Is this the world as seen through the Heavenly Heart?
Although Ji Xiang’s consciousness remained within his body, it felt as if he had merged with the entire Vajra Realm. The ancient image of the Heavenly Venerate manifested behind him, with Lingbao Heavenly Venerate lending a hand, granting Ji Xiang the state of the Heavenly Heart realm momentarily.
However, in the eyes of the Great Sun Tathagata opposite him, the Heavenly Venerate was no longer present.
The Heavenly Heart referred not only to the "mind" deep within the cultivator's brow chakra, but also to the will of heaven. To replace the will of heaven with human will, to replace the heavenly heart with the human heart, this was the Heavenly Heart realm. In ancient times, those who reached this level were called Dao Lords.
When the human heart is removed, the heavenly heart returns. Within a square inch, one possesses the grandeur of the myriad palaces and the marvels of the Jade Capital’s elixir towers, and the divine abode of the supremely spiritual.
Confucianism calls it the void, Buddhism the spiritual platform, and Daoism the ancestral land. Upon proving the existence of this world, comprehending Taiyi and Daluo, and understanding the fundamental existence of all heavens and worlds, one could then master the rules within, and one's own will would become the "inherent original self."
Ji Xiang felt omnipresent, as if he were the Vajra Realm itself, yet also transcending it. Although the Vajra Realm was a Buddhist world, he possessed both the Huiji Vajra Seal and the form and spirit of the Thousand-Ray Tathagata, thus the Vajra Realm did not reject him. It embraced him, and he occupied it.
Within this realm, and even when peering into the mortal world through it, the myriad sentient beings transformed into illusory clusters of light, constantly arising and perishing. Yet, with a glance from the Heavenly Heart, the phenomena of their birth and death would reverse, plunging into an endless cycle.
This was the rule of the cycle of birth and death in the world. Even immortals could not see it, but the Heavenly Heart could, and could insert itself, join, or disrupt these existing cycles, guiding them towards the desired direction.
Then, by carefully observing each cluster of light, one could even glimpse their future. His consciousness seemed to travel to that future, leaving behind a reflected self that fixed that future.
Future and past illuminated each other, thus influencing the present. The present was the past of the future, and so, traveling to a future, unmanifested history, it became real and destined to happen.
The reflected self constructed by the Heavenly Heart in the future was also the true self, existing in the future, in the present, and in the past of the river of time carried by this event.
"The wonders of the Heavenly Heart."
Although he had not comprehended Taiyi and Daluo himself, the Heavenly Heart state bestowed by Lingbao Heavenly Venerate was nearly complete. Of course, more profound wonders could only be carefully perceived upon truly entering this realm. He did not have much time now.
The Heavenly Heart state lasted only a moment!
The Great General of Ghost Slaying’s dozen arms struck the Great Sun Tathagata, obliterating its form. Those great sun rays scattered towards the corners of the universe within the Vajra Realm. Countless stars were illuminated by these rays, and as they revolved, in a single cycle of birth and death, they reassembled into dozens of Great Sun Tathagatas.
He remained silent, for the turn of events had surpassed his control.
Ji Xiang also remained silent. Those arms did not stop after eliminating one Great Sun Tathagata; they continued towards the Vajra Realm, and further towards the mortal world.
The skies of the South Sea began to tremble. Only immortals could sense the incomplete Dao laws of the South Sea, disappearing piece by piece.
This was because the laws of the South Sea were being erased by the Great General of Ghost Slaying!
All laws ceased to arise, all practices became hidden. The South Sea would become a place like Osaka Castle, where no Dao or law existed!
The Great Sun Tathagata was consumed by anxiety.
With Ji Xiang leveraging the false gospel and the blessings of Lingbao Heavenly Venerate, that false future had been fixed as the true future. That future was one where he would perish here, transform into fire through Nirvana.
A future determined by the Heavenly Heart. Just as the Heavenly Master of Demons had said, to break this causal cycle, one had to interfere in the gap between cause and effect, or effect and cause.
