NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37 Aftermath
While Master Zhenyuan and the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor were conversing, at the foot of Wanshou Mountain, a woodcutter sat in a pavilion, gazing in the direction of Wuzhuang Temple.
He wore a tattered hemp garment and straw sandals, his calloused, large feet exposed with dirt visible between his toes. Beside him lay an axe, and his weathered face bore a mysterious smile.
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"I didn't expect them to enlist Zhen Wu to protect the Dao. I had thoughts of controlling him, pity that," the woodcutter muttered to himself.
As his voice fell, a vine sprouted at his feet and wrapped around him with the swiftness of lightning, glowing with light. A black shadow flew out from the woodcutter's body, transforming into a wisp of black smoke and vanished between heaven and earth, leaving only the words, "It's truly someone who has borne the Fruit of Tao to discover me so quickly."
Simultaneously, Master Zhenyuan opened his eyes and shook his head, "True to the Demon Lord's nature, he still couldn't leave his avatar behind."
"This guy really is irredeemably cunning. Instead of focusing on the monks at Mount Ling, he targeted you," the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor said.
"The Demon Lord's path transformed into cosmic calamities, merely due to the inherent opposition to Buddhism that led him to target Mount Ling. But regardless of who achieves Transcendence, just by staining them with his demonic nature, he can accomplish his own Transcendence. He probably approached me to plant a backhand, planning to scheme against Buddhism later on."
"With his temperament, who knows how many cultivators in the world have already become his secret agents—it's quite unsettling," the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor said with a frown, wary of those who scheme from the shadows.
"No need to worry about that too much. After all, those individuals are still around; he wouldn't dare go too far.
Yet, as the moment for Transcendence draws near, the Demon Lord will likely become increasingly active as those people will be too busy pursuing Transcendence to pay him any mind," Master Zhenyuan said with a slight sigh, as if he could already see that scene of the demon corrupting the world.
"Hmph! Does he really think we are pushovers? If he dares to corrupt this world, I am ready to join the remaining others and eliminate him," the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor said with murderous intent.
"It's unlikely to come to that; he isn't foolish enough to incite everyone's wrath and lose all hope of Transcendence. If I am not mistaken, he will continue to primarily target Buddhism, after all, that's where his opportunity to attain enlightenment lies," Master Zhenyuan responded.
By this time, the fact that Master Zhenyuan had borne the Fruit of Tao had already spread throughout the three realms. Anyone who had reached a certain level of cultivation knew that since Tathagata had borne the Fruit of Tao, Master Zhenyuan had also entered the ranks of the Great Spiritual Practitioners.
Everyone could distinctly feel that the tides of the era were rolling in, representing both calamity and opportunity. Under the influence of Master Zhenyuan's achievement of the Fruit of Tao, the three realms grew more tumultuous, and many powerful beings opened their eyes from meditation and saw the scene of Master Zhenyuan's enlightenment, stirring their once calm hearts.
In a world enveloped by clouds and fog, a Taoist sat beneath the flame-twirled Fusang Tree, appearing ethereal like a Divine Spirit. At this moment, he opened his eyes, and two beams of golden light burst forth, scorching the ground in front of him into two large holes.
"Master Zhenyuan has already taken this step, huh? It seems I also need to hasten my pace," the Taoist was none other than Lord Lu Ya who was seeking the Golden Crow. His gaze penetrated the cloud-wreathed world and fell upon the three realms. Sensing something, his gaze landed on Lu Yu, and a cryptic smile appeared on his face.
Within the Underworld, Patriarch of the Nether River stirred up the tumultuous Sea of Blood, but an invisible wall of Buddha Light blocked the raging waves entirely.
In the void, the roar of the Patriarch of the Nether River echoed, "Ksitigarbha, the enmity for obstructing my path is irreconcilable!"
Amid his roaring, the Sea of Blood immediately stirred up towering waves, yet the wall made of Buddha light, although swaying and seemingly on the verge of collapse, firmly kept the Sea of Blood at bay.
"Patriarch, you wish to merge the Sea of Blood into the cosmos to fulfill your Great Dao, but have you considered if you succeed, how many creatures would be afflicted by resentment, turning into monsters that know only slaughter?" the majestic voice of Ksitigarbha resounded.
"They are but mere ants, why bother about their lives or deaths?" The Patriarch of the Nether River spoke with an indifferent tone, showing no concern for the consequences; born from the Sea of Blood and similar to celestial beings by nature, he possessed not an ounce of compassion for these creatures and cared even less about their fate.
"Amitabha, Patriarch views them as ants, yet this humble monk perceives the Three Realms as beautiful because of their existence. Hence, if you wish to achieve your goal, you must first pass my test," said Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha with a severe tone.
"Such a mad monk, even with you holding me back, you will still not be able to take that step, so why even bother?" The Patriarch of the Nether River could not understand Ksitigarbha's choice, who would give up such a grand opportunity to attain Dao for these mere ants.
"Our paths do not align, and it is fruitless for you to waste your efforts, Patriarch."
As Ksitigarbha spoke, the Sea of Blood stirred with waves once more, and blood light mingled with Buddha light within the Underworld, destabilizing the entire realm.
Deep in the Underworld, the Emperor of Fengdu opened his eyes, looking in the direction of the distant Sea of Blood and knitting his brow, he asked, "My Lady, can we ignore them?"
An ethereal and grand voice arose beside him: "It's harmless. With Ksitigarbha blocking, the Patriarch won't be able to achieve Dao. His opportunity will come at our moment of transcendence, this moment is just to conceal that desire."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Fengdu felt reassured and chuckled, "Indeed, only at that time would be the optimal moment; otherwise, all cultivators in the Three Realms wouldn't watch idly as he tries to merge the Sea of Blood into the Great Dao of heaven and earth."
Having said this, he no longer concerned himself with the struggle between Ksitigarbha and the Patriarch of the Nether River; his gaze pierced through the Underworld, looking towards Wanshou Mountain. He couldn't help but envy Master Zhenyuan who, after this calamity, had already overtaken them.
When all the saints transcend, he is most likely to be the one with the best chance of transcendence, already having secured an advantage in the invisible competition.
However, he knew that this was a position Master Zhenyuan had secured by putting himself in a desperate situation and not every individual has the courage to break and then establish themselves anew. For example, the Patriarch of the Nether River, who, had he renounced the Sea of Blood and focused solely on the path of slaughter, might already have reached this step.
Unfortunately, he has never been willing to let go, and now he is even suppressed by a junior.
With a profound gaze, the Emperor of Fengdu looked towards the sky, murmuring to himself, "Transcendence, transcendence!"
In the depths of the North Sea, within an Eye of the Sea, the corpse of the Splitting General, Shen Gongbao, was interred.
In the pitch-black deep sea, countless runic inscriptions forming a seal shone brilliantly. Influenced by Master Zhenyuan's attainment of Dao, something terrifying seemed to be breaking free inside, causing the entire Eye of the Sea to tremble and also stirring up the waves on the calm surface of the sea.