270: Chapter 68: The Burial Ground of a Dynasty 270: Chapter 68: The Burial Ground of a Dynasty People do not suffer from scarcity but from inequality.
The lights of Sun Family Town on West Spring Mountain had a deadly attraction for the so-called Rebel Army hidden in the darkness.
Fire is fire, after all, so what’s the difference between looting in the Imperial City and looting here?
This place is closer and seems easier.
Without the immense Buddha presiding, countless ill-intentioned gazes were cast upon this place from the darkness.
The Patriarchs indeed had experience; during such times, the presence of a Dharma Body was of utmost importance.
With their intelligence, they probably couldn’t comprehend the truth of the “great Buddha being driven away”; they only knew that the imposing figure had disappeared.
All night long, Li Mumu was busy nonstop.
Of course, it wasn’t her personally being busy, but rather the Red String in her hand that now intricately enveloped Sun Family Town, weaving a vast sky-and-earth net.
The demons and ghosts, eager to emerge from the darkness, came in an endless stream, like moths to flame.
Some came alone to monopolize the benefits, while others drove large groups of lifeless undead, attempting to wear down Li Mumu’s strength with sheer numbers.
Li Mumu hardly exerted herself, as most of the time, the Red String actively hunted for prey, indiscriminatedly welcoming all comers.
This was because the Guiding Bodhisattva’s gaze had already been cast upon this place.
The Guiding Bodhisattva’s Red String, a thread of cause and effect, was especially potent against the Foreign Clan and the Undead, and it also possessed the ability to devour enemies and nourish itself.
Coming to a place as ghostly as the Netherworld was like a weasel falling into a henhouse, utterly thrilling.
Another reason was that the enemies were zealously delivering themselves up.
By dawn, a three-zhang-high skull Capital View had been piled up at the entrance of Sun Family Town.
Aside from those undead skulls, it included a variety of bizarrely shaped skulls, some immensely large, some with horns growing on their heads, and some twisted to the point of being unrecognizable.
A slender Manjushahua bloomed at the pinnacle of the Capital View.
The monsters in the darkness finally retreated, yet ironically, it was not out of fear of Li Mumu but because they saw the vast manmade marvel and realized that this place was now claimed, which made them give up their assault.
Born without knowing why, died without knowing why, fought without knowing why, and retreated without knowing why.
The sky was beginning to lighten, the night was about to end.
Countless Red Strings surged like tides, abruptly rising and retracting back beneath Li Mumu’s skirt.
Her red jacket-skirt underwent another transformation.
The material of the jacket-skirt shifted from what seemed like ordinary fabric to a vibrant red brocade, with the “longevity” character in golden filigree subtly appearing on the skirt.
Li Mumu faintly heard a content burp beside her ear.
The Red String had finally had its fill.
Yet at this moment, she was unaware that, standing before the Capital View, her vivid red silhouette had been deeply etched into the eyes of every townsfolk of Sun Family Town, who knelt down and ceaselessly worshipped her silhouette.
The leading Patriarch even quietly asked, “We townsfolk would like to construct a temple and erect a statue for Your Highness, to worship day and night, but we don’t know what Your Highness’s honored name is?”
“I…”
Li Mumu was about to reveal her real name when she suddenly felt it inappropriate.
The meal was eaten by the Red String, I didn’t eat a bite, so why should I pay…
no, why should I bear this karma for it?
One who kills is the knife, not me.
She looked down at her new clothes, and upon seeing the longevity characters, she unconsciously replied, “Red Shroud.”
“Red Shroud?”
Though the Patriarch did not understand, he was deeply moved.
“Reddy Red Shroud!”
Li Mumu turned her head and sternly said, “Disciple of the Guiding Bodhisattva, Reddy Red Shroud…”
There was no one in front of her.
At the exact moment the sky truly turned from dark to light, the entire Sun Family Town, its townspeople, and even the Patriarchs who had just spoken to her, all disappeared.
Only the massive Capital View she had built remained, standing with her on this desolate land.
Ah, this…
Li Mumu didn’t react for a while.
What was going on?
What was I here to do?
Right, I seemed to be looking for my dad.
Where had Dad gone?
And what about Wendy?
What had I been doing all night?
She suddenly snapped to her senses, realizing the dream was about to end.
But just as she was about to leave this Outer Dimension, the figure of the chubby monk appeared before her once again.
The Maitreya before her was no longer the enormous figure of six or seven stories tall but had become normal-sized, still plump and rosy-cheeked.
“Shroud Empress above, this humble monk Maitreya pays his respects,”
The Maitreya Monk pressed his palms together and bowed to Li Mumu.
Li Mumu smiled silently.
This monk was truly cunning, hiding nearby all this time until just now, when she was about to leave, before daring to show himself.
Looking back now, could those endlessly rushing enemies from last night, ready to give up their lives, also have been influenced by his secret incitement?
Seeing that Li Mumu remained silent, the Maitreya Monk wasn’t embarrassed and continued on his own, “Revered Empress has boundless Mana and a rare kindness of heart.
Would you be willing to join this humble monk in saving the countless suffering souls in the Netherworld Springs Hell?”
“This is the Netherworld?”
Li Mumu thought to herself, don’t try to deceive me because I’m uneducated.
Is the Netherworld supposed to look like this?
Well, indeed there are ghosts, and quite a few at that.
So, why is there an Imperial City here as well?
What’s the deal, are you rebels trying to overthrow Yama Hall?
“Yes, but also no.”
“Master, your words seem to hold a great mystery,”
Though her mind was clear that this Maitreya Monk was definitely no saint—how could there be any saints in this place?
Li Mumu had a clear and definite understanding of herself.
But considering what she had heard from those Patriarchs in Sun Family Town about the Maitreya Monk, even Li Mumu had to admit, he had indeed done many meaningful things.
Whether they were good or bad deeds, those willing to act are stronger than those keyboard scholars.
So, calling him master was not an exaggeration.
“Empress may know, after death, the soul travels to the Underworld, where, based on the karma of their past life, they reenter the Six Paths of Reincarnation and are reborn.”
The Maitreya Monk smiled, “Even humans have causes and effects, life and death, karma.
So, what about a grand imperial dynasty after its demise?”
Li Mumu seemed enlightened.
However, she had no need to believe any word from this monk’s mouth.
Growing up in Saifu, the first thing children learn is to be wary of strangers.
Not to easily believe sweet words and candies offered by strangers.
“May I know the origins of your teachings, Master?”
The figure of the Maitreya Monk gradually faded in the rays of the morning sun, and upon hearing Li Mumu’s question, he chanted a Buddha’s name and smiled, “This humble monk walks under the banner of the Longevity Sect, hoping to meet the Empress in the mortal world someday.”