Chapitre 151: Chapter 287: But I Refuse!
Emperor Yu sipped his tea, the flavor decent but lacking the exquisite taste of the cloud mist tea exclusively supplied to the imperial palace. Nonetheless, it possessed a natural sweetness unique to the mountains.
"You seem rather carefree," Emperor Yu chuckled.
"I've grown accustomed to the ways of the world, and my heart is now at peace everywhere," Li Hao replied with a casual smile.
Poetry and Literature Experience +66.
Emperor Yu paused slightly, glancing at Li Hao and reflecting on the youth's circumstances, his eyes flickering with a hint of complexity.
"No wonder those stubborn old bones in the Hanlin Palace all adore you so much."
It was a statement that seemed to be both a sigh and an exclamation.
Li Hao was taken aback, for the Hanlin Palace was a gathering place for literary scholars, and he didn't recall having much interaction with them.
"Come, let's see if your chess skills have improved, or if you're just putting on a show," Emperor Yu said half-jokingly as he lifted his robe and sat on a meditation cushion.
Noticing the emperor's manner, Li Hao straightened his posture. He knew that the emperor's visit was about more than just a game of chess, and his own journey here had also brought him the answers he had been waiting for.
However, these answers ran deeper and carried more weight than he had anticipated, leaving him with a sense of shame.
The two men slowly made their moves, with Li Hao taking the white pieces.
"You better not let me win, I don't need any handouts," Emperor Yu said as he picked up a black piece.
Li Hao nodded, "I wouldn't dare."
Soon, the white pieces on the board launched a fierce offense, quickly seizing the initiative and forming an impregnable formation. The black pieces could only retreat, falling further and further behind as they were surrounded by the onslaught of white.
"You little..."
Emperor Yu narrowed his eyes, impressed. "You really didn't hold back, despite saying you wouldn't."
Li Hao gave a slight cough, perhaps realizing he had been too serious. Having reached the sixth level in the Way of Chess, he had just achieved this rank and his experience was not yet fully honed. But even at the fifth level, he had been able to easily defeat this emperor.
"Again," Emperor Yu said, clearly not one to admit defeat. Or perhaps, he had never experienced loss since ascending the throne... except when playing against Li Hao.
Three games in a row, Li Hao deliberately held back, allowing the emperor to experience the joy of competition rather than a crushing defeat.
Soon enough, Emperor Yu's craving for chess was satisfied.
In the fourth game, his expression lost its previous intensity, and as he placed a piece, he casually asked, "Have you considered the consequences of killing the Buddha?"
Li Hao, adept at the game, noticed the older man bringing up serious matters. He composed himself and replied, "I have."
"Oh? And what are your thoughts?" Emperor Yu inquired, intrigued, as he placed another piece.
"I believe, Senior, that you might have a headache trying to deal with the mess I've created," Li Hao sighed.
Emperor Yu paused, then asked, "And what do you think I should do?"
Li Hao shook his head, "I haven't thought that deeply about it."
"You haven't thought deeply about it?"
"Well, no matter what you decide, I will accept it gracefully."
Li Hao added, "As long as you don't take my life."
"..."
Emperor Yu stared at the earnest youth for a moment, a mix of emotions playing on his face.
"You're certainly confident. Aren't you worried that the Buddhist sect will pressure me, and that to calm the anger of the masses, I might strip you of your titles and revoke the third-rank peerage you worked so hard to attain?"
"If it's just that, then killing the Buddha was still worth it," Li Hao said.
Emperor Yu was left speechless, and he huffed, "You're really something else."
"I forsake the fleeting pleasures of this world for the eternal freedom of the heavens," Li Hao smiled. "I came into this world alone, with nothing to hold me back. Good wine, good meat, and good company are all I need."
Poetry and Literature Experience +166.
"That's a Zen saying, isn't it? If the Buddha had been able to comprehend that, perhaps he wouldn't have fallen to your blade," Emperor Yu shook his head.
"Perhaps his cultivation was insufficient," Li Hao offered.
Emperor Yu glanced at him, and they shared a look before bursting into laughter.
After their laughter subsided, Emperor Yu said to Li Hao, "If I were to take back your titles and peerage, would you resent me?"
Li Hao shook his head and quietly placed a piece, blocking one of the emperor's paths, "How could I? Those were your gifts to me."
"But they were also rewards for your hard work," Emperor Yu pointed out.
"Without those titles, I would still work just as hard," Li Hao stated.
Emperor Yu looked at him, a smile tugging at his lips, and placed his piece. But as he finished his move, he noticed that Li Hao had slyly placed a piece earlier, blocking another one of his paths.
That little rascal... Emperor Yu was exasperated. They were supposed to be discussing serious matters, yet this young man was still pulling tricks on the chessboard.
"Enough!" Emperor Yu exclaimed, tossing the black piece he was holding into the chess box and slamming his sleeve on the table. "Let's get down to business. In fact, I should be thanking you. The Buddha had already fallen to demonic ways, and your actions have removed a potential threat to the Great Yu Dynasty."
