Nature-Seeing Heaven, a Half-Step Buddhist Kingdom!

Long Hua coughed violently a few times, his gaze angry and gloomy:

"You think you can force me to tell you everything? Our names are already engraved on the Six Souls Banner; we have the right to decide our own fate. If I am determined to die, even Immortals and Gods cannot stop me! Don't even think about probing into my Primordial Spirit!"

Yu Tunzhou frowned. "Are you saying that keeping you around is useless to me? Rather than hoping to get the information I want from you, it would be better to save my energy and just kill you outright?"

Long Hua's heart sank. Who said this boy was like Lu Huaiqing?

Even when Lu Huaiqing had the upper hand, he always tried to reason with people and leave some room for maneuver. But this man didn't mince words and went straight to the word "crush him to death."

"I respect your opinion." Yu Tunzhou nodded.

"You—" Long Hua was about to speak when he noticed that Yu Tunzhou's gaze remained completely unchanged throughout.

He reached out and gently gripped Long Hua's neck with his five fingers. Faced with that palm, Long Hua felt utterly powerless to resist. A feeling of suffocation surged up instantly, and his instinct for survival made him subconsciously use his internal energy to fight back.

However, his meridians had long been locked up by the energy of heaven and earth, Gang Qi was sluggish and difficult to circulate, like a mud ox sinking into the sea. He could not even lift a finger.

Looking closely at the young man's calm expression, Long Hua felt a chill creep into his heart.

As the sound of bones cracking rang out, fear made him struggle even more, but it was all in vain.

Suddenly, the grip on his neck loosened slightly.

"I thought you weren't afraid of death," Yu Tunzhou sneered. "You might even have committed suicide before I killed you, to avoid having your Primordial Spirit captured by me."

Long Hua gritted his teeth and said, "My clan has its own Secret Method. Don't even think about getting the slightest benefit from my Primordial Spirit! If you kill me, don't even dream of finding the secrets of the Human Emperor and Lu Huaiqing, or even the entrance to this Pure Land!"

"You're so sure I can't find the entrance to the Pure Land? Then let's make a bet," Yu Tunzhou said calmly. "If I can't find the entrance, I'll not only let you leave alive today, but I can also try to make further contact with your Taicang Long Clan. As for whether we cooperate or not, that's a matter for later."

"But if I find a suitable portal, what can Long Hua possibly lose to me?"

Long Hua fell silent, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. After a moment, he nodded and said, "Alright, I agree. If you can enter that Buddhist School Pure Land on your own, I will tell you the secrets of the Human Emperor."

That's all?

Long Hua said expressionlessly, "My clan has its own Secret Method to protect its members. Not a single word that should not be revealed can be disclosed. This is not something I can decide."

Yu Tunzhou shook his head; this didn't match the returns he had expected.

However, it concerns the Human Emperor...

"Then we can just watch from the sidelines."

Yu Tunzhou turns its gaze to this world.

He would have almost no way to find the hidden Immortals and Gods Portal in the outside world, but it's different here.

With the blessing of Martial Fortune, his strength in this world can definitely reach another level.

With a thought, a clear and melodious cry came from his Niwan Palace.

Inspired by the Primordial Spirit, the Martial Fortune of heaven and earth surged forth like ten thousand rivers flowing into the sea, and the entire energy of Luofu Grotto-Heaven resonated and trembled with it at this moment.

In an instant.

A colossal phantom emerged from the Niwan Palace the Yu Tunzhou Boat, its form stretching like a mountain ridge—it was a giant Kun, its entire body bluish-black, its back broad like an ancient continent rising from the water.

It slowly swayed its tail and swam into the Void, as if traveling through invisible water, its deep breaths echoing through the mountains and fields.

Immediately afterwards, a loud roar tore through the sky, and the giant Kun emerged as if breaking through the water, its fins transforming into wings that stretched to the sky. Covered in flowing clouds, Fuyao upwards, spreading its wings above the cave heavens, stirring up the Martial Fortune between heaven and earth.

Like a roc rising with the wind, Fuyao ninety thousand miles high!

This commotion, which swept across the entire area, instantly alarmed the entire grotto!

The powerful figures from various factions who had been secretly observing and waiting all stood up, shocked by the immense size of Yu Tunzhou's Primordial Spirit Inner Form.

