Chapter 438

444. Chapter 444 Outcome

"Ah!!!"

Ai Rui Si let out a long sigh.

Despite countless precautions, they still ended up getting hit in the end.

"I" indeed lives up to being a ruthless one who can fight back from other universes to the wizard civilization universe.

Nor is it undeserving of being a capable person who held out against the combined forces of the five sages of the wizard civilization and the will of the wizard world to reach the present situation.

Every word, every action, must have deep meaning and cannot be taken lightly.

"What's wrong?"

Fu Li Si Te noticed Ai Rui Si's abnormality and asked with concern.

For the Ruwo Si Academy and Diomande Family, the importance of Luo Te Si Nuo, Lin Ke, and Ai Rui Si surpasses everything else.

Um…… except for the Great Sage of Ruwo and the Great Sage of Si.

"Nothing."

Ai Rui Si responded casually and left this space.

Fu Li Si Te seeing that, did not force Ai Rui Si to answer, nor follow up, and left on his own.

Although he has already stepped down from the position of dean, many matters of the Ruwo Si Academy and Diomande Family still need him to handle.

The most important thing right now is to properly handle the aftermath of the vanguard team's turmoil.

Ai Rui Si walked out and discovered the Void Tranquil Heavenly Master standing outside, as if deliberately waiting for her.

"Anything?"

With a slight frown, Ai Rui Si's tone when speaking was not good.

"I'll give you two things."

The Void Tranquil Heavenly Master took no offense, wearing a smile.

While saying that, he somehow produced two seals and handed them to Ai Rui Si.

"These two seals are also imitations, but they are much better than those two."

Ai Rui Si glanced and saw, hey, it's the Yang Guest Scholar Capital Merit Seal and the Nine Elders Immortal Capital Seal again.

"What does that mean?"

Not immediately taking the two seals, Ai Rui Si asked with some displeasure.

"No other meaning, just doing what I can within my ability."

The Void Tranquil Heavenly Master's face always wore a smile; seeing Ai Rui Si had no intention of believing, he unusually showed a hint of frivolity, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Of course, you can also regard this as our Heavenly Master's Manor venting negative emotions toward the remnants of the Buddhist civilization."

"I don't really understand what you're trying to say."

Airisi's brows were tightly furrowed, showing no sign of relaxing; instead, she accepted the two counterfeit seals, and at the same time said, "Anyway, I don't owe you any favors on this matter."

Having said that, Airisi turned and left, without waiting for Lin Ke, Mo Li, and Luotesinuo to free themselves from the possession state.

The counterfeit versions of the Yang Binshi Du Gong Seal and the Nine Old Immortals Capital Seal silently turned into flowing light, entered Airisi's glabella, then, following a mysterious connection, bypassed the defense system of the three suns of the remnant Buddhist civilization, and entered the world that Airisi had entered via possession.

That White Lotus, which had originally been severed at the root and was about to wither, received an infusion of new vital energy.

This new vital force differs from the so-called "parents of non‑birth, vacuum homeland"; it is limpid and pure, carefree and effortless.

The so‑called wuwei means doing nothing yet leaving nothing undone.

Under the influence of this force, lotus societies everywhere and White Lotus believers everywhere suddenly understood a principle.

What is united for long will eventually separate; what is separated for long will eventually unite.

Thus, depending on the actual situation, they either joined forces or developed separately, with no fixed pattern, adapting as circumstances demanded.

The occurrence of this situation can be called strange.

Perhaps it also surpassed the original intention of the person who provided the two counterfeit seals, or perhaps not.

After all, who could imagine that the enlightenment sparked by the idea of carefree wuwei would turn out to be "what is united for long will separate; what is separated for long will unite"?

Moreover, this "what is united for long will separate; what is separated for long will unite" seems rather improper.

All that can be said is that the White Lotus, warped from its very roots, truly finds it hard to grow into the ideal of "unstained by mud, not alluring when washed in clear ripples".

No wonder Airisi is determined to sever her ties with the White Lotus, discarding everything left behind by the 'self'.

After the two counterfeit seals entered her glabella, Airisi finally completed a complete severance.

However, a hidden worry remains.

Namely, that White Lotus has not died; it was merely abandoned.

If the White Lotus that Airisi herself planted truly grew into its ultimate form, achieving the purification of the world, would the 'self' be reborn within it?

This is a question.

"Where are you going?"

Luotesinuo asked the silently advancing Lin Ke a question.

"Wherever you want to go, just go there."

Lin Ke replied casually, and his steps did not pause because of it.

As if measured with a ruler, Lin Ke's every step was orderly, with stride and cadence completely uniform.

Mo Li followed beside Lin Ke, and it was the same for her.

Luotesinuo lurked in the shadows, trailing behind, finding this monotony hard to bear.

It wasn't that his temperament was flawed, that he couldn't tolerate boredom or calm his mind; rather, having walked many night roads, he would inevitably encounter ghosts.

