Second Contact

The Purple-Pupiled Spirit King said, "It is precisely because of his reluctance that a basis for cooperation has been laid between us."

Suddenly, the Wang Dashe spoke up, warning, "Spirit King, this man cannot be trusted."

"We are mutually exploiting each other; how can there be any trust between us? After the destruction of the Glazed Temple, he will naturally be discarded like a cunning rabbit after it's caught. Until then, he will still be of some use."

The burly man with the Ghost Chariot said arrogantly, "Why should the Spirit King care about a mere traitor to Buddhist School? Judging from his behavior, he's always bullied the weak and feared the strong, and he has no notable achievements."

The Purple-Pupiled Spirit King said, "It's only right to give face to a powerhouse with Grandmaster- level cultivation. Strategy is about strengthening one's own power and weakening the enemy's. Even if they are destined to become enemies in the future, it's necessary to win them over as allies now. Besides, we do need his help to divert the attention of the Glazed Temple. Being polite to someone who can help you is the proper etiquette."

His voice wasn't loud, but whether someone can persuade others doesn't depend on how loud they are. The Purple-Pupiled Spirit King's words were simple, but the reasoning was very clear. Even Ghost Chariot subordinates, who weren't very bright, were convinced and had no objections.

Henzhen said, "But this person's identity is still suspicious; he might be the one I suspected before."

The Purple-Pupiled Spirit King nodded and said, "Then I'll leave it to you to test him."

"Your subordinate obeys."

Late at night, the Buddha-Slaying Monk strolled slowly through the palace, his gaze casually sweeping across the landscape. It looked like he was wandering around sightseeing, but in reality, he was observing the surrounding terrain. He didn't sense many hostile stares along the way, but he didn't pay them any mind.

"Your Excellency possesses remarkable composure, having the leisure to appreciate the night view even under such circumstances. Could it be that you are scouting enemy positions?"

Henzhen blocked the path of the Buddha-Slaying Monk.

"Just say what you mean, why beat around the bush? My time is very precious, and I don't want to waste it on you."

The Buddha-Slaying Monk still wore that "I hate you, but I have to compromise myself and cooperate with you in order to deal with a common enemy" expression, making great use of the tactic of feigning indifference to lure the enemy.

"Since you're so straightforward, I'll get straight to the point. There's something very strange about the information I have about you. I've noticed that whenever you appear, the Glazed Temple's disciple, 'Xilai,' doesn't show up. And every time you appear, it's either near 'Xilai' or somewhere he's about to go. What's going on with that?"

Henzhen immediately struck at the heart of the matter, aiming to expose the pretense of the Buddha-Slaying Monk; however, the other party responded with a sneer.

"What a pointless question. Four months ago, when I slaughtered over three hundred people at Water Moon Temple in the Southern Martial World, where was this abbot's disciple?"

At this time, Xilai was in the Western Martial World and had appeared in the gambling match between the Heavenly Martial Alliance and the Aristocratic Family Alliance. Many people saw him. Meanwhile, the Buddha-Slaying Monk had committed numerous blood debts in the Southern Martial World.

"Judging from the traces left at Water Moon Temple, the martial arts you used then seemed subtly different from before. Could you please tell me what this is? Also, it seems that the martial arts you know are also known to that 'Calamity Tathāgata,' except for the 'Brahma Sea Asura Art.' Is this also a coincidence?"

"Go to any monk in Glazed Temple and I can find three similar characteristics in myself. First set up a target, then look for evidence; you can turn black into white. It's truly laughable!" The Buddha-Slaying Monk took out the Glazed Precept-Breaking Saber again, his voice laced with dissatisfaction and provocation. "If you have any doubts, why not take action yourself and verify the truth?"

This time, Henzhen didn't back down and said, "Alright, then I'll respectfully accept your offer."

Seeing that a fierce battle was about to break out between the two sides, the Buddha-Slaying Monk suddenly revealed a malicious smile and said, "Do you know that the wandering swordsman who recognized your identity back then was not actually human?"

Chapter 381 Second Contact

"What did you say!"

Henzhen grabbed the clothes of the Buddha-Slaying Monk, his face grim and his killing intent fully revealed, his usual calm and indifferent demeanor gone.

