Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 462: Raiding Sumeru’s Homeland

Xiang Chengyuan sat cross-legged, with vast spiritual energy flowing around him.

Unlike cultivators from other sects, when Xiang Chengyuan—being a Grand Shaman—circulated his incantation-based spiritual power, it carried a fierce and ominous undertone, vaguely reminiscent of demonic aura.

Zhang Wantong and Ke Lang stood to the side, both wearing calm expressions.

As Xiang Chengyuan performed his ritual, strange and ancient patterns began to emerge across his skin, and his body started undergoing a remarkable transformation.

His flesh gradually turned translucent, leaving only his bones starkly visible.

Those bones soon crystalized, becoming clear as crystal. The crystal skeleton began to expand and reshape, eventually forming a towering altar-like structure.

Xiang Chengyuan himself had vanished, leaving behind only this crystalline altar of bones.

At its peak, light shimmered and flowed.

At this moment, Ke Lang—the head of Kongsang Dudu—stepped forward. Circling the altar, he chanted continuously, completing an ancient ritual.

Tang Empress Zhang Wantong then ascended the steps to the top of the altar. Her figure was enveloped in flowing light and slowly disappeared into it.

---

Meanwhile, within Kongsang...

The Wisdom-Seeking Venerable had manifested in the form of the Immovable Wisdom King, kneeling atop a lotus-shaped moon disc.

He was surprised to see Tang Xiaotang suddenly arrive, but remained unshaken.

The Immovable Wisdom King's left eye looked down diagonally at Tang Xiaotang. In that instant, a wave of blazing, ignorant wrath surged toward her.

Above Tang Xiaotang’s head, the Eye of the Heart Talisman formed a phantom divine figure whose gaze remained calm and steady, devoid of emotion.

She instantly discerned that this wrathful flame from the Wisdom King's left eye was even stronger than the ignorant wrath she'd previously encountered.

Its might far surpassed even the flames conjured by Vajra Lord Jialuotu, Lotus Lord Zongga, and others.

Tang Xiaotang wasn’t one to be curious about other sects’ techniques like Lei Jun or Xu Yuanzhen. But she’d long heard of the famous Immovable Wisdom King from the Buddhist hand-seal tradition.

Of the three eyes on his face: the right eye subdues Celestial Demon Kings, the eye on his forehead tames Yakshas and Rakshasas, and the left eye incinerates Dragon Demons and Asuras.

The wrath from that left eye was not something ordinary people could withstand.

And the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable himself was an exceptionally powerful cultivator.

Still, Tang Xiaotang didn’t dodge.

Around her, formless and colorless Tai Chu Primal Qi spread out, broader than ever before, transforming into a vast sea—the Sea of Primordial Beginning.

Above it, the flowing Qi transformed into something even more special—though from the outside, it remained formless and shapeless.

This mysterious construct bore Tang Xiaotang forward across the Sea of Primordial Beginning, directly confronting the flame from the Wisdom King’s left eye.

When the colorless flame met the equally formless force beneath Tang Xiaotang, both clashed so fiercely that they each became vaguely visible.

The flame took the shape of a colorless flaming sword.

The other—the mysterious presence carrying Tang Xiaotang—looked like a giant boat formed of unseen wind.

The Primordial Boat!

More profound than even the Pure Yang Boat—ethereal yet powerful, embodying paradoxical traits.

When it collided with the flaming sword, the Primordial Boat’s form became solid, yet retained immense destructive power. The Primal Qi it carried dissolved all things back into nothingness.

It wasn’t violent by nature, but anything it touched—tangible or intangible—faded into nothing.

The flame sword struck it, and both began to disintegrate.

As the Primordial Boat broke apart, new Primal Qi mended it.

The sword's tip kept shattering, only to be rebuilt by the wrath flame.

The Wisdom King's left eye flickered slightly.

This young priestess was actually resisting his wrath head-on—it moved even him.

She was only at the ninth heaven, not yet having stepped through the immortal gate.

She was nothing like Chen Yu of the Great Ming Realm.

He had heard tales of her genius, but seeing it with his own eyes now—it surpassed every rumor.

Even as his thoughts stirred, his mind remained clear.

Yet the Immovable Wisdom King's vajra lasso and dragon sword remained unused.

This golden-bodied Buddhist Venerable became all the more cautious.

Not solely because of Tang Xiaotang.

