Chapter 711: Unreasonable, the Buddhist Sect Bleeds

A ghost story.

An absolutely ghostly ghost story.

No matter from which angle you look at it, the girl 'whoosh' popped out, truly testing one's nerves too much.

It not only frightened mortals.

Even a top-tier holy figure was scared enough to be pissed off.

——Especially those who are guilty and have ghosts in their hearts!

The problem has come.

Jieyin…… is he guilty?

Of course!

Having done a guilty deed, with ghosts knocking at midnight…… he's still quite cowardly.

If not for having a big heart that can adjust his mindset in the shortest time, he'd probably be too frightened to speak right now.

"I'm alive, you…… seem rather unhappy? Your speech is all stuttering."

The girl narrowed her eyes, scanning Jieyin up and down, half-smiling.

"What are you talking about?" Jieyin took a deep breath, the smile forced onto his face becoming more radiant: "I was merely shocked into losing my ability to speak properly…… truly, your return lets me feel delight; the world's masses are saved!"

"Ah!"

"In this tumultuous demonic calamity era, in this era when all sages have retreated, your recovery, your return, is like a brilliant ray of dawn in the human realm slicing through darkness!"

Jieyin tossed the world's masses aside, enthusiastically flattering Nüwa, attempting to use fawning praise as a sugar-coated cannonball to corrode the girl's keen nerves.

If he could coax the girl into leaving Mount Sumeru, that would be even better!

——Jieyin thought so.

Too bad.

Today, those who come are not kind, and the kind do not come.

The girl came brandishing a sword!

This is destined; she will become a hostile guest, and the Buddhist sect will not escape a bloody ordeal…… she cannot pass this trial.

"Is that so?" The girl idly flicked her long sword, terrifying sword intent spreading across, hanging silently over the entire Mount Sumeru, ready to topple at any moment, to reduce a pure land that has inherited vast ages to nothing: "How could I not know I am this great?"

"You wouldn't be deceiving me, would you?"

The little girl chatted and smiled happily, yet her great treasure sword shone even brighter.

Jieyin's cold sweat on his forehead increased further.

He sensed the girl's determination to cause trouble here; without shedding blood, he probably couldn't avoid it.

"You not knowing is also normal…… after all, your conduct is noble, your morality outstanding, you devote yourself entirely to the cause of humanity's masses, so who has the energy to care about others' opinions of you?" Jieyin put on a bitter face: "It's only I, viewing from a rational, objective, neutral standpoint, who can sum up the world's masses' perception of you."

"Your words make me quite happy." Nüwa nodded leisurely: "I never expected to be judged a good person."

"But…… Jieyin, you say."

"A good person…… should be pointed at with a knife from behind?"

"Is there such a principle?"

Nüwa's great treasure sword in her hand blazed even brighter.

Jieyin poured sweat like a waterfall, impossible to wipe away.

That remark is too frightening.

Especially, as a member of the Five Fortunes Dao Master, he once conspired with the Qi Luck Dao Master, meddling in reincarnation, thoroughly engaging in behind-the-scenes scheming, pointing a knife at Houtu.

Although……!

This is all due to the Qi Luck Dao Master's hard-to-refuse generosity, offering a high price, making him unable to control his hands, unable to stay true to his original intention.

But……!

Having done it, it's done.

At this moment, Nüwa came to the door, speaking inside and out about friend‑foe relations, which made Jieyin very anxious.

"Naturally there is no such principle…… how could a good person be pointed at with a knife?" Jieyin answered with an apologetic smile: "Where is heavenly reason? Where is justice?"

"Your Ladyship, where have you suffered injustice?" The ancient Buddha put on a face of righteous indignation, very angry, as if seeking justice for Nüwa: "Tell me, and I will later rally people to join together to redress your grievances!"

He struggled, trying to bluff his way through.

But, useless.

Nüwa's gaze at this moment instantly became deep and unfathomable, like a bottomless abyss, dark and deathly still.

In the deepest part of that darkness lurked a hint of killing intent from myriad ages of solitude, making Jieyin the ancient Buddha shudder.

In an instant, the ancient Buddha fell silent.

"Rally? Redress grievances?" Nüwa shook her head, sighed: "I think it's just leaking information."

She strolled leisurely across this pure land, occasionally pausing to glance a few times at the Eight Treasures Merit Pool.

"This pool is not bad."

"Merit transformed into water, although it's something obtained by overdrawing credit, it's still quite pleasing to the eye."

"I'm just curious…… who signed the charter and released the funds?"

"And you……"

"And to facilitate this work, you invited the relevant officials of the Heaven-Earth Bank to eat, drink, and play for how long before you cleared the joints and obtained a satisfactory signature?"

"In that light, certain people…… have had very problematic conduct these past years!" Nüwa muttered to herself.

"No! Absolutely not!" Jieyin shook his head frantically, denying repeatedly: "I haven't treated guests to meals, nor accompanied them in sauna play……"

"Oh? None of those?" Nüwa suddenly turned back, meaning unclear: "Then there are no material‑enjoyment bribes?"

