Ah Gui was startled, and with its tail still in my grip, it let out a series of squeaks from its mouth, trying to bite my hand. Having no choice, I had to let go, allowing it to drop to the ground.

Ah Gui let out a sharp squeak from the impact and darted towards the corner of the courtyard with the speed of an arrow leaving a bowstring. Just as I was about to pursue it, I heard Number 2 utter a soft, questioning "Aiyo?" I looked down to see Da Zhu’s tongue, unnaturally long and pointed, extended from his mouth, coiling tightly around Number 2's hand.

My first reaction wasn't to help Number 2 break free, but to check on Li Xiaoquan behind me. "What's wrong with my son?

Why has he turned like this?" Li Xiaoquan stumbled backward in terror, utterly unable to process what his eyes were showing him. I turned back then, and saw that Da Zhu's eyes had turned completely white, and black fur was beginning to sprout all over his body.

He flipped over, preparing to pin Number 2 beneath him. Seeing this, I could no longer stand idly by.

I had already ingested the pearl from the Shen, and I could discern that Da Zhu’s Nianli had shifted from the human white to the yellow associated only with wild beasts. It seemed that what I had glimpsed through the crack in the door earlier was indeed this creature; it had likely intended to devour its own father while the old man was unprepared.

Furthermore, the time of its return was definitely not yesterday, but tonight. The inhuman figure seen loitering near the front of the courtyard earlier must have been him.

If we hadn't arrived in time, Old Man Li might already be dead. It was only because it feared some inherent power within us that the creature managed to suppress its ravenous desire to eat people, reverting back to a human form.

However, it was evident that the creature had lost its humanity, and once unsupervised, the urge for sustenance drove it to target the monkey Ah Gui, thus revealing its true nature. My Nianli is strong enough to lift ten tons; no matter how powerful this thing was, it was no match for me.

So, with an empty grab in the air, I seized the creature by the scruff of its neck and lifted its entire body clear off the ground. I couldn't spare a thought for Li Xiaoquan’s stunned expression upon witnessing my ability.

I slammed Da Zhu down onto the floor with immense force, shaking him so violently that he became disoriented and his tongue retracted. Number 2 seemed to have felt pain from the entanglement, rubbing his wrist as he stood up.

He drew a crossbow from his waist and aimed it at Da Zhu, declaring, "You dare lay a hand on my monkey? I won't forgive you!

Die!" He was about to pull the trigger when Da Zhu let out a drawn-out, miserable cry, then began clawing frantically at the fur on his own body, rolling on the ground in agony. "Wait!

Don't kill him!" At this moment, Li Xiaoquan rushed forward and shielded Da Zhu. "Your son has transformed into this; it must be the work of those Yuanmou people.

If we don't kill him, he will harm others just like them. He is no longer human, Elder.

Step aside," Number 2 stated calmly. Old Man Li retorted, "No matter what he has become, he is still my son!

Can't you see how much pain he's in? He doesn't want this!" Number 2 pressed his palms together and said, "Amitabha.

Heaven values life. I too do not wish to kill him, but his continued existence will only bring disaster to others.

This humble monk cannot allow evil to flourish!" As he spoke, a man’s voice suddenly called out from behind Li Xiaoquan: "Father! What's wrong with me?

Is my illness acting up again? Who are these people?" Li Xiaoquan spun around in alarm, speaking to Da Zhu, "Son?

Son, are you well?" I turned my head and saw that all the fur on Da Zhu had vanished, restoring him to his normal appearance. His eyes seemed to possess a spark of clarity now, no longer dull as they were when we first saw him; he appeared to be a normal person.

While I was wondering at the change, Li Xiaoquan began to explain, "Today I will tell you the truth. My son was a very bright child when he was younger, but he offended the Six-Armed Bodhisattva, which caused him to contract this strange illness.

Whenever an episode strikes, he grows hair like a bear and bites anyone or any animal he sees. But he has never intentionally harmed a person—at most, he would steal livestock to eat." "What Six-Armed Bodhisattva?

Tell us clearly; perhaps we can find a way to save him!" I interjected. Seeing that we were no longer threatening his son, Li Xiaoquan relaxed his expression and said, "This child was extremely intelligent before the age of six, back when we still lived in our old house on the mountain.

We had a well then. While the water couldn't be drunk, it was perfect for setting tofu.

Our village's tofu was renowned for its taste, bringing considerable income to the area." "But one day, for some unknown reason, our well suddenly dried up. Not a drop of water could be drawn.

This put the entire village in a panic. To investigate the cause of the drought, a few days later, another villager and I lowered ourselves to the bottom of the well using ropes." "At the bottom, we saw a strangely shaped Buddha statue lying there.

