“They’re all Nascent Soul cultivators and that little one has only recently formed her Core. Why don’t we ask the Daotian Master to possess us with his divine will and kill her directly to take her heart?” one cultivator suggested.
“Are you mad? Forget that she’s the Rebel Dao’s heir; even the trail… the Daosheng Tian renegade by her side isn’t someone to be trifled with,” another rebuked.
“Xuanzai ordered his disciples not to interfere with the Buddha Bone Zen Heart affair. We might not be able to handle this. Let’s focus on our main task,” a third voice reasoned.
“Agreed. Order all Daosheng Tian disciples in the Mortal State to destroy all Rebel Dao jade slips at any cost!”
Recently, spiritual light had been flashing across the ferry points of the Four Seas in the Mortal State. The first cultivators to arrive immediately began searching for spiritual lands to set up teleportation arrays at great expense, all for a small jade slip.
These black jade slips, like demons, steeped in worldly ways for years, chanted sutras that concealed mountains of corpses and seas of blood beneath their monastic robes, enticing countless seekers of the Dao.
The Buddha Repentance Lord had created this technique, destroying the Yi State and causing even the Dao Venerable to fear. His disciple, wielding this power, had thrown the Zhengfa Palace into chaos, leaving Daosheng Tian helpless.
In times of turmoil across the States, cultivators sought ever more powerful and quick methods of advancement. Not everyone braved Daosheng Tian’s pressure to seek a new Dao in the Mortal State, but those who came all knew of something here that even Daosheng Tian greatly feared.
“Cultivate the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra and subdue all demons and evil spirits in the world!”
“I witnessed it myself in the Zhengfa Palace. That woman, merely at the Nascent Soul stage, could face a Void Transformation cultivator without falling.”
“I’ve cultivated the Dao that Daosheng Tian laid out for over 400 years, studying until my hair turned white, yet I still can’t penetrate the void. Are they deceiving the world?!”
Such rumors spread like wildfire. Long-suppressed tales about the Buddha Repentance Lord were quietly disseminated while Daosheng Tian was fully occupied with the alliance.
The Tianxie Dao was the first to get involved. Its vice sect leader led disciples to excavate the ruins of the former Yangye Sect, obtaining hundreds of jade slips containing the first part of the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra. As they attempted to send these back to the Yi State, other cultivators ambushed and killed them.
These jade slips lacked the original restrictions. One slip circulated could instantly be copied thousands of times and passed on. Within days, some had already grasped the basics.
Seven days later, in a market near Huigu in the Mortal State, a thunderous explosion rang out. A bald Core Formation cultivator held a palm-sized blood-colored Buddhist lotus, using it to strike down a demonic cultivator two minor realms above him, leaving his fate unknown.
The bald cultivator laughed heartily, “What an excellent Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra! It’s far more powerful than my technique of devouring spirit embryos. Once I enter Huigu and obtain the true scripture, who among my peers could be my match? I shall take the Buddhist vows today!”
His laughter didn’t last long. Soon, a sword emanating Nascent Soul energy pierced through the air. It paused for half a breath at the Buddhist light surrounding his body before a Nascent Soul cultivator coldly harrumphed, intensifying his spiritual power to penetrate the bald cultivator’s Golden Core.
The onlookers fell silent as three to five cultivators in star-patterned Daoist robes appeared. They retrieved a jade slip from the bald cultivator’s storage ring and crushed it to dust, warning those around them:
“This is the fate of those who cultivate the Rebel Dao!”
People remained silent until the Daosheng Tian cultivators left. In a spirit tea house nearby, Nan Yan closed the window and sat down, addressing the other person in the room, “Why did you send your junior brother to do this?”
The tea pourer’s brows were veiled by the mist rising from the cyan tea.
“Because he’s still hesitating about killing his master. I’m helping him choose a side,” Ji Yang replied.
Nan Yan hesitated before asking, “I’ve always wondered… Ying Zewei’s actions have been ruthless, so why are his disciples so… well, you aside, Mo Xing Zheng is upright and willing to offend his sect to save me.”
