Chapter 282: Three People Who Have Not Yet Ascended

Rumors in the world said, “Yan Qianli visited the Hongfa Temple at night and somehow took away the Fire Lotus Platform as if ordained by Heaven.”

This vague sentence, “as if ordained by Heaven,” revealed it’s truth.

In fact, he walked up to the mountain gate in broad daylight, chatted for a few moments in the main hall, and then the Abbot Great Compassion gave him the lotus platform. There was no battle, no cunning, and it was so straightforward that it was hard to even tell the story to others. Hence, the public’s knowledge remained inexplicably vague, and it was summarized in this simple sentence as it appeared in the books.

Everything was in accordance with the logic dictated by Heaven.

Until he was miles away from the temple, Yan Qianli was still looking back in the direction of the Hongfa Temple with a very strange expression.

Even Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji’s expressions were extremely strange.

This matter was a stroke of luck for Yan Qianli, simplifying the difficulty, but it didn’t mean that nothing had happened.

Behind it reflected something even more complicated.

Or it could be said that it turned into a difficulty for Chu Ge.

Abbot Great Compassion had definitely figured out the beginning and end of this matter, and he probably guessed the reason why Yan Qianli suddenly needed the Fire Lotus Platform. Chu Ge’s identity was not hidden from his eyes either.

The only thing that might have exceeded his expectations was probably Qiu Wuji…

“If he can guess that one of the two followers is Qiu Wuji, I’ll never approach a monk in my life!” Yan Qianli said angrily.

He thought he was coming for a good time, but it didn’t turn out that way. Even after obtaining the important item, he didn’t feel any pleasure.

“In hindsight, it’s not that hard to guess,” Chu Ge said as he sat on a roadside rock, plucking a tuft of grass to play with. He said casually, “First of all, you, Yan Qianli, went up the mountain in a grand manner, so you must have some kind of confidence. He might not have been able to see through the two followers, but there was something fishy about this matter itself. For a great power who peeks at the existence of the Heavenly Dao, he would naturally have doubts, hence the ‘as if seeing Prajna.'”

Yan Qianli said, “That’s just a suspicion at most. How could he just give away the treasure like that? What if he guessed wrong? Wouldn’t he have given it away for nothing?”

“Secondly, you didn’t have any murderous intent or hostility, so you didn’t look like an enemy…”

Yan Qianli: “…Are you blaming me for poor acting?”

“No, this is an analysis. Are you listening or not?” Chu Ge asked.

Yan Qianli sat aside: “Go on.”

“When he first mentioned the Bodhi Wisdom Tree, it could have been a test of your intentions, but your performance showed that you had no interest in it. Later, the request for the lotus platform was the true intention. The lotus platform has only one effect, the evolution of life, saving people. Originally, this should not have been something you, Yan Qianli, would do.” Chu Ge said, “Combine this with your audacious visit to the mountain. He probably thought that it might be the will of Heaven, which would explain everything. So, he just went along with it, ‘borrowing heavenly items to save people.'”

Yan Qianli stroked his chin and thought for a moment. He had to admit, “That’s probably it. So, he didn’t see through everything right from the start. He slowly confirmed it through the tests. In that case, it’s not so mysterious. He almost made me think he was so amazing that he saw through everything.”

“That’s awesome enough…” Chu Ge’s voice lowered. “The problem now is, since he did this because he saw the Heavenly Dao, it makes it difficult for me to judge whether his actions are those of a true enlightened monk or if he’s just flattering the Heavenly Dao, or perhaps he has some other intentions.”

Finally, Qiu Wuji, who had been silently listening, spoke up. “What about your portrayal of the Buddhist temple and Abbot Great Compassion in your setting?”

“In my setting, Abbot Great Compassion is indeed a virtuous monk who has achieved enlightenment. I’ve written many antagonistic Buddhist sects before, and this time, I really wanted to write a positive portrayal of a high-ranking monk. However, not every Buddha in the Three Thousand Realms of Buddhism is the same; they have different thoughts and interpretations, leading to the emergence of various doctrines and sects. That’s why there are demonic Buddhas in the Heavenly Realm, but I don’t know about the Hongfa Temple.”

Qiu Wuji nodded. “Regarding the Heavenly Realm, let’s put it aside for now. If Abbot Great Compassion is indeed an enlightened monk, it should be fine, right?”

Chu Ge rubbed his temples and said somewhat vexed, “The issue is that I also portrayed Xie Jiuxiao as a modest and virtuous person, but he ended up doing villainous things, right? Now that they have their own consciousness, they can change.”

Qiu Wuji said, “Human changes also have their trajectories, and they don’t happen out of thin air. Xie Jiuxiao has been living in the sky for a long time and overlooking the world. His transformation to seize the heaven makes sense given his status. But what about Abbot Great Compassion? If he were to change, what would be his transformation?”

As Chu Ge was contemplating, his expression suddenly changed.

At the same time, Qiu Wuji and Yan Qianli also looked up, sensing something unusual.

The sound of Buddhist chants filled the surroundings, and radiant golden light descended from the heavens, forming a gigantic hand that held the entire space where the three of them were resting.

A Buddha’s realm within the palm of a hand!

This wasn’t a power of this realm…

It was the power of the Heavenly Realm’s Buddhas!

“The incarnation of the Heavenly Dao? Whose puppet are you? Speak!” A Buddha’s figure appeared in the sky, and the enormous face covered the entire sky.

Chu Ge calmly stood up, looking at the environment around him. The rocks they had been sitting on were still beside them, as if the entire space had been cut out and placed separately. Trying to sense with his current level of cultivation, he could only feel a suffocating despair. Despite the clear blue sky and white clouds, it was as if there were invisible restraints, and they couldn’t escape.

