Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Is There Still Any Karmic Connection?
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Jiangxi, Deep Joy Pure Land.
In this land of ultimate Zen, temples stood in dense clusters. Among them was a modest one, not particularly vast, radiating brilliant Buddhist light with resounding bells. The plaque above the temple gate bore three large characters:
【Dragon-Subduing Temple】
Pushing open the temple doors led straight to the main hall, where a towering Arhat golden statue stood majestically. Beneath the statue sat a handsome young man with rosy lips and white teeth on a rush cushion, surrounded by disciples—some chanting sutras, others holding ritual implements—as they conducted a sacrificial ceremony.
But at that moment, a sudden explosion echoed through the temple.
"Hm?"
The rosy-lipped youth opened his eyes, a flicker of puzzlement in his gaze.
"Guang Hai and Guang Hui are dead!? Only Guang Ming is still alive?"
His three most capable disciples had all been sent, at the Bodhisattva's request, to join the Dao-Seizing War. Guang Hai had the highest cultivation, Guang Hui second, and Guang Ming the lowest. Yet, unexpectedly, now that the Dao-Seizing War had ended, it was the one with the most mediocre talent, Guang Ming, who had survived.
But soon, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat's expression shifted.
"This is... the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art? No—it's the 【Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】! Someone actually succeeded in Foundation Establishment without me sensing it!?"
At this thought, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat's face darkened ominously.
Though he had created the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art himself, the 【Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】 was not his own—it had been bestowed upon him by a great figure of the Pure Land.
The so-called 【Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding】 commanded 【True Dragon Baleful Qi】.
Ordinary cultivators who practiced the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art and formed third-grade true qi ultimately served only to make wedding clothes for him, refined into the temple's guardian vajras.
Precisely for this reason, he feared most that someone would break through the limitations of the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art and, like him, forge a 【Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】, freeing themselves from his control—and even contending with him for the path ahead. That would turn a former pawn into a lifelong archenemy!
"Whoever it is... I must kill them!"
With this resolve, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat's figure suddenly dimmed as he invoked a "Buddhist mind seal," transmitting his intent heart-to-heart and directly fleeing toward the target.
Yet in the next instant, his expression changed drastically.
For in the direction he fled, three colossal dharma bodies towered to the heavens and spanned the earth, indescribably immense, all turning their gazes toward him in unison!
"Where did this stray cultivator come from, you blind fool."
A light rebuke boomed like rolling heavenly thunder, jolting the Dragon-Subduing Arhat's body. He watched helplessly as his own Dao foundation began to crumble and dissipate on the spot.
"Namo Amitabha."
A serene Buddhist chant echoed, instantly calming the void and stabilizing the Dragon-Subduing Arhat's nearly collapsing Dao foundation, pulling him back from the brink of death.
"Patron Feixue, you're a bit too hasty."
"Fulong and your sect's Patron Lu share a profound karmic bond. Rather than striking at the first disagreement, why not let them meet first?"
Only then did the Dragon-Subduing Arhat regain his senses. In the midst of the three True Lords stood a wondrous spectacle in the sky, atop which a handsome young man also stood—his aura identical to the one the Arhat had sensed, a 【Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】. The youth's gaze toward him was filled with wariness.
"...Damn it!"
The Dragon-Subduing Arhat grasped the situation at a glance. This was a true man of the Primal Saint Sect! Under such circumstances, killing was impossible!
Yet this concerned his own path...
What chilled the Dragon-Subduing Arhat even more was that the opponent's Dao foundation was flawless and complete, without the slightest defect—a breakthrough straight to the peak of early Foundation Establishment!
"Perfect Foundation Establishment?" the Dragon-Subduing Arhat murmured lowly.
An innately perfect Dao foundation would save untold effort in forging a natal divine ability. In at most thirty years, he could attempt to accommodate the first heavenly gang earthly fiend and charge into mid-stage!
A true archenemy!
At this thought, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat gritted his teeth, then turned to Lu Yang and said gravely,
"This man and I do indeed share some karmic ties..."
"Oh? Really?"
True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow smiled upon hearing this. With a wave of her jade hand, the wondrous spectacle 【Ten Thousand Gu Grotto】—formed from the boundary heaven—shrank into her palm, spinning nimbly.
"Fellow Daoists, where do you think this wonder of mine should land—Jiangdong or Jiangxi?"
"I'd say Jiangxi is just fine."
"Namo Amitabha!"
