Ye Ling carefully observed the old monk and the young girl, his eyes narrowing slightly as he asked, "Who are you?"
The young girl appeared to have only fourth-grade cultivation, not particularly strong. However, when Ye Ling scanned her with his divine soul, he discovered that her bone age had not even reached fifteen. She was undoubtedly a prodigy, with talent even surpassing that of Qi Zhu Yue by a considerable margin!
As for the old monk, he looked like he was nearing his end, frail and weak. Yet, in reality, his cultivation was at the peak of the eighth grade. Not just in Yang Country, but even on a global scale, this old monk was likely a renowned figure!
Ye Ling hadn't expected someone like him to appear in the hotel's underground warehouse.
Before making a move against Mutou Sanlang and Mutou Lai Xuan, Ye Ling had set up a barrier in the warehouse to avoid causing widespread fluctuations.
Everything that happened within the warehouse was undetectable from the outside, regardless of the method used.
The old monk and the girl, after entering the hotel, had directly taken the elevator to the basement, heading towards the warehouse.
Ye Ling did not believe the old monk possessed the ability to see through his barrier and observe what was happening in the warehouse.
Excluding this possibility, the old monk could only be a reinforcement sent by the Mutou family.
After all, the conflict between Ye Ling and Mutou Lai Xuan at the hotel entrance was common knowledge. Coupled with Mutou Sanlang taking Ye Ling to the underground warehouse and not emerging for a long time, it was reasonable for the Mutou family's higher-ups to realize something might have happened and send reinforcements to investigate.
Upon realizing this, Ye Ling couldn't help but sigh, "Alas... it seems I've played for a bit too long. With these two reinforcements arriving now, it's getting a little difficult to wrap things up."
Unlike Mutou Sanlang and Mutou Lai Xuan, who were mere half-baked extraordinary individuals, the old monk had eighth-grade cultivation and undoubtedly held a considerable status in Yang Country.
Furthermore, it was likely that many people were aware of the old monk assisting the Mutou family.
If Ye Ling were to eliminate this monk as well, not only would Mutou Masao's birthday banquet be disrupted, but if the world knew he was indiscriminately killing, the reputation of the Demon Palace would be ruined.
Ye Ling did not wish for the Demon Palace to degenerate into an evil path and impose high-handed rule over the world.
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Ye Ling was unwilling to act against this old monk with whom he had no prior enmity.
The old monk was unaware of Ye Ling's internal struggle. He had originally come to the underground warehouse at Mutou Masao's request to investigate the situation, only to discover a great demon hidden within the warehouse!
The overwhelming karmic forces swirling around Ye Ling were unlike anything he had ever witnessed in his life!
Upon seeing the old monk standing at the warehouse entrance, Mutou Lai Xuan's despairing gaze vanished, replaced by ecstatic joy.
He quickly knelt before the old monk and exclaimed emotionally, "Master Randeng, please save me and my father! He's a devil! He killed all our men!!!"
Hearing Mutou Lai Xuan's accusation, Master Randeng sighed deeply, looked at Ye Ling, and clasped his hands together, saying, "Sins, sins. Benefactor, you have committed such heinous crimes. Please turn back."
The young girl beside him conjured a dragon-patterned staff, assuming a stance, and said, "Master, they are demons. Please allow me to vanquish them!"
Master Randeng stopped the girl and shook his head, "You are no match for him. Retreat to the rear."
This Master Randeng did possess some skill. Although Ye Ling had concealed his aura, Master Randeng could still feel danger emanating from him.
He was unsure of Ye Ling's true cultivation level, but he was certain that the young girl was absolutely no match for Ye Ling!
Ye Ling looked at Master Randeng, clad in his kasaya, and chuckled, "Abbot, I see your cultivation is hard-won. It would be best not to meddle in the grievances between us."
"Mutou Lai Xuan himself has a crooked heart. He has killed no less than eighty, if not a hundred, lives. Mutou Sanlang is even more so. Those you are protecting now are not good people. My killing them is for the benefit of the people."
