"A Buddhist Kingdom in the Palm of Your Hand!"
A magnificent golden light spread across the sky, illuminating all directions and sweeping away the gloom and evil aura of the ancient battlefield. The figures of numerous Arhats and ancient Buddhas appeared and disappeared, and the power of thought formed by thousands of believers transformed into figures within it, evolving into a kingdom.
This was an extremely astonishing sight, but opposite the Buddhist kingdom was a towering Fusang divine tree, and on its crown, ten golden crows could be faintly seen, each with a different posture, releasing boundless, blazing light.
This was a peak duel worthy of being recorded in history. Even though both sides had not yet grown up and were still in a very young state, everything they showed and possessed had already amazed, envious, and even made the older generation who had achieved success in cultivation feel lonely.
Therefore, before the monk and the half-demon had even exchanged blows, a powerful human being had already begun casting a spell to capture everything that was before him, intending to take it back for his younger disciples to study and observe.
"Thus have I heard..."
The Buddha's light swept across the heavens and the earth, and the faintly visible Buddha kingdom began to manifest in reality, attempting to incorporate the towering hibiscus tree into it, transforming it into a part of the Buddha kingdom.
Quack!
A strange cry rang out, and a blazing sun rose from the Fusang Divine Tree. The supremely powerful and yang energy of the golden crow touched the Buddha's light, and then this Buddhist kingdom began to burn. Even the ancient Buddhas with compassionate expressions were ignited, and some Arhat figures were burned to ashes.
"Amitabha!"
The Golden Crow True Fire, capable of blessing heaven and earth and all things, and also capable of turning everything to ashes, ignited on the body of the monk Kongxuan. However, the monk, who was surrounded by many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, novices, and nuns, had no expression of sorrow or joy. He held one hand in front of his chest, turned the prayer beads in the other hand, and chanted Buddhist scriptures. Even his monk's robe was not set ablaze.
"Master, what skillful techniques!"
Seeing the monks unmoved by the burning heat of the sun, Xi praised them, but his hands were forming a mudra. On the vast ocean where the Fusang Divine Tree stood, huge waves surged and boundless seawater raged, submerging the pure land of Buddhism in front of him.
"This humble monk was merely discussing the Dharma with Your Highness!"
Kong Xuan's handsome face showed a helpless expression. Although he had come here on his master's orders, he did not want to fight. He preferred to stay quietly in the temple's scripture pavilion, meditating on Buddhist teachings without being disturbed.
Unfortunately, even such a simple need could not be met. The identity of a Buddhist disciple that had fallen upon him at some unknown time forced him to bear the corresponding responsibilities.
“Aren’t we discussing the Dharma here? Master, do you want to debate with me about who has the higher or lower level of supernatural powers? The Buddhists are good at debating; even I have heard of this in Tanggu.”
A radiant smile appeared on Xi's face. In that instant, even the golden crow that was emitting endless light and heat above his head seemed a little dim. In the domain of law where he stood, only that smile was the most dazzling.
“From a young age, I have never been good at arguing with others. This is my weakness. How can I compete with a master?”
"Good!"
The young monk sighed and fell silent. The prayer beads in his hand had disappeared without him noticing. He clasped his hands together and held them upright in front of his chest. Golden light surged around him, and when his seemingly slender body reappeared, it had transformed into a gigantic figure sixteen feet tall.
"A sixteen-foot-tall golden body!"
Two divine beams shot from Xi's eyes, and the smile on his face grew even brighter. A second golden crow flew out from the Fusang Divine Tree behind him, its golden wings flapping, and then it pounced on him.
Xi, who originally only had a slightly different hair color from Tong Kong, suddenly underwent a violent change. A pair of wings tore through his clothes from behind and burst out of his body, growing into broad golden wings.
His handsome head, so beautiful that it was hard to tell if he was male or female, began to undergo a dramatic transformation. His smooth, long golden hair turned into feathers that looked like they were cast from divine metal, and a beak that reflected a dark gold luster extended from his mouth.
It had a black head and a human body, with wings on its back and a divine spear in its hand. Golden divine light wove a golden armor around its body, making it majestic and powerful. Even a wisp of divine radiance that escaped was enough to distort light.
