Chapter 362

Lin Wuge lowered his head slightly and said, "Buddha Lord, he is very stubborn. Under the burning of the Ten Directions Karmic Fire, his skin and flesh have already festered, but he still refuses to reveal it. Previously, he stayed at Tianmen Pass for a long time and had a close relationship with that Fist Saint of the Li Clan. I suspect he might have handed the thing to the Li Clan."

"Li Clan..."

The Buddha Lord's eyes seemed to float with a golden wheel and a bright moon, like a galaxy internalized, brilliant and profound: "If the Li Clan obtained this holy object, they would not have burned their souls to sacrifice to their ancestors during this first attack on Qingzhou."

Lin Wuge's eyes flickered, and he said, "Is it possible that they regard this thing as a supreme treasure, surpassing those ancestral heroic spirits? After all, this is something left behind by the Saint. If they can peek into it, they can also hear the Dao..."

"If not for that young man, Li Ganfeng would have practiced under my seat for ten years and could have gone down the mountain to seize that True Dragon position, letting the large state guarded by the Li Clan be filled with the incense of our Buddha Sect, converting the world."

The Buddha Lord seemed to sigh lightly and said, "But everything was broken by that Demon Star. When Li Junye fell in the past, there was a star falling and a Demon Star rising. This is the calamity of our Da Yu Divine Dynasty..."

Lin Wuge narrowed his eyes slightly and was silent for a moment before saying, "If the holy object is not in the Li Clan, then it is mostly at Tianmen Pass. But after that Demon Star's incarnation dissipated previously, I investigated at Tianmen Pass and did not find that holy object, unless it is on that Demon Star."

"The thief colluded with the Demon Star, the glory of the Divine General Mansion is declining, demons are surrounding, and before the catastrophe comes, we must find that holy object so that our Buddha Sect can come out of the mountain and save the common people."

The Buddha Lord said.

Lin Wuge nodded slightly: "I will go and convert him again."

Bidding farewell to the Buddha Lord, Lin Wuge left the Buddha Lord's Spirit Realm and then headed to a secret place in the mountains.

This place was behind Mount Wuliang, with winding paths extending into a cave dwelling. The light in the cave dwelling was dim, and walking straight down along the damp stone slabs, one could still hear the sound of water dripping through stone.

Upon entering the deepest part, it was a dungeon, with the sound of iron chains and a scorching temperature.

It could be seen that in a magma-like fire pool in the dungeon, a figure with tattered clothes was tied. His hands were bound by chains, and his feet were also wrapped in chains. At the lower end of the chains was an extremely heavy mysterious iron ball.

The muscles of his legs were pulled by the chains, the epidermis was cracked, his arms were the same, and his hair was disheveled.

And in the magma pool under his feet, streaks of crimson figures like snakes swam back and forth. The scorching fire of the magma that rose from time to time splashed on his body, burning white mist and pits into his flesh.

Seeing Lin Wuge walk over with the light of the Buddha, a crimson dragon with the largest stature instantly crawled out of the magma pool. Its scales were dense, and it spat out a woman's voice:

"Greetings, Bodhisattva."

Its body crawled before Lin Wuge, its voice coquettish, melodious, and delicate.

Lin Wuge's expression was indifferent, looking at the figure being roasted by the chains, and said:

"Still refusing to confess? Even the Ten Directions Karmic Fire is difficult to convert. Do you know that your sins are grave?"

The chains shook slightly, and the disheveled figure raised his head slightly, revealing a pair of bright and mocking eyes:

"Don't waste your efforts. You will never be able to get that thing!"

"The Buddha Lord promises that if you are willing to return it, he can allow you to enter our Mount Wuliang, convert to the Buddha Sect, and will take action to dissolve your disaster and sins!"

Lin Wuge said coldly: "You are alone, wandering in all directions, having committed all kinds of stupid mistakes in your early years. Now it is not too late to turn back. With the Buddha Lord coming forward, even His Majesty will give some face and eliminate your past sins together, escape into the empty gate, and from now on, you will not be a person of the mortal world!"

