75: Chapter 75 The Storm Is Brewing

On the second floor of the Guiyun Teahouse, by the window.

Gu Sheng rubbed the rim of his white jade cup with his fingers. "karma monument." He rolled the two words on the tip of his tongue, savoring the taste of calculation.

The Buddhist sect wants to reshape the Laws of the Western Wasteland, turning it into an impenetrable Buddhist kingdom. Besides monks, who else is most numerous in the Western Wasteland? Demonic cultivators. Beneath Great Leiyin Temple, the Demon Race is suppressed, and the other side of the Western Wasteland is a paradise for demonic cultivators. If they hear that the Buddhist sect intends to cut off their path to survival, this Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly will truly become a Ten Thousand Buddha Requiem.

"System, which is the largest demonic cultivation force in the Western Wasteland?" Gu Sheng asked in his mind.

[Host, it is the Jiuyou Demonic Sect of the Western Wasteland. Nether Ancestor recently awoke from his slumber after being affected by the upheaval in the Great Xia Dynasty. His cultivation has reached the Saint realm.]

Saint realm. Gu Sheng tapped the tabletop. "That should be enough to give Great Leiyin Temple quite a headache."

"Innkeeper." Gu Sheng beckoned.

The laicized monk trotted over, his Face full of smiles: "What are your orders, Pavilion Master?"

"Doing business at the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion requires mutual exchange." Gu Sheng put down his cup. "I have a free piece of intelligence here. Please, find a few loose-lipped people and spread it to the demonic cultivators outside the city. Just say that the Buddhist sect plans to bring out the karma monument at the Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly to convert the entire Western Wasteland's Demonic Path."

The innkeeper turned pale, his legs trembling. If these words spread, Brahma City would be drowned in a sea of blood from demonic cultivators by tomorrow.

"Pavilion Master, this is a life-threatening business."

Gu Sheng tossed over a Storage Pouch containing one thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones.

"Whether it is life-threatening depends on whose life is at stake. If the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion releases this information and Great Leiyin Temple comes to investigate, I will take responsibility."

The innkeeper gripped the Storage Pouch, gritted his teeth, and agreed, then turned to head downstairs to make arrangements.

Luo Qingxue sat opposite him, her Face veiled in white gauze, revealing only her eyes.

"By luring the Demonic Sect here, you will turn the Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly into a slaughterhouse." Her tone was flat, stating a fact.

"A slaughterhouse is exactly what I need to muddy the waters." Gu Sheng looked out the window. "The people from Wan Jian Holy Land will be here soon. With Taichu Holy Land sealing its mountains, if Wan Jian Holy Land loses more Face in the Western Wasteland, those old monsters in the Central Plains won't be able to sit still anymore."

As he spoke, a shrill sword chime came from the horizon.

Several sword lights pierced through the clouds, heading straight for the golden light barrier above Brahma City. The leader was a man with white hair and beard, stepping on a heavy sword the size of a door, his Aura terrifying. It was the Grand Elder of Wan Jian Holy Land, Zhao Tiangang.

"You bald donkeys of Great Leiyin Temple, come out and give us an explanation!"

The sound waves rolled, causing the pagodas within Brahma City to hum.

Ripples appeared on the light barrier, and an old monk wearing a red and white kasaya ascended into the sky, hands pressed together.

"Amitabha. Benefactor Zhao, the Arhat Array at the Sword Burial Abyss was broken, and our temple has yet to pursue the matter of Wan Jian Holy Land trespassing into a Forbidden Ground. Yet, you have come to hold us accountable first."

"Bullshit!" Zhao Tiangang cursed angrily. "Three of our Disciples died within the Arhat Array, leaving no corpses behind. Your Buddhist sect is merciful on the surface, but secretly commits such lethal acts. Do you really think Wan Jian Holy Land has no one?"

The old monk frowned slightly. When the Arhat Array was broken, he had sensed the Cultivation Technique Aura of Wan Jian Holy Land, but those three Disciples had died due to the backlash of the Formation, not because the Buddhist sect had intentionally killed them.

"Benefactor, you have misunderstood. Those three attacked the Arhat Array forcefully, triggering the Formation's counterattack..."

"Misunderstood?" Zhao Tiangang sneered, interrupting the old monk. "The last image transmitted back by our Disciples' life plates was filled with Buddhist light. If you do not hand over the true culprit today, this old man will hack through your Brahma City's light barrier!"

He raised his heavy sword, and the sharp Sword Intent split the clouds in the sky in two.

Gu Sheng watched with great interest from the teahouse.

[destiny points increased by two thousand. The conflict between Wan Jian Holy Land and the Buddhist sect has intensified; the plot deviation has increased.]

"This Zhao Tiangang has quite a temper." Gu Sheng commented. "However, he won't be able to break that light barrier."

Luo Qingxue followed his gaze. The swastika symbol on the light barrier flowed endlessly, containing extremely strong defensive power. Great Leiyin Temple had a deep foundation; relying solely on Zhao Tiangang, who was at the Peak of the Harmony Dao realm, was indeed not enough.

The old monk sighed and formed a Dharma seal with his hands. The light barrier shone brilliantly, blocking all of Zhao Tiangang's Sword Qi outside the city.

"Benefactor Zhao, the Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly is imminent; our temple does not wish to cause further trouble. After the assembly concludes, we will naturally give Wan Jian Holy Land an explanation."

"An explanation? This old man wants it now!" Zhao Tiangang was about to swing his sword.

