CHAPTER 481: CHAPTER 465: TERRIFYING ENTITY IN THE WEST_1

After the battle in the Imperial Capital concluded, countless powerful observers gradually withdrew their spiritual senses, their expressions complex. "Because of the vast Fortune," one lamented, "this battle, which should have been lost, ended in victory for the Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court!"

「Nine Heavens Saint’s Court.」

Dongfang Zhantian heaved a deep sigh, his eyes filled with envy. How wonderful it would be if the Fortune of the Nine Heavens Saint’s Court were as abundant as that of the Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court! Unfortunately, constrained by its geographical environment, the Nine Heavens Saint’s Court was surrounded by powerful sacred lands where many factions thrived. Every action could affect the entire region, making outward expansion exceedingly difficult. The rich Spiritual Energy of the Middle Region, along with its unique cultivation environment, had solidified the Nine Heavens Saint’s Court’s dominion for several eras. However, these very advantages also became its shackles.

「Beidou Palace.」

Fortune! The Fortune that should have been mine! Tian Shu Xing Zun roared in fury. His eyes, as brilliant as stars, burned with a raging inferno of anger that seemed to make the very Void before him evaporate. At this moment, his heart was bleeding. Had it not been for the rise of the Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court, the Purple Cloud Sect he supported would have enjoyed one-third of the East Border’s Fortune. Combined with the Beidou Palace’s inherent Fortune, it would have been no less than that of the Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court.

Besides him, Ancestral Emperor Di Zu of the Taiyi Saint’s Court and the Demon Emperor of the Ten Thousand Demon Saint’s Court were similarly consumed by rage and jealousy.

"Amitabha!"

「Western Border. Thunder Sound Temple.」

Wu Fa Buddha sat on a golden lotus. After chanting a Buddhist incantation, he slowly rose and walked towards the forbidden grounds within the Western Pure Land. His compassionate face bore a hint of gravity.

A few minutes later, he entered the forbidden territory alone. Unlike the rest of the Western Pure Land, this area lacked any warm Buddhist light. For a hundred miles, not a single blade of grass grew, and even the air carried a distinct,陰冷 chill. The deeper one ventured, the colder the temperature dropped and the dimmer the light became, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

As he neared the core of the forbidden land, a black barrier materialized before him. It was covered with golden Buddhist seals, radiating boundless Buddhist affinity. However, this Buddhist manifestation was unlike any other; it possessed a strange, mysterious, and profound aura, as if it were exploring the Great Dao within the Sea of the Other Shore.

Outside the black barrier stood a stone lotus. Wu Fa Buddha stood upon it and bowed respectfully. "The Third Era’s Buddha Child, Wu Fa, requests an audience with the Buddha Ancestor!"

His words faded, but no response came. The world was utterly silent, as if he had arrived in a land of the dead. Wu Fa Buddha was not anxious. He maintained his respectful bow, his attitude exceptionally devout, much like the ordinary folk of the Western Border chanting scriptures and worshipping at the Thunder Sound Temple.

BOOM!

A short while later, the barrier split open, and a black, nine-petaled Buddhist lotus flew out, carrying Wu Fa Buddha within.

Upon entering the barrier, the world plunged into absolute darkness. Even with his cultivation at the Origin Great Emperor Realm, Wu Fa Buddha found himself adrift in endless blackness, unable to see a thing.

"How are matters in the outside world?" a serene voice suddenly inquired.

"Reporting to the Buddha Ancestor, the East Border is on the verge of unification!" Wu Fa Buddha replied respectfully.

"By whom?" The voice from the darkness held a trace of surprise.

"The Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court!" Wu Fa Buddha stated solemnly. "The Eternal Temple dispatched three Origin Great Emperor Martial Artists to destroy the Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court, but they failed! In this great battle, the Qin Dynasty’s Saint’s Court deployed a powerful battle Formation capable of rivalling an Origin Great Emperor Realm Martial Artist. Augmented by their Fortune, it was exceedingly terrifying..."

The Void fell silent, as if the entity hidden in the shadows was deep in thought.

"Fortune!" the voice finally responded after a pause. "Proceed with the next step of the plan. After the second Heavenly Creation ends, I, this humble monk, will be able to leave seclusion!"

"I will obey the Buddha Ancestor’s decree!" Wu Fa Buddha replied with a bow, a hint of excitement in his tone.

