Chapter 826: Chapter 120: Luo Qingchi (Seeking monthly tickets at the beginning of the month, to hold up appearances!)
In the scrolls, Yankong, known for his benevolence, was unsparing in his Buddhist verses, referring to Tang Luo as: the killer, the obstructor, the forceful, the malevolent.
It was as if Tang Luo was born as the antithesis of Buddhist cultivation, a demon that must be eradicated; yet most of the content in the scrolls went to great lengths to dissociate the Tang Clan from Tang Luo.
It was believed that the descent of the Heavenly Demon wasn’t because the Tang Clan was a clan of extreme evil, but that Tang Luo was an incidental aggregation, coincidentally emerging within the Tang Clan. Eradicating the demon didn’t mean destroying the Tang Clan.
The compassion within the lines appeared as the earnest admonitions of an old monk, wishing others would not direct their anger at the innocent because of the existence of a demon.
After reading such a scripture, one couldn’t help but doubt the very existence of this person, Tang Luo.
The news that Bu Xiao had brought back was clear that this person was supposed to have an Innate Hollow Body and was incapable of cultivating.
Yet, in a short span of six years, this person not only had leaped from being a mortal to the Fierce Realm, without any trace of the hollow defect, but had also become a Dao body with the Two Ambiguity Innate Qi, exhibiting the divine powers of the Innate Yin-Yang Millstone…
Because of Yankong’s scripture, the initially firm thoughts had once again become uncertain.
But Wei Hanyuan, a man of strong principles, still held on to his original views. Even upon seeing Yankong’s Buddhist verses, he didn’t change his opinion in the slightest, even going so far as to mockingly say, “Throughout my life, what I have found most intolerable are those self-proclaimed enlightened verses of Zen, as though everything under heaven can be defined by them. Seeing a young man with extraordinary talents, they brand him a demon, but who can tell me, is it the Buddha’s path that is the true way, or is it the demon’s? Over the years, the dirtiness of Zen has been far worse than the one or two demons they’ve managed to find! So wise and discerning, how come they haven’t discovered the demons hiding among them, but instead have come to my Longzhou in search of demons?”
Throwing the scroll in front of Luo QingChi, Wei Hanyuan said coldly, “I have no interest in becoming the Zen sect’s sword. Even if Tang Luo really is a demon, it is the matter of the Buddha’s Country in Zhongzhou that should be worried, not Martial Saint Mountain. Before he commits outrages that provoke both heaven and human indignation, to oppress the junior for the sake of some divine power—this is something I find no pleasure in doing. Gentlemen, I take my leave!”
As his voice faded, Wei Hanyuan dissipated into blue smoke, leaving behind only a chilling coldness swirling alone in the council hall, so lofty and solitary.
“Master Wei is still as willful as ever. If he weren’t, how would he have languished in the Arbitration Office without making any progress…”
Another Big Arbitrator sighed as he looked at the empty seat beside him, his tone tinged with both regret and admiration.
“Not everyone wants to live that transcendent and unfettered immortal life like you,” another Big Arbitrator teased his colleague, “In your eyes, everything inside the Arbitration Office might seem like trivial matters, merely squandering the years. In my view, these are all important matters for upholding the mortal realm’s righteous path. By resolving one more issue, Kunwu County becomes that much more orderly. Gentlemen, there are still many matters to attend to in the Arbitration Office. As for this demon, I don’t understand it much either, so I’ll leave it to Master Luo and Old Master Bu. I’ll be taking my leave first!”
“Hmph, you speak as if you’re the only busy one and I’m not.”
Two Big Arbitrators, one after the other, transformed into Spiritual Light and fled, leaving only the drowsy Bu Chun and an infuriated Luo QingChi in the council hall.
Like he had just woken from a doze, Bu Chun opened his heavy-lidded eyes, looked at the empty council hall, and said in confusion, “Hmm… where did everyone go? Could it be that this old man overslept?”
“Elder Great Master,” Luo QingChi said respectfully: “The Big Arbitrators are busy with numerous affairs, so they had to leave first.”
