Two suns appeared in the sky, one in the east and one in the west.
The sun in the east hung gently, while the newly-risen sun in the west shone with boundless golden light, dyeing the entire sea of clouds in brilliant gold.
Apart from bringing light and heat, it also carried an incredibly terrifying pressure, making people feel as if they were standing on the edge of an abyss, inspiring awe and instinctive submission from the depths of their hearts.
Xu Pingfeng, Heilian, and even the badly wounded Baidi all heard illusory and grand Sanskrit chants in their ears.
Compared to the “Immovable Lord Dharma Aspect” and “Vajra Dharma Aspect” manifested by Agaruka Bodhisattva, this blazing sun was on an entirely different level. It seemed to be the incarnation of the powers of heaven and earth, carrying a force that nothing could withstand.
“Ah!!!”
Heilian was the first to scream in agony. His body, oozing thick black liquid, was seared by the golden light, wisps of azure smoke rising from him.
The “Earth, Wind, Water, Fire” four Aspects were dissolved one after another, turning into nothingness.
Under the universal illumination of the Buddha’s light, all powers of incompatible attributes were hard to exist.
“The Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect…”
Xu Pingfeng murmured.
He only took a glance before jerking his gaze back, as two lines of blood trickled from his eye sockets.
Foremost among the Nine Dharma Aspects, the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect.
With a shrill cry, Daoist Heilian transformed into a surge of dark water which flew into Xu Pingfeng’s body. The latter raised a defensive array and summoned numerous top-tier magical artifacts, struggling to resist the Buddha’s light.
“Retreat, retreat now…”
The panicked, hurried voice of Heilian echoed in Xu Pingfeng’s mind.
Xu Pingfeng glanced sideways at the Jianzheng and the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage behind him.
Only those Beyond-rank could handle a Beyond-rank.
The Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect was something Buddhism specifically used to counter the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage.
After Wei Yuan sealed the Warlock God in Mount Jing City, how could they not take the carving knife and confucian cap of the Confucianists into account?
Yet, unlike that time with Wei Yuan, Wei Yuan was at least a second-rank martial artist, with a powerful physique, far superior to a Master of Heaven’s Secrets.
With the Confucian Sage’s heroic spirit upon him, the pressure the Jianzheng had to bear was naturally even greater than that which weighed on Wei Yuan.
To force the Jianzheng to summon the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage is already half the battle won… With tears of blood streaming down his cheeks, Xu Pingfeng nevertheless let a smile play at his lips.
He did not stubbornly endure the radiance of the Great Sun Dharma Aspect, teleporting into the distance in a flash
“Ssshh…”
Baidi’s scales rapidly charred black, emitting wisps of azure smoke as it let out an agonised roar once more.
The Jianzheng flicked his carving knife upwards. With a squelching sound, Baidi’s skull was sent flying and the scream stopped abruptly.
Baidi’s body went limp and, like Agaruka Bodhisattva, plummeted towards the boundless earth below.
Having done all this, the Jianzheng slowly turned his body to look towards that blazing sun, with the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage behind him mirroring the motion.
In his vision, the outline of the Great Sun Dharma Aspect was reflected. The searing light scorched his pupils, but the pure radiance of the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage surged up, holding the light of the Great Sun Dharma Aspect a distance of thirty feet away.
“Buddha…”
Like Xu Pingfeng, the Jianzheng lifted the corner of his mouth.
He took a deep breath, flicked the dust from his cap, and no longer suppressed the power of the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage.
In an instant, the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage swelled to immense size, growing from just over sixty feet to a giant of two hundred feet.
The whole of this heaven and earth was instantly cleaved in two by the contest of powers: one part filled with clear qi, the other shrouded by blazing golden light.
This… Watching the aura of the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage surge, Xu Pingfeng’s heart sank as he realised the Jianzheng had deliberately held back the spirit’s mighty power, not letting it burst forth at full strength.
Was his true target actually the Buddha?!
This thought flashed by as Xu Pingfeng, vision restored, saw the Jianzheng step forward boldly, entering the field bathed in the Buddha’s light.
The Great Sun Dharma Aspect responded with even fiercer, more dazzling light. The golden rays turned to incandescent white, swallowing the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage.
