Nightwatcher

# 287. The *Wrathful Vajra*

Xu Qi'an suddenly had an urge to joke around and shout, "Wife, come quick and see the Buddha!"

However, he didn't have a wife, and the oppressive might exuded by that dharma aspect left him with no other emotions, only an instinctive desire to kneel in worship.

"Jianzheng, why do you not dare to face me…"

As the thunderous inquiry echoed, Xu Pingzhi's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

Amidst the fear, a surge of humiliation rose within him. Supporting himself with both hands on the ground, Xu Pingzhi gritted his teeth and growled, "Ningyan, Ciqiu, don't kneel! Stand up, stand up!"

The last two words were shouted out.

After shouting, Xu Pingzhi received no response from his nephew or son. Looking up, he saw his son gripping a pillar, veins bulging on his forehead, seemingly struggling to remain standing. His nephew leaned against the doorframe, both hands holding his sabre, stubbornly raising his head to gaze at the towering dharma aspect in the night sky.

Then, both his son and nephew looked over at him.

For a moment, the atmosphere froze. Fortunately, Xu Ciqiu and Xu Ningyan discreetly looked away.

*Whew... these two brats still know how to save my face!* Xu Pingzhi’s awkwardness subsided.

*Look at Second Uncle being so pathetic—seems like all his energy is drained by Auntie!* Xu Qi'an mocked inwardly.

*Father is so embarrassing! If you're going to kneel, just kneel, but why shout about it? At least there’s no one else here!* Xu Ciqiu silently resented his father's disgraceful behaviour.

"Big brother, w-what is that high monk planning to do? You work as a Nightwatcher, surely you know something about this?" Xu Ciqiu stammered, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

He assumed that a disagreement had arisen between the Western Regions and the Great Feng, which led to the delegation from the Western Regions coming to the capital. From the actions of the monk tonight, it was evident that the Western Regions were furious.

If this wasn’t handled properly, the alliance between the Western Regions and the Great Feng could fall apart, potentially even leading to war.

As a scholar, Xu Xinnian had an instinctive curiosity about such significant matters.

Xu Qi'an pondered and replied, "There’s been some disagreements, but not as serious as you would think… as for what it is, I’m not so sure. At-"

He stopped mid-sentence. The reaction of the Buddhist high monk had also caught him off guard.

Suddenly, he realized something important—when the monk Shenshu was sealed in the Great Feng years ago, perhaps it wasn't just an act of mutual assistance between allies. There might be more to the story.

If it were purely an act of assistance between allies, why would the Buddhist sect be so angry and make such a grand show of force?

...

The Tower of Noble Spirit!

Wei Yuan, draped in an azure robe, stood on the watchtower, looking up at the giant Buddha face that covered half of the capital. Its body was infinitely vast, hidden within the rolling black clouds.

"The Arhat of Execution!"

His eyes remained calm, his posture upright, and his azure robe billowed fiercely in the wind, as though locked in a stare-down with the dharma aspect.

Inside the teahouse behind him, Yang Yan and Nangong Qianrou sat cross-legged, heads bowed, struggling to resist the overwhelming pressure of the dharma aspect.

The higher their cultivation, the greater the oppression they felt.

"The Buddhists remain as powerful as ever," Wei Yuan sighed.

He glanced back at his two adopted sons and said faintly, "If Xu Qi'an were here, I can guarantee that no matter what, he would still be standing."

Yang Yan and Nangong Qianrou were both ashamed.

...

In the imperial palace, Emperor Yuanjing, wearing his dragon robe, emerged from his chambers with the old eunuch. He raised his head to gaze at the Buddha face hanging over the palace. The Buddha's eyes, which exuded an innate majesty, seemed to be staring right at Emperor Yuanjing.

Within the palace, the Imperial Guard stood with spears in hand, alert but unafraid. Not a single one knelt, nor did they show any sign of fear.

The entire palace seemed immune to the might of the dharma aspect.

"Hmph!"

Emperor Yuanjing snorted coldly and returned to his chambers.

