Chapter 671: 伏匣

In recent years, Qingshan has seen an increase in construction, with many pavilions and towers erected. After the direct lineage of the Li family moved away from the mountain, the cultivation chambers in the Qindu Cavern below became a place for cultivators on the lake to seclude themselves for breakthroughs, offering both peace and safety.

Li Xuanxuan emerged from the hall on the mountaintop, with Li Zhouming, Li Ximing's grandson, following closely. Li Zhouming's talent was not high; despite his cultivation efforts, he remained at the second level of fetal breathing. With Li Ximing in seclusion, the boy could only assist Li Xuanxuan.

When the elder arrived at the main hall, a stag was kneeling there. Its fur was shiny and smooth, but it was kneeling rigidly, tears flowing incessantly from its eyes.

The white ape watched from the side, its eyes quietly open, filled with sorrow. Monk Kongheng, with his hands pressed together, chanted scriptures incessantly, his brows tightly furrowed, appearing extremely troubled.

Li Xuanxuan had already heard the full story earlier. The elder rarely showed anger, but now he could hardly conceal his displeasure, saying urgently:

"Buddhist cultivators? If you have a problem with my family, just come at us directly! Why vent your anger on a mortal?"

Li Chenghuai stood by, his voice very soft, saying with some helplessness:

"This incident has caused a huge stir, spreading throughout the towns on the east bank. Everyone feels unsafe, and no one dares to enter the mountain anymore. Surprisingly, quite a few people are even going to build temples, saying that if they believe in the World Honored One, they won't suffer such calamities."

"Absurd!"

Li Xuanxuan sighed. The white ape stroked the deer's back and only spoke after a long time:

"Zhao Xie is the most stubborn, the most apt at playing with people's lives, delighting in acts of retribution, never comprehending the pain of others. But when the pain befalls him, he will erupt in rage, forgetting compassion and forgiveness, drawing his blade to defend his path."

The old ape rarely spoke at such length, and the hall instantly fell silent. Kongheng felt uneasy hearing this, paused, and then murmured:

"Old Senior... they also teach people to do good, but they are too overbearing... Not everyone in our path is like that..."

Li Xuanxuan remained silent. After waiting for a quarter of an hour, Chen Yang hurried in, cupped his hands in greeting in the hall, and said in a deep voice:

"Sirs, there is a Master waiting outside the peak!"

It is indeed a Master.

Kongheng paused, then explained:

"I practice the ancient path and cannot divine. From his appearance, he seems to be an old Master; he left no traces... I'm afraid he will be hard to find."

"Since you, Master, cannot resolve this, are there any traces of that monk? Or can you identify that Master's lineage? I fear if he is allowed to roam freely on the lake, there will be more danger."

Kongheng said softly:

"Not counting the monks from desolate mountains and wild temples, in the past, several renowned great temples of the School of Wrath had very strict rules. Though prejudiced and stubborn, they advocated for demon subjugation and were still considered righteous paths..."

"As for the lineage."

Li Xuanxuan looked at the stag kneeling on the ground and said:

"Precisely."

Li Xuanxuan was startled. He quickly sent Li Chenghuai over and said urgently:

"Go quickly to Mount Wu! See if Ximing is at a critical juncture in his seclusion. If not, please quickly invite him here! This might be troublesome!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Li Xuanxuan was startled. The elder frowned and asked: "Does Wrathful Purification also count?"

"Old Senior... the School of Wrath is not easy to deal with. It would be fine if it were just a wild monk from some desolate mountain temple, but if it is truly from this school, such actions must come from a major temple..."

Li Xuanxuan was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Then it's likely the School of Wrath. This karma won't be settled even in a thousand years, let alone a hundred!"

"With the fall of the Four Wrathful Demon Emperors, Compassion's strength can be said to be diminished by eighty to ninety percent, but even so, he is not someone a Master can provoke."

Hearing this, Kongheng chanted several scriptures in quick succession, revealing a troubled expression as he softly replied:

Kongheng nodded. "To answer you, Old Senior, the Austere Discipline and the Great Mu Dharma Realm both act quite righteously and resonate well with our path. There is also one more... it is... the School of Wrathful Purification, which also counts as a righteous path..."

"The School of Wrath..."

His worry was profound as he softly said: "It is said that after the fall of the Four Wrathful Demon Emperors... the School of Wrath suffered significant losses. Several of these major temples have sealed themselves off and no longer appear. Almost all of their Masters outside have perished. Let's just hope it's not a Compassionate one..."

Li Xuanxuan slightly relaxed. If it were a Yan Buddhist like Murong Xia, who cultivated human heads within his belly, he could convert half a town with a single word, and not finding him would be extremely dangerous. Seeing that the man was turned into a deer, it indeed did not resemble the actions of a Yan Buddhist. So he asked: "Which paths are considered righteous?"

The old ape sighed, saying no more than:

Kongheng now had considerable certainty. He said softly: "From observing his actions, he should be from one of the more ancient paths among the seven. He neither committed slaughter nor cast any curses, so his conduct is still relatively orthodox."

