Absolute Choice
Absolute Choice - Chapter 547: The Buddha says

However, the denied Tyger Li remained calm. Without a change in expression, he said calmly, "Reverend Misery Sea, you had discussed with This Emperor today about rebuilding Shaolin and revitalizing Buddhism. This Emperor requires serious consideration. Although This Emperor is a premier, the nation's budget cannot be used wantonly."

Reverend Misery Sea continued having a benevolent smile as he softly said, "Amitabha, it is better to save one life than build a seven-storied pagoda. However, that youth has not only killed a person, but his methods of battling were also vicious. He will probably be a demonic murderer in the future. There is no estimate of the number of innocent lives that will die under his hands. If he is vanquished now, wouldn't it be equivalent to saving those countless lives?"

Tyger Li said with a nod, "Reverend, you speak of the utmost truth."

Reverend Misery Sea said with a benevolent smile, "However, This Penniless Monk never kills. Why doesn't This Penniless Monk hold the evil scum down and let Benefactor Li handle it? It will ultimately be Benefactor Li's decision to kill or spare him."

Tyger Li said with a nod, "That works."

Reverend Misery Sea held his hands together and said, "Amitabha, then about the matter of rebuilding Shaolin and the revitalizing of Buddhism..."

Tyger Li said with a smile, "With Shaolin having such an esteemed monk like Misery Sea, it naturally needs to be rebuilt. Buddhism preaches for people to do kind deeds, so how can it not be revitalized? This Emperor will sign the grant money tonight."

Reverend Misery Sea hung a benevolent smile and said, "Amitabha, excellent, excellent. This Penniless Monk will now be repressing this evil scum. Revenge begets revenge, will there ever be an end to it, so by ending this evil scum's life, it can also be considered as helping him gain some merit. Amitabha!"

Shi Xiaobai and Mu Lengxi were dumbfounded upon hearing the exchange. The conversation had truly widened their horizons. The concept of 'shamelessness' had level demarcations. Compared to Reverend Misery Sea and Tyger Li, the Seven Wolfskins were way less shameless!

Reverend Misery Sea had refreshed the duo's worldly views. So this was how an 'esteemed monk' achieved his esteem? Is that how Buddhist teachings were used?

The duo cursed inwardly as Reverend Misery Sea had already turned his head over.

The aged monk had turbid eyes but his nonchalant glance at Shi Xiaobai and Mu Lengxi made it seem like the entire sky had collapsed down to crush them.

Psionic Imperial Suppression!

It was more than a hundred times than the augmented suppression that the Seven Wolfskins used in formation!

Mu Lengxi instantly felt the world crashing down on her as she was left completely immobile.

Shi Xiaobai also felt an immense pressure. This time, even his 'King's Will' could not ignore the suppression. His body felt as heavy as lead as he found it difficult to move.

However, Shi Xiaobai was still extraordinary. Although he was at the Psionic Mortal Realm, his willpower was stronger than a Psionic King's!

Shi Xiaobai gnashed his teeth as he gave a light bellow and raised his arms with great difficulty. He opened up his stride and like a rusty robot, he slowly and difficulty walked towards Reverend Misery Sea. He wanted to punch the shameless old bald donkey flat!

Reverend Misery Sea's gaze changed slightly as he held his hands together. "Amitabha, this child is indeed a dragon among people. He is the chosen child of heaven and his attainments are unpredictable. Unfortunately, he has been led astray and has turned demonic. He is no different from evil scum. He is not to be spared or he would definitely wipe out all life, sending misery through the world. This Penniless Monk's suppression of this scum today will be considered as a great meritorious deed. It can only be right."

Shi Xiaobai laughed from his extreme anger as he cursed out with great difficulty, "What a shameless old bald donkey!"

Reverend Misery Sea's eyes flashed a hint of killing intent but his face remained smiling and benevolent. He shook his head and said, "To persist in one's wrongdoings, teachings are necessary!"

When the old monk said that, he suddenly held his hands together and looked up to the sky. His cassock suddenly swelled up as though a wind had puffed it up. Golden runic seals began falling from the sky and imprinting themselves on his cassock.

Reverend Misery Sea said with a deep and powerful voice. It did not sound like it came from his mouth but as though it came surging from every corner of the world.

"The Buddha says: The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn back to the shore before it's too late. Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering. Repent and ye shall be saved!"

This Buddhist saying was well known but Reverend Misery Sea's voice was not ordinary!

He was using the Shaolin technique—Diamond Dhyana!

A voice like adamant, with words transforming into gatha charm, it brought forth an overwhelming power!

This power came crashing down on Shi Xiaobai!

Shi Xiaobai immediately felt the pressure on his body increase greatly. It was like a towering Buddha statue was pressing down on him. He did not yield because of this. Although his footsteps towards Reverend Misery Sea turned slow, he did not stop at all.

"What's the point?"

Reverend Misery Sea shook his head as he continued reciting the Diamond Dhyana.

"The Buddha says: To see a world in a grain of sand. And a heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand. And eternity in an hour!"

"The Buddha says: I teach you to think the unthinkable, do the undoable, speak the unspeakable, and work the unworkable. Those who get it get it, those who don't don't—for all the words in the world cannot describe the sublimity of this truth. Be off by a hair's breadth or miss it by a fraction of a second and the picture is false!"

