Chapter 43: Mutual Attraction

Chapter 43: Mutual Attraction

The Mental Sea.

The Abyss.

A vast expanse of pure white flames stretched out, forming a realm.

As pure as jade, untainted by dust, the realm contained no other color.

At its center stood a Buddha formed entirely of white light, eyes closed, palms pressed together, and a compassionate expression on its face. Countless white threads connected to it, extending into the depths of the void, beyond the Mind Sea.

It seemed as if the Buddha was constantly receiving offerings from devout followers, or perhaps it was an experimental subject in a laboratory, connected to numerous intravenous tubes.

Suddenly, one of the pure white threads turned black as ink in the blink of an eye and disintegrated! The closed-eyed white Buddha abruptly opened its eyes!

It let out a painful roar, its voice resembling the amalgamation of countless others.

...

Within a solemn and sacred ancient temple, a group of devout worshippers suddenly looked up to see tears of blood flowing from the statue, their faces filled with shock and fear.

"Tears of blood before the Buddha..."

"An enemy of the Buddha! An enemy has appeared!"

"Quickly! Listen to the will of the Supreme Buddha and convey it to the elders!"

...

A moment later.

In a conference room drifting in the Mental Sea.

Figures appeared in their respective seats, silent and still.

Waiting for everyone to arrive, a white-robed believer, as the organizer of this gathering, conveyed the will of the Supreme Buddha to those present.

"The Supreme Buddha has issued a new decree—

The Mu family has produced another individual who has witnessed Bodhi and attained the Supreme Wisdom Light, an unparalleled genius of heaven!

Find him at all costs and bring him before the Supreme Buddha! The Supreme Buddha will use his body to reshape itself, achieving true freedom and transcendence, surpassing the Four Divine Lords!"

After conveying the decree, the believer bowed deeply,

"I implore you, elders."

The gathered individuals, who had mentally visited this place, remained silent.

"The Mu family..."

The Federation, standing tall for countless years, has weathered the rise and fall of countless influential families and corporations. Only the Six Great Clans have remained independent, standing above all.

Long ago, there were whispers that the Federation was the Six Great Clans, and the Six Great Clans were the Federation.

While this was an exaggeration, it vividly expressed the fear some people felt towards the power held by the six families, casting a shadow within the Federation.

Suddenly, someone spoke up: "I've heard that this generation of the Mu family has produced two extraordinary individuals, currently vying for the 'Title' of Martial Artist. Perhaps the Supreme Buddha is seeking one of them."

"Has the competition for the Title already begun? Another glorious era..."

"Let's discuss this further. The Supreme Buddha is in a state of chaotic ignorance, and we cannot remain in ignorance. Old Mu is still alive, and we can't keep giving him opportunities."

"Indeed, the chaotic ignorance of the Supreme Buddha is the primary concern!"

"But we've already discussed this. The root cause lies in the excessive merging of Martial Artists' wills. The solution is to have a complete Supreme Grandmaster sacrifice themselves and merge with the Supreme Buddha!"

Someone suddenly slammed their fist on the table, their voice passionate.

This statement left the others speechless, even the radicals among them found it too extreme.

Suddenly, someone spoke thoughtfully: "If we could find that legendary ancestor of the Mu family, sitting in meditation, and use him as the foundation for the Supreme Buddha, perhaps even a single strand of his..."

Before they could finish, someone scoffed: "Why don't you bring the Four Divine Lords of the Federation and make them kneel before the Buddha, turning them into four candles burning at the Buddha's feet, igniting themselves to achieve the Buddha's ultimate glory?"

"Enough."

A thin, aged figure silenced the crowd.

He appeared ordinary, but as he spoke, a formidable aura emerged, making him seem to grow taller and more formidable in an instant.

His dry lips emitted a booming voice, reverberating in everyone's minds, seemingly endless, until many showed signs of pain before he finally stopped.

He scanned the crowd and fixed his gaze on the messenger: "Did the Supreme Buddha provide any information about the current location of the individual?"

The man smiled bitterly and shook his head.

The old man frowned slightly.

Someone chuckled lightly: "Chaotic ignorance is like this."

No one spoke. Some furrowed their brows, others showed anger, while others sighed and shook their heads...

This was a flaw in the Federation's deity system.

As a collective mind, or a unified thought entity,

They were called deities, but most of them lacked a clear consciousness.

Their nature made them susceptible to being swept away by the wishes of their followers, causing their minds to fall into chaotic ignorance, making communication impossible.

The Federation's Religious Administration controlled these deities without consciousness by managing their power cores and limiting their divine roles.

The Supreme Buddha Sect's attempt with the Supreme Buddha was more complex than managing these chaotic deities.

The old man spoke slowly, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Even if you don't wish to show respect to the Supreme Buddha, you should at least respect the deceased ancestors.

The crowd fell silent.

Throughout the generations, the martial artists of the Supreme Buddha Sect would choose to immerse their minds into the Supreme Buddha's body after death.