Before True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow finished speaking, the Pure Land's True Lord intoned a Buddha's name.
"Since the Dao-Seizing War has ended, this poor nun should return."
"Why so hasty?" True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow chuckled lightly.
"Isn't there still karmic connection?"
"No more, no more."
The Buddhist True Lord swallowed her pride with a smile and replied, then turned to the Dragon-Subduing Arhat.
"Let's head back for now."
The Dragon-Subduing Arhat looked utterly unwilling but helpless, casting a deep glance at distant Lu Yang before stepping behind the Pure Land True Lord.
In the next instant, the Buddhist light faded.
The Pure Land True Lord, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat, even Guang Ming—who had luckily survived the battle—and a dozen or so other fortunate Buddhist cultivators thus returned to Jiangxi's Deep Joy Pure Land.
"...Hmph!"
Meanwhile, the True Lord from the Imperial Court darkened his face. The Pure Land had survivors like Guang Ming and others, but his side had been utterly annihilated.
Fortunately, the Imperial Court was a special case—people didn't matter; what mattered was the 【official position】. As long as the 【official position】 wasn't lost or damaged, even if the person died, they could simply select and appoint from past imperial examination graduates. What truly enraged the Imperial Court True Lord was still that 【Ten Thousand Gu Grotto】.
Rumble!
With a flick of True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow's jade hand, the wondrous spectacle plummeted from the sky, smashing viciously into the border region of Jiangdong's Imperial Court territory.
Almost simultaneously, the Imperial Court True Lord let out a muffled grunt.
Below, in Jiangdong.
At the site where the 【Ten Thousand Gu Grotto】 landed, all cultivators sensed it and looked up at the sky, feeling an abrupt shift in cultivation difficulty.
In the early morning, with dew condensing into mist.
Qi not yet fully circulating, rising from the earth, linking north and south, confronting Kan and Li. Every cultivator practicing metal or water arts suddenly felt a surge of畅快.
This was the clash of fruition positions!
The original position enveloping the area was displaced, and True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow's position gained the upper hand, directly influencing all cultivators below.
Even Foundation Establishment true men were no exception!
Gazing out, Lu Yang could even see a few cultivators attempting Foundation Establishment whose odds, due to the shift, dropped from decent to zero.
While others with slim hopes gained an extra ten percent chance.
"Thanks, fellow Daoist!"
True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow laughed heartily at the sight, while the Imperial Court True Lord said nothing, his face black as he retracted his dharma body and vanished in a blink.
Jiangxi, Deep Joy Pure Land.
Upon returning to the Pure Land, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat did not leave immediately. Instead, he looked toward the True Lord presiding over all matters, honored as 【Treasure Vase Water Moon Bodhisattva】:
"Bodhisattva... what exactly happened in this Dao-Seizing War?"
"We lost, that's all."
Treasure Vase Water Moon Bodhisattva's tone was utterly calm. After all, though defeated, the Pure Land's losses weren't too severe—the real damage had been borne by the Imperial Court.
Publicly, the Imperial Court was wiped out, while the Pure Land at least had a few survivors. Privately, she had used the Dragon-Subduing Arhat's issue to provoke True Lord Pure-and-Clear Flying Snow into placing the 【Ten Thousand Gu Grotto】 in Jiangdong, sparing her own side damage. Naturally, she spoke with ease now.
"That Guang Ming is quite impressive."
"If not for his timely betrayal of the Imperial Court, all the participating Buddhist forces would likely have perished like them. He's a clever seedling."
"Of course, betraying allies doesn't sound good and shouldn't be encouraged."
"So after returning, don't reward him openly. But secretly, let him cultivate diligently in your 【Dragon-Subduing Temple】. He may prove useful in the future."
"This monk receives the decree."
The Dragon-Subduing Arhat bowed, gaining newfound respect for Guang Ming in his heart. After all, with everyone else dead and him alive, there must be something extraordinary about him.
"But Bodhisattva, that newly advanced Foundation Establishment true man..."
As the Dragon-Subduing Arhat spoke, Treasure Vase Water Moon Bodhisattva pinched her fingers to divine, then shook her head.
"The karmic bond is severed. It depends on your own abilities now."
"If you can convert him or kill him, the Pure Land will fully support you."
"Otherwise... the Pure Land doesn't keep useless people."
At these words, how could the Dragon-Subduing Arhat dare say more? He prostrated himself, acknowledging with his mouth, then crawled backward out of the Pure Land's main hall.
(End of chapter)