"Suit yourself, you're the boss anyway." Mara, the Demon King, didn't care. He was a direct descendant of the Demon Ancestor Rahu, a weak saint who was ordered to help the Buddha Wutian and fight against Mahayana Buddhism.
When trouble arises, the decision of what to do is ultimately up to the Buddha Wutian; he will simply offer his assistance.
In fact, if the Buddha were to appear, it would be the Buddha Wutian who would personally confront him!
Mara, the Demon King, was responsible for holding back one or two weak saints of Mahayana Buddhism.
If there is a major crisis... he can call upon the Demon Ancestor and leave safely!
Among the various Hunyuan masters in Buddhism, the Daoist Guide and the Buddha Tathagata are the strongest, followed by the Buddha Wutian and the Daoist Zhunti. However, even the first two are slightly inferior to the Demon Ancestor.
Of course, both the Guide Daoist and the Buddha are veteran saints, already at the peak of the second level of Hunyuan. Who knows when they might have an epiphany and break through to the third level of Hunyuan, standing on the same level as Dao Ancestor Hongjun, Demon Ancestor Rahu, and the Chaos Divine Tree!
"A saint..." The Demon King Mara sighed. Without becoming a saint, one is still just an ant!
However, the barrier to sainthood has blocked countless powerful individuals, and he was no exception.
Otherwise, why would they have targeted the beauties of Dream of the Red Chamber and the villains of Water Margin before?
Like the Chaos Scorpion, the Chaos Serpent, and others, Mara yearns for any opportunity that will allow him to comprehend the Holy Path!
"Jianglong is also a peak Quasi-Saint, and he can be ranked among the top in the Great Thunderclap Temple of Mount Ling."
"Many Bodhisattvas and Buddhas are no match for the Arhat who subdues dragons!"
Mara smiled, quite approving. Jianglong was the head of the eighteen Arhats of Mount Ling, which was equivalent to the first Arhat in Mahayana Buddhism. However, within Buddhism, the positions of Arhat, Bodhisattva, and Buddha were clearly distinguished. No matter how strong an Arhat was, he was not as noble as the latter two.
However, this is not absolute. After all, in the primordial world of the Three Realms, strength is the primary factor.
For example, the four great Bodhisattvas, Ksitigarbha, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Lingji, are either weak saints or peak quasi-saints, yet they surpass many Buddhas in majesty and holiness!
The dragon-slaying figure, vaguely resembling Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Lingji, already possesses the bearing of these figures!
"Ji Dian has forged his own path." Buddha Wutian admired him, but also felt a little regretful.
These unparalleled Arhats did not originate from his Wutian Buddhism, nor did they gravitate towards him.
After attaining sainthood, Wutian Buddhism grew stronger, and he bestowed titles upon Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Bhikkhus under his command. However, in terms of both quantity and quality, it was far inferior to that of Mount Ling.
Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism have accumulated over countless years. For him to try to overtake them in a million years... the possibility is indeed zero!
“Buddha Wutian, perhaps you should promise him the status of a ‘Buddha’,” Mara said with a smile, feeling that Buddha Wutian was still a bit stingy with the temptations offered to Arhat Jianglong.
Wutian Buddha shook his head slightly. He knew Ji Dian's character very well. Even if he gave his position to Ji Dian, he was afraid that Ji Dian would not agree to join Wutian Buddhism.
Mara didn't care. As for the Arhat who subdued the dragon, whether or not to take action after failing to win him over... he would leave everything to the Buddha Wutian's decree!
Mara, the demon king, greatly admired the abilities of the Buddha beside him.
Although there was the Demon Ancestor's decree, if it weren't for the intention to promote him, why would Mara serve him?
"Huh?" Suddenly, Mara's eyes flickered, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
"Yang Jian and his nephew... hehe, the Jade Emperor's family is all the same."
The Buddha Wutian gazed upon him, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
But then, in the heavens, Erlang Shen Yang Jian, with a fierce aura, charged out wielding his three-pointed double-edged spear!
"Chenxiang, run! I'll cover your retreat!"
With her hair tied up and dressed in purple, Xiaoyu, who looked stunningly beautiful, channeled her magic power, causing her energy to surge, and went to intercept Erlang Shen.
