This Tathagata Was Not That Tathagata
The "main force" left in the palace square outside was now dumbfounded, only able to watch as the huge Buddha head, with an expression that combined compassion and majesty, broke through the many obstacles in the hall and went straight into the dim sky outside the hall.
Those who reacted slowly were still standing there looking around, while those who reacted quickly had already slipped away as fast as they could.
"What the hell? The Buddha-like aliens have broken in too? This isn't Killing City movie set, is it?!"
As one user fled, he looked back at the enormous, golden figure radiating light in the night and shouted this complaint at the top of his lungs.
"Quickly, go and invite the Third Tiga Patriarch!"
There's no way around it, this scene just has that huge, contrasting feel of a tokusatsu movie!
Amidst the rising gray clouds, the "Buddha" peeking out from the temple continues to grow, its form overwhelming and obscuring the sky and the moon!
Accompanied by hundreds of golden arms slowly extending from behind, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, or like a centipede's segmented limbs dancing, they stood menacingly at the side!
Not to mention them, even the common people outside the palace and in the capital could easily see this radiant, towering "Buddha incarnate"!
Many ordinary people from afar immediately knelt down in worship!
Especially the divine eyes that peek out from each palm, those eyes that are so strange and varied in shape are all slightly moving, indifferently scanning the ravaged ground and these "strange people" who look like ants.
What's the point of even fighting?!
So, when you were in that other form, you were really just a weak, untransformed "human being," right?
Those users who were already standing not far from the palace gate could all see it clearly just now.
The dome of the Cihang Hall had just shattered, and the people inside were still desperately trying to escape...
Immediately afterwards, the pillars and walls of the palace, those tall walls bearing many exquisite murals depicting flying apsaras, transformations, and teachings, were squeezed by the rapidly expanding golden Dharma body. In just a short time, they bulged outward as if they were just randomly piled up quicksand and yellow mud, and finally burst open!
Not to mention the hundreds of arms that moved freely as they broke out of the palace; the stretching of each arm was almost accompanied by the complete collapse of a section of the palace structure!
The facts have already proven that the towering "golden body" before us is not a mere illusion, nor is it some empty "hydrogen material" contraption!
But as the massive pillar collapsed and the stone pillar crumbled, the pieces of the main hall crashing to the ground stirred up even more dust and debris, creating a further mess.
"Forget about the others inside! Use the tools! Don't be stingy! Find Yan Chixia and the others first! They can't have been crushed to death inside!"
Those "commanders" outside reacted quickly and began issuing orders on the spot. A few who were unable to act in time even risked hiding in the thick dust kicked up by the collapsing palace, frantically searching for Yan Chixia, Baiyun, and the others.
There's no way around it; we can do without any other users, but if these key story characters are gone, then there's really nothing we can do!
At this moment, with the golden statue standing tall, even the large clouds nearby in the sky have been faintly tinged with a layer of gold.
But that crimson streak of sky still stood in the way, precisely cutting through this solemn scene!
While the users in the square were briefly thrown into chaos by this drastic change, some were carrying out orders and frantically searching for manpower—
"BOOM!!!"
A deafening roar, three times more intense than any of the previous collapses, resounded!
The remaining structure of the entire Cihang Hall, under the pressure of the still expanding Buddha's body, finally could not bear the weight and collapsed in all directions, just like a sandcastle crushed by a child's foot!
It's obvious that many of those inside are unlikely to escape.
Some users finally couldn't hold back and started cursing! Some even slammed the scroll they had just pulled out onto the ground, clearly having an emotional breakdown!
But the "golden Buddha" beneath it, which had naturally transformed into a lotus throne posture, paid no heed to any of this.
With outstretched arms behind him, a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, a golden body and a Buddha-like appearance, and eyes like crystal, accompanied by a solemn posture with hands clasped together, the Buddha's appearance suddenly "spoke".
"Now that I am about to attain enlightenment, all sentient beings from the Shifang will come to witness it. However, demons from beyond the heavens will descend to obstruct my path, repeating the stories of Mara. I will then demonstrate this to them with great wisdom, great enlightenment, and great compassion, thoroughly explaining the meaning of the scriptures and opening the gates of Dharma—"
As the chanting of the sutras began, the sound was like thunder. After just a few words, it was enough to captivate the listener, making their eyes light up as if they had heard a priceless treasure. A sense of joy and peace welled up in their hearts, and they were unable to extricate themselves from it.
"Oh no! Don't listen to its sound!"
The protective gear on one person automatically activated on the spot. In a brief moment of clarity, he suddenly realized the danger and tried desperately to cover his ears, but the sound was as if it were echoing in his heart, and it was of no use.
Even worse, some users hiding far away, seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, attempted to snipe with large firearms, but the bullets hitting the massive golden body had no effect other than producing a few sparks!
On the contrary, at the edge of the ruins of the Cihang Hall, as the dust gradually settled, Golden Alms Bowl that had been turned upside down inside was vaguely revealed. It was shining brightly, hanging down from the sky, and the twenty or thirty people were scattered in this completely different golden light, not yet greatly affected.
"----Is this what is known as the Life-Seizing Brahmic Sound?"
They kept stuffing pills, which had been kindly provided by the Kunlun disciples, into their mouths Yan Chixia and the others stood at the forefront, taking the time to regulate their breathing and recover their energy. A group of "extraordinary people" who hadn't had time to run away also followed behind, carefully looking up at the "Buddha" who was broadcasting the Jade Sound.
"This is demonic practice disguised as Buddhism."
Compared to the others, White Cloud Monk's complexion remained almost unchanged, clearly indicating that he had suppressed his emotional turmoil. "This method of enticing people and bewitching living beings, though not intended to take lives, is far more harmful than indiscriminate killing!"
From what they had just witnessed, it was clear that the old monk's true cultivation was superior to that of the others beside him, yet he was subtly restrained by the demon, making it difficult to discern the truth in their every action.
"Indeed, but the monster's golden body is quite interesting—"
Among the group of strange figures behind them, someone suddenly spoke up, "No wonder its Dharma name is Cihang Pudu). This thousand-armed, thousand-eyed Tathagata Golden Body probably doesn't Mahavairocana 'Proper Dharma Brightness Tathagata,' which is the one who will attain enlightenment in the future, the one who returns to the world to guide us, and one of the various manifestations of Guanyin recorded in the scriptures, the thousand-armed, Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Dharma Form."
"Oh, this devotee is also well-versed in Buddhism?"
Most people couldn't understand what he was saying, but the White Cloud Monk couldn't help but turn around and look. He saw a young man with white hair hanging down behind him speaking.
"I wouldn't dare accept that; I've simply read a few books in my spare time."
The white-haired man remained calm, simply pointing to the back of the thousand-armed Buddha statue.
"But these monster's thousand eyes" are clearly not legitimate eyes. It's likely that while this golden body may appear to have the form of a golden body, it isn't a true golden body at all."