https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-395-Lin-Fan-Takes-Action-Annihilating-the-Black-Lotus-Part-2-/12965492/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-396-The-Aftermath-and-Developments-Lin-Dong-at-the-Moon-Holding-Sect-Part-2-/12965494/
Chapter 396: The Aftermath and Developments! Lin Dong at the Moon Holding Sect (Part 1)
Chapter 396: The Aftermath and Developments! Lin Dong at the Moon Holding Sect (Part 1)
August 20, 2024
The rate of blood loss was rapid, and due to the overwhelming power of the Black Lotus's attacks, it was impossible to stop the bleeding for a while.
They could only talk while continuing to bleed...
"A fortunate turn amidst misfortune."
"But why did the Black Lotus suddenly freeze, allowing us to slay it?"
"Could there be a reason?"
The crowd exchanged puzzled glances.
But soon, someone refuted, "I don't think it's a conspiracy. If this was all part of its plan, then it's a bit too far-fetched. After all, no one understood the situation better than us at that moment."
"In that situation, it didn't need any conspiracies. If we continued fighting, our defeat was certain. Once we lost, would the Immortal Martial Continent have any chance of survival?"
Duanmu frowned, "If we were defeated, there would only be one last resort, but no one knows if that path is even viable. So, it's true that it didn't need to act this way, even if there was a conspiracy, it wouldn't be used in this manner."
"Exactly!"
Gu Xinglian nodded, "So I believe it must have been a case of Inner Demonic Fire."
"Inner Demonic Fire?"
The crowd was astonished.
They wondered if someone had secretly intervened, using some special means to stun the Apocalyptic Black Lotus. For a moment, no one could figure out who it was or what method they had employed.
But then you, Gu Xinglian, say it's Inner Demonic Fire?
"This... doesn't seem right. With such power, how could it fall into Inner Demonic Fire?"
Facing skepticism, Gu Xinglian calmly shook her head in rebuttal, "Who says that strength prevents Inner Demonic Fire? It's a possibility at any cultivation level, isn't it?"
"In fact, the stronger the cultivator, the more intense the reaction to Inner Demonic Fire!"
"Furthermore, this Apocalyptic Black Lotus has been crazily devouring, absorbing countless people's origins, and even their 'memories' for its own use. With so many origins, memories, and techniques merging into one, it's not surprising that it would fall into Inner Demonic Fire due to the inability to integrate and comprehend them properly."
"What do you all think?"
"Well..."
"If we analyze it this way, it's indeed possible."
The crowd suddenly realized the truth.
They hadn't considered this aspect before, but now, after Gu Xinglian's insight, they suddenly felt it made perfect sense!
Inner Demonic Fire is typically caused by 'inadequate cultivation'.
It could be due to unstable internal energy or insufficient spiritual strength.
But the Apocalyptic Black Lotus had devoured so many people's origins, making it highly likely that its internal energy was unstable!
Since its energy was unstable, what's strange about Inner Demonic Fire?
Only Li Canghai looked at Gu Xinglian with a hint of strangeness, remaining silent.
Inner Demonic Fire?
As the number one demon in the Heavenly Realm, she was certain that her judgment couldn't be wrong. The Apocalyptic Black Lotus was definitely not in Inner Demonic Fire!
How could the internal energy of someone in Inner Demonic Fire be so 'calm'? It should be exploding like a mountain collapsing or a tsunami!
But at this moment, most people accepted this explanation, and it was proposed by Gu Xinglian...
There was no need for her to refute it.
However, what did this have to do with Gu Xinglian?
Could it be that she had secretly intervened?
If so...
This Gu Xinglian might possess secrets unknown to everyone, and her methods could make the Apocalyptic Black Lotus dazed and trembling. Perhaps it could affect us as well...
As she thought of this, she couldn't help but look at Gu Xinglian deeply.
The latter noticed her gaze and offered a faint smile in response.
Li Canghai, however, maintained a sarcastic smile.
"Indeed."
"There's more than one smart person here, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who believes the Apocalyptic Black Lotus isn't in Inner Demonic Fire."
"But Gu Xinglian is eager to define the situation, and everyone is indebted to her, so no one has contradicted her."
"..."
Cultivation is not just about fighting; it also involves social skills and politicking.
"Ahem!"
"You all seem to be having quite a pleasant chat."
"I, on the other hand, have some bad news to share."
At that moment, Duanmu returned with his group, holding an 'account book'.
