Millennial Glory

Qing Prefecture, inside the Divine General Residence.

Everyone who learned the news immediately was shocked and horrified.

News had just spread that Boundless Mountain was going to execute the Thief Saint, and in the blink of an eye, that Buddha Master was killed?!

And this happened on Spirit Mountain! Who is so audacious and cruel?

Not long after, Li Muxiu returned to the Divine General Residence, bringing back secondhand information.

He had originally planned to abandon everything to rescue them, but now that Li Hao had resolved the situation, there was no need for him to continue with his original plan. The Divine General Residence also needed his protection.

When Li Muxiu returned, everyone hurriedly inquired about the details, worried that it might be related to him.

After the battle of Qingzhou City, they already knew that Li Muxiu was Half-Step Dao Realm, but he had kept it hidden for many years, and they did not know whether Li Muxiu had any other trump cards.

That Buddha Master was at the Great Peace Dao Realm, and although there was a gap between him and the Half-Step Dao Realm, only this Second Uncle himself knew how big that gap was.

Li Muxiu saw what everyone was thinking, smiled bitterly to himself, and explained the matter to everyone without hiding anything.

Although he arrived late, he could sense that the destructive power of the scene was far beyond what Great Peace Dao Realm could cause.

Moreover, given Li Hao's strength, if he were to kill someone at the Great Peace Dao Realm, there wouldn't be such a large-scale operation. He could probably kill them instantly, just like when Li Hao suppressed the Great Demon leaders in Qingzhou City. They didn't even have the right to stand up in front of Li Hao!

Therefore, the answer is obvious.

That Buddha Master hiding his true strength; in reality, he had already reached the Dao Inquiry Realm!

Li Muxiu was surprised by this, but also felt it was only natural.

After all, it's been a long time since we've seen the Buddha Master make a move; who could possibly know he's secretly breaking through?

"What?! Hao'er did this?!"

"He killed the Buddha Master?!"

"And the Buddha Master Dao Inquiry Realm?"

As Li Muxiu rattled off a series of messages, Li Xuanli, He Jianlan, and the others were shocked and stared at him in astonishment.

The Buddha Master, who Dao Inquiry Realm, was actually killed by Li Hao!

Previously, Li Hao's ability to suppress Great Demon leaders outside Qingzhou City had already astonished them, but now, so little time later, he has actually managed to kill the Buddha Master?!

This is the Dao Inquiry Realm! Even that True Person from the Qian Dao Palace is only at the Dao Inquiry Realm!

Doesn't this mean that Li Hao possesses power comparable to that True Person?!

"Why did Hao'er kill him? Although the Buddhist Sect has some minor issues, the Buddha Master hasn't done anything outrageous. At least no one has any evidence against him. Why did Hao'er kill him?"

After her initial shock, He Jianlan asked with some confusion.

Boundless Mountain is a righteous force with extensive connections and a wide network of goodwill, rarely making enemies.

Li Tiangang, standing in the crowd, was lost in thought, and his expression quickly turned grim.

Li Muxiu knew that some things had to be said openly now, and sighed, "It was to save that Thief Saint; he has been kind to Hao'er."

Everyone was stunned and immediately froze.

Killing the Buddha Master for the sake of Thief Saint?

"Can the Buddhist Sect swallow this insult? Although there aren't many Buddhist Sect disciples in the Brahma Heaven Realm, enough to wipe them all out, there are Buddhist Sect temples and Believer in every city of the Nineteen Provinces. Won't they cause trouble? The people of each state will suffer then."

Xiao Yujing couldn't help but ask, since she had also been practicing vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures for a period of time after her husband's death, and knew that the Buddhist Sect community was powerful and numerous.

"I knew it! I knew he'd get into big trouble sooner or later!"

Li Tiangang suddenly gritted his teeth and said.

Everyone was stunned by his words. He Jianlan frowned and said:

"What makes you say that? Although Hao'er's actions were somewhat impulsive, they were also out of gratitude."

"Repaying a debt of gratitude? Still speaking up for him?"

Li Tiangang's face was grim. He said, "Does repaying a debt of gratitude justify indiscriminate killing of innocents? Does repaying a debt of gratitude justify such extreme actions? Now that he has killed the Buddha Master, unless he is strong enough to fight against True Person, he will definitely suffer the consequences, and may even bring a catastrophe upon Great Yu!"

"Heavenly Gang, is it that serious?" Ji Qingqing couldn't help but ask.

Li Xuanli was about to say something when he suddenly thought of something, and his expression changed slightly.

Li Tiangang looked at He Jianlan and the others who were frowning, gave a self-deprecating smile, and said:

"You all think too simply! His current strength is indeed comparable to that True Person, but the Buddha Master has concealed his power. Hasn't that True Person also concealed his strength? The Dao Inquiry Realm also has two levels: the lower level is the True Person Realm, and the upper level is the Dao Law Realm!"

