Striking Down Immortals and Gods
Mietian Tian looked down at the fist-shaped mark running through his chest and gently wiped it away.
After reaching the Dharma Aspect, even if he had not completed the entire transformation, his physical body had already begun to transcend the level of a mortal being. Even if he lost his head or his mind, it would not be a big deal, and ordinary injuries could be healed in the blink of an eye.
But at this moment, a strange aura of law was swirling around the wound on his chest, which he could not suppress in a short time, even with his own Great Dao.
This made Mietian even more wary.
This means that the other party's understanding of the fundamental principles of Tao is far superior to his!
He slowly raised his head, his face devoid of any pity or ferocity, only a cold indifference remained—the perspective of a true Immortals and Gods overlooking all living beings.
He formed a hand seal, and the ancient Buddha in the sky crashed down, shrinking and solidifying continuously, from a colossal phantom covering the sky to a thousand feet, then a hundred feet...
Finally, it transformed into a sixteen-foot- Golden Body, completely merging with the physical body of the Mietian.
The Dharma Aspect enters the body.
No, it's not just about the Dharma Aspect entering the body...
The Daoist Qingzhi, standing in the distance, looked on with surprise and doubt. She had witnessed her senior brother's various methods after advancing to the Dharma Aspect, including the Dharma Aspect entering the body.
The Dharma Aspect Realm where one unites with the Dao, and one's own body is the universe.
The Dharma Aspect is the medium through which one unites with heaven and earth; once this move is unleashed, it signifies a life-or-death struggle.
However, this illusory image of Buddha is clearly a remnant of the Buddhist School Dharma body of Venerable Rahula, and not the true Dharma Aspect of Mietian.
Is he forcibly taking over, or is he using the pressure from the Yu Tunzhou to try and devour and refine the remaining fruit positions within?
She wanted to warn Yu Tunzhou, but found she had no chance.
Having merged with the sixteen- Golden Body, the aura of the Mietian had already risen to a terrifying level.
He walked slowly through the air, and with each step he took, a withered golden lotus bloomed beneath his feet, and the surrounding laws of heaven and earth moved according to his will.
He sighed softly, with a hint of regret, "I never imagined that after being trapped in this realm for a hundred years, I would finally encounter an opponent like you. Is it truly fate? If I had met you sooner... why would I have been so fixated on the Dao Path and effect?"
Despite the regret, the decisive move was made without the slightest hesitation.
"Four Witherings Unite, all things return to stillness!"
Mietian formed hand seals, his brows furrowed in fury, and four withered phantoms of twin Sal trees rose from the ground behind him, their branches intertwined, their canopies blotting out the Mietian.
In an instant, the entire world was shrouded in a gray and desolate atmosphere, and the golden Bora Flower that fell like snow decayed in mid-air.
The four inverted doctrines of impermanence, suffering and pleasure, No-Self, and impurity swept across all directions, no longer fighting independently, but beginning to merge.
Even more terrifying is that this unity of the Four Witherings Unite is also mixed with the ancient Buddhist power of the remnants of the Venerable Rahula.
That was the most orthodox Buddhist School doctrine, yet at this moment it was distorted into the most utter destructive force.
Wherever it passed, the Void decayed inch by inch, and all things returned to annihilation, as if all things had been stripped of their foundation of existence, sliding from "being" to "non-being," falling from "birth" into "death."
The rocks turned to dust, the vegetation vanished into ashes, and even the air became thin and stagnant, as if the entire world was accelerating towards its end!
This move encompassed a vast area, with the entire territory of the Turbid Kingdom within its aftershocks.
"Join forces!" Jingchen rolled up his robe and shouted in a stern voice, his prayer beads bursting forth with brilliant Buddhist light.
Fuhu, Fu Tingxue, Daoist Qingzhi, and more than a dozen other powerful cultivators from the External Scenery joined forces, their various Gang Qi and Buddhist light intertwining in an attempt to resist the pervasive inverted laws.
But in just a moment, their alliance was broken!
