“The mortal world is like a prison, all beings suffer, the cycle of samsara never ceases, sorrows never end. Pity us mortals, a god descends from heaven, the White Lotus Holy Mother, saving us from calamity and delivering us from the end!”
In the lands once ruled by the Great Zhou, whether in the Vacant Pure Land or the Earthly Buddha Kingdom, the ears of every devout follower resonated with an ethereal and sacred voice, echoing through heaven and earth, cleansing their souls. An inexplicable emotion welled up within them, compelling them to bow devoutly and chant in unison. Countless voices converged like grains of sand forming a tower, reaching a pinnacle of grandeur and sanctity.
Such a commotion, coupled with the erupting “volcanoes” of the Nine Netherworlds and the demonic mist and black dust obscuring the sun, made even ordinary folk on the islands of the East Sea sense that something momentous was about to happen, let alone the transcendent experts and mighty figures among the celestial ranks.
Wang Siyuan sat alone on a solitary island beneath a tree. After his failed attempt to influence and control the Heavenly Dao monster, which instead trapped him in the schemes of the Demonic Buddha A-nan, he had secluded himself from the world, remaining silent for years. He reflected on past oversights and pondered how to defy the will of heaven from beneath the Other Shore. His so-called “smashing the chessboard” was merely a manifestation of other “heavenly wills”…
At this moment, sensing the impending apocalypse and the upheaval in the Central Plains, he raised his head and gazed toward the distance. Madness flickered in his eyes, emotions shifting, until finally, a bitter and desolate expression surfaced. He sighed and said, “Indeed, only those of the Other Shore can oppose those of the Other Shore…”
A lifetime of madness and scheming had ultimately turned to naught, leaving only this oft-repeated adage—a lesson countless sages had paid for with their lives and destinies!
In an instant, his jet-black hair turned completely white.
“White Lotus Holy Mother, save us from calamity and deliver us from the end!”
The chants overlapped, shaking the myriad realms. Around Gu Xiaosang, lotuses bloomed in profusion, pristine and transcendent, forming a divine platform that lifted her gracefully into the air. She hovered aloft, casting cold radiance, resembling a Buddha, a deity, and an immortal all at once!
Between heaven and earth, the illusory River of Time manifested, flowing ceaselessly from the distant past, its shimmering waters washing over all things, unchanging through the ages. But this time, beyond the present node, the tributaries of the future had dwindled, no longer innumerable. One could even glimpse the terrifying void and darkness at the end, signaling the imminent destruction of this epoch!
The true apocalypse, the ultimate end—even those of the Other Shore might not have a future!
For Gu Xiaosang, grasping the future had become far simpler. She extended a finger, unveiling her dharma form—a manifestation of returning to primordial chaos, the ultimate stillness of void, and the deliverance of the world through white lotuses. The three facets condensed, gradually merging into an illusory Dao Fruit, “lifting” Gu Xiaosang upward, liberating her from the torrent of time and drawing her nearer to the supreme framework of all realms.
Within the Vacant Pure Land, a flawless, cold moon hung high, casting serene light over the peace of the afterlife. It bestowed an approving gaze upon Gu Xiaosang’s efforts to escape the sea of suffering.
Not satisfaction, but this “approval” was meant to stoke the fire in Gu Xiaosang’s heart, empowering her to overcome the trials ahead.
As for the interference from other beings of the Other Shore, the situation was already clear. Herself, Amitabha, the Ancient Buddha of Bodhi, Su Meng of the Jade Void, the Heavenly Emperor, and the Demonic Buddha would not obstruct her. Even if the Green Emperor did not remain neutral, even if the Supreme True Buddha attempted sabotage, their combined efforts with the Moral Heavenly Venerable and the Demon Emperor would not suffice to disrupt the proceedings. Today’s focus lay elsewhere!
The Nine Netherworlds had merged with the real world. The Demonic Buddha rose and stepped forth, ascending step by step, carrying the imagery of destruction, slaughter, freezing, corruption, and deathly silence. His elegant face and fluttering monk’s robes exuded calm composure, like a gentleman bowing slightly to announce the end of a story.