The longer the journey to this future was delayed, the more variables there would be.
Therefore, in this fleeting moment, if the Northern Pole Master destroyed his myriad laws, then in the South Sea, there would be no way to alter the new future he had reflected.
And once he left the South Sea... he would have to return to the Inner Mountains and Rivers.
In this instant, the Great Sun Tathagata could not make a decision: should he continue fighting to verify the other’s future, or preserve his own life by dispersing his manifested body and returning his spirit to the Inner Mountains and Rivers?
Yet, he was truly unwilling to do so. After investing so much effort, this opportunity was singular.
The current Northern Pole was capable of killing a Flying Immortal.
Under the bestowal of blessings, he could even suppress a Heavenly Heart Grand Completion like himself momentarily. This was an unimaginable situation in the world. The variables surrounding the other party were too numerous, meaning he could achieve such things now. What could he achieve in another twenty years?
If he achieved the Heavenly Heart, would the true realm descended by the Heavenly Dao not inevitably be seized by him?
In this moment, the Great Sun Tathagata seemed to recall something.
His thoughts spread across all realms and worlds. From the brow of his main body in the Inner Mountains and Rivers, countless blazing Buddhist thoughts surged forth.
"All Buddhas, hear my words."
"I can abandon the Primordial Position, but the future achieved by the Northern Pole Master may be even more terrifying than mine."
"I know you all covet the destiny of my Esoteric Buddhism, wishing to use this opportunity to eliminate me and seize the Five-Directional Buddha Dharma to strengthen your own sects. Now, I can make a promise to all of you: if you cast curses to obstruct him, I will disperse half of the Esoteric Buddhism's destiny and distribute it to all Buddhas."
"If the Northern Pole becomes the Heavenly Heart, then the true realm of the Heavenly Dao will inevitably be obtained by him. At that time, our Buddhist Dharma will be suppressed, and there will be no benefit."
Those Buddhist thoughts appeared on the peak of Mount Sumeru, in the Great Thunderclap Temple, and in the Pure Land of Bliss.
Subsequently, within the Inner Mountains and Rivers, a grand chant of Buddhist names resounded. It gathered into thunder, called forth landslides and sky-roaring sounds, and was like the surging of a great ocean.
A smile appeared on the Great Sun Tathagata’s face.
But in the next moment, the Buddhist chant, like an ocean, a mountain roar, or thunderous sky-roaring, suddenly turned into silence. In the void, only three sounds fell.
"Aranyaka."
All Buddhas fell silent. Aranyaka meant a place of great stillness. With this Buddhist word spoken, even the Great Sun Tathagata could not utter a sound. The voice that uttered Aranyaka spoke again:
"The Thousand-Ray Tathagata has returned to his position. Why does the Great Sun Tathagata utter words of killing?"
The voices of all Buddhas vanished. The Great Sun Tathagata was filled with extreme rage in an instant. Those Buddhist voices also reached Guanyin’s ears. She was startled, a hint of disappointment appearing on her face, but then she heard another voice:
"If you can guide him into Buddhism, even manifesting a Sambhogakaya Buddha and welcoming back the Thousand-Ray Tathagata, you too can prove a Sambhogakaya, achieve the Five Perfections, and gain immeasurable merit through myriad practices, requiring boundless selfless actions to guide him."
"If you succeed and achieve the Five Perfections, you will transform into a true Buddha."
Upon hearing this, Guanyin was greatly delighted and immediately bowed her head in assent.
As for the Great Sun Tathagata, all the Buddhas abandoned him, enraging him beyond measure. However, Ji Xiang’s attack arrived once more, and simultaneously, the other three, who had accompanied the dissipation of the Immovable Wisdom King, also appeared!
