Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 366

Volume 3 - Chapter 84: Tearing Apart the Buddha Hall

"You are plotting to use the hands of the demons to overthrow Qiandao Palace?"

Li Hao narrowed his eyes, staring at the other party. Piecing together various clues, it became apparent that while the invasion of Great Yu by demons was a large-scale event, this Boundless Buddhist Lord had undoubtedly played a significant role in fueling the chaos.

With this, it was also clear why Feng Lao had been used to influence him.

As a child, the Buddhist Lord had used a mother and son as pawns, attempting to take control of the Divine General Mansion. Li Hao, a mere pebble at the time, had disrupted the plan, causing the poisonous pill to fail.

Now, with the power to safeguard Great Yu, he had become a major obstacle. The Buddhist Lord sought to ruin his relationship with the court through Feng Lao. The true target had always been the entire Divine Dynasty.

The Great Yu Divine Dynasty upheld Daoism as its state religion, with Qiandao Palace at the forefront of all Daoist temples, relegating Buddhism to second place.

Outwardly serene, Buddhism clearly aimed to claim the top position.

Hearing Li Hao's words, the Buddhist Lord merely smiled and said nothing.

"Get out of the way, bald donkey!"

At this moment, a furious shout came from outside.

...

A sharp wave of sword intent suddenly erupted as Jiang Lichen, the Ninth Prince, disheveled and wild-eyed, charged into the Buddha Hall.

When his gaze landed on the Buddhist Lord, seated calmly on the purple-gold lotus platform, his eyes narrowed slightly. With a cold laugh, he looked over at Li Hao.

"If you need my help, just say the word. I’ve been meaning to spar with him for a while. If not, how about letting me go first?"

The Buddhist Lord’s expression stiffened slightly at the sight of Jiang Lichen, his smile faltering as his brows subtly furrowed.

"And who are you to trespass into the Buddha Hall? Are you seeking death?"

A bodhisattva, who had hurried over in pursuit, growled in anger. His face flushed red with fury. It was bad enough to be suppressed earlier by Li Hao, given Li Hao’s supreme Tai Ping Dao Realm, but now this crazed fool had also barged into Boundless Mountain. Such humiliation had not been seen by the Buddhist Sect for centuries.

"You scrawny neck! You’re not even worthy of drinking from my sword. Get lost!"

Jiang Lichen dismissed the bodhisattva with a mere glance, ignoring him entirely. Resting his hand on his sword’s hilt, he fixed his gaze on the Buddhist Lord.

"You’re the second strongest under heaven. I’ve long wanted to test my blade against you. Before I was imprisoned, I wasn’t even qualified to draw my sword in your presence. But now I am!"

"Ninth Prince, mind your identity. If you draw your sword here, it will put His Majesty in a difficult position," the Buddhist Lord said solemnly.

Jiang Lichen sneered. "His difficulty is none of my concern. I act as I please. Who cares about this world!"

The Buddhist Lord’s eyes flickered, and he fell silent. The infamous "Sword Lunatic" lived up to his name, having once succumbed to demonic ways and slaughtered freely in the capital, causing countless civilian casualties. His actions were unpredictable.

"Why aren’t you making a move? What are you waiting for?" Jiang Lichen glanced at Li Hao, his eagerness to provoke evident.

He wasn’t here to assist; if anything, he thrived on chaos.

Li Hao remained silent. He was waiting—for Feng Lao. Without Feng Lao’s arrival, acting rashly could spell disaster.

The enemy had clearly set a trap and was lying in wait for him.

Suddenly, Li Hao’s expression changed drastically. He turned and bolted from the Buddha Hall.

On a mountainside of this sacred peak, a group of figures approached. They were dressed in luxurious robes adorned with exquisite jade ornaments, a mix of men, women, and children, chatting and laughing as they walked.

Leading them was Lin Wujing, gripping a bloodstained chain. Behind him, a broken, corpse-like figure was being dragged along.

That figure’s body emitted a faint red glow, emaciated and covered in blood, with two hollow sockets where eyes should have been. Its aura was feeble, its condition pitiable.

A thunderous roar erupted in Li Hao’s mind, leaving it blank for a moment.

"General Haotian, is this thief truly worth absolving of his crimes?"

Lin Wujing addressed Li Hao in a loud voice as he stood before the Buddha Hall.

The group of men and women behind him ceased their conversation, their smiles vanishing as they turned their attention to the young man before the hall.

They had come as witnesses. Should this youth defend the great thief, they would report him to the court.

"So that’s General Haotian? So young..."

"General Haotian, think this through carefully..."

Before the second noble could finish speaking, his head suddenly exploded.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

One after another, the dozens of once-laughing individuals were reduced to blood mist and gore in an instant.

