"Rules? Human relations? All bullshit, only power truly matters."
"How about it, Master Long Meng? Does your Free Temple really want to meddle in the Gao family's affairs? If you truly wish to fight, you alone are not enough. Quickly call for two more Arhats to stand a chance against the three of us. But we're well aware of what kind of virtue your Free Temple has; I'm afraid this battle may not even start."
The sarcasm in the last sentence spoken by Yang Demon True Monarch Gao Wei was palpable to anyone who heard it.
Any other great sect, such as the Taishang Dao or the Shenxiao Sect, would not have been able to restrain themselves upon hearing this.
If an Elder from the Spirit Treasure Sect at the Ultimate Happiness Realm heard this provocation, they'd immediately call their friends to start a brawl.
Of course, the Gao Family's Three Demons weren't stupid either.
If a strong person from the Spirit Treasure Sect revealed their identity, would they dare to be so verbally brazen?
Although the Gao Family of Tiannan is formidable, should they clash with the Spirit Treasure Sect, they'd inevitably be flattened.
As expected!
As soon as Gao Wei's voice faded, Master Shenxiu showed a furious expression, about to take action. However, Long Meng Arhat spoke first, replying loudly:
"Everything is predetermined!"
"I am here only to protect the lives of the million residents of Qiantang Province City."
"As long as the three of you promise not to invade the city or harm a single citizen, I shall not rashly alter the fate of your Gao family."
"If you do not agree, my senior brother Auspicious Arhat and junior brother Shanjian Arhat can arrive here within moments to exchange a few moves with you Daoist friends."
In just a few words, he managed to be assertive yet subtle.
He maintained dignity while also upholding the situation.
No one could find any fault with that.
The only one who felt a thorn had been planted in their heart was "Master Shenxiu" from the Free Temple, whose brows furrowed, his face flushed with redness, and his eyes revealing a strange color. He even began to doubt his own Buddhist cultivation.
After hearing this, the three Gao Yang siblings also felt uncomfortable, yet they indeed dared not provoke further.
Although everyone knew that the Great Freedom Temple was typically cunning, seeking a balance between effort and reward, and unwilling to take action lightly...
But if they were really forced to cut down someone's face, and matters became desperate with a real fight, how could the Gao family withstand the Free Temple?
So, the three siblings sardonically tossed a few veiled remarks then immediately turned toward the Demon Buddha Temple, to the other three Arhats.
In front of everyone's puzzled gaze, Gao Yang revealed a smile full of deep meaning and spoke with gratitude:
"This time, I must thank the three Daoist friends for your support; otherwise, it wouldn't be easy for my Gao family to swallow such a big piece of flesh."
"According to our alliance's decree, I will soon send a million robust people to become followers of the Buddhist Sect."
As soon as these words were spoken...
It was not too alarming for those at the scene, yet for the representatives of the various warlords from the Northern Land Provinces, watching through the spirit mirrors and crystal balls, anger arose.
Gao Yang's slip of the tongue revealed a heavenly secret.
Suddenly, the crowd became excited once more.
But this time, it was directed at the Demon Buddha Temple.
Gao Tianci, Yelü Baoshan, Li Zhixian, Song Shidu... and other generals, all well-known in the Northern Land, were not only powerful in cultivation but also skilled in leading troops and waging war.
They should have been expanding their territory in the great wars of the Central Plains for their masters.
Who could have expected them to fall in the seemingly minor Qiantang Province City, initially over a Devil Concubine affair?
But was this event also due to the [Buddha Birth Ceremony] organized by the Demon Buddha Temple?
Was it all a conspiracy?
Who could tolerate this?
In a moment, the Evil Demons in control of dozens of provinces in the Northern Land all harbored hostility and malice towards the Demon Buddha Temple.
Calls for battle and roars of rage were unceasing.
"Oh, you cunning monks from the Demon Buddha Temple played us well, using our provincial generals as mere gifts and provisions?"
"Schemes and plots, that have cost us our generals and armies, you damn Demon Buddha monks deserve to die."