"Benefactor, this humble monk is not skilled in combat!"
Seeing Xi, who directly manifested his Dharma body as if a god had descended to earth, wielding a divine spear and charging towards him, the monk Kongxuan's face showed a hint of bitterness. Helplessly, he took a demon-subduing pestle, held it with both hands, and waved it around.
clang!
A deafening, earth-shattering collision resounded, nearly shattering the minds of those who heard it. Boundless light burst forth from it, and a destructive aura swept across all directions. The Fusang Divine Tree withered, and the Boundless Buddha Kingdom fell silent for a moment.
This was a battle of extraordinary talents that could shake the world. The two young beings fighting each other displayed power that should not exist at their current level, making it difficult for many great cultivators watching from the sidelines to remain calm, and they frequently showed expressions of shock.
It's just that the methods used by this half-demon from the Golden Crow Clan and the Buddhist disciple from the Great Ci'en Temple were far beyond the comprehension of some great cultivators. Therefore, the images captured by these great cultivators using their magic inevitably contained large areas of light and shadow, making it impossible to see anything.
"This is too big a lake! There's nothing here at all. What's there for me to see?"
Feng Bingwen looked at the screen in front of him, which was now just a golden light, and sent his disdainful thoughts to his master, who was far away in the Taishangdao sect, through the Zhanmeng Dharma Seal.
The Great Luo of All Worlds
"At this crucial moment, I can't see anything. What's the point of sending this to me?"
"Be content. It's good enough that you have something to watch. You should prepare in advance. That Buddhist disciple from the Great Ci'en Temple has already lost by a hair's breadth."
Zhao Junxian's divine sense subtly revealed her worry.
The Golden Crow Clan's sudden dispatch of an envoy to visit the Xuanzong Sect of the Human Race's Daoist sect took many powerful figures by surprise. They couldn't understand what the envoys wanted to do. Were they trying to test the strength of the Human Race? Or was there something else?
However, as the son of Xuanqing Immortal Lord, Zhao Junxian, who knew more secrets, could guess the cause of this matter. He believed that the half-demon was most likely after his disciple.
The test came from the Golden Crow clan, who were revered as emperors by both demons and monsters. It was good enough that there was no malice, let alone goodwill. As a master, he naturally did not want his disciple to participate in such clan conflicts too early. Even a small test was not something his disciple could bear, nor was it something he could bear.
A genius will always remain a genius until he has fully realized his potential and become a strong person. And the dust and dirt left after the corpse of a dead genius decays is no different from the dust and dirt that nourishes all things and plants.
"This little monk is quite fierce, but I didn't expect him to still be unable to defeat that birdman!"
Feng Bingwen looked at the projected image before him. A golden giant with handsome features was fighting fiercely with a bird-man with golden wings on his back. The aftershocks swept by, causing sand and stones to fly, leaving the ground in ruins and mountains to be destroyed.
"He has already mastered the Buddha Kingdom in the palm of his hand and has also cultivated the Divine Foot Technique. Unfortunately, the monks of the Great Ci'en Temple have too little practical experience. They hold back in everything they do, which makes them vulnerable at every turn. No matter how well he cultivates his golden body, how much Golden Crow True Fire can he withstand?"
"really."
Feng Bingwen strongly agreed with his master's opinion. The little monk's strength was indeed impressive, but unfortunately, he had probably stayed in the temple for too long and had no experience at all. Even if he had mastered amazing supernatural powers, he could not use them skillfully.
If that monk had enough experience in slaying demons and monsters, the outcome of this battle would still be uncertain. After all, he possesses one of the six supernatural powers of Buddhism, plus the renowned Buddha Kingdom in the palm of his hand. These two things would be enough for him to fight across borders and win.
How confident are you?
Zhao Junxian suddenly asked, "The fact that the Daoist and Buddhist disciples trained by the renowned Daoist and Buddhist temples of the human race are being defeated one after another is a blow to the human race in all aspects."
Defeat is defeat. No amount of excuses will change anything. No matter how illustrious the opponent's background, how superior their bloodline, or how high their supernatural powers, none of these are excuses for failure.
