Chapter 530
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Assault on Jiangxi
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Jiangdong, Tianwu Hall.
In a dimly lit grand hall, a youth with a pair of horns sprouting from his head sat cross-legged. The imagery of heavenly river waters constantly washed over his qi circulation.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes in surprise.
"Ah? It worked?"
For some time now, Tian Qiu had been in seclusion, attempting to use the power of the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Regulations] to wash away the Buddhist affinities and karma from the Pure Land clinging to his body.
Unfortunately, the results had been negligible. The strength of those Buddhist affinities far exceeded his expectations, leaving him inwardly seething: 'If the [Heavenly River Water] imagery hadn't been damaged, how could I be in such a bind? A single rinse would have stripped away any Buddhist affinities or karma—no chance of them sticking to me.'
But after the upheaval of the heavens, the supreme position had shifted.
The imagery that once belonged to the [Heavenly River Water] had been dispersed among the rivers, lakes, and seas, as well as the other five water-line fruit positions, creating a dynamic where the main force was weakened and the subordinates strengthened.
The [Heavenly River Water], which should have been the strongest,
now ranked as the weakest among the water-line fruit positions. The lofty supreme fruit position offered no buffs whatsoever—in fact, it was holding him back.
So when the Buddhist affinities and karma suddenly vanished, Tian Qiu was utterly shocked.
"Could it be that my cultivation has advanced significantly?"
In any case, losing the Buddhist affinities was good news. If he weren't in Jiangdong, he'd have shifted back to his dragon form and celebrated properly in the sea.
Tian Qiu chuckled as he stepped out of his seclusion chamber.
But the very next moment, he froze in place. Tianwu City was gripped by an eerie solemnity, with vast numbers of armored soldiers marching out in formation.
'What the hell? Have Tianwu's remnant forces rebelled?'
Just then, a streak of escaping light descended. It was none other than the highest cultivator in the Dao Court aside from Lu Yang—Empress Xiao, clad in her phoenix crown and embroidered robes.
"Her Majesty the Empress." Tian Qiu hurriedly bowed.
Strictly speaking, with Lu Yang now in charge of the Dao Court, she was no longer empress. But on the surface, everyone still addressed her as such.
After all, those in the know understood.
"You've emerged from seclusion? Good—come with me."
Empress Xiao glanced at Tian Qiu and said gravely, "You're at peak Foundation Establishment, after all. You'll be a help. Fellow Daoist, we're about to undertake a great task."
"A great task?"
Tian Qiu blinked, unflappable. After Lu Yang's seizure of the Dao Court, nothing could rattle his mind anymore.
Casually, he asked, "What kind of great task?"
Empress Xiao's chest heaved as she suppressed her inner turmoil. Moments later, she whispered, "Soldiers march on Jiangxi—to avenge our past grudge against the Pure Land!"
Tian Qiu: "...Huh?"
Jiangxi, Blissful Treasure Temple.
Though it lay on the frontier, facing Jiangdong directly, the temple blazed with lights, magnificent and enchanting. From within came the faint strains of decadent music.
Entering the grand hall, one saw countless monks seated, drinking and feasting freely. Beside each monk sat mortal dancing girls. When the mood struck, they simply got handsy, heedless of the gathered eyes upon them.
At the head of the hall loomed a mountain of flesh.
Fat-headed and big-eared, with a massive waist and round belly, his limbs seemed pitifully thin by comparison. He tore into a hunk of meat with great bites.
This mountain of flesh was the Arhat of Blissful Treasure Temple.
Dharma name: [Desire Mountain].
As the name implied, his Dao foundation was a mountain, cultivated through the seven emotions and six desires. His path emphasized utter indulgence in pleasure.
At that moment, a monk hurried in, face etched with worry.
"My lord... My lord, please hold!"
The decadent music in the temple halted abruptly. Desire Mountain Arhat frowned and looked down, instantly drenching the monk in cold sweat.