"Haha..."

"If I were an official, why would I need to wait until now? If I were a general, I would have been a First-Rank Marquis long ago!"

The chained figure laughed loudly: "Have you heard a saying? Fame and wealth are all dust, glory and riches are also floating clouds! You bald donkeys, pretending to be upright all day, isn't it just for that bit of incense? You say your Buddha Sect does not fight, but the incense fights fiercely."

"You say your Buddha Sect converts the world, but if there is no incense money, who pities the hearts of the common people?"

"Building golden bodies for the Buddha, while exposing remains on the long street, I spit!"

Hearing his insults, Lin Wuge sneered slightly: "The Buddha Sect converts the world, which is the Great Dao! The suffering you see, isn't it also that they are entangled by karmic fire and seeking suffering themselves? That is the calamity in their lives. You have mortal eyes and cannot see through the heavy obstacles and illusions. I don't blame you, but now you have a chance to transcend the sea of suffering, yet you don't cherish it. How are you different from those ordinary people?"

"I am an ordinary person, why should I be different?"

The chained figure sneered: "These teachings of yours are fine for coaxing those young men with weak wills, but there is no need to bring them up before me. Having lived to this age, how the human world is seen, everyone knows. If I could still be bewitched by you, then I would have lived in vain!"

Lin Wuge's expression turned cold, and he said: "A mere thief, yet you boast of seeing through the human world, which is simply ridiculous. Since you are unwilling to be an official or a general, and do not like fame and wealth, why bother stealing everywhere?"

"Seizing others' treasures, harming others for your own benefit, there are thousands of roads in the world, yet you choose the most unbearable one, and still look down on the world with an arrogant posture. If this is not entering the devil, what is it?!"

The chained figure laughed loudly and said: "I just like to steal, I just like to rob, so what? This world is like this, it's just that some people succeeded in robbing and became emperors, while some failed and became bandits."

"In this life, I want to spend this life in the way I like. You view me as a thief, and I view you as prostitutes!"

"Right and wrong, merit and demerit, let the world judge, what do I fear?!"

Lin Wuge took a deep breath and said: "I have long known that your demonic nature is deep. Except for reincarnation and rebirth, you cannot be converted! You colluded with the Divine General Mansion, trying to find a safe haven for your future accidents, but you are wrong. The Divine General Mansion is now unable to take care of itself. They cannot damage the millennium of glory of their ancestors for the sake of a mere notorious thief like you!"

The chained figure's laughter stopped instantly, and he stared, saying: "The Li Clan is in trouble?"

Lin Wuge sneered: "You are unable to take care of yourself, and you still have the heart to worry about them? There is no need to act affectionate before me. There are no Li Clan members here. That Li Ganfeng is the Buddha Lord's personal disciple. If he knew of your existence, he would only view it as the shame of the Divine General Mansion and would be the first to take action to slay you!"

The chained figure's eyes flickered, and he did not ask again.

He knew the other party would not answer.

"Although you are a thief, your vision is indeed good. You steal only good things. You took a fancy to the high aptitude of the Divine General Mansion's Demon Child and approached him, but so what? Since the end of that battle in Liangzhou, he has now been honored as a Third-Rank Duke, and also promoted to Commander-General, ranking First-Rank!"

Lin Wuge sneered: "Young, yet reaching the pinnacle of officials. In the future, when His Majesty passes the throne, he might even refer to his ideas. Such an existence, with glory for ten thousand generations, do you think he will abandon this fame and glory to plead for you?"

The chained figure was stunned, then laughed in a low voice: "Really good, reaching the pinnacle of officials, worthy of him..."

"You only need to hand over that holy object, and you can be liberated immediately. Don't be obsessed anymore. No one will come to save you!"

Lin Wuge shouted angrily.

