bullyxtreme Chapter 188 Observing from the Sidelines and Discussing Cause and Effect (7)
Chapter 188 Observing from the Sidelines and Discussing Cause and Effect (7)
Tai Chi Hall.
Li Tingyun had set up eight hidden spaces within the restricted area of the main hall according to the "Eight Trigrams of the Primordial Heaven".
The eight trigram positions are numerous and spacious, but they are all underdeveloped. Apart from the bedroom in the Heavenly Stem position and the alchemy room in the Firely position, the other places have not been well-maintained.
Even the alchemy room and bedroom were decorated in a very simple manner, comparable to a cold and lifeless tomb, with a faint sense of death.
In comparison, the Dui Ze position is the most popular.
This divination position is also known as "Blood Marsh". As the name suggests, there must be a large area of blood-red water here. Indeed, Li Tingyun always liked to bring people here, kill them first and then slaughter them. He didn't know how many people's blood he had drawn, and a blood marsh was naturally formed here.
As soon as you step into the Dui Ze position, you'll hear the wailing of wronged souls in every nook and cranny, making it a lively and bustling place.
Alas, without realizing it, he had become the very thing he hated most as a child—the blood swamp at this moment was even worse than the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, and the spirit-locking array that the evil Taoist had created in the Four Knowledge Hall back then.
Too many evil spirits can easily cause complications and all sorts of trouble, such as the escape of the dead or the mutation of corpses... Li Tingyun was not worried at all.
He dared to say that no one in the world could break the restrictions surrounding the Taiji Hall!
Whether you try to escape or try to break in, you're doomed either way.
He was not afraid of the consequences if such a place were discovered by cultivators. As a demon who carried out blood sacrifices in broad daylight, he did all his evil deeds openly and honestly, without any secrets.
He's not afraid of anything!
Is there anyone in the world who can control him?!
No, haha.
The four Penglai elders who had been captured and brought here lay trembling by the blood-soaked swamp, not daring to lift their heads, let alone open their eyes to see how Li Tingyun crushed the vengeful spirits one by one.
The human soul shines.
Even if one lives a life worse than a rat in a ditch, a life of mediocrity and despair, in the instant one's soul dissipates, it is like a dazzling display of lights, magnificent and colorful.
Li Tingyun casually wiped out a wave of undead, the noise around him vanishing in an instant. He asked in an extremely relaxed tone:
"Your Penglai Sect Leader, Monk Liaoran, is an 'old acquaintance' of mine. Did you know that?"
There was not a trace of imposing presence.
It was like chatting with them, talking about everyday things.
That's even more terrifying!
The four elders exchanged glances. One of them wiped the cold sweat from his brow and replied, "We... naturally know. The sect leader was originally the abbot of the 'Qingliang Gate' of the Chan sect, with the Dharma name 'Liaoran.' He was a prominent figure in Buddhism. He fled to Penglai Continent to seek refuge..."
Those who survive for more than twelve hours after falling into the hands of the Taiji Palace Master usually possess two characteristics.
First, it has value; second, it is pragmatic.
Li Tingyun continued slowly and deliberately:
"What trouble is that bald monk trying to avoid, and why is he running away?"
This can truly be described as "asking a question one already knows the answer to".
Who in the world could know the ins and outs of this matter better than he himself?!
The elders looked at each other, none of them daring to answer.
"say!"
A gust of wind swept by, knocking them over and causing them to fall flat on their faces.
"What we're avoiding is the calamity of our entire family being wiped out! What we're fleeing is the disaster of being killed!"
The elder who had spoken first was the first to get up and speak again.
He was quick to understand and immediately grasped Li Tingyun's temperament, which strongly disliked being indecisive and dragging things out.
Every word he spoke afterward was as concise and to the point as possible. Although his body was inevitably trembling, his overall performance was satisfactory.
"More than a hundred years ago, the Taiji Hall burned down the Qingliang Gate, and the Zen sect was almost completely wiped out. The monk Liaoran escaped death and took refuge in Penglai Island."
Li Tingyun sneered, thinking that he was smart enough to know his place.
"Then do you know why I destroyed the Qingliang Sect?"
"...I do not know."
He didn't know, and neither did the world.