Ji Yang responded, “So, do you prefer the upright or the scheming?”
Nan Yan retorted, “This poor nun is trying to guide you towards the path of an upright gentleman.”
Ji Yang countered, “Sometimes being too much of a gentleman is counterproductive. Look at my master; after suppressing himself for so long, he went mad.”
Nan Yan asked, “Will he hear you badmouthing him like this?”
Ji Yang replied, “Though I want to kill him, he did teach me. I’d rather insult him to his face.”
Nan Yan was speechless.
Ji Yang continued, “You might not understand him well. He never revealed his misdeeds to the next generation of disciples. When Xing Zheng and I were cultivating the Daotian Heart Sutra in Daosheng Tian, the most important teaching was to prioritize the Dao lineage passed down by the Dao Venerable. But as we advanced, disciples began to believe the Dao Venerable’s achievements were limited, and most of Daosheng Tian’s doctrines and techniques were improvements my master made on the Dao Venerable’s remnant scriptures.”
Nan Yan was stunned. “You mean…”
“He had long surpassed his teacher but insisted on forcing everyone to revere the Dao Venerable.”
Nan Yan recalled her few encounters with Ying Zewei, and how he always emphasized that the Dao Venerable represented the ultimate truth and that his teachings were beyond question.
Suddenly, a realization struck Nan Yan. “Wait, if he revered the Dao Venerable so much, why did he allow him to perish along with the Red Emperor and others during his ascension?”
“He was mad from the start,” Ji Yang explained. “Before the Dao Venerable’s ascension, Daosheng Tian was basically under his control. At that time, Nan Fangzhu’s generation had just outgrown their youthful impetuousness, and my master was still young. With such a massive responsibility on his shoulders, to maintain Daosheng Tian’s status after the Dao Venerable’s fall, he began to use everything at his disposal. He convinced the Dao Venerable to perish along with the Red Emperor and others, promising to resurrect him as the Lord of Fengdu afterward… that’s the Dao Venerable statue we saw in the hall between the mountains and seas.”
Even so, the Dao Venerable’s death back then indicated it was part of his plan. Whether killing his master, disciples, and friends was worth it is no longer worth discussing.
“You needn’t wonder if he still has a shred of humanity. He doesn’t care for himself, so why should others care for him?” Ji Yang’s tone was devoid of emotion as if he had long understood all this. “You ask why Xing Zheng and I weren’t influenced by him to become cruel and ruthless. Perhaps it’s because when he took us in as disciples, it was when his relationship with your mother was at its most peaceful.”
“I once saw his inner demon. It looked exactly like my mother.”
Ji Yang shook his head with a smile. “Do you know that when a villain falls for a righteous person, they might shed their ferocious facade to capture a glimpse of that light? What you saw as an inner demon was himself. That face was just the salvation he refused to confront.”
Nan Yan frowned, fingering her prayer beads in silence. After a while, she muttered, “Perhaps in the end, Mo Xing Zheng won’t be able to do it.”
“I haven’t left myself an escape route, so naturally, I won’t give him a choice either.”
“Destroying Daosheng Tian… aren’t you afraid he’ll resent you?”
Ji Yang remained silent for a long time before looking up at her. “I’ve involved too many people. I don’t care about others, but I fear your resentment.”
…
The situation regarding the Rebel Dao inheritance in the Mortal State intensified daily. New practitioners were discovered every day, most of them demonic cultivators who couldn’t resist the temptation and had abandoned part of their demonic foundation to cultivate the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra.
Having grasped the basics, these people craved the middle and latter parts even more. At this time, Huo Wuji, the vice sect leader of Tianxie Dao, announced that the Buddha Repentance Lord himself was sealed within Huigu in the Mortal State. He would unite the power of many Void Transformation cultivators to break part of Huigu’s restrictions, allowing Nascent Soul cultivators to enter and seek inheritance from the Buddha Repentance Lord.
In the mortal realm’s late September, autumn rain filled with the strong scent of osmanthus, and the smell of blood lightly covered the entire valley.
