Chapter 338: The Birth of the Heavenly Demon, the Dispute between the Sage and Shakyamuni

Chapter 338: The Birth of the Heavenly Demon, the Dispute between the Sage and Shakyamuni

With a single palm strike, a Datianshi's Tianren body shattered like thin paper, leaving only a Sacred Fetal Core with a panicked expression.

For a moment, the expressions of those present changed, as if they had seen a prehistoric giant beast baring its fangs.

It wasn't just the power he displayed, but also the attitude he revealed.

What does it mean to not seek the consent of the Four Deities Temple?

"I want to exterminate you, but it has nothing to do with you?"

The Tianren from the Moyan Empire and the Canghai Empire, both at the state of Tianren Perfection, exchanged glances, seeing the apprehension in each other's eyes.

This person was indeed as reckless as the rumors described.

But now, as the leader of a sect, his words and actions represented the will of Tiansheng Lake. Was it appropriate for him to still act so capriciously?

The martial artists from the Moyan Empire looked to the side, seeing the same origin as Yaochi Heavenly Realm and Huangxue Palace, their expressions indifferent, even apathetic.

As for the disciples of Tiansheng Lake, they showed disdain on their faces.

The Datianshi's body was crushed by a palm strike, leaving only a Sacred Fetal Core in the air. The elder from the Four Deities Temple was shocked for a moment, but then he seemed to receive some message, suppressing his fear and anxiety. He shouted sternly, "Tiansheng Lake..."

Before he could finish, the Sacred Fetal Core suddenly expanded and exploded in front of everyone, creating a violent mental ripple!

Everyone around took a step back, their pupils constricting.

"Hey, I told you I didn't ask you, yet you keep talking. Haven't you died before?" The Xuanming clone laughed, not hiding his schadenfreude.

The others' expressions turned solemn. The death of a Datianshi suddenly seemed less important at this moment.

Just then, a strange field replaced the heavens and earth, and in front of everyone, a calm and mirror-like heart lake appeared.

Everyone looked down, and the lake surface was like a mirror, reflecting another self.

But what was truly chilling was that the reflection showed their own death!

At that moment, a sense of extinction and decay spread from their minds. If this person wasn't specifically targeting them, many would have been in mortal danger.

This mysterious divine ability made those present extremely wary.

Among the Four Deities Temple group, one person remained calm and composed, even with a playful smile. Even when the elder turned into blood mist and dissipated before him, he only slightly frowned. But now, his expression turned serious, no longer relaxed.

Seeing that the elder was thoroughly dead, he looked around and said coldly, "Is this how Tiansheng Lake treats its guests? Attacking and killing guests invited to witness the ceremony, aren't you afraid of being ridiculed?"

The martial artists from the Moyan Empire and the Canghai Empire deeply agreed, and some nodded slightly.

Such a major event as establishing a sect and spreading their teachings had just concluded, and they turned to deal with the guests they had invited...

Even in war, messengers were not to be harmed.

Xuanming glanced at those who nodded, disdain in his eyes. "Teaching rules and principles to followers of the Four Devils, what are you thinking? No wonder the Moyan Empire and the Canghai Empire are declining with each generation."

The latter's expression became slightly unnatural, and someone muttered, wondering why this person was suddenly so generous, allowing the young man from the Four Deities Temple to speak.

"Interesting."

Wutian suddenly spoke, finding the young man from the Four Deities Temple intriguing. He smiled, revealing his teeth, and said with murderous intent, "I only wanted to see what the Four Deities Temple was planning, but I didn't expect to catch a little fish."

"Will you offer your head, or should I come and take it myself?"

Upon hearing this, those closest to the remaining followers of the Four Devils quickly moved away.

Even a Datianshi didn't catch this person's attention.

And yet, this young man was treated with "patience" by Wutian, clearly a hidden expert from the Four Deities Temple!

It was best to stay away, just in case.

The young man's expression darkened.

He had only come to witness the ceremony and secretly observe the Shenjin of Tiansheng Lake, but he hadn't expected Wutian to be so disrespectful of the rules!

To arrest and kill invited guests, not even the so-called followers of the Four Devils would do such a thing!

His anger turned into a smile as he said, "No wonder you were called a 'scoundrel' by the former Five Pillars. Today, I've truly experienced your petty nature!"

His expression changed, turning cold, and the killing intent around him boiled, startling many Tianren present.

"Remember this, my name is 'Youli', the second godson of the Dead Realm. You mentioned wanting to conquer the Chaotic Abyss Sea? It seems we'll meet again soon, and I'll give you a surprise then."

