Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Nirvana and the Buddhist Path
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“Amitabha.”
Under Lu Yang's gaze, the youth with crimson lips and pearly teeth offered a faint smile. He then brought his palms together, a golden glint in his eyes as he looked straight at Lu Yang.
“Benefactor, your exceptional talent is truly a delightful surprise for this humble monk.”
“...A Buddhist cultivator?”
Lu Yang’s brow twitched. He had heard from Chen Anze that there were no Buddhist cultivators in the lands south or north of the river. Even if there were, they were rogue cultivators like Ming Chan from before.
The true Buddhist cultivators were all west of the river.
They practiced not the “Path of Body Refinement and Soaring Ascension,” but the “Path of Deep Bliss and Annihilation Nirvana,” which was said to hold its own mysteries, vastly different from the paths of the river lands.
Perfected Being Panlong, in particular, had a cultivation level similar to the Heaven Mending Peak Master. Yet, unlike him, he had never been struck by Golden Core Sword Qi. His spirit and flesh were whole, and he was at the peak of his power. His aura blanketed the cosmos, as vast as the heavens, instantly making Lu Yang understand why the Heaven Mending Peak Master had been so aggrieved.
“This humble monk is Fulong.”
The youth spoke, his voice calm. “Panlong has entered annihilation, achieving nirvana in the Pure Land. His past life has nothing more to do with me. In this world, there is only Fulong.”
Lu Yang’s expression was equally placid. “Then, Senior Fulong, why have you come to find me at this moment?”
As he spoke, he continued to establish his Dao, only to find that the Dao Foundation, which had been so easy to construct just moments ago, was now as difficult as if he were carrying a great weight.
‘...Is it that dragon?’
Lu Yang’s gaze shifted to the small dragon coiled around Arhat Fulong. He saw that its golden dragon pupils were fixed unwaveringly on him.
Seeing this, Arhat Fulong smiled faintly.
The small dragon at his side appeared to be a living creature, but it was, in fact, a superior-grade spirit treasure named the “Dragon-Trapping Ring.” The divine ability it contained was called “Gaze Framing the Cosmos.” As the name implied, anything caught within its sight would be fixed within its field of view, unable to leave or transform.
Because the first time it had seen Lu Yang, he had not yet established his Dao Foundation.
So now, no matter how Lu Yang circulated his divine abilities, his Dao Foundation was held fast by its gaze, difficult to condense, and he was unable to take the opportunity to flee elsewhere.
“This humble monk has come this time to offer the benefactor an opportunity.”
Arhat Fulong sized up Lu Yang and continued, “After I entered annihilation, I attained the state of an Arhat and established a temple in the Pure Land, named the Dragon-Subduing Temple.”
“The temple is newly built and still lacks Buddhist followers.”
“Benefactor, your True Qi is peerless. You can serve as a Dharma Protector Vajra in my temple. From now on, you will cultivate the path of annihilation with me. Would that not be a wonderful thing?”
Boom!
Before Arhat Fulong could finish his sentence, Lu Yang’s figure flickered and vanished from his spot, replaced by a dazed-looking witch ghost.
Arhat Fulong was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Lu Yang to be able to break free from the Dragon-Trapping Ring’s restraint. But he quickly smoothed his brow and let out a hearty laugh. “Benefactor, why must you remain so unenlightened? You cultivate the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art; you are naturally fated to be with this humble monk, with the Pure Land.”
“To hell with your fate!”
Within the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lu Yang cursed inwardly as he fled. Arhat Fulong was clearly up to no good. How could he possibly surrender without a fight?
“I was too careless!”
As he fled, Lu Yang was filled with regret. It wasn't that he hadn't considered the possibility that the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art* had a problem, especially with Liu Xin's cautionary tale.
However, at the time, Perfected Being Panlong was as good as dead in his eyes. Furthermore, in his previous life, he had attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment, and Perfected Being Panlong had never shown up. Thus, he had let his guard down... Thinking back now, it was probably because his past self had made the breakthrough within the Primal Saint Sect!
“Damn it, they’re all a bunch of animals!”
“Is there not a single good person in the Primal Saint Sect who genuinely thinks of the future generations? What Dharma Protector Vajra? Is he planning to refine me into a puppet!?”
With a thought, Lu Yang left the Foundation Establishment Realm.
In the next second, Lu Yang escaped, carrying the power of “Heaven Collapsing.” The eight hundred miles of Skull Mountain immediately began to shake violently, as if an earth dragon were turning over beneath it.
“Fighting in the Foundation Establishment Realm is certain death for me.” Lu Yang faced reality. He had not yet established his Dao Foundation. Within that realm, he had to resist the assault of heart demons every second of every minute.
