Me and countless me.

Chapter 248 Li Ke's Dharma

The word "kill" was uttered, and the body parts fell to the ground, which also made clear the main purpose of Li Ke's coming here.

Kill these bastards!

These monks are not monks at all, they are just parasites that suck the blood of ignorant people. They bully men and women and occupy the land. Just by looking at them, Li Ke can feel that this world is dirty again!
However, to other people around, this was as bad news as a bolt from the blue, because the three people killed by Li Ke were all eminent monks, leaders of local temples, and chief among the monks in a certain area.

Then, several other monks, who were also wearing gorgeous robes, pointed at Li Ke and started cursing.

"Where did you come from, you wild monk? How dare you commit a crime in front of His Majesty, at this water and land ceremony!"

"That's right! You actually dared to kill someone in front of His Majesty! You killed the monk! You are so bold!"

Countless accusations and insults kept appearing around Li Ke. Li Ke closed his eyes slightly, used his telepathic power to quickly check what all the monks around him were doing, and then sneered.

"I, killing them is to act in the name of justice! What exactly did you do? Don't you know it in your heart?"

As he swung his whisk, an ancient mirror suddenly appeared in the sky. The next moment, scenes of the monks doing evil appeared on the mirror!

In these scenes, these monks accepted gold and silver, raped women, killed passers-by, and even drank and had fun and annexed land.

It can be said that he did not do anything other than human affairs, especially in several temples that were famous for their effectiveness in praying for children. He committed murder, arson, and raped other people's wives and daughters!
The monks who accused Li Ke were among them! Just like the headless corpses wearing gorgeous robes, they all did these things, and they laughed happily while doing them!

"how?"

Li Ke's robe fluttered without wind, and violent murderous intent once again enveloped the entire place.

He summoned out this ancient mirror not for these bastards to see, but for the onlookers around them and for Li Shimin on the stage to see.

He killed people in an upright manner, acting in the name of justice!

"You!! You are actually using telepathy!"

There were still some monks who were knowledgeable, but at this moment, no matter how they used their magical powers to protect their hearts from being spied on, it was of no use. The overwhelming magical power and martial arts directly suppressed them and they were unable to make any other moves. They could only look at the monk in front of them with anger and fear.

Some of them who had no magical powers were very arrogant and roared at Li Ke with Buddhist anger.

"How dare you act so presumptuously in front of the Tang Emperor! I'll see how you'll explain yourself when you're captured!"

"Explain?"

Li Ke sneered, he waved his whisk, and the Purifying Sword behind him was instantly unsheathed!

The next moment, Buddha's light and sword's light flashed, and the shocking sword instantly pierced through the chests of all the evil monks. The moment the incomparable sharp sword penetrated the bodies of these people, the high-speed sword energy and impact force instantly smashed their bodies apart!
And when all the damn monks exploded and fell to the ground in front of others, Li Ke spoke with a sneer.

"No explanation!"

It's just killing someone, why bother explaining?
The violent sword energy formed a bloody storm, the sound of ghosts crying and wolves howling! At this moment, what Li Shimin was worried about still happened.

He held the water and land ceremony not only for himself, but also because although the world was peaceful, there had been countless killings since the establishment of the Sui Dynasty and in the years leading up to the end of the Sui Dynasty, and there were also countless wronged souls and evil spirits. If people were not careful, they would be able to see demons and monsters. Only when the Buddhist and Taoist sects were there could there be some peace!
However, seeing ghosts in broad daylight is not uncommon.

And now that this monk has started a killing spree, I wonder how many evil spirits and monsters will be alarmed.

"How dare you show up in front of me! You really don't take me seriously! I will only recite the scripture once. If you don't leave, then stay forever!"

Li Ke also heard the cries of the wronged souls and evil ghosts. The Buddha's light on his body began to surge instantly. He immediately sat cross-legged on the ground and began to chant the Buddhist techniques of salvation, communicating with the gods in the underworld, and spreading his Buddha's light to suppress the wronged souls and evil ghosts who were unwilling to leave, so that the ghost messenger could do his job quickly.

As the Buddha's light continued to spread in all directions, wherever the Buddha's light and the sound of scriptures reached, the voices of wronged souls and evil spirits were instantly suppressed, and then the hostility in their bodies was constantly dissipated by the Buddha's light, and they were reincarnated and reborn!

Seeing this scene, Li Shimin opened his eyes wide.

This is the kind of monk he wants!