The chained figure raised his head and swept a glance at him, laughing in a low voice: "I don't need them to save me. Isn't it just death? I have already tasted the customs of this world, and I have tasted the most beautiful wine and the most beautiful people. What does it matter if I die?"

"You say he is a Demon Child, haha, you had better not let me escape, otherwise I will let the world know who the Lord of the Ancient Demon Palace really is!"

Lin Wuge's expression changed slightly, his eyes cold: "Burn, burn for me!"

In the magma, the fierce fire surged, and large swaths of fire roasted and splashed on the chained figure. His flesh and blood were scorched, and the fierce fire burned his body.

But he did not feel pain; instead, bursts of laughter came.

Lin Wuge's eyes were cold, knowing that this old bone was stubborn; if he didn't feel pain to the extreme, it was impossible for him to open his mouth.

In Qingzhou City.

After Li Hao left the Divine General Mansion, he wandered to the street again and bought several portions of fragrant snacks for Candle Zhu Huoshen, Xi Yan, and himself.

Afterward, he went to climb the mountain and visited his old friends.

In the main hall of the Tan Palace, he accompanied Song Yufeng to taste a pot of tea.

By the side of the green pool, he made a barbecue for Song Qiumo.

He also accompanied Shen Yunqing and the others to play a few games of chess.

Many Tan Palace disciples came to visit and ask for advice, and Li Hao answered casually. In the eyes of the White Palace disciples, Li Hao seemed to still be the teacher of the Tan Palace.

Li Hao was very satisfied with this trip to Qingzhou. Coming here for a trip, he ate comfortably, drank comfortably, and visited old friends. When leaving, Li Hao did not let everyone send him off. After bidding farewell to Song Qiumo, he left quietly.

Passing by that bustling brothel, he saw the two lines of poetry he had casually recited when he was drunk hanging on the plaque at the entrance.

The youthful spirit in the poem made Li Hao smile slightly, and he did not linger, flying away.

After leaving the city and flying for a short distance, Li Hao's gaze suddenly fell on the official road, his eyes narrowed slightly, and then he landed.

Landing not far from the official road, he then walked over with Candle Zhu Huoshen.

It could be seen that ahead was a tea stall, where an old man was busy cleaning up, clearing away the bowls and chopsticks that had been eaten, and wiping away the leftovers on the table.

And under the tent beside the tea stall, three fast horses were tied, and two young men and a middle-aged man were drinking tea.

"Guest, do you want to drink tea? My tea here is cheap, and the xiaolongbao tastes very good."

The tea stall old man saw Li Hao walking over and greeted him immediately.

The other three also looked toward Li Hao. When they saw Candle Zhu Huoshen behind Li Hao, who had transformed into the appearance of a young man, with a restrained but cold and compelling aura, they immediately withdrew their gazes.

They knew well that when going out in the martial arts world, one should not offend people who looked like they were not to be trifled with.

Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the tea stall boss, saying: "I am familiar with the road to Qingzhou. How come I have never seen a tea stall here before?"

"This guest speaks interestingly. Just because you haven't seen it before doesn't mean it won't be here in the future." The tea stall old man laughed.

"When did the boss come?"

Li Hao sat down at a table and stool.

"Just a few days ago."

The tea stall old man laughed: "In the past, I was over in Liangzhou, but these days, my granddaughter also wanted to come and help me. Isn't this because I was afraid the journey was long, so I came back here."

As he spoke, behind the stall where the steamer was stacked, a young girl stood up, wearing blue clothes, like a blue butterfly in summer, seemingly bending over to rummage for something earlier.

"Grandpa, that paper pad can't be found."

"Look under that basket." The tea stall old man turned his head and said, then smiled and said to Li Hao: "Guest, what do you want to eat? Two steamers?"

"Mm."

Li Hao stared at him, then looked at the young girl, but saw the other party bending over again, rummaging out the oil paper for the xiaolongbao, a smile appearing on her face.

