Above True Lord

"You mean—this time, the overseas Buddhist monks taking over Southern Yin was tacitly approved by all the True Lord?"

Qi Yun repeated the most crucial sentence in a low voice, his expression only slightly shifting.

This is not surprising upon closer examination.

The True Lord is the supreme being in this world, wielding the power of heaven and earth, and looking down upon all living beings as if they were chess pieces.

Even if Southern Yin had a thousand transformations, without the approval of a group of True Lord, it would have been impossible for overseas Buddhist cultivators to land so smoothly, let alone carry out such earth-shattering "Buddhistization" and even subtly suppress the local orthodox sects.

But why?

Why would the True Lord allow, or even tacitly approve, overseas Buddhist practitioners to carry out this act, which is tantamount to "changing the heavens," on the Central Plains?

The underlying causes and the potential upheaval in the existing order are by no means trivial matters.

What the True Lord seeks is nothing more than to advance further in the Great Dao.

What benefits can overseas Buddhist practitioners bring to Japan?

True Person Xuanping slowly said, "I have been paying attention to and investigating this matter for some time, but the specific reason seems to only circulate among the True Lord, and it is kept very secret."

The most speculated possibility currently circulating among the high-ranking members of various sects is—"

He paused, his tone heavy with disbelief. "These overseas Buddhist cultivators may possess—the means to communicate with beings above the True Lord."

"Above the True Lord?!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yun's light suddenly froze, like two solid, cold stars shooting out, and the air in the room seemed to freeze slightly.

The harmonious Buddhist aura emanating from his body rippled subtly, revealing a profound inner turmoil.

The True Lord is recognized as the pinnacle of cultivation in this world, ruling over a region, merging with the Dao, and nearly achieving immortality.

Above the True Lord?

"Is the source reliable? What exactly are you referring to?" Qi Yun's voice was low, but his pace unconsciously quickened slightly.

True Person Xuanping pursed her lips slightly and cautiously replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this news was initially said to have leaked from the [Hao Ran Holy Land] and the [Heavenly Secrets Sect]."

As for whether it is true or not—I believe that rumors, even if they seem baseless, may not be entirely without cause.

At the very least, without sufficiently substantial leverage, it would be extremely difficult to make all the True Lord remain silent and watch as the Southern Yin dynasty changed hands.

The Hao Ran Holy Land and the Heavenly Secrets Sect are always cautious. Even if the rumors they spread are not entirely true, they must point to some astonishing truth.

However, only the True Lord probably knows the specific details.

Qi Yun remained silent.

His fingers unconsciously twirled a replica of an ordinary rosary bead hidden in his sleeve, his mind racing.

Above the True Lord —this information carries immense weight.

If true, then the overseas Buddhist monks' eastward journey is by no means a simple missionary expansion; their underlying ambitions may involve the most fundamental changes in the order and power structure of this world.

The Southern Yin Buddha Kingdom may only be the beginning.

The tacit approval of the True Lord can then be reasonably explained.

Faced with an opportunity that may lead to a higher Dao Path, what do a dynasty or a few disputes over beliefs matter?

It's even possible that True Lord has reached some kind of tacit understanding or deal with Shixiu.

Qi Yun slowly exhaled, the sharp light in his eyes gradually subsiding, returning to that simulated, compassionate, and wise clarity.

"I understand," he said, his tone regaining its composure. "Report back immediately if there are any new developments."

"I will obey my lord's command." Daoist Xuan Ping replied, and then disappeared from Qi Yun's mind.

Qi Yun's thoughts sank into his Purple Mansion, and the compassionate and wise appearance simulated by the Primordial Immortal Light slowly faded away, revealing the deep stillness beneath.

The news brought by True Person Xuanping, especially the speculation about "above the True Lord," was of great significance.

He needs to seek confirmation from even more ancient beings.

"Senior Cai," he called out in his heart.

"Here." The figure of the golden little man lazily gathered on his shoulder, legs crossed, as if he had just taken a nap.

"What, were you startled by those old bastards from Nine Kings Mountain's words?"

"There is indeed something I need to verify with you, senior," Qi Yun asked directly, his tone solemn, "Does anyone truly exist in this world who is above the True Lord?"

Cai Kun's swaying legs came to a stop.

He sat up a little straighter, the usual languid expression on his golden face lessened, and a distant, unfathomable light flashed in his small eyes.

"Yes." His answer was crisp and decisive, without any hesitation.

But then he added, his tone carrying an indescribable complexity. "But—I've never seen it either."

Qi Yun frowned slightly. "Even during the glorious Great Tang Dynasty, it never happened?"

"Of course it has happened before." Cai Shen's voice lowered, as if he were lost in a distant memory, even though that memory might not have been something he personally experienced, but rather ancient information imprinted in the inheritance of the Imperial Weapon itself.