"No, I can't abandon you! Besides, he's coming for me!" Chenxiang said, glaring at Erlang Shen with fury in his eyes.
"Boy, you actually dare to come to the Heavenly Realm... Do you really think the True Lord is blind?" Howling Celestial Dog chuckled.
If Chenxiang and Xiaoyu only wandered around the Earthly Immortal Realm, even if they traveled to the outer star rivers, as long as they didn't go to the Heavenly Realm, they wouldn't be attacked by Yang Jian. But since the madman has come... then they shouldn't leave!
"You think you can split the mountain to save your mother?" Yang Jian arrived, unarmed, dressed in black, his heroic figure even more imposing. The three-pointed, double-edged spear reflected a cold light, inspiring awe in all who beheld him.
"You and your father are both idiots!" Yang Jian sneered, glancing at Chenxiang.
"Yang Jian, don't insult my father!" Chen Xiang roared, unleashing the "Heaven-Splitting Palm" attack.
"Call me uncle!" Yang Jian said with a dark face. With a single stroke of his divine spear, he directly shattered Chen Xiang's Heaven-Splitting Intent.
At the pinnacle of the Heavenly Realm, inside the Lingxiao Palace of the Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor lowered his gaze, his expression not very pleasant.
You made Chenxiang call you uncle? When have you ever addressed me that way?
Moreover, the whole family got into a fight right under the noses of the immortals and demons of the Three Realms... Where would that leave the Jade Emperor's face?
"Erlang, what's the matter? Can't we sit down and talk? Why resort to violence and make a laughing stock?"
The Jade Emperor's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
“Great Heavenly Venerable, Chenxiang has rebelled against his superiors. If we don’t suppress him, how can we set an example for others?” Yang Jian said.
"You can't seal me!" Chenxiang shouted, too lazy to pay attention to the Jade Emperor. Whether it was his maternal grandmother Yaoji or his mother, the Third Holy Mother, without the Jade Emperor's tacit approval, how could they have been suppressed under the divine mountain for hundreds of millions of years without being able to escape?
He deeply resented his relatives, such as the Jade Emperor and Yang Jian, and longed to cultivate supreme magical power to defeat them and imprison them under the immortal mountain!
One of the ultimate techniques left behind by the great god Pangu—the "Heaven-Splitting Palm"—was something that Chenxiang longed for, and to some extent, met the requirements, allowing him to get started and begin to understand its basics!
Nowadays, Chenxiang is already a peak Quasi-Saint! Xiaoyu is slightly less, but is also a high-level Quasi-Saint!
Both of these individuals possess extraordinary strength and are on track to become saints!
Without this confidence, Chenxiang and Xiaoyu would not have dared to come to the Heavenly Realm so rashly.
However, Erlang Shen Yang Jian's reaction was still unexpected.
"Heaven-Splitting Palm!" Chenxiang raised his right hand high, like a giant axe, and cleaved it out.
In an instant, the void collapsed, all paths were annihilated, and everything tangible and intangible was reduced to dust under Chenxiang's "Heaven-Splitting Divine Palm".
However, under Yang Jian's spear tip, Chenxiang's great supernatural powers melted away in an instant, just like snow under the scorching sun.
Xiaoyu was anxious and wanted to rescue Chenxiang.
"Woof woof." However, the Celestial Hound, traversing the void, hindered Xiaoyu.
Just as Chenxiang was in dire straits, a ray of emerald green light suddenly burst forth!
"Hmm?" Yang Jian was forced back, and his three-pointed double-edged spear let out a mournful cry.
"Xiaoyu, let's go!" Chenxiang said, taking Xiaoyu with him. Protected by the green light, they quickly broke through the air and disappeared into the mortal realm, leaving the celestial realm and vanishing without a trace.
"That's... the Lotus Lantern?" Yang Jian squinted, not following the trail.
"Master..." Roaring Sky Dog stepped forward.
"Let's go back," Yang Jian said indifferently, taking Xiaotian Dog with him as they returned to Guanjiang Estuary.
His face was extremely cold, showing no trace of joy, as if he were suppressing his anger.
But only Xiaotianquan knew that Yang Jian was probably overjoyed inside!
There are already imitations of the "Heaven-Splitting Palm" and the "Heaven-Opening Axe," and now, it's even gradually gaining the recognition of the Lotus Lantern... Perhaps, that kid Chenxiang really has a chance to catch up with his master?!
