Chapter 57: Amitabha

They reserved a three-story restaurant nearby.

Li Weiyi initially wanted to order more food, but the White-Robed Laywoman politely declined, saying that a bowl of plain noodles each would suffice.

Nearly a hundred children filled all three floors, and even though they were only eating plain noodles, they were all extremely happy.

Although they were Rice People, they still experienced joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

Li Weiyi and Zhao Zhizhu were already famished. Since everyone else was eating vegetarian food, how could they possibly order meat and fish? So, they each ordered a bowl of plain noodles and sat at a window-side table on the second floor, sharing the meal with the White-Robed Laywoman.

After taking a sip of the steaming noodle soup, Li Weiyi humbly inquired, "Laywoman, what kind of Buddha is the Amitābha Buddha you speak of?"

The White-Robed Laywoman put down her chopsticks, sat upright, and solemnly replied, "Amitābha is both the Buddha of Immeasurable Light and the Buddha of Immeasurable Life. He represents light, longevity, and space, and is the patriarch of the Pure Land Buddha Kingdom from an infinitely distant realm."

"His light can illuminate the netherworld."

"His life span is infinite."

"The Pure Land World formed in his palm is the most vast living realm in existence. His magic power is boundless, and his divine abilities are endless."

The Amitābha of this world surprisingly shared many similarities with the one from Earth's myths and legends.

Afterward, the White-Robed Laywoman quietly ate her plain noodles.

Eating noodles rarely looks graceful.

Yet, she was neither affectedly dainty nor boisterously ravenous. Despite her ordinary appearance, the way she ate exuded a pleasing sense of tranquility.

Li Weiyi watched for a long time, completely forgetting what he was going to ask next.

After finishing all the noodle soup, she wiped her mouth clean, smiled slightly at Li Weiyi, who had been staring at her, and offered a word of thanks.

A moment later, the White-Robed Laywoman gathered all the Rice Children outside the restaurant. As she was leaving, she looked up at Li Weiyi, who was watching her from the second floor, and her voice remained gentle: "I originally intended to do some business and earn money to support the children, but since you treated me to noodles, I won't kill you today! Another time, perhaps!"

Li Weiyi, who had been immersed in the other party's incredibly infectious gentle smile, suddenly heard these words and felt as if he had plummeted from a sun-drenched mountaintop into a dark, cold ice cave, the chill almost freezing him stiff.

He realized that the person had been waiting for him by the moat earlier, or perhaps had been planning to go to his residence to kill him.

Zhao Zhizhu was in a similar state, his face pale. He slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "I should have been vigilant! Besides Coffin Mountain in Lizhou, where would you find a Buddhist cultivator? She must be from the Five Burial Temple's... assassin..."

The word "assassin" was uttered in an extremely low voice.

Xu Fodu of Coffin Mountain, one of the Southern Region's three great barbarian bandits, was a behemoth to whom even the Nine Li tribe paid annual tribute.

Who among the seven states of the Southern Region didn't fear the 100,000 Buddhist Bandits?

Zhao Zhizhu watched the white-robed figure gradually disappear into the distance and whispered, "The Five Burial Temple is the most terrifying assassin organization in Nine Li City's underground dark market. It's rumored that Coffin Mountain is the power behind them. I couldn't detect any magical power fluctuations from her at all; her cultivation level must be far superior to ours."

"Fortunately, we were generous enough today, or it would have been dangerous!"

Li Weiyi's expression shifted repeatedly. He quickly stood up and called out from a distance, "Next time you're seeking alms, keep looking for me. I'll treat you to noodles again another day... as much as you want..."

The White-Robed Laywoman, who had already reached the gate bridge, looked back at the second floor, merely smiled, and then led the children into the city.

At the city gate, as expected, she was stopped by four soldiers from the city defense camp.

"Pffft!"

"Whoosh!"

The next moment, all four city defense soldiers were cut in half by a red kasaya.

