644: Chapter 644 The Buddha's Shadow, A Second Journey to the Underworld

Even if Hun Tiandi knew, he would only feel disdain; those rats who only knew how to hide and strike from the shadows were not worth mentioning.

He had a premonition that taking Princess Nian Youyou away this time would likely not be so easy.

Based on current information, her talent was exceptional, and her appearance was top-tier. Not only the old die-hards of the Da Gan Heavenly Dynasty but even the younger generation would feel a hint of admiration for her.

They would likely view him as a competitor, and the behavior displayed by the Holy Son of Cangtian today would only be the first of many such instances.

After chatting for a while, Hun Tiandi left the residence.

Stepping out of the residence, Gantian City was extremely lively. The streets were crowded with many, many people, and especially with the news of the Life-Extending Precious Pill, the traffic had reached terrifying levels.

Most of them possessed no small amount of strength.

He happened to run into Liu Ling, who had been out gathering information, and returned to his dwelling: "How is it?"

"Your Majesty, according to my reconnaissance, apart from the experts visible on the surface in Gantian City, there are many hidden powerhouses lurking in the shadows. They are likely all here for the Life-Extending Precious Pill!"

"Especially the people from the Heavenly Mansion Alliance; they have arrived as well!"

Liu Ling said helplessly.

"Hmm, Gantian City is currently a mix of dragons and snakes, and everyone here is a ruthless character. Be careful!"

"Hehehe, the Heavenly Mansion Alliance? They are not to be feared. If they are blind and dare to provoke Us, We would not mind wiping them out completely!"

Hun Tiandi sneered, not caring in the slightest.

Soon after, they dispersed. Hun Tiandi sat cross-legged to Cultivate, and a strange fluctuation rose around him, an energy completely different from Dou Qi.

It quietly poured into the Sea of Consciousness between his brows, finally merging into the Soul Sword.

"With the help of the energy from the Soul-Gathering storage ring, the Cultivation of Soul Power is progressing quite rapidly..."

Feeling the surging Soul Power coming from between his brows, he marveled inwardly.

However, the energy required for Soul Power to reach the Late Stage of the Spirit Realm was too vast, and the Soul Weapon Art had also been Cultivated to the fourth stage of Perfection.

A deep green Soul Sword!

He did not slow down his Dou Qi training either; whenever he had time, he would Cultivate without stopping.

The operation of the Soul Weapon Art absorbed the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth to strengthen his Soul.

While operating the Soul Weapon Art, a swastika buddhist seal floated above the Sea of Consciousness, emitting waves of Sanskrit chants and golden light.

It seemed to want to convert his Soul, change his Heart-Nature, and make him submit to the Buddha.

But ever since Hun Tiandi obtained the swastika buddhist seal, he had sensed something amiss; the Soul Sword would occasionally hum, wanting to perform Soul Severing.

If his Soul Power were not vast, and if he had not attained Sword Heart Clarity, he might have already been converted.

This danger had to be resolved!

"Are you still not coming out? As an peerless powerhouse, hiding your head and showing your tail is beneath your dignity!" Hun Tiandi's cold voice echoed in the space.

As his voice fell, there was no change.

"Hmph, refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" He snorted coldly in his heart, immediately urging the Soul Sword, carrying Innate Sword Intent, to transform into a sky-piercing sword light that crashed down.

The target was none other than the swastika buddhist seal.

As it crashed down, the moment it was about to make contact, the swastika buddhist seal spun violently, erupting with a powerful and vast aura that blocked the Soul Sword in one move.

The sword light dissipated, humming in mid-air.

"Your Excellency, why be so aggressive!" A grand Buddhist chant emanated from within the swastika buddhist seal. As the light swirled, it condensed into an illusory golden Buddha shadow.

It stood between heaven and earth, its entire body exuding an aura of being the sole sovereign in heaven and on earth.

"Buddha?" Hun Tiandi said with a solemn expression.

"I am the Tathagata Buddha. Little friend, you truly have a great Opportunity. You have opened a Small World within your Soul, and not only do you possess the Buddhist sect's Bodhi Ancient Tree, but also the rare World Tree. You are truly fated with my Buddha!"

The Tathagata Buddha's voice boomed, echoing in his ears.

"Now, get out of Our Sea of Consciousness!" Hun Tiandi snapped.

For such a strange powerhouse to be hiding in a Buddhist seal, who would believe there wasn't something fishy going on?

He was an Emperor; how could he allow others to defile him?

"Amitabha. Since you are unwilling to submit to the Buddhist sect, then this Buddha shall convert you!" The Tathagata Buddha pressed his palms together, and the Buddha shadow chanted scriptures.