Everyone's expression changed drastically. They tried their best to urge and resist, but they still couldn't stop it. And this was just the aftershock of the power that had spread out from the move "Mietian".
Is this the power of the Dharma Aspect?!
"From beginningless time, all sentient beings have been deluded in various ways, like a lost person who easily changes direction, falsely identifying the four elements as their own body..."
In an instant, the sound of Buddhist chants filled the heavens and earth.
The Ancient Glazed Lamp, sheltered by the Yu Tunzhou, swayed gently at this moment, its spreading Buddhist light blocking the inverted logic that was enveloping the people of the Turbid Kingdom.
As everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they couldn't help but look towards the center of the battlefield.
If the aftershocks are already this intense, what terrifying pressure must be at the center?
As they turned their gazes, they saw a sharp, piercing aura tear through the torrent of legal principles.
That sharp light pierced the heavens and earth, causing everyone present to gasp for breath.
Yu Tunzhou Boat, his green robe fluttering in the wind, and with one step, he begins the offensive.
Once the [The Outer Dao of No Self Under Heaven] Dharma Domain was unleashed, it collided with the Four Witherings Inversion Dharma Principles that Mietian. The torrent of desolate Dharma Principles that seemed to end the heavens and earth crashed into the Dharma Domain and silently dissolved and dissipated.
There was no earth-shattering roar;
There were no evenly matched clashes...
The Buddha's light is decaying.
The arhat turned to ash.
The withered tree has fallen.
It simply vanished quietly, returning to nothingness.
This silent collapse is far more chilling than any earth-shattering collision.
Yu Tunzhou took a step forward, locking onto the location of Mietian.
He didn't even throw a punch; he merely closed in with his body, and with the Dharma Domain of the heaven and earth surrounding him, he disintegrated the Buddhist supernatural Divine Ability that Mietian.
As if in front of him--
The four withered things that Mietian are Outer Dao, and annihilation is falsehood.
It shouldn't exist at all.
Seeing how easily the Four Witherings Inversion were broken, Mietian's suspicions were confirmed. He raised his palm in front of his brow, his expression solemn and dignified, like an ancient Buddha preaching.
Behind him, a dark golden Buddha's palm, obscuring the sky and covering the sun, emerged from the Void. Its five fingers were as large as mountains, and its palm lines were as large as rivers, so vast that it enveloped the entire world.
At the same time, millions of Bora Flower bloomed simultaneously in the Void, dyeing half of the sky gold.
But beneath this magnificent scene lies the most terrifying murderous intent.
A flower is a world, a leaf is a Bodhi tree.
Each Bora Flower seems to contain a pure land of Buddha, carrying a complete Buddhist School doctrine.
Thousands of Bora Flower represent thousands of Buddhist kingdoms.
Finally, they all returned to the Pure Land Buddhist Kingdom that evolved within the palm of the Mietian.
Deep within the Pure Land in the palm of your hand, one can faintly see the Buddhas of the three worlds, the Bodhisattvas of the heavens, and the countless Arhats sitting.
Past Buddha, Present Buddhas, Future Buddha.
Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Guanyin, Ksitigarbha.
The Eighteen Great Arhats and the Five Hundred Arhat.
The figures of countless Buddhist School monks appeared and disappeared in the palm of the hand, their faces blurred, yet their aura was magnificent, as if they had transcended endless time and space to pay homage to the deity at this moment.
The Eighth Form of Tathagata Divine Palm --
[Ten Thousand Buddhas Pay Homage to the Ancestor!]
With a single palm strike, all Buddhist School techniques were bestowed upon him, suppressing all Outer Dao and heretics, and liberating countless beings.
A golden Buddha's palm descended from the heavens, covering the sky for thousands of miles.
This Divine Ability even exceeded the current limit of the Mietian. It was only by relying on the remaining fruition of Venerable Rahula that this supreme Buddhist School Ultimate Art could be unleashed!
Before the palm even arrived, the earth had already begun to collapse.
If it weren't for that Ancient Glazed Lamp, countless living beings under its palm would have been forced to kneel on the ground, unable to rise, by the overwhelming power of the Buddha.
