Chapter 376: He is not a thief, he is the Saint of Thieves!

Hearing Li Hao's aggressive voice, the Buddha Lord's expression did not change at all, and he still smiled:

"Although General Hao Tian is a duke, my Buddhist sect resides outside the temple, not bound by the red tape of the imperial court. Moreover, hundreds of years ago, I had merit in subduing demons and was granted the Imperial Demon-Subduing Merit Medal by His Majesty Emperor Yu. Even when facing the Emperor in the imperial court, there is no need to kneel and pay respects."

Li Hao narrowed his eyes and sneered:

"What a good Imperial Demon-Subduing Merit Medal, what a good merit in subduing demons!"

"General Hao Tian, you seem to have some misunderstanding about me?"

The Buddha Lord's eyes were gentle, and he said softly: "You came here angrily on this trip. What is the matter? Could it be that you want to absolve that little thief of his crimes?"

The killing intent in Li Hao's eyes suddenly surged, and he said grimly: "He is not a little thief, he is the Saint of Thieves!"

"A thief is a thief. To crown him with the name of a saint is an insult to the sages."

The Buddha Lord smiled: "General Hao Tian, you must think clearly about what you are saying. To absolve a notorious evil thief, even if you have the heaven-reaching merit of saving Liangzhou and rescuing Qingzhou, I am afraid you will also have to bear some infamy. Although it will not be enough to strip you of your title or rank, the eyes of the people of the world are sharp. Associating with thieves will have no good end."

"I originally thought you could at least be frank. I didn't expect you to be this fake."

Li Hao stepped forward step by step, and his aura rose along with it. His gaze was grim: "When you captured him, did you not know my relationship with him? If he were not guarding Tianmen Pass for me, how could you have caught him?"

"You are executing him publicly this time. Did you not anticipate that I would come? Now, why say these fake words? Just say it directly: is your move targeting me, or do you have another purpose? I can do as you wish. What is a title or fame? What does it matter if I take it off? Even if I am not a duke or a general, is it your turn? If you want it, you can go fight for it!"

At this time, the three Bodhisattvas, including Lin Wujing, also chased from behind. Hearing Li Hao questioning the Buddha Lord in this Buddhist hall, their expressions all changed.

Lin Wujing couldn't help but say: "General Hao Tian, speak more politely. The Buddha Lord has immeasurable merit, and my Buddhist sect has rescued hundreds of millions of people. How can you compare to saving a mere two provinces? Do not be too rampant..."

"Get lost!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Hao just scolded angrily. He did not look back, just stepped forward one step.

A wave of might erupted from behind him, falling like a heavy punch, shaking the three chasing Bodhisattvas until they flew backward, spitting blood again.

Seeing the three Bodhisattvas injured before his eyes, the Buddha Lord's expression finally restrained some of its gentleness, and he said calmly:

"I originally thought you were just using this thief. How could I have expected you to be in cahoots with this thief? You are now covered in glory. Do not forget His Majesty's favor toward you. You came here to denounce my Buddhist sect for a thief and trespassed into my Buddhist hall. Have you lived up to His Majesty's favor, and lived up to the respect and trust the people have for you?"

"If I didn't come, that would be failing His Majesty's trust. If I turn a blind eye to a friend's life or death, how could I protect the common people?"

"Besides a few bald donkeys from your Buddhist sect, there is no one else here. What is the point of you acting here with me?"

Li Hao said coldly: "Could it be that the Bodhisattvas under you don't know the situation, and you are acting for them to see?"

"General Hao Tian, your offense against my Buddhist sect is too deep. Even if you are a duke, you cannot escape the crime. I will surely go before His Majesty and personally impeach you!" the Buddha Lord said solemnly.

"Go ahead. I came today to see my friend. Where is he?"

Li Hao stared at him. If it weren't for the concern that Old Feng was still in the other party's hands, he would have attacked directly.

The Buddha Lord said calmly: "It seems you are really obsessed and refuse to repent. Do you really want to be an enemy of my Buddhist sect and an enemy of the common people of the world for a little thief?"

