บท 832: Chapter 831: The Buddha
"Riches cannot corrupt, poverty cannot change, and power cannot bend. This is what it means to be a true man!" Zhong Shan embodied this ideal, remaining unyielding even in the face of overwhelming power.
"Esteemed Great Celestials, let me tell you, Great Celestial artifacts are not particularly significant in the Great Yan Sacred Court. They don't hold much value in my eyes," Zhong Shan said with a sudden smile.
Great Celestial artifacts aren't significant in the Great Yan Sacred Court?
The gathered Great Celestials wanted to slap Zhong Shan. They had roamed the world for tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years, and many still hadn't obtained a Great Celestial artifact. Those who had knew the difficulty of acquiring and crafting them.
Yet here was a mere Celestial saying Great Celestial artifacts were insignificant to him? His family had plenty? The Great Celestials were filled with frustration, but they couldn't refute him!
Indeed, over a hundred Great Celestial artifacts had been revealed since the heavens opened, so perhaps to this Celestial, they really weren't significant!
It was as if a group of bandits were robbing a wealthy miser, demanding a hundred taels of silver. The miser sneered at them, thinking, "I have plenty of silver, you poor fools!"
The Great Celestials felt insulted by a Celestial but couldn't argue back. They were speechless!
"The most precious thing in the Great Yan Sacred Court, you cannot see. What a pity!" Zhong Shan said, looking at the Great Celestials.
"Oh?" Dong Jianfeng's eyes narrowed.
The other Great Celestials also focused on Zhong Shan.
"The most precious thing in the Great Yan Sacred Court is the heavenly rank. I can bestow heavenly ranks, lower and middle ranks, as I see fit. I think this is far more valuable than any external Great Celestial artifact!" Zhong Shan said solemnly.
"Haha! What about the 'upper rank'?" Dong Jianfeng sneered.
"In the Great Yan Sacred Court, rewards and punishments are clear. The upper rank is given only to those who make significant contributions to the court. Aren't you all free-spirited individuals? After so many years, aren't you tired? Have you ever considered joining a kingdom? Join the Great Yan, and you will start as lower ranks. After this battle, I promise to elevate you to middle ranks. As for the upper rank, with your abilities, earning contributions will be easy," Zhong Shan persuaded.
"Hahahaha!" The Great Celestials burst into laughter, filled with disdain.
"Join your Great Yan? What a joke! With our strength, we can gain heavenly ranks in any kingdom. Why join a kingdom that's about to be destroyed?"
"Not so. Which kingdom would grant you 'upper ranks' of heavenly ranks? In the Great Yan, you can achieve this several times faster than in other kingdoms. It won't take long, not long at all, to enjoy the benefits of the Great Yan Sacred Court!" Zhong Shan shook his head, continuing his persuasion.
"A Great Celestial serving under a Celestial? Boy, you really dare to dream!" a burly man sneered.
"Whether you dare or not is up to you. If you join, we can create a great world together. If not, it's a pity," Zhong Shan said, shaking his head.
Zhong Shan's words indeed stirred some of the Great Celestials' minds. Within moments, three or four Great Celestials were already frowning in thought.
"Humph!" Dong Jianfeng snorted.
Zhong Shan raised an eyebrow, looking at Dong Jianfeng.
"Enough nonsense. We don't have time for your drivel. Hand over the Great Celestial artifacts now!" Dong Jianfeng demanded.
Zhong Shan looked at Dong Jianfeng with mild surprise. Though his words were tempting, he knew it was impossible to sway them. His purpose was entirely different.
"Great Celestial Dong, you think you can intimidate me into handing over my treasures?" Zhong Shan's eyes gleamed with a steely resolve.
Before Dong Jianfeng could respond, a calm yet powerful voice echoed from above, "Amitabha, why must we resort to violence?"
A radiant golden Buddha descended from the sky, his presence exuding an aura of immense serenity and power. He landed gently between Zhong Shan and the Great Celestials, his golden light illuminating the entire area.
"Who are you?" Dong Jianfeng demanded, taken aback by the sudden appearance.
"I am known as the Buddha of the Golden Light. I have come to bring peace," the Buddha said, his voice soothing yet firm.
Zhong Shan, recognizing the Buddha's powerful aura and his potential to shift the balance, decided to play along. "Great Celestial Dong, perhaps it is time to reconsider. Even the Buddha seeks a peaceful resolution."
