Scripture of Days Past

Intrigued by this passage of text, Chu Qiguang began reading the contents of the page.

He still recalled that the last page he had read from the second floor contained diary entries written by a monk cultivating at the Vajra Monastery.

Just like that page, this one was covered in tiny text, but it wasn’t a continuation of the monk’s diary. Instead, it contained an appraisal written by the person who had obtained the diary.

***

From the monk’s diary entries, we can see that cultivation in the Vajra Monastery had taken a very bizarre and twisted turn. All of their hallucinations clearly indicate that they were well on their way to demonification, and the incantation at the very end of the diary comes from the Great Compassion Mantra of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism.

Perhaps the Vajra Monastery once sought help from the Mahayana branch, but judging by the outcome, that seems to have only accelerated their downfall. We tried to uncover the origins of this tragedy, but unfortunately, the dragons destroyed a vast number of historical records during their reign of terror over the central plains.

It was only when all the assets of the Cheng Clan of the Dian Province were seized on charges of illegal salt trafficking that things took a turn. At the time, the local authorities found a sealed scripture inside a secret chamber in the Cheng Clan’s library, and that scripture contained some information pertaining to the Vajra Monastery.

It was the 105th year after the dragon race invaded the central plains. The first large-scale demonic tainting in history took place that year.

The next year, the founding father of the Great Han Empire raised an army to drive the dragon race out.

Before the first large-scale demonic tainting, a member of the Cheng Clan regularly exchanged letters with a monk from the Vajra Monastery. In those letters, the monk described some strange occurrences in the monastery, as well as several dreams he had been having.

After reading those letters, everyone else experienced the same dreams as the monk. This means that the demonic tainting originating from the Vajra Monastery could be spread verbally and through written text.

After repeated experimentation, we selected some of the least dangerous parts of the letters to describe the strange occurrences taking place in the Vajra Monastery at the time.

***

As Chu Qiguang continued reading, he discovered that most of the remaining contents of the page consisted of excerpts from letters sent by a monk named Kong Chen to the Cheng Clan.

***

It’s been a while since we last met, Brother Cheng. Have you been well?

I have already been at the monastery for quite some time, and this place is still just as peaceful as it was when we last came here.

I feel as if my soul has been cleansed on this snowy mountain, and I’m planning to cultivate here for three years.

I look forward to the next time we meet.

***

Recently, a senior brother of mine has been telling me about some strange dreams he’s been having. In those dreams, he’s always being chased by someone, and he has described them to me in extremely vivid detail. My guess is that he’s experiencing visions through those dreams, perhaps from the perspective of a farmer at the foot of the mountain.

***

This may sound rather strange, Brother Cheng, but I’ve recently begun having frequent nightmares in which I’m chased by a figure with indistinct facial features. Even after I wake up, the fear still lingers within me. These dreams are identical to the ones my senior brother described to me. Could something really be happening at the foot of the mountain? Am I also experiencing visions?

***

I saw that strange figure in the abbot’s room. What is that thing? I’ve never seen a human with such a twisted and terrifying appearance... His arms were even longer than his legs, his eyes were completely white, and a strange, fishy odor emanated from his body. The abbot told me I was merely seeing things, but is that really true?

***

I woke up last night, and that strange figure was sitting beside my bed, looking down at me with his white eyes. Tendrils of greenish-yellow slime were constantly dripping from his body. I ran out of my room to call the other monks for help, but by the time I returned, he was gone.

***

Good news, Brother Cheng!

Ever since that night, I’ve been meditating with the abbot every day, and I haven’t had any more nightmares. Everything is getting better, and I feel more peaceful than ever before.

***

Something strange has been happening in the monastery. I saw a monk’s eyes turn completely white, and fish scales began growing all over his hands. I informed the abbot of this, but he refused to acknowledge it, telling me that I was merely seeing things.

***

There are more and more of those strange figures in the monastery now. Can the abbot and the other monks not see them? Why does no one believe me?

***

For the past few nights, someone has been constantly pounding on my door and watching me from outside. I don’t dare open the door to look, so I can only pretend that I’ve already fallen asleep.

***

Even the abbot’s chest has become completely covered in fish scales, and he reeks like the dead fish in the pond. Every night, they come and pound on my door.

***

I’m not going to keep living in fear any longer, Brother Cheng. I have decided to kill the abbot. Once the truth comes out, you’ll all know that I haven’t been lying. Something terrifying is happening in this monastery!

***

Chu Qiguang quickly read through the letter excerpts, and he could imagine the writer slowly descending into insanity.

According to the investigator’s records, a large amount of greenish-yellow slime had been discovered on the last few letters, and the words written on them had already become completely unintelligible.

It seemed that the monk had ultimately succumbed to demonification, just like everyone else in the monastery.

The final passage on the page read as follows.

***

The mutation of the Vajra Monastery and several other religious factions all took place in the 105th year after the dragon race invaded the central plains.

All of them experienced large-scale demonic tainting events that year, and those demonic taintings appeared to be extremely contagious.

Countless mighty cultivators were driven insane that year, and countless lineages were lost as a result.

Not long afterward, large-scale demonic tainting events also began occurring among the dragon race. It was only after many mighty cultivators from both sides had perished that the founding father of the Great Han Empire staged his uprising, driving back the dragon race and founding the Great Han Empire.

It was also at that time that the Vajra Monastery began heading down a path of no return.

***

Pitter... Patter...

Chu Qiguang saw greenish-yellow slime dripping onto the desk before him, but when he raised his head, there was nothing there.

Immediately afterward, he caught a flash of white out of the corner of his eye, as if something had just darted across his peripheral vision.

Before he had a chance to see what it was, he felt a burst of heat in his chest, and the memory of everything he had just read faded from his mind.

A boon emerged, presenting him with a selection of cultivation arts. As usual, the Sumeru King Scripture, the Heavenly Fiend Foundation Establishment Technique, and the Undying Seal were all marked in gray. However, on this occasion, the Primordial High Zenith Demonic Arts could be selected again, so that was what he chose.

In the next instant, he felt a burst of heat spread throughout his entire body.

There was no change in his physical appearance, but he could sense that his physical constitution had been massively enhanced. He had just reached the third level of the Primordial High Zenith Demonic Arts.