Free Web NovelChapter 620: Chapter 367: Proof
The Bodhi Tree swayed behind.
"Fellow Daoist, you’ve arrived."
Suddenly, a resonant voice echoed, and Zhang Fusheng looked coldly— it was the Northern Emperor.
The Northern Emperor, who occupied Emperor Tang’s body, looked identical to him,
but the aura emanating from him was overwhelmingly terrifying!
Clearly,
the Northern Emperor had refined and cultivated Emperor Tang’s body to a frightening degree, far surpassing the power of merely using his body to manifest in reality.
This means the ’Emperor Tang’ before him is likely already in the Fifth Realm of the Divine Path, at the tier of a Celestial Venerate or a Buddha!
But how long has it been??
Zhang Fusheng’s joy from mastering the Eight-Nine Arcane Art evaporated,
He stared at the Northern Emperor, pointing to the Ancient Saint struggling in the Yellow Springs River:
"Can you release my disciple so that he may suffer less?"
"Difficult."
The Northern Emperor shook his head and said softly:
"He has become an anchor point, an anchor point in this possible future."
"Once interfered with, this future possibility will collapse—while the Nine Netherworld itself is unharmed, it will transition to another future possibility."
"However..."
Pausing, the Northern Emperor, holding a Netherworld Sun—or rather, the eye of a Candle Dragon—in his palm, spoke in a low voice:
"However, with the destruction of this future possibility, all beings from this possibility will return to dust, naturally including your disciple."
Zhang Fusheng’s eyelids twitched, and just as he was about to question, he heard the Northern Emperor continue:
"Of course, if my true form were released, or if another Daluo intervened, retrieving that child from the future possibility would be quite easy."
Zhang Fusheng squinted but did not immediately answer. Knowing he could not intervene with the Ancient Saint below, he no longer looked at its miserable state.
Looking was useless.
He merely exhaled a clear breath, and the great radiance haloing his head glowed even more brilliantly, calmly saying:
"So, what business does Fellow Daoist Northern Emperor seek me for here?"
"As the girl delivered." The Northern Emperor gazed at the World-Honored One Tathagata before him, "I seek to pledge my allegiance to the Fellow Daoist."
Zhang Fusheng chuckled, maintaining basic vigilance, and succinctly asked:
"Reason."
The Northern Emperor did not directly answer, instead gesturing for him to proceed, as seen through the eyes of an Ancient Saint, the two figures ascended into the air,
sitting motionless only at the highest point of the Nine Nether, with a table appearing between them.
"Master..." the Ancient Saint softly murmured.
Meanwhile, at the highest point of the Nine Nether.
The Northern Emperor placed the Netherworld Sun in his hand upon the table, set within the empty candlestick, using it as a candle to illuminate the space.
He stared at the World-Honored One Tathagata, enunciating deliberately:
"What should I call you?"
"Is it World-Honored, Zhang Fusheng, Daoist Venerable, or perhaps... Master Yuxu?"
Zhang Fusheng was shocked, staring at the Northern Emperor:
"What does this mean?"
He did not deny it, knowing that since the Northern Emperor had spoken frankly, it meant he possessed evidence.
The Northern Emperor took a deep breath:
"It’s a long story..."
"Things began with the enmity between myself, the Innate Five Emperors, the Eastern Prince, and the Yuxu lineage."
He summarized briefly, describing the grudges between them and the Primordial Celestial Venerable,
leading up to their silent alliance, quietly plotting against the Primordial Celestial Venerable under the rule of another Supreme being.
"Of course, I hedged my bets."
The Northern Emperor was frank, not only recounting the matter of the broken stars but also explaining the issue regarding the giant stone.
Zhang Fusheng listened quietly, growing increasingly alarmed.
He stared at the Netherworld Sun, and the Northern Emperor, asking in a low voice:
"Aren’t Supreme beings unable to interfere with present nodes?"
"Not considered interference."
The Northern Emperor answered softly:
"Two Supreme beings, one sealed in the giant stone, the other in the broken stars, all information obtained came from us."
Zhang Fusheng’s brows furrowed tightly:
"Who are those two Supreme beings?"
Incredulity filled him, while the giant stone was understandable, the critical point lay in the broken stars—aside from The Three Pristine Ones, who else knows himself so intimately??
Yet the Northern Emperor shook his head:
"We are also unaware of who is sealed in the broken stars, only knowing it is a greatly wounded Supreme being."
"But after the turmoil and final tribulation, Supreme beings are almost never intact, as for within the giant stone... it is the ’Future Buddha’."
