Free Web NovelChapter 1139: Chapter 773: Dead Mouth Lama_2
Before long, the White Robe Venerable stepped onto a white staircase and slowly ascended to the highest point of the temple. At the same time, the door of the white pagoda at the top slowly opened, revealing a statue inside.
The statue stood six to seven meters tall, with most of its body made of white jade. It had fangs protruding from its mouth and a ferocious face, and it possessed twelve arms. What was most terrifying was that each hand held a mangled human body part.
Some held organs like hearts, livers, and intestines, while others clutched limbs like hands, feet, and thighs. The two hands in the center were clasped together in a gesture of benevolence and compassion, yet in the palms was a bloody human head.
Yang Xiao took a deep breath, certain that this was no benevolent deity, but a bloodthirsty sinister god.
After paying homage to this sinister god, the White Robe Venerable turned and walked toward a bronze tripod furnace at the side of the deity statue.
Guided by Tai Wenqin, Yang Xiao secured a good vantage point, lifting his head for a clearer view. He noticed that this bronze tripod furnace resembled the one he had seen with Second Demon Uncle, although the latter’s seemed more exquisite.
An attendant boy came forward and opened the furnace, where a fierce fire was already blazing beneath.
Followers behind had already lifted large jars into place. The entire crowd fell silent, and nearly every pair of eyes was fixed on the furnace, filled with greed and fervor.
Upon the White Robe Venerable’s command, the seals on the six large jars were removed, and pieces of dismembered corpses soaked in the jars were lifted out, first shown to the devotees below, then tossed into the furnace.
With each display, the crowd below erupted in roaring cheers until a complete human skin was taken out and propped up with a bamboo pole.
The skin was remarkably fresh, the expertise of the flayer astoundingly precise; there was no cut mark visible, and even the facial skin was intact, complete with a dark braided pigtail still attached to the scalp.
Yang Xiao recognized this braid. The girl who was dragged away last night had such a braid at the back of her head.
His chest felt incredibly suppressed, as the girl’s previously blurry face sharpened in his memory. Hearing the overwhelming cheers in his ears, Yang Xiao’s head ached as if pricked by needles.
After all the dismembered parts were thrown into the furnace, several large loads of goods were brought up, stuffed in burlap sacks, bulging. An attendant boy opened a sack for display, revealing its contents were black substances.
Yang Xiao immediately associated it with the black powder smoked by the innkeeper, likely the same thing, but clearly the contents of the sack were of higher quality.
The group even threw the sacks directly into the furnace without opening them.
As time ticked by, Yang Xiao could feel the pressure from the crowd behind, everyone pushing forward.
"Let’s go, it’s about to get chaotic," Tai Wenqin said, placing a hand on Yang Xiao’s shoulder, guiding him backward through the throng.
Yang Xiao had a rough idea of what was about to happen. Once this whole furnace’s worth of black grass was incinerated, it would likely be distributed to the followers present, inevitably causing chaos and looting.
The Dharma Sect didn’t regard these followers as humans; they were merely nourished slaves or tools.
"Tai, are you part of the Dharma Sect?" Once they had escaped that dreadful place, walking side by side on an empty street, Yang Xiao finally voiced the question that had long haunted him.
"Of course not. I don’t belong to any faction. I’m merely responsible to my clients. They pay me, so I owe them my trust," Tai Wenqin said firmly.
"Taking money to avert disaster, that’s a kind of morality as well." Yang Xiao nodded.
The two of them returned to the inn, and upon entering, they encountered Captain Zhao standing guard in the courtyard. His injuries were bandaged, though he appeared pale.
"Mr. Yang, the boss is waiting for you upstairs," Captain Zhao said with a businesslike expression.
Upstairs, Professor Cui was reading. Seeing Yang Xiao return, he raised his head to greet him, "So, Little Yang, what’s your impression?"
"This place is terrible. These people are beasts." What truly disgusted Yang Xiao was not those mutilated bodies, but the callousness and cruelty of these followers.
Professor Cui nodded, placing his book face down on the table, and sighed slowly, "I felt exactly the same when I first witnessed this scene. From that moment, I swore silently to myself: never let such tragedy repeat on our land."
"Evil cultivators must be eradicated, but to be honest, our domestic ones are not as vile as this bunch," Yang Xiao concluded.
Professor Cui shook his head, correcting in a knowing tone, "That’s because you haven’t truly encountered those bastards. Their methods are far worse than you can imagine."
"Are you talking about the Black Buddha Mother?" Yang Xiao suddenly recalled.
"They are one of the worst branches. Remember, don’t mention the Black Buddha Mother to outsiders here, and keep our true identity hidden. The Yin Temple is at odds with us, and if our identity is exposed, we’ll be in grave danger."
"We once made a pact with the Yin Temple, agreeing not to step into each other’s territory; otherwise, it’s kill on sight," Professor Cui spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Rest assured, you’ve reminded me many times on our way here." Yang Xiao reassured him.
"Better safe than sorry. To be honest, my right eyelid has been twitching badly since last night," Professor Cui rubbed his eye corner, his expression slightly uneasy.
"Let’s do our task well and return quickly. This ghost place doesn’t feel good to me either," Yang Xiao admitted.
"I’ve already contacted the intermediary to inform the Dharma Sect; we’re trading tonight. You’ll come with me then."
"Alright."
After a good half-day’s rest, Yang Xiao felt much better. As night fell, the group took their goods to a two-story building adorned with White Lanterns.
After showing their badge, they were led inside. Behind the building was a courtyard, filled with white-clad Dharma Sect followers. This seemed to be one of the Dharma Sect’s strongholds.
Tai Wenqin accompanied them throughout, assisting as a translator, displaying a conscientious diligence that further raised Yang Xiao’s opinion of him.
Before long, Yang Xiao and his group met the one in charge—a haggard-faced, diminutive old man, whose white clothes sharply contrasted with his dark skin.
"Mr. Tai, you may leave now; your task here is done," Professor Cui dismissed Tai Wenqin, leaving only Yang Xiao with him, seated at a table opposite the old man of the Dharma Sect.
As the Dharma Sect elder spoke, Yang Xiao was surprised to find that Professor Cui could converse fluently in the difficult Myanmar-Tai language, engaging in unimpeded dialogue with the elder.
The conversation lasted a while, with several intense exchanges suggesting negotiations.
Yang Xiao couldn’t comprehend a word, but seeing the fuming demeanor of the Dharma Sect elder, he worried that they might break out into a fight at any moment, particularly as this was the sect’s territory. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Fortunately, they eventually reached an accord. The Dharma Sect elder clapped his hands, and several followers came forward, opening the crates they brought in full view of everyone.
Sure enough, as Yang Xiao had speculated, the crates contained Magic Artifacts, stored in smaller boxes. Someone took notes, another photographed each item.
After everything was done, the crates were carried away, and the Dharma Sect elder handed a signed receipt to Professor Cui, along with a new Bone Token.
Professor Cui exchanged a few words with the elder, who then turned his gaze upon Yang Xiao, eyes filled with scrutiny, finally nodding begrudgingly after about half a minute.
Seeing this, Professor Cui’s face lit up with a touch of delight, "Little Yang, they’ve agreed. Prepare yourself; someone will soon take you to meet the Dead Mouth Lama."
"You can ask any questions you want, but remember, you only have one chance, so choose wisely and ask what matters most to you."