Youli spoke with emphasis, and a blood-colored river flowed silently around him, profound and vast. Even as a mere illusion, it exuded a thick, tangible scent of blood that filled everyone's noses.

The end of this river seemed shrouded in black mist, calm and unmoving, already carrying an ancient and eternal aura.

"The River of Blood!"

The martial artist from Huangxue Palace was the first to recognize this distinctive divine ability of the Dead Devil.

According to legend, one of the Four Devils, the Dead Devil, aimed to create a third river with the 'life blood' of all living beings, comparable to the River of Time and the River of Fate.

This third river was called the River of Blood, forged from the slaughter and harvesting of living beings by the Dead Devil.

Only his true followers could summon the response of the River of Blood and receive its blessing.

One of the uses of this river was to enable 'rebirth'. As long as the Sacred Fetal Core hadn't completely dissipated, one could use the power of the river to reshape their Dao Body and Sacred Fetal Core!

Therefore, among the followers of the Four Devils, the core followers of the Dead Devil were not only powerful but also exceptionally skilled in self-preservation, making them extremely troublesome.

"He's escaping!" shouted the martial artist from Huangxue Palace.

Surrounded by the blood river, Youli stepped into it, looking around with contempt, and finally fixed his gaze on Wutian, his eyes cold.

Summoning this river in the Macroverse required a tremendous price, and its power was naturally beyond what these people could resist.

Even the so-called Sacred Soldiers are not worthy of being compared to the Heavenly Demon's Fresh Blood River!

This Lawless Youngster forced him to use his life-saving method soon after entering the Grand Universe, and that was enough...

Youli's expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed, "What did you do?!"

He had already stepped into the Blood River, willingly forsaking his current physical body and escaping with only his spirit, yet at this moment, he felt the Blood River moving away from him!

This feeling was like... being expelled?

The Lawless Youngster indifferently asked, "Have you forgotten where we are?"

Where are we...

A sense of life-and-death fear suddenly surged in Youli's heart.

This place was in front of the Ancestral Hall of the Tiansheng Lake, naturally the core of the Tiansheng Lake's Daoist practice, the root of the Great Dao.

Establishing a teaching is not a joke, nor is it a formality. The two True Sage's shadows earlier were one of the proofs.

This place will, with the recognition of the Grand Universe, form its own 'Dharma Realm'.

But in such a short time, the Lawless Youngster has already completed the transformation of heaven and earth?!

"No more tricks?" The Lawless Youngster shook his head in disappointment. "I thought that you, as a direct descendant of the Four Devils, would have something that would surprise me. I never expected it to be just a summoning of the Fresh Blood River. How can external force sustain it?"

Youli gritted his teeth and said, "Do you dare to go outside this Dharma Realm with me for a one-on-one fight? I'll let you experience our secret techniques!"

The Lawless Youngster once again looked him up and down and suddenly laughed.

"Good, I'll give you a chance."

He waved his hand, dispersing the invisible power of the Great Dao that enveloped this side of the world, returning it to the Ancestral Hall.

The next moment, Youli's body retreated, and the blood-colored river reappeared, more real and turbulent than before. He stepped into the blood sea, laughing heartily, "You're truly a foolish and arrogant fool!"

"Today is your home ground. Why would I fight you here? If you dare to come to the Chaotic Abyss Sea, I'll personally experience the inheritance of Tiansheng Lake!"

In the next instant, his body turned into blood water, merging with the blood river in the void, and easily disappeared from this place.

The surrounding crowd's faces were filled with astonishment, some with a mix of suspicion and disbelief, and others found it amusing.

The Lawless Youngster had actually let this person escape?

This was...

Just as the crowd's gazes turned strange, they saw that the Lawless Youngster's expression had not changed from the beginning, remaining cold and aloof, maintaining an attitude of looking down upon everyone equally.

Could it be...

As this thought arose in the crowd's minds, the Lawless Youngster slowly took a step forward, punched out, and his figure suddenly towered over them, standing tall like a majestic mountain, reaching the sky and standing firm!

With this step, the world changed, the earth shook, the sky collapsed, and a passageway that connected the sky and the earth, piercing through the void, opened up right before his fist!

"This is..."

"A void passage? Where does it lead to?!"

"Wait, this aura... the Chaotic Abyss Sea?!"

"Don't joke around. He's not a Heavenly King, so how can he forcefully open a passage from Gusu Star to the Chaotic Abyss Sea with just one punch?!"

