Chapter 225: The Sinister Guanyin

The moment my eyes fell upon the Guanyin statue, I instinctively recoiled several steps.

A profoundly unsettling aura emanated from it, even more disturbing than the charred remains of the addicts. It compelled an innate desire to flee.

“Hiss! It’s good you didn’t move recklessly. Everyone, stay still. We’ll line up one by one.”

“Approach the Guanyin statue, bow three times respectfully, and then slowly retreat. Politeness is paramount; rudeness is strictly forbidden,” Mo Qingyan instructed in a hushed, concise tone.

We all nodded in agreement, recognizing the gravity of the situation from her voice. Mo Qingyan stepped forward first.

She walked to the front of the statue, bowed three times with utmost reverence, and then backed away.

It was a simple, ordinary triple bow, much like anyone would perform when praying to deities. There was no fervent display, only a respectful posture—an attitude of ‘better safe than sorry.’

Returning to us, Mo Qingyan added, “Remember, do not kneel, do not make offerings or burn incense. Do not harbor any other thoughts in your heart. Simply bow three times as a gesture of respect.”

Next, Xushan, Jia Cheng, and Bai Yue each stepped forward, bowing three times before the Guanyin statue. Then, it was my turn.

I had watched them all proceed quite casually, as if merely going through the motions. They approached, bowed a few times, and then turned to leave. I, too, assumed it would be an easy task.

However, as I neared the Guanyin statue, the pressure intensified dramatically. The blood-red spiritual light seemed to permeate everything, engulfing me entirely.

The statue itself appeared to possess an infinite allure, tempting me to lift my gaze and meet its eyes.

I slowly lowered my head, daring not to look directly at the Guanyin statue. I seemed to hear the pounding of my own heart, along with faint, indistinct whispers.

A strange illusion crept over me, as if the Guanyin statue before me was alive, sentient, and watching my every move.

I bowed three times in quick succession, yet the pressure did not diminish; it only mounted. This oppressive force seemed to be compelling me to kneel, to prostrate myself before the statue.

But I remembered Mo Qingyan’s warning.

Upon returning to the group, cold sweat streamed down my back. Xiao Qing was next, and I quickly cautioned her, “Don’t be swayed by the statue’s allure. Whatever you do, don’t look up and meet its gaze.”

“And stand firm. The pressure feels like it’s trying to force us to kneel.”

“Eh? Okay.” Xiao Qing took a deep breath, steeling herself. At the same time, I felt a pang of annoyance toward Xushan and Jia Cheng, wondering why they hadn’t warned us after their turn.

To my surprise, Xushan spoke up, sounding puzzled. “What allure or pressure? I felt nothing out of the ordinary. What’s so hard about bowing three times before a shrine?”

“Eh? You didn’t feel like the Guanyin statue was watching you? You didn’t hear a heartbeat, or sense that it was alive?” I asked, bewildered.

“No, at least I didn’t feel anything like that,” Jia Cheng replied, though he didn’t doubt my words. Instead, he stroked his chin, lost in thought.

“Alright, everyone, quiet down. Xia Yubing is right. You just couldn’t perceive it. We’ll discuss this further once we’re outside,” Mo Qingyan whispered, reminding us.

“Understood,” the others agreed. Just then, Xiao Qing returned. She, too, had bowed three times quite ordinarily, looking at me with confusion. “I didn’t feel anything unusual, either.”

“That’s good, then. It seems the Bodhisattva didn’t make things difficult for us. Let’s go,” Mo Qingyan said, leading us out of the room empty-handed.

Yet, as I departed, I still vaguely sensed that lingering pressure, wondering if it was merely my imagination.

Even as I moved further away, I distinctly felt a gaze fixed upon my back, emanating from the direction of the Guanyin statue. It felt like needles pricking my skin until I finally exited the room, and the sensation vanished.

“Phew! We’re finally out. Thankfully, it didn’t fixate on us, or the trouble would have been immense,” Mo Qingyan said, exhaling a sigh of relief.

“Sister Mo, what was that? I felt that Guanyin statue was rather sinister,” Xiao Qing asked cautiously. Many families worship Guanyin statues, but this particular one gave her a very peculiar feeling.

“If I’m not mistaken, that was an evil Buddha,” Mo Qingyan stated.

“Evil Buddha? I think I’ve seen that term in books, but I can’t recall the specific details,” Xiao Qing mused.

“It’s also called a demonic Buddha,” Jia Cheng explained. “Originally, a household’s enshrined Buddha statue would absorb incense smoke over time, condensing its aura to become a magical artifact. However, due to accidental exposure to blood or contamination by negative energies, it transforms into a cursed artifact.”

“To remain unharmed in a fire suggests it was once a very powerful artifact. But after being steeped in malevolent energy and resentment for ten years, its corruption into a cursed artifact is only natural. Fortunately, no one could enter to worship it, or it would have been even more dangerous,” Mo Qingyan remarked.

“What would happen if someone worshipped it?” I asked nervously, recalling how I had felt the statue compelling me to bow.

“That situation would be incredibly troublesome. The divine statue might develop self-awareness. If you prayed to it, it might grant some twisted wishes, but the outcome would very likely be tragic,” Mo Qingyan revealed.

“So that’s why Sister Mo told us not to kneel, not to make offerings, and not to harbor distracting thoughts!” Xiao Qing exclaimed, realizing the implications.

“Precisely. If the evil Buddha were to mistakenly believe you needed its help, the trouble would be far too great. Without paying a significant price, we might not have been able to leave,” Mo Qingyan elaborated.

“But if you know it will end in tragedy, wouldn’t it be simpler to just avoid it?” Xiao Qing asked again.

“It sounds simple, but human hearts are always greedy and hold onto. There are always those with wishes they’re willing to pay any price to achieve. Praying to gods and Buddhas is usually useless, but these evil Buddhas might grant them. For instance, wishing for a child, wanting to resurrect a loved one, or hoping to curse an enemy to death,” Mo Qingyan explained.

“Can those wishes truly be granted?” I asked, skeptical.

“Possibly. However, the success rate is extremely low. And whether what’s born is human or ghost, or exactly what kind of monstrous entity is resurrected, remains unknown. Liang Xuezhang once showed me a real-life case,” Mo Qingyan recounted.

“That’s why, during dynastic changes, the authorities vigorously suppressed illicit shrines and evil temples, paying a huge price to destroy countless demonized divine and Buddha statues. Yet, such practices are hard to eradicate; many remote mountain villages still worship these evil Buddhas,” Jia Cheng added.

“But thankfully, I didn’t feel anything amiss. Sister Xia mentioned feeling watched or a huge pressure, but I didn’t experience any of that,” Xiao Qing said.

“Ah? Am I the only one who felt that?” I grew a little anxious. This didn’t feel right. Had that Guanyin statue fixed its gaze on me?

“I felt a little something too, a sense of being watched,” Bai Yue stated calmly, as if it were no big deal.

“I also felt something; the pressure increased when I got close. This is quite normal. Girls are typically more sensitive to sinister things. It’s actually a good thing that Xiao Qing didn’t feel anything abnormal. What I feared most was it speaking to you. Thankfully, it didn’t,” Mo Qingyan said, sounding relieved.

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