Fried Salted Fish
Chapter 410 Shaking the Heavens
【Dengjue is also the final stage of Bodhisattva cultivation. The subsequent state, Miaojue, is essentially the level of a Buddha.】
【Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva: One of the twenty-five Dengjue Bodhisattvas under Amitābha Buddha! One of the Holy Ones of the Ten Rebirths. It is not an incarnation of Manjushri Bodhisattva as "Vajrabhairava," but Amitābha Buddha's own "Wrathful Manifestation!"】
【True Identity: Guangzhao Wushang Seng Danba. One of the initial Yuan Dynasty Imperial Tutors, contemporary to Phagpa. A Tibetan monk from the Western Regions who later returned to the Western Lands, whereabouts unknown.】
"Although the Yuan Emperor is Tianxin (Heaven's Will), he belongs neither to the outer world nor is accepted by the inner world. Killing his proxy is no great feat, and he doesn't dare manifest his true form in the mortal realm, not even a sliver of his power."
Faced with Ji Xiang's rebuke, the great Bodhisattva responded in a calm tone, but the hostility emanating from the void was genuine.
At this moment, Ji Xiang had encountered the second existence from the Yuan Dynasty.
"People of the Former Yuan, I heard most have disappeared. The remaining incompetent ones were killed off at the end of the Yuan. I didn't expect the inner world to harbor such an extraordinary being."
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva's voice echoed in the high heavens: "Having left the position of Imperial Tutor after a short period, I escaped the Yuan Dynasty's fortune. Thus, I was unharmed when the great disaster occurred. Like me, those who ventured far were mostly people from the Western Regions. They, too, were mostly unscathed, retreating into the inner world for self-preservation, never to manifest again in the mortal realm."
"It's just unexpected that the Tibetan monks in the human world are so incompetent, and the power of various sects is not what it once was. They engage in internal strife, constantly splitting apart like the Mongol tribes, continuously weakening their already meager strength, to the point that this Central Plains dynasty has begun to decline. They cannot replicate the grand occasion of Phagpa's conquest of the Song."
"Constantly expanding outwards, devouring a national fortune that exceeds its own capacity, the Yuan law has flaws, melting everything outwards, all-encompassing, yet destroying its own divine realm. The immortal dynasty, symbolizing hundreds of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, ultimately embarked on the path of destruction, a great pity."
"So now, it must be rebuilt."
Ji Xiang knew this matter; the Yuan Dynasty's great disaster stemmed from their own miscalculations. With immense ambition and power, they acquired a vast territory and national fortune, but became a bloated monster, consuming more than the dynasty's national fortune could sustain.
To this day, the Yuan Dynasty stands as the sole example of a nation collapsing due to exceeding its national fortune capacity.
Ji Xiang had pondered why national fortune would have a limit. Logically, the stronger the nation, the stronger the national fortune; in this world of gods and ghosts, the Yuan Dynasty shouldn't have fallen.
Perhaps the power of national fortune, this power bestowed upon the mortal realm by the Heavenly Dao, still holds many unclear aspects.
"The dead souls and wild ghosts are jumping out one after another. I think the Great Ming might as well cease to exist. Let the north be ceded to you to restore the Great Yuan, and the south be given to the underworld to rebuild the Song court. My Ming people can all jump into the East Sea and roam freely like Chisongzi, watching you fight to the death, two hundred years later, to determine who is superior!"
Ji Xiang mocked, indicating that these people from previous dynasties still harbored many intentions.
"The Yuan wants to return, the Song wants to return, the Liao and Jin also have people appearing in the outer world, and I even encountered someone from the Five Dynasties once. Who else is going to reemerge next? Are all those who have sunk into the annals of history going to return?"
"The Sui and Tang dynasties, Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng? The Wei and Jin periods, Wei Huacun and Tao Hongjing? The Three Kingdoms era, Yu Ji, Zuo Ci, and the eminent Master Pujing? And then going back to the Great Han and pre-Qin, and even tracing back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods?"
If all of you are allowed to return, then this Central Plains will be a free-for-all!
Is it really that all the heroic rulers of past dynasties will be resurrected, each seizing territory, and another battle for supremacy will commence, plunging the world into war, to determine who lives and dies?
"It's utterly absurd!"
After Ji Xiang finished mocking, he immediately attacked! Those dozen or so pale and enormous arms covered the high heavens, and the various Buddha-lights condensed in front were instantly wiped out when they touched the power of the Ghost-slaying General, never to reappear!