His keen intuition suddenly sensed another's arrival in Kongsang.

Back in the Former Song Realm, they had re-sealed the portal broken by Tang Xiaotang.

But this visitor didn’t come from the Former Song Realm.

Nor did they come via the trap jointly laid by the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable, Golden Khan Ongqinfu, and the Kunpeng Demon Saint.

She just appeared in Kongsang—suddenly.

A woman in ordinary clothes, yet radiating majestic elegance, like she embodied the essence of heaven and earth.

Her arrival stilled the sweltering air of Kongsang.

But when the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable saw her, his spiritual mind trembled:

How did she get here?

“Empress Tang... Zhang Wantong...” he spoke from the towering figure of the Immovable Wisdom King. “No, perhaps I should say—Benefactor He, long time no see?”

Zhang Wantong replied calmly, “Venerable, it’s been a while.”

Tang Xiaotang and now Zhang Wantong—both appeared in completely unexpected ways.

Not just the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable—even Golden Khan Ongqinfu and the Kunpeng Demon Saint were now on high alert.

The Kongsang Witch King, badly wounded and previously doomed, suddenly sensed something.

It was Xiang Chengyuan who had helped Zhang Wantong enter Kongsang.

Even though Zhang Wantong and Tang Xiaotang were clearly opposing the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable and Ongqinfu, the Witch King felt no joy in receiving support.

To the invaders of Kongsang—either side—they were both his enemies.

After receiving word that Empress Zhang Wantong had also entered Kongsang, Lei Jun glanced at the sky and turned to his senior martial sister, Xu Yuanzhen:

“You planning to head to Kongsang, Senior?”

Xu Yuanzhen replied, “Not really interested—too crowded. Right now, I’m more curious about the Sahā World.”

Lei Jun nodded. “I see. Then I’ll move to Plan B.”

A message came through the Sky-Earthen Listening Talisman, relaying Xu Yuanzhen’s voice:

“What, you’re not going to Kongsang either?”

“No,” Lei Jun answered. “I want to see what exactly the Sahā Buddhists are up to over on Black Ocean Island here in the Two Jin Realms.”

Xu Yuanzhen was already clashing directly with Venerable Puguang at the Sahā portal, so the fact that the Sahā side still had energy to stir trouble in the mortal realm must mean something big.

“As for Kongsang,” Lei Jun continued, “that’s hard to predict. The enemies there are all beings above the Immortal Threshold. If they choose not to fight to the death, they could still escape—just like Daoist Zhou Tian. Especially Ongqinfu—he’s a Martial Immortal.”

“If we could force him into slumber in the void, that’d keep him quiet for a while. But if there’s a chance to finish him off… even better.”

To Lei Jun, “crippling one finger beats injuring ten.”

Xu Yuanzhen said, “You’re thinking Yellow Springs?”

Lei Jun replied, “Exactly.”

Xu Yuanzhen said, “As long as you’re prepared.”

After the exchange ended, Lei Jun quietly left the Two Jin Realms.

---

Ke Lang, master of Kongsang Dudu, looked calmly at the two men before him.

Like him, they wore the traditional robes of the Grand Shamans—but with slightly different details.

Both appeared young. They were from the Great Tang Wu Sect.

One had a tall, lean build and had already reached the third layer of the Ninth Heaven. Though Ke Lang hadn’t interacted with him much, he had heard of him:

Li Tianqing, Elder of the Tang Blood River Sect.

A “God-Dancing” Grand Shaman—arguably the strongest figure in the Tang Wu Sect today.

The other man, taller and more muscular—more like a martial cultivator—was the sect leader of the Tang Blood River Sect: Xing Feng, also a Ninth Heaven “Spirit-Descending” Grand Shaman.

Ke Lang wasn’t surprised they were here.

Even though dealings with the Tang imperial court and the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu had gone relatively smoothly, true trust still required time and effort. This current joint venture was a start.

Ke Lang quietly wondered what other Tang elites were up to…

---

Western Region.

Several top Tang experts—Zhang Hui, Shen Qubing, Xiao Xueting, Shangguan Yunbo, Chu Yu—had all gathered here.

At their center was a woman in plain clothes, though she radiated elegance.

If Ke Lang saw her, he’d be surprised.

Because this was also Zhang Wantong.

More precisely: the version of her still walking among mortals—at the fifth layer of the Ninth Heaven. Not the one who had transcended and become a saint beyond the Immortal Threshold.

