Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [?]
Chapter Title: Covered Lamp Fire
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Lights blazed brilliantly.
Many Treasures Child stared dazedly at everything around him. All in his sight were ignited torches, the fiercest blaze right beside him—the Profound Iron Sword Master.
They had been conversing at the time.
The pair had barely escaped Dragon-Slicing Pass with their lives and were plotting to smuggle into the Jiangxi Pure Lands when a glow suddenly emanated from Profound Iron Sword Master's body.
Then he burst into flames.
No way to stop it. No time to react. Many Treasures Child simply watched as Profound Iron Sword Master's despair-filled eyes turned to fireballs, his mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation melting into fuel. The flames erupting from his body engulfed several cities in the blink of an eye.
Heaven and earth fell silent.
Only the flames spread quietly. The sky burned crimson. Amid it all, Many Treasures Child felt like he was inside a pill furnace.
"Jiangbei fiends. Primal Saint Sect. What a 'saintly' sect!"
In that instant, Many Treasures Child's old grudge against Primal Saint Sect was like the millions of lives, the mountains and rivers beneath the inferno—all burned to nothing.
Only ash-like terror remained.
Millions of people! Countless cultivators! Even if he slew them himself, it'd take three days and nights.
Yet a single fire had ignited them all!
How could these be humans?
The next second, a breeze swept past Many Treasures Child, laced with the flames' searing heat. He couldn't help but squint.
Where did the wind come from?
Many Treasures Child scanned around, saw nothing, then realized with a start.
"Foundation Establishment Realm!? It's the Bi Wind! The fire's burning into the Foundation Establishment Realm!"
Rumble!
With that, Many Treasures Child plunged into the Foundation Establishment Realm. Sure enough, endless prairie fire stretched before him.
But amid the raging blaze, he saw countless jade towers and pavilions reforged in the flames, rising from the earth. All manner of landscapes shifted from illusion to solidity under the fire's roast, finally bursting with Foundation Establishment radiance like a sun ready to rise!
"Rise!"
In a flash, a clear shout rang across the four directions. That sun-like burning land truly ascended toward the Foundation Establishment skies!
Blessed Land rising!
"Heavy Light's really begun his golden ascension, raising his Blessed Land! Once he claims the fruit position and transforms it to Grotto-Heaven, he'll be a True Lord forevermore!"
"The Millennium Calamity draws one step nearer!"
At Dragon-Slicing Pass, Perfected Being Yin Shan beamed with excitement.
"Zhong Xin... It's Zhong Xin! Senior Brother's plots run deep. Preparations perfect, Flying Snow True Lord guarding— this ascension's in the bag!"
At the same time, a golden-robed man emerged beside Perfected Being Yin Shan. Chiseled features betrayed faint anticipation. It was Hong Ju, who had sent Vimalakirti Venerable One back to the Pure Land in one strike. But now, his body crawled with hairline cracks.
His end neared.
After Hongyun Daoist's death, Hong Ju—as his creation—was rootless water. Every action drained his scant life.
This was his final stand.
Success: Heavy Light ascends, he renews his lifespan, free and easy. Failure: soul to void, consciousness snuffed, no reincarnation.
Yet Hong Ju stayed calm.
He retained memories of Hongyun Daoist's own ascension. Heavy Light True Person's setup dwarfed it.
"True Lord as guardian. Pure Land's meddling severed. Dao Court and Sword Pavilion forced to accept. Heavy Light refined perfect Gold Nature himself. Blood-sacrificed the whole [Qing Kingdom]. Uses this wonder as fuel for raising his Blessed Land. Sidesteps heavenly punishment."
"That's a [wonder]!"
"Among breakthroughs to True Lord, [wonders] are supreme provisions. Without the heavenly punishment for claiming one, who'd not fight for it."
"With [wonder] boost, raising Blessed Land is effortless."
"Plus, [Usurpation] reversed Qing Kingdom's Dao Court rules. Emperor dethroned, order collapsed—fruit position's favor assured!"
Hong Ju looked skyward.
Not mortal sky, but Foundation Establishment sky. There, golden cup light bloomed—the [Covered Lamp Fire] manifestation! Hong Ju concluded:
"Victory odds: ten out of ten!"
Yes. In his eyes, Heavy Light's breakthrough was flawless. Theoretically impossible to fail!
Meanwhile, in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Heavy Light True Person stood hands behind back. All essence, qi, spirit poured forth. Innate four talents, perfected divine abilities—all empowered his [Cave Yang Blessed Land] behind him.
[Covered Lamp Fire]'s glow neared.
Relief washed over Heavy Light True Person, like surfacing from ocean depths to fresh air.
Soon, all changed.
A vast emptiness met his eyes. Foundation Establishment's "sky"—fruit positions' domain. Traditions described it thus.
Jiangnan Jiangbei Refinement-Form Ascension Dao: "Glow spans Dharma Realm, void clear, heaven's heart shines."
Jiangxi Pure Land Buddhists: "No birth no death, clouds gone, clear sky pure mountains; no come no go, wisdom to lone moon zen."
Jiangdong Dao Court: "Gradual to sudden Dharma, conditioned to unconditioned, non-empty to true void."
All boiled to one simple term:
[Bitter Sea].
"Above Foundation Establishment: Bitter Sea!"
"Mortals churn within!"
"Fruit positions: boats atop Bitter Sea. Only True Lords raise Blessed Lands from the sea to helm them!"
Whence the [Bitter Sea]?
Soon insights flooded Heavy Light True Person. Dazed, he glimpsed cultivators of [Covered Lamp Fire] arts.
Qi Refiners: irrelevant.
Useful: Dao Base builders. His ascension weighed the "boat" fruit position.
Instantly, ripples spread.
Negligible in [Bitter Sea]. Below, in Foundation Establishment: soul-rending gales.
[Bi Wind]!
Every related Dao Base True Person bore Bi Wind—their bases, lifelong cultivation upholding [Covered Lamp Fire]. Why Foundation Establishment's wind-fire-thunder tribulations? The fruit positions and Grotto-Heavens above!
"So that's it."
Enlightenment lit Heavy Light True Person's eyes. True Lord secret—unknowable otherwise.
Makes sense.
Foundation True Persons: [subjects]. Golden Core True Lords: [rulers]. What ruler spares subjects taxes?
One reason True Lords cap Foundation numbers!
Taxes crush: masses rebel. Too few: tribute lacks, weakens ruler.
"Mortal world: vast Bitter Sea."
Heavy Light True Person sighed. Excitement surged—he neared shore!
But then.
"...Hm?"
Nearing [Covered Lamp Fire], he saw it differed from expectations. He froze.
"This is... but how can it be?"