Chapter 527: The Saint Who Wants to Fish in Troubled Waters

Exhausting every memory in his mind regarding the Three Realms, Honghuang, and all ancient strongers, Hao Tian still found no figure resembling Luo Fu.

This led him involuntarily to suspect the Saints.

Hao Tian could tell that Luo Fu had made no disguise whatsoever.

At the Quasi-Saint layer, concealing one's identity without leaving a trace among peers of the same level is nearly impossible.

Quasi-Saints are not radishes; they cannot appear out of thin air.

To conceal oneself utterly before a Quasi-Saint, Hao Tian could think of only one possibility: a Saint.

"I wonder which Saint's doing this—Yu Qing or Shangqing?"

After a brief moment of thought, Hao Tian did not press further.

The realm is now in the Era of Kalpa Tribulation; heavenly patterns are chaotic.

If a Saint wishes to take advantage of the chaos, as long as he doesn't expose himself, even another Saint would struggle to find any leverage.

"Whoever it is, this has nothing to do with my Heavenly Court—I'll just watch the show."

Hao Tian had long resented Naishifu Sect. Unfortunately, the Xuan Sect is now weak, while Naishifu Sect reigns supreme.

Even he must bow to Naishifu Sect's will.

Now that someone dares to provoke Naishifu Sect's tiger whiskers, Hao Tian naturally relished the spectacle.

······

Beyond the thirty-three heavens.

Mount Sumeru.

Two plain-robed monks suddenly opened their eyes—eyes worn with eons of suffering and compassion.

One monk was yellow-skinned and emaciated, a seven-colored branch studded with countless gems hovering beside him, seated upon a white lotus platform radiating gentle Buddha-light, as if purifying all worldly suffering.

The other bore a face of hardship, a radiant Buddha-banner hovering beside him, holding a fly-whisk and a string of prayer beads, seated upon a golden lotus platform with nine petals, glowing with golden light.

These two were none other than Saint Jieyin and Saint Zhunti of Naishifu Sect.

"Brother, can you discern the origins of that group master? 'Group Master'—what a strange title," the yellow-skinned monk muttered, calculating with his fingers before speaking.

"With the Era of Kalpa Tribulation begun, heavenly patterns are chaotic—I cannot trace his origins either. He masters the Dao of Space, the Dao of Creation, and the Dao of Cause and Effect; he is no ordinary figure."

The monk with the face of hardship also counted his prayer beads, calculating as well—but like Zhunti, he gleaned not a single clue about Luo Fu.

"It seems some Daoist friend has finally intervened. But the Journey to the West is destined—Naishifu Sect is fated to flourish in this age. How dare those few defy the Dao Ancestor's command and meddle in the Kalpa Tribulation?"

Zhunti frowned slightly.

The Journey to the West is Naishifu Sect's grand plan.

Whether Naishifu Sect prospers determines whether his and Jieyin's great vows can be fulfilled.

Zhunti hoped nothing would go awry.

"Brother, do not worry. Naishifu Sect's flourishing is the will of Heaven's Dao; even a Saint cannot alter it. The Journey to the West will proceed smoothly."

Jieyin's face softened with sorrow as he sighed gently:

"Yet under the Kalpa Tribulation, great trends cannot be reversed, but minor ones may be changed. The Journey to the West is Heaven's grand design, but those petty thieves coveting Naishifu Sect will surely not let it proceed unimpeded."

"It seems Naishifu Sect will face turmoil until the end of the Kalpa Tribulation," Zhunti sighed, his face also clouded with sorrow.

"Brother, rest assured—Rulai's strength is formidable. Those cowards hiding in shadows cannot stand against Rulai."

Jieyin had full confidence in Rulai's strength.

Rulai, already at the peak of the Quasi-Saint layer, was unmatched in the Three Realms—save for a handful of ancient relics—now that no Saints had intervened.

"I have full faith in Rulai's strength, but our Western lands have truly suffered. After so much effort, just as we're about to flourish, still these petty thieves stand in our way."

"Yes, brother, you're right—our Western lands have truly suffered!"

As they spoke, the two Saints' expressions grew increasingly yellowed and sorrowful.

······

Beyond the heavens.

Jade Xu Palace.

"Heavenly patterns are a chaotic mess—looks like a Saint has entered the game, younger brother. Is it you? Still unwilling to let go?" Master Yuanshi opened his eyes, sighed softly, then closed them again.

······

Ba Jing Palace.

"The rhythm of movement and stillness, mother of yin and yang—yin never leaves yang, yang never leaves yin; yin and yang harmonize, nourishing the divine. A calm heart, upright body, flowing intent and qi, opening and closing, emptiness and solidity, inner and outer unified—Taiji yin-yang······"

Soft Daoist chants lingered in the air. The Supreme Saint's eyes half-lidded, he sighed faintly, then closed them again.

·····

Nüwa Palace.

"Again with those bald monks·····"

A languid figure opened one eye, glanced at Rulai, spat a disgusted curse, then shut her eye again.

······

Zi Xiao Palace.

"The Journey to the West, the flourishing of Naishifu Sect—hmph!"

The young man in seclusion opened his eyes, glanced once, then closed them again.

As if he cared nothing for the Journey to the West or Naishifu Sect.

Rip! Rip! Rip!

Yet the swirling sword qi around him betrayed that his inner mind was far from calm.

······

Rulai knew nothing of the reactions from the celestial gods and spirits.

What the Buddha was thinking most about now was how to suppress him; Luo Fu, even if he could not suppress Luo Fu, must force out Luo Fu's origins.

"Buddha-Palm Realm!"

Merging his spirit with the Dharma Body behind him, the Buddha directly commanded the Dharma Body to unleash his strongest divine art.

Though he had despised Luo Fu, the Buddha's heart brimmed with rage.

But after witnessing Luo Fu's methods, the Buddha realized Luo Fu's strength was certainly extraordinary. Thus, he made no further tests—he unleashed his full power from the start.

The right palm of the Great Sun Buddha Dharma Body radiated boundless Buddhist light, and endless Sanskrit chants emerged from the palm, with infinite Buddhist runes swirling upon it.

Faintly, it seemed as if countless Buddhas sat cross-legged within the Great Sun Buddha Dharma Body's right palm, chanting Buddhist scriptures.

These chants transformed into Sanskrit chants that fortified the right palm of the Great Sun Buddha Dharma Body, making the Buddhist light grander and the Sanskrit chants more vast.

The ten-thousand-zhang Dharma Body raised its right palm and pressed down directly upon Luo Fu's figure.

As the giant palm descended, the space around Luo Fu suddenly began to shift—the spatial fluctuations grew sluggish, and space stretched infinitely.

As space extended, Luo Fu's figure grew smaller, while the giant palm pressing down from above grew ever larger.

In this imbalance, the golden giant palm became like an entire world, while Luo Fu shrank to a speck of dust.

No, it should not be said to have become.

Buddha-Palm Realm—by its very name, this technique was created by the Buddha having cultivated and absorbed an entire Buddhist world into his palm.