Chapter 235: Lecturing on the Dao for Three Thousand Years, Ten Suns Rise Sideways, Great Calamity Descends!

Let's not speak of Laozi's reaction.

Western Heaven and Earth, Mount Sumeru.

Chen Ku and Hongyun returned.

No sooner had the two appeared in the West than their expressions shifted dramatically, sensing something unlike before.

On the ground, countless beings pressed shoulder to shoulder, vast as smoke and waves.

"Haha, excellent, we've finally caught up and haven't missed the Buddhist preaching in the West."

"Although this place is remote, being able to hear the sage's lecture makes this trip worthwhile."

"This time, this humble Daoist wishes to see whether the Buddhist profound teachings are truly as profound and exquisite as claimed!!"

"Hehe, we once had the good fortune to receive teachings from the two sages, as well as Senior Chen Ku's preaching and transmission of the Dharma."

"Now, if we wish to recall, the memory remains fresh, and we have benefited greatly."

"Such remarks rang out incessantly, never ceasing to be heard."

"Eastern beings wore looks of expectation; even after trekking billions of miles, they could not dampen their enthusiasm for this Dharma lecture."

"Some beings came half-believing, half-doubting, intending to explore the Buddhist Dharma."

"Meanwhile, the Western beings were overjoyed, unable to contain their excitement."

"They had previously experienced the extraordinariness of Jieyin, Zhunti, and Chen Ku's preaching."

"Therefore, they also firmly believed that this time the Buddhist preaching to all beings would surely bring them greater gains."

"Seeing this, Chen Ku wore a smile."

"After a thousand years of building momentum, the effect is indeed astonishing."

"Although these beings are not as numerous as those on Kunlun Mountain, for the Western Heaven and Earth, this is already an unprecedented bustle."

"Regarding this, Chen Ku was also quite satisfied."

"Just as thoughts of his whereabouts arose."

"In the distance, two figures descended."

"Hehe, disciple, you have finally returned."

"Now the time for preaching has come; as your master, I still worried you might miss this."

"Jieyin wore a smile as he said this."

"The thousand-year period set long ago has now arrived."

"In other words, they too must begin preaching to all beings."

"It can be said that Chen Ku and Hongyun's return comes at just the right time."

"Upon hearing this, Chen Ku smiled, then straightforwardly spoke:"

"Hehe, masters, uncles, and fellow Daoists, you are all ancient mighty ones."

"This time, the preaching will be initiated by this junior disciple, casting a brick to attract jade."

"Usually, Chen Ku, Hongyun, Zhenyuanzi and others, although they also address each other as fellow Daoists."

"But he has not forgotten that, in terms of seniority, the other party qualifies as a senior."

"Therefore, letting him, the most junior in seniority, initiate this preaching, so as to proceed step by step, is also reasonable."

"Regarding this, Jieyin and Zhunti naturally had no objection, immediately smiling and nodding in agreement."

"The two believed that Chen Ku, taking the lead, would surely produce a stunningly brilliant effect."

"Afterward, Jieyin transmitted via the Great Dao, announcing that this preaching would now begin."

"In an instant, the countless beings on the ground fell silent and solemn, adopting a composed, focused demeanor."

"Chen Ku, without further words, leapt up and sat cross-legged high in the heavens."

"The beings' gazes, one after another, turned upward, waiting silently for Chen Ku to speak."

"The Buddha said: 'The sea of suffering is boundless; turning back is the shore.'"

"Dependent origination, empty nature; all beings suffer; only self-liberation."

"Birth, aging, sickness, death, not getting what one seeks, hatred and resentment, separation from loved ones..."

"Chen Ku spoke."

"In an instant, his Daoic voice thundered, shaking the deaf and awakening the mute, directly bringing all beings into a profound and mysterious state beyond words."

"Every word and sentence he uttered was expounding the profound teachings of Buddhism."

"Within billions of miles, endless Buddhist Dao golden light burst forth, illuminating the nine heavens and ten earths, stirring the heavenly realms."

"This is not merely Chen Ku's understanding of the Buddhist profound teachings."

"Now, it also incorporates insights from his previous travels among humanity."

"Just as he spoke of the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, death, etc., that afflict beings."

"Formerly, Chen Ku perhaps only grasped its meaning superficially."

"But having personally witnessed humanity undergo all kinds of trials, his lecture now, as if made concrete, lets beings become completely immersed."

"It is also precisely as Chen Ku's preaching deepens continually."

"Around him, astonishing phenomena also appeared."

"The Golden Body of the Buddha manifested, incomparably solid, golden light enveloping, allowing one to see its appearance clearly."

"But seeing its solemn, majestic countenance, mighty and vast, divine radiance seeming able to cleanse all beings in the ten directions and purify the world's myriad evil forces."

