Chapter 279
He stared at the rising wisps of smoke, his tone elusive.
"For the dynasties of China Cathay history, the most feared things were Catastrophe and man-made calamities. The former was often seen as the Son of Heaven's loss of virtue, while the latter represented the decline of civilization into barbarism."
"Scar Father and the Wolf!"
Leμian gasped softly.
"Yes."
Wuyou smiled helplessly, "This kind of contradictory spiral is like the eternal pursuit of yin and yang. Cathay has shed enough blood in the past five thousand years... But the most tragic thing is that ninety percent of this blood comes from the common people."
"The wheels of history roll ever onward, crushing countless bones beneath their feet..."
Mostima recalled Hebe's words.
"When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer."
Wuyou said, "Our ancestors did not want to see their descendants still tossing and turning in this eternal opposition, shedding unnecessary blood... That's why they were willing to pay any price to break this pitiful chain."
The smoke rose and swirled in the incense burner, and for a moment, they were all stunned into silence by the meaning behind the words.
The group walked along the Imperial Road in front of the Tianhou Temple and arrived at the side hall where the Water Palace Immortal Class was enshrined.
Beneath the enormous plaque inscribed with "Divine Manifestation Across the Seas," statues, memorial tablets, and symbols of the Water Palace Immortal Class are displayed in succession.
Mostima took out a small bottle containing blue lake water and handed it to Wuyou.
The latter solemnly accepted the bottle, gazed at the lake water inside which seemed to be burning with blue flames, murmured a sentence, and then placed it under the tablet of "Five Lakes Narcissus".
This bottle of lake water belongs to the Morgan, the Bewitching Consort.
What is that?
Fiammetta was usually quiet, suddenly asked.
Wuyou placed the incense stick in his hand into the incense burner and followed her gaze.
"Ah, those are the Taiping Child and the Taiping Maiden."
Wuyou said, "They are close attendants who always accompany Empress. Legend has it that Suihuang cast them and gave them to Empress as a gift."
"Suihuang..."
"Yes, that is, Suirenshi, or rather, September Archon · Skyflint."
Wuyou nodded. "However, there is indeed another, less mainstream legend about these two pills. If you are interested, I can tell you about it."
"Tell me about it?"
Mostima took out paper and pen.
"There's no need to write it down so meticulously."
Wuyou smiled slightly awkwardly, "Legend has it that before these two pills returned to Empress's side, they were born in Bharata. The child was born as Prince Rama Bharata, and the other child was born as Sita."
"This seems to be the protagonist of the Ramayana."
"Yes."
Wuyou shrugged. "That's why many people doubt that this is a modern reinterpretation; this legend is too frivolous."
Snow Mountain Pure Land.
Hebe walked forward with a frown. The world around her was turbulent, sometimes appearing as a murky, foul-smelling yellow soup, and sometimes turning back into a cold, icy snow mountain.
Not far away, Krishna cast a deep and complex gaze.
They had already crossed the border and arrived in Shangri-La Kashyapa.
The two disappeared from each other's sight almost simultaneously.
Of course, both Krishna and Hebe knew that the other was there.
Hebe walked silently along the path once trodden by Hanuman.
She saw the serfs in the vast farmland, their faces numb, their limbs withered, and their complexions dark.
She saw the magnificent white palace standing beneath the snow-capped mountains, where nobles feasted and made merry eternally.
She saw magnificent palaces appearing and disappearing in the clouds, with countless radiant celestial beings riding the wind, some walking freely in the air, others coming down to the palace below to frolic with the nobles.
Of course, she also saw the crack that ran through the sky and the earth.
Even after a generation has passed, the edge of the rift still burns with a dark flame. When Hebe's feet step over the flames, she can hear Hanuman's angry and resentful roar, as well as the cries of thousands of slaves.
These sounds lifted her up like the tide.
At the end of the crack lies the highest point of the snow-capped mountain.
Hebe saw that the stone sculpture of Hanuman had been transformed, still stood there, leaning on a long staff, head held high and chest out.
On the head of this broken stone statue is a wreath; at its feet are offerings of Soma wine and milk.
After the Vedic gods gained human nature, they continued to worship and venerate Hanuman.
But this is not Hebe wanted to see.
She walked past Hanuman and into the infinite light.
This place is neither inside nor outside the snow-capped mountains, nor is it the boundary between the inside and outside of the snow-capped mountains.
Before Hebe, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted softly, and there stood a lotus platform.
There is a statue on each side of the lotus platform. The one on the left is Vajra, and the one on the right is Bodhisattva.
