Chapter 387 Giving Up
Li Ye wielded his sword but did not join the fray, instead, he said to the crowd in a low voice, “Everyone stop!”
The demon clan cultivators who were led by You Daxiao and the Red Boy were ganging up on the Feihong Bodhisattva, but could not defeat her. Many cultivators were hurt, but it was clear that the Feihong Bodhisattva was also struggling.
Both sides were secretly pleased that Li Ye had commanded them to stop. Leaders You Daxiao and the Red Boy retracted their attack towards the Feihong Bodhisattva, and she did not pursue either.
After stopping, You Daxiao looked at the Red Boy and both of them looked solemn. During the battling, they were aggravated about the fact that the Feihong Bodhisattva’s strength had clearly improved.
They knew how difficult it was to improve after one’s cultivation had reached the level of the Feihong Bodhisattva, for her cultivation was already at the zenith.
They both looked at Li Ye at the same time with convoluted expressions because when they were climbing up the mountain, they saw Li Ye battle the Feihong Bodhisattva. Although the Feihong Bodhisattva had the upper hand, still Li Ye was able to hold on alone.
That had created shocking waves in the eyes of You Daxiao and the Red Boy.
After stopping the fight, Li Ye had not made any moves but froze momentarily. Meanwhile, the Feihong Bodhisattva looked at him, and her calm and deep eyes seemed to be glistening.
Li Ye waved his hand, signaling to Su Emei and Nangong Diyi to escort the monks to him. He then looked at the Feihong Bodhisattva and said in earnest, “After entering the secret region, we’ve been battling for many days. Now our side, the demon clan cultivators, have the numbers advantage and the strength. Whereas there are only these Land Buddhism prisoners left on your side, not to mention that they are hurt. It is clear which is the winning side. Bodhisattva, we’re fighting for the Luck of heaven, not to harm each other. If the Bodhisattva could let go of the Luck of heaven and give up the sacrificial altar, then you can take these Land Buddhism monks with you.”
As he finished those words, Li Ye waved his hand again. Su Emei and Nangong Diyi immediately understood, and they let those Land Buddhism monks go before everyone’s eyes.
These Land Buddhism monks had been hurt severely and were moving with difficulty. It would take quite a while for them to recover, thus they didn’t have much combat strength.
Even so, when You Daxiao and the Red Boy saw that Li Ye had freed the prisoners and they no longer had any chips to bargain with, their expressions had changed.
The two of them opened their mouths in an attempt to say something. But seeing Li Ye’s calm and determined expression, no words came out.
The Land Buddhism stumbled over towards the Feihong Bodhisattva. The Cloth Bag Arhat struggled with a salute towards her and said shamefully, “Bodhisattva, we are unworthy and deserve punishment for out incompetence has resulted in us being captured. We’ve ruined the Land Buddhism’s plans and we have sinned!”
The Feihong Bodhisattva was calm as usual, and without looking at them or sparing them any attention, she replied casually, “It matters not.”
Her reactions clearly exhibited her otherworldly expression, as if nothing mattered.
If it were anyone else with that reaction, it would be displeasing. But since it was the Feihong Bodhisattva, no one thought it was unfit.
She really was other-worldly.
There were many cultivators between heaven and earth, but not many were other-worldly, which required one’s cultivation to reach extraordinary realms.
And that was just the basis, it also required one to have extensive knowledge of the world.
If one could not even see the world clearly, then how one could be called other-worldly.
Now, the Feihong Bodhisattva needed to answer Li Ye. Or give a reply to Li Ye’s suggestion.
Li Ye was looking at her.
And all the demon clan cultivators were looking at Li Ye.
Clearly, they were all puzzled upon hearing Li Ye’s suggestion, which was why they were all looking at Li Ye with weird expressions. It was as though they thought Li Ye was out of his mind.
“The Great Tao has appeared during times of chaos, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that one could attain the world if one could attain the Great Tao. So the battle for the Luck of heaven concerned the future for all the religions. And it was a matter of survival. The fact that the Feihong Bodhisattva, one of the four Land Buddhism Bodhisattvas, came down personally to snatch the Luck of heaven, she was bound to get it. Even if she were hurt, she would fight till the death, let alone the fact that she was healthy. Thus, why would she give it up?”
Two demon clan cultivators were whispering with each other, one of whom was Zuo Che’er. He had been around Li Ye earlier, and had grown wiser with just being around him. The fact that he could realize all of this was because of his time with Li Ye.
