Traveling the Heavens in Thunderbolt

Chapter 49 Liao Kong's "Passing Away"

In an unknown dark room in Luoyang, a man was transferring his internal energy to another person lying on the bed. There was only an oil lamp providing limited light to illuminate the faces of the two people.

It was Li Gong who had just experienced a great battle, and the person lying on the bed was the abbot of Jingnian Zen Temple, Liaokong, who was supposed to be dead.

However, judging from his condition, he seemed to be in his twilight years, relying entirely on Li Gong's true energy to keep him alive.

With a light cough, Lao Kong woke up, and Li Gong immediately stopped supplying true energy.

Liaokong woke up and saw the person in front of him. He was surprised at first, but then he understood.

He said, "Master Li has spent his true energy to prolong the life of a dying man like me, just to find out information about Cihang Jingzhai from Wu. I am afraid that Master Li is doing this in vain. I will not reveal any information to you. Master Li, please send me to the afterlife like my disciples."

Li Gong laughed and said, "Ha, you monk, you underestimate me too much. I can see clearly what you are planning with Cihang Jingzhai. The reason why I extend your life is because you have been fighting with my Shengmen for a hundred years in Jingnian Zen Temple. I will tell you a secret that no one in the world knows so far, so that you can leave without regrets."

After looking at Kong's expression, Li Gong knew that he would not believe it. He thought that if Kong was going to die, he should let him die without any regrets.

"In fact, it is not difficult to guess what you told Master Feixuan at the end. In the previous battle, your Jingnian Zen Temple was destroyed, and the four great monks all died. The current Cihang Jingzhai must be alone and unable to support itself. Although Ning Daoqi and Song Que can be brought in as external aid, given their arrogance, they will definitely not cooperate to deal with me. If they come alone, they are no match for me. The remaining answer is simple. You want to find Ling Donglai to fight with me. He is the only one who can stop me."

Without waiting for Kong to refute, Li Gong continued, "You must be thinking that the current relationship between Buddhism and Taoism is not harmonious because Buddhism always suppresses Taoism. Ling Donglai defeated Ning Daoqi, a "Taoist master" who was friendly to Buddhism, three years ago because of this incident. Later, he went to Cihang Jingzhai alone and used the incident of reading the "Cihang Sword Canon" to undermine the prestige of your Buddhism. Why would he help your Buddhism now?"

At this point, Li Gong suddenly laughed and said, "Monk, you really thought that Ling Donglai was disappointed after reading the Cihang Sword Canon, but felt grateful for Fan Qinghui's hospitality, so he made a promise to her. Wouldn't I not know about this?"

Lekong looked at the person in front of him in shock, wondering how he got the news. Could it be that there really was a traitor in Cihang Jingzhai?

Then he immediately denied what he was thinking.

It was because the only person who knew that Ling Donglai made the promise was Fan Qinghui, who was in the same Tibetan Scripture Tower.

The reason why I knew about this was that after the Demon Sect had been growing stronger recently, in order to protect An Jingnian Zen Temple, they secretly told me and solemnly asked me to reveal this news to anyone to avoid ruining future plans.

In order to prevent Li Gong from seeing through the true plan of Buddhism, he covered it up and said, "How can Sect Master Li be so sure that Ling Donglai will fight you with all his strength for the sake of Buddhism? You should know that your Demon Sect is only targeting Buddhism and has never threatened the status of Taoism. As a sect of Tianshi Dao..."

Li Gong did not want to play tricks on him, and said directly: "Ha, your cover-up is too shallow, which exposes the key to your plan with Fan Qinghui. In order to ensure that Ling Donglai would fight me with all his strength, you specially arranged people to destroy the entire Tianshidao sect, and wanted to disguise it as my Holy Church to frame it. But you didn't expect that before I came, I ordered Bian Bufu, Xi Ying and others to secretly protect the safety of Tianshidao."

Ignoring Lekong's reaction, Li Gong continued: "However, you don't need to worry. This seat and Ling Donglai will definitely have a battle. In addition, there is one more thing I want to tell you. I have already given instructions about what Master Feixuan and I said that day. Within three months, the content will surely spread throughout the martial arts world." Knowing that Li Gong's actions were intended to destroy the reputation of Cihang Jingzhai for hundreds of years, Lekong secretly thought that Li Gong was vicious, but still argued: "There are many smart people among the fellow martial artists. I don't believe that no one can see through your conspiracy."

Li Gong laughed and said, "Ha, sometimes, the simpler the plan, the easier it is to succeed. Moreover, Cihang Jingzhai has always been one of the two holy places in the martial arts world and the benchmark of the white way in the martial arts world. What a big name! How can people not be jealous. Now that your Buddhist sect is declining, naturally everyone will push down the wall. Those smart people you mentioned are probably now planning how to replace Cihang Jingzhai and have no intention of exposing this plan."

The plan failed, Cihang Jingzhai was also in danger, and Buddhism would definitely decline in the future. Liaokong was already desperate, and said: "I never thought that we underestimated Sect Master Li. Now that I think about it, it is no coincidence that Sect Master Li swept the world as soon as he entered the martial arts world. Since Sect Master Li has already responded, why did he extend my life? Is it just to humiliate me?"

Li Gong said, "I told you a long time ago. I just wanted to tell you a secret. I have kept this secret for more than ten years. Today I will tell you, a dying man, so that you can understand the hundreds of years of struggle between your Jingnian Zen Temple and my Saint Sect. This matter is also related to Ling Donglai."

"I wonder what relationship this has with Grandmaster Ling?" Even though Lekong was a dying man, when he heard that he was someone who would be crucial in dealing with Li Gong in the future, he couldn't help but forget his own pain.

"I believe you must have checked Ling Donglai's past after he defeated Bi Xuan, but his history before he was found by Sun Simiao and sent to Tianshi Dao must be blank."

“Yes, our Buddhist sect did use its own intelligence network to investigate, but we had no way to find out about his past before he was a teenager. It was as if he appeared out of thin air. I have analyzed it carefully with Master Fan Zhai, and guessed that it might be Tianshi Dao and Sun Simiao who cleared away all traces of his past. This prevents any evidence from falling into the hands of our Buddhist sect.” As his life was about to end, Liaokong no longer concealed it.

"This secret is indeed related to Ling Donglai, and even to my origins."

"I never thought that this secret is also related to Sect Master Li. Ahem." Liaokong knew his own situation and there was no way he could walk out of this secret room alive, so he no longer cared about the grudges between the Demon Sect and the Buddhist Sect. He just wanted to resolve his last doubts.

Li Gong said calmly: "If we were to ask who in the world knows Ling Donglai best, it would be me."

"Ahem, I wonder where the Sect Master comes from?"

However, Li Gong's appearance changed, and even his voice tone changed, "Ha, you should call me Grandmaster now."

"You... you are Ling Donglai!? How is that possible! Cough cough cough cough cough" Li Gong turned out to be Ling Donglai who was far away in Turkic. Liao Kong could no longer suppress his shock because this secret was too shocking.

This means that all their plans are doomed to fail.

At this moment, Ling Donglai's body shape changed again, revealing another face. "Look again at who I am?"

"You are. Li." Before he could utter the name, Liaokong's life was over, and his soul was crossed out in the book of life and death.

(End of this chapter)