Chu Li smiled and said, “The longer you are in the Triad Underworld, the smaller your courage. But I think Senior Zhao Zilai is an exception. You still have the guts.”
“Compared to young Chu Li’s courage, mine is still small!” Zhao Zilai laughed.
Chu Li shook his head and said, “Being in the Public House and planning to kill a rank three Scribe of the Public House—this courage is unusually great… could it be that Senior Zhao Zilai is certain that the Public House will not retaliate?”
Zhao Zilai’s facial expression changed slightly but he resumed smiling immediately, “What you said was interesting.”
He was surprised. He received the news last night. How did this surnamed Chu know?
The symbol on the letter was different from the symbol that he saw in the Public House previously. Only three people in this world knew that symbol: Lu Yurong’s master, Lu Yurong, and him because this symbol was Lu Yurong’s master’s, not Lu Yurong’s.
Chu Li smiled and said no more.
The two had different thoughts in mind when they walked slowly and eventually arrived at the Sky Inn.
“Let’s go in and eat something. We should eat until we are full,” Zhao Zilai chuckled, “What do you think, young Chu Li?”
Chu Li understood the hidden meanings of his words. Zhao Zilai was telling him in a roundabout way that he wanted to send him to heaven so he should enjoy his last meal.
He smiled, “That’s true. No matter what, we should eat until we are satisfied.”
“Great minds think alike! Come, let’s go up!” Zhao Zilai chuckled.
The two went up to the Sky Inn and ordered a few small dishes: white steamed bun, sugar steamed bun, and four porridges.
Zhao Zilai took a sugar steamed bun. He slowly took a bite and then drank a mouthful of the tasty vegetable soup with a look of enjoyment and satisfaction. He said with a smiley face, “Young Chu Li, you are from Temple of Autumn, right?”
Chu Li frowned and his heart sank, but he soon revealed a smile, “Yes, I grew up in the Temple of Autumn. Senior Zhao Zilai’s descendants are all talented, four of your sons are Innate Masters and your eldest son is a Grandmaster. You have successors—congratulations.”
The sugar steamed bun in Zhao Zilai’s hand was pinched flat. He laughed dryly, “Young Chu Li, you are so powerful at such a young age. Could it be that all the monks in the Temple of Autumn have such high cultivation level too?”
Chu Li smiled and said, “Temple of Autumn’s disciples do not practice martial arts. This cannot be compared to Senior Zhao Zilai who has many talented grandchildren. Two Innate Masters, that’s really rare!”
He got that information from Zhao Zilai’s mind and using it to threaten Zhao Zilai was just right.
Zhao Zilai shook his head and sighed, “My descendants are incompetent. It is my fault.”
Chu Li said, “Senior Zhao Zilai entered the imperial house so naturally you cannot teach them personally. But since there is Senior Zhao Zilai, people in the martial arts world will have little scruples. Therefore, Senior Zhao Zilai should be careful, if something happened to you, who will protect them?”
Zhao Zilai narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled, “They don’t need my protection. My sons and grandchildren have their own lives to live. I could not meddle too much.”
Chu Li smiled and said, “That’s also true. Who can protect somebody successfully? As a member of the martial arts world, who has no enemy? With just the slightest carelessness, one’s whole family will be exterminated, leaving no successor at all.”
The killing intent in Zhao Zilai’s heart intensified and his smile brightened too, “Yes, Temple of Autumn is better, not practicing martial arts and there are not many things to worry about too. But why people practice martial arts in this world and increase their worries? That’s because they fear being killed without being able to resist.”
Chu Li laughed and shook his head, “How can a person who practice Buddhism not transcend life and death? The pain of life and death is better than the pain in Saha World [1].”
Zhao Zilai laughed, “If that is the case, wouldn’t all Buddhist not want to live?”
“Born carrying the unfulfilled wish form your past life, fulfilling your wish while living in this world, passing away when your time is over and finally go beyond reincarnation—this is what you call a true Buddhist,” Chu Li smiled and said, “It seems like Senior Zhao Zilai do not understand the main principle of Buddhism. If Senior Zhao Zilai has time, you can stay in the Temple of Autumn for some time to diminish your obsession. People will change, you must let it go when you have to!”
Zhao Zilai’s smile froze. He said coldly, “Let it go?”
Chu Li smiled and said, “Senior Fa Yu Ying is not an ordinary woman. It is a pity that you missed the chance to be with her. But since you are not destined to be with her, why are you still holding on to it?”
Zhao Zilai said coldly, “Young Chu Li, you are still young. How can you understand what love is?”
Chu Li shook his head, “You will be hurt the deepest when you are deeply in love. Senior Fa Yu Ying has no more feelings towards Senior Zhao Zilai. Forcing it will only make you guys into enemies, so why bother?”