"Don't fucking bring up the common people at every turn. Is your Buddhist sect worthy? In a province with hundreds of cities, every city has a Buddhist hall, but in the towns outside the cities, how many temples do you have?! If you truly had immeasurable merit, that would be fine, but you sit high on this platform, watching the suffering of the world. When Liangzhou was attacked, where were you?"

"When Qingzhou was attacked, where were you again?! You say Liangzhou is too far, but Qingzhou is right in front of you. Where were you then?!"

Li Hao scolded angrily.

"Just as you said, when Liangzhou was attacked, where was His Majesty? When Qingzhou was attacked, where was His Majesty?"

The Buddha Lord said calmly: "We sit high on the platform, observing the world. We are playing a game against the demons in the dark. If there is trouble at the border of a province, must all the soldiers of the nineteen provinces rush over to be considered heroic? Everyone has their own responsibilities. My Mount Wuliang protects the safety of five hundred miles around, preventing demons from invading. Is it not because I am sitting here?"

Li Hao sneered and said: "Don't quibble. What you say seems reasonable, but whether you have actually done your part, you know best yourself. Words can only deceive others, but they cannot deceive your own heart! You are a dignified Taiping Dao Realm, and even known as the strongest Taiping Dao Realm under the Hearing Dao Realm. Can you not deter those two major demon forces?"

"Your Mount Wuliang is on the border of Qingzhou, and Qingzhou has the Divine General's Mansion, yet the Dragon Gate and the Sacred Palace dared to launch a large-scale attack, sweeping all the way after breaking through the border, while their rear was completely undefended. Were they not worried that your Mount Wuliang would take action?"

"You have also seen that they have the San San Huang Shen behind them, so naturally, they don't need to defend," the Buddha Lord said indifferently.

Li Hao sneered: "But that San San Huang Shen was very reluctant to take action. They didn't want to be exposed in Qingzhou at all. So you want to say that you sensed the two San San Huang Shen clones in advance, so you didn't dare to take action? Then did you remind the Li Clan?"

"Naturally, I sent people to remind them, but by the time I sensed it, Qingzhou had already fallen, and the battle situation was complex. The disciples I sent seemed to have been drawn into the demons and their whereabouts are unknown."

The Buddha Lord said.

Li Hao wanted to laugh and said: "Fooling the common people is fine, but is there any need to continue acting here? Are you coaxing me like a child? Do you think I am the same as those demented disciples of yours?"

"The world is divided into three classes: emperors, nobles, and commoners. Who doesn't know how it works? Just like merchants, they are originally buying and selling for profit, earning the difference. Selling something that costs a penny for a dollar—those who are cruel cannot be merchants, but at least they clearly mark the price, and it is a willing buyer and a willing seller, which can be considered frank! You let the people believe in you, fool the people, and let them find some psychological sustenance—that's fine. But when it comes down to it, what you seek is nothing but fame! Since it is for fame, then admit it generously. Don't pretend to be compassionate. Only those at the lowest level of thought care about good and evil."

The Buddha Lord said calmly: "You are too paranoid. Although your talent is excellent, you are still young, and your understanding of the world is too shallow. You have never listened to the truth of my Buddhist sect, nor do you know the thousands of sufferings in the world. The bitter sea is hard to cross. Only my Buddha uses truth to forge the hull of a ship, taking people to transcend the bitter sea and reach the other shore."

"Before my Buddha, all living beings in the world are equal. There are no emperors, generals, or ministers, and no distinction of commoners. All are born human, and all enjoy the qualification to board the ship and transcend."

Li Hao said: "Don't give me that. Invite Feng Feng Bo Ping out immediately, otherwise, I don't mind letting your Buddhist sect transcend too!"

"General Hao Tian, do you really want to sink into the bitter sea yourself and refuse to turn back? If today's matter spreads, do you know how the world will view you?" The Buddha Lord stared at Li Hao.

Li Hao, however, saw a trace of indifference hidden very deeply in the other's calm eyes. That indifference was even like mockery, as if what he had done had already made the other party get their wish.

He knew that once he took this step, the merit he had previously obtained might all be splashed with sewage, but he didn't care.

