The emperor’s study, Xuanyuan City, Huang Heavenly Dynasty:
Ji Dihong listened to Emperor Kong’s report on what had taken place in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
“The blessings were all destroyed?” Ji Dihong’s pupils constricted.
Just three days ago, the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s blessings cloud sea had been the vastest in the world, yet none remained.
“How could that Jiang Gautama be so stupid, making such a public declaration at that moment? He should have diverted the citizenry’s hatred. There are so many opposing factions; any of them would have worked,” Limu mocked.
“No, that wouldn’t have worked. The mastermind behind this had done it too cleanly, leaving no trace behind. How was Jiang Gautama to accuse another faction? Would the citizens have believed him?” Emperor Kong shook his head.
“Why not?” Limu asked with a frown.
“If the citizens were calm, he could have tried. However, they now all think it was the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, and their anger is heartfelt. How was he to divert the trouble? It is like the two of us being in the same room for the entire day, with no one coming in or out. However, your money went missing during this day, and you even saw my hand reaching for it. You claim I took it, but I claim that Mister Cangjie in the next room did it. Would you believe me?” Emperor Kong smiled.
“Eh…!” Limu stopped speaking. Who would believe that?
“The Spirit Mountain Holy Land is in the same situation. It has lost the citizenry’s support within a short time, there are no guards defending the cities, and the citizens are all furious at the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. This resulted in the blessings all scattering. How terrifying of Gu Hai!” Emperor Kong said with narrowed eyes.
“Is it really Gu Hai?” Ji Dihong said sullenly.
“Yes. Initially, this official had no idea where to start. Fortunately, Mister Cangjie provided a hint, and I finally found them. That Gu Hai hid himself well!” Emperor Kong glanced at Cangjie with admiration.
“Oh? Mister Cangjie?” Ji Dihong said.
“Mister Cangjie pointed me to a restaurant outside Spirit Mountain City. This official sent people to check that place quietly. Indeed, Gu Qin and Long Shenying stood in that restaurant, watching the fantastic scene before them.” Emperor Kong looked at Cangjie with awe and respect.
Ji Dihong looked at Cangjie with surprise. Finding Gu Qin and Long Shenying in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s two thousand cities was like searching for a needle in the ocean. Even he could not have done it; however, Cangjie had, and this was not the first time.
“Your Holy Eminence, since the Spirit Mountain Holy Land has lost these two thousand cities, should this official immediately march the army on these cities?” Limu cried out excitedly.
“You can’t!” Cangjie suddenly objected.
“Oh? Why not, Mister Cangjie?”
“Although the Spirit Mountain Holy Land has lost the support of its citizens, it can regain their support with time. Furthermore, the Spirit Mountain Holy Land is currently searching for a way to do so. It will blame the financial management stores’ matter on whoever attacks them. Attacking now would help Jiang Gautama. How can we attack now?” Cangjie said.
“Oh? Yes! Limu has learned a lot!” Limu immediately stopped mentioning attacking the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
“Your Holy Eminence, this official has thought about it. Since we know this is Gu Hai’s scheme, shouldn’t we do something about it?” Emperor Kong smiled.
“Oh?” Ji Dihong looked at Emperor Kong.
“This official feels we can give the intel we gained to Jiang Gautama and let them settle it between themselves.” Emperor Kong smiled faintly.
The officials fell silent. Tell Jiang Gautama the truth? Then won’t he go crazy with rage? Gu Hai and Jiang Gautama will fight; then the Huang Heavenly Dynasty can just fish up the benefits?
“This is this official’s plan. Would Your Holy Eminence take a look?” Emperor Kong handed over a memorial.
Ji Dihong read the memorial with narrowed eyes. “Permitted!”
------
Spirit Mountain Holy Land:
A large ritual array enveloped the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
Outside the ritual array, countless citizens rioted. Some attacked the ritual array, wanting Jiang Gautama to return the spirit stones. Some knelt and begged him to return the spirit stones. Everything outside was in complete disarray.
