Chapter 349: [Prologue to the Dark Turmoil] (Happy New Year)

Moke Ancient Buddha ultimately did not agree, because before long, the Fighting Buddha would be leaving Mount Sumeru to travel far into the starry sky. The Buddhist sect required a Great Sage to remain at Mount Sumeru to preside over daily affairs and suppress their foundation.

"The monkey is leaving?" Lin Xian was slightly stunned, then realized something. He stared intently at the old monkey, half-surprised and half-delighted, and said, "Has the Fighting Buddha broken through to the Quasi-Emperor realm?"

"I have already found a glimmer of hope, just one step away." The Fighting Buddha pressed his palms together and said, "Before the Buddha Shakyamuni left, he left a message for this old monk: I can head to the Amitabha Star Domain to seek my fortune and discuss the Dao with his disciple, Jin Chanzi."

Lin Xian's mouth twitched, and he was instantly thrown into disarray. The Fighting Buddha meeting Jin Chanzi—this was truly absurd. Could it be that a grand performance of *Journey to the West* was about to unfold?

As the future Buddha, should he approve or oppose this?

"The Amitabha Star Domain..." Moke Ancient Buddha fingered his prayer beads, his expression somewhat solemn. He said in a deep voice, "That is the hometown of the Great Emperor Amitabha. It was originally nameless, but after our Buddhist Great Emperor emerged from there, it was renamed."

"According to what this old monk knows, there is a peerless Great Sage there known as the Kong Que Great Wisdom King Bodhisattva, who is also on the verge of breaking into the Quasi-Emperor realm."

"The Fighting Buddha must be extra careful."

"What does the Ancient Buddha mean by this?" The Fighting Buddha's eyes were like torches, sparking with golden light. As fellow sages of the Buddhist sect, would they really fight the moment they met?

"Good, very good." Moke Ancient Buddha chuckled and revealed the truth: that Kong Que Great Wisdom King was using the methods left behind by the Buddhist Great Emperor to communicate between the two domains, intending to cross the starry sky and take control of the Great Lei Yin Temple.

As the hometown of the Great Emperor Amitabha, the Kong Que Great Wisdom King considered himself the orthodox successor and looked down on others. If the Fighting Buddha could break through to the Quasi-Emperor realm on this trip, it would be the perfect opportunity to knock the people of the Amitabha Star Domain down a peg and let them know who the true Buddhist orthodoxy was.

"Kong Que Wisdom King, a half-step Quasi-Emperor!" The Fighting Buddha narrowed his eyes. Hearing this, he knew it would not be easy to deal with; it would be a fierce battle.

"Does the Fighting Buddha lack confidence?" Moke Ancient Buddha pressed his palms together and asked in return, "In the past, you fought across the Great Lei Yin Temple; how invincible you were."

Lin Xian glanced sideways, muttering to himself that Moke Ancient Buddha was mocking the Fighting Buddha for only knowing how to fight within his own house. How could the old monkey's temper endure that?

"I am the Fighting Buddha; I shall break through with my own strength."

Sure enough, the Fighting Buddha raised his brows and shouted with a clangorous, powerful voice. Although the old monkey had entered the Buddhist sect and harbored compassion, he remained domineering and would not submit to anyone.

"This old monk wishes the Fighting Buddha a triumphant victory." Moke Ancient Buddha lowered his posture and bowed to the Fighting Buddha, saying with extreme humility, "When you become a Quasi-Emperor, return to take charge of the Great Lei Yin Temple. At that time, this old monk is willing to offer the Demon-Subduing Pestle with both hands."

This gesture made the Fighting Buddha glance sideways. Moke the Great Sage had attained the Great Sage realm during the era of difficult Dao cultivation and had his own pride. Even when the monkey had suppressed him back then, Moke had been unconvinced despite his outward compliance.

Now that he was willing to bow his head, it seemed the Amitabha Ancient Star Domain was an extremely hard nut to crack.

Moke Ancient Buddha smiled without a word, but in his heart, he had calculated the accounts very clearly. If the Fighting Buddha broke through to the Quasi-Emperor realm, he would let the people of the Amitabha Star Domain taste the fists of the Fighting Holy Ape; the monks of the Great Lei Yin Temple shouldn't be the only ones taking a beating.

If the Kong Que Great Wisdom King broke through to the Quasi-Emperor realm, it would be the perfect chance to teach the monkey a lesson and vent his own spite. Regardless of whether the Fighting Buddha won or lost on this trip, he would not lose either way.

"Moke is no pushover either." Lin Xian sighed inwardly. If he could see through this scheme, how could the Fighting Buddha not?

But the temper of the Fighting Holy Ape clan was such that they feared neither heaven nor earth; they would fight their way through, battle the world, and ascend to the peak.

