Taiyi Dao Fruit

"The Buddha's face is like the bright full moon, also like a thousand suns radiating light;

The round light shines universally over all directions, joy, renunciation, and compassion are all complete.

I entrust myself to all Buddhas in the ten directions. The Dharma Wheel constantly turns to save sentient beings."

In Da Xing City, Buddhist chanting arose, spreading throughout the ten directions, followed firstly by the reappearance of the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Image, then the manifestations of Guanyin and Maitreya, and next the Bodhisattvas such as Weituo, Guangli, Vajra Store, and the Dharma Images of the Sixteen Arhats appeared one by one.

The Buddhist chant started within the city, echoing in all directions, swiftly covering Da Xing County and even showing a trend of spreading outward.

The Buddha Country has been operating in Yong Province for a long time, and there are prefectural governors and county magistrates who have been subdued. At this time, Hong Haogu was used by Tan Wuwei to serve as the hub covering the True Void Home, with the Buddhist chant permeating everywhere, and in just a short time it connected the surrounding three counties into one, with the vast Buddha Light breaking through the clouds to universally save all directions.

"It happened so fast, it seems it has been planned for a long time."

Jiang Li, who hadn't left the Governor Mansion for long, looked back and sensed the enormous Buddha's energy appearing in the Governor Mansion. In Jiang Li's vision, this Qi Mechanism was like a Heavenly Pillar, soaring straight into the sky.

It was very clear that Tan Wuwei... or rather Manjusri's universal salvation plan had already begun, just within this short moment.

Thinking back to when Hong Haogu went out with Shen Hou, even if they returned immediately, it would take some time, so this "short time" has to be discounted.

Implementing the plan to universally save Yong Province in such a short time was obviously not made up on the spot but had been planned, and might even have undergone much practice, otherwise, it shouldn't have succeeded in one try.

Perhaps, this step was already set when Shen Hou stole the God-beating Whip or even earlier.

'This is aiming to occupy the Divine Domain, wanting to literally carve out a piece from the territory of Great Zhou.'

Jiang Li noticed the Buddhist chant penetrating every corner, knowing that this was Manjusri's confidence in wanting to take Great Zhou.

Each territory occupied is followed by universal salvation, while the Divine Domain should also be infiltrated and transformed, gradually reducing the Emperor's power with the diminishing territory of Great Zhou.

The power brought by the Emperor Dao Fruit depends on the strength of the dynasty.

Manjusri's plans are indeed far-reaching, even considering the capture of Great Zhou. This sudden eruption is a series of relentless schemes.

Jiang Li sensed the changes in the surrounding Qi Mechanism, hearing gradually more people chanting Buddhist names, taking refuge in the Great Sun Tathagata, yet he felt no ripple in his heart, merely finding a room in a recently remodeled temple nearby, sitting cross-legged.

A book only visible to him opened, and the patterns drawn on its pages came into view.

Da Kun, Tianpeng, flying birds, swimming fish, long rivers... precisely the remaining part of Zhuang Zhou Dao Fruit previously collected in the Karma Collection.

This Dao Fruit is recorded in the Karma Collection in the form of patterns, or in the form of karma's existence. Now is the time to absorb this karma, this Dao Fruit into himself.

While Manjusri is continually advancing, Jiang Li cannot stand still.

Jiang Li extended his right hand, slowly forward, his fingertip gradually approaching the Karma Collection, then...

A tangible texture came from his fingertip.

Just like ordinary pages, with a slight friction, as his fingers brushed over, those patterns seemed to come alive.

This was the first time Jiang Li truly touched the Karma Collection. Before, he merely looked at it, used it, but never truly touched it.

And now, as his fingers brushed over the pages, a sense of enlightenment quietly arose.

[Karma Collection, collecting karma, karma will not become Jiang Li's obstacle but will become his aid.]

The Karma Collection manifested what Jiang Li gained in the form of words while beginning to further reveal the functions of the Karma Collection.

[Harness karma, once verified, eternally verified, never backsliding; rewriting karma, Dao Fruit metamorphosis, satisfactory; completing karma, Dao Fruit converging, returning to completeness.]

At this moment, Jiang Li's sense of enlightenment came from [Harnessing Karma].

Once verified, eternally verified, never backsliding, so Jiang Li does not need to worry about the integrity of Zhuang Zhou Dao Fruit affecting his foundation, causing negative impacts.

In fact, Jiang Li has confidence in completing the Zhuang Zhou Dao Fruit precisely because he knows he has the safety net of the Karma Collection.

Also [Rewriting Karma].

Initially, Jiang Li transformed ordinary Dao Fruit into a unique Dao Fruit using this ability. Later, when Jiang Li advanced to the fourth-rank, the Qingyuan Miaodao True Monarch completed it, its level reaching the third grade, almost tearing Jiang Li apart, and it was also this ability that modified it, lowering the upper limit of the Dao Fruit while retaining the original divine abilities.

Theoretically, the grade of the Qingyuan Miaodao True Monarch had decreased, but Jiang Li could elevate this upper limit again through his own integration with the Dao Fruit.

Essentially, the power decreased, but everything remained, including Yang Jian's insights into the Eight-Nine Profound Skill.

These Jiang Li did not know before; only now, communicating with the Karma Collection, did he understand.

That he could fight third grade while being fourth-rank; the foundation laid and the accommodated Dao Fruits were one aspect, and the benefits from Yang Jian Dao Fruit were also indispensable.

