Henry Sullivan noticed that in front of each of the Four Heavenly Kings was a bowl of water, and every kneeling commoner also had a bowl of clear water before them, but he had no idea what it was for. Among these people were men and women, old and young, some even appearing to be family members. Seeing this, Henry Sullivan suddenly thought of his elder brother, and a wave of warmth filled his heart. He felt that these people were surely kind-hearted commoners, and that the Maitreya Buddha might not be as vicious as rumored. Edward Carter’s mission to suppress the Maitreya Sect on imperial orders might not be entirely justified.

The sky was dim, bonfires blazed, and light smoke drifted, filling Feilong’ao with an indescribable mood as the crowd’s emotions surged. Just as the commoners were about to grow restless, a thunderous shout rang out, deafening everyone. Instantly, the crowd fell silent and looked toward the stage. The King of Growth, who carried a sword on his back, suddenly stood up and shouted, “The demon has appeared, the Buddha shall vanquish evil!”

The King of Holding the Nation, who wielded a blade, also stood and shouted, “The Buddha saves the world, delivering all beings!”

The Kings of Growth and Holding the Nation must have held great authority in the hearts of the people; with their thunderous shouts, the unrest ceased. At this moment, a compassionate voice was heard: “The bright moon is blind, the demon is born. If the heart is a clear mirror, all beings may be delivered.” The voice came from the direction of the golden Buddha, whose lips could be seen moving.

Henry Sullivan saw that the great Buddha could actually speak like a living person, and was shocked.

At that moment, dark clouds covered the moon, the breeze turned cold, and a chilling atmosphere filled the air. The commoners began to chant, “The bright moon is blind, the demon is born. If the heart is a clear mirror, all beings may be delivered…” The chanting grew faster and more urgent, regardless of age or gender, as if everyone had fallen into a trance. Henry Sullivan had initially found the Maitreya Buddha kind and amiable, but upon witnessing this scene, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Edward Carter, hearing the Buddha speak, was not alarmed but delighted. He thought, if not the Maitreya Buddha, who else could so enchant the masses? He was now certain that the Maitreya Buddha was inside the golden statue. He quietly scanned the crowd, looking for an opportunity to act, and noticed that among the commoners, a few imperial guards were also lurking. When everyone had infiltrated the crowd, they had marked themselves in secret ways—unnoticeable to others, but Edward Carter could recognize them. Though their faces were smeared with black, Edward Carter could still make out that they were Philip Carter, James Bolton, and Samuel Thompson. He was secretly pleased, thinking that these men were all sharp and skilled in martial arts; with their help, the chances of success had increased. However, Edward Carter did not count Henry Sullivan among them—he had brought Henry Sullivan for another purpose.

Suddenly, Edward Carter felt a chill on his face and realized it had started to rain. In an instant, the rain poured down in torrents. The commoners stood in the rain, letting it drench them without moving. The King of Broad Vision, entwined by a giant python, suddenly stood up and shouted, “The Buddha prays, and heaven bestows holy water.” The King of Hearing Many Things, holding an umbrella, also rose and called out, “Holy water has no root, it cleanses evil and dust!”

The Four Heavenly Kings all raised their bowls of water and said in unison, “Holy water has no root, it cleanses evil and dust!” They drank the water in one gulp, and the commoners followed suit. Philip Carter and his two companions hesitated for a moment. Samuel Thompson finally drank the water, but Philip Carter and James Bolton took advantage of the moment and poured their water onto the ground.

These three had been the first to be ordered to infiltrate the area near Baibiling. Upon hearing that commoners were joining the gathering, they seized the chance to blend in. There were nearly a thousand commoners at the assembly, but not many were actually controlling the crowd, so the three managed to slip in. Upon arriving at Feilong’ao, each was given a bowl of so-called holy water. Seeing nothing unusual about it, they dared not ask questions. Philip Carter and James Bolton, being cautious, did not drink, but Samuel Thompson thought, with over a thousand people drinking, it couldn’t possibly be poison, so he drank it.

In the noisy rain, Philip Carter and James Bolton thought no one would notice them pouring out their water, but suddenly the King of Broad Vision shouted, “Why didn’t you two drink?” His body swelled, and the python on him coiled and writhed, both man and snake staring at Philip Carter.

Carter and Bolton cursed their luck in secret, not expecting the King of Broad Vision to have such sharp eyes. The King of Growth stepped off the wooden platform and slowly walked toward Philip Carter, shouting, “Where are you spies from?” Before he finished speaking, he drew his sword. With a clang, a four-foot-long giant sword was in his hand, gleaming brightly in the air. He stopped advancing, pointed his sword, and commanded, “Kill!”

As soon as the King of Growth uttered “kill,” two screams rang out. Henry Sullivan saw this and suddenly felt a chill down his spine. It turned out that Carter and Bolton were unharmed, but two commoners had suddenly grabbed the people next to them and bitten into their throats. The victims struggled desperately, but their strength quickly faded, and soon they lay still.

Those two had actually been bitten to death!

Philip Carter and James Bolton turned pale, seeing the wild, beast-like gleam in the eyes of the surrounding commoners, and were terrified.

The King of Hearing Many Things said calmly, “Maitreya descends, the new Buddha faces tribulation, killing is a virtuous deed, and one becomes a Buddha on the spot. Kill one to become a First Abode Bodhisattva… kill ten to become a Tenth Abode Bodhisattva…” Before he finished, Feilong’ao had already descended into chaos. The commoners present went mad, attacking and biting each other, all with chilling smiles on their faces.