Chapter 1618: Hidden Thoughts (II)
Now, after hearing his assessment, Li Xuanxuan considered the matter more carefully. Changing the subject, he asked in a serious tone, "Do you think... the family has treated him unfairly?"
It was an extremely sensitive question. Li Suining's elders had achieved little, and his father had died in service to the clan. Although Moongaze Lake had provided considerable compensation and quietly looked after him, children often harbored extreme thoughts, making it difficult to know what truly lay in their hearts. Ever prone to worry, the old man's first thought naturally went in that direction.
Li Jiangchun, however, shook his head decisively and replied, "He has thoughts and plans of his own... My [Sunken Fragrance] has yet to be perfected, and worldly illusions have yet to arise, but I still possess a measure of intuition. He is most likely someone with a resolute will and a clear understanding of right and wrong."
"That's good, then!" Li Xuanxuan smiled in delight and said, "There were too many juniors present at the time, so I didn't speak with him for long. I'll find a day to test him properly!"
Li Jiangchun recounted the conversations he had had with the various juniors. Li Xuanxuan listened and nodded, all the while keeping an eye on the bright moon beyond the pavilion.
Then he said seriously, "The crescent moon has risen. A night with moonlight this pure and cold should not be wasted."
The [Majestic Gui Yin-Seizing Divine Scroll] was best cultivated beneath cold moonlight, making this the ideal time for practice. Understanding the hint, Li Jiangchun took his leave. Yet no sooner had he stepped out of the pavilion than he saw a figure in red robes hurrying after him.
This fifth uncle carried himself with effortless grace and charm. Ever since reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, he had become even more carefree.
Walking alongside him, he smiled and asked, "Jiangchun... Do you enjoy listening to music?"
Li Jiangchun replied with a hint of helplessness, "The Sword Dao demands my attention, and the various arts are complicated enough already. I've never really listened to such things."
Having successfully reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, Li Zhouming carried a natural radiance. He wore less powder than before, yet his dandyish manner remained unchanged.
Flicking open his fan, he stopped walking and casually remarked, "There's a piece called [Lament For Passing Waters]. It's quite interesting. You should give it a listen sometime."
Li Jiangchun raised an eyebrow at him. Seemingly lost in thought, he bade farewell and departed.
The famous dandy of the lake region remained standing between the pavilions. Raising his fan, he gazed at the moonlight spilling across his red robes. The smile gradually faded from his face, replaced by a thoughtful look in his eyes.
This isn't the first time... Every time I come to the pavilion, the lyrics of that song are on the old elder's desk. He reads them over and over again until the characters are nearly worn away...
Even the other night, when I wandered here after midnight, the old man was still seated at his desk, bent over beneath the lamp, reading it again and again, sighing endlessly...
[Lament For Passing Waters]...
His gaze drifted through the night. Standing beneath the moonlight, he folded his fan and murmured softly, a faint sense of foreboding in his voice, "Where have the scenes of bygone days gone... leaving only a chill within my soul."
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Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain.
Golden bodies towered like mountains, while brilliant light fell like rain. Brilliance blanketed everything, reaching even the furthest regions of Prime Magnetism. The dharma hall radiated boundless splendor; hundreds of monks descended from the towers; colorful ponds rippled gently; and pure vessels brimmed with flower-infused water. It was truly a sanctuary of serenity and purity.
The white stone steps stretched upward in smooth terraces. A gray-robed monk sat at the foot of the stairs, his gaze distant and unfocused.
Beside him stood a young monk holding an alms bowl, hesitating as if he wished to speak. "Maha..."
The monk rose to his feet and asked hopefully, "Luejin, is there any news from Xuanmiao Temple?"
The young monk hesitated before shaking his head, drawing a sigh from the elder monk. "Lord Ch'i still refuses to see me... More lives are going to be lost again."
He brushed off his sleeves and stood, only to pause in surprise. Looking down the mountainside, he saw another monk standing upon the steps, leisurely climbing upward one step at a time.
The man was tall and imposing, with unusually narrow eyes and an air of exuberant confidence. His eyes were faintly red, a strip of blue silk hung from his waist, and he carried an impressive presence.
Walking barefoot up the steps, he pressed his palms together and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Fachang!"