The Celestial Hound muttered to himself that the opportunities Chenxiang and Xiaoyu had were either from the Great God Pangu or the Empress Nuwa, and their levels were so high that they were unbelievable!
The Lotus Lantern is a first-class spiritual treasure, a weapon of the Primordial Saint. If it were fully restored, even a weak saint would be slightly defeated in direct confrontation.
As for the Heaven-Opening Axe... it is the pinnacle of first-class spiritual treasures. Even a replica is no small matter!
"The Lotus Lantern... Yang Chan and her son both have extraordinary luck."
Many immortals and demons lamented that it was extremely rare to attract the favor of a first-class spiritual treasure without becoming a saint.
Even the Jade Emperor was somewhat taken aback.
He possesses four supreme treasures of the Primordial Chaos level: the Crown of the Heavenly Emperor of All Gods, the Jade Emperor's Palace, the Primordial Imperial Seal, and the Primordial Purple Qi. He has no interest in the Lotus Lantern. To covet his nephew's treasures is hardly a respectable thing to do, and it raises serious questions about his imperial position!
This is different from the intention to reap the great achievements of the Golden Hairpin and the Demon Star.
The latter had little to do with him; he was merely a pawn.
"The great god Pangu has passed away, having created the primordial universe. The opportunities he left behind are only for those with the right fate; even saints find it difficult to force them!"
"As for Nuwa... the Lotus Lantern is a first-class spiritual treasure, was she really willing to give it to a quasi-saint?"
Putting himself in the Jade Emperor's shoes, he asked himself honestly, even if it were a descendant of his own bloodline, he wouldn't be willing to part with him!
This made the Jade Emperor suspicious. Could Nuwa have some other scheme behind this move?
This innately sacred, human-born Holy Mother has long resided in the Nuwa Heaven, seemingly detached from the mortal world, yet she has absolutely touched upon destiny and is very close to the pinnacle of Hunyuan.
"Forget it, whatever Nuwa is planning, it has nothing to do with me."
The Jade Emperor secretly shook his head. There was no conflict or dispute of interest between him and Nuwa.
"However, Erlang is ruthless enough! He actually took matters into his own hands to capture Chenxiang..."
"At the time, I only issued the decree; I didn't personally participate in the proceedings."
The Jade Emperor was quite puzzled by Yang Jian's actions, and could only explain it as Yang Jian's dislike of Liu Yanchang!
In the northern sky, on the star Ketu, Cao Ya also witnessed this hastily concluded battle in the celestial realm.
He smiled knowingly at Yang Jian's actions.
"Testing Chenxiang? Don't be fooled by Erlang Shen's cold face. Chenxiang has become a peak Quasi-Saint, inherited the 'Heaven-Splitting Palm' of the Great God Pangu, and gained the recognition of the replica of the Heaven-Opening Axe and the Lotus Lantern... Erlang Shen is happier than anyone else!"
Of course, in this world, besides tempering Chenxiang, whether Yang Jian did this also had the purpose of changing the Heavenly Laws... Cao Ya couldn't say for sure.
The Queen Mother of the West may be weaker than Yang Jian in a one-on-one fight... but the Jade Emperor is a true Hunyuan, far stronger than anyone else!
Even if the plan proceeds smoothly, it will still be extremely difficult for Yang Jian to modify the Heavenly Rules!
Even if Yang Jian had become a Hunyuan, it wouldn't have been easy.
The establishment of this Heavenly Court was by the decree of the Dao Ancestor. The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother were merely attendants of the Dao Ancestor, ordered to manage the Heavenly Court, and each was the master of the male and female immortals respectively.
Only after becoming a saint did the Jade Emperor barely retain some of the demeanor of a Great Heavenly Venerable!
"But Chenxiang and Xiaoyu... they've already reached the seventh level of Quasi-Saint so quickly..."
Cao Ya sighed, "Time flies, and more and more quasi-saints have been born among the cultivators of the Three Realms of the Primordial World!"
Mahayana Buddhism, Hinayana Buddhism, Wutian Buddhism, Human Religion, Chan Sect, Jie Sect, Heavenly Court, Underworld, Fire Cloud Cave, Demonic Path, Demon Race, Dragon Race, Phoenix Race, Qilin Race...