Yang Tingge was frowning because he too could not understand why Li Ye did what he did. But since he was mature in age, he had a deeper understanding of Li Ye compared to Zuo Che’er, so he said in a low voice, “The Prince An has always been methodical in his actions. It’s common that you don’t get it, but never question him!”
Zuo Che’er was still young, thus he simply refused to accept it. Because based his reading of the situation, Li Ye’s suggestion was pointless and it could even invite the Feihong Bodhisattva’s mockery towards him.
You Daxiao and the Son of God exchanged looks and were also puzzled. But clearly they were wiser and understood the bigger picture, thus they did not say anything.
Only Su Emei, who was standing behind Li Ye, looked at Li Ye and then looked at the Feihong Bodhisattva. Then, the expression on her face seemed to be quite heavy, and fell into a muse.
The Feihong Bodhisattva finally opened her mouth amid everyone’s worried, anxious, careless or puzzled expressions.
She replied Li Ye in her calm and usual tone, “I think your suggestion is reasonable. I’ll pull out of the fight for the Luck of heaven.”
Upon hearing her reply, all the people in the hall were shocked.
The Red Boy was completely shocked as though he had seen a river flowing upwards; Zuo Che’er was wide-eyed as though he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, and he even began to doubt his existence; The rest of the demon clan cultivators couldn’t help taking a deep breath. They all wondered whether the sun had risen from the west on this day.
How could the Feihong Bodhisattva, whose cultivation and status were far higher than theirs and took them all on without any trouble, so easily give up the chance to get the Luck of heaven?
Li Ye simply gave a suggestion and she agreed. The process could not have been simpler.
You Daxiao was scratching his head in disbelief. Because even if the Feihong Bodhisattva was going to give up the chance to get the Luck of heaven, she could at least ask for something in return. How could she just back out without asking for anything?
“Even if you want nothing in return, at least ask Li Ye to swear not to harm you all so you could safely leave Hedong, right?”
But the Feihong Bodhisattva said nothing.
When Su Emei came to her senses, she impulsively bit her lower lip. She looked at the Feihong Bodhisattva with eyes of deep hatred, like a kitten whose food had been snatched from it.
Only Li Ye’s expression was calm and usual like the Feihong Bodhisattva. It was as though he had expected that the Feihong Bodhisattva would willingly pull out.
Just as everyone was silent and the air was full of tension, Zuo Che’er suddenly screamed as though he suddenly understood, “I know! The Feihong Bodhisattva is pulling out because she wants to protect those Land Buddhism monks!” “They no longer have any combat power. So if we continue to attack, they would die first!”
Zuo Che’er looked at the Feihong Bodhisattva as he finished his words. She seemed so holy and pure in those white robes. He then said to her respectfully, “Bodhisattva, you truly are merciful!”
All the demons nodded their heads when they heard those words.
The Cloth Bag Arhat quickly knelt down and said, “Bodhisattva, the Luck of heaven concerns the future of Land Buddhism, we are unworthy of your mercy. Bodhisattva cannot give up the Luck of heaven for us!”
The Feihong Bodhisattva looked at him without any expression. She simply walked to the side and jumped on top of a rock and began drinking.
Her actions had made the Cloth Bag Arhat and other monks all freeze on the spot.
Clearly, the Feihong Bodhisattva did not want to offer any explanations.
The Cloth Bag Arhat and other monks all heaved a sigh. They then looked at the demon clan cultivators as though wanting to do something, but they were helpless.
In all honesty, the Cloth Bag Arhat could understand why the Feihong Bodhisattva would do so. This time the Land Buddhism monks had incurred such heavy loss, almost all of them had died. They were the only ones left out of the eighteen arhats.
If they continued to fight, there would be no more ‘eighteen arhats’ in either heaven or the world.
They had to protect their flame and designation no matter how fierce the battle.
The figure of the Feihong Bodhisattva drinking had entered Li Ye’s eyes, which was not exactly uninhibited and casual to him. Those green hair bands fluttering in the air was full of desolation and loneliness.
She was of such a high realm that not many in either heaven or earth could compete with her. No one could figure out what she was thinking.
In her eyes, the world was different. The heaven and earth were cruel and unkind, treating everything like stray dogs, much different to the common understanding.
Very few could understand her thoughts, her attitude and her outlook.
Not being understood was the most lonely thing in the world.
