“The west’s Spirit Mountain Holy Land?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
Gu Hai had heard of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land long ago. Along with the Myriad Age Daoist Sect and the Solar Divine Palace, it was one of the three holy lands. Back then, the Yuan Imperial Dynasty’s Qin Yun had learned one of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s cultivation techniques—the World Cleansing Shut Eyes Meditation. With it, Qin Yun had managed to destroy the Slaughter Heavenly Emperor’s body and block the Heaven Splitting Ax.
Now, Ensnaring Performance was in conflict with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s people?
Gu Hai’s expression changed. “What’s going on? No, I need to go over immediately. Crown Prince Ao Shun, please give me directions.”
Gu Hai valued Ensnaring Performance immensely. If Ensnaring Performance faced ordinary people, he would not worry much. However, it was the Spirit Mountain Holy Land this time; he could not help worrying.
“Directions? No. I’ll bring you over. I was going over to stop it anyway, but I had no time.” Ao Shun shook his head.
Gu Hai looked at Ao Shun.
Gu Hai could guess why Ao Shun was being so nice to him. To others, Ao Shun suffered humiliation by being imprisoned on Nine-Five Island. At least, that was what Ao Shun thought at the start. However, why did the dragon race’s prime, Ao Tianhuang, feel grateful to Gu Hai?
It was not just Ao Tianhuang; Ao Shun understood as well.
The few years of imprisonment allowed Ao Shun to figure out many things, helping to smooth his rough edges. As for the imprisonment itself, Gu Hai had not made things difficult for him or humiliated him. Gu Hai even allowed him free access to information. It was more a lesson for him.
Indeed, Gu Hai could have killed Lin Shizi earlier. However, Dragon Star Palace and the dragon race elders were here. He could not have started a massacre.
Ao Shun was just repaying the favor.
“Excellent. Sorry to trouble you.” Gu Hai smiled.
“Hall Master, we want to go as well!”
“Hall Master, I’m going too!”
The Elite Hall disciples called out excitedly.
After their earlier experience, the Elite Hall disciples felt great reverence and awe for Gu Hai. Even though they might face danger from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, they no longer cared. They just wanted to follow Gu Hai.
“Alright. Mu Chenfeng, bring the Heaven Blasting Cannon along and pick out one hundred Elite Hall disciples. We will set off immediately,” Gu Hai said.
“Yes!” Mu Chenfeng acknowledged excitedly.
“Crown Prince, what about us?” the dragons asked earnestly.
“His Holy Eminence has bestowed a residence on the Spirit Mountain Holy Land in Heavenly Mao City. Even dragons cannot casually enter that place. Not all of you can go. At most, only one hundred can follow me. Each dragon division may send ten representatives,” Ao Shun replied.
“I’ll go!”
“I’ll go!”
“I’ll go!”
The dragons immediately clamored, all of them wanting to go.
However, only one hundred dragons could go. This left the rest of the dragons helpless.
“Alright, let’s go, then!” Gu Hai took out a flying ship.
“Time is tight. If Mister Gu does not think it beneath your notice, how about we bring you over?” Ao Shun asked.
“That’s fine.” Gu Hai nodded.
An ordinary flying ship was only as fast as a Lower Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. How could it keep up with Ao Shun?
Ao Shun flung out his sleeves and immediately carried everyone into the sky.
Boom!
They turned into a meteor shooting into the distance.
Elite Hall’s plaza immediately became much quieter.
The dragons returned as well. The distant Heavenly Chen City Lord left with his army, feeling upset. The citizens no longer dared to trespass casually into Elite Hall’s territory.
Not to mention that ruthless person, Gu Hai, even Crown Prince Ao Shun had spoken up against it. Who would dare to barge in now?
The citizens scattered, but they could not calm down for quite a while.
“Where did this Gu Hai come from? Does anyone know?”
“Does anyone know Gu Hai’s past?”
“Has anyone heard of Gu Hai before?”
The entire city immediately started seeking information on Gu Hai.
——
Ao Shun moved extremely fast, flying out of Heavenly Chen City and heading for Heavenly Mao City.
“Who is it?!” a guard shouted.
Whoosh!
However, Ao Shun flew into the distance within an instant. That guard could not stop him.
“Oh no! Someone is causing trouble in the heavenly court’s cities. Quickly inform the lord!” that guard said anxiously.
“Inform, my ass. Are you blind? That was Crown Prince Ao Shun. Do you dare to block him?” a guard at the side said.
“Oh!”
——
Ao Shun used a light barrier to cover everyone as he approached Heavenly Mao City.
“Ao Shun, you said earlier that Ensnaring Performance is in conflict with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s people. What are they fighting over? Where in Heavenly Mao City?” Gu Hai asked with a frown.
“It seemed to be over a mute fellow. However, I do not know the details. I had no time to investigate. Their location is rather problematic. It is in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s residential area. Even the guards would find intervening difficult. Furthermore, many people practice Buddhism in Heavenly Mao City. Many of the citizens believe in Buddhism. Although they did not swear fealty to the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, if two factions clash, most of them will side with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, as they are all Buddhists,” Ao Shun explained.
“So many people practice Buddhism?” Gu Hai frowned slightly.
“Indeed. A heavenly dynasty is not like a sect; it can encompass many things. As long as they are useful to my Qian Nation, Buddhists, Daoists, animal spirits, and demons can be subjects. Don’t you know Venerable Liu Nian? Isn’t he a Buddhist? Many people practice Buddhism in Heavenly Mao City. There are many temples there too. I heard that when the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s people arrived, nearly the entire citizenry of Heavenly Mao City showed up to welcome them,” Ao Shun explained.
