Free Web NovelChapter 191: Chapter 184: Wisdom King Appearance
The Dharma Guardian Vajra entered Burning Karma Valley with heavy, unhindered strides.
The moment it entered, the surrounding scenery shifted dramatically!
Searing heat!
An indescribable, searing heat!
This wasn’t the pain of mortal fire scorching flesh, but a "roasting" sensation that originated from deep within the Divine Soul.
The golden Buddha Fire permeating the air flowed as if alive. At times, it formed the phantom of a Furious Vajra; at others, it condensed into a spinning Swastika Dharma Seal; and then it would scatter into a sky-filling, scorching rain of light.
All this formed layer upon layer of Buddhist Restrictions, difficult to discern with the naked eye, yet undeniably real.
The Pure Qi that was Qi Yun clung to the Dharma Guardian Vajra, allowing him to clearly sense the overwhelmingly potent purifying power of the outside world.
When the occasional stray wisp of golden flame drew near, the Buddha Light naturally circulating around the Dharma Guardian Vajra would gently repel or absorb it, like a drop of water merging into the ocean.
But Qi Yun had no doubt that if he had rushed in alone, even with the concealment of Gathering Form and Scattering Qi, the moment even a trace of his aura leaked, it would instantly trigger the Buddha Fire and Restrictions that filled the valley, plunging him into a state of irreversible doom.
As far as the eye could see, transparent barriers made of pure Buddha Power would occasionally flicker in and out of existence within the void.
Intricate Sanskrit characters flowed across their surfaces, emitting a powerful sealing and purifying force.
The deeper they ventured into the valley, the denser, more complex, and more terrifyingly powerful the surrounding Buddhist Restrictions became.
Golden light intertwined, and the faint sound of Brahma Chanting echoed. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Qi Yun’s expression grew solemn, and a chill went through him.
’No wonder those Holy Sect Disciples outside only dared to linger at the entrance, with none brave enough to venture deeper.’
’This place is lethal with every step. Without absolute power and special techniques, one careless move could trigger a Restriction. Even a cultivator at Qi Refining Great Perfection would likely be severely wounded in an instant.’
’Or even killed outright, incinerated into nothingness by the Buddha Fire.’
The rest of the journey was uneventful. Carrying Qi Yun, the Dharma Guardian Vajra finally reached the deepest part of Burning Karma Valley.
The scene before them suddenly opened up.
It was a world away from the searing, violent energy of the valley entrance.
Here stood a picturesquely arranged Buddha Tower Forest!
Dozens of Buddha Towers of varying sizes and ancient designs stood in silence. They were built from white jade or some kind of lustrous golden stone, their surfaces intricately carved with images of Buddhas preaching scriptures, Bodhisattvas with compassionate, downcast eyes, and celestial musicians.
Every Buddha Tower emitted a soft and pure Buddha Light.
The interwoven light bathed the area in an aura of peace, tranquility, and solemnity.
The scorching heatwave in the air had completely dissipated here.
In its place was a tranquil aura that naturally calmed one’s heart and spirit.
A faint, ethereal, and profound Brahma sound lingered in the air, tempting one to cast aside all worldly thoughts, sit cross-legged on the spot, listen to the wondrous sound of the Great Dao, and take refuge in the Buddha.
And in the center of this peaceful Buddha Tower Forest...
...a five-story, dark-gold Buddha Tower stood majestically, noticeably taller than the others.
A mask floated at the pagoda’s apex!
Its design was not one of solemn majesty, but was instead the incredibly vivid Wisdom King Appearance!
Its eyebrows were angled sharply upward, its eyes were wide with fury, and its mouth was open as if letting out a silent roar.
Every carved line pulsed with a sense of power and majesty, as if it meant to incinerate all the world’s evils and followers of the Outer Dao.
The soft Buddha Light from the surrounding Buddha Towers had transformed into wispy golden streams, flowing ceaselessly toward the floating, azure, wrathful mask.
Like a hundred rivers flowing to the sea, the light was slowly absorbed by the mask.
