Blocks of rock, weathered to a dark brown hue, stood tall in the vast Gobi Desert. Nine senior Buddhist monks, clad in yellow robes and draped in red kasayas, sat scattered without apparent order. Yet upon closer inspection, their positioning was mysteriously profound, seemingly forming a ritual array exuding a compassionate aura of salvation.
Among them were monks as ancient as gnarled wood and others as vibrant as dawn’s early light, but each emanated a deep, tranquil energy and a faint glow of Buddhist radiance.
Nine Grandmasters! Murong Qi inwardly gasped; this exceeded the number of Grandmasters from any single faction!
Could this be a gathering of forces from other Buddhist sects, such as the Pure Land Sect, Huayan Sect, Foyin Temple, or Bailian Island?
Puzzled, Murong Qi refrained from approaching as Abbot Kongwen had suggested, choosing instead to hide nearby and observe secretly.
The nine senior monks each formed distinct mudras, with wooden fish, green lamps, sutras, Buddha statues, meditation cushions, precept knives, Zen staffs, prayer beads, and Bodhi seeds placed before them. They chanted sutras softly, while a faint, glassy-hued Buddhist glow floated in the air, bringing a sense of purity.
Seated at the center, former Crown Prince and current Prince of Liang, Zhao Qian, meditated cross-legged. Dressed in patched robes and wearing a monk’s cap that concealed his topknot, his half-closed eyes radiated solemnity and compassion as he softly recited the sutras, seemingly deep in meditation.
Near the weathered rocks, the eunuch Wei Gao stood guard, vigilant against any intruders.
This scene deepened Murong Qi’s suspicions. Following the channel structure of the sand rat’s body, he opened his ear channel and strained to eavesdrop on the chanting.
The voices were lofty and gentle, calming his mind as they gradually reached his ears:
“When the constellation of calamity arises, a Buddha shall return from Nirvana, guiding all sentient beings, wishing for all to cultivate compassion and attain Buddhahood in the future…”
As a half-hearted monk, Murong Qi had never heard such a sutra before, and a sense of unease stirred within him.
…
Within the “Zhenxian Sword Formation” arranged by Chong He through the “Yiqihua Sanqing” technique, Han Guang’s “Yanmo Emperor Body” right arm turned pitch black, growing six fingers each radiating a different aura of destruction. With every palm strike, the sea of primal energy in the heavens and earth vanished, principles collapsed, and the natural environment spiraled toward chaos and extinction—as if all could be obliterated in a single strike.
At this level, the Six Annihilation Falling God Palm could rightly be called a palm capable of annihilating immortals and gods!
Yet, when four sword beams converged, the surrounding area became chaotic and hazy, matter dissolving into energy, leaving Han Guang with nothing to destroy and forcing him into direct confrontation.
His right hand struck, each of the six demonic fingers glowing ominously, and everything before his palm seemed to erupt into annihilation!
This destruction spread and compounded, eventually forming a “tidal wave” of annihilation that collided violently with the four sword beams, only to vanish soundlessly, leaving momentary rifts in the void.
Still, some sword beams pierced through the destruction, striking the tall, dark Yanmo Emperor Body, leaving faint scars and shallow holes.
Within the Zhenxian Sword Formation, Han Guang felt fragile for the first time!
At this rate, he and Taili might not survive until Chong He completed the Yiqihua Sanqing transformation. Chong He’s strength was truly terrifying!
Moreover, Kongwen, Master Lu, or the master from Lankesi might arrive at any moment!
Han Guang discarded hesitation, panic, and impatience entirely, his aura surging as he became the master of heaven and earth in an instant. A shimmering long blade appeared in his left hand—not as powerful as the external Time Blade, yet still imbued with the sense of irreversible time’s passage.
Another divine weapon!
Chong He’s sword formation wasn’t perfect—currently excelling only in destruction, seemingly grasping some essence of things and forces, but still flawed in time and space, with imbalance in the four elements and an incomplete, imperfect array. Moreover, his four swords combined equaled only one divine weapon!