The Buddha-light shattered everywhere, but the great Bodhisattva did not yield in the slightest. He merely used the wishes of the world to gather Buddha-light, layer upon layer, trying to transform it into mountains and seas, only to block, not to attack.
"Alas, I really don't want to fight in this mortal realm, but if you continue to provoke me like this, I can't care about much else."
"Even if I can't come here in my true form, my Buddhism is most adept at the art of wishes, gathering the incense of the world to manifest an incarnation. Even if it only manifests for a moment, you may not be able to stop me!"
The great Bodhisattva's voice carried a threat, but also left enough room for retreat, mainly because he couldn't see through the image that Ji Xiang had transformed into at this moment.
What exactly is the origin of this bizarre giant god with a dozen pale arms?
It gave him an extremely terrifying aura. Before the Buddha-lights even touched him, they had already vanished. This wasn't just ordinary destruction or a restriction technique, but a more metaphysical erasure of the source. Even the wishes within the destroyed Buddha-light completely disappeared, and all the invisible threads that sustained them could never reappear.
Unknown power, unknown deity, unknown methods.
There are also powerful individuals in the mortal realm. Those who can attain Dao and become immortals in the present world almost all possess powerful methods or trump cards that inner world cultivators do not have. Even in the inner world, Zhang Tianshi (Celestial Master Zhang) is recognized as the weakest in the human world, but he also has Mount Longhu, the divine mountain inherited from the Ancestral Celestial Master, as his reliance. Once the divine mountain rises, evolving into the image of ten dragons and ten tigers, the consequences... according to some, are probably immeasurable.
The essence of this mountain once refined a Nine Revolutions Immortal Pill! Its energy evolved into red clouds covering the sky, reaching the highest achievement in Daoist cultivation. This mountain is also one of the most powerful divine mountains in the human world.
"Mortal realm immortal, I am not here to start a war with you, but only to save a person. Is killing him so important to you?"
"You are merely refining your form with the sun, and have not yet achieved immortality. Although you have heaven-defying methods to fight immortals and Buddhas, how can it last long? I am a Dengjue, which Daoists call a Flying Immortal. Under the Tianxin (Heaven's Will), we are revered. If you let go here, it would not be a bad thing, and you could gain some fame."
The great Bodhisattva still tried to negotiate. He was quite wary of the rules of the mortal realm. Those scattered immortals who had fallen from the Taiyi Daluo dared to recklessly come to the mortal realm to cause trouble. Ordinary immortals have also had their own experiences of falling from the immortal realm and reincarnating in the mortal realm from the underworld. However, the four Tianxin (Heaven's Will) who monitor the mortal realm and represent the interests of the three religions do not object to this, because their level has not reached the point where they can influence the mortal world, dynasties, or social environment.
If they go too far, they will be forcibly taken away.
The four Tianxin (Heaven's Will) represent the overall interests of the three religions, not a specific faction. There are many factions within the three religions, and there are several schools of alchemists. Every lineage, every faction, every sect has its own different interests. If everyone wants to seize their own share in the mortal realm, then the world will be in great chaos!
Many heavenly palaces in the inner world have various secret techniques that can forcibly come from the inner world to the outer world, but the Tianxin (Heaven's Will) are not particularly concerned about those petty thieves. However, when it comes to the level of a Flying Immortal, if this Dengjue Bodhisattva takes action, it is equivalent to provoking those four Tianxin.
"Although the Ucchusma Vajra is a major Buddha of Tantric Buddhism and has some connection with me...."
"As long as the battle ends quickly enough, perhaps it can be avoided being discovered by the four Tianxin, and I can avoid punishment."
The great Bodhisattva thought so in his heart. He really didn't want to fight here, and only wanted to display the power of Buddhism once or twice, hoping to make the other party retreat in the face of difficulties.
As for the great Bodhisattva's question, Ji Xiang let out a disdainful sound:
"Whether I can fight immortals and Buddhas for long, why don't you try it yourself?"
"As for that kind of fame, I don't need such a bestowed fame!"
Ji Xiang raised his voice and emphasized his tone: "In the Battle of Liaodong, the Tuman plundered the border and killed living beings. He was the mastermind. Now you come from the inner world, and with just a word, you want to take him away?"
"In the end, that old monk in red is your man, and wanting to rebuild the Former Yuan is probably your idea. The Buddha that Buyan venerates is probably you as well. Otherwise, why would you save him?"