This was an open scheme; Moke Ancient Buddha knew the Fighting Buddha would definitely agree.

Fighting a half-step Quasi-Emperor and seeking the Dao within the battle was exactly in line with the nature of the Fighting clan. Perhaps he might even ascend during the battle.

"Since that is the case, I shall add a few more points of winning odds for the Fighting Buddha."

Lin Xian smiled knowingly, stood up, and performed the Fighting Holy Art, evolving the Myriad Daos of the Heavens, manifesting a spirit of "if not me, then who," and the arrogance of being the only one supreme in heaven and earth!

In an instant, the old monkey stared unblinkingly, deeply attracted by this 'Dou' Secret. He felt his very origin cheering and leaping, and his flesh and blood resonating.

Just like the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist for the Holy Body, the Fighting Holy Art was the Nine Secret most suited to the Fighting Holy Ape clan—there was no other!

After a long while, the Fighting Buddha took a deep breath, imprinting the 'Dou' character into his eyes, then stood up and bowed: "Many thanks to the future Buddha for imparting the Dao."

"Senior, no need for such formalities." Lin Xian stood up to dodge the bow and said solemnly, "I only hope that when the Fighting Buddha goes on the expedition to the Amitabha Star Domain and proclaims the divine might of the Great Lei Yin Temple, you do not forget that the Heavenly Court rules over the four seas and eight wildernesses, the three realms and six paths."

"The Amitabha Star Domain can be left to the Buddhist sect to command, but the Buddhist sect belongs to the Heavenly Court!"

This method was similar to enfeoffment, where the Saintly Heavenly Emperor ruled by arching his hands. Whether it was the Western Desert Buddhist sect and the Amitabha Star Domain, or supporting the Sun and Moon sects on the Ziwei Star, the principle was the same.

It was to minimize internal friction to the greatest extent, unite all people and forces that could be united, and spread the faith of the Heavenly Court to the four seas, eight wildernesses, and the myriad heavens and domains.

In Lin Xian's view, the Buddhist sect, the Ancient clans, the extraterrestrial forces, and even the Master of the Divine Court and the old Jin Wu were not the true enemies.

The heart-worry of the Heavenly Court was not outside, but in the Big Dipper—right here in this Eastern Wasteland, within the seven Great Life Forbidden Zones. If the Dark Supremes made even the slightest move, the entire Great Universe would be finished.

Two hundred years later would be the Dark Turmoil. When a Supreme opened their mouth, whatever Divine Master or Jin Wu—they would all be just a dish on the table.

The Dark Supremes were the true enemies of the living beings of the Great Universe.

Big Dipper, Ziwei, Primordial, Fire Mulberry, Tongtian, Amitabha, Feathered, Gouchen, Flying Immortal... one ancient star after another should not face the turmoil individually. If they could unify the front, they could eliminate the living strength of the Dark Supremes to the greatest extent.

The Fighting Buddha descended from Sumeru to launch the expedition to the Amitabha Star Domain, and the various Sages who had joined the Heavenly Court were also in position, about to head to Ziwei.

The layout of the Ziwei Emperor Star was different from the five domains of the Big Dipper; it had four seas and four continents: the Eastern Divine Continent, the Western He Continent, the Southern Zhan Continent, and the Northern Lu Continent.

The four Great Sages corresponded to the four major continents and could sweep across the Ziwei Ancient Star Domain, which lacked Emperor Weapons for protection.

In the center of the Eastern Wasteland, the newly cast Heavenly Pivot Holy Land was also the headquarters of the Heavenly Court.

Immortal energy surged, birds sang and flowers bloomed, and the Sages gathered here to set up a Dharma altar. The person leading in the center, with white hair and hanging hands, flowing with the aura of twilight, was a Great Sage of the Ji family controlling the Void Immortal Mirror, flowing out one space divine chain after another to fix the void passage.

A huge five-colored altar stood tall, flowing with five-colored brilliance, constructing a Bagua Gate leading to the Tiangong beyond the sky. The Sages struck together, providing monstrous magic power to resonate with the Void Tiangong.

What they had to do was not a one-time transmission, but to establish a long-term passage. Considering the short term, they needed such a five-colored altar that could be activated at any time to let the various clans of the Big Dipper flee to the Primordial Ancient Star for refuge. Considering the long term, this was a necessary passage for communication between major star domains after the Heavenly Court unified the universe.

"Boom—!"

In the void, the huge Bagua, as if cast from divine gold, flashed with metallic luster. At the same time, the space twisted, the light was hazy, and the Bagua symbols corresponding to Qian, Kun, Xun, Dui, Gen, Zhen, Li, and Kan emitted strange fluctuations, like a set of ancient codes shining.

