The night was somber, the moon casting a thin layer of frost.
In the courtyard, ancient trees towered all around, and under the moonlight, mottled black shadows appeared on the walls.
The surroundings were deathly silent, seemingly devouring all sound; Li Yan could even clearly hear his own breathing. Around him, the statues of Buddha, the incense burners, and ancient trees all exuded a strange aura.
"Elder, I’m here!"
Li Yan’s eyes were filled with vigilance as he called out loudly.
However, no one responded.
Li Yan squinted and glanced around, slowly drawing the Duan Chen Blade, pushing off with his feet to fly backward, leaving the courtyard of the Great Hall.
The situation before him was clearly not right.
Could it be a trap?
Why would Baotong Zen Temple do such a thing?
Li Yan was puzzled, but at this mont, he couldn’t afford to think too much and chose to leave this dangerous place and reconsider later.
However, once outside the door, a chill rose in his heart.
Before him was still the courtyard of the Great Hall.
Still the sa scene, empty, lonely, dark...
Li Yan gritted his teeth, turned to exit through the door again, but after several attempts, he stopped continuing.
Each ti, he entered the courtyard where the Great Hall was located.
Li Yan’s face was somber, forming a mantra with his fingers, fully activating the sll superpower, deeply inhaling as various scents rushed into his nostrils.
He slled earth, trees, bricks, the scent of sandalwood, exactly the sa as before. But the scent outside the courtyard seed to have completely disappeared...
Was this so kind of Qin Formation?
Li Yan frowned, full of vigilance as he observed his surroundings.
He had heard from Wang Daoxuan that so manifestations of being trapped in a formation were like this, dizzying, confusing directions, sowhat like a Ghost Wall.
But what was in front of him was too mystical.
Why couldn’t even the Divine Skills detect any anomaly?
Li Yan pondered for a mont and suddenly took out an Armored Horse from his bosom, tying it to his leg, chanting: "Nuogao! Six Jia Nine Chapters, Heaven round, Earth square, four seasons, Five Elents, Sun and Moon as lights..."
Whoosh~
A fierce wind arose around him; this ti, he didn’t go through the main gate but leaped into the air with a few steps, directly jumping over the wall.
The North Emperor Divine Travel Technique had ways to navigate through perilous realms and formations, using specific steps to escape.
However, no matter how he climbed the wall or how he leaped, he always returned to this courtyard.
Helpless, Li Yan had to tear off the Armored Horse.
He waited for a while longer and, noticing no danger, cautiously moved forward with his blade towards the Great Hall...
...Still the courtyard of the Great Hall, but the scene was entirely different.
On the ground, Buddha lamps were arranged, resembling a starry constellation, with the sound of wooden fish echoing as nurous monks sat in ditation chanting scriptures.
And on the stone steps outside the Great Hall, several old monks sat, including Tong Xuan and Tong Hai, each holding a Fearless Seal, a Zen Seal, or an All Things are Impermanent Seal.
Li Yan was also in the courtyard.
But here, he stood inside the gate, his gaze empty, his body seemingly beyond his control, only stepping forward after a long ti.
"Brother Tong Xuan."
Looking at Li Yan in the distance, an old monk suddenly spoke: "You may have overestimated this boy; if he can break through the Habit Barrier, fine, but directly obstructed by the Rebirth Barrier, I’m afraid he won’t even get into the hall, wasting the opportunity."
Tong Xuan’s white eyebrows slightly moved as he said: "Years ago, a disciple sent a book from Jinling, nad ’Journey to the West: The Legends,’ compiled from folk records of strange tales and legends."
"The author of the book might have so knowledge of the Mystical Sect; many stories in the book are suggestive, referencing tales of the different Magic Veins."
"One thing ntioned in the book is that the Great Sage’s sorsault cloud turned over eighty thousand miles but couldn’t escape the Buddha’s palm. I thought carefully, and it sowhat resembles our Mystical Realm of Baotong Zen Temple."
"Our Mystical Realm has five barriers: Habit Barrier, Rebirth Barrier, Perception Barrier, Knowledge Barrier, and Habit Barrier; few can transcend them, even inviting outsiders to understand them, they at most pass the Habit Barrier."
"I thought carefully, perhaps ntal exertion is quite large, so it’s hard to pass through, directly starting with the Knowledge Barrier might be different."
The old monk still shook his head, "If he can’t even pass one barrier, this year’s opportunity is wasted."
Tong Xuan smiled slightly, "Opportunity is opportunity, one needs both chance and fate; if there’s no fate, then so be it, give him sothing else instead, why should you be so insistent?"
"You’re right, Brother."
The old monk nodded slightly, saying no more...
...anwhile, Li Yan had stepped into the Great Hall.
Inside the hall was desolate; the door was slightly ajar, with moonlight spilling in; the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattvas were solemn and indifferent, seeming to look down at him.
In the air, a mix of mold and incense collided, difficult to describe, as if ti had frozen here.
Of course, there was still no danger.
Although Li Yan didn’t know what happened, he inexplicably felt a premonition that all these bizarre happenings might be related to that opportunity.
He had heard that Zen "does not rely on words, directly pointing to the heart," even the opportunity was made so mystical, truly baffling.
Looking at the statue before him, Li Yan felt a stir in his heart, took the clear water offered on the altar, placed it on the ground, took out the Hook Paper, ford a mantra with his fingers, and stepped forward.
This was the Hook Paper divine communication thod.
He rembered that the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattvas in the Great Hall had already gathered Mortal Gods and should be able to communicate.
However, even with the use of the divine communication thod, there was still no response.
Li Yan looked around, suddenly understanding.
Everything before him might be an Illusion Realm.
But such an Illusion Technique was incredibly frightening; he could feel his flesh body, even able to perform spells...
Spells?
Li Yan was stirred in his heart, quickly reaching into his bosom.
As expected, he discovered sothing unusual.
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