Chapter 834: Two Emperors

「……」

Shen Yi had once encountered two first-rank powerhouses; one resided in the imperial capital, saturated with the aura of twilight, claiming to be a mortal of the red dust—had the man not confessed himself, no one would ever have suspected such a thing.

The other, the Eastern Pole Emperor, appeared as a clay statue; though his oppressive aura was immense, it paled in comparison to the living Buddha before them, who had manifested his true form in the world.

Even if all seventy-two caverns of Golden Immortals appeared, they still had to bow their heads in respect.

This is what it means to stand at the summit—a titan whose every word and deed embodies the order of heaven and earth.

At this moment, Shen Yi lowered his gaze slightly, his expression finally showing ripples.

He had risked everything to reduce deaths in this world, and now that progress was visible, was it truly to be silenced so lightly by a single living Buddha’s mere words?

All his efforts would become meaningless, even potentially backfire.

After all, a first-rank titan had already intervened—how could they possibly stand idly by while the two sects slaughtered each other to the brink of annihilation? The scenario the Emperor had anticipated could no longer arrive ahead of schedule… perhaps never at all.

At this thought, a fleeting chill flashed in Shen Yi’s eyes.

He did not approve of the Emperor’s act of sacrificing the masses to carve a path forward, yet he also refused to witness the heavens filled with gods and Buddhas in harmonious revelry, turning the mortal realm into a prison, reducing common folk to hopeless blood food.

Merely imagining such a scene filled one with utter helplessness.

And worse—it was because of his own actions.

Shen Yi closed his eyes, steadied his breath, and sensed beneath the surface reverence and silence the uncontainable greed and fury spreading among the disciples of both sides.

He reopened his eyes; his gaze gradually returned to calm.

The fire I lit myself—what does a living Buddha care? Can you truly extinguish it?

“The Emperor has lost the Dao; that is why this calamity has come to pass.”

The Joyful True Buddha, clad in a kasaya, sat upon a lotus throne, his warm gaze sweeping methodically over every face below—from the Great Vow Bodhisattvas and Immortal Oath Golden Immortals down to ordinary third-rank disciples and even the lowly monks serving tea and water—leaving none untouched.

“Your sects summoned you into this calamity to enlighten mortals and relieve suffering—how did it become this brawl of pride and violence, your hearts clouded by incense and offerings?”

“Foolish,” the Joyful True Buddha softly shook his head.

Hearing this mild rebuke, the Snow Mountain Bodhisattva led the monks in solemn reply: “Disciples acknowledge our error.”

Xuanwei Zi and the other immortals subtly raised their eyebrows.

Such hollow words clearly could not resolve the matter—after all, if the great calamity must continue, one Immortal Emperor must be chosen. To speak of relieving suffering, if that’s the standard, shouldn’t we compare who saved more beings? In the end, it still boils down to whose domain is larger—what difference does it make?

「……」

The Joyful True Buddha slowly withdrew his gaze; honestly, as one of the two closest to the present Buddha, he had never anticipated the calamity would escalate to this extent.

Originally, even the third-rank disciples need not have engaged in earnest—only subtle manipulation behind the scenes was needed. Had the Divine Court not suddenly produced a batch of Demon-Slaying Edicts, the disciples alone could have swept across all four continents.

But now that it has come to this, a solution must be found.

The reason for replacing the Emperor with an Immortal Emperor was so both sects could be freed from mortal constraints and enjoy the incense offerings of the red dust stably.

If matters continued this way, merely competing for the Immortal Emperor’s throne might drag both sects into endless ruin, with no end in sight.

“Very well, then let us compete.”

The Joyful Buddha sighed: “Coincidentally, disciples from the Three Sumeru Mountains and your younger generation have all gathered in the Eastern Continent, seeking to save the suffering—beyond pure intent, genuine ability is indeed required… yet, harmony is paramount.”

Upon hearing this, the Bodhisattvas and immortals from both sides paused, then nodded in unison.

If a contest must occur, better to contain it within acceptable bounds.

The Divine Court was barely clinging to life—it was time to choose the Immortal Emperor to replace the Emperor.

This opportunity could soothe the resentment of the Bodhi Sect’s disciples while also tempering the overbearing spirit of the Three Immortal Sect’s disciples, making them understand that under the combined might of the Three Sumeru Mountains, those domains were not so easily seized.

“We have no objection, but we require a few more days,” Xuanwei Zi stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

「……」 The Joyful True Buddha regarded him with a meaningful glance, then smiled, offering no refusal.

These Golden Immortals clearly feared the events involving their juniors, had lost trust in the Bodhi Sect, and worried the True Buddha would bully the young—hence they sought reinforcements.