"The Buddha Master has never clashed with the Daoist Temple. Why? Because he's not confident he can defeat the True Person!"

"This also suggests that the True Person is very likely already at the Dao Law Realm, after all, he was already True Person a very, very long time ago, during the reign of the Late Emperor..."

Upon hearing Li Tiangang's words, everyone was taken aback. They had only just learned about the specifics of the Dao Inquiry Realm, as they were far from reaching that level.

Even reaching the Great Peace Dao Realm is a goal that is difficult for them to achieve in their entire lives.

"Even if True Person is at the Dao Law Realm and even more powerful, so what?"

He Jianlan frowned and asked, "Hao'er is a meritorious official, and he has such strength. Does he intend to kill Hao'er to avenge the death of the Buddha Master?"

Li Tiangang sneered, "Eldest Sister-in-Law, you Daoist are too naive. The emperor's heart is unfathomable. How dare Hao'er so brazenly kill the Buddha Master? Doesn't His Majesty worry that he might usurp the throne one day? Doesn't he worry that he might one day raise his sword and enter the Imperial Palace?"

Everyone's expression changed, they looked at each other in bewilderment, and suddenly felt a Chill.

The heart of an emperor is unfathomable; serving a ruler is like serving a tiger—this is indeed true.

Although the current emperor dotes on Li Hao, what if he becomes a threat?

Let alone outsiders, even one's own son, if he held military power and posed a threat to the throne at any time, would be nipped in the bud, right?

No wonder Li Tiangang said that unless Li Hao could rival that True Person, if His Majesty truly intended to kill him and sent that True Person to deal with Li Hao, their fates would be uncertain, and they would be unable to discern who was stronger.

"If Your Majesty sends the True Person to take action, there are only two outcomes: either the True Person loses or he wins. But what kind of person is he? He even dared to draw his sword against me after being slighted by me. If Your Majesty treats him like that, do you think he will forgive Your Majesty?"

Li Tiangang stared at the crowd.

The faces of everyone turned grim.

"Hao'er is clear about right and wrong, unlike what you say..." He Jianlan said through gritted teeth.

Li Tiangang's face twitched. He glared at her, then continued:

"If he loses, either he's skilled enough to escape by sheer luck, or he dies! Winning or losing, neither is what we want to see, but unfortunately, these are the only two possible outcomes for him right now!"

As he said this, Anger and self-reproach appeared in his eyes.

Upon hearing Li Tiangang's words, everyone else also fell into deep thought.

"But Hao'er so powerful and intelligent, Heavenly Talent Future potential is definitely greater than that of that True Person. Such a strong person is the pride and hope of our Human Race. We are too busy trying to win him over. Your Majesty may not be as foolish as you say, right?"

He Jianlan glanced at her Ninth Brother's Wife, Jiang Xian'er, as she said this.

Jiang Xian'er shook her head slightly, indicating that she didn't mind, and added:

"I also think Father wouldn't do that. Hao'er is kind at heart. He protected a city at the age of fourteen, and now he has made great contributions in battle and is Third-rank Duke. Father wouldn't treat him like that; he would only treat him as an honored guest!"

Li Tiangang glanced at her and knew that this Ninth Brother's Wife was deeply in love with his Ninth Brother and truly considered her a member of the Li Family. That's why he didn't shy away from speaking to her about these things.

"I hope so too. After all, we are surrounded by Demon, and we cannot afford any more internal strife, especially not this level of internal strife."

Li Tiangang's eyes flashed with hatred, and he clenched his fists.

"If I had known this would happen, I should have killed that thief right Outside the Pass!"

"If it weren't for his protection and my momentary leniency... none of this would have happened. At worst, I'd just bear the Criminal Charge of being unjust!"

"You knew all along?"

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

Li Tiangang was too ashamed to answer, and instead looked at Li Muxiu, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.

When Li Muxiu saw his gaze, his expression changed, but his brows furrowed, and he did not respond.

He was still pondering Li Tiangang's words. Would His Majesty become suspicious of Li Hao because of them?

After all, Li Hao and that emperor are not related by blood.

As officials and generals, they all worried that Li Hao's achievements would overshadow his lord. The stronger Li Hao performed, the happier Li Muxiu Li Hao be and the less jealous he would be, but it was hard to say for outsiders.

He couldn't understand the emperor's mind, and a sense of unease began to creep into his heart.

Winning would be fine, as he felt he could persuade Li Hao, but losing would put Li Hao in danger.

"There are many Buddhist Sect disciples, and Buddhist Sect forces also exist within the court. If they put pressure on His Majesty or incite him to become suspicious, it will be a huge problem!"

Li Tiangang said in a low voice.

Upon hearing his words, Ji Qingqing turned pale. Suddenly remembering something, she said to Li Xuanli:

"Fifth Brother, why don't you go to court and plead with His Majesty? Put in a good word for Hao'er and let His Majesty know that Hao'er is of pure heart and would never rebel even if he held a sword in his hand."