The Buddha-Slaying Monk didn't take the other party's murderous intent to heart, and said in a mocking tone, "Haven't you ever thought about it yourself? Why could a passing wandering swordsman recognize your Monster Race identity? You must have had the experience of being begged for alms by monks when you were a child, why didn't they recognize you?"

"Perhaps as I grew, my inner energy naturally dissipated, allowing the other party to detect it."

"The Power of Anomalies has the effect of corrupting people's minds. Do you remember when your relatives and friends were affected? It's not easy to detect even the faintest Power of Anomalies. Ordinary martial arts masters can't even distinguish between Power of Anomalies and internal True Qi. Only those who are very familiar with Anomalies, or who are also members of the Monster Race, can sense the aura of their own kind."

Henzhen's eyes sharpened. "What are you implying?"

The Buddha-Slaying Monk pushed her away, straightened his clothes, and said slowly, "If your adoptive parents weren't killed by Human Race, then who was the murderer? Come to think of it, that wandering swordsman who recognized your identity was the instigator, indirectly causing your family's destruction. Have you found him to avenge your parents?"

"Are you trying to sow discord?" Henzhen narrowed her eyes, suspiciously asking, "Now your identity is even more suspicious, and I have another reason to doubt you."

Does it matter whether I'm trying to sow discord or not? What matters is the truth of what happened back then. If my guess is true, you'll take action without me saying anything. If my guess is false, it will only confirm your suspicions, and then you can use force to expose my true nature.

"You've given me a reminder. No matter how well you can hide it, when you're cornered, you have no choice but to reveal your hand. Perhaps I can make my move now."

The Buddha-Slaying Monk said confidently, "By choosing to act now, you've lost a potential future ally. I believe Divine General Li is a wise man."

Their eyes met, as if they were peering into each other's hearts, and a silent battle ensued.

A moment later, Henzhen withdrew her gaze, ceasing her interrogation of the Buddha-Slaying Monk had killed the Buddha, and walked away. After a while, she stopped and said, "There's one thing you're mistaken about. Even if your guess is true, I won't be an enemy of the Spirit King, because I don't want to die— the Spirit King's power is beyond your imagination."

Is this reminder a way of repaying me for reminding you?

"You can think that way." With that, Henzhen left.

Having confirmed that the other party had gone far away, the Buddha-Slaying Monk lost his composure and his expression became solemn. He thought to himself: Sure enough, it's not so easy to gain trust. Even if there is no evidence on the surface, the difference between humans and monsters means that I must put in ten times the effort to be valued. Fortunately, I made a last-minute decision and got the help of the leader of the Heavenly Martial Alliance. Otherwise, it would not have been so easy to pass the other party's test.

According to the original plan, he needed to gain the trust of the Purple-Pupiled Spirit King by making undeniable contributions. However, this would require him to personally kill many of his fellow disciples. Even though he was prepared to fall into the abyss, each life still caused him immense pain and heartache.

But now, with the help of "Wutian," the situation is different. No matter how much the Monster Race suspect, they will only suspect that the Glazed Temple is a monk, and will not associate it with the completely unrelated Heavenly Martial Alliance. To make such an association, what is needed is not reasoning, but imagination.

Whether or not there is merit is irrelevant; whether the other party believes it or not is up to them. In any case, in three days, the identity of the Buddha-Slaying Monk will be flawless and beyond suspicion. Unless the other party decides to turn against them, they will have no evidence to expose the deception—the lackeys are always safe until the cunning rabbit is hunted down.

"Hmph, let's continue our nighttime stroll. The Monster Race are indeed a bunch of monkeys in crowns; their palaces are all about extravagance and are utterly vulgar, their taste is no different from that of country landowners."

Intentionally making himself overheard, the Buddha-Slaying Monk did not lower his voice, but continued to wander around grumbling.

Glazed Temple, Sarira Hall.

Si Ming once again used Aniruddha Heavenly Eye to travel through time and space, returning to the Minggui Orphanage, where he met Yan Jinghong, who was already waiting there.

"You've arrived. The Law Treasure from the outside world are indeed amazing."

Before Si Ming could speak, Yan Jinghong sensed it and even pinpointed Si Ming's location, turning his gaze there. From his perspective, the area was completely empty.