222: Compassionate heart, ruthless approach

“Lin Chuping, aren't you too greedy!”

“The Western Regions have always been the territory of my Buddhist Kingdom. You, an outsider god, are eating so ungracefully. Be careful not to burst your stomach!”

Lin Chuping's thoughts stirred slightly.

This demonic creature still regarded him as an outsider, a false god.

His Heavenly Dao was truly… weak to this extent.

Even his own “rebellious children” were so difficult to discipline, and he was even pointed at and accused of greed, occupying its territory.

The root cause was that a Heavenly Demon had already infiltrated through the outer battlefield.

The rebellious children had all been led astray.

It was time to do something ruthless.

At this moment, Lin Chuping strangely felt a touch of compassion. If it weren't for the Heavenly Demon invasion, these would all be excellent Cultivation prospects!

If they developed steadily, it wasn't impossible for civilization to advance in the future.

“What a pity…”

This sigh was not for the Demon Buddha, nor for the filthy demonic domain before him, but for those Buddhist Cultivators who had been alienated by Heavenly Demons, their Souls Flying Away and Spirits Scattering long ago, or who had fallen into the sea of suffering without release.

This trace of compassion, pure and vast, made Lin Chuping feel what the Heavenly Dao was at this moment.

What is the Heavenly Dao?

The more compassionate his heart, the more ruthless his methods.

Compassion in his heart, thunder in his hand.

At this moment, the more Lin Chuping regretted the polluted talents, the more his actions became—

Resolute and unquestionable.

Originally, it was just slowly rotating, emitting gentle and pure Buddhist light.

Now, it suddenly accelerated silently!

The speed of rotation reached its extreme, and the light wheel itself appeared more solid and restrained. No longer did ten thousand feet of Divine Might burst forth; only a pure, ultimate golden-purple hue, as if it could cleanse all the dust of the Universe, silently gathered and compressed in the center of the wheel.

“You…!”

The Demon Buddha sensed something was wrong and only had time to let out a distorted roar, transforming into a filthy streak of light flying close to the ground, heading towards—the East!

It sped away!

It ran!

Its target was clear, its movements swift, without any hesitation!

“???”

Lin Chuping's Dharma body was stunned for a moment.

“Beep! Host! Chase! It must be going to find helpers or running back to its lair! Running so smoothly, it must have been premeditated! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻”

The System shrieked anxiously.

“You don't need to tell me that!”

Lin Chuping's reaction was also swift. Divine light flashed, and the space beneath his feet was shattered again.

“Divine Might · Sky-Treading Steps!”

The golden-purple meteor tore through the turbid air, closely chasing the filthy streak of light flying close to the ground!

* * *

Two rays of light, one above and one below, one sacred and one defiled, like two streaks of lightning tearing through heaven and earth, frantically chased each other over the scarred, Devilish Qi-infused land.

The chase continued for an unknown duration, and Lin Chuping gradually noticed strange changes in the surrounding environment.

The nauseating smell in the air slowly diminished.

On the scorched, cracked earth below, sporadic, tenacious green began to appear, with some moss and ferns emitting faint spiritual light dotting the rock crevices.

“Host, this is in the direction of Penglai Immortal Island.”

Why was this thing running towards Penglai?

“Could it be that the Buddhist Kingdom and Penglai Immortal Island have already colluded?”

Lin Chuping's heart stirred. From the network of sentient beings, among the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom, Penglai Immortal Island, and North Abyss Dark Pool, the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom had the weakest degree of pollution.

This was also why Lin Chuping came to the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom first.

One should always pick the soft persimmons first.

“Host, he's about to go in!”

Lin Chuping's Dharma body increased its speed again, attempting to intercept.

However, the Demon Buddha was clearly making a desperate gamble!

Just as it was about to collide with the seven-colored light barrier, the filthy blood light suddenly contracted to its extreme!

“Break!!!”

A shriek that seemed to tear the Divine Soul apart!

