" Ksitigarbha, you're quite impressive." Guanyin's expression remained calm. "However, your strength has only just reached the Quasi-Saint realm. During your time in the underworld, do you really think your strength can surpass ours?"
"So, turn back while there's still time."
As her voice fell, a jade hand that shrouded the heavens appeared above the void.
Tathagata Divine Palm.
It was one of Buddhism's great divine arts.
At this moment, Guanyin unleashed her true strength.
"Demonic Path, Demonic Kingdom of Heaven and Earth."
Ksitigarbha threw a punch. Vast Demonic Energy shook the universe, while the laws of heaven and earth were rapidly worn away.
The jade hand Guanyin had manifested in the void was visibly being eroded at a rapid pace.
"So this is the power of the Demonic Path?" Guanyin inhaled deeply. "We can't hold back any longer. Manjushri, Samantabhadra, attack together."
"Very well..." The three exchanged glances.
Since Ksitigarbha had fallen to the demons, even if Guanyin and the others killed him, Buddha Tathagata would have nothing to say.
"Jade Pure Sacred Law... Jade Pure Divine Thunder."
Guanyin shouted in a low voice. Terrifying bolts of lightning instantly appeared throughout heaven and earth.
It was Jade Pure Divine Thunder, powerful enough to obliterate heaven and earth.
As one of the Three Pure Ones, Yuanshi Tianzun had once taught the Twelve Golden Immortals the Jade Pure Sacred Law. It was not something that could be compared to the techniques of the Two Sages of the West.
It was a sacred law Yuanshi Tianzun had created by combining Hongjun's teachings with some of the power he had inherited as Pangu's primordial spirit.
Chapter Sixteen: Power of Gods and Demons of All Heavens
"Jade Pure Divine Thunder."
When Manjushri and Samantabhadra saw Guanyin launch her attack, they did the same.
Having once been among the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, they had some understanding of one another's strength.
More importantly, all of them were Quasi-Saint powerhouses.
Although compared with Ksitigarbha, they had not entered the Quasi-Saint realm that long ago either.
After all, during the Investiture of the Gods, most of the Twelve Golden Immortals had only been at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
After joining Buddhism, they had been able to break through to the Quasi-Saint realm by relying on the Merit and Destiny they had obtained from Buddhism.
But no matter what, compared with Ksitigarbha, they had gained far more within Buddhism.
Otherwise, why would they abandon such a good sect as the Chan Sect and insist on joining Buddhism? It simply made no sense.
To Guanyin, Manjushri, and the others, the titles of Buddha within Buddhism held no appeal. Improving their strength was their true motivation.
To become Quasi-Saint powerhouses, and perhaps even have the chance to attain Primordial Unity and become Saints.
Perhaps Buddha Tathagata and Daoist Duobao, once the Eldest Martial Brother of the Interception Sect, had more or less held such thoughts.
Of course, after the Interception Sect was defeated, Duobao became Tathagata of the West. To a certain extent, he had no choice.
This was the grand trend of heaven and earth.
The three bolts of Jade Pure Divine Thunder merged together. The Demonic Energy Ksitigarbha had released began to sizzle, unable to withstand the destruction of the divine thunder's radiance.
"Ksitigarbha, with this strike, I shall send you back to the underworld and into the cycle of reincarnation," Guanyin said domineeringly.
At this moment, Guanyin had long since lost her previous appearance of compassion.
As a powerhouse of the former Chan Sect, she had no idea how many living beings had died at her hands.
Her compassionate heart was merely an illusion Guanyin presented to humanity.
"Jade Pure Divine Thunder." Ksitigarbha's gaze grew solemn.
It could be said that this attack from Guanyin and the others was enough to heavily injure an ordinary Quasi-Saint powerhouse.
After all, it was a combined strike from three Quasi-Saints.
Even Ksitigarbha himself needed to go all out to deal with their attack.
"Guanyin, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, what's this? As Bodhisattvas of Buddhism, you don't use Buddhist techniques but instead use Daoist techniques. Are you still Bodhisattvas of Buddhism?" Ksitigarbha sneered.
