Killing Monks

"The temples of today are a den of monsters, wearing monks' robes but not chanting scriptures; instead, they are adept at skinning, dismembering, and sucking the marrow from the bones!"

"Modern Buddhism doesn't teach people to earn their own living; instead, it teaches them to shamelessly beg for food!"

"The so-called compassion and salvation is nothing more than a pretext for making money."

"Since temples themselves do not engage in production, they will inevitably extract resources from others to survive!"

Guangyuan said, one sentence at a time:

"It's easy to make people chant scriptures while they're full, but it's very difficult to make them eat their fill!"

"Therefore, I say that both temples and Buddhism are wrong!"

His eloquent words were actually his reflections from the past few days.

The constable stared at the monk before him, alarm bells ringing in his mind.

If Buddhism is not worshipped by people, can it still be called Buddhism?

If everyone can criticize and comment on Buddhism, wouldn't the world descend into chaos?

"You wicked monk! Today you will be brought to justice!"

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and his figure suddenly blurred.

With a loud shout, he thrust out both palms, but instead of aiming directly for the center, he feinted with a spear thrust.

Just as Guangyuan was about to take the hit head-on, Qi Butou had already slid aside like a ghost.

He realized that this monk only knew how to trade injuries for injuries and risk his life for another.

Then I'll use my movement skills to outmaneuver you!

Guangyuan's palm strike missed its mark, and Qi Butou had already circled behind him, his palm wind silently striking his back.

Guangyuan quickly twisted his body to block, but Qi Butou changed direction again, following closely like a shadow. His palms flew like silkworms spinning silk, and the continuous palm force covered Guangyuan from all directions!

"Bang!"

A palm struck Guangyuan's back firmly.

Guangyuan staggered forward a few steps, felt a sweet taste in his throat, and spat out blood.

He roared and turned around. Just as the wind from his palm was rising, the constable slipped away like an eel, and the next palm struck his ribs.

The soft palm strikes, the soft palm strikes. The attacks are relentless, like a surging tide.

Guangyuan was overwhelmed and could only passively defend himself.

His experience in combat is far inferior to that of Chief Qi.

In the initial encounters, they could gain some advantage by relying on their fierce courage and unfamiliar fighting style, but once their tactics were figured out, they were completely suppressed.

That's what makes a seasoned veteran so terrifying.

Guangyuan was hit by three more palm strikes.

The first palm struck his shoulder blade, and his right arm went numb.

The second palm strike landed on his ribs, and he groaned, his breathing becoming erratic.

The third palm strike hit him in the back like a vengeful ghost, causing him to stumble forward and almost kneel down.

Despite being of similar skill levels, they were now like adults beating children, completely powerless to fight back.

The key to combat lies first in experience, then in skill, and lastly in technique.

He lost completely.

He tried to escape, but before he could even get up, the head constable appeared like a ghost and blocked his path, slashing his neck with a palm strike.

Guangyuan tried to block the attack, but was knocked off balance by the force of the palm strike and rolled over in the mud.

The excruciating pain that felt like the meridians were being torn apart intertwined with the relentless, penetrating palm strikes of the constable Qi, like two blunt knives churning within his internal organs.

His vision blurred, his inner energy was depleted, and he could no longer hold on. His knees buckled, and with a thud, he collapsed heavily to the ground.

"You evil monk, come and submit to the law!" Seeing him fall to the ground, the head constable pulled out a leather rope soaked in tung oil from his waist and stepped forward.

"What law... are you following?" Guangyuan asked hoarsely, coughing up blood.

"It's the law of the land!" Chief Constable Qi said matter-of-factly.

"National law?" Guangyuan's consciousness began to blur. "Which country's law?"

"The laws of the Southern Tang Dynasty!"

"Heh..." Guangyuan laughed, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. "So it's the family law that maintains the Li family's rule... huh."

He remembered that the royal family of this Southern Tang Buddhist kingdom was surnamed Li. It had nothing to do with the Li Tang dynasty he remembered, yet the name... was so similar.

There are far too many things in this world with similar names.

"You audacious madman!" Chief Constable Qi was furious upon hearing this. He flicked the rope in his hand and was about to gag Guangyuan.

"It's like this again... not letting me speak..." The rough hemp rope wrapped around his mouth made Guangyuan's voice muffled. "It's like this again... nonsensical 'law'."

"They're using force and violence to intimidate people again... yet they claim to be on the side of reason!"

The more he spoke, the more his anger churned within him.

The originally depleted true energy within his body seemed to be ignited by this rage, suddenly boiling once more!

I can't stand it.

We absolutely cannot let ourselves be crushed by something so ridiculous!

He wants to rely on his own "law" and practice his own "way". How can he be crushed by a mere constable and the ridiculous Li family's national law?

He doesn't agree!

That long-suppressed rage exploded in my mind like a volcano!

The reversed "Karma Subduing Demon Skill" was running wildly, squeezing out the last bit of potential from the meridians!

No, it gives rise to a more violent and scorching power!

True energy is like fire, like boiling blood!

"roar--!!!"

Guangyuan let out a wild roar, and the ropes binding him broke apart inch by inch!

He braced himself with his left hand on the ground, and with his right hand, a palm strike, imbued with intense, magma-like black true energy, slammed into the chest of the constable who was about to step forward!

"Bang--!"

As if struck by a siege hammer, the head constable was sent flying backward, crashing through three bamboo poles before finally landing on the ground.

He felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out a mouthful of blood. He felt as if his sternum was about to crack and his internal organs were injured.

He looked up and saw the monk slowly stand up, his body surrounded by swirling black energy like a demon, his eyes bloodshot.

Without a word or even a moment's hesitation, Chief Constable Qi mustered his inner energy, flipped himself up, and dashed into the depths of the bamboo forest without looking back!

This is no longer the time to make an arrest.

Only by saving your life can you have a future.

Seeing that Constable Qi had retreated, Guangyuan's bloodshot eyes turned to Lu Fei, who was tied up to the side.

"You... what are you trying to do, you bald monk? I didn't betray you!" Lu Fei felt uneasy under his gaze.

Guangyuan remained silent, reached out and grabbed the rope, and with a flick of his fingers, the leather rope snapped.

After making this move, the boiling true energy around him suddenly dissipated, his vision went black, and he fell straight forward, completely losing consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in a cave. The campfire crackled, and Lu Fei was squatting beside it, poking at the firewood.

"Monk, you're awake? This is the underworld." Lu Fei said jokingly without turning his head.

"So what if it's the underworld?" Guangyuan said in a muffled voice, feeling the burning pain in his meridians. "I'll just break through it again."

"Holy crap!" Lu Fei's hand trembled, and the firewood fell into the fire, sending sparks flying. "Monk, are you really not afraid of the gods?"

"What is there to fear about something that doesn't exist?" Guangyuan struggled to sit up, cross-legged, and began to regulate his breathing.

"You've never heard the saying, 'There are gods three feet above your head'?" Lu Fei didn't believe in Buddhism, but he did.

"If there truly are gods," Guangyuan closed his eyes, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead, "then they are blind too."

"Why is he blind?"

"If they weren't blind, how could the world be like this?" Guangyuan remained silent, his eyes still closed. "Or is this the world they always wanted it to be?"

Lu Fei opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

The only sounds in the cave were the crackling of burning firewood and Guangyuan's suppressed, long breaths. The excruciating pain had soaked his clothes, yet he didn't utter a single groan.

After a long while, Lu Fei stood up and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting to the figure sitting as still as a rock.

This time, he was truly convinced.