Zhang Hui, Chu Yu, and the others stayed calm.

Zhang Wantong’s cultivation deviated from the usual scholarly orthodoxy. As a result, after reaching the immortal realm, her methods often surpassed conventional expectations.

Even though she had already transcended, she was still restricted by the lack of cultural Dao essence in the mortal realm and couldn’t freely walk here.

But this Zhang Wantong wasn’t her true body.

Her real self was now inside Kongsang.

This version—like a Buddhist incarnation—was here to pay her respects to Sumeru.

Knowing that Wang Guiyuan was monitoring from the Great Tang Realm, Zhang Wantong felt at ease bringing Zhang Hui and the others here to the Han Realm.

The Treasure Division of Sumeru and the Great Han Vajra Temple had both been utterly caught off guard.

Though this wasn’t her original body, this Zhang Wantong was still fully identical to her Ninth Heaven fifth-layer self.

Zhang Hui, too, had advanced quickly—now at the third layer of the Ninth Heaven. He was no longer the person he once was.

Forget just Treasure Division Master Fandatuo—even if you added Bimoshe, Master of the Buddha Division, and Zhadiluo, Master of the Karmic Division—Sumeru’s Buddhist Sect would still struggle to hold the Great Han Vajra Temple.

They had no choice but to retreat into Sumeru itself.

Zhang Wantong now blocked the gate and wouldn’t let them seal it.

But Fandatuo and the others weren’t dead set on sealing it just yet.

They had long prepared for this with the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable.

At this moment, Bimoshe, Master of the Buddha Division, replaced the Wisdom-Seeking Venerable and sat atop Sumeru Mountain.

Above his head, the Eye of the Buddha Division gradually appeared.

Fandatuo and Zhadiluo led many Sumeru Buddhist disciples, chanting and forming seals.

Except for the Buddha Division, which had no female counterpart, the other four divisions now summoned their Divine Mother Diagrams:

• Treasure Division: Treasure Paramita Bodhisattva Diagram

• Lotus Division: Dharma Paramita Bodhisattva Diagram

• Karmic Division: Karmic Paramita Bodhisattva Diagram

• Vajra Division: Newly risen Vajra Paramita Bodhisattva Diagram

As all five factions moved in unison, they began to stir the Eastern Mystic Joy Realm, the Southern Blissful Realm, the Western Pure Land, and the Northern Lotus Adornment Realm.

All realms resonated around Mount Sumeru.

Then, all of Sumeru itself began to quake and shift—an immense transformation had begun.

It was as if the lotus seed had been deeply buried, entering the Womb Realm.

The void gate connecting Mount Sumeru and the current Han Realm hadn’t closed, but the distortion of space-time made it nearly impossible to pass through.

And it wasn’t just this gate—those connecting Sumeru to the Former Song Realm, the Two Jin Realms, and the Great Ming Realm all warped at this moment and were temporarily sealed.

All of Sumeru seemed to have been tucked away, hidden from sight.

This was the transformation of the Vajra Turning into the Womb Realm.

A transformation that affected the entirety of Sumeru.

Its scale was even greater than the previous transformation of the Vajra Division’s Maitreya Land in Sumeru.

And it was also even harder to unravel.

Zhang Wantong, however, calmly watched everything unfolding before her and took out a talisman.

The talisman, like the one once given to Xiang Chengyuan when he was sent to Datong, came from Lei Jun.

She unfolded the talisman, and without needing to do anything else, spiritual light began to shimmer across its surface.

Within the Dao-infused glow, a sudden trace of Buddhist aura emerged.

Then, a crimson peacock flew out from the talisman.

Radiating bright light, the crimson peacock illuminated all directions, embodying the essence of wisdom and complete enlightenment.

It was unmistakably one of the Lotus Division treasures of Sumeru—Amitabha’s Peacock Throne.

Though the previous Lotus Division Lord, Zongga, had perished in the Sea of Earth, this throne had been secretly preserved by Lei Jun, who kept its existence hidden to avoid attracting the attention of the Venerable Sage of Wisdom.

Now, he had passed it on to Empress Zhang Wantong specifically for this moment.

A moment when the Venerable Sage of Wisdom was not in Sumeru.

With the entire Vajra Realm of Sumeru transforming into the Womb Realm, even the Amitabha Peacock Throne could not gain entry for the time being.