Within just a few breaths, Han Guang gained a basic understanding of Chong He’s sword formation while enduring the onslaught!
Not detailed, nor revealing specific weaknesses, but still an opportunity!
Acting on thought, Han Guang stepped forward, his eyes becoming indifferent and profound, exuding majesty as if surveying the mortal world with neither favor nor hatred, treating all beings equally, embodying the impartial Dao of Heaven!
The void trembled as if bowing to the “Yanmo Emperor,” and the surrounding destruction slowed.
Han Guang’s left blade sliced leisurely, exuding a sense of vicissitude.
The wind stopped. The sounds stilled. The Five Colored Divine Palm’s light froze. The cyan, red, white, and black sword beams slowed.
The Emperor strides through time, crushing this era!
The Zhenxian Sword Formation retained only black and white, freezing momentarily, but the delay created an unintended flaw. Seizing the moment, the black river swirling around Han Guang’s body enveloped Taili as they surged toward the formation’s edge.
Unperturbed, Chong He’s true form grew even more distant and transcendent. Whether blade or time, both were part of “existence,” and with the Zhenxian Sword Formation separating them, they could no longer affect him!
With a flick of his crimson sword, boundless sword beams surged again, instantly breaking the slowness!
Endless cyan, red, white, and black sword lights rained down, all targeting Han Guang, forcing him to retreat, defend, and lose grip on that fleeting flaw!
Han Guang remained expressionless, suddenly conjuring above his head a thirty-three-tiered Xuanyellow Pagoda!
The pagoda descended streams of Xuanyellow Qi, forming dragon shapes that enveloped Han Guang, blocking the sword beams.
He actually possessed a Dharmakaya-level replica of the “Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda”!
The cyan, red, white, and black sword beams continuously struck the pagoda, severing Xuanyellow dragons.
Within mere breaths, the Xuanyellow Pagoda already bore visible cracks!
Han Guang showed no sign of regret, carrying Taili to the formation’s edge.
Boom!
Suddenly, he hurled the Xuanyellow Pagoda forward and detonated it. Merit Qi surged like a tide, swallowing the pursuing sword beams.
But Chong He had anticipated this. With a flick of his left hand, a chaotic-hued bead, heavy beyond comprehension, shot toward Han Guang’s head at unimaginable speed.
It compressed the surrounding void, leaving Han Guang no escape!
Just as Han Guang was about to be forced back into the Zhenxian Sword Formation, a mirror suddenly appeared behind his head. Dull in appearance, its surface blurred.
The mirror shone brightly upward, freezing the chaotic bead.
Crack!
The mirror and bead shattered simultaneously!
Han Guang spent his entire past accumulation recklessly, all for that single chance of survival!
At this moment, Taili had already been severely wounded by the Zhenxian Sword Formation, losing most of his feathers, fearful and no longer concealing his strength, he crushed the hidden object in his left hand.
A hazy rift tore open in the void—destination unknown!
Taili and Han Guang leapt inside, but the cyan, red, white, and black sword beams pursued!
Han Guang swung his right arm, his left blade of flowing time accelerating time itself, deepening destruction. The four sword beams of Annihilation, Absolute Destruction, Peril, and Carnage also sped up, missing their precise timing to strike vital points!
More importantly, Han Guang did not look back or hesitate. After accelerating the sword beams, he used his Emperor Yan Body to block directly, leveraging the force to propel himself forward and instantly plunging into the rift!
Hmph!
A muffled groan of pain echoed. The rift sealed shut, and Han Guang and Taili vanished without a trace.
With superhuman decisiveness, unhesitating action, and a willingness to gamble and expend everything, Han Guang finally created an opportunity to escape, evading Kongwen and Master Lu, fully displaying the demeanor of a peerless overlord!
Yet this escape came at a heavy cost—Han Guang was gravely wounded, and nearly all his treasures from years of extraordinary encounters were nearly depleted!
