Chapter 286: "I'm Not Rotten, I'm Just Peeling the Skin."

Chapter 286: "I'm Not Rotten, I'm Just Peeling the Skin."

". . ."

Chen Qiu narrowed his eyes slightly, remaining silent as he pondered over the Deceptive Buddha's words. He didn't fully trust the Deceptive Buddha, and couldn't immediately discern whether the Buddha's words were true or false.

However, it didn't sound like a fabricated tale; there seemed to be some basis to it.

According to his knowledge, such a path to immortality should not exist in the Fifth Rank Immortal World. This implied that the Deceptive Buddha, at his peak, was at least a Sixth Rank Immortal Realm existence or higher, but for some unknown reason, he had fallen into the First Rank Continent, seeking destiny.

If the Deceptive Buddha was telling the truth...

Then, was the competition in the High Rank Continent too fierce? A single rule only allowed one person to reach the Ultimate Rank, and among countless continents, only a limited number of Ultimate Ranks could emerge. The slaughter and competition in this process were hundreds of times more intense than the struggle for birth.

"What do you mean by rules?"

Fat Dragon, sitting beside him, was no longer acting ambiguously. He was drawn in by the conversation and, after pondering for a while, spoke up, "These rules are similar to choosing entries, like a framework where you select the rules you want to follow."

"Or are these rules self-created?"

"Self-created."

"Then isn't that a bit chaotic?" Fat Dragon furrowed his brows. "For example, if my rule is to eat three bowls of shit every day, could I still reach the Ultimate Rank with this rule?"

"Shit Immortal?"

"I'm sure no one would compete with me for this rule. What if someone did? Four bowls? Forty bowls? Forty thousand bowls?"

"Isn't this a loophole in the rules?"

"Yeah."

The Bai Family Patriarch, sitting beside them, also expressed his confusion. "I've never heard of this before, but I think it might exist in the High Rank Immortal Realm. If there aren't clear guidelines to determine the rules, and rules are entirely self-created, then there would be too many loopholes to exploit. You could practically think of a rule with almost no competition."

"For example, if the rule is to cut off a large piece of flesh every day, I believe only people from the Heaven-reaching Continent could do this, right? Wouldn't the competition be greatly reduced?"

"Or some even rarer and more challenging rules?"

"It's not like that."

The Deceptive Buddha sighed, shaking his head with a hint of helplessness. "If things were that simple, it would be great. First, let me ask you, Fat Brother, is your rule feasible?"

"Feasible."

"Of course, it is. The rules you follow are self-created; you can choose whatever rules you want to abide by."

"But first, you must remember that rules are meant to be followed consistently. Are you sure you can remain clear-headed every day? What if you get injured and fall asleep? What about when you're in seclusion for cultivation?"

"Furthermore, this rule does exist, and there are indeed people who plan to achieve enlightenment through this rule, but the competition is fierce."

"The most crucial point is—"

The Deceptive Buddha paused for a moment before continuing, "Regardless of the rules, one can reach the Ultimate Rank, but even at the same Ultimate Rank, the strength varies. Those who achieve enlightenment through stronger rules will have greater power."

"Those who achieve enlightenment through unconventional rules will have weaker power."

"When you reach the High Rank Immortal Realm, there will be a leaderboard. It clearly indicates which rules lead to the strongest power after achieving enlightenment."

"My 'Equitable Exchange' is ranked 78th, which is a pretty good position. As for the rule you mentioned, I haven't seen it in the top thousand."

Fat Dragon, who had intended to refute the Deceptive Buddha's 'Fat Brother' remark, momentarily forgot about it and subconsciously asked, "Who's in first place?"

People instinctively focus on the first place.

Their gaze naturally falls on the top position, so whenever a leaderboard appears, they may not remember the second place, but they will surely remember the first.

". . ."

The Deceptive Buddha remained silent for a long time before speaking softly, "The first place is 'Faithful Love'."

"What the hell is that?"

Fat Dragon stood there, stunned for a moment, before his voice rose in pitch, "Faithful Love? Even the path to immortality has to do with love? So, to become the strongest, I have to fall in love with someone?"

"Mhm."

The Deceptive Buddha nodded, explaining, "Actually, in the top thirty of this leaderboard, the rules are not actively interfered with."