That was the coordinate leading to the Ziwei Star Domain. Just as the Ji family Great Sage was about to transmit, an anomaly appeared on the side of the Ziwei Emperor Star. An ancient purple-gold warship that had been floating in the void for who knows how long sensed it.

The warship was originally advancing toward the direction of Ziwei, but upon sensing the power of the Five-Colored Altar on Big Dipper, it sought to communicate and utilize this void channel to return.

"It's them!"

The ancient race mole on the scene, Great Sage Qianlun, said in shock: "The warship from the three great ancient races that went on a distant expedition to the Ziwei star field back then—how is it still here? Could it be that the dozens of Primordial Ancestor Kings and the three Great Sages inside are still alive?"

Upon hearing this, the various Sages' expressions changed drastically. Three Great Sages, even placed in the current Heavenly Court, would be an extremely terrifying force. Once they returned to Big Dipper and united with the Primordial Imperial clans, it would surely have far-reaching consequences.

Before the human Sages could speak, Great Sage Qianlun hurriedly said in a panic: "We cannot let them return. Quickly, stop them and exile them into the starry sky."

The Heavenly Court fell into a moment of silence. The human Sages cast sidelong glances, their expressions strange; the humans hadn't even spoken yet, so why was Great Sage Qianlun, an ancient race member, so anxious?

Great Sage Qianlun coughed and gave an awkward smile: "Fellow Daoists, you may not know this, but in the Primordial Era, the myriad races stood tall and fought constantly. The land was soaked in blood, and races were often wiped out. The myriad races were never one family; they each led the way for a few thousand years. The human race was also considered a branch of the Primordial myriad races back then."

"My cooperation with the human race is no different in essence from my cooperation with the Phoenix race or the Qilin race."

"If it weren't for the fact that your human race is too powerful now, occupying the five regions of Big Dipper, I guarantee that once the Primordial myriad races emerged, they would definitely continue to fight due to old grudges, beating each other's brains out internally first."

The so-called Primordial myriad races are the same principle as human surnames; only those with the same surname are considered one race. As for others, they are at most familiar strangers or distant relatives who have never met.

Ye Fan had been managing Heavenly Court affairs these days and had witnessed many conflicts of interest. Hearing Great Sage Qianlun say this, he said thoughtfully: "So the Primordial myriad races took advantage of the three ancient races' Great Sages being away to wipe out their clans."

"How can that be considered wiped out? The three races are still alive to this day." Great Sage Qianlun coughed and said: "In the Primordial Era, the weak were prey to the strong. Back then, those three races had Great Sages and occupied a large portion of resources. Later, the three races' Great Sages and Ancestor Kings went on a distant expedition and disappeared for countless years, so everyone tacitly assumed they were dead."

"It was just a redistribution of resources."

The human Sages sneered incessantly. They had originally thought the ancient races were one big happy family, but they hadn't expected them to be of the same ilk as the humans. It seems that whether it is the human race, the ancient races, or extraterrestrial races, in the end, it is still interests above all else and might makes right.

"After a million years of traversing the universe, these Ancestor Kings must have exhausted their origins."

The Old Maniac gazed at the cosmic starry sky, staring at the warship, and said in a deep voice: "Their recovery requires endless life origin; the corpses of billions of people wouldn't be enough."

"Mortals, the demon race, all life will suffer."

"No matter which planet they descend upon, it will be equivalent to a small-scale Dark Turmoil unfolding. Great Sage Ji family, teleport us over; let's kill them first."

Dark Turmoil?

The Sages' expressions changed. That's right, isn't this exactly a Dark Turmoil? It's just that while the Supremes eat the universe, this ship of Ancestor Kings is going to eat Ziwei, committing an act of mass extinction.

Even Great Sage Qianlun, as an ancient race member, did not approve of such things. He frowned and said: "The myriad races slaughtering each other, the weak being prey to the strong, and the victor being honored—this is the Heavenly Dao. But affecting mortals is perhaps going a bit too far."

"Hunting is enough to fill one's stomach." The Human Demon elder gazed at the starry sky and said: "Excessive slaughter is already entering the demonic path."

"Are you talking about yourself?" Great Sage Qianlun said. Although they belonged to the same Heavenly Court, there were still grudges between him and the Human Demon.

In the late Primordial Era, the Human Demon cultivated both Yin and Yang and went on a killing spree. Not only did ancient race Great Sages fall, but many humans also died miserably. He was a great Demon King.

"If the myriad races hadn't pushed too hard, viewing the human race as blood food, would I have embarked on this path?"

The Human Demon elder said in a deep voice. In the late Primordial Era, the human race was weak and needed a Quasi-Emperor, or even a Great Emperor. Cultivating both Yin and Yang was the only hope.

"Let's deal with these Ancestor Kings and Great Sages first." Great Sage Wei Yi sighed, pacifying everyone, mediating conflicts, and supporting the idea of his junior brother, the Old Maniac.