The power and resources of various major forces are becoming increasingly formidable, which is truly astonishing.
If we were to return to the eras of the early Dragon-Han Calamity, the Warring States Period, and the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, each family would have had the strength to dominate the time!
“I am only a weak sage. Although I can be called a ‘great supernatural being,’ I am still lacking in ability.”
Cao Ya pondered the "Cosmic Alchemy Classic" and sighed deeply.
His path to sainthood is basically clear, but to complete this journey... who knows when or how long it will take!
"Buzzing." Inside Cao Ya's body, there seemed to be a black hole, constantly spinning and devouring cosmic energy.
Every movement of that black hole unleashes unparalleled energy, enough to engulf spacetime!
However, Cao Ya knew very well that he had only made some progress in the realm of weak saints, and was still far from being a true primordial being!
Cao Ya silently cultivated himself, comprehending the countless laws and rules, integrating them into the "Cosmic Alchemy Scripture," thus improving his cultivation and advancing his magical power.
Occasionally, he would also go out to visit blessed places such as Flower and Fruit Mountain, Red Mansion Cave, and Water Margin Cave.
Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, Wu Song, and Lu Zhishen, over hundreds of thousands of years, also pushed their cultivation to the limit of the ninth level of Quasi-Saint!
Wang Xifeng, Shi Xiangyun, Jia Tanchun, Lin Chong, and Gongsun Sheng also gained further benefits at the advanced Quasi-Saint level, touching the threshold of the eighth level of Quasi-Saint.
Meanwhile, Jia Yuanchun, Jia Yingchun, Jia Xichun, Xiangling, Qingwen, Xiren, Ping'er, Shixiu, Yanqing, Yang Zhi, and others have made remarkable progress and have all broken through to the seventh level of high-level quasi-saints!
He also went to the East Sea, where he discovered the Holy Mother of the Tortoise Spirit and reached the peak of the Quasi-Saint level.
"Congratulations, Holy Mother Guiling," Cao Ya said with a smile, bestowing upon her many supernatural powers.
The Holy Mother Guiling thanked her, but shook her head and sighed, "Only by reaching the pinnacle of Quasi-Saint can one understand the difficulty of the next step."
Despite the guidance of her mentor, the Tongtian Sect Leader, and the generous teachings of other weak saints such as Ketu Xingjun, Wudang Shengmu, and Duobao Daoren, the weak saints still showed little hope.
It can only be said that he is better than other peak quasi-saints.
"No need to rush. Since you are already immortal and free from calamities, you can cultivate slowly and eventually attain enlightenment," Cao Ya comforted him.
"Thank you for your kind words." The Holy Mother of the Tortoise Spirit smiled helplessly.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, a look of astonishment appeared on the face of the Holy Mother Tortoise Spirit.
"What's wrong?" Cao Ya asked.
"Star Lord, come with me quickly to welcome Master!" said the Holy Mother Turtle Spirit.
"Master?"
Cao Ya was taken aback, but quickly realized that the "master" mentioned by the Holy Mother of the Tortoise Spirit was none other than the Tongtian Sect Master, the saint of the Jie Sect, and Lingbao Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones!
Why has this celestial being come here?
Even if there was something wrong, she should have sent a page to summon the Holy Mother of Tortoise Spirit to the Heavenly Realm of Yu Yu to pay her respects, instead she descended to the mortal realm herself...
Regardless of the purpose of the Tongtian Sect Leader's visit, the arrival of a sage must be treated with utmost respect.
The two left the cave and bowed to each other.
"Master." The Holy Mother of the Tortoise Spirit smiled sweetly, and she and the Master of the Heavens had a father-daughter relationship.
"Greetings, Celestial Venerable Lingbao!" Cao Ya said solemnly.
Although he knew several saints and had a good relationship with the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, and the Three Sovereigns, the Tongtian Sect Leader... to be honest, this was the first time he had faced him directly!
Previously, they mostly observed from afar.
"Not bad, you've reached the peak of Quasi-Sainthood." The Tongtian Sect Leader's eyes were filled with a chilling aura, but after glancing at the progress of the Turtle Spirit Mother, he nodded in approval.
He then turned his gaze to Cao Ya, which put Cao Ya under immense pressure!
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