"Then…… the problem seems even more serious."

It's become an ideological tilt!

"Let me guess……" Nüwa said in a languid tone, "Are they colluding? Did you give them dry shares? Or have you reached a profit exchange on certain matters, becoming a white glove for speaking out?"

Cold sweat poured from Jieyin's head with a splashing sound.

He felt the problem was very serious.

Nüwa…… the wit and scheming she's showing now are not quite like before!

The girl glanced at Jieyin; that glance was as sharp as a blade, seeming to pierce straight into Jieyin's heart, seeing him through and through, leaving no thought hidden.

She seemed to know what Jieyin was thinking, the slander he harbored against her.

I've never been stupid.

I just more often think of people and things in the direction of truth, goodness, and beauty.

That doesn't mean I don't understand your tricks…… I merely avoid them out of habit.

Nüwa smiled, saying, "Come to think of it, your tricks are just a few basic patterns, back and forth; no matter how many variations, the foundation remains the same."

Jieyin stammered, speechless.

"Speak up, give me an honest account." Seeing she had seized the initiative in the conversation, Nüwa pressed on, "Fuxi…… no, Xihuang, where did he go? What did he do?"

Think it over before you speak, don't lie to me.

Nüwa let out a languid sigh, "Although… my Houtu form is suppressed, and my command of the Pangu battle-body is out of action, yet with just this incarnation's power, wiping out your Buddhist sect is no problem."

Who let the demonic calamity rise, forcing the gods to take the front line?

The outcome turned out well.

Back then, those who were lively and jumping ended up mostly crippled afterward…… whereas I, having died early and awakened late, avoided the conscription and became a peak combatant.

It's still possible to slaughter every living thing on Mount Sumeru, top to bottom, until none remain.

Nüwa's every word radiated killing intent, freezing people's souls.

Jieyin could feel Nüwa's resolute will; as one who chiefly cultivates the mind, he was especially sensitive to this.

"My lady, what you're doing is somewhat taboo……" Jieyin muttered, "Aren't you afraid of becoming a public enemy?"

"Taking advantage of the demonic calamity's clamor, wantonly slaughtering, destroying other human doctrines…… is still my neutral faction……"

"Neutral?" Nüwa just chuckled, "When did the leader of the great demonic calamity, the Kalpa Dao Master, his faction also become a neutral camp?"

Jieyin's heart skipped a beat, yet he forced himself to stay calm, "Ah…… Lady, don't tarnish my innocence; the human realm can bear witness, I have no connection with the Kalpa Dao Master."

"Ha!" Nüwa laughed, shaking her head as she looked at Jieyin, "I think you've gotten something wrong."

"Uh…… what matter?"

"When I came to your door with sword in hand to speak with you, I already had no desire to reason; I only look at whom I suspect." Nüwa paused between each word, "Your Buddhist sect…… I'll kill it if I kill it. Even if I really killed the wrong target, I wouldn't care."

"Whether it's the human realm's debt issue after the Buddhist sect falls, or groundless accusations of wanton slaughter making me a public enemy, I can take it all, fearless of any challenge."

"A pile of dung on the road—I sidestep it, merely feeling disgusted, not wanting to step on it, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid."

"Push me to the edge…… you guess, what could I do?"

"Flipping the table…… I can do that too!"

"If today I cannot obtain a result that satisfies me, then in the end I might do…… I can't guarantee it to you."

Nüwa's brows and eyes gradually softened, yet it left Jieyin unable to utter even a word of objection.

He wilted.

Oh no, it's from the heart, it's following one's true heart.

"My lady, ask whatever you wish; I will hide nothing!"

Jieyin looked at the great treasure sword in Nüwa's hand and expressed himself sincerely.

"Or still that earlier question…… Xihuang, where did he go?" Nüwa asked, "Not the August Emperor, not the Qing Emperor, but Xihuang!"

August Emperor.

Qing Emperor.

Xihuang.

To ordinary people, they would only think they are the same person.

All right.

They are the same great existence.

But.

Yet they hold different positions, with subtle differences between them.

The August Emperor, Heavenly Emperor, resides beyond the realm, serving as Pangu.

The Qing Emperor, dwelling in the kitchen, nominally of the human race, serves as the human ancestor.

The Xihuang Fuxi, nominally of the Demon Race, serves as the demon sovereign.

They are related…… but if one is stubborn like a dead duck—what the August Emperor has done has nothing to do with me, Xihuang.

——Such turmoil leaves the human realm helpless as well.

In this regard, although the human realm is narrow‑minded, it still must observe rules and procedures!

Without rules, nothing can be proper; the primordial chaos would fall into disorder.

Precisely for this reason, even if the human realm possesses its own wisdom, it cannot personally go down to slaughter the gods; it must raise a leader to handle matters within the framework.

This is very important.

Countless predecessors have striven to steer the path toward rule of law; it is impossible to reverse course and revert to rule of man.

I do not deny that sometimes rule of man feels more satisfying, but people can also be deceived, misled, and situations of reversal after reversal have indeed occurred.

