Chapter 4192: Thirty Thousand Years Later
Western Buddha Realm, Washing Image Pond.
A young monk who appeared to be in his twenties, clad in a coarse brown-gray linen robe, travel-worn and weary, as if having endured countless winds and suns, with rough, sallow skin, walked toward the lotus-filled pond’s edge. His posture remained ever upright, his eyes bright and wise, yet not lacking in calm steadiness and gentleness.
“Back?”
Fan Chen sat cross-legged by the pond.
Not far away, the wind stirred the lotus leaves, each one swaying gently.
“This journey to the Desolate Universe must have taken ten thousand years, yes? Any gains?” he asked.
“In reply, Master, the Desolate Universe is vast and empty, surpassing even the Heavenly Court and Hell in scale, with a completely different culture and customs, but Buddhism flourishes there. Your disciple visited the Ksitigarbha King Temple, traveled to the Fire Domain, and walked the broken ancient San Tu River channel… Thirty thousand years ago, the aftershocks of the Netherfall Calamity have not fully subsided. New evil demons often grow by relying on the power of the Fire Domain and the lingering energy of the calamity’s aftermath.”
The young monk continued: “Fortunately, the Jewel Earth Ksitigarbha is a Buddhist sacred being with great Dharma power and wisdom. These evil demons cannot amount to much. Over the past thirty thousand years, she has led the Desolate Buddhist cultivators out of suffering, bursting forth with vigorous vitality amidst the calamity’s waves.”
“This is a gift she asked your disciple to bring to Master!”
The young monk produced a wine flask carved with various Buddhist Sanskrit characters and presented it.
Fan Chen laughed heartily, took the flask, and drank deeply: “Over these years, this is the one habit I can’t break. Good wine! The Jewel Earth Ksitigarbha has been thoughtful. Xingchen, I see your cultivation has reached the Upper-Level God realm. Have your memories recovered?”
Zhang Xingchen’s eyes showed a trace of bitterness, and he said: “Recovered! Walking through the Desolate Universe this time, your disciple finally realized that Father was right back then.”
“The aftermath of a single battle spread too far.”
“In the Netherfall Battle, the area thousands of light-years around the Fire Domain was reduced to nothingness, with all planets and great worlds completely destroyed. The range of the shockwaves extended even farther, and countless living beings died, were crippled, displaced, or lost their loved ones. They didn’t even know what had happened, only leaving behind generation after generation of suffering.”
“Only by personally walking that path and seeing it can one truly empathize.”
“In such a life-and-death great battle, the calamitous waves caused are unavoidable. But martial arts sparring can be controlled and requires consideration of the consequences.”
“In my youth, I was arrogant and committed great mistakes. Experiencing tribulations in the mortal world and walking the Desolate Universe, I truly came to know the suffering of the people, the preciousness of life, and the meaning of cultivation.”
“Only then did I finally understand that power is not for fighting, but to be harnessed to carry out the vision in one’s heart, the steadfastness in one’s heart, and the choices in one’s heart.”
“Master, your disciple was truly wrong!”
Fan Chen nodded: “It was your father who asked me to find you back then and guide you in cultivation. He said that since I could return from the myriad forms of the mortal world after experiencing tribulations, I could naturally help you temper your heart and seek redemption.”
“Your worldly ties are not severed, and I, as your master, did not give you a Dharma name, so you are not considered to have entered the empty gate. Since your memories have recovered, go home!”
Zhang Xingchen knelt and kowtowed: “Your disciple wishes to spend the rest of his life redeeming his sins, and hopes the Buddha will grant this.”
Fan Chen snapped off the green stem of a lotus leaf before him, holding it in his hand like a palm-leaf fan, and laughed: “Heavy rain does not nourish rootless grass; the Dharma is vast but only ferries those with affinity. I am a monk, not a Buddha, and cannot grant you this. The karmic bond between master and disciple has ended.”
Zhang Xingchen knelt for a long time without rising, reciting sutras under his breath. Fan Chen said: “You should at least go back to see your mother. She must be the one who cares for you and misses you the most. Over thirty thousand years, have you thought about how she feels?”