"For example, 'Equitable Exchange' is a rule we can actively interfere with."

"But 'Faithful Love' is different. It's a behavior that cannot be actively interfered with. Love is love, and not loving is not loving. Those who are about to embark on the path to the Ultimate Rank have already lived for hundreds of thousands of years."

"For hundreds of thousands of years."

"Love one person."

"Regardless of whether they betray you, whether they live or die, regardless of what happens in the world, even if the heavens collapse or the earth sinks, you must love this person, adhering to your heart's desires. This is a rule that is almost impossible to achieve."

"It's too difficult."

"The strength after reaching the Ultimate Rank is also determined by the difficulty of the rules, and this rule is naturally the most challenging."

"The second place is 'Fairness'."

"Adhering to absolute fairness, not only in one's actions but also in ensuring fairness when witnessing injustice. This is a rule that will play you to death."

"Because, many times, upholding fairness means risking your life, and not upholding fairness means losing the path to immortality."

"Whether it's 'Fairness' or 'Equitable Exchange', these are all based on one's own perception. In other words, there is no perfect standard of judgment. As long as your heart believes it's fair, then it's truly fair."

"You cannot deceive your heart; everything must be based on your heart's most primal instincts."

"Of course..."

Perhaps sensing the heavy atmosphere, the Deceptive Buddha smiled awkwardly, "This is all a bit too far-fetched. These are matters that only exist after the Sixth Rank Immortal Realm. Moreover, by adhering to the rules, every year, decade, century, millennium, and ten thousand years, you will receive a corresponding entry. The entry's rank starts at blue, then purple, red, gold, and finally, rainbow."

"The entry's effect is also linked to the chosen rule."

"After all, not everyone follows the rules with the ultimate rank as their goal."

"The vast majority have never even considered this. It's too far-fetched."

"Almost everyone who follows a particular rule does so purely for the chance to obtain a unique rainbow entry after ten thousand years. Therefore, the chosen rule is often the most suitable one for the individual. For instance, many physical cultivators would select rules that challenge their bodies, while some pill cultivators might choose rules related to pill refinement tasks, and so on."

"So..."

"If you're not extremely clear about your goal and are aiming for the weakest ultimate rank, then congratulations. If you've truly decided on an entry, ten thousand years later, you'll obtain a rainbow entry closely related to that rule."

"Although I don't know the exact effect, it will likely improve your taste or make every bite more valuable."

"What about ten thousand years?" The scholar beside him asked curiously, "What kind of entry will we get after ten thousand years? A supreme rainbow entry?"

"Pfft."

The Deceptive Buddha couldn't help but chuckle, rolling his eyes at the scholar, "A supreme rainbow entry? You're quite bold to even think about it. Do you know what a supreme rainbow entry means? It's an unreachable concept."

"It's something I wouldn't dare think about even in my dreams."

"But to answer your question about whether ten thousand years can earn you a supreme rainbow entry, I'm not entirely sure. So far, I haven't seen anyone live for ten thousand years. Perhaps my perspective is too limited."

"Hey." Fat Dragon interrupted, "Wait, you just mentioned that after reaching that position, the average lifespan is several hundred thousand years."

"Yes, the average lifespan is several hundred thousand years, but that doesn't guarantee you'll live that long. For instance, three million years ago, a catastrophe struck the entire world. That disaster is long past, and there's no record of it in history, but it left a mark."

The Deceptive Buddha spoke earnestly, "That mark is that no one from three million years ago has survived to the present."

"Logically, with the strength of those cultivators, their lifespans should be several hundred thousand years. Surviving to the present should have been easy, but after that catastrophe, the longest-living person is just under three million years old."

"That catastrophe was like..."

"Like..."

Struggling to find the right words, the Deceptive Buddha suddenly noticed Bear Gao peeling fruit beside him. His eyes lit up, "Exactly like that! The catastrophe was like forcefully removing the rotten parts of the fruit."

"It's..."

Noticing everyone's gaze on him, Bear Gao's voice trembled as he held up the apple in his hand, "This isn't a rotten fruit; I'm just peeling it."

"It's just an example."

The Deceptive Buddha's voice drew everyone's attention back, "So, to answer your question about whether adhering to a rule for ten thousand years will earn you a supreme rainbow entry, it's hard to say. Logically, there's a high chance, but the prerequisite is that you must live that long."