"Great Tang Dynasty, humanity flourished, all laws thrived, and talented individuals emerged in great numbers."

Even those who attain the rank of True Lord are at the pinnacle, but this is not the end.

Above that—there truly lies a more profound and inconceivable realm.

He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "However, such an existence is almost an embodiment of the Dao."

Elusive and elusive, untouched by the mortal world, untainted by cause and effect.

They have completely separated themselves from this world and become one with themselves.

Non-Self beyond our easy comprehension and understanding.

Even in the Great Tang, such a figure was rarely seen, like a dragon appearing only briefly.

Qi Yun's eyes flashed. "So, if overseas Buddhist practitioners truly possess the method or means to communicate with such beings—"

"That was no ordinary fortuitous opportunity; it was more likely the beginning of a catastrophe!" Cai Kun's tone was unusually solemn, even carrying a hint of coldness.

"Young Qi, you must understand that once you reach the level of True Lord, what you seek is no longer worldly power or temporary gains."

Rather, it is the path ahead of the Great Way, the ultimate fulfillment and transcendence of one's own Dao Fruit.

For this, they are willing to pay unimaginable prices and make decisions that are incomprehensible to ordinary people.

He looked at Qi Yun, his golden face unusually serious. "If the key in the hands of the overseas Buddhist monks can truly open the door to the realm above True Lord, even just glimpsing a possibility would be enough to drive all True Lord know of this matter mad!"

What sectarian foundations, disputes over lineages, even the fate of a dynasty and the lives of millions—all could be unhesitatingly sacrificed before the allure of reaching higher Dao Path!

Cai Kun's words were like ice water poured over Qi Yun's head, quickly cooling down the slight ripple in Qi Yun's heart that had instinctively arisen due to the "higher realm".

"Those involved are often blinded by their own perspective" —Qi Yun repeated the phrase softly, his eyes swirling with thoughts.

"For the True Lord, who was desperately seeking to advance further on the Great Dao but seemed to have no way forward, this was indeed an opportunity he could not refuse."

Even if it might be wrapped in deadly poison.

Those high-ranking, all-powerful True Lord, in their quest for a better future, could form a vast and controversial organization like the Heavenly Court, explore the heavens, and attempt all sorts of unbelievable paths.

It is a kind of almost instinctive longing and obsession with "higher places" engraved in the deepest part of the practitioner's soul.

Now, an opportunity that could potentially lead directly to "above the True Lord" has been presented to Southern Yin, and to all the True Lord who know about this matter.

Who dares to stop it?

Who can stop it?

Perhaps True Lord of the same level has the right to speak on this matter.

But when faced with temptations that might lead to the ultimate answer to their own Dao Path, how many True Lord can maintain absolute clarity and restraint?

This pool of water is deeper, more murky, and more dangerous than I imagined.

"So," Qi Yun slowly, his voice regaining its usual calmness, but sounding even more profound.

"The transformation of Southern Yin into a Buddhist kingdom may not have been solely for the purpose of spreading faith or controlling territory."

The overseas Buddhist practitioners and the True Lord who tacitly approve of this matter are playing a game of chess that involves the very foundation of this world.

The entire Southern Yin Buddha Kingdom, and even its billions of living beings—have become pawns on a chessboard, pieces that can be measured.

Cai Kun nodded, and a golden phantom floated slightly on Qi Yun's shoulder. "Not bad. Now that you are in this situation, and wearing this Buddhist guise, you need to be even more cautious in your actions."

Do not touch upon the core issues lightly.

"At least until we figure out exactly what they want to do and how they want to do it, don't reveal your intentions."

Qi Yun remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Senior, in your opinion, what is the most likely form of communication with those above the True Lord?"

Sacrifice?

Formation Art?

Or is it some kind of special medium?

Cai Shen pondered for a moment and said, "Among the fragments of Great Tang Dynasty texts, there are scattered records mentioning that communicating with the supreme being is a ritual of heaven and earth—"

Master Shi Xiu is well-versed in the power of mind and will, and is skilled in large-scale rituals. Furthermore, the Southern Yin was once a royal dynasty, possessing accumulated humanistic fortune.

Many of the conditions do seem to fit together subtly.

"Formation Art - Ritual -"

Qi Yun quietly rubbed the string of ordinary, imitation prayer beads in his hand.

The wood is slightly cool to the touch, and each grain is smooth and round.

The conversation with Cai Shen made the message brought by True Person Xuanping clearer and heavier.

All the actions of overseas Buddhist practitioners in this area over the past thirty years.

The Dharma Wheel Temple, the sorting of the earth's veins, and the guidance of the will of all beings all seem, at this moment, to be a long prelude to some final ceremony.

The next day, before dawn, Qi Yun quietly left the inn where he was staying.