Li Chenghuai nodded and hurried away. Seeing the elder so anxious, Kongheng quickly spoke to comfort him, saying: "The fact that this person came to inquire might not mean he is an enemy. Old Senior, please rest here; it would be best if Senior White Ape and I handle this first..."

Li Xuanxuan had no other choice. Apart from Li Ximing, who was in seclusion, the only Foundation Establishment cultivators left in the family were the white ape and Kongheng. The old ape's strength was insufficient, leaving Kongheng as the only truly reliable one. He could only nod.

After Li Xuanxuan agreed, Kongheng quickly left the hall. The old ape silently followed behind him. Kongheng softly said: "We don't know if the visitor is friend or foe, but he is at least a Buddhist cultivator. I will go out first to test him. Old Senior, please wait in the formation for a moment."

The white ape nodded slightly. Once outside the great formation, Kongheng rode the wind and indeed saw an old monk standing on the shimmering lake surface.

The old monk's face was full of wrinkles, a staff in his hand. His expression was as still as an ancient well. He wore a deep yellow kasaya that revealed a large part of his arm, which was strong, powerful, and clearly defined, reflecting a faint white light in the sun.

On his deep yellow kasaya, faint circular runes subtly appeared, glistening like scales under the sunlight. The long staff hung from his hand, its entire length a jade-white color.

He stood silently, not saying a word. A circle of cultivators had already gathered around him, all trembling with fear, not daring to breathe.

Kongheng landed on the lake. The surrounding cultivators visibly relaxed and dispersed with a rush. An Siwei, who was at the front, approached and respectfully said: "Master... this person stepped on a piece of rotten wood from the lakeside as a boat and paddled all the way here."

Kongheng took a quick glance and only then noticed that the person was standing on a piece of withered wood, using it to remain upright on the lake surface. His expression was very serious. He opened his eyes and said in a deep voice: "Master, are you from the Northern World Honored One's lineage?"

Before Kongheng could speak, he was caught off guard by the other's preemptive question and felt somewhat awkward. He politely replied: "I am unworthy of being called Master. I am the humble monk Kongheng, a disciple of Liaohe Temple."

"Liaohe Temple?"

This old monk clearly did not have a good temper. His eyes widened, causing the scales on his kasaya to shimmer. His tone was quite critical as he sternly said: "Master, your lineage is profound and orthodox, envied by all. How could you forget the evil of indulgence? We cultivators measure the world with our feet. How can you learn from other cultivators to float high and low, surely inviting the desire for pleasure!"

This person had inexplicably turned a man into a deer, yet before Kongheng could even voice his question, he was stunned by the monk's sharp retort. Kongheng frowned and said: "Floating high and low is about the heart, not the action. Old Senior, you speak too harshly."

The old monk seemed to let him off, harrumphed, and then said sternly: "Northern Demon-Subduing Temple, Fuxia."

'Indeed, it is the School of Wrath...'

Kongheng's heart sank, instantly sensing trouble. He could only steel himself, cupped his hands in return, and softly said: "May I ask why Senior has come here..."

Fuxia responded with a cold expression, seemingly almost laughing at him. He merely whispered: "Master Kongheng... are you truly ignorant or merely pretending to be? Both you and I are people of the Buddhist path, and we shouldn't speak nonsense! Are you or are you not a cultivator of the Northern World Honored One's path!"

His initial polite demeanor faded, and he even grew suspicious of the person before him, speaking coldly. Kongheng paused briefly, then no longer bothered with civility. He said sternly: "Senior, you turned a man into a deer, performing this evil animal-transformation spell. Is this a good practice?! I have only heard that the Northern Demon-Subduing Temple subdues demons and devils, but never of such an evil spell!"

When Fuxia was asked this, a bronze light suddenly flared in his eyes, and his face turned the color of gold lacquer. His voice was low, suppressing anger, as he gnashed his teeth and said: "Animal-transformation spell? This is the way of karmic retribution! Deer are creatures of heaven and earth, neither noble nor base, all are equal. He killed a deer for his selfish desire, which is no different from killing a human. Turning him into a deer is already a lenient punishment, considering he had never received proper teaching!"

Kongheng's sleeves billowed without wind, and a faint golden light also appeared behind him. His voice carried a powerful Sanskrit tone as he sternly said: "He killed the deer to save his wife at home. You transformed him into a deer, and his wife, who was already impoverished and bedridden, died because of it... He killed a deer, but you harmed a human!"

When Fuxia heard Kongheng emphasize "but," he understood that Kongheng valued humans more than beasts and did not respect the doctrine of equality for all beings. He immediately flared up in anger. Not only did his face turn fully golden, but bright patterns also began to appear. He roared: "Madman! Let me ask you this! He was impoverished and his wife bedridden... whose fault was that? Who was in the wrong? How dare you babble nonsense here!"