The moment Fachang saw him, his brows drooped and he let out a sigh. "So it is Fellow Daoist Que Liyu... It really is you... In the end, it was you who came."
Que Liyu fixed him with his faintly red eyes. It was almost as though a trace of gray flowed within them, causing Luejin beside them to unconsciously retreat a step.
The Maha then said in an unhurried tone, "You should have known this long ago. A million of my Great Desire Dao's people were slaughtered in Jiangbei. With karma of such magnitude, how could I not come?"
Fachang's expression remained complicated as he invited the man into the hall. Once inside, he raised his head and asked, "Then... Lord Que... How many people are going to die this time?"
Que Liyu laughed. With his sharp chin and pale complexion, he was already a handsome monk. The smile only enhanced his charm.
Casting a sidelong glance, he replied, "The Dharma of our Great Desire Liangli is dedicated to exterminating evil and defending the Dao, creating a world of boundless fulfillment. We seek to guide all people across the Sea of Desire and onto the Empty Mountain. Killing people? What kind of nonsense is that?
"You're slandering my Great Desire Dao again. This is far from the first time. Were it not for the sake of the [Great Mahayana Dharma Realm], I would have already reduced both your body and soul to nothingness."
His tone was calm, yet killing intent lurked beneath it. Fachang seemed not to hear it at all. Pressing his palms together, he sighed. "I mean no offense. I only hope that when you carry out your methods, fewer innocents will be harmed."
"Innocents..." Que Liyu let out a cold laugh and replied, "You truly understand nothing. You occupy your position, yet how many innocents have you actually saved? You want to save the innocent, but what about the millions belonging to my Great Desire Dao? Have you saved any of them? All you've done is burden yourself with karma for nothing!
"The present age is an age of upheaval. Once someone enters a faction's gates, they do that faction's work. How many people are truly innocent? The private transmissions and selfish dealings of the south, the great clans and noble families driving common folk like cattle and sheep, are those people innocent? Or perhaps you mean those wicked commoners who kill, prey upon one another, and reject the faith?"
He smiled and continued, "If there truly are a few innocents who have suffered through hardship until this day, then once the Buddha's light shines upon them, there will naturally be a response. They will naturally be brought into my Dao.
"To put it plainly, your doctrine simply conflicts with ours. You should return to your White Horse Temple."
Fachang remained silent for a long while. Then he noticed another man climbing the steps behind Que Liyu. The person was unremarkable in appearance and seemed to be a cultivator of the Arhat path. His upper body was bare but for a venomous dragon coiled around him, revealing sturdy, well-defined muscles.
Que Liyu raised an eyebrow and casually glanced at the newcomer. "Lingci, this is Maha Fachang, a distinguished cultivator of White Horse Temple."
Fachang's gaze moved over him, tinged with pity. Pressing his palms together, he said, "Congratulations on obtaining such an outstanding disciple."
Having said his piece, he turned and silently departed down the steps, leaving behind the vast hall and its new master. Lingci knelt within the hall and bowed, only to notice that Que Liyu's expression had become rather unpleasant.
The Maha said coldly, "The people of the Great Mahayana Dharma Realm have always been like this. If he truly dared stand apart from the Seven Daos and follow the path of the ancient cultivators, I would respect him somewhat. Instead, he insists on mediating between all sides, never acting decisively, lingering along the riverbank and dragging his feet.
“If those above truly ordered him south, would he obey or refuse? If not for Ch'i Lanyan's friendship with him and the timely transfer that moved him away, he would still have to suffer through this ordeal!"
Lingci lowered his eyes as Que Liyu paced the hall with a cold laugh. "The matter of the Undefeated King of Brightness has already been done, yet now he feels pity for you. What a joke."
Lingci nodded and respectfully asked, "Master, regarding the matter of going south..."
"There's no need for you to involve yourself in it for now." Que Liyu's pale red eyes slowly narrowed as he replied, "That painting Li Zhouwei took back then carries immense karma as well. You still haven't fully digested the benefits gained from those millions of people... You cannot be wasted lightly. Remain at Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain and wait for me."
Lingci lowered his head and acknowledged the order. By the time he looked up, the Maha had already vanished, leaving him kneeling alone upon the floor, bowing before the various golden statues within the hall. Yet faint whispers still lingered in his ears.
"Wonderful, truly wonderful..."
"See through it! See through it!"
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