Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 2050 - 1498: Buddha, Please Don’t Come Any Closer!

"Buddha! Shandan people’s ambush? It’s impossible!""Whether it’s the envoy offering gold or the camp burned by fire arrows, it all exposed the Shandan people’s weakness! How could they possibly have an ambush? How could they have been lying in wait?!"

On the customs ship "Lotus Flower Maru," Master Juehui’s Buddhist heart shattered as he found it difficult to believe his own eyes. However, the bloody reality presented itself before him, like a horrifying vision of the Avici Hell, projecting a cruel and bloody truth of the world.

"Merciful Buddha!"

"Bang! Bang bang!"

The Jurchen heavy cavalry roared in, executing another fierce charge straight into the remaining Monk Soldiers’ backs. The dull thud of bones being crushed by the Bone broke their resistance, and the horses’ hooves plowed a bloody path, shattering the Monk Soldiers’ final stand. Following closely, a large group of Jurchen Warriors arrived, and the Warriors of the Kingdom boarded from the ship barriers, launching a long-awaited charge at the Monk Soldiers in the camp!

"Great Divine Spirit protect us! Kill! Kill them!"

"Praise the Chief Divine! The enemy has collapsed!"

"The Priest commands! Capture prisoners, take them alive!"

At this moment, the Monk Soldiers of the Tiantai Sect lost their commanding General and the organization of the army. They suffered a cavalry charge, resulting in devastating casualties of over half, then were surrounded and besieged from the front and back. The situation was irretrievable, and their morale finally collapsed completely, causing them to scatter and flee. Now, the Monk Soldiers wielding swords no longer existed, leaving only desperate prey escaping within the Hunter’s encirclement!

"Clatter!"

On the customs ship, the prayer beads in Master Juehui’s hand suddenly scattered to the ground. Just a quarter-hour ago, he was full of excitement, thrilled with the thought of breaking through the Shandan camp and seizing the Golden Treasure Tree. Half a quarter-hour ago, he still harbored a sliver of hope to rescue the situation, trying to lead a group of elite Monk Soldiers to retreat. But now, he was utterly defeated, having lost the last shred of hope!

This gamble, which seemed sure to win, with all its stakes and every resource poured in, had reached its conclusion! Without a doubt, he lost, the Tiantai Sect completely lost!

"My Monk Soldiers! The Monk Soldiers of my Tiantai Sect!"

"All that gold! All that gold in our grasp!"

"Merciful Buddha! Gone, all gone!"

Master Juehui felt dizzy, his mind blank. The cost of losing this gamble was so horrific, so heartbreakingly severe, that he couldn’t even stand for a moment. The monks on both sides hurriedly went up to support him, and one of them pointed nervously towards the shore, whispering anxiously.

"Master! Master! The Shandan savages on the shore... it seems they’ve sent a team charging towards us!"

"What? The Shandan savages are charging? Wave the flags! Retreat! Make the rowers row, retreat to the sea!"

"Ah? Master! But Lord Shiba on the shore, and those Monk Soldiers?"

"I am the Monk Master! I say... retreat! Cough, cough! ... Seeing that all five aggregates are empty, transcending all suffering and calamities..."

Master Juehui coughed violently as the blankness in his mind gradually cleared, quickly regaining consciousness. Perhaps because his Buddhist practice was profound enough, or perhaps because the lives and blood of the five hundred Monk Soldiers were a price he could disregard.

Before his eyes, after losing five hundred Monk Soldiers, each Tiantai Guard Ship had only twenty to thirty faithful rowers left. These faithful Monk followers didn’t possess any combat ability, nor could they possibly rescue the Monk Soldiers from the Shandan people’s encirclement! Therefore, the most wise choice was...

"Namo Amitabha!"

Master Juehui recited the scriptures, trying to calm his agitated emotions, and repeated the order.

"Merciful Buddha, the Monk Soldiers on the shore died for the Buddha and will directly enter the Western Heavenly Bliss! Our Tiantai Fleet cannot all be lost here; we must retreat immediately!"

"The Shandan people don’t have ships, we’ll be safe once we’re at sea. Reorganize at sea and retreat south, all the way to Victory Mountain Manor... no, straight across the Tsugaru Strait!"

"Namo Amitabha! During this northern expedition, the fleet was betrayed by Mori no Kiyoshi and the Kaozaki Family, leading to the Shandan people’s ambush! But through bitter combat over a day, we’ve protected the fleet and acquired one hundred jin of gold... even half of the gold brought back by Mori no Kiyoshi is because of our credit!"

In just a few words, Master Juehui had accepted the dire situation, formulating a narrative to report back to the Sect, living up to being a ’true high monk.’ As the highest-ranking Monk Master in the fleet, his command represented the Buddha’s will, which the followers had to unconditionally execute. So, just moments later, the rowers quickly took their positions, exerting their all despite a day’s fatigue, desperately sailing away from the dangerous Ezo Coast.

"All phenomena are impermanent and without self, quiet extinction is joy..."

On the departing customs ship, Master Juehui lowered his eyes compassionately. He chanted the Buddhist Scripture, refusing to look at the bloodshed on the shore, refusing to hear those desperate wails.

By not looking, he could ignore; by not listening, he could remain unaware. Ignoring and not hearing, he could remain unburdened. Thus, the Rebirth Mantra to dispel disasters and bestow blessings, transcending the Monk Soldiers, naturally flowed from his compassionate lips.

