Chaotic World Book

"Yuxu still harbors old grievances, but those are matters from many years ago," Yuan Xing said. "In earlier times, before the rise of the Four Symbols Sect, it was mostly the Buddhist and Taoist paths competing in the public eye, and conflict was inevitable. Since the former dynasty, Yuxu and my senior brother Yuan Cheng were rivals on the Hidden Dragon List, Human List, and Earth List, somewhat akin to the competition between the Tang sect leader and the Vermilion Bird Venerable..."

Zhao Changhe said, "...That's a good analogy. But following this comparison, if later Yuxu ranked fourth on the Heavenly List, how did your senior brother fare? Wouldn't Yuxu feel very upset?"

Yuan Xing couldn't help laughing and crying at the same time, "Of course, there wasn't the same kind of relationship born from rivalry as between the Tang sect leader and the Vermilion Bird Venerable. Who could be upset? It's already out of Yuxu's magnanimity not to get involved. As for falling behind... in the entire world, only a handful of more than ten people have ever broken through the Third Layer Secret Treasure. It's not surprising that my senior brother didn't manage it. Of course, if we really need an excuse for my senior brother, there's one that's well-known..."

"The former Emperor annihilated Buddhism, leading to the death of your Buddhas, a loss of heritage, and the energy lines are completely in disarray."

"Indeed."

"So now, you believe that the Four Symbols Sect lacks a universal foundation and plan to start anew... does that necessarily mean there will be conflicts with the Taoist path?"

Yuan Xing hesitated for a moment, "Strategically speaking, we're not in a position to clash with the Taoists. We might not even be a match for the Taiyi Sect of Gui Chen, let alone Yuxu."

Zhao Changhe had also been puzzled about this. The Buddhist sect is in such decline nowadays; why would they want to provoke a conflict between Buddhism and Taoism... To drive a tiger to swallow a wolf, you would need both a tiger and a wolf. To stir up chaos, you would need evenly matched forces. What's the point of pitting a cannon against a mosquito?

The only explanation he could think of was that the Buddhist sect still had some foundational strength left—perhaps, resurrectable Buddhas, maybe even more than one. Only then would it make sense to provoke a conflict with Yuxu. But their Buddha was still just a brick... Perhaps it was precisely because he was still a brick and might be controllable that led to this whole affair that he had become involved in.

That connects the dots. If that's the case, then Snow Eagle would either come back to steal this Buddha, or if not, it means he has other targets and doesn't necessarily need this one.

And this magical skill that uses chaotic demonic intent to attack Buddha sure sounds a lot like the legendary Bodhisattva...

Yuan Xing was saying, "The Heavenly Demon Bodhisattva is mentioned in the scriptures, and many in the world know of it... But I won't lie to you, King Zhao, we have never seen it and do not know whether it's a legend or real."

Zhao Changhe nodded; naturally, such beings are considered legends in the present world, but here they are more likely real. Moreover, demons of this caliber mentioned in scriptures and legends are of very high rank, possibly on the level of the Sea Emperor or the Ancient Four Symbols, potentially as powerful as Emperor Ye, not at all comparable to the likes of Desolate Calamity.

Now he had a rough idea; disasters like Desolate Calamity belonged to a series of calamities that didn't exist before and were manifestations of various world-ending attributes before the collapse of an epoch. One such entity, the calamitous fire, was unfortunate enough to emerge only to be immediately pierced to death by the Piaomiao Qinghe Sword. The others survived to this day, Desolate Calamity, Feng Yin, Destruction, and the like.

In theory, these beings have high status and could be called Innate Demon Gods, yet Zhao Changhe couldn't shake off the notion that "aren't these just Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?" lacking any sense of awe...

Another type, such as Duoluo, Xue Wu, and the Sword Emperor, were leaders of Ancient factions. For instance, Xue Wu was a beast spirit protector from the Spirit Clan, revered in status, and Duoluo was likely a senior monk or protector of the Buddhist faith from ancient times. Lie would also fall under this category, as mortals who practiced cultivation and became sovereigns, claiming divinity and falling into demonhood. The gap between the strongest and weakest in this category is significant—some as unimposing as Xue Wu, while others as formidable as Lie and the Sword Emperor.

The final type includes the Ancient Buddhas like Bodhisattva and various protectors, gods of Longevity Heaven, the Sea Emperor, Emperor Ye, and the Four Symbols and Piaomiao, and the like—true heavenly gods and Buddhas... and blind men. This category is the highest in stature and the trickiest to deal with. The Sea Emperor simply took advantage of a situation and had a run-in with an even more bug-like Xia. If there were to be another fight, he would surely be skewered alive, standing no chance.

He wondered which entity from Yuxu had been kept in check in the past and which category did it belong to?

