I Want the Cao Gang to Run Red with Blood!

"Li Xian of the Cao Gang?"

The Buddha Son murmured to himself.

A moment later, he pressed his palms together and spoke to Zheng Ningji beside him.

"Amitabha. Lord Zheng, this humble monk will take his leave."

"Master Guan Miao, where are you going?" Zheng Ningji asked, though he already knew the answer.

"I'm going on a killing spree today. I want the Cao Gang to run red with blood!"

With that, his figure vanished from the pavilion.

When the courtyard had returned to its usual quiet, Zheng Ningji finally dropped his act. Beaming, he filled a cup of tea and drained it in one gulp.

He'd said so much that his mouth had gone dry.

"Someone!"

"Here!" A servant waiting nearby hurried over.

"Go make preparations. I'm holding a grand banquet today!"

Zheng Ningji said happily.

After today, he would accomplish what the previous governors had wanted to do but never managed!

Such a joyous occasion called for a feast to entertain guests from all directions and spread the news far and wide.

Cao Gang headquarters.

Dragon Ship.

Guan Miao, the Buddha Son, clad in a snow-white monk's robe, soared onto the ship.

He raised his head and looked at the head hanging from the mast, swaying in the wind. Killing intent churned in his eyes like a surging river.

Before long, the Cao Gang disciples guarding the ship spotted him.

"Who are you?"

"Dare trespass on Cao Gang territory? Aren't you afraid of death?"

"His clothes give him away. He's a monk from White Dragon Temple. Let's capture him first."

"Get him! Take down the little bald monk!"

The Buddha Son said nothing. His expression cold, he watched the Cao Gang disciples charge toward him.

He strode toward the mast.

His monk's robe fluttered.

His figure was like a dream or a bubble, darting through the crowd in a flash.

"Amitabha!"

Behind the calm chant, heads fell to the ground and spurts of blood shot into the sky.

In a single exchange, every Cao Gang disciple lay dead.

The Buddha Son raised his head and murmured, "Uncle-Master, Guan Miao has come to take you home."

He rose into the air and flew to the top of the Dragon Ship's mast, gently untying Yuan Zhen's head.

As he landed back on the Dragon Ship Deck, a voice sounded from nearby.

"Junior Brother Guan Miao."

The Buddha Son turned to look.

"So it's Senior Brothers Guan Jing and Guan Yi."

"Amitabha. Junior Brother Guan Miao, it's been a long time!"

The Buddha Son's face was cold. "Why did you hang Uncle-Master Yuan Zhen's head up there?"

Guan Yi explained, "We didn't do it."

Guan Jing asked, "Then, Junior Brother Guan Miao, why did you kill the Abbot?"

The Buddha Son fell silent.

Facing the senior brothers he had once spent every day with, he couldn't remain unmoved.

He spoke. "The Buddha-land in my heart is not the same as the one my master sought. My master tried to stop me, so this tragedy was inevitable. I had long since accepted that this might happen!"

Guan Jing sneered. "A Buddha-land? What a grand-sounding excuse! And where is your Buddha-land?"

The Buddha Son said, "Soon. It'll be ready very soon!"

Guan Jing pointed at him and shouted, "Guan Miao, you fool! You know you've been played, don't you? You've been used as someone else's weapon!"

The Buddha Son's expression remained calm. "No great undertaking can be achieved overnight. There will always be sacrifices, there will always be bloodshed. People will die!"

"Why couldn't you be the one to die?" Guan Jing said, worked up.

The Buddha Son replied, "I can't die before I accomplish my goal!"

Guan Jing said furiously, "What exactly did Governor Zheng promise you, to make you willing to work for him?"

"He promised that within five years, temples of White Dragon Temple would be built throughout Qingzhou Prefecture!"

"You fool! He's lying to you. How could you believe such nonsense?"

"No one can fool me, not even a governor. If he fails to keep his promise, he'll pay the price!"

"You've taken countless lives and offended Heaven. Aren't you afraid you'll end up without a place to bury your bones?"

The Buddha Son said, "No one in Qingzhou is my match!"

He dared to say such a thing because he was that confident.

Guan Jing sneered. "Are you sure?"

"Oh? Who in all of Qingzhou can stop me?"

Guan Jing said, "Very soon, someone will step forward and stop you. His talent is no less than yours. Given a little time, he'll grow strong enough to defeat you!"

The Buddha Son's expression turned grave.

"Who?"

Guan Jing smiled. "What, are you afraid?"