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, entwined with karmic fire within the Six Realms of Reincarnation, charged towards him like a meteor. It was a battle fought with the intent of self-sacrifice and Nirvana. The Great Sun Tathagata’s expression changed drastically. Although only a portion of his spiritual power had manifested here, projecting Heavenly Heart power through the body of a Buddha-demon, the Six Realms of Reincarnation was a concept that existed since the origin of Buddhism. Once entangled by the karmic fire of the Six Realms, even the Heavenly Heart would be injured!
To deny the karmic fire of the Six Realms was to deny the cycle of the Six Realms, to deny the origin of Buddhism! The Great Sun Tathagata neither wished to be entangled by the karmic fire of the Six Realms and transform into a karmic fire sun, nor did he wish to deny the Buddhist Dharma, which would cause his Dharma to recede greatly and even his Buddha-nature to collapse. If he denied the origin of the Buddha, all his magical powers would become distorted, and he would not know what they would transform into!
On the other side, the white humanoid cluster of light once again recited incomprehensible Western languages. Accompanying these words, four kinds of light and shadow were driven by him: a lion, a human, an ox, and an eagle.
These were the Four Living Creatures from the Gospel, appearing in the vision of heaven. They were often found near and around the throne of God, and also near the Lamb. They were the Four Gospels themselves, symbolizing the four essential natures of the world as spoken of in Christianity.
With the appearance of the Four Living Creatures, four phantoms also appeared on the Great Sun Tathagata, but they had not yet fully detached.
"My words, which are continuously learned from the Bible, and relying on my Holy Spirit, continuously release the inherent original nature contained within the body."
"The moment one repents and accepts, one's 'spirit' comes alive, manifesting my likeness. However, one's 'soul' and 'body' are still bound by 'sin' due to inherent and external factors."
"But my words carry power. The Holy Spirit dwelling within you can hear my words and continuously cleanse and renew your 'soul' again and again, and finally, your 'body' will also be moved and transformed."
"You will benefit, and your 'spirit, soul, and body' will all be new. Thus, it is done."
The Great Sun Tathagata’s form began to twist. This symbolized the transformation of essence, energy, and spirit. This was a rule-like ability, similar to Dao Heart Seed Demon. Christ summoned the inner consciousness of the Great Sun Tathagata, intending to make it the spirit of the Great Sun Tathagata, and then inversely occupy the Tathagata himself, continuously influencing him.
The Heavenly Heart and the human heart separated at this moment, causing the Great Sun Tathagata to choose to flee.
Without any further hesitation.
However, Sun En’s illusion blocked the Great Sun Tathagata’s path:
"This is not good, coming and going, going and coming. We have put in so much effort, you should leave us something as a souvenir."
Before the Great Sun Tathagata could make any further moves, Sun En’s spell had taken effect.
The Tathagata looked up at the vast sky above and discovered that the Vajra Realm was filled with mist. Formations of divine and ghost soldiers, clad in sackcloth and adorned with red, were roaring past "from north to south"!
That was the Yin Dou Heavenly Army, the "Longevity Ones"! They were a special type of ghost soldier transformed from the ancient Five-Peck-of-Rice Sect, immortal and soulless, illusory yet able to touch the real world. Those entangled in their formations would be exhausted to death, their essence and spirit completely bound, their three souls and seven spirits unable to move, as if bound by a million shackles and suppressed beneath the Three Mountains and Five Peaks!
"You have entered my Longevity Refining Array and will become food for the Yin Dou Heavenly Army!"
The Great Sun Tathagata had no retreat.
Because Ji Xiang was already holding the nine-colored flowing light, and at the same time, a vast demonic energy, with the power of the Heavenly Heart, began to influence the Great Sun Tathagata.
Within the Buddhist Dharma, there is the devil. The devil influences the Buddha. The Great Sun Tathagata had not been influenced by demonic thoughts for many years because he had reached the Heavenly Heart. Now, there was a great demon at the Heavenly Heart level here!
A vast voice shook the universe:
"You wanted to witness the Tai Xu Treasure Light, to witness the methods of Yu Qing, didn't you?"
