985 My Love, How Could You Not Understand? (1/2)
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No one knew where that sound came from and why it resounded in the sky. But the next moment, they all realized it was Haotian.
Only Haotian's voice could be so awe-inspiring. And it was only Haotian's voice that could form such vivid scenes in the consciousness of the pious followers and quaked the depths of their souls.
Everyone on the plateaus and the front yard of Peach Mountain fell on their knees and placed their foreheads on the ground. They tried to lower themselves as much as possible to showcase their awe and esteem to Haotian.
Xiong Chumo, the Hierarch, was standing behind layers of gauze and led the chanting. His figure seemed huge in the radiating light. But upon hearing that voice, he threw himself to the ground and lowered down like a dog.
It was said that he had a thundering voice. However, when compared with this voice that resounded in the sky, his was nothing but blasphemy.
In front of the stone cottage on the remotest plateau, the Abbey Dean got out of the wheelchair, used his skinny and trembling arms to support his body, but looked calm and proud.
The middle-aged priest finally let go of the wheelchair and kneeled behind the Abbey Dean. Long Qing kneeled further behind and looked extremely pale and scared.
He knew exactly that the Abbey Dean had done something extremely disrespectful to Haotian. Now that Haotian had left the Buddha's chessboard and returned to the human world, how could he not be scared?
Sangsang's voice went beyond the clouds and reached Peach Mountain. It resounded between Heaven and Earth and was reflected by the sky and the ground so that it traveled so far away that it even reached every corner of the continent.
Numerous people were awaken up by this stunning voice coming from above the sky.
Some elderly leaned against the wall and stared at the gray sky. He looked confused and wondered, What's wrong this year? Was that another spring thunder? But why did it sound like someone talking?
Some kids at school rushed to the window, pointed to the sky and chatted excitedly. They were like a group of twittering birds and woke up the sleepy teacher. He picked up the ruler to punish them. They said in one voice that the sky just spoke, but only to receive several more punishments.
In the small town at the border of Song and Yan Kingdom, people also heard the voice from the sky. They poured onto the only long street in town and looked confusedly above at the sky, wondering what had just happened.
Inside the butchery, the Butcher covered his head with a thick and greasy cleaver and hid under the cutting board. The pieces of a pork leg were falling from the board, and he s.h.i.+vered each time a piece fell down.
The Drunkard was even more scared.
The Drunkard sat in the teahouse and could not stop drinking. He went beyond his limit and his eyesight became blurry. But instead of blus.h.i.+ng he became terribly pale.
The Butcher did not partic.i.p.ate in the Abbey Dean's trap for Haotian. But the Drunkard did. He saw that Haotian and Ning Que entered Xuankong Temple and even tried to prevent the Academy from opening the chessboard.
Now Haotian had returned and sent a punitive expedition to the human world. He had committed a sin. How could he not be scared? He could do nothing but get drunk. Otherwise he would already be scared to death.
Chao Xiaoshu stood by the door of the teahouse and looked into the dark sky. He felt confused and asked, ”What happened?”
The Drunkard managed to put down his flagon and spoke with a trembling voice, ”It is not something you could comprehend. You'd better stay away from me. Otherwise you would die from Haotian's Divine Power any minute now.”
Chao Xiaoshu turned to him with a complex of expression.
The Drunkard continued drinking and tried to put himself to a coma. He said obscurely, ”We did this for her. But what if she does not appreciate it?”
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It seemed like Taoism did nothing when Sangsang was trapped in the Buddha's chessboard. But having done nothing was exactly their sin. They knew that Haotian was in great danger but did not try to rescue her. That was their fatal sin.
There was no need to mention that Sangsang had figured out what they were planning to do.
She asked whether or not they were aware of their sin. It was a question for the sinful ones.
The most sinful one was definitely Chen, the Abbey Dean.
Long Qing kneeled behind him and sweated profusely. The middle-aged priest kept s.h.i.+vering as if he could fall over at any time. Although the Abbey Dean had become a wastrel and was far weaker than Long Qing and the middle-aged priest in terms of cultivation, he seemed the most calm and even wore an indistinct smile.
He smiled and said to the Heaven, ”I am not guilty.”
Sangsang's voice was heard again above the plateau, ”You colluded with the Buddhists and tried to put me to sleep. That is impiety. How could you defend yourself?” This time she did not say it to the entire world. Only the people on the plateau heard her and thus became even more scared. Many divine priests and deacons pa.s.sed out in shock.
The Abbey Dean confronted her. ”That's not true.”
Sangsang questioned, ”You won't admit that you tried to kill me?”
The Abbey Dean said, ”I tried to kill Sangsang, not Haotian.”
Sangsang said, ”I am Haotian.”
The Abbey Dean said, ”I believe in Haotian, not the girl named Sangsang.”
Sangsang asked, ”What if I weren't able to get out of the chessboard?”
The Abbey Dean said, ”Haotian is almighty. Furthermore, it was Haotian's will. I just executed what Your Highness wished for. I'm sure Your Highness will understand my piety.”
Sangsang said nothing for a long while.