Such a domineering attitude, such an unquestionable temperament!

awesome!
Looking at that domineering posture, Li Shimin could not help but think of what was said in the memorial, about an unknown monk who had been constantly exorcising demons in and around the Tang Dynasty. Combined with Li Ke's characteristics of taking action without saying a word and beating people to the point of exploding their bodies without leaving any bones, he immediately understood that that was a holy monk who had single-handedly pacified hundreds of demon nests, large and small, in the territory of the Tang Dynasty!

So, he couldn't help but want to stand up and greet him!
Because if these were to be filled with human lives, it would take at least tens of thousands of armored soldiers to take it down!
Seeing that Li Shimin was about to stand up, an official immediately came up to him and whispered it.

"Your Majesty, this monk is so arrogant and disrespectful to the emperor..."

Although he knew at a glance that this monk of unknown origin must have great magical powers, his behavior was too arrogant.

Killing people in the street and ignoring the law is fine, but he has not kowtowed to the Emperor of Tang until now. It is obvious that such a guy is difficult to tame!

But Li Shimin raised his hand and asked the minister to leave.

"It doesn't matter. When I first saw him, I thought I liked him very much."

How could he not know the details of these "high monks"? When he was saved by the so-called Eighteen-Staff Monk, he knew that many monks were just the incarnations of defeated generals, but they did not jump out on their own, so there was no need to clear them out.

Moreover, it is not a good thing to offend Buddhism in this world. After all, there are still good monks guarding one side to prevent demons and monsters from causing chaos or not paying taxes.

Yes, many demons in the Tang Dynasty also have to pay taxes. Demons that can completely cultivate into human forms are also considered human beings under the laws of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, temples and Taoist sects must exist, but unfortunately, those who can succeed in cultivation are actually only a minority, and most of them only rely on the power of those powerful people.

That is why all these filthy people who harbor evil and filth appear!
"Your Majesty, think twice."

The ministers could do nothing about it. The emperor was the most powerful person in the world, so they just gave a final advice and then stopped talking.

"He is a great monk who can clear the source of the truth and save the souls of the dead. What's wrong with his strange behavior?"

A bit peculiar...

Hearing these words, Yuchi Gong and Qin Qiong couldn't help but look at the eyeballs and body parts scattered on the ground. They didn't believe that Li Shimin was afraid, and they could also feel that he admired the monk who was not a monk in any way.

After all, Li Shimin himself was a killer.

At this time, Li Ke had already finished the prayer. Seeing Li Shimin and the people, the monks were looking at him with no intention of leaving, so he flicked his whisk and bowed slightly to Li Shimin.

"I am Li Ke, a poor monk, and I am honored to meet your Majesty." Li Shimin raised his hand impatiently.

"I'm free of charge!"

Li Shimin didn't want this formality, but under the protection of Yuchi Gong and Qin Qiong, he asked.

"Saint monk, where are you from, and why are you killing so many people? Do you know that this is a water and land ceremony to select the leader of the monks and appease the resentment of the dead? If you can't explain it, I will charge you with ignoring the law and deceiving the emperor!"

Li Ke chuckled. Li Shimin had no intention of caring about his murder, so he chuckled, swung his whisk, and spoke.

"Your Majesty, these monks bully men and women and kill innocent people indiscriminately, but they deceive your Majesty by saying that they are virtuous monks who can use their virtues and magic power to save the souls of the dead and save them from the suffering of reincarnation. This is the greatest crime of deceiving the emperor and all living beings."

When he said this, Li Ke couldn't help but feel murderous intent.

"Your Majesty must have seen the mistakes they made in this evil mirror. They spread the absurd and foolish idea that chanting Buddhist scriptures and the Buddha's name can lead to rebirth and transcendence. This is an evil deed that causes more sentient beings to fall into the cycle of reincarnation. They deceive others with great ideals for their own desires. They are evil and degenerate creatures. They are demons, and even monsters! But they are definitely not human! As for my origin... it doesn't matter, right?"

Li Shimin couldn't help but clapping and cheering.

"Okay! Well said!"

He has been displeased with these bald guys for a long time!

"But holy monk, have you ever heard of the Tathagata in the West Heaven? Have you ever heard of the Mahayana Buddhism there?"

Li Shimin asked, and Li Ke sneered.

"Of course I have heard of it, and even learned it!"

Hearing this, Li Shimin asked excitedly.

“Can the holy monk recite it and write it down?”

If Li Ke understood Mahayana Buddhism, wouldn't he need to not send people out and just let this monk catch those evil monks in the temples in the country and kill them every day?
As a ruler, it is not easy for him to destroy Buddhism. You Buddhists should purify yourselves. What does that have to do with Li Shimin?
But Li Ke looked at Li Shimin and laughed.