Li Xuanli quickly said, "Sister-in-law, please don't be like this. I will definitely help with this. Hao'er saved my life and has also done a great service to the Li Family. We will do everything in our power!"

Li Tiangang quickly pulled his wife aside, saying, "Qingqing, don't make things difficult for your Fifth Brother. Being True Dragon isn't easy. Let your Fifth Brother choose for himself."

Li Xuanli retorted angrily, "What are you saying? I will definitely go to court to plead with His Majesty. Is there even a need for a selection? Even if Hao'er doesn't have the surname Li, he is still my nephew!"

Seeing his words, Li Tiangang breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at them and said:

"If only you hadn't interfered when I disciplined him, I would have been fine. I thought I was too strict, but you all sided with him and backed him up. Now it seems I was right. If power is not restrained by law, it will run rampant and only breed disaster!"

"Are you still blaming us? If it weren't for Hao'er, a terrible disaster would have already happened in Qing Prefecture!"

He Jianlan said angrily.

"Once I discipline him properly, he too can save Qing Prefecture. Would my discipline diminish his Heavenly Talent? Isn't his aptitude a result of the union of my Bloodline with Qingqing?"

Li Tiangang said with a cold face.

He Jianlan's face turned ugly; she really didn't know how to refute this.

"I'll go to the Imperial Capital and plead with my Older Brother to intercede with Father Emperor and say a few kind words, hoping that Hao'er can atone for his mistakes through his merits."

Jiang Xian'er immediately spoke, lifting her skirt and turning to step out of the council hall.

"Now that things have come to this, we can only wait and see what His Majesty decides. Don't think Taiji; that True Person might not even intervene."

Li Muxiu's eyes flickered, and he spoke with a serious expression.

Everyone was taken aback and looked at him with suspicion.

Li Muxiu said in a low voice, "Haven't you noticed that the True Person hasn't shown his face for a long time? Demon Calamity are rampant in various states, yet that True Person hasn't taken any action. Such a major event in Liang Prefecture didn't happen either, nor in Qing Prefecture, nor in You Province..."

Upon hearing his words, everyone's pupils contracted, and they were filled with horror.

"Could it be..." Li Xuanli's voice trembled.

Li Muxiu shook his head. "Nothing bad will happen. After the battle in Qingzhou City, those two Desolate God revealed themselves. I roughly know why that True Person hasn't shown up. That Desolate God must be eyeing the Imperial Palace. Once he leaves, the entire Imperial City will be destroyed!"

Upon hearing his words, everyone was stunned, and then they gasped softly.

I see.

"So, His Majesty won't easily send True Person to make a move?" Ji Qingqing asked with delight.

Li Muxiu nodded slightly. "Basically not, but people's hearts are unpredictable. I dare not gamble with Hao'er's life. The safest way is to find someone to plead for him. For the sake of the Li Family, His Majesty will have to consider things to some extent. After all, if Hao'er is really killed, the True Person will also be injured. If Demon take the opportunity to invade, and if the Li Family holds a grudge but is unwilling to help, all these factors could lead to a worse outcome..."

"His Majesty should consider this."

Hearing his words, everyone felt a little relieved.

"If Hao'er can win, that would be the best outcome, but then the Demon will also take advantage of the situation. In any case, this great battle must be avoided as much as possible, otherwise the people of the All Under Heaven will suffer," Li Muxiu said.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Yes, during wartime, the first to suffer are the soldiers, and the second are the civilians.

"But if we plead for mercy now, what if His Majesty doesn't react outwardly but holds a grudge and secretly targets us later?"

Beside her, Wang Xiangru said coldly, "The Li Family's Millennial Glory will be completely destroyed then."

The crowd's expressions changed slightly. Li Muxiu said in a low voice, "Don't forget, you also owe Hao'er a life."

"If you owe him anything, you owe him. I don't owe him anything. My father also came to Qing Prefecture, he's just a little late."

Wang Xiangru angrily retorted, "Besides, he has severed his Bloodline and is no longer Li Family. This is his own doing."

Upon hearing her words, everyone frowned slightly and ignored her.

"You don't need to be too pessimistic. Perhaps we're overthinking it. His Majesty might not think that way. Our Majesty isn't a foolish ruler; he understands the greater good. From both a moral and rational perspective, fighting with Hao'er at this time wouldn't be a good thing."

Gao Qingqing comforted everyone.

Li Muxiu's eyes flickered as he said, "That's right. The Buddhist Sect forces are deeply entrenched, and perhaps His Majesty has long disliked them. He might even be grateful to Hao'er."

No one spoke again. The question now was whether the emperor would suspect Li Hao or fear that his power would threaten the Imperial Family.

How much of His Majesty's high regard for Li Hao was genuine?