“I see…” The kind old master said with a smile: “It seems the Big Arbitrators must not have thought this matter too important. If so, it’s time for this old man to go back to sleep. Once a person gets old, fatigue sets in easily. All this talk of cultivation is of no use.”
“Elder Great Master, please wait,” Luo QingChi said urgently when he saw Bu Chun about to leave: “Luo is not intending to interfere with the matters of the martial arts tournament, but the Innate Yin-Yang Millstone is truly extraordinary. If another evil deity of Beimang appears, Longzhou might become a river of blood!”
“The evil deity of Beimang was so extraordinary, yet didn’t it only live for three months after its deeds were exposed?” Bu Chun asked, puzzled: “Moreover, a major incident involving the living sacrifice of millions of warriors couldn’t possibly be concealed in Longzhou’s territory, right? If Master Luo is truly concerned for the lives of Longzhou’s people, then just have someone keep a close watch on Tang Luo. If there are signs of him following the same path as the evil deity of Beimang, it’s not too late to capture him then.”
“By then, I’m afraid it would be too late.” Luo QingChi bowed deeply, earnestly saying: “The evil deity of Beimang came from a poor and cold background; if it had not fortuitously obtained supernatural powers, it would have been an insignificant part of the masses. Yet this very person, after obtaining the Innate Yin-Yang Grinding Plate, created the Blood Sect, causing an upheaval in Beimang.”
“Tang Luo’s talent is not simply a hundred times stronger than that of the evil deity of Beimang, but with the ruthless butchers of the Tang Clan in Longxi to support him, across Lingjiang’s seven great cities, tens of millions of lives are at stake. With each city losing a few thousand people a year, no one would notice.”
“Luo suspects that the reason Tang Luo has reached such a level of cultivation at his young age is because of blood and flesh sacrifices. Otherwise, it is impossible to explain why the Tang Clan in Longxi would suddenly develop a conscience, gathering refugees affected by the flood in the Lingjiang Seven Cities! If there wasn’t a highly secretive, unspeakable secret, why would Tang Luo refuse the invitation of the Elder Great Master? You know, young people with his level of martial arts prowess all aspire to visit our Scripture Pavilion on Martial Saint Mountain!”
Looking at Luo QingChi’s tensed expression, Bu Chun sighed and said: “The old man knows that Master Luo was born in Beimang and has lived through the dark era of the Blood Sect, hence your deep hatred for the Innate Yin-Yang Grinder. However, laws aren’t inherently right or wrong and whether something is good or evil ultimately depends on who uses it. To wipe out such divine powers based solely on speculation, if it were you, Master Luo, would you be willing?”
“Luo also knows that this might wrong the other party!” Luo QingChi felt a surge of remorse but then he became resolute once again: “But Luo shall give him, and even the Tang family in Xiling, ample compensation. Secret techniques, divine medicines, alchemical recipes, methods for making Spiritual Instruments. Anything Luo has, he’s willing to offer as compensation to the Tang family. Aren’t these enough?”
“Alas… whether it’s enough is not for this old man to say,” Bu Chun shook his head and said: “The conflict between the Buddha and Demons is Yankong’s karmic obstacle; the shadow of the evil demons is the terror you have never forgotten. If you cannot let go of the obsession in your heart, how can you attain enlightenment?”
“They say that one possesses everything when they let go, but Luo is rather dull-witted and only feels that if he lets go of these memories, then that person who attained enlightenment and freedom wouldn’t be himself,” Luo QingChi saluted with clasped hands and said: “Luo has understood the Elder Great Master’s intentions, and shall now take his leave.”
Watching Luo QingChi turn into Spiritual Light and flee, Bu Chun shook his head and sighed softly: “Foolish boy… foolish boy…”
Then looking at the scripture scroll left by Yankong on the table, he angrily unleashed a ray of Spiritual Light to erase it: “The little fellow is gifted with extraordinary talent, and mixed with this nonsense, he really would make a fine prospect for learning Buddhism!”