As Luotesinuo's interventions inside the remnant Buddhist civilization grew more frequent, it became increasingly difficult for him to avoid the gaze of the three suns above his head.

Wherever he passes, he leaves a trace.

Before long, the three suns above will detect Luotesinuo's traces and then act to drive him out.

Luotesinuo must find a way to avoid detection by the Three Suns, or if that's impossible, erase his connection with Monk Wufan and the Princess of Guanglin.

But if he does that, does it still count as him accompanying Lin Ke to complete this mission?

This is a problem.

Given Luotesinuo's understanding of the Will of the Wizard World, the Will will definitely exploit any loophole, and if it cannot, it will try to delay.

So, Luotesinuo is somewhat anxious.

Meanwhile, Lin Ke shows no anxiety at all; he is even leisurely.

Hah...

Luotesinuo let out a long breath, sweeping away the myriad thoughts that arose in his mind.

"I'm leaving."

Suddenly, Luotesinuo made a somewhat extreme decision and informed Lin Ke and Mo Li.

"You should have left long ago."

Lin Ke was not surprised at all; he not only accepted it calmly, but said this.

"Huh?"

Luotesinuo was somewhat puzzled by Lin Ke's saying, wondering what he meant.

"Companionship is not a substitute."

Lin Ke gave a brief explanation, then fell silent and continued on the road.

Hearing that, Luotesinuo fell into thought.

In the mountains, one cannot see the whole picture, easily becoming biased and easily losing one's way.

Luotesinuo discovered that he had been like that recently.

The guidance has been completed, and accompanying in the joint 'seizure of the dwelling' into the remnants of Buddhist civilization has also actually been completed.

However, due to his understanding and distrust of the Will of the Wizard World, he subconsciously ruled out this answer.

"Interesting."

Having figured this out, Luotesinuo smiled at the corner of his mouth and muttered to himself.

As the saying goes, 'when one thing is understood, a hundred things are understood'; grasping one point naturally leads to understanding many others.

"Thanks!"

Luotesinuo sincerely thanked Lin Ke, then immediately left. He decided not to follow Lin Ke and Mo Li anymore.

Everyone has their own thoughts, everyone has their own choices, everyone has their own path.

Lin Ke embarked on the road of overturning the existing social hierarchy and structure of the remnants of Buddhist civilization from the perspectives of thought and Buddhist principle; let him walk that path.

As for Luotesinuo, he prepared to accomplish his previous plans, then withdraw from the remnants of Buddhist civilization.

With a thought, Luotesinuo teleported into the study of the Prince of Guanglin.

With another thought, Luotesinuo linked and activated the forces Mo Li had secretly accumulated, those forces greedy for greater worldly power, and those forces hostile or even inimical to the Buddhist gate.

In an instant, this world erupted into a massive chaos.

Following the two internal waves of the Buddhist gate—'contemplation' and 'attaining Buddhahood'—the turmoil, which mainly occurred in the secular world but directly targeted the Buddhist gate, quickly spread across the realm.

War and chaos!

All manner of demons and monsters sprang forth!

It may not be a sea of blood, but it can truly be called 'beacon fires everywhere, a hell on earth'.

"Lin Ke, is what we're doing really alright?"

On a mountain peak, Mo Li overlooked the chaotic situations in various places, watching one life after another perish, and asked softly.

It wasn't that Mo Li suddenly developed a compassionate heart, truly pitying those helpless commoners who had been exploited to the extreme by the Buddhist gate.

Rather, this approach left her somewhat unable to comprehend and adapt.

"Nothing wrong with it."

Lin Ke, iron-hearted, said coldly, "This is not a sin we have created."

"Why say that?"

Mo Li gazed at Lin Ke with her eyes, seeking an explanation.

Lin Ke did not speak immediately, but instead lifted his gaze to the firmament.

The Three Suns stood side by side, emitting light and heat, illuminating the twelve habitable worlds of the remnants of Buddhist civilization.

After a while, Lin Ke then said, "Three Buddhist Patriarchs above, the world still has so much impurity, and even those who let the world have so much impurity are precisely the disciples, grandchildren, and followers of the three Buddhist Patriarchs; you say, how could these bloodshed, these sacrifices, these tragedies possibly be a sin we have created?"

After a pause, Lin Ke said softly, "This is a sin created by the three Buddhist Patriarchs."

As his words fell, Lin Ke formed the Earth Store mudra with both hands and again made a great vow: "Monk Wufan, I vow to save all suffering beings, leading them all to bodhi, to attain perfect enlightenment."

At that moment, Luotesinuo, in tacit understanding, had already arrived outside the mountain gate of Cien Temple in the capital Bianjing of the Song Kingdom.

As if hearing Lin Ke's great vow, Luotesinuo emerged from the shadows.

"Who goes there?"

The monk guarding the mountain gate spotted Luotesinuo's figure and immediately let out a loud shout.