It was just that he didn't know why this Buddha Lord cared so much, trying to use Old Feng's hand to smear his name.

"The world's evaluation will be known after thousands of years. So what if you get your wish? Let the person go!"

Li Hao's eyes were cold, and he said: "Don't give me those crooked reasons again, otherwise I will smash your lotus throne and kick over your Buddhist hall!"

The Buddha Lord looked at him quietly, then nodded slightly and said loudly:

"Bodhisattva Puji, go and bring that little thief here. Let the nobles also come and see how arrogant General Hao Tian is, wanting to absolve this little thief."

"Yes."

A Buddhist chant came from outside the Buddhist hall, and then the aura of one of the Bodhisattvas disappeared rapidly and went away.

Hearing the Buddha Lord's words, Li Hao's eyes turned cold. The other party's move was indeed targeting him, and even anticipated that he would rush over the first time he heard the news. He had already come fast enough, but there were nobles here, obviously invited in advance before the news was announced.

"What is your goal in ruining my reputation?"

If this Buddha Lord wanted to win fame, he hadn't blocked the way. Why go to such great lengths? It made Li Hao feel a trace of curiosity.

The Buddha Lord said calmly: "If I had known you had such talent earlier, I would have let Bodhisattva Puxian go to pick you up to the mountain and take you as a disciple. It's a pity you were clever since childhood and hid it too well."

Li Hao sneered: "Don't talk about that. If I hadn't disguised myself well, I'm afraid your Buddhist sect would have sent someone to assassinate me under the guise of visiting!"

"Besides, when I was less than two years old, you sent that private stash of waste divine blood poison pill to that poisonous woman. You had already selected the target. Even that stupid woman might have only had some thoughts, and it was under your guidance that she did such a stupid thing. What you are plotting is to let Li Qianfeng inherit the Li Clan's True Dragon, and thereby control the Li Clan?"

With Li Hao's current perspective and vision, looking at it again, he felt the sinister nature of Mount Wuliang more and more.

The poison pill came from Mount Wuliang, and Li Qianfeng was apprenticed to Mount Wuliang. The purpose of the Buddhist sect was self-evident.

"It's just the trend of the world. Controlling is not the word; it's just wanting to borrow some of the Li Clan's power. But now it's the same. Although you have extraordinary talent, you have withdrawn from the Li Clan, and now no one in the Li Clan can stop him from becoming the True Dragon," the Buddha Lord said indifferently, his face no longer having the previous gentleness and compassion, seemingly no longer concealing it.

Li Hao sneered in his heart. Wanting to let Li Qianfeng ascend—how could he not have calculated this step?

"I just have one more question. Why did you choose to poison me instead of others? Was it because I was easier to deal with, and others had parents to look after them? Or was it confirmed that others did not have divine blood and would not be an obstacle?"

Li Hao asked.

"Naturally, it was because only you possessed divine blood. The cultivation talent of the other sons, besides those who had already died in battle, was not as good as your father Li Tiangang. Although he hid this news, it could not escape my eyes."

The Buddha Lord looked down at Li Hao calmly.

Li Hao immediately understood the meaning of this expression. Everything behind this came from the hand of the Buddha Lord before him.

Telling Liu Yuerong that he possessed divine blood and that it was a danger to her son.

Attracting with a poison pill, letting her take action—the other party was just a pawn.

Killing intent filled the bottom of Li Hao's eyes, but he restrained it. He stared at the other party. Old Feng was the bait the other party used to attract him here. Now that the other party was exposing himself without concealment, it seemed he was deliberately provoking him to take action.

What are the disadvantages of taking action? The Buddhist sect is a Jianghu force, but it also has a semi-imperial court component. With his current status, if he took action for no reason, he would naturally not be able to escape the crime.

Did he want to use the power of the imperial court to pursue him, or did he want to use this to make him split from the Great Yu imperial court? If they broke off...

Demons, Buddhist sect... Li Hao's eyes turned slightly cold, staring at the Buddha Lord in front of him. The other party's calm eyes also stared straight at Li Hao, not dodging or avoiding.

Their gazes seemed to see through each other's hearts.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 377 =====