# Chapter 19: Death God Appears Again
"You've all seen what just happened, and everyone knows the truth of the matter." Ye Fan held the ancient bronze lamp in his left hand and the damaged fish drum in his right. Instead of retreating, he took a few steps forward toward the group and said, "Since I've already taken the fish drum, there's no way I'm giving it back."
The divine radiance spilling from the bronze ancient lamp was brilliant as the sun, pure as the moon, like a segment of sacred rainbow, crystalline and sparkling with auspicious colors. It perfectly merged with Ye Fan, as if they were naturally one, making him appear transcendent and otherworldly, like a banished immortal descending to the mortal world clad in divine garments.
As for the fish drum in his right hand, though damaged and now dim, everyone had just witnessed its thunderous might—purple lightning crisscrossing, thunderclaps roaring. Now that Ye Fan held it, it inspired genuine fear.
"Li Changqing indeed shouldn't have spoken recklessly, causing others to develop covetous thoughts and leading to this unpleasant incident. But Ye Fan, taking his life-saving item is indeed excessive." Liu Yunzhi stepped forward, the vajra pestle in his hand gleaming brightly, giving off a heavy and condensed aura, very imposing.
Beside him stood a man and a woman who had been stopping Pang Bo from acting, speaking in Li Changqing's defense. Now they both followed Liu Yunzhi forward.
"Ye Fan, I know you're furious. Anyone would be enraged after what happened. But we should show more forgiveness." The female classmate spoke calmly, as if standing on the side of reason, impartial, appearing completely fair. "Depriving him of his life-saving item in this situation—we all know what that means. You can't be so excessive."
At her fingertip hung a worn copper bell, dusty and dim, seemingly ordinary but impossible to ignore. As she spoke, her slender fingers moved unconsciously, occasionally producing a faint ring.
The male classmate beside Liu Yunzhi also spoke: "We should all have a forgiving heart. We've known each other for four years, and we've encountered this upheaval together. We ought to help each other through this. Let's put this unpleasantness behind us and stop entangling. Ye Fan, return his life-saving fish drum. You don't want to watch him lose his life, do you?"
In his lowered right hand was a rusted incense burner, only palm-sized, somewhat damaged with partial cracks, yet it appeared ancient and natural.
The three stood together, all having gained something from the Great Thunderclap Monastery, each holding an artifact abandoned by a deity. At this moment, their words naturally carried weight.
"Clang!"
Pang Bo strode forward and heavily planted the Great Thunderclap Monastery bronze plaque on the ground. "You talk a better game than you sing! I find your skill at twisting black and white quite impressive. First, understand what just happened. Second, know that a person should be upright! It was Li Changqing who tried to harm Ye Fan with others, yet somehow Ye Fan isn't magnanimous enough? What kind of logic is that? How does it end up being Ye Fan's fault? Someone tries to kill him, and Ye Fan takes away their leverage—what's wrong with that? According to you, Ye Fan becomes the villain, and Li Changqing has no fault. Stop with the hypocritical righteousness—it makes me sick!"
At this moment, Pang Bo's radiance still hadn't faded. The four ancient characters "Great Thunderclap Monastery" on the bronze plaque emitted soaring beams of light. Buddhist sounds spoke the Dharma, voices like thunder, with ethereal chanting faintly audible. He was like a blazing sun, extremely imposing.
These words immediately made the man and woman who had spoken look very displeased.
"We didn't say Ye Fan was wrong. We just wanted Ye Fan to consider classmate friendship and not take Li Changqing's fish drum, allowing him to survive."
They completely avoided the main issue—not mentioning how Ye Fan was nearly pushed off the five-colored altar and almost swept away by the storm—instead emphasizing that Ye Fan's actions would cost a classmate his life.
After hearing them out, Ye Fan smiled calmly. "Actually, the three of you needn't worry. I don't intend to haggle with him."
Divine radiance swirled around his body, giving him an ethereal, hazy feel. He was spotless, bringing everyone a sense of tranquility and harmony.
"But let me correct something: Li Changqing and others nearly cost me my life, not the other way around, as you keep claiming. Everyone saw what happened." Ye Fan glanced at Liu Yunzhi and the others. "Many classmates here didn't gain anything from the Great Thunderclap Monastery, yet they're still alive. Why? Because we shared our divine artifacts earlier. I took Li Changqing's fish drum only to prevent him from having leverage to do evil. He could instigate others to rob me, and he could develop such thoughts toward others. As for his safety, rest assured—we're all classmates. We can share our divine items and support each other, and everything will be fine. Of course, if you're unwilling to share your copper bell, incense burner, and vajra pestle with him, then let him stay by my side. I won't disregard classmate friendship."
Ye Fan first pointed out the root cause, hitting the vital point. Then he mentioned sharing divine artifacts, though without elaboration, allowing everyone to recall that it was his earlier suggestion that had saved many. Finally, he lightly undercut Liu Yunzhi and the two classmates, touching on every point, leaving them nothing to say.