Meanwhile, in the Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries halfway up the mountain, the Daoist Xuanyin and Master Xuanzang were the first to notice the anomaly in the world. They looked up at the outside world with solemn expressions.

Could this person be trying to refine their Martial Fortune and forcefully break through the barrier?

This moment.

Yu Tunzhou's Primordial Spirit was almost integrated with the entire cave. His Primordial Spirit spread out like mercury, overflowing over mountains, flowing through streams, passing through every street and alley, every house. Every detail was clearly visible to him.

Whether it's the rustling of grass, the chirping of insects, the crawling of ants, the flowing springs three feet underground, or the veins deep within the mountains, everything is reflected in his perception.

This is no longer a simple perception of the Primordial Spirit, but a great Divine Ability called [Heavenly Hearing and Earthly Perception]!

With the help of the "landlord's" favorable timing and location, Yu Tunzhou's Primordial Spirit resonated with heaven and earth, and his cultivation of Nature Cultivation briefly crossed the third barrier, breaking into the level of [Nature-Seeing Heaven]. The Divine Ability called Heavenly Hearing and Earthly Perception also naturally arose at this moment.

Relying on this Divine Ability, and with the help of favorable timing and location, Yu Tunzhou found the unusual Void rift in just a few breaths.

The location is on the hillside, behind a vegetable garden and near a stream.

"Found it."

Yu Tunzhou opened his eyes, grabbed Long Hua Daoist's shoulder, and the two disappeared from the courtyard. When they reappeared, they were already by the stream behind the vegetable garden on the mountainside.

The primordial Primordial Spirit that had been subtly locking onto this place instantly panicked, and they began frantically searching for Yu Tunzhou's figure.

As his feet touched the ground, the surrounding scenery came into view, and Long Hua Daoist's pupils suddenly contracted.

This kid actually found the general location!

He spent decades in Luofu, and only then, based on clan secrets, did he determine that the gate was probably located around the temples and Daoist monasteries, but he dared not confirm it further because he was wary of the presence of both the Daoist and Buddhist sects.

This child only took a few breaths to anchor himself here!

In Yu Tunzhou's eyes, there was a crack about one finger wide in the Void ahead, like the Immortals and Gods Portal in the Eastern Wilderness, but strangely, no power was leaking out.

Under his gaze, faint light and shadow emerged from the crack, illuminating a street paved with bluestone slabs. A peddler carrying his wares walked along the street, children chased and played with a yellow dog at the alley entrance, and in the distance, the city walls stood majestically, with wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys within the city walls.

The perspective unfolds from here, with the sounds of chickens and dogs, and the faint voices of people, creating a Mortal Realm of perfect peace and tranquility.

This scene unfolded so vividly and clearly before his eyes that even Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but be astonished.

Is this the real world, or a mere illusion?

If it's an illusion, then every brick, tile, person, and object depicted in this light and shadow is far too real.

But if it's true, what world does this door lead to? A corner of the Central Plains? Overseas? Or... is this the [Inner Heaven and Earth] of Immortals and Gods Forming a Heaven of One's Own?

Yu Tunzhou had long heard that the Inner Heaven and Earth, in its final development, would tend towards a real world, even capable of supporting the reproduction of living beings.

Before he could think it through, suddenly, at a corner in the light and shadow, a young monk in a monk's robe hurriedly walked by.

He walked very fast, glancing back as he ran, seemingly checking to see if he was being followed. Meanwhile, in the nearby streets, a large number of people were searching along the way.

It's Dingguang!

Although Dingguang had grown a lot since their last meeting, Yu Tunzhou still recognized him at a glance.

"It's here after all."

Yu Tunzhou raised his hand, and a glassy aura emanated from his fingertips. The energy that One Qi Breaks Ten Thousand Methods burst forth, pointing directly at the gate.

But when the flames landed on the crack, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, not even causing a ripple, as if it had hit Liaokong.

Yu Tunzhou immediately changed his methods, trying to open the portal with force, Fist Intent, and even his Primordial Spirit.

But in the end, it was all in vain.

"It's useless."

"Although I don't know how you found this place, finding the door and actually getting inside are two different things."

Daoist Long Hua suddenly spoke, then paused, his voice deepening.