After the mask absorbed this pure Buddha Power,
...its azure luster seemed to deepen, and its wrathful aura grew more vivid, as if it might spring to life at any moment!
A pure and vast Fire Element Dao Intent—one that carried an uncompromising will to incinerate all things—mixed with the majestic might of the Buddhist Sect, emanated from the mask and enveloped the core of the Buddha Tower Forest.
Qi Yun’s gaze froze, and his heart began to race.
’That’s it!’
’This is... the Fire Foundation Establishment Object!’
Staring at the floating azure Wisdom King Appearance mask atop the Buddha Tower, sensing the vast Fire Element Dao Intent and Buddhist Sect pressure that was nearly indistinguishable from that of a Foundation Establishment Master, Qi Yun was inwardly stunned.
’This aura... It’s so profound and vast, possessing its own spiritual nature and drawing upon the Buddha Power of the surrounding Heaven and Earth for its own use. How is that any different from a real Foundation Establishment Master?’
’No wonder those senior brothers at Qi Refining Great Perfection were so helpless against it.’
’This isn’t a fight between equals at all.’
’If anyone tried to take it by force, any number of Qi Refining Realm cultivators would just be lambs to the slaughter.’
Suppressing his shock and knowing this was no time for hesitation, Qi Yun flicked his wrist. The string of Platinum Buddha Beads, smooth as jade, slid into his palm.
Wisps of pure Buddha’s Rhyme emanated from the beads, faintly resonating with the peaceful Buddha Light of the surroundings.
’Success or failure, it all comes down to this.’
’I’m counting on you, Ming Xin.’
Qi Yun blew gently on the Buddha Beads in his palm. Then, without further hesitation, he raised his hand and threw them!
SWOOSH—!
The Platinum Buddha Beads flew from his hand, instantly transforming into a dazzling, platinum streak of light that shot straight toward the azure Wisdom King Appearance at the pagoda’s apex!
As if sensing the approach of a presence from the same source yet with a conflicting aura... the Wisdom King Appearance shuddered violently, its azure light flaring!
BOOM—!!!
The two treasures, both condensed from the power origin of a fallen Arhat, began to violently repel and resonate with each other while still dozens of feet apart.
A visible, circular shockwave of mixed platinum and azure Buddha Light erupted—like a boulder dropped into a calm lake—and instantly swept through the entire Buddha Tower Forest!
VMMMM—!
The dozens of surrounding Buddha Towers hummed in unison, Buddha Light flowing over their surfaces as if responding to this sudden clash between high-status powers.
The peaceful atmosphere was shattered, replaced by an immense pressure that made one’s very Divine Soul tremble!
The next moment, an even more shocking sight appeared!
Buddha Light surged like a fountain from the azure Wisdom King Appearance mask, rapidly condensing and taking shape!
A phantom of a middle-aged Arhat stepped out from within. He was burly and majestic, nearly ten feet tall, with muscles like coiled dragons. His body was wreathed in an azure, crystalline Purifying Fire, and his face, like the mask, was a picture of absolute wrath.
His eyes blazed with rage as he brandished a Vajra Pestle condensed from fire, looking as if he would sweep away all followers of the Outer Dao and incinerate every last demonic obstacle!
His power was so immense that the temperature in the depths of Burning Karma Valley spiked, and space itself began to faintly distort.
Meanwhile, the approaching Platinum Buddha Beads were not to be outdone.
Hovering in midair, all twelve beads simultaneously erupted with brilliant light!
A soft yet resolute Buddha Light converged, and a phantom slowly materialized. It was somewhat slender, yet its bearing was solemn and majestic, its eyes filled with the light of compassion and wisdom—it was the incarnate remnant will of the Arhat, Little Monk Ming Xin!
His hands were pressed together in a prayer gesture, his eyelids lowered. He exuded a Buddha’s Rhyme that was pure, untainted, and peacefully omniscient, forming a stark contrast with the Vidyārāja.
"HRAH!"
The Vidyārāja attacked first. It unleashed a thunderous roar of True Words and swung the flaming Vajra Pestle in its hand!
