The Vajra Realm vanished with the defeat of Mahavairocana, and everyone instantly returned to the Southern Sea Realm. Ji Xiang sensed the Heavenly Heart power rapidly receding, accompanied by a mighty curse descending from the void.
"Is this the karmic retribution for killing the Heavenly Heart's avatar?"
This was an unavoidable great calamity, signifying that he would inevitably suffer the same fate as Mahavairocana, being besieged by multiple Heavenly Hearts. However, as this retribution descended, he saw it transform.
The text displayed on the blank divine tablet told him this was no karmic retribution.
"A Difficulty of One Cause?"
What was this?
Upon closer inspection, he realized it was not retribution directed at him, but rather at the Vajra Achala. Ji Xiang pondered this. Mahavairocana had been obstructed by his group. If he hadn't obtained the divine position of the Ghost-Slaying General, causing anger, then why would the retribution Mahavairocana had vowed to inflict upon him fall upon the unrelated Vajra Achala?
Hadn't Mahavairocana been let in by Vajra Achala?
"Yo, you're suffering the consequences, and I won't help you with it. After all, I promised to only act once. Hmm? What's this?"
The Demon Heavenly Master's form was about to vanish from the mortal world. Seeing Ji Xiang's situation, he too was stunned. Karmic retribution was a specialty of Buddhism, but he had never encountered a "Difficulty of One Cause." He couldn't help but marvel at the unfathomable capabilities of Buddhism. Was Mahavairocana more formidable, or did the Heavenly Heart Mahayana itself possess such divine power?
"I have fulfilled my promise. Remember to head to Shu. I need you to retrieve a scripture for me, and you cannot refuse."
The Demon Heavenly Master continued to remind Ji Xiang of their transaction. Ji Xiang nodded, "While the Eternal Heaven Palace is a gathering place for sinners, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Without Grandmaster Sun's assistance, I would not have overcome this challenge."
"If you need anything, send a message. After resolving the Southern Sea chaos, I will head there."
Ji Xiang agreed to the Demon Heavenly Master's request but then added, "However, one matter is one matter."
"Hmm?" The Demon Heavenly Master's eyes widened. Ji Xiang explained, "The Heavenly Master has a kindness towards me, and I should repay it with one deed. But before this, Zhou Sheng wanted me to slay the Thunder King to sever his dragon energy and prevent him from becoming the overlord of the Southern Sea and establishing his own territory. He also wanted to transfer that dragon energy to the child named Shen Kui. This matter was proposed first."
"Oh. Is that so? Very well, I, a dignified Heavenly Heart, will not take advantage of you. This is for you."
The Demon Heavenly Master chanted a mantra and then struck it into Ji Xiang's forehead. As the imprint entered, the Swastika symbol on Ji Xiang's forehead transformed into a silver moon mark.
The Demon Heavenly Master explained, "This is the Great Luo Giant Moon Seal, one of the foundational seals of my Eternal Heaven Palace. It symbolizes the divine power of a Great Luo Celestial Immortal, capable of suppressing and destroying all spirits, and protecting oneself. The holder of this seal will have the form and spirit of a Great Luo Celestial Immortal covering their exterior, rendering them immune to any transformation techniques; it locks the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit, preventing any leakage or disturbance; and it can resolve one urgent crisis, allowing one to avoid any disaster once!"
"When you go to Shu, there is another Heavenly Heart there. I give you this seal to protect your spiritual platform and physical body, ensuring they are undisturbed and remain perpetually clear. Should anything unexpected happen and this seal is indeed broken by that Heavenly Heart, you can still recite the incantation of the Great Luo Giant Moon Seal to protect your soul from destruction, allowing you to move through the void and conceal your future without leaving any trace. Take it; this counts as one deed."
"With this transaction, all that remains is for you to go to Shu and retrieve the spiritual book for me."
Ji Xiang said nothing. Obtaining this imprint was a significant gain, a tangible Heavenly Heart spell. The Demon Heavenly Master was quite generous, and Ji Xiang did not intend to press further. But just as the Heavenly Master was about to disappear, that dreamlike vision reappeared.
Before vanishing completely, the Demon Heavenly Master saw the Thunder King appear, while Dong Hua Immortal Maiden and Zhou Sheng looked miserable and pale. He was startled, but in the next moment, he had already disappeared from the mortal realm, leaving only a voice in Ji Xiang's ear:
"This person is not dead yet. Kill him quickly, and don't think you're getting benefits for free."
Ji Xiang was speechless. Seeing the Thunder King appear with surging thunderous energy, while Zhou Sheng, a manifestation of black energy, and the ancient immortal Dong Hua Immortal Maiden were unusually disheveled, he stepped forward and asked in a deep voice, "The Spiritual Illusory Dream Art can subdue even high-level Heavenly Masters. The Thunder King is merely a nascent immortal, yet to undergo the demon trial. Furthermore, the Vajra Realm had locked the Southern Sea's aspirations, cutting off his incense. How are you two unable to defeat him?"
Dong Hua Immortal Maiden pointed forward, "Look at him, he's not the Thunder King!"
Ji Xiang looked and saw that the Thunder King's features had vanished, replaced by a faceless being surrounded by lightning, his aura vibrating. Above his head, a vast Dharma Realm had been summoned, and his power level had reached the Flying Immortal stage.
[Thunder Might Protection: Protected by the thunder deities, the Thunder City hangs suspended, preventing all evil and all techniques from approaching. All spirits are turned to dust under the heavenly thunder!]
