Chapter 99: Mahayana Fundamental Sutra of Right Enlightenment

The Shi cultivators of Jiangxi practice the "Path of Deep Joy in Nirvana," yet their ability to remain in a remote corner rather than being forced into exile overseas is proof enough of the strength of their lineage.

However, unlike the Sword Pavilion or the Holy Sect with their myriad divine abilities,

the Shi cultivators of Jiangxi make no distinction between cultivation methods and divine abilities; thus, they cultivate nothing else, focusing solely on one scripture, from which both their methods and abilities are refined.

Its name is the *Mahayana Fundamental Sutra of Right Enlightenment*.

It is said this sutra was transmitted by the World-Honored One of the "Path of Deep Joy in Nirvana," its purpose being to guide people toward goodness, achieving Nirvana after cessation, thereby seeking the "True Self."

However, this "True Self" is not the Shi cultivator's own self.

It is the "Self" of that World-Honored One.

When the Path of Deep Joy in Nirvana is cultivated to the extreme, one ceases one's own existence, comprehending the principle that "I am the World-Honored One, and the World-Honored One is I," becoming thereafter indistinguishable from the World-Honored One.

The scripture calls this "becoming a Buddha" or "Right Enlightenment."

Since the World-Honored One is a Buddha, becoming the World-Honored One is equivalent to becoming a Buddha.

All sentient beings are the same; all can become Buddhas. Since "I" am a Buddha, all sentient beings can become "I." To comprehend this truth is to prove the Supreme Enlightenment.

Within the *Mahayana Fundamental Sutra of Right Enlightenment*, there are forty-eight Great Mantras, said to have been established by the World-Honored One upon attaining the Dao in days past. Each Great Mantra holds infinite mystery, capable of spawning countless divine abilities, while a complete Great Mantra possesses effects comparable to the great divine abilities of the Sword Pavilion or the Holy Sect.

The more Great Mantras one masters, the closer one draws to "becoming a Buddha."

At this moment, facing Lu Yang's 【Hall of Yanmo】, Arhat Fu Long, touching the earth and forming a mudra, unleashed one of these Great Mantras, named "No Three Evil Paths in the Land."

"If, when I attain Buddhahood, my land contains hells, hungry ghosts, or animals, I shall not accept Supreme Right Enlightenment."

The sound of the Dharma rang clear, reflecting pure light.

Though it was a Great Mantra of compassion, its power showed not a shred of mercy; how does one remove hells, hungry ghosts, and animals? Simply kill them, and once dead, they cease to exist.

Moreover, it was evident that this divine ability severely suppressed Yin Sha energy.

As the rosy light shone down, Lu Yang immediately saw 【Hall of Yanmo】 crumbling inch by inch, while Su Nu, stationed within, suddenly let out a piercing scream of agony.

This was the true power of the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment!

Lu Yang felt a chill in his heart; although 【Hall of Yanmo】 had been invincible against the remaining soul of Peak Master Senior Butian, that was due to a special advantage.

But a true Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment expert, with spirit and flesh perfected, in a peak state like Arhat Fu Long, could overwhelm 【Hall of Yanmo】 with even a single divine ability. Indeed, without the continuous reinforcement of Yin Sha from the Skull Mountain ley lines, it would likely have already been breached!

"Amitabha."

Seeing this scene, Arhat Fu Long's expression remained unchanged as he tossed his nine-ring monk's staff into the air, instantly producing a thunderous clang like striking metal.

'Not good!'

Lu Yang's pupils contracted sharply; 【Hall of Yanmo】, suppressed to the point of near collapse by Arhat Fu Long's "No Three Evil Paths in the Land" Great Mantra, could no longer protect him!

Lu Yang had failed to calculate this change in time, but Arhat Fu Long, possessing higher cultivation, had seized the tactical opportunity beforehand, launching the nine-ring staff before 【Hall of Yanmo】 fell, and striking the very instant it collapsed, giving Lu Yang no chance to repair the damage.

In the blink of an eye, the nine-ring staff landed right before Lu Yang's eyes!

At this critical moment, Lu Yang moved with divine speed, snatching the Dharma Protector God Su Nu from within 【Hall of Yanmo】 and firmly shielding her in front of himself.

Boom!

Su Nu didn't even have time to scream before her entire body cracked apart; only the sturdiness of her Foundation Establishment-level fake Dharma Body allowed her to withstand this blow.

"This cannot continue!"

Lu Yang casually tossed Su Nu back into his dantian, his mind racing as he realized that continuing like this would only lead to passive beating, with defeat merely a matter of time.