…
Seeing Taili and Han Guang flee without looking back, the White Tiger Demon King, who had been suppressing the already fatigued Daoist Shoujing, was greatly startled. Without thinking, he acted on instinct—his left palm turned golden, forming a claw that suppressed the other Five Elements. Within hundreds of miles, only metallic Qi remained, sharp and killing, manifesting as countless “Qi weapons”—swords, spears, halberds, nearly matching divine weapons—as they struck Daoist Shoujing.
Shoujing did not retreat, also unleashing “The Emperor Treads Through Time”!
Time flowed, bringing vicissitudes. The metallic Qi weapons froze entirely, all colors fading into black and white silence.
The Time Blade struck the White Tiger Demon King’s left palm, aging it instantly into withered decay.
But behind the left palm was no White Tiger Demon King!
He had preemptively severed his own left hand, seizing the chance to wrap himself in hurricane winds and flee in panic!
With the suppression of Metal Qi lifted, the other Five Elements spiraled out of control, making the heavens and earth around Daoist Shoujing seem to boil—now grasses and trees sprouting, now seas of flame rising, blocking his pursuit.
The same applied to the Kuiniu Demon King. Its instinctive sense of danger made it endure He Qishiba’s seventy-eight sword strikes, its one-legged Dharma body riddled with countless wounds, oozing indigo blood and crackling with lightning, severely wounded. Yet it forcibly broke free, using Thunder Escape to flee, thwarting Chong He’s pincer attack plan.
The demons reacted swiftly indeed—if they had delayed two or three breaths, none would have escaped! Chong He sighed, the “Three Pure Ones” merging back into him as he flew toward the “Withering and Thriving Bodhi” in midair.
Seeing this, “Great Asura” Mengnan abandoned the Joyful Bodhisattva and the Abbess of Shuiyue Nunnery, disregarding his own safety, his six arms flailing to seize the Withering and Thriving Bodhi before Chong He.
At this moment, the Joyful Bodhisattva instead blocked the Abbess’s attack.
To her, if the Divine Palm Manual fell into the hands of the righteous sects, she would lose all hope. But if it landed in the hands of the Asura Temple, one of the Nine Evil Paths, there was still a chance for exchange and understanding!
This struggle for the Divine Palm indeed brought constant shifts in motives, alliances, and enmities!
The four-legged, three-armed monster also abandoned its assault on the Dushi Dharma King, turning to block He Qishiba.
Yet under current circumstances, it was only a matter of time before Chong He, He Qishiba, and Cui Qinghe succeeded, especially after Chong He displayed the terrifying power of Yiqihua Sanqing!
…
The radiance of the Buddhist glazed light grew more intense. The green lamp, wooden fish, and sutras began to float upwards. Suddenly, the former Crown Prince Zhao Qian rose to his feet, taking seven steps to the left and eight to the right, as he solemnly declared:
“When the constellation arises, a Buddha shall return from Nirvana, guiding all beings, wishing all to harbor compassion and attain Buddhahood in the future…”
The Buddhist radiance resonated, the glazed brilliance enveloping him as his voice carried far and wide, culminating in the final proclamation:
“If I attain Bodhi, then in the Final Dharma Age, all shall be Buddhas!”
…
The Dharma Body battle had devastated the entire Yuhai Tanshan frontline, yet the Withering and Thriving Bodhi had not fallen into anyone’s hands. Floating midair, it slowly descended.
Suddenly, a solemn and majestic voice resounded from the heavens, like the sermon of a Buddha, bathing all things in glazed radiance.
“If I attain Bodhi, then in the Final Dharma Age, all shall be Buddhas!”
The Withering and Thriving Bodhi suddenly radiated purity, vibrating slightly before flying swiftly into the distance!
Its speed was so immense that even Chong He and the other divine beings couldn’t stop it in time!
(Note: The term “法shen” appears to be a typo or unconventional term. Based on context, it’s translated as “divine beings” assuming it refers to deities or supernatural entities. If “法shen” is a specific term from the original work, please provide clarification for precise translation.)
Had it chosen its master autonomously?
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