The few people traveling stopped in their tracks. Ji Xiang and the Donghua Fairy, in particular, as beings who had already entered the immortal path, would not miss the abnormal changes occurring within this realm.
"I can't say for sure what happened over there, but the beings present... their auras are different from a moment ago."
The Donghua Fairy gazed in the direction of the port. Under her watchful eye, that area seemed to possess a strange sense of severance and disharmony with the realm where they themselves resided. Even as immortals, it was difficult to accurately describe this change.
And this change was happening before their very eyes.
"Huh? Is this the divine ability of the West? It's my first time seeing it, very powerful."
Zhou Sheng also gradually sensed that something was amiss with that area.
To use one word, it was...
"Fake."
Ji Xiang spoke, as if echoing Zhou Sheng's thoughts:
"The sky is fake, the sea is fake, and all beings are also fake. Yet, they are indeed fake, and at this moment, they are also real."
Zhou Sheng glanced at Ji Xiang: "What you're saying is very strange. What is fake is fake, and what is real is real. True and false, even if a divine ability can turn the fake into the real, then the fake becomes real. How can there be 'actual fakeness' and 'present reality'?"
"Or are you trying to express that the other party used some illusion, or projected a painted landscape onto the human world to create this state of confused reality and falsehood?"
If something can be touched, sensed, seen, and even shattered, destroyed, and reshaped, then it must be real.
But is it truly so?
"Illusion, how could it be something like that..."
What kind of spell or divine ability it was, Ji Xiang could only conclude after meeting the person who performed such a great divine ability. Merely looking at this false world, he couldn't ascertain the other party's specific information. However, Ji Xiang felt a surge of blood in his heart, a premonition.
He couldn't go over. Although the other party couldn't kill him, if he entered that realm, it would be difficult to distinguish between true and false, and he would fall into a predicament.
"Master Sun cannot make a move, can you help check?"
Ji Xiang looked at Zhou Sheng, feeling that it was appropriate to ask the other party to show some sincerity at this time.
Zhou Sheng couldn't help but complain:
"Hey, are you already asking for favors?"
"Never mind, let's consider it sincerity."
He said, pulling out a few talismans from his robe and said to Ji Xiang, "The Heavenly Master only makes a move at critical moments. After all, everyone is shouting for the downfall of my Longevity Heavenly Palace. If I act too early, it will displease other Heavenly Hearts, and we will be the ones to suffer."
"Look at this talisman... Although I haven't met any Western cultivators, nor do I know what type of spells they use, as long as it's a spell, it follows certain rules of casting. And when a spell lands on its target, it's the same principle."
"Fire needs to burn to cause damage, water needs to drown people to suffocate them, and lightning needs to strike the target to kill them."
"If fire cannot burn, water cannot drown people, and lightning cannot strike the target, then any spell is just beautiful fireworks."
"The 'Absolute Forbidden Talisman' of the Longevity Heavenly Palace can evade the bestowal of any spell. Of course, direct buffing spells cannot be used either. Use it as you see fit."
Ji Xiang took the talisman. Although he himself possessed the passive ability to ward off all curses, a capability he gained after becoming an ancient Heavenly Demon body, these Western cultivators did not use "curses" as offensive means, but rather "blessings."
Sometimes, bestowing blessings is also a terrifying art of killing the heart. Just like Christ's assimilation, can you say it's a curse? Naturally not. It's merely the great blessing Christ bestows upon his believers.
It is you yourself who chooses to believe in him, not that you are cursed into becoming him.
Pure evil is not terrifying; it can be destroyed with force. But using good to achieve evil, that is the true great evil in the world, and it is also impossible to guard against.
Ji Xiang stepped forward, and with a thought, three strands of aura emerged from his body, transforming into three minor demon gods. Each took a talisman and clutched it tightly, running towards that false world.
Through the eyes of the three minor demon gods, Ji Xiang once again sensed that immense "presence," and his eyes glimpsed a figure in blue.