Gushing blood continuously seeped through the cracks of the wooden gate bridge and dripped into the moat.

A burly, two-meter-tall monk with a bristly beard put the red kasaya back on and respectfully bowed to the White-Robed Laywoman: "Aunt-Master, your nephew was delayed. I should have been here half an hour ago to meet you at the city gate."

"No matter," she replied, "I didn't wait long, just the time it takes to eat an extra bowl of noodles."

The White-Robed Laywoman and the great monk in the red kasaya swaggered into Nine Li City with nearly a hundred Rice Children.

"Aunt-Master, something big has happened in Buried Immortal Town," the great monk reported in a low voice. "The news began spreading in a small way last night, and by this morning, it couldn't be contained. Many powerful figures have already left the city and rushed there."

"Rumble!"

A large contingent of city defense soldiers arrived, but when they saw the face of the great monk in the red kasaya and met his cold, piercing gaze, the officer leading them, who was riding a fire fox beast, was the first to lower his head, not daring to make eye contact.

Ultimately, the city defense soldiers simply proceeded to collect the bodies.

Li Weiyi had no appetite left for noodles. "Someone must have placed an order with the Five Burial Temple," he muttered. "Either Yang Yun or the Changlin Gang."

"The month isn't even up yet, how dare they?"

Zhao Zhizhu quickly thought for a moment, then stood up: "I'm going into the city now. I need to understand the situation no matter what. I'll be back before dark."

After parting ways with Zhao Zhizhu, Li Weiyi returned to his residence.

Under the old poplar tree in the front yard, Cai Yutong, wearing a veil and a much lighter dress, had a flickering point of light on her brow. She was communicating with a giant spider using psychic power, commanding it to stand up and sit down with a single index finger, just like training a dog.

Her talent in the Path of Spirit God was exceptionally high. She awakened her spiritual light in three days, opened her Glabella Spirit Realm in ten days, learned insect script in twenty-two days, subdued her first giant spider, and officially became an insect tamer.

However, Li Weiyi still hadn't manifested his first wisp of spiritual light.

According to the elder who held a spiritual rank, he wasn't calm enough; he thought about too many things, and his mind was filled with too many scattered thoughts, which was why his "flash of inspiration" had never appeared.

"Senior Brother, tell everyone to pack their things quickly. We need to go into the city with me before the city gates close at dusk."

Li Weiyi didn't know how many lives the Changlin Gang or Yang Yun had paid for, nor was he sure if the assassins would indiscriminately kill innocents. For now, he could only take everyone to the Cangli Clan Academy for refuge.

But he also worried about being ambushed on the way.

Even one of the top hundred martial artists like Yao Zhengsheng could cause extremely severe consequences if they decided to kill.

Zhao Zhizhu would definitely seek out Li Songlin or Cang Li. If the Cangli tribe could dispatch a group of experts to escort them, it would be much safer!

Everyone naturally realized something serious was amiss and immediately went to pack their belongings.

Time passed minute by minute, and all the luggage was packed and loaded onto the carriages.

Li Weiyi sat on the courtyard wall, circulating the spiritual energy within his body to his eyes, ears, and nose, bringing his senses to their peak. Soon, he caught the scent of Shi Chuan Yu, the banner leader of the Changlin Gang, on the wind.

He couldn't see or hear him, but he knew he was nearby.

A moment later.

On the second floor of the Embrace Moon Tower diagonally opposite, he caught a fleeting glimpse of Yao Zhengsheng's figure.

Several other unusually light footsteps were mixed among the crowd on the street.

Fortunately, Zhao Meng, sitting in the courtyard, still possessed a deterrent presence.

It wasn't until the sun was setting that Zhao Zhizhu finally returned with a troop of white-robed cavalry—twenty personal guards of the young chieftain Cang Li. Their cultivation levels weren't particularly high, but they carried symbolic significance, meaning not everyone dared to attack them.