Luotesinuo, too lazy to bother with these monks, personally gathered the resentment and curses generated by the dead in the turmoil he had stirred up, and hurled them all at the Mahavira Hall of Cien Temple.

Cien Temple could become the foremost great Buddhist temple of the Song Kingdom and neighboring countries, with countless Vajras, hundreds of Arhats, and several Bodhisattvas; naturally, it is not an empty reputation.

As soon as Luotesinuo appeared, they had already reacted and taken countermeasures.

Upon seeing Luotesinuo's methods, moreover, several Arhats and Bodhisattvas fearlessly threw themselves forward to block the gate of the Mahavira Hall.

The other Vajras, Arhats, and Bodhisattvas either launched swift attacks, formed arrays to await, or deployed magical implements, all confronting Luotesinuo head-on.

"Heh..."

However, Luotesinuo merely gave a light chuckle, then self-destructed.

Bang!!!!!

The mountain gate of Cien Temple, which had stood firm since its completion, instantly turned to ashes in the explosion.

As a result, a slit appeared in the defenses inside and outside Mahavira Hall.

A wisp of dark light slipped through that fleeting gap, rushed into Mahavira Hall, and splashed onto the meditative seal of the central Shakyamuni Buddha seated on the auspicious seat.

Following the mysterious connection, this wisp of dark light quickly vanished and arrived at the Void.

"Moo!"

The great sun at the center emitted an immensely grand sound, bursting forth with boundless light.

Upon being touched by the light, the dark light instantly melted away, leaving no trace.

The reincarnation of a sage is nothing more than the reincarnation of a sage.

Given that Luotesinuo was unwilling to pay a great price, attempting to attack the central Shakyamuni Buddha was sheer folly.

However, Luotesinuo's purpose has already been achieved.

The defensive system constructed by the Threefold Great Sun working together loosened under this stimulus.

Repairing it requires time and energy.

Thus, the Threefold Great Sun's attention to the remnants of Buddhist civilization will inevitably decrease.

This bought Lin Ke more room to maneuver.

Lin Ke, who had been gazing upward at the sky, used the Heavenly Eye Ability to see Luotesinuo's actions, that wisp of dark light, and the boundless light blossoming in the Void.

Lin Ke even briefly locked eyes with a pair of eyes that seemed to contain countless emotions yet also none at all.

"Hmph!"

Lin Ke let out a muffled grunt, withdrew his Heavenly Eye Ability, lowered his head, and tears of blood streamed from his eyes.

At this moment, Mo Li had no time to worry about Lin Ke's condition and suddenly lunged toward an empty spot nearby.

"Boom!"

Nengqing Monk appeared from the empty spot and exchanged a palm strike with Mo Li.

They separated upon contact, each stepping back three steps.

High-level combat is often simple and unadorned.

No need for dazzling light and shadow effects; a single punch or kick contains supreme power.

After merely exchanging a palm strike and stepping back three steps, the mountain began to tremble violently, as if a magnitude‑6 earthquake had occurred.

Rumble‑rumble, gurgling……

Rocks shattered and fell, trees were snapped in half, and countless beasts fled in panic.

"Heretics and demons!"

Nengqing Monk paid no heed to the damage inflicted on the mountain, its effects, coldly staring at Lin Ke and Mo Li, saying, "Extraterrestrial Demon—everyone deserves to be slain."

Having uttered those harsh words, Nengqing Monk formed seals with both hands, preparing to subdue demons with Vajra Means.

Lin Ke, his eyes streaming with blood‑tears, stepped forward, stood before Mo Li, and gestured for her to leave.

Mo Li did not understand what Lin Ke intended, but she raised no objection and delayed not at all.

She said she would leave, and she did—going several hundred li away.

Nengqing Monk would not relent because of this turn of events; he carried out the Demon-Subduing Means as intended.

Like a raging storm, Nengqing Monk's body turned into an illusory shade, his fists, feet, palms, and claws…

Every attack technique available in the Warrior Monk System was unleashed by Nengqing Monk upon the unresisting Lin Ke.

Throughout this period, regardless of his true intentions, Lin Ke has continually practiced the Bodhisattva Vehicle Buddhist Dharma.

His heart and strength, in the course of practice, have been secretly increasing rapidly beyond his control.

According to the Wizard Civilization's classification, Lin Ke's true nature is that of a Level Five Sage;

However, now Lin Ke, self‑taught, has in just a few months of Buddhist cultivation practicing the Bodhisattva Vehicle Buddhist Dharma reached the Bodhisattva (Great Sage) stage, and even shows a tendency to become a Buddha (Special Ninth-Level Great Sage).

Perhaps this is like a small horse pulling a large cart.

Lin Ke was worrying about how to solve this problem when Nengqing Monk showed up at his door.

Thus, Lin Ke endured nearly two hours of attacks and died at Nengqing Monk's hands.

Before death, Lin Ke sat in the lotus position, smiled while holding a flower:

If I do not enter hell, who will?