"The Golden Body of the Buddha standing between heaven and earth further gives beings a heartfelt reverence of worship."

"Even while immersed in Dao comprehension, beings cannot help but show shocked expressions, their hearts greatly shaken."

Explosive!

"This scene is truly explosive!"

In the cognition of sentient beings, such an astonishing lecture phenomenon could probably only be seen on a sage's body.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Chen Ku stepped up, he stirred up such heaven‑shaking might.

Not only that.

After the Buddha's golden body.

At a certain moment, the scene of the Buddha's pure land also manifested.

The Buddha's land is vast and boundless, like a real small world suspended high.

And within it, Buddha light shines upon all things, extraordinarily holy, transcendent and world‑apart.

In an instant, the eyes of sentient beings gained an even deeper look of longing.

"Mm... that Buddha land, why does it give me a feeling of peaceful mind?"

"If one could dwell there, they would surely cast aside all worldly turmoil and attain the supreme clear mind."

"The Buddha land, unstained by a speck of dust, is that the ultimate embodiment of the Buddhist wondrous Way?"

"The Way of Western Buddhism is actually so supremely holy!"

Sentient beings whispered in amazement, their astonishment unceasing.

Know this: the Buddha land is absolutely not merely a great supernatural technique for imprisoning foes.

It is precisely the condensation and embodiment of the profound essence of Buddhist teachings.

Within the pure land, there is no dust, no defilement—only a tranquility beyond sentient beings' imagination.

Without doubt, for those cultivating the Buddhist wondrous Way, it can even be said to be their ultimate homeland.

No wonder sentient beings yearn for it so deeply, unable to stay calm.

Besides that, the Great Dao's sonic resonance rang out, the swastika characters intertwined, rising and falling, and the countless murmurs of Buddha sons faintly heard in the void, ceaseless as ever.

Below Mount Sumeru, for hundreds of millions of miles around, it was thoroughly suffused with this Buddhist Dao rhythm, causing sentient beings to gain deep insight and great benefit.

No one knew how long had passed before Chen Ku's lecture finally ended.

He slowly ceased speaking, and the immortal tones gradually faded.

The heavenly phenomena likewise vanished into nothingness along with it.

Silence!

In the vast Western heavens and earth, only a sheet of silence!

Sentient beings still had their eyes half‑closed, immersed in comprehending the Way, unable to extricate themselves.

Jieyin, Zhunti, and the others also did not speak immediately.

They knew that what Chen Ku spoke was still too profound for these ordinary beings.

Besides listening, sentient beings also needed time to carefully digest and earnestly contemplate.

Indeed!

After a long while, beings gradually opened their eyes and woke from meditation.

Sentient beings' enthusiasm was not yet exhausted, yet their faces grew ever more fervent.

Not long after, bursts of awe, stifled with effort, began to sound.

"Hiss... Senior Chen Ku's lecture is truly profoundly mysterious, unfathomably deep."

"Isn't it said that Chen Ku is merely a disciple of Buddhism? Why does his lecture give me the illusion of listening to a sage's discourse?"

"Hey, don't speak rashly."

"Although Senior Chen Ku says he is merely a Buddhist disciple, his strength has long surpassed countless innate masters."

"The title of first person under the sage—could it possibly be an empty reputation?"

"Heavens, after the lecture ends we will surely enter the Buddhist sect, all because of such a senior brother; our future will surely be limitless."

Shock!

Ineffable shock filled the heart of every being.

Originally, they had not held great expectations for Chen Ku's lecture.

After all, most beings had come for the sage's lecture.

But Chen Ku's performance once again harshly refreshed sentient beings' cognition.

In response, Chen Ku gave a light smile.

The beings' reaction was exactly what he wanted to see.

Jieyin and Zhunti also wore a look of proud self‑satisfaction.

Just a beginning, and it already exploded, shocking the world and defying convention.

One could say Chen Ku has elevated this lecture to a new level.

Buddhist propagation, though not as numerous in beings as the Three Pure Ones,

but if speaking of the lecture's substance, it may already have surpassed the Three Pure Ones.

After all, among peers in the Eastern heavens and earth, who could stand beside Chen Ku?!

No need to say more.

After Chen Ku, Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun likewise took the stage in turn, speaking softly, continuing to expound the wondrous Way of cultivation to the beings.

What they spoke was the combination of their own Dao foundations with their insight into the Western Buddhist wondrous Way, equally profound and marvelous, miraculous and hard to put into words.

Even if the phenomena were not as great as Chen Ku's, they were still quite extraordinary.

As for Jieyin and Zhunti, the two sages, they are also the heads of the Buddhist gate, naturally the last to appear.

When sages lecture, the commotion is even more earth‑shaking.

Compared to Chen Ku, it is even vaster, captivating hearts and souls, moving countless beings, shock unceasing.

After all, the status of the Buddhist gate's head is not a joke.

