Chapter 383: Return to the Sacred Sect

Beyond the seas, waves rose and fell, surging like a thousand mountains.

"Finally over."

With the fragmentation of Guangming Buddha's avatar, the 【Earthly Buddha Realm】 dimmed; far away, Hongju and Xiang Ye finally exhaled, feeling greatly relieved.

After all, Guangming Buddha's pressure was simply too overwhelming—not merely due to his connection with the Pure Land World Sovereign, but because his own power was terrifyingly strong; in this age, perhaps only one person could surpass him, so even though he showed no interest in them, they still felt as if thorns pricked their backs.

Especially Hongju, who let out a long, deep breath of stale air.

Xiang Ye was different—he had long cultivated a Blessed Land, and though he had not yet refined his Golden Nature, he at least still had the confidence to stand against Guangming Buddha.

But he was not the same.

His entire life was entirely dependent on Daoist Hong Yun's Golden Nature, already fixed in place; he himself possessed no Golden Nature and could never cultivate a Blessed Land.

Thus among those who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, he was a blank slate—perhaps slightly superior to Tianqiu through profound magical techniques, but only by a hair; otherwise, if the one who had just fought Guangming Buddha had been him, he would now be gravely wounded, fleeing in disgrace.

"Let's go, we shall meet that Lu friend."

Xiang Ye drew a deep breath, abandoning all pretense, stepping forward—when suddenly, a thunderous roar of surging water echoed through heaven and earth.

"Boom—!"

The source of the sound was Lu Yang, seated at the apex of the heavens, entirely enveloped in the myriad radiant glories of the 【Xuan Du Blessed Land】.

'Has he been injured?'

Xiang Ye was uncertain, silently pondering:

'No, injury is expected—that was a Buddha Son! Even as an avatar, to slay him without injury? Only the Demon Subduer might manage that.'

This guess was inaccurate—Lu Yang had not been injured, not due to strength, but because he had cleverly used the 【Lihe Jade Tablet】, acquired from the Long Gong's treasure vault, to absorb Guangming Buddha's attack; now he was working to dissolve the Buddha light's magic power trapped within the 【Lihe Jade Tablet】.

'The Buddha Son… really does have some skill.'

Lu Yang sat cross-legged, hands cradling a lotus, as torrents of magic power surged into the 【Lihe Jade Tablet】, yet found it was like trying to fill a barrel with a teacup.

Faintly, he seemed to see a giant palm.

The palm print was full and rounded, fingers smooth, radiating a sense of 'perfection' like pearls and jade; in his mind's eye, Lu Yang could even hear chanting emanating from it.

Seeing this, Lu Yang narrowed his eyes:

'If that palm had struck me squarely before, I would have died or been half-dead—instead of a total victory, it would have been mutual destruction.'

Thinking of this, Lu Yang's gaze brightened slightly:

'Once I refine this palm, I can store it within the 【Lihe Jade Tablet】, and when the time comes, hurl it back at my enemies…'

Using the enemy's own method against him!

This was precisely the brilliance of the 【Lihe Jade Tablet】; otherwise, if it were merely a simple substitute-destiny treasure, it would never have qualified for storage in the Long Gong's treasure vault.

Lu Yang was still contemplating.

Suddenly, his brows lifted—he saw two distant aura-trails descend gracefully, adhering strictly to protocol by not approaching too closely, but instead bowing respectfully from afar:

'Chu Sheng Sect, Xiang Ye.'

'Chu Sheng Sect, Hongju.'

'Greetings, friend!'

Both bowed simultaneously; behind Lu Yang, Seeing Suo Huan's expression grew complex and unreadable—both were outsiders from beyond the seas, yet why was the treatment so vastly different?

He had spent centuries beyond the seas, always addressed as a 'wandering outsider,' never once called 'friend'; the Four Great Powers had treated him like discarded trash—yet Lu Yang had barely arrived, not even a full day passed, and already a True Person from Chu Sheng Sect had come seeking him out, addressing him as 'friend.'

'Greetings, both friends.'