[Christ the Son, Incarnation: Christian belief holds that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, the only begotten Son of God the Father, called the Son. He shares the same essence as Christ the Heavenly Lord, existing with the Father before creation, being the "Word" of Christ the Heavenly Lord. Because humanity sinned and could not save itself, Christ the Heavenly Lord sent him into the world, incarnating through the Virgin Mary to become human and preach the gospel of salvation.]
[False Gospel: Activated by the Eye of God. It reflects a false world and embeds it completely within the real world through words, while maintaining its own false independence. The world constructed exists simultaneously in a false future and a real present. In the world where the gospel is embedded, people's actions remain in the ideal state of the gospel preacher. The consensus generated by those influenced by Christ will guide this world towards a true future.]
Ji Xiang's eyes reflected this information. After a moment of thought, his heart suddenly moved!
The future is changing?!
"Ah... then let's give it a try."
The missionary in blue suddenly sensed something. He turned his head, and at that moment, a vast white smoke surged forward like a great wave, suddenly engulfing him!
---
"The North Pole has reached here? It has only changed its form, preventing me from perceiving it?"
The Thunder Gate Dharma Sect, the Thunder King, sensed what was happening at the port. However, not seeing Ji Xiang for many days made him extremely uneasy. At this moment, his blood surged even more violently, as if a momentous event was about to occur.
At this time, the Buddha Ghost suddenly sent him a message, stating that Ji Xiang had infiltrated the South Sea, and he was actually unaware of it.
"To control the South Sea, one must kill the North Pole. Now he even possesses the art of transforming and concealing his aura, making him unpredictable. If the North Pole does not die, my heart will not be at peace!"
He had originally planned to lure the other party over to kill him, but the other party had hidden himself first. This enraged the Thunder King. But just as he was preparing to do something, the scenery of heaven and earth suddenly changed.
A world of bitter sea unfolded, and the environment around the Thunder King changed drastically. However, he did not panic, but looked at Ji Xiang, who appeared on this bitter sea.
"Your Excellency is..."
He stopped mid-sentence because the black Taoist robe on Ji Xiang had already revealed his identity.
"You collude with Western cultivators, split the land of the South Sea, and wish to establish yourself as king, turning this place into a divine kingdom? Do you also wish to emulate Japan?"
Ji Xiang did not attack immediately but conveyed the attitude of the North.
"It is not too late to stop now. The human world still needs the strength of immortals."
"Of course, you also need to hand over your dragon qi."
The Thunder King's gaze immediately sharpened: "You actually know about this. The court has indeed investigated me thoroughly, even knowing about the dragon qi."
"Dragon qi represents the heavenly mandate. Possessing it grants the qualification to become the monarch of the next era. Is there anything wrong with me wanting to turn this land into my divine kingdom? The land under heaven has always been like this since ancient times. If everyone respected the court, then the Qin Dynasty should have lasted for ten thousand generations."
"True Man of the North Pole... is this your domain? It looks like half a divine kingdom, but you are still within the territory of the South Sea. Do you think that by pulling me into your divine kingdom, you can prevent all people from worshipping me?"
"I protect this place with favorable weather and abundant harvests. The Dharma sects of the South Sea regard me as their leader. Now that I have attained the status of an immortal, I should rule here. It's just that I haven't decided to break away from the land yet, and the court has already sent you to deal with me."
Ji Xiang: "There's no difference. You also wanted to lure me over to kill me."
"That's right!" Electric sparks flashed in the Thunder King's eyes: "I don't like to hide things. Killing you is first, because you are a great threat to me. Second, it's a personal grievance from Dingjia City. Third, someone is supporting me to do this. You have quite a few enemies."
"Even the great ghosts of the underworld want you dead."
Ji Xiang: "They want to revive, and you want to split the land, so you hit it off? Then let me ask, I heard you have a Buddha Ghost here? Is he from below or from Buddhism?"
The Thunder King was quite honest: "If you ask me, I don't know. He seems to be on both sides. You should investigate the connection between Buddhism and the underworld."
"Enough talk..."
Padma Sambhava, the sun appears, the great sun's flames.
That vast world descended, enveloping the entire South Sea.
