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Chapter 357: Lei Tian Shi Sets Up an Array (Part 1)
Chapter 357: Lei Tian Shi Sets Up an Array (Part 1)
The luminous pearls transformed into a flowing radiance, like water, and the profound principles and realms within were intricate. It seemed to simultaneously possess the ethereal heights of the Nine Heavens and the profound tranquility of the Nine Springs.
The flowing water never ceased, seemingly falling from the Nine Heavens and penetrating straight into the Nine Springs beneath, shaking the heavens and the earth.
The Vajra Sect Master calmly raised his hand, forming a hand seal in front of his chest.
The nine vajras he had previously buried underground around the Vajra Temple began to vibrate together.
Vivid and brilliant Buddhist light converged in front of the Vajra Sect Master, collectively forming a small but refined Buddhist treasure pagoda, standing within the Vajra Temple.
Inside the pagoda were numerous Buddhist artifacts such as precious lamps, dharma wheels, lotuses, and vajras, appearing and disappearing between illusion and reality.
Influenced by this, with the Buddhist light forming the pagoda as the boundary, the inside and outside of the pagoda seemed to transform into two distinct worlds.
Time and space within the pagoda formed its own unique realm, independent of the world, yet enigmatic and unpredictable.
Behind the Vajra Sect Master, a group of Sumeru Vajra Sect experts gradually gathered, clustering together, chanting Buddhist scriptures in unison, and worshipping the independent world within the pagoda.
This was called the Nine Consciousnesses' Confounding Time and Space.
At this moment, the Vajra Sect Master divided himself once more, and the radiant light transformed from the luminous pearls extended endlessly, like an endless river flowing from the heavens to the mortal realm.
The river flowed into the pagoda that resembled the Nine Consciousnesses' Confounding Time and Space.
And at the source of the river was the Vajra Sect Master, Galata, himself.
After completing all this, he turned to a tall and thin middle-aged monk and instructed, "Jiasheng will accompany Gu Ying Han. Shixiong Jisong will stay in Sumeru. Gongbu, the Vajra Temple will be left in your care."
The tall and thin monk named Gongbu replied solemnly, "Yes, Master."
Previously, the Sumeru Vajra Sect had rarely actively displayed their strength to avoid arousing apprehension from the local powers of the Great Tang.
However, this matter was of great importance, and they finally started to make their move. While they didn't mobilize all their forces, successive top experts from Sumeru began descending into the Great Tang.
In addition to the powerful experts from the Buddhist Hand Seal lineage in the Nine Heavens, Abbot Gongbu's perfect attainment of the Eight Heavens made him one of the most outstanding monks in the Eight Heavens of Sumeru.
As Jiasheng represented the sect to join forces with the Gu Ying Khan, and the elderly and respected Shixiong Jisong stayed in Sumeru, Abbot Gongbu was entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the Vajra Temple by the Vajra Sect Master.
In addition to him, another elder in the Eight Heavens realm, Abbot Gelo, and the current abbot of the Vajra Temple, Souyang, also remained at the temple.
Abbot Gelo and Souyang were both natives of the Great Tang and had been managing the Vajra Temple before the return of Sumeru and the descent of the Vajra Sect.
The Vajra Sect Master had no suspicions about them; otherwise, he wouldn't have left them by the side of the important Nine Consciousnesses' Confounding Time and Space.
However, leaving them, who were familiar with the environment, to assist Abbot Gongbu in guarding the Vajra Temple would make it more convenient to preside over the upcoming Mystical Bliss Pure Land.
However, to avoid alarming the outside world, Abbot Gongbu, Abbot Gelo, and Souyang temporarily remained inactive and would only make their move later.
"Master, since Shixiong Jisong is staying in Sumeru, should we call upon Shidi Luo Chi?" Elder Dongda, another Eight Heavens realm expert from the Sumeru Vajra Sect, asked quietly.
