Chapter 2548: Shitā, Auspicious

In the depths of the vast sea lay an isolated island, shaped like a huge, rugged mountain, its peaks sharp and steep.

It was named "Corpse Tower Mountain."

The evil Immortal Emperor Lord, Si Liang, stood in his own territory, in his own palace. He even lowered his head slightly, his eyes fixed on his boots rather than looking forward.

As the only Corpse Cultivator Emperor Lord in the vast sea, and perhaps the only remaining peak Corpse Cultivator in the myriad heavens and ten thousand realms, Si Liang's temperament was always poor. How could he ever be this humble?

Only because on the seat that originally belonged to him, the Emperor Lord's throne, sat a dazzling man.

This venerable one was born brilliant and majestic, with golden hair and golden eyes, and a pair of golden dragon horns on his forehead, as if cast from true gold.

He possessed a unique aura of glory, nobler than all other beings. Of course, he was also worthy of Si Liang's bowed head.

The vast sea's Heavenly Way was like a mass of dark cloud, like dark cloud-shaped cast iron, directly crushing towards the heart.

Even existences like Si Liang inevitably felt suppressed and uneasy. Unable to grasp the waves of the Heavenly Way's ocean, not daring to closely examine the disputes at the Transcendence level, they didn't know what would happen, yet were certainly pessimistic about the future of the Sea Race—

After that battle, the pessimists became the mainstream.

The voice from the esteemed position was also melancholic: "Eternity is truly lonely!"

"Your friends, your enemies, even just some names you've heard, all gradually disappear into history."

He leaned on the throne in solitude, like a figure growing more and more distant: "If not for Dizang's escape… I almost forgot the story!"

Si Liang only listened, not speaking, his gaze sweeping across the surface of his boots.

"Si Liang—"

The venerable one above called: "Since Corpse Cultivation suffered extermination, and the present world's inheritance was cut off, it has recently taken a turn. Corpse Phoenix descends to the world, greatly benefiting this path. Have you made progress?"

Si Liang opened his mouth, finally uttering that voice: "Longfo Shangzun!"

Then his speech became smooth: "Si Liang is foolish… has only made slight progress."

The wielder of the Saha Dragon Staff, the supreme being of Longchan Ridge, the golden body worshipped by Tianfo Temple.

In this current era, perhaps the strongest Buddha Cultivator in the myriad heavens and ten thousand realms, and also the being who most hated Buddha!

He sat there, a segment of history himself.

"No wonder you." Longfo said in a steady voice: "The Corpse Path is rugged, its accumulation long depleted, and you are not the pioneer, so it is naturally difficult to achieve."

Longfo said it was no wonder, but still inevitably sighed.

Compared to the Human Race, which continuously produced Transcendence beings after the Dao Calendar began, the Sea Race had yet to see any great trees emerge.

The most hopeful were no more than Fu Hai, Gao Jie, and Ao Jie, and now only Ao Jie remained…

The Corpse Cultivation Path had been absolutely reopened, and its accumulation being depleted also meant the road ahead was vast, inherently possessing certain possibilities. But Si Liang ultimately fell short.

"Dizang's arrangement must have deep meaning. Phoenix De benefits the world, and Huang Weizhen is a person of temperament," Longfo said lightly: "If you can swallow Yanluo Great Lord Wu Guanwang and Corpse Phoenix Jia Xuan, perhaps you can see some hope."

Hell, upon being incorporated into the Underworld by Dizang, just entered the sight of the myriad heavens' strong individuals. The so-called "Yanluo King," already truly possessed a certain weight.

Even Longfo would mention Wu Guanwang! This person was very likely Dizang's strategic placement against the Corpse Path.

Si Liang lowered his eyes: "I will strictly follow your teachings."

For him, these two were not difficult to kill. But the key to swallowing them lay not in them, but in Huang Weizhen and Dizang.

When would Huang Weizhen and Dizang die?

He became even more humble: "Your visit to Corpse Tower Mountain today is truly this little Emperor's fortune."

Si Liang naturally understood why someone as noble as Longfo would come to Corpse Tower Mountain to observe the battle.

Because this place had the most monk corpses.

Corpse Tower Mountain was a mountain piled high with monk corpses!