Unlike the clamor during Huigu’s last opening, cultivators now sat cross-legged every dozen steps throughout the valley. Their cultivation levels ranged from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation. None were native to the Mortal State, and most exuded a bloody aura that struck fear into the hearts of onlookers.
“… In just half a month, tens of thousands have cultivated the Rebel Dao.” On a mountaintop, over a dozen pale-faced Nascent Soul cultivators followed behind an old man. This elder was one of Daosheng Tian’s Daotian Masters, of supreme status. When mentioning the words “Rebel Dao,” his expression was one of utter loathing.
“When Nan Fangzhu disappeared in the Mortal State years ago, the Buddha Repentance Lord took advantage of Huigu’s opening to scatter black jade slips containing sealed Rebel Dao techniques,” the Daotian Master grumbled. “I said we shouldn’t keep them, but that old Six Celestial insisted these slips would only unseal automatically when encountering someone with the Buddha Bone Zen Heart. He wanted to use this to collect the remaining heart, but now he won’t let us touch that child!”
A Daosheng Tian Nascent Soul cultivator behind him suggested, “Master, these cultivators have already tasted the sweetness of the Rebel Dao techniques. The situation is difficult to reverse. To prevent the Buddha Repentance Lord from emerging and aiding the Chen State alliance, why don’t we detonate the restrictions directly?”
“No,” the Daotian Master replied after a moment’s thought. “Huigu’s grand formation connects to the Mortal State’s earth veins. Detonating the restrictions would sink half the Mortal State into the vast sea. The resulting karmic backlash would impact the entire cultivation world. If it affects Xuanzai, we might lose hope for reincarnation.”
He took out a jade tablet with Mo Xing Zheng’s name on it. “Are you certain you saw that traitor Mo Xing Zheng traveling with them?”
“Yes, we didn’t dare approach, but Mo Xing Zheng was indeed rescued by that traitor and came to the Mortal State together.”
The Daotian Master activated the jade tablet. As Huigu’s entrance restrictions weakened, the tablet lit up, forming a thin beam of light pointing towards a young cultivator in a cloak at the edge of the crowd.
The other Nascent Soul cultivators remained still. “Master, aren’t we going to capture him?”
The Daotian Master sneered, “No need. Xuanzai has always been calculating. How could he let someone who grew up under Daosheng Tian’s grace escape so easily?”
Half an hour later, a massive formation quietly appeared above Huigu. Ten terrifying Void Transformation auras wrapped in demonic energy descended. With an ear-piercing spatial tear, the perpetual mist at Huigu’s entrance parted as if cut by an extremely sharp blade, revealing a passage.
“It’s fortunate that half of Zhengfa Palace’s restriction towers were destroyed. Otherwise, we few couldn’t have breached Huigu’s entrance,” one Void Transformation demonic cultivator remarked.
He turned to Tianxie Dao’s vice sect leader. “Friend Huo, we’re now directly opposing Daosheng Tian. If we release the Buddha Repentance Lord today, we’ll earn his favor. Is the next step to turn hostility into friendship with Chen State?”
“Impossible,” Huo Wuji’s eyes flashed strangely. “Years ago, Daosheng Tian assassinated Chen State’s imperial son and framed our Yi State. They reaped the benefits while we suffered. Now that they’re falling from grace, how can Yi State not repay the favor? Daosheng Tian still has Xuanzai, who’s nearing his celestial tribulation. The Chen State alliance’s chances of victory are slim. We might as well release the Buddha Repentance Lord and let them fight it out. Then it’ll be Yi State’s turn to sit in the world’s first seat.”
“Vice Sect Leader’s thoughts are thorough. We’ll observe who takes control of the world situation.”
Almost instantly as Huigu’s entrance restrictions completely dispersed, countless streaks of light shot in like meteors.
Unlike the caution of the previous time, these cultivators, relying on their powerful cultivation, flew recklessly. Even when encountering some monstrous disturbances, they were quickly eliminated.
