<b>Chapter 1046: A Brewing Storm</b>
People stayed far away from Li Qiye and stared at him in horror. This monk that didn't look like a monk gave them the willies.
Everyone knew the fearful dharma in the plateau as well as Spirit Mountain's power of conversion. However, under normal circumstances, Sacred Monks and Bodhisattvas from the eighteen temples wouldn't take the initiative to convert others.
But now, Li Qiye was a wandering Bodhisattva away from Spirit Mountain with the ability to convert a paragon with one phrase. Anyone would be fearful of such an existence, so they stayed far away.
Supreme geniuses like Jikong Wudi did not avoid him and instead proudly stood their ground. However, their expressions were quite grave. Li Qiye's abilities were too dangerous, even to geniuses like them.
“Hey, are you borrowing the power of the plateau, or is it your own?” Bing Yuxia stared at Li Qiye and asked with some curiosity.
He looked at her and smiled: “Does it matter? The land I tread will become a Buddhist holyland. When I speak, my words become the dharma; where I walk, Arhats and Bodhisattvas will follow me. I control the dharma and the Buddhist laws. Everyone shall join Buddhism under my preaching.”
Such words were incredibly arrogant. It was as if he considered himself a Buddhist Lord. However, no one thought that he was being ludicrous and only felt that this Evil Buddha before them was too horrifying.
“I want to test your dharma.” Bing Yuxia was itching and didn't hide her intent to fight at all.
Li Qiye smiled and shook his head: “Girl, I have no interest in crossing you over. Even if I did, there wouldn't be that great of an effect because your Heaven Cutting Dao isn't appropriate for the Buddhist faith.”
Her expression immediately tensed up the moment he said this. Fascinating glimmers flashed across her eyes as she glared at him. Fewer than few people knew about her Dao of Heaven Cutting; it was something she learned from the Heaven Cutting Tablet. But now, this Evil Buddha that she had never seen before suddenly revealed her secret, so how could she not become serious?
“What would be suitable for the Buddhist faith?” She stared at him and slowly asked, intending to find some clues by watching each of his actions.
“Her…” Li Qiye casually pointed at Bai Jianzhen who was sitting under a tree.
After arriving, Bai Jianzhen sat in the shade and closed her eyes, but now when Li Qiye suddenly pointed at her, her eyes narrowed to resemble two divine swords.
“That icy woman.” Bing Yuxia didn't expect for Evil Buddha to value Bai Jianzhen like this. She curiously asked: “Why do you want to pick her?”
“Because she has discovered the mad sword.” Li Qiye answered dismissively: “Buddhism has furious vajra. This furious nature combined with her mad sword would allow her to reach the apex with a creation that could catch up to the old Immortal Emperor Ye Ti.”
At this point, Bai Jianzhen's pretty eyes were staring intensely at Li Qiye. She didn't become angry since she had fallen into a deep contemplation.
Li Qiye chuckled: “If you join my banner, I will show you the way. In the future, people like them wouldn't be a match for you. The moment your sword leaves its sheath would be the end of them.” Having said that, he casually pointed at Jikong Wudi's group.
Such words were a blatant provocation towards them. Jikong Wudi turned cold; the Mortal King had a fierce glare; Zhan Shi had no reaction, and Heavenly Emperor Lin was as nonchalant as always.
The crowd, on the other hand, took a deep breath. Evil Buddha's tone was quite big. This was extremely overbearing since it immediately offended the entire group of geniuses.
Bai Jianzhen didn't respond to Li Qiye. She only sat there embracing her sword. Eventually, she slowly closed her eyes as if she didn't care for external matters.
Suddenly, someone shouted: “The Soaring Heavenly Saintess is here!” A golden vessel jumped into the sky and quickly hovered above the lake.
On top of the vessel was a woman — the current descendant of the Heavenly God Sect, the Soaring Heavenly Saintess! Behind her were three old men. They spent no effort to conceal their paragon auras that were surging endlessly like a flood assaulting the sky.
Even though these old men were incredibly arrogant, many people still trembled inside. This was due to the fact that the three old men were not ordinary paragons, they had entered the path of the grand era! Even though they weren't as strong as God-Monarchs, eternal existences like these three would always be dreadful.
“That's the Soaring Heavenly Saintess…” Someone murmured while looking at the proud woman atop the golden vessel.
Many were quite wary of her. She didn't only have the three eternal existences behind her but also a God-Monarch as well.
Everyone knew that although her talents weren't bad, the Heavenly God Sect was not strong enough to let three eternal existences and one God-Monarch become her dao protectors.