The Great Celestials exchanged uncertain glances. The presence of the Buddha added an unexpected variable to the situation. Dong Jianfeng, still wary but not wanting to escalate unnecessarily, nodded grudgingly. "We will consider your offer, Sacred King Zhong Shan. But know this: we will not wait forever."
With that, the Great Celestials retreated slightly, their aggressive stance softened but not entirely withdrawn.
Zhong Shan, maintaining his composure, thanked the Buddha with a nod. "Your presence is a blessing, Buddha of the Golden Light. Perhaps we can indeed find a way to coexist peacefully."
The Buddha smiled serenely, his golden light radiating peace and tranquility, a stark contrast to the tension that had filled the air moments before.
"Indeed, a few of the Great Celestials were persuaded, but this Dong Jianfeng is quite perceptive!" Zhong Shan noted inwardly.
"What's wrong, Great Celestial Dong Jianfeng? Just because you don't want to join doesn't mean the others don't. Are you deciding the fate of all these Great Celestials? Should they all listen to you?" Zhong Shan asked, feigning confusion.
Though his tone was merely inquisitive, Zhong Shan's words were sharp. Unintentionally, he sowed seeds of discord among the Great Celestials, implying that Dong Jianfeng was their 'leader,' thus making them seem like his subordinates.
As expected, several Great Celestials looked at Dong Jianfeng with displeasure.
Dong Jianfeng glanced around and then back at Zhong Shan. He knew Zhong Shan was difficult to deal with, but he hadn't expected his words to be even more troublesome.
"Are you stalling for time? Hmph!" Dong Jianfeng snorted coldly, preparing to make a move.
"Immeasurable Buddha~~~~~~!" Suddenly, a deep, resonant Buddhist chant echoed, causing the Great Celestials to raise their eyebrows and look toward the source of the sound.
Before the people arrived, the Buddhist chant reached them. In the next moment, a group of ten golden-robed monks appeared, their bodies radiating golden light.
The ten monks, dressed identically in robes, moved as one, their heads marked with the scars of Buddhist vows and their faces solemn and dignified. This was the first faction to appear.
Zhong Shan had considered many possibilities, but he had not expected the first faction to be a group of bald monks.
"Are you from the Tianyin Temple? Didn't Tianyin Temple withdraw from the Fengzhong Territory? Why are you here again?" Dong Jianfeng asked sternly.
From Dong Jianfeng's tone, Zhong Shan immediately deduced that these ten monks were in the Great Celestial Realm, also known as Great Buddhas.
Ten Great Buddhas had arrived?
"Welcome back, Buddha, reborn from Nirvana!" The leading Great Buddha called out toward the Lingxiao Heavenly Court.
"Buddha reborn? The Buddha reincarnated? The Tianyin Sect leader? Tianyin Buddha?"
The Great Celestials followed the Great Buddha's gaze toward the Lingxiao Heavenly Court.
Buddha? Who is this Tianyin Buddha? Eventually, all eyes focused on Zhong Tian.
"Me?" Zhong Tian looked bewildered.
"Great Buddha, are you mistaken?" Zhong Shan asked, also puzzled.
"The Buddha chose the Fengzhong Territory for his Nirvana and foretold his rebirth today. Before Nirvana, he sealed numerous Buddhist treasures in the small world. Every once in a while, a Buddhist treasure would descend, but only the Buddha himself could receive the Buddha's soul mark!" The leading Great Buddha explained.
"The Buddha's soul mark?" Zhong Shan was confused.
"The 'swastika' (卍)," the Great Buddha clarified.
"The swastika?" Zhong Shan's eyebrows rose.
Indeed, Zhong Tian had obtained a 'swastika' mark from the Buddhist treasures in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Each time a grand extinction event occurred, the Buddha's treasure would descend. This was all prearranged by Zhong Tian's past life as Tianyin Buddha?
"You must be mistaken. How could I be your Buddha? I have no such memories!" Zhong Tian shook his head.
"The Buddha has yet to achieve 'enlightenment.' Once enlightened, past and present lives will become clear. Before entering Nirvana, the Buddha instructed that once the heavens opened, we were to bring you back to Tianyin Temple, away from the Fengzhong Territory," the leading Great Buddha said.
"Father, what do you think of this?" Zhong Tian looked at Zhong Shan.
The Great Celestials frowned, sensing an unexpected twist.
"I don't understand the 'swastika.' How do you feel about it?" Zhong Shan asked Zhong Tian.
"Although I'm not clear about my past life, the swastika feels familiar. Perhaps what they say is true," Zhong Tian admitted.
