"Greetings to you, two lords. This humble monk is Yuming, the abbot of Great Ming King Temple."
Seeing this monk, Li Dalong's eyebrow twitched.
In all his life, the people he disliked most in Azure Cloud were precisely these sorts of monks.
He glanced down at the multitude of cultivators from Eternal Sun Prefecture and saw them all staring intently at Master Yuming.
Many were already engaged in conversation with the monks from Great Ming King Temple, their words full of flattery.
Li Dalong instantly understood what was happening.
"Master Yuming." Lin Jiu and Min Youguo, truly living up to their reputation for being magnanimous, actually performed a Buddhist salute towards a mere abbot.
"Amitabha. Regarding this great calamity in Eternal Sun Prefecture," the abbot said, "the benefactor Baimei, in his pursuit of the Great Dao, has disregarded all living beings.
He used Tian Xing to lay down spiritual arrays in every corner of the world to absorb its essence Qi."
What a compassionate bearing Master Yuming possessed.
With a great sigh, he offered a benevolent smile and a nod to Li Dalong.
"Fortunately, the Li family intervened and was able to stop Tian Xing," he said, "thereby sparing the world, and our Eternal Sun Prefecture, from calamity. It was truly an act of great benevolence. It's just..."
"Just what?" Li Dalong's voice was cold.
"It is just this, Benefactor Li."
Master Yuming's deep and resonant voice held a measure of softness.
"This great formation of Tian Xing's is still active," he said. "As long as Tian Xing and his avatars live, the essence Qi of the world will continue to be drawn from all lands.
This is the very lifespan of the common people.
Those Tian Xing avatars, for many years they have committed evil within my Eternal Sun Prefecture, and in doing so, have consumed its Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures."
"My Buddha is merciful. The Li family's great act of benevolence should be engraved upon the hearts of all the people of Eternal Sun Prefecture, and a monument should be erected in my temple to commemorate it.
But my Buddha also understands that the common people should not suffer.
What was lost should be returned. The Li family should, in truth, give back the essence Qi of the world.
And the Qi Luck and cultivation base from these Tian Xing avatars, they too should be returned to the great aristocratic families of my Eternal Sun Prefecture."
Lin Jiu and Min Youguo said nothing, merely watching Li Dalong and the old monk with great interest.
Li Dalong said nothing either. He glanced at the Li family "children" behind him, then stroked the messy beard on his face, only just now remembering that he hadn't shaved since leaving the Wu Clan's territory.
He then said casually, "What Master Yuming says is correct."
He then took out a brightly gleaming spirit razor and, right in front of everyone, began to shave the stubble on his face.
As he did, he said, "Please forgive me. After so many years, I finally have a chance to see my dear wife again. This scruffy beard of mine has made her forget what I look like. It's high time I had a shave."
Hearing this, the descendants of the Li family all shared a smile, and secretly prepared to draw their own blades.
That's right!
So many years had passed. This old monk from Eternal Sun Prefecture... he had completely forgotten what the Li family was capable of!
So what if it was in front of the Grand Tutor and the Imperial Preceptor? Did he really think he could snatch food from the jaws of a fierce beast?
When these two great figures arrived, they hadn't intervened.
That meant they had enough tolerance for the Li family's actions.
At the very least, killing a single old monk wouldn't be enough to cross their bottom line.
Master Yuming, however, was still putting on a show of grieving for the state of the universe and pitying the fate of mankind.
Glancing at the stake on the ground and then at the many geniuses, like dogs, within the thunderclouds, he showed an expression of great compassion.
"The cultivation path for the younger generation of Eternal Sun Prefecture is not an easy one," he said. "They should be the heroes of our Prefecture, and in the future, who knows how many will become Pillars of the State for the Imperial Dynasty.
I do not know what kind of technique the Li family has used, but they should not sever their immortal path."
He then looked at the Li family's Seven Ironclads, who were sitting atop their Wu Clan totem pillars, bathing in the lightning. He smiled at Li Dalong.
"I have long heard that the Li family's Seven Ironclads were heroic figures, yet they have become the 'Seven Ironclad Fiends,' a title not permitted by the Imperial Dynasty.