However, this time is different from before. This time completing the Zhuang Zhou Dao Fruit involves rewriting an already fully integrated Dao Fruit, and the result is unknown. Theoretically, Jiang Li will not retreat, and there will be no negative impact, but how much he will gain is unknown.

So...

"Karma Collection, let me see your limits."

Jiang Li placed his hand on the pages of the book. Suddenly, each illustration began to concentrate on the two open pages, gradually moving, following Jiang Li's palm, attaching to his arm, and disappearing into his body.

At the same time, indistinct murmurs and long chants echoed in Jiang Li's heart.

"In the North, there is a fish, its name is Kun, the Kun is so big..."

"Not separated from the sect, it is called Heavenly; not separated from the essence, it is called Divine; not separated from the truth, it is called the Supreme. Taking heaven as the sect, virtue as the foundation, Dao as the gate, illuminating change, it is called the Saint..."

"Dao with its form, heaven with its shape..."

"The way of heaven operates without accumulation, so all things become; the way of the emperor operates without accumulation, so the world returns..."

The profound essence of subtle words and meanings echoed in his heart, tumultuous yet exceedingly clear, allowing Jiang Li to deeply understand their meaning.

His mind soared with these essences, as if escaping his body, transforming into Kunpeng, transforming into a bird, transforming into wind and clouds, even transforming into the Five Vile Qi, roaming through heaven and earth.

It was unity of Heaven and Man, yet unlike unity of Heaven and Man.

Jiang Li had long been able to achieve unity of Heaven and Man, and was not unfamiliar with it. He now felt born with heaven and earth, an intuitive feeling of unity of Heaven and Man, yet at the same time, he was able to view heaven and earth from a third person perspective.

Between heaven and earth, filled with the Five Vile Qi, the natural operation carried an intangible coarseness, like somewhat rusty cogs.

Heaven and earth should be ill, or perhaps it had already reached doomsday.

Jiang Li had always speculated about this, but had never come to a conclusion.

Upon seeing it again today, he leaned toward the former, which was "heaven and earth are ill."

This "machine" now appeared to have rusty cogs, operating somewhat sluggishly, but overall it hadn't reached a stage of obsolescence, devoid of a doomsday atmosphere.

This was good news since Jiang Li had no plans to be a savior. His lifespan was currently very long, and barring any unforeseen events, even a ten-thousand-year-old tortoise might not outlive him. After all, the Five Vile Qi had become difficult to affect him.

If doomsday were truly approaching, Jiang Li was likely to survive until it arrived.

This state was satisfactory to him.

His thoughts wandered amidst heaven and earth, his perception roamed, covering all of Yong Province.

Within his "view," three particularly distinct entities entered his perception.

Firstly, there was the nearby Buddha's Light, then a stream of Pure Qi located at Laojun Temple, and lastly, a shadow transformed into a dragon shape.

'This should be Qi Shu, and the Pure Qi is evidently one of the Three Pure Ones of a Daoist Lord, who hasn't left Yong Province. As for the Dragon Shadow, that's my good brother.'

Jiang Li's "view" wandered, from the Pure Qi to the Dragon Shadow, discerning the reality of both.

The Daoist Lord's true form had not arrived in Yong Province, only one of the Three Pure Ones. The Great Venerable neither came in person, only the avatar of Witch Zhen was present.

This made Jiang Li feel that these two were less significant compared to the Buddha's Light.

Within the Buddha's Light, the Great Sun Tathagata manifested, surrounded by Bodhisattvas and Arhats, its Qi Shu reached a critical mass, surpassing the Three Pure Ones and the Great Venerable's avatar, and even Jiang Li himself.

Earlier, Jiang Li had sent out a fragment of telekinesis for Manjusri to absorb, thereby weakening his own Qi Shu, while Manjusri was revered by two third-grades and various fourth and fifth-rank figures. Thus, Manjusri's external fortune exceeded his own innate Qi Shu.

A person's Qi Shu comes from two sources: one from oneself—the stronger one is, the stronger their inherent Qi Shu is, as strength is the foundation of Qi Shu. The other comes from external forces like power and status, or the people who follow them.

The more and stronger followers there are, the stronger the external fortune becomes.

At that moment, Manjusri's external fortune had already surpassed his own Qi Shu, indicating an enormous power. However, this external fortune seemed somewhat heterogeneous...

Jiang Li perceived Manjusri's Qi Shu, finding it a novel experience. Although he was capable of Observing Qi before, he could never achieve this level, let alone observe the Qi of Manjusri, the Great Venerable, or the Daoist Lord.

As he sought to examine Manjusri's Qi Shu closely, his mind ventured deeply, seemingly delving into Manjusri's Qi Shu, discerning its components, and understanding from where the streams of external fortune originated.

As Jiang Li sensed this microscopic insight, his mind continued deep into the familiar sensations, tracing what was his own part.

His thoughts wandered a world of dazzling strangeness, familiar and unfamiliar perceptions flashed through his consciousness, gradually nearing the target.

Yet at this moment, the Qi Shu wavered, and a magnificent light appeared.

"Who is it?"

A vast intent reverberated, Jiang Li's heart suddenly vigilant, thoughts moved rapidly, perception quickly retreated, "eyes" before him swiftly changed, heaven and earth shifted, and Jiang Li had already returned to his corporeal form.

At the same time, the Zhuang Zhou Dao Fruit in Jiang Li's perception underwent a change.

[Supreme Person], [Divine Person], [Saint].