In the Buddha's kingdom, Buddha's light was flowing, and the black-robed emperor was walking forward. The old Buddha and the future Buddha were on both sides, walking slowly forward and following closely behind him. The rest of the Bodhisattvas, Vajras, and Arhats were not qualified to follow him, and they just stood in the distance and watched quietly. Yang Jian followed behind him. Emperor Zhenwu seemed to be going to a forbidden place. The old Buddha and the future Buddha stopped and just watched Emperor Daomen walk alone towards the most secretive and mysterious place in Buddhism.

The weight and significance of that place is such that not everyone can go there, let alone the foreign immortals and gods, even the Bodhisattvas among the people are not allowed to go there. Its status is probably not inferior to that of the Haotian Treasury in the Heavenly Palace. However, when this gentle emperor proposed to go there, the old Buddha did not object at all.

He just stopped outside this precious land and watched the Great Emperor Zhenwu go away.

That place was special, and Yang Jian did not go with them.

A thousand years ago, this place still had practitioners of the Seventeen Buddhist Lineages. But after the great catastrophe a thousand years ago, it became much quieter. The Great Emperor Zhenwu paced slowly, with lush flowers and plants on both sides, and the Bodhi trees growing very well. Apart from the sound of the wind, there were no other noisy sounds.

Under the huge Bodhi tree in front, a skinny old Taoist was already standing there waiting, with his hands folded in front of him, calling himself the Emperor. It was none other than Randeng, and he said softly:

"It's been a long time since we last met. The old Taoist looks so old, but the Emperor is still as charming as ever."

Qi Wuhuo looked deeply at his old friend in front of him, then smiled and said gently:

"Fellow Daoist, it seems that you have realized something."

Randeng shook his head and invited Qi Wuhuo to sit down. He took out the teacup and teapot and made tea for the black-robed emperor in front of him. He lowered his eyes to look at the teacup and replied in a gentle tone, "It's not a matter of understanding or not. It's just that as promised back then, the Bodhi fruit has matured, so I gave it to the emperor."

The Great Emperor Zhenwu was sitting on a stone bench. When he saw Randang raise his hand, he had abandoned his Buddhist practice in the past, but now he seemed to have regained his popularity. Wisps of golden Buddha light dissipated, and the Bodhi fruit fell down and landed steadily on the stone table. Wisps of Buddha light flowed and changed.

This can be regarded as the original companion treasure of the Buddha.

After being nurtured for several kalpas, its spiritual roots are extremely deep. No one dares to underestimate this treasure. It is something enough to make the Great Emperor of Changsheng of the South Pole a little excited. When this thing appeared, the Buddha's light in the Buddha Kingdom seemed to be much more intense.

boom!!!

Above the Buddha's kingdom, blue-purple thunder was running past.

The power of thunder was strong, but it also carried a divine will of endless life, which startled many Bodhisattvas and Vajra. However, Randeng remained calm and said softly, "This item is too precious. The Buddha and others have some thoughts of keeping it in the Buddha Kingdom, but the Buddha had already made an agreement with the Emperor, so this item is now returned to its original owner."

"This thing is rich in charm. In the future, if the emperor wants to refine treasures or make elixirs, it will be presided over by the emperor."

The Great Emperor Zhenwu stretched out his hand, held the Bodhi fruit in his palm, and sensed its lively spirituality.

He did not stay on this top treasure for too long.

He looked at the Burning Lamp Taoist in front of him and said gently, "So, what about you, Taoist friend?"

"In the Buddha Kingdom, you will guard this Bodhi fruit for a thousand years. After that, will you follow me back to Zhenwu Mansion?" The old Taoist sighed, with a strong sense of apology on his face, and said softly, "As for me, I will not leave."

Emperor Zhenwu did not seem surprised by this development. He just smiled and asked:

"Fellow Daoist, it seems that you have thought it through. Can you tell me about it?"

The Taoist monk Ran Deng said, "In fact, there is nothing worth listening to. In the beginning, I was just a candlelight lit in front of the Buddha's seat to illuminate the darkness. It is because the Buddha has left that no one around recites the Buddhist scriptures anymore, and no one is willing to illuminate the darkness for the people anymore, so I am so confused."

"During those years, I practiced the Seventeen-Line Dharma. Although it was a lot, I did not find the path. When I was lost, I left the Dharma and went to the path. Later, I saw the Buddha return and knew what the Buddha did. Only then did I wake up... My so-called practice has always been just waiting for the Buddha to return."

"That is not cultivation, it is just placing one's hopes on the Buddha. It is the path of evil."

"I have been sitting here for a thousand years, and finally I have found my own path."

The old Taoist stood up, finally put his hands together, bowed deeply to the man who was sitting there, his temperament was as calm and deep as the sky and the floor, and said softly:

"Over the years, I am grateful for the Emperor's care. From today onwards, I will apologize that I can no longer accompany you."