He couldn’t help but smile. “Someone from the Heavenly Realm can actually descend here? You must be breaking some Heavenly Laws…”

“Do you understand the Heavenly Axis and Covenant Laws?” the Buddha asked with a smile. “Those with knowledge have been wondering why the boundaries between the Heavenly and Mortal Realms are separated, who set the Heavenly Tracks, who operates the Covenants. It seems that I’ve had the best luck and found a clue.”

Another one…

These people’s understanding is seriously flawed…

Chu Ge’s thoughts raced, and he said calmly, “Why don’t you think that you have the worst luck and will die here first?”

The Buddha chuckled with a dumbfounded expression. “You? Three people who have not yet ascended to the Heavenly Realm? Especially you… at Foundation Building? Haha, hahaha…”

Boom! Flames soared into the sky, roaring with intensity, turning the entire sky into a blazing inferno.

A world-engulfing firestorm, Yan Qianli.

“Huh…” The Buddha’s face contorted within the flames, showing a great deal of surprise. “The power of a true immortal, yet you haven’t ascended yet?”

Yan Qianli glanced sideways at Chu Ge but didn’t say a word. His smile gradually spread, becoming sinister and manic. “A Heavenly Realm Buddha? Let me test your strength!”

Boom! Lurid flames emerged in his palm, and Yan Qianli was instantly submerged in the sea of fire.

The Buddha was also smiling. “The source of fire, you still don’t understand. Will you be convinced if I use fire to break your fire?”

Yan Qianli found himself in the midst of the sea of fire, experiencing the pain of being burned for the first time in a very long while. In many ways, he was fire himself. But this time, he felt it, and it was different from what he was used to. Interestingly, the difference wasn’t that significant.

Yan Qianli burst into mad laughter. “Hahahaha… Is this the Heavenly Realm’s Buddha’s fire? I’m laughing so hard…”

The Buddha frowned slightly, intrigued. This person’s strength shouldn’t be stuck in this realm; he should have ascended to true immortality long ago. He didn’t expect to come down to this inferior realm to bully a few ants and encounter an opponent who wasn’t much weaker than himself.

However, the opponent clearly had a major flaw – he hadn’t ascended yet, and he lacked a deep understanding of the Dao. His body hadn’t been purified by the Heavenly Light, making him relatively fragile….huh?

Yan Qianli’s eyes gleamed with ferocity. “You think you can crush me with this kind of Buddha’s palm? Break!”

It sounded like the clash of metal against gold, with flames swirling around Yan Qianli like fiery dragons. Shards of golden light shattered and scattered, disappearing into the world.

The Buddha had secretly used the supreme Vajra power to try to crush Yan Qianli to death, but he was astonished to find that Yan Qianli’s Dao body was extraordinarily resilient, no less than their Heavenly Realm’s Vajra Dao body!

“Red Flame Dragon Dao Body?” The Buddha was incredulous. “Is this something that can exist in the mortal realm?”

“In the mortal realm, there are many things you don’t understand!” Yan Qianli pressed one hand to the ground, and the flames roared.

The heavens and the earth turned into a sea of fire, but within the Buddha’s palm, the flames gradually converged and shrank.

Yan Qianli managed to withstand the Buddha’s attacks but couldn’t figure out where his opponent was.

The Buddha let out a sigh and chuckled, “You must be the strongest in the mortal realm. No wonder you dared to come to the Hongfa Temple alone, forcing Abbot Great Compassion to sever the Bodhi Wisdom Tree… but without ascending, it all ends here.”

A single finger descended from the heavens, pressing towards Yan Qianli’s head.

A Buddhist technique, the Great Wheel Sky Finger!

Trapped within the Buddha’s palm, Yan Qianli would undoubtedly be crushed to a pulp with no suspense.

The Buddha’s eyes were now fixed on Chu Ge.

This ‘Heavenly Dao Puppet’ had been standing there, silently observing the battle, looking as if he had been frightened out of his wits. Just a mere Foundation Building cultivator, they couldn’t afford to accidentally harm him. Should they bring him back for questioning, or just devour him directly? What should they ask him? Or should they eliminate him?

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, a dangerous sensation suddenly surged within him. A supremely sharp sword intent flashed, and a devastating sword light erupted within the fiery sea, obliterating everything.

Before he could react, his finger experienced intense pain as the Great Wheel Sky Finger, aimed at Yan Qianli, was cleanly severed, and golden blood flowed like a river.

The Buddha’s supreme gaze looked down in astonishment, now directed towards the woman who had been standing beside the “Heavenly Dao Puppet” like a stunned little maid.

But she was no little maid…

That soaring sword intent pierced the sky, cleaving through both realms, piercing through the heavens and the earth. Wherever it passed, it left nothing behind. Even in the Heavenly Realm, he hadn’t seen such a sword many times – such ferocity, such destruction, such death.

“Sword Breaking the Void!” The Buddha was horrified. “Who are you?”

Qiu Wuji pointed her sword and said, “Based on your current abilities, you don’t even qualify for me to know your name. If this is the extent of the Heavenly Realm, it’s truly disappointing.”

At the same time, the Buddha realized that the Yan Qianli who had been standing there waiting to die had turned into an illusion. The finger he had pressed down earlier was just a phantom made of flames.

The real Yan Qianli was…

“Over here!” High above the sky, Yan Qianli laughed maniacally, grabbing something from the void and dragging it out with force. He sneered, “Come out!”

“Bang!”

The immense face of the Buddha that had stretched across the sky disappeared, replaced by a golden Buddha statue of human size that Yan Qianli forcefully dragged into the mortal realm.