But now, her personal value was completely different. The Soaring Immortal Emissary was her uncle, while the sect wanted to descend. If they could groom an Immortal Emperor this generation and unify the nine worlds, then everything would be different!
Now, the majority's first reaction was to look over at Li Qiye. They all understood that she came to cause trouble for Evil Buddha.
“You are the Evil Buddha who used a demonic art to kill the Nantian Young King and confuse Venerable Dry Stone, right?” She coldly looked down at Li Qiye in an imperious manner.
She couldn't be blamed for having such panache. Prior to this, she was well-known in the Grand Middle Territory as the main descendant of the Heavenly God Sect. However, she was far from being comparable to supreme geniuses like Jikong Wudi and the others.
But things were different now. The rise of the Heavenly God Sect and return of her uncle as well as her being chosen for the sect were all a matter of time. In the future, she would actually succeed her uncle's position and become the new emissary of the sect in the Mortal Emperor World.
Overnight, her worth became a hundred times greater, turning her into a big shot that was on the same standing as Jikong Wudi's group.
Thus, how could her confidence not shoot up? Right now, she wanted to establish her prestige so that no one would dare to question her authority. For this, she needed to make an example out of someone. Without a doubt, this Evil Buddha had become her target.
“That's right.” Li Qiye smiled while looking at the haughty saintess.
At this point, everyone watched with bated breaths. Jikong Wudi's group was ready to watch the fun as well, especially the Mortal King and Jikong Wudi himself. These two were naturally happy to see Evil Buddha fight against the saintess.
Once Evil Buddha became enemies with the Heavenly God Sect, only death would await him no matter how powerful he might be!
She shouted with a cold demeanor: “I see, you're an evil monk. You dare to spout heresy to confuse people and killed Soaring Immortal disciples with an evil art. Even ten thousand deaths cannot absolve your sin.”
Many people glanced at each other after hearing this. They knew that both the young king and the venerable weren't Soaring Immortal disciples. The saintess simply wanted to frame Li Qiye to make him an enemy of the soaring sect!
Li Qiye couldn't help but smile and shake his head: “Just a little junior that already knows how to wave the banner around, a fox borrowing the might of a tiger. The Soaring Immortal Sect has yet to recruit you, but you are already showing off. If you become the emissary, won't you begin to order the entire Mortal Emperor World around?”
This retort left the saintess with an extremely ugly expression. It was a clear showing of disdain and directly hit her insecurities. This was the thing she didn't want to hear the most!
Many were very afraid of Evil Buddha, but they secretly applauded his words. In fact, they didn't like watching the saintess acting haughtily due to her backing. Alas, they were afraid of the Soaring Immortal Sect behind her, so they didn't dare to antagonize her.
Thus, when Evil Buddha spoke what was on everyone's mind, it made the crowd feel very good.
“Evil monk, you don't know life from death!” The saintess was shaking with anger and shouted at him.
Li Qiye looked at her and shook his head again: “The Soaring Immortal Sect is in a steep decline. Those old geezers will not leave their coffins to come out, so their descendants can only groom some trash. If a joke like you can eventually become the emissary, then the Soaring Immortal Sect can only continue on this downward spiral, like a river drying up by the day.”
The Soaring Heavenly Saintess commanded: “Evil monk, you actually dare to slander the Soaring Immortal Sect, you deserve to be quartered! Elders, go take down this monk and torture him. Let him know the name Soaring Immortal.”
The three eternal existences stepped out at this time and immediately went for Li Qiye. Their surging blood energies erupted as their fate weapons appeared and poured down universal laws. This was to prevent the dharma's affinity of conversion.
In their eyes, Li Qiye's dharma was a confusion technique of sorts, so they sealed their five senses. This way, his dharma wouldn't be able to charm them.
The crowd truly appreciated this defensive maneuver. They wanted to see if such a method could stop Li Qiye's dharma or not.
“Evil monk, accept your fate!” With their five senses sealed, three gigantic palms blotted out the sky, not giving Li Qiye a chance to escape as they lunged at him.
A Buddhist light bloomed from his body. This extremely scorching light was dazzling to the point where people couldn't keep their eyes open.
At this moment, Li Qiye seemed to control the entire plateau. He was the supreme Buddhist Lord.
“Amitabha.” Li Qiye chanted his mantra and instantly gathered the endless Buddhist energy of the plateau. All of its power was within his grasp.
“Amitabha…” With the urging from Li Qiye's peerless dharma, the numerous temples and monks of the plateau all chanted in unison.