Hearing the other Buddhas of the Zen Sect speak, Da Xing the Mad Monk's heart jolted violently.
He and White Brows were fellow disciples, having known each other for tens of thousands of years. He clearly knew that White Brows was a truly compassionate cultivator of Buddhism.
Not only was he selfless and impartial, but also upright and incorruptible. He had always been compassionate, vanquishing demons and defending the Dao, taking the protection of all living beings under heaven as his duty.
If it weren't so, he would not have cultivated a heart of compassion.
This was also the reason why Da Xing the Mad Monk had always respected White Brows.
If someone said White Brows coveted the Human Dao, Da Xing the Mad Monk would absolutely not believe it.
Just now, he had been momentarily agitated and flustered, his mind in disarray. Calming down and thinking carefully, Da Xing the Mad Monk realized there might be something he didn't know about. He immediately asked, "Senior Brother, tell me honestly, what exactly is going on?"
"Amitabha!"
White Brows merely lowered his head, pressed his palms together, sighed, and said, "This old monk knows that using the life of this young girl to threaten Gu Qingfeng into handing over the All Beings Pay Homage to the Floating Pagoda is truly a disgraceful and despicable act, and also one that violates the tenets of our Buddha's will. However, for the sake of all living beings under heaven, for the sake of the Great Dao of the world, for the sake of all things between heaven and earth, this old monk had no choice but to resort to this inferior strategy."
If others said they were threatening Gu Qingfeng for the sake of all living beings, Da Xing the Mad Monk would absolutely not believe it. Whether it was Wuxiang of the Western Paradise Pure Land Sect, Wu Yuan of the Immortal Dao, or even Po Yun of the Heavenly Dao, they all used the so-called 'all living beings under heaven' as an excuse.
But if White Brows said it was for the sake of all living beings, then it definitely was for the sake of all living beings.
It was just that Da Xing the Mad Monk did not understand, nor could he comprehend, what this had to do with all living beings under heaven?
White Brows Saint Monk said, "Gu Qingfeng is the Original Sin bearer of the Daoless Age, and also a variable in the Present-Ancient Era. His past is too mysterious, his future too unknown, his existence too bizarre, his strength too formidable, and the All Beings Pay Homage to the Floating Pagoda he achieved is too important..." Although White Brows did not explicitly state it, and did not even finish his sentence, Da Xing the Mad Monk had already understood.
To put it bluntly, regardless of identity and background, or the karma of past lives and the actions of this life, Gu Qingfeng was not suitable to dominate the Human Dao. Not only was he unsuitable, he might even bring unknown harm. After all, the Human Dao was the foundation of the Great Dao. If the Human Dao was harmed, then the Three Thousand Great Daos would also be affected. If the Three Thousand Great Daos were affected, then this heaven and earth would inevitably be affected as well.
To be honest.
Da Xing the Mad Monk was not ignorant of this reasoning.
But he did not want to interfere, nor did he want to meddle in this matter.
Firstly, although he was a Western Heaven Buddha, a Zen Sect Elder, and even a World Living Buddha, he did not possess a heart of compassion and did not care much for the so-called 'all living beings under heaven'.
Secondly, he had always believed in karma. In his view, since Gu Qingfeng had achieved the All Beings Pay Homage to the Floating Pagoda, it must have been formed by karma, not by chance. As the saying goes, existence has its reason. Moreover, leaving aside whether Gu Qingfeng would harm all living beings after dominating the Human Dao, if Gu Qingfeng truly ascended to become the Human King and dominate the Human Dao in the future, and ended up harming all living beings, that too would be caused by karma.
Thirdly, and most importantly, Da Xing the Mad Monk trusted Gu Qingfeng's character. He believed that with Gu Qingfeng's nature, even if he truly dominated the Human Dao in the future, he would not possibly threaten all living beings. Furthermore, he firmly believed that Gu Qingfeng probably would not want to dominate the Human Dao. If Gu Qingfeng had such intentions, he would have likely done so long ago. Why would he wait until now?
Therefore.
No matter how he looked at it, he did not consider Gu Qingfeng a threat.
Just as he was about to try and persuade him, White Brows seemed to see through his thoughts and said, "Junior Brother, this old monk does not distrust Gu Qingfeng's character. This old monk simply dares not trust."
White Brows was compassionate, but even more so, he was selfless. In his heart, there was only the greater self of all living beings under heaven, not the lesser self of personal grudges and affections. For the sake of all living beings under heaven, not to mention doing despicable things, even if it meant falling into demonhood and descending into hell, he would not hesitate.
This point, Da Xing the Mad Monk was very clear about.
However.
Even so, he still did not wish for White Brows to participate in such matters. Unwilling, he continued, "Senior Brother, I know your thoughts and understand you. But now that the Immortal Dao and Heavenly Dao are already involved, you have no need to worry. So, you have absolutely no necessity to participate in this matter. Senior Brother, you must not be used by the Pure Land Sect!"
"Impudence!"
Wuxiang Saint Monk of the Pure Land Sect angrily rebuked, "Da Xing! You are a Western Heaven Buddha and a World Living Buddha. Not only do you not consider the welfare of all living beings under heaven, you even hinder us here!"
"Wuxiang! You bastard! Don't you think I don't know what your Pure Land Sect is scheming! It's nothing more than coveting the Human Dao! Stop hiding behind 'all living beings under heaven'!"
"Da Xing! This seat solemnly tells you, the reason this seat demands he hand over the All Beings Pay Homage to the Floating Pagoda is because he is the Original Sin bearer of the Daoless Age! His very existence is a threat! If he dominates the Human Dao, he will bring calamity upon all living beings under heaven!"
"Hahahaha!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk let out a thunderous, hoarse laugh. After laughing, his face flushed red as he roared, "Damn it! So what if he's the Original Sin bearer of the Daoless Age? Does that automatically make him a threat? Are good people always good? Are bad people always bad? Are Buddhas always compassionate Buddhas? Are Immortals always righteous Immortals? Let me tell you, in my life, I've seen few good ones among Immortals and Buddhas! On the contrary, those Demons live with open hearts and broad minds, a damn sight more upright and honorable than you lot of Immortals and Buddhas who preach benevolence and morality with every breath, mouthing 'all living beings under heaven'!"
"And what's this about 'if he dominates the Human Dao, he will inevitably harm all living beings under heaven'?" Da Xing the Mad Monk seemed to go mad, furious to the extreme, his voice earth-shattering as he shouted, "Open your damn eyes and look! Has Gu Qingfeng harmed any living beings? He damn well achieved the All Beings Pay Homage to the Floating Pagoda long ago! If he really wanted to dominate the Human Dao, he would have damn well become the Human King ages ago! Would he damn well wait for you lot to come snatch it?"
"Impudence!"
With a furious roar from Wuxiang, Buddha light shimmered around him, blooming like a lotus flower, instantly enveloping the world. He stood like a great Buddha, majestic and sacred. Pointing at Da Xing the Mad Monk, he angrily rebuked, "Da Xing! This seat asks you, if he ascends to dominate the Human Dao in the future and endangers all living beings under heaven, will you take responsibility? Do you have the qualifications? Can you bear that responsibility?"
These words.
Instantly silenced Da Xing the Mad Monk, who had been furious to the point of seeming to lose his reason. He appeared helpless, more than anything, aggrieved—an aggrieved feeling with no outlet!
The safety of all living beings under heaven?
For him to take responsibility?
Just as Wuxiang said, he neither had the qualifications nor could he bear such responsibility.
'The safety of all living beings under heaven'—these words were a great hat, a hat heavy enough to crush Da Xing the Mad Monk, heavy enough to crush anyone.