The Golden Sutra of the Tathagata, Fist Intent Subverted

Looking at the fish-scale-like red clouds in the distance, Luo Zhou couldn't help but let out a roar.

"Bastards!"

Zhang Youzhi would spare no expense in his pursuit of the Jellyfish Celestial Son.

And that Jellyfish Celestial Son's guardian was even more sinister, directly provoking sea beasts to attack the city and disrupt the pursuit!

These bastards were risking the lives of 350,000 civilians.

The Geomagnetism Devil, Gu Shanhe, the Eye-Eating Devil, Qiu Jun, the Yellow Earth Devil, Li Feng – these devils only killed dozens or hundreds of people.

These people, however, were about to kill hundreds of thousands with one move!

How many children would become orphans? How many elderly parents would lose their children!

They were more devilish than devils!

Luo Zhou touched his Qiankun Pouch, wishing he could deliver a Dragon-Slaying Thrust to each of them and kill them!

If he could quell this disaster, he would gladly become a devil himself!

But how could it be that easy? The Jellyfish Celestial Palace's guardian was completely unknown.

Even Zhang Youzhi, if he didn't reveal himself, Luo Zhou wouldn't be able to see him, even if he stood right in front of him!

And he didn't even know what his strength was.

A Qi Refining stage Dragon-Slaying Thrust might kill him, but a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator would be impossible to deal with.

No, if he could see, Omniscience could!

But would Zhang Youzhi be the only one investigating here?

Who knew how many people were hidden in the shadows. Even if he killed Zhang Youzhi, it wouldn't stop the sea beasts from attacking the city.

Someone screamed, and people on the street started moving.

Countless people rushed home, packed their belongings, and fled the city by any means necessary, heading towards the provincial capital, Fengtian.

They swarmed, completely blocking the north gate.

The government sent people to clear the traffic...

But Luo Zhou knew they wouldn't be able to escape. The fish-scale-like red clouds had appeared, and the water energy within a hundred-mile radius had already erupted.

The road to the provincial capital, Fengtian, was blocked by a spreading marsh, a sky-obscuring fog, severed transportation, and attacks from water beasts. Eighty percent of it was likely impassable.

The sky's anomaly appeared only when the surrounding waters were full!

Ordinary civilians basically couldn't escape. Only some large families, with several Qi Refining stage cultivators as guards, could pass through the dangers and escape to Fengtian.

The struggle and danger of fleeing were immense, making staying in the city seem safer.

Many experienced people had already started hoarding various daily necessities.

As expected, an hour later, those who had fled returned, unable to escape.

He wondered if Cheng Wanli and the others had left yet? What was their situation?

Luo Zhou returned home to check his provisions.

He always had a reserve of food and drink, so he had no worries about sustenance.

In the evening, the village chief arrived to register everyone.

All cultivators in the city had to register and join the queue to defend the city.

All mortals also had to do the same. Regardless of gender or age, those who couldn't fight on the city walls would be responsible for logistics and other labor.

If the city fell, no one would survive.

Luo Zhou registered. The village chief's surname was Xie. He said:

"Luo Zhou, you've been assigned to Team Thirty-Seven. Report to the East Gate early tomorrow morning."

"Understood, no problem!"

"When the sea beasts come, remember not to push yourself too hard. Your parents died fighting too hard back then, refusing to retreat, and ultimately died on the city walls."

"Mm, I understand!"

"If you don't have enough food at home, come find me. In a few days, there will be countless seafood to eat, and you won't starve!"

"Thank you, Uncle!"

After sending off the village chief, Luo Zhou let out a breath of energy. The sea beast attack five years ago had been his turn, so he would fight.

If he knew who that guardian was, he would definitely blast his head off with a Dragon-Slaying Thrust!

Luo Zhou cultivated in silence. Green Profound, Purple Heavens, Brown Scale, White Yang, Black Nether – all three hundred and sixty forms were circulated through the Great Heavenly Cycle, cultivated repeatedly!

For the great battle tomorrow, Luo Zhou had no hesitation in advancing his realm!

He directly advanced after mastering the Blood Burning Cultivation technique.

His entire body made cracking sounds, as if it were being shattered and reassembled!

Luo Zhou could vaguely see his internal organs, his internal organs being comprehensively strengthened.

Your physique has strengthened once again. Your skin is like ice, your muscles like iron, your meridians like steel, your bones like gold, your blood like boiling water, your bone marrow like jade. Your essence, energy, and spirit have all improved.

You've grown an inch taller and advanced to the eighth level of Body Tempering, the Viscera Casting realm!

However, the ninth level requires a waiting period until your internal organs have fully evolved before you can advance!

You waited silently until midnight.

"Luo Zhou, a spirit is detected committing evil. Punish it!"

"Stopping a couple from fighting and punishing evil is a good deed!"

"Rewarding Good and Punishing Evil completed. Reward!"

In a daze, Luo Zhou felt a power descend from the heavens and infuse his body.

Ability: Dexterity!

With this ability, your hands became nimble.

Luo Zhou knew this was the ability bestowed by that quarreling couple.

They ran an embroidery shop, and without nimble hands, they couldn't possibly embroider flowers and birds. Perhaps their ancestors were in the same trade, a family inheritance, so it was perfectly normal for this ability to manifest.

There should be another one!

He wondered if it was Tang Molli or Zhang Youzhi.

If it was Zhang Youzhi, he'd hit the jackpot!

"Luo Zhou, a spirit is detected committing evil. Punish it!"

"Saving a classmate and punishing evil is a good deed!"

"Rewarding Good and Punishing Evil completed. Reward!"

