But this top-grade Spiritual Root blood is meant for "myself" to steep in wine... The Fire Buddha was being so "generous." Mo Hua was at a loss for how to respond. Thank you? Could that dead, somewhat insane Evil Formation Master have said "thank you"? And by saying so, wouldn't it seem... a bit petty? After all, as a Second Grade High-Rank Evil Formation Master, shouldn't he keep up appearances? Thus, Mo Hua said, "Those of us who enter the Dao through the Demon path, regard commoners as nothing, erecting the Holy Temple for a grand undertaking, how can it be seen as a hardship? Venerable, you underestimate Yuan..." The Fire Buddha fell silent for a long while, as if shocked, and then praised: "Master Yuan usually delves into Formations in silence, but truly, your heart contains Qian and Kun, and you are not an ordinary person..." "Do you wish, Great Master, to convert to the Buddhist Law?" Mo Hua froze for a moment. Did the Fire Buddha want to convert him to Buddhism? "No, that's not right; he doesn't know 'I' am 'me'; he wants the dead 'Master Yuan' to convert to Buddhism..." But to convert to Buddhism? Mo Hua said, "I'm afraid I don't have the 'root of wisdom' that the Venerable speaks of..." "No," the Fire Buddha solemnly said, "Master, your root of wisdom is extraordinary, just unpolished and subtle before..." That's because the "Master Yuan" who was chatting with you before hasn't died yet, so he was being unpolished and subtle... Mo Hua still tactfully declined: "Yuan delves into Evil Formations, refining Formations with human flesh and blood, the karmic killing too heavy, I fear I lack the fate for Buddhism..." "Master Yuan is mistaken!" the Fire Buddha continued to persuade "Mo Hua": "The Buddha says all beings are equal..." "All beings are equally born; naturally, they are equal in death." "People will die, so what does it matter if a few people are killed? What if the karmic killing is heavy?" "It is merely escorting those who will die sooner to their fated demise." "If one practices Demon ways, killing is inevitable." "After killing, resentment and Evil Qi inevitably cling, corrupting the original nature..." "In believing in Buddhism, one quiets the thoughts of resentment, suppresses the Evil Qi, and guards the original heart..." "It is said, 'Lay down the butcher's knife, and immediately become a Buddha.'" "When killing, use the blade for a swift end; when not killing, put the knife down temporarily to cultivate the body and mind..." "Even if one kills countless people, chanting 'Amitabha' allows for peace and justification." "If one does not kill, does not commit evil, with a clear conscience, no sins to redeem, what use is it to abstain from meat, to chant Buddha's name?" ... Mo Hua was shocked. This Fire Buddha was truly a talent. What exactly was his practice... Could this really be called "Buddhism"? "What are your thoughts, Master Yuan?" the Fire Buddha sent the message again. Mo Hua inwardly scoffed. Go ask "Master Yuan", don't ask me. I can't possibly agree on behalf of the dead "Master Yuan"... Mo Hua, feeling somewhat vexed, then went along with the Fire Buddha's statement: "Is the Buddhist Law really so profound?" "Indeed, it is profound!" "Can it calm my post-wine wickedness, restrain my post-wine madness?" "The master can try..." Mo Hua vaguely said, "Another day, I will surely seek the Venerable's guidance and explore the profundities of the Buddhist Law together..." "Good." the Fire Buddha said, "Master Yuan is busy with many matters, I shall not disturb further, another day we shall discuss the Dao." Afterward, the Fire Buddha went silent, busy with something unknown. Mo Hua grew solemn. He had struck up a conversation with the Fire Buddha... This was completely unexpected and not part of his plans. What to do next? Continue to impersonate "Master Yuan," chat with the Fire Buddha, and extract information from him? Mo Hua shook his head. The Fire Buddha was not a fool. Talking about the Great Dao or Buddhism in vague terms might be fine, but to really ask him: "What's in the inner sanctum?" "Your Meteor Fire Skill is so impressive, where is the secret manual hidden?" Or "What is your actual scheme after annihilating the Xie family?" and the like. With the Fire Buddha's shrewdness, he would instantly know something was amiss. He couldn't continue discussing Buddhism either, lest the Fire Buddha get carried away and come to meet him in person, and see the "Master Yuan" who was already a corpse, and the "lively" him, managing the Original Magnet's Compound Formation in place of Master Yuan, then it would be all over. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞 "So...lure the Fire Buddha out?" "And then have Uncle Gu and the others assassinate him?" But the Fire Buddha, likely at the Foundation Establishment Peak of combat strength, would probably not be so easy to assassinate... The Fire Buddha was highly vigilant. Uncle Gu couldn't use his Golden Core Power yet. If they failed, not only would they fail to kill the Fire Buddha, but they would also be surrounded by Demon Cultivators. Currently, in the outer and middle temples, there were about three hundred Demon Cultivators; some have been killed, but many remain. Even if all were killed there, there should be at least a hundred more in the inner temple... Mo Hua's brows furrowed tightly. He couldn't wait for the Fire Buddha to realize what was happening and then figure out a solution; by then, it would be too late... "It's necessary to make plans early, to resolve the situation quickly..." Delay could lead to complications. Mo Hua immediately sent a message to Gu Changhuai: "Uncle Gu, hurry and call people to surround the Demon Palace..." Gu Changhuai's expression darkened, "Have we been discovered?" "Not exactly," Mo Hua said, "the Fire Buddha sought me out for a chat..." Gu Changhuai: "..." After a moment, Gu Changhuai asked, "What did he talk to you about?" "Nothing much..." He certainly couldn't say that the Fire Buddha wanted to rope him in and to convert to Buddhism... Even though he'd donned the guise of "Master Yuan"... "I fudged my way through, but what's to come is uncertain..." said Mo Hua. Gu Changhuai fell into brief contemplation, then decisively said: "I will summon people immediately, and before that, we shall seize the time, killing as many as we can, trying to weaken the power of the Demon Cultivators..."