"To open this gate, unless one possesses the auspicious energy of Buddhism, or holds a supreme Buddhist treasure, or masters the venerable one's secret methods of communicating with the spirits, no one can enter this great Arhat's half-step Buddha-land!"

"If you wish to save that Buddhist disciple, the only way is to..."

His voice stopped abruptly.

Daoist School suddenly appeared out of thin air before the crack, shining with golden light, solemn and magnificent. Sanskrit characters were faintly engraved on the lintel, and the phantom images of sutra pillars on both sides slowly rotated.

The door trembled slightly, as if recognizing the visitor.

At this moment, a scroll of scripture slowly unfolded in Yu Tunzhou's eyes, golden Sanskrit characters flowing around, and the long-dormant golden scripture of the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic suddenly lit up in his mind!

He slowly began to speak, "All laws are equal, without any distinction of high or low."

In an instant, the calm crack suddenly burst forth with a gentle Buddhist light.

The solid barrier of light and shadow before him silently parted to the sides the moment he spoke, revealing a narrow path paved with bluestone slabs extending from behind the door. The walls on both sides were made of gray bricks, with moss growing at the corners, as if a light rain had just fallen.

The aroma of cooking smoke wafted in from behind the door.

"You really found it?!"

Chen Dingxin suddenly stood up, his expression full of surprise. He was about to get up, but he was stopped by a cold snort from the old man next to him as soon as he took a step.

"Fool! I told you, on this journey to the Pure Land, others will make their move first, then Northern Chen will follow! Are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated?!"

Jiang Chengfeng and Jiang Chengyan a glance, their eyes flickering.

The location that everyone had been searching for so long was found by this young man in a very short time!

Could it be that this child also has an affinity with Buddhist School?

Jiang Chengfeng said in a low voice, "I heard that before that Venerable Rahula disappeared, he shed tears of blood after witnessing the deaths of Arhats and Bodhisattvas in Buddhist School. In the end, he did not hesitate to fall into the demonic path in order to add one more stick of incense to Buddhist School. This Pure Land... is probably not very peaceful. Let that kid go first."

Jiang Chengyan nodded, but she understood in her heart that even if they wanted to seize the initiative... they had no chance.

He suddenly asked, "Should we bring Jiang Xu in?"

"If he can get in, he should. This is a tremendous fortuitous opportunity for him; he might not get another chance like this in his lifetime."

Before Xie Heyu could finalize the price with the two people outside the cave, he sensed something amiss. His heart sank, and without further demanding an explanation, he said directly:

"The gate to Pure Land has been opened, which is fortuitous opportunity for both of you. Moreover, being within this gate, how could this child possibly have any additional advantages?"

A moment later, the jade pendant responded:

"Good."

Long Hua stood frozen in place, the certainty on his face completely vanished, leaving only horror and absurdity in his eyes.

Could it be that the Yu Tunzhou possesses Buddhist fortune?

Or does he possess some kind of Buddhist School treasure?

Yu Tunzhou sighed, "Fellow Long Hua is right. If I hadn't come, and without the intervention of Buddhist School master, this sect would indeed have been difficult to find."

He then ignored Long Hua's outburst and turned to look at the town.

Countless restless auras lingered behind them, clearly indicating that the powerful figures from various factions had already sensed them, but dared not act rashly due to Yu Tunzhou's presence in front.

But soon, several figures appeared on the spot.

The person in the lead was a dignified woman, dressed in a simple, moon-white robe, with a quiet compassion in her eyes. She was none other than Bao Ruyin, the Quasi-Grandmaster had descended upon the Bao Household this time.

Behind her were three others, two men and one woman, all of whom were experts at the External Scenery. Their auras were calm and composed. They stood with their hands at their sides ten steps away, their eyes burning as they looked toward the gate, but they did not step forward.

Bao Ruyin stopped three zhang away from the Yu Tunzhou, not rushing to approach the rift, but first carefully examining the painting presented in the light and shadow behind the door.

Her gaze sharpened, she withdrew her eyes, and solemnly bowed to Yu Tunzhou, pressing her palms together in a manner so refined that it seemed unlike the attitude of a Quasi-Grandmaster towards a junior.