How could he fight under such conditions?
Therefore, he had to first return to the present world and find a way to escape or repel Arhat Fulong before he could continue his breakthrough. Otherwise, it was a dead end.
“Escaping is unrealistic. I have a divine talisman to conceal my karma, yet that bald donkey still found me. This means he has a way to bypass karma and lock onto me directly through the connection in the cultivation method. Under these circumstances, I can't possibly escape. Besides, Skull Mountain is my home turf; fleeing would be even more dangerous...”
Having thought this through, Lu Yang made his decision. “...I’ll fight!”
Although he could still restart, the pages of the Book of a Hundred Lives were limited. He wouldn't restart so easily unless he was truly at his wit's end, with no other choice.
Besides, even if he had to restart, for the sake of his next life, he should try his best to probe Perfected Being Panlong’s methods.
In the next instant, Arhat Fulong’s figure materialized, also carrying the power of Heaven Collapsing. But he was a true Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the phenomenon he created was different from Lu Yang's.
He lowered his eyelids, his calm gaze sweeping over Skull Mountain.
In a flash, the entire eight-hundred-mile range of Skull Mountain was in his view. The formless pressure of a true Foundation Establishment cultivator instantly descended upon every cultivator within the mountain.
Rumble!
In that moment, cultivators below the late stage of Qi Refining were directly crushed into dust by this pressure. Those in the late stage were forced to their knees, vomiting blood.
Only the cultivators at the peak of Qi Refining, who seemed to still have some value, were not gravely injured. Instead, they suddenly brought their palms together and began to inexplicably chant Buddhist scriptures.
At the same time, Lu Yang brandished the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner. The guardian deity Sunü immediately appeared, leading eight red-clothed ghosts to execute a divine ability. The majestic Hall of Yama instantly rose from the ground, dominating the sky, while he continuously drew out the Yin Baleful Qi from the earth veins of Skull Mountain below to empower the ability.
Arhat Fulong clicked his tongue in admiration.
“Once the benefactor enters my temple as a Dharma Protector Vajra, this one can also become a female devotee in my temple, sharing in supreme bliss with you. It could be considered a fateful connection.”
Boom!
Lu Yang completely ignored Arhat Fulong’s words. The moment the Hall of Yama appeared, he lifted it into the air and brought it crashing down on Arhat Fulong’s head!
Arhat Fulong did not dodge or evade. He simply raised a halo of treasured light from the top of his head, shaped like a ceremonial canopy, and steadily caught the descending Hall of Yama. The instant they collided, shooting stars and flowing fire burst forth, scattering in all directions, causing Arhat Fulong’s previously relaxed brow to furrow slightly.
“It seems ordinary methods will not be enough to take this person down.”
Though he said this, Arhat Fulong’s heart was filled with elation. When he left behind the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art*, he hadn't actually expected to catch any big fish.
After all, the Heaven Mending Peak Master knew his background. It was impossible that he would let a true Foundation Establishment seed cultivate the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art*, only to be reeled in by him, benefiting the Buddhist cultivators of Jiangxi. So, his expectations were initially low. As long as it was someone attempting to reach Foundation Establishment, he wouldn't mind even if their chances were only ten percent.
However, Lu Yang had far exceeded his expectations.
He could tell at a glance that the other was a true Foundation Establishment seed, and a top-tier one at that. If he could convert him, the benefits would be immense!
Not to mention the bonus of a guardian deity, Sunü.
A False Foundation Establishment, while not as good as a true one, was still quite impressive. Bringing both into his Dragon-Subduing Temple would be enough to advance his own cultivation a step further!
“So be it. I shall display some more of my divine abilities.”
With this thought, Arhat Fulong’s expression turned solemn. He brought his palms together, and golden light steamed from beneath his feet, instantly filling more than half the sky.
In the blink of an eye, the eight hundred miles of Skull Mountain, once roiling with Yin Baleful Qi, had transformed into a vast, golden land.
And on this golden land, a temple as majestic as a mountain rose from the ground. Its gates swung wide open, revealing the main hall, where a lotus throne sat in the place of honor.
Then, Arhat Fulong’s figure flashed and landed upon the lotus throne in the temple.
In that instant, a brilliant light erupted. Arhat Fulong sat upon the lotus throne, his right hand covering his right knee, his fingertips touching the ground to form a mudra. In a moment, he cast down thousands upon thousands of radiant, rosy rays.
Wherever the rays passed, all filth was scattered, and all phenomena dissolved.
The eight hundred miles of Yin Baleful Qi on Skull Mountain were swept clean in a single stroke, and the Hall of Yama, like snow in the summer sun, collapsed with a thunderous roar under the radiant light!
(End of Chapter)