Yet he pressed on. "My lord, haven't you heard the news from the Pure Land? The Buddha's son fell in Jiangdong. We're right next to them here—staying puts us in grave danger. The best course now is to retreat at once, head to the inland temples in Jiangxi, and seek shelter with fellow Daoists..."
"Shut your mouth!" Before the monk could finish, Desire Mountain Arhat slapped him to the ground and bellowed with laughter. "With the World Honored One above, you think we're afraid of Jiangdong?"
"I'll tell you something else."
"The great ones in the Pure Land have long prepared countermeasures, just waiting for that pack of rats to show up. No matter who comes, they'll all end up dead!"
With that, Desire Mountain Arhat called out again.
"Resume the music! Keep dancing!"
The decadent tunes swelled once more. Only then did Desire Mountain Arhat nod in satisfaction, reaching for another hunk of meat—only to grasp empty air.
"Hm?"
Desire Mountain Arhat paused, a sudden premonition stirring in his heart. He wasn't alone; every Buddhist cultivator present felt it too, all looking skyward.
Then their pupils froze.
Blazing golden light descended from the heavens, filling every Buddhist cultivator's eyes and locking their expressions in place. A realization dawned instinctively in their minds:
'Mere presumptuous vassal—how dare you gaze upon the Emperor's light?'
[Seeing the Sun Emperor Light Register]!
This Dao art severed divine sense, sending the mind wandering beyond, lost and oblivious to one's surroundings. It pinned every Buddhist cultivator in place.
Next came a sword cry:
"Ching—!"
No pain accompanied it. Sword light swept through like a gale scything fallen leaves, leaving behind headless corpses with no blood spraying forth.
"Boom!"
The next instant, bereft of their presiding Arhat's support, the entire Blissful Treasure Temple collapsed in ruins. Only the mortal dancing girls were shielded and sent away unharmed.
High in the firmament, Lu Yang stood with hands behind his back.
At this moment, Blissful Treasure Temple was no outlier. Beyond his own Jiangdong forces, troops from Jiangnan, Jiangbei, and overseas had also breached Jiangxi's borders!
Forces from all four directions, united to exterminate the Pure Land!
Lu Yang gazed into the distance, as if peering to the Pure Land's deepest core. There, a qi distinct from this world's undulated.
Lu Yang recognized it.
'[Dragon Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva].'
An Outer Dao True Lord of the Pure Land, originally meant to withdraw from the world alongside the local True Lords. But compared to natives, Outer Dao True Lords had more leeway.
'Ordinarily, Outer Dao True Lords seeking further progress in this broken realm would merge with heaven and earth, spread their teachings, enlighten cultivators, and rely on them to uphold their fruit positions. Thus, when [No-Worry Heaven] opened, Outer Dao True Lords lost their support just like the locals and were forced into seclusion.'
'But exceptions always exist.'
'An Outer Dao True Lord who forgoes advancement, severs ties with heaven and earth, and reverts to their outer form can bypass [No-Worry Heaven]'s blockade.'
Yet no one would choose that.
Except Dragon Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva. As a Pure Land Bodhisattva, he had no say in the matter.
'That said, the Pure Land paid a heavy price for this.'
'After all, though an Outer Dao, [Dragon Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva] had potential to convert to orthodox, claim an earth-line fruit position, and become a local True Lord.'
'Had he succeeded, the Pure Land could have gathered three elements and produced a late-stage Great True Lord.'
'But now, to stop me, [Dragon Snake Coiling Shadow] Bodhisattva was forced back into outer form—likely unable to reintegrate even at life's end.'
Evidently, the Pure Land had staked a fortune.
With that thought, Lu Yang grinned. "Perfect."
In the next breath, the great fortune golden nature was in his grasp. The Incense Fire Great God assembled Yama Hall, and in an instant, a fruit position light ignited upon him!
Falsely holding the golden position!
"Come out."
Lu Yang stared into the Pure Land's depths, crooking a finger. "Today, I slay you to prove my Dao!"