Chapter 65: Chapter 45: The Trend_1
Translator: 549690339
“Evil King…”
Seeing Shi Zhixuan lying motionless on the ground, not knowing whether he was dead or alive, Dudu’s body trembled. She lowered her head, knelt down properly, and continued her role as a backdrop, quietly and obediently.
Following the defeat of Zhu Yuyan and other experts from both the righteous and the evil paths, as well as from Buddhism and Demonhood, Shi Zhixuan, who once roamed the world unrestrained, also met with defeat.
Who else could stand against him?
Amidst such doubts…
“Amitabha!”
A Buddhist chant arose, and four figures appeared simultaneously from all directions, stepping toward the center from each side of the surroundings, swiftly entering into the battlefield and forming an encirclement, trapping Xu
Yang.
Four monks, all seasoned yet vigorous.
The monk on the left, with white hair and beard, held a Vajra Scepter in hand. His demeanor was dignified and graceful, his figure robust and imposing.
The monk on the right was gaunt and had a dark complexion. At first glance, he did not seem remarkable, but his eyes were profoundly deep, as if containing the sun, the moon, and the stars.
The monk above them had the appearance of Maitreya, with an open chest and a big belly, indicating his ability to tolerate much. His eyes seemed to shine with divine light. Despite his corpulence, he did not appear clumsy but rather exuded an air of serene contentment and affable kindness.
The monk below was tall and straight, with a broad and high forehead, his eyebrows jet black and glossy. His face was long and generous, and his eyes sparkled with wisdom. He had the countenance of a virtuous high monk full of compassion for the world.
They were indeed Emperor Heart Venerable of the Huayan Sect, Master Jiaxing of the Sanlun Sect, Daoxin, the Fourth Patriarch of the Zen Sect, and Master Zhihui of the Tianhe Sect.
The Four Great Holy Monks of Buddhism!
Elsewhere…
“Charge!!”
The earth trembled, and the sound of hooves boomed like thunder as an elite cavalry burst forth from within Changan City, followed by a procession of infantry that stretched like a dragon.
It was the mighty army of Li Tang.
Li Shimin led the charge on horseback, halting his forces at the House-riding Bridge, with ranks of steel-clad soldiers arrayed in battle formation behind him.
Li Xiuning stood by his side, gazing across the river at the Qu River Battlefield, murmuring, “Are those four the Great Holy Monks of Buddhism?”
“Yes.”
Li Shimin nodded, his gaze sweeping over the scene of devastation along the Qu River, then fixed onto the encircled Xu Yang confronting the four holy monks, his expression grave and tense.
“With Xu Qingyang’s strategic planning, he truly had the confidence to rely on.
Neither the forces of righteousness and evil nor the gates of Buddhism and Demonhood could stop him alone. If it weren’t for Father Emperor seeking assistance from Mercy Sailing Temple and inviting the Four Great Holy Monks, Xu Yang might have truly slipped through our fingers today.”
Li Shimin’s demeanor was laden with trepidation, and Li Xiuning also furrowed her brows, “I’ve heard that these Four Great Holy Monks are extraordinary figures within Buddhism, each of them as powerful as any of the three grandmasters. Whether that’s true or not…”
Li Shimin’s eyes hardened with a cold intent to kill, “True or not, today we must make sure he does not leave Chang’an alive. Otherwise, letting him escape would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountain, no, a dragon into the sea. He would become a dire threat to Li Tang in the future, a disaster waiting to happen!”
Both of them took command amidst the ranks of armored soldiers, poised and ready to strike, merely awaiting the outcome of the battle across the river.
On the other side…
Amidst the mountains and above a sea of bamboo, two people stood on green bamboo, as if suspended in the void, watching the distant battlefield.
“The Four Great Holy Monks…”
Shi Feixuan murmured, her hands unconsciously tightening around the jade flute she held.
Fan Qinghui’s gaze was icy, “I never expected his cultivation to have reached such a level. Had we not invited the Four Great Holy Monks today, the implications would have been unimaginable…” Between their words, anxiety was evident.
Looking back at the center of the battlefield…
The encirclement was complete, the four monks silent, and Xu Yang, too, remained speechless, standing with hands behind his back amidst the formation, the picture of composure.
Ultimately, it was Daoxin, the portly master resembling Maitreya. who broke
the silence.
“Amitabha!”
