Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Earthly Buddha Country

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming!

Even Summon knew of the Bhagavat’s reputation for indiscriminate conversions. In that instant, a chill shot straight up his spine, and he couldn’t help but suspect:

’Could the Bhagavat be the mastermind behind the Spirit Ruins Blessed Land?’

’Is he here to convert me now?’

But he quickly came to his senses. He had considered joining the Pure Land years ago, but as an Outer Heaven Cultivator, even the damn Pure Land had rejected him.

And since he wasn’t here for him...

’Is he here for my senior?’

Summon glanced back at the island where Lü Yang was in seclusion, and instead of alarm, he felt a surge of joy. ’This is a godsend! My chance to earn some merit has arrived!’

”Amitabha!”

At that moment, as the Buddha’s Name resounded, the waters around Lü Yang’s secluded island began to shimmer with Buddha Light as golden lotuses bloomed upon the surface.

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming stepped upon these golden lotuses, walking toward the island step by step. His own eyes were tightly closed, but the Victorious Will-Born Clarity Tathagata’s World Appearance behind him lowered its gaze, its eyes clearly reflecting every detail within and without the island, as if nothing could be hidden from its sight...

But in the next instant, Progenitor Tingyou flicked his wide sleeve. An Illusion Barrier immediately appeared in the island’s deepest recesses, completely concealing the Cave Mansion where Lü Yang was in seclusion.

”...Hm?”

Witnessing this, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming stopped in his tracks. The Victorious Will-Born Clarity Tathagata’s World Appearance behind him seemed to frown slightly as well.

”This benefactor possesses profound Cultivation.”

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming spoke slowly. His voice was neither high nor low, but calm and composed, with a tone that suggested everything was under his control, making Summon’s skin crawl.

This was the Buddha’s Son, after all!

Though not the Bhagavat himself reborn, he was still one of the world’s most powerful figures, an absolute titan even among those at Foundation Establishment Perfection.

This was especially true considering that, over the past decade, the Dao Court’s Southern King, Wu Taian, had shaved his head and taken monastic vows, formally placing himself under this Buddha’s Son. This event had caused Guang Ming’s prestige to soar. Not long ago, he had even traveled to the North for a massive battle with Xiang Ye, the Perfect Grand Zhenren of the Stain Sect, just beyond the Sea of Clouds.

Such power, such Abilities.

Who in the world would not fear him?

”You flatter me, Buddha’s Son. These are merely petty tricks.”

Facing the gaze of Buddha’s Son Guang Ming, Progenitor Tingyou remained calm and said in a grave voice, ”To what do we owe the honor of the Buddha’s Son gracing our humble home today?”

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming smiled faintly. ”I have come to invite you benefactors for a visit to my Pure Land.”

”Forgive us, but we must refuse.”

Progenitor Tingyou shook his head. ”The Pure Land is vast, but it tolerates no outsiders. We Immortal Cultivators seek supreme liberation and absolute freedom. We truly cannot enter the Pure Land.”

”Supreme liberation?”

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming laughed. ”If that is what you seek, benefactor, then you have all the more reason to enter my Pure Land. Is there any place under Heaven more liberated than my Pure Land?”

”The Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, the Dao Court—which of them doesn’t exploit Lower Cultivators?”

”Only in my Pure Land are we united in heart and mind. Be you a Bodhisattva, an Arhat, or a Novice Monk, we are all one, free from the scheming and backstabbing of the mortal world.”

”If this is not liberation, what is?” ℯ

”If this is not freedom, what is?”

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming placed his palms together, his tone placid. ”As for the rumors of the Bhagavat’s possessions, they are utter nonsense. To think such things, benefactor, is to become attached to appearances.”

Progenitor Tingyou was rendered speechless.

’What a silver tongue.’

’So you’re right no matter what, is that it?’

With this thought, Progenitor Tingyou wasted no more words. He directly channeled his Incense Divine Power, his Position soaring, and planted himself firmly in Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s path.

”In any case, Daoist, I must ask you to go no further.”

However, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming turned a deaf ear, his eyes fixed on the Incense Divine Power radiating from Progenitor Tingyou. A look of delight spread across his face.

”What a marvelous Celestial Lineage!”

”The hearts of mortals can move the power of Heaven and Earth? What kind of technique is this...? Can it be that the Outer Realm you come from also has Fruit? This Fruit shares a Buddhist Destiny with my Pure Land!”

At this, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming was nearly overcome with joy. ”Excellent, excellent, excellent! Celestial Python was the person I had originally chosen for his Buddhist Destiny. We were fated to be master and disciple. Now that Celestial Python is dead, it seems this master-disciple destiny can only fall upon that Outer Heaven benefactor still in seclusion.”

”It was not in vain that I rushed here upon hearing the news!”

Before Buddha’s Son Guang Ming had even finished speaking, the Victorious Will-Born Clarity Tathagata’s World Appearance behind him began to move. Its mountain-sized lips parted, slowly enunciating a Buddhist mantra:

”Amitabha!”

