Chapter 282: Incense
Chapter 282: Incense
With the fall of the Buddhist Master and the abduction of the Thief Saint, Wuliang Mountain was destroyed.
A series of messages spread from the Brahma Earth Realm. Wuliang Mountain had many disciples, and the forces behind these disciples were complex and intertwined. The news quickly spread throughout the various states and cities.
Not long after Li Hao and Li Muxiu left, two dark figures appeared on Wuliang Mountain. Upon seeing the ruined Spiritual Mountain and sensing the lingering Great Dao Power in the air, their faces changed instantly.
Soon, they vanished like wisps of smoke.
Outside Dayu Province, in a secret area of the Ridge of Mountains.
Mist enveloped the surroundings, and the area was sparsely populated.
Two figures appeared silently, landing like ghosts in the hall of a secret site on a mountain peak.
"Respected Mo Yang, we just received news. We went to investigate, and the Buddhist Master who sought our cooperation is dead!" one of the Black-robed Youths whispered.
Beside him was a Graceful Woman with purple markings on her cheeks. If Li Hao were there, he would recognize these two as the Wasteland Deities from outside Qingzhou City.
In front of them, a large, hunched old man squatted on the ground, his back arched as if he were carrying a heavy stone. He held a dark, curved staff that resembled an ancient tree, with a human face at the top. The eyes on the face kept moving, occasionally narrowing into a strange smile.
"Buddhist Master?"
Hearing the youth's words, the old man turned around. His eyelids were heavily wrinkled, and he looked at the Black-robed Youth.
"Really? What about Moluo?"
The Black-robed Youth spoke in a low voice, "Unless a Sage intervened to deceive our perception, there's no way it could be wrong. Moluo is also dead. There was residual demonic qi and undispersed Dao Power there. He must have merged with Moluo."
"Buddha-Demon Fusion—two extreme Dao Hearts. How greedy he was. No wonder he remained in the Great Peace Dao Realm for two thousand years. He was trying to become a Sage in one step, and even aimed to be a first-rate Sage."
The old man's eyes narrowed, and the wrinkles on his eyelids seemed to lift slightly.
The two Black-robed figures exchanged glances, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.
An extreme Dao Heart fusion, leaping a major realm to become a Sage?
Such a person would be considered a prodigy even in the land of Sages.
"He was likely forced to merge prematurely. There's only residual Great Dao Aura, no Sage aura", the Black-robed Youth said.
Respected Mo Yang grunted coldly, "Of course. He sought our cooperation to steal the Great Yu Dynasty's incense, which means he didn't have enough incense. This is normal. The Dayu Emperor wouldn't allow anyone to usurp the Jiang Family's incense. Now, he's merged prematurely, like a premature baby, unable to become a Sage. It's a fitting death!"
"Incense?"
The purple-marked Graceful Woman was puzzled.
"You haven't reached the Dao Law Realm, so you can't sense it."
Respected Mo Yang explained, "The cultivation path involves seizing the blessings of heaven and earth. Below the Sage Realm, all are mere ants, who can only defy the heavens through their abilities. However, the Sage Realm has the Three Disasters of Heaven and Earth, which require incense to transcend. Otherwise, why do you think the Jiang Family left the Great Wasteland Sky and came here?"
"Do you really think they were defeated in the Ancient Holy Clan's competition and forced out of the Great Wasteland Sky? Ha, the Jiang Family merely went with the flow, intending to use this dynasty to accumulate incense and revive their Ancestor Sage!"
Upon hearing this, both of them were stunned, looking at him in shock.
The Jiang Family was plotting to revive their Ancestor Sage?
That ambition was truly terrifying.
"Respected Mo Yang, does one need incense to become a Sage? What about us?"
The Black-robed Youth's eyes flickered.
"You should first reach the Dao Law Realm. If you want to plan ahead, that's fine, but we Demons can't obtain the incense of the Human Race. Who would worship Demons? Even Tyranny wouldn't work. Without sincere hearts, it's useless. Incense is actually the power of wishes, the embodiment of the masses' aspirations."
