He had an Immortal Body that granted freedom and ease, yet he insisted on crashing into the Investiture of the Gods List, where he would henceforth be driven by edicts and obey the Heavenly Court, reduced to a clay idol or wooden puppet forced to rely on others' favor.
Alas, his regret surged like a tide, but there was no boat to carry him back.
At the critical moment, a streak of Seven-colored Stream of Light suddenly swept over from the horizon, as light as a feather and silent as the wind. With a gentle flick—
The thunderbolt that had exploded with a roar was swept away without a trace. The Purple Emperor's shoulders relaxed, and he escaped death by a hair's breadth.
"Heh, the real master has finally shown himself?"
Before his voice faded, golden lotuses blossomed from the void above the firmament, while the tinkling of immortal music descended from the highest heavens. Heavenly flowers rained down, golden lotuses surged from the earth, and Buddhist chants coiled through the air like something tangible. Fairy Maidens scattered auspicious omens from baskets, their exotic fragrance drifting and sinking for ten miles. Clear springs gurgled up through the ground, while vast purple qi surged eastward for thirty thousand miles. Auspicious clouds spread into a level road, rainbow bridges spanned the sky, and Auspicious Beasts such as Qilin, Bai Ze, and Azure Luan stood in ordered ranks, heads bowed and eyes lowered as they quietly awaited the Imperial Carriage.
A clear song drifted over from afar on the wind:
Great Awakened Golden Immortal of Non-Duality, Western Wonderful Dharma Ancestor Bodhi;
Unborn and Undying Three-Three Path, Complete Qi and Complete Spirit, Ten-Thousandfold Compassion.
Emptiness and Stillness Naturally Follow Change, True Suchness, Original Nature, Act Freely;
Body of Solemnity, Longevity Equal to Heaven, Calamity-Experiencing