"My name is Bao Ruyin of the Bao family. I was able to find the location of the gate thanks to Young Hero Yu." Her gaze was frank and clear, and her tone was gentle and calm. "The Bao family has no other intentions than to find the whereabouts of the Buddha's disciple as soon as possible, and at the same time pay homage to the Venerable One's relics."

"This is information that the Bao Household collected in advance, and we are sharing it with Young Hero Yu."

A jade pendant flew out of his hand and towards the Yu Tunzhou.

At the same time, there was also a string of agarwood prayer beads with a deep, lustrous color.

"This sacred place... might be completely opposite to what Young Hero Yu imagines." Bao Ruyin smiled wryly, "Therefore, Young Hero Yu should still wear this prayer bead by his side; it might provide protection in times of crisis."

She seemed to know some inside information, Yu Tunzhou did not refuse, accepting the two items. He had also seen her ranking on the Earth Ranking before.

This person is ranked higher than Xuanyangzi, and is one of the five martial artists below the twenty Grandmaster who have the best chance of becoming Grandmaster.

Yu Tunzhou accepted the jade pendant, and with a sweep of his Primordial Spirit, he discerned the message it contained, his expression subtly changing.

Is it highly possible that this pure land has already fallen into demonic territory?

No wonder the Bao Household was so eager to bring Dingguang back!

"Fellow Daoist, you're too kind. We've all come to save Dingguang." Yu Tunzhou offered him some space. "I have some matters to attend to; senior, you may proceed."

Bao Ruyin thanked them sincerely, then suppressed her excitement and carefully led the few External Scenery behind her through the gate.

Witnessing this person go in first... to scout the way.

Yu Tunzhou looked at Long Hua and said, "Does your Taicang Long Clan have any integrity?"

Long Hua's face twitched, and he gritted his teeth. They hadn't signed a contract, but winning over Yu Tunzhou was a crucial plan for the clan. If they broke their promise to this young man now, the Taicang Long Clan would lose all credibility in his eyes, and their future plans would face numerous obstacles...

He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Before the Human Emperor disappeared forever, he imprisoned himself many times, each time..."

"What do you mean by self-imprisonment?" Yu Tunzhou interrupted.

"The specific reason is unknown. All we know is that every so often, the Human Emperor would depart for a period of time, and no one could find him during that time," Long Hua said in a deep voice. "And on one occasion, he failed to imprison himself in time, fell into a brief madness, and killed his own daughter!"

"It was on that occasion that someone heard him raise his head and roar two words— 'Dao Venerable!'"

Yu Tunzhou's expression changed drastically; he couldn't even be bothered to be shocked that the Human Emperor had actually killed his own daughter.

Why would it be the Dao Venerable?!

In the era of the Human Emperor, the Dao Venerable had long since disappeared!

"This is an ancient secret of the Human Race, known to very few." Long Hua's expression returned to calm. "Now, Young Hero Yu, do you believe in the sincerity of my Taicang Long Clan?"

Yu Tunzhou fell into thought, then instinctively replied, "It's not enough. Your initial impression with me is too bad, and your reputation score is a bit low. Try to accumulate more reputation points with me, just like An Ruyu."

An Ruyu?

Long Hua's expression hardened. Did Yu Tunzhou have close ties with the Incense-Smelling Cult?

Yu Tunzhou couldn't understand why it would be Dao Venerable, so he asked directly, "Was the Human Emperor harmed by Dao Venerable in his later years?"

"No." Long Hua gave a direct negative answer. "The Dao Venerable has long since transcended worldly concerns, and given his level of Dao Venerable, he wouldn't need to persecute the Human Emperor. We are more inclined to believe that someone close to the Dao Venerable has given the Human Emperor the wrong impression."

Who is it?

"I advise Young Hero Yu not to explore at this time," Long Hua said, emphasizing each word. "To be able to persecute the Human Emperor of that era, this person's strength must be unparalleled. Even merely reciting his name would be enough for him to sense it."

Yu Tunzhou frowned. "You're unwilling to reveal anything further?"

Long Hua said in a deep voice, "I have a clan's Secret Method mark imprinted within me; I cannot utter a single word that shouldn't be said."

"Alright." Yu Tunzhou pointed to the portal in front of him, which was most likely a gateway to the demonic realm. "If you come out alive, I'll let you leave."

