The Holy Son’s face darkened as he used his finger as a brush to write:

[Seven: What happened? Didn’t you leave the Western Regions?]

His strokes flew across the surface, as fast as wild cursive script.

But there was no response for a long time. After half a cup of tea’s worth of time, someone finally replied, but it wasn’t Li Miaozhen – it was Chu Yuanzhen:

[Four: The Bu… Buddha has come…]

Li Lingsu felt an icy chill throughout his body as if a cold snake was crawling up his spine straight to his crown, making his scalp instantly go numb.

[Seven: What’s going on?]

[Seven: Didn’t you just say the Buddha lost his destiny and couldn’t expand anymore?]

[Seven: Say something…]

He sent three messages in succession, but they vanished like a stone in the sea, with no response.

Li Lingsu sprang up from his chair, gripping the Earth Book fragment tightly. He turned his head toward the four Ji sisters, his voice carrying a sharp edge:

“The Buddha has come.”

The four Ji sisters immediately looked over, their beautiful faces changing slightly. Ye Ji pressed:

“What do you mean the Buddha has come?”

The young girl Ling Ji looked around in terror, silently moving closer to You Ji.

Li Lingsu meant to show them the Earth Book but then remembered the message contents had disappeared. He explained rapidly:

“My companions sent me a message asking me to quickly request Master Shen Shu’s help in Lei Province.”

Lei Province was Great Zhou’s westernmost province, right next to the Western Regions.

“Why Lei Province?”

Ye Ji asked while standing and walking outside.

How should I know… Li Lingsu shook his head and followed Ye Ji’s pace along with the three Ji sisters. They left the main hall and with a few bounds through South Flower Temple’s many pavilions, arrived outside the Sealing Tower.

The tower door was tightly shut, with a faint light showing through the cracks.

You Ji, graceful as a noble lady, stepped forward with delicate steps. She raised her hand, letting the smooth silk sleeve fall back, revealing her snow-white wrist as she knocked on the tower door and said softly:

“Master Shen Shu, have you finished your cultivation?”

When Ye Ji arrived, Shen Shu happened to be cultivating. Since Li Lingsu had learned the results of exploring the Western Regions through the Earth Book chat group and knew Li Miaozhen and the others were safe, they hadn’t disturbed the Half-Step Martial God.

He had even been thinking about encountering a destined romance with one of the beautiful fox clan women.

Of course, after learning these fox clan women were Xu Qi An’s concubines, the Holy Son no longer wanted anything to do with them.

“What is it!”

Shen Shu’s deep, resonant voice came from within the tower.

You Ji concisely explained the situation to Shen Shu.

The tower door opened automatically, lamplight pouring out like flowing water. Shen Shu’s tall figure slowly walked out.

His appearance had changed greatly. He was now seven-foot tall, no different from an adult male, with handsome features and fair skin – a quite good-looking young monk.

This was his original appearance, or more accurately, Shen Shu’s original appearance rather than the Asura King’s.

The Asura race’s physical characteristics were too obvious. If Shen Shu had maintained the Asura King’s appearance, the Nine-Tailed Fox wouldn’t have failed to recognize that her father was the Asura King.

Nor could Shen Shu have concealed it from the monks while cultivating at Arantha.

“I understand.”

Shen Shu nodded slightly, and in the next moment, his figure vanished from everyone’s sight.

…

In the Imperial Study.

Huai Qing gripped the Earth Book fragment as she suddenly stood up, her clear pool-like eyes staring fixedly outside the hall.

Wei Yuan, Zhao Shou, and Wang Zhenwen, the three powerful officials, hadn’t left and were still in the Imperial Study.

Seeing Huai Qing’s strong reaction, all three turned their gazes toward the peerlessly beautiful Empress.

“A message through the Earth Book – the Buddha has come.”

Huai Qing took a deep breath and said:

“They’re currently in Lei Province…”

Wei Yuan, Zhao Shou, and Wang Zhenwen jumped up from their seats, their faces either changing slightly or growing solemn.

Zhao Shou deliberated:

“The Buddha has fully absorbed the Western Regions? Where did He get the destiny from?”