...

The capital, with its population of millions and countless martial artists, including the recent influx of jianghu figures, trembled like it was the end of days that night.

A deep fear and panic gripped their hearts.

At the same time, they couldn’t help but wonder—this is the capital, the core of the Great Feng. How is it that no one can stop this display of Buddhist dominance?

First, the young monk fought on the arena for four days without defeat. Tonight, a massive dharma aspect descended, shaking the entire city and questioning the Jianzheng from on high.

The Jianzheng was the guardian deity of the Great Feng, the only first rank cultivator.

How could the court’s dignity remain intact after this? How could the Jianzheng's dignity remain intact? How could the dignity of the millions of people in the capital remain intact?

Countless people were hoping the Jianzheng would act.

At Sangpo Lake, within the newly built Yongzhen Shanhe Temple, the brass sword belonging to the founding emperor hummed and trembled, as though waiting for its master’s call.

Amid the fervent anticipation of the masses, a crisp, clear voice echoed: “Such clamour!”

The voice was melodious and sharp.

Luo Yuheng, adorned with a lotus crown, wearing a robe embroidered with yin-yang koi, and a cinnabar mark on her brow, stepped out of her chamber, her hair wildly fluttering in the wind.

She looked up at the Buddha face, extended her fair right arm, and suddenly clenched her fingers. From the pond, a rusty iron sword shot out of the water and landed in her palm.

With a casual toss, Luo Yuheng sent the sword flying, saying, "Go!"

The sword light soared upward in a large arc, initially resembling a faint flame, like a meteor rising against the heavens.

Before long, the tip of the sword pushed up a hundred-meter-wide cone of disturbance, caused by the air being pushed up in front of it.

Moments later, the fiery red light illuminated the golden sky, intertwining with the dharma aspect's brilliance. What had started as a faint line had grown to an unimaginable size.

It was like a torrent of red flame.

The dharma aspect snorted coldly, and from the rolling black clouds emerged two colossal golden hands, reaching out to grasp the sword light.

The two massive golden hands closed in, trapping the sword light between them.

In the next instant, a clap of thunder roared over the capital. The dharma aspect’s hands crumbled into golden particles, followed by the collapse of the Buddha face. The red sword light mingled with the golden glow, blending into a magnificent array of colors that danced in the night sky.

For the people of the capital, this breathtaking scene was likely something they would never witness again in their lifetime.

"Thud..."

Just as Xu Pingzhi managed to stand up, he knelt again.

Xu Qi'an and Xu Xinnian once more turned their heads away, avoiding the sight of their (second uncle’s) father’s disgrace.

*So that was Luo Yuheng? As expected of a second rank Daoist leader. If that sword had come for me…* Xu Qi'an felt a complex mix of emotions.

He had interacted with Luo Yuheng several times and, despite knowing that she was a second rank Daoist, he lacked a clear understanding of her true strength.

It wasn’t until this moment that Xu Qi’an fully realized just how powerful a second rank Daoist was.

*If I had known from the start that this woman was so fierce, I would never have dared to stare at her chest back then…* Xu Qi’an shivered, feeling like he had been flirting with death all along.

Half an incense stick's time later, the sky returned to calm. The red and golden lights faded, the clouds dispersed, and a crescent moon hung on the horizon.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

The three men of the Xu family let out sighs of relief. Xu Qi’an sat on the threshold, Xu Xinnian on the horizontal railing of the corridor, and Xu Pingzhi slowly rose to his feet, his voice steady as he said:

“Ah, to be young. Your bodies are still strong, unlike mine. When caught off guard, I can’t even stand properly.

"But back in the day, your father was a warrior, iron-boned and indomitable, charging through the battlefield without flinching."

He looked up at the sky and snorted, "This time I was prepared. If it happens again, I definitely won’t lose face like that…"

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of Buddhist chanting filled the air, and the once-calm clouds began to churn again.

From deep within the clouds, a glimmer of golden light appeared, accompanied by chanting. The clouds surged, and another divine figure materialized.