Only here could He certainly and undoubtedly not be detected by Dizang—even if the sun and moon were being chopped down, even if Dizang was trapped in a heavy siege, having his causality cut off and his Heavenly Favor stirred, before this venerable one who sat in the fate transcendence of the Sea Race, He still held the deepest vigilance.

Perhaps only such a cautious and comprehensive Longfo Shangzun could orchestrate the World Honored One's nirvana!

Waiting for Dizang to die today was not just those few venerables fighting with Dizang.

He thought today might offer a chance to see Longfo make a move.

Speaking of which, Longfo had long confronted Penglai Dao Lord, but Penglai Dao Lord was precisely the main force sealing Dizang, and Longfo also constantly pondered Dizang's life and death—an enemy's enemy, yet still an enemy. Dizang's interpersonal relationships were too good!

"After the vast sea catastrophe, my Saha Dragon Staff and Penglai Dao Lord's Chaocangwu Sword have returned to balance. So I can divert a little attention," Longfo said calmly: "Making a move this time is almost impossible. If I move, Penglai will also move. But if Dizang lives, I will certainly want Him to die. If Dizang dies, I at least want to take a share of Heavenly Fate, leaving it to Ao Ming. I'll pick up some end-stage Dharma, and still give it to the Dragon Lord."

The Human Race's discussion of the Jinghai Plan was the vast sea catastrophe that deeply highlighted the gap between the two races on the Sea Race's side.

Dizang was still practicing his ideals, while Longfo was already waiting to dismember His corpse.

"Will Dizang die?" Si Liang looked up at the deep sea of the Heavenly Way: "This chaotic battle of the Heavenly Way, this little Emperor cannot understand."

Longfo said: "Suppose the deep sea of the Heavenly Way is a boundless vat, and the Heavenly Way power is the water in the vat. The present world is the garden next to this vat, waiting to be irrigated. This water can irrigate the garden, or extinguish fire hazards, or drown pests."

"The Heavenly Way has an instinctive maintenance towards the present world."

"The so-called stirring of Heavenly Will is utilizing this instinct of the Heavenly Way to conveniently do things beneficial to oneself—the Heavenly Way, in maintaining the present world, will naturally generate power. Even an extremely tiny part of this power, scattered out, is enough to cause heaven-overturning, earth-shaking changes."

"Wei Xun's divine ability divination is only occasional; Chen Suan's divine ability Heavenly Mechanism is both a borrowing of Heavenly Will."

"Mao Zhiben can borrow human skin to boat in the vat, being mistaken by the Heavenly Way as a part of it. Jiang Wang can then come and go freely in the vat, borrow the water in the vat to irrigate the garden, and easily travel between different gardens."

"Individuals' utilization of the Heavenly Way is different. Mao Zhiben borrows Heavenly Way power for divination; Jiang Wang borrows Heavenly Way power for killing."

"Like Dizang, He can to a certain extent ignore the Heavenly Way's instinct, even replace Heavenly Will with His own intent, directly scoop up the Heavenly Way water, and water any place He wants to water—drowning a nest of ants, or forcing reptiles to detour, this is called 'Heavenly Will like a knife'."

"The sun and moon being chopped down is power exceeding this world. After dying in this world, they turn into a thin cover, temporarily covering this vat. Then Dizang temporarily cannot scoop water."

"Jiang Wang is now causing a violent disturbance in the vat, overturning rivers and seas with his majestic Heavenly Form, making the deep sea of the Heavenly Way unable to maintain its instinct—caring for the Ye Luo Tian people is also this instinct."

"Destruction is always easier than construction. To stop Jiang Wang, Dizang must first suppress the mad waves of the Heavenly Sea. And Dan Tai Wenshu's actions are simply destroying Dizang's suppression."

"These are two people who understand fighting, who have created and firmly occupied a geographical advantage, and are only engaged in consumption, not greedy for full merit. Dizang must pay more to maintain the balance of the Heavenly Sea. And He still has to respond to Jiang Shu, Ji Fengzhou, and a series of foreseeable backlashes."

His face held the glory of preaching. For how many years, He had preached to the Sea Race in this manner. Both Fu Hai and Gao Jie had heard Him preach. "If Dizang does not produce means to change the situation, He can only walk towards death step by step."

