My father is a Confucian sage, but the system forces me to be a crude warrior

Chapter 396 Zeng Anmin: I'm here! You can rest for a while!

In fact, the moment that ladder to heaven appeared.

The people in the capital were stunned.

They looked toward the towering ladder that seemed to reach into the clouds.

"What...what is that??"

"Could it be that a deity from heaven is about to descend to earth, and that's why this kind of stepping stone has been set up?"

"Now that you put it that way, it seems to be true!"

"Let's go take a look!!"

"Let's go! If I can catch the eye of a deity, I won't have to farm anymore!"

"........."

Then, the entire capital city descended into chaos.

Everyone rushed towards Fa'an Temple like madmen.

In the square.

The steps of the Heavenly Ladder of the Dao Heart are laid down one by one.

Everyone looked up at the ladder to heaven.

"Is this Heavenly Ladder really as sinister as they say?"

After watching a bald monk kowtow to Master Hongji in farewell, Qin Shoucheng began his ascent up the Heavenly Ladder.

He stared intently at the monk.

"It can forcefully alter a person's mind..."

No one could answer him.

Everyone shared the same doubts as him.

Countless eyes were fixed on the monk.

"Amitabha."

After bidding farewell to Master Hongji, the monk arrived at the foot of the Heavenly Ladder.

His gaze was extremely firm.

The sunlight shone on his shiny bald head, creating an extremely dazzling light.

"Today, this humble monk will set the record straight for Buddha!"

He didn't look very old, only around thirty years old.

The determination in the corner of his eye creates a powerful impact.

He clasped his hands together and closed his eyes.

"Da~"

Lift your foot and step onto the first step!
"Boom~"

Like a pebble thrown into water, creating ripples.

The visual impact is so great that it's as if he has blended into the staircase.

"If I hear..."

The monk's voice slowly rose, his lips moving.

The moment he stepped onto the stairs, he attracted the attention of countless people present.

"clatter."

I stepped onto the second step.

At the same time, his ears twitched, and his expression turned extremely astonished.

He wanted to open his eyes and see.

But Master Hongji's admonitions echoed in my mind.

His gaze was serious, he kept chanting Buddhist scriptures, and he walked forward with firm steps.

He wasn't moving very fast.

One step, two steps, first step, second step.

But it is extremely solid.

……

See this scene.

The monks in the square all wore expressions of joy.

The kind expression on Master Hongji's face returned.

He clasped his hands together and softly chanted:

"Amitabha."

Young monk Yingchen sat cross-legged beside Master Hongji, his clear eyes reflecting a relaxed smile:

“Once you reach the top of the ladder, those who say that Buddhism is the Tao will shut up.”

"hehe."

A look of satisfaction also flickered in Hongji's eyes.

However, the next moment, his face showed astonishment, and then his expression changed:
"Yinghui!!"

As his words fell.

Young monk Yingchen subconsciously looked up.

He witnessed a heartbreaking scene.

On the ladder to heaven.

When Yinghui reached the twenty-first step, he opened his eyes.

His ears were twitching.

He was listening intently to something.

His expression changed from anger to astonishment, and then to admiration.

He then slumped down and sat cross-legged on the steps.

"Ami...Tianzun..."

He was repeatedly chanting Buddhist mantras.

However, the Buddhist chant always changes on the third syllable.

This happened over and over again.

Until a shrill voice slowly escaped his lips:

"Infinite Heavenly Lord."

"Shhh!!"

He opened his eyes, and hair was slowly starting to grow back on his shiny bald head!

Until her hair grew long and reached her shoulders!

"Da~"

With a resolute expression, he removed his Buddhist robes.

The gesture of hands clasped together has been transformed into the Taoist bow.

"Amitabha! You should have let this humble Taoist hear the Dao long ago! This disciple is willing to change his appearance and enter the Daoist sect!"

"No, the Buddha is the Tao; this is not just empty talk!"

"I am a member of the Taoist sect!"

His voice was still the same.

However, the words he spoke sounded harsh and unfamiliar.

……

"This……"

Everyone in the room was startled upon hearing his voice.

They all stared blankly at the monk on the twenty-first step.

These words had an unparalleled impact on their minds.

No one can calm themselves down.

"This monk... won't do either~"

"right……"

"The Daoist sect is indeed the orthodox path!"

"Amitabha! I wish to join the Taoist sect!"

"........."

Countless discussions were heard.

Everyone's eyes were fixed intently on the staircase!

Under everyone's gaze, Yinghui knelt on the steps and kowtowed three times towards the end of the Heavenly Ladder.

He then stood up expressionlessly and slowly descended the steps.

With each step he took, the expressions of the monks below grew increasingly grim.

Until he had completely descended the steps.

Everyone watched nervously.

They thought he would "change his mind" after he went down the steps.

However, his expression grew increasingly cold.

