Capítulo 147: Chapter 283: A Millennium of Glory
In Qingzhou, within the Divine General Mansion...
The group, who had been the first to receive the news, was utterly shocked.
They had just heard that Mount Wuliang intended to execute the Saint of Thieves, and now, in the blink of an eye, the Buddha Lord had been slain?
And it had happened on Spirit Mountain. Who dared to be so bold and ruthless?
Before long, LiMuxiu also returned to the Divine General Mansion, bringing second-hand news.
Originally, he had planned to forsake everything to go and rescue the Saint of Thieves. Now that LiHao had taken care of the matter, he saw no need to stick to his original plan, as the Divine General Mansion still needed his protection.
Upon LiMuxiu's return, the group hurriedly asked for more details, concerned about any potential connection to him.
After the battle in Qingzhou City, they had learned that LiMuxiu had reached the Half-step Dao Realm, but he had hidden his strength for many years, and they were unsure if he had any other tricks up his sleeve.
The Buddha Lord was at the Taiping Dao Realm, and while there was a gap between that and the Half-step Dao Realm, only their Second Uncle truly knew how vast that gap was.
LiMuxiu could guess what the group was thinking, and he let out a bitter laugh in his mind. He didn't hide the truth from them and explained what had happened.
Although he had arrived late, he could sense that the destruction at the scene was far beyond what someone at the Taiping Dao Realm could achieve.
Moreover, given LiHao's strength, if he had wanted to kill someone at the Taiping Dao Realm, he wouldn't have made such a big production out of it. Most likely, he would have done it instantly, just like how LiHao had suppressed the two demon leaders in Qingzhou City, not even giving them a chance to stand before him.
With this, the answer was unquestionable.
The Buddha Lord had been hiding his strength, and he had actually already reached the Realm of Hearing the Dao!
LiMuxiu was astonished by this revelation, but at the same time, he felt that it made sense.
After all, it had been a long time since they had seen the Buddha Lord take action, and who could know if he had secretly broken through?
"What? It was Hao'er who did this?"
"He killed the Buddha Lord?"
"And the Buddha Lord had reached the Realm of Hearing the Dao?"
As LiMuxiu relayed this information, LiXuanli, HeJianlan, and the others were stunned, their eyes wide with shock as they looked at him.
The Buddha Lord, who had attained the Realm of Hearing the Dao, had been killed by LiHao!
Previously, when LiHao had suppressed the two demon leaders outside Qingzhou City, he had already blown them away. But now, in just a short while, he had actually slain the Buddha Lord?
This was someone in the Realm of Hearing the Dao! That cultivator from Qiandao Palace had only reached the same realm!
Didn't this mean that LiHao possessed the power to rival that cultivator?
"Why would Hao'er do this? Although the Buddhist sect has been making some small moves, the Buddha Lord hasn't really done anything outrageous. At the very least, no one has been able to catch him red-handed. Why would Hao'er kill him?"
HeJianlan, after her initial shock, asked with a puzzled expression.
After all, Mount Wuliang was a righteous force with extensive connections and good relations. They rarely made enemies.
However, LiTiangang, who was among the crowd, had a dazed look on his face, and his expression soon turned grim.
LiMuxiu also knew that, at this point, some things had to be said outright. With a sigh, he explained, "It was to save the Saint of Thieves. The Saint has a debt of gratitude towards Hao'er."
Everyone was stunned for a moment, taken aback by this revelation.
The Buddha Lord had been killed for the Saint of Thieves?
"Will the Buddhist sect let this go? While there aren't many Buddhist disciples in the Fan Tian Di Jie, it's possible to eliminate them, but there are Buddhist temples and believers in each of the Ten-Plus-Nine States. Won't they create chaos? The people of the various states will suffer."
Xiaoyujing couldn't help but ask, as she had taken up vegetarianism and recited Buddhist scriptures after her husband's death, and she was well aware of the Buddhist sect's immense influence and vast numbers.
"I knew it! I knew he would eventually cause a huge disaster!"
LiTiangang suddenly gritted his teeth and said.
Hearing this, the others were taken aback, and HeJianlan frowned, "What do you mean by that? While Hao'er's actions may have been impulsive, he was repaying a debt of gratitude."
"Repaying a debt of gratitude? You're still taking his side?"
LiTiangang's expression turned ugly, and he said, "Does repaying a debt of gratitude justify killing innocent people? Does it justify such extreme behavior? Now that he has killed the Buddha Lord, unless he is strong enough to rival a True Person, he will surely suffer the consequences. He might even bring calamity to the Great Yu Dynasty!"
"Tiangang, is it that serious?" asked JiQingqing.
LiXuanli wanted to say something, but then he seemed to think of something, and his expression changed slightly.
