Chapter 1450: Elder Cousin (I)

The blood water on the ground reflected the setting sun as it gradually dried. The residual glow of formations flickered faintly in the sunset. Amid the raging wind stood a man clad in black robes, his hair grey-white, with blood flowing over his body. Though he wore a neat mustache and appeared upright and solemn, his face was filled with ruthless ferocity.

His grey-black eyes reflected the blood-red sunset. The golden alms bowl enlarged before him once more, forcing the man to raise his dharma sword and strike it head-on.

Clang!

The man in black felt his arms sink with weight as his head spun. Blood trickled from his nose, and his throat filled with a bitter, metallic taste. He could not help coughing twice, spraying blood across his clothes.

"My lord!"

Voices echoed in his ears. The man in black forced himself to turn his head and saw his younger cousin kneeling nearby, vomiting blood. The scene before his eyes blurred in and out, while the golden light in the sky grew ever brighter, making it impossible for Li Chengqi to keep his eyes open.

At this moment, Li Chengqi realized his life was at its end. He quietly glanced at the blood on his robes, stepped back, and planted his dharma sword into the ground to support himself.

His blood-soaked robes no longer fluttered, clinging heavily to his body. Supporting himself in a daze, a thought surfaced in his mind,

How far have the Buddhist cultivators advanced... is Minggong still safe...

Among the direct descendants of the family, Li Minggong had been specifically entrusted by Tinglan to Wun Wu and placed in the rear. Li Chengqi was only at the Qi Cultivation Realm, with poor innate ability, and naturally was not someone Tinglan paid attention to.

Still, Wun Wu had considered matters carefully, assigning him to the distant southern region far from Lower Luo, alongside Fei Chingyi. Unfortunately, Mount Xiaoshi had fallen, exposing this place to the front lines. The Purple Smoke Gate disciples stationed here died in battle; Fei Chingyi fled; and countless casualties followed, leaving only a few of them behind.

In his haze, Li Chengqi noticed that the Buddhist cultivator before him had not seized this rare opportunity and instead seemed annoyed. That hint of annoyance sent a chill through Li Chengqi.

As the leading figure of the Yuandu lineage and the paternal uncle of Li Zhoufang, Li Chengqi's status was not low. It was only that his temperament was not agreeable. Strictly speaking, he could call Li Ximing his Seventh Uncle. After Li Ximing's son Li Chengzhi died, Li Chengqi was in fact the closest male relative among the Chengming of the first lineage and had received considerable favor since childhood.

At that moment, a chill surged through his heart, snapping his mind into clarity,

Buddhist cultivators have many methods. They will surely implicate my family... I must die quickly!

He drew his sword, but the golden bowl shot forward like lightning, crashing heavily into his dharma sword. Sparks burst forth as Li Chengqi spat out blood and nearly collapsed to the ground. He tried to circulate his mana, but he quickly found that the golden light pouring down from above disrupted it, making it impossible to gather.

As Li Chengqi faltered, Li Chengpan beside him fared even worse. Holding his spear horizontally, he was struck squarely by a blow from the opposing Buddhist cultivator. With a thud, he dropped to his knees, vomiting blood.

That single strike did not kill Li Chengpan, but it jolted Li Chengqi awake. A sense of dread rose within him,

Though Chengpan has slightly better innate ability, his character is weak and hesitant. He is not even as capable as Li Zhouluo...

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Back when Li Zhouluo managed the family and Li Chengpan was wronged, Li Chengqi would have stood up for any family members. Yet Li Chengpan had been deeply moved and followed him ever since, respecting him like an elder brother. After so many years together, how could Li Chengqi not know his limits? Gratitude aside, what could outweigh life and death? Would something go wrong?

He forced his body, which felt as if it were breaking inch by inch, to move forward quickly. But the golden bowl tore through the air once again and struck his dharma sword. With a sharp metallic crack, the battle-worn dharma artifact finally snapped.

Clang...

The blade fell to the ground with a clear sound. Only a broken half remained in Li Chengqi's hand. He staggered back again and again, retreating to Li Chengpan's side. Through his haze, he caught sight of Chengpan's blood-covered face and heard the young man coughing up blood as he cried, "My lord!"