“I am unfilial, I have failed my mother…”
Zhang Xingchen finally stopped reciting sutras, tears streaming down his face, no longer showing the evil nature and arrogance of his youth. He kowtowed heavily to Fan Chen three times before leaving the Washing Image Pond.
The Washing Image Pond fell silent, leaving only the chirping of cicadas.
Gurgle, Fan Chen took another gulp of wine, and a melodious flute sound reached his ears.
“Eh!”
Fan Chen’s gaze turned alert as he stood up.
He looked around at the misty water surface.
There, a woman in green robes, as if stepping out of a painting, stood at the center of the Washing Image Pond, playing a flute.
Water and sky reflected each other, merging into a natural Dao, indescribably beautiful and pleasing to the ear.
Fan Chen’s consciousness quickly pulled away from the flute sound.
He noticed a figure darting past behind him, heading toward the Saha World.
“Bold!”
Fan Chen shifted his form to intercept.
But the flute sound came swiftly, reaching his ears in an instant.
Fan Chen had no choice but to abandon blocking the figure charging toward the Saha World, instead turning to strike a palm at the green-robed flute woman behind him.
The green-robed figure struck out with her flute, clashing head-on with Fan Chen.
“Boom!”
Amidst the thunderous roar, countless rules and orders intertwined, forming a vast and expansive alternate-space battlefield above the Washing Image Pond.
The green-robed figure flew backward, landing back on the water, and clasped her hands in salute: “Great Brahma Heaven is truly formidable. Little woman concedes defeat. But, fighting in this Western Buddha Realm, Master may not have the upper hand.”
Over the past thirty thousand years, Fan Chen’s cultivation had advanced rapidly, nearing the Half-Ancestor peak.
But as the green-robed woman said, fighting in the Western Buddha Realm, he was constrained. His first consideration was not victory, but how to prevent the battle’s aftermath from spreading and causing a world-destroying calamity.
Thus, the moment he struck, he used rules and order to construct an alternate-space battlefield, enveloping the two of them.
“Who are you? I, this poor monk, have never heard of a figure like you in the universe. Which side are you from?” Fan Chen said.
The other party could withstand a palm strike from him without injury, undoubtedly a Half-Ancestor.
How could a Half-Ancestor suddenly appear out of thin air in the world?
There must be traces.
But after Fan Chen calculated, he found that this woman had no heavenly fate on her.
No past, no future.
Clearly, there was an Ancestor-level existence behind her, erasing her fate and traces.
Suddenly realizing something, Fan Chen immediately tried to rush out of the alternate-space battlefield and head toward the Saha World.
“Master, please stay. I have yet to ask you about the mysteries of Ten Thousand Buddhas Illuminating the Universe.”
The green-robed woman, her face veiled, moved like wind following a shadow, her speed even a fraction faster than Fan Chen’s.
Her long flute, like a sharp sword, cut through Fan Chen’s protective Buddhist ring, pointing toward his back, forcing Fan Chen to stop and counter.
On the other side, the old drunkard turned back, took the wine flask Fan Chen had placed on a stone, and then, satisfied, entered the Saha World.
“Hey! Truly good wine. What’s a monk doing drinking wine? Pure waste.”
After taking a big gulp, the old drunkard staggered deeper into the Saha World, breaking through formations and restrictions along the way, until he finally found the imprisoned Er Jun Tian.
Under that “young lady’s” guidance, his spiritual power had advanced rapidly, reaching the ninety-third level.
On a stone platform three zhang in diameter, Er Jun Tian was sealed, divine chains binding his body, sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, like a motionless human-shaped stone.
“So this is the leader of the Heavenly Multitude? Such a powerful aura. No wonder Qinglu Old Man said he possesses combat power comparable to Hao Tian.”
The old drunkard knocked and tapped on Er Jun Tian’s body, finding his muscles very firm, like copper blocks.
Qinglu Shen Wang had originally told Lady Shiji that Er Jun Tian was dead.
After all, Er Jun Tian knew too many truths about the Gray Sea. If the Corpse Demon Faction learned he was still alive, they would surely find a way to rescue him. Then, many of Qinglu Shen Wang’s lies would be exposed.
Zhang Ruochen had indeed set up measures in Er Jun Tian’s sea of consciousness and had erased part of his memory.
