Chapter 622 - 55: Dao Calendar Year 3000, 8th Forging of the Jade Scroll, the Dao Fruit Great Artifact is Complete

Chapter 622: Chapter 55: Dao Calendar Year 3000, 8th Forging of the Jade Scroll, the Dao Fruit Great Artifact is Complete

「In the first year of the Dao Calendar, the Daoist Lord established the Dao Country, appointed the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, and decreed myriads of officials. Peace reigned over the world.」

「In the 800th year of the Dao Calendar, a new emperor ascended the throne in the Underworld Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Nine Nether. The Daoist Lord personally came to offer congratulations. The new emperor threw himself into the Daoist Lord’s embrace, astonishing the world.」

「In the 807th year of the Dao Calendar, the Daoist Lord established the Reception Golden Bridge, connecting to the Celestial Myriad Realms. From that point on, all beings from the Celestial Myriad Realms who achieved success in their Cultivation could undergo Ascension to the Dao Country.」

「In the 3000th year of the Dao Calendar, the Daoist Lord went into seclusion. The Three Dukes governed heaven and earth. Aside from the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, no one knew the Daoist Lord’s whereabouts.」

"Although Lu Xuan is not a Dao Fruit, he already possesses a Dao Fruit Body and has some characteristics of a Dao Fruit..."

In the depths of Chaos, the Ancient Bodhi Buddha spoke in a measured tone, his brow furrowed.

"Furthermore, while in the Great Heaven and Earth, he can borrow power from the three forces of heaven, earth, and humanity. He also wields Great Artifacts like the Four Immortal Slaying Swords and the Heaven-Opening Banner. I suspect even the Buddha Mother would be no match for him."

The Demon Ancestor frowned slightly and, glancing sideways, asked,

"Amitabha, how much longer until you can recover?"

The Buddha Corpse sighed heavily.

"It’s hard to say for the short term. For now, I am unable to interfere in the affairs of the Human World. The damage I took this time was too severe. I..."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but sigh again.

He had been just half a step away from achieving a Perfect Dao Fruit, but in the end, all his efforts were for naught, and he had lost this round.

Not only was the Western Pure Land devastated, but he himself had fallen to the level of an Ancient One. He had even died—perished—and could now only exist in a state of ’death’, his combat prowess having plummeted.

At that moment, the Purple Cloud Palace Master—robed in a Buddha Robe and seated upon a Cyan Lotus, a great tree swaying gently behind him—lowered his head in shame. The miniature Western Pure Land in his hands slowly rotated.

He sighed softly.

"It is my fault. I held back and failed to completely annihilate Lu Xuan. I thought beating him to the brink of death would be enough, but who could have known..."

The Purple Cloud Palace Master closed his eyes, seemingly filled with guilt.

"It is alright, Fellow Daoist."

The Buddha Corpse said consolingly,

"That Fellow Daoist Lu has too many tricks and contingencies. He is an Innate Uncertain Number—impossible to predict, impossible to be certain about. I even suspect that if you had truly struck to kill, Fellow Daoist, the outcome would not have changed."

Hearing this, the Purple Cloud Palace Master seemed to grow even more guilty. He closed his eyes and said,

"Fellow Daoist Amitabha, it is I who have wronged you."

"Why would you say such a thing, Fellow Daoist?"

The Buddha Corpse spoke gently.

"At the time, you were the only one who could lend a hand, Fellow Daoist. I was deeply moved that you were willing to break completely with The Three Pristine Ones for my sake. Moreover, if not for you, I fear not even this foundation of the Western Pure Land could have been saved. The very Source of the Buddha Land would have been destroyed!"

After a few more moments of consolation,

the Purple Cloud Palace Master, his expression downcast, conferred with the Buddha Corpse, Bodhi, and the Demon Ancestor for a while longer. Finally, he walked forlornly into the depths of Chaos and vanished, silently blaming himself.

After he had departed,

the Ancient Bodhi Buddha opened his eyes and said calmly,

"This Fellow Daoist Purple Cloud can be trusted, but not entirely. Amitabha, you must handle this with the proper measure."

"I am aware, of course."

The Buddha Corpse’s expression also grew cold as he spoke faintly.

"But for now, at least, Purple Cloud seems to be without issue... Of course, caution is paramount, which is why I did not mention my future arrangements... As for restarting Journey to the West, where shall we begin?"

"From the very beginning."

The Demon Ancestor lifted her eyelids.

"I have already discussed this with my elder brother, and we have reached a conclusion. We will follow the original historical course and reenact the journey to the West in thirty thousand years. If executed properly, it may not only strengthen the Buddhist Sect but could also reverse the entire situation."

After a pause, an ethereal mist of Chaos materialized in her hand, transforming into a magnificent scroll. She spoke softly.

"The Map of Mountains and Rivers. The world itself is contained within this map. It is a Supreme Treasure left behind by Wa Huang after her Transcendence. My elder brother entrusted it to me. Thirty thousand years is enough time to forge an unparalleled Demon Country within it!"

The Buddha Corpse and Bodhi were both visibly stirred. ’The Map of Mountains and Rivers...’

’A Great Artifact on the level of an Enlightened One, approaching the rank of a Supreme Treasure! It had been missing for many years, yet to think it was in Fu Xi’s hands all along!’

’Moreover, the artifact looks different than it used to. It seems that after Wa Huang’s Transcendence, it has become suffused with faint wisps of Transcendent Dao Rhyme...’

A look of delight appeared on Bodhi’s face.

"With this, our original ten percent chance of success can be raised to thirty percent! With thirty thousand years to make more arrangements and enact grander schemes, that thirty percent chance could surely become fifty, seventy, or even ninety percent!"

The Buddha Corpse was also beaming.

"Excellent, excellent. Though I am dead, it has its pros as well as its cons. In death, I cannot be calculated, predicted, or investigated... I will enter the fray once more, rejoining the game under an identity known to no one!"

The three Supreme Beings looked at each other and smiled, their eyes glinting with intensity.

「Meanwhile, in the depths of Chaos.」

The Purple Cloud Palace Master sat cross-legged and alone. The great tree behind him trembled slightly before finally collapsing, transforming into nine Bodhi Miaoshu Branches.

He passed the Miaoshu Branches forward, handing them to himself.

Lu Xuan reached out and took the nine Bodhi Miaoshu Branches. Adding them to the one he already possessed and the seven from Shakyamuni’s body, he now had seventeen of the eighty-one branches.

"Excellent, excellent."

After nodding to himself in acknowledgment, Lu Xuan smiled and silently made his way back to the River of Time, returning to the Great Heaven and Earth.

He journeyed backward, roaming through the most ancient of ages until he finally stepped into The Beginning of Ancient Times. There, along with his three masters, he entered the Hongmeng that existed before the Heaven Opening, completely undetected by any living being.

"Masters, I have now obtained a quarter of the Great Will of Heaven and Earth. This Azure Heaven Crown can now be refined into the Creation Jade Scroll. In addition, I have this..."

Lu Xuan extended his hand, and the Four Noble Truths Seal materialized. The Supreme looked on with mild surprise.

"Even this artifact has fallen into your hands? Fellow Daoist Bodhi is truly generous."

"Indeed, he is."

Lu Xuan nodded in firm agreement, his voice full of false admiration.