The Great Emperor Zhenwu looked at him with joy in his eyes and said with a smile: "Congratulations, fellow Taoist."

The Taoist Master Ran Deng said ashamedly, "I have abandoned Taoism and turned to Buddhism. I am no longer worthy of being a Taoist friend of the Emperor."

The Great Emperor Zhenwu smiled gently and said, "Daoist friend, why do you have to be obsessed with Buddhism? The so-called Daoist friends are just walking together for a while on this journey."

"We have walked together, and now it is time to say goodbye."

“Relationships in the world are always like this.”

Randeng felt ashamed and guilty, but his expression was complicated when he heard the words. He raised his head and looked at the majestic Zhenwu Emperor in front of him, and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Great Emperor Zhenwu raised his hand, and the ripe Bodhi fruit slowly hovered above his palm, with an extremely strong spiritual energy emanating and flowing. If this fruit were eaten by a human, it would probably be enough to create the most perfect foundation immediately, and even directly reach the foundation of the great level.

Even for the Supreme Emperor, it is an invaluable treasure. Even the Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole was attracted by it.

At this time, Emperor Zhenwu thought of the monk who used himself as a raft to save the world a thousand years ago. He looked calmly as he raised his eyes to the southern sky. He seemed to have seen the thunder and lightning in that direction, roaring and running with extremely powerful power, but it did not fall because it was on guard against Zhenwu.

The Great Emperor Zhenwu withdrew his gaze, suddenly raised his finger and tapped directly on the Bodhi fruit.

The majestic power flowed and changed, and in an instant, the Buddha's light dispersed, and boundless power rushed into the sky and turned into a vast and majestic stream of light. The sound of thunder suddenly became louder, as if it would chop down at any time. Yang Jian, who was sitting cross-legged, picked up his weapon and stood up, his eyes lit up, while Amitabha and Maitreya Buddha were puzzled.

Taoist Randeng stood up, only to see that the Bodhi fruit had turned into flowing light. Its vitality and spirituality had not been refined, but had instead turned into a boundless and majestic posture, which was suppressed and restrained by the Great Emperor Zhenwu. Randeng was stunned and said, "This, this is...!"

Emperor Zhenwu said, "Over the years, I have learned some creation techniques from you, Madam."

I learned a little bit, the method of creation...

The Taoist Master Ran Deng was stunned.

Just this one sentence gave him a familiar feeling. He still remembered that the emperor back then was like this. He said a lot of amazing words that made people dumbfounded in a casual manner. And after the Bodhi fruit was enlightened and the Buddha's light dissipated, a young boy who looked only twelve or thirteen years old appeared.

Its whole body was clear, without the slightest mixed thought; its spirit was quiet, with the fragrance of flowers and trees, and without the attachment to the seven emotions and six desires. Its aura was familiar, and the Taoist Master Ran Deng recognized that this was the Bodhi fruit that had transformed it. Its seniority was very high, and if one continued to trace its age and background, it would be enough for it to be on equal terms with the Jade Emperor and others.

But now that he has just awakened, his spirit is still immature.

This fruit belongs to wood, and has no original form. It falls with the wind and does not burn when encountering fire. However, it was enlightened by the Queen Mother Nuwa through the means of Zhenwu Zhentian. By chance, it turned into the appearance of a human teenager. The Great Emperor Zhenwu raised his hand and touched the center of the child's brow, revealing his spiritual light and making his endless charm completely restrained. Then he slowly opened his eyes, his eyes were as clear as the sky, but also confused and dazed.

Randeng's eyes lit up, and he subconsciously took a step forward and said, "My Buddha?!"

But he saw the confusion and ignorance in the young boy's eyes, that kind of clear and boundless eyes, like a bird breaking out of its shell, looking at the freshness of the world. So Randang stopped in his tracks. He recognized that this was not the Buddha. Even though their foundations and background were similar, the young boy in front of him was not and could not be the one and only Buddha.

Ran Deng looked at the young man with a sad look in his eyes, then raised his head and looked at the black-robed emperor in front of him, saying: "Emperor, please have mercy..."

He originally thought that this Bodhi fruit would be transformed into the alchemy furnace by the Supreme Disciple, but he never expected that the Great Emperor Zhenwu would enlighten him. He almost blurted out that he hoped the Emperor could accept him as a disciple, but then he realized that even the divine general Yang Jian was not his disciple, but was just a figurehead under the Lianyang Temple.

Moreover, what the Taoist disciples emphasize is that fate is natural and cannot be forced. In the end, he just said:

"Thank you, Emperor..."

Although this child, the incarnation of the Bodhi fruit, was of a very high generation and background, he was still ignorant. The Great Emperor Zhenwu stretched out his hand and transformed a grey robe for him to wear. The child pulled at his clothes curiously, and his aura gradually returned to that of an ordinary person, but he remained lively and agile.