"I don't know. If it's just what you showed me, I'd say I'm about 80% sure!"
Feng Bingwen naturally knew what his master was worried about. He thought about it carefully and then gave a conservative response. In fact, he wanted to say 98%, but he was afraid that his master would think he was too arrogant.
"These shouldn't be all the tricks that transvestite has. If you were to fight him, the odds would be about 50/50."
"Master, she's a half-demon!"
Feng Bingwen couldn't help but remind him, as he could naturally sense his master's disgust and aversion towards those half-demon who were loyal to the demons.
"Is it wrong for me to call a hybrid offspring of a human and a demon a 'transvestite'?"
Zhao Junxian spoke with conviction. He knew that in the Nine Continents of the Human Race, there were many cross-species love stories among humans, but even though those half-demons had alien blood flowing through their veins, their hearts were still with humans.
However, he deeply loathed and hated a portion of the human race living outside the Nine Provinces, enslaved by demons, who had received power from the demons and served as their slaves.
"No."
"Prepare well for battle. If that transvestite really fights its way here, then you'll be the only one left to face it."
Zhao Junxian's voice revealed a sense of helplessness. If he could, he would not want his disciple to bear such a heavy responsibility. It was too early. At such an age, it would be better for him to just quietly cultivate in the mountain gate.
Unfortunately, the Golden Crow Clan was too ruthless, actually sending out a half-demon whose cultivation was only at the Transcendent Realm. With such a status, the Golden Crow Clan could advance or retreat at will, regardless of victory or defeat.
If this half-demon swept through the younger generation of humans, it would be enough to prove just how powerful the Golden Crow clan's bloodline is.
Even if this half-demon was defeated in the challenge against the younger generation of humans, or even died in battle, the Golden Crow clan could say that it was because his bloodline was impure, so he could not compete with the most outstanding talents of the human race.
"I see!"
Feng Bingwen scanned his dantian with his divine sense, and found that in addition to the vast and surging immortal spiritual energy in his meridians, there was also blood energy as powerful as a dragon surging in his blood vessels.
"There's no need to worry too much. The Nine Continents of the Human Race are vast and boundless. Even my father couldn't know all the blessed lands and grotto-heavens within them. That scruffy half-demon has caused such a commotion that some reclusive sects might emerge. At that time, you won't even need to lift a finger; he might be killed on his own!"
"...I have no worries."
Upon hearing the divine message transmitted by his master, Feng Bingwen responded silently.
To be honest, if he didn't know that he was representing the image of the Taishangdao sect to some extent, he might have already gone to intercept that bird, not caring about anything else, and just giving it a good beating first.
Feng Bingwen's divine sense received no response. Zhao Junxian had gone to attend to his own affairs. Feng Bingwen had heard about this matter before. His master, not long after ascending to the Human Immortal realm, had very smoothly obtained control of a blessed land within the sect through his own efforts.
Therefore, his master has been extremely busy during this period, as he has to tidy up the newly acquired blessed land and manage all its output.
"Tsk!"
Feng Bingwen sighed and continued his cultivation. However, this peace did not last long. A few days later, another message came.
A Buddhist disciple from Jingtu Temple, who had cultivated the divine eye, was also defeated by that half-demon. His body was even burned to a charred remains. If it weren't for the timely intervention of an old monk accompanying him, he would have been cremated on the spot.
The Taoist and Buddhist sects have suffered five defeats combined. Such a major event could be concealed at first, but as one battle after another unfolds, the news can no longer be hidden, and public opinion is surging throughout the Nine Provinces of the human race.
Because it was so shameful that a half-demon with only half the blood of the Golden Crow Clan had won five battles after arriving in the human race, and was actually showing signs of sweeping away the younger generation of humans, a voice inevitably emerged.
The Supreme Dao!
As the number one sect of the human race, a status even the Buddhist sect acknowledges, and even though no one from the Supreme Dao has ever shown their face in public, the voices of the human race's cultivation world in the Nine Provinces inevitably mention the Supreme Dao.