Li Chengqi hesitated for a brief instant and golden light burst before his eyes like lightning. The world spun; a sharp pain struck the back of his head; and all his strength seemed to drain away as he crashed heavily to the ground.

Light streamed across the sky as baleful qi surged. Two figures descended, one black and one gold. The devil cultivator wore silver-black armor and stood upon rolling baleful qi, while the Merciful One shone with brilliant light, seated upon a pink-green lotus throne.

In an instant, heaven and earth changed color. Golden light rolled endlessly, blocking out the blood-red sunset. Master Monks stood suspended in the air on both sides, watching intently.

Li Chengqi swallowed his blood and struggled back to his feet, hearing the Merciful One in the sky say with a smile, "Earlier we obtained someone from the Ning Family, and we had no share in it as Xuwang took him away. Now there are these two, an unexpected delight!"

Li Chengqi's heart sank. Not far away, several cultivators had already knelt, even showing relief. Nearby, Li Chengpan dropped his spear and knelt blankly.

Nuxiao stood in the sky and said with a smile, "By great destiny, you have witnessed the Bright Light Great Desire Dao. Turn from evil and return to righteousness. Why not kneel and give thanks?!"

Dong...

As her words fell, a distant bell tolled. Pleas and grateful cries echoed everywhere. Li Chengpan wept bitterly. Though he made no sound, he slowly lowered his head in silence.

The Merciful One in the sky nodded with a smile, showing satisfaction.

The Buddhist Dao had plenty of experience converting people, so how could they fail to see it? Few changed allegiance as swiftly as flipping a page. Most people were indecisive. A lowered head, a moment of silence, a slight wavering, and what seemed like an ambiguous gesture made everything else follow naturally.

On the ground, Li Chengpan's hands trembled, yet he could no longer stand. Suddenly his collar tightened. A piercing chill spread as if something struck the back of his head. Golden light blazed, and a voice full of hatred rang in his ears like a cuckoo crying blood.

"Stand up!"

Li Chengqi, his hair already grey-white, had all his mana sealed, and was now no different from a mortal. The broken blade he thrust toward the back of Chengpan's head was stopped

by a flash of golden light, forcing him down instead. The old man could no longer endure it.

His sword slipped from his hand with a clang as he collapsed to the ground, shouting hoarsely, "Li Chengpan! Stand up!"

His expression was as hard as stone, just as resolute as when he once stood before Li Chengpan on Mount Qingdu. Yet now it carried a coldness like snow and a bone-deep hatred that tore at the heart. Bright red blood flowed from his trembling lips.

"Li Chengpan!"

But Li Chengpan remained much as he had been in the past, kneeling on the ground, his posture scarcely changed. He said nothing, only weeping as his hands trembled.

Through tear-blurred eyes, the elders who once sat in great chairs whispering among themselves seemed to dissolve like smoke, replaced by the grim figures of Buddhist and devil cultivators standing high above. He could not utter a single word and did not even dare turn to look at the old man screaming behind him.

Nuxiao burst into laughter, watching the scene below with satisfaction. Golden light reflected in her pupils. Master Monks across the sky began solemnly chanting scriptures. Multicolored clouds gathered as if a ritual was underway, accompanied by a resonant hum, "Lose first, then gain, and desire is released. Gain first, then lose, and the heart is freed..."

As the chanting rose, distant bells echoed from the horizon, joined by dense wooden fish sounds approaching from afar. Li Chengpan's heart suddenly calmed. The sounds dulled his grief and filled the bottomless fear within him, sinking deep into his bones, impossible to remove.

He pressed his palms together and bowed his head quietly. The raging wind swept his dark hair aside. Within the radiant golden light, he found a place for his guilt to rest.

Behind him, the old man struggled on the ground like a dying fish. The distant wooden fish sounds did not calm his hatred but only made him more furious, more unrestrained. From his eyes poured a flame-like red resentment, trickling down from the corners.

Your father died early. I was the one who helped you. You were brought up by me. And today you turn to the Buddhist Dao!

When you were framed and no one dared speak, I risked being dragged down by Li Xixuan and defended you before all the elders. And today you turn to the Buddhist Dao!

You have betrayed my care, my support year after year. Bastard! I should blame my own soft heart. You leave me without honor in life and unable to rest in death!