Those eyes were incomparably huge, without eyelashes, covered in bloodshot veins, staring at everyone emotionlessly.
Then, cracks split open across the ground, each crack becoming an eye. Some were the size of normal human eyes, others as large as cartwheels, water vats, or ponds, with no fixed scale.
But they shared one trait—their gaze was more terrifying than the stare of an ancient murderer, more spine-chilling.
The eyes on that distant mountain range suddenly rolled their eyeballs, fixing upon Du’e. Then, all the eyes focused on him.
Immediately after, countless pupils began trembling violently.
Fortune warned again, and Du’e felt a chill in his heart, a cold that penetrated to his bones. What he first felt wasn’t fear, but insignificance.
His insignificance.
The other seemed like the will of heaven and earth incarnate. Its mere gaze made Du’e want to fall to his knees, submitting to the will of heaven and earth.
This feeling hadn’t occurred even when facing Bodhisattvas.
Not just him—distant Chu Yuanzhen, Li Miaozhen, Taoist Master Golden Lotus, and Sun Xuanji felt the same way.
Magnificent, vast, majestic… these words weren’t enough to describe those eyes, that existence.
If they had to find an appropriate word, it would be “Heaven”!
A sense of insignificance arose naturally in everyone’s heart.
The insignificance of being human.
Since entering the supernatural realm, they’d never experienced this feeling. Even when Taoist Master Golden Lotus faced Luo Yuheng’s heavenly tribulation, he didn’t feel this way.
“Run!”
Du’e had barely shouted when he turned to find only Hengyuan remained beside him—Asura had already fled.
…Du’e didn’t hesitate. His nine-petaled lotus platform radiated Buddhist light, propelling him away like a golden bolt of lightning.
Master Hengyuan followed closely behind.
“Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism…”
Terrifying roars came from behind.
Li Miaozhen and the others watching vigilantly from afar saw that plain come alive. The ground surged like ocean waves, transforming into earthen walls hundreds of zhang high that blotted out the sky, crashing toward Du’e Arhat and Hengyuan.
When these giant waves had pursued them for several li, the soil and wild sand scattered “rustling,” revealing their true nature—dark red flesh, covering the sky and earth like waves of flesh.
The feeling of insignificance vanished.
Though the other remained terrifying, so strong it made people tremble in fear, that sense of human insignificance disappeared from everyone’s hearts.
The dark red flesh condensed into a sky-covering giant hand. As soon as this enormous hand appeared, it broke through spatial distance, covering Du’e, Asura, and Hengyuan from above.
Practitioner’s dharma body? Du’e’s heart jolted greatly.
The three continued riding the wind without stopping, each manifesting their second-rank bandit-killing fruit of attainment above their heads. Seven-colored splendid light shone together as they tried to resist the grasping force.
Li Miaozhen and Taoist Master Golden Lotus simultaneously reached out, frantically adding fortune to the three.
At this critical moment, that giant hand collapsed.
The flesh matter composing it seemed to lose its power, suddenly crumbling and crashing to the ground. In an instant, it was like a mountain falling—the ground shook violently, raising dust.
Asura, Du’e, and Hengyuan having escaped death, still dared not stop until returning to Li Miaozhen and the others’ side, only then daring to look back.
That dark red flesh matter was now slowly melting into the ground until it disappeared.
“Scared the hell out of me.”
Asura rubbed his bald head.
Though Du’e Arhat and Hengyuan didn’t speak, their expressions and gazes suggested their hearts shared Asura’s sentiment.
“Last time I approached, He didn’t harm me…”
Du’e pondered for a moment, then said:
“Just now fortune warned me—He wanted to devour me and take back the fortune.”
Everyone’s minds were in chaos, flashing with various questions. Taoist Master Golden Lotus said:
“We can discuss this matter later. First, let’s leave the Western Regions and return to Lei Province to wait for Master Shenshu to arrive.”
After returning to Lei Province’s territory, the group landed on an uninhabited mountaintop, sitting cross-legged under an ancient pine tree.
The Top Scholar Chu Yuanzhen, with a streak of white hair on his forehead, opened the discussion:
“Was that… the Buddha?”
Taoist Master Orange Cat, Du’e Arhat, and others nodded.
Master Hengyuan pressed his palms together, his brows furrowing into a ‘川’ pattern, his expression grave:
“Why has the Buddha become like this?”
No one answered.
A body transforming into mountains and rivers was unheard of, beyond their realm of knowledge.
Taoist Master Golden Lotus looked at Du’e Arhat and said:
“Master says He wanted to devour you and take back the fortune?”
Du’e Arhat nodded.
Taoist Master Golden Lotus slowly nodded, expressing his view:
“Although we didn’t dare venture deeper into the Western Regions past Him, what Du’e Arhat says is likely true.”
He was referring to the Buddha devouring Western Regions’ living beings and becoming mountains, rivers, and cities.
Li Miaozhen frowned and said:
“But when we arrived, we saw many living people who hadn’t been devoured by the Buddha. There’s no reason He would only devour half…”
Before she finished, Asura cut in, his voice deep and masculine:
“Did you notice when the Buddha struck, there was an obvious change midway? The earth and stones fell away, revealing dark red flesh. The two states felt different to me.
“He was still terrifying, but seemed to have lost some kind of soul-shocking power.”
Soul-shocking power? He described abandoning Du’e and Hengyuan to flee in such an elegant way… Li Miaozhen grumbled internally.
However, she could understand what Asura meant by “soul-shocking.”
Because she had also experienced that sense of insignificance.