Lu Yang did not put on airs—he rose and returned the bow, though he glanced at Xiang Ye's face with mild surprise, for his appearance differed utterly from Lu Yang's memory.

He had aged.

In Lu Yang's memory, Xiang Ye had been a young Daoist—but now he was an elderly man with kind brows, white hair, and a ruddy complexion.

His vitality was depleted—what happened?

As if sensing Lu Yang's confusion, Xiang Ye smiled: 'Forgive my appearance—I too fought a great battle with that Pure Land figure.' 'Merely lingering aftereffects.'

Xiang Ye spoke lightly, yet Lu Yang, observing with his 【Linglong Heart】, knew this lifetime of his would last no more than thirty years—he was nearing his end.

The next instant, Xiang Ye cut straight to the point:

'Friend, could you reveal your true identity? Which True Person of our Sacred Sect are you reincarnated from?'

Lu Yang: '…'

Who the hell are you calling Sacred Sect?!

'Friend, you misunderstand,' Lu Yang smiled faintly. 'I am an outsider from beyond the seas, with no connection whatsoever to the Sacred Sect you speak of.'

'Really?'

I don't believe you.

Xiang Ye narrowed his eyes, studying Lu Yang; Lu Yang met his gaze calmly. After a moment of silence, Xiang Ye broke it first:

'Since you won't say, then let it be—but now you've made that Pure Land figure your mortal enemy. If you continue wandering the seas, danger will be everywhere. Why not come as a guest to our Sacred Sect? I'll be honest—I too bear the Buddha's karmic imprint left by that Pure Land figure.'

'Then I shall not refuse your kind invitation.'

Facing Xiang Ye's invitation, Lu Yang felt no rejection—he had already cleared the seas, and a clone of his sword pavilion already stood there.

He had no connections in the Dao Court, and could not go to the Pure Land.

After weighing all options, returning to the Sacred Sect offered the best value.

But then again—

'Friend, you need not worry about that Pure Land figure's threat for now,' Lu Yang said calmly. 'For roughly a year, he won't be able to emerge again.'

The Pure Land, Shengyi Shengming Treasure Monastery.

Originally named 【Arhat Fu Long Temple】.

But since the Buddha Son Guangming was born here, the temple changed its name, its scale expanding daily, its monks numbering beyond count.

Yet now, within the Shengyi Shengming Treasure Monastery, all were in an uproar—some furious, some fearful, some terrified—as they stared at the towering Buddha statue in the main hall, where the once-perfect, unblemished Buddha light had suddenly collapsed at one corner, losing part of its divine radiance.

"How could this happen? How could this happen!"

A monk, seeing this, his chest heaving, barely holding back his Dharma body, drenched in sweat, only calmed slightly when the young novice beneath the Buddha statue opened his eyes.

"The Buddha Son!"

At this sight, the monk nearly screamed out, and the previously panicked monks quickly steadied themselves, their expressions turning serene.

The one who died overseas was merely a manifestation.

Now that the Buddha Son's true body has awakened and emerged from seclusion, let us strike at once—who can stand against us?

Under the expectant gazes of all, the Guangming Buddha Son did not delay, but said directly: "I will enter seclusion for a year. Starting today, all cultivators in the Pure Land shall join me in seclusion."

"Huh?"

The monks were instantly stunned.

Just accept this? The manifestation was destroyed—aren't you going to reclaim your honor?

In an instant, several sharper-minded monks unconsciously held their breath, recalling the changes on the Buddha statue, and a suspicion arose in their minds:

Could it be that the Buddha Son lost more than just a manifestation?

But he was merely an outside cultivator from beyond the heavens.

How did he manage it?

Yet the Guangming Buddha Son paid no heed to the shifting expressions around him; he closed his eyes once more, turned inward to examine himself, and sank into deep thought.

"What a ruthless method of severing one's life."

"The 【Past Body】 is not only dead—it has been stripped clean of its life force; it will take at least a year to recover."

Thinking of this, the Guangming Buddha Son frowned slightly.

"There are no clues left from that Immortal Spirit. If things continue like this, gathering my four disciples may remain forever out of reach. At this point, it seems I must find another path."

(End of Chapter)