Li Tingyun didn't make things difficult for him; instead, she answered the questions herself:
"What else could it be? Because we have a grudge against each other."
The sensible elders were even more puzzled.
What grudge could exist between the Taiji Hall and the Qingliang Gate?
Taiji Hall has been around for over a hundred years. Compared to Qingliangmen, which has a lineage that has been passed down for over a thousand years, it is like a child who has not yet grown up. The two are very different and have very little interaction. What grudge or resentment could they possibly have?
Not to mention that Taiji Hall has grown and expanded with unstoppable momentum, unprecedented and invincible. They are lucky if they don't trample others into the ground and slap them in the face. They have never heard of anyone bullying them in return!
"What grudge or hatred could lead to such a long story?"
Li Tingyun crossed his arms and asked, "Have you ever heard of the Great Liang royal family that ruled the world three hundred years ago?"
After thinking it over, the elder said, "I've heard of it. In all human dynasties, the reigning emperor is called the 'Human Emperor.' Although those who cultivate the Tao live in the mountains and do not concern themselves with human affairs, the descent of the Human Emperor and the rise and fall of dynasties are related to both human morality and the way of Heaven, so they would still know something about it. As far as I know, the imperial surname of the Great Liang Dynasty seems to be... perhaps 'Li'?"
"Take back your 'seems,' 'maybe,' 'perhaps,' and be confident. Just say 'Li.'"
Li Tingyun half-squatted down in front of him, pointed to himself, and asked, "Understand?"
The elder met his gaze, and suddenly, his pupils shrank to a tiny point.
"You are a descendant of the Li Liang royal family?!"
He was utterly shocked, forgetting his fear, and his voice suddenly rose: "The Li Liang royal family, how could they possibly have any descendants? Weren't they all...?"
They were almost completely wiped out by the eight major sects of Buddhism!
Li Tingyun stared at him.
He swallowed hard. "I...I understand."
I understand completely now.
Taiji Hall may have no grudge against Qingliang Sect.
But Li Tingyun's relationship with the eight major Buddhist sects is an irreconcilable enmity that could lead to the "extinction of their entire clan"!
This is a long story...
First of all, it must be said that in this world of cultivation where people believe in the Way of Heaven and pursue ascension, Buddhist disciples are not very common.
Of the eight major schools of Buddhism, none are particularly strong in terms of appeal, influence, or reputation. Among them, the Chan (Zen) school, also known as the Qingliang School, is the only one that can be considered truly prominent.
Barely, they occupy the last place among the top ten sects.
People often talk about the "Ten Great Immortal Sects," but in fact, the term "Ten Great Sects" is the most accurate.
The term "immortal sect" refers only to clans and sects that cultivate immortality. However, not all of the ten major sects are Taoist. There is also the Chan sect, which mainly practices Buddhism. But people often forget about it after using the term, which shows how low the status of Buddhism is in people's minds.
Furthermore, it must be said that the low status of Buddhism is not without reason. Upon closer examination, it is inextricably linked to the "anti-Buddhist campaigns" launched by rulers throughout history.
The Great Liang Dynasty, which fell three hundred years ago, was among the most ruthless of its generations. Although the Great Liang Dynasty lasted only one hundred and fifty years, all six emperors who reigned there relentlessly pursued and exterminated the bald monk.
The Buddhist community is unlike the Taoist community.
Most Taoist sects live in seclusion in the mountains, far from the mortal world, and are devoted to the Tao. Nobody can disturb Laozi's cultivation of immortality!
Various Buddhist sects have a penchant for carving out territories in the human realm.
They built temples, the bigger the better, and sculpted Buddha statues, the more the better. The land they occupied and the laborers they conscripted were beyond the control of even the government.
Once they become monks, they don't pay taxes or perform corvée labor, and they even despise the laws. Temples often have many martial monks, and if angered, they dare to fight the government with knives and guns!
From the perspective of earthly rulers, this is tantamount to hoarding military power and ruling over territory; which secular regime could tolerate that?!
Thus began the vigorous campaign to suppress Buddhism.
Don't underestimate the power of ordinary people.
In the mortal realm, Confucianism is the only orthodox doctrine. Buddhas have their own methods of cultivation, immortals have their own methods of cultivation, and Confucians also have their own system of cultivation.
