Chapter 586 - 38: Send Shakyamuni to Watch the Profound Purity Realm

Chapter 586: Chapter 38: Send Shakyamuni to Watch the Profound Purity Realm

"Let’s talk..."

The will of heaven and earth was cold and indifferent:

"What is there for us to talk about?"

In the highest reaches of the Profound Purity Realm, Taiyi gave a calm smile.

"We both know I’m plotting to take your body and soul. But there’s a prerequisite for that—I first need to help you achieve the Dao Fruit, or at least a Fake Dao Fruit. So, how is that not something worth discussing?"

He paused, then gave a dry laugh.

"For now, at least—at this very moment—we are not yet enemies. For instance, I do not wish for Amitabha to obtain the Six Paths of Reincarnation he’s plotting for, and I’m willing to help you win this round."

The will of heaven and earth, which Lu Xuan had become, remained indifferent.

"Taiyi, this is meaningless. There’s no need for more words between us. We just have to wait. On the day I achieve the Dao Fruit, we shall see..."

"...whether you will devour me, or I will devour you."

Hearing this,

Taiyi’s expression darkened slightly, but he kept smiling, his tone serene.

"We shall wait and see. However... are you certain you don’t require my help?"

He lowered his gaze, his expression earnest.

"Putting aside everything else, how do you intend to win this round? I don’t know why Houtu is helping you, but even if she re-enters the Human World and holds off the Buddha Mother,"

"are Xuanyuan, Guangcheng Zi, Xuandu, and the others truly a match for those twenty-three Daluo?"

"That is no concern of yours, Taiyi."

The winds and clouds shifted as thick layers of mist stacked upon each other, forming a giant face of Lu Xuan.

He stared down at the casually dressed Taiyi and spoke calmly.

"Say one more word, and I will suppress you. You are already shackled by Amitabha; you’re not necessarily my match right now."

Taiyi frowned, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Is there really no room for discussion? I can tell you about some of Amitabha’s schemes. It would at least give you a chance to prepare and increase your odds of winning. His plans go far beyond your imagination. They will..."

He cajoled, changing his approach.

"Of course, you would have to tell me your arrangements in return. I can help you patch up any holes in your plan. And as I said, for now, we are not enemies..."

Before he could finish, a colossal Profound Yellow Pagoda materialized and suppressed him viciously!

"Lu Xuan!!"

Taiyi was furious.

"How can you be so obstinate! I..."

THUD!

He was pinned firmly beneath the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.

Taiyi was already restrained by Amitabha Buddha, and Lu Xuan had become one with the world, embodying its very will.

Within this realm, he possessed unfathomable power. With the addition of the Profound Yellow Pagoda, suppressing Taiyi was difficult, but not exceptionally so.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

The giant face murmured to itself, its gaze profound. ’Amitabha’s schemes?’

’What else could there be...’

He pondered and contemplated but couldn’t figure it out. The number of Dao Fruits was known. His Second Master and the Three Masters were holding back Bodhi and the Demon Ancestor.

Elder Haotian was keeping the Buddha Mother occupied. ’As long as I can successfully create a [Dao Fruit]—even a [Fake Dao Fruit]—’

it will be enough to sweep away all those Daluo.

’Will there be any variables?’

Lu Xuan pondered, reviewing his plans to patch up any holes. After thinking for a long time, he suddenly thought of a certain being.

’Fu Xi?’

’He holds unknown Transcendent Traits, so much so that even a veteran Dao Fruit like Elder Haotian can’t do anything to him. And he’s extremely mysterious...’

Lu Xuan couldn’t help but recall when he had traveled back in time and met Fu Xi during his own infancy.

He didn’t know what this [Celestial Emperor], who had received Wa Huang’s Merit, was plotting. Although it was true that at the dawn of his personal timeline, it was Fu Xi who had used the Mediation of Creation to grant him a soul,

but...

Lu Xuan always felt that something was very wrong, a strange sense of dissonance.

He then remembered what Houtu had said. It seemed Fu Xi, much like himself, had many different aliases and identities.

"Will there be an accident?"

he muttered to himself, then shook his head.

"As long as I can secretly send it out, my chances of winning this round are ninety percent."

The giant face glanced outside the Profound Purity Realm and slowly dissipated.

Although Amitabha Buddha had been suppressed by his master, Bodhi and the Demon Ancestor were still staring at the [Profound Purity Realm]. Whether he could succeed would all depend on this one chance.

「...」

Above the river of Years, deep within the Great Chaos.