“Go.”

The True Buddha waved his hand; instantly, the Golden Immortals and their disciples were transported out of the Eastern Sumeru.

Only the monks of the Three Continents’ Sumeru Mountains remained within.

He silently gazed down upon them.

One side was driven by greed, the other by shared enmity—the outcome of this contest had already been decided.

“Master.”

Finally, the Great Freedom Lotus Pearl Bodhisattva stepped forward from the crowd, summoning a yellow cloud into his arms; as the mist dispersed, the nearly lifeless Miaoyin Monk appeared.

He bowed his head, cradling his disciple, voice hoarse: “A few days are insufficient. Grant this child a chance—at least three more months.”

The moment Miaoyin Monk appeared, many Bodhisattvas immediately wore expressions of shame and resentment.

They had incited him to descend the mountain and defend the Eastern Sumeru, only to be struck nearly to death by the Three Immortal Sect’s elder—should they follow the True Buddha’s plan, Miaoyin would surely miss this great calamity.

Even the monks who had come from the other two continents now looked toward the True Buddha with sympathetic understanding.

「……」

The Great Freedom Lotus Pearl Bodhisattva appeared to gaze at his master with devout eyes—he did not seek mere months of time; he sought his master’s stance.

The man was one of the Nine Buddhas of the World; his disciple had nearly been slain by Xuanwei Zi’s palm—could this not demand justice?

Moreover, the contest was set in the Eastern Continent, and Miaoyin was among its most revered disciples—how could he be allowed to lose?

Not only must his injuries be healed, but he must be granted sufficient foundation to surpass the young immortals of the Grand Void Sect—only then, before all eyes, could the spine of these immortals be decisively broken, and justice be done!

“Why wait three months?”

The Joyful True Buddha extended his palm slightly; golden light, like a cocoon, enveloped Miaoyin Monk entirely.

When the golden radiance faded, Miaoyin—who had been barely clinging to life—stood up, vigorous and full of vigor; his shattered fruit position grew even more stable. He fell to his knees with a thud, bowing his head repeatedly to the True Buddha: “Disciple will not fail your great expectations!”

The Joyful Buddha offered no reply, only a faint smile.

But this act itself conveyed abundant implication—even if it were merely a doctrinal debate, it would occur on Eastern Continent soil, the very foundation of the Bodhi Sect, where they stood backed by the present Buddha—how could they possibly lose?

Miaoyin raised his head; the True Buddha had already vanished from the heavens.

After a long silence, he clenched his teeth in hatred.

That Grand Void True Lord, emboldened by the seventy-two caverns of Golden Immortals backing him, now dares to debate before the True Buddha while elders are barred from intervening—this time, I will reclaim this humiliation, crush the Grand Void Sect utterly, and make Xuanwei Zi swallow his broken teeth in silence.

We shall see.

……

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

The seventy-two caverns of Golden Immortals gathered in Nanying Prefecture, bowing before the Three Pure Ones’ statues in the grand hall.

“Master Xuanwei, how much longer?”

Lingxu Zi was undoubtedly the most anxious among the Golden Immortals; now that the sect debate was inevitable, even a fool could foresee how severely Lingxu’s lineage would be targeted due to Shen Yi’s actions.

Though furious, he knew now was not the time to settle scores with Shen Yi—what mattered most was securing powerful backing to avoid being sabotaged by the Bodhi Sect.

“It should be soon.”

Xuanwei Zi slowly straightened his posture, inserting the thin incense stick into the censer.

As if in response, shimmering light began converging from all directions beneath the Three Pure Ones’ statues; celestial music echoed through the once-silent hall, and phantom images of a hundred beasts and birds alternated into view.

The sky dimmed slightly; the entire Nanying Prefecture flickered between light and shadow.

Until the light fully coalesced into a human form—a slender middle-aged man in resplendent blue-gold robes, his face stern, crowned with a beaded headdress.

He sat cross-legged, positioned only below the Three Pure Ones.

Beside him stood two attendants, holding fans larger than their own bodies, expressionless as they gazed down at the assembly of immortals.

When the slender man slowly opened his eyes, the Golden Immortals bowed in perfect unison: “We pay homage to the Eastern Pole Emperor.”

「……」

The Eastern Pole Emperor leisurely surveyed the immortals, his gaze finally settling on Shen Yi.

He gave him a long, meaningful look.

He wondered—had this once-arrogant youth, now confronted with a True Buddha and realizing his own insignificance, finally felt even a flicker of regret for his former pride, and turned to seek aid from a first-rank Emperor?

