Chapter 280 (2/2)

”Back then, the Enlightenment Doctrine had already started to rot. I do not think that it is a pity that it was ruined by Ke Haoran. On the burnt ground, new sprouts will grow. I would rather set up a new Devil's Doctrine on ruins. The new Devil's Doctrine transplanted on the rich soil of the Tang empire would definitely flourish and thrive.”

”I believe that my plans must be in motion after so long. I just have to wait quietly for the Headmaster of the Academy to pa.s.s away once I get out of here. Who do you think the world would belong to then?”

Ning Que's body felt extremely cold when he heard that. He wondered to himself if there were many powerhouses of the Devil's Doctrine hidden around Chang'an. Had all these people heeded his order to head south? If they allow this man to leave the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine, what kind of storm would the world weather?

”You must have thought that Youngest Uncle would kill you then. Even if you have hidden so many people and set up plans in the Central Plains, what is the point of them once you are dead?”

The old monk looked at him in ridicule. He looked at Ning Que like how the white snow on a snow peak would look at a summer worm. He said, ”Even if I were dead, my plans would still survive. Ordinary people like you would never understand. A person's life or death did not matter. What is important is whether we can change the old world and welcome a new one. And then, we can use the abilities of the new world to change certain rules. Why would it matter if I died if I can do all of that?”

Ning Que asked, ”What rules?”

The old monk replied, ”The rules of Greater Taoism.”

Ning Que asked, ”If... you couldn't change anything after plotting for your entire life, then what?”

The old monk smiled and answered, ”At least I have worked hard at it.”

Ning Que furrowed his brows and said, ”You would not hesitate to have the world die with you just because of your attempt?”

The old monk said calmly, ”What has the end of the world to do with me?”

This was perhaps where plotters derive joy, Ning Que thought to himself silently. He really admired the old monk's plot. However, he was also extremely frightened, for it was always difficult to emerge victorious when in a combat with lunatics.

At this moment, the world-renowned Master Lotus was a complete lunatic in Ning Que's eyes. Ning Que did not understand what he was saying. Even if he did, he did not know whether it was real or not. He could not even make a sound judgment on what the person saying all that was like.

The old monk was sometimes as innocent as a newborn baby, sometimes, he was as violent as an unreasonable woman in the market. Sometimes, he was as pa.s.sionate as the young scholars in the capital who wished to save the world; and at other times, he was like a young swordsman who was full of pride, wanting to fight all evils in the world with a sword. At times, he was like a benevolent Buddhist Bhadanta, and at times, he was cruel like the devil himself.

No matter which image he resembled, it could compare to the real deal. One could not see any signs of falseness and each facade was inherently different but came from his heart. It was so pure, it made one's heart flutter. If he wanted to become a Buddha, he would. And if he wanted to become the devil, he could. He viewed the world as a true Buddha and a true devil with benevolence and indifference.

He was simple but capricious. He was lonely and weak, complicated and annoying. He was sometimes jealous and sometimes sinister. He liked to compete and would occasionally complain. He was selfish and boring but pervertic and adventurous. He enjoyed sophistication and loved imagination. He was kind and benevolent, but also hatred and vengeful. He was domineering and prideful. He was silent and sad. He was full of contradictions and hypocrisy. He was happy yet sad. He was great and yet small.

Liansheng 32, each petal was different.

It was hard to imagine how a person's character and thoughts could be so complicated.

Ning Que thought, could it be that this person has got 32 different personalities?

The old monk was done with his speech. He closed his eyes calmly like a lotus going back to sleep at night. He began to unleash the secret power of the Devil's Doctrine and attempted to digest the Tao Addict's flesh and convert it into the primordial Qi in his body.

Ning Que's voice echoed in the silence of the room. However, his tone was uneasy and boring when no one replied. It even seemed desperate.

”There is no devil in this world. It only came into existence because there are too many people like you out there.”

”You are the devil no matter which role you play.”

”Liansheng 32, every petal of yours is dirty.”

”When one links Tao and the Devil, they become G.o.d. But they might also end up being a lunatic.”

The old monk sitting on the mountain of bones did not have any reaction no matter what Ning Que said. He spent much effort trying to think of these seemingly philosophical statements, which were wasted in the dry air. It did not annoy his opponent nor did it do anything to harm his opponent's psyche either.

Ning Que placed his head on Mo Shanshan's shoulder weakly. He stared at the bluestone ceiling. He knew that once the old monk devours and digests the second mouthful of flesh filled with the aura of Haotian Taoism, his state would return to one that he could not touch. Then, there would be no way to change their fates. His eyes dimmed.

The light in the room of the Devil's Palace became dimmer and dimmer. Night had come to the world outside the mountain. The temperature dropped.

He lifted his head and looked at the sword marks on the stone ceiling. Those were marks left behind by Youngest Uncle. They formed a Confinement that had kept Liansheng 32 trapped for decades. He sighed lightly in his heart.

He had only glanced at them in pa.s.sing. He had not controlled his psyche deliberately. It must be that he was used to using the Eight Strokes Calligraphy of Yong in the old library. The crowded sword marks in his field of vision suddenly separated and became clear.

Ning Que's gaze stayed on those sword marks for a long time. His mental state wandered together with the sword marks and a feeling emerged from within him. This feeling was obscure and hard to catch and examine. However, his body warmed up because of this.

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