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha gazed at the Profound Purity Realm and spoke calmly.

"Amitabha was decisive, suppressing both Innate Uncertain Numbers to eliminate any variables. This way, as long as no new variables arise in the Profound Purity Realm, we will win this round."

"I am not a Dao Fruit, so I cannot see the future clearly."

The Demon Ancestor yawned and asked curiously,

"So, in your Dao Fruit chess game, what kind of future trend did you decide on?"

"Naturally, everything will proceed as originally wished. The Human Dao Trend will crash into the Spirit Treasure incarnation and the Qing Ping Sword. Amitabha will take the Six Paths of Reincarnation to fill a void in the Western Pure Land, returning to his peak state, perhaps even reaching a higher level."

Hearing this, the Demon Ancestor nodded thoughtfully.

"After this is over, it will be time for the Journey to the West. A reenactment of the journey, where the Human Dao Subject goes to the Buddha Mother, allowing her to enter the realm of an [Enlightened One]."

"After that, I will help you fight against The Three Pristine Ones, and you will help me slay the Goddess."

"Naturally."

Bodhi nodded in confirmation.

"But before that, we must ensure the Six Paths of Reincarnation are obtained smoothly... I have a persistent feeling of unease. This is not good."

An Enlightened One would never feel a premonition for no reason. If he felt something was wrong, then something detrimental to him must be happening.

The Demon Ancestor frowned, also casting his gaze toward the Profound Purity Realm. After a moment of thought, he said,

"How about we send someone to the Profound Purity Realm to keep an eye on Lu Xuan and Taiyi?"

"Let me think..."

Bodhi considered for a moment, then nodded.

"All the Daluo have been sent to the Human World. In that case, I will ask Shakyamuni to make a trip to the Profound Purity Realm."

The Demon Ancestor was puzzled.

"From what I can see, Shakyamuni is already in death-seclusion, having even withdrawn his many historical imprints. If you go and order him around now, he might not come out."

"No matter. I’ll just throw him directly into the Profound Purity Realm, breaking him out of his seclusion. I’ll compensate him and offer a small apology afterward."

"This..." The Demon Ancestor frowned. "If you do that, no matter what you do afterward, you will ultimately sour your relationship with him. What if, in his anger, he cuts off all cooperation with us..."

"He won’t."

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha shook his head and said calmly,

"I know Shakyamuni. What he wants to achieve is a True Dao Fruit. For that, he needs our help. Otherwise, he will never succeed. Besides, there can be no mistakes this time. This is a last resort. If he gets angry, so be it."

Hearing this, the Demon Ancestor stopped trying to persuade him and nodded.

"Fine. I’ll send someone to the Profound Purity Realm as well, just to be safe."

"Who?" Bodhi asked, curious.

The Demon Ancestor smiled faintly.

"Fu Xi."

"Him? How could he possibly help you?"

"It’s a long story."

「...」

「Profound Purity Realm.」

After digesting all his past memories, Lu Xiuyuan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Beside him, Lin Youwei wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked worriedly,

"Mr. Lu, are you feeling better?"

"I’m fine now." Lu Xiuyuan smiled, gently stroking Lin Youwei’s beautiful cheek. His gaze, however, couldn’t help but drift frequently toward the sky, toward Ao Tao.

Lin Youwei seemed to notice and also looked up.

"That person seems to be like you, having stepped into the Immortal realm... What is it? Is something wrong with him?"

Lu Xiuyuan hesitated, unsure how to explain. He sighed softly.

"It’s hard to explain right now. I’ll tell you later. For now, we just need to wait quietly... The Heaven-Opening Banner. When I hear that name, my heart can’t help but stir..."

The confusion on Lin Youwei’s face deepened, but she didn’t ask any more questions. She helped Lu Xiuyuan into the small city, where they found an inn.

Lu Xiuyuan silently used a Creation Technique, transforming a piece of bluestone into True Gold to pay for the room. The two of them then rested at the inn for three days.

Over the next three days, more and more Cultivators arrived from afar. Earth Immortals were everywhere, and True Immortals were a dime a dozen.

Meanwhile, three more blazing Great Suns had appeared in the Celestial Vault!

A total of four Immortals sat enthroned in the sky, while the True Immortals and Earth Immortals waited quietly in the mountains, fields, or the small city below.

On the fourth day, something unexpected happened.

To the East, a vast expanse of purple qi billowed over. A small mound of earth grew with the wind, transforming into a ten-thousand-zhang-tall peak in a single breath. In the next breath, it had become a boundless and majestic Divine Mountain!

