Go Back, You're No Match For Me!

After sizing each other up, the Buddha Son spoke first.

"The Canoe Gang truly lives up to its reputation as the number one gang in Qingzhou. While you may not have any supreme martial arts, producing a martial arts genius like yourself is truly astonishing."

This kind of talk was clearly just a polite formality.

The Canoe Gang's reputation as the number one gang in Qingzhou was due to its sheer numbers, not its top-tier combat power.

If Li Xian were excluded for the moment, in terms of true strength, the Canoe Gang was still no match for the five major sects of Qingzhou.

However...

Li Xian paid no mind to this, taking the other's words as genuine.

He waved his hand and said with a humble smile, "Ah, Buddha Son, please don't say such things. You are not lacking either. Among all the opponents I've faced in my life, you are the strongest!"

Both their words conveyed a sense of importance placed on the other.

Just moments ago, when the Buddha Son arrived, Li Xian had exchanged a palm strike with him.

Although neither had used their full strength, both could sense the other's unfathomable power.

Li Xian asked, "Where are Masters Guan Jing and Guan Yi?"

The Buddha Son clasped his hands together and calmly replied, "They have already departed for the Western Paradise!"

"Alas..."

Li Xian couldn't help but sigh, "Why must it be so? Why couldn't you have just let them live?"

The Buddha Son said, "Killing to attain Buddhahood is a path of no return. This humble monk had no other choice!"

"Hmm..."

Li Xian pondered this and found himself understanding and agreeing with the Buddha Son's actions.

"Indeed, it's true. Only by doing this, by leaving yourself no other path, can you have the determination to press forward without hesitation. If you knew there was even a sliver of a way out, you would become indecisive. And hesitation guarantees failure!"

"Amitabha!"

The Buddha Son did not reply, merely chanting the Buddhist name peacefully.

Li Xian continued, "However, before you met me, your confidence was unshakable. But after meeting me, your confidence has begun to waver. You are afraid, afraid you are not my match!"

The Buddha Son asked, "Sect Leader Li, are you always this confident?"

Li Xian looked up at the sky with his hands behind his back, smiling, "Your aura tells me you've started to doubt yourself."

The Buddha Son did not deny it. "Sect Leader Li's perception is very keen. This humble monk admires you!"

Li Xian said to him, "You are no match for me now. Go back. Come find me again when you've made up your mind."

This statement carried a hint of malice.

If the Buddha Son turned and left today, then in the days to come, whenever he encountered Li Xian, he would be unable to muster the courage to fight.

The Buddha Son, having achieved so much at such a young age, was naturally not someone whose convictions could be overturned by a few words.

"Sect Leader Li's intentions are truly wicked!"

Li Xian smiled and said, "I simply don't want the White Dragon Temple to be extinguished. You are the last hope of the White Dragon Temple."

The Buddha Son said, "That is precisely why I cannot leave, nor can I turn back. This humble monk has made a grand vow: I will see every household in all of Qingzhou believe in the White Dragon Temple."

Good heavens, he intended to turn Qingzhou Prefecture into his own earthly Buddhist kingdom.

Li Xian felt that things were not that simple.

He probed, "Is this related to the Buddhist dharma you cultivate? Only by achieving such a great feat can you break through to a higher realm?"

The Buddha Son remained silent.

Li Xian felt he had guessed correctly and continued speaking to himself, "If you were to achieve it, what realm would you reach? First Rank? Innate realm? Or the legendary Mortal Transformation realm, where one sheds their mortal flesh and ascends to sainthood?"

The Buddha Son still did not answer.

After a long while, he finally said in a drawn-out tone, "If this humble monk and Sect Leader Li were not in such opposing positions today, perhaps we could have become the closest of friends!"

Li Xian did not think so. He shook his head and said, "It is destined that we cannot be friends."

The Buddha Son paused, then asked in confusion, "Why?"

Li Xian replied, "Even if we don't clash here today, we will meet again someday. Because what you and I pursue is the same!"

The Buddha Son understood.

They were both individuals pursuing the ultimate martial path. On the road to the summit, there would inevitably be competitors, and they would have to defeat these competitors to reach the highest position.

And now, the meeting between the Buddha Son and Li Xian was merely encountering early-stage competitors.

Across the entire Dagan, there were many, many more such competitors, and they would inevitably meet in the near future.

Upon realizing this, the Buddha Son couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"What a pity. It seems I must kill you, Sect Leader Li. You are the first person I've felt reluctant to strike down in a long time."

"Why?"

Now it was Li Xian's turn to be curious.

"Such a rare talent, it's a shame for him to die like this. Why not follow me and witness my future ascent to the pinnacle? Wouldn't that be more wonderful?"

"Hahaha..."

Li Xian burst out laughing. "So that's your plan. You monks really have a beautiful dream."

The Buddha Son said, "Sponsor Li, why don't you consider it seriously?"

Li Xian waved his hand in refusal. "Little monk, you are not qualified to say that at all."

Then, he said with a serious expression, "You are no match for me!"

His tone was especially sincere, as if he were stating an undeniable fact.

"Amitabha!"

The Buddha Son calmly rolled up his sleeves. "Then it seems I need to broaden Sponsor Li's horizons."

"With you?"

Li Xian expressionlessly began to stretch his limbs.

Liang Haisheng, standing nearby, saw that things were not right and wisely retreated far away.

A muffled thunder-like sound echoed from the distant sky.

"It's thundering, it's going to rain."

Yuan Benyu muttered to himself after a moment, placing the invitation in his hand on the tea table.

His confidant beside him immediately and opportunely handed him a cup of freshly brewed tea.

"Sir, what do you think Governor Zheng is up to, inviting us to a banquet at this time?"

Yuan Benyu said, "What else could it be? It's because what he wants to do is about to succeed."

"What he wants to do?" the confidant asked, confused.

Yuan Benyu glanced at him but didn't explain, lowering his head to drink his tea.

The confidant probed, "Could it be about the Canoe Gang?"

Yuan Benyu smiled and said, "Alun, you've become much sharper lately. You can figure these things out."

Alun touched his head and smiled sheepishly. "I've been listening to you a lot lately and reading many books. I feel like I've indeed become much more perceptive."

"Good, you are teachable." Yuan Benyu said with satisfaction. "Then let me test you again. Who do you think will win?"

"The Buddha Son of White Dragon Temple wins!" Alun blurted out without thinking.

"Oh, why?" Yuan Benyu asked.

Alun said, "It's obvious. The Buddha Son's strength is clearly superior to Li Xian of the Canoe Gang. Although Li Xian has extremely high talent, without high-level cultivation techniques, he cannot break through to the Upper Three Ranks, and is destined to be no match for the Buddha Son."

It was clear that the people from the Demon Suppressing Division were fully aware of everything happening in Yangzhou City.

"Mm." Yuan Benyu nodded his head with a faint expression.

Seeing his superior's expression change, Alun curiously asked, "Sir, what's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, you didn't. You are absolutely right. The Buddha Son of White Dragon Temple possesses a natural Buddha Body. Any Buddhist cultivation technique will exhibit twelve parts of its power in his hands. Li Xian of the Canoe Gang is indeed no match!" Yuan Benyu shook his head.

"Then you..."

Yuan Benyu said, "I just feel it's a bit of a pity."