Chapter 207: Chapter 147: Tathagata_1
Translator: 549690339
The Water-Land Dharma Assembly, an unprecedentedly grand occasion.
At every street corner and within the deep palace courtyards, altars and incense tables were everywhere to be seen.
But the grandest spectacle was within the imperial palace, at the site of the Heaven and Earth Altar.
On the high altar, under the heavens, steps of white jade led up where the current Son of Heaven, leading the royal family and officials both civil and military, came forth to offer sacrifices.
Furthermore, high monks from the major Buddhist temples, leading three thousand six hundred monks, were divided into upper, middle, and lower sections, chanting sutras and presiding over the sacrificial rites.
At this moment, looking up at the Heavenly Altar, dozens of high monks from Buddhism stood to the left and right, donned in kasayas, radiating a dignified treasure-like aura.
The Buddhist high monks, on par with the True Monarchs of Taoism and the Great Scholars of Confucian Gate, are all Sixth Realm cultivators. Now that there are so many, it is apparent how profound the Buddhist foundation is.
Buddhist high monks stood on each side, and in the center there knelt reverently the civil and military officials, along with relatives of the royal house.
At the very summit, there stood one person wearing the twelve-symbols court robe, the most solemn of regal attires – the emperor of the Chen Dynasty, the current Son of Heaven.
Even as the emperor, at this moment he knelt down as well, sincerely offering sacrifices to the deities.
Only one person stood by his side – a middle-aged monk.
This person appeared androgynous, not like a common human, and within the sanctity and dignity there was also a sense of compassion, dressed in a brocaded Buddhist robe that gleamed with golden light yet without the slightest air of vulgarity, only a sense of utter sacredness.
It was none other than the National Guardian Abbot, the Great Virtuous Holy Monk – Pudu Cihang.
As the Son of Heaven conducted the sacrifices, the Abbot presided, and the resounding Brahma chant echoed like the tide, with the golden glow of Buddha’s light illuminating the entire sky.
Such was the scene of “The Great Assembly of the Dharma Realm’s Sacred and Ordinary Water-Land Pudu.”
However…
A sword light descended from the heavens, disrupting this harmonious ambiance, this sacred sacrifice.
“Hmm!?”
Above the Heavenly Altar, the eyes of the several dozen Buddhist high monks standing left and right of the jade steps all became sharp and focused.
They knew that there was only one who would dare to wield a sword into the palace at this moment, to stir chaos in this Water-Land Assembly – it could only be one person.
Indeed…
In front of the Heavenly Altar, as the sword light fell, it revealed the figure of a person.
“Who is it?”
“Seize them!”
The Heavenly Altar was heavily guarded, and upon seeing this, soldiers of the Imperial Forest Army immediately drew their swords and rushed toward the intruder.
However…
“Pff!!!”
Without moving, his sword autonomously came into action, instantly shattering armor.
A number of guards stood frozen in place, followed by a spurt of blood splashing, staining the jade steps with their dreadful screams.
Yet, he disregarded everything and strode toward the Heavenly Altar.
Despite the painful lesson just witnessed, a mere few deaths clearly weren’t enough to intimidate the Imperial Forest Army.
Suddenly, two phalanxes of soldiers, fearless in the face of death, came charging like dragons to apprehend him.
However…
“Amitabha Buddha!”
Above the white jade steps, the chant of Buddha resonated as a high monk swept out two streams of Buddha’s light with his sleeves, stopping the death-bound Imperial Forest Army.
On the other side, more than ten Daoist True Monarchs who had come to observe the ceremony shook their heads and sighed as they watched the person ascend the jade steps, heading straight for the Heavenly Altar, “Sword Minister Daoist, to act like this is really…”
Their words were filled with helplessness.
The congregation of Buddhist monks was even more indignant.
They knew who the intruder was, and for that reason, they were all the more resentful.
Although we are opponents, even enemies, there is still some dignity to be maintained, isn’t there?
Over the years, when you’ve held the Luotian Dajiao in North City several times, have we ever intervened and caused chaos?
Now that our Buddhist sect has finally managed to hold a Water-Land Assembly, you come directly with a sword to our doorstep?
You’re a leader in your own right; don’t you have any sense of shame or understanding of reciprocal propriety?
While the Buddhist monks felt indignant, the Daoist True Monarchs felt their faces losing luster too.
