Chapter 829: Chapter 50: Ancestor Worship and Departure
The world within the Heart Awakening Cave is the last piece of pure land.
When there is awareness in the heart, the Tao progresses.
Zhou Yan found a quiet and harmonious place, unsealed the space he had refined and carried with him, and let Hua Qiudao, Liu Haoxin, and Zhao Xiaoxiao come out from it.
This time, once Zhao Xiaoxiao came out, her attitude immediately changed to some extent, her gaze complex and filled with gratitude and thankfulness.
After understanding some matters, with Liu Haoxin’s confirmation, Zhao Xiaoxiao linked Zhou Yan with the initially gentle and elegant Zhou Yan, merging them completely.
Therefore, she had completely believed the words of Hua Qiudao and others and believed in Zhou Yan.
Only by believing, will one feel guilty and self-reproachful.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou Yan... if you don’t mind, I hope that I, Xiaoxiao, can join you as Master, just like Fellow Daoist Liu Haoxin. Now, Xiaoxiao is all alone, without any attachments, and can wholeheartedly serve by Master’s side, hoping for your consent."
Zhao Xiaoxiao said respectfully, with a glimmer of hope in her beautiful eyes.
This was the first time Zhou Yan saw the light of hope after seeing the hopelessness in her eyes.
Zhou Yan originally had the intention to accept disciples, and Zhao Xiaoxiao was actually quite fitting for the Xuanyuan Inheritance. Now that Zhao Xiaoxiao spoke like this, what reason did Zhou Yan have to refuse?
"Xiaoxiao, rise, I accept."
Zhou Yan said softly.
Seeing hope rekindled in the eyes of someone who was in despair is not easy, and Zhou Yan felt very gratified.
Moreover, Zhao Xiaoxiao and Pure Yang Sect helped him a lot, and if Zhao Xiaoxiao were to fall like this, Zhou Yan would feel it was a regret in his life.
"Xiaoxiao greets Master."
Zhao Xiaoxiao said happily and immediately performed the ritual of becoming a disciple.
Zhou Yan waited silently for her to finish the ceremony before saying, "In this world, for now, there are only you and Liu Haoxin as my disciples. In the Outer Star Domain of the Sword Burial Ancestor Star, there are Hou Chen and my daughter Sisi as disciples. In the Heavenly Emperor Universe, there is Yilan as a disciple..."
"Originally, I intended to accept more disciples on Earth, which was a promise to a certain senior, but unfortunately, time did not wait for me. When I emerged from the tribulation, everything had changed."
Zhou Yan briefly explained the situation of the Black Sword Burial Ancestor Star and the Heavenly Emperor Universe, and also introduced Hou Chen, Yilan, and others so that Liu Haoxin and Zhao Xiaoxiao could understand.
Then, while the two disciples were thoughtful, Zhou Yan began to unlock the Heavenly Pivot Ancient Town for Hua Qiudao.
The Heavenly Pivot Ancient Town is an internal sealing, an unsealing of the bloodline’s source.
When he didn’t understand it, Zhou Yan felt it was very difficult, but now, not only did he understand it, but he could open and seal it.
This is an Ancient ’sealing method’.
Hua Qiudao had terrifying potential, and when Zhou Yan opened his Heavenly Pivot Ancient Town, it naturally loosened almost merely by Zhou Yan exerting a little bit of technique.
Then, the terrifying Hao Yu Heavenly Tribulation immediately descended.
The sky and earth immediately turned pitch black, and the severity of the catastrophe was not inferior to that of Zhou Yan’s.
This kind of magnitude astounded Zhou Yan immensely.
But in this heavenly tribulation, endless Dao Venerables and Sumeru Buddhas emerged in unison.
A giant Buddha appeared in the void, questioning Hua Qiudao.
Its language was beyond Zhou Yan’s perception, but it was like a dialogue between Buddhas, like a question-and-answer session between teacher and student.
Upon awakening and witnessing this scene, Zhao Xiaoxiao and Liu Haoxin were utterly astonished.