Zhou Yi also stood at the front. Except for initially opposing Ye Fan taking the fish drum, he had been quietly listening without comment. Only now did he speak again: "Li Changqing was indeed very wrong. No punishment would be excessive. But Ye Fan, isn't it wasteful for you to hold two divine artifacts? Many classmates here don't even have a single damaged piece."
Zhou Yi came from a family with some background, but he never seemed arrogant, always refined and easygoing. His point now made Pang Bo frown, though he couldn't refute it.
"I'm willing to share even the bronze ancient lamp I hold. Now that I've taken this fish drum, I naturally consider things from that perspective." Ye Fan smiled and waved to a male classmate behind him. "Zhang Ziling, take this. If danger arises, remember to share it with those nearby."
This classmate named Zhang Ziling had been standing behind Ye Fan and Pang Bo. They had bonded on the football field back in the day, closer than ordinary classmates. Though he hadn't acted like Pang Bo earlier, he clearly sided with Ye Fan.
Ye Fan's decision was sudden. Zhou Yi's lips moved, but he said nothing.
Liu Yunzhi immediately frowned. The female classmate beside him quickly objected: "Many male classmates gained something from the Great Thunderclap Monastery. Comparatively, few female classmates found Buddhist artifacts. I think it should go to a female classmate." She gestured toward a girl behind her.
Pang Bo sneered. "What's the difference between classmates? Those with divine artifacts must share with others. Who gets it doesn't matter—unless you're unwilling to help others?"
Selectively ignoring, emphasizing aggressive points—Pang Bo returned the favor with mockery, choking the female classmate into anger. Her face alternated between pale and red. "Don't twist my meaning!"
Zhang Ziling naturally stepped forward and accepted the fish drum from Ye Fan. Neither spoke, but everything was understood.
Ye Fan directly ignored Liu Yunzhi, not even looking at him, and asked Zhou Yi, "What do you think, Zhou Yi?"
"I have no objection. We're stranded outside now and should help each other. I hope no more unpleasantness occurs." Zhou Yi said these words calmly, then fell silent.
The surrounding classmates observed everything, sensing the subtle situation. Though it seemed peaceful, there had been several invisible confrontations, all smoothly defused by Ye Fan.
This reminded people of Ye Fan from their student days—calm and easygoing when appropriate, sharp and decisive when needed. He never courted trouble but never feared it either.
Pang Bo, hand on the Great Thunderclap Monastery bronze plaque, looked at Liu Yunzhi and the others. "Ye Fan is very forgiving about people trying to harm him, but I have to say this: people do things, and heaven watches. By now, we can't deny the existence of deities. A person should be upright and not do things that can't see the light!"
This was a direct slap in the face to those ahead, but no one could refute, because he stood on the side of reason.
Liu Yunzhi remained calm, showing no embarrassment. He simply nodded. "Well said. We must avoid such incidents in the future."
Lin Jia and Wang Ziwen stood behind, both maintaining neutrality. They hadn't spoken earlier but now chimed in.
"To avoid further unpleasantness, I think we should discuss this properly."
"We should determine how those who gained from the Great Thunderclap Monastery can help others—how many each person should assist."
Li Xiaoman hadn't said a word throughout. She watched Ye Fan from a distance, observing how he calmly resolved everything. Her eyes were very calm, showing no indication of helping either side.
Beside her, Kaide's understanding of Chinese was limited. Only now did he fully grasp what had happened. This foreigner was secretly astonished.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a cracking sound came. Everyone was startled. The light barrier protecting the five-colored altar had been pierced. Something had drilled in. Everyone looked in that direction.
A black light shot with extreme speed. "Pfft!" It pierced a male classmate's forehead. A few drops of blood splattered. The male classmate's eyes opened wide as he fell backward, never to move again.
If not for the light barrier, this terrifying thing would have been completely silent. No one would have detected the black light's approach. Remembering those killed in the darkness earlier, everyone's hearts turned cold. That black light hid in the shadows, impossible to detect.
The appearance of the black light was like a declaration that the Death God had returned!
Panicked screams rang out. The altar descended into chaos. Those without divine artifacts frantically rushed toward Liu Yunzhi, Zhou Yi, Wang Ziwen, and others, grabbing them and refusing to let go, sharing the Buddhist artifacts.
"Roar..." Suddenly, from within the storm came a hair-raising sound, shaking heaven and earth, suppressing even the thunderous sandstorm.
"It's the Great Thunderclap Monastery..."
At this moment, many faces turned pale. They recognized the direction of the sound—it was from the Great Thunderclap Monastery!
"The Great Thunderclap Monastery has already been destroyed. Could something be suppressed beneath it..."
As soon as Pang Bo said this, many felt their scalps tingle, a chill running down their spines.