Xia Li knew that if he didn't deal with this group, he'd never be able to peacefully seek opportunities at Vajra Temple.

  This group was counting on Vajra Temple protecting them, using that to disgust people inside the temple as much as they pleased.

  "Did anyone say you could leave!"

  Just as Xia Li was about to step out of the Buddha hall, the leader directly blocked his path.

  "Master, if they attack me, will Vajra Temple just watch?"

  "We can only ensure you leave alive..."

  The old monk was also quite helpless. Being bullied by others while having to help the bullies—it was extremely frustrating. But Buddhism truly couldn't afford any disputes now.

  Buddhism today was like a decaying tree that hadn't yet fallen, growing in loose sandy soil. One touch and it would topple.

  No wonder seeking Buddhist opportunities wasn't easy. Setting aside that most seekers of Dao were disrespectful to Buddhism, coming purely for techniques—even when finally encountering someone who respected Buddhism and Buddhism was willing to teach, these greedy imps wouldn't allow it.

  "Twenty thousand spirit stones. Get lost."

  After understanding Buddhism's difficulties, Xia Li didn't act rashly. He decided to bribe these imps. These fellows were merely disciples from nearby sects. They probably couldn't get much from their own sects, otherwise they wouldn't come to Buddhist temples to extort.

  "Two hundred thousand spirit stones. We can pretend nothing happened."

  The leader quoted an outrageous price. Xia Li wanted very much to act, but if he did, he'd face not just these cultivators—Vajra Temple's people would also intervene to stop him. That was annoying.

  And if he left Vajra Temple, this group definitely wouldn't follow him. They'd cower inside Vajra Temple, under its protection, mocking him freely.

  "Then let me leave."

  "One hundred thousand spirit stones. Otherwise just wait to be beaten crippled and thrown out!"

  "No room for negotiation?"

  "What do you think?"

  That person was supremely arrogant. Xia Li grew calmer and calmer. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spat out a great mouthful of blood.

  Xia Li deliberately reversed his meridians to seriously injure himself!

  "Master, please see me out."

  Xia Li didn't want to be humiliated, didn't want to experience being beaten without being able to fight back. Better to injure himself and use the rules to leave with dignity.

  Those people showed surprise—they hadn't expected Xia Li to be so decisive.

  "Ah... Please, benefactor."

  "Thank you for the escort, Master."

  Xia Li glared at the group before him, then limped out of the temple gate under the old monk's escort. Those Daoist Sect Inspectors followed to the gate but didn't step out to attack Xia Li.

  "You think we'd be stupid enough to chase after you just because you're injured?"

  "We're not that dumb. What if you have some trump card? Get lost. Next time you want to come, remember to bring spirit stones."

  These Daoist Sect Inspectors numbered eight in total. They burst into laughter. But they seemed to have forgotten one thing—although Xia Li worshipped Buddha, Xia Li had never been a devout Buddhist.

  Xia Li didn't practice any "mercy sparing lives" doctrine. The merciful one was Buddha. What he wanted to do was send these people to meet Buddha.

  So Xia Li revealed a cruel smile.

  "You can only bully Buddhism's stubbornness. Haven't you heard the saying 'Evil needs evil to grind it'?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "You'd better never leave Vajra Temple."

  With that, Xia Li turned and left.

  "Fool. We have Elders picking us up. You dare stake us out? Laughable!"

  Those people were still mocking Xia Li. Xia Li said nothing. He'd already memorized all their faces. Since they were all from nearby sects, that gave him a rough range.

  And disciples who needed to come to Buddhist temples to extort were obviously mediocre types from nearby sects who weren't quite good enough.

  What Xia Li planned to do was simple: capture all their family members!

  Evil needs evil to grind it.

  Xia Li believed in this saying. If these people had any upbringing, they wouldn't have done such shameless things. Rotten beams make rotten rafters—their relatives were probably also the type to bully commoners and oppress the weak.

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  Might as well eliminate them all together.

  This was true demon-slaying and Dao-defending—Vajra's wrathful eyes, affinity with Buddhism!

  Xia Li's killing intent surged. Those people were still mocking the limping Xia Li walking down the steps, not knowing their family members already had one foot in the grave.

  Xia Li had no special feelings for Buddhism, no faith in Buddha, nor did he particularly favor it as his own people just because Buddhism came from Earth. All of Xia Li's respect for Buddha stemmed from those beautiful childhood memories.

  Because it would make grandmother happy.

  Nothing more.

  He didn't provoke others, but human hearts were full of evil. There were always people hostile to everything, always people who took pleasure in bullying others. In Xia Li's eyes, these "things" didn't count as people.

  They were merely demons wearing human skin. Acting against them, Xia Li had no psychological burden whatsoever.

  Such people are without Dao, thus losing virtue, thus losing heart. The disease already driving them mad, they should be destroyed!

  Reaching the base of the mountain, Xia Li took out the Cave Heaven Gourd to enter directly and hurry on. He only needed to find an intelligence organization, pay spirit stones to learn those people's identities and their families' locations, then act directly.

  Half a month later...

  Xi Continent, Pang City.

  Xia Li sat in the VIP room of Drunken Flower Tower, handing fifty thousand spirit stones to the seductive woman sitting across from him. She smiled slightly and produced a jade slip for Xia Li.

  Xia Li took the jade slip and placed it against his forehead. The identities and origins of all eight people were recorded within, along with the locations of their families, detailed out to nine generations with them as the center.

  What came next depended on circumstances. Xia Li might do something similar to that Ming Dynasty Founding Emperor.

  Exterminate nine clans!

  "Drunken Flower Tower's service is indeed excellent. I'm very satisfied."

  After leaving the Desolate Continent, Xia Li came to the neighboring Xi Continent. After some inquiries, he learned of Drunken Flower Tower. Though expensive, their speed and accuracy in gathering intelligence were unparalleled.

  "Then please visit again when you have time, young master."

  "I will."

  Xia Li rose to leave. The seductive woman smiled as she saw him off. She knew very well...

  The intelligence she'd provided meant that before long, the people on that list would likely die one after another.

  At this moment, a maidservant opened the door and walked in, holding a cup of wine.

  "Hm? Miss, where's that guest just now? He hasn't drunk his Drunken Flower Brew yet..."

  "He's rushing off to kill people. He kept urging me these past few days—how could he have time to drink?"

  "I see. Then this young master must be quite righteous. The people he had us investigate—I wanted to kill a few myself just while investigating. They're all beasts."

  Mentioning this, a murderous air appeared on the maidservant's face. So toward the end of her investigation, she'd rather lose money herself than slow down, rapidly collecting the intelligence.

  "Xiao Yun, I know you still can't let go of your sense of justice. But in our line of work... even if an evil person wants to kill a good person, we must provide service when the spirit stones are offered. Otherwise the Tower Master would kill you first."

  "Miss is wrong. When Tower Master provides evil people with good people's intelligence, when has he not hidden information? Tower Master still has great righteousness."

  "Don't say such things outside."

  "I know."

  This pair of mistress and servant chatted playfully about those people's fates. After all, the intelligence they'd provided was extremely detailed. Xia Li only needed to plan briefly before he could act easily.

  When providing good people with evil people's intelligence, Drunken Flower Tower held nothing back, serving with full dedication.