Above the high heavens, layers of clouds receded, revealing a boundless, cloudless expanse where a colossal palm, transitioning from ethereal to solid, materialized.
Below, Gu Junshi, her cold eyelids lifting, her expression unreadable, rapidly formed seals with her hands. Palms together, then in meditation, she withdrew them, only to press them together again, her movements a blur of countless hand seals. Finally, her right palm remained upright, her thumb and index finger touching, forming a lotus-holding mudra. The Great Tathagata Subduing Demon Seal, as executed by her, was naturally extraordinary.
"Gu Junshi!"
The demon god's expression shifted.
She had actually learned the Buddhist demon-quelling seal, and successfully formed it!
Only now did it understand what the Buddhist disciple had left imprinted upon her earlier.
It was his soul's imprint, his innate Buddha bone, and all his cultivation.
"Heart holding the Buddha seal for long, expelling the demonic army –"
"Retreat –"
"Retreat –"
The golden colossal palm swung down fiercely from above. It pierced through layers, and everywhere it passed, it forcefully cleared away turbid energies like a raging storm. The demonic energy that had lingered stubbornly in the Twenty-Eight Heavens was instantly purged.
Those with bloodshot eyes, previously infected by the demonic energy, were jolted by the immense impact. The dark aura on their faces gradually faded and dissipated. Within moments, everyone gradually regained their senses.
They had not lost their memories, and they all remembered what they had done while influenced by the demonic energy.
However, they found it unbelievable that they had truly committed such heinous acts!
"Ughhhhh – Woo woo…"
Upon seeing the corpses around them, some familiar, some not, and the gruesome scene of flesh and blood splattered everywhere, their bodies trembled.
The more frantic they had been before, the more tormented they were now.
Self-reproach, remorse, guilt, and hatred caused them to cry out in heart-wrenching wails. "I didn't mean to, I didn't want to, please forgive me… woo woo…"
Gu Junshi's external manifestation stood not far from them. Previously, she had used herself as a blade, as armor, as a shield, drawing all their malevolent thoughts and killing intent towards herself.
Now that the demonic energy had been purged and purified, the golden light emanating from half her body dispersed in the wind, drifting behind her upright back. In the sunlight, it was as thin as a cicada's wing, seeming to dissipate into flight.
She lowered her long neck, covering one golden eye with her hand, as if trying to hold onto something more.
"Fool… discarding all merit and the chance to attain enlightenment and sainthood, only for this fleeting moment before vanishing into smoke…"
You fulfilled everyone, but who will fulfill you?
"Brother…"
Feeling the gentle breeze caress her face, like a mountain stream flowing over water, a sensation that calmed the soul, it was the state of mind one achieved when constantly listening to purification mantras.
The Great Dao is formless, giving birth to heaven and earth.
Born of the earth, returning to the heavens.
Ru Lan, covering her face, pushed aside the attempts of others to stop her, and knelt down in agony, weeping uncontrollably.
Even though this was his own choice, she could not accept it.
"Why you? Why…"
Lu Ziyin approached her, his eyes also filled with emotion and sorrow. He took a deep breath, steadying his emotions, and comforted her, "Ru Lan, the Great Dao is unfeeling, governing the sun and moon. The sorrows and pains of the world may seem immense, but they are not greater than heaven and earth. The Buddhist disciple is a sage, one with great wisdom who comprehends the Great Dao. His choice is also like that."
"I don't understand any of this damn great wisdom or great principles. All I know is that I've lost the only remaining relative I have in this world… woo woo…"
"Buddhist Disciple (Senior Brother, Junior Brother, Uncle-Master)…"
The monks of Maha Zen Temple also had tears streaming down their faces, but their expressions differed from Ru Lan's bewilderment and grief. It was a look of resolute reverence, like pilgrims.
They all sat down on the ground, forming a circle, and began chanting the reincarnation mantra with piety and full concentration.
"But for the defiled insult, wandering through life and death, often submerged in the sea of suffering, forever losing the true Way."
They would inherit the Buddhist disciple's will, feeding themselves to the eagles, purifying their minds, their spirits would naturally be clear, unafraid of sacrifice.
-------------------------------------
The demon god had not expected Gu Junshi to have such a fortuitous encounter. One had to possess immense courage and resolve to be so fearlessly self-sacrificing.
Without sincere devotion and absolute faith, it was impossible to offer up one's all to fulfill others.
Such a feat was something ordinary people could never accomplish.
It was truly one in a thousand years.
The demon god almost gritted its teeth and said, "Gu Junshi, you are indeed fortunate to escape crises every time, but this time, this god will not give you another chance!"
Perhaps it was due to encountering too many unexpected events with Gu Junshi.
From the beginning, when it had not taken her seriously at all, to her thwarting its actions time and again, the demon god truly felt a sense of crisis. It ceased its prevarications and chose to act directly.
A hurricane swirled beneath its feet, black, vortex-like demonic energy pierced the ground, and the border instantly trembled and shook, throwing people and mounts into chaos.
The inhabitants of Fengdu City, thrown about, tried to soar into the air but were firmly suppressed by the demonic energy, unable to ascend. They could only run desperately like mortals, dodging and weaving. Behind them, the fracturing earth heaved, and fissures split open, forming steep canyons.
However, no matter how fast they ran, they could not outrun the demonic energy pursuing them like subterranean dragons. Just as the distance between them was rapidly closing, and they were about to be engulfed by the demon god's demonic energy—
Gu Junshi flashed into existence. The Human Emperor and Dan Ya behind her, sensing something, turned their heads. They saw hundreds of thousands of Gu Junshi's external manifestations instantly merge back into her.
She stood tall, her formless essence transforming into a mighty, broadsword. It was fiercely and swiftly plunged into the ground.
Boom— Instantly, a row of towering and majestic walls rose from the flat ground. Though called walls, they stood as tall as mountains, extending in a chain like expanding river veins. The pursuing demonic energy crashed against them, but instead of breaking through, it was further repelled and firmly sealed on the other side.
The fleeing people, after hearing a deafening sound, soon experienced a sudden return to quietude. Out of curiosity, they turned their heads back, a mix of surprise and doubt on their faces.
But then, they saw countless stray projectiles raining down from above, all striking around Gu Junshi.
"Be careful!"
As Gu Junshi looked up, she remained unhurried. She weaved and dodged, perfectly evading everything. Just as she turned back, her chest suddenly tightened, and she was forcefully thrown from a height, crashing onto the ground.
But when they looked anxiously at the ground, the dust settled, revealing a deep, sunken pit, but no sign of her. Searching around blankly, they discovered she had already engaged the demon god.
To prevent the fragile Twenty-Eight Heavens from being affected by the battle between the demon and the immortal, causing immense damage, Gu Junshi had, at one point, pulled them into an alternate dimension. Therefore, in the fleeting moments observed by others, they had actually exchanged thousands of blows.
Heaven and earth crumbled, sun and moon were devoid of light.
Each fierce strike of the broadsword was leisurely dodged by the demon god. The sharp edge of the sword, when it struck its body, was blocked by the barrier drawn with divine-demonic patterns. To this day, she could not even touch its true form.
Conversely, the wounds on her body continued to multiply, crisscrossing her.
Although she had an immortal body, she was not immune to injury or death. The wounds caused by demonic energy were always vicious and prolonged, especially that of the demon god, making her self-healing extremely difficult.