Yet Empress Zhang Wantong didn’t stop.

It was as if she wrote with an invisible brush in midair.

But instead of words, what she wrote materialized into ancient mirrors.

Each mirror shimmered continuously with light, gradually reflecting certain beings.

As the mirrors flickered, the reflections turned real—stepping out of the mirrors and entering the human world.

The next moment, a lion’s roar echoed out first.

A burst of white light flashed, and the Great Sun Lion Throne, resembling the descent of the sun to the human world, appeared with a mighty voice.

Then came an enormous blue elephant, as large as a mountain, landing upon the yellow sands of the Western Regions, shaking the desert.

Following it was a colossal yellow horse, just as massive.

In the sky, a green Garuda spread its wings wide, blocking out the sun—its size even surpassing that of the crimson peacock.

At this moment, with the White Lion at the center, the Crimson Peacock, Blue Elephant, Yellow Horse, and Green Garuda formed a formation around it, all appearing before the gates of Sumeru.

“Besides the Amitabha Peacock Throne, the others are… the Great Sun Lion Throne, Akshobhya Elephant Throne, Ratnasambhava Horse Throne, and Amoghasiddhi Garuda Throne?” Shangguan Yunbo murmured softly.

Chu Yu nodded beside him. “Exactly.”

Shangguan Yunbo drew in a deep breath.

All five Buddha Thrones were assembled!

Setting everything else aside—wasn’t the Akshobhya Elephant Throne of the Vajra Division destroyed years ago?

Yet now, it had reappeared.

But… it wasn’t the real Akshobhya Elephant Throne.

It had been manifested through the divine historical powers of Empress Zhang Wantong!

Zhang Hui watched on from the side, feeling delighted.

Empress Zhang Wantong had never seen the Akshobhya Elephant Throne before.

In fact, aside from the Amitabha Peacock Throne, she had never laid eyes on the other four treasures.

And yet, she still managed to manifest them all together here.

Even though the latter four could only exist for a short time.

Unlike Zhang Hui, who could only recreate things he had personally seen and studied, Zhang Wantong was able to manifest all of this based on knowledge alone.

She didn’t need to witness something in person—as long as she had enough information and understanding about a person or object from across time, she could summon it into existence.

Lei Jun’s loan of the Amitabha Peacock Throne gave her a crucial edge in comprehending the remaining four Buddha Thrones.

And with one real Sumeru Vajra Realm Buddha Throne as the anchor, the others—though not real—could still be effective for the moment.

Even if only for a short while, it was already enough for the current situation.

Though Zhang Wantong, as a Confucian scholar, couldn’t control Buddhist treasures directly, it didn’t matter.

She waved her hand casually, and a mirror reflected the image of a middle-aged monk.

The monk’s inner robe was tinged with blue—none other than the former Vajra Division Lord of Sumeru, Jialuota.

And now, he was the one wielding the five Buddha Thrones to forcibly tear open the sealed Vajra-to-Womb transformation of Sumeru!

“Let’s go in.”

Seeing the Womb Realm of Sumeru begin to revert to the Vajra Realm, Zhang Wantong led the way inside.

A chorus of top cultivators from the Great Tang followed closely behind her.

---

Meanwhile, in Kongsang—

Zhang Wantong’s true body, who had already attained sainthood, stood amidst a multitude of flashing ancient mirrors.

From their glow, a figure stepped forth—wearing a kasaya, with dark skin and a terrifying expression devoid of wisdom or compassion, seemingly bent on destruction.

Across from him, the Venerable Sage of Wisdom gently shook his head.

The figure before him was a long-time enemy of the Buddhist sect.

A master from the Great Void Temple, who had thrived before the great catastrophe at the end of the Han Dynasty—his cultivation exceeded the Ninth Heaven, and the world knew him as the Venerable of Annihilation, rumored to be a direct heir of the Annihilation Tathagata lineage.

Though not afraid, a faint speck of dust emerged in the spiritual field of the Venerable Sage’s heart.

As far as he recalled, neither Empress Zhang Wantong nor her past incarnation, the Confucian scholar He Ying, had ever encountered the Venerable of Annihilation.

And yet now, she could summon him into the present?

A flash of insight crossed the Sage’s mind.

At that moment, Golden Khan Ongqinfu appeared in the distance, standing atop the tiger demon Arata.

He held a blade in one hand, and in the other, the severed head of none other than the Kongsang Witch King.