“This is our sect’s foremost disciple.”

Xuanwei Zi noticed the Emperor’s gaze and softly introduced him.

Though none had foreseen the great calamity devolving into such a crude contest, the Grand Void True Lord—who had once single-handedly defeated the three of You Yao—was now the greatest hope for the Three Immortal Sect to surpass the Bodhi Sect.

“Now that the Emperor has come in person, we are at ease.”

Lingxu Zi quickly forced a smile, interjecting: “He is my disciple of the Lingxu lineage. He has caused great trouble—please, Your Majesty, show him favor.”

“Hah.”

Watching Lingxu Zi’s hypocritical face—wanting to bask in Shen Yi’s glory while shirking all responsibility—Chi Yun Zi couldn’t help but sneer.

“I am not the only Emperor here.”

The Eastern Pole Emperor raised his hand, signaling the immortals to rise, then turned his gaze toward the hall’s entrance.

Though he was an Emperor, this was still the Eastern Sumeru; for safety’s sake, he had invited another colleague to accompany him.

“Another Emperor is here?”

Xuanwei Zi’s expression changed slightly—he had sensed nothing.

All turned toward the entrance.

Outside the door, a woman in plain attire crouched on the stone steps, indistinguishable from an ordinary woman, lacking any aura—but beneath her cascading black hair, half her pale, serene profile was enough to stun the world.

She gently stroked a stray dog, teasing it with her fingertips.

Only when she sensed the multitude of gazes upon her did she calmly turn her head—her eyes showed no ripple.

“We pay homage to the Empress of the Earth!”

The immortals had never expected the visitor to be this Emperor, who had shown no interest whatsoever in the great calamity.

A wave of awkwardness swept over them.

Fortunately, the Earth Mother merely nodded perfunctorily before turning her gaze back to the large yellow dog before her, her eyes softening once more.

It seemed as if all these mighty Yuanluo Golden Immortals who stood proud beneath heaven and earth, along with the so-called first disciple of the Three Immortals Sect whom Xuanweizi so admired, were worth less than that stray dog.

“Cough.”

Xuanweizi forced a stiff smile.

He could guess why the Eastern Pole Emperor had summoned this Lady—after all, she wished to meddle in this matter without letting other Emperors share in the glory, and after careful thought, only the Earth Mother was truly suitable.

Yet the moment he realized that what they now planned to divide was the divine dynasty she herself had once helped establish, the strange bitterness in his heart deepened.

“Since both Emperors have arrived, I shall send word to Dongxumi.”

Xuanweizi had no desire to linger and immediately led the immortals out of the hall.

At that moment, the Eastern Pole Emperor calmly called out: “You, stay.”

The immortals paused, exchanged glances, and only then realized the Emperor had stopped a junior.

“...”

Shen Yi slowly turned his body and looked toward the Emperor upon the altar.

Lingxuzi blinked, then his face lit up with delight.

Was the Emperor about to intervene and lend that damned brat some additional backing?

Had anyone else done such a thing, Lingxuzi would have been displeased—after all, anyone who showed even slight favor toward Shen Yi, he suspected, sought to claim him as a disciple and steal the lineage of Lingxu.

And that ungrateful, white-eyed wolf’s demeanor gave Lingxuzi little confidence.

He did not wish Shen Yi harm, yet he also did not want to see him thrive too much... but if it were the Emperor, it was different—he was merely a junior; even if the Emperor took an interest in Shen Yi, out of face, he would never deprive Lingxuzi of his due.

Xuanweizi pondered for an instant, then swept his sleeve and dismissed the immortals.

Such matters were better kept private—after all, word of an Emperor interfering in the doctrinal debate between two sects would damage his reputation.

Soon, the crowded hall stood empty.

But things were not as the immortals had assumed.

The Eastern Pole Emperor gazed calmly at Shen Yi below: “The immortals have gathered in Dongzhou, and upon careful observation, I noticed many are missing—most due to insufficient ability and thus perished. But my own emissary should not be among them.”

“Do you have any thoughts on why Qixian is not here?”

Facing the Emperor’s gaze, Shen Yi remained expressionless; he shook his head and replied plainly: “I do not know.”

Hearing this, the Eastern Pole Emperor’s eyes flickered slightly. After a long silence, he smiled faintly and did not press further: “My words from last time still stand—my Emperor’s mansion remains open to you at all times.”

As his words faded, the slender figure slowly dissolved upon the altar.

Shen Yi turned to leave the hall.

At that moment, a gentle female voice sounded behind him.

“Why, when you are clearly lying—and you know he knows you are lying—do you feel not the slightest guilt?”

(End of Chapter)