Ji Xiang raised his eyes. This great sun's flames even burned through the world of bitter sea.
"Is this what the Buddha Ghost said, the person who came to help us?"
The Thunder King sensed two forces colliding in the void. It was not in the human world, but in the Great Void, or even a more profound and unfathomable place.
They were two magnificent stars, and also two Dharma realms, manifesting their power from nothingness, borrowing the existence of the human world to manifest!
The waves surged in the South Sea, and the wind and clouds changed. Mount Luojia let out cracking sounds, and that vast golden light suppressed Mount Luojia as well!
"Even the Buddha is useless here. Today, I must take the South Sea and achieve the Primal Position. Guanyin, if you do not wish your mountain to collapse and your temple to be destroyed, then quickly retreat. This matter does not concern you!"
"Vajradhatu descends!"
The voice of Mahavairocana dragged the entire world, and this land of the South Sea was completely pulled into his Dharma realm!
It was not an ordinary Dharma realm, but an boundless starry sky! Countless suns burned quietly within it, and the form of Mahavairocana also began to change, transforming from a great Buddha draped in the flames of the sun into a haloed Vajra without a face.
His body was white, possessing the thirty-two marks and eighty auspicious signs. His hands formed the Wisdom Fist Mudra, his head wore the Five Buddhas Crown, and he was adorned with celestial garments.
Mahavairocana manifested as Vajra-Ananta in the Vajradhatu. In this realm, the fundamental universe and all stars were transformed by Mahavairocana! He illuminated the ten directions of the universe, present everywhere!
"Since I cannot find you."
The voice of Vajra-Ananta echoed throughout the entire South Sea world, reverberating within the Vajra Buddha Realm, endlessly.
"Then let us refine all the afflictions of the beings in the entire South Sea world here."
"I hear you are the great demon of the world."
"Your afflictions must be endless, without cessation. All beings are tempered by the Buddha's fire. Those who are not stained by the Buddha's fire..."
"Are the great demons!"
Ji Xiang listened to these voices, then took out the True Non-Dual Sutra.
"False Gospel."
"I'll try using it too."
As the words fell, within the world of bitter sea, hundreds of thousands of demons of lost paths, flying demons, and a hundred immortal souls all appeared.
Upon seeing this situation, the Thunder King immediately moved forward, but in the next instant, a finger appeared in his eyes.
The Donghua Fairy sent forth a breath of energy, repelling the Thunder King, and a black smoke rolled and ascended in the bitter sea, engulfing the Thunder King!
"This is black energy?!"
The Thunder King had a transaction with the Heavenly King of Song Tingzhong, so he was naturally familiar with black energy. However, he did not expect such power to attack him. In his confusion, and in the moment of his daze, the Donghua Fairy unleashed an ancient Han Dynasty immortal technique.
The Art of Spiritual Radiance Bestowing Dreams.
The Thunder King was pulled into a dream and disappeared from here.
As the others here disappeared, Ji Xiang then unfolded the Hungry Ghost Parchment.
A pair of giant golden eyes shattered the world of bitter sea, and the future was changing towards the node of becoming Mahavairocana. Ji Xiang felt his existence disappearing, and golden lotus platforms began to sprout beneath his feet.
In the Vajradhatu, everything was Mahavairocana, Vajra-Ananta himself.
Once he entered the Vajradhatu, he would be no exception.
"Six Paths of Reincarnation."
"Open!"
From the Hungry Ghost Parchment, countless hungry ghosts were resurrected from the scroll, and the gates of the Six Paths of Reincarnation boomed open, filling the gaps in the world of bitter sea. Vajra-Ananta, omnipresent, appeared within the Six Paths of Reincarnation the moment they opened.
The Swastika symbol on Ji Xiang's brow shone with radiance. The Vow-Bound Vajra chanted, and a tall Dharma image appeared within the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The true form of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva appeared, merging with the intention of the Vow-Bound Vajra, and began to perform Dharma against Vajra-Ananta.