Li Hao was taken aback, "Senior, did you know that the Buddha's doppelganger was Mara?"
Emperor Yu nodded slightly, looking at Li Hao, "It seems you knew as well. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Forget it? This kid was clearly worried about voicing his concerns and making the Emperor's decision even more difficult...
"You..." Emperor Yu shook his head slightly. "This time, the remnants of the Buddhist sect are pressuring me to strip you of your titles. There are likely demons behind the scenes, pushing for this and trying to create a rift so they can take advantage of our weakness."
"There is one way to handle this, but it will require temporarily putting you in a difficult position. I will announce to the world that I am revoking your titles and confining you to prison, feigning a rift between us."
"This will attract the demons to counterattack, and by waiting for the Buddhist sect to create chaos, we can turn the tables on them."
Li Hao listened quietly, nodding slightly. This was indeed a good strategy.
"However, if we go through with this, we must commit fully to the act, and you will have to endure some hardships," Emperor Yu said, looking at Li Hao.
Li Hao nodded. "I understand."
Emperor Yu gazed at him intently and asked, "After this is over, what do you want as compensation?"
"Compensation?"
Li Hao thought for a moment. "If possible, I would like some famous masters' calligraphy and paintings, musical scores or chess manuals to study, and also some culinary recipes..."
He counted off these requests on his fingers.
"... "
Emperor Yu fell silent.
Calligraphy and paintings? Musical scores? Chess manuals? These were all trivial things. While they might be valuable to wealthy merchants, to someone like Li Hao with his level of power, wealth and influence were already within easy reach.
These requests... they were practically worthless.
"Aside from these, is there anything else you desire?" Emperor Yu asked, his eyes fixed on Li Hao.
Li Hao thought for a moment and shook his head. "Not for now."
Emperor Yu looked at him deeply, then rose to his feet. "It's getting late. I should be going."
"I'll see you out," Li Hao said hastily.
"No need," Emperor Yu said, glancing at Feng Bo Ping in the courtyard. His eyes flickered as he asked, "Is he the Thief Saint? It seems he knows quite a few of Buddha's secrets, and Buddha has tampered with his soul, causing a soul deficiency?"
"Yes," Li Hao replied softly.
Emperor Yu patted Li Hao's shoulder. "I'll speak to the Wang family about this. They manage the Underworld River throughout the Great Yu Dynasty, so as long as Feng Bo Ping's soul is within our borders, we should be able to find it. Then we can try to pass through the levels and retrieve it."
Li Hao was taken aback. "I'll go there now!"
Emperor Yu looked at him, seeing the eagerness in his eyes, and smiled helplessly. "There's no rush. The Wang family has many Buddhist disciples, and if they find out you're involved, they might act foolishly out of offense and create more conflict. It's better to wait until we have news, and then I'll notify you so you can go directly there."
Li Hao considered this and nodded. "Alright."
"Rest assured, I'll have them search thoroughly," Emperor Yu assured him. With that, he turned and left the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back.
Li Hao watched as the Emperor's figure disappeared from view, having vanished with a speed akin to teleportation just beyond the courtyard.
That trace... it wasn't guided by the Dao's pull, nor was it a manifestation of a Dao domain, but... the aura of the Great Dao itself.
Could this Emperor be at the Realm of Enlightenment?
Li Hao was slightly stunned, but then he thought again and felt relieved.
If the Buddha could hide so deeply, who else might have their secrets?
As the courtyard gate closed, Ren Qianqian approached curiously and asked, "Young Master, who was that?"
"An elderly man who plays chess," Li Hao replied, his gaze still fixed on the direction Emperor Yu had left.
"Is he very good at chess?" Qianqian asked, surprised, as Li Hao had never praised the Little Chess Saint in such a way before.
"His skill is average, but his character is admirable," Li Hao said.
"So, Young Master, you've been losing to him?"
"No, I've been losing on purpose."
...
...
In the Great Yu State, within the imperial city of the Emperor's palace.
As Chu Jiuyue anxiously awaited, Emperor Yu returned.
He first went to the Qian Dao Palace to confirm the answer, and then sent someone to notify the Wang family to search for Feng Bo Ping's missing soul in the Underworld River. At the same time, he summoned several secretive individuals to the imperial palace.
These people moved silently, like ghosts, and were never seen by the high-ranking officials and ministers.
Among them was a bird-like figure that landed in the imperial palace and transformed into a young girl after retracting its wings.
As one secret order after another was issued, the entire power behind the Shen Dynasty began to operate quietly, with the imperial palace at its center.
"Your Majesty, the Buddhist sect's spies have reported that they plan to create a disturbance in various cities and make a big fuss to pressure Your Majesty," Chu Jiuyue reported the news he had received.
Earlier, during the court session, Emperor Yu had temporarily suppressed the Buddhist sect's resistance, but the sect was now agitated and insisted on a public explanation.
Hearing Chu Jiuyue's words, Emperor Yu's expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected this. A cold smile played at the corners of his mouth as he said, "Let them create a ruckus. They will soon get the answer they desire.