"And if you've already lived for ten thousand years, I think obtaining a supreme rainbow entry shouldn't be a problem."

"There's one more question."

Fat Dragon raised his hand again, "You mentioned that even at the ultimate rank, there are differences in strength. But if you've already reached the ultimate rank, isn't that the end of the immortal path? How can there still be variations in strength?"

"Hehe."

The Deceptive Buddha shook his head with a wry smile, "What are you saying? Even Thunder Gods and Goddesses have varying strengths, let alone the ultimate rank. The ultimate rank merely meets the threshold for entering a certain realm. The final competition for specific goals is something I'm not clear about."

"I'm only familiar with the Sixth Rank Immortal Realm, and I don't know much beyond that."

"This is something that higher-rank immortal realms would know."

---

Chen Qiu sat quietly, listening intently without interrupting. However, his desire to improve his cultivation grew stronger. He was currently at the mid-stage of Body Integration, and he had always felt content with his cultivation.

This level of cultivation was already quite impressive.

Coupled with his combat strength, he could easily overpower even a Great Accomplishment Stage cultivator.

But now, he couldn't wait to break through to the Great Accomplishment Stage, then to the Tribulation Crossing Stage, and finally, ascend to the immortal realm, becoming a Human Immortal. While the mid-stage of Body Integration was good, it was still far from uncovering the secrets of this world.

He had a strong premonition.

The number three million years had been mentioned too many times.

Over the years, he had discovered many unusual aspects about Mock Heaven Sect, suggesting that the three words 'Mock Heaven Sect' might conceal numerous secrets. The sect was not as simple as being established three million years ago by a time-traveler in the Profound Heaven Continent.

Not to mention...

There was one crucial point.

So far, he only knew of two places where time-travelers had descended—the Profound Heaven Continent and Daxia Kingdom. After the Mock Heaven Sect left the Profound Heaven Continent, no more time-travelers appeared there; they all arrived in Daxia Kingdom instead. Why did time-travelers only descend in Daxia Kingdom?

Perhaps...

He couldn't quite understand this point yet.

But he was certain that Daxia Kingdom was not an ordinary 'Heaven Prison.' He had never heard of other 'Heaven Prisons' producing time-travelers. After some time, he decided to return to Daxia Kingdom.

When he broke through to the Soul Transformation Stage, he went to the small world entrance in Daxia Kingdom but couldn't enter.

Now that his cultivation had reached the Body Integration Period, he should be able to shatter this gateway.

As for the rules mentioned by the Deceptive Buddha, he hadn't decided which one to follow yet. Based on his temperament, he always preferred the best, and his goal naturally was the rule of "Faithful Love."

But...

This rule seemed too far-fetched.

Love a woman for tens of thousands of years?

He acknowledged that it was beyond his capability. It's not that one fears seeing their dark side, but rather, it's crucial to have an accurate self-perception. At least at this moment, he was certain that he couldn't love a woman for such a long period.

As a second choice, the rule of "Fairness" also seemed unrealistic.

It was also highly unsuitable for him.

None of these rules seemed to fit him. If he had to choose one, he'd prefer "Free Will," but his interpretation of free will was doing whatever he wanted. Following the rule of "Free Will" would, ironically, restrict his actions.

This went against his true intentions.

If he were to follow his heart, he wouldn't abide by any rules. He didn't want to be bound by any side's regulations, as it would feel like having a sword hanging over his head, ready to drop at any moment.

He disliked that feeling.

But...

It seemed that once one's cultivation reached a certain level, this step was inevitable.

Just then—

The Bai Family Patriarch, who had been deep in thought, spoke up, "If one's cultivation reaches such heights, must they adhere to a specific rule?"

"Yes."

The Deceptive Buddha nodded affirmatively, "If you wish to progress further, you must follow a rule. Otherwise, you won't even have the entry ticket, let alone compete."

"Of course, nothing is absolute."

"If you're fortunate enough to encounter someone who escapes from the Heaven Prison and consume their blood and flesh, you won't need to take this path."

"The Heaven Prison is an extremely unique place. It subjects all prisoners to a baptism that frees them from the control of the Heavenly Dao. By consuming their blood and flesh, you can achieve the same effect. You won't need this ticket and can still enter the competition hall."