To reach the combat power of a Flying Immortal without undergoing the demon trial, Ji Xiang himself found this strange. Theoretically, only he should possess such ability. Others, no matter how brilliant, did not cultivate the Heavenly Demon Path or the ancient true cultivation methods. Therefore, anyone following the Golden Core path had to undergo the demon trial.
He, the Primordial Demon King who tested immortals, had not yet permitted this newly ascended immortal to advance, yet someone had bypassed him and opened the door wide for him?
Even the wounds on the Thunder King's body were exuding blood mist that turned into blue smoke.
"His entire body's blood turns into blue qi. This isn't an immortal, it's a Flying Immortal. But only half of it turns into blue qi... Half-step Flying Immortal?"
Looking at the Dharma Realm, Ji Xiang was immensely familiar with it, his pupils trembling.
It was the realm where the thunder deities resided in the Great Floating Li, the Thunder City!
"The Great Floating Li thunder deities are serving him? How can a mere leader of a Dharma sect possess such great power? The Buddhist Ghost was possessed by Mahavairocana. According to the intelligence gathered, apart from the Buddhist Ghost, no one else had approached the Thunder King."
Ji Xiang and the thunder deities were old acquaintances, frequently summoned and often assisted. Now, he found someone driving the thunder deities to block his path. Ji Xiang attempted to communicate with his divine sense, but the divine tablets showed him no respect.
The thunder department operated according to rules. Whoever summoned them first received their help, and whoever submitted their Dharma edict first would have it manifested. This was not a matter that could be resolved by connections. Therefore, Ji Xiang could do nothing as the deities pressed forward, surrounded by protective lightning. He could only send a thought to the heavens.
Summoning a demonic heaven to descend.
On one side, dark clouds gathered, with lightning flashing in the clouds. On the other, black clouds pressed down, with clear light scattering in the clouds.
The Eight Emperors' Great Demons summoned myriad military tokens—the Great Slaughtering Treasure Edict!
Eighty thousand ancient Heavenly Demons, not having departed, held sword banners that shook the heavens; the thunder deities had ferocious and fierce expressions, wielding thunder hammers and great axes...
Suddenly, the Thunder King swung a weapon. Zhou Sheng quickly warned from behind,
"Be careful, that's no ordinary immortal artifact! Someone is using the Thunder King as a conduit to do something!" As he spoke, his gaze swept around, feeling as if several pairs of eyes were watching from the void, making him, a manifestation of black energy, uncomfortable.
He was always the one watching others, but today he was being watched. It was a pity the Demon Heavenly Master had already vanished. This must have happened during the moment the Heavenly Master disappeared!
As for the Christian household, they had manifested here precisely to slander Catholicism on behalf of Mahavairocana. The moment Mahavairocana was defeated, the Christian power dissipated.
That was indeed no ordinary immortal artifact.
Ji Xiang's heart pounded violently.
Within the blank divine tablet, the name of that long iron hammer appeared:
[Thunder Ancestor Ruyi: Celestial Hua Immortal Treasure! Weapon of the Nine Heavens Responding Yuan Universal Salvation Heavenly Venerable! Held by the True Celestial to repel all demons!]
This was precisely the most powerful material he needed when forging the Five Sacred Mountains Divine Sword.
Ji Xiang truly did not expect it to appear before him at this time, but instead of being summoned and used by him, it was in the hands of the enemy. He could only say that the changes in the world could not be controlled by anyone.
Buzz—!
However, although the Demon Heavenly Master had vanished, Guanyin and Ksitigarbha had not. Especially King Ksitigarbha, who had broken free from the cycle of reincarnation, manifested his true form in the world without having attained Nirvana, and gained a portion of Tantric Buddhism's fortune by defeating Mahavairocana. Seeing the Thunder King appear, he immediately unleashed the Seven Meanings of the Earth to suppress the Thunder King.
But in the next moment.
The Thunder Ancestor Ruyi was swung, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's divine abilities vanished in a single strike, turning into smoke. Even the bone cudgel Ruyi, struck all the ghosts on the Hungry Ghost Grass Paper into dispersed smoke!
The immortal artifact was destroyed in one blow, and the grass paper split into countless pieces of waste paper. The gates of the Six Realms of Reincarnation slammed shut. Ksitigarbha was greatly shocked. Even Mahavairocana had not reduced the Hungry Ghost Grass Paper to waste, and Ji Xiang's voice urgently came through,
"The Hungry Ghost Grass Paper is inherently an Yin Nether Immortal Artifact. Buddhist teachings merely guide the ghosts to Buddhahood, but the thunder deities will truly destroy and annihilate them, scattering their souls to the winds!"
"An immortal artifact that relies on hungry ghosts for its power naturally cannot withstand this treasure! And this is not an immortal artifact. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, retreat quickly!"
As Ji Xiang's voice echoed, the vast expanse of the thunder sea grew even larger, and on the Thunder King, possessed by something, another golden immortal scripture appeared in his left hand.
[Nine Heavens Jade Pivot Treasure Scripture: Held by the Thunder Ancestor, a Third-Rank Immortal Scripture!]
The Thunder King's voice was booming, but it was no longer his own speaking. He was completely occupied by a Heavenly Venerable form, uttering divine words:
"Heavenly dragons and ghost gods, if any living being utters my name, and there is disobedience, their heads shall be cut off, their hearts gouged out, and they shall be turned into dust!"
In the void.
Someone was watching all this. Upon seeing this golden immortal scripture appear, several immortals materialized within the void and attacked in unison.
A Biyou Palace manifested within the Shangqing Dharma Realm!