Although once one reached her realm, they did not expect anyone to understand them. But the loneliness was real.
All anyone could see was her pure and holy nature, her strength and unruliness, only Li Ye could see how lonely she felt.
What was loneliness? The meaning of loneliness was “Instead of hanging on the cliff for a thousand years, it was better to cry on the shoulders of the one you love.”
In fact, Li Ye’s understand of the Feihong Bodhisattva was far beyond loneliness.
That was the reason why they could discuss Tao for three days and nights; The reason why they could fight against a common enemy coherently; The reason why they could live together for forty years and not once wanted to kill the other.
“You all get ready to go to the sacrificial altar,” said Li Ye suddenly to You Daxiao and others.
“What are you going to do?” asked the demon clan as they saw Li Ye walk away.
Li Ye replied in a casual, joyful tone, “Drink!”
He sat beside the Feihong Bodhisattva.
The crowd was once again in an uproar.
Except that for those who drank, they cared not what others thought.
...
The demon clan was puzzled about the fact that Li Ye had freed those Land Buddhism monks.
They also wondered why the Feihong Bodhisattva just gave up on the Luck of heaven without asking for anything in return.
But the meaning of tacit understanding and accord was the needlessness of words. It was as clear as any explanation.
What the demons could not understand the most was why they Feihong Bodhisattva just backed out without fighting to the last moment.
That was the opinion of the demons.
In the eyes of Li Ye and the Feihong Bodhisattva, they had already fought to the last moment.
The battle atop the mountain, which lasted for a day and night, was more than enough to decipher a winner.
Both had their chances.
Albeit the Feihong Bodhisattva had many more opportunities than Li Ye.
But once one of them had let go of their opportunity and in turn, when the opportunity had gotten in the hands of the other, all was for nothing.
Yet neither of them had killed the other, which was the same as living together for forty years in the village.
In the eyes of a lonely person, you could not kill a person who understood you, who had the same outlook as you, with whom you had tacit understanding.
For if he or she no longer existed, you would be lonely again. For a day, a month, a year, ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years...
Hanging on the cliff for a thousand years, being worshiped for ten thousand years in the temple, even existing forever, how could that compete with drinking till dawn?
...
Taiyuan City.
The only things that mattered to a nation were belief and the military.
Belief meant worship; Military meant war.
Though after thousands of years and the changing of times, there were more things that concerned a nation, the status of those two things had not changed.
And because of that, even the sacrificial altars of the vassal states were full of grandeur.
On the following day after the Pinglu soldiers took Taiyuan city, the weather was sunny and Chu Nanhuai had decorated the Taiyuan sacrificial altar. He was just waiting for the sign to begin offering sacrifices to the gods.
In a new town with a new ruler, nothing was set. Yet most ministers and generals from Pinglu, Zhaoyi, Henghai and Tianping gathered before the altar to meet with Taiyuan city’s incumbent ministers.
Since Li Keyong escaped in such a panic, he did not bring all the governors of Taiyuan city with him. Moreover, not every governor was on Li Keyong’s side.
Flags were fluttering in the wind atop the sacrificial altar, and Chu Nanhuai was standing on the stage wearing Taoist robes. He was looking at the sky full of hope with his hands in his sleeves, yet he seemed somewhat bored.
They had been waiting for a long time.
Li Xian suddenly asked, “What do we do if no message comes out of the secret region when the time is ripe?”
Chu Nanhuai replied with determination, “That would not happen!”
Li Xian was a little taken aback, and then added, “Senior Brother, since when have you been so concerned about gains and losses?”
Chu Nanhuai shot an angry gander at him. “I have confidence in your son!”
Li Xian shook his head and said, “He is facing the Feihong Bodhisattva. Who in either the immortal territory or the mortal world could confidently say they could defeat the Feihong Bodhisattva?”
Chu Nanhuai laughed coldly and replied, “You don’t understand!”
Li Xian asked in puzzlement, “What don’t I understand?”
Chu Nanhuai replied, “You don’t understand Li Ye!”
Li Xian added unsmilingly, “If I don’t understand him, then do you?”
Chu Nanhuai replied, “Of course I do!”
Li Xian asked, “How is that so?”
Chu Nanhuai added, “Even if Li Ye cannot defeat her, he could at least subjugate the Feihong Bodhisattva!”
Li Xian was taken aback and repeated, “Subjugate her?”
Chu Nanhuai answered with determination, “Yes, subjugate her!”
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