LiTiangang looked at the frowning HeJianlan and the others, and he let out a self-deprecating laugh, "You guys are too simple! His current strength is indeed comparable to that True Person, but the Buddha Lord was hiding his strength. What if that True Person is also stronger than he lets on? There are two levels within the Realm of Hearing the Dao: the lower level is the True Person realm, and the upper level is the Dao Fa realm!"
"The Buddha Lord has never clashed with the Taoist sect all these years. He has only been competing secretly because he wasn't confident he could defeat the True Person!"
"This also implies that the True Person has likely already reached the Dao Fa realm. After all, a long, long time ago, back in the era of the previous emperor, he had already become a True Person..."
Upon hearing LiTiangang's words, the group was taken aback. They had just learned about the specifics of the Realm of Hearing the Dao, as they were far from attaining such a realm themselves.
He Jianlan frowned and asked, "Are you suggesting that the court will seek to kill Hao'er in revenge for the slain Buddha Lord?"
With a cold smile, Li Tiangang replied, "Sister-in-law, you womenfolk think too simplistically. The heart of the emperor is inscrutable. Hao'er dared to brazenly slay the Buddha Lord. How can the emperor not worry that he will one day usurp the throne?"
At these words, everyone's expressions changed, and they exchanged glances, feeling a chill in their hearts.
Indeed, the heart of an emperor was unpredictable, and serving by his side was akin to serving a tiger.
Although the current emperor doted on Li Hao immensely, what if Li Hao became a threat to his rule?
Not just outsiders, even if it were his own flesh and blood who held military power and could threaten his reign, wouldn't he move to suppress them beforehand?
No wonder Li Tiangang said that unless Li Hao could match the strength of that True Man, if the emperor truly harbored ill intentions, sending that True Man to deal with Li Hao would leave the outcome uncertain, and they would not be able to predict who would emerge victorious.
"If the emperor deploys the True Man, there are only two possible outcomes. Either the True Man loses, and Hao'er wins, but what kind of person is he? He even dared to draw his sword against me when I reprimanded him. If the emperor treats him in such a way, do you think he will spare the emperor?" Li Tiangang fixed his gaze on the group.
The faces of the group turned grim as they considered this possibility.
"Hao'er is clear about his loyalties and grudges, and he's not as you describe..." He Jianlan gritted her teeth and retorted.
Li Tiangang's expression darkened as he shot her a glance, then continued, "If he loses, he either escapes by some stroke of luck, or he dies! Regardless of the outcome, neither is what we want to see, but now, he's left with only these two choices!"
As he spoke, anger and self-reproach flashed in his eyes.
Hearing Li Tiangang's words, the others fell into deep thought.
"But Hao'er is so powerful, intelligent, and full of potential. His future prospects are bound to be even more impressive than that True Man. Such a talented individual is the pride and hope of our human race. We should be trying to win him over, not plotting against him. Surely the emperor isn't as foolish as you make him out to be?" He Jianlan argued, glancing at her ninth sister-in-law, Jiang Xian'er.
Jiang Xian'er shook her head slightly, indicating that she didn't mind the discussion and added her thoughts, "I also believe Father Emperor wouldn't do such a thing. Hao'er has a pure heart. At the age of fourteen, he protected an entire city, and now, with his illustrious military achievements, he's a third-rank duke. Father Emperor wouldn't treat him like that; he would only honor him as a distinguished guest!"
Li Tiangang glanced at her, knowing that this ninth sister-in-law truly regarded him as family, which was why he didn't hold back when speaking about these matters in front of her.
"I hope so, too. After all, we are surrounded by demons and monsters, and we can't afford internal strife, especially not at this level." As Li Tiangang spoke, his eyes flashed with hatred, and he clenched his fists.
"If I had known this would happen, I should have just killed that thief back then at the border!"
"If not for the fact that he protected us and I momentarily softened my heart... we wouldn't be facing all these troubles now. At most, I would have borne the reputation of being ungrateful!"
"You knew this all along?"
The group stared at him in surprise.
Li Tiangang didn't respond to their questioning gaze but instead turned to look at LiMuxiu, his eyes flashing with anger.
LiMuxiu met his gaze, his expression turning grim as he furrowed his brows, choosing to remain silent.
He was still pondering Li Tiangang's earlier words about the emperor. Did he truly not share blood ties with Li Hao? How would the emperor react to this matter?
As officials and generals, they all understood the dangers of outshining one's master. While LiMuxiu was happy for Li Hao's achievements, he felt no jealousy. However, he couldn't be sure about outsiders.
The emperor's heart was a mystery to him as well, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of worry.
If Li Hao won, there would be no issues, and he believed he could persuade Li Hao to let go of any grudges. But if he lost, Li Hao would be in grave danger.
"The Buddhist sect has many disciples, and they even have influence in the imperial court. If they pressure the emperor or manipulate him into suspecting Hao'er, that would spell big trouble!" Li Tiangang said in a low voice.
