Among all the Dao lineages under Heaven, the one Li Ximing detested most was the Northern Buddhists. The tales of his elders Li Xuanling and Li Tongya had been repeated hundreds of times by his grandfather Li Xuanxuan, his voice still lingering with unresolved bitterness. Li Xuanfeng had died besieged by Buddhist cultivators, and even Li Xijun had nearly perished at their hands...
It had been the same during the Chengshui Tomb dispute between the North and South. He had only begun his cultivation not so long ago, but Buddhist cultivators had come knocking at the door.
Li Ximing snarled, "That last battle nearly killed my kin. And now what is your intent?!"
The way Kongheng was now paralyzed beneath the old monk’s white light was far too similar to the events of that day!
The Wei's Li era was Bright Yang’s golden age, only to be overturned by the Northern Buddhist barbarians. From then on, fate became entwined with Golden Core Realm cultivators and Revered Ones. Where Bright Yang thrives, there too come the Master Monks...
Li Ximing naturally understood the reason behind all of this, but he still couldn’t suppress the hatred in his heart. When he heard the monk’s aggressive tone from afar, he knew Buddhist cultivators often used beguiling words, so he let them go in one ear and out the other.
He simply raised the Radiant Origin Pass and smashed it down. Caught off guard, Fuxia took a full blast of Radiant Light. His face darkened, but he raised a single hand to hold up the mighty radiant pass.
The searing white bricks burned his bronze hand bright red, but the old monk saw through it at a glance and said coldly, "As expected of the Bright Yang, always obsessed with rank, propriety, and rigid hierarchies!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kongheng finally found an opening. The six-armed vajra behind him glared fiercely, and golden chains surged forth to bind Fuxia. Finally, he had a chance to catch his breath.
While Kongheng gathered his breath, Li Ximing smashed downward but he felt as if he’d struck an icy, unyielding boulder. His chest tightened, nausea rose, and he nearly coughed up blood.
"Bald donkey!" shouted Li Ximing.
Fuxia seemed unfazed. Both hands had long since braced themselves, and he threw a single punch that caused the entire Immortal Foundation to tremble. Narrowing his eyes, he examined Li Ximing for a moment and thought, That’s Li Ximing!
Kongheng finally had a chance to speak. Using his mana, he regathered his scattered chains. He had just taken a full blast of white light to the face, and though his voice was a little hoarse, he maintained a calm demeanor and said softly, "Elder! You claim that hardship brings one closer to a Revered One, that the temple tenants labor year-round and thereby attain enlightenment. But who among them truly became a Revered One? Which one? With no cultivation of Dao and no destined karma, they are only suffering and chanting names. Tens of thousands starve and die, yet I’ve never seen the scriptures add a new entry for The Merciful One, or for a Maha born of misery!
"The Buddhist lands manifesting now across Yan and Zhao States, aren’t they nothing but a grand deception?"
Though his voice was soft, it was backed by a mana that could shake the soul. Fuxia’s face showed disbelief, and he froze on the spot, unable to move.
Seeing the opening, Li Ximing’s eyes lit with heavenly light. His radiant pass was made of white bricks, with ornate battlements and seventy-two bright ridges upon the corner tower. It was like a celestial gate, and the base of that white gate bore countless intricate patterns, gleaming with Radiant Light.
Fuxia had grown arrogant, holding up the Radiant Origin Pass with just one hand. But the radiant pass was famed for its crushing might. Li Ximing didn’t just possess profound techniques, he had even cultivated two secret techniques. Now, pushing himself to the limit, he activated everything.
For a moment, it was as if the sun had risen on Moongaze Lake.
Boom!
A deafening roar rang out as Fuxia braced both hands against the radiant pass. He was submerged in the overwhelming heavenly light. The Radiant Light reflected off his body and pierced into the lake, vaporizing the water into thick clouds of white mist.
Clang...
The golden chains on Kongheng leaped outward, swarming densely around the monk. The six-armed vajra behind Kongheng yanked the chains taut, causing sparks to explode from within the white light. The cultivators hovering above the lake scattered in panic, diving in search of protective formations to save themselves.
The old monk’s voice rang out like thunder from beneath the gate. It was infused with a mix of fury and shock, "You... you dare question the fundamental Dharma of our orthodox faith?! You actually doubt the root teachings of the orthodox faith!"
Beneath the radiant gate, the monk had transformed into a gleaming golden statue. His eyes were unnaturally large, whites like jade and pupils like molten bronze. It instilled fear in all who beheld him. His form grew increasingly massive as he gritted his teeth and surged with power.
Boom!
Li Ximing felt his mana drain away as if it was being devoured by a whale. The Radiant Origin Pass trembled unsteadily. In all his years of cultivation and countless battles, he had rarely needed to worry about running out of mana, as it was always replenished faster than consumed.
Gritting his teeth, he swallowed two pills and muttered, "Come on, then!"
Though Kongheng was engaging the monk in debate, he showed no mercy in his spellcasting. The monk was pinned down by the radiant pass, yet the golden chains overlapped and coiled around him, and more appeared from thin air, binding his limbs and body.
But Fuxia paid them no heed. He stared blankly at Kongheng and spat out from between gritted teeth, "What did your master even teach you? These people cannot cultivate; lifelong suffering is their cultivation. Naturally, they go to the Buddhist lands of Maha, where all they need to do is enjoy bliss to the fullest!"
Kongheng’s expression grew extremely conflicted. For a moment, he couldn’t respond. Li Ximing, watching this, grew frustrated and cursed, "If that bliss is so wonderful, why aren’t you off enjoying it? Why remain in this world? If the temple tenant life is so good, why did you choose to cultivate?"
Fuxia sneered coldly. The Radiant Light flared so brightly that his face was no longer visible, but his voice rang out loud and clear, "What do you know?! I was born a temple tenant! My family has been temple tenants for generations and had long since entered the Buddhist land. Back then, the Wrathful Subduer of the Four Demon Emperors was still undefeated. I even went to meet the elders... but now, all of them have been killed by you heretical demons!
"And as for why I don’t go to that land of bliss... what do demons and heretics know of our aspirations? If a cultivator like me is found to have wisdom roots, it is the Revered One’s command that we cannot go enjoy bliss like ordinary folk. We must remain in this world and endure suffering, just to guard the Buddhist lands against invaders like you!"
Li Ximing froze, unable to tell if Fuxia spoke truth or lies. He turned to look at Kongheng, only to find the monk’s eyes shut tight, lips murmuring in chants, completely absorbed in scripture and spellcasting. Kongheng offered no reply at all!
What... he's a Buddhist cultivator of the ancient Dao, and he can’t even argue back? Kongheng always assumes others think like he does, he’s still too honest... thought Li Ximing.
But Li Ximing didn’t know that although Kongheng appeared calm on the surface, he was already in utter turmoil inside. They were still in the midst of battle; otherwise, he’d be drenched in cold sweat.
Kongheng’s Dao lineage was no ordinary one. Though the Liao River Temple of the Northern Revered One’s Dao had declined, it was still a cultivation ground of the Revered One and held considerable status in the desert. When his master was alive, they had engaged not just with the Merciful Ones but also Mahas.