Commander’s Tent.
Meng Qingzhou summoned Jiang Canghai, Lin Lu, Minister of War Liang Qu, and other officials, along with the Moon Clan’s Saintess Lan Xinsu, the Tianhe Division’s Young Master Lan Miechan, and the Huanling Division’s Elder Lan Qiunan.
Compared to their initial arrogance, especially Lan Miechan, the Moon Clan members now sat quietly, their attitudes completely reversed.
Dongfang Liuli stood behind Meng Qingzhou, the leader’s seat, her beautiful eyes glancing meaningfully at Lan Xinsu.
Only this Moon Clan Saintess could make the once unruly Young Master of the Tianhe Division so subdued.
She appeared delicate, but she was far from simple.
“Sword Saint, Your Majesty, may I ask why you’ve summoned us so urgently?” Minister of War Liang Qu inquired.
Meng Qingzhou tapped his finger on the table and said calmly, “Break camp and return.”
“Return to the Great Jin Dynasty.”
Liang Qu and the other officials exchanged glances, immediately understanding Meng Qingzhou’s intention.
Even the Space-Time Sword Saint had lost absolute confidence in dealing with the Buddhist Kingdom, fearing the loss of Great Jin’s million-strong army in the endless desert.
“Sword Saint, Your Majesty, could you explain the specific reason?” Lin Lu asked cautiously.
He knew the young man before him was the Emperor of Great Jin, a revered figure whose will represented Empress Qin Liuli.
Meng Qingzhou parted his lips, about to speak.
Suddenly, Lan Miechan, who had been silent, raised his head and exclaimed, “Return? Aren’t we going to fight the Buddhist Kingdom to the end?”
“Liang Qu, what’s going on? Didn’t we agree to form an alliance against the Buddhist Kingdom? Why change plans now that we’re here?”
Minister of War Liang Qu glanced at Meng Qingzhou, seeing no reaction, he straightened up and said, “Make it clear, who’s your ally? The alliance was broken the moment you insulted our Great Jin soldiers.”
“Listen to me,” Meng Qingzhou said.
“You’ve come a long way, and it wouldn’t be fair to let you leave empty-handed. Why not return with us to the Great Jin Dynasty? You can see for yourselves if our foundation is worth your Moon Clan’s unwavering support.”
“How about it?”
Lan Miechan was about to burst with anger, but remembering the Saintess’s earlier teachings, he held back and looked at Lan Xinsu.
Lan Xinsu lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and nodded slightly, “Agreed.”
The survival of their clan was at stake; they couldn’t act rashly. Assessing the foundation of Great Jin was necessary.
If disappointed, the Moon Clan could wait for the next golden era or the arrival of the Mandate of Heaven and the birth of the Human Emperor before emerging again.
If not for their desire for revenge against the Buddhist Kingdom, the Moon Clan could endure a few more decades. But by then, their high-end combat power would be nearly depleted.
The Moon Clan had twelve Morning Glow Realm elders, half of whom were ancient ancestors. They had endured thanks to their long lifespans and Morning Glow Realm cultivation. But these elders had escaped with severe injuries from the Buddhist Kingdom’s massacre, never fully recovering, their lifespans greatly reduced.
In a few decades, only five or six of the twelve Morning Glow elders would remain.
Meng Qingzhou nodded and continued, “The reason for breaking camp and leaving the Buddhist Kingdom is simple. Buddha has broken through to the Sky-Reaching Realm. No matter how many troops we have, it’s useless. Staying here only increases casualties and depletes resources without putting any pressure on Buddha.”
“Retreating is to preserve our strength for a future comeback.”
Everyone present knew the Sky-Reaching Realm was formidable, but only Meng Qingzhou and Dongfang Liuli truly understood its terror.
“Saintess Xinsu has a question.”
“Go ahead.”
Lan Xinsu’s eyes flickered as she asked, “Sword Saint, Your Majesty, do you know the path Buddha took to embody the principles of no-self and no-form?”
Oh?
Meng Qingzhou was slightly surprised.
He hadn’t expected Lan Xinsu to understand the Sky-Reaching Path so well, able to ask about the embodiment of principles and the path of no-self and no-form. She must have had deep insights, but she was only in the mid-Morning Glow Realm, unlikely to have experienced it personally.
Interesting.
“Actually, on my way here, I encountered Buddha and confirmed my suspicions.”
“Buddha’s ambition is vast. To embody the principles, he transformed himself! He merged his entire being into the endless desert, integrating his principles into the Buddhist Kingdom’s territory.”
“No-self and no-form, he walks the path of creation, creating a World of Bliss.”
“We are now standing in Buddha’s palm. If he wishes, he can close his hand and instantly turn everything, including your Moon Clan’s secret realm, to ashes.”
Meng Qingzhou took a sip of tea, leaning back in his chair, his expression serene as if discussing something mundane.
However.
Upon hearing his words, the entire commander’s tent fell into prolonged silence.
Jiang Canghai and Liang Qu, along with the other Great Jin officials, were shocked but maintained their composure.
But the Moon Clan members were different. The secret realm held their last bloodline; if anything happened, their clan would be extinct.
Lan Miechan, agitated, stood up and shouted, “Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”
“Embodying principles, merging with the endless desert, the Buddhist Kingdom’s territory?”
“There’s only one realm difference between Sky-Reaching and Morning Glow. How could this be possible?”
Meng Qingzhou said calmly, “Believe it or not, I’m just stating the facts. Besides, do I need to lie to you?”
“Do you think you’re worth my effort to deceive? Countless Morning Glow Realm cultivators have died by my hand. Do you think your Moon Clan matters to me?”
Lan Miechan was furious, about to retort, but Lan Xinsu angrily shouted, “Lan Miechan! Get out!”
“Saintess…”
Lan Xinsu’s eyes reddened. She stood up and slapped Lan Miechan hard across the face. With a loud bang, a gust of wind swept through the tent, and Lan Miechan flew out like a missile.
Everyone stared at Lan Xinsu in shock.
What a fierce woman…
Lin Daiyu uprooting a willow tree?
Lan Xinsu took a deep breath, calming her turbulent emotions. Despite her worries about the clan members in the secret realm, she knew she couldn’t return to lead them in migration because the Buddhist Kingdom wouldn’t allow it.
Moreover.
Unlike others, Lan Xinsu instantly realized a crucial point.
The Space-Time Sword Saint had met Buddha, yet Buddha hadn’t harmed him, allowing him to move freely in the Buddhist Kingdom and even permitting him to gather the Great Jin soldiers. This indicated one thing.
Buddha feared the Space-Time Sword Saint!
“Apologies for the poor discipline, making a spectacle of ourselves. We are willing to follow the Sword Saint, Your Majesty, back to the Great Jin Dynasty.”
Lan Xinsu said, bowing in respect.
Meng Qingzhou was silent for a moment, then raised his hand slightly, “No matter.”
“In that case, announce to the entire army: break camp! Return!”
“Jiang Canghai, distribute the resources I brought. Restore our state as quickly as possible. The journey is long, and we may face obstacles. Ensure the soldiers are at their peak.”
“Yes!”
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