Such behavior was indeed very low.
Low or not, it was of no use.
Even if he was as rumored – the one person behind the Three cultivations of North City – he was still merely a Daoist Celestial Master in terms of cultivation. In this forbidden palace of the capital city, on top of the Water-Land Assembly, in the face of Pudu Cihang, a fellow Seventh Realm Buddhist monk, what kind of advantage could he possibly gain?
Wouldn’t being driven back simply be bringing humiliation upon himself?
Why put himself through such trouble?
Everyone truly could not understand.
But whether they understood or not had nothing to do with Xu Yang.
The Imperial Forest Army had been blocked by Buddha’s light.
The Buddhist monks, too, had made no rash moves.
With no one to stop him, he stepped upon the jade stairs and finally arrived at the peak of the Heavenly Altar.
Atop the Heavenly Altar, the Son of Heaven of the Chen Dynasty knelt on the ground, watching him approach step by step with a measure of panic, not knowing what to do.
Xu Yang, however, paid him no heed, directing his gaze instead to the person beside him, the Holy Buddhist Monk with calm and untroubled eyes.
Pudu Cihang!
This National Guardian Abbot remained calm with an unwavering presence, seemingly having anticipated this, and looking at Xu Yang who now stood before him, he even smiled gently, his voice soft and composed as he asked, “You have come?”
Xu Yang nodded, equally serene, “I have.”
The monk smiled, the picture of tranquility, “How confident are you?”
“I do not know.”
Xu Yang shook his head, his gaze cold, “What about you?”
Pudu Cihang smiled, his bearing still unperturbed, “I also do not know.”
“Is that so?”
Xu Yang looked at him, then glanced around, and looking back, he remarked, “The arrangements seem a bit rushed.”
Cihang Pudu’s expression remained unchanged, “Sincerity is what matters!”
“I fear your sincerity is lacking.”
Xu Yang shook his head, speaking calmly, “I will only strike once.”
“Very well!”
Pudu Cihang nodded his head, “Please!”
“Come!”
Xu Yang did not waste words, leaping up, and in an instant, a sword appeared horizontally in the sky.
For the past fifteen years, Guo Bei Academy had expanded on three fronts, governing seven provinces and extending the Guo Bei system across the entire south, strengthening the populace and enhancing production. Not only had they obtained a vast amount of resources and food, but they also caused the southern population to multiply several times over.
With the Divine Soul Cultivation Method using the illusory to cultivate the true, the population became a resource, and the growth of the population equaled the growth of strength.
Guo Bei Academy, governing seven provinces, had, in just fifteen years, caused the population in the South to multiply several times.
Consequently, one can imagine the pressure that the North had to endure.
While Cihang Pudu was popular and received generous donations from all major powers, who even spared no expense in conducting the Agricultural Methods to boost production and increase the population, they lacked the necessary Skill Traits. Even if they spent a fortune, they couldn’t catch up with the mature technology and the “external aid” of Guo Bei Academy.
The gap was irreparable.
This was the disparity in governing national power.
On the other hand, the establishment of “Yin Mountain Mansion” in the Netherworld, maintaining the order of the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang, greatly purged the haunts of Evil Ghosts everywhere. While eliminating Evil Ghosts far and wide, they also trained numerous Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals to serve as the Ghost Gods of the Harbormasters, enjoying the offerings of incense from the people.
The increase in strength was equally astonishing.
After all, with the Netherworld in chaos and teeming with Evil Ghosts, as long as one had enough strength, it represented a vast resource.
Faced with this, the North had no choice but to follow suit, with the major Buddhist temples joining forces to purge the Ghost Realms.
It was equivalent to an alternative form of military competition.
But in the Netherworld, where Ghost Gods reigned supreme, the power of the Buddhist temples was obviously not on par with that of Yin Mountain Mansion.
Therefore, in the battle between the Ghost Gods, the North was also falling behind.
The only thing that could turn the tables was the war against the Demons from all directions.
In these fifteen years, the contemporary Daoist Celestial Master, Thunder Lightning Mana King Shi Jian, leading the Taoists of Mingxiao, purged Demons from all directions, even a slaying Old Demon of ten thousand years, causing his fame to spread far and wide, known to all.
Not to be outdone, Buddhism, with the National Guardian Abbot, Cihang Pudu personally leading the monks, also began to purge Demons from all directions, slaying several Old Demons of ten thousand years, even more than Mingxiao Taoist Temple.