Si Liang listened quietly for a long time, then looked at the gloomy and treacherous Heavenly Sea, only feeling it was clear at a glance: "Your understanding of Heavenly people can be called thorough! Even I, who knows nothing about the Heavenly Way, can grasp the process of this struggle."

Longfo merely sat there, from beginning to end, never raising his head to look at the heavens: "I was not born a Heavenly person, nor can I become a Heavenly person by approaching the Heavenly Way. To understand Heavenly people, I naturally need more research."

Longfo once greatly hoped to approach the Heavenly Way, because the World Honored One was His most revered person.

He even went to seek the relics of the Ye Luo Race, wanting to abandon His dragon body and obtain a Heavenly person body.

This matter was later spread as the ancient Dragon Emperor Xi Hun Shi going to the Ye Luo Race to discuss the Dao—in reality, the Ye Luo Race no longer existed at that time, and Xi Hun Shi fundamentally disdained Heavenly people.

And why Longfo now said He was unable to become a Heavenly person by approaching the Heavenly Way…

It was because He wanted to kill the World Honored One!

After becoming a Heavenly person, He would lose the possibility of killing the World Honored One.

He had certainly researched for a very long time, would not enter the Heavenly Way, yet understood Heavenly people more than anyone else in the world.

"I have a question," Si Liang said: "Why did Ji Furen choose the Innocent Heavenly Person for the transaction, rather than Bodhi Evil Ancestor? It seems Bodhi Evil Ancestor is more necessary to kill Dizang, and would make more effort."

"Firstly, Bodhi Evil Ancestor is very difficult to communicate with; secondly, and more importantly, Bodhi Evil Ancestor has swallowed the World Honored One's evil thoughts and is more likely to strengthen Dizang. Once there are twists in the Heavenly Sea battlefield and Dizang retrieves the World Honored One's evil thoughts, the situation would be unfavorable. After all, no one truly dares to underestimate Dizang; thirdly, the Innocent Heavenly Person is an existence that highly values promises, although making promises with the Three Fierce of the Evil Sea is very strange—but the Innocent Heavenly Person truly is such a special being."

Longfo paused here: "You can understand it as a Jiang Wang who does all sorts of evil but still remembers to keep his word."

In the past, Jiang Wang entered the vast sea's Heavenly Way in the form of all living beings, taking advantage of Wu Yuan Huang Lord's life-threatening injury to recuperate, and fished the Hunter King Yao Ai of the Wuchang Sea Domain into the Heavenly Sea. Later, in front of Great Prison Huang Lord Zhong Xi, he strongly proved the vast sea's heaven… twice.

Then he became a peak being, his sword blocking ascenders from myriad realms.

Si Liang could hardly have no impression of this person. They had repeatedly researched Jiang Wang's life. There were even shadow stones recording his battle process, circulating among the high levels of the Sea Race—to put it plainly, once the Shen Xiao War began, this was a key target.

"If a person keeps his word, then he is probably not very evil," Si Liang said.

Longfo raised his eyelids: "He is also a pitiful person."

Si Liang was slightly stunned: "Already transcended, still pitiful?"

Longfo looked at him, his golden eyebrows and eyes as if etched with the rust of time: "Do you think I am pitiful?"

Who could say a Transcendence venerable was pitiful?

Especially a Transcendence venerable who could contend with Penglai Dao Lord, orchestrate the great calamity of exterminating Buddha, and lead to the World Honored One's nirvana!

But who could say Longfo was not pitiful?

Once, He had hoped for the Dragon Emperor, and later was called the Heavenly Buddha. No matter which identity, He had reached the pinnacle.

Now, yet only called Longfo.

He was the current pillar of the Sea Race.

But forever there would be Sea Race members who hated Him!

Speaking of which, it was too ironic.

The one who preserved the remnants of the Sea Race was the "Broken-Spine River Dog."

The one who supported the Sea Race's fate was the former Heavenly Buddha.

And the reason the Sea Race was indispensable to Them today was precisely because the former advantages were buried because of Them!

Si Liang lowered his head, saying nothing.

In the water was a reflection of Jiang Wang's bowed head, amidst the violently rolling waves, as if a painting embedded on the water surface. A blue robe hung, sword at side, rising and falling with the waves.

