“Quick, quick, take off your kasaya.”
Many of the young monks who had just joined Mount Wuliang hastily removed their kasayas and scurried down the mountain.
Some of the older monks, with their deep faith in the Buddha, sat in the square, hands pressed together, chanting the Buddhist Scriptures, seemingly confronting this demonic calamity.
Under the guidance of some of these older monks, more and more disciples sat in the square, their chants of the scriptures humming like a hymn, as if to resist this demonic force with the truth of Buddha’s path.
The circulating Sword Qi grew in scale, spreading from the peak of Spirit Mountain, spreading over the tops of a dozen peaks.
There was a chilling, deadly cold between heaven and earth.
The multitude of monks heading to Spirit Mountain, under the shock and fear, some stood in the distance, hands pressed together, displaying an expression of resigned determination.
Others, in panic, tore off their kasayas and turned to run.
A great catastrophe was impending, showing all kinds of faces.
“Master… is dead.”
On a mountain peak, Li Qianfeng stepped out of the Buddhist Hall, staring at the Sword Tide swirling in the distant sky, stunned.
His master, seated high on the Lotus Platform, was allegedly… dead?
He found it hard to comprehend and believe, but he knew it was true; otherwise, why would his master allow someone to desecrate Spirit Mountain?
“Young master, let’s go quickly, the Buddha Lord is dead, we need to hurry.”
Another old monk rushed out, urgently saying.
Though he looked like a monk, he was actually from the Li Family, there to accompany Li Qianfeng in his studies, taking care of Li Qianfeng.
“Who did this?” Li Qianfeng strained his eyes to see the figure beneath the Sword Tide in the distance.
“It must be some demon, possibly even Demon Luo, the old nemesis of the Buddha Lord.”
As the old monk spoke, he quickly helped Li Qianfeng out of his white kasaya, while throwing him some ordinary, coarse clothes, saying:
“Young master, put these on quickly, let’s disguise ourselves as external disciples and descend the mountain. The one who killed the Buddha Lord will certainly not spare you, as you are the Buddha Lord’s direct disciple.”
Li Qianfeng’s expression changed slightly, and he swiftly caught on, quickly putting on the clothes.
“Let’s go!”
He took one last deep look at Spirit Mountain, then swiftly descended the mountain.
Read latest chapters on empire
Meanwhile, Li Hao’s ten-count countdown was nearing its end.
“Die!”
Li Hao looked at those stubborn monks in front of him, their hands pressed together, chanting scriptures, trying to save him through the truth of the Buddhist Scriptures, his eyes cold and emotionless.
The Sword Tide swirling above suddenly swept down, instantly tearing the Golden Body Arhats of the Three Immortal Realms into a rain of blood.
This rain of blood splashed onto Spirit Mountain, dying the split and damaged mountain red.
While the Sword Tide covered the area, streams of Sword Qi flew out, tearing apart numerous Buddhist Halls atop peripheral peaks, and cleaving the Buddha statues.
Those sitting in the square, chanting the Buddhist Scriptures, as they listened to the sounds of the buildings being split and felt the ground shake beneath them, trembled, and their eyes opening in uncontainable fear, tore off their kasayas and fled hastily.
Still, a large part of them continued to chant the Buddhist Scriptures, their humming voice like a hymn, echoing from the tops of mountains.
In this world-splitting chaos, the dim, endless Sword Tide swept through, their chants sounding like the last light of humanity in the apocalypse.
Boom, Boom, Boom!
Countless streams of Sword Qi pierced through, tearing apart the square, flattening the mountain tops, and destroying the Buddhist Halls, Buddha statues, incense burners, and Copper Coin cauldrons.
The Sword Qi shuffled past those monks, hands pressed and chanting, without killing them, only destroying the buildings and ground around them.
Many chanters, their eyes opening, looked stunned.
After ravaging with vast Sword Qi without killing all the chanters, it flattened the mountain tops and then flew back to the sky, gradually dissipating.
“Not all have been massacred?”
Jiang Lichen saw that Li Hao had ceased his attack and raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised and, as if with a touch of regret.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, aside from those with immense strength who might commit evil under the Buddha Lord, slaughtering these weaker common disciples was meaningless.
The Buddhist sect had stood for two thousand years, impossible to completely eradicate, as outside the boundaries of Mount Wuliang in the Nineteen Provinces, there were countless Buddhist disciples.