He acted as if he didn't recognize the monks.

He gazed at them indifferently.

"Senior Brother Yinghui! How could you..."

The monks stared at him in disbelief.

"Amitabha Buddha, I humbly request that all fellow disciples join me in becoming disciples of the Dao Ancestor, and together embark on the path to immortality!"

His answer was like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's hearts with each blow.

Abbot Hongji's expression was extremely unpleasant at this moment, with a hint of anger on his aged face.

This anger was not caused by Yinghui.

Instead... at the end of the stairs!
"You're trying to strip him of his Dao heart!!"

His voice even trembled slightly.

"Hoo~"

The voice of Daoist Jiyuan echoed from the end of the stairs:

"If you can't bear it, you can't bear it. Since you've chosen to climb this ladder, you have to accept the consequences!"

"Just like me, I can accept the consequences of someone reaching the summit."

"What? Can't Buddhism accept defeat?"

……

Master Hongji fell silent.

He looked up with a complicated expression.

He looked at Yinghui, whose face was indifferent.

Beneath the dark mist swirling around his skin, his hands trembled incessantly.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

But in the end, he said nothing.

"Master... Father..."

In a trance.

Yinghui seemed to snap out of her daze from the endless temptation.

He looked at Hongji, somewhat at a loss.

"I...I didn't mean to...there was someone on those steps just now..."

His mouth was full of endless regret.

But no matter what he said, the conversations of the crowd around him were all about the four words "Buddha is the Way".

"I……"

Yinghui's expression changed from regret to bewilderment.

Then it turned into unwavering determination.

He looked up at the staircase that seemed to reach straight into the sky.

"This disciple is willing to enter the deepest hell!!"

His voice was filled with desolation!

"Bang!!"

He bumped his head on the steps.

Blood spilled everywhere!

On his deathbed, he mustered all his strength and looked up to the sky, uttering four large characters:

"Amitabha!!"

"Thud~" The arm fell limply to the ground.

……

There was silence.

Countless people stared in disbelief at this scene.

They... didn't know how to evaluate it.

Yingchen's face turned pale when she saw this scene in the square.

He shakily raised his head to look at Master Hongji:

"Master, even if Senior Brother Yinghui was lured into the Daoist sect, he didn't have to die, did he?"

Master Hongji appeared to have aged considerably at this moment.

His back collapsed.

He shook his head blankly and sighed:
"Yinghui has just come to her senses after being tempted."

"But this moment of realization lasted less than fifteen minutes."

“His Buddhist heart was defiled, but after a quarter of an hour he will return to a state of single-minded devotion to the Way.”

"He himself knows this."

"To vindicate Buddhism, he chose to end his own life." His explanation, however, was like a needle prick.

It pierced straight into the heart of every monk.

All the monks stared blankly at the staircase.

They were a little overwhelmed.

"Amitabha."

"Disciple, go!"

The young monk Yingchen glanced at his senior brother's corpse on the ground with his clear eyes.

He pursed his lips, his fair little hands clenched tightly together, and with a "whoosh," he stood up and looked at Master Hongji:
"This disciple refuses to believe that no one can truly conquer these hundred or so steps!"

Just as he was about to take the next step forward.

He was stopped by a pair of warm, large hands.

Hongji looked at Yingchen calmly:

"I'm going."

……

"This calamity is destined to befall me."

"Unless a person destined by Heaven arrives here."

"Otherwise, no one can save you from this calamity."

Master Hongji's eyes shone with wisdom. He looked at Yinghui's corpse on the ground, then at the eyes of everyone present, and slowly extended his hands to press them together:

"If I suffer one more tribulation, the world will suffer one less tribulation."

"Amitabha……"

Finished.

He had already stood up.

Slowly walk up to the steps that are the same height as the sky.

"You've finally come out."

At the end of the stairs, the mocking voice of Daoist Jiyuan rang out:
"But you don't seem to be in good shape."

Faced with such veiled sarcasm.

Master Hongji remained calm.

He simply uttered a Buddhist chant.

He then slowly lifted his foot and stepped onto the first step!
As he climbed the ladder.

Everyone in the room held their breath.

What followed was endless discussion.

"Could this be considered a contest of magic between the current abbot of Buddhism and the grand elder of Taoism?"

"Yes! Absolutely! Although they didn't actually compete in magical power, this kind of mental battle is often more devastating to one's will!"

"Whew~ This stairway to heaven today will definitely be recorded in history!"

"must be able to!"

"........."

On the viewing platform for all the officials.

Emperor Jianhong gazed at the aged figure of Master Hongji, his eyes flashing with an extremely intense light.

"Dog."

His voice rang out softly.

Si Zhongxiao bowed respectfully, took a step forward, lowered his head, and leaned his ear close to Emperor Jianhong.

"It's time to make a move."