In the next instant, space distorted, and Wu Fa Buddha was uncontrollably ejected from the forbidden land, reappearing in a treasured hall a thousand miles away. Lingering Buddhist chants filled the air, creating an atmosphere of peace and serenity.

Noticing his arrival, the thousands of Buddhas chanting scriptures opened their eyes in unison.

"We pay our respects to the Buddha Ancestor!" Abbot Ru Yuan opened his eyes, hurriedly rising to offer a Buddhist salute.

"Amitabha!" Wu Fa Buddha inclined his head. His body levitated, bathed in boundless Buddhist light, as he announced in a clear voice, "Issue the order: three years from now, the Thunder Sound Temple, White Horse Temple, and Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple shall hold a debate on Buddhist doctrine!"

Upon hearing this, joy illuminated the faces of the myriad Buddhas in the treasured hall. Streams of Buddhist light surged skyward, and countless resounding Buddhist chants echoed throughout the world. At this moment, should even the most sorrowful person enter the Western Pure Land, they would forget all three thousand of their troubles. Indeed, even those whose hands were stained with the heaviest slaughter would lay down their butcher’s knives and attain Buddhahood on the spot.

「Meanwhile, within the black barrier in the forbidden area of the Western Pure Land.」

Countless strands of black Buddhist qi roiled, and innumerable black Buddhist lotuses bloomed with a transient golden radiance. Aided by this fleeting golden Buddhist light, a colossal figure could be discerned, seated upon a twelve-petaled Black Lotus, exuding an aura of world-annihilating power.

This figure wore a black Kasaya. His face was split into two halves: one side displayed Buddhist nature, radiating compassion to all under heaven; the other side was demonic, harboring a malevolence that desired the destruction of all living beings.

Buddha and demon embodied as one! A single thought could lead to Buddhahood; a single thought could lead to demonhood!

Master, your disciple will undoubtedly avenge you! he murmured, his lips barely moving, a bone-deep hatred emanating from him. A cataclysmic aura erupted from his body, sweeping through the entire black barrier, utterly annihilating everything it touched.

Karma ceases to exist; the Supreme Dao flourishes eternal!

Who was he? He was the direct disciple of the Buddha Ancestor, a powerhouse of the Second Era, the Wisdom Absolute Buddha who possessed the ’Trikaya Body’—and also the strongest in the Western Territory.

「Eternal Temple.」

The Soul Emperor sat on his dark throne in the pitch-black, majestic hall, a trace of surprise on his face. To think that a few dozen armies actually defeated two Origin Great Emperor Realm Elders under my command!

He had observed the great war in the East Ancient Domain with utmost clarity. He had not anticipated that the Heavenly Spirit and Earth Evil Army would unleash such formidable combat strength, to the point of shattering his long-held beliefs. For several eras, he had focused on cultivating the strong. As a result, the Eternal Temple boasted countless powerful experts, but only one truly deployable army: the ’Eternal Army’! Beyond this, the Eternal Temple had no other armies to mobilize.

It seems I must cultivate some legions! The Soul Emperor mused, his eyes glinting as he made a decision.

"Relay my orders: open the Scripture Library, retrieve all texts on military strategy and Formation diagrams, and establish ten primary battle legions. As for the selection of generals, it shall be deliberated upon by the Elder’s Court..."

"As you command!" A figure robed in black materialized, bowed in obeisance, and then departed to convey the orders.

Having made these arrangements, the Soul Emperor allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. As usual, he prepared to sit cross-legged and meditate for a while, but the thought had barely formed when he shook his head with a sense of helplessness. He could no longer cultivate. During the Battle of Cold Water, he had paid an immense price to attain the Mixed Yuan Great Emperor Realm, but in doing so, he had ruined his future prospects and severed his foundation.

Master, I can only rely on you now...

BOOM!

「Kylin Territory—the Three Saints’ Temple residence!」

The clear Void collapsed with a deafening roar, and a battle spear, wreathed in destructive energy, flew out and struck downwards. Following a monstrous bang, the protective Formation of the ’Three Saints’ Temple’ developed countless fissures, then violently exploded, dissolving into innumerable specks of light before vanishing completely.

The terrifying force swept through the entire ’Three Saints’ Temple’. One magnificent palace after another crumbled, ancient trees were uprooted, and disciple after disciple was flung into the air, only to crash heavily back to the ground. Only a scant few disciples with superior strength managed to barely maintain their footing.

They stood rooted to the spot, gazing eastward, utterly terrified.