Meanwhile, golden and silver light clashed violently across the sky—a battle between the Kunpeng Demon Saint and Tang Xiaotang raged on.

The tides seemed to be turning in Kongsang’s favor.

Yet the Venerable Sage of Wisdom suddenly felt a shock of dread.

The bad omens he had sensed earlier now all came true.

As the master of Sumeru, he had sensed the transformation of the Vajra Realm into the Womb Realm.

He had expected Sumeru to be under attack.

But once the transition completed, it should have been safe for a while.

Especially with Zhang Wantong in Kongsang and Puguang being held off by Lei Jun and Xu Yuanzhen.

…But now, the Sage could sense that the Vajra Realm had been breached shortly after transforming into the Womb Realm.

The enemy had already infiltrated Sumeru.

Who?

How?

…Was the Amitabha Peacock Throne never actually destroyed?

A flurry of thoughts surged through the Sage’s mind.

But the throne alone shouldn’t be enough to break through the transformation of five regions together!

His eyes locked onto Empress Zhang Wantong, and understanding finally dawned.

Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, the Venerable Sage’s mind cleared as well. His earlier rage and urgency vanished, replaced by pure focus.

Both Golden Khan Ongqinfu and the Kunpeng Demon Saint, though unaware of Sumeru’s situation, could feel the Sage was no longer the same as before.

The Immovable Wisdom King he had manifested suddenly removed the crown of lotus petals atop his head.

The five petals fell simultaneously.

And in their place, radiant Buddhist light surged upward, revealing five shadowy figures of Tathagatas in the glow.

Seeing this, both Ongqinfu and the Kunpeng Demon Saint were even more alarmed.

The Venerable Sage of Wisdom was now willing to risk it all!

What had happened?

---

Inside Sumeru, the Vajra Realm’s transformation into the Womb Realm lasted only a moment.

Soon, it returned to the Vajra Realm again.

The shift was massive and even affected other regions.

The portals from both the Han Realm and the Two Jin Realms to Sumeru returned to normal.

The fluctuation even caused the spiritual energy of the Two Jin Realms to surge.

Puguang and Chonghui, master and disciple, were the first to notice.

The spiritual surge here had originally come from both Buddhist factions working together.

Now that one side changed unexpectedly, Puguang—though surprised—was delighted.

It would accelerate the transformation of the Green Lotus Platform.

At dusk, as day turned to night, the opportunity came.

But it required the Saha Realm to also respond accordingly.

With Lei Jun still absent, it wasn’t certain he had taken Kongsang.

But Sumeru’s change likely stemmed from him.

If the Green Lotus Platform could be transformed into the Immovable Wisdom Lotus, it would be a major boon for Saha.

Puguang immediately informed Chonghui and began setting up the ritual.

Soon after, Saha, connected to the Two Jin Realms, also began to undergo massive change.

The spiritual tide in this world surged even more violently.

On Black Ocean Island in the distant Eastern Sea, Master Chonghui vigilantly guarded the Green Lotus Platform, palms together, chanting continuously.

His Buddhist power fortified the platform.

He had already built up ample merit—if the transformation succeeded, he was confident in attempting the tribulation above the Ninth Heaven to attain a Golden Body.

Even though he knew Sumeru had drawn the Daoist sect into war using the Yujing Secret Realm as bait, both he and Puguang accepted it.

If today’s plan succeeded, Saha’s future would change immediately.

No matter whether it was Lei Jun and Xu Yuanzhen rampaging in the Jin Realm, or the Venerable Sage in Sumeru, facing both Puguang and Chonghui would be a very different battle.

As twilight fell and spiritual tides churned, the formerly green lotus suddenly shone brightly, unlike ever before.

Master Chonghui exhaled deeply and calmed his joy with Buddhist discipline.

Yet in that instant, he sensed danger.

The concealment barrier was instantly shattered.

A sword light trailed by a flickering tail flame descended from the sky!

With no time to think, his body turned ethereal as the thought entered his mind.

The sword light passed through him and struck Black Ocean Island below.

The vast island was pierced straight through to the seabed.

A thunderous quake followed—lightning erupted, sea waves surged like a tsunami.

Chonghui’s form restored as if he were never harmed.

As a disciple of Puguang and a Buddhist monk of the Ninth Heaven’s fifth level, he had attained both Insight and Liberation Wisdom.