A torrent of azure flame, imbued with the terrifying will to incinerate all karma and shatter the Ten Thousand Laws, rushed toward Little Monk Ming Xin’s phantom like a roaring fire dragon!
But Little Monk Ming Xin neither dodged nor evaded. He slowly raised his joined hands, a soft platinum light blooming from his fingertips like a lotus flower.
He recited True Words. His voice was not loud, yet it clearly rose above the roar of the flames:
"Amitabha Buddha..."
"Wrath may burn away karma, but it is not the ultimate way."
"Only by letting go of attachment can one attain true Freedom."
The moment the surging torrent of azure flame touched the Platinum Buddha Light, its furious momentum faltered.
The violent, wrathful intent within it was dissolved and neutralized, wisp by wisp, by that pure, peaceful, and resolute Buddha’s Rhyme!
The fire still burned, but with less of a destructive urge and more of its original "purifying" purpose.
Seeing this, the Vidyārāja grew even more enraged. The azure flames around it erupted skyward, transforming into countless Furious Vajras and flying Yakshas. Each brandished a Magical Artifact as they swarmed toward Little Monk Ming Xin, blotting out the sky.
For a moment, the sky above the Buddha Tower Forest transformed into a battlefield from a Buddha Country.
Brahma Chanting and enraged roars intertwined. Flames and Buddha Light clashed, setting off a continuous, deafening rumble!
Yet Little Monk Ming Xin’s phantom remained as steady as a boulder.
He would form a lotus mudra to dissolve an attack, speak True Words to pacify the rage, or release an Infinite Light from his body that illuminated all falsehoods.
His power seemed gentle, far less violent than his opponent’s, but it flowed like a ceaseless stream, striking directly at the source to dissolve the fanaticism and brutality born from the other’s lingering attachment.
This was not merely a clash of power, but a confrontation of Buddhist understanding and states of mind!
Gradually, though the Vidyārāja’s assault remained fierce, its phantom began to waver, and its azure light showed signs of instability.
It was born from the fragments of an Arhat’s Dao Foundation and lingering, wrathful thoughts. Though powerful, it lacked a balanced and peaceful foundation.
It was like a rootless tree, a sourceless fire.
In contrast, the remnant will of Little Monk Ming Xin, though lesser in raw power, was purer and more complete, containing a more harmonious understanding of the true Buddhist way.
Clearly, in life, the two Arhats had been of different Realms.
Finally, after another violent clash, Little Monk Ming Xin’s phantom seized upon a fleeting moment of exhaustion and mental instability in its opponent, thrusting both hands forward!
"Om!"
A beam of Platinum Buddha Light—condensed to its absolute limit and imbued with supreme wisdom and compassion—pierced through the layers of flame like a sharp sword and precisely imprinted itself upon the brow of the Vidyārāja’s phantom!
"GAAH—!"
The Vidyārāja let out an indignant roar, its massive phantom flickering violently.
Finally, it collapsed with a thunderous roar, dissolving back into streams of pure, azure Buddha Power and Fire Element Origin that flowed back into the floating Wisdom King Appearance mask like weary birds returning to their nest.
As for Little Monk Ming Xin’s phantom, it had become much fainter from the exertion. It cast a deep look in Qi Yun’s direction before dissipating and returning to the Platinum Buddha Beads.
SWISH!
The Wisdom King Appearance mask, no longer controlled by the remnant will, had become an ownerless object. Nudged gently by the returning Platinum Buddha Beads, it detached from the pagoda’s apex.
As if possessing their own spiritual nature, the Platinum Buddha Beads wrapped around the mask. Transforming into a streak of interwoven white and blue light, they flew back and landed gently in Qi Yun’s outstretched palm.
It was warm to the touch. A pure and gentle Fire Element Dao Intent, mixed with the now-subdued Buddhist Power, flowed slowly into him.
Looking at the Platinum Buddha Beads—seven more of which had just gone dark, leaving only the final two with any power—Qi Yun pressed his lips together.
’Got it!’
’Time to scram!’
...