And when the other party noticed his gaze, she also looked toward Li Hao. Her eyes were as bright as moonlight shining in a spring stream, her skin was white and translucent, her nose was small and exquisite, and she carried agility and intelligence.

She stood there, yet she had a noble air that was completely different from the dilapidated tea stall, seemingly like a young lady from a famous family, but her smile was intimate, and she had a bit of the casualness of a girl next door.

"Okay."

When Li Hao met her gaze, he actually had the feeling of being seen through, and there was a strange feeling in his heart. He withdrew his gaze and nodded.

Previously in Liangzhou, he also encountered this tea stall old man. The other party said that business in Liangzhou was good. He did not investigate anything, so he let it go.

Now that he encountered it again in Qingzhou, Li Hao noticed the problem even if he was numb, but what surprised him was that although he was not seriously investigating now, under a slightly obscure perception, he could not detect any aura from the other party.

The young girl was also the same.

But compared to this tea stall old man, the young girl's attire was clearly much more casual. Her attire, although not very noble, was definitely not shabby, and the color matching and temperament of her clothes made him believe that even if she were wearing rough hemp clothes, she would be like a snow lotus in the human world, fresh and refined, and one could be attracted to her gaze in the crowd at a glance.

This was definitely not a daughter that could be raised by a rural tenant farmer. After all, with wind and sun, how could her skin be so white and tender?

"Old sir, this tea is clear and cold, which is not bad."

Li Hao poured tea and drank it as he spoke.

The tea stall old man laughed lightly: "This is all clean spring water, naturally fragrant."

The word "clean" in his words seemed to have a slightly heavier tone.

Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. This old man had neither the aura of a demon nor killing intent. Although strange, he did not seem to be a bad person.

Forget it... He was too lazy to delve into it. Walking in the world, it was not that everything had to be seen through to the root.

That would be too tiring to live.

When the tea stall old man returned to the stall to knead dough and make xiaolongbao, the young girl in blue clothes stepped with generous and slightly lively small steps, came to Li Hao's table, and sat down.

She had a natural and comfortable smile on her face and said: "Guest, demons gathered in Qingzhou City earlier, aren't you afraid?"

"You are not afraid, so why would I be afraid." Li Hao glanced at her and continued to taste the tea.

"We are also afraid. It's just that the demons have all been eliminated, so we dare to set up the stall." The young girl laughed.

"The demons have just been eliminated, and you dare to set up the stall. This can be considered bold enough."

"Grandpa said that wealth is sought in danger. Doing business requires fighting with heaven, earth, and people. If you are timid, you can't do it."

"So particular?"

"Of course."

The young girl raised her white and tender fingers, pointing to the top of her head: "You have to observe the weather. If you come out when it's windy and rainy, you will lose money. You also have to look at people. Although it is a small business, as long as there is profit, someone will snatch it. Isn't this the truth?"

"This is not bad."

Li Hao finished a cup of tea and nodded in approval.

But what heaven the other party was talking about, what people, and what profit, was worth discussing.

After a few brief words, the unfamiliarity at the tea table seemed to have dissipated a lot, and the young girl smiled and asked:

"My name is Ying Xiaoxiao. Ying is the Ying of 'born in response to the times', and Xiao is the Xiao of 'free and easy'. How should I address you?"

"You can call me Hao Tian."

Li Hao stared at her.

This glance was to see the other party's reaction.

If it were other ordinary people, he would have fobbed them off with a casual pseudonym.

The young girl heard Li Hao's name, but her reaction was not great, and she just continued to ask: "Then what is your surname?"

"I have no surname."

"How can anyone have no surname?" Ying Xiaoxiao laughed.

Li Hao saw her expression was natural and her eyes were peaceful, so he also smiled slightly and said: "Even if I have no surname, I can still live this life well."

If he had to say a surname, he could also be surnamed Li, but that was his surname in his previous life. Since he died in his previous life and traveled here, it could be considered a farewell to his previous life.

Born in this world, he would use the name of this world.