How could one speak of total annihilation.
If he remembered correctly, that old lady from the Divine General Mansion was also a devout Buddhist.
Li Hao came to slaughter the Buddha, targeting the manifested Buddha, the Buddha that had fallen into evil, not the Buddha in people’s hearts.
After all, in the hearts of the suffering masses, finding “Buddha” as a faith offered a sense of peace and tranquility; how could they be completely eradicated.
“You’re still too soft-hearted.”
Jiang Lichen discerned the kindness in Li Hao’s heart and shook his head slightly, “But slaughtering these mortals like pigs and dogs is meaningless, the weak do not deserve the sword.”
Li Hao glanced at him, the Prince was always startling in his remarks, no wonder he had been imprisoned.
“If you spoke less, your life might be much smoother,” Li Hao said.
“Some speak less but do much, I just tell it as it is. The ignorant masses are but stepping stones for the powerful to stand upon, whether they live or die makes no difference,” Jiang Lichen said.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, not arguing with him, but turned his gaze to a certain place. His figure flickered, and he disappeared instantly.
Outside among the peaks, crowds surged.
Many disciples who had shed their monks’ robes fled like converging ants along the mountain paths beneath the ridges, escaping beyond the Brahma Pure Land.
And those who had cultivated to the Fifteen Li Realm were flying through the air, fleeing at full speed.
Li Qianfeng, wearing rough clothing, was mixed in among the fleeing crowd, his face smeared with dirt, looking as if he had rolled down from a rocky hill, filthy.
He had abandoned the guards of the Divine General Mansion, only that old monk accompanying him, both inconspicuous among the throng.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a figure appeared in an instant, cutting off the crowd of runners.
The surging power toppled the fleeing mass, and everyone looked at the youth in horror and changing colors.
Some hurriedly knelt on the ground, bowing their heads to beg for mercy.
As a large part of the crowd knelt down, Li Qianfeng’s complexion changed, looking somewhat ugly, but he also obediently followed the crowd and knelt down.
The thought that he, the young master of the Divine General Mansion, the Buddha Lord’s Direct Disciple, and the future True Dragon of the mansion, had to endure such humiliation filled him with rage, but he dared not show any of it. He only thought of what many of his elders had said, “A true man knows when to yield…”
A moment of endured humiliation means nothing.
An ancestor had once suffered humiliation under a horse, faced desperate odds, brought intelligence back to the army—compared to that, this mere kneeling was nothing.
Li Hao’s gaze pierced through the crowd like a sword, landing on the figure of the young man. The young man’s aura was retracted, extremely concealed, but now that Li Hao was in the Grand Tao of Peace Realm, such trivial concealment couldn’t escape his eyes.
“Li Qianfeng, aren’t you the Buddha Lord’s Direct Disciple? Aren’t you going to avenge your master?”
Li Hao said coldly.
Hearing Li Hao’s words, Li Qianfeng, whose heart had just jumped, changed his expression and looked at him in fear.
Clearly, his disguise had been exposed.
“Young master, run!”
The old monk beside him reacted extremely quickly and let out a loud yell, standing in front of Li Qianfeng.
He had been a general under Li Qianfeng’s father and had entrusted his life to this widow and orphan, vowing to defend them to the death.
Bang!
The body he had stepped forward with, not yet fully bursting with the Grandmaster’s power, exploded suddenly.
Blood splattered, covering Li Qianfeng who was about to rise, drenching his clothes red.
The scalding blood left Li Qianfeng stunned.
And the knee he had just raised, now slowly gave way again.
“Spare my life…”
Li Qianfeng hurriedly kowtowed, kneeling on the ground.
Others, hearing the name Li Qianfeng, quickly crawled away on their knees, not daring to approach him.
The Buddha Lord’s Direct Disciple?
That was the esteemed Buddha Child; mingling among us, was he trying to cause our deaths? Many people cursed inwardly, blaming Li Qianfeng’s ancestors, having gained little on good days, and now dragging them down in flight—it was a trap!
“The rest of you, get out!”
Li Hao, hearing the cries begging for mercy, wrinkled his brow and said.
Hearing Li Hao’s words, the people found it as delightful as celestial music, tearing up with gratitude, and they quickly kowtowed a few times before fleeing rapidly.