Du’e Arhat nodded and said:
“And the territory where He lost this aspect of power was precisely the region He hadn’t assimilated.”
At this point, he saw Sun Xuanji wave his sleeve, taking out a case containing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and begin writing furiously.
Chu Yuanzhen seemed to have a revelation as he summarized:
“Could it be that the establishment of Mahayana Buddhism caused the Buddha to lose part of His fortune, preventing Him from expanding further? That’s why the Buddha’s attitude toward Du’e Arhat changed so obviously before and after.”
His guess was based on the premise that transcendents need fortune, combined with the changes in the Western Regions and Du’e Arhat’s fortune warning.
Taoist Master Orange Cat stroked his beard and said:
“This poor Taoist thinks the same. This move with Mahayana Buddhism has had remarkable effects.
“Without fortune’s support, the Buddha seems unable to continue expanding. As long as we don’t enter Western Regions territory, there should be no danger.”
Everyone agreed.
Then they noticed Sun Xuanji holding his brush, frozen in position.
Looking closer, they saw he had written on the paper:
“The Buddha lost fortune and cannot continue to devour…”
He couldn’t write the rest because Chu Yuanzhen had already said it all.
“Ah well…” Flying Swallow Heroine offered some consolation: “Next time we’ll bring Guardian Yuan.”
Guardian Yuan is just a fourth-rank minor demon, he shouldn’t have to bear these adventures beyond his cultivation level… the kind and simple Master Hengyuan thought.
Good idea, scare that dead monkey to death… this was the inner voice of everyone except Du’e Arhat.
Chu Yuanzhen immediately transmitted their discussion results to the Ground Book chat group.
[One: The deduction is correct, that’s probably how it is. I asked Lord Wei and Scholar Zhao about the Buddha’s anomaly. They don’t understand it well, but Scholar Zhao says it’s likely related to the so-called great calamity.]
The Buddha’s appearance truly qualified as a great calamity. If He were allowed to expand freely, the consequences would be unimaginable… the Heaven and Earth Society members deeply understood this.
[One: Xu Ningyan, Xu Ningyan, did you see the transmission?]
After asking several times, no one responded.
[Nine: Xu Ningyan is still overseas, and hasn’t returned.]
Without that crude first-rank warrior, everyone always felt a bit less secure.
[Seven: That turtle egg Xu Ningyan, could he have fled overseas to never return? If he can’t advance to half-step Martial God, he’ll probably flee, after all, he’s so lecherous.]
Shouldn’t it be that he’s afraid of death? What does this have to do with being lecherous? That Li Lingsu fellow is taking the chance to smear Xu Qi’an again… the Heaven and Earth Society members thought privately.
[Two: Senior Brother, have you reached the Southern Frontier?]
[Seven: Yes, waiting for Master Shenshu to come out of seclusion. By the way, the fox clan beauties are truly extraordinary. Especially Night Princess’s several sisters—they’re of heavenly beauty, each one’s looks could crush you, Junior Sister.]
[Two: Senior Brother ah, when we return to the capital, I’ll tell these words to your wives. Unless you tell me how many princesses are in the Southern Frontier.]
[Seven: Senior Brother was wrong. Senior Brother still has matters to discuss with the beautiful Ladies Yu, Ling, and Qing. Everyone take care.]
…
In the deep sea.
The huge ocean trench was bottomlessly deep, so black it seemed to devour light.
Xu Qi’an scattered a handful of fire-red shells, waiting until they fell toward the trench before igniting them with his energy.
The fire element contained in the shells suddenly burst open, expanding into fireballs in the pitch-black seabed.
The undercurrent suddenly surged violently.
Between flashes of firelight, Xu Qi’an and the Nine-Tailed Fox saw a thick tentacle shoot out from the trench. It was as huge as a heaven-devouring python, each sucker as large as a water vat.
Incomplete patterns were branded on the tentacle’s surface.
Is this transcendent deity a Giant King Squid… Xu Qi’an felt somewhat disillusioned. With a curious mentality, he had been looking forward to seeing the other’s true form.
This tentacle twisted and coiled over, sweeping fiercely toward the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox.
The seabed’s undercurrent instantly boiled. All Xu Qi’an could hear was the “rumbling” of colliding currents.
More sensitive to divine demon descendants… Xu Qi’an raised an eyebrow, standing by with folded arms, not helping the fox spirit fight.
The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox also didn’t use her strongest weapon—her tails.
Eight fluffy fox tails, like jellyfish tentacles, slapped once, propelling her to dodge the tentacle. Her delicate fist clenched, throwing a punch that created dense bubbles.
Bang!
A muffled explosion sounded underwater, like a torpedo detonating.
In Xu Qi’an’s view, dense bubbles instantly covered the area ahead, surging undercurrents sweeping outward in all directions like shock waves, striking his chest.
The Nine-Tailed Fox’s body flew backward, dragging a vacuum trail through the water.
Seeing this, Xu Qi’an had a clearer estimate of the tentacle’s power.
Though the Sovereign’s strength couldn’t match warriors, as a divine demon descendant, her physical power exceeded other first-rank systems.
But in that pure contest of fist power just now, she was no match for the tentacle.
The stronger it is, the greater my gain after devouring it. Maybe I really can advance to half-step Martial God in one go… Xu Qi’an transmitted:
“Sovereign, help me hold it off while I go find its main body.”
The Nine-Tailed Fox made an “mm” sound, her tone normal. Though she had lost the earlier contest of strength, she wasn’t injured.