But Jiang Wang knew that was not him.

At the same time that he completely liberated his Heavenly Form, the Heavenly Way was also devouring him!

It was the thirteen venerables of the Ultimate Emotion and Extreme Desire Demons, tying him to the Underworld and hanging him in the Human World.

He was tying a rope and jumping into the sea.

But in such intense conflict, this rope would break sooner or later.

He stirred the Heavenly Sea with his Kun Peng Heavenly Form, stirring more intensely, raising more surging waves, making this rope more unbearable. But to the greatest extent possible, to interfere with Dizang's Heavenly Favor, he still pushed himself to the limit.

Of course, he understood that in this battle, he was absolutely not the protagonist. Being able to exert some restraint on Dizang in the deep sea of the Heavenly Way, he was already proud enough.

But was merely that enough?

As in all past life-and-death battles, he would forever ask himself this question—

Jiang Wang, have you done everything you can?

He lowered his head to look, looking not only at the reflection in the water. He also looked at Jing Li in the Tianhe River, Yin Guan on the East Sea, Jiang Shu in Hell, the Human World he cared about.

This battle, this war, he could not just wait!

Wait for the Innocent Heavenly Person to defeat the Five Fingers Fan Mountain, to defeat Dizang? Wait for the Innocent Heavenly Person's kindness to act and pull him out? Or expect Ji Fengzhou's sword to crack the Tianhe Giant Buddha?

Jiang Wang stood in the constantly flapping golden Kun Peng Heavenly Form, looking at the surging wind and thunder, only his blue robe fluttering, as if composed. Then his eyebrows raised, like a sword unsheathing—

A frosty color rolled out from emptiness, manifesting an immortal form wearing a splendid robe, with white dragon horns on his forehead, of a venerable being.

In fact, Jiang Wang was already exerting himself to maintain his balance at this time, adhering to the limit of the eternal Heavenly Sea and returning to the present world, walking on the edge of heaven and demon. A peak-level Dharma body could not move, his only choices were the Immortal Dragon Dharma Form and the Heavenly Person Dharma Form.

He chose the Immortal Dragon.

One more Heavenly Person could not influence the Heavenly Sea battlefield, but the appearance of an Immortal Dragon in the deep sea of the Heavenly Way had its own significance.

Putting history aside, in this current era, among the holders of Immortal Palaces he recognized, none understood the Heavenly Sea more than him—of course, Shan Hai Dao Lord was an exception.

That was to say, he was possibly the only Immortal Palace Master appearing in the deep sea of the Heavenly Way and exerting such great influence, involved so deeply with the sea.

Ye Qingyu's birth mother, Lu Qiu Chao Lu's death, originated from the Jing State's immortal court scheme that year. On the day the Chaowendao Tian Palace opened, someone came to ask about immortals. Tracing back, at the time of the Immortal Palace era's destruction, the immortals condensed immortal seeds and began their "ascension."

During the initial prison battle, against the Heavenly people, the Immortal Dragon said: "I have not heard of the Heavenly Way victorious over the Human Way, I do not believe there are true immortals above heaven!"

The questioning was actually aimed at the Heavenly people. The so-called true immortals were not the immortals of the Immortal People Era, but strong individuals who could overcome the Human Way.

And at that time, that pure Heavenly person immediately responded: "There are no immortals above heaven!"

Were there truly no immortals above heaven?

At least there certainly were, once!

The "no immortals" that Heavenly person Jiang Wang said at that time was more like a declaration of war outcome—"There are no longer any above heaven, and there shouldn't be any on the ground."

What view did the Immortal People Era, which inherited mythology and ended with truth, hold towards today's Dizang and today's Heavenly Sea?

If those "ascended" immortal seeds had all died, could the power of immortal fallen beings be summoned in this Heavenly Sea, like the old matter of the Fallen Immortal Forest?

This venerable Immortal Dragon Dharma Form left his body and went, escaping from the golden Kun Peng Heavenly Form, as if walking out of a supreme Heavenly Palace, directly heading for the seabed.

Overturning rivers and seas with angry cloud waves, but the Immortal Dragon Dharma Form, enveloped in a circle of golden glory Heavenly Form, actually dived freely.