In a blink, only Li Qianfeng remained.
“Spare my life, although I have been apprenticed to the Buddha Lord, I belong to the Li Family of the Divine General Mansion, we’re only allied with Mount Wuliang for mutual benefits, not genuinely…”
Li Qianfeng’s face turned pale, realizing that great danger was imminent, hoping by bringing up the Divine General Mansion he might deter Li Hao.
“How is it, don’t you recognize me?” Li Hao said indifferently.
Li Qianfeng startled, looked up at Li Hao, and only then did he realize that there was something familiar yet alien about Li Hao’s appearance.
So young… Li Qianfeng’s pupils suddenly constricted, staring at Li Hao in horror, “You, you, is it really you?!”
“It seems you remember now.”
Li Hao nodded his head, then raised his hand, and waves of force bore down, seizing Li Qianfeng’s body, crushing his bones.
At twenty years old and still in the Heavenly Human Realm, not yet reaching the Three Immortalities, his physical injuries could only be treated by Divine Pills.
The severe pain all over his body could not overshadow the shock Li Qianfeng felt at that moment; he forcibly widened his eyes, incredulously saying:
“You? How is it possible, my master was killed by you?!”
Whether out of fear or pain, he let out a hoarse scream.
The person I most wanted to eliminate is actually the one who killed my master?!
Explore more at empire
I knew Li Hao was strong, his fame skyrocketed after the battle in Liangzhou, and he was considered as a force to be reckoned with even among those in the Four Stands Realm.
But as one’s realm gets higher, the cultivation becomes slower. How much time has passed since then, and Li Hao actually killed the master I looked up to?!
That was the Buddha Lord!
In my heart, his status could even be compared to the ancestor of the Li Family. How could such a person die at Li Hao’s hand?!
“It’s impossible, absolutely impossible!!”
Li Qianfeng roared, tears of blood streaming from his eyes, not just because of his ruptured internal organs being squeezed, but also because of the pain and madness.
His pride as a heavenly genius was completely shattered at this moment.
Coughing up blood and fragments of organs, Li Qianfeng felt a sense of sorrow, as if he had been abandoned by the heavens. If he was a heavenly genius, then what was the youth before him? A monster?!
“My master could not possibly lose, he was the second strongest in the world, invincible except for that True Person…”
Li Qianfeng gritted his teeth, seemingly losing his mind.
Li Hao didn’t waste words with him, he crushed his hands and feet and took him into the Heaven and Earth Space.
The young man who practiced swordsmanship in the courtyard with a resolute look in his eyes at the age of five, who later gained the fame of a heavenly genius, has now fallen to such a state. Perhaps it all changed at the moment when that noblewoman fed me the Poison Pill.
And now, the other party was crippled, and I had also left the Divine General Mansion.
All of this karma started with a single Pill and also ended with it.
Li Hao turned back to the Candle Flame God’s side, after swallowing the Pill, aside from his Soul which couldn’t be gathered back, his body was completely unharmed.
“Let’s go back then…”
Li Hao said softly.
Looking at the Spirit Mountain, full of scars from the great battle, pretty much destroyed, Mount Wuliang was essentially ruined.
Without the Buddha Lord, even if millions of Buddha believers gathered in the future, it would be difficult to form any significant power.
As Li Hao was preparing to return, a figure arrived rapidly from beyond Mount Wuliang.
That figure swiftly approached Li Hao.
“Hao Er!”
The figure who arrived was none other than Li Muxiu, who had rushed all the way from the Li Family. Upon reaching the outskirts of the Brahma Pure Land World, he witnessed fleeing figures, and immediately realized the situation inside.
Upon hearing the voice, Li Hao immediately recognized it was the Second Uncle.
“Where is the Buddha Lord, Feng…”
Li Muxiu scanned the surroundings and upon seeing Spirit Mountain split in two, his pupils shrank, shocked.
He had cast aside his status and rushed here as fast as he could, not only to attempt to rescue Feng Boping but also because he suspected that once the news spread, Li Hao would most likely come to aid as well.
Although he knew Li Hao was strong, he also knew that the Buddha Lord was unfathomable, and Li Hao now had glory and was a high-ranking official, all of which were hard-earned. He felt Li Hao had suffered enough and didn’t want to see his reputation damaged.