"He is the mastermind, you are the hidden hand. If I let go here, what kind of reputation would I gain? I'm afraid it would be a notorious reputation despised by the world! Back and forth, I only killed some insignificant Tuman, but I dare not touch the real mastermind. People would laugh at me for it."
"This mortal realm is a place where you can come and go as you please, and with just a word, you want the immortal of the mortal realm to bow their head? The immortals and Buddhas of the inner world are countless, but I have never seen a Tianxin (Heaven's Will) as arrogant as you, let alone you are just a Dengjue Bodhisattva, a Flying Immortal!"
"Only by killing him and destroying your incarnation can I gain true fame, a great reputation!"
After the great Bodhisattva's voice fell silent for a few breaths, his tone turned angry!
"Since you are unwilling to take this good name and do not understand the compassion I have given you, then I can only kill you within three breaths."
"Don't think that just because you can fight ordinary immortals and Buddhas, you can underestimate the Dengjue realm. A junior who has not yet achieved the Dao of Immortality, refining his form with the sun, transforming into an unknown deity, dares to clamor against the Dengjue realm, how arrogant!"
As soon as the great Bodhisattva's words fell, all the wishes in the world manifested at this moment, and a vast incarnation descended upon the mortal realm, the Buddha-light illuminating thousands of miles of rivers and mountains!
In the first breath, the great Buddha manifested, and under the whole sky, all kinds of holy music and heavenly sounds, and majestic voices arose.
Riding out on a blue ox, with six faces, six arms, and six feet, his whole body blue-black, holding bows, arrows, swords, halberds, ropes, clubs, and other weapons, with skulls as necklaces, and tiger skin as a skirt, his body tall and large, covered in flames!
In the second breath, the great Buddha opened his eyes, the world changed, and thousands of golden lights sealed the universe. Each of these thousands of golden lights had the power to cut off all demonic obstacles and subdue all evil ghosts and dragons. In an instant, all the demonic and evil spirits of the world retreated, and even the primordial energy was transformed, leaving only the breath of Buddhism!
"Evil gods and evil ghosts, be dispelled here. Did you think my Buddha could not perceive your true demonic aura!"
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva manifested in the world, and the demonic aura on Ji Xiang's body instantly dissipated, but was instead protected by Buddha-lights, the illusory forms of Qian Guangwang Jingzhu Tathagata, Karuṇāvajra, Mahamayuri Vidyarajni, Vajrabhairava, and Ucchusma Vajra all manifested at this moment.
"Hmm?"
In the third breath, Ji Xiang was safe and sound. Those Buddha shadows protected Ji Xiang himself, causing the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva to be slightly shocked.
Three breaths is the safe moment; beyond this time, it is no longer safe.
But this demonic cultivator in front of him actually has the protection of the Buddhas?
There's even Ucchusma Vajra?!
However, the illusory shadow of Ucchusma Vajra is extremely dim. It is not that the other party possesses the position or part of the divine form of Ucchusma Vajra, but should only possess some of the Dharma power laid down by Ucchusma Vajra, outwardly manifesting in this form only, and is not the real Ucchusma Vajra.
In an instant, thousands of thoughts arose in his heart, and then he suppressed them in an instant.
In one thought, there are ninety kshanas, and in one kshana, there are nine hundred births and deaths.
"There is not enough time, but with just these Buddhas of the past, it is difficult to stop me."
"May you all disperse!"
The Buddha-light on the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva greatly increased! The power of wishes transformed into a vast ocean, instantly dispelling Ji Xiang's Buddha-lights, and then surged towards the final Ghost-slaying General's divine form!
Ji Xiang grinned, his expression somewhat excited.
In an instant, the power of the Ghost-slaying General touched the Buddha-Dharma!
Then, just like the situation that appeared when fighting Xu Fu!
All Dharma is discarded, and Buddha-Dharma is no exception!
The wish incarnation was broken through the Buddha-light by more than a dozen arms and directly shattered in the universe!
Boom!
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva's eyes revealed a look of shock. The shattered wish incarnation could not be reunited, but in the instant it was destroyed, it gathered even greater wishes and cast a second wish incarnation!
However, the color of horror in his eyes could not fade, and Ji Xiang laughed!
"Dengjue Bodhisattva!"
"Nothing more than this!"
At this moment, the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva had understood! The strange divine position on Ji Xiang's body actually has the ability to erase the existence of all Dharma, which is even more terrifying than his previous conjecture!
