A Change of Players

However, Xilai completely disregarded her threat, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and then, as if nothing had happened, poured wine into his cup, mixed it with his blood, swallowed it in one gulp, and savored it again.

"Hmm, Daughter's Red Wine, Daughter's Red Wine, it really does need to be 'red' to really bring out the flavor. This is like the finishing touch, completely bringing out the taste, leaving a lingering fragrance and an unforgettable aftertaste."

Seeing that Xilai acting like a stubborn mule, as if saying "Let him be strong, the breeze still caresses the mountain; let him be arrogant, the moon still shines over the river," Henzhen was helpless and had to admit that he really couldn't do anything about this monk.

She had tried various forms of torture, including needle pricks, drowning, branding, and salting. She even asked Wu Da for poisonous insects to bite him, but to no avail. He treated torture as a form of ascetic practice, enjoying it immensely. Moreover, while enduring the torment, his Cultivation Body even showed signs of recovery, forcing her to stop the torture and instead use gentle methods.

"You wouldn't be completely unaware of the truth and just deliberately lying to me to save your own life, would you?"

"Oh, you're mistaken, sir. Didn't I previously give you a clue to follow up on?"

"But the trail went cold halfway through, and we couldn't find anything."

"At least this proves that I am an informed person, that I have knowledge, and that I am not just pretending to be learned to deceive you."

"Hmph, your belly isn't filled with ink, but with wine. As a monk, how can you not uphold the precepts and regulations? Don't you have even a shred of remorse?"

"What do rules and regulations matter when one is about to die? Every sip is one less to drink. Only by fulfilling one's wishes before death can one travel to the Eastern Glazed World with a detached and carefree heart. Even if Buddha knew, he wouldn't blame this humble monk."

Henzhen angry she could grind her teeth. If Xilai hadn't said anything, she could have just killed him without feeling any regret. But each time, he would only reveal a tiny clue, giving her something to follow, yet she always fell short, like a fish that had taken the bait.

"What will it take for you to tell the whole truth? I promise you, I'll release you immediately once I get the truth."

"What guarantees do you have for your promise? A promise without any credibility is no promise at all. In short, I can't trust you."

"You're a cripple now, what good would it do to let you go back? I have no reason to lie to you."

"Conversely, I have no way to retaliate against you. Even if you break your promise, there's nothing I can do about it. Killing me is as easy as pie. After silencing you, who would know you broke your promise?"

The two stared at each other for a quarter of an hour before Henzhen had to admit defeat. "Tell me, what will it take for you to tell me the truth? Name your terms. As long as it's not something as impossible as killing the Spirit King, I'll agree to anything."

Xilai said, "Death is not frightening to me. As long as I am free from all attachments, death is a kind of liberation and a kind of fulfillment."

Henzhen said viciously, "How can I make you die without any regrets?"

"Years ago, I debated with my master. I believed that Buddhism could save all sentient beings, and even those who were not saved by the Threefold Principles of Buddhism could still attain Nirvana with sufficient Buddhist Power Divine Ability and supernatural abilities. My master, however, claimed that the Monster Race were manifestations of their attachments, belonging to the category of icchantikas, and had no affinity with Buddhism, so they could never be saved. Thus, I made a bet with my master: whoever could save one Monster Race would be considered the winner. This matter has always been on my mind, constantly on my mind, almost becoming a mental demon. If I can achieve my wish and attain spiritual fulfillment, then even if I die, I will have no regrets."

The term "icchantika" refers to someone who is destined to never attain Buddhahood. It can be translated as "severed roots of goodness" or "lacking in faith." This means that such a person has little or no chance of becoming a Buddha, as they lack wisdom and the necessary conditions for enlightenment. Furthermore, they are burdened by numerous desires that hinder their spiritual practice.

Henzhen stared at Xilai suspiciously and asked, "You want to save me?"

"If you are willing to be converted, that would be best. If not, you can find Monster Race that is willing to be converted by me."

The Monster Race are all products of fanaticism; none of them would willingly be converted. Even that Monster Race who goes around spreading Buddhism isn't truly a believer; he's just obsessed with spreading Buddhism. Trying to get him to give it up is like taking his life.

More importantly, protecting Xilai was Henzhen's personal act, a secret she couldn't tell anyone. After all, she had told the Spirit King that she had already reduced Xilai to ashes. If others found out that Xilai was still alive and well, they would definitely suspect her. After thinking it over, she realized that only she could do it herself.

"... How can one be considered successfully converted?"

"The Buddha said, 'It cannot be spoken. If you are interested, you might as well copy the Diamond Sutra three times. If you can gain some understanding from it, perhaps you can attain Buddhahood without me saying anything. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?'"