The Buddha Son neither confirmed nor denied it. "I won't allow any unstable factor to ruin my plans!"

"I won't tell you, Guan Miao. You're destined never to get what you want!"

The Buddha Son's expression turned icy. "I've treated you with courtesy out of respect for our brotherhood. If you insist on this foolishness, don't blame your junior brother for showing no mercy!"

Guan Jing said, "As you said, we've already accepted that we may die!"

"In that case, your junior brother will personally send you both to the Western Paradise!"

"Junior Brother, please!"

"Please!"

The wind rose again.

But the wind from the canal could not reach Longquan City. It could not blow back to that ancient monastery, laden with memories.

"Oh no! This is bad..."

Liang Haisheng rushed in a panic to the stone chamber where Li Xian was in seclusion.

"Li Xian! Li Xian! Are you in there? Come out, quick! There's no time! The Buddha Son is about to reach us!"

He pounded on the stone door and shouted inside.

There was no answer.

He kept pounding and calling out.

"Li Xian, come out!"

"Stop cultivating for now!"

"There's no time!"

"We have to leave, now!"

"Li Xian!!!"

At last, after his hoarse, desperate cries, the stone chamber finally answered.

"Mm..."

The stone door rumbled as someone pushed it open from inside.

A tall, slender figure appeared in the doorway.

Though they hadn't seen each other in many days, his clothes were as clean as new, without a speck of dust. His eyes were clear, though a few scraggly whiskers had sprouted on his face.

"Li Xian, you're finally out!" Liang Haisheng cried, overjoyed.

Li Xian looked up at the clear blue sky and took a deep breath. He had never felt so clear-headed and refreshed.

"Gang Leader Liang, what time is it? How long have I been in seclusion?"

"It's been over half a month!"

"Ah, so much time has passed," Li Xian sighed.

Liang Haisheng hurriedly said, "Forget that for now. We need to hurry and get out of here!"

"Why?" Li Xian asked, puzzled.

"Oh, come on! At a time like this, you're still worried about that?" Liang Haisheng was so anxious he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Let me guess."

Li Xian smiled. "The Buddha Son from White Dragon Temple is here?"

"Who else could it be?"

Liang Haisheng went straight up, grabbed Li Xian's hand, and pulled him toward the exit.

"Let's not talk about it now. Get going before he finds us!"

"We'll hold him off. You get out of here, as far away as possible. Come back once you're stronger!"

He pulled hard, only to find that the person behind him hadn't budged an inch.

"You..."

He turned around and stared at Li Xian, who was smiling at him, utterly shocked.

Only then did he notice that Li Xian seemed a little different from before.

There was an indescribable air about him now.

"Could it be that you..."

A hint of delight crept into Liang Haisheng's voice.

Li Xian nodded and patted his shoulder. "Even if the Buddha Son comes, there's no need to worry. We don't have to run!"

Liang Haisheng stared blankly at him. It all felt so unreal, as if something still didn't quite add up.

"But... but..."

Li Xian said, "No buts. It doesn't matter. I'll handle it!"

The moment he heard those words, Liang Haisheng felt an inexplicable sense of security rise within him.

He simply felt that no matter what enemy they faced, none could match the man before him.

Those words held an endless, magical power.

"Then... what do we do now?" Liang Haisheng finally managed to collect his complicated thoughts.

Li Xian smiled. "We wait here."

"Here?"

"Yes."

"But the Buddha Son from White Dragon Temple is at Cao Gang headquarters. He's killing our people right now!"

Li Xian shook his head. "No, he isn't."

"How do you know?"

Li Xian gazed into the distance and said calmly, "Because I can feel him coming this way."

"Huh?"

Liang Haisheng looked utterly confused.

The next moment, the sound of something tearing through the air came from overhead.

The Buddha Son had arrived!

Liang Haisheng suddenly realized what was happening. He was about to shout a warning when he saw that Li Xian had vanished too.

A thunderous boom rang out overhead.

Then Li Xian's figure dropped back to the same spot.

Liang Haisheng froze for a moment. As if he'd realized something, he immediately turned around.

A young monk in a pristine white robe had appeared some distance away, though no one knew when.

"The Buddha Son!"

Liang Haisheng cried out.

But his startled outburst failed to draw the attention of the other two men present.

Li Xian looked at the Buddha Son.

The Buddha Son looked back at Li Xian.

"Are you Li Xian of the Cao Gang?"

"Are you the Buddha Son of White Dragon Temple?"

At last, two young men with peerless talent, unmatched across all Qingzhou, had met.