Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 455 - 49: Enfeoffment of Hou Tu

Chapter 455: Chapter 49: Enfeoffment of Hou Tu

In the Buddhist temple, beneath the golden Buddha,

the Qingyi Taoist radiated Buddha’s light, his eyes filled with threads of Zen spirit. Though he was dressed in a Daoist robe, it seemed to transform into a Kasaya in a trance.

The path of the Nascent Soul was indeed one with the Buddha’s wish.

Gu Wen’s Buddhist Law, not accepting worship from others nor worshipping others, only worships the true self.

The Nascent Soul in the spiritual platform turned into a monk, clasping his hands together, chanting scriptures, and strands of pure willpower appeared.

The willpower of the Buddhist Sect was equivalent to a higher level of the Primordial Spirit, a type of Divine Thought with greater malleability. Ordinary Divine Thought served merely as a medium, used only for perception and attacking through specific methods.

However, Buddha’s thought could achieve "a flower as a world, a leaf as enlightenment." A single thought could evolve into a whole environment or trap enemies within.

Often when high monks enlightened demons, they primarily controlled the mind through illusions, using a method akin to hypnosis for enlightenment.

Nicely put, it’s called enlightenment; bluntly, it’s brainwashing.

However, where there is technique, there is Law, and even greater, there is the Dao.

The law of the Buddha Ancestor was indeed enlightenment, but not about teaching kindness, rather about letting go of desire. To create an illusory world, to clearly discern the desires of the Heart Demon.

In that world, all desires could be fulfilled, all imperfections could be made whole, thereby achieving enlightenment.

The path of True thus requires attainment before enlightenment.

Gu Wen gained enlightenment from this, making it the foundation for his Nascent Soul, polishing his foundation in Immortal Land from the days of old, as the essence of his great Dao.

True Buddha saw the mystery in it and said, "Benefactor, having achieved enlightenment, why not join me in the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss to enjoy the supreme position?"

"Old bald donkey, asking for death."

Li Yunshang seemed touched on a raw nerve, a trace of murderous intent in her eyes, she raised a finger, as if a thousand mountains, ten thousand forces slammed down.

She might be penniless on her person, but no one could steal her disciple.

The golden Buddha pushed forward with a palm, in which a three-inch faint incense smoke arose, each thread of smoke able to separate into a Grotto Heaven, in which millions of Buddhist temples and monks could be seen.

The ultimate of the Buddhist Sect, "a flower as a world, a leaf as enlightenment."

Once they collided, the Buddha’s light shattered, and the Buddha Country in the palm turned into nothingness.

The first shockwave moved out from the True Temple, turning clouds within a hundred miles around Spiritual Mountain into nothingness, twisted circular ripples continued to spread, decapitating mountain ranges.

Followed by the second, the third, the fourth shockwaves in a fraction of a moment, nearly shattering the entire Spiritual Mountain, annihilating millions of monks.

Li Yunshang still had strength left, another palm holding the universe, trapping all shockwaves of the Saint’s battle within her fingernails, the lines of her palm beneath the abyss.

She was a Human Immortal; monks were also humans, naturally treating them equally.

Regardless of how dirty the Buddhist Sect was, as long as the laws weren’t violated, as long as they didn’t blatantly rebel, exploiting common people, then Li Yunshang would regard them as kin, no different from disciples of the Daoist Sect.

The Buddha even needed to see if heads were shaved; she only cared whether they were human.

In recent years, after escaping the state of war, Li Yunshang could even accept demons that were beneficial to the survival and development of the Human Race.

A moment passed, and a move was over.

Outside, the thousand-layered mountain hesitated to speak; the nearby mountains of Sumeru Mountain had their highest altitudes forcibly lowered by dozens, even hundreds of meters.

Rocks and fragments rolled down the mountain, and the earth still trembled slightly.

The golden Buddha’s palm was slightly dented, while Li Yunshang was unscathed, still having the strength to protect all monks on Sumeru Mountain.

One could tell at a glance who was stronger, able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Little Saint, even suppressing the opponent—a feat probably only Qingcang could achieve in this world.

Li Yunshang lightly said, "Buddha, is merely so."

"Amitabha Buddha, Benefactor’s abilities could mold creation, if not for the Dao lacking, you would have already become a saint."

True Buddha generously admired; he had long heard of Qingcang’s name and could observe from afar the strength displayed in the battles with Jianmu.

Purely a path of power, she was unmatched in the current age.

The path of Human Immortal, purely a path of battle.

No matter how mysterious the Buddhist Law, how vast the Buddha Country, under Qingcang’s one finger, all turned to nothingness.

True Buddha estimated a 40% chance of victory in his heart, but realistically, he was likely to lose. The higher in the battle of laws one went, the narrower the gap—that of clouds and mud.

Lacking a 10% chance of victory, victory was nearly impossible. He hoped that after the battle began, Jianmu could come over to help.

True Buddha did not wish so; what he wanted was not to defeat Qingcang, nor to determine who was superior.

"Benefactor, you may shatter this Buddha’s image, but the Buddhist Path remains. Why not we two discuss; you let this Buddha teach your disciple the Buddhist Law, and this Buddha will help you contend against Jianmu."

Just as the words fell, a punch came thundering, the golden Buddha raised his hand to block, and immediately, the Buddha’s hand shattered, half the palm turning to powder.

And behind, the great hall was missing a large part, a huge hole revealing the green mountains outside.

Li Yunshang’s face was still as dead water, already moved to kill.

She originally did not want to bother with this bald donkey, unable to kill or eliminate completely. Rather leave him to protect the Buddhist Sect, to keep the stink from spreading elsewhere.