If he could use his own Half-Step Invincible Dao Realm to rescue Feng, everything would be resolved. At the very least, it would fulfill the promise he made to Feng Boping:
If we cannot share wealth and honor, then let’s share life and death!
“The Buddha Lord is dead.”
Li Hao looked at Li Muxiu, whose appearance and aura were completely different with a mask on, and instantly knew what he had in mind, feeling somewhat sad.
“Dead?”
Li Muxiu trembled inside, turned to look at Feng Boping, but saw his foolish demeanor, somewhat strange, and quickly said, “What happened to Feng?”
“His soul is missing.” Li Hao spoke softly.
Li Muxiu was shocked, hastily examining Feng Boping’s body, and indeed it seemed as Li Hao had said.
His expression turned ugly, fists clenched tight.
Li Hao knew he was distressed and softly said, “I will find the missing part of Feng’s soul, Second Uncle, this place is not suitable for you to appear, you should return soon as well.”
Li Muxiu looked at Li Hao, feeling a bitter ache in his heart, and said, “Child, all this shouldn’t fall on you to bear, it should have been me.”
His heart ached, somewhat dejected. He hadn’t been able to make it when his elder brother had fallen in Dragon City, and now, he had failed to make it again.
Although he seemed carefree in this life, he felt he had lived it rather unsuccessfully.
“Because of me, Feng was targeted by the Buddhist sect; naturally, I should be the one to handle it.”
Li Hao comforted him with a few words.
Li Muxiu’s mood slightly eased, and he immediately asked Li Hao about the details of the incident, to which Li Hao also briefly explained.
After listening, Li Muxiu had a complicated expression, “Child, the followers of the Buddha Lord are countless, spanning various families and officials, your actions, I fear…”
“It’s fine.” Li Hao smiled.
Li Muxiu, looking at the calm expression on his face, felt even more heartbroken, and suggested, “Why don’t you return to the Divine General Mansion? With the thousand-year reputation of the Divine General Mansion, and your own status, we can protect you…”
Li Hao shook his head slightly, “If His Majesty wishes to dismiss these honors, it does not matter; it will simply be a return to my previous life, where I still have delicious food to eat and chess to play. It has no impact on me.”
“But…”
Li Hao gave a slight smile and bid farewell to the old gentleman, then mounted the Candle Flame God and began his journey home.
Although victorious in this endeavor, he had lost as well, at least according to the Buddha Lord’s wishes.
The matters here will surely be reported to the Imperial Capital, to the ears of His Majesty. How that elderly man will react, whether he will understand or not, is uncertain; regardless, he will likely face difficulties and sorrow…
Causing him trouble… Li Hao sighed in his heart.
As Li Hao departed, Jiang Lichen also hastened his own departure, but before leaving, he glanced at Li Muxiu and laughed lightly,
“It seems the guts of the Li Family are growing bigger and bigger; the young are so bold, and so are the old, hahaha…”
Li Muxiu had long recognized this mad Ninth Prince, whose many deeds he had heard of, but did not take this madman seriously.
Watching the young man’s retreating figure, his eyes became melancholy, an unasked question in his heart.
That is, whether in the future, there would still be a chance, for the three of them to unite in shadow, to gather together again…
Time is heartless; it seems to only move forward, never pausing for anyone, let alone reversing…
With the fall of the Buddha Lord and the abduction of the Thief Saint, Mount Wuliang was destroyed.
A series of shocking news spread from the realm of the Divine Dynasty. Mount Wuliang had numerous disciples, and with the complex relationships backing these disciples, the news quickly spread throughout all the provinces and cities, drifting to the Imperial Capital millions of miles away and also reaching the Divine General Mansion in nearby Qingzhou first.
Inside the Divine General Mansion, everyone who learned of the news was shocked and appalled.
Was it not just announced that Mount Wuliang intended to execute the Thief Saint? How could it be that in the blink of an eye, the Buddha Lord had been slain?
And it happened on Spirit Mountain, no less. Who could be so audacious and so overbearing?
It wasn’t long before Li Muxiu also returned to the Divine General Mansion.
He had originally planned to abandon everything to save the Thief Saint, but now that Li Hao had dealt with it, there was no need to act according to the original plan. The Divine General Mansion still needed his protection.
When Li Muxiu arrived, everyone hurriedly questioned him if he was involved.