Unlike the previous one, this figure was more lifelike, more vivid, and the Buddha’s face was even more menacing.

Naturally, its aura was entirely different, far more oppressive than before.

Plop.

The iron-boned Xu Pingzhi knelt once again.

However, this time, neither Xu Xinnian nor Xu Qi’an mocked him. Xu Xinnian collapsed directly onto the ground, drenched in sweat, while Xu Qi’an half-knelt, hands pressing against the ground.

In his mind, he envisioned the towering giant, filling his heart with defiant, combative energy, and slowly, he straightened his back, standing tall with his blade in hand.

*Does Du'e really intend to battle the Jianzheng…* Xu Qi’an's heart sank. The capital, with its millions of people, could not withstand such a conflict.

Bang!

The sound of a door opening broke the tension.

Xu Lingyin, rubbing her eyes, stepped over the threshold and asked, "Daddy, it's so noisy outside…"

"Get back inside, quickly!" Xu Pingzhi shouted.

Xu Lingyin tilted her chubby face upward, pointing to the sky with her pudgy finger, "There’s an immortal in the sky."

She was completely enraptured, utterly unaffected by the pressure of the divine figure.

…

"The Vajra’s Glare?!"

Luo Yuheng pursed her lips and turned back into her meditation chamber, paying no more heed.

Among the nine major Dharma Aspects of Buddhism, one was the Vajra’s Glare, a form that only a first rank Bodhisattva could manifest.

She left it to the Jianzheng to handle; it had nothing to do with her.

At this moment, atop the Stargazing Tower, on the Bagua Platform.

The elderly Jianzheng, dressed in white robes with white hair and beard, stood at the edge of the platform, hands behind his back. The night wind blew through his beard.

"The agreement from back then was between you and the royal family. What does it have to do with me?" Jianzheng retorted irritably.

The enormous, boundless dharma aspect spoke, its voice like rolling thunder, though only Jianzheng could hear it: “If it weren’t for the intervention of my Buddhist sect back then, would you have reached first rank?

"And now, with Shenshu’s return, if you don’t give our House a proper explanation, I will personally come to the capital one day."

"If you dare come to the capital, I’ll send you back into samsara," Jianzheng sneered. Then, he asked, "What do the Buddhists want?"

"It’s not what we want; it’s what you need to do. You should know how disastrous Shenshu regaining his body would be for our Buddhist House," the Wrathful Vajra roared.

"And do you know how disastrous it would be for my Great Feng if Shenshu continues to be sealed in Sangpo?" Jianzheng countered.

The Wrathful Vajra said, "This is your Sitianjian’s own mess—don’t expect us to clean it up."

"At this point, saying things like that is pointless. You’ve not got ten minutes left to maintain this dharma aspect. Hurry up and finish your business; don’t disturb the capital’s citizens’ sleep," Jianzheng said impatiently.

"Two things: First, track down the remnants of the Wanyao Kingdom and recover Shenshu’s severed arm. Second, our House wants to borrow your Disk of Heaven’s Secrets for three years."

"If you have the guts, come and take it," Jianzheng said coldly.

"Very well!"

The Wrathful Vajra dharma aspect dissipated.

…

"Huh, there’s no fight this time?"

Xu Qi’an looked up at the sky, where the divine aura of the Wrathful Vajra dharma aspect had already faded. There had been no earth-shattering clash like before.

The figure had merely lingered in the sky for a while before vanishing.

Xu Pingzhi and Xu Erlang both exhaled slowly, their bodies feeling utterly drained.

"Lingyin, stop standing there like a fool. Help your father and your brother back to their rooms," Xu Qi’an called out.

"Go away!"

Xu Pingzhi scolded his nephew and grumbled, "Get over here. What’s the point of raising you for twenty years if you’re not going to help?"

Xu Qi’an quickly hurried over to assist.

After helping his uncle and cousin back to their rooms, Xu Qi’an reached out mentally to the monk Shenshu: "Master, master… Did you see what just happened?"