"Perhaps, there is no need to rush."

Lin Xian suddenly smiled and clapped his hands: "Our Heavenly Court is a symbol of justice; how can we invade Ziwei? There must be a ship of Ancestor Kings and Great Sages acting as invaders, persecuting the living beings of Ziwei."

"At that time, the Sages will descend with justice, representing the Heavenly Court to execute the ancient race on the warship, and we can gain the support of many sects and living beings in Ziwei."

"For the Heavenly Court to rule in Ziwei, it is necessary to strike at the major sects and win over the small sects and rogue cultivators."

Ye Fan exclaimed in admiration: "Saint Master Lin is still the most devious."

Lin Xian cast a sidelong glance, his Innate Dao Map stirring in his hand. He hadn't beaten the Holy Body in three days, and his hands were itching.

"Then let's take action."

The Yaochi Great Sage stepped out. She was a beautiful middle-aged woman, elegant and dignified, with a peaceful expression. Unlike the aging Great Sages of the Ji family and the Great Xia, she still had one or two thousand years of lifespan, her blood energy was still at its peak, and her combat power was extraordinary.

The Human Demon Great Sage and Great Sage Qianlun were about the same, possessing plenty of lifespan, and the Old Maniac was a Sage of the current era, fearing no battle.

The prime-aged Great Sages would go on the expedition, while the old Great Sages with little lifespan left would remain to guard Big Dipper, holding Imperial weapons to deter the myriad races, ready to trade their lives with the enemy at any time.

The horn sounded, the Barbarian army traversed the starry sky, and the Divine Dynasty's iron cavalry descended upon Ziwei. Even Ye Di Zun was not lonely; he was eager to try and wanted to head to Ziwei.

"A child of a wealthy family does not sit under a dangerous hall; you sitting in the Heavenly Court is the best encouragement." Lin Xian shook his head. With four Great Sages, there was no shortage of combat power like Ye Fan.

"Once the battle for Ziwei ends, we must lay down the Five-Colored Altar, open the ancient starry path, and head to the Primordial Ancient Star."

Ye Fan was silent for a moment, gazing at the other side of the deep sky, and muttered: "I don't want to wait any longer. Ten years have passed; my parents are probably already old beyond recognition."

He graduated from university at twenty-two, attended a class reunion three years later, climbed Mount Taishan at twenty-five, and had been cultivating on Big Dipper for ten years; he was now thirty-five.

He remained forever young, but his parents were mortals.

Going home! It had become Ye Fan's obsession.

"Returning home, the Primordial Ancient Star is Ye Fan's hometown."

Lin Xian looked back, gazing at the starry sky, and couldn't help but sigh. Where was his Earth?!

In the extraterrestrial void, divine temples were laid out, and heavenly palaces floated, corresponding to every Five-Colored Altar on the ground. This was the work of the Ji family. The Void Dao, the pinnacle of space, was not just talk; it could truly connect the myriad heavens and domains.

The Ji family provided the people, several great dynasties were responsible for the materials, and the remaining Sages would come up from time to time to maintain and build, only then achieving such a magnificent scale.

The Great Sages led the iron cavalry into the universe, transcending Big Dipper, traversing the starry sky here.

This was the second time Lin Xian had looked down at Big Dipper from a high-altitude perspective. The ancient star of life circulated a vast aura, making one feel incredibly awestruck, like a resting place for ancient gods.

The Sages did not rush to leave. It was not their first time coming here, so they explored the vicinity as usual. The area outside Big Dipper was a former battlefield for Sages, and there were many ruins.

Deep in the battlefield, various broken items such as battle robes, bronze ships, and Sage weapons could be seen from time to time, and there were even the skeletons of Sages.

Among them, the most intense looting belonged to the Yaoguang Sages. They were not a proper Imperial lineage and did not have much foundation; just repairing the Five-Colored Altar once was a massive drain on their resources.

"The Yaoguang Sacred Land is afraid of being poor; if you don't manage a household, you don't know the cost of firewood and rice..." The Yaoguang Sage sighed. Regardless of anything, he took fragments of rare treasures and even Sage bones that had lost their essence. Anything that was even slightly useful was stuffed into his pockets.

The Sages shook their heads as they watched this scene, drawing a line between themselves and the Yaoguang Sage. They were here to find treasures, not to collect trash.

Then, the Yaoguang Sage actually found something good: a rotten wooden box.

"Holy crap, a rotten wooden box. How could this thing appear on Big Dipper?!"

Lin Xian was shocked, but after opening it, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was not the fuse of the ancient Immortal war back then, but a piece of Divine Source the size of a human head, with a flower bud waiting to bloom inside.

One of the three strange flowers of the universe: the Divine Flower!

(End of chapter)