Their divine souls barely had time to react, their shock rendering them unable to flee. Yet they wouldn’t have had the chance—each soul extinguished like a dying ember.

...

It was as if giant hands had crushed them directly.

Lin Wujing froze, stunned, as the blood sprayed across him, dyeing his monk robes and bald head crimson.

As reality sank in, he turned to flee in terror. But in the next instant, his body was ripped apart!

"Lord Buddha, save..."

Lin Wujing’s divine soul tried to escape and cry for help, but it too was shredded and obliterated!

Only an elderly figure remained standing on the blood-soaked stone path.

The two bodhisattvas at the Buddha Hall’s entrance were rooted in place, their eyes narrowing as they watched the youth’s trembling figure walking toward the elder.

Every step seemed to press the entire sacred mountain lower.

A terrifying aura radiated from him, suffocating, as though a primordial beast had passed by, forcing them to hold their breath.

"Feng Lao..."

Li Hao’s voice trembled, his throat hoarse, tears of blood streaming from his eyes.

The once-dashing Saint of Thieves, reduced to such a state, stripped of all dignity!

Reaching Feng Lao, Li Hao knelt and carefully cradled his broken body, tearing his own robes to cover him.

"Feng Lao..."

Li Hao choked, his voice caught like magma in his throat.

Feng Lao stirred faintly, sensing something. He raised his head in an attempt to see Li Hao’s face, but his empty, bloodied sockets gazed into nothingness.

His hand lifted, trembling, and touched Li Hao’s cheek, recognizing the youth by feel.

He paused, his blackened mouth opening wordlessly, his tongue and teeth missing. Yet his lips seemed to form the words, "Run..."

Li Hao noticed that Feng Lao's body was covered in wounds. The blood seeping from these injuries carried a dark purple hue, which seemed to poison the flesh and prevent healing. This venom also sealed Feng Lao's divine soul, cutting him off from any external perception.

Such ruthless methods were rare even in the Bureau of Punishment!

"Zhu Huo Shen!"

Li Hao felt his blood surge to his head, his mind teetering on the verge of explosion. Yet, his voice dropped to a low rasp, coarse as grinding stone.

From outside the Buddha Hall, the Candlefire God approached swiftly and stood by Li Hao's side.

"Xiyan, take care of the old man for me," Li Hao said, his body trembling slightly.

The red bracelet on Li Hao’s wrist shifted as Xiyan emerged from it. She seemed to understand the gravity of the situation and knew her presence might disrupt him.

"You must be careful," Xiyan said with concern.

Li Hao didn’t reply. Instead, he slowly stood.

As he rose, the winds across the sacred mountain fell eerily silent, as though the entire world was holding its breath.

The Candlefire God spoke no further. He gently lifted Feng Lao’s frail body onto his back while Xiyan climbed up to accompany them. Together, they soared away from the sacred mountain, keeping a safe distance to avoid the coming battle.

Li Hao raised his head, the blood tears in his eyes finally ceasing. He looked toward the grand and imposing Buddha Hall.

With that single motion, a surge of overwhelming might swept outward, rushing toward the Buddha Hall!

The two bodhisattvas at the entrance had their pupils constrict in terror. Heartbeats quickened as a sense of impending death gripped them, forcing them to retreat.

"Fo Zhu!"

Li Hao’s voice roared like thunder as his hair flew wildly around him. His shout was like a beast’s roar, filled with uncontainable fury.

"Get out here!"

The Ninefold Dao Domain erupted from his body, tearing through the void and hurtling toward the Buddha Hall with unstoppable force.

The two bodhisattvas bore the brunt of the attack and were moments away from being ripped apart. But suddenly, another powerful Dao Domain extended from within the hall, clashing against Li Hao’s.

At the point of impact, the space itself seemed to split apart, creating two distinct, chaotic realms. Beneath the crushing force, the ground outside the Buddha Hall cracked and crumbled, but the hall itself stood firm.

Li Hao’s Ninefold Dao Domain was held at bay.

In the next instant, however, the Tenth Dao Domain emerged, its oppressive might surpassing all before it.

During his time at the Lingyuan Pavilion in Youzhou’s Xia family, Li Hao had absorbed countless advanced techniques, perfecting his Dao mastery to unimaginable levels.

With a deafening crash, the immense power emanating from the Buddha Hall was overwhelmed. As Li Hao took another step forward, the ancient structure, standing for millennia, violently exploded!

The once-majestic Buddha Hall was reduced to rubble, exposing the spiritual realm within, shrouded in a white mist.

Amid the ruins, the Boundless Buddhist Lord remained seated on the purple-gold lotus platform, his expression unperturbed, though his eyes betrayed a hint of surprise.

"It seems you have succumbed to the demonic path."

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