The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 121 - 119: The Sword Sweeps the Eight Desolates and Shocks the Six Harmonies

Chapter 121: Chapter 119: The Sword Sweeps the Eight Desolates and Shocks the Six Harmonies

But let’s talk about the Daoist Equal to Heaven, who was swept far away by the three-color divine light emitted by the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi of Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch, and fell onto the coast of the Southern Toad Continent, landing in such a disheveled state.

The Sage’s methods were truly extraordinary, being able to sweep him away tens of thousands of miles with just a casual flick, leaving him with no chance to resist.

In his heart, the Daoist Equal to Heaven wondered, "Whose eyes were those in the black hole? Why did they target me? Could it be because of the Swallowing Dragon Stele? To think that the physical body of VLOOKUP(A1289,[1]Sheet1!$A:$B,2,0) was actually hidden within the South Sea, I suppose he must be drawing upon the dragon qi from the remains of the Southern Dragon here. Was the war in the Middle Ancient Times really so tragic?"

Daoist Equal to Heaven rose from the ground, his head still feeling groggy, and thought to himself, "First, I’ll make a name for myself within the Han Dynasty, being recognized as a virtuous person. Then when chaotic times arrive, I should be able to be put to good use." He couldn’t help but secretly consider, "That arrow I shot towards the Southern Sky Gate, I wonder if it hurt anyone. The Three Pure are likely to cover for me, but it’s still best not to show myself too much, to avoid getting caught. That would be trouble indeed."

Daoist Equal to Heaven hadn’t expected that the magical treasure made by the Ancient Hate Heaven Clan would be so powerful; his one arrow had actually broken through the Southern Sky Gate, which was truly astounding.

It would be best to avoid using this set of magical treasures lightly, to prevent detection by the people of the Heavenly Court. Currently, no one in this body was looking out for him and facing a formidable figure would be disastrous.

Daoist Equal to Heaven didn’t linger. With a handful of soil thrown, he employed Earth Escape and departed for Luoyang in the Southern Toad Continent.

Only after traveling for a long while did Daoist Equal to Heaven stop and take a deep breath. This trip back from the Ruins had truly been harrowing, with several close calls with death.

Meanwhile, the Venerables Kasyapa and Ananda descended from Mount Meru to first seek an audience with Lapis Lazuli Light Medicine Buddha. Having just left the Da Xiong Palace, it was inappropriate to inquire too much from the Tathagata, as he was in an irritable mood. Approaching him would have been asking for trouble. Upon arriving in the Eastern Lapis Lazuli Pure Light World, they reported to Sunlight Bodhisattva, seeking an audience with the Buddha Ancestor.

In a moment, Sunlight Bodhisattva came out and invited the two Venerables inside. They entered the Lapis Lazuli Pure Light Realm, which was crystal clear and sparkling. Pathways paved with lapis lazuli stretched before them, with gold and jewels everywhere. The inhabitants of the Lapis Lazuli Pure Light Realm lived in abundance, free from sickness and pain. Even their slightest desires, upon being thought of, would naturally manifest before their eyes. And here, everyone sincerely chanted the name of the Buddha daily, significantly increasing the incense power and wish power for Medicine Buddha. However, maintaining control over such a world was indeed challenging. The strength of Medicine Buddha was beyond ordinary comprehension.

"What brings you two Venerables to seek me out?" asked Medicine Buddha calmly, seated upon a lotus platform, his visage dignified.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha! We are here under the orders of the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata from Mount Meru, tasked with capturing a man. But we do not know where to start, so we came to seek Medicine Buddha’s guidance," Kasyapa responded urgently.

Medicine Buddha’s brow furrowed slightly, and he calculated for a moment. His fingers projected numerous miniature worlds, constantly evolving. After a while, he withdrew his hand into his robe and said, "It’s difficult to divine this person’s whereabouts as he can obscure his tracks from fate. You’ll need to provide me with some clues."

Ananda then said, "This person might possess the inheritance of Amitabha. After uttering the name of ’Amitabha Buddha’ sincerely, he drew the attention of the Tathagata, prompting this pursuit."