The statue seemed to be crafted from some kind of black stone; it had six arms, and its limbs appeared incredibly solid, but its belly was hugely distended, and it looked as if it were actually breathing!" "Logically, one would immediately assume such a thing was a demon upon seeing it. Yet, the creature's face was gentle and benevolent, so it didn't look like something meant to cause harm." "When we managed to haul it out of the well, everyone who saw it agreed it resembled a Bodhisattva.

But when we checked for a pulse or listened for a heartbeat, there were absolutely no vital signs—it was inanimate. After much study, the conclusion was finally reached: this must be some kind of living Bodhisattva or celestial being, and it ought to be enshrined." "Of course, some, like myself, argued it was a monster.

I believed this thing had drunk the well dry, cutting off the village's lifeline, making it an ominous object. But even if it were an ill omen, it should still be worshipped, because offending it further might bring about other calamities." "From that day forward, the villagers pooled resources to build a temple for this Bodhisattva, enshrining this so-called living Bodhisattva day and night, burning incense and offering sacrifices.

Since worshipping this Bodhisattva, the village has seen neither good fortune nor disaster, but the well water never returned." "Days passed, and gradually, the villagers noticed that a portion of the offerings would vanish by the next morning. At first, they assumed it was stolen by someone or taken by children playing, but some believed the Bodhisattva had come alive and consumed the items.

Under normal circumstances, someone should have been appointed to stand watch to discover what was happening." Hearing this, Number 12 became engrossed and interjected, "Yes, yes, that’s exactly how it’s written in novels! Like having an old woman keep watch, who dozes off next to the statue, only to wake up and see the Bodhisattva bending over, using its six arms to take things, then baring a mouthful of sharp teeth at the old woman, who is scared senseless!" I frowned and told Number 12, "Stop interrupting; this isn't a novel!" During this interruption, Li Xiaoquan took a sip of tea and continued, "But the villagers took the missing offerings as a good sign, believing the Bodhisattva was manifesting its divine power.

Wasn't the point of offering sacrifices to be consumed by the Bodhisattva? Besides, the village wouldn't miss a few fruits and steamed buns.

In hopes of preventing further divine displeasure, they actually increased the offerings and the incense burned in the temple." "Days passed in this manner. The year Da Zhu turned six, the drought lasted for more than half a year.

Even drought-resistant fruit trees began to wither, let alone bear fruit. That winter, the village harvested nothing; they had to subsist on dry grain.

Yet, the offerings to the Bodhisattva could not cease, as we were afraid of inviting other disasters at such a vulnerable time." "In reality, ever since we started worshipping this Bodhisattva, the village's situation had been subtly deteriorating, though no one seemed to register the change. At least, that’s how I saw it.

My son, though young, harbored resentment toward the Bodhisattva that ruined our well water. The offering rotation fell to our household when we were struggling to even afford thin porridge.

But my family still used our last bit of remaining ash-flour to make steamed buns for the Bodhisattva, and offered its final few eggs." "It was such a coincidence, just like in a story: that very night, because Da Zhu was utterly starving and resentful of the Bodhisattva, he sneaked up to the mountain temple in the middle of the night to steal the offerings. He never returned.

When I finally reached the mountain, I found him inside the temple, raving and gnawing on a brick, with offerings strewn everywhere on the ground, as if a violent struggle had taken place." "From that day on, Da Zhu's mind was never quite right. He was often frighteningly hungry, and would take a bite of anything, regardless of whether it was edible.

My wife couldn't stand it and returned to her parents' home, later marrying someone else. Only my son and I remained, dependent on each other.

I gradually realized that Da Zhu wasn't entirely mad; he would occasionally be lucid for a moment, but even then, he remembered nothing about what happened in the temple that night when questioned." Number 2 spoke up then, "This is a manifestation of selective amnesia. It seems something truly awful happened in that temple that he refuses to recall." Li Xiaoquan sighed and continued, "Later on, due to plans to develop the area as a scenic spot, all the villages at the foot of the mountain were relocated here, closer to the main road.

The villagers built homes and started businesses here, and the old village gradually fell into ruin." "However, when we moved the ancestral graves, everyone went back together one last time. While there, they decided to visit the temple on the mountain.

They found the temple had collapsed, and the Six-Armed Bodhisattva had vanished without a trace." "I believe that thing must have gained sentience. Seeing that no one was offering it tributes anymore, it must have returned to the well itself.

When I went back to the old house recently to retrieve some items, what emerged from the well, I believe, was it. If that thing is the main culprit behind the recent chaos involving the Yuanmou people, I beg you—exterminate this monster!

If you destroy it, perhaps my son can recover."