"The Buddha says: All things contrived are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. And as dewdrop or lightning, they should be regarded as such!"

"The Buddha says: Everything is unreal and requires...letting it go!"

"..."

Reverend Misery Sea recited the gatha chants at an increasing speed with increasing anxiousness.

As such, Shi Xiaobai also began walking slower. It was harder for him to move but he never stopped once, even if he was moving forward at one millimeter after another. He didn't stop at all.

Reverend Misery Sea remained in his spot and as such, Shi Xiaobai finally came in front of him.

A look of disbelief finally flashed in Reverend Misery Sea's eyes. He sighed and said, "You are none other than an evil scum, bound to become a demon of the future. It is equivalent to saving all of humanity by taking you down. The meritorious service would allow This Penniless Monk to meet Buddha!"

"Fuck your bullshit!"

Shi Xiaobai puffed with great difficulty as he tried to straighten his chest. He could not help but curse angrily.

A look of anger flashed in Reverend Misery Sea's eyes as he opened his mouth to continue reciting the Diamond Dhyana. "The Buddha says..."

"The Buddha says: Go fuck yourself!"

Shi Xiaobai roared angrily as his stiff and slow body suddenly moved like it had broken its debilitating shackles. He struck quickly at the shameless old monk with a palm!

Proud Dragon Repents, go fuck yourself!

Reverend Misery Sea's expression changed as he suddenly bellowed!

"Kneel!"

The angry bellow sounded like the resonating crack of thunder. It was ear-splitting!

It was not the Diamond Dhyana but the Diamond Dhyana Lion Roar. Its might was several times stronger!

As if it was the final straw that broke the camel's back, Shi Xiaobai collapsed completely as his strike only reached midway before coming to a halt. His knees felt as though they had been slammed heavily as he nearly knelt down.

However, Shi Xiaobai could kneel to the heavens and earth, and his parents, but he refused to kneel to the old bald donkey. With all his strength, he threw himself forward at Reverend Misery Sea like a pouncing wolf.

Reverend Misery Sea retreated back as Shi Xiaobai crashed to the ground with a thud. A hole the shape of a human opened up!

Reverend Misery Sea suddenly struck out into the sky with his palm as five fingers came plummeting from the sky. With a rumble, it smashed on Shi Xiaobai's body. Like a five-finger mountain, it suppressed Shi Xiaobai completely!

At that point, Shi Xiaobai could no longer move.

Reverend Misery Sea smiled slightly and said, "In the past, Buddha had suppressed the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Today, Misery Sea has suppressed Shi Xiaobai. Excellent, truly excellent!"

Reverend Misery Sea adjusted his cassock and turned to say to Tyger Li, "Benefactor Li, go ahead!"

"Great."

Tyger Li nodded in satisfaction as he picked up the saber Eventide Third Wolf had dropped to the ground before slowly walking towards Shi Xiaobai.

Mu Lengxi turned anxious but she could not move. Instantly, she felt melancholic and felt full of regret. She regretted not studying magic that Granny Deepblue wanted her to do. She was engrossed with reading books and frequently skived. If she were just a bit stronger, perhaps, she could...

Shi Xiaobai did not panic when facing despair. Instead, he had fighting spirit and his fury. He absolutely would not yield, much less give up.

"Go ahead and rage!"

Suddenly, a strange demonic voice resounded in his mind.

Simultaneously, Reverend Misery Sea's 'benevolent' voice resounded, "A murderer must repay with his life. It is only right."

Shi Xiaobai immediately felt incensed as he once again neared 'raging'.

At that moment, a familiar but also strange voice sounded in the night.

"This Emperor is still alive so how can there be murder and why is there a need to pay with one's life?"

That voice was Speechless Li's voice!

Tyger Li and Reverend Misery Sea turned their heads in shock and looked towards the source of the voice. They saw a handsome young man slowly walk out the door to the memorial hall.

The bright and clear moonlight illuminated the boy's face. His face was paler and colder than the moonlight. However, he clearly was the 'dead' Speechless Li!

Tyger Li's expression was filled with a myriad of colors. It was hard to tell if he was pleasantly shocked or horrified. He seemed to have a guess as he said with a frown, "You faked your death?"

Speechless slowly walked into the courtyard. He was hobbling and looked somewhat weak but his eyes were bright like the stars. Upon hearing Tyger Li's question, Speechless shook his head and said, "No, I truly died."

As Speechless spoke, he turned to look at Reverend Misery Sea and said with a sneer, "I had not only died, I had even gone to the Western Paradise where I met Buddha. He told me that an old bald donkey was using His name to engage in shameless acts. So He sent me back and told me to tell the old bald donkey—The Buddha says: Go fuck yourself!" IChooseDogLeading (我选择狗带) when read in Chinese sounds like I Choose Go Die. It was a meme that resulted from a former member of famous Korean boygroup, EXO, TAO (Huang Zitao). At a concert, there was a part in a rap that where he said "", but due to a mispronunciation, it sounded like he will not easily choose to be led by dogs. This phrase now means 'I'd rather die/I choose death'.