The Hall of Great Strength’s entrance:
The buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats all showed terrified expressions.
No one dared to go out and appease the mob. The people simply would not listen. They believed the Spirit Mountain Holy Land owed them money. If the Spirit Mountain Holy Land returned the money, they might listen; if the Spirit Mountain Holy Land did not, they would snatch it away.
The Buddhist disciples looked at Jiang Gautama anxiously.
Just two days ago, the Spirit Mountain Holy Land stood at the top of the world. Jiang Gautama had even pointed a finger at the sky and one at the ground, declaring his supremacy. He had changed the Buddhist proclamation to Namo Gautama Present Buddha. Everything presaged the Buddhist Dao’s rise.
Yet, in a mere two days, a phoenix turned into a chicken? Everything seemed laughable.
“Who was it?!” Jiang Gautama glared at the sky ferociously.
Actually, there were still a few blessings, but just a few—a thin layer, not even comparable to the royal dynasty’s—as good as none.
It was one thing for him to have lost the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s blessings back then. How could he have lost his Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s blessings?
Who is it? Who is it?!
Although Jiang Gautama did not fly into a rage, everyone understood how furious he was right now. He suppressed the fury in his heart, ready to unleash it at any moment. When that happened, it would even burn the skies and melt the ground.
“Lord Buddha!” The Past Buddha showed a bitter expression. He wanted to console the Present Buddha but did not know how.
The Past Buddha held Jiang Gautama in great esteem; that was why he followed Jiang Gautama in betraying the Nalanda Temple. The Spirit Mountain Sect had developed much faster than the Nalanda Temple, quickly becoming the preeminent temple in the world. In the Buddhist Dao, the Past Buddha was only under Jiang Gautama but above everyone else. Who could have expected this long-running enterprise to collapse today?
“You still don’t know who opened the financial management stores?” Jiang Gautama looked at the Buddhist disciples.
“This disciple does not know!” everyone said bitterly.
Seeing the disciples’ ignorance, Jiang Gautama felt frustrated. Bunch of trash!
“Could it be the Huang Heavenly Dynasty? Ji Dihong has been entertaining designs on my Spirit Mountain Holy Land,” the Past Buddha said with a frown.
“There’s also the Hateful Spirit Imperial Dynasty, which has been causing trouble at our borders!”
“Also…!”
Countless disciples started making baseless guesses. How could such guesses be accurate?
“I am a centurion of the Huang Heavenly Dynasty’s Xuanyuan Guard. I seek an audience on His Holy Eminence’s command!” A shout rang out from outside the ritual array.
The expressions of all the Buddhist disciples changed when they heard that shout. Then they looked over.
“The Huang Heavenly Dynasty? Ji Dihong sent someone to mock us?” A bodhisattva glared.
“That’s not right. Ji Dihong is the culprit! He…he destroyed our two thousand cities before coming to criticize us?” an arhat said while glaring.
“The Huang Heavenly Dynasty? By coming at this moment, it must have something to do with the financial management stores!” a buddha said ferociously.
Jiang Gautama waved his hand.
Whoosh!
Jiang Gautama immediately pulled the Xuanyuan Guard centurion into the ritual array and before him.
Bang!
He flung that centurion to the ground, breaking most of the bones in the centurion’s body.
“Ji Dihong sent you? This means your Huang Heavenly Dynasty plotted the financial management stores?” Jiang Gautama said coldly through gritted teeth.
“No! Cough! Cough! The financial management stores have nothing to do with my Huang Heavenly Dynasty!” that centurion said after coughing out two mouthfuls of blood.
“Humph! Nothing to do with you? Then why are you here? Are you still trying to trick this buddha?!” Jiang Gautama demanded coldly.
All the Buddhist disciples glared at that centurion.