Hearing Li Hao's words, Ying Xiaoxiao was slightly stunned, and the smile on her face slowly faded.

"Xiaolongbao is here, be careful not to get burned."

At this time, the tea stall boss brought the xiaolongbao over, steaming hot.

"You try it, my grandpa's craftsmanship is very good."

Ying Xiaoxiao said immediately, her bright eyes full of anticipation, seemingly waiting for Li Hao's evaluation after tasting it.

Li Hao smiled: "I have already tasted it."

He picked up chopsticks from the chopstick holder, tapped them on the table to align them, and then started eating: "The taste hasn't changed, not bad."

"As long as the guest likes to eat it."

The tea stall old man laughed.

Li Hao nodded, eating xiaolongbao while drinking tea.

He also ordered a portion for Candle Zhu Huoshen and asked the old man to pack a portion for him to take back for Xi Yan to taste.

After eating and drinking, he looked at the young girl who had been sitting opposite him at the table and examining him, rose, scattered a tael of silver, and said: "If fate allows, we shall meet again. I hope I can still eat such delicious buns."

The tea stall old man took the silver, wiped the table, and laughed: "If the guest comes often, you can eat it."

Li Hao smiled, waved goodbye, and walked along the official road.

And the other few people at the tea stall also finished eating and left on horseback, heading toward Qingzhou City.

Only the grandfather and granddaughter were left at the tea stall. The tea stall old man looked in the direction Li Hao left and sighed: "This is a young hero. I didn't expect that such a monster could grow up in such a place with thin divine power..."

"Otherwise, how could he get the favor of the Saint Realm? He has a Saint mark on him."

Ying Xiaoxiao gazed and said in a low voice.

The tea stall old man was slightly stunned, could not help but look again, then shook his head and sighed, saying:

"I don't know what the situation is. This young man is very similar to a child from the past. That child was also such a monster, but he seemed a bit worse than him, and the name seemed to be the same, but strangely, the aura and appearance have all changed."

"Oh?"

Ying Xiaoxiao was interested: "Are you talking about the one at Tianmen Pass?"

"That's right."

"We went to see him, but that person was not there, it was just an incarnation, and it seemed to have dissipated."

Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered, and she said: "Since the name is the same and the age is similar, do you think it could be some kind of change, similar to rebirth, but more thorough than rebirth, which led to the change in aura?"

The tea stall old man thought for a while and said: "It is indeed possible, but this kind of method is very difficult to achieve, unless you ask a Saint Realm expert to take action. Relying on himself... I can't think of any cultivation method. Even if he possessed a soul, the soul would carry the original aura."

Hearing him say this, Ying Xiaoxiao immediately decided: "Then let's go and see what the situation is."

The tea stall old man was stunned and hurriedly said: "Miss, no, just now you were here, and he already noticed something was wrong."

"But he didn't take action, which shows he is not the kind of person who meddles in other people's business."

Ying Xiaoxiao was full of smiles and said: "Moreover, even if he takes action, it doesn't matter. We are not afraid of him, just curious. We have already collected the killing resentment of Qingzhou City, and it is time to leave."

The tea stall old man smiled bitterly, knowing that the young lady's temper and nature were casual. Seeing that he could not persuade her, he had no choice but to say:

"Although he saw that we are unusual, the surface work must be done, and we cannot make things difficult for people."

"That's fine. Anyway, in that Great Desolate Heaven, it was previously rumored that someone was impersonating our name and slaying the geniuses of the Desolate Ancient Saint Clan there, so let's impersonate the Desolate Ancient Saint Clan to play."

Ying Xiaoxiao laughed and said: "Is this also considered reasonable?"

Reasonable... The tea stall old man smiled bitterly and glanced at her. Which genius of the Desolate Ancient Saint Clan could compare to you, Miss?

Immediately, when there was no one around, the tea stall old man raised his hand and rolled it up, putting the tea stall into his sleeve, and the old and young also disappeared on this official road.

(End of chapter)