This allowed him to dwell in the true nature of emptiness—beyond birth and death.

When in combat, if the opponent couldn't perceive his "true thusness," they could not harm him.

That was how he narrowly dodged the fatal strike.

And in that moment, the Green Lotus Platform before him finished transforming into the Immovable Wisdom Lotus Platform.

He gently waved his hand, and the platform vanished.

At the same time, golden light burst forth as a Heavenly Dragon roared.

Wrapped around a massive Dharma body, it stood firm over the ocean, stomping down the waves below.

The wondrous insight gained from the Third Layer of the Nine Heavens Dharmakāya of the Vow Lineage of the Buddhist sect allowed Master Chonghui to quickly perceive the enemy's approach following a single sword strike.

The intruder was none other than Lei Jun—Daoist Xuanxiaozi from Mount Longhu!

...Wait a minute, what was that flying sword from the sky earlier?

Were there other opponents?

Master Chonghui was filled with confusion and doubt, but Lei Jun had already arrived.

A blazing, ferocious purple yang thunder erupted. A massive yang thunder dragon descended from the heavens, enveloping Master Chonghui.

Master Chonghui summoned his own Dharma-Dragon of Buddhist golden light to counter Lei Jun’s purple thunder dragon, while secretly attempting to contact his master, the Venerable Puguang.

But he quickly realized his communication was being blocked.

With his insight into the mortal world and reflective wisdom, Master Chonghui keenly noticed that the surrounding space was flooded with an intense primordial magnetic force—no matter which direction he turned.

It wasn’t just him. Back in Saha, the Venerable Puguang, who had been keeping an eye on Heiyang Island, suddenly sensed interference and disruption in his connection with both Master Chonghui and the Immovable Lord's Lotus Platform.

A sense of foreboding surged in the Venerable’s heart.

Something had definitely gone wrong.

But why?

The timing was too precise—just as the Immovable Lord’s Lotus Platform was about to be completed.

It was as if the enemy had prepared in advance, just like the master and disciple themselves had been waiting for this moment.

But how could the enemy have pinpointed the location of both Master Chonghui and the Lotus Platform so accurately?

Suspicion flooded the Venerable Puguang’s mind.

At that moment, he even considered personally descending into the mortal world to assist Master Chonghui and protect the Immovable Lord’s Lotus Platform—but was stopped by Xu Yuanzhen.

Meanwhile, on Heiyang Island, Master Chonghui no longer had the luxury of pondering how Lei Jun had found them. His full attention was now focused on the battle.

Transformed into his Dawei Tianlong Bodhisattva Dharmakāya, Master Chonghui pressed his palms together, forming a mudra at his chest, then thrust forward.

It was as if countless heavenly dragons lent him strength—unstoppable and overwhelming—sweeping across all directions. The force was powerful enough to rival Martial Dao Immortals or high-level Buddhist martial cultivators. Its aim: to shatter Lei Jun’s yang thunder dragon.

Mid-air, a black yin thunder dragon appeared silently and joined the purple yang dragon in clashing against the Buddhist Dharma-Dragon Prajna Seal from Master Chonghui.

While the fierce collision unfolded, Lei Jun had already approached Master Chonghui.

Surrounded by countless pale golden talismans, shimmering like stars in a galaxy, Lei Jun had become a Stellar Deity.

But just then, another tall figure seemingly appeared out of thin air beside Lei Jun.

He raised his hand in a gesture like picking a flower, a single finger pointing at Lei Jun’s crown.

The timing was flawless.

The owner of that finger—was a Mahākāśyapa Venerable Dharmakāya.

It also belonged to Master Chonghui—his reward body.

A cultivator at the fifth perfected layer of the Nine Heavens Dharmakāya in the Vow Lineage could attain a reward body, marked by the complete embodiment of compassion.

The reward body was essentially a second self, complete with every facet of a high monk's spiritual cultivation—practice, stillness, insight, realization, and liberation—plus an extra marvel: the ability to perceive the true nature of the enemy in reverse.

Thus, under the Mahākāśyapa Venerable Dharmakāya’s single "flower-picking" finger, Lei Jun seemed utterly defenseless.

Regardless of his Stellar Deity talismans, his tough physique, or even his Five-Colored Cloud defenses from entering the Great Vehicle Realm—all seemed to vanish.

If struck by this finger, Lei Jun would undoubtedly suffer a blow to his core.