His voice was now like rolling thunder, shaking the surrounding cultivators, who fled as if escaping. Those a step too slow were already bleeding from both ears, swaying unsteadily. Kongheng watched this, formed hand seals, and the golden light behind him surged.

"Clang!"

From the golden light behind him, a six-armed Vajra emerged. Its massive, horizontally patterned golden face glowed red, its eyes wide open. Its six arms held golden chains, which spread across the sky like a spiderweb, casting a golden curtain that protected the cultivators.

Kongheng gritted his teeth and said: "Whose fault could this be?! His poverty was due to his father gambling away the family fortune, and his wife's illness was due to misfortune and ill fate. How can you say it's someone's fault?!"

Fuxia was stunned, as if he had heard something incredibly amusing. He erupted in a fit of wild laughter from deep in his throat, and the long staff in his hand glowed with dazzling colors. He said coldly: "What a 'misfortune,' what an 'ill fate'! Let me tell you!"

The long staff in his hand shot into the sky like a white rainbow, colliding with a mass of golden chains and emitting a crisp, resounding clang. Fuxia roared furiously: "He lives on the land of your Li family, behind you, yet he endured such impoverished days! That is the sin of your Li family! All tragedies are caused by your Li family! And you dare to push the blame onto me!"

"His wife was harmed by your Li family, and then he turned to harm other creatures. I transformed him into a deer because he was also a victim... I haven't even settled accounts with your Li family yet!"

This statement left Kongheng stunned, causing the golden chains in the air to pause. A scorching white light struck him, making him groan. He felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

He felt his magical power surging throughout his body, and from his mouth, he uttered a few words: "Heretical path!"

The monk before him, however, did not focus his attention on fighting him. With burning rage in his eyes, he held his staff with one hand, suppressing Kongheng, and said coldly: "You establish no temples, no tenant farms, cultivate no Buddhist law, and offer no guidance, yet you divided the land among families and households... letting individuals drift according to their own fates... there will inevitably be tragedies... You watch people rise and fall amidst the worldly strife with indifference, and you still claim it's not your sin?"

"If you practiced Buddhist law and provided guidance, reclaimed the land, made all people temple tenants, and left the common folk with only self-sufficient farming and cultivation, with bliss in their hearts, then the more they suffered, the closer they would be to the World Honored One. How could there be poverty and destitution? How could there be a need to hunt? With the Buddhist multitude overseeing, how could his wife even fall ill?"

The fury in Fuxia's eyes seemed to materialize, aggressively spewing forth. He suppressed Kongheng with just one hand holding his staff. Suddenly, he raised his hand and summoned a dazzling golden light. "My Dharma Form was harmed by these petty Immortal Cultivators, ruining my efforts. My strength is diminished by seventy or eighty percent, and I have no means to borrow profound magical power... But dealing with people like you... is still more than enough!"

The golden light in his hand leaped like a venomous snake, darting towards Kongheng. A great warning arose in Kongheng's heart. His eyes instantly turned golden, emitting streams of colorful light that drifted down from the lake surface like rain.

This colorful light was quite peculiar. Wherever it passed over the lake, lotus flowers sprang up, the sound of scriptures reverberated, and five-colored brilliant lights surged like fountains. The radiance of Fuxia's white staff instantly dimmed. The golden chains seized the opportunity to withdraw, protecting Kongheng's body. "Great Radiant Light Art..."

The colorful light rained down upon him. Fuxia's expression turned furious as he fiercely said: "You possess such profound magic, yet you submit to those of the Immortal path!"

These words echoed over the lake. Kongheng felt a surge in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he formed hand seals to cast a spell. The golden chains grew denser, yet he dared not act rashly, fearing he would be suppressed by that white light.

Seeing no reaction from him, Fuxia paused slightly and then sternly said: "These immortal cultivators seek self-cultivation; how can they care for the common people? As long as cultivators enter the mundane world, they will inevitably build layer upon layer of immortal peaks, and schemes, treachery, and cunning plots will emerge endlessly! Among the common people, interests are entangled, and their hearts are shrouded in dust; it is difficult to find a single benevolent person..."

"Only through my Buddhist law can all beings be equal, all temple tenants, with one mind, finding joy even in suffering, contemplating only truth, goodness, and beauty, without officials or elders, and without needing to toil under the torment of fate!"

"Yet you serve as a guest elder under immortal cultivators, watching all this with indifference! Kongheng! You have failed the Northern World Honored One's path..."

He had not finished speaking when a peal of thunder rang out in mid-air. Intense, brilliant light condensed in the sky, revealing a massive city wall, a convergence of celestial radiance, exquisitely ancient, pressing down like Mount Tai, casting a huge golden reflection on the lake surface.

Fuxia grew furious again, his eyes like bronze. Bathed in the overwhelming brilliant light that made him look like a golden statue, he said coldly: "I am debating with my peer; who are you? How dare you interfere!"

The brilliant gate before him slowly expanded in his pupils, but then he heard a cold voice like thunder: "Go to hell, you bald donkey! Debating your cursed dog-path!"