At the same time, the Sanskrit chanting became ever denser and more resounding, as if hundreds or thousands of monks were chanting scriptures in unison, the sound of the Buddha resounding across the whole sky.
In that boundless sea of brilliant white Buddha light, the Jianzheng’s white clothes caught fire, his flesh blackened and blistered, and even the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage was partially eroded.
The carving knife in his hand was heated red-hot and gleaming.
But none of this could halt the advance of the Jianzheng and the heroic spirit of the Confucian Sage. These two, whose very foundations were the fate of humanity, pressed forward unswervingly.
With each step forward they took, the clear qi corroded a little more of the Buddha’s domain.
Sixty feet, forty-five feet, thirty feet, fifteen feet… When the Jianzheng and the heroic spirit caught up to within thirty feet of the blazing sun, the incandescent Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect suddenly manifested a golden body.
The golden body’s features were indistinct and slightly stout. With both hands holding a flower, he sat serenely in meditation.
Behind his head blazed a sun, precisely the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect that had just radiated light and heat.
This Dharma Aspect now slowly opened its eyes.
Boom… Directly meeting its gaze, the Jianzheng’s mind thundered and his soul felt as though it splintered into countless fragments, his consciousness snuffed out on the spot.
This was the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect, foremost of the Nine Dharma Aspects, the very foundation upon which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
At that moment, the Confucian Sage extended a hand, grasping the Jianzheng’s hand that held the carving knife, and gently thrusting it forward.
The red-hot carving knife pierced the golden body’s brow.
Crack… On the blurred face of the golden body, a fissure split open on its forehead, quickly spreading over its entire form.
In the next instant, the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect crumbled.
It collapsed inward into a golden miniature sun, paused for a moment, then exploded with a roar.
If one looked up from the ground, one would see, above the sea of clouds, golden waves billowing and spreading layer upon layer, covering half the sky.
Xu Pingfeng snapped his eyes shut and felt his very soul quaking. His protective array and legendary-grade artefacts shattered one after another, brittle as glass.
Even as all his defences shattered, he had already teleported further away.
…
Ananda.
From the depths of this sacred Buddhist mountain came a hoarse roar, full of strain and exhaustion, it was impossible to tell whether it was rage or pain.
Then, the entire range began to tremble as if struck by an earthquake. The snow atop the mountain collapsed, cascaded and bundled together, forming a significant avalanche.
Yet just as the thunderous avalanche began to surge, it was halted by an invisible barrier of Qi. Tens of thousands of tonnes of snow crashed down onto this shield with a roaring boom. Beneath it lay the area where Buddhist monks resided, dotted with halls and meditation courtyards.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, seated beneath the Bodhi tree, suddenly changed expression and snapped his head around to gaze into the depths of Ananda.
Vaidurya Bodhisattva’s beautiful face lost its colour; her fine brows knitted tightly, gone was her usual serene calm.
By the cold pond, Arhat Du’e, sitting atop his lotus dais, and the disfigured yet handsome al-Asura by the water’s edge, both turned in unison to look towards the heart of Ananda.
“Who do you think it was?” asked Arhat Du’e, his voice low.
He was referring to the roar from earlier.
Was it the Buddha? Shenshu? Or perhaps that rumoured Beyond-rank existence?
Al-Asura shook his head slightly. “I don’t know.
“But it is clear to see, this time we’ve tried to steal a chicken and ended up losing the rice to lure it. Perhaps we’ve only played right into the Jianzheng’s hands.”
Not long ago, that blazing sun had soared skyward and vanished into the distance.
Even though they hadn’t been forewarned, the two could easily guess it was going for the Jianzheng.
Arhat Du’e nodded. “One must never underestimate the Jianzheng. What makes a first-rank arcanist truly powerful isn’t battle, but scheming.”
He paused and mused, “I only wonder just how dearly we’ve paid this time.”
al-Asura nodded and added, “Now the Dharma Aspect of the Great Sun Tathagata has emerged. This means the battle in Qingzhou must be reaching its conclusion.
“Further, five hundred years ago, the one who revealed the Great Sun Dharma Aspect was not Shenshu.”
This long-standing doubt had now been resolved.
Arhat Du’e fell silent, deep in thought.
…
Southern Marches.