While he pondered countermeasures, Arhat Fu Long refused to give him the chance.

The nine-ring staff, having failed to strike true, spun in the air and fell again; the nine rings on the staff clashed, chiming clearly, enough to scatter a person's soul.

Fortunately, Lu Yang had refined the *Heavenly Silkworm Secret Art of Severing Thoughts to See the Self*; his spiritual sense had long since transformed into spiritual awareness, no different from a Foundation Establishment True Person. Although his head felt as if it were splitting under the influence of the nine-ring staff, he could still rely on his willpower to act, enhancing Su Nu with the status of Foundation Establishment, and then formed a hand seal on the spot.

The next second, the nine-ring staff struck down.

"As for Corpse Liberation, it is the transformation of form, the refinement and shedding of the original truth, the escape and change of bodily substance!"

Lu Yang offered no resistance, simply allowing the monk's staff to crush him; the single blow reduced his physical body to powder, the exploding flesh and blood scattering into a sky-filling red mist.

Yet the next second, the red mist rolled back!

The body, which had turned to powder, fled hundreds of miles away, finally reforming just at the edge of Skull Mountain, manifesting a physical body once again!

Furthermore, all injuries Arhat Fu Long had inflicted on Lu Yang, whether to his soul or his flesh, vanished into smoke after "Corpse Liberation." Lu Yang even used this to break free from Arhat Fu Long's spiritual sense lock. Such an exquisite escape technique even drew a look of admiration from Arhat Fu Long:

"Benefactor, you are truly a genius of unparalleled brilliance!"

This was the divine ability of the 【Corpse Liberation Immortal】, not a combat technique but a method for avoiding calamity and dispelling disaster; when enhanced with the status of Foundation Establishment, its mysteries were infinite.

"Just a little longer..."

Lu Yang exhaled deeply; he had long since released the heavenly secrets he had previously concealed, so those with karmic ties to him could certainly calculate that he was in grave danger.

At the very least, True Person Master Chongguang would definitely be able to calculate it.

And he still held the 【Heavenly Corpse Sha】 that True Person Yinshan desired; considering just this point, both True Person Master Chongguang and True Person Yinshan would surely come to save him.

Therefore, he only needed to hold out until their arrival!

Just as this thought arose in Lu Yang's mind, Arhat Fu Long suddenly sighed: "Pity, I had hoped to preserve this physical body of the benefactor."

Before his voice had faded, Arhat Fu Long pressed his palms together.

"Amitabha!"

The next second, a brilliant spiritual light burst forth from the crown of his head, illuminating the universe, while the 【Fu Long Temple】 behind him simultaneously rang with loud bell tolls.

Within that spiritual light, a great dragon, its entire body burning with blazing white fire and towering like a mountain, coiled above. Then, the dragon's head lowered, suddenly becoming illusory, overlapping with Arhat Fu Long's own head; both exhaled and spoke simultaneously, blasting out a beam of fire!

Whoosh—!

The blazing white flame, like a sharp arrow loosed from a bow, struck Lu Yang; the terrifying high temperature incinerated his shell, turning Lu Yang into a handful of flying ash in the blink of an eye.

However, soon after, this flying ash reformed in the distance, manifesting Lu Yang's form once more.

Yet this time, even though he had employed the Corpse Liberation technique, stars of fire still lingered on his body, clinging to him like a disease in the bones.

Even as time passed, this blazing fire showed signs of reigniting!

"Is this... 【Blazing Fire Dragon】?"

Several months had passed since his battle with Peak Master Senior Butian, and Lu Yang had now mastered the inheritance of the Witch-Ghost Path, so he was no longer ignorant about Foundation Establishment.

Thus, he recognized it at a glance as the manifestation of Arhat Fu Long's Dao path.

"【Blazing Fire Dragon】 belongs to the Heavenly Gang position of 'E-Feng,' Pure Yang Wood, towering and majestic; Wood sits upon Chen to generate Wood and drain Fire, termed 'Blazing Fire Riding the Dragon'."

In other words, the fiery breath Arhat Fu Long spat out now, though seemingly a raging inferno, was merely an external appearance; in reality, it used Earth to generate Wood, and Wood to flourish Fire. Therefore, no matter what fire-suppressing divine abilities or methods were used, they would be utterly meaningless against this 【Blazing Fire Dragon】.

"To break it, one must use Metal, or..."

Just as Lu Yang's thoughts raced, Arhat Fu Long stepped through the void to stand before him, a smile of assured victory on his face:

"Is the benefactor willing to take refuge?"

(End of Chapter)