"Shipi, Kongchan, Lian Sha, you three baldies, we've noted this grudge."
"Pass down the order, from today on, we will besiege the Demon Buddha monks within the province."
"If you three Demon Buddha baldies don't give us an explanation today, there will be no place for Demon Buddha monks to stand in our province."
...
Indeed, what goes around comes around. Just moments before, it was the Great Freedom Temple that faced mockery, and now it has come to be the Demon Buddha Temple's turn.
But such a spectacle barely affects the Arhat-level strong people of both temples, who have their own ways to cope.
Kongchan and Lian Sha, their true selves have already departed for Tiannan, leaving but empty shells here.
The one in charge here is naturally Shipi.
At this very moment!
This carefree and unrestrained Arhat monk who constantly bled himself dry, now smiled even more wildly, eyeing the vast expanse of the fragrant, blood-soaked morass, eyeing the Gao Family's Three Demons, as well as the prime Demon Army cultivated with ancient Magic Skills. His eyes were filled with an undisguised lust for possession.
"So, you want an explanation?"
"If you all want an explanation, this poor monk shall give you one."
"A life for a life, that is most fitting."
"Since these poor children perished because of the Tiannan Gao Family, this monk will repay you with the lives of the entire Gao family."
"Not to mention anything else, just having Gao Yang, Gao Zhan, and Gao Wei, you all would have made a great profit."
"???"
Everyone, including the Gao family, had no time to unravel any logic from Shipi's illogical words.
The next moment!
The "Buddha Country" that Shipi had previously packed away was released once more.
Except this time, the land had expanded by more than double its size.
Engulfing the entire Qiantang Province City and the surrounding Han Mountain within its domain.
Moreover, the Buddha Country itself had changed.
In addition to its original splendor of gold and jade, numerous mechanical Buddha Towers, cogwheel Buddha grease, electric scripture cables, bronze antennas... and other otherworldly creations had appeared.
The once astonishing "Cyber Buddha Country" that had amazed Tao Qian descended once more, and its scale had increased manifold.
Even more astonishing was that following a chant of Buddha's name from Shipi,
Nine Buddha Lights shot up towards the sky.
Within each light, a Buddha figure could be seen.
Seated on Lotus Platforms, with a thousand hands and eyes.
Five hundred arms held the Yang Branch Treasure Vase, the Skull Treasure Staff, the Treasure Mirror Jade Ring, and such.
Another five hundred arms wielded copper pipe iron cannons, fortress towers, mechanical spheres, and the like.
A full nine Venerable Compassionate and Merciful Transcendent Bodhisattvas descended simultaneously.
They surveyed all directions, issuing in unison with emotionless mechanical Buddha sounds:
"Heaven and Earth, only I am revered."
"To liberate All Living Beings, from birth, aging, illness, and death."
...
Everyone was stunned.
Deep within their skulls, a rumbling sounded.
Back then, when the first Great Transcendence Bodhisattva appeared within Yinping City, the entire city was sent into a frenzy.
Now, with nine Great Transcendence Bodhisattvas descending alongside the Cyber Buddha Country, viewers from the Seventy-two provinces, especially those with slightly weaker willpower and cultivation, could hardly resist at this moment.
They all showed looks of fascination and joy, yearning to join the Buddha Country.
Their body, soul, and Essence Blood squirmed, desiring to fly into the Buddha Country, to be freed from the torments of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and to enjoy eternal Ultimate Happiness.
On the Great Freedom Temple's side, the Long Meng Arhat who was protecting the people of the province city suddenly had an epiphany, as if understanding something, and said with a pained expression:
"So, that's how it is!"
"No wonder even Auspicious Elder miscalculated, thinking that it was the three Daoists who wanted to establish a Buddha Country to endure their cultivation tribulation. But it turned out to be the Nirvana Demon Buddha Senior, refining a Mechanical Demon Buddha avatar from an Exotic Realm."
"We, along with the various warlords of the Northern Land and the Gao Family from Tiannan, have become the voluntary fodder for this."
"Indeed, a brilliant calculation."