Boom!
The spacetime of the Western Regions and the southernmost East Sea collapsed layer by layer, beyond the sustaining power of the Central Heaven Earth Yellow Banner and the Nether Sea Sword. The fusion of the two realms accelerated the collapse.
The apocalypse had truly arrived!
At this moment, beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, from the Tushita Palace, the Taiji Diagram—intertwined black and white yin-yang fish—flew out, transforming into a golden bridge of the Other Shore. It traversed the era of ancient myths, the primordial chaos of antiquity, the epoch when the Yellow and Lao Sovereigns ruled the Three Realms backed by the Great Dao Tree, the age when primal deities and great demons roamed freely, and the earliest, most ancient epoch, arriving at the instant of creation, the moment time first stretched forth.
At that time, the figure of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable still existed, seated in the profound chaos, wielding the Pangu Banner and executing the Seal of Creation, striking out with immense force!
The Moral Heavenly Venerable, riding a green ox, instantly crossed the River of Time to its “source.” His serene, white-haired visage remained calm as his hands transformed into black and white yin-yang fish, their heads and tails entwined. He sought to forcibly open the root of time, reintegrating the extracted worlds of the Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West into the real world, restoring time to its original state and bringing the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable back into the world!
“Namo Amitabha!”
Chants of the Buddha’s name arose from every ripple in the River of Time, manifesting countless incarnations of Amitabha. They converged into an ocean of response bodies, surging forward to engulf the moment of creation.
On the verge of the apocalypse, few beings from the Other Shore wished to witness the return of the two most ancient Heavenly Venerables, as it would disrupt the existing balance and interfere with their own schemes. Thus, Amitabha took it upon himself to prevent the Moral Heavenly Venerable from unlocking the root of time.
Simultaneously, a twelve-petaled blue lotus platform rose, merging with the Western Pure Land to form Amitabha’s perfect reward body. A mist of dreams emerged, and his golden six-foot-tall body radiated boundless light, boundless life, and boundless supernatural powers!
The Moral Heavenly Venerable pushed aside his ancient crown, and a stream of pure qi surged from his Niwan Palace, manifesting the flourishing beginnings, prosperous heights, and decaying ends of multiple epochs across the myriad realms. Each coalesced into a Taoist figure—some wielding swords, others cradling ruyi scepters—stepping onto the golden bridge of the Other Shore to engage Amitabha’s dharma body, reward body, and response bodies in battle.
The clash between the two most ancient beings reverberated through the moment of creation, altering subsequent epochs. Some things even ceased to exist entirely. For a time, the signs of the apocalypse grew ever clearer. Had Amitabha not been mindful of this critical moment for Gu Xiaosang’s enlightenment and taken care to preserve historical continuity, the situation would have been far worse.
Yet, as the apocalypse deepened its impact on the Moral Heavenly Venerable, he still managed to thwart the other’s attempt to open the root of time.
Boom!
Thunder rumbled ceaselessly in the heavens, with streaks of lightning crisscrossing the sky as if to tear the real world apart. Meanwhile, the realms of *Journey to the West* and *Investiture of the Gods*, existing in separate streams of time, suddenly trembled. Strange lights surged—on one side, golden flowers of merit, purple clouds of virtue, and the watery glow of sagehood swirled; on the other, hues of red, blue, black, and white intertwined, unfolding scenes of apocalyptic finality, as though some terrifying entity were about to break free and return to the present!
The Primordial Heavenly Venerable! The Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable!
Could they return without unraveling the origins of time, merely by sacrificing the worlds of *Investiture of the Gods* and *Journey to the West*? Meng Qi sat cross-legged in the Jade Void Palace, guarding Gu Xiaosang’s condensation of the illusory Dao Fruit while observing the transformations of heaven and earth. His thoughts raced as he pondered countless questions.
He Mu and Jiu Li, on duty before the Jade Pure Hall today, felt equally somber at the arrival of the apocalypse.