Medicine Buddha thought to himself that the Tathagata was making a fuss over nothing, considering, "Even if there really is such a person, what upheaval can he truly cause?" yet he replied, "Very well, since the World Honored One entrusted this to me, I cannot refuse. Let me calculate precisely."

Medicine Buddha then began to calculate meticulously. His Primordial Spirit floated out from his body, hovering above the Lapis Lazuli Pure Light Realm and looked towards Mount Sumeru. Light continuously emanated from the sharira on his forehead, as the beings within the Lapis Lazuli Pure Light Realm began to pray sincerely, setting aside what they were doing to join in the prayers. The collective incense and wish power from this realm’s inhabitants, not fewer in number than those in Tathagata’s Buddha Land in Palm, was astoundingly impressive.

"The past endures, eternally steadfast; grasp the present, abide in the heart of Bodhi; the future changes, boundless and infinite! The heart is like lapis lazuli, Wisdom Eye observes the heavens, to trace what once was." Chanting a mental method, Medicine Buddha opened his Wisdom Eye and caught sight of a faint and almost imperceptible law.

Ananda and Kasyapa, anxious while they waited, dared not speak more for fear of disturbing Medicine Buddha.

After a while, Medicine Buddha closed his divine skill and brought his hands together, "The person who proclaimed the name of Amitabha Buddha is in the south. However, who exactly this is remains unclear, and it’s hard to make out the details—it might be that he possesses a magical treasure that shields against fate’s scrutiny. You just head south, and along the way, inquire with local deities, mountain gods, and Jiedi. You will find out."

Though they did not obtain a precise answer, having a general direction filled Ananda and Kasyapa with joy. They bowed and said, "We thank Buddha Ancestor! We thank Buddha Ancestor! We will depart at once, farewell."

"Moonlight Bodhisattva, see them out," said Medicine Buddha.

With an affirmation, Moonlight Bodhisattva escorted the two men out of the Lapis Lazuli World. After seeing them off, Medicine Buddha returned to his scripture studies.

"Buddha Ancestor... there has been movement in the South Sea, it seems a projection from the Various Heavens has descended. Should we go to help?" inquired Sunlight Bodhisattva.

"Hmm?" Medicine Buddha calculated, "No need... Though the projection gathers the mana of Various Heavens, it is not a true incarnation. It’s not worth us exposing our strength to intervene. After all, the Three Pure are not easy to deal with. It’s best to let the projection be slain. It’s just a minor ploy, after all."

Sunlight Bodhisattva replied, "Understood."

Suddenly, Sunlight Bodhisattva added, "Buddha Ancestor, the projection has been slain."

The Medicine Buddha also sensed a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering murderous aura, and was astonished as he said, "I hadn’t expected Spiritual Treasure to recover so rapidly? To sever the projections created collectively by Various Heavens with his own power? I thought this time we could lure out the ancestors of the Mystic Sect, but who could have imagined the Three Pure ones would be so deeply hidden!"

With the Leader of Heaven-Penetrating raising the Four Swords of Celestial Slaying, the number one killing weapon in the world has reemerged. With this move, it shocked the Three Realms; the murderous spirit surged towards the sky and intimidated Yellow Springs.

Inside the Underworld, a group of Yin Gods couldn’t help but wail loudly, Hundred Ghosts cried out, Demon Heads fled in panic, and massive demons lost their color; this power was too terrifying. It penetrated the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, pervaded the entire universe, and even the Netherworld Blood Sea was trembling. A group of Asuras turned as pale as death, overwhelmed by the boundless murderous aura that even their bloodthirsty race found dreadfully intimidating.

"This... How many people did the old Heaven-Penetrating fellow actually slay during the battle in the Middle Ancient Times? The momentum of these four swords of slaying has grown dozens of times stronger than before. I thought that with the Saints’ physical bodies being crippled, I could compete with them, but who could have expected... that Heaven-Penetrating has already reached such a state!" Even Ming River couldn’t help but lose its luster, leaping out from the Blood Sea and looking towards the south, only to see a stream of Sword Qi soaring to the Nine Heavens.

