After seven reincarnations, he thought he had already surpassed life and death. Only at this moment did he realise he was not as graceful and carefree as he thought he was. The irrepressible sense of shame turned him bright red.
He raised his head and directly met Li Qingshan’s gaze. “Yes, I meant all of that. Even if you kill me, you won’t be able to change my mind.”
“Oh? I couldn’t tell, but you sure are quite bold.” Li Qingshan was rather surprised. He gazed deeply into his eyes and released the will of great destruction and great annihilation.
He seemed to be Mahe?vara, the lord of the māra, residing at the top of the Desire realm, overlooking the living creatures and mocking all of the cultivators’ self-righteous perseverance.
Prince Tsangyang trembled all over. He bit down on his lip until blood flowed out. Afterwards, he burst into tears like a child.
With a gust of fragrance, Qiu Haitang grabbed Li Qingshan’s arm. “Hey, stop scaring him! It’s not like he was wrong! Prince Tsangyang, are you alright?”
Li Qingshan let out a laugh and admitted it honestly. “Fair enough.” Then he said mysteriously, “Though, looks like I don’t have to kill him anymore. He’s changed his mind.”
Prince Tsangyang was dejected. His aura declined drastically, directly regressing by a major realm of cultivation. He seemed particularly miserable. The chan of delightful union that he had practised for seven lives had been forcefully upheaved. It basically left him even more miserable than if he was killed.
Qiu Haitang said, “How can you be like this? He has constantly been helping me over the years. He just spoke ill of you slightly!”
Li Qingshan touched her fuming, beautiful face gently. Sure enough, she was beautiful whenever her emotions overwhelmed her.
“I’m helping him out! I’m technically half a person of buddhism too. This kid embarked on a path of depravity without knowing. He seems carefree, but actually, he’s frivolous. He’s even so full of himself. If he encountered a stronger opponent like the Heavenly Frost Wolf King, he would be slain with ease. Even if he’s fortunate enough to not encounter any opponents, he’ll only sink deeper into his depraved path.”
Actually, he was not that kind. It was just when he heard him say, “Even if you kill me, you won’t be able to change my mind,” it was like a proud child saying, “I’m not afraid of death at all.” As a result, he could not help but test him, yet in the end, it was merely a boast.
When the child said they were not afraid of dying, that was only because they did not understand what “death” was. If no one taught them, they would never understand, dying over a mere trifle on the streets, thinking that they were not afraid of death right to their very deaths.
Suddenly, he understood how Mahe?vara felt. There were far too many people in buddhism who liked to boast and brag, going on about things like reducing the five skandhas to nothing or bringing salvation to all. There were far too many narcissistic lies used to blind themselves. He could tear away these lies with a single finger, and he did so completely out of reflex!
Qiu Haitang was half-convinced. “Really?”
Li Qingshan only smiled. He turned around and questioned loudly, “Monk, let me ask you again. Can I change your mind?”
Prince Tsangyang said in dejection, “You can.”
Li Qingshan laughed aloud. “That’s more like it.” He rubbed his chin and studied him. “I don’t know what kind of cultivation method you practise, but you really don’t see one that is so flimsy and feeble very often.”
Normally, the willpower of people from buddhism was relatively firm. They placed great emphasis on the cultivation of their disposition. If it had been the Dauntless monk instead, even if he felt fear, he would still bellow out buddha nemesis.
He had only obtained a wisp of Mahe?vara’s bearing. He was not actually Mahe?vara, so how could he upheave a person’s cultivation method so easily? Even against the Heavenly Frost Wolf King, he had primarily crushed him with strength. Otherwise, even if the Heavenly Frost Wolf King was called an old dog a hundred more times, he would still bare his fangs at Li Qingshan. He would have to be reduced to a dead dog before he truly fell silent.
Prince Tsangyang recalled the path he had taken. He could not help but pour with sweat.
Actually, tantric buddhism placed the greatest emphasis on ascetic cultivation. A very small minority practised the chan of delightful union, as it was simply far too easy to suffer cultivation deviation and go insane. Those without great wisdom and willpower could not practise it. He always believed he possessed great wisdom and willpower, so he never really appreciated those ascetic monks.
In hindsight, just how foolish had he been? He enjoyed the joys and pleasures of the secular world while thinking he was pure and uncontaminated. He really had gotten too ahead of himself.
With my aptitude, if I had persisted with ascetic cultivation, perhaps I would have ascended in the third life! Why would I still need my seventh life? If I can’t develop an awareness, probably even ascending this life won’t be possible. Just how many more lifetimes of wear can my true spirit last?
Thinking up to there, he brought his palms together and bowed deeply towards Li Qingshan. “Amitābha. Thank you for upheaving my chan of delightful union. From this moment onwards, I dare not bear the name of the ‘love monk’!”
He glanced deeply at Qiu Haitang; his eyes contained undisguised admiration and sentiment, but he saw himself in her eyes that resembled peach blossoms. He tossed down a page of love poems resolutely before making his way out the door. His loud recital rang out from the rain.
“All feelings of love are important, unable to last for eternity. There are many fears in the world, where life is fleeting like the morning dew. Because of love, there is worry and because of love, there is fear, thus those without love are free from worry and fear.”
From that day onwards, the Lightning province lost a love monk and gained an ascetic monk.
Li Qingshan thought, So it’s the chan of delightful union. I’ve heard much about it. Interesting. I’ve upheaved his entire cultivation, yet he’s thanking me instead. No wonder Mahe?vara can be a god in buddhism. However, the true lord of the māra is probably nowhere near as gentle as I am when he impedes the buddhist dharma. Once they fail his tests, they’ll probably descend into the demonic even if they manage to survive, though I’m not afraid of descending into the demonic. However, wouldn’t life be a lot more boring without worry or fear?
Qiu Haitang watched as prince Tsangyang vanished into the rain. She murmured, “I could tell his infatuation was not as sincere as he thought it would be. I didn’t expect this.”
Li Qingshan said loudly, “Who just then was bold enough to accuse me, to say that I was a petty person? My beloved woman was just courted by someone else. There’s nothing impressive about that!”
When Qiu Haitang heard him call her his beloved woman in front of everyone, she could not help but blush, so charming that it was impossible to ogle at her. She bit her red lips gently and said softly, “I accused you wrongly.”
“Since you’re in the wrong, then get ready for punishment!”
Li Qingshan lifted her up in his arms and made his way upstairs.
Qiu Haitang let out a gentle squeal. She did not put up any resistance.
Li Qingshan smiled and whispered by her ear, “Where’s your room?”
“I don’t know.”
Li Qingshan raised his head and sniffed around, “I found it.”
The dark clouds in the sky dispersed. Moonlight poured down like water. The sky full of stars was resplendent and dazzling.
In the parlour, everyone was still shaken. They looked at each other like startled sheep. The danger was gone, but they were at a temporary loss over what to do.
The woman suddenly found a new dream lover. They felt like none of the men around him could interest them. The men ran out of interest too, so they all left, but they all felt their blood bubble slightly. They felt like that was how men were supposed to be.
Li Qingshan stepped into the sweet-smelling room. That was not the smell of any spices, but the odour she gave off. He could not help but bury his face in his neck and take a deep breath.
Qiu Haitang rubbed ears with him. She also indulged in his body, his warmth, and his smell. She was enchanted, still in some disbelief.
After waiting for so long, has it finally paid off?
