The so-called "Cloth of the Soul" that Grandma Sarina had taken out wasn't the dazzling fabric she'd imagined, but rather a dark, dark blue batik with frayed edges. In the center, a complex, nested mandala pattern was painted using a technique known as a "wax-dyeing" technique, using a deeper indigo and pure white. Upon closer inspection, the pattern seemed composed of countless tiny seated Buddhas and lotus petals, exuding a tranquility and peace honed by the passage of time.
"This is a legacy passed down from our ancestors. It's said that the painting incorporates the mind power of practitioners, temporarily calming turbulent emotions and shielding against impurities." Grandma Sarina gestured for Lin Xingyun to gently place the cloth over the "ghost eye mark" on his left arm.
The cloth felt cool to the touch, and a gentle yet resilient energy slowly seeped into it. The tingling sensation and chill in his arm were surprisingly suppressed, and the black lines surrounding the mark stopped growing, as if temporarily trapped by an invisible barrier. Although it failed to eradicate the pain, it greatly alleviated Lin Xingyun's suffering, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
"This is only a temporary measure. The power of the cloth will weaken over time," Grandma Sarina said solemnly. "True purification must be performed at an ancient sacred site. Borobudur is the closest to us and most aligned with the stars. On full-moon nights, the spiritual energy at the top of the stupa is at its purest and most powerful."
The decision was made. After a brief rest, Lin Xingyun, Buakaw, and Aisha, who had volunteered to accompany them, set out on the journey to Borobudur. Grandma Sarina did not come with them. She handed Aisha a small wooden talisman carved with batik patterns and instructed her, "Child, remember the 'breathing' pattern. It will guide you in critical moments."
The closer they got to the ruins of the massive pagoda, nestled between the volcano and the coconut grove, the more Lin Xingyun could sense the unusually vibrant spiritual energy in the air. It wasn't just pure energy, but also a vast, compassionate force, a force of faith that had endured for millennia. The Star Spirit Atlas within him accelerated its activity, and the symbol on his left arm, beneath the "Cloak of the Heart," grew restless and faintly heated, as if sensing its nemesis's approach.
They chose to arrive at sunset, avoiding any possible official presence. The setting sun cast a magnificent crimson-gold hue on the vast Borobudur. Countless Buddha statues in niches stood in silent reverence, gazing down upon the world. As the last rays of sunlight faded below the horizon, the full moon rose, its cool light shimmering across the black andesite. The entire stupa seemed infused with a new life, emanating a hazy, sacred aura.
"Now, let's go up!" Lin Xingyun whispered, sensing the strong call from the tower's summit.
The three of them quietly ascended the steep stairs. The moonlit stupa was eerily silent, its only sounds being the whimper of the wind through the cracks in the stone and the sound of their own footsteps. The exquisite reliefs on the stone walls—Buddha's Jataka stories, flying fairies, and exotic flowers and plants—seemed to come alive in the moonlight, casting mottled, swaying shadows that added a touch of mystery.
The higher one ascended, the richer the spiritual energy. Reaching the topmost circular platform, the massive bell-shaped stupa in the center shone like a jade sculpture in the moonlight. The air on the platform seemed to be slightly distorted, and breathing it in brought a refreshing, soul-cleansing feeling to the lungs.
"Right here!" Lin Xingyun sat cross-legged in front of the central main tower and unsheathed the "Spiritual Cloth" on his arm. Freed from its restraint, the "Ghost Eye Mark" instantly turned inky black and twisted violently, emitting a subtle, piercing sound like nails scraping against rock. A sinister black aura sought to spread outward!
"It's trying to resist! Aisha!" Buakaw growled, his muscles tensed, his blood surging. He stood beside Lin Xingyun like a human torch, his scorching aura driving back the approaching cold black aura. Aisha was nervous, but her eyes were determined. She quickly pulled out her usual small Kantin pot and an undyed white cloth from her cloth bag. The wax in the pot melted rapidly under the influence of her psychic energy. Holding her breath, she recalled her grandmother's teachings and the essence of the family pattern. With a steady hand, she began to paint on the cloth!
She drew not a specific Buddha image or story, but a flowing, ancient pattern symbolizing "protection," "purification," and "harmony." The lines were graceful and powerful. As she painted, a faint, soft white light, reminiscent of Borobudur itself, began to emanate from the cloth, forming a gradually expanding halo that enveloped Lin Xingyun. This halo blended with Buakaw's scorching energy, a yin and yang that together suppressed the threatening black energy of the symbol.
However, at this critical moment, something unexpected happened!