"Today, I will let you witness it!"
The Eight Emperors of Great Demon summoned the Ten Thousand Heavenly Demon Soldiers Talisman – The Great Exorcism Treasure Chapter!
Countless heavenly demons manifested within the Vajra Realm in response to the Great Exorcism Treasure Chapter, vast and transforming into a sea of demonic energy. Under the transformation of the Heavenly Heart, amplified by the ancient demonic energy, it truly became eighty thousand ancient heavenly demons roaming. This power could even cause the world to decay and all laws to shatter!
And Ji Xiang, taking advantage of this fleeting moment of the Heavenly Heart, unleashed the true meaning of the Three Teachings! The moment the tribulation of the mortal world appeared, the Heavenly Heart realm converted this tribulation into strands of worldly energy, strengthening his three souls and seven spirits.
The Tai Xu Treasure Light was refined into the Great Exorcism Treasure Chapter!
Boom! All eighty thousand ancient heavenly demons were entwined with nine-colored treasure light, causing the Great Sun Tathagata’s scalp to tingle!
"You destroy the Heavenly Heart. When you fall from your realm, heaven and earth will naturally sense it. The Heavenly Heart cannot be defeated. Even if you destroy this manifested body, you will face a tribulation in your destiny. This is retribution!"
The Great Sun Tathagata lost the divine ability of reversing cause and effect, but he still possessed other unique skills cultivated after reaching the Heavenly Heart realm through Buddhist Dharma.
The Buddha is not to be trifled with, due to retribution. Retribution is a common occurrence in Buddhist scriptures. Harming the Buddha’s body will result in being subjected to weapons, inundation, and burning of the Buddha’s body in the future, and there will be retribution of water and fire!
Today, eighty thousand heavenly demons charged through the array entwined with Tai Xu Treasure Light, exorcising the myriad forms of the Vajra Realm. In the future, ten thousand Buddhas and myriad laws will convert the great demons!
The moment the Great Sun Tathagata uttered these words.
Another voice echoed in his ears.
"This is retribution. As I expected, you have done well."
It was the voice of Huiji Vajra.
"What are you saying... What exactly are you saying?"
The Great Sun Tathagata was stunned.
"The Primordial Buddha Position is to be attained, but it is not you who will attain it, but I."
Huiji Vajra let out a laugh: "Retribution has been issued. The Northern Pole will transform into a great Buddha. He bears my Vajra imprint, and in the future, he will surely see the Primordial Position."
"What is heard, what is seen, what is known, what is wisdom, what is attained."
"But his Buddhist Dharma is not refined. After seeing and hearing, it is difficult to attain wisdom, thus he cannot attain it. Instead, he will send me up. I will not harm him, nor will I harm myself, and for you, there is no great harm, but merely the loss of a spiritual body."
The Great Sun Tathagata was bewildered, but in the next moment, he forgot the voice from before, for the connection between this spiritual manifestation and his main body had already been severed. It was only then that he realized.
"The Heavenly Hearts of the world each have their own intentions. I helped you because you have value, and you possess what I seek. The Buddhas seek something, and I also seek something. The Six Heavenly Envoys and the Purple-Robed God, they also seek something."
"He who holds my Vajra Seal."
"Is my manifested body."
The voice of Huiji Vajra disappeared, but the Great Sun Tathagata could no longer hear it. This body of his was melting. This spiritual manifested body could not escape either. The eighty thousand ancient heavenly demons roamed, destroying all laws. The Buddhist Dharma within could not be displayed, let alone the fact that he was trapped within the ghost array!
A thousand ghosts refining, ten thousand demons roaming. The Vajra Realm transformed into a world of ghosts and demons. The Buddha-demon flesh body occupied by the Great Sun Tathagata instantly dissolved. This partial spiritual manifestation was also destroyed within the Vajra Realm and swallowed by the ghosts and demons!