Chapter 736: You Overestimated Yourself
Lu Zhou’s expression remained the same. He stroked his beard, feigning confusion. “Mutual destruction? Aren’t you overestimating yourself?”
‘Isn’t this monk trying to walk in Fa Kong’s footsteps?’
If anyone else had spoken such words, the other monks would have leaped into a fit of rage and raised their rods to beat that person senseless before throwing the person out of the temple. However, this visitor was not a pushover. He repelled the 12 vajras with just a sound technique. There were not many monks in the Blood Sun Temple, but with their two karmic fire elites, they became renowned in the world. Every sect in Great Tang was wary of them. However, they could only suppress and hide their anger as the old man criticized the abbot.
“Have you mastered the karmic fire, old benefactor?” Fa Hua asked.
Lu Zhou was as calm as an old well. He looked at Fa Hua indifferently.
Fa Hua knew this question was slightly offensive so he explained, “Since you’ve mastered the karmic fire, you know how powerful it is, old benefactor. If the karmic fire gets into your Extraordinary Eight Meridians and burns your sea of Qi, you’ll surely be greatly injured. A Nine-leaf cultivator without the karmic fire is weaker than one with the karmic fire. Moreover, those without karmic fires would have to avoid those with karmic fires. I’ve been cultivating painstakingly for more than 800 years and obtained the red lotus karmic fire…”
Swoos.h.!.+.
Fa Hua opened his palm, and a red lotus hovered on top of it. Scarlet flames rose in the air as though they were made of blood. They were a dazzling sight to behold.
The monks regarded the flames with fear and admiration. These flames were likely the reason the Blood Sun Temple remained standing until this day, and they were also the source of the temple’s confidence.
What happened to the art of conversation? No matter how many reasonings one could come up with, people would still resort to the fist. From time immemorial, whether it was on earth or some other world, if one wanted to intimidate their enemies and make them play by one’s own rules, one would have to display sufficient strength.
Fa Hua clenched his hand, and the red lotus karmic fire disappeared. A friendly smile could be seen on his face as he straightened his palm in front of his chest and said, “Amitabha…”
With a slight hint of displeasure, Lu Zhou asked, “Compared to Fa Kong, who’s weaker?”
Fa Hua replied with a straight face, “If we were to fight head-on, I’d be evenly matched with Junior Brother Fa Kong. If we were to drag it out and have a contest of Zen and techniques, I’m more powerful than Fa Kong.”
Lu Zhou stroked his beard and nodded. He looked at Fa Hua and gruffly said, “Since I can kill Fa Kong, I can kill you. Do you have one life more than him?”
“…”
The Great Strength Hall was as silent as a graveyard at this moment.
The monks’ eyes widened as an incredulous expression appeared on their faces.
Fa Hua could hardly believe his eyes. He stopped fiddling with his prayer beads in his left hand, shocked. “You killed Fa Kong, old benefactor?!”
The monks rose to their feet and stared at Lu Zhou as though he was a great enemy.
Lu Zhou’s expression remained the same; no changes could be seen on his face at all. Inwardly, he was puzzled. These monks did not seem to know much about what Fa Kong did in the golden lotus domain. He asked tonelessly, “Don’t you know what happened to Fa Kong?”
“Although I’m the abbot, I couldn’t restrain Junior Brother Fa Kong… All I know is he had a good relations.h.i.+p with the Sky Martial Court. He had said he was going to do something shocking. However, I didn’t expect that he wouldn’t return.” After he finished speaking, he suddenly rose to his feet. His wizened face that seemed exhausted seemed energetic at this moment. He asked, “Are you truly from the golden lotus domain, old benefactor?”
Upon hearing this, the monks rose up as well, ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
Lu Zhou continued to stroke his beard, ignoring the monks’ reactions. He said, “I’ve already stated my objective when I arrived. All you have to do is to answer my questions.”
Next to the second pillar of Great Strength Hall, a stocky monk in kasaya attacked with his palm. He released red energy and moved his hands as though they were blades. He leaned forward before he charged toward Lu Zhou. “Even Buddha can’t save you today…”
The monks were frightened and taken aback. They did not expect the First Seat of Palm Zen Hall would suddenly attack. The temple could not function without rules. The affairs and etiquettes of the temple were upheld by the Palm Zen Hall’s Hui Neng.
Lu Zhou remained seated; he did not move at all. Just as the palm strike was about to land on him, he suddenly waved his sleeve in a graceful and casual movement. It was as though he was shooing a fly away.
The Buddhist Great Vajra Wheel Hand Sign!
Bam!
At such close range, the golden palm seal and the red palm seal collided.
There was no doubt about the outcome.
The Palm Zen Hall’s First Seat, Buddhist Master Hui Neng, recoiled as his red palm seal was destroyed.
The monks exclaimed in shock as they watched the palm seal push Hui Neng out as it continued sailing in the air.
With a loud boom, Hui Neng crashed into the second pillar of Great Strength Hall. He was sent back to where he came from.
The pillar of the Great Strength Hall cracked loudly. However, even if it was broken, it would not crumble easily.
The monks had not recovered from their shock.
The Great Strength Hall was deathly silent.
This kind of difference could only be born from an extremely wide gap between strengths.
The red palm’s force seemed pitiably weak.
Hui Neng grunted and spat out blood before he slid to the ground in a heap.