Amidst the crowd's astonishment, they heard the indifferent voice of the Lawless Youngster, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have received news that the Heavenly Demon is about to descend upon the Chaotic Abyss Sea. Therefore, I wish to clear this place in advance. Now that the passage is open, do you dare to follow me and eradicate the evil demons?"

The crowd's expressions changed drastically. The Heavenly Demon is descending?!

...

Chaotic Abyss Sea.

Four Deities Temple.

A figure suddenly emerged from a pool of blood, and a powerful aura that captivated the soul rose from his body, overwhelming the temple. With a biting cold snort, he said, "Lawless Youngster..."

Suddenly, someone clapped their hands from the side, laughing, "You were forced to use the Blood River Rebirth and fled back in disarray?"

The voice came from a woman leaning against the temple door, looking at him with a smile. She wore a light veil, and her beauty could be described as exquisite. Her entire being exuded an alluring charm that made Youli's mouth go dry.

He bit his tongue, having just been reborn and his spirit was still unstable. He had almost fallen for this crazy woman's ploy.

"Are you here to watch me make a fool of myself?" he asked coldly.

The woman blinked, "It's not that bad. Actually, the result wasn't hard to guess."

Youli took a deep breath, about to say something, when he suddenly raised his head, and the woman did the same.

The woman frowned, her spirit extending upwards, sensing the void portal above. She narrowed her eyes, a cold killing intent in her eyes.

She looked at Youli once more, her smile devoid of warmth, "It seems you've brought us a big trouble."

Youli's face turned ugly, and he coldly hmphed, "This person has already decided to raze the Chaotic Abyss Sea. It has nothing to do with me!"

The woman turned around, her expression cold, "Hurry up and repair it, then join the battle. My God Master has already descended. Don't ruin the God Master's grand plan... What are you doing?!"

Her figure suddenly twisted in the void, dodging a deadly attack from behind.

"Have you gone mad?"

She turned around angrily, her expression icy, only to meet a pair of completely different eyes. One was filled with surprise, as if still trying to understand the current situation, while the other was cold and indifferent, not belonging to Youli.

The woman's pupils contracted, and her body retreated.

"The Formless Heavenly Demon's Great Law?!"

"Who's technique did you fall for?!"

...

...

Yanfu Continent.

A group of people with solemn expressions carefully entered a group of grayish-blue stone temples, numbering more than ten.

Leading them was none other than Qianzhong from the Great Red Heaven Palace.

It was he who had received Ji Jingqiu when he first arrived at Yanfu Continent.

"Be careful."

Qianzhong's cold eyes scanned the surroundings, his gaze falling on a black blood mark in the corner of the wall, "Something's not right here. The architecture is tainted with impure divine power, and spiritual power cannot extend beyond the body."

This group of people came from various forces, with their original purpose being to "surround and suppress FoXiang," and now it had changed to "cooperating with FoXiang members to complete the internal cleansing and return to Shakyamuni's command."

Six months ago, a Buddha with the same name but a different identity as Shakyamuni appeared in the world, initiating a struggle with Shakyamuni for dominance over the incense offerings in Buddha's homeland.

The other dominant forces initially paid little attention until the Nine Palaces took the lead, openly supporting the "Sage," gradually shifting the tide.

Furthermore, various factions soon discovered that the appearance of the "Sage" had caused internal turmoil within the Buddha's homeland, which had been in a state of contraction but had never experienced internal strife, and had instead become increasingly united.

For a religious power, the greatest impact often stems from changes in their deities.

Additionally, the Heart Lamp, which had already spread among the various factions, was rumored to be related to the Sage.

The continuous changes led the factions to tacitly alter their plans.

Among them, the Nine Palaces played a significant role.

Especially a few months ago, the Taiyin Divine Palace's involvement further accelerated the process.

The previous encirclement and suppression had now turned into 'paying homage to Buddha.'

Qianzhong, holding a knife, walked a few steps to the stone temple deep inside, while his teammates provided support.

The ancient stone temple had a lifelike stone carving of a faceless Buddha in the meditation hall, its entire body glowing with a blood-red hue, giving off an eerie and unsettling feeling to onlookers.

Additionally, the wooden fish, green lamps, and meditation cushions inside the temple also emitted a strange blood-red color.

"Another faceless Buddha statue," someone behind Qianzhong said with a frown.

"The Shakyamuni in the Buddha's homeland has never truly descended upon the Nine States, so it's no surprise that it's a faceless Buddha's homeland," someone behind him sneered.