Another power descended.

Luo Zhou was overjoyed. It was indeed Zhang Youzhi!

But this reward was different from any Spiritual Power ability he had received before. It felt like a segment of a past scene.

Zhang Youzhi sat in a grand hall, contemplating a scripture!

Luo Zhou immediately understood. This was Zhang Youzhi contemplating a scripture at the Myriad Treasures Scroll Peak, a branch of the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect.

He said he is free and powerful in his heart.

This was one of the precious scriptures at the Myriad Treasures Scroll Peak of the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect. The Scroll Peak had thirty-seven halls, each housing a scripture.

Cultivators of the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect could contemplate scriptures here by earning merit or making donations.

He said he is free and powerful in his heart was extremely profound. Everyone who contemplated it gained something entirely different, depending entirely on fate and luck!

One might gain a spiritual power or awaken a Dharma intent or Dharma heart.

Zhang Youzhi, while contemplating scriptures here, had gained the spiritual power "He is Free," which allowed everyone to ignore his existence.

Thus, Zhang Youzhi's background was revealed.

He was at the seventh level of Qi Refining but had not condensed his own unique true energy.

Inner disciples of the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect were assigned menial tasks in the Demon Suppression Courtyard and were not valued.

This mission was completely overlooked by the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect. After reporting the annihilation of the sect's remnants, which had existed for seventy thousand years, the Demon Suppression Courtyard paid no attention.

This allowed him to take on the mission and earn merit...

As for his promise of any position in the imperial capital, it was all just a bluff.

This left Luo Zhou utterly speechless!

However, Zhang Youzhi possessed the spiritual power "He is Free," allowing him to move unseen.

When he left, he had also applied for a talisman treasure from the Demon Suppression Courtyard, capable of killing a true cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage. He also had other means. He was invincible within Green Ridge City; after all, he was an inner disciple of the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect.

The reward for "Rewarding Good and Punishing Evil" was the transmission of Zhang Youzhi's scripture contemplation process.

It was as if Luo Zhou himself had been contemplating the scripture there.

In a daze, Luo Zhou entered a hazy state, with countless scriptures slowly flowing past his ears!

"His heart, he said, he is free!"

"He is not free, great freedom, self-will..."

Luo Zhou suddenly understood. This He said he is free and powerful in his heart was the Tathagata Golden Scripture!

It had been obscured and transformed by someone into He said he is free and powerful in his heart.

Only cultivators like himself, who mastered the Primordial Golden Script and the Supreme Golden Seal, could sense it.

Perhaps a great ancestor of the Heaven and Earth Dao Sect had transformed the Tathagata Golden Scripture into a sect foundation, allowing sect disciples to gain insights into Dharma hearts and Dharma intents.

However, this scripture was highly undervalued at the Myriad Treasures Scroll Peak, ranking thirty-fifth among the thirty-seven halls.

One could contemplate scriptures here with minimal contribution during the Qi Refining stage.

Perhaps they, too, were unaware of the scripture's true profundity?

Here, Luo Zhou was comprehending the Visualization Sutra. Everyone's path was different, so Luo Zhou naturally couldn't attain the same spiritual power as Spiritual Power.

In a daze, Luo Zhou heard an endless tsunami, the sea boiling, the world turning upside down, mountains collapsing and the earth cracking, surging and powerful, moving mountains and overturning seas, thunderous and mighty...

This was the Overturning Rivers and Seas fist and palm technique. He had gained the advantage earlier and used it to guide his current comprehension of the true meaning of heaven and earth contained within.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the Overturning Rivers and Seas fist and palm technique actually had the true meaning of heaven and earth to comprehend.

The Force User inheritance came from the Dao Master, so it naturally possessed the true meaning of heaven and earth.

In his daze, Luo Zhou sensed five true meanings!

Torrent, Overthrow, Subvert, Destroy, Innovate.

He could only choose one of the five dharma intents.

Without a second word, Luo Zhou wanted to choose Destroy.

But Destroy was too immense, not something he could control right now, so he couldn't choose it.

Innovate? Why would there be Innovate? Luo Zhou couldn't understand it, so he naturally abandoned it.

Torrent, with the sea-penetrating aspect as its core, transformed into an unstoppable force, piercing the sea and moving without restraint.

Overthrow, with the river-overturning aspect as its core, overturned the old order and threw all power into chaos.

Subvert, with both as its core, an irresistible torrent that overturned all old orders.

Wasn't it already Overturning Rivers and Seas? How could it not be subverting?

Luo Zhou slowly said:

"Torrent and Overthrow, each with its own primary and secondary aspects, making them difficult to choose.

I have already become a Devilish Cultivator, a Head-Exploding Devil!

Then let's go with Subvert, using both as the core, and blow the heads off these hypocritical bastards!"

Battle intent was like a stat in his previous life's games. With battle intent, it was like adding a core; unleashing battle intent was like cheating, overclocking, and blowing the engine!

As battle intent arose and merged with the battle momentum, the power of Luo Zhou's Overturning Rivers and Seas fist and palm technique increased severalfold.

The Dragon-Slaying Thrust erupted suddenly, a sure-kill, decisive technique, but it couldn't sustain prolonged combat.

Spiritual Power for Nine Bulls and Two Tigers was powerful, but chaotic and lacked combat methods, only allowing him to smash people with his bronze staff.

Spiritual Power for Overturning Rivers Force User and Three Thousand Weak Waters had lost their true energy, rendering them unusable.

Unknowingly, the Overturning Rivers and Seas fist and palm technique gradually became Luo Zhou's core primary combat technique!