The Luo Chi he mentioned was also in the Eight Heavens realm of the Buddhist Hand Seal lineage but was currently the youngest among the Sumeru Vajra Sect, even younger than the abbot of the Vajra Temple, Souyang.
He was the most highly cultivated and talented Buddhist genius in the Sumeru Vajra Sect of this era.
And his mentor was none other than the current Vajra Sect Master, Galata.
"Luo Chi and Dupei will follow Shixiong Jisong's arrangements and temporarily remain in Sumeru," the Vajra Sect Master instructed.
"Dongda, Danzeng, Xire, Baqing, and Wanglang, select your disciples and prepare to leave the mountain. The rest will stay in the Vajra Temple and follow Gongbu and Gelo's instructions," the Vajra Sect Master commanded.
The group of Sumeru Vajra Sect monks responded in unison, their voices resounding powerfully.
The behemoth hidden underwater began to slowly surface.
A group of Sumeru Vajra Sect elders followed the Vajra Sect Master to a stone wall.
There were four holes in the stone wall, one empty, and the remaining three each holding a dharma bell.
"Master, how many should we take out?" Elder Dongda asked quietly.
"One will suffice. We only need to ensure the successful conversion of one expected Dharma protector. Greed will lead to undesirable outcomes," the Vajra Sect Master replied.
"Yes, Master," Elder Dongda said as he stepped forward and plucked one of the three dharma bells remaining on the stone wall.
The Vajra Sect Master nodded. "Make contact with the north."
............................................
The Tang imperial family and the Pure Yang Palace and Shushan Sect, currently in the western regions of Guanlong and Bashu, had never relaxed their investigations in all directions in recent years.
The reason was that during the second invasion of the Gu Ying Khanate, although they were essentially wiped out, a big fish had slipped through the net.
It was none other than the Martial Sage of the Nine Heavens realm, the chief of the Falling Sun Tribe of the Gu Ying Khanate, Bomog.
If such a martial arts master were to act recklessly, the destruction would be unimaginable.
However, since his disappearance, he had never shown himself again.
If this Gu Ying Khanate expert had returned to the Great Song Dynasty through unknown means, it would be one thing.
But if he had remained in the Great Tang and was lying dormant, it would be even more unsettling.
He might be plotting to reopen the Void Gate and preparing for the third invasion of the Gu Ying Khanate.
What was equally concerning was that Bomog had likely escaped because someone from the Great Tang had helped him.
Therefore, the Tang imperial family had been carefully screening and investigating this matter.
In the Western Regions and the Snowy Plains, there was a newly appointed Grand Preceptor of the Great Tang who had shown utmost care and concern, but as of now, nothing suspicious had been discovered.
Nothing unusual had been found in the northwestern barren lands and the Guanlong region either.
The Tang imperial family began to expand their search further into the remote northern wilderness.
However, instead of finding the foreign Martial Saint Bomog, they encountered the Snow Country Bear King, who had re-emerged.
During the demonic disturbance in Guanlong years ago, the Snow Country Bear King had been injured and, upon returning to the northern wilderness, was threatened by another great demon, the Long Sky Cyan Wolf. He had no choice but to hide and recover.
Today, everything has changed.
The Long Sky Cyan Wolf is dead, and the Snow Country Bear King has re-emerged, reclaiming his former territory in the northern frontier.
As fate would have it, this demon encountered human cultivators from the Tang imperial family who were searching for clues about Bomog's whereabouts in the north.
After a brief clash, neither side fought to the death, and they each retreated.
The Snow Country Bear King then turned his attention to the Long Sky Cyan Wolf's old lair.
Unexpectedly, he encountered the foreign Martial Saint, Bomog, whom the Tang imperial family had been diligently seeking.
At that moment, Bomog was taking advantage of the unique terrain of one of the Long Sky Cyan Wolf's lairs to perform a bizarre ritual.
The Snow Country Bear King had a violent temperament, but he was not without intelligence.
Based on his experiences dealing with human cultivators, although martial cultivators had powerful combat techniques, rituals were not their forte.
