Chapter 989

With a face full of bad luck, Liaofan hurried over to the Mahavira Hall after stepping back from Master Yeyu.

The main venue of the Tudao Assembly was set on the small plaza in front of the Mahavira Hall.

At this moment, the seventy-two Luo Hans of Yunzhou Shaolin's Luo Han Hall had long since taken up weapons of every description, guarding the small plaza so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through.

No sooner had Liaofan arrived and was about to invite the various Zong Sect leaders and elders to take their seats and open the Tudao Assembly,

when he suddenly saw his junior brother, the Monk Liaozhi, hurrying over,

"Senior brother, this is bad…"

Liaofan's brows knit deeply—why was it that lately there was nothing but bad news!

Though impatient in his heart, he still maintained the bearing of a Gao Seng, and said,

"Junior brother Liaozhi, you too are an elder-generation Gao Seng of the temple—how can you still be so flustered?"

"Amitabha. Senior brother's rebuke is well-deserved."

Hearing this, Liaozhi could only suppress the anxiety in his heart.

"Luo Heshi?"

Liaofan asked.

"Senior brother Liaojie just came and took Benefactor Guihai away."

Only then did Liaozhi speak slowly.

"What? Liaojie? What does he want?"

Liaofan's face changed drastically at the words.

The three great holy monks of Yunzhou Shaolin: Liaofan, Liaojie, and Liaokong!

Among them, the world all said Liaofan was the strongest.

But only Liaofan knew that in truth it was Liaojie who was the strongest.

It was simply that Liaojie was devoted to Buddhist teachings and had no quarrel with the world.

Therefore, it was instead he himself whose name rang loudest.

Now, after a thousand difficulties and ten thousand obstacles, they had finally managed to convene the Tudao Assembly, to settle a Wu Lin case and raise the fame of Yunzhou Shaolin and himself.

How could it be that at the very last moment, this Liaojie suddenly jumped out and took Benefactor Guihai away?

"This… I don't know either…"

Liaozhi's face was awkward—don't be fooled by the fact that he too was of the "Liao" generation.

But in Yunzhou Shaolin, the words he spoke carried little weight.

At the very least, whatever Liaojie wanted to do, he, Liaozhi, could not control it.

"Damnable…"

Liaofan was furious and at once prepared to go find Liaojie and demand Benefactor Guihai back.

"Senior brother Liaojie seemed to say something about the sea of suffering being boundless, and only by turning back could one reach the shore.

He said Benefactor Guihai killing Liaokong was the karma Liaokong had sown in those years.

As people of ours who study the Buddha, how could we engage in deeds of vengeance breeding vengeance?

Therefore he took Benefactor Guihai away, wanting to use Buddhist teachings to redeem him.

To resolve this karmic debt of Liaojie's."

Liaozhi added at this point.

"…"

Hearing this, Liaofan could not help being speechless.

Didn't you just say you didn't know, kid?

How is it that after turning around, you've gone and said such a long stretch?

So you were just teasing me earlier?

And has Liaojie's brain gone soft from studying Buddhism?

Redeem Benefactor Guihai with Buddhist teachings?

And karma from Liaokong's past?

Hearing this, Liaofan was both angry and anxious, and he barked,

"Enough!"

Scaring Liaozhi into swallowing back whatever else he had to say.

"Where did Liaojie go?"

Liaofan asked.

"Seems like he went to the back mountain."

Liaozhi pointed behind him.

"Got it. You help me receive the various Weizhang Sect leaders and elders for me—wait until I bring Benefactor Guihai back."

Liaofan sighed, able only to hand the matter of receiving guests up front to Liaozhi.

Then, gathering his lightness skill, he shot rapidly toward the back mountain.

At this point, it was no longer a matter of whether Buddhist teachings could redeem him.

It was that he, Liaofan, had to borrow Benefactor Guihai to establish the might of Yunzhou Shaolin and himself.

On the other side, on Yunzhou Shaolin's back mountain,

Guihai Yidao sat cross-legged on the bare mountainside, an old monk standing before him.

One hand pressed against Guihai Yidao's brow, continuously chanting Buddhist scriptures.

With every syllable of Buddhist sound that rang out, Guihai Yidao's face would twist a fraction more.

Then a wisp of evil Qi was seen seeping out from within Benefactor Guihai's body.

The old monk immediately swung his right hand, raised his prayer beads, and struck out with his palm.

That formless evil Qi, beneath this palm-strike, instantly turned to ash.

After repeating this several times, although Benefactor Guihai felt excruciating pain, the evil Qi had already grown far less.

Just as the old monk was preparing to press on, suddenly he opened both eyes and gazed into the distance at an empty patch of ground,

"Since the benefactor has already arrived, why still hide your head and show your tail? Truly, this is not the bearing of a master of a sect."

"Heh-heh! Old monk, your cultivation is quite impressive."

That empty patch of mountain rock suddenly trembled.

A great boulder was seen slowly transforming into a human figure.

This man was dressed entirely in the style of You Dongying, with one long and one short wakizashi tucked at his waist.

"Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou, greetings, Master Liaojie."

"So it is the Liu Sheng family head who has come. This old monk has failed to welcome you properly; please forgive me, forgive me."

Upon hearing it was Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou, Liaojie immediately straightened his expression and returned the courtesy.

"Master, this Benefactor Guihai is a genius of the Way of the Blade. To forcibly redeem him with Buddhist dharma like this — is that not destroying a fine seedling?"

After the pleasantries, Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou pointed at Benefactor Guihai and said lightly.

"Amitabha. The Way of the Blade that Mr. Liu Sheng speaks of — could it be that its only achievement is this demonic path that knows only slaughter and destruction?"

Liaojie did not lift the hand pressed atop Benefactor Guihai's head, and answered Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou lightly.

"A blade is, after all, a weapon of ill omen. If it does not kill people, can it save them?"

Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou could not help but snort with laughter.

"It seems Mr. Liu Sheng has also fallen into the demonic path."

Liaojie shook his head and sighed as he spoke,

"So be it! Once I have redeemed Benefactor Guihai, I shall come redeem Mr. Liu Sheng as well."

"What a bald-headed rascal, to even dream of redeeming this old man."

Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou, hearing these words, was instantly filled with fury and drew his long blade at once,

"Since that is so, then do not blame this old man for disregarding martial virtue."

Saying so, Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou's figure moved in quick succession, continuing to charge at Liaojie to kill.

Liu Sheng Dan Ma Shou was a top-tier expert of You Dongying. His earlier battle with Duan Tianya and General Chilaowen had benefited him greatly.

His Wu Gong had long since achieved no small progress.

At this moment he had come prepared; seemingly it was a single thrust of the blade.