This time, the lecture on the Dao lasted a full three thousand years.

In the process of lecturing on the Dao, individual beings would suddenly awaken on the spot, their vital energy shifting dramatically, gaining a rise in realm.

Obviously, they had already grasped some subtleties of Buddhist teachings, thereby breaking through the shackles of cultivation.

This also shows that they share some affinity with Western Buddhism.

Even those who did not break through had their eyes brighten, becoming much clearer than before.

The content of this lecture on the Dao is imprinted in the hearts of beings; given time, they will certainly be able to improve.

In short, the beings reaped astonishing gains, their eyes full of gratitude.

However, Chen Ku could not help but furrow his brow slightly.

"Alas... suffering, too much suffering!"

"Although I have lectured on the Dao for three thousand years for the sake of beings, my merit still falls short of that of the Three Pure Ones."

Not bad!

As the lecture on the Dao ended, merit from the Heavenly Dao also descended.

However, that merit proved rather meager, far from being vast and magnificent.

Even compared to the Three Pure Ones before, it fell short.

Upon reflection, Chen Ku also understood the reason.

First, this transmission of the Dao was ultimately limited to a finite number of beings, so the merit was naturally greatly reduced.

Second, this time differed from Hongjun's ancient lecture on the Dao.

Back then, Hongjun's lecture on the Dao could be said to have opened up a new system of cultivation for beings, namely the Dao of Immortals.

Therefore, in the present age, the cultivation practiced by most beings remains the Dao of Immortals.

Wanting them to turn to the Buddhist path is not something that can be achieved overnight.

It appears that for Buddhism to truly flourish, it still needs accumulation in the world.

Moreover, since we have already had the first instance, little by little will accumulate, and in the future we need not fear failing to obtain sufficient vast merit.

Chen Ku then felt at ease.

Just as he was secretly sighing.

Meanwhile, after the lecture on the Dao ended, Jieyin and Zhunti also began to accept disciples again.

Zhunti, after a period of selection and testing, also took on many disciples.

Mile, Dashizhi, Yaowang, Yaoshang, Junahan, Xukongzang, Jingangquan, and so on, all flocked to become his disciples.

In contrast, Jieyin, after some inquiry, took on only a single disciple.

Dizang!

Regarding this, Chen Ku also paid slight attention.

In the original chronology, Dizang could be said to be the most outstanding disciple in the West.

After the establishment of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, he was even more renowned for uttering, "I will not become a Buddha until the hells are emptied," and was praised by later generations for endless ages, his merit lauded as boundless.

However... in this lifetime, with Chen Ku preceding him, Dizang's becoming a disciple did not produce such a stunning effect.

But there is no denying that Dizang's potential is indeed extraordinary.

All of this has caused the West to reveal a scene of flourishing prosperity.

Chen Ku's face showed a smile.

But just then, in the darkness, his psychic awareness suddenly began to turn.

Thereafter, Chen Ku gave rise to an inexplicable feeling.

"Elder brother, we spend all day in this Hot Spring Valley; it's really too boring."

"I hear the outside world is very lively; why don't we sneak out and have some fun?"

"Exactly, Father King worries we might encounter danger, unaware that we cultivators are extraordinary and more than capable of wandering the world."

"Hehe, elder brother, let's keep Father King in the dark and go see what the outside world is like."

In the darkness, such words were transmitted into Chen Ku's sea of consciousness.

His expression immediately shifted, and he suddenly looked toward the direction of a place called Hot Spring Valley.

Hot Spring Valley?!

Father King?!

Such words made Chen Ku instantly realize what was happening.

"Alas, is it truly inevitable that what must come will come?"

"Those ten golden crows will eventually bring harm to the human world."

Not bad!

Chen Ku instantly understood that those voices were precisely the words of the ten golden crows among the Demon Race.

And just under his gaze.

At one moment, a boundless blaze of divine light suddenly swept forth from Hot Spring Valley.

That day, ten suns blazed across the sky.

The true fire of the sun surged, spreading at a speed visible to the naked eye, covering millions of li of territory.

In an instant, heaven was scorched and seas boiled, fierce flames burning through all things.

Countless beings were swept up, wailing without cease, ultimately only able to be burned to nothingness, utterly perishing body and Dao.

Chen Ku then turned his gaze to the human ancestral land on Mount Buzhou.

Fortunately, the ten Golden Immortals of the Dragon Race stood guard and could still resist the descent of the sun's true fire flooding the sky.

The human race remains unharmed—for now!

Ah... bitter!

The situation cannot be changed; it seems this is still a calamity that all beings must endure.

Although Chen Ku had anticipated this, he still couldn't help letting out a low sigh.

Soon after, he fell into deep thought again.

Now, with ten suns appearing in the sky, the calamity has finally befallen the world.

Should I... intervene in this matter or not?!