Mutated Tao

Underneath the five Buddha statues, two abbots wearing red robes were chanting while fiddling with their prayer beads.

One of them was the Abbot of the Liang Kingdom, whom Li Huowang had met before. His appearance was still as conspicuous as ever, with his distinct pink pupils. He had albinism, just like Bai Lingmiao.

The other abbot was ordinary, but he looked like the old monk’s illusion that was following Li Huowang around. He was none other than the Abbot of the Qi Kingdom’s Righteous Monastery. The last time Li Huowang had seen him was back in Cowheart Village, and he had visibly gained weight since then.

“Amitabha.”

“Amitabha.”

The two of them greeted and gestured to Li Huowang to sit down at the same time.

“Benefactor Li, it would be a little impolite not to burn some incense for Buddha since we’re at the temple,” the Abbot from the Qi Kingdom said.

Li Huowang looked at the five Buddhas when he raised his hands. Three lit incense sticks materialized as he prayed simply and stabbed the incense sticks into the hard stone floor, causing it to crack from the impact.

“It’s been a while, Abbot. I suppose you didn’t think that we would meet again after last time, did you?” Li Huowang asked the Abbot who tried to kill him previously.

He still remembered how the Abbot had tried to trick him into staying in the temple after coming out from the Zephyr Temple. When that failed, he even sent people to kill him.

It was only thanks to Dan Yangzi parasitizing his body that Li Huowang managed to survive.

“Amitabha. Those who become monks must put kindness and compassion first. I was trying to save more people that time.”

“Bullshit! You are a fake! I know what you were thinking. You wanted to kill me because I’m a Strayed One!”

“I am saving people. You are indeed a Strayed One, a being capable of harming many others. Benefactor Li, am I wrong? Did you not cause the death of many after you escaped?”

“Bullshit!”

Just as they were about to fight, the Abbot from the Qi Kingdom intervened. “Alright, that’s enough. There’s no need to bring up the past. Benefactor Li, why are you here today?”

Li Huowang really wanted to kill that baldy, but he needed to let the abbot live if he wanted to defeat the Dharma Sect. He couldn’t ignore the big picture and help the Dharma Sect by killing him.

Li Huowang shamelessly accepted Chan Du's offer to step down and let the matter rest. He was here to talk with them.

He looked at them and said, “Then I’ll get to the point. Did Xuan Pin speak to the Five Dhyani Buddhas through the Righteous Monastery?”

Li Huowang briefly explained why he was there. After explaining, he noticed a slight change in the faces of the two abbots. Li Huowang looked up and realized that the facial expressions of the five Buddha statues had also changed slightly.

Li Huowang stared at the Abbot from the Liang Kingdom while frowning. “Did Xuan Pin really not come here to talk with the Five Dhyani Buddhas? Or are you guys just as clueless as Zhang Tan?”

“No, the Chief did come here before, but he didn’t find him. He found me.” Li Huowang turned and looked at Chan Du, the Abbot from the Qi Kingdom.

“Xuan Pin did come to find me, and I helped him meet Buddha.”

“What did he say? How did Xuan Pin help the Five Dhyani Buddhas?” Li Huowang’s heart was pounding rapidly.

“I apologize, but I am unable to assist you with that. The secrets of the Buddha cannot be spilled. I naturally do not know what the Buddha has chosen to keep secret.”

Li Huowang gnashed his teeth. “You don’t know either?! Fine, let me meet the Five Dhyani Buddhas myself! Since Xuan Pin could meet them, I can too! Let me meet them!”

Li Huowang had just shouted when the Abbot from the Liang Kingdom admonished him, saying, “Preposterous! Do you think the Buddha is someone you can meet just because you want to?”

“I can’t meet them even if it’s to defeat the Dharma Sect? Weren’t you the one who said that those following the teachings of the Buddha should prioritize kindness and compassion? How many people can we save if we defeat the Dharma Sect? Won’t the Five Dhyani Buddhas meet me to help the people? Or did you bring up doing kind deeds just to justify killing me? Why aren’t you doing anything when there’s suddenly an opportunity to do an incredibly good deed?”

The Abbot from the Liang Kingdom replied, “No! I do not trust you. Buddha’s true form cannot be seen by just anyone. Who can take on the wrath of Buddha if we disturb them?”

“Senior, I am willing to shoulder their wrath should it come our way.” Chan Du’s words extinguished Li Huowang’s anger.

Li Huowang had anticipated they wouldn’t cooperate, but he never thought they would agree so quickly.

“Are you sure? You’re not fooling me, right?”

“Amitabha. Those following the teachings of the Buddha don't lie.”

Li Huowang liked the Abbot of the Qi Kingdom much better than the one from the Liang Kingdom. Their personalities were very different.

“Great, when should we start?”

“The ceremony requires a lot of preparation. Benefactor Li can rest for the night here. Both my senior and I will send you to Buddha tomorrow afternoon.”

“Alright! Let’s do this tomorrow!” Li Huowang stood up.

He was about to leave when he turned around. “Abbot, I hope that this won’t be like last time, right? Haha.”

Li Huowang opened his stomach and took out the spindle Zhuge Yuan had given him, which had been stuck to his intestines. He pulled it out along with a portion of his intestines.

He threw it onto the ground, and his identity as a Strayed One became as plain as day to the two abbots.

“I trust that you wouldn’t ignore the big picture while the Dharma Sect is still around. Also, I’m no longer a weakling who has to run away from every single enemy.”

Li Huowang left as the two abbots stared at the spindle in silence.

“Benefactor Li is paranoid.”

“I agree.”

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Li Huowang mumbled as he paced around the temple. This was the first time he would meet a Siming other than Ji Zai of his own accord, so he was nervous.

He recalled what he had seen in the Baiyu Capital and snarled. His body started trembling uncontrollably and his surroundings began to warp.