Chapter 520: Chapter 519: This Monk Doubts that the Heavenly Demon from Beyond the Domain was Conjured by the Immortal Elder

The great hall of the Imperial Palace.

Commander Liu looked at Bai Hongtu with a complex expression.

Dressed in mourning apparel, Bai Hongtu said tearfully, “Commander Liu, nobody wanted this to happen. Everyone is heartbroken at Jiang Li’s departure, but you shouldn’t be overly devastated. Even with the Human Emperor gone, I, Bai Hongtu, am still here in our homeland. If necessary, I can reluctantly serve as the acting Human Emperor.”

Commander Liu sighed deeply.

“Sect Master Bai, I’m not heartbroken. I’m just contemplating where to throw you this time.”

“You come here three times a day, in the morning, noon, and evening. That’s nine times in total. Even a mortal doesn’t eat as punctually as you.”

“Every time I throw you out, don’t you feel annoyed?”

Wearing his bereaved look, Bai Hongtu retorted, “How could you think that? I am merely concerned that Jiang Li will feel lonely in death. As his close brother, it’s only right for me to see him off.”

Bai Hongtu took out a suona, a traditional Chinese horn.

A ghostly whisper echoed in Bai Hongtu’s ear, “Or perhaps I should be the one to see you off.”

Seeing Jiang Li resurrected, Bai Hongtu took a big leap backward in fear.

“Let’s go, let’s try the Jiuzhou Spirit Plant Array again.” Jiang Li grabbed Bai Hongtu by the collar and flung him into the air, resulting in loud cries of alarm.

When Jiang Li, covered in blood, once again entered the Imperial Palace, he heard Commander Liu lamenting.

“Finally, Hall Master, you’re alive again. Sect Master Bai has been annoying me to death with his thrice-daily visits.”

In these three days, Commander Liu felt as if he had been transported back to the times of the Human Emperor candidature over three hundred years ago, suffering under Bai Hongtu’s constant bothers.

The previous Human Emperor election was presided over by the old Human Emperor and Commander Liu.

On a positive note, Bai Hongtu was the only one causing trouble; Jiang Li had been peacefully lying in state, not causing additional chaos.

Jiang Li fell silent for a while and then revealed, “I met the previous Human Emperors in the Underworld, including the 27th Human Emperor.”

“He asked me to tell you that he is pleased about your continuous service to Jiuzhou and the successive Human Emperors, making them understand the responsibilities of a Human Emperor. Your contribution is greater than his, who only fought once with the Heavenly Demon.”

“So you don’t need to keep blaming yourself for not being able to exchange your life for his. He died peacefully and has been leading a fulfilling life in the Underworld.”

Commander Liu stood silently in the middle of the great hall for a long time, unable to utter a word.

Jiang Li patted Commander Liu on the shoulder and flew towards the Buddhist Sect.

…

At the Buddhist Sect, amidst the chanting of sutras, Buddha Wu Zhi, adorned in a divine robe, was teaching scriptures on the lotus seat at the peak of Mount Sumeru.

The Arhats and Bodhisattvas sat cross-legged, hands clasped in prayer, listening intently to Wu Zhi.

“…Out of compassion from doing good, I pledge to save all sentient beings. With the golden staff in my hand, I open the doors of hell…”

In Jiang Li’s eyes, Wu Zhi’s figure gradually merged with that of the Old Buddha of Mount Sumeru.

“Buddha Wu Zhi has made further progress in the Buddhist Law.” Brahma Tower quietly appeared next to Jiang Li, admiring Wu Zhi’s achievements.

Jiang Li spared it a glance, “What does it have to do with you? It’s not like you were the one who taught him.”

Brahma Tower flustered, “How can you say that? As the protector of Wu Zhi’s Tao, how can his achievements have nothing to do with me?”

Jiang Li didn’t pay it any attention and continued to observe Wu Zhi.

Knowing about the relationship between Wu Zhi and Tao Ancestor, everything fell into place.

Wu Zhi’s soul was strong and bore many scars, likely results of the Tao Ancestor’s battle with the Heavenly Dao.

All of a sudden, Jiang Li thought of a question and looked puzzled.

“These scars couldn’t possibly have been left by the Six Paths Reincarnation Tablet, could they?”