Even with the protection of the ancient lamp, when the palm strikes, all things fall silent, just like the setting sun, the blooming and withering of flowers, and the inevitable death of all living beings, which cannot be avoided and can only be endured.
But the next moment...
A powerful Fist Intent broke through the Buddha's palm's barrier of heaven and earth.
Yu Tunzhou Boat looked up at the "Buddhist teachings" that Mietian.
The Dharma is the teachings of monks.
Even a demonic monk is still a monk who has fallen into demonic ways.
The only difference is that one is used correctly, and the other is used in reverse.
Ultimately, it all still falls within the framework of Buddhist School.
Yu Tunzhou casually waved his hand, as if sweeping away the dust in front of him.
The overwhelming force of the Heaven's Collapse sky was instantly swept away from the world.
The golden Buddha's hand, which blotted out the sky, froze in mid-air at that moment, unable to fall even a fraction of an inch.
"I have heard your reasoning."
He took a step, and the world shook violently, as if it had been overturned by his foot!
"Today, I, Yu, also have some valid points to share with you."
The sound of thunder resounded throughout the heavens and earth.
A figure in a green robe soared through the air, transforming into a refined pale blue line that rose from bottom to top, forming a fist-shaped Buddha.
Crack--
The first to shatter was the Bora Flower, with the inner phantoms of heaven and earth collapsing one by one.
The cracking sound gradually grew louder, eventually turning into a deafening roar.
Immediately afterwards, the Pure Land in the palm of his hand began to tremble, and the illusory images of the Buddhas of the three worlds shook, disintegrated, and turned into ashes.
The seemingly indestructible dark gold Buddha palm actually began to show dense cracks starting from its center, and its collapse was unstoppable.
It was like a single spark burning away countless volumes of Buddhist scriptures!
"My way is not to worship Buddha or pay homage to gods; it is to be free and follow one's heart, respecting only oneself."
"You Outer Dao and Buddhists, how dare you pay homage to me?"
With a loud laugh, Yu Tunzhou soared into the sky, its aura locking onto the location of Mietian.
At this moment, he was completely standing on the External Scenery Fourth Layer. The Dao Sprout Immortal Embryo was already like a small tree, becoming the medium between him and heaven and earth. All kinds of laws and principles were within his mind.
So this is Quasi-Grandmaster, this is the power of the Dharma Domain, this is...
Defying the Immortals and Gods!
Mietian's right palm trembled incessantly, and it was also covered with dense cracks. His expression remained indifferent as he pushed both palms horizontally at the same time.
In an instant.
Heaven and earth trembled.
The sky pressed down, the earth rose, and the universe was upside down like a millstone. The illusory images of endless mountains and rivers rose and fell, being swept up and crushed towards the center with unstoppable force, intending to grind that figure in green robes into nothingness!
Faced with this earth-shattering, world-altering attack, Yu Tunzhou still did not retreat.
His Fist Intent is still rising.
The Dharma Domain is still expanding.
That domineering aura continued to extend outwards, and wherever it passed, all the great principles and laws were dismissed as "Outer Dao," losing their roots and becoming rootless duckweed.
He first stomped down, then raised his fist to the sky, as if standing tall and upright.
And that seemingly invincible millstone of heaven and earth was actually forced open by him using his own Dharma Domain.
The Heaven's Collapse was thus halted.
The power of the earth's rise was thus quelled.
Witnessing this scene, even Mietian, who had entered the State of Mind of Immortals and Gods, could not help but be shaken.
A chill is creeping in.
He had planned for a century to finally bring this world under his control, but in the face of the opponent's profound Dao foundation, it was utterly insignificant, like child's play!
"What a brilliant... 'The Dao of Self Alone '!"
The voice that seemed to say "Mietian" contained a desperate resolve, a willingness to burn one's bridges.
"Yu Tunzhou, I'll remember you. We'll meet again someday!"