But Er Jun Tian’s cultivation was too profound, his spiritual will too strong, so it was hard to guarantee no slip-ups.
Qinglu Shen Wang dared not gamble with his life.
But after thirty thousand years, Qinglu Shen Wang had finally slipped up in front of “Zhang Ruochen,” leading to today’s events—the green-robed flute woman and the old drunkard coming together to the Western Buddha Realm for the rescue.
Er Jun Tian suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils like molten lava. The old drunkard was startled back two steps, then steadied himself, patted his chest, and said: “Er Jun Tian, I, this old man, have been ordered to rescue you. The great chaos of the universe is approaching; it’s time for you to emerge!”
Er Jun Tian closed his eyes, showing no interest in leaving.
The Nether Ancestor was dead, and the faith in his heart had collapsed.
He had no interest in escaping this place, nor even in the birth and death of the universe.
The old drunkard took out a talisman, shaped like a jade ruler, and said: “This is a Ten Thousand Dao Talisman Armor personally refined by my master. Its power surpasses your Ten Thousand Star Blazing Gold Armor. Wear this armor, and you will surely break the seal and escape the Saha World.”
Er Jun Tian only responded with one word: “Scram!”
“Hey! Have you gone stupid from being locked up?”
The old drunkard suddenly thought of something, leaned close to Er Jun Tian’s ear, and whispered a sentence.
This sentence was something the young lady had instructed.
After hearing it.
Er Jun Tian instantly raised his head, like a waking lion, his eyes bursting with divine light as blazing as a constant sun.
The chains on his body clattered loudly, his aura becoming overwhelmingly powerful, and he said: “Take me to see her.”
“Then you have to break free first!”
The old drunkard shrugged and spread his hands, then thought for a moment, looked at the talisman in his hand, and slapped his forehead: “Forgot, you haven’t put on the Ten Thousand Dao Talisman Armor yet. The seal laid down by that Life-Death Daoist can only be broken by the power contained in this talisman.”
Heavenly Palace.
More than half of the Twenty Heavens of the Heavenly Court had arrived.
God Kings and God Venerables from various powerful realms and ancient civilizations had gathered. Leaders from the Time Divine Temple, Space Divine Temple, Truth Divine Temple, Five Elements Temple, Array-Destroying Palace, and other major forces were all present.
The Strange Domain had disappeared, and the world was in an uproar.
No one could sit still, feeling that the end times might descend early.
The Great Calamity might come in tens of thousands of years, but what about the Minor Calamity?
Immortals and Ancestors would surely act in advance.
Ji Tian was now basking in glory, surrounded by many God Kings and God Venerables.
He had been invited into the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, entered the Black Sea to cultivate, absorbed the eternal divine soul and Ancestor substance of the Hongmeng Black Dragon, and had broken through to the Heavenly Venerable rank…
No one in the Heavenly Court Universe could shake his position as a Heavenly Lord.
He was the Heavenly Lord closest to the Divine Realm. Over the past thirty thousand years, he had built the Heaven-Earth Altar, gaining many benefits and conveniences. The Ji Clan had flourished and grown, with countless gods from various great worlds attaching themselves to him.
“I heard that the spiritual consciousness of the Hongmeng Black Dragon has been completely extinguished, and even its eternal divine soul and Ancestor substance have been fully absorbed by the cultivators of the Divine Realm. A generation of Ancestors, dying so miserably.”
“Does this mean the Primordial Beings have completely withdrawn from the stage of history?”
“Keep your voice down. There are still remnants of Primordial Beings in the Heavenly Court Universe. If they hear this, they won’t be happy!”
Ji Tian said: “The disappearance of the Strange Domain will inevitably trigger many chain reactions. If it’s a natural disappearance, it means the rules of heaven and earth are about to undergo further drastic changes. Space might collapse, and great worlds and planets may no longer be able to maintain a solid state.”
“If it’s taken away by a sinister Ancestor, the consequences will be even more severe.”
“Regardless of the situation, it indicates that the true great upheaval of the universe is about to arrive. Lord Murong naturally had to first devour the remaining spiritual consciousness of the Hongmeng Black Dragon, lest some ignorant person try to rescue it and cause further complications.”