But it was precisely this scene that made Zhao Xiaoxiao completely certain that Hua Qiudao was not being deceived, as the merit power of Hua Qiudao was blending into his soul.
Zhou Yan, taking advantage of this opportunity, immediately opened the Heavenly Pivot Ancient Town for Liu Haoxin and Zhao Xiaoxiao. If this heavenly tribulation connected, both would benefit greatly, and because they would each be tainted with heavenly tribulation power, it would lead to Heavenly Dao sanctions should they become adversaries, causing signs of loosening in their realms, which is the so-called karma.
Zhou Yan’s form flickered, his body split into two, transforming into two Zhou Yans, simultaneously opening the Heavenly Pivot Ancient Town for Liu Haoxin and Zhao Xiaoxiao.
At this moment, Zhou Yan noticed that after the Void Buddha questioned Hua Qiudao for a moment, a Dao Venerable appeared.
Following the Dao Venerable, another Buddha appeared. This time, the language spoken by the Buddha was pure Tai Chu Rune, and this time Zhou Yan understood.
"Thus have I heard."
"World-Honored One, the Tathagata is good at protecting and instructing all Bodhisattvas. Good men and good women, who generate the supreme and perfect Bodhi mind, how should they dwell, how should they subdue their mind?"
The Buddha said: "Excellent, excellent. Subhuti! As you say, the Tathagata is good at protecting and instructing Bodhisattvas. Listen carefully! I will tell you: good men and good women, who generate the supreme and perfect Bodhi mind, should dwell thus, and subdue their mind thus."
Hua Qiudao said: "Indeed, I am willing and eager to hear, World-Honored One."
"Hua Qiudao! What do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen through form?"
"No, World-Honored One! The Tathagata cannot be seen through form. Why? Because the form the Tathagata speaks of is not form."
The Buddha told Hua Qiudao: "All forms are illusory. If you see all forms as non-forms, you see the Tathagata."
...
Zhou Yan, with his own eyes, witnessed the Buddha convey the concept of ’form’ — namely, no self-form, no other form, no sentient being form, no life span form. What exists, is solely because it is named ’existent’, and is essentially non-existent. Understanding existence in non-existence gives insight into the essence of form, revealing the Tathagata.
This is essentially the Supreme Dao — True Void.
True Void means almost all that is real can be termed illusory, and all that is illusory can be termed real.
Zhou Yan instantly comprehended this Tao, but it was in conjunction with his own understanding, whereas Hua Qiudao achieved Harmonization, embodying both the Tao and the Buddha, with his own insight.
In his view, if others have injuries, as long as his Merit Power and altruistic spirit are strong, he believes others have no injuries, then others have no injuries.
Others are alive, but that person is a villain. He believes that person is about to die and enter Hell; that villain will bear a Dao akin to ’Killing Spirit Divine Dao,’ alive yet dying, life gone with the Dao extinguished.
This is the terrifying extent of such a person.
This is an existence defying the heavens. Zhou Yan barely saw the tip of the iceberg, and cold sweat already seeped from his body.
He expected Hua Qiudao to be strong, but looking at this, the person seems to have inherited all after the ’Ten Thousand Buddhas’ Extinction, All Immortals Suffering’.
While analyzing and contemplating, Zhou Yan also unsealed for Liu Haoxin and Zhao Xiaoxiao.
These two are equally terrifying. The Emperor Xuan Yuan’s Energy within Liu Haoxin far surpassed Zhou Yan’s imagination; it seemed just a mass, yet its intensity was soul-shaking.
The Heavenly Tribulation attracted in an instant was akin to the Rebellion Bone Heavenly Tribulation descending, with a formidable and savage might.
And Zhao Xiaoxiao, once Heavenly Pivot Ancient Town was activated, the Fu Xi Shen Nong Ding unleashed Emperor Fu Xi’s peerless prestige, shaking heaven and earth.
The three’s Heavenly Tribulations shocked the ancients, and this Void seemed on the verge of collapse.
