273: Buddhism's good calculation

Tang Ku did not answer Mahoraga's words; in fact, he was also pondering this question!

Undoubtedly, the Western Paradise would not tell a minor character like Mahoraga about crucial matters, but his actions were genuinely linked to the interests of the Western World.

Therefore, whether it be those Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Arhats who had undergone Reincarnation, they basically adopted a laissez-faire attitude, waiting to see his situation before making a decision.

Once he and his subordinates successfully rebelled and established themselves as kings, they would observe how much of the Great Tang's Luck he could siphon off. If it fell within their acceptable range, they might emulate this method.

They would send different Buddha Disciples to develop followers across the country, or even develop new religions, then use Gu to incite officials, or even ordinary people who were capable and talented but frustrated in their ambitions, to rise up and establish themselves as kings.

Perhaps one or two instances wouldn't be a major problem, but what if many people did this? What if it turned into the separatist model of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods?

Once central authority collapsed, the Luck of a dynasty would rapidly vanish. And when the final result arrived, the Buddha would reclaim these nations, since those separatist forces had established their states with the Buddha as the core.

"In that case, they could take the entire Great Tang into their pockets without any effort at all... Hiss... it's terrifying to think about!"

Tang Ku couldn't help but gasp, then glanced at Mahoraga, who was still eating and drinking heartily, and suddenly sighed: "Damn it, why do I feel like the burden on my shoulders has gotten heavier again?"

Nezha paid no heed to anything else and proceeded to bind him up with the Immortal Binding Rope again. When the guy fell to the ground, he still had a chicken leg in his mouth, swallowing it with all his might.

With a flash of golden light, the two of them had already emerged from the pagoda. As it turned out, this was Li Jing's Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda; even without the Immortal Binding Rope, given Mahoraga's strength, he would never have been able to escape.

"Holy Monk, did you find out anything?"

Wei Zheng, General Xue Rengui, and the others were outside, having waited for him for a long time. There was plenty of food on the long table beside them, seemingly prepared for this very moment.

"I have a rough idea, but I'm not certain... Hmm, General Xue, has the new prefect found out anything from that bandit named Lei Wei?"

Tang Ku turned his head to say to General Xue Rengui.

"Hmm, this bandit only said he saw that Mahoraga's Spell had great potential, so he harbored dreams of becoming emperor and thus used Gu to make him serve him, but he didn't disclose any other issues!"

General Xue Rengui cupped his hands.

"Take me to see that guy; I have something to ask him!"

Tang Ku pondered for a moment, then said.

The group arrived at the prefectural government office and entered the prison. At this moment, the entire prefectural prison was overcrowded; all the criminals involved in this matter had been captured and were held there. Lei Wei, however, was treated relatively well, kept in a solitary cell at the very back.

The Old Monk didn't even have a prisoner's uniform; his tattered martial monk's robe gave him a rather desolate appearance. Furthermore, having likely been tortured during the interrogation, his aura was somewhat withered. However, Tang Ku felt no sympathy for him. The guy had a very heavy Killing Intent and aura of blood; he must have killed many people when he was a bandit. Therefore, even if he suffered more punishment in the courtroom, he was only reaping what he had sown.

Opening the cell door, Tang Ku came before him, looked down at him, and said in a deep voice: "Bandit Lei Wei, is it? I'll ask you one question, and you must answer honestly!"

Lei Wei raised his eyes to look at the monk and couldn't help but sneer: "You're a monk too, not a prefectural official. Why should I answer you?"

Crack!

"Ah!"

With a sudden scream, Lei Wei's left leg had already been snapped by a stomp from Tang Ku... Even the magistrate in the courtroom hadn't been this ruthless when trying the case.

"Don't talk so much nonsense. My patience as a Buddha is limited. If you act cocky again, it's simple: I'll beat you to death, then seize your soul to interrogate. Don't think I don't have such methods; by then, you'll know what true Hell is!"

Tang Ku looked at Lei Wei, his face full of Killing Intent, his fists clenching with a creaking sound. "For a heinous villain like you, slaughtering you would be ridding the people of a scourge. I think the common folk would be very happy to see it!"

Lei Wei sucked in cold air through his teeth. Although he was a ruthless person himself, he had never seen anyone more ruthless than this, and this person was a monk to boot.

"I... hiss... I... you ask... I'll say..."

The intense pain made him breathless; he almost fainted from the compounding injuries. Seeing that this monk truly intended to kill him, he barely managed to summon the energy to hold on.

"Hmm, very good. This way you can suffer less!"

Tang Ku said, "Before you became this abbot, were you incited by anyone? For example, a monk, a woman, a child, or someone who sang you a ballad or gave you guidance, urging you to rebel?"

Lei Wei frowned slightly, seemingly thinking: "I don't quite... hiss, don't quite understand what you're saying... My desire to rebel had nothing to do with anyone else; it was my own ambition... uh... my ambition was too big?"

In the end, even he didn't believe his own words, and there was a hint of a question in his tone.

"..."

Tang Ku glared, just about to sternly rebuke him, when suddenly Lei Wei recalled something and said seriously: "Wait, I... I remember now. Before... before, there was a down-and-out scholar. He... once begged me to take him in, wanting to be my military advisor. He... once said... a phrase, what was it... 'Are kings and nobles born with high status?' He praised me as the Taisui of the human world, a hero who would rule the world, and that I would definitely have a chance to ascend the throne...

Now that I think about it, I was blinded by his flattery back then, which is why I had those thoughts... Wait... where is that scholar? No, that scholar disappeared after serving as my military advisor for a few days, and I didn't even notice, thinking everything was normal... No, this is wrong... My lord, my lord... that guy... that guy must be a ghost, a monster, a demon... I... I didn't want to rebel... I didn't want to rebel, it was all him inciting me, it was all him inciting me... My lord, I'm just a small-time bandit... With my own ideas, how would I dare to rebel... My lord, please be discerning, my lord, please be discerning..."

By the end, the guy was actually weeping bitterly, tears streaming down his face. The regret and the unwillingness of having been deceived were portrayed vividly by him.

"Hmm, can you still remember what that person looked like?"

Tang Ku suddenly crouched down, channeling Buddha Power into his leg bone to help him recover from his injuries.

"My lord... thank you, thank you... Come to think of it, I... I can't remember what he looked like at all... Hmm, wait, although I can't remember the scholar's appearance clearly, there was a small red mole right in the center of his forehead!"

Tang Ku was shocked and thought to himself: "Could this be some Bodhisattva... Wait, among all the Buddha's Bodhisattvas in the world, there is only one who has such scheming..."

"Hehe, don't bother thinking about it. That person was me..."

The voice was clear and resonant, appearing right there in the prison, causing most people's eardrums to ache!