Chapter 927: Chapter 187: Exterminate Buddha (Guaranteed)_2

Only fond of the sword… The Sword Saint’s gaze grew fleeting, and for a moment, it felt as though time reversed within his eyes.

The same words reverberated, buzzing in his ears.

“Master, I am only fond of the sword…”

Years ago, standing before their master, there were two youths. One chose fame, and the other chose the sword.

The one who chose the sword became the Sword Master, while the one who chose fame ironically became the Sword Saint.

Such is the way of the world–inevitably laced with irony.

The Sword Saint fell silent, saying nothing more. He knew that the other party’s refusal wasn’t because they were unwilling to resolve the grudge. After all, in the face of such temptation, even deep animosity should be no reason to refuse–unless, they genuinely had no interest.

Beside him, the Sword Master glanced at Lin Qingyue. This young girl who followed Li Hao merely seemed agreeable to him, nothing more than a passing thought.

Yet at this moment, Lin Qingyue’s words made him narrow his eyes. On his aged face, a faint smile began to emerge.

After countless eras, he had once again encountered a familiar figure.

It was as if time reflected the past–it was his own once-upon-a-time.

He had taken apprentices, and seen numerous Saint Heirs grace his path, but no matter how extraordinary a prodigy might have been in the Sword Dao, when faced with the honor of inheriting the title of Sword Saint, none could resist being fervently drawn toward it. No one had ever refused the allure.

He had felt disappointment and regret, believing himself to be alone in his journey.

But recently, during a time spent fishing, he met Li Hao–a fellow angler.

Now, in the realm of Sword Dao, he had once again encountered this young girl.

“Good. As a swordsman, you revere the sword as Supreme. In the future, the sword in your hand may indeed be capable of breaking through everything.”

The Sword Master chuckled lightly, expressing his admiration for Lin Qingyue. For the first time, independent of Li Hao, he appreciated the young girl.

Seeing the Sword Master’s approving gaze, Lin Qingyue noticed a difference compared to his previous indifference. She smiled and said, “Senior, your words are wise.”

The Sword Saint remained silent, though suddenly, as if a thought struck him, he turned to Li Hao and said, “Your Sword Dao is astonishingly powerful, even to the point of comprehending the ‘Immortal Guide,’ that one sword. In the realm of Sword Dao, you are undoubtedly peerless among All Saints. Yet I find, you seem not to solely devote yourself to the Sword Dao.”

His mention of “solely devote” was phrased with subtlety, but it was clear–he meant to say Li Hao seemed unwilling to sacrifice everything for the sword, unlike Lin Qingyue and the Sword Master.

Li Hao detected the thread of probing within his words. After all, as the recognized Sword Saint of the Land of All Saints, having his swordsmanship surpassed by someone else inevitably brought unease and anxiety.

“The sword is merely a form, not the Dao itself.”

Li Hao responded with just this sentence.

Upon hearing this, the Sword Saint frowned in contemplation, but soon his pupils quivered slightly, as if comprehending Li Hao’s meaning.

At the same time, within his own Sword Dao, an internal tremor seemed to ripple–a faint sensation of fracturing.

The Sword Master, too, narrowed his gaze, giving Li Hao a deep look before chuckling softly. “You, this man, throw words around as if to stir others’ Dao Heart.”

Li Hao gave a faint smile, merely speaking the truth as he saw it.

During their idle conversation, they soon arrived at the Canglan Realm.

Li Hao sensed the whereabouts of the Buddhist faction, and promptly bid farewell to the Sword Master and Sword Saint. He also requested Lin Qingyue follow the Sword Master back to the Sword Ancestor Holy Land first, should there be any dangers posed by the Buddhist faction that he might not be able to protect her from.

Lin Qingyue, understanding Li Hao’s purpose, nodded obediently in agreement.

“Take care.”

The Sword Master murmured.

“I’ll wait for you.”

Lin Qingyue said with a backward glance.

Li Hao nodded, bidding them farewell. Stepping across the rift between heaven and earth, he swiftly shifted, crossing hundreds of thousands of miles in a moment. Soon, he arrived before the Buddhist Holy Land.

Here, it remained unchanged from the time he had once come to compete for the Heavenly Pride quota. Outside the Saint Mountain, Buddhist light radiated; within the mountain’s peaks, monks moved back and forth.

On steep stone stairs, monks carrying water ascended with rapid strides.

Atop lofty summits, the echoes of bells resonated as monks struck them.

At the precipice of cliffs, Buddhist disciples sat cross-legged, waterfalls cascading past them as they faced towering abysses, contemplating life, death, and Buddha’s Path.

Compared to his earlier ventures within the mortal world to slay the Buddha Lord, this time, Li Hao’s heart carried less intention to kill. His aim was merely to destroy the foundation of the Buddha’s Path. With time’s passage, amidst All Saints’ clashes, the remnants of the Buddhist faction would inevitably be torn apart by shifting beliefs, gradually fading into history.

After all, without a long-standing preacher, the Dao itself ceases to exist.

Within the Buddhist Holy Land, a deeply concealed Law Barrier lay in place. If a Saint descended, it would obstruct them unless they carried the temporary law imprint on the Buddhist faction’s invitation token, avoiding triggering the barrier’s attack.

Li Hao did not wish to cause excessive commotion, yet breaking through the Law Barrier was essential.

With a resounding *boom*, he approached the barrier and raised his hand, lightly touching it. Instantly, the Law Barrier revealed itself, and over the entire Saint Land, Buddhist light blossomed resplendently, as if the skies were suddenly illuminated by rising suns–transforming into boundless golden rays, casting the heavens in dazzling brilliance.

Across the peaks within the Holy Land, monks in cultivation or meditative retreat were alarmed by this phenomenon. Staring upward in confusion, some quickly realized the truth: This was the arrival of a Saint, uninvited!

All Saints knew the rules. Under such circumstances, only one possibility remained–a Saint had come to attack!

“Who is it? Which Saint dares to intrude upon our Buddhist Holy Land?”

Within the Holy Land, several Half-Saint Elders emerged, astonished. Some broke from meditation, stepping forth rapidly.

They rode upon creatures–the Demon King incarnations of the Green Bull, White Pig, and Peacock–ascending through the skies to peer toward the horizons.

Outside the array, a solitary figure stood silently–a young man, small in stature, yet within the brilliance of the golden Buddhist light, he appeared like the only dark speck within heaven and earth.