A realm lord from one of the top hundred powerful realms said: “Wouldn’t Lord Murong’s spiritual power have increased again?”
“How can we discuss an Ancestor?” Ji Tian’s gaze turned stern.
That realm lord could only smile apologetically, lower his head, and dare not speak further.
“The Hongmeng Black Dragon is but a skeleton in its grave; dead is dead. But to say the Primordial Beings have vanished—who do you think you are? Not to mention the one in the Divine Ancient Nest, even the Chaos Clan of the Jade Emperor Realm could sweep you all away, right?”
With this cold, deep voice, the Dragon Emperor and Phoenix Emperor, along with the clan leaders of the Five Elements, filed in.
Ji Tian said: “Whether Ling Yanzi is alive or not is still uncertain. That Jade Emperor Realm will eventually be leveled by Lord Murong, and the sinister Ancestor hidden within will only follow the Hongmeng Black Dragon’s fate.”
As early as thirty thousand years ago, the Divine Realm had clashed with the Jade Emperor Realm, and even Lord Murong had made a move, but was repelled by a mysterious strongman from the Jade Emperor Realm.
Since then, the name “White Jade Divine Emperor” had resounded across the star sea. Various theories about his identity abounded, with some suspecting he was the primordial ancestor of the Chaos Clan from the beginning of time.
Over the past thirty thousand years, with the abundant resources of the Jade Emperor Realm, the Chaos Clan had grown and developed, with many strongmen, becoming a dominant force.
The Phoenix Emperor said: “In Ji Tian’s eyes, as long as it’s not an Ancestor of the Divine Realm, they are all sinister?”
Ji Tian knew the other party was setting a trap for him and said lightly: “Not entirely. Figures like the Life-Death Heavenly Venerable, who know what is the right path and what is the evil path, and fully support the Divine Realm in building the Heaven-Earth Altar, are definitely not sinister.”
In the corner.
Xiang Chunan craned his neck and asked, “What’s going on over there? It seems like an argument is breaking out. Quite lively.”
“The gods around Ji Tian are increasing day by day. Each one represents at least the stance of a great world. This is not a good thing!” Qing Sixue said with some concern.
Feng Yan had grown a beard, his whole demeanor mature and experienced, with the bearing of a ruler, and said: “The Great Calamity is drawing nearer. Only the Divine Realm can give everyone hope of survival. People aren’t stupid; they will naturally lean toward it. If the Heavenly Venerable continues to go into seclusion, and the Heavenly Court Universe continues to support the construction of the Heaven-Earth Altar, this trend will definitely intensify.”
“They are all just a motley crowd!” Xiang Chunan said.
“Behind this motley crowd, how many top-tier strongmen have secretly pledged allegiance?”
Qing Sixue continued: “The vast Heavenly Court Universe, left to be managed by A Fuya, Xu Fengjin, and Gai Mie, is itself ironic. How can the cultivators below be united? If not for the words of the Compassionate Navigation Venerable back then, I might have already led the Truth Divine Temple to join the Divine Realm.”
Over the past thirty thousand years, because the Heavenly Court Universe supported the construction of the Heaven-Earth Altar, the situation had been relatively stable.
But it was only relatively stable.
Conflicts occurred almost every moment—sometimes a great world was refined, sometimes gods were captured, sometimes there were wars between clans…
The Life-Death Heavenly Venerable remained in seclusion, naturally causing many complaints. His influence couldn’t compare to Hao Tian’s time, nor even to Murong Dui Ji, who had been stationed in the Heavenly Court for years.
Feng Yan said: “At least Lord Dragon Lord is still good. Many gods trust and respect him. As for the other three, they have also done quite a bit. If not for the First Empress and Void Heaven intervening back then, the main altar would have been forcibly built inside the Heavenly Court by Murong Dui Ji and Wushou Jiaye.”
Xiang Chunan had no interest in what they were discussing. Looking at the two factions still at odds in the distance, he said: “Is the Phoenix Emperor backed by A Fuya? Will they fight? I heard the Divine Realm has always suspected that A Fuya is not A Fuya, but Feng Tian, and wants to test the truth.”