At Wanyao Mountain, the newly renovated Stupa tower quivered faintly. Shenshu’s headless torso strode out from the tower, standing atop its summit and gazing west.
“What is it, Shenshu?”
The Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox appeared at his side, enchantingly beautiful, silver hair, fox tails swaying alluringly, her figure graceful and refined.
“I heard his call.”
Shenshu murmured, “He is calling for help. He yearns to be whole.”
Hearing this, the Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox smiled and said, “It seems the battle in Qingzhou is indeed reaching its conclusion.”
Shenshu did not reply, only shifted slightly.
The Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox smiled mischievously. “I have long ago formed an alliance with the Jianzheng. He once told me, so long as I helped Xu Qi’an in all matters and aided his growth, he would grant me a measure of support to help me retrieve your head.
“But that must wait for his disciple to rebel.”
Shenshu asked slowly, “Why?”
After reconstructing his body, his spirit had found a measure of wholeness and was no longer as extreme. Of course, if provoked, he would still turn against friend or foe alike.
The Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox shook her head. “The Jianzheng is a born chess player. No one can truly fathom his mind or guess what he truly wants. But regardless of his plotting, Xu Qi’an will always occupy an important place on his board.
“By keeping an eye on Xu Qi’an, one may catch the faintest hints of the Jianzheng’s plans.”
As for what she herself had seen, she did not say.
Shenshu did not care, simply remarked, “That boy still has my arm, it can neutralise my resentful energy.”
The Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox said resignedly, “That depends on the timing. Be it Arhat Du’e or al-Asura, neither can be captured by us, unless we storm Ananda itself.”
Shenshu nodded. “If that’s clear, then let’s just fight our way in.”
The Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox scolded, “No! Back into the tower with you. The longer you’re out, the wilder your mind gets!”
Shenshu wordlessly leapt from the tower and returned to the Stupa tower.
…
When the golden light faded, there remained only a charred human shape above the sea of clouds.
A few seconds later, the burnt corpse cracked apart, and a stark-naked Jianzheng emerged.
With a casual motion, he plucked a white robe from the air and wrapped it about himself. The Confucian cap and carving knife in his hands had already turned to pure light and returned to Cloud Deer Academy.
Despite appearing completely unscathed, the Jianzheng’s aura had become desperately weak.
Even his body showed signs of exhaustion; once rosy skin was now wrinkled and mottled with age spots.
“Even cleaner than a monk…” Jianzheng muttered, raising his hand to touch his eyebrows, chin, and scalp, refining himself a head of smooth white hair, a beard, and eyebrows.
Regaining the manner of a first-rank arcanist, Jianzheng tilted his head to glance at the sea of clouds beneath him, then swept his eyes to the right.
As the cloud sea parted, two mangled figures returned to the sky: Agaruka Bodhisattva and Baidi.
The former’s neck was an empty stump, the wound a mess of flesh and blood, like a headless walking corpse.
The latter’s skullcap had been removed, revealing a brain textured like a walnut, his intestines dragging from his exposed belly.
Their bodies could not be restored, the power of the Confucian Sage’s carving knife having severed any hope of regeneration.
But Agaruka, as the foremost in defence beneath the Beyond-rank, and Baidi, a god-demon from ancient times and in every sense equal to a first-rank martial artist, were both far from easy to kill.
“What have you done to the Buddha!”
Agaruka’s voice rang from his body.
“You will know in time,” Jianzheng answered blandly.
At that moment, Xu Pingfeng teleported back, standing between Baidi and Agaruka.
Daoist Heilian ‘crawled’ out from within him, standing shoulder to shoulder.
Donning white robes, he once again confronted these four peak experts.
But both sides’ auras were now precipitously weaker than in their first clash; indeed, only Xu Pingfeng remained mostly unscathed.
“You’re no use now are you?”
The Jianzheng sighed, “Had this been at your peak, you could have fled by now.”
As he spoke, he reached up to the air once more and plucked out an octagonal bronze plate, its reverse engraved with sun, moon, and mountains, its face inscribed with heavenly stems and earthly branches. The moment it appeared, the whole world boiled.
The power of all living things surged in like rivers into the sea, pouring madly into the Jianzheng.
In a flash, his aura soared to its peak.
A clear gleam shone in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on the four before him.
“All of you, come at once!”
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