Chapter 505 398 Qingdu Li Qinghong

"Qinghong will succeed!"

Li Yuanjiao felt a slight joy upon hearing this, but being a deep thinker, he showed only a slight nod on his face and said in a low voice:

"Mage, come back with me first."

Kongheng, when facing Li Wushao, would speak at length, but in the presence of Li Yuanjiao, he simply nodded, rose to his feet, and the two of them glided away, riding the wind from the path back home.

They traveled in silence, Kongheng riding a golden light with his Zen Staff in hand, its luminescence flowing, showing significant changes.

Li Yuanjiao took a glance and asked:

"Now that the mage has made a breakthrough, what are your plans for the future?"

Kongheng slightly bowed his head and replied:

"If the nobility has any requests, Kongheng will do his utmost to repay. If there are no needs, Kongheng will continue to cultivate on Wangyue Lake."

When the two reached the peak, Kongheng apologized and went down to cultivate, while Li Yuanjiao returned to the peak and stood in the forest with his hands behind his back, not choosing to continue his seclusion.

Sure enough, after the time it takes an incense stick to burn, urgent summoning came from outside the formation, Kongheng's voice urgent:

"The humble monk wishes to see Benefactor Yuanjiao! Please open the Great Formation."

Standing before Li Yuanjiao, Kongheng said urgently:

"Elder! The humble monk… must not let Xijun suffer on my behalf."

"Previously, I was only focused on the secrets of my own cultivation, unable to speak more, thus keeping silent for so long. It was wrong of Kongheng! Now that I have succeeded in cultivating, I must thank the nobility for facilitating it…"

Kongheng continued to explain himself for quite some time, Li Yuanjiao gave him a look and said nothing. Kongheng had been at the Li Family for more than a decade, and his character was evident to all. Although Li Yuanjiao was not particularly fond of Buddhist practitioners, their combat capabilities should not be wasted.

'After finding out more details, this man might be useful.'

Li Yuanjiao answered:

"This is a matter for my family, the mage need not trouble himself. Once he is punished, he will naturally be released."

Kongheng shook his head, wanting to speak further, but Li Yuanjiao asked:

"The Orthodox Law of Liaohe has accomplished the mage, is there a difference compared with the Buddhist practitioners of Zhao Country? With your current strength, you must be no less than an ordinary Foundation Establishment, right?"

Kongheng could only go along with his words, shaking his head repeatedly and said:

"The benefactor does not cultivate the Buddhist Path, it is quite complicated inside, the humble monk cannot explain it clearly. It is only comparable to the Foundation Establishment of the Zifu Golden Core Path. If compared with the seven paths of Northern Buddhism, it still falls short."

Li Yuanjiao, having met the ancient Immortal Cultivator Wang Xun of the Wang Family, had thought that ancient Buddhist practitioners would be much stronger and was somewhat surprised, asking:

"The ancient method is inferior to the modern one?!"

"Indeed."

Kongheng sighed and explained:

"In the Buddhist Path, 'mage' and 'Maha' correspond to Foundation Establishment and Zifu, respectively. The mage's path involves the internal practice of spells and the seeking of karmic connections…"

"But the Buddhist practitioners of Zhao Country have taken shortcuts; mages do not practice spells, but instead worship the Maha Dharma Appearance, reciting its name daily, borrowing Divine Skills, and collectively forging giant statues with Metal Nature to cultivate with. Thus, their strength is very formidable, far surpassing that of Foundation Establishment."

Li Yuanjiao rarely heard such secrets and was very focused. Kongheng continued:

"This path does not involve self-cultivation, resulting in a creation that is neither fish nor fowl, named Compassion, lacking the Divine Skills that should have been cultivated. It became a stronger version of a mage, but naturally weaker when facing Zifu!"

"On the other hand, these Mahas, with less restriction from the Heavenly Dao. They reincarnate at will life after life. What was once a nine-in-ten chance of death is now a certainty, much stronger than Zifu."

"So that's how it is!"

Li Yuanjiao had wondered about the strength of these Buddhist practitioners for many years. His confusion resolved, he relaxed his frown, and Kongheng lamented:

"Because they borrow the Maha's Mana, mages are especially extraordinary, capable of Bewildering Heart, assimilating, and Technique Calculation without exception. Monk Soldiers and Tenants have their minds bewitched, controlled by mages. Compassion and mages, in turn, are controlled by Maha, with such a large Zhao Country, bustling day and night, yet not a single person deviates, not a whimper of sorrow, not a voice of dissent!"

"At the word of a mage above, those below comply joyously, killing is justified, cannibalism seen as good deeds; the elderly line up in queues, vying to be devoured, while children only wish to grow up quickly, eager for Ultimate Bliss."

Tears glistened in Kongheng's eyes as he spoke softly:

"Such a world, the mages call it—"

"The Buddhist Country on earth!"

Kongheng seemed lost as he murmured:

"The Buddhist Ancestor once claimed to achieve great unity, envisioning a world without evil, sorrow, killing, or strife. They have achieved it; the citizens of Zhao Country rejoice every day, every day is filled with joy."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanjiao felt as if he could hardly breathe and he asked in a grave voice:

"Then… what about the Emperor of Zhao?"

"That Hu Jie…"

Kongheng bowed his head:

"Hu Jie was quite imposing when he entered through the passes a thousand years ago, anointed by the mandate of heaven, with the aspect of an emperor, expecting to rule as emperor for generations to come. Emperor Zhaowu of the Zhao's royal family suppressed Buddhism vigorously until he died suddenly one night. His descendants barely lasted a hundred years before they prostrated themselves at the feet of Maha."

"Later they pledged their Metal Nature and welcomed Maha into the capital. Now the Zhao Emperor is like a slave, only capable of bowing down!"

Li Yuanjiao remained silent, then said softly:

"No wonder they say… Zhao Country has no chance of rising. For their entire lives, they remain as they were born, their minds not their own. Where can their day of rising come from?"

"Alas!"

Kongheng sighed and spoke softly:

"The humble monk has lost his composure. My Toaist Lineage stems from Northern Buddhism and does not align with that of Zhao Shi. I've always had a heart grieving for Zhao. The benefactor must find this laughable."

"As for right or wrong, who can judge? Under my Liaohe Temple's rule, every night there are citizens who flee, smuggling themselves into Zhao Country, even threatening death, calling my temple a heretic path."

Kongheng, desolate, stood still on the peak, and Li Yuanjiao asked a few trivial questions before waving his hand, allowing him to leave.

Monk Kongheng was a reasonable man. Although he still wanted to argue on Li Xijun's behalf, he sighed softly and said quietly:

"It is Xijun who has suffered for my sake."

Having said this, he rode the wind away, leaving Li Yuanjiao standing there, hands behind his back, holding the Green Ruler Sword, indecisive.