"While you were chatting, I've already led a team to raid the treasure trove of Mahayana Buddhism."
"Unfortunately, due to the previous battle, many treasures were destroyed, and these baldies were probably feeding the Apocalyptic Black Lotus. So, they had almost emptied the treasury, and there aren't many valuable items left."
"What...?"
"Let this Sacred Son have a look."
He picked up the account book, moistened his lips, and turned a page.
"According to the statistics, the total value of the treasures in the Mahayana Buddhist treasury is only 3.8 million high-grade essence stones."
"It's indeed quite disappointing."
"I, the Sacred Son, will pass on it."
"I also suggest that we all do the same and distribute these treasures to the small cultivators and commoners affected by the disaster in the Western Region. What do you think?"
The crowd was momentarily stunned.
3.8 million high-grade essence stones? It wasn't actually that small of an amount.
But it's all relative, and it depends on the comparison. For a prestigious Holy Land, is it reasonable that their treasury contains only this much value? Even if the Apocalyptic Black Lotus devoured many treasures, and the previous battle destroyed many more, it still seems unlikely, doesn't it?
But Duanmu, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, is still the Sacred Son of Wuyi Palace. He doesn't seem like someone who would deceive others.
So, if there are indeed only this many treasures...
It might be better to let go and donate them to the people of the Western Region, allowing them to rebuild.
At least, it can earn them a good reputation.
After all, compared to a small share of these treasures, a good reputation is more important.
Ultimately, 'territory' is more crucial...
Just as seven Sacred Sons were about to agree, Gu Xinglian quietly stood up.
"Duanmu Sacred Son~"
"Your words are incorrect."
Duanmu narrowed his eyes. "How are my words incorrect?"
"Think about it!"
Gu Xinglian shifted her tone, filled with righteous indignation. "The Apocalyptic Black Lotus devoured the origins of all things in the world!"
"During the previous battle, it even destroyed this place, so logically, there shouldn't be many surviving treasures."
"Even before the Apocalyptic Black Lotus devoured it, it should have been wiped out entirely. That would have been reasonable."
"But under such dual consumption, the Great Vehicle Buddhism still has resources and treasures of such high value left. It's truly heartbreaking!"
"And this is just the treasure trove of the Great Vehicle Buddhism. What about the Hinayana Buddhism, the thousands of Buddhist sects, and the temples?"
"Before being devoured by the Apocalyptic Black Lotus! Before this great war destroyed it, how much was there?"
"Just thinking about it is heartbreaking and shocking!"
"You all should consider this: the Buddhist sects never engage in productive labor and only know how to extort the people's wealth. How many people have they harmed, and how many forces have they extorted to amass such wealth?"
"Alas!"
Gu Xinglian shook her head, her heart aching with indignation. "In my life, I hate those who commit evil and oppress others the most!"
"The Buddhist sects should be destroyed!"
"It's a good thing that Empty Wisdom and those bald donkeys are already dead, otherwise, I'd make them suffer a hundred deaths, a hundred times over!"
The crowd: "..."
Li Canghai was puzzled.
Although Gu Xinglian wasn't a demon like him, she couldn't be considered a compassionate person either.
Why, at this moment, was she so indignant and heartbroken?
Something was amiss!
Just as everyone was waiting for Gu Xinglian to continue, Duanmu cleared his throat.
"Ahem."
He licked his lips and turned the page of the account book in his hand: "Oh~~~!"
"My apologies, I made a mistake earlier."
"It's not 3.8 million high-grade Essence Stones, but 380 million high-grade Essence Stones."
"What?!"
"Such a large amount?!"
Gu Xinglian exclaimed, clenching her delicate fist until it made a cracking sound.
"This is... this is truly outrageous!"
"It's fortunate that Empty Wisdom and those baldies are already dead. Otherwise, I'd use the punishment for corrupt officials on them!"
"What punishment?" The crowd was curious.
After the battle, casual conversation was fine.
After all, she was the Holy Mother, and they should at least give her some face and respond.
"First, dig a hole!"
Gu Xinglian described it vividly, even using hand gestures: "Bury the corrupt official entirely, leaving only his head exposed."
"Wait, is it a live burial or a dead burial?" Li Canghai asked curiously.
Gu Xinglian: "..., of course, it's a live burial."
"Then, drill a hole in his head and pour mercury into it!"
"This person will be itching uncontrollably!"
