Bear School Astartes

Lann walked up the mountain path already covered with maple leaves.

Halfway up, sounds came from the branches of tall maple trees on both sides of the path.

"Tsk tsk, you're even quicker and more decisive than I thought."

Lann, not pausing his steps, looked up and saw a conspicuous black conical hat on the tree branches.

The Chaos Wave Group's [Light Body Skill] might transform one's body into a squat figure, but admittedly, the effect is quite impressive.

"Did you finish already?"

"All the ninjas on the outskirts are cleared, as I told you, I understand them thoroughly. By the way, how do you plan to enter the mountain gate? In our East Japan territory, treating a temple's mountain gate like a formal fortress is not an exaggeration."

Black Conical Hat Li scrutinized Lann's heavy armor and shook his head.

"Do you need me to tie a rope inside the mountain gate for you? Your equipment definitely can't use [Light Body Skill]."

Black Conical Hat Li was pondering what kind of rope could handle Lann's physique without attracting too much attention.

After a long calculation, he thought using a Ninja Hook Lock would be more appropriate.

But when he was about to communicate further with Lann below the tree, he saw the Demon Hunter nonchalantly walking to the front of the Immortal Peak Temple's mountain gate.

"..."

Just as he was about to call out to him, he saw the arm clad in banded armor raised high and then heavily dropped down.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three heavy dull thuds echoed, startling many birds in the maple grove of Vajra Mountain.

For a moment, the mountain top, initially filled with Zen-like tranquility, had a feeling of an impending ambush.

Black Conical Hat Li's initially open mouth immediately closed, and his squat figure withdrew into the tree leaves.

He thought this would be a covert infiltration and sabotage mission, but unexpectedly... Lann never said he would pull this stunt!

He's just a Ninja, operating secretly is okay. He wanted to stop Lann, but it was too late.

After the disturbance of the birds flying away, Vajra Mountain's gate fell into silence.

After a long while, the sound of a door slowly opening echoed, "Zhiya~".

Four tall, thin monks opened the Immortal Peak Temple's gates and walked out.

Their skin was dry, with a near-grey hue, their expressions haggard, their bodies emaciated.

They raised a single palm, bowed their heads murmuring as if sincerely worshipping Buddha.

These four monks glanced at Lann's foreign armor but showed no extra emotion, their eyes as lifeless as a dead object.

After seemingly confirming something about Lann's physique, they did not ask where Lann came from or why he was there.

Simply opened the gate and ushered the Demon Hunter inside.

It seems to them... as long as you've come, it's all the same.

Behind the gate in the temple, the number of people increased. Yet still unnaturally devoid of any human presence.

Several monks formed a line, patrolling the mountain path. Near the trees or stone walls, some monks were bowing their heads reciting scriptures.

In many places, there were toy-like pinwheels or wood and stone doll statues inserted.

Pinwheels and statues were densely clustered around tree roots or foot of rock walls, like flowers growing in clusters.

These monks were busy with their tasks and showed no desire to explore Lann's visibly unusual attire and demeanor.

Only the four monks who opened the door to welcome Lann surrounded him front and back.

One might mistakenly believe that monks in this temple have achieved such spiritual tranquility, devoid of even curiosity.

But being sandwiched in the middle, Lann felt with his keen senses.

His sides, lower back, groin, throat... were being watched by the four monks, ready to act the instant they wanted.

The punch techniques of Immortal Peak Temple indeed had their intricacies.

"What are they praying for?"

Lann, acting like a naive outsider, pointed at the scene of monks praying to pinwheels and wood and stone figures.

With a friendly smile, like a devout believer curious upon visiting a grand temple.

"The world is full of sorrow."

The monk surrounding Lann spoke in a hoarse voice, suggesting he possibly hadn't used his vocal cords in a long time.

"Life and death, born in the morning die by night, endless reincarnation. We pray for all suffering beings."

The words carried a significant sense of Zen, with an added sense of melancholy and desolation.

As if seeing through the myriad forms of life, yet still empathizing with human pain.

Anyone hearing it would praise their 'compassionate heart'.

Lann slightly felt the same.

"I see..." The Demon Hunter's smile grew warmer.

"Pinwheel toys and doll statues... masters must feel there's no one in the world more pitiful than children, right? Truly compassionate hearts."

Suddenly, the four monks felt a slight chill internally, yet externally felt a slight warmth.

It was like standing beside a small bonfire.

Their almost lifeless eyeballs woodenly turned toward Lann.

And the young man's gentle smiling mouth was gradually becoming serene.

Serene enough to cause unease.

"Compassionate masters... even specially dug up a corresponding number of child remains for each pinwheel and doll statue."

In the Demon Hunter's exceptional senses, along this short temple mountain path, the tree roots and rock walls on both sides... red to the point of eeriness!

The soil here was stained with human blood... a lot of it.

The four monks had an unnatural pause before their tones hardened.

"The master jests. Ahead is a side hall of the temple. Before visiting the main hall to worship Buddha, why not rest here a while. Please."

While saying "please", the monks opened their arms, offering Lann only one path.

But the calm-faced Lann walked directly toward the tree roots densely filled with pinwheels.

The monk's arm blocking him had no effect whatsoever in the monk's wide-eyed gaze.

The tree root had another monk bowing his head, emotionlessly reciting scripture.

Lann slowly squatted down, first touching the soil, then his hand clad in studded leather gloves plunged into the earth with a 'squelch'.

When he pulled out his hand, a palm-sized skull appeared, soiling his hand.

In the small skull's eye sockets, several centipedes crawled in and out.

The scene fell silent.

Patrolling monks halted, chanting monks turned their heads.

Tens of dead-like eyes focused on Lann's hand.

"Namo three~"

In an indistinct whisper from one monk, a sigh-like Buddhist chant emerged.

The next moment, the roaring winds from fist and foot came pressing from above Lann's half crouched head!

The roaring sound and airflow were unlike any normal punch and kick.

[Immortal Peak Temple Fist Technique] possessed skills to control airflow like swordplay or spear techniques.

However, fists cannot be as sharp as metal weapons, so it utilizes "air hammers" instead of "Qi Flow Blade"!

The massive airflow enveloping fists and feet can directly penetrate the organs, disrupting breathing when scraping past the mouth and nose.

This kick would smash a normal person's skull, even if it doesn't penetrate, the brain would be a mess.

But at that moment, Lann smoothly leaned back, dodging the air hammer enhanced kick.

While his hand pressed on the monk's neck who was kicking.

This master was reciting scriptures before the tree just a moment ago.

The next moment, "Boom", Lann's brute force slammed his head against the tree trunk.

Red and white bodily fluids splattered like a painting on the rugged tree bark.

The Demon Hunter slightly shook off the residue from his hand and placed his thumb on the scabbard at his waist, slightly pushing it.

Cold light glimmered.

From the blade at his waist, from the teeth as he breathed.