"But..."

"Escaping from the Heaven Prison is as difficult as becoming an immortal overnight, almost impossible. And catching such a person is even more so. Even if someone manages to escape, the high-rank immortal world's major powers will spare no effort to capture them. We ordinary people won't even get a chance."

"So, this path is essentially a dead end. We can only take the common route."

As his words fell—

Fat Dragon sighed helplessly, and the scholar also shook his head, looking somewhat dejected. Chen Qiu, however, calmly took the peeled apple from the skilled man's hand, his expression unreadable.

Everyone appeared calm.

But inside, their lips were twitching uncontrollably.

They had heard this from Badan before, and now a similar statement from the Deceptive Buddha.

They thought they were like Sun Wukong, overcoming eighty-one tribulations to finally achieve victory, but it turned out they were more like escaped Tang Sanzangs, with everyone lusting after their blood and flesh.

And not just one Tang Sanzang.

But a group of them.

".

Chen Qiu silently bit into the apple, his mind already contemplating. He must find a way to conceal his secrets. If someone could see through his thoughts or directly extract his soul, everything would be exposed.

After the Mock Heaven Sect and others went to the high-rank immortal world, they also tried to stay within the small world as much as possible.

It was time to keep a low profile.

At least, according to Badan and the Deceptive Buddha, once this matter was exposed, it wouldn't be a minor issue; the major powers of the high-rank immortal world would mobilize.

In other words...

It was as if they had already secured a spot in the final competition hall. As long as their cultivation reached the required level, they could enter without competition.

Not just Chen Qiu, but everyone who had left Daxia Kingdom.

However, only Chen Qiu had escaped; Fat Dragon and the others were brought out. It wasn't clear if they counted, and there was no way to test it for now.

"Chen Qiu."

The Deceptive Buddha turned to Chen Qiu, who shook his head. Just as the Deceptive Buddha was about to say something, Chen Qiu interrupted him.

"Chen Qiu?"

Chen Qiu suddenly laughed, staring into the Deceptive Buddha's eyes, "I don't think I ever told you my name is Chen Qiu."

".

The Deceptive Buddha was slightly taken aback but quickly recovered, pointing at Fat Dragon, "He called you Brother Qiu?"

"His surname?"

The Deceptive Buddha then pointed at the Bai Family Patriarch, "He called you Master Chen in the ancestral hall in front of me. Doesn't that add up to Chen Qiu?"

After explaining, the Deceptive Buddha looked at Chen Qiu and his group, who stared back calmly. His lips twitched for a moment before he sighed, "Fine, I admit I lied. I knew you were Chen Qiu the first time I saw you."

"But..."

"The rule I follow is Equitable Exchange. Can't I occasionally tell a white lie?"

"Although I've always been on the Peihong Continent, our Demon race has our means of communication. Chen Qiu, you're quite famous in this series of continents, and I've heard of you."

"I also hold you in high regard."

"Even though my cultivation was once higher than yours, your potential is undoubtedly stronger. Given time, you will surpass me. That's why I didn't want to fight you and instead wanted to have a serious chat."

"First, I didn't want to offend you, and second, I wanted to befriend you."

"Otherwise, I am still a member of the Demon Clan, how could I be so easy to talk to? Even if I am indeed no match for you today, but if I want to escape, I can still get away."

"Then why didn't you say so from the beginning?" Fat Dragon frowned.

"Stupid!"

The Deceptive Buddha spoke earnestly, "Of course, in a situation where I am unaware, it shows my sincerity. If I knew he was Chen Qiu, and I still approached him, wouldn't it make me seem too greedy?"

"Then why did you bring it up yourself now?"

"Being greedy is still better than having malicious intentions. Seeing your expressions, I'm worried you might misunderstand."

"Is that so?"

Bai Jia Jiuzhu, the head of the Bai family, said thoughtfully, "There are also many Deceptive Buddhas like you in the Heaven-reaching Continent. Are they your clones or your clansmen?"

"Clansmen."

The Deceptive Buddha's expression turned solemn, "I'm considered quite easy to talk to, but if you encounter my clansmen, it's best to stay away as soon as possible. Although I must admit, most Demons have a bad temper and are ruthless."