Confucianism and Taoism are the way of humanity. The way of Heaven is constant, and the way of humanity is ever-prosperous. When the way of humanity is cultivated to its highest level, one can achieve physical sainthood and never fall into hell.
Confucianism has produced many outstanding individuals. Most Confucian scholars were well-versed in both literature and martial arts; they could use their pens to bring peace to the world and their swords to conquer it on horseback. Cultivating oneself, managing one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world were the ultimate pursuits of scholars.
Moreover, besides Confucian scholars, there were also Taoist priests in the imperial court.
Since ancient times, Confucianism and Taoism have been inseparable. Those who engage in worldly affairs are Confucianists, while those who withdraw from worldly affairs are Taoists. Countless high-ranking officials eventually saw through the illusions of the mortal world and wanted to cultivate immortality, while countless Taoist practitioners, knowing they could not become immortals, turned to serve the emperors of the mortal world. There are countless precedents for this.
If the political situation is stable and the country is peaceful and prosperous, there are quite a few cultivators who would enter the government to serve as officials. Even if they don't become officials, they can still become advisors, clerks, or high-ranking officials in plain clothes.
Buddhist monks don't receive this treatment.
The rulers had a stereotype of Buddhist disciples as "ambitious, greedy, and unruly," but there were many devout Buddhists in the common people, so another stereotype was added: bewitching people!
The enmity between secular dynasties and the eight major Buddhist sects was not something that had been brewing for a day. Throughout history, there have been rulers who advocated the suppression of Buddhism, launching "purges" against Buddhism time and time again. In the Liang Dynasty, at the height of the crisis, even a bald man with thinning hair could be dragged out and beheaded.
Finally, it should be noted that the power of various forces always waxes and wanes. When Buddhism is purged, Taoism naturally prospers. Behind the numerous large and small incidents of the suppression of Buddhism, Taoism also played a role in fueling and assisting them.
Over time, this naturally led to the current situation where nine out of the ten major sects are engaged in cultivation.
However, three hundred years ago, the Great Liang Dynasty collapsed, causing turmoil in the world and the secular regime to fall apart. While the rise and fall of dynasties was a devastating disaster for ordinary people, it was a golden opportunity for the eight major Buddhist sects to grow and expand.
To avenge the Liang royal family's "suppression of Buddhism," the Buddhist sect, in alliance with various warlords and rebel factions, stirred up trouble and carried out a frenzied massacre of the descendants of the Liang royal family.
Thousands upon thousands were killed.
This massacre targeted not only the royal family, but also ordinary people; anyone with the surname Li was at risk of losing their life.
Good heavens! Suddenly, everyone in the world was on edge, and anyone even remotely associated with the character "Li" changed their name or surname.
Not only would people not dare to use the surname Li, but even mentioning the word would be taboo. If someone had a plum grove in their backyard, they would want to cut it all down overnight to avoid letting the news leak out.
This crisis lasted for decades, even centuries.
Until more than a hundred years ago, the Taiji Hall "came out of nowhere".
"That's it, that's it!"
The Elder of Penglai seemed to have received a sudden enlightenment. Looking at Li Tingyun, he said, "The Great Liang launched a campaign to eradicate Buddhism. Buddhists tried to exterminate the Li Liang royal family, but you, as a descendant of the royal family, turned around and slaughtered the Buddhist sect..."
"Well, that's what they call 'fortune's wheel keeps turning,' right?"
Li Tingyun spoke in a tone that was almost joking, like a naughty child unaware of his own mischief, innocently evil, and purely tyrannical.
The elder shook his head and said, "This is called 'an eye for an eye.' But when will this cycle of revenge ever end?"
Li Tingyun's lips curled slightly, and he slapped the man out. Caught off guard, the man was sent flying more than ten feet away, crashing to the ground with a thud. His head exploded, leaving him a bloody mess.
He withdrew his hand, the bloodstains dissipated in the wind, stood up, and said leisurely:
"It's easy to talk when you're not the one suffering."
When retribution doesn't fall on your own head, everyone can claim to be a "clear-headed bystander" and spout some nice-sounding platitudes, which are nothing but utter nonsense!