Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 446 - 44: Sacred Heart Harbors Demon, Buddhist Sect Questions Heart_2

Chapter 446: Chapter 44: Sacred Heart Harbors Demon, Buddhist Sect Questions Heart_2

However, at this Buddha Meeting, within the matters at hand, they could do nothing.

The Bodhisattvas closed their eyes and meditated, in reality continuously honing their communication, the intensity of their thoughts causing the lotus platform’s Buddha light to tremble.

The great powers observing the event withdrew from the Buddha Hall by sect and closeness.

As Chongxu True Monarch and the others descended Spiritual Mountain, suddenly, in the distance, the clouds trembled, countless white clouds stirring ripples, the roar of the invisible heavenly cloud resounding, sweeping across a thousand li, pushing towards the world.

Boom!

A heaven-shaking drum sound spread, the Buddha State’s sky for ten thousand li was cleared of clouds in a single sweep.

Such a scene, if placed at Jianmu, would cause the mountains to quake and the Ten Thousand Demons to flee into hiding.

"Heaven-Shaking Drum."

Chongxu True Monarch’s expression became solemn, and the hanging heart completely plummeted.

Heaven-Shaking Drum, an assembly of all Immortals.

Each time there was a war, the Human Race would use drum sounds to clear away the clouds, to allow Immortal Boats to navigate and Daoist Soldiers to take to the skies.

The so-called Immortal Boats were moving grand arrays formed by countless arrays. The so-called Daoist Soldiers were cultivators whose only cultivation was Qi Cultivation, solely refining arrays and gathering Qi.

These individuals didn’t even count as cultivators; they neither used Sword Flight nor could they absorb the essence of wind and dew.

Just like mortals, they could fall ill, hunger, thirst, age, and die.

But as a collective, they were different: a hundred could rival a Golden Core, a thousand could rival a Nascent Soul, ten thousand could rival a True Monarch.

During war times, the tale of five hundred thousand Daoist Soldiers suppressing a Devil Ancestor still passes from mouth to mouth today and is an example continuously propagated by the Daoist Sects.

It might be a special case, but Daoist Soldiers are undoubtedly a kind of ’great power’ that can be created rapidly. Ordinary Reverse Void Realm True Monarchs at least require a growth period of five hundred years, generally reaching over a thousand years.

Oftentimes, a medium or small-sized sect could, at best, ensure that each generation has a True Monarch presiding over it.

Yet, ten thousand Daoist Soldiers need only five years, or even three, and they can be steadily produced. After several hundred years of development, the True Martial Palace has been training Daoist Soldiers, and their quality is much higher than those from the wartime period.

In the past, it was about quantity; now, there have already been the emergence of special military troops composed of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

The eight-hundred-year development of the Daoist Sect is systematic, aligned with the Immortal Dynasty, institutionalized. It’s definitely not just a sect, a supreme powerhouse, an Immortal, that simple.

Being within the system and a strong force of the new generation, Chongxu True Monarch clearly understood the seemingly frail Daoist Soldiers would under the mobilization of the Daoist Sect, unleash an incalculable force.

He looked back at Sumeru Mountain, the monks were still there, the Buddhist temple stood undisturbed for ten thousand years.

He remembered a saying from his master:

"In the past, time passed very slowly; what was a thousand years ago, would be the same a thousand years later. Everyone was busy with cultivation, even though there was a rotation of performance, it was just the same position with a different face."

"Now, time passes quickly; a hundred years a change, before I entered seclusion, the common people were busy with the harvesting and ate well, during leisure, they ate less. Now, they eat well for three meals a day."

"A decade a change, a century the same, and yet many elders of the Major Sects still don’t understand."

Neither does the Buddhist Sect understand.

-----------------

Three Pure Mountain.

From ten thousand li away, a melodious drumbeat, faint yet clearly audible.

The White Fox flicked her long ears, and said, "If you don’t make a move now, when your precious disciple comes back, he might become bald."

Outside the house, Huayang hurried in and, with a bow, said, "Master Ancestor, Yuqing Heavenly Venerate has been imprisoned by the Buddha Ancestor, the situation is urgent. Please draft a decree so I can deploy troops and order, command the Heavenly Venerates across the world."

There are very strict regulations for mobilizing Daoist Soldiers and Heavenly Venerates within the Daoist Sect.

For example, the Three Pure Venerable can mobilize no more than ten thousand people and command no more than three Heavenly Venerates. Going down the line, even for a City Lord Mansion in a certain city, the mobilization of more than a hundred Daoist Soldiers must be reported to the Daoist Sect.

Qingcang was still sewing a second garment, this time red, the color extremely bright; even women would rarely wear such.

"No rush, with Chi Yu Zi following, he won’t encounter any mishaps."