Hiss—!!!

The filthy blood needle, with the resolve to perish together, fiercely pierced the seven-colored light barrier!

The golden runes flowing on the light barrier instantly burst into dazzling brilliance, erupting with immense power of repulsion and purification. The seven-colored divine light and the dark karmic fire clashed violently, emitting a grating “sizzle” sound, and large plumes of filthy black smoke rose!

The light barrier was incredibly tough, and the filthy blood needle rapidly dissolved and thinned under the scorching of the divine light.

But the Demon Buddha's full-power strike, burning its Origin, ultimately corroded a tiny hole in the barrier!

Just a hole gave the Demon Buddha a chance to escape.

In the one ten-thousandth of a second when the hole appeared and before it could close!

The last bit of the Demon Buddha's remaining filthy Origin, like a loach, precisely drilled into the crack and instantly disappeared behind the seven-colored light barrier!

Lin Chuping followed closely, plunging into Penglai Immortal Island.

The scene before him instantly changed. Rich and pure Immortal Spiritual Qi assailed him.

Below were warm white jade cloud steps, with verdant immortal mountains on both sides, exotic flowers and plants emitting a soft glow, immortal cranes calling clearly, and spirit deer roaming. It was a scene of peaceful and serene immortal atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the Demon Buddha was already gone.

“System, can you see the problem with this Penglai Immortal Island?”

“Host, in such a severely polluted place, it's actually filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, without any hostility, like a true Immortal Realm.”

“This place is very strange, too deliberate! It feels just like… just like a meticulously drawn, flawless human skin mask!”

“Human skin mask…”

Lin Chuping chewed on the word in his mind.

The System's description was very apt.

This flawless serenity, on the contrary, became the biggest flaw.

True vibrant vitality should have cycles of growth and decay, joys and sorrows, not this kind of seemingly pre-set, flawless “Immortal Realm.”

At this moment, a melodious and ethereal immortal music, mixed with bustling human voices, came from the vast platform above the cloud steps, clearer and livelier than before.

“Huh? Host, are those Cultivators below discussing some 'grand event'?”

The System's attention was somewhat diverted, catching the whispers of the Cultivators, who were ascending the cloud steps in twos and threes.

Lin Chuping also directed part of his perception downwards.

He saw several Cultivators, dressed in flowing Dharma robes and appearing to be Loose Cultivators, excitedly conversing as they ascended the steps:

“Brother Wang, hurry! Don't miss the time!”

“Fellow Daoist Li, don't rush. This 'Ascension to Immortality Grand Event' happens once every hundred years. How could it be missed just because we are a few steps slow?”

“I heard that this grand event is even more spectacular than previous ones. Not only will the Seven Sons of Penglai all perform their Dharma, but there's also a chance to listen to several Old Ancestors preach the supreme Dao!”

“Yes, yes! I heard there's also a 'Dao Inquiry' segment. If one is fortunate enough to be noticed by an Old Ancestor and taken as a Named Disciple, that would truly be a step to heaven!”

“Isn't that right! It's said that even Fairy Yunmiao, who has long been reclusive, will appear to preside over this grand event! If one can behold Fairy Yunmiao's true face, it wouldn't be a wasted trip!”

“Hurry, hurry! If we're late, all the good spots will be taken!”

Ascension to Immortality Grand Event?

The antennae of the spirit butterfly that Lin Chuping had transformed into gently swayed.

So, the grand scene on the high platform was Penglai Immortal Island holding its centennial Ascension to Immortality Grand Event?

Dharma performance, Dao preaching, taking Disciples… On the surface, it was indeed an immortal grand event, boosting Dao Heart.

“Host!”

The System's voice carried a hint of inexplicable excitement, “Did you hear? A rare hustle and bustle in a hundred years!”

“Host, look, we just arrived, unfamiliar with the place, and that black charcoal doesn't know which rat hole it drilled into. It's like searching for a needle in a haystack! Why don't we…”