Taiyi Dao Fruit

Chapter 896 158: The Awakened Emerges, Tathagata is Born

But—

The platinum Sword Light streaked through the sky like a meteor, the edge of transformation pierced the golden circle outside the No Buddha Temple and entered the temple.

Taibai True Monarch appeared, the Sword Qi directly pierced the temple, opening a path, bringing him directly to the rear of the No Buddha Temple.

The King Zhuanlun mentioned by Luo Hou was nowhere to be seen, perhaps too late, or unable to arrive in time, but regardless, Taibai True Monarch had reached his destination.

The Sword Light leapt up, the unparalleled edge shot forward, piercing straight into the mountain ahead.

"Sss—"

As if piercing a layer of thin paper, the scene before him changed, the mountain transformed into illusion, replaced by a towering Bodhi Tree. Under the tree, an Awakened dressed in white, with white hair styled as a layman, sat quietly in meditation.

Taibai True Monarch raised his sword momentum, the Sword Light like a dragon, piercing out with a force to divide heaven and earth, ripping a cold and fierce trace through space, the sword tip pierced through the brilliance hanging from the Bodhi Tree, striking directly at the Awakened's face.

Then—

Two fingers caught the Sword Light.

The Awakened remained seated under the tree, merely raising his right hand, the thumb and forefinger casually catching the Sword Light, capturing the full force of Taibai True Monarch's sword.

So effortlessly, so precisely, as if this sword was meant to be caught in such an easy manner.

Compared to the Awakened, the Supreme, even Taibai True Monarch, praised as "The World's Number One Sword", seemed to fall short.

However, it was enough.

The violent wind, the crashing stone rain, and even the close presence of Taibai True Monarch seemed to fade away, the world in Taibai True Monarch's eyes divided into two parts, one white, one black.

Behind that Bodhi Tree, where auspicious Qi and Buddha Light cascaded, shadows bred, as if the tree's shadow arose, beneath the tree was a black-robed back.

The shadow of the Bodhi Tree and the back facing the Awakened abruptly appeared in this place.

"When the Awakened doesn't appear, the Tathagata won't emerge."

The shadow spoke slowly in a long tone: "The Awakened has emerged, the Tathagata should come into the world."

"Sooner than expected," the shadow chuckled softly.

"Sooner or later, a battle is inevitable. Timing makes no difference," the Awakened replied calmly.

Like the opposition of light and dark, as if two parts of body and shadow, these two figures stood opposed yet similar, born natural enemies.

"There is meaning, for now you're not yet stepped on that path," the shadowed figure said, "And I, whether past or present, only need to defeat you."

With the words came intersecting Qi Mechanisms, a force twisting between reality and illusion, invisible, intangible, unfathomable, yet undeniably present, colliding and entangling with the Pure Saint's Buddha's energy, a scene of phantasmagoria emerged.

Sometimes, Buddhist Chanting and monk quarters appeared, sometimes a seamless purgatory condensed, monk quarters shattered by purgatory, purgatory again suppressed by Buddha illusion, various anomalies intertwined, spiraling upwards.

The massive dharma body of the Asura King was blasted open, Luo Hou's palms expanded abruptly, stepped back several steps, crushing a hillside.

Sun Wukong was also knocked back by the blow, his figure flying backwards, regaining original height in mid-air, looking at the colliding Qi Mechanisms, he couldn't help but say: "In this End of Dharma era, there are still strong ones."

The cultivation system inheriting the Dao Fruit has its pros and cons, the advantage being that as long as one can withstand the erosion of the Five Turbid Evil World, carrying the Dao Fruit allows strength to improve all the way, achieving centuries or millennia of hard work before the End of Dharma.

The downside is the power of the Dao Fruit easily causing Daoist practice to fall behind, leading to negative impacts on mind and nature.

But if someone can also keep rapidly advancing in Daoist practice, then they may achieve accomplishments akin to those before the End of Dharma. The Awakened and Karma Tathagata are such.

Even before the End of Dharma, these two were beings capable of becoming Buddhas and ancestors, they can reach such realms in the current world, also a guaranteed Buddha before the End of Dharma.