The arrival of the Great Buddhas had introduced a new variable, causing unrest among the Great Celestials. This unforeseen development could potentially shift the balance, giving Zhong Shan and his court a much-needed advantage.
"Whether or not you were the Buddha in your past life, your current actions and choices are what matter. If you feel a connection, perhaps you should explore it further," Zhong Shan advised Zhong Tian, leaving the decision to him.
The Great Celestials, sensing the shifting dynamics, remained wary. Zhong Shan's strategic mind was evident, and they realized they were not just facing a simple celestial ruler but a formidable tactician. The situation had become far more complex than they had anticipated.
"Make your own decision then," Zhong Shan said.
"Yes!" Zhong Tian nodded.
"Great Buddha, do you wish to come with us now?" the leading Great Buddha asked.
"I won't leave. You should go back," Zhong Tian shook his head.
"Before the Buddha entered Nirvana, he instructed us to take you away if we sensed your presence after the heavens opened. We have an imperial pardon granted by the Buddha before Nirvana. If you insist on staying, we will have no choice but to go against your wishes," the Great Buddha shook his head.
After a moment of hesitation, Zhong Tian replied, "I can go with you, but it must be after this matter is resolved. Otherwise, I will never find peace and will never achieve the 'emptiness' needed to truly become your Buddha again."
The Great Buddha looked deeply at the resolute Zhong Tian, then closed his eyes and chanted a Buddhist mantra.
"Immeasurable Buddha~~~~~~~!"
The situation changed instantly. What was previously a solo defense by the Lingxiao Heavenly Court now had the addition of ten Great Buddhas.
The presence of ten Great Buddhas drastically changed the dynamics. The twenty-two rogue Great Celestials furrowed their brows, realizing the situation had become much more complicated.
"It's him, Zhong Shan. He was stalling for time?" They all suddenly realized they had been tricked. What seemed like an easy task had now become extremely difficult.
"Capture Zhong Shan!" Dong Jianfeng commanded.
At that moment, no one opposed Dong Jianfeng. Two Great Celestials quickly reached out to grab Zhong Shan.
"Stop them!" Zhong Tian shouted.
The Great Buddhas, although loyal to the Tianyin Temple, were not slow to act. As two large hands reached down, two of the Great Buddhas extended their own hands to intercept.
The Great Buddha's hands grew incredibly large, colliding with the two Great Celestials' hands.
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"
Golden and red light burst forth in the sky as the two pairs of giant hands collided. The Lingxiao Heavenly Court remained unmoved, clearly stabilized by the Great Buddhas.
"Immeasurable Buddha, please leave, all of you!" the leading Great Buddha said.
Leave? At this point, how could the Great Celestials be willing to leave? After waiting for hundreds of years, their prize was almost within reach, only to be thwarted by Zhong Shan's delay tactics?
The Great Celestials were visibly displeased.
"Fellow Daoists!" Dong Jianfeng suddenly called out.
"Fellow Daoists, there are ten Great Buddhas, but we have twenty-two Great Celestials. If we work together, we can still capture Zhong Shan. I, Dong Jianfeng, promise that any Great Celestial artifacts we obtain will be evenly distributed among the twenty-two of us!" Dong Jianfeng proposed.
Rogue cultivators were called such because they didn't trust each other and couldn't unite. Dong Jianfeng knew this well and immediately thought of a way to unify them. However, after years of being rogues, unity was a difficult concept to grasp.
"I have one hundred and nine Great Celestial artifacts. How will you twenty-two divide them? It's impossible to divide them evenly!" Zhong Shan added fuel to the fire.
"Hmph, you troublemaker. Everyone, attack! We can't leave empty-handed!" Dong Jianfeng roared in anger.
The Great Celestials nodded and were about to make their move.
"Where is Dong Jianfeng~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!" a powerful voice suddenly echoed from afar, carrying an air of authority.
"Who?" Dong Jianfeng turned and shouted.
As soon as he uttered the word "who," an unusual scene unfolded. A massive force suddenly enveloped Dong Jianfeng, pulling him away instantly.
Everyone watched in shock as Dong Jianfeng was sucked away.
Turning to look, they saw another group approaching. Leading them was an incredibly handsome man, followed by nine others. Among them were a three-eyed man, a mysterious figure in black robes, an elderly man holding a horsetail whisk, and an old Daoist wearing an Eight Trigrams robe. Dong Jianfeng was being pulled toward them, shrinking as he struggled, eventually being sucked into a purple and red gourd.
The old Daoist in the Eight Trigrams robe quickly capped the gourd, sealing Dong Jianfeng inside.
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