Damn, so many of these things... No wonder the Heavenly Dao considered purging them all, and these are just the ones that remain. Come to think of it, with the Four Symbols gone, who knows how many of these supposed heavenly gods and Buddhas were left.

Noticing that Zhao Changhe was lost in thought, Yue Hongling, who had been quietly eating her congee and steamed buns, suddenly asked, "There's an Ice Crystal Mirror that reflects Heart Demons, draws on the soul... Also, various Exotic Beasts or Spiritual Bodies that can mimic others by peering into their minds. Could those be Bodhisattva?"

Yuan Xing was visibly shocked, "Exactly! If it's not a mirror, it might be the eye of Bodhisattva. As for the so-called Exotic Beasts and Spiritual Bodies, they could either be incarnations of Bodhisattva or his soul split into thousands."

Yue Hongling commented indifferently, "Then it's nothing more than that."

Yuan Xing: "?"

He opened his mouth but couldn't manage to say a word for a while. His heart was so tense that it seemed to be stuck in mid-air, unsure whether to leap out or fall back into place.

Yue Hongling didn't find her defeat of the Heart Demon to be any big deal, although it had been perilous. In truth, once she realized what was happening, it wasn't too difficult to overcome. She did not feel her resolute spirit and profound introspection signified much, yet in fact, it was the epitome of the "Sword Heart Clarity" in the Sword Dao, a state so rare that among all swordsmen and martial artists in the world, only a handful can achieve it. Not even many stronger than her can lay claim to this feat.

Against others, the demon Bodhisattva's tricks were nearly infallible, yet they were useless against her. All the illusions and deceptions, her sword heart pierced through them all; they were completely meaningless—like trying to fool a ghost.

Zhao Changhe also came to a realization and smiled, "At the very least, it can prove one thing: Bodhisattva is actually quite weak. It can only utilize such inherent mental manipulations akin to talent to get things done and cannot directly harm Hongling. With that in mind, I have a game plan."

Yuan Xing's mind was filled with a string of ellipses. That was the Heavenly Demon Bodhisattva, a being that could contend with Buddhas; did you have any idea what that meant?

He hesitated for a moment, then suggested, "If the adversary is Bodhisattva, Miss Yue might be fine. However, King Zhao's foundation is rooted in Blood Evil, which could likely lead to complications. Precautions must be taken in advance. Personally, I recommend that King Zhao should consider studying our monastery's Diamond Sutra."

Zhao Changhe glanced at him skeptically, "Your protector's Golden Bell Shield turned him into a puppet, so what good does reciting his Sutra do?"

Yuan Xing became a bit embarrassed, "This Golden Bell is not that Golden Bell. This is about Refining Heart Like Gold, impervious to a hundred demons. As for that Buddha, the result was of the Great Success of the Golden Bell Shield, which is conceptually a Body Refining Skill in the Martial Arts context. It has nothing to do with the Heart Demon."

Zhao Changhe was about to speak but stopped himself.

Yue Hongling couldn't help but laugh, "He's more interested in the Body Refining Skill."

Zhao Changhe bowed his head and continued eating his porridge. She really knows me...

Yuan Xing explained, "The Golden Bell Shield is indeed the cornerstone upon which our monastery was established; truthfully, it cannot be passed onto others. I hope King Zhao can understand. Moreover, since King Zhao has no understanding of Buddhist Law, it would be impossible to learn."

Zhao Changhe knew this was the likely outcome but still felt a bit let-down. Damn, it looks like these dog-bitten days are going to continue for a while. "I don't understand Buddhist Law, but the Diamond Sutra I can study?"

Yuan Xing blinked, displaying a hint of slyness, "It is one aspect of Buddhist Law... in a sense, the Diamond Sutra could be considered preaching to King Zhao."

Zhao Changhe pondered for a moment, his mind suddenly sparked with an idea.

In fact, he was no longer concerned about the issues with Blood Evil—he was already considering the notion of "dominance," where all the Blood Evil in the world should be subdued by him. In this day and age, worrying about Blood Evil backfiring or being exploited by others... how shameful... But what he was thinking of at that moment was the Blind Man.

With the Heavenly Book increasingly being used... a heart as strong as gold... I wonder if this could make a difference in a future encounter with the Blind Man.

Besides, if the Heavenly Book analyzed the Diamond Sutra, could it deduce the secret of the Golden Bell Shield? It was a long shot, but there was a chance.

Finally, he nodded, "Alright, let's not mention preaching. Consider it a favor accepted by me. If you wish to repay the help this time, we'll call it even."

Yuan Xing sighed deeply and showed a smile, "King Zhao is a man of quick decisions."

A young novice monk ran up from outside, "Venerable Uncle, the Abbot sent me to report that the Secret Realm is closing up, and there are no other exits."

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PS: I'm pleading for monthly tickets~ Yiyingying~