A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 104 - 97: Lay Down the Butcher’s Knife—Become a Buddha or a Demon? (Part 2)_3

The leader of them is my youngest sister's husband. He uses the Red Eyebrow's name to plunder treasures. Under him are several people who were originally mountain folks from Daye Town, who once followed me to the mines as young boys."

Bai Qi finally heard the intense emotion in Uncle Dao's tone, like volcanic lava erupting, scorching and hot.

"I don't understand! Although my brother-in-law comes from a wealthy family, he is very amiable and loves my youngest sister. They have a child, fondly called 'Ah Hu', who already calls me uncle.

And those mountain folks, whenever they catch wild deer or roe deer, they send them to my estate... They fetch water and chop wood for the widows and orphans of Daye Town, kind-hearted and good.

Why, why when they followed me up the mountain with the Red Eyebrow, did they become robbers who kill and plunder, commit rape and kidnap?

The young master watched coldly from the side and only said, 'It's banditry. Expecting them to still be kind is like looking for a chaste woman in a brothel; utterly laughable.'"

Lao Dao's throat was as if it held a piece of charcoal, hoarse and raspy as he spoke:

"The leader of Green Forest Dao, the Heaven-defying Saber of Fulong Mountain, the Red Eyebrow who acts on behalf of heaven - all just my one-sided wish.

Other brothers used my name to break into grand estates, robbed large amounts of gold and silver, and stole precious alchemical herbs;

My own younger brother turned a blacksmith shop into seven Weapon Smithing Shops, took in twelve wives and concubines, many of which were forcibly taken... I've heard bits of these things, but never paid much mind.

Because I understood it wasn't easy for him, reaching his twenties, breaking a hand while smithing, unable to find a bride despite several proposals.

And now that as an elder brother I've succeeded, what's wrong with my younger brother taking a few more wives?

But the rules were set by me, I cannot break them and send my own brother to the Hall of Punishment for three blades and six holes!

Could I heartlessly watch my blind mother kneel and beg for mercy?

Could I turn against my brothers, kill them as a warning to others?

I pretended to be blind and deaf, but could no longer hide away in the end!

The more I thought about it, the more tangled it became, my fists and legs could no longer flow smoothly, my chest constrained, collapsing entirely into a cripple.

Haha, I withstood the three punches of Ninghai Zen from Tongwen Hall, but did not answer to my own questions.

From then on, I had no name, no clan, nowhere to call home."

Listening to Uncle Dao's past, Bai Qi's heart subconsciously recalled Ninghai Zen's three rules—

Not to see the lure of fame and fortune, not to hear the coercion of authority and relationships, with nothing binding, find one's own path between heaven and earth!

"Perhaps what the Master seeks is this kind of unrestrained freedom? But how can a person caught in the web of the mundane world not have restraints? Most are like Uncle Dao, trapped with no escape."

Bai Qi pondered carefully, suddenly feeling the words "Tongwen Hall" growing heavier, and Ninghai Zen's figure becoming more mysterious. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"The Buddhist Sect speaks of escaping meditation, which is to escape the world, unable to face it, then just not to face it."

On the long street sounded the rumbling of footsteps, the light of thousands of torches illuminated half the sky, nearly bright as day, as Lao Dao sat on that grand master's chair:

"The young master also said, when you lay down the butcher's blade, you become a Buddha on the spot. Here the 'butcher's blade' is obsession, is all evil thoughts and acts, as long as all the 'thieves' in one's heart are killed, then one can attain Buddha-hood."

So, over the years, every time I had a wrathful thought, I would light a lantern, burn incense, and leave a scar from burning as a vow."

Lao Dao's eyes were astonishingly bright, the corners of his mouth slowly opened into a smile, yet his face was as cold as cast iron. He took off the mink fur hat, handed it to Bai Qi, muttering:

"I can't forget, every time I close my eyes, I think of my father being sunk into the river, my second uncle having his belly slit open, my mother crying herself blind, my youngest sister being taken away on a cart… I wanted to rely on my fists and legs to make the world flat, let my hometown folks live well, but my brother seized someone else's daughter as a wife, and my brothers are ruthless bandits, indiscriminately killing the good and the bad.

I carried the debt of many lives; even if I abandoned the name Heaven-defying Saber, I couldn't escape it.

Young Master Qi, you tell me, with the butcher's blade always in my hand, how can I lay it down?"

Bai Qi looked up at Uncle Dao standing up; the Qi blood emanating from him was like a bloody red flame swaying, suddenly rising, turning his robe into flying ashes.

His bare upper body crossed with blossoms of red lotuses, lines like cuts from a blade intertwined, inexplicably resembling an Eternal Hell slowly unfolding.

But what was suppressed within was not haunting ghosts or beasts, but that Red Eyebrow Leader called "Heaven-defying Saber".

"Brother!"

Blood Vajra stepped determinedly onto the steps of Tongwen Hall, as if reuniting after a long separation, was ready to reminisce.

"Thus, I've realized, I hold the butcher's blade, cut karma and kill life! Cannot be a Buddha, then become a demon!"

Lao Dao spoke to Bai Qi, his entire skin and flesh surged, like hundreds of red lotuses blooming together, his foot stomped like a thunderous explosion on flat ground, the entire front courtyard shook!

Following that, the air roared and vibrated, like a wild wind sweeping through, a raging dragon soaring into the sky!

"Brother..."

Blood Vajra unconsciously closed his eyes tight, only leaving a slit open, for the relentless stormy airflow was almost tangible, like a blade cutting his face!

The endless dense white waves were compressed, forming an empty sweep, from which a massively muscular arm bound with purple-black veins suddenly emerged, as if a giant elephant lifted its head and tusk, then slammed down heavily!

"Get out!"