"We can only obtain this power from Demons. The Holy Son has promised us that once we take over Dayu, he will build Demon Temples in various places for us. Then, you can drive the demons to worship and gain power."
Respected Mo Yang said.
Hearing him mention the "Holy Son", the two of them tensed up, their eyes showing a mix of reverence.
The Purple-striped Graceful Woman asked, "Is there no other way to become a Saint besides collecting Incense?"
"There is, but it's practically impossible. That path has long been cut off and requires an unimaginable level of Insight..."
Respected Mo Yang shook his head. "In short, these things are too far off for you. Even those in the Dao Law Realm may not be able to Comprehend the Sage's path and establish their own Great Dao, let alone collect Incense. Without such extraordinary talent, any early planning would only be helping others, just like this Buddhist Master."
The two exchanged glances, both feeling a deep sense of agreement.
Becoming a Saint, who wouldn't want that?
But despite their thoughts, they had little confidence. It was indeed too distant a goal.
They first needed to Comprehend the Dao, and then establish their own Great Dao. It was too difficult.
"Speaking of which, although the Buddhist Master didn't achieve Sainthood in one step, his Buddha-Demon Fusion forced him into the Enlightenment Realm, and he might even have reached the Dao Law Realm!"
Respected Mo Yang brought the topic back, his eyes flashing with a cold, sharp light.
"Could that boy really have killed a Dao Law Realm being? Are you sure that when he fought in Qingzhou, he only had the aura of the Fourth Establishment Realm?"
The two were stunned, their eyes showing a hint of shock.
The Buddhist Master directly became a Dao Law Realm being?
After their investigation, they only sensed a strong Great Dao Aura and couldn't determine if he had mastered the Dao.
But after hearing so much from Respected Mo Yang, they understood that the Buddhist Master was an extraordinary and formidable figure. Even if his cultivation was premature, he was far from an ordinary True Person Realm.
Even if he was just a True Person Realm, he would certainly be at the pinnacle of that level.
"We are absolutely certain. During the battle in Qingzhou, he exposed his aura and only used his Dao Domain in combat. It was impossible to hide it; otherwise, his cultivation would have been too exaggerated..."
The Black-robed Youth's face changed, and he spoke in a low voice.
The Purple-striped Graceful Woman's face darkened. "It's also possible that the battle with us helped him Comprehend something and break through. But we've cultivated for ten thousand years and are only at the True Person Realm... compared to him, haven't we lived in vain?"
Respected Mo Yang's face was grim. "A Sixteen-Year-Old Fourth Establishment Realm, isn't that already exaggerated enough? Not to mention a Sixteen-Year-Old Three Immortal Realms. Have you ever seen another example?"
Hearing this, the two exchanged glances, speechless.
Indeed, a Sixteen-Year-Old Three Immortal Realms was already extraordinary, and now it was even more so.
"Is that young man even human? Could he be the reincarnation of a Sage?"
The Black-robed Youth couldn't help but ask, thinking of the "Holy Son" they had mentioned earlier.
Respected Mo Yang's eyes flickered. It was indeed possible, but he hadn't heard of such monstrous Sage reincarnations. It would have to be a Sage in disguise, which seemed unlikely.
If it were truly a Sage, they would have been exterminated long ago, and they wouldn't be having this conversation.
"There have always been some extraordinary geniuses, whose cultivation progresses in a day what it takes others a year. That boy must be one of them."
Respected Mo Yang sighed. Their plans had been completely disrupted by one person, and it was hard to imagine.
"It's only because that Buddhist Master was too greedy. If he had chosen to join forces with us to ambush, even if that boy had three heads and six arms, he wouldn't have escaped Wuliang Mountain. Unfortunately, he was afraid we would become a stain on his Incense, and now he's gotten what he deserved!"
The Purple-striped Graceful Woman said coldly.
"It might not just be about the Incense. He could also be wary of us. After all, we all entered Wuliang Mountain... he probably couldn't sleep or eat in peace either." The Black-robed Youth said.
"Now that the Buddhist Sect isn't providing support, our plans have to change again. We were so close in Liangzhou, and that brat ruined everything, making us furious!"