But this superiority did not exceed by much.
After all, everything had to be reasonable.
As a Daoist Celestial Master and a practitioner of thunder, it took Xu Yang months of effort to slay a single Old Demon of ten thousand years. How could a Holy Monk of Buddhism possibly sweep them all away so easily?
Wouldn’t that be blatantly telling the world that there was something wrong with their means of exterminating Old Demons?
So in this competition, although Buddhism had an advantage, it didn’t widen the gap too much. The number of ten-thousand-year Old Demons eradicated by both sides ranged between six and four.
Six for the North, four for the South!
While they regained some ground, this was still not something particularly joyful for Pudu Cihang.
Because in reality, he had lost forty percent of his forces, as those ten-thousand-year Old Demons should have been future aids to him. But now they had been prematurely eradicated by Mingxiao Taoist Temple, causing him not only a loss but also enabling the opposition to significantly increase their power.
As one waned and the other waxed, it was all the more unfavorable.
Under such mounting pressure, Pudu Cihang finally could not hold back anymore.
Therefore, there was the Water-Land Dharma Assembly today which, in Xu Yang’s view, seemed somewhat precipitate.
Although it was rushed, one only dared to do so with confidence.
This could be seen from the reaction of Pudu Cihang as well.
He still held an advantage, an absolute home-field advantage.
Even Xu Yang had to admit that he had no assurance this time.
But, as always, there are things that, despite slim hopes, one must strive for.
Since he had undertaken the legacy of this world’s Daoism, some responsibilities had to be shouldered.
Otherwise, with his Daoist heart compromised, even if he did not descend into the path of Evil Demons, further advancement in his cultivation would be difficult!
Temperament in Daoism is like the Spiritual Root in Cultivation; it is both an aid and a limitation.
But Xu Yang did not resist such limitations.
What he sought was to live without regrets, to have a clear conscience.
So it was in the past, so it remains today, and so it will be in the future.
…
“Oom!”
A sword rose horizontally into the sky, a dazzling radiance blooming, tearing through the veil of night.
Within the brilliance, one could vaguely make out a golden sword artifact, reflecting the sun, moon, and stars, revealing magnificent mountains and rivers, as if receiving the worship of countless followers, and seeing the majesty of heavenly might rolling through.
The resplendent sword light shook both the ancient and modern worlds.
It was none other than the Holy Divine Weapon—Xuanyuan!
“This sword…”
“Not good!”
“Abbot, be careful!”
Upon witnessing the might of this holy artifact, and the aura of the divine weapon, the monks of Buddhism couldn’t help but change their expressions, a mix of shock, anger, and horror overwhelming them.
“The Xuanyuan Divine Sword?”
“He actually managed to refine it?”
“This sword is alive; it is no ordinary object!”
“No wonder he dares to come alone…”
“It seems this matter will not end well!”
“I wonder if the treasures of Buddhism can withstand this sword?”
Watching this scene, the True Monarchs of Taoism also showed solemn expressions.
“Amitabha!”
At the summit of the Heavenly Altar, a Buddhist chant sounded. Pudu Cihang remained calm, hands pressed together in a bow, immediately surrounded by brilliant Buddhist light.
Within the Buddha’s light, his figure gradually disappeared, revealing the image of Sakyamuni Tathagata.
A Six-foot Golden Body, sitting on a lotus dais, radiated with Buddha’s light like the brilliance of a great sun, difficult for even cultivators to look directly at.
“This…”
“A Six-foot Golden Body!”
“The Tathagata’s Aspect!”
“He actually managed to cultivate such Divine Skills?”
Seeing this, the True Monarchs of Taoism could not help but change their expressions.
A Six-foot Golden Body, the Tathagata Aspect, belongs to the Buddhist Aspect Dharma Body among the Divine Skills of Buddhism.
The Tathagata is neither from somewhere nor going anywhere; it is the Aspect of the Dharma Body of Buddha.
To have cultivated this Divine Skill shows that this monk’s Buddhist Law has reached an extremely high realm, foreseeing the potential to achieve Buddhahood.
Though they knew that Pudu Cihang’s Buddhist Law was profound, they hadn’t expected it to be to such an extent that even the Tathagata Aspect had been cultivated.
No wonder he was so composed.
With the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, can this body be shaken?