Master Randeng said, "While the two benefactors of the Mutou family may not be good people, the karmic forces on your person, Benefactor, are the most I have ever seen. I fear the lives you have taken already number over ten thousand!"
"Compared to those two, you, Benefactor, are the true demon."
Ten thousand lives?
As soon as Master Randeng uttered these words, Mutou Lai Xuan, who had been excited and overjoyed, was completely stunned, his mind going blank.
What kind of monster had a person with tens of thousands of lives on their hands?
Who had he offended?
The young girl beside Master Randeng also listened in stunned silence, exclaiming, "Master, could you be mistaken? How could he..."
Master Randeng shook his head. Seeing the solemn expression on Master Randeng's face, the girl immediately fell silent, unable to finish her words. Her entire demeanor gradually turned grave.
She had followed Master Randeng for three years and had never seen him wear such a solemn expression.
Ye Ling looked at Master Randeng's demeanor and sighed again, "Why bother? I don't want to kill you, and you cannot stop me."
"Perhaps not."
Master Randeng said solemnly, his eyes beneath his long brows suddenly widening, and golden light shot forth from them!
Boom!
His kasaya billowed, and golden light enveloped him. A powerful aura erupted from within him!
"Great Buddha Descends!"
In the dim warehouse, a golden Buddha statue materialized behind Master Randeng. All the blood on the floor was purified, vast amounts of Sanskrit characters floated in the air, and a sacred and solemn aura permeated the surroundings.
Seeing the Buddha statue rising behind Master Randeng, Ye Ling's eyes narrowed slightly, "This is..."
He had heard from Sakura Moon that members of Takamagahara, the foremost power in Yang Country, possessed a method of divine possession that drastically boosted their own strength!
Although this Master Randeng was possessed by a Great Buddha and did not belong to Takamagahara's pantheon, that Great Buddha was still a deity from the immortal realm, similar to the method described by Sakura Moon for Takamagahara members!
Master Randeng might know something about Yang Country's Takamagahara!
Upon witnessing Master Randeng's technique, Ye Ling's interest in the old monk was immediately piqued.
Master Randeng's solemn and majestic appearance was matched by his ethereal voice as he said to Ye Ling, "Benefactor, if you wish to kill the Mutou father and son, you must first pass this old monk!"
With that, the Buddha statue behind Master Randeng extended a colossal palm, grasped Mutou Sanlang beside Ye Ling, and pulled him behind himself, protecting him and Mutou Lai Xuan!
Seeing Master Randeng's resplendent golden Buddha statue, Mutou Lai Xuan felt an endless sense of security, his eyes filled with excitement. He quickly said, "Thank you, Master, for saving me! Please quickly subdue that demon!"
Mutou Sanlang also recovered his senses and immediately said, "I implore Master Randeng to eliminate this menace for the people. I will certainly visit your temple in the future and offer thirty thousand incense offerings!"
Upon feeling Master Randeng's aura, the Mutou father and son saw hope and began to urge Master Randeng to deal with Ye Ling.
Master Randeng ignored the Mutou father and son's words, focusing intently on Ye Ling. "Benefactor, under this old monk's Dharma form, you cannot harm them. Please give up."
"Is that so?"
A slight smile touched Ye Ling's lips. His entire being suddenly transformed into a black shadow, instantly appearing beside Master Randeng. He chuckled softly, "What if I can kill them?"
Master Randeng felt the wind generated by Ye Ling's passage beside him, and his pupils contracted sharply.
Not good!
Master Randeng's heart filled with dread. He quickly turned around, only to see Ye Ling had already broken through his Buddha statue and appeared before the Mutou father and son.
The Mutou father and son stared at Ye Ling in terror, their bodies trembling violently.
How, how could this be?
Seeing this, Master Randeng was extremely anxious and shouted, "Benefactor, stop!"
"I will not," Ye Ling smiled faintly and waved his hand gently.
A flash of black light streaked across!
Hiss!
The heads of the Mutou father and son flew off!