But now, of all things, he shouldn’t have tried to teach Gu Wen the Buddhist Law.

It was not about interests, but about the principle—could a mother allow her son to have a stepmother?

Bald donkey, die for this Daoist!

The third punch struck, the golden Buddha’s right arm exploded, and countless rays of Buddha light dimmed the bright daylight, making the multitude of monks feel as though the Buddha Ancestor had manifested himself, and all of them paid their respects in worship.

Seeing this, the golden Buddha no longer resisted and gestured a salute with one hand, muttering "Amitabha Buddha" softly.

In an instant, Buddha lights surged upon Sumeru Mountain, and the entire Buddha State’s eight million Buddhist temples burst forth with the golden light of the True Buddha Image.

The Dao rhyme of the True Buddha Ancestor spread across Buddha State and even projected beyond the earth and heaven, into the Void.

Li Yunshang’s Power of Human Immortal was unmatched in the world, yet Saints are not measured by strength alone.

She could defeat the True, but she could not kill the True.

Gu Wen spoke, "Master, I want to discuss the Buddhist Law with him."

The Buddha could not be killed, nor could he be killed now. He just happened to have some confusion to resolve and some competitive spirit to confront.

Li Yunshang frowned slightly, rather displeased.

Although Gu Wen was her disciple, their relationship differed from that of typical mentor and student, resembling more of both mentor and friend. Especially after Gu Wen became an Immortal, Qingcang had no Magic Skills that could teach him.

Now that he had grasped some of the Bald Donkey’s Magic Skills, Li Yunshang couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed and uneasy.

The thought of her beloved disciple returning with a shaved head...

"Master, I won’t become a monk."

A disciple knows his master best, Gu Wen gently reassured, sometimes not seeming like a disciple at all.

It was because of his own experiences, as well as his master being somewhat overly indulgent, often making Li Yunshang seem like a child.

"Hmph! If you wanted to become one, could your master even stop you?"

Li Yunshang snorted, waved her sleeve, turned, and stepped aside, disappearing without a trace, with only a voice echoing through the void.

"Rebellious disciple, you are expelled from the sect!"

Gu Wen couldn’t help but both laugh and cry; he had heard this statement countless times.

But as long as he brought out his dining business skills from the Dragon Bridge era, with just a little effort, he believed his master would definitely forgive him.

He stepped forward three steps when the Jade Sword Buddha grabbed his sleeve, her pure, glass-like face shaking slightly.

"Do not show off your skills at the master’s gate."

"..."

Gu Wen originally wanted to catch up with her, having not seen her for eight hundred years.

He raised his hand and then slapped it on the smooth, rounded head. The Jade Sword Buddha’s face flushed slightly red, her ’Saintly innocent’ face looking a bit more innocent and confused.

A wave of immense pleasure surged through his heart, and Gu Wen looked at his palm, then at the Jade Sword Buddha.

He remembered the days when he followed her around, trying to learn Swordsmanship; this nun had never given him a proper look from start to finish.

Later, when he mastered the True Sword Dao, the nun finally gave him a proper look, but still went about her own way.

Only with Yu Hua could the little nun communicate normally. Gu Wen always wondered, what it would be like if he could just slap her bald head one day as he pleased.

Now, his wish was finally fulfilled, thus his thoughts reached clarity.

"Stay there."

"Oh."

The Jade Sword Buddha obediently walked away to the recently emerged Chi Yu Zi from the illusion, still not in his senses.

She remembered this little dwarf who always stuck close to Gu Wen.

Gu Wen approached nine feet away from the golden Buddha, who with a very pleasant smile, grabbed a Lotus Buddha Platform with his remaining hand, saying, "You have mastered the Buddhist Law, thus you may rightfully attain the Position of Bodhisattva."

"The True Ancestor grants you the Ksitigarbha Position; thirty-nine thousand temples to enlighten the living, stabilize a realm. I will transmit the scriptures to you, order the Bodhisattvas, and allow you to sit next to the Buddhist Sect."

"Moreover, to build a vast Buddhist temple on eighty-eight Spiritual Mountains, leaving Buddha clouds surrounding you when you exit, and three thousand Buddha consorts when you sleep, cultivating the Path of Unison, enjoying the ultimate bliss of Western Paradise."

Following this, a gold-and-white interweaving Buddha lotus slowly descended.

"How so?"

True Buddha Ancestor asked, the Buddha’s face overflowing with a smile, "Benefactor, since you’ve practiced Buddhism, you surely wouldn’t mind being a Buddha once."

The second honor of the Buddhist Sect, above all Bodhisattvas, equal with Buddha.

Gu Wen looked at the Buddha lotus in front of him, considering that previously accepting to be a dog was one thing, but now True had shown twelve times as much sincerity.

A country cannot have two kings, a temple cannot have two Buddhas.

Yet True Buddha Ancestor permitted it, as he could tolerate a temple with two Buddhas, all because Gu Wen deserved such.

If he could propagate his Mixed Element Dao heart into the Buddhist Sect, it would be great progress for his cultivation. At the stage of True Buddha Ancestor, it was normal not to progress for tens of millions of years.

Moreover, True had to admit, he indeed could do nothing to Qingcang.

This Master-disciple was a variable, positioning strength as Dao, overpowering law with strength, their power unmatched in the era. A thousand-year-old Little Saint, seemingly worldly yet possessing a Mixed Element Dao heart.

"You’re very generous. Since that’s the case, courtesy demands reciprocity..."

Gu Wen kicked over the Buddha lotus with one foot, and opened his palm, a point of dim yellow light appearing.

"I hereby decree you, under the heaven representing the virtue of land spirits."