The ancient Buddha closed his eyes for a moment, and the remaining golden lotus in the pond seemed to be brushed by an invisible force, stopping its further withering, but it would not revive either, maintaining a fragile balance.
He spoke slowly, his voice no longer just echoing in your ears, but striking straight to your soul.
What does that mean?
The ancient Buddha repeated the question, and a beautiful golden Udumbara flower appeared in his hand, the edges of its petals tinged with a very faint gray.
He gently placed it in the air before him; the flower floated, and gray and golden light clashed against each other.
"The calamity has arrived early; there are signs of unforeseen changes."
His voice was calm, yet each word struck like a bell, resonating in the hearts of all the Bodhisattvas and Arhats:
"A single leaf falling heralds autumn; a single lotus blooms foretells calamity."
The myriad lotuses in the pond were not directly affected by the Heavenly Devil, but rather their withering was a manifestation of the collective karma of shock, fear, doubt, and dread in the hearts of Wuliang beings in this world.
"Now that we see the lotus wither, we should first examine ourselves. Has our own hearts also been shrouded in a layer of fear and dread?"
A bodhisattva with the heaviest worry between his brows pressed his palms together and asked:
"Buddha, knowing cause and effect, what should we do? Are we merely to watch the calamity unfold?"
The ancient Buddha came from the High Antiquity era, traversing the Chaos, and has been spreading his teachings in the Immortal Realm for countless years.
The ancient Buddha raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the main hall, seeing the calamities of the future, and also something far more profound.
" The Spirit Void Immortal Domain is a place of far-reaching implications; it is likely the beginning of a calamity... We may witness many things."
"Witness?"
Some Arhats were puzzled.
"Witness the arising and ceasing of causes and conditions, witness... how a possible 'variable' deals with this 'fixed fate'."
If that variable can break through the first giant wave of the calamity, it will be a great help for us to save all living beings...
The ancient Buddha paused, and for the first time, the Buddha's light surrounding him became extremely dazzling.
"If no variables emerge, it proves that the severity of this calamity far exceeds expectations. At that time, the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Pure Land of Buddha, and Wuliang worlds will all need to rise up, face the end head-on, and seek that glimmer of hope in the midst of Ji Mie."
"In places where the Buddha's light shines, all virtuous beings, regardless of race, can receive temporary protection."
After speaking, the ancient Buddha fell silent, lowered his eyes again, and entered a deeper state of meditation, seemingly still contemplating various future changes.
Not only the Buddhist Order, but also the entire Immortal Realm Immortal Realm, from the Heavenly Immortal to the Human Race kingdoms to the ancient remnants, was shrouded in this doomsday shadow rising from the depths of the Devil Domain.
Panic is spreading, fighting spirit is gathering, and ancient alliances are being remembered again in the undercurrents.
The Land of Reincarnation.
The Nether Lord smiled; the great calamity was about to begin, and this was also his opportunity.
He had waited for this moment for far too long.
The only regret is that it seems Su Ming, this pawn, has already slipped out of his control.
He couldn't see through that being in the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace, nor did he want to provoke him.
Myriad Phenomena Divine Dynasty, Myriad Phenomena Palace.
Lu Fan was reviewing memorials, and the aura of the Divine Dynasty bestowed upon him, enveloping him in a faint purple-gold glow.
Suddenly, he frowned and looked out at the sky.
Just now, the appearance of the Great Heavenly Devil caused him a great terror from the depths of his soul, which overwhelmed him without warning. It was as if, in the next moment, the country he was protecting, his people, and even his own existence would be devoured by the irresistible gray shadow.
" The Devil Race actually has such beings..."
Lu Fan struggled to lift his head, gazing in the direction of the Spirit Void Immortal Domain, his knuckles white from the effort.
"Is this... the beginning of the catastrophe you foresaw?"
The mere manifestation of a wisp of aura was enough to shake the Human Race's fortune, leaving him feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his Dao heart trembling.
He couldn't imagine the pressure that the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace, located near the Devil Domain Realm, would have to endure.
Outside the Thirty-Three Layers of Heaven, in a Daoist temple amidst the Chaos.
The ancient beings, who had long since withdrawn from worldly affairs and whose forms were in harmony with the Dao, were awakened in a profound comprehension of the Great Dao.
Thoughts intertwined in the Chaos.
"Variables, variables... who will emerge victorious?"
Is this game of chess in the Immortal Realm about to be overturned?
"Interesting..."
Spirit Void Heavenly Palace.
Those most deeply affected by the aura of the awakened Great Heavenly Devil are naturally the beings of the Spirit Void Immortal Domain.
In the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace, spirit birds took flight in fright, vegetation withered slightly, and even the flowing clouds seemed to freeze, shrouded in an invisible gray haze.
A sense of impending doom and the collapse of the heavens and earth gripped the minds of many.
The Spirit Void Heavenly Palace, the Heavenly Mandate Lineage.
Some disciples who were practicing their swordplay in the training ground suddenly went astray, their spiritual energy inexplicably stagnated, and they almost injured themselves; disciples who were in seclusion suddenly felt the characters on the Jade Slip slips in their hands distorted and blurred, and a chill ran through their hearts.
What happened?
"Who are these people from the Devil Domain? Just their aura alone makes my soul tremble, as if I've fallen into an ice cave..."
"It's... it's such a terrifying feeling. It's like something is watching us, about to devour everything..."
Panic spread rapidly in the hearts of these cultivators with lower cultivation levels, like ink dripping into clear water.
Their cultivation was still shallow, and they had no understanding of beings at the level of Great Heavenly Devil, but the fear that came from their life instincts was incredibly real.
Just as unease was about to spread, a calm voice rang out, clearly reaching the ears of every disciple.
"Quiet."
Su Ming's voice rang out:
"It's just the aftershocks of a great demon from beyond the realm awakening."
Su Ming's voice was calm, as if he were stating a trivial matter.
"With the presence of our venerable ancestors, Spirit Void Heavenly Palace is impervious to all magic and all evil forces will retreat. Do not be afraid."
His words seemed to have a magical power, gradually calming the commotion.
"My master once said that the most important thing in cultivation is one's character; countless external demons cannot compare to the clarity of a single thought within one's heart."
An older core disciple repeated the words in a low voice, his eyes gradually regaining their clarity.
"That's right, even if the sky falls, our ancestors will hold it up! What are we panicking for?"
Another disciple clenched his fist, and color returned to his face.
Su Ming breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that everyone had calmed down.
But no one expected that Su Ming, whose cultivation had reached the level of Daluo Golden Immortal, would also have cold sweat pouring down his back.
Su Ming looked at Myriad Phenomena Garden with a worried expression in his eyes, pondering to himself:
"Senior brother, what should we do?"
At this moment, even the people in the Myriad Phenomena Garden became tense.
These unusual phenomena are clearly different from those before.
"The emergence of such a powerful Devil Race seems to foreshadow something."
Jiang Hao's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he tried to deduce the secrets of heaven, but he couldn't see anything clearly.
The future is shrouded in uncertainty.
"Master didn't say anything, so let's focus on our cultivation."
Lin Potian, on the other hand, remained the most composed, feeling that there should be no major problems.
"Ahem, I trust my master too. Anyway, when the Devil Race attack, I'll go with my master."
Little White suddenly interrupted, emphasizing the importance of going with the flow.
It wasn't flustered at all. With Han Xuanji's abilities, if it couldn't beat him, couldn't it at least run away?
When the time comes, it will just follow along and that will be the end of it.
Of course, it would be great if we didn't have to leave.