Emperor Jianhong's voice was tinged with melancholy.

"Yes."

Si Zhongxiao respectfully accepted the order.

Then he looked up and gazed straight up at the clouds.

…………

step.

Two steps.

First order.

Two-stage.

Master Hongji's steps were much more leisurely than Yinghui's, who had just climbed the stairs.

He clasped his hands together, his gaze serene.

Despite the buzzing of various Taoist teachings in his ears, his Buddhist heart remained unshaken.

"Amitabha."

His voice remained as calm as ever.

He slowly looked up.

His gaze swept toward the end of the cloud ladder.

Although you can't see the end of it at a glance.

But his eyes showed extreme ease.

"Da da da."

The cloth shoes made a crisp sound on the smooth steps.

It was as leisurely as strolling through a garden.

All eyes were fixed on this scene.

"Master!"

Yingchen sat in the center of the square, her clear little face showing some excitement.

His hands gripped the hem of his clothes tightly.

"Abbot..."

The monks all watched the old, frail figure with bated breath.

Time passed little by little.

In the blink of an eye.

Master Hongji has already climbed more than fifty steps!

More than halfway done!
Moreover, his speed did not decrease at all.

He continued to stroll leisurely.

Just when everyone thought he could climb all the steps so easily.

Suddenly, I heard a "buzz!" sound.

The endless ladder to heaven suddenly trembled.

Then came an extremely oppressive pressure that swept down from above.

Master Hongji staggered.

"Snap." He reached out to steady himself on the steps.

He looked up with some difficulty.

After taking a deep breath, a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"He's anxious."

"hehe."

After a soft laugh.

Despite the immense pressure, Master Hongji continued to climb step by step towards the very top.

"Da da da."

Sixty steps.

Seventy steps.

When reaching the eightieth step.

A muffled clap of thunder suddenly echoed in the sky!
"boom!!"

Then, countless sword beams slowly emerged from the end of the Heavenly Ladder.

Hongji witnessed this scene.

His expression was somewhat surprised.

Then his expression turned blank, and he clasped his hands together and murmured softly:

"Elder Jiyuan, are you admitting defeat so easily?"

Climbing a ladder is climbing a ladder.

Since you've used your magic, you're naturally admitting defeat.

"This sword light will only hover and won't attack you, so what are you afraid of?"

……

Elder Hongji remained silent for a moment.

He then shook his head and chuckled softly.

"hehe."

Those sword beams wouldn't attack him.

However, the sharp edge of the sword felt like needles pricking his skin.

He withstood those sharp edges.

They then took another ten steps forward.

Ninety steps.

Only the last eighteen steps remain!
"Stab~"

The sharpness of the sword pierced through his clothes.

Fresh blood dripped out.

Master Hongji ignored him and slowly stepped forward, taking another step.

"scoff~"

The sharp edges in the air scratched his face.

He remained completely unmoved.

Take it one step at a time.

seventeen.

sixteen.

fifteen.

……

When it comes to the last ten steps.

Blood was spread all over his body.

He had no choice but to use some of his Buddhist power to deal with the situation.

However, the black aura within his body could no longer be suppressed. It surged outwards like a vast ocean.

His face was extremely dark.

It contrasted sharply with the bright red blood on his body.

Looking at the last ten steps of the Heavenly Ladder.

Master Hongji's eyes gleamed with unwavering determination.

He chuckled:
"My Buddha is compassionate!"

He then ignored the sharp edge and took another step forward.

"Stab!"

A piece of skin shrouded in black mist slid off his body and fell onto the steps along with fresh blood.

The final nine levels.

Master Hongji's expression remained completely unchanged.

"Master!!!"

Yingchen's mournful voice rang out: "Don't go any further! You... you'll die!!"

Hongji's resolute expression changed slightly.

He looked down in Yingchen's direction.

His face became kind.

He chuckled softly and whispered:

“Silly disciple, the heavy responsibility of restoring Buddhism will fall to you.”

Then, he slowly raised his head, looked at the last nine steps of the heavenly ladder, and firmly lifted his foot!
"Boom!!!"

A crimson light appeared from the horizon!
That splash of crimson was as brilliant as fresh blood, as vibrant as flames!

It blocked the sharpness of the countless sword beams!
at the same time.

A familiar voice rang out:

“Master Hongji, my karmic ties with Buddhism are not yet severed, so let me take the place of you on these steps today!”

The sound reached everyone's ears with exceptional clarity.

At the seats of the officials.

Qin Shoucheng, Qin Wanyue, the Eldest Princess, the Little Fatty Crown Prince... all looked up in astonishment.

Then they saw it in the clouds.

A figure hovered in the air.

He was enveloped in golden light.

But it was surrounded by a crimson glow.

"Zeng Anmin?!"

Those who knew him were instinctively taken aback and spoke up.

(End of this chapter)