Yet precisely, the Buddha Dao Venerable’s Heavenly Tribulation could balance these other two, coupled with Zhou Yan’s Emperor Qi Dragon Swallowing Sky Divine Skill guarding, all three were in thrill without peril.
...
"Demons run amok, causing chaos in the world, how to deal with it, dispensing merit?"
"World Honored One, demons are not demons, merely named demons. Chaos is not the world, but the human heart. The human heart has Sword Dao, slaying heart demons, subduing heresies, is then cultivation, realizing Buddhism."
Hua Qiudao responded neither humble nor arrogant.
"Indeed."
Another great Buddha recognized Hua Qiudao.
Ultimately, Hua Qiudao was the first to transcend the tribulation, directly achieving the Nine Origin Sword Saint Realm, with combat power almost equal to Zhou Yan, reaching the fifty-nine level.
After completing the tribulation, he descended from the Void, like a true enlightened Immortal God, exceptionally graceful and transcendent.
But when he looked at Zhou Yan, his gaze was infinitely respectful, as if seeing the best confidant.
Just this benevolent look made Zhou Yan already greatly gratified.
After Hua Qiudao, Zhao Xiaoxiao similarly achieved the Nine Origin Sword Saint Realm amid the Endless Heavenly Tribulation, relying on the immense power within the Fu Xi Shen Nong Ding, barely reaching the forty-nine strength level.
And Liu Haoxin, the same. Also reaching the forty-nine combat power, simultaneously acquiring Emperor Xuan Yuan’s supreme battle experience, gaining True Ancestor inheritance.
And this seems to be the limit of this world, unable to break further.
The three completed their transformation, all deeply grateful to Zhou Yan, sincerely bowed.
Afterward, all three spontaneously knelt and worshiped this heaven and earth.
No more, no less, all kowtowed three times, then three shadows flew out from their bodies, merging into this world.
"Wanxiang Dust, worship Ancestor Dao. Soul Xuan Yuan, Wupan Emperor."
An elderly voice gently echoed through this Space.
This space, already a ruin on the verge of collapse, gradually stabilized because of this voice.
"This is the last Ultimate Bliss. Immortal Gods perish, ancient Buddhas enter Nirvana. The Heart Awakening Cave I exerted all my strength to leave behind is also about to drift into Void today.
Life and death are merely ’life’ and ’death;’ without death, why life? Therefore, you need not grieve. Remember, now you four are the true hope, the last bloodline of Ancestor Land.
You must——"
This hoarse voice echoed through the Void, then heaven and earth brightened, innumerable lights began to flicker, finally suddenly extinguished.
Darkness enveloped heaven and earth.
"This is Randeng Ancient Buddha, the oldest great Buddha, now also entered Nirvana."
"Even light has darkened."
"Where Randeng Ancient Buddha resides, there is no darkness in the world."
Zhou Yan sighed in his heart; Randeng Ancient Buddha’s words ultimately were left unfinished, yet departed already. That last entrusted message couldn’t be conveyed.
Heaven and earth collapsed, Zhou Yan sensed very formidable and frightening power traversing the space-time nodes, rapidly killing toward here; he sensed seemingly those purple eyes drawing closer.
"Let’s go!"
Zhou Yan’s heart sank, immediately summoned the throne from his brow, enveloped Hua Qiudao, Zhao Xiaoxiao, and Liu Haoxin, directly broke through endless illusions, and fled through the wormhole.
And at the moment of departure, Zhou Yan truly felt a massive lamp light freeze those purple eyes, yet in an instant, the lamp light shattered.
That lamp light was Randeng Ancient Buddha’s light.
"Old undying one, at the time, even you hadn’t died! Humph, do you think that by leaving this Great Domain and going to the Fiery Flame Domain area, they could survive, live a brand new hope?!"
"Hope?!"
"Hope?!"
...
The throne broke through the Void and departed, Zhou Yan’s soul sensing, these last few Tai Chu Rune words continuously echoed.