Who gave you permission to travel through time with Earth?

Chapter 96 Xuanwu Guard

"..."

"Old Li... he's made a foolish mistake. Although we don't want to see Buddhism revive, things have changed. We can no longer bet everything on the martial arts world like before."

"Regardless of whether the so-called Buddha has returned, we must at least do a thorough job of making it clear to the world our attitude: we should no longer talk about the persecution of Buddhism, and all past records of daily life should be destroyed."

The man in the dragon robe, Zhou Yuan, the current emperor of the Li Dynasty, smiled and stepped forward, squatted down, and gently and repeatedly patted Li Changshi's face, saying slowly,

"Of course, one thing can be done on the surface but another on the inside. Respect is one thing, worship is another, but that doesn't mean we can't extend the lifespan of martial arts by a few years and create obstacles for the Buddha's return."

"For example, causing Buddhist disciples to die young, or letting the lust of the martial world spread to the Northern Heaven Buddhist City. Of course... we must try to shift the blame onto others as much as possible, even though the court has done nothing."

"...Your Majesty is wise."

Li Changshi answered softly, but still did not get up from the ground and the molten iron. Zhou Yuan's face turned cold, and he then flicked his sleeve and reprimanded him:

Whether I am wise or not is none of your business!

"I can disregard everything else, but tonight, you haven't brought me even a single good news. I hope to hear something pleasant from you for this last task."

"I don't care about the patterns or the vitality; I simply want to completely shatter this Buddha's body, leaving only a few Buddha bone relics to be handed over to Bensi... Can you do that?"

"..."

"Can."

Li Changshi sighed but answered with certainty that although the Grandmaster's body was strong, it was not invincible. There was more than one way to violently destroy him... It was just a real pity.

"That's good, at least you're still somewhat useful."

Zhou Yuan nodded, then stopped looking at him and instead called over Zhou Bensi, who had been waiting for a long time. The latter's obsequious appearance made Zhou Yuan frown slightly.

He really disliked this son. He had no imperial air about him, but he was ruthless and unscrupulous in his actions. In addition, he was a firsthand witness to the nunnery... This job was really only suitable for Zhou Bensi.

"...As agreed before, let's go outside the city to find that lowly centurion and escort our beloved 'Buddha Maiden' back to the Northern Heavenly Buddha City, so that the entire martial world can see our 'devotion'."

"After this matter is over... you will sit on the throne. You have enough talent and aptitude. Once this matter is completed and your qualifications are sufficient to convince the people, I will pass on my mastery of the Dao to you."

This time, Zhou Yuan wasn't just making empty promises; he actually raised his hand and sent a pure white true qi seed into Zhou Bensi's brow. This symbolized two moves at the Grandmaster level, as well as his early adaptation to the realm.

"Thank you, Father Emperor!"

The latter immediately knelt down in ecstasy, the bright molten iron in the ditch casting a distorted light on his face. He had won his gamble after all; the matter of Buddhism was just a trigger. This old man's lifespan was truly nearing its end...

Li Changshi, however, no longer cared about the affairs of the imperial family behind him. Instead, he faced the girl who was bound to the torture device and bowed four times devoutly. Then he reached out and grabbed the thick iron chain closest to him.

"Thump thump—"

Sixteen iron chains were activated simultaneously, and the stored true energy and power surged towards the bronze pillar, bringing not only the heat that could melt the pillar,

Even the iron chains themselves were activated, transforming into countless whip shadows in the sky, striking the pure body that was merely submerged in molten copper like a storm...

"Click."

……

……

[Main quest triggered!]

[Instance Name: "The Persecution of Buddhism in the Li Dynasty"]

[Instance Type: Tier 1 "Nightmare" Instance, Single-Player Scenario]

[The current main quest has been updated: Accept the official position of a fourth-rank Xuanwei General in the Li Dynasty, be the first to escort the Buddhist nun back to the Northern Snow City, and perfect the power of the mythological side - the influence and spread of "Ming Fo" in this world]

[The current side quest has been updated: Intimidate the fifteen victorious heroes of the Golden Cauldron Gathering and establish your authority]

[The current side quest has been updated: Traverse the winding corridor]

That afternoon, Fang Jin was extremely bored and took a nap in his room on the fourth floor. The sunlight was just right and the aroma of tea was pleasant. He casually fell asleep leaning against a rattan recliner, his breathing steady and long.

The system's continuous notifications forced him to wake from his deep sleep, but Fang Jin was too lazy to even open his eyes, still slumped over scanning the task information transmitted on his iris.

With just one glance, he couldn't help but sneer. Li Chao had indeed chosen the most underhanded method: betting on both sides and pleasing both, reaching out to grab the maximum benefit while always preparing an escape route for himself.

Escorting the Buddhist nun back to the Buddhist city, abandoning the mythical path that was so close at hand, was undoubtedly a way to show the world the respect for Buddhism and an attempt to extricate oneself from the wave of persecution of Buddhism.

It's likely that this was just a desperate measure by the Zhou family. They couldn't decipher the Buddha statue's lineage and abilities, so they could only resort to this last resort to make the appearances look good.

At the same time, by clearly sending the Buddha statue into the martial arts world, those forces that knew in advance would focus on the protective team, shifting their attention and pressure away from the capital itself.

Killing two birds with one stone... or even three birds with one stone. If the Buddha statue and the Buddha woman are lost along the way, Li Chao can simply shift the blame onto him, the Xuanwu General, and the entire martial arts world, and they can escape unscathed.

"I would have done the same thing..."

As Fang Jin was thinking this, her ear suddenly twitched. A loud and fine cracking sound came from the ceiling. The wooden tenon was breaking one by one, and a blurry shadow gradually sank down from the gap!

It was a huge golden cauldron with three legs and two handles. Behind it stood a burly man in animal skin with a rough face. At this moment, he slapped the cauldron with a ferocious grin, crushing and collapsing the four-story roof of the small building!

"Shi Dahu, the newly appointed commander of Xuanwu Guard, from Shicun, pays his respects to the General. I am filled with trepidation at our first meeting, and I would like to present you with a generous gift!"

Having said that, Shi Dahu gathered his strength in one palm again, and a clear tiger-shaped tattoo appeared on his upper arm. Then he slammed his palm down on the cauldron again, and after a loud bang, clear vibrations and shockwaves exploded on the cauldron!

"boom--!"

The inn was completely crushed by the giant cauldron that was blasted down. Not only the fourth floor, but all the log pavilions below were crushed and collapsed, and the air was filled with wood dust and fragments from the explosion!

The greeting only ended when the giant cauldron crashed to the ground with a loud, resonant sound like a great bell. The entire inn, unable to support its shape, collapsed and fell onto the cauldron.

The giant cauldron, along with Fang Jin beneath it, was buried completely.

"Ha ha?"

Before Shi Dahu even landed, his boisterous laughter echoed across the mountains. He looked around at his new colleagues who had followed him, and said with obvious excitement,

"I killed the general on my very first day...doesn't that prove I'm better than the general? Shouldn't I be given his position?"