The monk Jingshi's laughter subsided, and his pace slowed slightly. A look of reminiscence crossed his face, as if he were recounting a trivial matter:
"It's quite a coincidence that on my way to Tiancheng, I was also stopped by several members of the Underworld Clan."
His tone was calm, but it made Lu Fan prick up his ears instantly. Had the Underworld Clan also set their sights on Monk Jingshi?
"At that time, four members of the Underworld race, known as the Four Saints of the Yellow Springs, were lying in ambush outside the city."
"These four people are connected by aura, and their fierce and malevolent energy is soaring to the sky. As soon as they appeared, they uttered wild words, insisting on proving themselves superior to this poor monk and fighting to the death."
Monk Jingshi shook his head as he spoke, a slightly helpless smile on his face, as if he found the four people's behavior both laughable and pathetic:
"What were these four shouting? That the Underworld Clan must reclaim the Palace of Reincarnation and restore the glory of the Underworld Clan, and so on..."
"Alas, such deep-seated obsession and pent-up resentment are truly troublesome."
At this point, the kind-faced monk Jingshi was filled with sighs, as if he deeply sympathized with the group's unwavering resolve:
"Fortunately, I also have some knowledge of the art of reincarnation. Seeing that they were filled with resentment and unable to extricate themselves, I felt compassion for them."
"Amitabha." He clasped his hands together, chanting the Buddha's name, his face filled with even deeper compassion, and he seemed to radiate a compassionate light.
"Therefore, this humble monk used the supreme Buddhist teachings to help them sever their worldly karmic ties and dispel their resentment and bitterness."
"With great compassion and great vows, we will guide them together... to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."
"It can be considered as a way to atone for their own sins and accumulate some merit for the world."
Lu Fan was taken aback. Although the monk Jingshi's words were different from those of normal people and were very euphemistic, he still understood the meaning.
They all refer to things like "compassion," "resolving resentment," and "rebirth in paradise," but their core meaning is the same.
That is the "Four Saints of the Underworld" who joined forces and even Master Jingshi found it troublesome.
He wiped them all out by himself!
While Lu Fan was surprised, he thought to himself.
If the Four Saints of the Yellow Springs mentioned by Master Jingshi are of similar strength to the Netherworld White Bones they encountered before, then the strength possessed by Monk Jingshi is definitely extraordinary.
To send the Four Saints of the Underworld into reincarnation all by himself is quite formidable.
Moreover, judging from his tone, the process seemed very casual, as if it were just a simple matter.
With his unfathomable Buddhist cultivation and understanding of reincarnation, he completely "converted" four powerful Netherworld experts!
Lu Fan secretly observed the monk Jingshi; this master was truly extraordinary.
At this moment, Li Yu, having finished listening, finally withdrew her gaze from all around and looked curiously at the slightly rounded back of the monk Jingshi.
Did this monk kill four members of the Underworld Clan all by himself?
Considering the strength of the Underworld, if it were four Underworlds combined...
Well, it does seem pretty impressive.
The monk Jingshi seemed to be mentioning a trivial matter, but then his tone became serious as he changed the subject:
"The frequent appearances of the Underworld Clan, even at great cost to intercept and target us Star Lords, indicate that their schemes are far-reaching."
He suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked intently at Li Yu and Lu Fan. Beneath his kind eyes lay a profound and solemn depth.
"The undercurrents within the Central Plains, and even throughout the world, are far more turbulent than we imagined."
"The Star Lord bears the heavy responsibility of protecting the Central Plains, and must not be careless."
These words were spoken with force and authority, extremely official in style, and carried a hint of encouragement amidst their fervor.
Even in his peaceful tone, the monk Jingshi subtly incorporated a touch of the power of Buddhist chanting, attempting to awaken a sense of passion and responsibility in the listeners.
However, these words, which contained strength and expectation, were like a gust of wind passing through an empty hall when they reached Li Yu and Lu Fan's ears—they swept past without leaving a trace or even causing a ripple.
Li Yu was looking at the black motorcycle by the roadside with great interest, comparing it with Xiao Hei.
Although Lu Fan appeared to be listening, his eyes held a calm depth, devoid of any ignited passion or sense of responsibility.
Both of them remained expressionless and indifferent upon hearing this.
Even though the monk Jingshi incorporated the influence of Buddhist chants, it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, failing to create even the slightest ripple, and did not inspire even the slightest determination in Li Yu and Lu Fan to protect the world.
The monk Jingshi's insightful eyes, which seemed to see into people's hearts, clearly captured this indifference and alienation.
His expression of pity remained unchanged, but he was slightly taken aback and thought to himself, "Just as I thought."
These star lords, who did not grow up within the traditional system of Zhongzhou, lack the deep emotions that exist in their blood.
To Zhongzhou, they seemed to be just outsiders caught in a huge vortex.
This indifference is not due to malice, but a normal reaction to a lack of belonging.
The monk Jingshi clearly realized this as well, so after testing him, he didn't mention the matter again.
"Perhaps, the young star lords' thoughts are really different from theirs."
The monk Jingshi was well aware that although the twelve star lords born in Zhongzhou were in the same camp, there were actually undercurrents within them.
The forces behind them, their drastically different stances, and their respective experiences.
This situation will inevitably lead to one result—that even within the same camp, small-scale splits and factionalism will occur.
This is not good news for the Zhongzhou government.
Before arriving here, the monk Jingshi had already received a great deal of intelligence from the authorities.
The Jiang family behind the Fourth Star Lord, the Bai family behind the Sixth Star Lord, and General Zhao Deyang behind the Eighth Star Lord—these three seemingly unrelated forces are subtly showing signs of forming a united front. They are attempting to bind themselves into a small group through the relationships between the Star Lords.
This seemingly clandestine collusion and factionalism is actually quite obvious to discerning people.
Lei Xiao, as the First Star Lord, is absolutely loyal to Zhongzhou, and his father, the Director of the Thunder Bureau, represents the official will.
However, he was too young and struggled to gain the respect of the Thunder Bureau, let alone command any prestige among the Star Lords.
Some high-ranking officials in Zhongzhou had clearly also noticed this dangerous trend.
Besides dealing with potential threats and consolidating forces, another extremely important purpose of this hastily convened first gathering of Star Lords was to attempt to intervene in this trend of division!
The authorities hope to use this gathering to win over those star lords who have not yet clearly taken sides or who are inclined to the official position.
Take, for example, the Star Lords Li Yu and Lu Fan, who have no background support or foundation.
Their choices may be key to disrupting the existing order.
Even as the monk Jingshi thought of this, the kind smile on his face remained unchanged.
He knew that persuasion would be offensive and have the opposite effect, so after saying it only once, he stopped mentioning the greater good and persuasion, and immediately changed the subject, as if the previous probing had never happened:
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