"Shall we begin immediately?"
As the words of Golden Wheel Buddha Lord fell, the lords of various factions and the spectators were all stunned.
Clearly, no one had expected that the Buddhist sect would directly proceed to compete for the top ten Buddha Sons after the top twenty spots were decided.
This was undoubtedly somewhat unfair to the participants who appeared last. After all, some contestants had obtained their stepping stones through fierce battles and were bound to have sustained injuries.
However
Even so, the lords of the various factions did not voice any opinions on this matter. After all, the selection of Buddha Sons was an internal affair of the Buddhist sect. Moreover, in this Pure Land Continent, the Buddhist sect held the sole authority.
While they had the right to recommend participants, they had no say in how the competition was arranged or what rules were set.
The peak of Spirit Mountain was the cultivation place of the Buddha Shakyamuni. Even among the Buddhist disciples, few had the qualification to enter.
Therefore, as the top twenty participants were teleported to the peak of Spirit Mountain, the lords of the various factions and the spectators had to remain where they were. Fortunately, as Golden Wheel Buddha Lord and the others departed, a screen of light descended from the sky. The scenes from the peak of Spirit Mountain slowly appeared before the eyes of the crowd.
Atop Spirit Mountain, nine spiritual pillars pierced the clouds.
Dragons and phoenixes coiled around the pillars, appearing as lifelike as if they were real. The tangible spiritual energy even made Li Xuan and the others feel a loosening of the shackles within their bodies. Buddhist chants echoed incessantly. The entire peak of Spirit Mountain was like a rare sight of a place where cultivation reached its zenith.
Even more remarkable was that Xiao Bai, who was within the Prison of Judgment, also watched the void with curiosity, seemingly delighted by Spirit Mountain.
And at the summit, an aged monk with elongated earlobes sat cross-legged, his face currently adorned with a smile as he looked down at Li Xuan and the others, a hint of joy in his eyes.
"Amitabha, through countless eons, much has changed like the ebb and flow of the sea. The prosperous era of my Buddhist sect shall be illuminated by your brilliance." The old monk's demeanor was serene, and his words seemed to resonate with the Great Dao.
"We pay our respects to Buddha Shakyamuni," Li Xuan and the others responded, bowing in unison towards the old monk.
At this moment, Golden Wheel Buddha Lord and others stood divided on either side, with six figures present. It was clear that this old monk was the leader of the Buddhist sect, Buddha Shakyamuni.
"You may rise. According to the rules of the past Buddha Son selections, I should not have intervened. However, this session of Buddha Son selection is different, so I shall overstep my bounds." Buddha Shakyamuni nodded slightly, his gaze falling upon Li Xuan and the others as he spoke.
After a brief pause, Buddha Shakyamuni continued, "All twenty of you are of the highest caliber in terms of comprehension and strength. Any one of you possesses the qualifications to be our Buddha Son."
"However, according to the decree left by Ancient Buddha Ranguang, these ten spots cannot be altered. Therefore, you will need to compete through this final challenge to secure the top ten positions."
"But our Buddhist sect's tranquil abode is not suitable for martial combat that disturbs the cultivation of sentient beings. Therefore, I have established the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation. The first ten individuals to emerge from it will be the top ten in this Buddha Son Selection Competition. Do any of you have objections?"
After speaking, Buddha Shakyamuni's gaze swept over the twenty participants, including Li Xuan. Seeing this, everyone fell silent.
A moment later, a man clad in a green robe bowed to Buddha Shakyamuni and asked, "Venerable Buddha, what are the rules within the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation?"
The crowd's eyes turned towards Buddha Shakyamuni. Although they knew they had to enter the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation, they had no idea how to pass through it. Now that someone had posed a question, everyone waited expectantly.
"The Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation, where dreams flower for three lives and three worlds. Those who can comprehend the essence of Buddhism and become Buddhas will naturally emerge from the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation. What lies within depends on each of your life experiences. It might be the mortal world, or a heavenly paradise. Or perhaps, a hellish inferno."
"Of course, all of this will be veiled, and no one will be able to know. If the top ten emerge, the remaining contestants will also be teleported out, concluding this Buddha Son Selection Competition."
"Once you enter the Realm of Reincarnation, your memories and all your spiritual power will be completely sealed. It would not be an exaggeration to call you a blank slate. Naturally, you need not worry about safety. Everything within the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation can be treated as a dream."
"A dream of whether you can achieve Buddhahood. Do you have any further questions now?"
Buddha Shakyamuni chanted a Buddha's name and explained with great patience.
Li Xuan and the others fell silent. Through Buddha Shakyamuni's explanation, the final competition became very clear. As long as one could achieve Buddhahood within the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation, they would pass this final competition.
However, Li Xuan knew that achieving Buddhahood would likely not be easy, otherwise, it would not require three lives and three worlds. And the more one progressed, the more difficult it would likely become.
Meanwhile, halfway up Spirit Mountain, the lords of various factions and the spectators were filled with profound shock as they saw Buddha Shakyamuni appear in the projection.
In previous Buddha Son Selection Competitions, Buddha Shakyamuni had never shown himself. Not only that, but Buddha Shakyamuni's voice also transmitted clearly through the projection, and everyone became curious about the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation.
Suddenly, various factions began to murmur amongst themselves.
"Since no one has any objections, the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation, you may prepare to enter." After a long while, Buddha Shakyamuni glanced at Li Xuan and the others, then clasped his hands together, and a golden halo appeared, within which a faint Buddha lotus materialized.
Instantly, a beam of Buddha light shone from the Buddha lotus, enveloping all twenty individuals, including Li Xuan.
"Once young, clad in white, naive to the world. Walking through the mortal realm, I inevitably became stained with dust. Recalling the past, a life of hardship and a cold half-life. Whether I become a Buddha or a demon, my heart remains eternal."
As Li Xuan and the other twenty disappeared from their positions, Buddha Shakyamuni chanted a Buddha's name and slowly closed his eyes.
And within the Realm of Three Lives and Three Worlds of Reincarnation, Li Xuan was now, amidst a crying sound, being born into this world.