As she spoke, Gu Xinglian pointed.
Although Duanmu was looking at the account book, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was pointing at him!
Why did he feel an unbearable itch all over his body?
"What if it's unbearable?" He asked with a twitching mouth.
"If it's unbearable, you'd find a hole to crawl into!"
"Just as I saw a hole on top of my head, I'd 'swoosh' and crawl out, even shedding my skin~!"
After saying this, Gu Xinglian suddenly asked, "What do you think of this punishment, Duanmu?"
"..."
Duanmu suddenly felt countless ants crawling all over his body.
Itchy!
Although he wasn't an ordinary person and wouldn't be afraid of mercury, people are afraid of scaring themselves.
"Oh dear, I think I made another mistake!"
Duanmu turned the page: "This time, I won't make a mistake."
"The total value of the remaining treasures in the Great Vehicle Buddhism treasure trove should be 1.38 billion high-grade Essence Stones."
After saying this, Duanmu shouted, "Damn the Great Vehicle Buddhism! Damn those baldies!"
"Just how much of the people's wealth have they extorted?"
"They are truly despicable!"
"I, the Holy Master, cannot coexist with evil!"
He made a strong statement.
But the gazes of the crowd towards him were ambiguous.
God, you cannot coexist with evil.
Just now...
You, old man, are evil itself!
At this moment, who couldn't react in time, this old man wanted to monopolize the majority of the wealth, yet he pretended to be a good person, saying that the value wasn't high and wanted to distribute it to the world...
You little rascal, you're trying to embezzle!
I almost believed your lies!
If I had believed you, wouldn't I have been embezzled by you? Fortunately, Gu Xinglian has control over the Heaven-Watching Mirror, seeing everything clearly, otherwise...
Facing the gazes of the crowd, even with Duanmu's thick skin, he couldn't help but blush.
He didn't even have the face to blame Gu Xinglian for spying on him.
It was his own fault for being delusional, and she had already given him face by not exposing him!
She was just indirectly reminding him.
If she hadn't given him face and directly confronted him...
That would have been even more embarrassing.
As for now, as long as everyone didn't explicitly mention it, he could at least maintain a basic level of face, ahem.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?!"
Duanmu glared: "Do you think I'm interested in these treasures? Does my Wuyi Palace lack them?!"
"Ahem, then let's do it this way."
"Later, we'll all plunder the remaining Buddhist sects, clear out the remnants, and at the same time, we'll tally the total wealth and divide it into... eleven portions."
"Each of our nine sects will take one portion, the other forces will share one portion, and the disaster-stricken people of the Western Region will get the remaining portion. How does that sound?"
The Holy Masters nodded.
They didn't tear each other apart; after all, everyone has a greedy heart.
As long as this old man didn't succeed, it wasn't a big problem.
As for the aftermath...
Hmph!
Everyone should keep an eye on him.
Even Li Canghai directly acted like a 'true villain', saying, "Fine, but we need to ask Gu Xinglian to be a witness."
"With the Heaven-Watching Mirror, I don't believe anyone can line their own pockets or accept bribes!"
"Hmm..."
Duanmu's face twitched, "That makes sense!"
"Of course it makes sense," Li Canghai glanced at him and said, "Do you think I'm talking nonsense?"
"..."
Duanmu's eyelids twitched, "You wouldn't be."
After some bickering, there was no further discussion.
'Greed' is naturally shameful, but wasn't this a case of not getting what they wanted?
However, ridicule was inevitable.
Otherwise, he wouldn't dare next time!
"Alright, let's settle this matter."
The Heaven Repairing Pavilion Leader sighed, "This time, all nine Holy Lands have suffered significant losses, and the Immortal Martial Continent has just undergone a major transformation, so there's a lot to do."
"Let's not waste time arguing, let's get to work."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and their expressions turned solemn.
They had won, but there were also objective casualties, leaving no room for doubt.
This time...
Things needed to be handled properly.
"Let's divide into four groups."
The Heaven-Cleaving Sect Lord pondered, "One group will sweep through the Western Region, saving innocent civilians, and as for territorial division..."
"We'll handle that as well."
"Another group will head to the Western Region, and we need to deal with the Cloud Peak Palace. If the Cloud Peak Palace hasn't been completely corrupted, we can give them a chance and let them keep their legacy."
"If they're like the Buddhist Sect..."
He reached out and made a slight cut under his neck.
Everyone nodded.
This arrangement was flawless. Those who deserved to die should be killed, but if they weren't 'corrupted', they could be spared.
"Li Canghai."
The Heaven-Cleaving Sect Lord turned to Li Canghai, "Do you have any objections from the Celestial Demon Palace?"
He continued, "Even if you do, I can't do anything about it."
"Heh."
Li Canghai scoffed, "How interesting. Do you think I'm a fool, wanting me to take the lead and destroy the Cloud Peak Palace for our benefit?"
This scheme was too straightforward! It's as if they wanted him to disregard the truth and directly destroy the Cloud Peak Palace for personal gain.
Of course, for his own interests, destroying a sect was justifiable.
But...
Is the Cloud Peak Palace an ordinary sect?
He didn't mind the infamy or the destruction of his own sect, but once he turned around, these guys would target him, making him share the benefits.
This was a thankless task.
Only a fool would do it!
Whoever wants to do it, let them do it. He's not getting involved.
Heh.
On second thought, Li Canghai felt that it would be better if the Cloud Peak Palace and the Forgetzen Path were completely corrupted like the Buddhist Sect.
If the living were fully corrupted, and the uncorrupted were killed, then...
Everyone could destroy the Cloud Peak Palace together and share the benefits, which would be not bad.
At least he wouldn't be the only one working while everyone else reaped the rewards.
Li Canghai's pursuit of the 'Dao' was simple.
Pluck a hair, benefit the world, and even if it doesn't benefit her, she's willing to sell herself.
But if someone wants to take advantage of her?
Pfft!
No way!
Not even a hair's worth of advantage will be given.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade Li Canghai, the Heaven-Cleaving Sect Lord wasn't in a hurry. He turned and said, "The third group will naturally go to the Forgetzen Path, and we must investigate thoroughly!"
"As for the fourth group, they will return to their respective sects to handle related matters. After all, this battle has gathered almost all first-rate and super-first-rate forces, so we must provide an explanation."
"That's natural."
They all nodded.
"Good, let's divide into four groups!"
"Everyone knows what needs to be handled, and the first three groups will be handled by our people, so there's no need to worry about any issues or concealment."
"If there's nothing else, let's disperse and handle it immediately."
"Yes!"
"Disperse! Disperse!"
They came and left quickly.
Of course, many people also stayed to handle the 'scene'.
Although the battle seemed over, there were still many follow-up matters to attend to.
This piece of heaven and earth had been battered, but the Heavenly Dao would naturally repair itself over time. However, due to the severe damage and intense fighting, even the Dao Principles and Divine Chains had been obliterated, requiring some time for recovery.
But this land...
If left unattended, it might remain in this state for tens of thousands, or even millions of years.
Moreover, earthquakes and other disasters would become frequent occurrences.
The region where the Great Vehicle Buddhism, once a Cave Heaven, was now completely ruined.
This was something no one wanted to see.
This was a good place, and with some cultivation, it could still be used! If it were abandoned, wouldn't that be a waste?
So...
Many people were needed.
From restoring the land, clearing the Apocalyptic Black Lotus remnants, to rebuilding the Spirit Mountain.
From setting up formations, to restoring the Essence Stone Vein's spirituality.
To transplanting various Spirit Plants, restoring 'activity'...
All of this required people and time.
Fortunately, there were many people here.
Although there weren't many people from the Holy Lands, there were still many first-rate and super-first-rate forces. They wouldn't dare refuse a small task from the Nine Holy Lands, and they might even have to contribute a little from their own pockets.
Not only would they not refuse, but they would also have to do their best, and sometimes even contribute a little from their own pockets.
Of course, the Holy Lands weren't that shameless, and for the sake of face, they would let their subordinates earn a little.
As for who would own this place after it was repaired and restored to its Cave Heaven state, and how it would be divided...
That would have to wait until all the trivial matters were dealt with, and then the Nine Holy Lands would sit down and slowly negotiate (bicker) about it.
...
"Wow."
"Is Gu Xinglian really not a traverser?"
"Why do I feel like she's read Star Lord's The Deer and the Cauldron?"
"Through the Heaven-Watching Mirror, Lin Fan couldn't help but find the sight of their bickering amusing.
The main reason was that the Star Master's deja vu was too strong.
'But speaking of which, this wave of benefits...'
'Forget it, forget it. Let's leave it to them.'
'After all, I've gained quite a few benefits myself.
(End of Chapter)
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