Like this spiral light pillar, has already reached heaven and earth in a short time, from Mountain of Mind and Heart, Buddha Country, Gobi Desert, even from thousands of miles away, one can see this Heaven Piercing spiral.

"Amitabha."

Within Jiuhua Temple, the King Zhuanlun remained inside the light sphere, yet clearly aware of all the outside changes.

The entire dark space was supported by an Invisible Power, resisting the invasion of external forces, King Zhuanlun maintained Jiuhua Temple while saying with a compassionate heart: "Karma Tathagata has reappeared in the world."

A century ago, Karma Tathagata and the Awakened fought, the aftermath implicated over twenty thousand people, resentment overflowing.

A century later, Karma Tathagata reemerges, who knows how many will suffer this time.

"Amitabha," King Zhuanlun recited another Buddha name, the giant wheel behind him slowly repairing its damaged parts.

Evidently, aiding Jiang Zhuyang from afar was not without cost, at least taking on Jiang Sikong's offensive caused damage to King Zhuanlun. Vajrapani Bodhisattva's Dharma Manifestation was blasted, King Zhuanlun's condition was actually relatively better.

More so, right now Vajra Store and Jiang Zhuliu have no time to worry about King Zhuanlun's situation, the two are anxious about the Awakened's reemergence in the world.

When the Buddha Country's Chief emerges, can the two Great Masters who held power for years continue to wield power?

Should the eastbound team return?

Vajra Store was worried, despite the injuries not yet healed, he said to King Zhuanlun: "Linggan Temple lacks my presiding, fears heavy losses. I must return immediately, Buddhish friends, farewell."

With that, he hurriedly left Jiuhua Temple with Jiang Zhuliu, flying back to the mountain peak where Linggan Temple was located.

In the distance, one could still see that massive Asura Demon Body, with a head as big as a star, even Vajra Store felt fear at the sight.

Asuras inherently have the ability to intimidate others with appearance, the Asura King also has such Divine Skills, not to mention Luo Hou's notorious ugliness is clearly documented in Buddhist Scriptures, capable of scaring even Sun and Moon Heavenly Sons, the strength of his skills is imaginable.

Of course, Vajra Store, at least having incorporated the Bodhisattva Dao Fruit of fourth-rank, wasn't truly scared stiff, he silently recited scriptures to suppress his turmoil, returning to Linggan Temple with Jiang Zhuliu.

At this time, more than half of Linggan Temple's palace complex covering the mountain peak had collapsed, even with Buddhist Practitioners working together and aided by Buddha Formation, they couldn't keep the entire temple intact against the battle's aftermath.

Luo Hou and others came too suddenly, and with Vajra Store absent from the temple, this much damage was considered lucky.

Seeing this scene, Vajra Store's expression turned solemn, about to enter the temple to gather the monk crowd.

Unexpectedly, as he approached Linggan Temple, he saw a sinister figure standing in front.

Clad in a dark red robe embroidered with ancient, twisted patterns, long hair bound by a wooden hairpin, a bronze ghost face mask on the face, resembling an Asura's mask.

He stood with hands behind his back, at the gateway of Linggan Temple, with bloodstains and a few broken corpses at his feet.

"The Fourth King of Buddha Prison...," Vajra Store said severely, "Asura King Feitian."

"I prefer you call me 'Witch Zhen'. "

The youthful-sounding Asura King turned his gaze upon them, with a slight chuckle, "Are the two of you worried about how Buddha Country's authority will be distributed after the Awakened emerges, what will become of the eastbound monk soldiers?"

His voice carried a thorough insight into people's hearts, and an indescribable allure, suggesting that this Fourth King of Buddha Prison had also harbored the Dao Fruit of a Heavenly Son Demon.

But in the next moment, all allure vanished in an instant.

"No need to worry," Witch Zhen said leisurely, "I have a method where Manjusri can continue to command the eastbound monk crowd, even not returning to Buddha Country, which is... to kill you."

"Kill all the Jiang family members in Buddha Country, put the blame on the Awakened, and Manjusri can use this as an excuse to remain outside. Without you, Manjusri will lose the maker, and Buddha Country can't use the clan to coerce Manjusri's return. So..."

"For the sake of your master, your clan, sacrifice yourselves."