But Heaven has the virtue of cherishing all life. It can tolerate these seven unfortunate souls, just as it can tolerate these hundreds of geniuses from Eternal Sun Prefecture as they advance on their Great Dao."
"Benefactor Li," the abbot continued, "the Dharma of the Buddha is thus, and so too should be the affairs of the world!"
"..."
Under their Nine-Nine Nascent Soul Tribulations, the Seven Ironclads were stunned, exchanging a look.
In a brief moment, they had already communicated many times.
The killing intent had risen quickly, and it had faded just as fast.
In the end, they all lay back down on their totems and watched their grandfather, who was still shaving his beard.
"Damn it," Li Yundou gritted his teeth, his voice a low growl. "If I weren't afraid of Grandpa beating me, hmph!"
He then closed his eyes, deciding it was best to simply put the matter out of his mind.
"Amitabha."
Master Yuming was still chanting Buddhist scripture.
Lin Jiu continued to watch Li Dalong with great interest, and Imperial Preceptor Min Youguo's gaze was also full of scrutiny.
No one knew what they were thinking. They seemed to be constantly playing their high-and-mighty political games.
It was clearly Master Yuming who had posed the question to them, yet they had passed this difficult problem on to Li Dalong, passed it on to the Li family!
After their arrival, it seemed as if they had done nothing at all.
They appeared to have paid no mind to Tian Xing, whose cultivation base and Qi Luck were being siphoned away, and had only spoken for a moment with the old senior possessing Li Tianyi.
But perhaps they had already arranged everything. Their true emotions were not expressed on their faces.
Perhaps, in a single careless moment, they would bring a fatal blow down upon the Li family!
Li Dalong was still shaving his beard.
His thoughts raced.
These two great figures had come because Tian Xing had truly caused a great disaster, forcing them to personally step in and kill him.
Even though before this, Tian Xing had been the Grand Tutor's adopted son and a man under the Imperial Preceptor's command.
Perhaps everything Tian Xing had done had long been part of their arrangements.
They wouldn't truly consider the Li family one of their own just because Li Xinghuo had become the Grand Tutor's adopted son, or because the Li family had presented gifts to Prince Feiheng.
At that moment, Li Dalong understood.
These two had come to kill Tian Xing, but since Tian Xing had already been captured by the Li family, their focus had now shifted to the Li clan itself.
What they wanted to see was an obedient Li family, not another perverse and reactionary faction like Tian Xing.
'An obedient Li family'—what an ironic phrase.
Li Dalong glanced at his clansmen out of the corner of his eye.
Master Yuming had come to hold them to account, yet Lin Jiu and Min Youguo remained silent.
It was because they wanted to see one thing: would the Li family obey?
To kill Yuming in a fit of rage would be to prove one had a rebellious nature.
Then...
Li Dalong finally finished shaving his beard.
He had endured humiliation and carried heavy burdens in the Wu Clan's territory for many years.
He had grown old, but the Wu Clan had not smoothed away his sharp edges.
He smiled towards the two high-and-mighty existences, then put away the razor in his hand.
And then, under the somber gazes of Lin Jiu and Min Youguo, and Master Yuming's astonished expression...
His power moved in an instant!
Master Yuming's Divinity Transformation-level Buddhist Techniques manifested instantly, but a sword of red mist came forth, shattering his spiritual Formation. It was Li Yaozu!
Li Dalong's large hand clamped down firmly on Yuming's neck.
His face was ferocious.
"Old monk, trying to snatch food from right under my nose? We'll see if I respect your Buddha or not!"
"Prince Feiheng gave the order to kill Tian Xing!
You, a spineless turtle, where did you get the gall to preach your compassionate Dharma?!!"
The gloom on Lin Jiu's and Min Youguo's faces instantly vanished, and they both frowned slightly.
"Hmm..."
Prince Feiheng, off to one side, was stunned for a moment.
Then, he raised his head slightly and gently brushed the dust from his long robes.
The air in Eternal Sun Prefecture today felt exceptionally sweet.
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2/2
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