Wang Zhenwen snorted coldly:

“Either He had a trump card that helped Him complete the final step, or some old friends delivered it to Him.”

The Shaman Religion… All four present were incredibly intelligent people; this kind of problem couldn’t stump them.

“What a dangerous move.” Wei Yuan sighed.

He comforted:

“With Shen Shu there, he should be able to stop the Buddha.”

Zhao Shou glanced at him, clearly disagreeing, but didn’t argue.

Huai Qing sat back down in her purple sandalwood chair, her jade-like fingers quickly writing in the Earth Book fragment:

[One: Xu Ningyan, Xu Ningyan…]

…

Yier Bu rode a black light through the high sky, the vast earth passing beneath him.

He had just reached Yu Province’s territory when he suddenly saw two black lights approaching from ahead. They crossed paths.

“Great Shaman?”

Yier Bu was surprised, delighted, and confused:

“Why have you come to the Central Plains?”

The leader was indeed Saren Agu, wearing a shaman’s robe, his white hair braided into many small plaits, white beard covering half his face.

Accompanying him was Wuda Baota.

Saren Agu didn’t answer, instead asking:

“Did you give it to the Buddha?”

Yier Bu nodded, then sighed:

“The Flame Nation will likely suffer continuous disasters now.”

Just like Great Zhou when it lost half its national destiny.

Wuda Baota said flatly:

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

True, once the Shaman God breaks free of his seal, he will assimilate the northeast like the Buddha, plundering the Nine Provinces’ destiny. The Flame Nation will soon cease to exist… Yier Bu said flatly:

“I know, you don’t need to tell me.”

Although the three nations’ territories would be assimilated by the Shaman God, practitioners of the shaman system would survive, and in the future, they would receive the Shaman God’s – no, the Heavenly Dao’s protection, becoming immortal.

As the Great Shaman said, the Shaman God could modify the rules of heaven and earth, granting divine abilities to the shaman system.

“Where’s Nalan Yushi?”

Yier Bu asked.

Saren Agu smiled:

“Such a vast territory in the Northern Borders – wouldn’t it be a waste to give it to Zhu Jiu?”

Yier Bu’s eyes widened as he instantly understood Nalan Tianlu’s whereabouts.

The Great Shaman planned to take advantage of Great Zhou and Buddhism’s conflict to quickly seize the northern demon barbarians’ territory.

This way, they could replenish the destiny lost from the Flame Nation.

Three birds with one stone – brilliant!

Just then, Yier Bu saw a group of supernatural experts approaching from the south, riding the wind.

Looking closely, it was the seven leaders of the Insect Tribe.

They noticed the Shaman Religion’s supernatural experts too. One person wearing a black cloak suddenly expanded their domain, covering the six others in a layer of shadow.

Ready to shadow jump at any moment.

Old Lady Sky Insect, leaning on her cane with silver hair, nodded slightly to Saren Agu.

The Great Shaman smiled and nodded back in greeting.

“Why are you Shaman Religion people here?”

A woman wearing light gauze with a graceful figure, clear curves, and a delicate, enchanting face demanded with furrowed brows.

Old Lady Sky Insect had brought them rushing to Lei Province, only saying the great calamity had arrived and they needed to check the situation.

Yier Bu’s first impression of her was – harlot!

Every movement exuded an alluring charm as if she were born to seduce men – a consummate temptress.

Yier Bu didn’t know her, but he recognized these methods. She must be the current leader of the Love Insect branch.

“Of course, we’re here to see what trump cards Great Zhou has.”

Yier Bu snickered:

“Or perhaps to watch the Buddha slaughter Great Zhou’s supernatural experts.”

Luan Yu’s enchanting face instantly darkened.

…

At Lei Province’s border.

In a small town, a dark red fleshy substance surged like a tide through the streets and houses. The flesh, with clearly visible blood vessels, adhered to buildings and covered the ground.

It was night now, and most residents were asleep. Like their houses, they made no sound or movement.

But the town’s only brothel was still brightly lit, with the town’s wealthy men still enjoying themselves inside.

