Chapter 79: Infighting in the Pure Land
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“Fan Li’s cultivation is merely at the Qi Refining stage, and he is barely in his twenties. He has never killed anyone recklessly, nor has he ever instigated any major conflict between nations.”
“On what grounds can you claim that his death would bring peace to the world?”
In the eyes of the Holy Masters of the Pure Land, Qingqiu was always known for her reticence, seldom speaking.
Yet today she was uncharacteristically talkative, her words articulate and sharp, striking precisely at the heart of the matter.
Yaoguang, upon hearing this, merely smiled and shook her head.
Her gaze toward Qingqiu remained gentle, her smile warm and kind, as if she were a loving mother gazing at her adorable yet naïve child.
“Little sister Qingqiu, I cannot elaborate, but I stake my honor as a person that every word I say is true.”
“As long as Fan Li is killed, peace will return to the world.”
With a sigh, Yaoguang’s voice took on a tone of universal compassion.
“Perhaps Fan Li is innocent, and after he dies, as compensation, I am willing to tend his grave for three years.”
Her declaration stunned everyone present.
The Supreme Holy Master of Brahma Sound Pure Land, willing to tend the grave of a mere Qi Refining cultivator?
Such humility was unheard of!
The Holy Master of Virtue proclaimed loudly, “Qingqiu, Sister Yaoguang is sacrificing her own dignity for the sake of all living beings—how can you question her? If killing Fan Li can save the world, what reason do you have to refuse?”
The other Holy Masters were moved, though Yaoguang had not explained her reasoning. In their hearts, they silently accepted it: perhaps, for the sake of all beings, Fan Li could be sacrificed.
Only Qingqiu still shook her head.
“Fan Li owes nothing to the people of the world. Why should he die for them?”
With a single sentence, she blocked all rationalizations.
Qingqiu then turned to Virtue, “If I kill you and tend your grave for three years, how about that?”
“You!?”
Virtue’s face paled and flushed by turns, then she laughed in furious disbelief.
“You, the Ninth Holy Master, dare challenge me, the Eighth?”
Virtue suddenly raised her hand, and above her head appeared a tome radiating golden spiritual energy like mist and sand.
On its cover, two words were written in delicate script: ‘Female Virtue’, her personal Confucian Dao treasure.
“Sisters, bear witness: today Qingqiu has repeatedly spoken out of turn, not only disrespecting Sister Yaoguang but also insulting me. Today I shall settle this with her!”
Within Brahma Sound Pure Land, internal strife was forbidden unless there was absolute cause.
The Holy Masters hesitated, but Yaoguang set an example by silently turning away, as if to leave space for the duel.
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The remaining Holy Masters exchanged glances, then followed Yaoguang’s lead and stepped aside.
“Heh, Qingqiu, you seek trouble today—don’t blame me for disregarding sisterhood!”
Virtue sneered, opening her Confucian Dao treasure, ‘Female Virtue’, to a page.
“A woman has four virtues: virtue, speech, appearance, and skill.”
Her voice thundered as she recited the doctrine, as if her words descended from the heavens.
In the air, four immense characters appeared, each as large as an acre: Virtue, Speech, Appearance, Skill.
“The Speech Technique!”
Virtue formed a seal with her right hand and pointed at Qingqiu.
Yaoguang, watching from the sidelines, praised with a smile.
“‘Female Virtue’ guides all women; ‘Speech’ is the discipline of a woman’s words and actions. In battle, the Speech Technique is the strongest attack, able to suppress the body and bind the soul, leaving the enemy helpless, awaiting death.”
“Judging by its power, Virtue’s skills have advanced again—how delightful!”
The other Holy Masters felt uneasy; was it truly delightful to unleash a killing move against a sister?
But with Yaoguang’s approval, none dared object.
As the massive ‘Speech’ character descended upon Qingqiu, she stood unmoving, seemingly suppressed.
“Hmph! Overestimating yourself.” Virtue sneered.
She produced a ruler, also a carefully refined Confucian Dao treasure.
Virtue intended to strike Qingqiu’s face with it, to utterly disgrace her.
“I strike!”
She brought the ruler down, about to hit Qingqiu’s face when, with a casual step to the right, Qingqiu dodged.
“You—you—how did you escape my Speech Technique?!” Virtue exclaimed in shock.
“Escape?” Qingqiu shook her head. “When did you ever bind me?”
“Impossible!”
Virtue was both shocked and furious.
The Speech Technique was her strongest suppression, absolute against those of equal or lesser rank, and even capable of temporarily subduing those one grade higher.
Virtue was certain that none of the last five Holy Masters could resist it.
Qingqiu?
Impossible to fail!
“Again!”
“Speech Technique!”
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From the Book of Female Virtue, another ‘Speech’ character appeared, equally vast, bearing down on Qingqiu.
Virtue refused to believe it; surely something had gone wrong before, but this time she would succeed!
Smack!
Qingqiu waved her hand, as if swatting a fly, and shattered the ‘Speech’ character in midair.
Pfft!
As the Speech Technique broke, its backlash struck Virtue.
She felt as if a mountain crashed into her, the force sending her flying, blood pouring from her mouth like rain.
“Stop!”
Yaoguang suddenly moved, blocking Qingqiu and grasping her raised right hand.
Qingqiu frowned.
She had defeated Virtue in one blow, but had no intention of pursuing her further; Yaoguang’s intervention was unexpectedly swift.
“We are all sisters of the Pure Land, Qingqiu—how could you strike Virtue so harshly?”
Her voice remained gentle, her gaze full of compassion, always the motherly figure.
“Very well, I won’t continue.” Qingqiu nodded.
“Elder sister, she hit me… she actually struck me… it hurts so much!!”
Virtue lay prostrate, her hair disheveled, face streaked with tears and blood, all dignity lost.
Yaoguang hurried forward, deeply concerned.
“Bear it, take this Divine Phoenix Pill to heal.”
She produced a pill and fed it to Virtue.
The pill was crimson, rich with spiritual energy and faintly glowing—clearly a rare treasure.
“Ah… a fifth-grade heavenly Divine Phoenix Pill? Thank you, Sister Yaoguang…” Virtue gratefully swallowed it, then shot a venomous look at Qingqiu.
She could not understand how Qingqiu could be stronger than herself.
The Pure Land’s Holy Master rankings, set by the previous Supreme Master, were almost never wrong.
If she was ranked eighth, how could she lose to the ninth-ranked Qingqiu?
After soothing Virtue, Yaoguang turned to Qingqiu. “Though it was a fair duel, your strike was too severe. For now, let us put aside the matter of Fan Li, but I must punish you with confinement within the Pure Land. Do you accept?”
“…As long as none of the Holy Masters touch Fan Li, I accept…”