Huayang anxiously said, "Chi Venerable is merely at the Dao Realm, at most can be considered a Demi Immortal. How could he meddle in affairs between Saints? The Buddhist Sect excels at beguiling, it must not be taken lightly."

Qingcang’s hands paused in their movement, she looked up at Huayang, and in an instant, an unparalleled great power sent him flying out.

It took a minute for a faint rumbling to finally be heard this time.

The White Fox narrowed her eyes, gazing over a hundred li, "Although it didn’t hurt anyone, it seems to have ploughed up several dozen acres of Spirit Field."

"No matter, Huayang will clean it up himself and come back."

Qingcang continued sewing the garment, and a quarter hour later, Huayang returned, dust-covered and disheveled.

Yun Miao also followed this time. To prevent Huayang from talking nonsense, he took the initiative and said, "The Great Ancestor has his own plans. How could he allow you to criticize them? May I ask if the Great Ancestor has any ingenious strategies?"

"No," Qingcang replied without hesitation.

"It’s just a good opportunity to probe the depth of the rebel’s obsessions and use this ’Bald Donkey’ to pressure him. This way he can stay peacefully by my side for a few hundred years, and cultivate properly without running around everywhere."

At these words, Huayang, Yun Miao, and even the Fox Fairy all showed a slight change in expression.

The term ’Heart Demon,’ is extremely taboo to both humans and demons.

Because it does not distinguish between cultivation level or whether one is human, demon, of the Buddhist or Daoist way; as long as there are emotions, there are Heart Demons.

Ordinarily, the higher one’s cultivation, the less likely Heart Demons are to arise, for one has seen much and naturally regards things lightly, having also experienced Heart Demons.

There is a saying among the Human Race, "Above the Mahayana, there are no Heart Demons."

How could a Saint have a Heart Demon?

Could it be...

The three of them had an image of a woman appear in their minds, all deeply involved in the past events.

That year, a Heavenly Girl descended to the mortal world, picking up a house servant she claimed was a genius comparable to a chosen disciple of the Dao.

That year, a genius named Red Dust burst onto the scene.

That year, an Immortal named Red Dust stepped on the Twelve Demon Ancestors and ascended to the first place on three lists, earning an everlasting name.

"The way of humans is the most emotional of ways. The great love that pleases me most in this world," Qingcang said as he pricked his fingertip, a bead of blood turning into a stream of light flying westward.

"My disciple is quite the opposite; his emotions are directed towards himself. As long as he approves of the sentiment, he would spare no effort or sacrifice everything — for me, and for that girl, it’s all the same."

She flipped through a new set of clothes, imagining Gu Wen wearing them, and a trace of gentleness appeared on her normally cold lips.

"A small affection isn’t bad; at least it pleases me."

From the start, Li Yunshang felt a preference for Gu Wen, but essentially he was no different from other fellow members of the Human Race.

However, since the moment Gu Wen stepped on the Twelve Demon Ancestors for her and dared to give up the great Dao to retrieve the Immortality Pill, she felt a small affection.

There is no such thing as love without reason; her partiality, too, was influenced by Gu Wen.

-----------------

Sumeru Mountain, along the towering Spiritual Mountain, past the Jiuqian Temple one could see a hall named True.

Inside the hall, a nun of average height, with a saintly and exquisite appearance knelt on the ground, head bowed low to the floor as if she were a statue, having maintained it for who knows how long.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps from behind. Two figures, one tall and one short, walked in.

They came to the nun’s side but did not kneel; instead, they stood in place staring straight at the golden Buddha.

The nun’s body twitched slightly, she turned her head somewhat, her lucid, lustrous eyes reflecting an ordinary face.

She began to struggle; the Infinite Buddha Light pressed on her, making even the slightest movement feel like moving a mountain.

Bit by bit she moved, taking days, finally retrieving a wrinkled Spirit Fruit.

Jade Sword Buddha extended a hand towards Qingyi Taoist, in an instant, it seemed as if they were back at the bustling market of Red Dust.

"Little nun, I can’t help you for nothing, there has to be some compensation. How about you bring all the Spirit Fruits you obtain to me in the future?"

"I will."

Gu Wen was forcibly fed an expired Spirit Fruit, Buddha Light appeared in his eyes, the reflection not of the golden Buddha but of a marketplace.

...

In Bianjing, on the Dragon Bridge, there was a quiet mansion.

Gu Wen opened his eyes, feeling dizzy. He lifted the silk-curtained canopy, and the precious stones collided, making a crisp sound.

A sharp-faced, short middle-aged man came in, shouting, "Sir, I’ve got it, the name of your fiancée!"

"Shush, Riches, do you think I’m deaf?"

Gu Wen was quite displeased, after having maidservants attend to his washing and drinking a few sips of tea, he then asked, "What’s the name?"

"Her surname is Yu, a single character Hua. It’s said she went to the mountain to practice Dao years ago and was a Taoist nun for a few years, very divine!"