Some embraced women while drinking, some listened to opera, and some were already naked in bed, practicing forbidden arts in the realm of alchemy.

But when the dark red flesh tide surged forth, the customers and courtesans screamed and ran out of the rather grand building.

Then, like ants caught in thick syrup, they struggled one by one in the dark red fleshy substance. Their struggles weakened, the fear on their faces gradually smoothed away, and they sat cross-legged in place, hands pressed together like the most devout believers.

They were slowly being assimilated by the fleshy substance…

Whoosh!

A whistling sound cut through the air as withered branches descended from the sky, harvesting the heads of residents who had become devout believers.

The fleshy substance spurted up like a fountain, blocking and then devouring the sword formation made of withered branches.

Far up in the sky, Chu Yuanzhen’s robes were tattered, a broken sword in his hand, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Asura, Daoist Golden Lotus, Deliverance Arhat, Li Miaozhen, and also Sun Xuanji and Master Hengyuan – they all bore wounds, showing traces of battle.

Calling it a battle might be giving them too much credit. More accurately, they had just barely escaped with their lives from the Buddha’s hands, and that was only because Sun Xuanji had reacted quickly and Asura had held up under pressure.

They had earlier gathered on a mountain peak at Lei Province’s border to discuss the Western Region’s situation, using the Earth Book to describe and analyze the Buddha’s condition to the Empress.

They had planned to stay in Lei Province to observe for a few days, but at night, they saw the dark red tide surging toward Lei Province in the moonlight, covering everything in its path with flowing fleshy substance.

“How could He cross the Western Regions and invade Central Plains territory?”

Asura, his chest heaving violently, expressed confusion at the scene before them.

According to their previous deductions, the Buddha’s expansion required destiny, but He hadn’t fully absorbed the Western Regions’ territory, yet was expanding chaotically toward the Central Plains.

In that case, why hadn’t He killed them earlier in the Western Regions?

“It’s different!”

Chu Yuanzhen’s keen observation led him to say quietly:

“What He’s showing should be His ‘true form,’ while in the Western Regions, He was wrapped in sand and earth, like animated mountains. When He crossed the border while pursuing Deliverance Arhat earlier, He also showed this appearance.”

“In other words, Lei Province is now to Him like the parts of Western Regions territory He couldn’t assimilate before due to insufficient destiny.”

“So why is it like this?” Li Miaozhen didn’t want to hear the reasoning process, just the conclusion.

Daoist Golden Lotus maintained his vigilance as he explained:

“Haven’t you noticed? Though He has ‘occupied’ Lei Province, He hasn’t assimilated it. This indicates two things. First, without sufficient destiny, He cannot assimilate Central Plains territory like He did the Western Regions.”

“Second, He’s converting believers, then devouring them.”

“What does this mean?”

A thought flashed through everyone’s minds: Fighting for territory, condensing destiny!

Just like Liu Pingfeng last year.

Deliverance Arhat pressed his hands together:

“This is the so-called great calamity. When Supreme-level experts revive, they will inevitably devour the Central Plains.”

Compared to large-scale battles, this kind of devouring was a thousand times more terrifying.

In army battles, there was still victory or defeat, room for maneuver.

But who could stop the Buddha’s expansion?

These supernatural experts could only make some ineffective interference from far away, not daring to approach.

“Though He advances like an unstoppable fire, He seems to have limitations, His movements restricted.”

Sun Xuanji quickly wrote in wild cursive script on paper, showing it to everyone.

His meaning was that although the Buddha was powerful and unmatched while devouring everything as a tide, His vast body had become a burden, unable to move freely like an individual.

This seemed to be the corresponding price.

Suddenly, the dark red substance rose high, condensing into a vaguely human shape, faintly resembling a bald monk. His facial features were blurred, and his body was only roughly sketched in human form.

But He had a pair of substantial, emotionless eyes.

Silently watching the supernatural experts of Great Zhou.

Senior Brother Sun, are you not Zhong Li in disguise? You’d better not voice any more opinions… Li Miaozhen’s heart skipped a beat. Looking at the others’ expressions, she knew everyone was thinking the same thing.