Chapter 631 (1/2)
Chapter 631: Across the Lake is a World of Bloodshed
Debates across the lake grew steadily louder . Ning Que and Sangsang could hear them clearly . After a moment of silence, he took a step onto the Narrow Bridge and walked to the opposite sh.o.r.e . Quni Madi and Lu Chenjia were forced to follow him .
As he walked on the Narrow Bridge, the conversations of those on the sh.o.r.e stopped once more, and all was silent again . Those who were standing at the end of the bridge became fl.u.s.tered and backed away . Some of them even fell down and were almost being trampled .
Someone in the crowd yelled loudly, and the scolding and cursing rang in the air once more . Those who had retreated earlier rushed to the end of the bridge once more . Furthermore, probably due to their embarra.s.sment of silence and retreating earlier, they cursed even more uncouthly, speaking all kinds of cruel methods they'd use to kill the two . Those who have rushed to the bridge again were even more agitated and flushed . They almost broke through the barrier formed by the soldiers and cultivators of the Yuelun Kingdom .
The foul language and intimidation continued to enter Ning Que's ears, but he ignored them and looked into the distance to the southwest of the White Tower Temple . He felt how the powerful aura that terrified him was approaching . The aura did not move fast from the western gates to the temple . But as long as it moved, it would eventually reach them .
Sangsang clutched the handle of the big black umbrella tightly, her face was growing paler . After a silent moment of perceiving, she received the location and the speed of the aura .
Ning Que's expression froze as he knew that he did not have much time left . He looked at the crowd that grew nearer and thought that the pa.s.sionate residents had all gathered at White Tower Temple . Then as long as he could get past these people, he and Sangsang would have a chance to escape Chaoyang City . However, looking at the crowd, he could not even count how many people there were . Would it be easy to barge through the crowd?
Master Qi Mei appeared in front of the Narrow Bridge .
”Have the crowd disperse . I will fight with you . ”
Ning Que looked into the eyes of the high monk from the Xuankong Temple, ignoring the ire of the surrounding crowd . He said calmly, ”If you think that I'm asking too much, you can get the cultivators from both Buddhism and Taoism sects to attack me . ”
Master Qi Mei said, ”You know that the crowd cannot disperse now . If you insist on fighting with the Buddhism and Taoism sects here, then many people will die . ”
Ning Que said, ”If you do not want to see people's blood flowing like a river in Chaoyang city today, then let us leave . The crowd might not listen to your orders, but the cultivators and soldiers will . ”
Ning Que was not even trying to probe, but had just said that casually . He had never thought that if Master Qi Mei would agree with it . However, unexpectedly, Master Qi Mei agreed without hesitation . He waved his hand, signaling to the archers on the end of the bridge to back off . The West-Hill Divine Guards and dozens of monks made way for him .
Only the crowd made up of ordinary people were stopping Ning Que . They were regular folks who were looking at him with different expressions . They were fearful and uneasy, angry and hostile .
”Even if we make way for you, can you leave?” Master Qi Mei asked calmly .
Ning Que was silent, and he understood the intentions of the Buddhism Sect . Then, he noticed acutely that a monk had entered the crowd silently . Then, there was a sudden fuss and agitation with angry cries .
The energy of the crowd earlier was like the sea's surface, rocking softly, with the occasional waves appearing from the sea slapping across reefs . However, the sea was in the midst of a storm, culminating in a disaster right now .
”Kill the Daughter of Yama!”
”Don't let them go!”
The yells of the crowd grew louder and more organized, which was increasingly powerful . The atmosphere grew more and more chaotic, like a house that had its beams cut down, and could collapse at any moment .
Master Qi Mei chanted the name of Buddha . He calmly said, ”Look, it is not us who won't let you go . It's the crowd . ”
Ning Que looked at the middle-aged monk and said, ”Indeed, the Second Brother's a.s.sessment of the Buddhism Sect was right . ”
Master Qi Mei extremely wanted to know how the proud Jun Mo of the Academy thought of the Buddhism Sect . He asked, ”What did Mr . Second say?”
Ning Que answered, ”Second Brother said that all monks should die . ”
Master Qi Mei was enraged . Then, he heard the yelling of those around him . He looked at the pa.s.sionate crowd shame-facedly . Then, he placed his palms together and did not speak again .
Ning Que carried Sangsang across the Narrow Bridge . They finally arrived at the land across the lake .
There was a ma.s.s of people in front of him, and he could not see the end of the sea of humans . Everyone glared at them with enmity and they yelled angrily, with shovels or rocks in their hands .
Ning Que saw several faces . There were old men with faces full of wrinkles, children who looked extremely young, women with powdered faces and men with meaty features . They were all human faces .
These people were terrified, or angry, or using anger to hide their fear, or using the anger to vent their dissatisfaction with the world . No matter what kind of emotions they had, they were all human, because these people were ordinary human beings .
Ning Que said, ”You are the princess of the Yuelun Kingdom . Get them to make way . ”
Lu Chenjia did not speak . Quni Madi remained silent as well .
Ning Que said, ”You guys are not ordinary folks and would not become like mad men just based on a few words from the Buddhism and Taoism Sects . I do not believe that you would die for the world . ”
Lu Chenjia said, ”My heart is already dead . I have enjoyed the offerings of the world for many years, but have never repaid them . If the world can continue to exist only through Sangsang's death, then at least I shouldn't hurt them . ”
Quni Madi said coldly, ”I don't care what happens to the world . I don't care about death as long as you die . ”
Ning Que shook his head after hearing this . Then, he took a few steps forward .
The crowd backed up frantically .
The chanting of a monk sounded from the crowd . The people looked around and discovered that it was the Reincarnation Scriptures they have studied since they were children . They picked up the chant subconsciously .
Their soft voices reverberated in the White Tower Temple . The voices grew more and more tidy and strong . The chiming of a bell suddenly joined, and all was calm yet with majesty .
Dozens of monks chanted the name of Buddha, showing compa.s.sionate and majestic looks .
Ning Que knew that he must stop this . The residents of Chaoyang City were all believers of the Buddhism Sect . Once they were riled up, or perhaps hypnotized by the chanting, it would be troublesome for him .
He looked up at the dark cloud above Chaoyang City and at the annoying circling black crows . He looked down at the ground his feet were planted on and saw a few ants crawling through the cracks in the mud . Then, he looked up at the approaching crowd and slowly grasped his hilt with his right hand .
With a clanging sound, he unsheathed his podao .
A man suddenly jumped on him, and then fell to the ground with his arm waving in the air and his blood gus.h.i.+ng wildly, groaning miserably . A pious old woman clawed at Ning Que's face, and her arms suddenly broke .
An agitated student tried to hit Sangsang who was on Ning Que's back with a wooden rod . The wooden rod broke mysteriously, then the student was tearing into two parts from the waist and abdomen .
Ning Que carried Sangsang and walked into the crowd . He was stained with dark red blood, but his expression had not changed . He was just as calm as before, and his steps were just as steady .
He walked past the man who was howling in a puddle of blood, clutching at his broken arm . He walked past the pious old woman who was kneeling in a puddle of blood, pale-faced, looking at her broken arms . He walked past the student who was writhing in pain in a pool of blood . . .
He was walking on the sh.o.r.e across the lake, a world filled with blood .