"Ksitigarbha, all the laws of the heavens ultimately lead to the same destination. Daoist techniques merely allow me to understand Buddhist teachings more thoroughly," Guanyin said indifferently. "So, Ksitigarbha, I shall properly deliver you from your demons."
"Thunder, descend..."
The Jade Pure Divine Thunder above the firmament transformed into a silver radiance that split the world apart and descended.
The Demonic Energy surrounding Ksitigarbha was directly destroyed.
"Demonic Path, Power of Gods and Demons of All Heavens."
At the same time, the Demon Heart within Ksitigarbha began to circulate violently, and his body kept expanding.
Countless bizarre scales spread across his body.
A terrifying demonic form appeared between heaven and earth.
"Demonic Fire Extinguishes the World..."
The enormous god-demon that blotted out the sky and covered the earth extended its massive hand. Black flames surged forth, covering tens of millions of miles in dark firelight.
It was power capable of destroying the world.
"Boom..."
The Jade Pure Divine Thunder and the demonic flames collided violently.
Ripples spread across heaven and earth, while enormous cracks appeared in the ground.
The entire Spirit Mountain was shrouded in this terrifying power. The arhats and bodhisattvas on Spirit Mountain all wore looks of horror.
What terrifying power was this?
Huoyun Cave.
It was where the Three Sovereigns of humanity resided.
It could be said that the Three Sovereigns were humanity's final power and ultimate trump card.
The Three Sovereigns were known respectively as Emperor Fuxi, Earth Emperor Shennong, and Human Emperor Xuanyuan.
Emperor Fuxi had once been one of the great figures of the demon race. After the war between the Witch Race and the demons, he reincarnated as a human and became the Heavenly Emperor.
Shennong and Xuanyuan were both humans. Under the protection of humanity's great destiny, they had each cultivated into Quasi-Saint powerhouses.
Afterward, they all stationed themselves in Huoyun Cave to protect humanity.
"A great battle has broken out on Spirit Mountain." Human Emperor Xuanyuan frowned and looked toward Western Continent of Niu He, where Great Thunderclap Monastery was located.
"Yes. That person who was emitting the aura of the Demonic Path is on Spirit Mountain," Shennong said slowly.
"If possible, I hope that demonic powerhouse can crush Spirit Mountain and properly trample those people from Buddhism." Human Emperor Xuanyuan's gaze shifted.
Xuanyuan was extremely displeased with the people of Buddhism.
After all, Buddhism was currently spreading its teachings throughout humanity with great frequency. Most of the human world worshiped Buddhist bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
As for "Deliver All Living Beings," it was nothing but a joke to Xuanyuan.
It was merely a method for the Buddhas to control humanity's faith.
But sometimes, even Xuanyuan, a Quasi-Saint, could do nothing.
Buddhism was simply too powerful.
Humanity, on the other hand, was far too weak. They could only serve as humanity's final line of defense and ultimate trump card.
"Xuanyuan, we all understand that. However, although that demonic powerhouse is strong, Great Thunderclap Monastery has Tathagata—the Buddha Tathagata," Fuxi said, shaking his head. "He is no weaker than those veteran Quasi-Saint powerhouses."
Veteran Quasi-Saint powerhouses.
They were figures such as Heavenly Emperor Haotian, Ancestor Minghe of the Netherworld Blood Sea, and Zhenyuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple.
Buddha Tathagata could also be counted among them.
"Tathagata truly lives up to his reputation as the former Eldest Martial Brother of the Interception Sect," Shennong also sighed.
When would humanity's fate finally be held in its own hands instead of being placed in the hands of those so-called gods and Buddhas?
Would that day ever come?
Shennong and the other two Sovereigns did not know.
Deep within Heaven, in the courtyard of a palace.
Haotian sat leisurely in a stone chair. A mirror filled with countless strands of the power of laws floated in midair.
It was the Haotian Mirror, Haotian's Dao-affirming treasure.
It could be said that this treasure Haotian possessed allowed him to observe everything in the Three Realms.
Naturally, there were places shrouded by the power of Quasi-Saints, and Haotian would not act too recklessly there.
But now, he found this very interesting.