He slammed both hands down on the top of his head, directly detonating most of the remaining essence of the Buddhist kingdom!
boom--
The Buddha's light burst forth in a dazzling display, like a second sun rising into the sky.
The sixteen-foot -Golden Body that had been integrated into his body completely collapsed, transforming into the purest source of Buddhist light, which enveloped his Primordial Spirit and Dao Foundation, transforming into a golden rainbow that pierced through heaven and earth, soaring straight into the sky!
Now that time is running out, he can only try to ascend by force!
His plans over the past century have all been for ascension, but he regrets that he hasn't reached the final step... Could this be the tribulation of Immortals and Gods?
In the blink of an eye, Mietian's Primordial Spirit broke through the sky and was about to go to the outer heavens, and felt a certain call and pull from the outer heavens.
In a daze, he saw a celestial gate, beyond which lay an even more vast world.
Did I say you could leave?
A detached voice suddenly rang out.
The next moment, Mietian felt the world turn upside down.
The sky and the heavens that were once so close to him were rapidly receding in his eyes, replaced by the earth and mountains that were getting closer and closer.
He was actually dragged back from the gate of immortal ascension in the most brutal and primitive way!
"No--!"
A furious roar of defiance echoed throughout the heavens and earth.
Amidst the astonished gazes of countless people, the golden rainbow that was about to break through the boundary was forcibly pulled back into this realm by a single hand, and slammed heavily onto the earth like a dead dog.
boom--
Mietian's body crashed into the ground, causing mountains to collapse, the earth to crack, and shockwaves to sweep in all directions, overturning the soil layers within a radius of a hundred miles.
Everyone stared blankly at the center of the smoke and dust, frozen in place, unable to recover for a long time.
The deafening roar still echoed throughout the world.
The shock this scene caused --
It's no different from someone suddenly appearing and trampling over the Buddha's Dharma Aspect not long ago.
Bottom of the pit.
Mietian coughed up golden blood foam, knelt on one knee, and looked up at the slowly disappearing portal in the sky. The despair, resentment, rage, and madness in his eyes were gradually replaced by a strange calm.
At that moment, he suddenly recalled the first verse he had encountered when he first came into contact with Buddhism:
"All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, dew, and lightning; thus should they be viewed."
A century of effort.
In the end, it was all for nothing.
Finally, he looked deeply at Yu Tunzhou, as if trying to memorize the latter's face, and then raised his head again. His body had begun to dissipate, and the sixteen-foot Golden Body that had been integrated into his body was forcibly forced out by Yu Tunzhou. Meanwhile, his Dharma Aspect body transformed into countless golden light spots, slowly rising and flying into the sky, leaving behind this world that he had been trapped in for a hundred years, planned for a hundred years, and ultimately failed to escape.
Just a little bit more...
It was so close.
"Yu Tunzhou."
"The one who truly beat me today..."
Mietian's calm voice reached Yu Tunzhou's ears; his path of dispersal had reached its final stage.
"It wasn't you."
The words had barely left his mouth.
His head completely turned into a shower of golden dust, like a grand yet desolate golden snowfall.
That sixteen-foot- Golden Body, the fruition of the remnant seal of Venerable Rahula, the origin of the Buddhist kingdom that had been devoured by the Mietian for many years—all of it returned to the world at this moment.
Deep within the imperial palace of the Great Yan.
Kou Ziling suddenly stopped, suspended in mid-air.
This scene stunned Emperor Tianshun, who narrowed his eyes in surprise.
Since we met, this national advisor has acted as if the course of everything in the world is within his predictions, and nothing can surprise him.
What does his unusual behavior at this moment signify?
Kou Ziling turned his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through something, landing on a very distant place, as if listening to something.
Emperor Tianshun did not disturb him and waited patiently.
After a long while.
Kou Ziling turned his head, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Did the Imperial Preceptor discover anything just now?" Emperor Tianshun probed. "Does it involve the Old Wang and the Martial Ancestor?"
Kou Ziling withdrew his gaze, but then looked up at the sky again, as if he could see the Nine Heavens beyond.
