233: Chapter 233 It's All Buddhism's Fault

Gu Yan was immersed in a dream, fighting a fierce battle, killing to his heart's content.

Just then, the Great Love Halo behind his head suddenly vibrated slightly, sending a timely warning.

Gu Yan's mind suddenly snapped awake. He immediately stopped indulging in the fight within the dream and pulled himself out.

With a sweep of his Divine Sense, he discovered a woman in golden armor hovering high in the sky of Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm. Golden light surged around her, and a pillar of light over ten thousand feet thick had already condensed into shape and was about to descend.

Gu Yan had no doubt that if that move landed, the entire world would be reduced to nothingness.

Fortunately, his reaction was fast enough. He timely exerted great magic power to freeze that strike in mid-air.

Time and space froze, the pillar of light stalled, and all things were fixed in place.

At this moment, the anger in Gu Yan's heart flared up.

This feeling was like in his previous life when he played games; he had painstakingly managed his base for a long time, and just as it was about to develop fully, the opponent took advantage of him being AFK to send troops to backdoor his base.

And the one backdooring wasn't some minion, but a late-game carry hero.

Totally unsportsmanlike.

...

At this moment, inside the Taichu Ziji Palace of the Immortal Court.

Before the sky screen, the expressions on the faces of the civil and military immortals of the court changed from relaxed and leisurely to uncertain and shocked.

They were originally waiting to see Princess Jin Zhao destroy that Minor Thousand World like crushing dry weeds, and then raise their cups in celebration, offering platitudes about Her Highness's Divine Might and the prosperity of the Immortal Court.

But everything that happened in the image left everyone stunned.

That pillar of light, sufficient to destroy a world, was actually frozen by someone.

Immediately after, a voice traversed heaven and earth. The pressure within that voice made the hearts of some lower-cultivation immortals in the palace flutter, even through the sky screen.

Some immortals subconsciously took half a step back, then realized their loss of composure and forced themselves to stand back in their original positions.

“This... what kind of method is this?”

A True Immortal muttered in a low voice, but no one could answer him.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the sky screen, trying to see clearly which sacred being the person who intervened was.

Emperor Cang sat upon his throne, his expression unchanged, but the fingers gripping the armrests tightened slightly.

He saw more clearly than these subordinates.

He actually couldn't see through the cultivation of the person who intervened for a moment.

It was impossible for a Golden Immortal to have such methods.

It was impossible for someone to make him feel a trace of... wariness even through the sky screen.

...

In Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm, above the firmament.

Princess Jin Zhao finally came back to her senses.

In that instant just now, that voice and that pressure had actually caused a trace of fear to arise in her, a battle-hardened Immortal King.

But she could not retreat.

She knew that at this moment, in the Taichu Ziji Palace of the Immortal Court, her Father Emperor and the entire court were watching the sky screen.

If she shrank back, she would lose not only her own face but also her Father Emperor's face.

Princess Jin Zhao took a deep breath, suppressing the unease in her heart as golden light surged around her once more.

But just as she raised her immortal essence!

A sword light slashed out from the Void Realm.

That sword light was incredibly fast. Princess Jin Zhao didn't even have time to see where it came from; she only felt her vision go dark, followed by a burst of intense pain.

Her Physical Body, the moment the sword light touched it, began to disintegrate inch by inch like a sand sculpture meeting water.

Princess Jin Zhao's soul wanted to flee, wanted her soul to return to the Immortal Court.

But how could it be that easy?

This sword was the second style of the "Sword of All Living Beings" performed by Gu Yan using the highest grade innate spirit treasure, the abi sword: the Immortal Slaying Style.

It could slay all enemies and break all dharmas.

Just as Princess Jin Zhao's Physical Body was annihilated, her remnant soul was swept up by the Sword Intent and completely dissipated between heaven and earth.

Deep within a certain Secret Realm of the Immortal Court.

This place was called the Longevity Soul Hall, a Secret Realm opened by Emperor Cang using great magic power.

Countless Soul Lamps were enshrined in the hall, each lamp corresponding to a strand of the natal soul of one of Emperor Cang's descendants.

This was just in case of an emergency.

