Chapter 68: Recruitment?
In the midst of his tirade, the man's voice abruptly ceased, replaced by a contorted expression of agony. At that very moment—
“Clang!”
The kick landed squarely on the bald man, but instead of a dull thud, the sound echoed like a bell struck in a temple—clear and piercing, resonating through the air. The white man's body was hurled backward, while the bald monk remained steadfast, unmoving as if rooted to the earth.
The bell's peals reverberated. A golden, ethereal bell emerged around the monk, shielding him securely. Sanskrit script flowed across its surface, luminous and sacred, casting a blinding radiance over mountains and rivers.
“He's... not normal!” One quick-witted Esper from the Phoenix Society stared fixedly at the monk’s robes, recalling something with a trembling voice: “Grand Xia, the Buddhist Order.”
“Amitabha.”
Compassion Master opened his eyes. His gentle features transformed instantly, suffused with murderous intent. Behind him, the phantom of a Vajra slowly materialized—eyes ablaze with wrath.
“My Buddha is merciful.”
“Today, I shall personally send you all to the Western Paradise.”
The Vajra Demon-Subduing Staff descended with thunderous force!
Buddhist energy surged, golden light illuminating everything. The wrathful Vajra’s phantom hefted a hundred-meter staff, smashing it down upon the six adversaries.
“Boom!”
The might of the Buddha swept forth! Terrifying pillars of golden light burst from the ground, piercing the sky. Three Espers were slain instantly by the crushing blow, vanished within the brilliance, their souls sent to the Western Paradise.
The remaining three clung desperately to the staff, exerting every ounce of strength to prevent Compassion Master from pulling it back.
“Don’t let him retract it!”
“We can’t withstand a second blow!”
“As long as he doesn’t get it back, we’re safe—his entire power is in that staff!”
These three Espers were astute; they saw at a glance that though the Demon-Subduing Staff was formidable, Compassion Master’s strength was bound to it. If they controlled the staff, the battle would be won without suspense.
Yet, as they clung for dear life, refusing to let go, Compassion Master calmly released his hold.
The three were stunned.
He... abandoned the staff?
Under their bewildered gazes, Compassion Master slowly rolled up his sleeves, a gentle smile lingering at his lips.
“Amitabha.”
He removed his monk’s robe.
With a rustle, the robe fell away, revealing a muscular physique beneath. A dragon tattoo snaked across his shoulder.
In that moment, Compassion Master transformed—from benevolent monk to fierce street brawler, exuding an aura utterly opposed to Buddhist compassion.
His fists, the size of sandbags, crackled as his knuckles tightened.
With a serene smile, his gaze turned chilling as he looked at the three dumbfounded Espers.
“You may not understand the Buddhist Order,” he said. “Our staff technique is unrivaled. But as for unarmed martial arts, in Grand Xia, only Wudang can compare.”
“Bang!”
He struck the air with both fists, unleashing a terrifying sonic boom—even the light twisted as the air compressed violently.
“Disciple Compassion, requests the aid of the Tiger-Taming Arhat!”
He invoked the Buddha’s name.
In the next instant, the staff-wielding Vajra vanished, replaced by a muscular Arhat with formidable fists, astride a dying tiger.
The Tiger-Taming Arhat!
Compassion Master assumed a fighting stance, enunciating each word: “Grand Xia Buddhist Order, Arhat Fist. Please enlighten me.”
“Clang.”
The three Espers, still gripping the iron staff, were stupefied; the staff dropped to the floor with a crisp sound.
Meanwhile, in the Phoenix Society’s hall—
“Roar!”
The distant sound of a tiger’s bellow reached them. Lin Fan nodded, turning to Dao Wanqian: “Those who fled have been dealt with.”
Dao Wanqian: “…”
He didn’t doubt it; the terrifying disturbance in the distance was palpable even across a street. Even Dao Wanqian, leader of the Daoist Order, had to admit that Compassion Master, of the Buddhist Order, was as powerful as himself.
“So now…” Dao Wanqian glanced at the stairs leading to the second floor.
Lin Fan also looked toward them, as if sensing something. He spoke softly: “No need for us to go—the main player has arrived.”
Meanwhile—
“Clap.”
“Clap.”
“Clap.”
A rhythmic applause echoed from the stairwell.
A young white man, regal in appearance, draped in a scarlet cloak, descended the stairs, smiling as he applauded.
On his cloak, a lifelike flaming phoenix spread its wings, its dazzling feathers glowing in the darkness, eyes flickering with fire.
“Phoenix,” Lin Fan said, expressionless.
The Phoenix smiled, his gaze free of anger, courteous instead: “Your skills are impressive—I admire you.”
Lin Fan was momentarily surprised: “You speak Grand Xia’s tongue?”
Indeed, Phoenix not only spoke it, but fluently.
“This phoenix taught me,” the white man said, pointing to the cloak’s emblem.
Lin Fan’s gaze was puzzled.
He possessed memories from his previous life and had foreknowledge of certain matters, but he had never confronted the Phoenix Society’s leader directly. He’d only heard the Phoenix died at the hands of a high-level spatial deity, after which neither the man nor his cloak were ever seen again.
But now, this cloak seemed more than mere fabric.
The Society leader’s abilities appeared more complex than imagined.
“You’ve killed many in my Phoenix Society,” the leader said, glancing at the bodies strewn across the hall.
Lin Fan, expressionless, gripped his short blade and crushed a skull beneath his heel: “Dissatisfied?”
Blood dripped from the blade.
“Don’t misunderstand—I have no desire to fight you,” the leader replied, smiling serenely, showing no intention of hostility. “These men, dead as they are, it matters little. Though the success rate of human genetic modification is low now, soon we’ll produce more—stronger ones.”
“In fact, their deaths are valuable. They prove your excellence.”
“My Freemason philosophy is that the excellent should rule this world. The mediocre should live according to our plans.”
He looked at the group, smiling: “So rather than kill you, I’d prefer to make a deal.”
“If you join Phoenix Society, serve the Freemasons, I’ll let bygones be bygones.”
“I won’t kill you—indeed, I can provide resources.”
“So, what do you say?”
The Society leader smiled at Lin Fan and the others, his right hand swirling with the fiery essence of the phoenix.