They might still hope to survive the final calamity under the protection of the great figures from the Other Shore, but their friends and companions likely lacked such fortune!
As the realms of *Investiture of the Gods* and *Journey to the West* underwent bizarre transformations, the terrifying and transcendent aura grew increasingly distinct and potent, as though the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable were truly on the verge of returning. Would the other beings of the Other Shore simply stand by and watch?
In the highest layer of the celestial realm, the lofty and majestic Heavenly Emperor suddenly took a step forward, drawing the Time Blade, which shimmered like water reflecting the sun. He slashed not at Investiture of the Gods or Journey to the West, but at the World Tree that spanned the myriad realms, the foundation supporting heaven and earth!
The blade’s light was fleeting, instantly piercing the seals of the Other Shore beings and striking the World Tree. Time accelerated—a single breath spanned a century. The World Tree, which could have endured the apocalypse for some time, withered instantly, its verdant hues turning yellow, its trunk decaying.
Boom!
The heavenly soldiers and generals attached themselves to the World Tree, aged, and perished, becoming its ultimate source of power.
Boom!
The World Tree underwent frenzied transformations, devouring all nine layers of the heavens. At its summit, the Celestial Emperor’s colossal divine hand seized it and, with the force of a collapsing world and the end of an era, hurled it toward the realm of *Journey to the West*, unleashing cataclysmic devastation.
Only such an ultimate end could counter the Five Virtues and Five Primordials, the chaos of the infinite, and barely halt the return of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable!
To guard against the Seal of Creation, the Heavenly Emperor, towering above the myriad realms, not only wielded the World Tree but also swung the Time Blade, blurring spacetime and dimming its radiance.
His gaze was icy and sinister, as if recalling the past when the Primordial Heavenly Venerable had led the charge into the highest layer of the nine heavens, staring down at him coldly.
The Heavenly Emperor knew that due to the collapse of the celestial court, he had barely clung to life for countless eons, still far from the path of transcending through emptiness. This era offered no hope of liberation. Therefore, since his return from tribulation, he had strived to escape the inescapable fate of the Heavenly Emperor’s downfall at the end of the epoch. Without resolving this, there was no need to contemplate whether another era would follow.
From the Demonic Buddha—or rather, from Donghuang Taiyi and the Daoist Venerable—he had obtained a method of deduction that held some promise. Today, he would prevent the return of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and witness his own liberation from bondage!
The World Tree, now a mix of green and yellow, filled the void as it crashed toward the golden light and purple clouds outside the world of Investiture of the Gods, toward the boundless yet singular point of chaos.
At the same time, a scroll depicting the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and all realms emerged from the Demon Emperor’s palace. It transformed into a hazy azure radiance that enveloped the world of *Journey to the West*. Under the onslaught of great destruction, slaughter, ruin, and the finality of red, blue, black, and white, it teetered on the edge of collapse.
A faint sigh resonated as a black-gold spear entwined with a five-virtue phoenix shot forth from the Demon Emperor’s palace, converging with the pale golden Human Emperor’s Sword that soared from Longmen Island. They embedded themselves on either side of the Picture of Mountains and Rivers, harnessing the power of all living beings to stabilize the myriad transformations.
Though strained and clearly at a disadvantage, the Heavenly Emperor and the Demon Emperor had indeed temporarily halted the return of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable. The other beings of the Other Shore observed every corner of the myriad realms, preparing for what was to come.
Due to the bizarre transformations in the realms of *Investiture of the Gods* and *Journey to the West*, the countless tributaries of the future had plunged into chaos, teeming with variables!
However, Gu Xiaosang no longer paid any attention to the unfolding situation. Her entire being was focused on escaping the sea of suffering. The symbol of primordial chaos, the symbol of the end of non-existence, and the symbol of salvation and deliverance were all visibly coalescing into an illusory Dao Fruit. Though ethereal, it felt real, lifting her partially out of the River of Time.