The Great Emperor Zhenwu finished drinking the tea made by Randeng, stood up to say goodbye and leave. Yang Jian followed him, and looked at the young boy who followed the black-robed emperor closely with some curiosity. The boy gave him an extremely ancient feeling, and he thought he was an elder.

When they walked out of the Buddha Kingdom, the sky had already lowered, and thunder rumbled. This was not ordinary thunder, nor was it the magical power of the Thunder Department. This thunder originated from the sky of the South Pole, roaring and flowing. Yang Jian's eyes narrowed slightly and he said, "...The Great Emperor of the South Pole?!!!"

The Great Emperor Zhenwu said calmly: "Yang Jian."

The voice was calm, and it was not a nickname or a Taoist name, but it already represented something.

The divine general Yang Jian said solemnly: "I am here."

The black-robed emperor said calmly, "Let's go to the Zhenwu Palace and tell Yu Juling, Wang E, the Heavenly King, and Tianpeng Great True Lord to be ready."

This peaceful sentence made the corners of Amitabha's eyes twitch wildly. His expression was slightly condensed. He put his hands together and bowed. He didn't dare to ask. He was just horrified and sighed in his heart.

The young Taoist holding the sword back then now has the terrifying power to stir up a turmoil in the six realms with just a word, or to suppress the order of the six realms.

This sentence... does it mean that the Northern Emperor Zhenwu is finally going to take action against the Southern Emperor Changsheng?

The conflict between the two sides has finally reached a limit, and the situation can no longer be eased?

All kinds of thoughts and ideas surged in the hearts of these Buddhist practitioners, but they did not dare to ask.

Zhenwu is supreme, with spiritual power that controls the sky. His position as the supreme ruler cannot be easily measured.

Dare not be moved, dare not have any thoughts.

Dare not think, dare not imagine.

Yang Jian bowed again, turned into a beam of light and left. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas escorted the Great Emperor Zhenwu out of the Buddhist kingdom. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas stopped walking, the Taoist Master Ran Deng still stood at the front, silently seeing them off. The Emperor in black robe paused and said gently, "Daoyou, I will escort you here."

Randeng paused, looked at the figure in front of him, and moved his lips as if he wanted to say something.

The Great Emperor Zhenwu did not turn around, but just smiled and said softly: "Don't worry, fellow Taoist."

"You have your own path to take, and I have mine, but no matter where we go in the future, at least this journey together is worthwhile. I am very lucky to be able to walk this journey with you... Master Ran Deng."

Behind him, the old Taoist priest trembled when he heard the name he was called back then.

The old Taoist raised his head and looked at him.

In a trance, what he saw before his eyes was not the mysterious and deep-as-prison Zhenwu Demon Emperor, but the Taoist from more than a thousand years ago, the young man with spring breeze and autumn moon in his eyes and a smile on his lips. He turned slightly to look at Randeng with a calm gaze, as if he knew something, and said softly:

"The road is vast and boundless, and we each go forward on our own. Farewell, fellow Taoist."

Randeng had been in a daze for a long time. The scenes of their meeting in Zhongzhou City, the battle in the demon world, the life-saving grace of the Nalanda Temple, the sixty years of living together day and night, and the thousand years of sitting in meditation all became vivid and appeared before his eyes. Randeng suddenly laughed, and then burst into tears.

He clasped his hands together, his black hair fell out, and he was the old monk again. He said softly:

"Then, no doubt..."

"Goodbye."

"We'll meet again someday if we're lucky."

So the Zhenwu Emperor in his eyes was Qi Wuhuo again. Qi Wuhuo nodded slightly, turned around, and under the gaze of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, he took the hand of the seemingly ordinary little boy and walked out of the Lingshan Mountain of the Buddhist Kingdom. They walked farther and farther away and could no longer be seen.

Behind him, the old monk Ran Deng also turned around and walked back to the Buddha's kingdom step by step.

He walked to the Bodhi tree, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and was enveloped in the dim Buddha light. Suddenly, he was shrouded in it, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and then said:

"I will swear to practice the Buddha's teachings with my own body."

"If the Blessed One wishes to observe, I shall be your eyes; if the Blessed One wishes to punish, I shall be your fists."

"If the world is dark and turbid, and the Tathagata does not come out, and the people are in darkness, I wish to transform myself into a candle and light a lamp with my body."

He clasped his hands together and closed his eyes. The Buddha's light shot up into the sky, vast and majestic, flowing vastly. When it gradually dissipated, under the Bodhi tree, there was no longer the Taoist Master Ran Deng who used to travel the world with the young Zhenwu. Nor was there the old monk Ran Deng who had practiced all the Buddhist teachings, abandoned Buddhism and cultivated Taoism, sat in meditation for a thousand years, and returned to Buddhism.

Under the Bodhi tree, a single lamp is always burning.

It shines all around.