This “Flower-Picking Finger,” fused with the reward body’s perfected divine power, was a supreme technique.

Yet—it missed.

At the critical moment, Lei Jun’s speed suddenly surged.

The twin thunder dragons—yin and yang—retracted into his body, intertwining in black and purple, thunder exploding.

Not only did Lei Jun dodge the strike, he instantly appeared in front of Master Chonghui’s Dawei Tianlong Bodhisattva Dharmakāya.

The bodhisattva joined its palms again, its celestial dragon rearing its head and moving in all directions.

A vast golden light surged outward from Master Chonghui’s body.

This was the Great Luo Mantra, rivaling the Dharma-Dragon Prajna Seal in might.

It was a wide-area attack meant to restrain Lei Jun, whose speed far surpassed Master Chonghui’s. Under the insight of realization and liberation wisdom, his body once again turned ethereal, as if vanishing from this world.

Lei Jun, unrelenting, merged the golden yang thunder dragon with a green yin fire tiger, and the silver yin thunder dragon with a red-gold yang fire tiger.

Immediately, two Taiji diagrams spun—gold-green and silver-red, the Dragon and Tiger entwined, yin and yang merging. Blinding lights crashed down together, bombarding the Dawei Tianlong Bodhisattva Dharmakāya.

Unlike the earlier Primordial Magnet Flying Sword, this attack forced Master Chonghui to emerge from his illusory state, pain searing through his form.

His monastic robes lit up with golden swastika symbols—this was the Robe of Shakyamuni, a sacred treasure of the Saha Buddhist sect, which now shielded him.

But Lei Jun, boosted by twin thunder dragons, moved even faster than Master Chonghui expected—his figure flickering like teleportation. The Mahākāśyapa reward body’s Flower-Picking Finger struck nothing but air.

Lei Jun closed in on the embattled Master Chonghui, still fending off the twin dragons’ assault. One hand grabbed his Robe of Shakyamuni, tearing it, while the other punched straight toward his chest.

The Dawei Tianlong Bodhisattva Dharmakāya trembled, its chest splitting open.

At the same moment, Lei Jun pressed on mercilessly. The Mystic Cosmos of the Great Vehicle Realm unfolded, engulfing his foe.

Seeing this, Master Chonghui sighed and softly chanted a Buddhist title.

Suddenly, a mandala flower bloomed between them.

Within the mandala flower lay a world.

The previously stored Immovable Lord's Lotus Platform flew out from within.

As the flower blossomed, it momentarily halted Lei Jun’s cosmic realm.

Simultaneously, Master Chonghui’s Dawei Tianlong Bodhisattva Dharmakāya launched another Prajna Seal—this time accompanied by Heavenly Dragon Zen Chanting.

In an instant, it felt like countless heavenly dragons were roaring in unison.

This was the ultimate soul-attacking technique of the Buddhist sect’s Vow Lineage, originating from Tianlong Temple.

Being a high monk trained in spiritual cultivation, Master Chonghui’s Heavenly Dragon Chanting resonated with the minds of millions.

Not just over the East Sea—even inland mortals and cultivators were shaken to the core.

Though Lei Jun had honed his soul over many years and was rarely disturbed by soul attacks, even he faltered briefly.

With the continuous use of Prajna Seal and Heavenly Dragon Chanting, two more mandala flowers bloomed mid-air.

Each flower, a world unto itself.

These opened worlds momentarily blocked Lei Jun’s second Mystic Cosmos.

But at the same time, the spinning Taiji diagrams—gold-green and silver-red—shone brightly, locking down Master Chonghui’s Mahākāśyapa reward body, halting its advance.

Lei Jun still held the Robe of Shakyamuni with one hand and punched again with the other.

Master Chonghui had fumbled earlier and was now gripped at close range, his Dharmakāya broken. Unable to enter the Emptiness of Non-Birth through realization, he clenched his teeth and met Lei Jun’s fist head-on.

Though his Dharmakāya was known for power, Lei Jun’s strike still left it staggering.

The Heavenly Dragon Chanting only delayed Lei Jun for a moment.

Gazing at the blooming mandala flowers, Lei Jun’s heart grew clear:

“One flower, one world. Each world a Dharma Realm.”

Master Chonghui was the personal disciple of the Venerable Puguang—perhaps even his last and true heir.

He far outshone his peers in talent.