It is as if a flower was originally born in the world, but it was forcibly erased by this strange power. So in the future, even if something similar is born in the world again, the same kind of flower will never appear again.
"Which path of the heavenly gods is this!"
While the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva was still in shock, Ji Xiang was about to launch another attack on him.
At this moment, a vast Buddhist chant resounded between heaven and earth.
The image of a young-looking Vajra flashed in both of their eyes for a moment, and the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva's expression changed, but in the next moment, as the second Buddhist chant descended, the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva's incarnation showed a happy expression, and then breathed a sigh of relief.
And Ji Xiang heard a passage from that Buddhist chant.
It was the voice of Ucchusma Vajra!
"Little friend, please show mercy. For the sake of the Immortal Pill, let him go."
"You have killed his wish incarnation once, and the karma has been settled. As for that Eastern Royal Court Khan, his flesh and soul are all destroyed by you. We will only take away his wish, which can be considered an explanation for both sides!"
The Heavenly Will personally lowered his voice, asking Ji Xiang to give him face, and brought up the Second Revolution Immortal Pill to speak, yielding a big step.
But Ji Xiang sneered and said in a low voice to the sky:
"Lord Ucchusma Vajra, your last Second Revolution Immortal Pill was not so easy to use. There is still the thought of Buddhist salvation on it. What is your intention?"
"Favor and human relationships are not sold like this. If you bring this matter up, I will have something to say."
Ucchusma Vajra's voice paused, and then said: "I will give you compensation."
"I will cast the souls of those who plundered and killed into the Vajra Hell."
"The souls of those who were killed, this poor monk will personally protect, so that they will not go through the underworld, will not enter reincarnation, and will be reborn immediately."
Vajra Hell, the hell where Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are imprisoned, is also another name for Avici Hell!
In Buddhism, the souls entering the Vajra Hell is already a huge punishment of never being able to be reborn!
When Ji Xiang heard this compensation, the expression on his face relaxed: "Thank you, Lord."
"Well, stop here."
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva shook his head repeatedly, not very satisfied with this decision, but he had no other way. After chanting the Buddha's name, he watched Ji Xiang tear Buyan's flesh and soul to pieces, and destroy it with the Ghost-slaying General's form and spirit, so that it could no longer be reshaped. Even if he was resurrected, it would only be another clone with "Buyan's" memories.
"Such a cruel god, unheard of."
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva thanked Vajra, took away Buyan's wish, and dispersed his incarnation.
It's just....
........
Ji Xiang's affairs here were over, and the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva opened his eyes.
"Where is this?"
He was not in his own Buddha Kingdom, and the wish incarnation had not yet dispersed!
The scenery manifested outside was a vast sea.
The East Sea?
"Is this the outer world?"
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva was quite surprised. His wish incarnation also carried a part of the Yuan Spirit projection. It was easy to take it back. Transcending realms was dangerous, and the art of wishes was just a trick. The time it could exist was also limited. Even without Ucchusma Vajra's intervention, he actually could not entangle with Ji Xiang too much.
But.... what is going on now?
"Descending to the outer world, only notifying Ucchusma Vajra? The Buddhist Sect is arrogant and too arrogant. Today, I will destroy half of your Yuan Spirit here, cut off the two realms, and reduce your cultivation to the First Bhumi Bodhisattva for twenty years as a punishment."
A young boy's voice came from the sea.
The Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva's expression changed drastically!
Twelve white horse phantoms fell from the sky, a piece of purple clothes controlling the Canghai thunder, descending to the mortal realm!
One of the four Heavenly Hearts, the Daoist Purple-Clothed God, rides twelve white horses out of the East Sea, and when he comes out, there will be a great battle in the world!
"Purple-Clothed! I am just a wish incarnation, a Yuan Spirit projection! Lord Vajra has allowed me to leave, how can you not abide by the rules!"
"You are the one who takes care of the rivers and mountains, how can you personally take action!"
In addition to being horrified, the Mahāvajrabhairava Bodhisattva uttered a voice to stop the other party's behavior. This phantom was also made of wishes, but it was very different from his own. This was the Heavenly Heart phantom!
However, the twelve white horses did not stop at all, their hooves pressed down, shaking the heavens!
"Don't say killing an incarnation, even if I slaughtered your true body, what can the Buddhist Sect do to me!"
"Flying Immortal Dengjue, dare to enter the mortal world, courting death across the border!"