Hearing these words, Ji Qingqing's face turned pale, and she suddenly thought of something. She turned to Li Xuanli and said, "Fifth brother, why don't you go to the imperial court and plead with the emperor on Hao'er's behalf? Tell him about Hao'er's inherent goodness and that he would never rebel, even if he possesses a powerful sword."
Li Xuanli quickly replied, "Sister-in-law, please don't worry. I will definitely help with this matter. Hao'er saved my life, and he has also shown kindness to our Li family. We will do everything in our power to assist him."
Li Tiangang also pulled his wife, Ji Qingqing, closer and said, "Qingqing, don't put fifth brother in a difficult position. It's not easy being the true dragon. Let fifth brother decide for himself."
"Are you still blaming us?" He Jianlan furiously retorted. "If not for Hao'er, a major disaster would have befallen Qingzhou already!"
"Wait until I discipline him properly. He can still save Qingzhou. How could my discipline diminish his talent? With his qualifications, isn't it because of the combination of my bloodline with Qingqing's?" Li Tiangang said coldly, his face expressionless.
He Jianlan's face darkened as she struggled to find a rebuttal to this.
"I'll go to the imperial capital and ask my brothers to plead with the Emperor to show mercy and put in a good word for Hao'er, hoping that he will be able to offset his crimes with his achievements," Jiang Xian'er said, her voice determined as she lifted her skirt and turned to leave the hall.
"At this point, we can only hope that His Majesty will show mercy," LiMuxiu said, his eyes flashing with uncertainty. "Don't think too extremely; that True Man may not take action."
The group was taken aback, their eyes filled with confusion as they looked at him.
LiMuxiu's eyes narrowed as he spoke in a low voice, "Haven't you noticed that the True Man hasn't shown himself in a long time? With constant demon disasters in the various states, he hasn't lifted a finger to help. He didn't come to Liangzhou or Qingzhou, nor did he appear in Youzhou..."
As they heard his words, the group's pupils contracted, and their hearts filled with shock.
"Could it be that..." Li Xuanli's voice trembled.
LiMuxiu shook his head. "It won't come to that. Ever since the battle in Qingzhou City, when those two Wild God avatars appeared, I've had a hunch about why the True Man hasn't shown himself. Those Wild Gods are probably keeping an eye on the imperial palace. If he leaves, the entire imperial city will be doomed!"
The group fell silent for a moment before inhaling sharply.
So that was it.
"Does that mean His Majesty won't easily ask the True Man to take action?" Princess Qingqing asked, her eyes brightening with hope.
LiMuxiu nodded slightly. "Most likely, but one can never predict the human heart. I don't dare gamble with Hao'er's life. The safest option is still to have someone plead for mercy and appeal to the Li family's reputation. His Majesty should consider our status, especially since the True Man would also be injured if Hao'er were truly killed. If the demons and monsters take advantage of the situation to invade, and our Li family holds a grudge over this matter and refuses to lend our strength, it could lead to even worse outcomes..."
"His Majesty should be able to weigh this matter carefully," the group said, their voices filled with relief.
"If Hao'er wins, that would be the best outcome. But at that time, the demons and monsters will also take advantage of the chaos," LiMuxiu continued. "Regardless, we must do our best to avoid this battle, or the common people will suffer."
The group nodded in agreement. Indeed, soldiers and civilians bore the brunt of the suffering during wars.
"But what if we plead for mercy now, and His Majesty appears to agree, but secretly harbors resentment and targets Hao'er in the future?" Wang Xiangru interjected, her face cold. "In that case, our Li family's millennium of glory will be buried along with it."
The group's expressions shifted, and LiMuxiu's eyes narrowed as he said, "Don't forget, you also owe Hao'er a debt of gratitude."
"If anyone owes him, it's you all, not me," Wang Xiangru snapped. "My father also came to Qingzhou, just a little later than the rest of you. Besides, he has already severed his ties with the Li family; he is no longer one of us. This is a mess of his own making."
Li Tiangang lowered his head, ashamed. "I apologize on behalf of Hao'er for my failure to discipline him properly, sister-in-law."
"Hmph," Wang Xiangru turned away.
"There's no need to be so pessimistic," Gao Qingqing said, trying to comfort the group. "Perhaps we're overthinking this. His Majesty is not a fool; he understands righteousness and reason. It wouldn't be beneficial for him to target Hao'er at this time."
LiMuxiu's eyes flickered, and he added, "The Buddhist sect has deep roots, and perhaps His Majesty has already grown tired of their influence. He might even be grateful to Hao'er for taking action."
Li Tiangang snorted coldly. "Even if that's the case, Hao'er's reckless behavior might still cause fear and suspicion."
The group fell silent, their eyes filled with worry. Everything now depended on whether the Emperor would suspect Li Hao of disloyalty and whether he felt threatened by his power.
How much of the Emperor's favor towards Li Hao was genuine?
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