They all knew Li Muxiu was determined to go to the rescue, and although they had advised and tried to stop him, this time it seemed his second uncle had made up his mind, and no one could dissuade him.
Hearing their questions, Li Muxiu could only give a bitter smile. He was not capable of such feats, and without hiding anything, he briefly explained the situation to everyone.
The commotion Li Hao caused was too big to conceal; even a cursory investigation afterward would reveal the truth.
“What, Hao Er?!”
“He killed the Buddha Lord?”
“How could he have any connection with that notorious Thief Saint?”
Li Xuanli, He Jianlan and others, upon hearing Li Muxiu’s words, were stunned, then looked at him in disbelief.
If it hadn’t been Li Muxiu himself who spoke, they’d think it was all a joke; they couldn’t believe their ears.
Li Tian Gang in the crowd was struck with a sudden realization upon hearing Li Muxiu’s words. He remembered the disguised Thief Saint he had encountered at Heaven’s Gate Pass.
At that time, he had managed to drive the Thief Saint away without promoting the incident, nor did he tell anyone in the mansion. After all, it was a scandal. So, the others didn’t know that Li Hao had already colluded with the Thief Saint.
“Hao Er…”
Ji Qingqing’s face turned pale. As Li Tian Gang’s wife, she was quite familiar with the Dayu Divine Dynasty and understood the stature and identity of the Buddha Lord all too well. She couldn’t imagine the anger of billions of followers upon hearing the news of his killing.
These followers were connected to many different spheres; many high-ranking officials in the court were Buddhists, and if not the officials themselves, their families were believers.
Such entangled roots reflected the extensive and profound influence of the Buddhist community. Even members of the Imperial Family had to be polite when visiting Mount Wuliang.
Though it seemed a mere Jianghu power, in reality, it had already taken root within the government halls.
“I knew it, he was bound to cause a huge disaster one day!”
Li Tian Gang clenched his fists, his face grim: “Had I known it would come to this, I should have slain that thief right at the border!”
“If not for his merit in providing protection in the past, I gave in to a moment of soft-heartedness… this culpability should be mine to bear. If I had been more ruthless then, we wouldn’t be facing this now!”
He was filled with regret, knowing that even if he had faced a reputation of being unkind for killing the Thief Saint back then, it would have been better than the current situation.
“You knew all along?” The others also looked at him, stunned.
Li Tian Gang, unable to face them, looked towards Li Muxiu instead, his eyes showing a trace of resentment.
Li Muxiu saw his look and his expression changed slightly. Slowly, he turned away, aware that Li Tian Gang blamed him for having introduced Feng Boping to Li Hao, leading to today’s outcome.
“Although Hao Er has high achievement and status, that was the Buddha Lord…”
Ji Qingqing’s face was still pale. Although Li Hao had left the Divine General Mansion without their forgiveness, seeing him grow to his current status had brought her relief in addition to the pain and self-blame she felt.
She knew that even without the support of the Divine General Mansion, the child could still have a good life, which was not entirely a bad thing.
But now, Li Hao’s achievements and honors might all be stripped away from him!
A third-rank duke held high status, but compared to the influence of the Buddha Lord, it was far too lacking.
Even Li Tian Gang’s current status as a second-rank duke couldn’t contend with the Buddhist community.
Though the Buddha Lord held no official court title, religious influence was extraordinary.
“How could Hao Er be so foolish, to do this for a thief.”
Li Xuanli expressed his deep sorrow, knowing that despite Li Hao’s achievements and status, it was unlikely he could be saved now.
He Jianlan’s expression was one of forlorn, saying, “That child is warm-hearted; whoever treats him well, he reciprocates. He has always been like that… always been like that…”
“I’ll go to the Imperial Capital to seek help from my elder brothers, to plead with our father, the emperor, on his behalf.”
Jiang Xian’er immediately declared, picking up her skirt and stepping out of the council hall.
Li Xuanli opened his mouth as if to speak but didn’t stop her. At this point, they could only hope that His Majesty would show leniency for Li Hao’s past deeds in saving Liangzhou and Qingzhou…
“I used to discipline him, thinking I was wrong, that I was too strict. All of you spoke for him, supported him, but now he has indeed made a grave mistake, one even we cannot cover up!”
Li Tian Gang clenched his fists, the grinding of his molars audible: “Although he has exceptional talent, the stronger his power, the greater his mistakes. If he still bears the Li name, the glory of our ancestors will be ruined because of this!”