Gu Hai frowned heavily. This was a tricky situation. Heavenly Mao City was different from Heavenly Chen City. The citizens here would side with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
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“Who from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land came? Are they all here to participate in the Ten Thousand Sages Convention?” Gu Hai asked.
“The Spirit Mountain Holy Land arrived just recently. They should be here at His Holy Eminence’s invitation to participate in the Ten Thousand Sages Convention. The leader is the Lord Future Buddha. He brought many bodhisattvas and arhats. Most of them were invited to Heavenly Court City to meet His Holy Eminence with the Lord Future Buddha. However, there should still be one or two bodhisattvas and a group of arhats in their residence, so…,” Ao Shun trailed off with a bitter smile.
“The Lord Future Buddha?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows.
Gu Hai had some information on the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land had three Buddhas: the Past Buddha, the Present Buddha, and the Future Buddha. They were among the peak in the world. Even if they could not compare to the Qian Heavenly Emperor, they would not be far—how far was uncertain, as they had never fought before.
“When the Future Buddha arrived, he held a lecture in Heavenly Mao City to explain the scriptures. This won the favor of countless Buddhist practitioners in Heavenly Mao City. Do be careful when we arrive later, Mister Gu. Do your best to placate Ensnaring Performance,” Ao Shun said as he shook his head.
Gu Hai did not say anything or promise anything. If Ensnaring Performance was in the wrong, Gu Hai would stop Ensnaring Performance. However, if it was not Ensnaring Performance’s fault, why should he placate Ensnaring Performance?
Ao Shun looked at Gu Hai and showed a faint, bitter smile at Gu Hai’s silence.
Ao Shun had come to understand Gu Hai’s character over the past few years. Gu Hai would not compromise on his philosophy because of another person’s words.
Whoosh!
The group flew into Heavenly Mao City.
Since Ao Shun led the group, the guards did not stop them.
“Mister Gu, there!” Ao Shun called out, pointing to the distance.
Gu Hai saw many citizens and soldiers gathered around a large plaza in the direction indicated, just like how it was with Elite Hall earlier. All of them watched the conflict in the plaza.
However, the situation was different from Heavenly Chen City. Most of the observers here had already picked a side and were watching coldly.
“That is the Hearing Buddha Hall’s plaza. The Future Buddha held his lecture there.” Ao Shun pointed to the large hall by the plaza.
The name of that hall was Hearing Buddha Hall.
A group of people wearing kāṣāyas stood at the Hearing Buddha Hall’s entrance, surrounding a benevolent-looking, middle-aged man. All of them had kindly expressions as they faced the center of the plaza.
At this moment, five hundred monks shining with golden light sat in the center of the plaza in a circle around Ensnaring Performance and a youth.
“Demons and evildoers, the purifying light of Buddha purifies all evil. The Lord Buddha above bestowed on us the holy scriptures, to purify all lives…”
The five hundred monks chanted Buddhist scriptures.
As the monks chanted, golden talisman scripts came from their mouths, forming swastikas.
[TL Note: A swastika is a Buddhist symbol that is thought to represent the footprints of Buddha. It symbolizes eternal cycling. The Nazis did not invent the symbol; they merely adopted it. The symbol is supposed to carry good meanings and does not mean that one is a Nazi.]
The swastikas that came from the five hundred monks’ mouths floated in the air, looking like small rivers gathering into a large sea in the sky, forming a huge swastika that cast a golden light on Ensnaring Performance and that youth.
The countless citizens and soldiers coldly watched Ensnaring Performance and that youth.
“Humph! You evil being, to think that you dare to resist while in the Five Hundred Arhats Formation! How reckless!”
“The Lord Buddha is merciful. Demons do evil, but he wants to purify you. This is your opportunity!”
“Amitābha!”
The citizens criticized Ensnaring Performance and the youth.
Ensnaring Performance shielded the youth, continuously moving his hands in the air. Zither music instantly rang out.
Boom!
A million fairies appeared out of nowhere with the zither music and rushed out in all directions.
However, the five hundred arhats seemed to have formed a barrier with their circle, reminiscent of a ritual array. When the fairies approached, a wall of golden light blocked them.
The five hundred monks’ chanting suppressed Ensnaring Performance’s zither music.
The youth appeared horrified, but Ensnaring Performance snorted coldly, “Don’t be afraid. I still have the piece that my master gave me. Humph! These baldies are nothing good. Watch my ‘Sonata Pathétique’!”
Buzz!
Ensnaring Performance played the zither in the air, forming a warrior with the music. Then, he looked up at the huge swastika in the sky as the warrior charged at it.
Boom!
The golden swastika suppressed the music warrior, preventing the warrior from doing anything.
Ensnaring Performance’s expression changed dramatically.
That youth held his ears, apparently in incredible pain. However, Ensnaring Performance continued playing the zither with a ferocious expression to interfere with the scriptures attacking the youth.
“Baldies, if you can, fight me one on one! Come on, use the scriptures on me. What is the point of using your sound attacks on a youth without cultivation?” Ensnaring Performance shouted furiously.
A pretty, white-clad woman stood near the five hundred monks. However, her eyes had an icy cast.
“Amitābha! Heaven-grade zither Ensnaring Performance? Who is your master? We are purifying an evil demon. If you keep interfering, don’t blame us for purifying you along with him,” that white-clad woman said coldly.
“Ptooey! Evil demon? You are the evil demons. This great me will protect him today! Some Five Hundred Arhats Formation! Some Demon Purifying Scripture! This great me doesn’t believe that you can purify me. Bring it on! Come on!” Ensnaring Performance snarled with a ferocious expression.