The greatest danger in the deep sea of the Heavenly Way so far, besides the erosion of the Heavenly Sea itself, was those "stones" silent in the depths of the Heavenly Sea.

But now, a part was summoned by Dizang as the Five Fingers Fan Mountain, and a part was firmly pressed to the seabed by the Innocent Heavenly Person.

Thus, a mere Cave True level Immortal Dragon Dharma Form, enveloped in a layer of Kun Peng Heavenly Form, actually swam freely and unimpeded in the deep Heavenly Sea!

He grew two dragon whiskers from his lower jaw, infinitely extending and drifting in the Heavenly Sea.

One was named Eye See, one was named Ear Hear, both naturally enveloped in a semi-transparent golden Heavenly Form.

Diving ten thousand li, almost at the limit of this body, this venerable Immortal Dragon Dharma Form suddenly stopped, and the two dragon whiskers also suddenly swung. Without needing to open his mouth, the Ear Hear whisker naturally resonated—

"I come here now, asking if there are immortals above heaven?!"

Just at this time, a path of immortal light suddenly released, instantly expanding into a vague yet noble palace, enveloping this immortal form within it.

The Immortal Dragon had already left the Heavenly Palace, and possessed his own Immortal Palace.

Speaking of which, he had a special discovery in the Fallen Immortal Forest—

Cloud Top Immortal Palace could integrate the powers of other Immortal Palaces, and under the illumination of other Immortal Palaces, gain a certain degree of recovery!

At that time, during the great battle with the Nameless One, he used three Immortal Palaces to establish the battlefield. In his full state, Jiang Wang precisely integrated three Immortal Palaces, borrowed the historical resonance triggered by the Immortal Palaces in the Fallen Immortal Forest, attracted the power of the immortal fallen beings within the Fallen Immortal Forest, and seized the opportunity to cut off the Calamity Fighting Stone Beast planned by the Nameless One with one sword.

And under the simultaneous support of the Ruyi Immortal Palace and the Beast Controlling Immortal Palace, the tattered Cloud Top Immortal Palace actually had slow recovery.

Just like the Immortal Palace warriors built by Baiyun Tongzi earlier, they could not die or be extinguished, even if only a little residue remained, they could slowly recover with time. Cloud Top Immortal Palace actually had similar benefits, it just needed the immortal light of other Immortal Palaces to trigger it.

Perhaps this kind of difficult-to-erase and not resource-intensive characteristic was the foundation of Cloud Top Immortal Palace.

This was truly an Immortal Palace suitable for him!

The power of immortal fallen beings was inherently difficult to seek again, and this place was not in the Fallen Immortal Forest, but an Immortal Dragon enveloped in a Heavenly Form controlling an Immortal Palace, asking about immortals in the Heavenly Sea—it was probably difficult to have a more profound summoning!

"Immortal Child! Immortal Child?"

Baiyun Immortal Child also didn't know when he had fallen asleep, actually unable to wake up.

The Immortal Dragon Dharma Form controlled the Immortal Palace itself, and under the support of the Kun Peng Heavenly Form, the two dragon whiskers extended thousands of li, ten thousands of li, like fine dragons flying.

Dragon roars echoed, knocking and seeking traces of immortals!

At this time, the Immortal Dragon seemed to hear a sword cry. It was also like an echo of a dragon roar.

With his cultivation of eye and ear immortal arts, he couldn't distinguish this sound for a while, his immortal ears hazy. Only his immortal heart shook violently, not knowing whether it was being hit by the increasingly intense sea waves, or disturbed by some mysterious power.

Just about to investigate again, suddenly, a shock!

As if the entire deep sea of the Heavenly Way shook for a moment.

At the same time, a path of flood-like sound rang out—

"Dan Tai Wenshu!"

And accompanying this sound were infinite echoes—

"Wenshu, Wenshu, Wenshu!"

"Original nature is convenient, how to seek Prajna!"

The Immortal Dragon Dharma Form shattered like foam, bits of immortal glory in the water slowly sinking, just like falling sand.

Cloud Top Immortal Palace turned into a small square, spinning chaotically, piercing the Heavenly Sea and returning to the Five Mansions Sea. Brilliant light gathered, exhausted, silent and soundless.