Hearing his words, Li Xuanli and the others looked troubled, and He Jianlan retorted angrily:
“Are you still blaming us? Without Hao Er, Qingzhou would already be in a crisis!”
Li Tian Gang this time did not back down but glared back at her with a furious expression:
“I have never denied his merits, but he could have done better!”
“You never raised him a day; how can you demand better from him?!” He Jianlan shot back furiously.
Li Tian Gang, equally enraged, retorted: “Do you think Qingqing and I wanted to be separated from our own child? Weren’t we acting for the sake of the family, for the common people? Outsiders might not understand, but can’t you?”
“But Hao Er is innocent; what wrong has he done…” He Jianlan’s face also turned a shade of iron blue.
“Enough, stop talking!”
Li Muxiu’s face was overcast as he said, “Instead of arguing here, we might as well think about how to relay a message to His Majesty, asking him to show leniency to Hao Er on account of the millennium of service from the Li family.”
“Second Uncle is right, I understand how you all feel. Right now, the most urgent task is to help Hao Er,” Li Xuanli also hurriedly said.
Li Tiangang glared at Li Muxiu. He had great respect for this second uncle, but the latter had repeatedly supported Li Hao and even facilitated Li Hao’s acquaintance with the Thief Saint. With his own moral standing compromised and setting a bad example for Li Hao, deep resentment had long settled in his heart.
But at this moment, he still held himself back.
“Such a matter would require the Ancestor’s Heroic Spirits to intervene personally, considering their status as founding Divine Generals. They would have to give some face to our family,” Gao Qingqing said, strategizing for her husband as well.
However, after she finished, her face was full of worry; she knew this would risk the Li family’s thousand years of glory.
Upon hearing Gao Qingqing’s words, everyone exchanged looks and fell silent.
“I agree,” Li Muxiu spoke first in a low voice.
After speaking, he glanced at Li Tiangang and then at Li Xuanli.
Li Xuanli hesitated, not speaking immediately but looking towards the others. Now that he held the title of True Dragon, he felt an immense burden on his shoulders and did not dare to make a mistake.
“Big Brother, please save Hao Er.”
Seeing Li Xuanli hesitating, Ji Qingqing’s tears fell, and she was about to kneel to him.
Li Xuanli’s expression changed, and he quickly supported her, “Younger sister-in-law, don’t be like this. I didn’t say I wouldn’t save him. Hao Er has been kind to me, and to the Li family, we will certainly do our utmost to help.”
Li Tiangang also quickly held his wife back and said, “Qingqing, don’t make it difficult for Big Brother; I understand his predicament.”
“But Hao Er…” Ji Qingqing wept, “Who understands the difficulties that child is facing now…”
Li Tiangang’s face changed, and he clenched his teeth, looking at Li Xuanli, “Big Brother, I will go and speak to the Ancestor myself about this.”
Li Xuanli gave him a look, fell silent for a moment, and then nodded slightly.
“He’s gone mad, he’s no longer a member of the Li family. Do you really intend to sacrifice the thousand years of the Li family’s honor for him?”
Beside, Wang Xiangru exclaimed angrily.
The others glanced at him, and Li Muxiu said somberly, “Don’t forget, you owe Hao a life as well.”
“I owe you nothing; I owe him nothing. My father has also come to Qingzhou; it’s just that he was a little late,” Wang Xiangru retorted angrily.
He Jianlan stared at her for a while, then scoffed and turned to Li Tiangang, “Go now, before the Imperial Decree comes down. By then, it will be too late.”
Seeing no opposition from anyone else, Li Tiangang breathed a sigh of relief, quickly got up, and rushed toward the ancestral hall.
When he reached the ancestral hall, Li Tiangang didn’t even bother to greet Li Qingzheng, but swiftly entered, knelt three times, and bowed nine times before reporting the situation.
“Undutiful descendent dares to ask the Ancestor to intervene and beg mercy for my son.”
Li Tiangang banged his head on the ground.
In the ancestral hall, a multitude of tablets stood tall, trembling slightly.
The ancestors had heard everything Li Tiangang had said.
The roots of Mount Wuliang were deep, and many were aware, not daring to provoke Mount Wuliang lightly in their lifetimes; they had not expected that the youth who had left the Li family would have slain the Buddha Lord!