At this moment, the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerable, driven mad by the apocalypse’s aura, emerged to attack Yang Jian, as if eager to contribute to the epoch’s end. Meanwhile, the Seven Kill Taoist, pressured by the Demonic Buddha’s relentless advance, was forced back to the Jade Void Palace by sheer aura alone.
The Demonic Buddha stepped onto an island in the East Sea and gazed up at the infinitely towering Jade Void Palace. A leisurely smile played on his lips as his voice, like a soul-shaking bell, echoed in the ears of Meng Qi, the Seven-Kill Taoist, He Mu, Jiu Li, and Da Qing Gen:
“The apocalypse has arrived. It is time we concluded our unfinished business.”
“Concluded matters?” The Seven Kill Taoist couldn’t help but glance at the Demonic Buddha, who had transformed half of the East Sea into the Nine Netherworlds, his heart brimming with bewilderment.
At this moment, neither the Ancient Buddha of Bodhi nor the Green Emperor were yet constrained. Even with the help of the Supreme True Buddha, the Golden Mother’s alliance, and the Heavenly Dao monster, the Demonic Buddha stood no chance of killing or devouring the Sect Master Heavenly Venerable. Even defeating him was only a possibility, given the Sect Master’s two near-Other Shore incarnations: “True Stability Tathagata” and “Clear Origin Dao Lord.”
Meng Qi and the Demonic Buddha locked gazes, and the heavens and earth abruptly darkened, evoking both the primordial chaos of creation and the lifeless stillness of the apocalypse.
“Fellow Daoist is truly confident,” Meng Qi said slowly, as a stream of pure qi surged from his crown, manifesting the rosy-lipped, white-toothed True Stability Tathagata and the handsome, carefree Clear Origin Dao Lord.
The Demonic Buddha chuckled. “Of course!”
Behind him, dark red hues swirled like countless chaotic, frenzied eyes.
At that very moment, within the Bodhi Pure Land, a radiant surge of crystal-clear light shot into the heavens, permeating the space with the withering passage of time as it enveloped the ancient Bodhi Tree and the primordial Buddha!
The Ancient Buddha of Bodhi gazed at the three figures around him and murmured, “The Demonic Buddha’s treacherous nature is indeed unchanged. Collaborating with him always brings hidden dangers.”
The three figures encircling him were none other than Zhunti Daoist, Xuanming Ghost Emperor, and Black Heavenly Emperor—his three corpses!
Zhunti Daoist, his sallow face adorned with twin topknots, smiled faintly, a mix of fear and determination in his expression. “Who wouldn’t want to become an independent, true Creator or Other Shore?”
As a demonic being who had refined the Nine Netherworlds and the “ancestor” of temptation and corruption, the Demonic Buddha seized upon the occasional rebellious thoughts of the Three Corpses. Under the pretense of cooperation and the exchange of refining the Nine Netherworlds, he secretly planted the “Bodhi Wisdom Seed” within the Xuanming Ghost Emperor, amplifying his obsessions. Through this internal “pawn,” he subtly manipulated the Black Heavenly Emperor and the Zhunti Daoist.
At the critical moment, the three corpses simultaneously rebelled. Even the mighty Ancient Buddha of Bodhi could not divert his attention elsewhere. After all, losing a corpse would render him incomplete. Compared to this, his connection with Meng Qi was insignificant, with minimal karma. He would not sever his own path in this era just to obstruct the Demonic Buddha.
In the Bodhi Pure Land, the radiant light and the crystal-clear barriers made the Demonic Buddha appear even more towering, as if invincible.
His gaze locked intently on Meng Qi, he unveiled his terrifying Inverse Buddha-Demon Form, each arm brandishing a treasure that symbolized destruction and terror.
Nothing in this world happens by mere coincidence. When the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable sought to return, aside from Amitabha’s inevitable interception, whether it was the Ancient Buddha of Bodhi, the Demon Emperor, the Heavenly Emperor, or the Golden Mother who intervened, the situation would remain unchanged.