"And my clansmen are easily recognizable, all looking like me in this ghostly form."

"Most of the time, they are in a half-conscious slumber, appearing as statues."

"If it's a Deceptive Buddha on a First Rank or Second Rank Continent, they have nothing to fear. Perhaps the same goes for a Third Rank or Fourth Rank Continent, but those on higher-ranked continents are all extremely terrifying."

"The reason I'm telling you this is to hope that you won't be harmed by Deceptive Buddhas in the future, to avoid ruining the relationship between us, and to let you direct this grudge towards me."

"Oh."

Bai Jia Jiuzhu rolled up his sleeves, curious, "Everyone knows that those who possess Deceptive Buddhas never end up well, but no one knows the specifics. Can you tell me about it?"

"What is the string of thirty-one beads on your right hand?"

"Can it grant thirty-one wishes for the host?"

"Then, if you need blood and flesh, why can it only be the host's own blood and flesh? Won't other people's do?"

"Well..."

The Deceptive Buddha hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Although I've admired Chen Qiu for a long time and truly want to build a good relationship with him, this matter involves the secrets of the Demon Clan and cannot be revealed."

"Once revealed, it would be a fatal blow to the entire Demon Clan."

"This concerns the fate of the race. Although the Demons have already been thoroughly defeated, losing their qualification to compete in the 'Race Battlefield' and even their own exclusive continent, they still barely have the qualification to survive."

"I can only reveal a little."

"That is, when the twentieth bead is lit up, the host still has a chance to survive. If a powerful being is willing to intervene, they can save the host. But if the twentieth bead is lit, even a Celestial Emperor would be helpless."

"Generally speaking."

"Most Deceptive Buddhas will abide by the rule of 'Equitable Exchange'. They can only fulfill wishes within their capabilities. Deceptive Buddhas have the ability to transmit information and items across different rank continents, and it is through this ability that they can fulfill most wishes."

"Although this part of the Deceptive Buddhas may not have the best temperament, at least they still follow the rules."

"As for the remaining Deceptive Buddhas, they have completely fallen into the demonic path, strengthening themselves by absorbing the host's wish power and flesh."

"Isn't that right?"

Fat Dragon asked in confusion, "You said that those who abide by the same rules are mortal enemies. If all Deceptive Buddhas follow 'Equitable Exchange', won't they bring about the extinction of their own race in the future?"

"Hehe."

The Deceptive Buddha gave a dry laugh, "You're thinking too much. Only when you reach a high enough position will you consider those who abide by the same rules in the same tier as mortal enemies. If there is a Deceptive Buddha in the Demon Clan who can reach such a position, all Deceptive Buddhas will willingly step aside for them."

"This will be the glory of the race and the existence that can make the Demon Clan shine once again."

"Why would there be competition?"

"I understand."

Chen Qiu nodded slightly, then narrowed his eyes and smiled at the Deceptive Buddha before him, "Can all Deceptive Buddhas transmit information and items across continents?"

To be honest.

He was a bit tempted, as he didn't know much about the strength of this race. Otherwise, he would have truly wanted to bring this race under his command.

This ability, by itself, doesn't give a race a significant advantage.

But combined with his own powers, it would be an absolute killer move!

The Deceptive Buddha instantly realized this and gave a dry laugh, "It's not entirely accurate. For example, we currently have a Deceptive Buddha whom we can't contact, unable to transmit information or items, and we don't even know which continent they are on. There are still some loopholes."

The Demon Clan, no matter how weak, is still a race and would never become someone's subordinate.

Moreover, this decision isn't something he alone can make.

Over the years.

Many have wanted the Demon Clan to become their subordinates, including many powerful forces from high-rank immortal realms, more suitable than Chen Qiu. But they had all refused. To revive their race, they must first ensure their independence.

Becoming someone's subordinate means never being able to revive.

"One last question."

Fat Dragon raised a finger, "How does your Demon Clan pass on its legacy? It doesn't seem like you can have children."

". . ."

The Deceptive Buddha's lips twitched slightly, "This is also a race secret, and I can't tell you."

"What can you tell us?"

"Haven't I already said enough? I've told you everything I can."

"Do you have a name other than Deceptive Buddha?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Millstone."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end