However, the ritual that Bomog was currently performing gave the Snow Country Bear King a sense of deja vu that he found detestable.
He remembered—the Western Regions' Buddhist Sect... The Snow Country Bear King's solitary eye glinted with a sinister light.
During the demon disturbance in Guanlong, he had crossed paths with Jia Sheng Shangren of the Sumeru Vajra Sect.
He had been ambushed and severely injured by Xiao Xuelin, who had been lying in wait with his Mountain River Sword, and then attacked again by Jia Sheng Shangren.
Seeing the Buddhist light emanating from the ritual, resembling the indestructible body of a Vajra, the Snow Country Bear King revealed his malicious intentions, his gaze sweeping the surroundings for any potential members of the Western Regions' Buddhist Sect.
The foreign Martial Saint, Bomog, appraised the Snow Country Bear King, sizing him up for a while before slowly nodding. "A fine beast, well-fed and sturdy."
Although the Snow Country Bear King could not understand the language of the Great Tang, he could grasp the general meaning of their words.
However, he couldn't understand a word of what Bomog was saying.
Nevertheless, the great demon sensed the ill intentions behind Bomog's words.
The way Bomog looked at him was peculiar and made the Snow Country Bear King feel extremely uncomfortable.
It was as if he were not being regarded as an enemy or prey, but rather... like a herder looking at his flock of sheep or herd of horses.
The Snow Country Bear King knew that there were spiritual beasts that cultivated spiritual energy and were tamed by human cultivators.
But as a great demon who cultivated demonic energy and miasma, he had never encountered a human cultivator who dared to look at him with such an audacious gaze.
This immediately provoked the great demon's violent nature.
However, the ritual beside Bomog made him instinctively feel uneasy.
If he wanted to destroy it, it might already be too late.
It would be best to retreat immediately.
...This realization surprised the Snow Country Bear King.
However, Bomog took action before he could.
In the blink of an eye, Bomog appeared right in front of the Snow Country Bear King.
The northern demon was thoroughly enraged, and a fierce battle ensued between the two.
However, with this slight delay, the ritual that had been set in motion took effect.
The condensed Buddhist light, as solid as a Vajra, was indestructible and could sever all afflictions.
At this moment, the Vajra Buddhist light transformed into a Vajra sword, slicing through the void.
The void twisted and turned, expanding in all directions, eventually forming a gigantic pagoda-like structure.
The pagoda shimmered with light, and from within, a human figure appeared.
It was a Buddhist monk with a dignified bearing, a master of the Buddhist Hand Seal lineage from the Nine Heavens.
The Snow Country Bear King's eyes turned red with hatred at the sight of his old foe.
The newcomer was none other than Jia Sheng Shangren of the Sumeru Vajra Sect's Nine Heavens.
As Jia Sheng Shangren stepped out of the void portal, he formed the Zhi Fist Seal with both hands, further agitating the void.
Surrounding his body were numerous dharma wheels, conch shells, and other Buddhist artifacts that were being incinerated by the Buddhist light.
On the other side, in the Great Tang, the various ritual tools that Bomog had used to set up his ritual were also reduced to ashes by the same Buddhist light.
Instead of diminishing, the Buddhist light grew brighter, as if it had taken on a physical form, indestructible and communicating between the two realms, stabilizing the "portal."
With this coordinated effort, the void portal was firmly established, connecting the world of the Great Tang with the other side.
Jia Sheng Shangren turned his gaze towards the Snow Country Bear King, who was locked in combat with Bomog: "I never expected to meet you here again. The karmic ties of this world are indeed difficult to explain."
The Snow Country Bear King was furious and almost wanted to break free from Bomog to charge at Jia Sheng Shangren.
However, his solitary eye fixed on the void portal, and his gaze sharpened.
From within the void portal came a series of deafening roars and howls.
A robust and fiery masculine energy emanated from it, so thick that even the Snow Country Bear King, a great demon, felt startled.
Within the portal, silhouettes rose and fell, their movements shaking the void.