Zhang Fusheng’s eyelids twitched, yet he thought it justified,
Capable of being suppressed by the Extinct Immortal and Slaughtering Immortal Swords, with the Tai Chi Eight Trigrams Diagram as support, coupled with the Northern Emperor’s resurrection in the future Nine Nether,
only the ’Future Buddha’ would fit the bill.
After all, the Celestial Lord of Numinous Treasure, who also holds the future, is unlikely to help the Northern Emperor.
After a long silence,
Zhang Fusheng’s thoughts churned a hundred times over before he finally asked:
"Why does the Northern Emperor wish to share these words with me?"
The Northern Emperor closed his eyes and replied calmly;
"Throughout countless years and versions of history, I have been promised many times by various Supremes that I would witness the new Supreme."
"But without exception, they all broke their promises."
"I stopped believing them until I knew about you, Fellow Daoist."
The Northern Emperor opened his eyes, gazing at the World-Honored One Buddha and Blessed Life Buddha, and spoke quietly:
"Your appearance, Fellow Daoist, is a turning point for me."
"According to the broken stars, the Three Pristine Ones seem to have a request for you, Fellow Daoist, as the successor to the Fuli Taoist Venerate."
"According to the future Buddha, the Supremes within the broken stars also wish to leverage your existence to seize the fruits of the Three Pristine Ones."
After a moment, the Northern Emperor spoke heavily:
"Therefore, you will be the first in history, who is not a Supreme, yet able to stir up great storms among the Supremes."
"And only by following you, Fellow Daoist, might I have the only chance to prove my path!"
His voice grew louder, his gaze more brilliant, and his tone increasingly resonant,
Zhang Fusheng could hear a fervent heart longing for the path, the yearning to prove the path!
The Supreme fruit...
He squinted his eyes at the Northern Emperor:
"So, Fellow Daoist Northern Emperor, have you chosen to place your all on a bet with me?"
"Indeed!"
The North Emperor’s gaze burned intensely:
"I came to see you here in the Nine Netherworld because it can block all perceptions of the Supremes—until this great tribulation is completely over and the dust settles."
"I am here to forewarn you, Fellow Daoist!"
He spoke in a deep voice:
"Although the future Buddha is in my hands, he can still bypass me and issue decrees to the Queen Mother of the West—Fellow Daoist, a great calamity is about to befall you."
"There is also the presence in the broken stars, of which I am unaware, but you, Fellow Daoist, might know... Be careful, be on guard!"
Zhang Fusheng listened quietly to the Northern Emperor’s words, unable to discern their truth.
He did not know whether the other party was genuine in choosing to bet on him or if it was merely another grand scheme.
After a long silence,
Zhang Fusheng’s thoughts churned once more, and he sighed:
"I want to know, who are the Supremes?"
The Northern Emperor hesitated for a moment, evidently surprised that Zhang Fusheng was unaware of even this, and after a moment of contemplation, he replied:
"The Three Pristine Ones, Five Buddhas, Wa, Fuxi, Taiyi, Di Jun, along with Huang Tian and Houtu, these are all the Supremes, of course, excluding their incarnations and multiple selves."
Zhang Fusheng raised an eyebrow, fourteen in total?
"I know three of the Five Buddhas, who are the other two?"
"Amitabha and Bodhi Ancient Buddha."
Zhang Fusheng realized, indeed Bodhi is one!
The Northern Emperor gently asked:
"Then, Fellow Daoist Fusheng, do you know who exactly is in the broken stars?"
Zhang Fusheng shook his head—he genuinely did not know, not even having a clue.
After a prolonged silence,
Zhang Fusheng looked at the Northern Emperor:
"How should I trust you?"
The Northern Emperor merely smiled, took a deep breath:
"In your possession, you have an item that can exchange for anything, correct?"
"Since you don’t trust me."
"Why not use this item to exchange for my matters and objects—anything not suppressed by the Nine Netherworld, you can exchange for, you can..."
"Take directly!"
A great sound resonated, and Zhang Fusheng’s face showed surprise.
"Really?"
"Really!"
The Northern Emperor’s voice was firm and decisive, then suddenly softened:
"After all..."
He spoke honestly:
"This might be my only chance to prove the path."
"No one among the Supremes wishes to see me sitting upon a new Supreme fruit, my only opportunity lies entirely with you, Fellow Daoist."
Zhang Fusheng gazed at the Northern Emperor, silent for a long while.
He suddenly raised his hand, sketching light and shadow, revealing a great contract:
"Prove it to me."
The great contract shone brilliantly.