The Heroic Spirits chattered among themselves, knowing this move would mean using all of the Li family’s favors to absolve another’s sins.
Many agreed, but some hesitated and disagreed.
After a short debate, the many ancestors fell silent, turning their gaze to the Golden Body.
Upon it, the figure of Li Tianyuan emerged. He fell silent for a moment, then slowly said,
“I cannot intervene in this matter.”
Hearing these words from the Li family Ancestor, Li Tiangang was shaken and looked up hurriedly, “Ancestor…”
“Previously, I spared no effort to harm my Divine Soul, attempting to shape a True Dragon Soul for him, but he refused.”
Li Tianyuan’s voice was deep as he said, “If even this could not sway him, it’s clear that the child has resolved to leave the Li family. He is no longer one of our family. Therefore, I cannot sacrifice the efforts of your descendants for generations on his behalf.”
Li Tiangang was stunned, his gaze somewhat vacant, “But…”
He said the word but found himself unable to continue.
Yes, that child had severed the blood ties and had nothing to do with the Li family. What right did he have to ask the Ancestor to disperse the glory of the Li family’s millennium for him alone?
In the end, it was his own fault.
The fault at the war in Northern Yan, the fault in…not being able to keep him in line.
“I understand.”
Li Tiangang’s face turned ashen, and he slowly stood up, bowing deeply, “It is all Tiangang’s fault, failing to teach my son well and almost causing trouble for the family.”
With that, he slowly turned to leave.
After Li Tiangang left, Li Qingzheng, who had overheard, couldn’t help but step forward, “Ancestor, but that child has done a great service for our Li family. If it weren’t for him in Qingzhou…”
Li Tianyuan fell silent for a moment and sighed, “I am of course aware of that. If it had been the previous Emperor, I might have said a few words, a sacrifice of all of the Li family’s glory and favor might not be necessary, but with the current Emperor, I am not familiar with him. If I intervene, it will be the entire Li family at stake…”
“Your generations of sacrifices I cannot ignore; the child is too young, too hot-headed…”
Saying this, he sighed and continued,
“But the Emperor won’t execute him, he will at most strip him of his official rank. If he encounters misfortune in the future, help if you can, try to repay…”
With those words, his figure returned to the Golden Body.
Li Qingzheng was stunned, then his face took on a sorrowful expression, and he laughed mockingly at himself, his eyes filled with desolate sadness.
Outside Dayu State, within a hidden stretch of mountain range.
The surrounding mist was thick, and human presence scarce.
Two figures silently appeared, descending into a secret hall atop a mountain peak like specters.
“Just got the news, the Buddha Lord who sought our cooperation before, he’s dead!”
One of the figures, a black-robed youth, whispered.
Beside him was a graceful lady with purple patterns on her cheeks, and if Li Hao were here, he could recognize that these two were the same Desolate Gods from outside Qingzhou City before.
In front of them, an enormous old man crouched on the ground with a hunched back, resembling a heavy boulder, holding a dark, curved cane that resembled an ancient tree in his hand. At the top of the cane was a human face, its eyes constantly rolling, occasionally narrowing into a sinister smile.
“Buddha Lord?”
Hearing the youth’s words, the old man turned around, eyes drooping with wrinkles, and looked at the black-robed youth, asking:
“Is the news confirmed? What about Demon Luo?”
The black-robed youth nodded: “The information came from the Tianji Palace Master himself, there can’t be a mistake. Demon Luo is dead, too. After hearing the news, we went to investigate and found residual Demonic Qi and undissipated Dao Power. He must have fused with Demon Luo.”
“So you mean, he was killed after entering the Tao Comprehension Realm?”
The old man narrowed his eyes slightly, the multiple overlapping wrinkles on his eye sockets seeming to lift somewhat.
“That kid didn’t show all his powers in Qingzhou City, or maybe he had a breakthrough these past few days, reaching the Tao Comprehension Realm. Regardless, to kill the Buddha Lord after he fused with Demon Luo, without giving him a chance to escape, I’m afraid the assailant might possess the combat strength of the Dao Law Realm…”
The lady with purple patterns spoke softly, yet her face bore a serious expression.
Had their true selves appeared outside Qingzhou City before, something major might have happened.
“Are you certain that when you battled him before, he was only at the Four Stands Realm?” the old man asked again.