Hearing this answer, though expected, Chu Jiuyue couldn't help but smile bitterly. If the Buddhist disciples were to find out, they would probably be so furious that they'd have a stroke on the spot.
"Then, as for General Haotian..." Chu Jiuyue trailed off.
Emperor Yu glanced at him and smiled faintly. "I offered him a solution, the kind that the Buddhist sect has been longing for."
Chu Jiuyue's expression changed slightly, and he asked with anticipation, "Did General Haotian agree?"
Emperor Yu nodded. "He agreed without hesitation."
Chu Jiuyue was taken aback for a moment before secretly letting out a sigh of relief. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "If General Haotian can understand Your Majesty's difficulties and intentions, that would be the best outcome."
A slight smile appeared on Emperor Yu's face as he stared at the character 'Buddha' on the desk, but his eyes gradually turned cold:
"But I refuse."
Chu Jiuyue was stunned.
"He's willing to endure this grievance, but I... I don't want to see him wronged!" Emperor Yu turned to look at Chu Jiuyue and said, "You asked me earlier why I was so assured about him. It's because I understand that child."
Emperor Yu continued in a soft voice, "You don't understand him. It's like mayflies gazing at the vast sky; your world is too small, while that child's world is too vast."
Chu Jiuyue's heart trembled. He hadn't expected Emperor Yu to value that child to such an extent, surpassing his imagination.
...
...
Just as the Buddhist disciples in the various cities of the Ten Jiu States were about to stir up trouble, an imperial decree was issued from the imperial palace of the Great Yu State, announcing that the true culprit behind the killing of the Buddha Master had been found! Both the Ministry of Justice and the Monster Suppression Department had investigated and confirmed the identity of the murderer.
The culprit was none other than the Demon Emperor from the Great Wilderness Heaven, the leader of the seven top demonic forces!
The wars in Qingzhou, Liangzhou, Youzhou, and other states were all instigated by the Demon Emperor! He had infiltrated Wuliang Mountain, impersonated General Haotian, and fought with the Buddha Master, ultimately slaying him!
As the news spread along with the imperial decree, it shook the entire world.
Previously, the Great Yu Dynasty had been engaging in covert battles with the demonic forces, but now, Emperor Yu had brought the matter to light, directly pointing out the existence of the Demon Emperor.
"The Demon Emperor? The Lord of Chaos?!
"I knew it! How could General Haotian possibly kill the Buddha Master for the sake of a Thief Saint?"
"It turns out that it was all the doing of the demonic forces! How despicable! They used such a scheme to frame General Haotian!"
"General Haotian is a genius who saved three states. He is the hope of our Great Yu Divine Dynasty for the future. How could he possibly do such a thing?"
"The Buddhist disciples claim that they witnessed it with their own eyes. How laughable! Does seeing something with your own eyes make it the truth? What about illusions created by demonic arts? Not to mention demonic forces, even a Divine Traveler could use illusionary techniques to deceive and manipulate a Heavenly Connection Realm warrior!"
"Nonsense! It's clearly His Majesty covering up for someone! There are no demonic forces involved!"
"I think your Buddhist sect is the demonic force here. Why would General Haotian kill the Buddha Master? What reason would he have to do such a thing?"
The prestige of the Great Yu Imperial Family ran deep. Although there were still some skeptics, they were mostly Buddhist disciples. The common people, noble families, and government officials of the Nineteen States mostly believed that the demonic forces were responsible.
The common people's belief stemmed from their trust in the imperial power and their faith in Li Hao's previous remarkable deeds.
As for the noble families and government officials, some trusted the imperial power, while others believed in pure self-interest.
They couldn't see any benefit for General Haotian in killing the Buddha Master, which made them have no choice but to believe.
When the high-ranking members of the Buddhist sect received this news, they were so furious that they almost exploded with rage.
Not only did the Emperor refuse to help them seek justice for the Buddha Master's death, but he also intended to use the Buddhist sect as a tool to eliminate the demonic forces and defend the Great Yu Dynasty?
This Emperor was truly ruthless and vicious!
The news naturally reached the demonic forces as well, spreading to a secret palace outside the Great Yu State.
Upon hearing this news, the three Lords of Chaos—the Demon Sheep Venerable, the Demon Phoenix Venerable, and the Demon Tiger Venerable—were stunned, their faces turning grim.
The human race only saw the clever way this Emperor shifted the blame for the Buddha Master's death, but they knew that this decree was not just to absolve that fearsome youth. It was... a direct declaration of war against them!
It meant that the opportunity they had been waiting for did not exist.
They had anticipated the possibility of a feigned rift and had devised countermeasures to turn the tables.
However, this Emperor didn't even bother with pretenses. He didn't give them an opening to exploit and instead redirected the fury of the Buddhist sect toward the demonic forces, using the Buddhist sect's anger as a shield to defend the Great Yu Dynasty.
"Damn it!" The Demon Sheep Venerable exclaimed, his face twisted in anger.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone