Chapter 735: The Status of a Karmic Fire Elite
Lu Zhou looked at the little novice monk and said, “Notify your abbot that I have something to discuss with him about Fa Kong.”
The novice monk knew the Buddhist Master Fa Kong’s name. Fa Kong was a Nine-leaf karmic fire elite from the Blood Sun Temple, after all. His expression immediately changed as he said, “Kindly wait here, dear benefactors.”
The novice monk sped back to the Blood Sun Temple. After passing through several courtyards, he finally arrived at the courtyard where the abbot was staying. He stood outside the door and said, “Abbot, there’s an old benefactor at the foot of the mountain. He says he has something to say to you regarding Master Fa Kong.”
There was a long pause before a reply came from the room. “Fa Kong has already passed on, why must we look for trouble? Tell this benefactor that I won’t meet him.”
“Understood.” The novice monk returned to the foot of the mountain and relayed the abbot’s message to Lu Zhou.
When Little Yuan’er heard this, she was about to leap into a rage when Lu Zhou raised a hand to stop her. Then, he said coldly, “If that’s the case, I have no choice but to go up the mountain uninvited.”
Lu Zhou ignored the novice monk’s protests and flew up.
“Little monk… You’re not discerning at all. Nobody under the heavens dares reject my master,” Little Yuan’er said with a smile.
“Benefactors! Please wait here!” However, with his weak cultivation base, how could the little novice monk possibly stop them.
Lu Zhou led the way. He placed one hand on his back and flew toward Blood Sun Temple’s entrance.
In front of the entrance, there were 100 monks armed with rods. They were shouting and training, but none of them were flying. When they saw the strangers, the monks armed with rods gathered around them swiftly.
“Amitabha. Old benefactor, did you lose your way?” an older monk asked as he straightened his pam in front of him while his other hand held the rod.
Lu Zhou ignored him and flew forward.
With this, the monks with the rods determined the newcomers were hostile. They no longer hesitated and attacked with their rods.
Lu Zhou seemed to vanish into thin air as he made his way through the group of monks.
The monks who had charged out crashed to the ground. Upon seeing this, they were terrified. They had no idea this person had such a profound cultivation base.
“Where’s the Blood Sun Temple’s abbot?” Lu Zhou’s voice was loud. With the Heavenly Writing’s extraordinary power, it was extremely clear but not deafening. His voice spread from the Heavenly King Hall in front of him to the Great Strength Hall, the Thousand Buddhas Hall, the Receiving Hall, the scripture depository, the dojo, and the Cloud Tower.
Within 1,000 meters of Blood Sun Mountain, winged beasts took flight and the beasts on land scampered away.
The abbot, Fa Hua, who was knocking on the wooden fish, opened his eyes. The doors to his room were opened by a blast of energy, and he flew out with his legs crossed. Would a person capable of unleashing such a sound technique be a weakling?
The monks flew out of the Great Strength Hall. The Three First Seats and twelve vajras flew over from the dojo on the other side of the chasm on the second peak. They reached the decorated archway swiftly enough before they finally arrived at the main entrance.
These monks who came were Blood Sun Mountain’s core disciples and cultivating monks. There were 1,000 of them hovering in the air.
“Abbot.” The monks bowed.
From the direction of the Heavenly King Hall, the abbot, Fa Hua, flew over and landed.
When Fa Hua landed, the others followed suit as well. They dared not remain in the air when the abbot was on the ground.
Fa Hua was dressed in simple monk robes, but there was a certain quality that the others did not have between his eyes. He looked at Lu Zhou and the two little girls. They were foreign faces to him. He straightened his palm and asked, “Amitabha. What brings you to the Blood Sun Temple, old benefactor?”
Lu Zhou nodded. ‘The leader of the Blood Sun Temple is here. Things are easier now. There’s no need to waste my time on these small fries.’
“Are you the abbot of the Blood Sun Temple?”
“I am the abbot, Fa Hua,” Fa Hua replied.
“I have questions for you.”
Fa Hua shook his head and said, “Old benefactor… I don’t know you. If you’re here to worship Buddha, I would welcome you with open arms. However, if you’re here for revenge, please forgive me for not being able to entertain you.”
The twelve vajras stepped forward automatically. They wore red kasayas and carried prayer beads. As soon as they stepped forward, their prayer beads shone with red radiance.
Lu Zhou gave them a cursory glance. In his deep eyes, there seemed to be vortexes churning.
To gain the power of speech recognition, even about the unspeakable truths, and to understand the words spoken by the tongues of the beings in different worlds.
This was the power of speech recognition.
“I’m in a good mood today, and I don’t feel like killing anyone. If you’d like to meet Buddha prematurely, I don’t mind changing my mind.” After Lu Zhou said this, the 12 vajras felt their heads spin. They staggered backward and felt their blood essence surge.
The other monks retreated.
The abbot, Fa Hua, was the only one who stood in his position, unleashing flames. The karmic fire negated the sound technique.
Lu Zhou did not look at the others. He merely looked at Fa Hua. He did not expect the Blood Sun Temple’s strength to be so formidable. They had two karmic fire elites!
The power of speech recognition was unleashed gently like a stream. There was no explosive might, but it caused fear to permeate and linger in a person.
Abbot Fa Hua frowned. This was an elite who was comparable to himself! ‘Now that Fa Kong’s dead, are they trying to destroy the Blood Sun Temple? Is the major sect sending their hidden elites to do the job?’
The Three Seats stepped forward.
“Stand down,” Fa Hua gruffly said.
“Abbot!”
“Stand down!” Fa Hua raised his voice.
“Understood.” The Three Seats retreated obediently.
Fa Hua looked at Lu Zhou. He straightened his palm and bowed. “Amitabha. Those who come are guests. Follow me.”
The monks made way for the ‘guests’.
Fa Hua turned around and invited Lu Zhou to the Great Strength Hall.
The other monks felt indignant, but there was nothing they could do.
Lu Zhou waved his sleeves and placed his hands on his back. They crossed the decorated archway and entered the Blood Sun Temple. When they were on the steps, he stopped and said, “I have a word of advice.”
“What is it, old benefactor?”
“You’d better not use someone else for your own ends. Even if Fa Kong is alive, I’d still think nothing of him. Don’t say you’ve not been warned,” Lu Zhou said.
“…”
The others were stunned.
‘He thinks nothing of Fa Kong? Who’s this man?’ Fa Kong glanced at Lu Zhou again. He really had no recollection of this person. There were less than ten Nine-leaf cultivators who had karmic fires in Great Tang. Every one of them was well known. So, who was this man?
The Blood Sun Temple had already lost a karmic fire cultivator. They could not afford to make a powerful enemy now.
“This way.” Fa Kong maintained his composure despite his thoughts.
They entered the Great Strength Hall.
The other monks waited outside while the Three Seats and the 12 vajras entered the hall at the same time.
Little Yuan’er and Conch stood by their master’s side.
The moment Lu Zhou sat down, Fa Hua asked, “May I know your name, old benefactor?”
Lu Zhou stroked his beard and said, “Who I am isn’t important… I’m only here to clarify several questions…”
Fa Hua nodded. “Ask away, old benefactor.”
“Who ordered Fa Kong to attack me?” Lu Zhou’s voice was calm and tranquil.
“…”
The Three Seats exchanged a look. The Blood Sun Temple had Four Seats in the beginning. Their statuses were only second to the abbot. Fa Kong was one of the four. However, Fa Kong was of the same standing as the abbot. Sometimes, the abbot would even have to show consideration to Fa Kong for the greater good. Fa Kong had always been an independent person so the others seldom knew what he was up to.
A deep frown appeared on Fa Hua’s face as surprise briefly flitted past his eyes. He was the head of the temple, after all. Even when there was a problem, he could still maintain his composure. Moreover, he seemed to have a keen mind. He did not expose Lu Zhou’s origins as he said, “Fa Kong has always been unbridled… Although he’s the Monastic Discipline Hall’s First Seat, he rarely abided by the monastic rules…” After saying this, he asked, “Fa Kong attacked you, old benefactor?”
Fa Hua was clearly trying to change the topic in an attempt to fish out information.
How could Lu Zhou not know what Fa Hua was trying to do? He bluntly said, “Fa Kong snuck up on me so I came here for revenge. What do you think?”
The other monks inhaled sharply when they heard Lu Zhou’s words.
Fa Hua chuckled. He seemed at ease and not worried at all. He also seemed unperturbed by Fa Kong’s death. He said, “I’m the head of this temple, and one of the few karmic fire controllers in Great Tang. If you’re here for revenge, old benefactor, you would’ve made a move long ago. Why would you wait until now? When two karmic fire users fight, it’ll only end in mutual destruction.”