The procedures for leaving the city were simple. The monks guarding the gate saw that he had a complete ordination certificate, a clear aura, and a faint halo of Buddha behind his head. After asking him a few questions, they respectfully let him pass.

We set off on the official road leading to the capital of the Southern Yin Kingdom.

The scenery was different from that around Yingtian City.

The road grew wider and flatter, paved with huge bluish-white flagstones, with fine golden moss growing in the cracks, emitting a fragrant aroma.

It emits a faint, calming fragrance.

Every hundred steps along the road stands a stone lantern, shaped like a lotus bud. There are no candles inside, but it absorbs sunlight and emits a soft, milky-white glow at night.

The surface of the lampstand is covered with tiny, intricate inscriptions of scriptures.

When the wind blows, a faint chanting of Buddhist hymns can be heard.

Pedestrians came and went in a steady stream, yet the order was impeccable.

There were almost no ordinary vehicles or horses to be seen; most were devout believers on foot, monks on pilgrimage, and a few people with solemn expressions.

He is clearly a Buddhist practitioner who has cultivated himself.

Everyone had a solemn and serene expression, walked steadily, and rarely spoke. Even when they did speak, it was in a low voice, and the content was mostly related to Buddhist practice.

The sandalwood scent permeating the air, along with its uniquely calming rhythm, was many times stronger than that in Yingtian City.

The further south you go, the more undulating the terrain becomes.

In the distance, a continuous, pale golden glow began to appear on the horizon, a perpetual, ethereal aura of Buddha's light.

The towns and villages along the way all share a highly uniform architectural style, with white walls, golden roofs, and copper bells and prayer flags hanging from the eaves.

Every household has a small Buddhist shrine in front of their door, and incense burns day and night.

Amidst the fields and paths, a massive stone Buddha statue is half-hidden in the green hills and clear waters, its solemn countenance silently receiving the worship and blessings of believers from all directions.

Seven days later, everything suddenly became clear.

A vast plain, indescribable in its expanse, unfolds before you. At the edge of the plain, the earth suddenly rises up, forming a "mountain" that ascends slowly like an enormous golden lotus platform.

That was the old capital of Southern Yin.

The Central Buddha Kingdom of today.

Stepping into the mountain range, one is greeted by boundless golden light that seems to fill the entire world.

Golden light, like a sea, rippled and flowed, reflecting the sky as a clear, golden, shimmering color.

The clouds are tinged with gold, seemingly within reach.

Spirit Mountain itself has lost much of its original character, with its rocks, soil, and trees no longer visible.

From the foot of the mountain to its highest, almost invisible heights, countless temples, pagodas, and scripture halls are densely packed and arranged in rows.

Zen monastery, hermitage.

Golden tiles and glazed roofs, jade pillars and balustrades, and gemstone inlays shimmered in the boundless Buddha light, dazzling yet not gaudy, instead exuding a sense of sacred splendor.

Countless wide "heavenly staircases" resemble golden ribbons, winding upwards from different directions at the foot of the mountain, connecting the various platforms and the main halls.

On the heavenly steps, countless black dots moved slowly; they were devout believers and ascetic practitioners from all directions, prostrating themselves every three steps and bowing their heads to the ground.

Above, highly accomplished monks rode on lotus platforms, auspicious clouds, or even floated directly through the air, moving between the peaks, their robes fluttering and their Baoguang shimmering.

Huge Buddha statues can be seen standing in various parts of the mountain.

Some are half-embedded in the mountain wall, their compassionate faces overlooking all living beings.

Some are hundreds of feet tall, cast entirely from an unknown golden material, pointing to the sky and touching the earth, with a solemn and majestic appearance.

These colossal statues emanate a tangible golden light of aspiration, resonating with the ocean of Buddhist light that envelops the entire mountain, creating a deep and eternal background of chanting.

Above the mountainside, clouds and mist swirl around.

The eaves and corners of pavilions and towers appear and disappear, and the illusory reflections of the Seven Treasures Pond and the Water of Eight Merits sway and shimmer.

At the highest point of Spirit Mountain, through the golden sea of clouds, the outline of a colossal palace, majestic beyond imagination, can be vaguely seen.

At the highest point, a nine-tiered gilded finial seemed to pierce the sky, surrounded by countless small floating peaks, aerial pagodas, and slowly rotating phantom prayer wheels.

Even from a distance, one can feel an overwhelming, sacred, and undeniable pressure emanating from it.

The sandalwood incense in the air was so strong that it turned into a faint golden mist. When inhaled, it cleared the Divine Soul and calmed the mind, yet one could also faintly feel an invisible force of restraint and assimilation.

At the end of the official road stood a massive jade archway.

Qi Yun slightly raised his head, gazing at the four ancient seal characters, bathed in a rich Buddhist light and appearing as if cast in gold:

[Spirit Mountain Sacred Realm]