The black-robed youth nodded: “We couldn’t possibly be mistaken about this, it’s absolutely true. He couldn’t have concealed his cultivation realm during the great battle, that would be too exaggerated. After all, according to the information we received, he’s only sixteen years old, which is already beyond…”
He changed his expression slightly, choosing not to continue.
“It might also be possible that our battle with him led to his breakthrough.”
The lady with purple patterns grimly said: “But that’s unlikely; it’s only been a few days. The Buddha Lord cultivated for two thousand years and only recently comprehended the Tao. Compared to him, didn’t he live in vain?”
The old man pondered, leaning on his cane and strolling slowly:
“Hard to say, such an extraordinary monster must not be viewed with ordinary eyes. Geniuses always defy ordinary people’s imagination, a single day of cultivation could equal a year for others.”
“To comprehend the Tao, what is it to comprehend? Without enlightenment, even a hundred or a thousand years would ultimately be mundane. But with enlightenment, one could transform into a dragon overnight!”
Hearing his words, the two cloaked in black remained silent.
They too knew that peering outside a door for a hundred years would not allow them to glimpse the dust within.
Entering the threshold is the hardest step.
Reaching the Tao Comprehension Realm isn’t achieved through simple painstaking cultivation, and they heard from that being that some people comprehend the Tao before they cultivate, progressing a thousand miles in a day, which is incredibly exaggerated…
“It’s just a pity that the Buddha Lord was too greedy; had he chosen to join us and ambush him, even with formidable powers, the Saint Heir would not have escaped Mount Wuliang. Alas, he was too concerned about his reputation, using only Demon Luo to contact us, for fear of being tainted by us should we be exposed. Now, his death truly serves him right!”
The lady with purple patterns stated.
“It might not have been about reputation; he might have been cautious of us, since we all entered Mount Wuliang… he likely couldn’t rest easy,” replied the black-robed youth.
The lady with purple patterns raised an eyebrow, snorting softly:
“So now without the Buddha sect’s support, doesn’t our plan have to change?”
The old man with the cane pondered and hummed thoughtfully, but suddenly, a slight disturbance traveled through the air.
The old man looked toward a certain direction, his expression changing instantly as he bowed respectfully:
“Greetings to the Saint Heir.”
Hearing the old man’s words, the two figures in black robes reacted quickly, looking toward a small temple-like structure inside the secret hall.
They saw a young man dressed in a silver-white long robe emerging, emanating a holy and noble aura, the edges of his eyes a pale silver as if endless silver radiance flickered within.
“Greetings to the Saint Heir!”
The two were startled, scrambling to kneel in salute.
“A year in the Holy Land, a decade outside. How are things progressing here?”
The young man in the silver-white robe spoke with an indifferent gaze, not allowing them to rise, accustomed to looking down from above, his tone disdainful.
The three exchanged glances, the elder motioning with his eyes for the others to report the situation.
The black-robed youth immediately gathered his courage and recounted the recent events in detail.
“Why didn’t you immediately take action to kill him after he defeated your incarnations in Qingzhou?”
As soon as the Saint Heir heard about the Buddha Lord’s death, he interrupted the youth, his eyes filled with the intent to kill as he questioned.
The heart of the black-robed youth trembled, and he hurriedly replied:
“Sir Saint Heir, we had planned to take action, but considering your previous instructions to avoid exposure before the major event is accomplished, lest we be traced back to you, plus the Buddha Lord approached us later, claiming he could take care of this person for us. But after, the Buddha sect wanted to replace Daoism and demanded that we no longer harm the people of the Nineteen Provinces…”
“What a nice thought.”
The Saint Heir scoffed coldly, saying: “Using our hands and the Jiang family’s soil to gather Incense Fire, only for him to reap the real benefits in the end. A truly bold idea!”
“Benefits?”
The lady with purple patterns was puzzled.
The Saint Heir, growing impatient, asked, “So now, what are your plans?”
The black-robed youth quickly replied: “The Buddha Lord lured the young man there with the intention of ruining his reputation, causing a rift between him and the court. Although the Emperor dotes on the young man, public opinion is fearsome. The Emperor governs with benevolence, unlike the Late Emperor Dayu, who acted alone and decisively. If successful, it would have been a great way to eliminate a problem for us without bloodshed.”