It was clear that the Taicang Long Clan possessed many secrets. After learning about the secrets of the Human Emperor's later years, he prepared to change his strategy, not completely severing the possibility of good relations between the two sides, but leaving the other side with the opportunity to boost their reputation, just like he did with An Ruyu.

Having said that, he didn't give Long Hua a chance to choose, and directly threw him into the doorway to explore.

Then, he looked towards the town behind him. He didn't even know when the gate would close after it opened. He knew that once he went in, the powerful figures from all over would flock in as well.

This is good. According to the concept of Huntian, once the Inner Heaven and Earth of a strong person truly forms its own cycle, it possesses the "Heavenly Dao." In situations like the current one, the more people who break in, the more the Heavenly Dao's attention will be diverted, and the safer it will be.

Thinking of this.

Yu Tunzhou stepped into the gate.

There was no sense of being in another world; it was as if he had just taken a step forward. The smell of cooking smoke wafted towards him. Yu Tunzhou looked down and saw the bluestone path he had seen before.

He looked back again, his expression turned solemn, and the crack in the door had disappeared!

The whereabouts of Bao Household and the others who entered earlier, as well as Long Hua, are unknown.

Hearing the murmurs around him, Yu Tunzhou immediately contacted Huntian and shared information about the Pure Land from the Bao Household.

"Willing to fall into demonic ways? That sounds nice, but I wonder if they've willingly betrayed the demonic path."

A muttering sound came from Huntian.

"Buddhist esoteric practices range from fundamental precepts such as the Ten Precepts to the smallest details of conduct in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, and even the most subtle aspects of clothing, food, daily life, speech, breathing, and thoughts. These are collectively referred to as 'three thousand rules of conduct and eighty thousand subtle practices.'"

"This Rahula was once known as the foremost in secret practices. He strictly adhered to all the precepts without fail, never committing even the slightest mistake. He truly achieved the highest level of discipline."

"He now appears to have fallen into demonic ways..."

Huntian paused, then suddenly realized something and cautiously said:

"Fellow Daoist, please do not violate Buddhist School precepts here! Otherwise, you may attract something bad!"

Buddhist School precepts?

Yu Tunzhou for a moment, then said, "I will not kill, steal, commit adultery, lie, or drink alcohol..."

He naturally knows these fundamental precepts, but as for the "eighty thousand subtle practices," even the most eminent monks of our Dharma Aspect might not be able to strictly adhere to them all.

He looked up and gazed into the depths of the street.

The small town that had been shrouded in light and shadow was now right before my eyes. The streets and alleys were peaceful, pedestrians came and went, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, creating a scene of tranquility.

It looks like a peaceful Buddhist land, and has nothing to do with the word "demon land".

And at that very moment...

Suddenly, a scream tinged with surprise... came from the alleyway ahead!

Yu Tunzhou suddenly turned his head and saw that the child who had been chasing and playing with the yellow dog had finally caught up with it with a smile.

This was supposed to be a heartwarming scene, but the next moment, the wooden toy knife in the child's hand, as if sharpened, plunged viciously into the yellow dog's waist!

The yellow dog let out a mournful yelp. In pain, it suddenly turned its head, baring its fangs and looking fierce, and bit down hard on the child's forearm, tearing at it from side to side.

The child screamed in agony, bleeding profusely, but instead of letting go, he gripped the wooden knife like a madman and twisted it deep into the yellow dog's body, his face a mixture of tears and twisted excitement, laughing and joking as if it were just ordinary play.

The other children arrived, laughing as they rushed forward, plunging their wooden swords and knives into the yellow dog's body. Blood and mud mingled together, creating a gruesome scene.

Yu Tunzhou was stunned and stood there in place.

He instinctively looked around.

But then he saw a peddler carrying a load on a shoulder pole glance at him, give him a thumbs-up with a grin, and continue walking forward, calling out his wares.

The old woman with the roadside stall was busy arranging her goods with her head down, not even lifting her eyelids.

The passersby didn't even bother to look past the pool of blood on the ground, their steps never faltering, as if the carnage before them was no different from someone tripping and spilling half a bowl of porridge on the roadside.

The fresh smell of blood mixed with the aroma of cooking smoke drifted on the wind, carrying an indescribable eeriness.

Yu Tunzhou's heart sank.

No... killing?