The sugar steamed bun in Zhao Zilai’s hand had been pinched into the shape of a pellet and the blue veins on his hand showed faintly. He sneered, “You’d better shut up!”
Chu Li smiled, lowered his head and drank a mouthful of porridge, displaying a satisfied and enjoyable expression.
Zhao Zilai took in a deep breath and suppressed his raging killing intent. This damn brat, he will kill him later!
They ate their breakfast in silence. Zhao Zilai said, “There is nothing to visit in the town. I would like to take a look at the scenery outside the town.”
“Sure,” Chu Li smiled and said, “The scenery outside the town is quite a sight to behold, with green mountains and blue water. It is a great place!”
They came to the top of a mountain outside the town.
Zhao Zilai stepped on a boulder and overlooked the lush mountains, like a green curtain that spread across the land. He said with untold feelings, “Green hills and blue water, this is a good resting place for the dead.”
Chu Li stood on another boulder just two feet away from him. He smiled and said, “Indeed, a good resting place for one’s remains.”
Zhao Zilai turned around and looked down at him, “Young Chu Li, let’s stop playing games. You know what I want to do.”
Chu Li nodded.
Zhao Zilai smiled, “Very well, let’s have a friendly challenge. I know that your levitation is excellent, but surely you will not sit by and watch me go to the Temple of Autumn, right?”
He had inquired about Chu Li’s background and knew that his levitation was extraordinary so using the Temple of Autumn to threaten him can make sure that he will not escape.
Chu Li sighed, “Senior Zhao Zilai, you don’t have to get involved in this matter. Senior Fa Yu Ying has already abandoned you. You don’t have to listen to her disciple’s words, do you?”
“You asked for it!” Zhao Zilai roared in anger and threw a punch.
Chu Li did not avoid the punch. A violet gold energy flashed. When Zhao Zilai had exerted his strength to the maximum and cannot change his attack anymore, a cold glint shot from Chu Li’s hand.
“Bang!” He flew backward in a straight line.
Zhao Zilai’s punch was extremely tough. It was like being hit by a boulder that rolled down from the mountaintop.
Chu Li flew backward and faked a few steps in the air. Circulating the exceptional Nullifying heart technique, nullifying most of the force from the attack, but he still slammed heavily against the cliff.
When Zhao Zilai had just displayed his first attack and he had not even mustered up his strength for another, he can only watch as a knife shot towards him like it came from the outer space, it cannot be dodged. He tried to squirm away desperately, but the flying blade was too fast and he only avoided it from piercing his heart barely.
“Chi!” the flying blade pierced through his chest and shot from his back into the cliff, exposing only half of the blade.
Zhao Zilai roared in anger and threw a punch again but he found that he could not muster up the strength.
It was as if all of his strength spewed out from the wound and his remaining strength was few and not enough to provide the strength needed for this punch. He hurriedly used his finger to hit his acupuncture point to seal the flowing blood.
He took out a jade bottle and was going to take a pill.
Chu Li flung his hand and a ray of cold glint shot towards Zhao Zilai.
Zhao Zilai wanted to avoid it but he did not have the strength to do so, he could only watch as the blade pierced through his chest again and blood gushed out like spring water. The strength of his whole body reduced again.
Chu Li found out that the power of his flying blade increased sharply. Although it was partly due to Zhao Zilai’s carelessness as he was standing too close to him so the flying blade can hurt him, Zhao Zilai will still be able to avoid it if it was his flying blade in the past.
He flew down from the cliff and came before Zhao Zilai, “Senior Zhao Zilai, pardon me!”
He slowly extended his right index finger to press towards Zhao Zilai and activated Temple of Tempest’s Spear Finger Strike heart technique that he learned from Fa Yuan.
Zhao Zilai wanted to dodge it but his whole body had no strength. Seeing Chu Li’s index finger coming closer and closer towards him, he sneered, “Young Chu Li, you dare to kill me?”
Chu Li smiled, “Why not?”
“If you kill me, the imperial house will not spare your life,” Zhao Zilai stared at him fearlessly, “Even your Public House will not be spared!”
Chu Li shook his head, “Then we’ll see!”
He pressed his finger on Zhao Zilai’s heart, the finger force of Spear Finger Strike instantly shot out and shattered his heart, ending his life instantly.
He pulled out Modesty Sword from his waist and swept across, separating Zhao Zilai’s head from his body.
Translator Notes
[1] Saha World is a world full of suffering in Buddhism. It is also known as the world of endurance. The Saha World indicates a world in which people must endure suffering. It is also defined as an impure land, a land defiled by earthly desires and illusion, in contrast with a pure land.
(Taken from https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/S/9)