In the Vajradhatu, Vajra-Ananta shattered all afflictions and demonic obstacles, propagating the wisdom of all Buddhas. Everything in this realm was Vajra itself. Within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, there were infinite afflictions, which temporarily complemented each other, fixing Vajra-Ananta within the Vajradhatu, forcing him to manifest his true form.
And from the collapsing Mount Luojia, Buddhist light surged. Ji Xiang glanced in that direction, and a thousand-armed Buddha image manifested outside his body.
Thousand-Light King Jingzhu Tathagata! The teacher of Guanyin!
"Oh?"
Guanyin within Mount Luojia discovered the Buddhist form of Thousand-Light King Jingzhu Tathagata. This surprised her, and at the same time, it gave her other thoughts. Having come to stop Mahavairocana, she now firmly stood on Ji Xiang's side.
As the Vow-Bound Vajra had said.
Before making a move, sensing the conflict between Guanyin and Mahavairocana, the Vow-Bound Vajra had proposed that if the Buddhist form of Thousand-Light King was revealed, Guanyin would inevitably firm up her stance, no longer simply stopping him, but resolutely expelling Mahavairocana.
The Buddhist form of Thousand-Light King had not appeared for a long time, and it held great appeal for Guanyin.
"Ksitigarbha, Guanyin, Thousand-Light King? Do not say that you yourselves are damaged. Even if you are not damaged, what of it?"
"All Buddhas are one, hidden within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, hidden within Mount Luojia, or hidden within the realm of bitter sea, it is all useless. The Vajradhatu encompasses everything, and everything returns to the Vajradhatu."
Vajra-Ananta, true to his name, began to break down the entrance to the Six Paths of Reincarnation. If Ksitigarbha did not emerge from within, then he would truly never be able to come out.
"The immortal artifact has broken!"
The Hungry Ghost Parchment showed signs of tearing. The Vow-Bound Vajra was greatly surprised. And Vajra-Ananta began to guide all the phenomena of the present world towards the future of becoming the Primal Buddha. New images began to appear on him, though not yet complete.
The transformation into a Buddha was destined to happen, unchangeable. It was merely altering the future of a certain person in a certain region, trapping him within it. After inverting cause and effect, he was destined to become a Buddha, and Ji Xiang was merely an insignificant person delivering primordial power.
However, the True Non-Dual Sutra in Ji Xiang's hand shone with great light, the world of bitter sea was frozen, and Ji Xiang transformed himself into a false existence.
And the collective consciousness of all the false beings here guided this false future towards a true future.
The image on Vajra-Ananta disappeared. He suddenly looked at this world of bitter sea. The Western techniques were a method he had never seen before, and due to the different way of casting through faith, the Vajradhatu could not devour this false world.
It was at this moment, this fleeting instant of愣神.
A spiritual talisman flew out from an unknown place, landing within the Vajradhatu. That talisman, which had fallen from the Longevity Heavenly Palace, appeared before Vajra-Ananta.
"Cause and effect cycle, broken."
The future that Vajra-Ananta saw before his eyes exploded!
All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows!
The Heavenly Master of Demon Heaven interfered with the future using Heavenly Heart techniques. In a snap of the fingers, nine hundred cycles of birth and death occurred. The changed cause and effect were restored, and Vajra-Ananta, in that instant, forgot what he was about to do.
It was as if he was about to do that thing and would surely succeed, but now, due to a moment of pause and forgetfulness, he missed the best opportunity to succeed.
If one does not focus on that future, the mind will not reach it.
That future, naturally, vanished like a bubble!
"Inverting cause and effect is not that terrifying."
Ji Xiang's ears actually heard the voice of the Palace Master of the Longevity Heavenly Palace, the Heavenly Master of Demon Heaven, Sun En. And his Heavenly Heart form and spirit also descended into the Vajradhatu as phantoms, only a very faint outline appearing.
"For those below the Heavenly Heart, it seems unstoppable. But for Heavenly Heart powerhouses, the cycle of cause and effect requires the condition of both cause and effect to be complete, whether developing from cause to effect, or regressing from effect to cause."
"As long as one of them is destroyed, then this inverted cause and effect will not hold."