Then, for what seemed like an eternity, countless shadows, fast and slow, crossed the void in a great influx, pouring into the world of the Great Tang from the other side of the portal.
The first to appear were a group of massive, fast-moving beasts.
Although none of them were as enormous as the Snow Country Bear King, their numbers were vast.
Among them were beasts with bodies over ten or even twenty meters long, their entire bodies a deep blue, resembling both dragons and horses, with exceptionally fierce builds.
They were the Qinglong Sihuang beasts, now well-known to the cultivators of the Great Tang, originating from the Lonely Eagle Khanate.
A torrent of Qinglong Sihuang beasts poured out of the void portal, then dispersed, sweeping across the land in all directions.
Along with them came other swift beasts and mounted warriors from the Lonely Eagle Khanate, forming a vast nomadic force that swept across the land.
The Snow Country Bear King's ominous premonition proved true.
However, it was too late for him to retreat now.
Not only was he entangled with Bomog, a Martial Saint of the Nine Heavens, but the nomadic forces had also surrounded them, their war cries filling the air.
Although these nomadic warriors had varying cultivation levels and none of them could match Bomog's strength, their speed and relentless harassment made it difficult for the Snow Country Bear King to break free from Bomog's grasp.
Unexpectedly, Jia Sheng Shangren, who had some grudges with the Snow Country Bear King in the past, did not join the siege against this great demon.
He stood beside the void portal, calmly watching as people from the Lonely Eagle Khanate emerged one after another.
In the past, the void portals on Da Guan Mountain and Gu Yun Yuan had seemed unstable and might not have been able to withstand so many cultivators traveling between the Great Tang and the human realm in a short period.
The Sumeru Vajra Sect had also utilized their accumulated resources to open this void portal, consuming many spiritual treasures that would be difficult to find again.
However, the effect was undeniable.
Hordes of foreign cavalry charged into the human realm of the Great Tang, followed closely by a large number of foreign warriors.
Some of them wore armor, while others were bare-handed.
Each of them had a robust physique and raging qi, like a row of blazing furnaces, charging into the human realm.
After these warriors, a third group of people emerged from the void portal, their movements no longer as swift. They walked with calm and steady steps, their spiritual energy vibrant, creating a stark contrast with the previous group.
Most of the third group wore dark blue Daoist robes and headbands, appearing as Daoist cultivators.
Their clothing style was that of the Three Springs Palace from the Great Song Dynasty.
The one leading them seemed to be only thirty or forty years old, with a clear and handsome face, a three-foot-long beard, and an aura of immortality. He rode on a crane, exuding an ethereal presence.
Jia Sheng greeted him, "Zhao Zhenren."
Zhao Yu'an, the leader of the Three Springs Palace, stopped and returned the greeting, "Master Jia Sheng."
He and Jia Sheng stood side by side at the entrance of the void portal.
A group of disciples from the Three Springs Palace quietly lined up behind their leader, Zhao Yu'an.
However, unlike their leader, who remained calm and composed, these disciples exchanged complex glances as they looked at Jia Sheng.
The younger disciples, in particular, kept exchanging furtive glances.
But when the gaze of the high-achieving elders of the Three Springs Palace swept over them, the disciples quickly averted their eyes and lowered their heads, focusing on their noses and hearts.
Jia Sheng seemed oblivious to their gazes and stood calmly beside Zhao Yu'an.
Then, the two of them watched as a group of people walked out of the void portal.
These newcomers were all Buddhist monks from the Buddhist Hand Seal lineage, but they were clearly divided into two groups.
One group was small, consisting of only three to five people. They came forward to pay their respects to Jia Sheng before silently standing behind him. They were disciples of the Sumeru Vajra Sect who had accompanied Jia Sheng to the Great Song Dynasty and now returned to the Great Tang through the newly opened void portal.
The other group consisted of about a dozen monks.
They appeared to be from the same Buddhist Hand Seal lineage as the Sumeru Vajra Sect disciples.
(End of Chapter)
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