Lu Zhou continued behaving as though nothing out of the ordinary happened. He stroked his beard with a calm expression on his face
The monks were speechless. Even Hui Neng’s Eight-leaf cultivation base could not withstand a single blow from the old man.
Meanwhile, a grim expression appeared on Fa Hua’s face. “Golden palm seal. Great Vajra Wheel Hand Sign?”
“Sit.” Lu Zhou raised his hand. It was as though Fa Hua was the guest, and he was the host.
Fa Hua forced himself to calm down as he sat down.
Lu Zhou said, “The light of the Buddha s.h.i.+nes on all. I spared his life when I struck. Are you satisfied?”
“If I may be so bold, I’d like to have a go as well,” Fa Hua said. Without waiting for a reply, he smacked the table, and it shattered. Then, he shot toward Lu Zhou, extending a palm shrouded with flames toward Lu Zhou.
Lu Zhou remained seated and only lifted one hand in response.
The two palms collided.
Bam!
Fa Hua’s palm had red flames while Lu Zhou’s palm was bare.
The monks were delighted upon seeing this.
n.o.body would dare to defend against karmic fire without energy. This seemingly simple palm strike was actually a powerful Nine-leaf attack. Even the 12 vajras and the Three Seats would not take this lightly.
Fa Hua felt a chilling sensation on his palm. When he looked down, he saw a faint flash of blue before a golden palm seal suddenly surged out.
Bam!
“Abbot!”
Fa Hua was sent flying back. He did a backflip in midair before he struck with his palm again.
“Karmic Fire Vajra Palm!”
Lu Zhou raised his palm again.
Their palms collided once more.
This time, it was a contest of Primal Qi.
The flames on Fa Hua’s palm grew brighter.
Creak! Creak! Creak!
The Great Strength Hall threatened to crumble at this moment.
Suddenly, a red lotus bloomed under Fa Hua’s feet. It was covered in flames. The nine leaves were a terrifying sight. At the same time, an avatar slowly rose.
Lu Zhou scowled. ‘Is this bald donkey really going to force me to use a Deadly Strike Card?’ The cards were too expensive. It was not worth it to use it on this bald donkey.
Lu Zhou chose to use his Heavenly Writing power.
Originating from nothing, from it comes everything. Living in samsara and learning from it. This is the power of past lives.
Buddhist Great Seal of Fearlessness.
His palm shone blue and golden at the edge. He unleashed one-third of his extraordinary power.
Whizz!
There was a strange resonance in the air.
Fa Hua immediately felt his arm go numb and sensed a danger of it breaking. He trembled and swiftly retracted his hand.
Bam!
The Great Seal of Fearlessness’ power traveled along Fa Hua’s arm to his chest. He reeled back as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Bam!
Fa Hua crashed through a huge pillar.
Rumble!
Fa Hua crashed through the wall of Great Strength Hall with his karmic fire, flying out of the hall.
Silence descended on the Great Strength Hall again.
Lu Zhou withdrew his hand. He seemed unaffected and uninjured. Based on this palm strike, he could vaguely tell he would need at least half of his extraordinary power to kill a red lotus Nine-leaf cultivator with a karmic fire. When he fought Fa Kong back then, Fa Kong was protected by the Sky Shuttle. A quarter of his extraordinary power could not break the Sky Shuttle. Based on that experience, it was clear just how powerful a red lotus Nine-leaf cultivator with karmic fire was.
“Abbot!” The monks charged out of the hall. Shortly after, they carried Fa Hua back into the hall.
Fa Hua’s face was covered in dirt, and blood stained the corners of his mouth. His robes were torn as well.
Lu Zhou looked at the monks, “Anyone else has a problem?”
His question resounded throughout the Great Strength Hall.
Lu Zhou had always been a keen believer in striking the enemy’s king first. If he could subdue Fa Hua, the others would not dare to resist him. He continued speaking in a voice that resounded in the hall, “Those who have a problem can step forward now.”
n.o.body stepped forward.
Fa Hua coughed violently. Lu Zhou’s performance had exceeded his expectations. In fact, Lu Zhou’s strength seemed absurd to him. They were both karmic fire elites. The difference between them should not be this wide. Throughout his long history of being a Nine-leaf cultivator, he had never lost so thoroughly like he did today. After his coughing fits subsided, he said, “Stand down, everyone.”
How could they not?
Lu Zhou continued to stroke his beard. He looked at the moderately injured Fa Hua. One-third of his extraordinary power could only injure Fa Hua. If used against an Eight-leaf cultivator, one-third of his extraordinary power could have reduced them to ashes. Indeed, the karmic fire was powerful.
“Old benefactor, whatever it is you want to know, I’ll tell you.” Fa Hua relented.
Lu Zhou nodded in satisfaction. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Fa Hua no longer had any intentions of resisting after the brief exchange.
The other monks dared not say anything as well.
Little Yuan’er covered her mouth as she giggled. She pointed at Fa Hua and said, “You’re a tough one… It’s not every day I see someone survive my master’s palm strike.”
“…”
“What are you looking at? I’m just telling you the truth.” Little Yuan’er was not afraid at all. She returned the glare the other monks were shooting her way.
The monks dared not speak up, still greatly shaken.
Lu Zhou looked at Fa Hua and asked, “Have you seen any other golden lotus cultivators apart from me?”