If a descendant met with an accident outside, this strand of natal soul in the Soul Lamp could give them a chance at Rebirth.

At this moment, the Soul Lamp representing Princess Jin Zhao suddenly went out.

Before the immortal official guarding the hall could react, in the next instant, a sword light actually spread out from the extinguished Soul Lamp and slashed directly at the Soul Lamp itself.

That sword light had actually followed the trace of connection from before Princess Jin Zhao's soul dissipated and hunted her down here.

The Immortal Slaying Style slays not only the enemy in front but also severs all Karmic connections.

The strand of natal soul in the Soul Lamp was originally one with Princess Jin Zhao, so it was naturally among those to be slain.

The guarding immortal official's Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering in fear; he was but a mere True Immortal, so how could he withstand such might?

In the Taichu Ziji Palace.

Emperor Cang suddenly stood up.

His face changed for the first time in front of the immortals.

But it wasn't because Princess Jin Zhao was dead.

Although he loved this daughter, it wasn't to the point of being heartbroken.

He was angry about another matter.

First, he had been schemed against by Buddhism.

What Golden Immortal level Venerable Datong? It was all fucking bullshit.

Second, that Venerable Datong actually dared to directly slay his daughter in front of the entire Immortal Court's civil and military officials.

And he didn't even let go of that strand of natal soul in the Soul Lamp.

This was a complete slap in the face.

Leaving no room for Emperor Cang at all.

Emperor Cang immediately raised his hand and struck out with a palm.

That sword light that was rampaging in the Longevity Soul Hall was forcibly suppressed by his supreme magic power at the Immortal Emperor level.

Although Gu Yan's sword light was strong, it had come from across space and lacked follow-up power.

Emperor Cang was, after all, an existence at the Immortal Emperor level. Under his full-force strike, the sword light gradually dissipated.

But at the last moment before the sword light vanished.

A voice came from the void, echoing through the entire Taichu Ziji Palace:

“Immortal Court, I have noted today's Karma.”

“One day, it shall be returned.”

The voice was flat, without a roar, and no emotion could even be heard.

But the more it was so, the more it made one's heart turn cold.

Emperor Cang snorted coldly, his voice shaking the palace: “Arrogant!”

He immediately wanted to follow the path of that voice, to personally take action and clash with that Venerable Datong to see who was tougher.

And that Mortal Realm, he would also destroy it along with him.

What Karma or no Karma? Why should Emperor Cang care about such things in his actions?

But in the next moment, on the sky screen, that Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm vanished.

Only a void remained on the screen.

...

Supreme Creation Small Luo Grotto-Heaven.

Gu Yan let out a long breath.

To prevent more trouble later, he directly moved the entire Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm into the Supreme Creation Small Luo Grotto-Heaven.

He hadn't moved it before because he felt it wasn't necessary.

That world was stable, and he was doing fine in the Grotto-Heaven, so why bother moving things around?

But now, he had to move it.

He couldn't guard it every day, could he?

And in the process of moving it, Gu Yan discovered something that quite surprised him.

His original plan was to move the entire Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm inside and let the creatures of that world live directly within the Grotto-Heaven world.

But in actual operation, he found there was an even better way.

That Minor Thousand World was attached to the outside of the Supreme Creation Small Luo Grotto-Heaven in the form of an independent world.

Like a satellite orbiting the main world.

It was completely protected by the Grotto-Heaven while maintaining its own independence.

The sun, moon, stars, change of seasons, mountains, and rivers—everything was there, just as usual.

If Gu Yan had known it could be operated this way, he would have moved Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm in long ago.

Why would he have waited until today, allowing all these incidents to arise for nothing?

But fortunately, it wasn't too late now.

It was better than waiting for that world to be slapped into nonexistence by someone and then regretting it.

There was another detail that Gu Yan had expected.

The moment Nanming No. 73 Mortal Realm was taken into the Supreme Creation Small Luo Grotto-Heaven, the branch Heavenly Dao that came with that Minor Thousand World was silently assimilated and erased.

He was very clear about this in his heart.

Because the Supreme Creation Small Luo Grotto-Heaven had a deep-level linkage with his red trait, "Form of No-Self and No-Form · Red".