The Celestial Emperor and the Golden Mother were his allies. The Ancient Buddha of Bodhi was restrained by the rebellion of his three incarnations. The Demon Emperor harbored resentment from Nezha’s previous actions and was tempted by the Celestial Emperor’s offers!
Moreover, no one wished to see you ascend further, allowing the Three Pure Ones to achieve enlightenment and transcendence. In short, no one will help you!
Gu Xiaosang’s illusory Dao Fruit was nearing semi-completion, her figure manifesting in the “Vacant Pure Land,” symbolizing the ultimate destination of the era. She retreated back toward the present node, her myriad incarnations converging and merging into one.
Meanwhile, Meng Qi observed the Demonic Buddha, who for some reason had yet to make a move, and calmly stated, “Even with you and the Golden Mother joining forces, defeating me might be easy, but killing me would be an extremely difficult task.”
More importantly, the Green Emperor had regained his peak strength. Though not an ancient being, he was now a normal Other Shore. Once True Stability Tathagata blocked the Heavenly Dao monster and Clear Origin Dao Lord intercepted the Supreme True Buddha, he and Meng Qi could join forces to hold off the Demonic Buddha and the Golden Mother, albeit at a disadvantage. The Golden Mother would also need to divert her attention to Gu Xiaosang’s impact on the Other Shore, lest the great supernatural beings of creation seize the opportunity to disrupt it.
The Demonic Buddha smiled leisurely and retorted, “Is that so?”
As his words faded, Meng Qi, seated high upon his cloud bed, slightly changed his expression. Two streaks of dark radiance shot forth from nowhere, piercing through the chaotic watery light descending from his Supreme Ultimate Primordial Beginning Canopy and striking within, causing his aura to plummet sharply!
This attack bore no forewarning, evading even Meng Qi’s senses and foresight!
Following the flowing light, Meng Qi witnessed the impossible figures of He Mu and Jiu Li, their faces contorted in pain and struggle. Their eyes flickered between madness and guilt as the laughter of the Demonic Buddha emanated from their mouths: “Nothing is coincidental. Why today? Because they were on duty at the Jade Pure Hall!”
At the same time, the Demonic Buddha’s expression grew solemn as his hands formed a seal.
Boom!
In the realm of the Fusang Ancient Tree, the Green Emperor, poised to take action, suddenly collapsed into a seated position, his body enveloped in dark flames as if suffering from a backlash.
Boom!
The Fusang Ancient Tree, rivaling the World Tree in vitality, radiated boundless light as it shrank and flew into the apocalyptic scene behind the Demonic Buddha’s head.
He had voluntarily surrendered to the Demonic Buddha!
Without hesitation, the Demonic Buddha pointed a finger—”Abandon sageliness, discard wisdom”—and pressed toward Meng Qi’s glabella in the Jade Void Palace.
How about this? I, too, possess a Great Dao Tree!
Without the Golden Mother’s help, I can still kill you!
Facing this finger, Meng Qi suddenly sighed. “Haotian…”
Only today did he see the Demonic Buddha’s true nature!
He Mu and Jiu Li had fused the bloodline of the Haotian God…
The Fusang Ancient Tree was nourished by the blood of Haotian God and Donghuang Taiyi…
The Green Emperor was born from it…
Donghuang died by Haotian’s hand…
The Demonic Buddha, as a creation, could control the Heavenly Dao monster’s fusion with Donghuang…
The God of Thunder was privy to the secrets of the World Tree, leading the Demon King to the Other Shore and beguiling the Celestial Emperor…
He possessed such profound knowledge because he was an ancient demon who had survived since the primordial chaos era, evading the cataclysms of the远古雷池 through deception—the former Haotian God, who once contended with the Daoist Venerable, the Three Pure Ones, and Amitabha for dominion over heaven and earth as well as the Dao Fruit. He was the first Heavenly Emperor to escape the end of an epoch, yet in doing so, he nearly severed all past connections, retaining only a lingering demonic obsession to oppose the Daoist Venerable and the Three Pure Ones. Embracing betrayal and corruption, he sought to ascend to the pinnacle through the path of darkness!
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