"The Supreme Treasure is about to appear!"

Someone shouted, and the entire area for ten thousand li around erupted into a frenzy. The four Immortals teleported, positioning themselves across the Celestial Vault above the Divine Mountain.

Countless Cultivators scrambled across the ground, not daring to fly for fear of offending the four Immortals. In moments, they had surrounded the Divine Mountain, packing it in completely.

Lu Xiuyuan and Lin Youwei, mixed in the crowd and not at all conspicuous, stared at the Divine Mountain.

"Ten thousand zhang in one breath, and in the next, it’s this majestic..."

Lin Youwei gasped in amazement.

"Could that so-called Supreme Treasure be inside this mountain?"

"Probably."

Lu Xiuyuan nodded grimly. His Cultivation was far higher than Lin Youwei’s, and he could perceive things that ordinary True Immortals could not.

Just gazing at this mountain made his heart pound. In a daze, he seemed to witness the magnificent scene of the Creation of Heaven and Earth—

Chaos raging, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water rising, Yin and Yang shattering...

It wasn’t just him; the four Immortals in the sky also vaguely saw this terrifying scene, which was why they remained seated in the Celestial Vault, making no move.

"Let the people below investigate first."

Ao Tao spoke with extreme caution.

"We should wait for a while, just in case something unexpected happens."

"Fellow Daoist Ao Tao, why so timid?"

An Immortal with a full head of white hair and a beard chuckled.

"The rumors say Fellow Daoist Ao Tao has great courage, that you held up the starry heavens for countless years and even severed your own Immortal foundation just to walk the path of invincibility... It seems the rumors aren’t entirely true!"

Ao Tao sneered but didn’t reply. ’What do these people know?’

After being suppressed under the [Peach Blossom Spring] for so many years, he had recklessly charged out after achieving Immortality, only to be struck down by a blade right away.

Since then, he had learned a lesson: never act rashly!

’If I hadn’t gone all-in and fled into the [Peach Blossom Spring] back then, I might have already unified the Ancestor Star by now!’

At this thought, he grew sullen and displeased. He stared at the Divine Mountain again and waited quietly.

The other three Immortals also fell silent, gazing at the Divine Mountain. Time trickled by. When the Great Sun had sunk in the west, the Divine Mountain began to shake violently!

Countless people held their breath. Under the watchful eyes of all, the mountain face twisted, and earth and rock tumbled down.

Two large words appeared on the body of the Divine Mountain.

[Celestial Inquiry]!

’Celestial Inquiry?’

Countless Cultivators looked at each other, unable to make heads or tails of it. Then they saw smaller characters appear next to the words [Celestial Inquiry].

[Primordial by Nature, Primordial in Heaven Opening. The Heaven-Opening Banner is born of heaven and earth, pioneers heaven and earth, and brings about the Creation of all things. It is the First treasure of ancient times. Wielding it, a mortal can slay an Immortal, an Immortal can defy the Celestial Realms, and a master of the Celestial Realms can strike down a Daluo!]

[To wield this treasure, one must undergo the Celestial Inquiry. There are three inquiries. Answer all three correctly to obtain the Heaven-Opening Banner.]

The Cultivators were in an uproar, and the four Immortals in the Celestial Vault were also moved. ’A mortal wielding it can slay an Immortal?’

’Celestial Realms, Daluo... what realms are those?’

’Are they above the Immortal realm?’

’Three Celestial Inquiries... so, three questions?’

Amidst the commotion, the Divine Mountain trembled again, and a great question emerged.

[First Question.]

[In Ancient Times, there was a sage named Lu Xuan. Lu Zi had but one pursuit in his life. What was it?]

Lu Xiuyuan’s head snapped up, his expression dazed and lost.

’Xiaoxuan...’

In the sky, the white-haired and bearded Immortal stroked his long beard.

"What Lu Xuan pursued..."

He gazed at the Celestial Vault with a faint smile.

"It was to bring World Clarity."

Lu Xiuyuan, Ao Tao, Lin Youwei...

Countless Cultivators turned their heads and looked up at the old man with the white hair and beard.

"It’s the Sect Leader of the Celestial Blade Sect!" someone exclaimed softly. "The number one master of the blade under heaven, Fu Xi Ancestor!"

The wind and clouds roiled, and a single word appeared on the Divine Mountain.

[Correct].

And high above in the Celestial Vault, the will of heaven and earth rippled slightly as it muttered to itself,

"When... did he get here?"

Lu Xuan was completely baffled, and his heart sank.