Vajra appears in a wrathful form, displaying a terrifying appearance. He has four arms and three eyes, wears a bone crown, holds a trident, and carries a precious bow at his waist.
The Bodhisattva appears in Great Silence, with a face as white as a full moon, and is painted in accordance with the proper rites.
There was a jagged crack on the lotus platform, as if it had been left by someone striking it with a blunt instrument.
The Bodhisattva and Vajra both silently cast their gazes toward them.
Hebe walked forward expressionlessly, heading towards the lotus platform, and calmly extended her hand.
However, another hand pressed down on the lotus platform even faster than hers.
Hebe raised his eyes and met Krishna's gaze.
Krishna the lotus platform remained completely still.
He showed no embarrassment, but subtly released his hand and placed it back on the edge of the lotus platform.
The bodhisattva and vajra, who had roared when Hanuman stormed this place, were now silent, waiting quietly.
Hebe had long known that this lotus throne was not only the seat of Vishnu, the "guardian god" among the three phases, but also the manifestation of Bharata's Dharma and destiny.
However, when she reached out and touched the edge of the lotus platform, she realized that her guess was too conservative.
This lotus platform represents the entire subcontinent.
In other words, it is Bharata himself.
The destiny that could determine the future of the entire Lostbelt lay before them.
This scene is familiar to both Krishna and Hebe.
Whether in temples or Forest of Asceticism, monks with differing opinions would always engage in heated debates.
Such a rebuttal was far from mild; the loser either worshipped the victor and became his disciple, or cut off his head to prove his innocence with his death.
Krishna twitched the corner of his mouth and raised his head.
The Bodhisattva and Vajra both turned away, avoiding eye contact with him.
Perhaps it's unwillingness, perhaps it's fear, perhaps it's inability.
"Interesting."
Krishna said, "In fact, I have never debated with you before."
There's no need for that.
Hebe replied, "I'm too lazy to talk, and you're not worthy to listen."
"But now you have to tell me. This is what I want, and what the two 'Supremes' hope to see—a debate between the Golden Truth."
"Please, don't be shy."
Krishna smiled and pointed to the lotus throne representing Bharata. "Or is it that you haven't elevated your achievements to the Golden Truth?"
Despite saying this, Krishna's actual actions were not "courteous".
He simply and decisively pointed.
A black chess piece landed on the lotus seat.
"Bhrigu Immortal".
As night falls over the Indus River Valley, in the silent city of Mohenjo-daro, the Bhrigu Immortal observes the night sky with a bronze astrolabe.
Suddenly, he turned and walked toward the palace of the Progenitor Daksha, and told him about the celestial phenomena he had observed.
—The Aryans are about to invade Bharata, and the best way is to give up resistance and integrate them into our culture.
In this way, it will be impossible to distinguish between them.
Dasha had no reason to refuse; for nobles, there are always many choices.
Thus, thousands upon thousands of Bharata warriors were deceived into going to the battlefield, only to die in dire straits.
On the lotus platform, more and more black chess pieces silently encroached on the edge of the chessboard.
Hebe reached out and placed the white piece in an empty space.
"Kamadiya".
On the battlefield, whether it was the Aryans or the "marriage" processions led by the Lords and immortals, they all looked up blankly.
The boundary marker of "Spiritual Terrace, Square Inch Mountain" appeared in the air, and the blue flames were swallowed up like a funnel, leaving no trace.
In the next instant, the Progenitor Daksha and the immortals all died because their magical power had dried up.
On the chessboard, the extra black pieces were crushed one by one.
A second white piece appears at Hebe's fingertips.
Just as she was about to make her move, Krishna suddenly pushed the piece representing the Bhrigu Immortal forward one step.
Parvati is dead.
Suddenly, Hebe saw Parvati struggling and writhing in the fire.
The white piece gradually turned black and then shattered.
She noncommittally moved the chess piece representing Kama aside.
Krishna placed the chess piece down. "The Immortal Jiyu."
"My Immortal Zhongyou."
Hebe responded sharply.
On the Kurukshetra, the Immortal Jiyu was pierced through the chest by a spear thrust from his friends.
The black pieces, which had just been placed, were then crushed.
Krishna's face was somewhat stiff.
He silently pushed the chess piece representing the Bhrigu Immortal forward, watching it shatter along with the chess piece representing the Immortal Zhongyou.
Krishna Hebe must have made many plans during this era, but he did not know exactly what she did.
"Ravana".
Hebe picked up a black chess piece from the remains of the white chess Immortal Zhongyou.
"It was around that time—"
Krishna narrowed his eyes. "At that time, you seized a portion of the sovereignty of 'Chaos'?"