The sound was like thunder, instantly spreading in every direction. The fish and shrimp in the sea trembled, and countless phenomena manifested between Heaven and Earth.

’He’s making his move...!’

Summon’s eyes went wide. He saw Buddha Light surging in the distant sky, transforming into roiling, auspicious clouds that blotted out the heavens as they advanced, taking the shape of a colossal Buddha’s Palm!

A Manji (卍) symbol flashed in the center of the palm. As it descended, the air filled with a deafening, mind-piercing chant. The sound assaulted one’s Spiritual Space; had a mere Qi Refiner been present, they would have been instantly converted into a fanatical devotee of the Pure Land!

”The Buddha’s Son’s Five Divine Techniques... Telepathy!?”

In an instant, Summon’s pupils constricted.

Telepathy—an ability to directly connect another’s mind to one’s own!

The Buddha’s Son was different from all other cultivators. His Abilities were not drawn from the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches but manifested directly from his Dharma Appearance, making them utterly unique.

Over the past ten-plus years, however, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s techniques had become widely known.

Telepathy was one of them. It was said that the Dao Court’s Southern King, Wu Taian, had been converted by this very Ability, leading him to willingly enter the Pure Land!

BOOM!

In an instant, any pride Summon felt from his recent breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Perfection was utterly shattered. He immediately unleashed all of his Incense Divine Power to meet the threat from above.

Not only that, but on the other side, Progenitor Tingyou had also summoned the Mother of Non-Birth, Yan Taizu, the Capital City God, and other Banner Spirits from the Seven Luminaries Heaven, empowering them all with Incense Divine Power.

However, he did not unleash the Yama Hall.

For one, without the empowerment of the Gold Attribute, the Yama Hall was just a stack of Positions at the Foundation Establishment Perfection level—a quantitative increase that couldn’t produce a qualitative change.

For another, if he used the Yama Hall, his true identity would surely be exposed.

Therefore, it was better to keep an ace up his sleeve.

Even so, empowered by the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, the nearly ten Incense Fire Great Gods at Foundation Establishment Perfection were still a sight that would shock anyone.

But upon seeing this, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming actually showed a hint of disappointment:

”What a frail system.”

He shook his head, commenting casually, ”This doesn’t look like something that could have evolved in an Outer Realm that has Fruit... In that case, is this a Fruit Position Prototype?”

Before the words left his mouth, he was already forming a Daoist Hand Seal.

In the next instant, endless Illusionary Colors manifested behind him. Within them, temples, Zen Forests, and countless monastics could be seen, all chanting the tenets of Buddhist Scripture.

”Earthly Buddha Country!”

Instantly, the golden Illusionary Colors engulfed Heaven and Earth, swallowing all the Incense Fire Great Gods. At once, their Positions began to plummet!

’The Incense has been cut off!’

Progenitor Tingyou’s reaction was swift; he immediately understood the problem. ’The weakness of the Incense and Candle Divine Dao is just too great... An Incense Fire God can only use its Divine Power within its own territory. Once it’s moved somewhere else, the distance increases, and the blessing of the Incense weakens drastically!’

This was why Lü Yang had never considered the Incense and Candle Divine Dao a viable combat method against enemies.

In Lü Yang’s eyes, the only real use for the Incense and Candle Divine Dao was to form the Yama Hall and use its overwhelming numbers to crush weaker opponents. It was completely useless in a fight against peers of the same Realm.

And now, here was the proof.

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s Cultivation was profound; he had seen through the flaw in the Incense and Candle Divine Dao at a single glance. By applying the perfect counter, he instantly shattered the coordinated attack of nine Incense Fire Great Gods!

「At the same time.」

In the distant sky, two streaks of Flying Light shot forth, one after the other. The figures they revealed were none other than Xiang Ye and Great Undertaking, who had rushed here from the North.

”A Dharma Appearance, a Buddha Country...”

Witnessing this scene, Xiang Ye seemed to recall something. A deep-seated fear filled his eyes as he cursed inwardly, ’The Pure Land has completely lost all sense of shame!’

A Dharma Appearance at Foundation Establishment Perfection.

An Earthly Buddha Country comparable to a Blessed Land.

And on top of that, the profound Cultivation from being the Bhagavat’s reincarnation.

Among Foundation-Stage Cultivators, any one of these things would be considered top-tier. Now they were all combined in a single person. Who the hell could possibly stand against that?

Even Xiang Ye himself had only planned to warn Lü Yang in advance and invite him into the sanctuary of the Sea of Clouds before Buddha’s Son Guang Ming arrived.

But now, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming had beaten them to it.

”It’s too late...”

Just as Xiang Ye sighed in his heart, and just as Progenitor Tingyou, Summon, and the others were about to be pulverized by the Buddha’s Palm, a brilliant light suddenly erupted, filling Heaven and Earth.

It was a circular light, as white as jade.

As the halo spun, countless web-like patterns spread out to link Heaven and Earth, materializing out of nowhere to block the path of the descending Buddha’s Palm.

”With the World!”