The Beacon of Kyushu

Bao En frowned, his fists clenched, and he was helpless against Li Huan. He knew that what Li Huan said might not happen, but it might not not happen. If that day really came, no matter what choice he made, he would become the eternal sinner of Shaolin. He pondered for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth and said: "Your Majesty, I know that with only a few hundred disciples of Shaolin, I can't resist the tens of thousands of troops of Qu Yue, but in order to defend the ancient temple and the Central Plains, even if we fight to the last disciple, we will never retreat!"

After listening to him, Li Huan not only did not get furious, but instead laughed and clapped his hands, saying, "Haha, good! The master is indeed a man of integrity, worthy of being a famous figure in the Central Plains, truly extraordinary! I was just joking just now, please don't take it to heart."

Bao En looked at Li Huan in confusion, thinking to himself, "I've heard that Li Huan is cruel and bloodthirsty. Even if he is concerned about my superior martial arts, he can just send a few hundred elite soldiers to take me down in an instant. Why is he pretending to be so? Could it be that what he said just now was just a joke to test my courage? In any case, it's better for me to leave Qu Yue as soon as possible."

After thinking about it, he said to Li Huan: "Your Majesty, although Shaolin is a small temple, there are many trivial matters in the temple. Now that the rituals are completed, I intend to lead my disciples back to the Central Plains. I hope Your Majesty will agree."

Li Huan stood up and said reluctantly: "Master, it is my great blessing that you can come to Quyue. I originally intended to let you stay in Quyue for a while, but if you are eager to leave, I can't insist on keeping you. However, I intend to set up a table of wine and wine in the temple the day after tomorrow to entertain the master and the little heavenly master to repay the two great kindnesses. Please don't refuse."

If he went, it would be against etiquette, and if he didn't go, his life would be in danger. Bao En was immediately caught in a dilemma. Li Huan knew that he was in a dilemma, but he didn't rush to speak. He stared at Bao En, waiting for his answer. After a long time, Bao En hesitated again and again, and finally said: "Your Majesty has sincerely invited me to the banquet, and I have no reason to refuse. I respectfully obey your order."

Li Huan smiled and nodded, and said to Li Gongyun who was guarding the door: "Zhao Yan, send the master back."

Bao En waved his hand and said, "Don't bother General Li. I can go back on my own." He walked out of the abbot's room with his head held high, exuding a majestic aura, as if he didn't take Li Huan's tricks seriously at all. Li Huan looked at Bao En's receding back, and a sinister light flashed in his eyes, like a sinister and poisonous wolf.

"Your Majesty." Li Gongyun walked into the room thoughtfully and asked, "Now Bao En is very stubborn and seems determined not to work with you for the great cause. Do you need me to invite the little celestial master to you?"

Li Huan nodded vigorously and said angrily: "Go, go now!"

Li Gongyun left the abbot's room as instructed. Not long after, he found Zhang Xubai and led him into the room.

"Blessings...blessings to the infinite Heavenly Venerable! I...I am honored to meet Your Majesty." Zhang Xubai bowed his head before he even stood firmly in the room.

Li Huan smiled and nodded, "Little Heavenly Master, thank you for your hard work in the recent rituals. Please take a seat."

Zhang Xubai looked at the chair in front of him, hesitated for a long time, and finally shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, this... I'm afraid it's not appropriate."

Li Huan said, "If I ask you to sit, then sit down. What's inappropriate about that?"

Zhang Xubai smiled shyly and bowed, "Then... thank you, Your Majesty."

Seeing him sitting down, Li Huan said straight to the point: "Little Heavenly Master, you are a smart man. You should be able to see that my ambition is not limited to Quyue, but the whole world, right? I wonder what you think, just speak frankly."

Zhang Xubai scratched his head and bowed his head, saying, "Your Majesty... I don't understand these things."

Li Huan raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't understand? Then I will talk to you about the Longhu Mountain Tianshi Mansion."

Zhang Xubai asked, "What happened to Longhu Mountain?"

Li Huan said: "You have been in my Quyue for several months. I believe you have witnessed the strength of my Quyue. Now the Song Lord is so scheming that he cannot use famous generals outside and cannot appoint relatives inside. He will be captured by me sooner or later! When the time comes, whether I will destroy Zhengyi together is just a matter of thought. As the abbot of Shaolin, you must not want to sit back and watch the century-old ancient temple be destroyed because of you, right?"

Zhang Xubai said: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid you can't do this."

Li Huan was startled and asked, "Can't? Why not?" Zhang Xubai said, "There is no greater disaster than not being content, and no greater fault than wanting to get. Therefore, knowing that you are content is always enough."

Li Huan said: "What if I insist on not being satisfied?"

Zhang Xubai asked, "Then...what does Your Majesty want?"

Li Huan said: "I want to cooperate with the little celestial master and plot against the Central Plains. I wonder if you are willing?"

Zhang Xubai smiled awkwardly and said, "No... Sorry, I don't have that ability."

Li Huan said: "You are the grandson of the current Heavenly Master, and you are also the master of the Zhengyi Sect. How can you be powerless?"

Zhang Xubai said: "You also said that I am just a grandson, how can I care about my grandfather?"

Li Huan said: "If I give you this power, would you be willing?"

Zhang Xubai smiled bitterly and shook his head, "It still... still doesn't work."

Li Huan said angrily, "Why?"

Zhang Xubai said cautiously: "Xiao...Xiaodao's father is here too."

Li Huan slammed the table and said, "What if your father is gone too?"

Zhang Xubai pointed to the sky and said in embarrassment: "My ancestors are still in heaven..."

Li Huan looked up at the sky and said, "What can Tianshi Zhang do in heaven?"

Zhang Xubai's whole body trembled slightly, and he said fearfully: "If he knew, he would kill me with a thunderbolt. If...if that time really comes, I will be powerless even if I am willing."

Li Huan was furious when he heard this, but he could not read any opposition or disrespect from Zhang Xubai's words. He could only hold his anger inwardly and waved his hand at Zhang Xubai, saying, "Little Heavenly Master, please go back! The ritual is over, and I will personally see you off tomorrow morning."

Zhang Xubai stood up quickly, bowed his head and said, "Thank you very much. I'll take my leave." After he said that, he left the abbot's room in a proper manner, with an expression as respectful as if he was paying homage to the Three Pure Ones.

Li Huan stormed out of the room and ordered Li Gongyun, "Zhao Yan, go get Zhang Mani to come to me!"

When Li Gongyun heard the name "Zhang Mani", his face turned unnatural. "Your Majesty, Taoist Zhang is a dangerous person and is best at using poison. Your Majesty asked him to come here to force the two of them to submit with poison? If so, I am afraid that the world will laugh at me, Qu Yue, for being narrow-minded and despicable."

Li Huan smiled coldly and said nonchalantly: "So what? When I killed Ruan Fu and took over the country, the ignorant people in the world had already made such comments. Why should I be afraid of a few more ignorant people barking? Do as I say and find Zhang Mani for me. Don't say anything more!" Li Gongyun knew that he could not change Li Huan's mind, so he had to leave the room and go to find Zhang Mani reluctantly.

Not long after, there was a series of footsteps outside the door, and a cold, shrill voice from a man, "Your Majesty, I, the Taoist Zhang Mani, want to see you." As the voice was spoken, Li Gongyun and a middle-aged Taoist priest walked into the room. Li Huan looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the man was wearing a dark blue Taoist robe, a scarf on his head, and a pair of upside-down triangular eyes, full of treachery and hypocrisy. (End of this chapter)