“I heard this place was once merely a trial ground for Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation cultivators. No need to be too careful. Let’s charge straight into Huigu’s inner circle. They say the middle section of the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra is carved on a cliff wall. First come, first served.”
However, these first-wave cultivators didn’t remain smug for long. After the first person crashed into Huigu’s inner barrier, the entire valley suddenly shook. Huge silver trees sprouted from the ground, forming walls of trees in the inner circle. In moments, they created a massive maze, tightly enclosing Huigu’s core.
Some, disdainful of this, tried to fly over the maze.
“What’s this? Break for me!” one late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator shouted.
He flew with sonic booms in his wake, but as he tried to pass through the silver trees’ canopy, a crackling sound emerged. Countless silver fruits suddenly formed.
The cultivator, curious, tried to pick one with his natal treasure. Suddenly, the fruits transformed into countless flying insects, enveloping him instantly. In a blink, they devoured his physical body. As his Nascent Soul fled in panic, a gray, ghostlike shadow darted by, swallowing it in one gulp.
“Yin Zhu!”
They might not recognize the silver insects, but they knew the ferocity of Yin Zhu. When consumed by a Yin Zhu, one’s soul isn’t immediately destroyed. Instead, it gradually replaces one’s consciousness within Yin Zhu’s body, a fate more painful than soul scattering.
After the initial shock, some Nascent Soul cultivators communicated telepathically to form teams.
“I know the Yin Zhu’s ferocity. I have a mermaid treasure that can conceal three to five people’s auras, but I don’t know the origin of these silver trees.”
“They’re Silver Cicada trees,” a cloaked cultivator with a weakened voice replied from outside Huigu’s inner circle. He stood with two others and a deer. “When Huigu’s grand formation was set up, Silver Cicada tree seeds were buried underground. Now that Zhengfa Palace’s restriction towers are destroyed, they can’t control many offensive methods, but these Silver Cicada trees can be barely activated as part of the defensive restrictions.”
A team of five or six Nascent Soul cultivators had been observing nearby. Their leader’s eyes flickered at these words. He approached and said, “I’m a cultivator from the Yun family of Shen State. There are many demonic cultivators in this Huigu. Since you’re a Dao cultivator with broad knowledge, why don’t we help each other and enter this maze together to break through?”
“Alright,” Mo Xing Zheng agreed, feeling confused and having many questions for the Buddha Repentance Lord. Strength in numbers seemed wise.
However, given Daosheng Tian’s close relationship with Shen State, Mo Xing Zheng dared not reveal his identity. He changed his voice to negotiate briefly, then turned back to find Ji Yang and the others. He found Nan Yan glaring at his senior brother.
“What did you feed this deer?” she demanded.
The little nine-colored deer they had brought to detect Daosheng Tian’s people now lay contentedly on its back, looking well-fed and satisfied.
Ji Yang replied seriously, “It needs to be well-fed to work effectively. It’ll get thin if it only eats vegetables all day.”
Nan Yan retorted, “But I just heard you use dead souls to trick it into revealing some beast clan secrets. How am I supposed to explain this to its moth… elder deer?”
Ji Yang shrugged, “It’s nothing important, just casual questions.”
The little deer, now fond of Ji Yang, wagged its soft tail and said in its adorable girlish voice, “Sister Chongming, deer didn’t reveal anything. I only said that Chongming birds have one mating season every spring in the third month, and if they don’t find a mate, they have to self-immolate once. It’s not important.”
Nan Yan was speechless.
“Why are you inquiring about this?” she finally asked.
Ji Yang replied, “I was curious.”
Nan Yan roughly stuffed the little deer into a spirit beast bag and glared at Ji Yang, who seemed to be pondering something. “Don’t ask about these messy things, and don’t mention it in front of my father.”
Ji Yang sighed, “Given the situation, can’t we be more open and honest?”
Nan Yan retorted, “No, this is a monk’s last stubbornness.”
Mo Xing Zheng, expressionless, said to the team of Nascent Soul cultivators:
“My friends are having an episode. Let’s just go and leave them to their world.”