Could it be that I am the cruel villain?
Chapter 326 - 213 Misfortune Only Finds the Suffering_2

Chapter 326: Chapter 213 Misfortune Only Finds the Suffering_2

"So the County Magistrate then sought high monks and Taoist priests from all over, refusing none, ultimately allowing this child to come into the world. The child was born with the blessings of a wise one. Logically, his future should have been boundless."

"Yet he himself had never imagined it."

At this point, Jin Shan’s elderly face unexpectedly showed a hint of mockery.

"When I first came here, I happened to encounter two wandering spirits nearby, one at the tender age of a young girl, the other in the prime of her beauty, appearing sophisticated and not like a poor woman, which even raised some doubts in me."

"Besides, it is rare to see two wandering spirits traveling together; thus, I thought to recite the Rebirth Mantra for them, to let them reincarnate. But unexpectedly, neither was willing to reincarnate; instead, they were determined to meet their biological father."

"The two sisters finally did."

Jiang Feng remained silent.

He had seen the son of that County Magistrate, who, it’s said, had been mad for many years. Initially, he wondered how this robust and well-born young man, obviously blessed before birth, could have ended up so spiritually deranged.

Now he understood.

A moment’s deviation.

Even though he scorned the notion of karma, Jiang Feng had to admit that sometimes the unintended actions one takes can indeed come back like a boomerang, ultimately landing on one’s own head.

The deeds of darkness previously committed by the County Magistrate were ultimately the seeds planted years ago.

Jin Shan stood up again, walked to the last Buddha statue, then took out three incense sticks, his expression apparently contemplative.

"Years later, the County Magistrate finally knew remorse. Plagued by spirits and despite enlisting wise men to drive away the evil spirits, the guilt was overwhelming; his soul disturbed, he felt unease day and night."

"Since then, he frequently burnt incense and prayed to Buddha, begging for forgiveness from his former wife and daughte_tok, unknown to whom, he eventually ensured their spirits were forever suppressed, their Divine Souls annihilated, never to transcend death, thus securing his peace."

"But his foolish son was never cured. Afterward, he sought me out."

A smile appeared on his lips.

Not the genuine smile of a beneficent monk, but a twisted, satisfied smirk, as if he had found a delightful toy; he was immensely pleased that such a sinner had fallen into his hands.

The semblance of kindness in his words finally vanished, no longer concealed, adopting a sharp, gloomy tone, as if an evil ghost had stepped out of Hell.

"After he sought me, I first used spells to stabilize his mind and fulfilled his wishes. After a few times, he quickly started to trust me. Though his skills were mediocre, he was, after all, someone who had risen to an official position, and he soon realized that I was not like other monks."

"The human heart is insatiable, and had he just left then, I would have spared him any further concern. But unexpectedly, he sought even more, asking if more merits could exchange for Soothing Soul Pills."

"After my ready agreement, he began to act against the citizens, using methods previously procured to drive miners into mad rage, leading them to my temple for rites, and after their violent deaths, directly burying them within my temple premises."

"Later learning that I was in the process of achieving Nascent Soul, he then bribed the city’s fortune-tellers to bring pregnant women into the temple. Such sincerity and resolution were even admirable to me."

"Since his son’s soul was confused, lacking in soul parts, naturally, I should complete the six roots for him, so..."

The corners of his mouth uncontrollably curled upwards, and Jin Shan finally turned around, revealing a hideously scarred face as he grinned terrifyingly.

"You, coming neither too early nor too late, just at this moment. If you had come a bit later, the remaining remnants of his wife and daughter’s souls would have been completely integrated into that child."

"In seven more days, when the souls return to their rightful place and the six roots are complete, from then on, his foolish son will no longer be just a son, but his wife, his daughter, and countless citizens he had previously killed, along with those unborn babies that died prematurely."

"How splendid will that day be? I’m truly looking forward to seeing his expression then. How will he respond? Will he kill his foolish son by his own hands again and seek someone to dispel the souls?"

"Should I just keep that foolish son tied up at home? Throughout these days, both he and his wife have been rendered infertile by my use of the Calming Pill, they will never bear offspring again. I want to see how this monstrous beast will make his choice!"

"Those miners, they all carry the Soul Transfer Spell he desperately sought for them. Till now, ninety-five lives, along with his wife and daughter, make exactly ninety-nine."

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Laughing wildly to the sky.

At this point, the Golden Monk no longer concealed his aura - his power at the Peak of Core Formation burst forth in an instant!

Stepping back repeatedly, he retreated into the courtyard, his face full of caution, and even Jiang Feng couldn’t help but shudder at the sense of madness in his expression, filled with disbelief.

Despite all calculations, Jiang Feng never guessed that the County Magistrate himself implanted the Soul Transfer Spell in those commoners and was responsible for their deaths. While the demon monk certainly added to the chaos, the final choice was made by the County Magistrate himself.

The reason for such a horrifying deed was merely to offer more fresh lives to this evil being, all to cure his mad, foolish son.

You may say he’s tragic, ridiculous, pitiable, but all this is self-inflicted. After paying such a price, this monstrous beast still couldn’t save his son and was instead treated like a clown on display.

Even more so, the Golden Monk had prepared a grand gift for him. Truth be told, even Jiang Feng looked forward to its arrival, but naturally, he did not trust the words of the demon monk. Moreover, he questioned:

"Have you ever considered that his foolish son is an innocent person? Those commoners, those women!"

"Innocent? Ha ha ha ha!"

Still a hearty, unrestrained laughter.

"This monstrous child has his monstrous father to thank for his current status and wealth. From birth, he was above others, using his father, a seventh rank official, to misbehave in Shuipang County. He caused the death of girls even before his hair grew fully, and you call that innocence?"

"He should never have been born into this world, such a monstrous beast should roll back to Abyss Hell!"

"A person without talent, virtue, character, or merits, why should he be above others from birth? He’s nothing but an evil ghost from Abyss Hell, and yet he gets to enjoy merits?"

"All around, the five county magistrates are the same, without talent or virtue, climbing ranks through dirty means, making the lives of locals miserable, and even hoping to advance further through this old monk?"

"Very well, very well, I have indeed given each of these five something special. One seeks the path of immortality, and I have bestowed upon him a Devil Immortal. Soon, I will flay his skin and make his dream come true."

"One seeks an unobstructed future career, and I’ve granted him merits so he can advance further, leading people to the southwest in search of Immortal Herbs to save lives. There’s already someone waiting for his whole family to die tragically, so he can rise up step by step, forever glorified at Merit Square!"

"And those deceased commoners, those women, although they are dead, their souls remain. Since they aid my practice, of course, I won’t let them down."

"Once I form my Nascent Soul and obtain my Golden Body, I will liberate them all. I will personally lift them from the cycle of reincarnation."

"Transforming them from class three to class six, the price they pay is just one lifetime."

At this point, behind the Golden Monk, the Thirteen-story Exquisite Tower emitted a vast Buddha Light, and countless Human Souls burst forth from it, scattering and hovering over the entire temple complex, a sight causing one’s scalp to tingle.

With just a wave of his hand, the Buddhist Bell, larger than a human, shrank to palm-size at his fingertip, and the Thirteen-story Exquisite Tower abruptly shrank to about a foot, falling into his palm.

Whispering into the ears.

"Things the Buddha won’t handle, I will!"

"People the Buddha can’t kill, I will!"

"I, what wrong have I done?"