In April, the flowers in the human world wither, but the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom.
Hanshan Temple is located high in the mountains, so at this time of year, one can still see blooming peach blossoms at the mountain's peak.
In front of the temple gate, a woman in blue picked a branch and placed it in the swaddled infant she held.
The infant in the swaddle seemed a little more lively with the peach blossoms, its left eyelid twitching slightly as if wanting to open.
Seeing this, the woman in blue felt a pang of sorrow: "Don't come to the human world in your next life…"
"I heard from nearby villagers that there are several enlightened Great Masters in this Hanshan Temple."
"Let them… perform a ritual for you!"
The woman did not knock on the door, but gently placed the swaddled infant she held in front of the temple gate.
Then, a gentle breeze swept by, and she quietly vanished, as if she had never been there.
After a while, a burly man dressed as a martial monk walked out of Hanshan Temple.
He picked up the infant from the ground and returned to the temple.
"Hey! Come take a look, there's a child here!" In the courtyard, the burly martial monk shouted loudly.
Not far away, a charming young man chuckled: "I hate children the most, Zhao Manzi, hurry up and eat him!"
The martial monk, called Zhao Manzi, rubbed his shiny bald head and mumbled: "But I never eat children… Children can grow into adults, and eating them when they're grown up is more chewy."
"Fatty, why don't you take him to feed your little darlings?" The charming young man turned his head to the kitchen again, asking with some impatience.
However, the person busy in the kitchen did not respond.
At this moment, an immortal-like, extraordinarily handsome middle-aged man walked out of the main hall.
His way of walking was also unlike ordinary people, a steady, square gait, like a celestial immortal.
He walked straight to the stone table and carefully examined the infant.
Then he gently shook his head and sighed: "What a pity, a perfectly good Chaotic Holy Body, actually ruined like this."
"Chaotic Holy Body? I thought this little guy had an Undying Physique!" The charming young man who had just been shouting about getting rid of the child quickly walked over.
"This is a top-tier Physique!"
"People outside are getting meaner and meaner, look what they've done to this child?!"
"His heart was gouged out, his right eyeball was also removed, and even his bones weren't spared, two pieces are missing."
The person in the kitchen also came out, perhaps because he heard the words Chaotic Holy Body.
This person was a big fatty, and as he walked, the loose flesh on his face jiggled.
His huge belly looked as if it was about to explode at any moment.
"I guessed it was a Chaotic Holy Body. To be able to live without a heart at such a young age, an Undying Physique couldn't do that," the big fatty said, also leaning in for a few glances.
"amitabha! Goodness, goodness!"
Suddenly, an Old Monk appeared from nowhere.
This Old Monk's white eyebrows were very long, long enough to hang directly on his shoulders.
"Pity, what a pity!"
"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."
"Which of you four has a way to save this little baby's life?" the White-browed Old Monk asked.
The charming young man stood with his hands on his hips and laughed: "Great Master, no one can live without a heart, there's no way to save him."
The immortal-like middle-aged man calculated with his fingers and also shook his head: "The heart was gouged out a month ago, it's too long. If it had been earlier, perhaps he could have lived a few more years."
"I can help him extend his life, but it's just extending his life. Once I stop, he will die!" Zhao Manzi said.
The big fatty seemed a little gleeful, laughing: "It's settled, when he dies, his body is mine."
"The poisonous maggots cultivated from a Chaotic Holy Body should be very effective."
Seeing that the four of them had no solution, the White-browed Old Monk sighed helplessly: "It seems this is his destiny."
"Suffering, sorrow!"
"Little benefactor, this Old Monk will now perform a ritual for you."
"To spare you from suffering while alive!"
The White-browed Old Monk put down his prayer beads, raised his withered hand, and placed it on the infant's head.
A golden light appeared around him, and he was about to gently end the infant's life.
But just then, an evil energy surged from within the main hall.
The five originally calm individuals all changed their expressions and quickly flashed into the main hall.
The five of them worked together, trying to suppress the thing that was sealed beneath the Buddha statue.
But this time seemed different from before; the thing's counterattack was extremely strong, and they couldn't suppress it.
"It's truly the Demon Ancestor, this heart has been suppressed for countless ages, and it's still so powerful!"
The Old Monk's eyebrows flew up, and he looked very strained.
"We've been deceived all along, it's still so strong…" the charming young man said with a distorted face.
"That damn White Emperor, he said our five people's strength would be more than enough."
"Bah! He was just toying with us!"
The martial monk said in a deep voice: "Quickly think of a solution. If it escapes, and triggers the Ten Directions All Extinguished Array, we'll all die!"
Big Fatty: "Sword Demon, why aren't you speaking?"
The immortal-like middle-aged man was precisely the Sword Demon that Fatty referred to.
He frowned and said: "I thought of a method, but it's a bit risky."
"Hurry up and say it! If you don't, we're doomed!" the charming young man urged.
The Sword Demon looked back, his gaze lingering on the swaddled infant on the stone table.
"This infant is a Chaotic Holy Body, and its life force is almost cut off."
"We can let him absorb the energy of the Demon Ancestor's Heart, to divert the pressure for us."
"This way, we might be able to suppress the Demon Heart's rampage."
Hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.
"Good idea, I'll go bring this child in right away!" the charming young man quickly said.
"Zhao Manzi, you'll have to hold it off for me first, can you manage?"
Zhao Manzi nodded, then let out a roar.
In an instant, his Physique grew considerably larger.
Muscles bulged on his body, and his skin turned crimson, with black patterns flowing across it.
Seeing this, the charming young man immediately withdrew from the main hall.
He brought the infant and placed him in front of the Buddha statue.
Sure enough, a portion of the energy changed direction and surged directly into the infant's body.
The five people immediately felt a great reduction in pressure, and their expressions brightened.
"Quick! Suppress the Demon Heart while you can!" the Old Monk quickly shouted.
But something unexpected happened to everyone: the Demon Heart, which had been surging fiercely, suddenly quieted down!
Everything seemed as if it had never happened; they couldn't feel any energy overflowing from the Demon Heart.
Silence, a deathly silence.
But in the silence, a sound suddenly echoed.
Thump… thump… thump-thump-thump-thump!
A heartbeat, a heartbeat from weak to strong, reverberated throughout the entire main hall!
"Not good!" The White-browed Old Monk quickly stepped forward and picked up the infant from the Buddha platform.
"The Demon Heart… the Demon Heart has directly transferred to him!"
"The heart meridians have already connected, becoming one!"
The others were also dumbfounded, not expecting such an outcome.