Streaks of golden runes descended toward Hun Tiandi's Soul Sword, attempting to forcibly convert him.

Sword Heart Clarity!

Hun Tiandi activated the state of Sword Heart Clarity. The Soul Sword burst with light, and countless Sword Qi roared, blocking the golden runes as they collided before his eyes.

Sword Qi and Buddha light each occupied half the sky, splitting the entire Sea of Consciousness in two.

As time passed, fine beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the Hun Tiandi in the outside world.

Because the Buddha light was growing stronger, suppressing the Soul Sword at a speed visible to the naked eye. Even with his Soul Power at the Late Stage of the Spirit Realm, he could not stop the conversion of the Tathagata Buddha shadow.

"So powerful. If I continue to resist like this, once my Soul Power is exhausted, I will be at the mercy of others!"

Hun Tiandi sneered. Since that was the case, he immediately withdrew his Soul Sword.

He guided the Buddha light into the Nether Small World. The next moment, the twenty-zhang-tall Bodhi Ancient Tree seemed to smell something delicious.

The moment the Buddha light entered the Small World, it turned into a torrent and surged toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree.

Hum!

It was instantly devoured and absorbed by the ancient tree. As if it had eaten a potent tonic, it erupted with a huge suction force.

It began to plunder the Buddha light, strengthening itself.

The Sea of Consciousness was filled with vortices that sank into the Nether Small World. The Bodhi Ancient Tree's light flared, its branches and leaves swaying as it grew crazily.

Thirty zhang, fifty zhang, eighty zhang... one hundred zhang...

When the Bodhi Ancient Tree grew to a height of one hundred zhang, the Tathagata Buddha shadow in the space realized that the Buddha light was disappearing so quickly, as if it had been devoured by something.

"Evil creature, you actually led the Buddha light into the Bodhi Ancient Tree. What a scheme!"

The Buddha light surged again, filling the Sea of Consciousness. The next moment, three emerald-green, crystalline branches reached out from the Nether Small World.

They greedily absorbed the Buddha light and grew once more.

"Bodhi branches?" The Tathagata Buddha shadow said in a deep voice.

The next moment, a terrifying scene appeared: three Bodhi branches stretched out like tough chains, coiling toward the Buddha shadow.

They erupted with immense force on its limbs and body, trying to pull it into the Nether Small World.

The Buddha shadow's golden light flared, and vast power erupted, creating a stalemate with the Bodhi branches.

Hum!

Suddenly, from the deepest part of his Soul, a cluster of six-colored light emerged. Above the Sea of Consciousness, an illusory six-path turntable was slowly rotating.

The vast aura made the Buddha shadow tremble, and many cracks spread across it.

"This is... the heart of samsara?"

"Dammit, how could you have such a treasure on you?" The Tathagata Buddha shadow snapped, as if it had seen something terrifying.

It crashed down, crushing the Buddha shadow. Countless golden fragments scattered and flew about.

The Bodhi branches began to devour and coil, pulling them into the main body of the Bodhi Ancient Tree for refining.

In the Nether Small World, the Bodhi Ancient Tree grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, even reaching a size of one thousand zhang. If one looked closely, small flowers were blooming on the branches.

The Bodhi bloomed!

That wisp of the Tathagata Buddha's consciousness was crushed by the heart of samsara, turning into nutrients for the Bodhi Ancient Tree.

At the same time, it also left behind the Buddha's insights and Cultivation Technique.

Subsequently, the heart of samsara sank into the depths of his Soul, and Hun Tiandi sorted through this vast amount of information.

"The Tathagata Buddha actually knows about the heart of samsara?" He opened his eyes, which flashed with two streaks of golden light, and a hint of solemnity appeared in the depths of his gaze.

Lingxiao Heavenly Court, Yin-Yang Palace.

At this moment, the Blood God Hun Tiandi stood, his gaze profound as he looked at the gathered Remnants of the Soul Clan before him, arranging for them to enter the Underworld.

This was also the second time descending into the Underworld.

"Hun Xiutian, I leave this to you!"

"Yes!" Hun Xiutian accepted the order and immediately led the Remnants of the Soul Clan toward the Underworld.

Originally, the Remnants of the Soul Clan in Xingming City still held some resentment toward Hun Tiandi, as their friends and family had all died in that blood catastrophe.

Later, under Hun Xiutian's explanation, they temporarily suppressed this resentment.

Hun Tiandi sighed inwardly; these Remnants were the last glimmer of life for the Hun Clan.