“What did you say to him?”

David Grant leaned against the railing, eyes lowered, watching a group of ants crawling around his shoes, and asked Thomas Grant.

Thomas Grant didn’t dare to look up, his gaze also fixed on the ants, and answered nervously, “According to your instructions, Master, I told Mr. Cooper some frightening things.”

An ant crawled over David Grant’s shoe.

He raised his eyebrows, then suddenly lifted his foot and crushed the entire group of ants. Any that managed to escape were also chased down by his sole and ground into pulp.

While doing this trivial thing, David Grant continued to press, “How did he react?”

Thomas Grant’s eyes darted about, and he replied in a trembling voice, “He seemed a bit scared.”

“Good. Fear is what we want.”

David Grant lifted his head, looking at the scar of ordination on top of Thomas Grant’s head, and suddenly said, “Our Sanwang Institute venerates three guardian deities: ‘The Lord of Hell, Yama the Venerable,’ ‘The Great Serpent God Mahoraga,’ and ‘The Vajra Yaksha King of Secret Traces.’

We mainly cultivate the ‘Three Delusive Qi’ governed by these three guardian deities.

Do you know what the Three Delusive Qi are?”

His tone was gentle and calm, which gradually eased Thomas Grant’s nerves, and he subconsciously replied, “I do not know, Master. What are the Three Delusive Qi?”

“When a person’s heart gives rise to uncontrollable fear, that is called the Delusion of Terror; when a person desires too much and cannot be satisfied, that is the Delusion of Desire; when a person speaks recklessly and cannot ground himself in reality, that is the Delusion of Slander.

These are the Three Delusive Qi.”

David Grant seemed quite patient at the moment, explaining to Thomas Grant, “As long as we can plant the seed of terror in that old man’s heart today, during tonight’s enlightenment trial, that terror will be magnified by the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas into the Delusion of Terror.

In this way, he will be unable to sit calmly in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas and will attempt to escape.

As soon as he tries to flee the hall, the monks guarding outside can kill him.”

David Grant paused, squinting at Thomas Grant and asked, “So, the frightening things you told him must have all happened within this temple, right?

You’ve been here three years; surely you’ve witnessed and heard many terrifying and strange events.

Now that I’m telling you about this matter, does it also count as one of the temple’s secrets you’ve accumulated?”

Just a moment ago, Thomas Grant had been listening intently to David Grant’s explanation of the Sanwang Institute’s practices, thinking that such secret teachings were something he’d never had the chance to learn before, and now that he’d encountered them, he couldn’t let the opportunity slip by.

But as soon as David Grant finished speaking, Thomas Grant was struck with terror. He looked up at David Grant, his eyes filled with fear: “Master, I didn’t mean to reveal matters outside the institute to the lay disciples—it was you, it was your order…”

“Does it matter whether you did or didn’t?”

David Grant’s lips curled into a cold, sinister smile.

In Thomas Grant’s eyes, his form suddenly transformed into a giant serpent, covered in scales and coiled around the stone pavilion’s railing. The serpent faced Thomas Grant, flicking its tongue and making eerie sounds: “See, now you too have given rise to fear, and are filled with the Delusion of Terror…” The serpent’s voice echoed in Thomas Grant’s ears.

Its terrifying true form was also branded deep in Thomas Grant’s heart.

Fear burst through like a flood breaching a dam, instantly drowning Thomas Grant’s reason. He couldn’t help but cry out in terror, “Ah!”

With that scream, all the pores on his body suddenly opened, and invisible, intangible ‘qi’ streamed out from them, transforming in the air into countless colorful little snakes.

These little snakes gathered densely together, finally merging into a giant serpent.

David Grant opened his mouth, and the giant serpent slithered and swayed, entering his mouth.

He let out a satisfied burp.

Looking ahead, all that remained before him was a human skin.

A few days ago, the cat demon had destroyed the serpent demon summoned by David Grant, causing him considerable harm.

Fortunately, today, that harm was completely healed after he devoured Thomas Grant.

——The braziers in front of the lay disciples’ hall had already been lit, illuminating the dim surroundings.

The young lay disciples gathered at the main gate of the courtyard. As a short, stout monk called out their names, each went over to him to receive a roll of cloth.

Because the enlightenment trial was about to begin, the youths all knew the moment that would decide their fate was near. There was no more playful chatter as before; instead, they wore solemn expressions.

The distribution of the cloth rolls was orderly, and within a short time, everyone had received theirs.

“The Fundamental Sutra of the Mind Buddha is recorded on the cloth you hold.”

The short, stout monk looked at the lay disciples and spoke.

As soon as he finished, some of the lay disciples, unable to contain their curiosity, wanted to untie the ribbon and look at the cultivation method of the ‘Fundamental Sutra of the Mind Buddha’ written on the cloth.

Brian Cooper stood at the back of the crowd, but did not act rashly.

He stood tall and straight, his figure towering above the rest. Even at the very back, he stood out like a crane among chickens, and with his aged face, he was especially conspicuous.

Even the short, stout monk couldn’t help but glance at him several times before finally speaking to stop the lay youths: “You are not allowed to open and read the contents of the cloth at this time.

Most of you can’t even read—what good would it do?

Besides, the Fundamental Sutra of the Mind Buddha is itself obscure and profound. If ordinary people read it rashly, their minds could easily become confused, or even be corrupted by external demons.

Only when you enter the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas and the enlightenment trial begins may you open the cloth and read the scripture.”