He glanced at Shi Zhixuan, who lay unconscious, unsure of life or death, then turned his gaze back and chanted a Buddhist incantation.
“I have long heard of Benefactor Xu’s fame, and indeed, upon meeting you today, you truly possess exceptional talent and are unrivalled in the world. At such a young age, to have such cultivation, we are beyond comparison!”
“However…”
His words paused, sharply changing course, “The relic of the Evil Emperor is an object of extreme malevolence, containing not only the essence of past Evil Emperors but also mixed with various demonic qi, which confuses the mind and beguiles the soul.”
“The sea of suffering is boundless; turning back is the shore!”
“Lay down the butcher’s knife, and on the spot become a Buddha!”
The Emperor Heart Venerable, who wielded the Vajra Scepter and radiated an awe-inspiring authority, also spoke, “I hope your reverence will abandon this object and your obsession, to prevent harming innocents and bringing disaster upon the world!”
Upon hearing this, Xu Yang immediately laughed, “What, after so many years of studying Buddhist Law, have you only learned self-deception?”
With a light chuckle and a single comment, the atmosphere in the area instantly became tense.
“Hmm!?”
“Obstinate and foolish!”
“Since that is the case, do not blame us for what comes next!”
The four monks’ eyes narrowed, and the color of compassion in their eyes gradually shifted into the Vajra Wrathful Deity.
Although in wrathful form, there was no intent to slaughter or kill, only a heart set on subduing demons and quelling evil, displaying their profound mastery of the Buddhist Law.
Mindset, mindset, upon reaching the Grandmaster Realm, what’s most important is the cultivation of the mind. Should one act against one’s own principles, injuring the soul and clouding the mindset, one’s entire cultivation would inevitably be affected.
Therefore, even though they came to Changan for the sake of the Great Ye and the faith’s fortune, determined to slay Xu Yang on the spot, the four monks could not harbor the intention to kill but could only exhibit the Vajra Wrath under the guise of covering demons and subduing evil.
To put it simply, they could not consider themselves as murderers but had to perceive this as an act of subduing demons and quelling evil, a gesture to rescue the world from calamity, which is why they could embody compassionate anger in the form of Vajra Wrath.
Therefore, when Xu Yang called their actions self-deception, he was not in the slightest wrong.
But the four monks, having practiced the Buddhist Law for many years, paid no heed to the mundane views of the world. They showed little anger towards Xu Yang’s words and still displayed the Vajra Deity with compassion, taking steps to subdue demons and relieve the people’s suffering.
“Amitabha Buddha!”
A series of chants echoed, and four streams of thoughts emerged, interweaving and converging into a powerful force.
The grand force of the Buddhist Law!
The power of Grandmasters, strong in spirit, manifests in force, merges into the Tao, acting with the capabilities of heaven and earth.
As all four were Holy Monks of Buddhism, their methods of practice might differ, but at their core was the Buddhist Law.
Therefore, the force of the four could merge, constituting a Buddhist force unique in this world. “Amitabha Buddha!!!”
Golden light shone brightly, ethereal images solidified, and behind the four monks, four great Buddha figures faintly appeared, with dazzling Buddhist light soaring to the sky, extending into vast realms governed by “Buddhist Law”.
The force seizing heaven and earth!
The four monks joined hands, their Buddhist Law converged, forming a grand Buddhist force, directly seizing control of this territory.
Within this grand force, and the scope of this domain, all yuan qi from heaven and earth were dominated by the Buddhist Law of the four Holy Monks. Unless their grand Buddhist force could be broken, or one could counter with an equally powerful force, nothing could harness the power of heaven and earth to achieve Unity of Heaven and Man.
What kind of “force” could contend with such a grand Buddhist force?
None!
To date, looking across the world, no one could withstand such a force.
For the grand Buddhist force of the four monks arose not just from their cultivation but also from their spiritual faith, the culmination of Buddhism’s prosperity over hundreds of years.
During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, an era spanning four hundred years, Buddhism gradually prospered, and its force steadily built.
Otherwise, how could the saying, “In the Southern Dynasty, there are four hundred and eighty temples, amidst countless towers in the misty rain,” be passed down through the ages?
In the Grandmaster Realm, the spirit is paramount. With this great Buddhist force, their hearts, forged by the faith of incense, are unbreakably strong and crystal clear.. Even Grand Cultivators of Taoism and Great Scholars of Confucian Gate must retreat in their presence—how could anyone else stand against them?