"Your Majesty, the reason why the scriptures are classics is because they are the wisdom of our ancestors. Mahayana Buddhism is completely different from Hinayana Buddhism. It is a method constructed by the Buddha Shakyamuni based on local conditions. It is a way to make the Western Paradise pure and natural, but even the people in the Western Paradise cannot all transcend it. But, Your Majesty, have you ever heard of the story of a tangerine in the south that grows in the north?"

After a pause, Li Ke spoke again.

"So promoting Mahayana Buddhism in China may not be a good thing."

After these words were spoken, everyone present couldn't help but open their eyes wide and looked at Li Ke in disbelief.

In their impression, monks these days are constantly preaching to them about the beauty of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. They really didn’t expect that there would be monks who would slander the Pure Land so arrogantly!
but……

Is this monk really a monk?

Almost everyone has this question in their mind!

"Oh? What's the difference? Why doesn't it mean much in Middle-earth?"

Li Shimin couldn't help but ask, the people who asked him to find someone to obtain the scriptures didn't tell him at all what the use of Mahayana Buddhism was!

"The Hinayana Buddhism is a way to transcend oneself, so that one can be pure and natural, unify knowledge and action, not be disturbed by external things, and unswervingly carry out what one wants to do. This is the Hinayana Buddhism. The Mahayana Buddhism is the Bodhisattva's practice, constantly doing good deeds and saving all living beings, hoping that all living beings can do as much good as themselves and eventually escape from the sea of ​​suffering. But I have also said that the Middle Earth and the Western Paradise are different."

Li Ke looked at the curious Li Shimin and couldn't help but recall his painful student life as Jin Chanzi in the West, as well as the strange situation.

The corners of his eyes began to twitch, but he did not stop explaining.

"In the Western Paradise, monks are not worldly people. People who are worldly are called ascetics, not monks. Monks are a class called Brahmins, who have the responsibility of managing religious ceremonies and knowledge inheritance, and they have to teach Kshatriyas martial arts, writing and other knowledge. They look like practitioners, but they are actually public officials, not Buddhist monks! That's why I say that the Mahayana Buddhism in the Western Paradise is fine, but if the Buddha's philosophy is not modified, it may not be suitable for the Central Plains!"

I understand. Li Shimin understood it immediately.

"I see……"

All of a sudden, his expectations for the so-called Mahayana Buddhism disappeared, and he suddenly understood why the Taoists had a very subtle attitude towards the journey to obtain Buddhist scriptures.

This is someone who is here to steal my job!

However, objectively speaking, this is indeed a good thing, and the world needs more practitioners. But in fact, this thing is a serious blow to the local Taoist sects, and they should fight back.

However, there were too many people in their Taoist sect who rebelled, causing the underlying logic of Taoism to become less suitable for fooling believers and less likely to gain their trust.

Theoretically speaking, Buddhism is invincible!

But for Li Shimin, who was determined to make progress at this time, the attraction of Buddhism to him could not be as great as it was in his later years!
He pushed for the journey to the West, but he actually had his own ideas in mind.

The journey is full of mountains and rivers, and the monks traveling west will definitely be protected by the gods. After all, they attach so much importance to it. Wouldn't it be a laughing stock if they fail to achieve their goals?

And if there were some rumor that this monk was carrying some valuable treasure, wouldn’t that be interesting?
The demon kings, big and small, and the many evil spirits along the way will not be tempted by the news of these treasures, and they will definitely not surrender obediently and coexist with humans. Moreover, once they take action, won’t these monsters be destroyed by the gods who protect them?

Isn't the speed of destroying the monsters much faster than those monks and Taoist priests who couldn't defeat them and then petitioned the gods? And it didn't cost the Tang Dynasty any soldiers or generals.

And when the other party comes back, won't they have a map of the surrounding area? As long as the other party goes all the way and exchanges for a pass, it proves that the place is habitable and can be cultivated!
Even maps of mountains and rivers, and human geography can be asked to the Traveler to the West!
This is a good opportunity to expand our territory, isn't it?!
It’s a win-win situation!

He won twice!
So Li Shimin couldn't help but ask.

"The holy monk thought..."

Li Ke smiled slightly.

"Your Majesty, I think..."

He opened his mouth slightly and everyone looked at him expectantly.

"...The best thing for the Tang Dynasty to do is to conquer the Western Paradise and make it follow the Tang Dynasty's laws!"

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then immediately stood up and looked at Li Ke, with only one thought in his mind.

I like him!
(End of this chapter)