Chapter 1262 - 440: What Is the Red Dust Tribulation

"Master Miaotan sought me out; it’s not just for idle chatter, is it?"

Chen Sansi asked in a deep voice.

"Enough."

Master Miaotan said sternly, "Stop creating more bloodshed."

"Bloodshed?"

Chen Sansi said perplexedly, "I haven’t killed a soul in the past five years."

"But this chaos, you instigated it."

A trace of compassion appeared in Master Miaotan’s cold, deep eyes, "Originally, it was just a small disturbance, but under your manipulation, it turned into a world-wide chaos. The dead number in the millions!"

"So that’s what you’re referring to."

Chen Sansi shook his head, "I’m saving people, not killing them."

"Absurd!"

The young man beside the Holy Daughter reprimanded, "Everywhere the rebel army passes is littered with corpses!

"And these rebels were gathered together by the Zhang Brothers under your guidance. You may not hold a knife, but these people are all killed by you!"

"You monks are foolish with your chanting, even a Bodhisattva reincarnated is no exception."

Chen Sansi smiled and shook his head, saying, "Let me ask the Bodhisattva, before this chaos, was the life of people in the world good?"

Master Miaotan hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Amitabha Buddha, the suffering of the masses has been long indeed."

"That’s correct."

Chen Sansi asserted, "Only through such a great chaos can the world be greatly governed, and only with great governance can there be a chance for a flourishing peace."

"It was harsh before, but at least they were alive, and now what? Wars everywhere, bodies lie across lands, it’s worse than before!"

Hui Kong loudly retorted, "You, stop making false arguments here!"

"Even without me, this great war would have come, it was inevitable."

Chen Sansi said calmly, "What I am doing is helping them quicken this process, to minimize casualties as much as possible."

"You’re still arguing?!"

Hui Kong was furious.

"Noisy."

Chen Sansi suddenly intensified his tone.

Though he didn’t release his divine sense or cast a spell, just this reprimand made Monk Huikong’s hair stand on end. Instinctively, he took a few steps back, swallowed hard, and dared not speak again.

"I cannot agree with your words, Mr. Chen."

Master Miaotan clasped her hands together, "I only hope you won’t involve yourself any further in these matters to prevent more bloodshed."

"Oh?"

Chen Sansi put down the scroll in his hand, "So, Master Miaotan, are you intent on opposing me?"

"Just a reminder."

Master Miaotan said softly, "If you insist on participating, I fear I will have to intervene myself."

"Have to intervene myself?"

While Chen Sansi was wondering, a soldier barged into the tent.

"Strategist, it’s bad, it’s terrible!"

"Commander Zhang and his men were ambushed in the canyon and are trapped, the situation is dire!"

"..."

"What did you say?"

Chen Sansi was surprised, "I’ve calculated meticulously, from Chunlei City at most only two thousand reinforcements could be dispatched, and the military officers are mediocre, how could General Zhang be trapped?!"

"They can fly!"

The soldier stammered, "The enemy’s General emits a golden light, he can fly and kill with a flying sword!"

"A cultivator?"

Chen Sansi realized suddenly.

It seems even in the most barren places, cultivators still appear.

According to his subordinates’ report, it shouldn’t be a high realm cultivator, otherwise, Zhang Ping and others wouldn’t just be trapped but annihilated.

However, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator is troublesome at this juncture.

After hesitating for a moment, he instructed, "I see, prepare the horse."

"The approacher is called ’Heavenly Mystic One’."

Master Miaotan informed, "Originally a loose cultivator from the Chaotic Wilderness Yongzhou, facing an unattainable breakthrough and life nearing end, two years ago he brought his descendants to Da Qi, intending to use his cultivation to secure wealth and honor here for himself and his offspring.

"With your cultivation, you could effortlessly deal with him, but that would break the practice of not using cultivation publicly while experiencing the Red Dust.

"So, Mr. Chen, I hope you seize the chance to stop.

"After the Zhang Brothers are dead, the rebels will soon scatter, this land can restore peace sooner, preventing more bloodshed, and you can continue your Red Dust practice."

"Red Dust..."

Chen Sansi asked, "Master Miaotan, would you like to discuss what you think Red Dust is? How should one overcome this Red Dust Tribulation?"

"No more than entering the red dust and then transcending it."

Master Miaotan explained slowly, "Involving oneself deeply with the worldly matters as you do, Daoist, how could one possibly transcend beyond it?"

"Transcendence..."

Chen Sansi took a deep breath, "Ultimately it’s about distinguishing ourselves from them?

"We are immortal cultivators striving for longevity, while they are but a grain of sand in the vast sea, ultimately turning to dust. Thus, we can sympathize but also look down on the mortal beings, but never meet them as equals, nor get deeply involved."

"Indeed so."

Master Miaotan agreed.

Chen Sansi further said, "Since you understand so well, why haven’t you comprehended the Red Dust Tribulation?"

"Amitabha Buddha."

Master Miaotan chanted a Buddha’s name, "I still have a question I haven’t figured out."

"Then ponder slowly on it."

Chen Sansi stood up and walked out of the tent.

Master Miaotan looking at his silhouette, asked, "Mr. Chen, where are you intending to go?"

"To save people."

...

Fenglong Canyon.

The Yongle army of the Zhang Brothers fell into chaos.

Elder brother Zhang Ping and second brother Zhang An fought while retreating, eventually reaching the edge of a cliff, with nowhere else to go.

"Protect the Commander!"

"..."

One by one, soldiers charged forward, but a golden light swept past, causing them to fall in quick succession, turning into a mound of corpses.