“The financial management stores have nothing to do with my Huang Heavenly Dynasty, but His Holy Eminence knows who the culprit is. He sent me to inform you. Jiang Gautama, how could you attack me indiscriminately?!” that centurion retorted furiously, coughing blood.
“Oh? Ji Dihong knows who the culprit is?” Jiang Gautama’s face sank.
Whoosh!
Jiang Gautama sent a stream of energy into that centurion’s body. That centurion felt much more comfortable as a warmth spread throughout his body. His wounds had also mostly healed.
Jiang Gautama no longer cared about his dignity as long as he discovered the culprit.
“Speak! Quickly!” Jiang Gautama shouted.
“It’s the Han Imperial Dynasty! Gu Hai!” that centurion said.
“What?” The countless surrounding Buddhist disciples immediately broke out in a commotion.
Everyone had guessed various major factions earlier, but no one had mentioned Gu Hai, as the Han Imperial Dynasty was too far from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. There were many factions between them, preventing him from snatching the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s cities.
The centurion’s words startled everyone. They suddenly realized this was very possible. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land and the Han Imperial Dynasty were like oil and water, especially recently. It was not strange for Gu Hai to do this.
“Humph! Do you think it is definitely Gu Hai just because you claim it is him?” Jiang Gautama countered coldly.
Although Jiang Gautama deemed it possible, he wanted definitive evidence. He did not want to become Ji Dihong’s puppet, simply believing whatever Ji Dihong said.
“Gu Qin and Long Shenying were outside Spirit Mountain City earlier, witnessing and mocking everything. This humble one received a command from His Holy Eminence and recorded a segment with an image recording ritual array ball. Please take a look!” That centurion took out a small ball.
Whoosh!
Jiang Gautama received the ball and activated it. Then an image manifested.
The image showed the scene from the earlier proclamation.
Jiang Gautama, with all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats, had made a public declaration to all the cities. Then all the citizens raged at him, presenting a sorry sight. In this scene, two men stood on the upper floor of a restaurant—Gu Qin and Long Shenying. The two held up wine and coldly watched everything play out. Although there was no sound, Jiang Gautama could read their lips.
“Blessings Destruction Plan? This is called the Blessings Destruction Plan? Hah! Hah! Hah! Gu Hai! Gu Hai!” Jiang Gautama suddenly roared.
Rumble…!
Jiang Gautama’s furious roar carried for five hundred thousand kilometers.
“So, this is the Blessings Destruction Plan? Gu Hai is the culprit? It’s Gu Hai?!” all the Buddhist disciples said in rage and shock.
However, how could the citizens believe this now? They continued clamoring.
Jiang Gautama’s rage could be easily imagined. Bodhisattva Pu De said earlier, “The course of nature goes around; retribution will come.” Is this retribution? No. I have not even started to destroy the Han Nation’s blessings yet. How dare he come and destroy my blessings?!
Jiang Gautama turned his head to look at the distant Borderless Heavenly Capital, overwhelmed with rage. Vengeful thoughts boiled up in his heart.
“That’s right. His Holy Eminence also told me to remind you that Gu Qin and Long Shenying kept watching until your proclamation ended before returning to Borderless Heavenly Capital. They should still be traveling now. That’s all. I’ll leave now. Goodbye!” That centurion bowed politely and immediately left.
Nobody stopped that centurion from leaving.
When Jiang Gautama heard what the centurion said, he searched the area between the Spirit Mountain Holy Land and Borderless Heavenly Capital.
Buzz!
Jiang Gautama’s eyes turned golden, emitting beams of golden light. It seemed he could see into the distance. After some searching, he saw Long Shenying and Gu Qin; they were about to enter the Han Imperial Dynasty’s territory.
“Hah! Hahaha! It is indeed you! Gu Hai, how dare you destroy my Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s blessings?! I shall let you experience the pain of losing a son again!” Jiang Gautama’s eyes turned sinisterly chilly.
Boom!
Jiang Gautama vanished, turning into a beam of light shooting towards the distant Gu Qin.
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