Jiang Li felt a strong likelihood.

It was like inflicting wounds on themselves.

Jiang Li stood in the last row, calmly listening till noon when Wu Zhi ceased chanting.

The novice monks and nuns, due to their inadequate cultivation, needed to eat.

Only then did the congregation of monks notice Jiang Li at the rear, and they put their palms together saying, “Amitabha.”

On seeing Jiang Li, Wu Zhi revealed a slight smile of happiness and quickly walked over.

“Human Emperor.”

“Buddha.”

Jiang Li found himself in the presence of Buddha Wu Zhi, not the Human Emperor candidate, Wu Zhi.

“Have you had any more memories resurface lately?”

Wu Zhi said gravely, “Yes. There’s a matter the impoverished monk wishes to discuss with the Human Emperor. Please follow me.”

Wu Zhi led Jiang Li and the Brahma Tower to a stone wall with a shadow of a person imprinted on it. It was the place where the Old Buddha of Mount Sumeru meditated. Over time, his shadow etched into the stone. Now it was where Wu Zhi meditated.

“The impoverished monk has suspected a serious issue with Lord Xian all along. Now, I finally understand.”

“The impoverished monk knows that the Human Emperor trusts Lord Xian. Maybe you don’t believe in my words. Let the impoverished monk first explain what’s going on.”

“Go ahead.” Jiang Li sat down, patted the spot next to him, indicating to Wu Zhi to relax and sit too.

As soon as Wu Zhi sat, he began, “Although the impoverished monk hasn’t yet recalled who he was in his past life, I have remembered many common senses of the Immortal Realm. That’s how I discovered there are no such things as Heavenly Demons. Those so-called Heavenly Demons could very likely be a fiction created by Lord Xian!”

“Lord Xian has deceived Jiuzhou for nine thousand years. There must be a hidden secret he does not want to disclose!”

“Even if the Human Emperor does not believe my words, the impoverished monk hopes that you will be more vigilant regarding Lord Xian in the future.”

Jiang Li stared at Wu Zhi’s serious expression, unsure of how to react.

Suppressing his laughter, Jiang Li began to relay the events from nine thousand years ago to Wu Zhi.

Having heard that such things occurred nine thousand years ago, Wu Zhi finally understood, “No wonder Lord Xian would fabricate the lie about the Heavenly Demon. It seems I have wronged him.”

“There’s something else you should probably know.”

Jiang Li then recounted his experiences in the Underworld and the reincarnation of the Tao Ancestor.

“What? I am the Tao Ancestor?” Wu Zhi didn’t feel relieved or happy, instead, he became worried.

The Tao Ancestor was too famous — an omnipotent existence according to legend. He could totally take over and live another life after reincarnation.

“No, your past life was the Tao Ancestor. You are still you.”

“Look at yourself, you’ve recalled so many memories but have you noticed any tendencies of becoming the Tao Ancestor? Usually, you haven’t, right?”

“That proves you and the Tao Ancestor are different.”

“Queen Hou Tu said that the Tao Ancestor wouldn’t take your place. When your cultivation advances further, the Tao Ancestor will separate from your soul through a method known as ‘Slaying the Three Corpses’.”

“You are you, and the Tao Ancestor is the Tao Ancestor. You two are distinct entities.”

Only after hearing this did Wu Zhi breathe a sigh of relief.

Just when Jiang Li was about to say something else, the Remote Communication Talisman lit up.

It was Yu Yin’s talisman, but the voice on the other end belonged to the Magic Gourd.

“Human Emperor, it’s terrible. Please save the master,” said the Magic Gourd, calling for Jiang Li’s help.

“What happened to Yu Yin?” Jiang Li shot up, wondering if a fallen Immortal had broken through the seal of the Jiuzhou Protective Array and infiltrated their land.

“The master tried to merge the ‘illustrative world’ of Paint Dao with the ‘words manifest laws spontaneously’ of Confucianism. The master succeeded and was able to enter the world within the book, but now there’s a problem.”

“The master hasn’t emerged from the fictional world for a long time.”

Jiang Li arched an eyebrow, “Which novel is she in?”

“‘The Overbearing Mahayana Loves Me.’ The master and Saintess Pure Heart both went in together.”

Jiang Li had a hunch that this was going to be rather troublesome.