A figure of peerless beauty came to their side, surrounded by divine glow, and spoke in a voice like heavenly music: “If they really fight, it will benefit no one. In the end, it will damage the confidence and unity of the cultivators of the Heavenly Court Universe. Only if the Heavenly Venerable emerges from seclusion can the deteriorating situation be suppressed.”
Xiang Chunan quickly stood up to offer his seat, smiling: “Yuan Yi Shen Zun, sit here, sit with Second Brother.”
The visitor was none other than the former Yuan Fairy from the “Nine Immortal Beauties Chart.”
Yuan Yi Shen Zun glanced at Feng Yan, gently shook her head, and smiled: “No need! Lian Gongzi has returned. I must go see him first.”
“Xuan Yuan Lian is back? When? Help me ask if she really joined the Divine Realm. I heard she even became Lord Murong’s disciple!” Xiang Chunan spoke without restraint, very direct.
After Yuan Yi Shen Zun left, Feng Yan cautioned: “Don’t be too reckless! Lian Gongzi has great ambition and would never join the Divine Realm. Going to cultivate in the Seventy-Two Layer Tower was the Life-Death Heavenly Venerable’s intention.”
“Who believes that?”
Xiang Chunan said: “Do you believe that Yuan Yi Shen Zun went to pay respects to Xuan Yuan Lian on the orders of Hunyuan Tian? Hunyuan Tian probably can’t be sure of Xuan Yuan Lian’s current stance, so he sent someone to test the waters. Want to go see her too?”
“I’ll go with you! I’m very curious—after thirty thousand years of bitter cultivation, what realm has she reached?”
Qing Sixue stood up and, together with Xiang Chunan, headed toward Xuan Yuan Lian’s mansion.
Feng Yan remained calm, scanning the hall, when suddenly his pupils contracted. In the northeast corner of the Central Divine Hall, he saw three familiar figures, all young and beautiful, each with a different temperament.
Chi Kongle, Yan Ying’er, Zhang Nihe. All were daughters of Di Chen.
Zhang Nihe was born to Ji Fanxin. As her second uncle, Feng Yan had naturally seen her and watched her grow up.
This girl’s personality was nothing like Ji Fanxin’s calm and steady. When she was young, she was even more mischievous and naughty than Yan Ying’er and Zhang Xingchen.
At nine years old, she added something to the rice noodles of Xia Zongzhu, who was eating them.
At twelve, she set fire to the Origin Divine Temple. At thirteen, she took her younger brother, sneaked into the ancestral land, and tried to dig up the Heavenly Venerable Seal of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable, causing a stir for thousands of miles, and got her butt spanked raw.
But in terms of cultivation talent, especially spiritual power talent, it was absolutely heaven-defying. In just thirty thousand years, she had reached the ninetieth level.
Of course, the actual cultivation time was far more than thirty thousand years, since Xiu Chen Heavenly God had essentially become her nanny after returning to the Sword Realm.
This was already quite terrifying. Her cultivation speed could rival any spiritual power Ancestor in history.
Everyone said Zhang Hongchen was a demon star in childhood, but this one was the true demon star.
“What are the three of them doing in the Heavenly Palace?”
Feng Yan’s curiosity was piqued.
(After Zhang Ruochen reached the Ancestor realm, everyone could see that the finale is approaching. Originally, I wanted to write it fast and exciting—when he breaks through to Ancestor, his identity would be exposed at Hai Shi Xing Wu, and the battle would erupt, finishing in about a dozen chapters.
But, after thinking it over, I still want to give some closure to certain characters and stories, even if everyone says it’s forced padding.
I can’t estimate how many chapters are left until the finale—maybe thirty or forty, maybe fifty or sixty—mainly depending on how the writing feels. If it doesn’t feel right, I’ll speed up the pace and won’t force padding.
If I wanted to force padding, some of the content in the previous chapters could easily be expanded to a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand words. There’s no need for that! After so many years, no one wants to finish this more than I do, but I don’t want to rush the ending.
With cultivation and combat destructive power reaching this stage, even if I wanted to force padding, I couldn’t. As I’ve said before, aside from writing battles, any other plot at this stage feels very out of place.)