The Purple-striped Graceful Woman gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with hatred.
"At this point, we have to make the best of a bad situation."
The venerable Mo Yang's face darkened as he said, "During the battle outside Qingzhou City, we had you directly use your True Self to deal with that brat, but that Buddhist Master insisted on handling it himself. He ended up making a foolish move, sacrificing himself in the process. We had planned to use the Thief Saint to lure that brat over, tarnish his reputation, and drive a wedge between him and the imperial court."
"But instead, he forced himself into the Buddha-Demon Fusion and got himself killed. It was utterly foolish."
The Black-robed Youth remained silent. Even the wisest can make mistakes, and no one could have predicted that the brat would be so formidable, capable of slaying a Dao Law Realm cultivator.
When information is unequal, all plans become as laughable as a clown's antics.
In their long-term strategy, everything was proceeding smoothly, and the fall of Dayu was imminent. But the brat's sudden rise, like a sharp blade slicing through the ranks, threw everything into disarray.
Who could have predicted this?
If they had known Dayu could produce such a monster, they would have accelerated their plans, even if it meant greater sacrifices.
Although the Buddhist Master is dead, we can still use his foolish move. His death can further drive a wedge between that brat and Dayu. The millions of tongues of the Buddhist Sect disciples will drown him in a sea of slander!
The venerable Mo Yang sneered, "When that brat can no longer bear it, he will unleash his fury and slaughter those Buddhist Sect disciples. I don't believe others won't be afraid. That brat is Dayu's sharp sword, but a sword cuts both ways. Now, we must make them realize that this sword can harm them too!"
The Black-robed Youth and the other nodded slightly.
The brat's ability to slay the Buddhist Master had left them speechless, proving he was a force they could not match.
In their hearts, they felt a tinge of relief. If the Buddhist Master hadn't made that foolish move to stop them, they might have sent their True Selves to deal with the young man, and things could have gone badly for them.
"But now that the brat can slay a Dao Law Realm cultivator, will Dayu really sever ties with him?" the Black-robed Youth asked.
The venerable Mo Yang sneered, "As a ruler, would you be happy or afraid if a brutal and powerful figure emerged in your domain?"
The two exchanged glances, both knowing the answer.
Though the Human Race has always been exceptionally intelligent in cultivation, they are often foolish in other matters, even rulers cannot escape the shackles of human nature.
"Even with us watching closely, some foolish humans would rather build high walls than allow a potential threat to remain close. This is human nature."
The venerable Mo Yang's eyes seemed to pierce through everything. "Moreover, that brat is at the peak of his power and in the prime of his youth, making him prone to arrogance. A little bit of grievance is unbearable for him. The world is vast, and he can wander freely. He doesn't have to stay here. Do you think he will endure the humiliation?"
"So, a rupture is inevitable?"
The two's eyes lit up at his words.
If the rupture happens, their attack on Dayu will no longer be hindered by the brat.
Eliminating an enemy doesn't always mean killing them; sometimes, driving them away is enough.
"Your task now is to have the Tianji Hall contact the Buddhist Sect and pressure the emperor, making him suspicious!" the venerable Mo Yang said.
"Understood."
The two nodded.
The venerable Mo Yang sneered slightly, "In this world, the strong rule, but humans like to pretend to be fair and just. Despite the clear distinctions between officials and nobles, noble families, and commoners, they always want the lower classes to believe in justice and fairness. Thus, they must maintain the appearance of reason. The Buddhist Master was also constrained by this, but he was fighting for the incense offerings, so he had to pretend to be benevolent. We, however, do not lack for the incense of humans."
The two smiled at his words.
"Go now. The Holy Son is growing impatient."
The venerable Mo Yang's eyes were deep and serious. "We can't afford to delay any longer. If we wait until the prodigies from a thousand years ago return from the Immortal Gate, it will be too late. Only the Holy Son can resolve this."
The two felt a chill run down their spines at his words, nodded, and vanished.
Meanwhile, the news had already reached Qingzhou City.
(End of Chapter)
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