Jiang Wang, standing in the Kun Peng Heavenly Form, paused slightly.

Up to now, the shattering of a Dharma Form could no longer harm his foundation, it was merely a matter of time to repair it. But the Immortal Dragon Dharma Form shattered, and all the messages the Immortal Dragon had obtained were lost. He had no way of knowing whether the Immortal Dragon received any response, and how it shattered.

Only his ears had already heard such a grand call.

That was Dizang's magnificent voice, echoing in the Five Fingers Fan Mountain.

But looking at the majestic giant mountain, on the first section of the middle finger's belly, the mountain wall was self-scarred, carving out a huge Buddha image.

Amidst the mournful Zen sounds, this venerable Buddha image opened its eyes, overlooking the Five Fingers Fan Mountain below, and the Innocent Heavenly Person who was supporting the mountain with his hand.

His voice was very complex, clearly questioning, yet with a trace of nostalgia, and more tolerance: "Master Wenshu, you traitor! In the past, you betrayed Buddha and left, and now you have the guts to come see me?"

The Innocent Heavenly Person always used a layer of turbid water bubbles to wrap himself, as if sitting on His boat, living in His palace—for some reason, Jiang Wang felt He had a huge insecurity of losing everything at any time, like a child hiding in a cabinet.

He simply lifted his head inside the water bubble and confronted Dizang.

Inside Dizang's Buddha eyes was infinite warmth and understanding, while inside the Innocent Heavenly Person's turbid eyes, there was only the purest emotion—

That was undisguised disgust!

"Don't use that disgusting tone to speak with me. I am a Ye Luo Heavenly Person, and you are just a corpse worm!" The Innocent Heavenly Person disgustedly pushed his palm upwards: "Are we very familiar?"

The finger on the Buddha image looked compassionate: "You followed the World Honored One, and the World Honored One entered nirvana. You followed the Confucian Ancestor, and the Confucian Ancestor fell into slumber. You should have an auspicious name!"

"Auspicious meaning denotes that the Tathagata possesses wonderful virtues. Thus, all worlds praise and support Him, and gain auspiciousness!"

Inside the deep sea of the Heavenly Way, countless voices actually rang out together.

"Namo Dizang Venerable Buddha!"

"Na Mo, A Li Ye, Ke Shi Di, Ga Ha Ba Ye!"

Brahma light illuminated from the Buddha's eyes. Every breath seemed to be nailed to immeasurable fate.

As Dizang's Brahma sound rose, the Innocent Heavenly Person's body suddenly emitted treasure light. That dirty water human body indeed showed an auspicious appearance.

Lotus flowers bloomed on the shoulders of the turbid water, and Brahma seals appeared on the turbid water body.

Originally a dirty, filthy water person, at this point, He showed a few points of treasure-like solemn appearance.

Especially His pair of turbid eyes, round and glistening, golden and bright.

Even His anger became pitifully cute!

The Innocent Heavenly Person, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, jumped up! Raising boundless mad tides, rolling up the Five Fingers Fan Mountain with Him, His eyes filled with insulted anger: "I never betrayed! On the contrary, you know nothing! You lowly corpse worm! What right do you have to speak of ideals! What face do you have to mention the World Honored One!"

Jiang Wang, while exerting himself to flap the Heavenly Sea and raise mad waves, controlled the Kun Peng Heavenly Form and swam towards a farther place.

This was called pulling open the battle lines, expanding the battlefield, making the enemy unable to attend to both ends and cope inadequately. It was an extremely important move in military strategy!

Now, observing the Innocent Heavenly Person up close, especially His performance under Dizang's suppression, Jiang Wang gained a clearer understanding of Him—

The Innocent Heavenly Person seemed to maintain Himself using ultimate emotions. Therefore, He would be like a child who couldn't hide his thoughts. Every tiny emotion was extremely amplified, so He would cry and laugh, appearing completely without cunning.

Why He once retained the "Bitter Sea Eternal Sinking Desire Demon Art" was perhaps also to feel ultimate emotion and extreme desire from it.

But… as the order holder created by the Heavenly Way, a direct son of the Heavenly Way, did the Ye Luo Race people also need to maintain themselves?

This chapter is 6k words, of which 2k are for the great alliance "Just Right Good Good" (4/10)

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