"Tsk tsk tsk, I didn't expect that besides us, there were also little brats who could smell the energy here!" A teasing and arrogant voice boomed in English from the stairs. Five or six figures, dressed in high-tech combat uniforms and equipped with various unidentified instruments and devices, approached. Leading them was a tall, blond man with a disdainful look, fiddling with a metal ball that flickered with electric light. The psychic energy emanating from them carried an artificial, aggressive aura, jarringly at the peaceful and profound atmosphere of the ruins.
"Eastern tricks, praying and painting?" A slender woman with flames dancing between her fingers scoffed. "We, the Gene Alliance, have taken possession of the energy core of this ruin. Get out of here if you know what's good for you!"
Clearly, these Western Awakeners also saw the full moon night at Borobudur as an opportune opportunity to plunder its energy.
Buakaw was furious, about to attack. But at that moment, Lin Xingyun's eyes snapped open, and starlight flickered in his pupils. "Buakaw, protect Aisha and finish painting! I'll deal with them!"
He couldn't leave the center of the purification ritual, or all his efforts would be wasted. But that didn't mean he couldn't attack!
Facing the onslaught, Xingyun! Extreme speed, astonishing power!
"Protect!" Aisha cried out, and the batik cloth she had just finished painting suddenly rose up! The flowing patterns on the cloth instantly illuminated, transforming into a translucent light shield composed of countless tiny runes, blocking Lin Xingyun!
"Boom!" The lightning ball smashed into the light shield, exploding with a dazzling light. The light shield trembled violently, but ultimately did not shatter! Aisha's face paled, clearly struggling to hold on.
"Damn it! You're courting death!" Buakaw seized the opportunity and, like a tiger out of its cage, charged at the flame woman, whose movements were distorted by the interference of her shadow. His fist was shrouded in a layer of crimson spiritual energy, and he delivered a simple punch! The blazing wind collided with the woman's flames, with a loud explosion. The woman screamed and was sent flying backwards, her flames dimming considerably.
Seeing his men suffer, the blond man's face darkened. He took action himself, concentrating his hands into even more powerful lightning. Lin Xingyun, meanwhile, struggled to maintain his interference with the shadow while resisting the backlash of the mark, his face growing increasingly pale.
In this stalemate, Lin Xingyun felt the vast power of faith within Borobudur beneath him, dormant for millennia, seemingly stirred by their battle and their shared will to protect it. A powerful, compassionate, yet immensely majestic force, like a dormant dragon, slowly awakened.
An inspiration struck him, and instead of relying solely on his own psychic energy, he attempted to connect his mind with the ancient ruins, channeling the vast power of his thoughts into his being.
Instantly, he felt as if his consciousness had become one with the countless Buddha statues atop the tower! The whispers of countless Buddhas, millennia-old prayers, and compassion for all beings, poured into his soul like a torrent!
Faced with this indescribable power, the "ghost eye mark" on his left arm let out a shrill, soul-perceivable scream, and the black mist dissipated as rapidly as boiling water poured over snow! At the same time, on Lin Xingyun's right palm, next to the "Shadow Snake Witch Mark," a new, even more complex and majestic pattern rapidly condensed and took shape! The pattern resembled a slightly outstretched Buddha's hand, imbued with boundless compassion and suppressive power!
"Compassionate Buddha's Hand Mark," accomplished!
Lin Xingyun suddenly looked up, his eyes no longer filled with pain, only clarity and majesty. Facing the startled blond man, he slowly raised his right palm, embodying the Buddha's Hand Witch Mark, and gently pushed forward.
There was no earth-shattering roar, only an invisible, yet weighty, compassionate force, sweeping over like a gentle tide. The members of the Gene Alliance, including the blond man, felt a profound shock, their psychic energy instantly stagnating. All their aggressive desires and violent emotions were washed away and suppressed by an irresistible, peaceful force, leaving them without a trace of resistance!
"What...what kind of power is this?!" The blond man's face was filled with horror. He no longer cared about the energy core and, with his men, fled tumbling down the pagoda in a panic.
The threat averted, the shadow of the Buddha's hand in Lin Xingyun's palm slowly dissipated. He breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling weaker than ever before, yet his soul felt incredibly light. The "ghost eye mark" on his left arm, which had troubled him for so long, had vanished, leaving only a smooth expanse of skin.
Moonlight, like water, quietly shone upon the summit of Borobudur, which had returned to its peaceful stillness. Aisha's batik cloth shone with a subdued glow, and Buakaw also subdued his presence. The three of them exchanged a smile, the trust and tacit understanding that had been forged through hardship quietly forged in this moment.
(End of Chapter 7)