This was precisely the Leader of Heaven-Penetrating employing the divine skill of Integration of the Four Swords, which made heaven and earth tremble.

Ming River couldn’t help but think secretly, "Who is the old Heaven-Penetrating fellow battling with such dramatic might? Who in the world could possibly contend with the Saints?!"

Ming River felt as though every pore in its body had exploded. It was a power almost driving one to despair. It had thought itself not much inferior to the Saints, but seeing this power, it still felt so small. It might also be a Quasi-Saint, but being the slightest bit short was like being short of an entire heaven! An inch higher in mana means a whole heaven higher!

Sitting in Da Xiong Palace, Tathagata also felt something and was secretly alarmed, pondering, "I didn’t expect Spiritual Treasure to have concealed himself so deeply. This sword... I’m afraid even I would be seriously injured if caught off guard!" He couldn’t help but think, "I wonder whether Yuan Shi and Supreme have recovered their physical bodies? It’s a pity we couldn’t use the projections to force out the ancestors of the Mystic Sect this time."

The Leader of Heaven-Penetrating’s sword was not only aimed at slaying the projections of the heavens but also at intimidating all the heroes of the world. This move gave off a distinct impression of challenging anyone to compete with him.

Even the Jade Emperor in the heavens was startled, saying to the Queen Mother, "I never imagined that Spiritual Treasure could possess such terrifying mana. With one strike, I fear the Four Great Continents would be turned into Chaos!"

The Queen Mother reassured, "Your Majesty need not worry. The actions of Saints are naturally earth-shattering—no need to make a fuss over it. We just need to plan carefully, and there will be opportunities. Although we don’t know what exactly happened in the Middle Ancient Times, we do see that all of them have been seriously injured."

The Jade Emperor couldn’t help but tighten his fists, saying, "Right, if someone could injure the Three Pure Ones, it proves they are not invincible. We must strategize properly!"

This sword alarmed heaven and earth. Immortals and demons alike felt an unprecedented shock; even when the Saints fought in the past, they always tried to control themselves. In the battle at the Boundary Marker Pass, the creation of the Sword Array had never been so imposing. Clearly, the Leader of Heaven-Penetrating was deliberately displaying his strength to deter the petty and faint-hearted.

Everyone had their own reactions: some were anxious, some were impressed, some were dismissive, some were excited...

The emperors of the human world were startled by the Leader of Heaven-Penetrating’s sword, thinking it was a punishment descending from the heavens, hurriedly seeking the Imperial Astronomical Bureau for answers, and then holding rituals to pray to the vast sky.

The emperor, who deems his power sanctioned by the divine and calls himself the Son of Heaven, must introspect and plead with the heavens whenever a disaster strikes the human realm.

In reality, Liu Zhuang was a very wise and enlightened emperor. He established the prosperous era of the Eastern Han, but his descendants were not up to the mark, leading to the demise of the Great Han Dynasty at the hands of a bunch of eunuchs.

Confucius, suppressing the Dragon Vein beneath Luoyang City, couldn’t help but look up, feeling that the Dragon Vein was operating even faster. The Leader of Heaven-Penetrating’s sword had a taste of making a covert move.

"Is this to transfer more Dragon Qi to the remaining veins of the Southern Dragon? The methods of the Sage of the Heavenly Dao are indeed profound and unfathomable!" Confucius couldn’t help but exclaim.

"Zhuang Zhou?" called Confucius abruptly.

"Teacher," appeared another Saint of the human realm by his side; it was Zhuang Zhou, also known as Zhuangzi, author of ’Free and Easy Wandering.’

Confucius sighed, and said, "Spiritual Treasure’s sword might have completely severed the destiny of the Han Dynasty. It is time for you to enter the world!"

Zhuang Zhou replied, "I ask for Teacher’s guidance."

Confucius smiled and said, "You should ask Laojun. Although you were willing to study Confucianism with me, the principles we know are vastly different. I can’t give you guidance."

Zhuang Zhou nodded and said, "I shall go now, Teacher. Take care!"

To find out what happens next, please tune in to the following installment.