While most cultivators are disappointed with the current generation of humankind, they inevitably place their hopes on the first Dao Sect of humankind, because it was the Dao Sect that turned the tide when humankind was in peril in ancient times.
They hope that among the younger generation of the Taishang Dao, there will be one who, like the ancient Taishang Dao patriarch, can turn the tide, reverse the situation, and sweep away the gloom.
However, just as this sentiment became the mainstream in the cultivation world of the Nine Provinces of the human race, and even intensified to the point that Feng Bingwen, who was staying in Xiaxi Village, began to plan when he would leave the mountain to save the crumbling empire, a piece of news began to spread like wildfire.
Xi, from the Golden Crow Clan, who had defeated three Daoists and two Buddhist disciples, was then shot by a human youth with nine arrows. The strange phenomenon was shattered, and his physical body was completely destroyed. He was just one step away from losing his soul in Nanzhanzhou.
This was an extremely sensational piece of news. All the cultivators who received it were in an uproar because such a feat was too remarkable. This was just a brief description, yet it made people involuntarily think of a very famous ancient war of god-slaying.
Many well-connected cultivators have been trying to find out the name and background of the young man who defeated the mixed-blood Golden Crow, but the vast majority of them have not succeeded.
Because the young man was so mysterious, he appeared suddenly, defeated the Empress Xi with lightning speed, and then quickly disappeared. Some powerful cultivators who wanted to track him down even lost a part of their memories. The details of this incident made those who knew the truth extremely horrified.
"Master, do you know what that boy's background is?"
Feng Bingwen sat by a clear stream, his mind slightly complicated, and asked his master. Other cultivators might not know, but there was no reason why his master, given his status, wouldn't be unaware.
Many secrets that ordinary cultivators seek but cannot obtain, and even those that require great effort and risk their lives to acquire, are actually open secrets among the upper echelons of the cultivation world.
Haven't you heard the legend of the ancient god who shot down nine suns with a bow?
Zhao Junxian's divine sense sounded very relaxed, as if he had been relieved of a great burden. He was very worried about his disciple because he was limited by his cultivation level and could not take action.
"Of course I've heard of it, but given how much time has passed, is there any connection between the two?"
"That time and that moment are just like this moment."
"Is there really a connection?"
Feng Bingwen was somewhat surprised.
"You don't actually think that such a powerful person couldn't even leave behind his own bloodline, do you?"
Zhao Junxuan couldn't understand why his disciple would find this strange.
"In ancient times, the people were fierce and brave. How many girls do you think a god who could shoot down nine suns would be popular with?"
"I can't guess!"
"Actually, I don't know either, because there is no record of this in ancient books. But if you think about it, you'll understand. No one would refuse someone who can shoot down the sun, not even a man."
"..."
Feng Bingwen was speechless, choked with emotion. After a moment, he had no choice but to ask.
"So, the boy who almost killed Xi was a descendant of that ancient deity?"
"right."
"So now there's nothing for me to do?"
"Okay! You should rest!"
"Tsk!"
Feng Bingwen didn't know what to say, and at this moment, Zhao Junxian once again cut off his communication without his consent, no longer giving any response.
He put away his magic seal, sat up from the rock by the stream, stretched, and felt a gentle mountain breeze carrying the scent of water from afar. The sound of students reciting their lessons came from a nearby private school, which was pleasant and refreshing.
"Um!?"
Feng Bingwen looked at a spot less than three zhang in front of him, where there stood a robust young man with bright eyes like morning stars. He wore clothes made of soft animal hide and carried a longbow on his back.
Looking at this young man was like seeing a boundless wilderness filled with primal energy. This unique aura, even at their first meeting, connected Feng Bingwen with the information he had just received.
"Yi?"
Feng Bingwen met the boy's gaze, remained silent for a moment, and tentatively asked a single question.
"Um."
The boy nodded.
“That half-demon golden crow came here and won five games in a row, while I only won one. That’s not enough.”
---Aside---
This morning, my mom and I went to see a man—well, I guess it's superstitious, anyway, it didn't take up much of the day. In the afternoon, another man called me for almost an hour, very kindly, to share his methods for treating gallstones. I'm very grateful.
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