"Namo Amitabhaya! Tathagataya. Tadahya, Amilitopabhabi..."

"Homage to the Infinite Light Tathagata! Salutations to the Tathagata. This mantra is truly without falsehood, praising the light of the pure and joyful Buddha..."

"Master! Master Juehui!"

"?"

"Ships! There are two large ships on the sea! They’re flying the Eagle Banner of the Shandan Tribe, heading towards us!..."

"!..."

Master Juehui suddenly widened his Buddhist eyes, gazing toward the blood-red horizon under the dusky sunset. He saw two imposing Ocean Shielding Ships, with sails fully raised, swiftly heading south towards the Tiantai Fleet with the northern wind behind them. Assisted by the wind, their speed was noticeably faster than the weary Tiantai Fleet, and much quicker!

"?! What is this? Ocean Shielding Ship?... Ocean Shielding Ships of the Shandan Tribe?!"

"Buddha! No! This isn’t possible!!... How could these land-bound Shandan Tribe have such fast Ocean Shielding Ships?..."

No matter how fierce the battle on the shore, no matter how tragic the fate of the Monk Soldiers, nothing could waver Master Juehui’s resolute mind. Because he stood on the ship, outside the threat of the Shandan people! But now, the sudden appearance of these two enemy ships, for the first time, truly broke Juehui’s mental defenses, causing him to tremble from his knees to his backbone.

This... can’t be..."

"Chief Divine’s protection! Fully sail! Full speed! Get close!"

On the Ocean Shielding Ship, Loshanda armored and ax-wielding, his face filled with an impassioned battle spirit, commanded his fleet. The four 2-pound cannons already prepared revealed their muzzles on either side of the two Ocean Shielding Ships. Soon, the Ocean Shielding Ships approached the Tiantai Sect’s guard ship fleet, closing to within a few dozen steps. Subsequently, the two Ocean Shielding Ships skillfully pivoted, the left side cannons aimed at the enemy ships, paused briefly, then let out a roar.

"Boom! Boom!..."

"Buddha! This is? This is the demon firearms of the Yuan Invasion! Evil Artifact straight from Avici Hell!..."

The terrifying thunderbolt came crashing down, one landed in the water, another hit the outermost guard ship, blasting a bowl-sized hole in the arrow-proof wood! Splinters exploded within the cabin, rowers let out a tragic howl. Visibly, this guard ship slowed down, falling behind the fleet...

"Ignore it! Keep going forward! Keep firing!..."

Loshanda waved the command flag, eyes full of excitement and agitation at capturing. The two Ocean Shielding Ships, like two blades, plunged into the Tiantai Fleet without leaving a retreat, pursuing the fleet like hawks chasing swallows. And half a quarter later, the hawk behind caught up to the swallow ahead, followed by another round of deafening cannon fire!

"Boom! Boom!... Boom! Boom!..."

"Leave it, keep going! Yes! Get close to that large flagship!"

"Aha! Chief Divine’s protection! I see him! That bald Japanese High Priest, the most valuable captive!..."

"Don’t fire the cannons! Get close! Get close! Board, capture them alive!..."

"Ka! Ka!..."

The piercing sound of ships colliding shot straight into Master Juehui’s ears. The horrifying sneer of the Shandan was already appearing on the boarding sea ship. He stared wide-eyed in terror, eyebrows of compassion trembling for quite a while until the demon-like Shandan boarded, broke through the arrow-proof shelter, cut down the obstructing rowers... he suddenly pushed aside the monks next to him, intending to escape into the cabin.

"Stop! Where do you think you’re running?!"

Master Juehui shuddered all over, a fierce thrown axe whistled towards him, with a ’thud’, it nailed onto the deck board in front of him! That Yama-summoned axe startled him into slipping, and he fell onto the blood-stained deck, his legs still flailing.

"Ah? Buddha! No! Don’t come over! I... I am the Great Monk of the Omi Temple Society! You... you cannot kill me!..."

"Thud!"

"Ah!..."

Loshanda face full of killing intent, swung another heavy axe, furiously chopping towards Master Juehui. The fallen Great Monk shook all over, letting out a deathly scream, breaking through all his Buddhist teachings. But when he finished screaming, he found the axe merely grazed his critical spot, cutting into his monk robe, deeply nailing into the deck. As he looked up in fear, Loshanda smiled brilliantly, commanding the terrified "bald Great Monk."

"Japanese High Priest, have your fleet surrender!..."

"...?"

"Don’t understand? I said, let... all ships... halt! Ship! Stop!..."

"...?"

"Thud!"

The Shandaman’s axe raised again, life and death hung on a thread, Master Juehui finally wisely reacted, guessing the opponent’s intentions. He sat on the deck, frantically retreating two steps, and with a chillingly hoarse voice, shouted without hesitation.

"My Buddha is compassionate! Surrender! Surrender to the Shandan Evil... kind friend!..."

"Raise the command flag! Stop the fleet! Yes! All stop!..."

"This is my order! It is Buddha’s decree!!..."

The blood-red sun hung over the Western Sea, the scarlet setting sun reflected in the sky. The two Ocean Shielding Ships of the Kingdom, flaunting cannons, clamped the Tiantai Sect’s flagship "Lotus Flower Maru," like thick fingers pinching the "seven inches" of the Water Serpent. When Buddha’s decree came from the "seven inches," the ten-ship guard fleet that formed the "Water Serpent," finally lost their last struggle. They relinquished escape and resistance, adrift toward the sunset, unmoving~~