"Does Your Majesty know that in the thousand years since the development of Martial Dao, how many people have reached the Peak Dharma Aspect Realm, and how many have been able to climb to the next level?"
Kou Ziling turned around and asked with a smile.
Emperor Tianshun and said, "I suppose the Martial Ancestor must be one of them?"
Kou Ziling nodded. "That's right. Back then, the Martial Ancestor had the potential to gather the Martial Fortune of the world and forcefully take that step, but in the end, he failed and was thwarted by others."
Emperor Tianshun Shun's pupils constricted sharply. "The Martial Ancestor's failure to break through was not due to his own fault, but rather to interference from outsiders?"
"It's not just the Martial Ancestor," Kou Ziling sighed. "Throughout the past thousand years, all those who had the potential to advance further have either perished or vanished without a trace. And this wasn't just limited to the last thousand years; going back several thousand years to the Immortal Dao of immortality, the same situation prevailed."
"Does Your Majesty know the root cause?"
"... The world has undergone a great change, and the Great Dao has changed?" Emperor Tianshun pondered.
"That's one thing, but not the root of the problem." Kou Ziling raised his hand, pointing to the sky, then to the ground, and in all directions, saying meaningfully, "In Your Majesty's eyes, this is the realm of Great Yan. But in my eyes, where in this world is there not an enemy?"
Emperor Tianshun inexplicably felt a chill.
Based on the royal secrets, he vaguely guessed what this person was referring to, but dared not continue the conversation.
Their purpose in embarking on this journey was to lead Kou Ziling to visit the royal family's long-time patron.
That being is most likely among the "enemies of the Dao" mentioned by Kou Ziling.
Kou Ziling sighed, "What a pity! A century of planning still couldn't escape the eyes of that Buddhist School. In the end, all our efforts were in vain, and we were even given a warning by him."
There was no trace of regret in his eyes, which sent a chill down Emperor Tianshun's spine. Could it be that this person had already fought against those beings in places unseen by Emperor Tianshun?
Just what level has this person reached?
He suppressed his turbulent emotions and tentatively asked, "The Buddhist School master the Grand Preceptor spoke of, could it be the Divine Monk Wuse from Shaolin Temple?"
Upon hearing this, Kou Ziling couldn't help but laugh and said, "Now that things have come to this, there's nothing left to hide from Your Majesty. In this world, if one wants to advance further, one must curry favor with the right forces. My purpose in joining the royal family this time is to see whether the being behind the Great Yan has the ability to protect me under the very noses of all the Immortals and Gods and gods."
Emperor Tianshun was shocked; it was just as he thought!
Therefore, the Buddhist School master Kou Ziling mentioned earlier could not be the Divine Monk Wuse, but rather an ancient figure behind the Water Moon Nunnery or the Little Thunderclap Temple?
Has the Buddhist School also secretly contacted Kou Ziling?
"Let's go, Your Majesty," Kou Ziling said with a smile. "I hope the outcome of this trip will satisfy both of us."
"Amitabha," Jingchen murmured, "The sea of suffering is boundless, Turn Back and Reach the Shore. It's a pity that Fellow Heavenly Dao Mietian ultimately failed to turn back."
Daoist Qingzhi and the others remained silent, gazing at the golden Buddhist light that bathed the world.
The desolate grayness between heaven and earth receded like the tide, and the golden light from the disintegration of the sixteen-foot Golden Body fell like rain.
Countless citizens of the Turbid Kingdom sat cross-legged in the Buddha's light, their expressions serene. A warm current flowed into their hearts, soothing all their fear and unease.
And in the center of the battlefield.
Yu Tunzhou stood with his hands behind his back, waiting calmly, instinctively guessing that this matter was not over yet.
really.
Before long, someone came down from the mortal world.
It was an old monk, holding a withered wooden staff, wearing straw sandals, and his monk's robe was simple and old.
He walked up to Yu Tunzhou, put his hands together in prayer, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and said with a smile, "It's an honor to meet you. May I ask if you would be willing to join my Buddhist School?"