From the perspective of innate roots, he was the Buddhist equivalent of a Daoist Immortal Physique. Known as "One Flower, One World" within the Buddhist sect, he advanced rapidly—his understanding of Dharma profound and immediate.

In battle, his defining trait was that every technique he cast created an independent world. These worlds could either shield himself or trap his foes. Within the same realm, few could overcome them.

However, the Immovable Lord's Lotus Platform was special. So earlier, Master Chonghui had concentrated all his energy to contain it.

Now, going all out, he momentarily gave up the platform, unleashing his full potential. Divine techniques and blossoming worlds surged together, enhancing his power.

But just then, a buzzing sound rang out from above.

Following the initial Arctic Sword, the Guangmo Sword descended from the heavens once more. Before its sound arrived, the sword light had already reached Master Chonghui’s head.

He opened another Great Luo Mantra. As golden light spread, another mandala flower bloomed.

The flower opened, unveiling another world to contain the incoming Guangmo Sword.

But in doing so, he couldn’t keep up with Lei Jun’s speed.

Lei Jun’s first Mystic Cosmos finally overwhelmed the first flower world, dragging both Master Chonghui’s main body and reward body into it.

In the void of a dark cosmic space, the tip of the Hanhai Sword emerged from the yellow polar sea eyes—its white glow radiating.

The next moment, a sword even more ferocious than before shot straight toward Master Chonghui.

Pinned down by Lei Jun, unable to move or realize the Emptiness, Master Chonghui could only watch helplessly as the Hanhai Sword tore his Robe of Shakyamuni apart.

Steeling his will, his Mahākāśyapa reward body launched another Flower-Picking Finger mid-air while revealing yet another flower world.

The world held back Lei Jun’s twin Dragon-Tiger attacks, buying a slim chance.

But still—the finger missed.

A cold, black, solitary stream of water blocked the strike.

Master Chonghui was stunned.

The Five-Colored Cloud of a Talisman Sect Great Vehicle expert couldn’t block his reward body.

But this black stream—what was it?

...It exuded the aura of loneliness and finality.

Could Talisman Sect Great Vehicle cultivators truly wield such a mystic power?

While Lei Jun’s Water of Solitude blocked the Flower-Picking Finger, the Wu Jin Blade surged through the void again.

Master Chonghui barely managed to contain it within another flower world.

But at close range, a brilliant flash burst from Lei Jun’s brow—Yin-Yang Divine Lightning Aurora shot forth, completely piercing through the Dawei Tianlong Bodhisattva Dharmakāya.

Already damaged, the Dharmakāya burned and shattered on the spot.

The Hanhai Sword, which had previously torn the robe, hovered in the cosmic void for a moment—then turned again, hurtling toward Master Chonghui’s main body.

He was beheaded on the spot.

His reward body dissolved with him.

Lei Jun stood quietly in the void. The Hanhai Sword, Arctic Sword, Guangmo Sword, and Wu Jin Blade quickly reappeared.

Divine talismans flowed in his eyes—penetrating heaven and earth.

He waved his hand. Purple and golden light swept across the dark cosmic realm.

Then—it was as if something intangible was broken.

Soon after, Master Chonghui’s soul reappeared—fractured and fragile.

As a perfected Nine Heavens Dharmakāya monk of the Vow Lineage, he had achieved the wisdom of liberation, with a chance to reincarnate.

His master, Venerable Puguang, was already trying to guide him to rebirth in the Saha world.

But on that end, Xu Yuanzhen had intervened. And here, Lei Jun was already prepared—with the Upper Purity Yuchen Celestial Bamboo in hand.

With a strike from the nine-jointed green bamboo staff, Master Chonghui’s chance at rebirth was utterly shattered.

Watching even the Immovable Lord's Lotus Platform float to Lei Jun’s side, Master Chonghui’s fragmented soul let out a desolate sigh:

“The three poisons—greed, anger, and delusion... beware them, beware them.”

Lei Jun looked from the Lotus Platform back to him. “Master, you’re not wrong. But when it came to the matter of the Yuqing Miluo Heaven, your sect didn’t live up to that either.”

Master Chonghui sighed deeply. “The Yuqing Miluo Heaven is a special case. My master and I—it’s not that we wouldn’t... but that we couldn’t…”

“No worries,” Lei Jun replied. “If you can’t—we can.”

With a wave of the Arctic Sword, he utterly obliterated what was left of Master Chonghui.