human brought by the traitor was strong.
Cluck, cluck!
The evil chicken couldn't just stand by and watch. It raised its head and crowed, "Send out our strongest comrade."
Woof, woof!
Howl!
Instantly, the evil beings erupted, various creatures roaring angrily, "Traitor, don't be so arrogant! Bringing a human here and letting our comrades be harmed, you will be the most hated existence in the history of evil beings!"
"What the…" The evil chicken wanted to slap itself a few times. It had kindly reminded its comrades, its meaning clear: you are being sent to die for no reason, you should let the strongest evil being deal with the human.
Now it seemed like it was its fault.
When did it ever mean that?
Was it necessary to slander it like this?
The evil chicken wanted to say something, but thought better of it.
In despair, it didn't want to say another word.
Whatever.
No matter what they thought, it didn't care anymore.
As a hero among evil beings, the evil chicken always had an indomitable spirit. From its past rebuttals to its current silence, it all represented its progress, its resilience endlessly increasing.
This was a good thing.
Lin Fan said, "I'll take you over there. You can go about your business, and if there's any danger, I'll swat it away."
The technicians were very calm.
Capable people always made others feel safe.
The group walked towards the deep pit.
The evil beings in the distance bared their fangs, revealing ferocious expressions, but they didn't move recklessly. They had all witnessed what happened to the leopard. If there was any slight danger, they would follow the principle of "enemy doesn't move, I don't move; enemy moves, I'll see who on our side moves."
If someone took the lead, it would be best.
But if not,
Then they would wait.
Soon, they reached the edge of the deep pit. The technicians threw their equipment into the pit, wanting to see its internal structure. They quickly opened their detection computers, observing the various data. As the data changed, smiles appeared on their faces.
But soon, their expressions turned to helplessness.
The equipment malfunctioned.
Just as they suspected, the situation in the deep pit was complex, not as simple as they had imagined.
"What's the situation?" Master Yongxin asked.
The technicians shook their heads. "No good. The equipment is experiencing severe interference, there's no signal at all. If only we could go down into the pit to investigate."
Master Yongxin looked at them with an incredulous expression.
"Could you please not be so excessive?"
He felt these technicians were crazy.
Reaching here safely was already fortunate.
And they still wanted to go down?