Moreover, there are times when there is no right‑or‑wrong issue at all, only conflicting positions.

The human realm feels the August Emperor erred, yet the August Emperor even scolds the human realm for lacking conscience!

After all the back-and-forth, they still ended up setting the rules and boundaries, and in this they were stirring up trouble.

And this introduced a subtle variable.

The demonic calamity rose, the female child war god returned, and the first to be investigated was Xihuang!

The August Emperor had already been eliminated.

Paoqi was also eliminated when he previously summoned the Pangu Dao fruit.

Only Xihuang!

This one has vanished without a trace, his whereabouts a mystery.

This made Nüwa very uneasy.

"I don't know." Jieyin shook his head repeatedly, "Your Ladyship, you actually think too highly of me... What kind of person is Xihuang Majesty?"

"His heart and intentions are as deep and unfathomable as an abyss; how could someone like me possibly know them clearly?"

"On this matter, even if you held a sword to my throat, even if you killed me, I still couldn't answer."

Jieyin was frank.

"Oh." Nüwa gave an oh, showing no expression, making it hard to tell whether she believed it or not.

"However, I will be frank about some things..."

Jieyin gauged her words and expression, feeling it was somewhat dangerous, fearing Nüwa might say something like— "You don't know anything despite three questions, what use is your life?" He would raise his hand and slash, cutting him down, then cleaving Mount Sumeru.

The former would be fine, but the latter... would be too hurtful.

Jieyin wasn't too afraid of death, after all, in his cultivation there was also the stillness of actively walking toward death, emphasizing seeing through the external appearances of life and death.

But Mount Sumeru... this is the foundation of the Buddhist gate!

If Mount Sumeru were destroyed, he would find it very difficult to use the Buddhist gate as a trump card to compete for Pangu.

After all, even if failure occurred due to irresistible force, the justification would be sound, but the impression left in the human dao would be terrible, making it nearly impossible to regain trust.

Without the support of the human dao, what's the point of messing with Pangu anymore!

So, Jieyin decided to put into practice what he had just said, "know no bounds in speech."

Of course!

"Know no bounds in speech" is "know no bounds in speech," but whether it truly means "speak without reservation"...

That is quite a subtle matter.

Jieyin couldn't afford to provoke the current Nüwa, but Fuxi... he also couldn't afford to offend him.

He could only seek a balance between the two.

"The Qi Luck Dao Lord had made a deal with me, reaching an intention regarding the equity of reincarnation..."

"These are the dividends the Qi Luck Dao Lord has drawn from me over the years..."

Jieyin brought up some dry goods.

However.

He spoke the truth in a petty way, but didn't tell the whole truth.

He mentioned the Qi Luck Dao Lord, but didn't voice his own doubt—whether the Qi Luck Dao Lord is actually Fuxi.

This subtly amounts to a kind of misleading.

As for the dividends and such... Nüwa had already guessed at the collusive dealings, and had escalated to the point of wanting to kill someone without evidence; what good would these evidences do?

Jieyin explained a lot, yet it seemed as if he had explained nothing.

But, this sincerity was indeed shown.

Nüwa's expression gradually eased, seeming somewhat satisfied.

But it was only "somewhat," not "thoroughly."

"I never expected there to be so many undercurrents surging behind the scenes."

Nüwa let out a faint sigh, "All the common people under heaven are kept in the dark, suffering deception."

"As the female sage representing the true goodness and beauty of Honghuang, I can't stand by; I must give certain ones a lesson."

"I will raise troops, gather strength, and attack the unjust!"

"Jieyin!"

"Your Buddhist gate... will you make amends with merit?"

Nüwa gave a half-smile.

Jieyin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, knowing the greatest test had arrived.

If he couldn't pass this test, all his previous acts would be useless.

Nüwa is hard to fool now!

It's not just saying a few pleasant words and showing loyalty that lets one generously forgive others!

"'The former Nüwa wasn't like this... how did she become so overbearing now?'"

"'Which bastard messed her up? This is something her brother wanted to do but never managed to achieve!'"

Jieyin muttered to himself in resentment.

——Qingjia: Sorry, it's just me, the insignificant one!

——I offer my life as a sacrifice, adding a burden to the Lady Nüwa's life!

"My Buddhist gate is willing to give full support to the Lady Nüwa to set things right!" Jieyin said this with a heart dripping blood.

"Take as much water as you want from the Eight Treasures Merit Pool!"

War bonds given for free, giving heart and soul in support, Jieyin spoke while his heart trembled.

"Not enough." Nüwa merely replied lightly, "I also want some of your Buddhist gate's fixed assets, as well as your information and intelligence systems."

"I will pick everything!"

"It seems that Spirit Mountain... belongs to me!"

"However, on the surface, you must make sure to give me good cover, and don't let my actions be exposed."

"Nüwa wants everything."

"Want money."

"Want mountain."

"Want system."

"The Buddhist Sect hardly ever sheds blood; how can it justify past deceit against her?"

"(End of chapter)"