An aged voice emanated from deep within Great Leiyin Temple, calm yet overwhelming the sound of swords clanging throughout the city.

"Retreat."

With just those two words, Zhao Tiangang's Sword Intent crumbled inch by inch. He was struck as if by a heavy blow, retreating over ten zhang.

"Saint's might."

Gu Sheng put away his folding fan. "The old monster of the Buddhist sect has made his move."

Zhao Tiangang's expression was ugly, but he dared not act rashly again. Below the Saint realm, everyone is an ant; no matter how arrogant he was, he dared not draw his sword in front of a Saint.

"Let's go!" Zhao Tiangang flicked his sleeves, taking the people of Wan Jian Holy Land to land outside the city and set up camp.

The show was over. Gu Sheng stood up. "Let's go, let's take a walk on the street."

Outside Brahma City, sand and dust filled the sky.

Zhao Tiangang sat cross-legged inside his tent. His heavy sword lay horizontally across his lap, and the chips on the blade still held traces of Buddhist golden light. He could not swallow this insult. Wan Jian Holy Land was renowned throughout the Central Plains; when had they ever suffered such a silent loss? His Disciples had died unclearly, and Great Leiyin Temple hadn't even given an explanation, simply driving them away with a Saint's pressure.

The tent flap was lifted. An attendant walked in and bowed to report. "A message has arrived from the Central Plains. The Holy Lord has ordered us to remain still and wait until the Ten Thousand Buddha Dharma Assembly begins before making further plans."

Zhao Tiangang snorted coldly, tapping his fingers on the sword hilt. "Great Leiyin Temple wants to use the assembly to establish their authority, but Wan Jian Holy Land will absolutely not let them have their way. In these muddy waters of the Western Wasteland, no one will be able to leave unscathed."

On the second floor of the Guiyun Teahouse.

Gu Sheng toyed with the white jade cup in his hand, the tea inside rippling slightly.

In his mind, the System interface constantly refreshed its data.

[Host, that laicized monk is highly efficient. The news has already spread throughout the demonic cultivation territories of the Western Wasteland. Emotional value collection is going smoothly, and destiny points have increased by thirty thousand.]

"Money makes the mare go." Gu Sheng put down his teacup. "Monks are the same."

Luo Qingxue sat opposite him, her zither on the table. "By luring the Demonic Sect here, aren't you afraid that Great Leiyin Temple will clear the field in advance?"

"Clear the field?" Gu Sheng unfolded his folding fan. "They are eager for the demonic cultivators to come. The karma monument needs to establish authority, and using a few Demonic Path experts as sacrifices is the most appropriate choice. I am just helping them speed up the process so everyone doesn't have to wait around."

Western Wasteland, extreme region. Jiuyou Demonic Sect.

On a throne made of bones, Nether Ancestor was skin and bones. Two clusters of green phosphorous fire danced in his eye sockets. Below, a dozen Demon Generals knelt, not daring to let out a breath.

"Great Leiyin Temple wants to convert the Western Wasteland." Nether Ancestor's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. "They even brought out the karma monument; the monks have a big appetite this time."

A Demon General looked up. "Old Ancestor, that is a product of the Heavenly Dao; if we fight head-on, I'm afraid we will suffer."

"Suffer?" Nether Ancestor stood up, his bones clicking. "Great Leiyin Temple wants to cut off our roots. In the Western Wasteland, demonic cultivators are the masters. Pass down the order: all forces of Jiuyou, break camp. Go to Brahma City and listen to the monks chant scriptures."

Demonic clouds rolled, blotting out the sky and sun, sweeping towards Brahma City.

Eastern Domain. Tianshui City.

On the second floor of Haiyue Inn, Ye Yuan leaned back in his chair and tossed a grape into his mouth. Nie Xiao stood guard at the top of the stairs, clutching his broken saber.

Light footsteps came from downstairs.

A red paper umbrella folded shut. Water droplets dripped onto the wooden floor. The person who arrived was a woman in cyan clothes, her appearance ordinary, but her temperament quite unique. There was no Killing Intent, only the scent of misty rain from a water town.

The woman walked to the second floor and pulled out a chair to sit opposite Ye Yuan. "Young Lord Ye is in a good mood."

"I didn't invite you." Ye Yuan spat out the grape skin.

"Yanyu Pavilion deals in intelligence." The woman placed her hands on the table. "The Ye Family has suddenly emerged; we had to come to pay our respects."

"Did you bring a gift when paying respects?" Ye Yuan looked at her.

The woman took out a Jade Slip. "The three ancestors of the Dragon Clan have come out of seclusion. This news counts as a welcoming gift."

Ye Yuan did not take the Jade Slip. "Those few old loaches of the Dragon Clan—no matter how many come, they will all die. Your gift is too light."

The woman pushed the Jade Slip over. "The Ye Family has plenty of confidence. Interestingly, the waters of the Eastern Domain are very deep. That old man from Lingxu Pavilion is very interested in you."

"Make him wait in line." Ye Yuan dismissed her. "That beggar ran fast last time. You go back and tell him: if he wants to check the Ye Family's background, he should prepare to pay with his life."

The woman was not annoyed; she put away the Jade Slip and stood up. "Young Lord Ye is straightforward. Yanyu Pavilion looks forward to cooperating with the Ye Family." She opened her red umbrella and turned to go downstairs.

Nie Xiao watched the woman's back. "She concealed her cultivation."

"Let her go." Ye Yuan yawned. "The more pieces on this chessboard of the Eastern Domain, the more fun it is."