Zhao Zhizhu's expression was grim and worried. "After entering the city, I first went to the clan academy, but it was empty. Then I went to the clan residence and met with the young chieftain, who informed me that something major happened last night that alarmed all the high-ranking officials in Nine Li City. Chief Jia had already left the city."

"The Five Burial Temple's assassination warrant was issued this morning and quickly spread to various cities in Lizhou. The reward is a Five Seas Pill. This is likely Yang Yun's doing; only he would have news that fast."

Li Weiyi asked, "Are there no bounties on anyone else?"

Zhao Zhizhu shook his head: "From my perspective, compared to the Changlin Gang's losses, Yang Yun is more concerned about Fourth Miss's attitude towards you."

With the definite news, Li Weiyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good then, the reward is only a Five Seas Pill. I thought the Yang clan had issued a kill order, since it even alarmed that White-Robed Laywoman. Do you really think she's a formidable individual?"

Zhao Zhizhu's expression became serious. "Brother Li, you must trust my judgment of people. I once reached the peak of the Five Seas Realm. If she could deceive even my perception, then that White-Robed Laywoman is absolutely no ordinary person."

"And don't be so suspicious. In Yang Yun's eyes, you only have Seven Springs cultivation. Offering a Five Seas Pill as a bounty is already exceptionally high treatment."

"The White-Robed Laywoman's appearance was purely an accident. She's clearly not normal; one moment she's compassionate, the next she wants to kill. You offer her a bowl of noodles, and she decides not to kill you anymore—there's definitely something off about her!"

Zhao Meng asked, "So, are we going into the city or not?"

Zhao Zhizhu said, "Everyone should still go into the clan academy to take refuge for now. Something big happened in Buried Immortal Town, and the young chieftain had to rush there immediately. With both Chief Jia and the young chieftain gone, it's too dangerous for us to stay in the suburbs."

"What big thing happened in Buried Immortal Town?"

Many thoughts flashed through Li Weiyi's mind instantly, especially since the strange events he encountered there a month ago were still vivid in his memory.

Zhao Zhizhu shook his head, indicating that the young chieftain had not provided details.

Li Weiyi escorted everyone out of the residence, then suddenly gripped Zhao Zhizhu's hand and solemnly said, "Old Zhao, I'm entrusting all our companions to you. Please take good care of them for me."

Zhao Zhizhu's brow furrowed. "You're not coming with us?"

Li Weiyi glanced towards the Embrace Moon Tower and the backyard, then feigned a relaxed smile: "I have a feeling they won't let me enter the city. If I go to the clan academy with you, where will they get an opportunity to act?"

"Weiyi, you yourself said that if we are to die, we die together; if we are to live, we live together, as brothers," Zhao Meng said.

Although Cai Yutong didn't know what was happening, she still turned back with Zhao Meng.

Li Weiyi hardened his resolve and said, "The Five Seas Pill is too great an attraction for them! If I were to accompany you on this journey into the city, it would benefit no one. I will bring bloodshed upon you, and you will become a burden, making it impossible for me to escape."

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, wait for my return. When I come back, we will no longer fear anyone."

After uttering these words, Li Weiyi swiftly darted away, heading towards the Suiri River along the escape route he had already mapped out in his mind, like an afterimage.

Almost instantly, numerous figures from the surrounding streets shot off like arrows from a bowstring, giving chase.

Some weaved through the crowd, while others sped across rooftops.

Even a gleaming golden carriage pulled by a silver-horned elk galloped wildly down the street, attempting to intercept and kill him.

Li Weiyi had long ago discussed with Elder Coffin that once Zhao Zhizhu recovered to the Eight Springs cultivation level, they would send Zhao Meng, Cai Yutong, and the others to the Nine Li Clan Academy. Only then could he safely proceed to the Cang King's Tomb and take another path to become a Divine Hidden person faster.

Today's sudden turn of events forced him to advance all his plans.

At this moment, the setting sun was like blood.

At this moment, dusk and killing intent were rapidly approaching.