"That's the Heavenly Demon, of course, he wouldn't dare to show himself!"

"These blood colors are probably left behind by one blood sacrifice after another."

As the crowd whispered, Qianzhong keenly sensed something amiss and said, "There's a rift here leading to the Sea of Ghosts. Release the Heart Lamp to expel them first."

The crowd's expressions remained unchanged, indicating that this was not their first encounter with such a scene, and they had already gained experience in dealing with it.

Heart Lamps blossomed from the hearts of the crowd, bathing the blood-stained temple with a warm, yellowish glow, covering every corner without exception.

Instantly, a sense of transparency and tranquility permeated the air, dispelling the shadows in everyone's hearts and bringing an unprecedented sense of relief.

At this moment, a series of shrill and miserable screams echoed from the depths of the ancient temple, like snow melting under the scorching sun, the evil spirits seemed to be vanquished.

"This Heart Lamp of the Sage is indeed useful," someone whispered with a chuckle.

"For heart demons that are almost invisible and intangible, and difficult to detect through normal methods, the Heart Lamp is like an arch-nemesis. No wonder everyone is choosing to support the Sage and suppress Shakyamuni."

"This isn't suppressing Shakyamuni, it's clearly suppressing that Heavenly Demon! It's a bet on the future!"

Upon hearing this, several people in the team glanced meaningfully at Qianzhong's back.

Up until now, the Nine Palaces had not revealed the specific relationship between Ji Jingqiu and the Buddha known as the Sage.

If it weren't for the Taiyin Divine Palace's interference, even if the other factions had chosen to support the Sage, they would never have been as "unconditionally supportive" as they are now. At the very least, they would have pressured the Nine Palaces to clarify the relationship.

After that, how things would unfold would depend on the situation.

Qianzhong said indifferently, "Among the various calamities in the Sea of Ghosts, the Heavenly Demon is involved in at least three out of ten, and this proportion is still rising. It has long become a thorn in the side of the great figures, and now that there's hope of suppressing the Heavenly Demon, we can't miss this opportunity."

The other teammates nodded slightly without refuting.

Qianzhong's tone shifted, and he suddenly spoke in a deep voice, "It seems like a sacrifice was just performed here. Be careful, the perpetrators might still be nearby!"

"A sacrifice?"

Qinglian, a member of the Divine Race, had an icy gaze as he scanned the area and said, "Who are they sacrificing to? That Heavenly Demon?"

"It's not uncommon for them to use blood sacrifices to taint the 'core' of a deity, like that Sage."

"No..."

A Tian Ren Yuan Man from the South Wilderness Continent's Ghostly Region suddenly spoke up.

With a grave expression, he looked up and used a secret technique to perceive a faint 'thread' that seemed to exist and not exist, connecting to something.

Closing his eyes, he employed a special secret technique to trace the end of this thread, while those around him instinctively began to protect him.

Suddenly, the one being protected in the middle opened his eyes wide, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth, and his aura plummeted, as if there was no end to his fall.

He fell all the way to the brink of the Small Heavenly Rank before he finally sat down on the ground with a horrified expression.

The crowd's expressions turned grim. Was this a backlash from the secret technique? How could it backfire to such an extent?

Those with close relationships to him among the surrounding warriors stepped forward to examine his injuries, only to discover, to their shock, that he was on the verge of death.

Suddenly, the one who was just a step away from death, his face contorted, mustered his last breath and whispered hoarsely, "They... are blood sacrificing the Wan Xiang..."

Bang!

A cloud of blood mist exploded between the crowd, sending chills down their spines, making their hair stand on end. The urge to flee this place overwhelmed them.

What did this guy see to suffer such a backlash?

Wan Xiang?

The Wan Xiang God Master?

The crowd's expressions changed simultaneously.

In the Nine States, the Wan Xiang God Master was one of the three True Sages and one of the most powerful beings in the continent.

If it were him, no one could save them today!

"Go!" Qianzhong shouted, shattering the void and disappearing into it.

The rest of the team didn't hesitate and fled in different directions, each one for themselves.

But the next moment, their faces turned grim as they met again in the temple, unable to escape, even with the ability to reach anywhere.

"This place has been sealed!" someone panted.

"Who did this? Could it be the Wan Xiang God Master? Isn't he in deep slumber? Why would he be involved with the Buddha's homeland?"

"Let's worry about getting out alive first, then we can figure out the rest later!"

Qianzhong interrupted the crowd, speaking slowly and deliberately, "Summon the Sage!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end