Chapter 390 Player Replacement

The Purple-Pupiled Spirit King issued a summons, ordering his generals to a meeting at the newly built Spirit King Hall. However, Henzhen was stopped by the Buddha-Slaying Monk on the way.

"I've heard that Divine General Li recently been studying Buddhism diligently, even copying and reciting it by hand. He is more devout than ordinary people. I wonder if he has gained any insights from it, and if he could share them with me?"

Henzhen been so engrossed in copying Buddhist scriptures these past few days that she was dizzy and disoriented. Every day she had to Xilai to discuss Buddhism and test her learning progress. Her situation was comparable to that of a prisoner. She didn't even know who was whose prisoner. Why did the Buddha-Slaying Monk have to bring up such a sore subject? Suddenly, she was filled with inexplicable anger.

"You have no understanding of Buddhism whatsoever, but if you'd like to share, I wouldn't mind sending you to see the Buddha and having him personally guide you."

"Oh, so much hostility. This is not the attitude one should have when studying Buddhism. The more you study, the deeper your attachments become. It's better not to study at all."

Si Ming's intention was sarcasm, but to his Henzhen showed an expression of agreement and nodded, saying, "That's what I think too. Anyone who thinks that the Monster Race studies Buddhism must be out of their mind."

"... Since Divine General Li also agrees with this point, why not hand over the person who proposed this to you to me? I guarantee that he will deeply repent for the sins he has committed."

Henzhen flatly refused, "There is no such person. You're overthinking it. I was just saying it casually."

Having failed to cultivate a good relationship before, the negative consequences of his wrong choices became apparent. Si Ming could only lament that his lack of goodwill had caused the other party to harbor inherent ill will and refuse to exchange a single word with him.

"Is that so? My Glazed Precept-Breaking Saber is most fond of Buddha's blood. It tells me that the Divine General Li carries the scent of a high monk."

"Oh, I never imagined that after just a few days of studying Buddhism, I would instantly become a Buddha and a great monk. It seems I truly have wisdom and a connection to Buddhism." Henzhen pretended to be ignorant, acting as if she didn't understand the meaning of the Buddha-Slaying Monk.

"Divine General Li, harboring Buddhist School monks is a grave crime. If this reaches the ears of the Spirit King, things could get very bad. To prevent those petty people who have grudges against you from filing complaints and using this matter to their advantage, why not hand the monks over to me and help me reach the number of a thousand Buddhas? Then, if anyone dares to say anything wrong about you, I will be the first to stand up and shut them up."

"Are you threatening me? Hmph, go ahead and complain to the Spirit King if you want. I have a clear conscience, what do I have to fear?"

Henzhen flung his sleeves and rushed away. After taking a few steps, he stopped again, turned around, and warned, "I captured this person, and I'm free to do with him as I see fit. No one has the right to interfere. If you dare to snatch him from my grasp, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Having said that, he sank his foot, and a surge of hidden energy shot out from the ground, stirring up dust that spread in a ring, causing the Buddha-Slaying Monk to tremble slightly before striding away.

"What's going on? Her attitude seems to be protecting the hostages? Hmm, could it be that this fair-skinned young man from Xilai is using his beauty to seduce someone? That's so shameless!"

Si Ming was puzzled, but no matter what, at least Xilai's safety was no longer a concern. The trope of a female villain capturing a male protagonist, only to be captivated by his charm and join the righteous side was quite common in early martial arts works. Moreover, Xilai was not only handsome but also multi-talented. If charm were an attribute, he would probably have maxed it out.

Putting aside his worries, Si Ming also entered the Spirit King Hall and found several new faces inside.

Besides the divine general, there was one confidant qualified to participate in the meeting. For example, Hualiu always followed behind Si Ming. However, these confidants were not qualified to speak. Even if they participated in the meeting, they were only there to act as the main figures.

After news of the Spirit King over the Glazed Temple spread, two Monster Race of Divine General Level came to join him. One of them came from the Southern Martial World and was named Pan E. He was burly, like a two-meter-tall black bear, with a fierce face and a strange body structure, as if it were pieced together from cube blocks. He was incredibly strong and Higher Vehicle external martial arts skills, making him invulnerable to swords and spears. He was also skilled in using double axes.

Another one comes from the Western Martial World and is an old acquaintance of Zhu Mei. His name is Ghost Wolf. He looks similar to Wu Da and is an eccentric old man, but his temperament is more sinister. He has a conspicuous mohawk hairstyle and the ability to spiritualize his body.

"Why is there a human presence here?" Pan E glanced at Si Ming and said disdainfully, "I've long heard that the Spirit King is magnanimous and extraordinary, and exceptionally kind to his subordinates. I never imagined he would be so kind as to take in even cats and dogs. This is truly beyond my expectations."

Si Ming glanced back, then said with a forced smile, "What a coincidence, that's what I was thinking too."