It was through this nurturing over the years that the current monstrous and terrifying creature came into being.

"Check which members are on missions these days and which believers have the ability to summon the Supreme Buddha's avatars," the old man suddenly instructed.

The crowd exchanged glances, and after a moment of deliberation, someone spoke up, "We'll need to verify this carefully."

The old man nodded, "The Supreme Buddha must have sensed this personally through one of its avatars. Find out the places where these people have been, and see if there are any members of the Mu family among them."

"Understood."

The old man slowly stood up and said, "The Federation is currently in turmoil. It seems that the rebellion from over a hundred years ago might be replaying itself. Recently, everyone should stay out of trouble and be well-behaved. If you're too idle, just follow the will of the Supreme Buddha."

"After finding out, don't act rashly. Mu Lao San... won't be easy to deal with."

Suddenly, someone asked, "Should we continue our cooperation with the Starlight Corporation?"

The old man, expressionless, replied, "That depends on whether their gains on the Celestial Path are genuine."

The crowd slightly nodded, agreeing, "That's the right thing to do."

...

...

Ji Jingqiu attempted to communicate with the man in the Inner World.

However, no matter how he questioned, the man remained in a state of confusion, as if his five aggregates were empty, unable to hear or see, and simply sat amidst the fire rain, with a faint white flame flowing from his body.

It was as if a miniature Supreme Buddha was sitting there.

When Ji Jingqiu inquired with the Bodhi sprout, the response was that the man had too many conflicting thoughts within, making it difficult to unify them. The immediate priority was to establish a hierarchy.

At this moment, immersed in the blood rain and fire transformed from the Sea of Suffering, he was enduring this process to temper his mind, eliminate impurities, and determine a winner.

Once the victor is determined, he will awaken with a brand-new appearance and become one of his guardian deities.

He will guide it, and it will protect him.

Ji Jingqiu had a vague understanding.

If he wasn't mistaken, the situation of the Supreme Buddha was no better than his own. It might even be more severe.

On the outside, it appeared sacred and majestic, but inside, it was filled with chaotic ignorance, with numerous conflicting thoughts, each vying for dominance, making unification difficult.

No wonder it craved the "Wisdom Light" and longed to enter this "Fire Hell."

The former could dispel all confusion and help it escape its predicament.

The latter would allow it to temper its body, eliminate impurities in its thoughts, and similarly escape its current predicament.

Ji Jingqiu recalled the dream and the hidden connection between them.

Ji Jingqiu wanted its body as fertilizer for his own.

It wanted Ji Jingqiu's body as fertilizer for its own.

Considering the vast disparity in their current power, Ji Jingqiu knew he had to proceed cautiously and avoid exposure.

Like today...

With this in mind, Ji Jingqiu exited the Inner World.

His mind returned to his physical body.

The cool night breeze, carrying moisture, gently caressed his face, bringing with it the scent of the ruins and smoke.

The rain had stopped.

Numerous personnel from the Security Bureau and the Police Department arrived at the scene, beginning to clean up the aftermath.

"Are you awake?"

Standing guard over him was Yang Shi.

Yang Shi's hair seemed even whiter, and his once-erect posture was now stooped.

With a loud crash, the abandoned factory behind them collapsed, and Dao Ye emerged carrying a severed head. He approached Ba Ge, who was in the middle of a communication, and calmly said,

"Li Buyi has been taken care of by me."

Ba Ge glanced at the head and then turned away, making a sound of acknowledgment. He turned back to his communication, seemingly negotiating a deal with the other party.

Faintly, Ji Jingqiu could hear fragments of the conversation:

"......At such an old age, he still used the secret technique that depletes life potential. Do you want him to cooperate with research? What about humanitarianism?

What about care for the elderly?"

"......My second uncle has just avenged his grudge and plans to settle down on Dong Sanhuang Star for a while. He's not used to life in the central region."

"......Principles? If you don't know, then you don't know!"

"You ask me, should I ask the Supreme Buddha Sect? Do you believe they would know?"

"No, Old Three. We are fellow disciples. My second uncle is your second uncle. Why are you being so indecisive? How can you support me in the bureau without any backbone?"

"It's decided. Goodbye!"

"By the way, in a couple of days, I and A Dao have a joint subsidy application. Make sure you approve it as soon as possible!"

Ba Ge ended the communication and rubbed his bald head, his face filled with worry. He remained silent for a while before initiating another communication.

Ji Jingqiu looked up and saw that after the night clouds dispersed, the night sky was mostly obscured by buildings. Only a small patch of the starry sky was visible, emitting a faint light.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

A strange resonance seemed to be transmitted to him from the distant end of the starry sky.

It wasn't like the call of the Mental Sea, but it was more fervent and urgent, separated by countless light-years.

He narrowed his eyes, feeling the cool night breeze, and for no apparent reason, his heart was filled with a sense of stability and lightness.

With this matter concluded,

Finally, he could wholeheartedly devote himself to martial arts training.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end