Whether it was the Heavenly Dao or the Great Dao, neither could perceive the slightest movement within the Grotto-Heaven.

Once that Mortal Realm was incorporated, it was as if all traces of it had been completely erased from heaven and earth.

Even if the outside world dug three feet into the ground, they would not find a single clue.

...

Immortal Realm, Taichu Ziji Palace.

Emperor Cang sat on his throne, his face as dark as water.

He had just performed a great Divine Ability, searching through many Mortal Realms inside and out, over and over again.

But after a search, there was not even a trace.

A subtle feeling arose in Emperor Cang's heart.

How could a legitimate Minor Thousand World just vanish?

He, the grand Lord of the Immortal Court, an existence at the Immortal Emperor level, actually couldn't even find the whereabouts of a Mortal Realm.

At this moment, Emperor Cang felt a bit like he was drawing his sword and looking around in bewilderment.

He had prepared his anger for a long time, but in the end, he couldn't even find an object to vent it on.

After a long silence.

Emperor Cang's face turned from gloomy to completely livid.

He turned his focus to another matter.

“Buddhism.”

“To think they dared to scheme against this Emperor like this.”

“The Heaven and Earth Boundless Great Tribulation is not something only our Immortal Court has to cross.”

“Since Buddhism acts this way, then the matter of the alliance is hereby canceled.”

The immortals in the palace were as quiet as cicadas in winter; no one dared to respond.

Emperor Cang said no more, turned around, and left with a flick of his sleeves.

But this debt was firmly recorded in his heart.

You Buddhists like to scheme, don't you?

Just you wait.

Sooner or later, this Emperor will also set up an inescapable net and dig a deep pit for you, letting you all fall into it one by one.

...

Ultimately, all these troubles today, when traced back to their source, were entirely Buddhism's fault.

Initially, it was just for the incense and faith of a Mortal Realm.

Any immortal or Buddha with a bit of restraint would have known to back off upon seeing that there was clearly a powerhouse backing that Mortal Realm.

But Buddhism refused.

They thought too highly of themselves, feeling that their power was great, and insisted on sending Arhat Huiming down to the mortal world to establish himself as the Buddha of the Mortal Realm, intending to reclaim the faith of that world.

The world is vast, and Minor Thousand Worlds are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, countless; why must they stubbornly cling to this one?

But Buddhism was just that greedy and insatiable, refusing to yield even an inch.

In the end, not only did they fail, but they also suffered a double loss.

Arhat Huiming saw with his own eyes that a world without Buddha could still achieve ultimate bliss; his Buddha-heart shattered on the spot, and he fell directly into a demonic state.

And that wasn't all.

Buddhism's oversight allowed Arhat Jingxin to descend to the mortal world privately, intending to find trouble and demand an explanation.

As a result, as soon as he appeared, he was noticed on the spot by Gu Yan, who was behind that world. Without a word, Gu Yan threw him directly in front of the gates of the Great Leiyin Temple on Spirit Mountain, causing Buddhism to lose all face.

Buddha Datongguang wanted to reclaim his dignity but was unwilling to take action himself, fearing he might stumble.

He immediately set up this trap, scheming against Emperor Cang, who was eager to ally with Buddhism, pushing him out to be used as a tool.

But what was the outcome now?

Emperor Cang suffered the loss of his beloved daughter, lost all face, and formed a mortal Karma-enmity with that mysterious powerhouse.

Buddhism didn't suffer any loss at all.

But the matter of the alliance was ruined.

That powerhouse's background still couldn't be fathomed in the slightest.

The only thing that could be confirmed was that the opponent's strength was far above that of an ordinary Immortal King.

This round wasn't exactly a loss for Buddhism.

But as for a gain, they didn't get any benefits either.

They had merely taken a situation that was originally somewhat negotiable and forcibly stirred it into an unmanageable mess.

Some things in this world are just this absurd and laughable.

Clearly, if everyone took a step back, they could coexist in peace.

Yet some people value face more than anything, insisting on making a fuss.

By the time they finish making a fuss, they often find they can't handle the aftermath and end up reaping the bitter fruits themselves.