Hearing Li Chang’an’s words, the old Daoist’s expression stiffened.
His tone carried a thinly veiled anger. "Your Highness, the Eternal Green Skill is an esoteric secret of our Taoist Sect. Aside from the successive Daoist Leaders, it has never been passed on to outsiders. You have already obtained a Qingxue Lotus. If you continue to push things, our Taoist Sect is not without the courage for a fight to the death..."
Although intimidated by the power Li Chang’an was now displaying, the old Daoist did his utmost to suppress the fire already raging in his chest. Still, the meaning in his tone was unmistakable.
The Eternal Green Skill was the Taoist Sect’s bottom line.
If Li Chang’an truly tried to take it by force, the Taoist Sect would have no choice but to fight to the death.
Seeing that the man looked ready to draw his sword at the slightest provocation, Li Chang’an quickly placated him. "Daoist Leader, there’s no need to be so tense. Didn’t we agree this was a trade? Why don’t you hear my offer first, and then decide whether or not to refuse!"
The old Daoist’s expression eased slightly, but it remained grim. He couldn’t imagine what in this world could possibly be worth the Taoist Sect trading away its Eternal Green Technique.
He didn’t speak, merely adopting a posture of listening.
In his heart, however, he had already made up his mind. ’No matter what Li Chang’an offers, I will refuse him flatly and without hesitation. I won’t give him even the slightest opening.’
Li Chang’an, unaware of the thoughts in his head, spoke up. "I can trade the Buddhist Sect’s Vajra Skill for it. What do you say, Daoist Leader?"
When he heard the two words "Vajra Skill," the old Daoist’s eyebrows shot up. His face twitched, and he asked in a tone of utter disbelief, "What? The Vajra Skill?"
Li Chang’an nodded and raised the stakes. "And that’s not all. You must have heard of the Land Immortal inheritance from the Dayan Imperial Palace, correct? Well, the Cyan Gold Treasure Sword containing that very inheritance is now in my hands. I can promise you that once I’ve finished my current affairs and fully comprehended the inheritance within the sword, I can make a copy and pass it on to your Taoist Sect!"
"Are you serious?"
Even for someone as worldly as the old Daoist, he couldn’t stop his heart from lurching.
After hesitating for a long moment, he finally managed to compose himself. "Let’s put aside where you got the Vajra Skill for a moment. This Land Immortal inheritance... it’s not something one can comprehend just by wishing it, is it? And let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you, Crown Prince, really can acquire all these things. To trade them all just for our Taoist Sect’s Eternal Green Technique... are you pulling my leg, Your Highness?"
Li Chang’an replied casually, "You don’t need to worry about where I got them. You just need to know that my word is my bond; I never go back on a promise. I’m not in a hurry for an answer, either. Think it over. Come find me when you have a clear decision."
With that, he packed up his things and left without another moment’s delay, heading straight for his next destination.
Watching Li Chang’an’s departing figure, the old Daoist’s face was a whirlwind of emotions.
Though he had already made up his mind not to make any deal with Li Chang’an, he was now sorely tempted.
...
Within three days, Li Chang’an visited the Taoist Sect, the Celestial Sect, and the Earth Sect one after another, demanding a Qingxue Lotus, a Desire Grass, and a Sacred Heart Fruit, respectively.
Before long, news of this spread like wildfire across the land.
The Jianghu, which had been tense and quiet for a long time, was suddenly abuzz with activity once more.
No one had expected that in just two short years, Li Chang’an would become so powerful that he would brazenly show up at the gates of the Four Great Upper Sects to demand their divine treasures.
And most critically, the Four Major Sects hadn’t dared to risk mutual destruction. They could only choose to suffer the loss to avoid a catastrophe, allowing him to take the divine treasures as he pleased.
However, just as everyone was wondering whether Li Chang’an would visit the Buddhist Sect next, and what treasure he would demand as "interest" for their past transgressions against him...
"BOOM!!!"
"BANG! BANG! BANG..."
A series of cataclysmic explosions suddenly erupted from the direction of the Buddhist Ancestral Court. Across the Buddhist Court, which stretched for hundreds of miles, the Heaven and Earth Energy was thrown into instant turmoil.
Merely sensing the terrifying aura emanating from that direction was enough to make the hearts of all the Jianghu Martial Artists living near the Buddhist Court pound with fear.
To say nothing of the Buddhist Ancestral Court at the very core of the explosions.
Once the explosions finally died down, a crowd of curious martial artists mustered the courage to approach. They were shocked to find that the headquarters of Western Buddhism, which had stood in the Jianghu for millennia, was now nothing but a field of rubble and ruin...
All the Jianghu Martial Artists were dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes.
But no matter how they scanned the area, the scene remained starkly before them: Buddhist Temples had collapsed, statues of the Buddha were damaged beyond recognition, and the ground was littered with the bodies of monks and Bodhisattvas.
In silence, the people moved through the devastation.
Finally, in the very center of the main temple, they found the Buddha, sitting cross-legged on the ground, having already passed into nirvana.
Surrounding him was a crowd of disciples, kneeling on the ground and weeping bitterly.
After a long silence, some of the Jianghu People finally mustered the courage to ask the surviving disciples of the Buddhist Court what had happened.
And so they received a piece of news so shocking it could tear a hole in the sky.
The glorious and flourishing Buddhist Sect had been annihilated by a single person: Crown Prince Dayan, Li Chang’an!
He had taken on an entire sect by himself, fought them, and won—brutally wiping out one of the most powerful sects in the world...
When this news broke, the entire Jianghu fell silent.