Chapter 609: Alternative Ascension and the Blood Bodhi

The Fozhu's benevolent Incarnation took the lead, rushing outward in pursuit of the Blood Bodhi that had been startled into fleeing, though it nimbly dodged his several attempts to strike.

Residual tremors from the Demon Qi attack still lingered on his body, and he relied on constant vibrations to dissolve this tyrannical energy.

"Worthy of being the most terrifying monster in Wunian's memories; although her current strength has not fully recovered to her original realm, she is already capable of posing a certain threat to me."

The White Tiger Lord, whom the Wunian Buddha Bead had once incarnated as, seemed like a fragile target before Yaoyue, leaving behind a pathetic combat record of being counter-killed after a sneak attack, but the Buddha Bead who now occupied this body had a much greater background than Wunian.

Although the strength he could currently exert did not reach the Ascension Realm, and his benevolent Incarnation was only equivalent to a half-body, relying on the experience of having once been a single step away from the pinnacle of the world, he was not someone the likes of the Wunian Buddha Bead could contend with.

Yet, Yaoyue could injure him.

Furthermore, if the two were to tangle for a while longer, he feared he might truly be wounded.

In terms of realm, he had only stepped half a foot into Alternative Ascension, but in the strength displayed during actual combat... it was absolutely second to none, definitely surpassing ordinary Immortal Gods.

In ancient times, not everyone could achieve Ascension to Immortality; there were always those whose aptitude and opportunities were insufficient, yet they found a way to break the deadlock by being stunningly brilliant in other aspects.

"Alternative Ascenders."

Alternative Ascension differs from the traditional method of Ascending to Immortality; it does not require undergoing the "Ascension Tribulation." Although the realm is lower, the strength that can actually be displayed is on par with the Ascension Realm.

Alternative Ascenders possess the power to contend with Immortal Gods; their combat records are usually very astonishing, and they have the ability to perish together with Immortal Gods, or in some cases, even kill a half-immortal who is half a step weaker than them in realm without needing to risk their lives.

Such figures were very rare in ancient times, requiring the right time, the right place, and the right people, and certain specific conditions were also indispensable.

Generally speaking, those capable of Alternative Ascension are all people of superior talent; such existences should not have been trapped by a mere Ascension Tribulation, and other Immortal Gods would have taken the initiative to extend an olive branch to them to lend a helping hand.

But whether it was a coincidence or not, the current changes in Heaven and Earth happened to block everyone's path to Ascension, precisely creating the conditions for the birth of Alternative Ascenders.

All living beings cannot achieve Ascension, and none can attain Chang Sheng.

Under the great waves washing away the sand generation after generation, those with insufficient aptitude were all slapped onto the beach, drowned by a wave in the long river of time; only the truly stunning and brilliant could stand out from the countless living beings.

It can be said that although contemporary powerhouses cannot compare to Immortal Gods in terms of strength, their talent, intelligence, and aptitude... are all top-tier choices, absolutely second to none.

Yaoyue is precisely such an existence; although she has not yet fully explored the method of Alternative Ascension, most of her body has already squeezed in, and she is just one final step away.

"That palm force contains two powers that should have conflicted; Demon Qi and Dao Technique look perfectly combined. Is this her Dao?"

The Fozhu thought for a moment and then cast this trivial matter to the back of his mind; even if she truly took that final step, he would not fear her in the slightest.

To him, it made no difference.

Furthermore, he had more important things to think about now.

The Fozhu admitted that when Ren Yidao threw that headless torso, he was somewhat dumbfounded.

To tell the truth, this was actually very normal; no one could have imagined such a development.

Besides "Why did my own body fall into his hands?" and "Why did he use my body as a hidden weapon to throw?", he was also pondering a more important matter:

"My body was not destroyed..."

The moment he saw his body, the Fozhu suddenly hesitated; he had also assumed that he only had a head left and that his body must have been destroyed long ago.

Unexpectedly, things deviated somewhat from his own deductions.

Was it that those people had a change of heart after he sacrificed himself and were willing to leave his body behind?

Regarding this conjecture, he felt it was difficult; the greater probability was that someone else had intervened and kept his body.

The appearance of the body was full of mysteries, but the Fozhu did not hesitate and turned to leave immediately.

He did not keep his body, nor did he attempt to reoccupy it.

The past was the past; he was no longer the Fozi who was willing to sacrifice himself for Buddhism, but the Demon Buddha who had returned to the Earthly Realm to destroy Buddhism.

His mind was made up.

The Fozhu's conviction was firm, but that did not mean others' thoughts were the same; at this moment, the shadow beneath him had long been restless, especially after it felt a great threat upon encountering the Divine Path Bell, and it was desperately trying to escape.

That was the evil intent of Wunian's White Tiger Lord, and also the only trace he left in the Earthly Realm.

Yaoyue was chasing behind, driving the Divine Path Bell, and was about to touch this shadow that had fallen behind.

"Quiet."

Accompanied by a calm whisper in his divine sense, the shadow of evil intent that had been struggling a moment ago instantly settled down, no longer daring to struggle.

At the same time, it seemed to sense something and took the initiative to speak: 【"Spare me!"】

The Fozhu was not surprised by its plea for survival and calmly shook his head in refusal.

【"Why!?"】

The White Tiger Lord glared with blood-colored eyes in anger, bared his stark white teeth, and growled: 【"What mistake did I commit!? I just want to live!"】

The Fozhu calmly looked down at the shadow at his feet, still saying nothing.

He said nothing, only indicating his attitude—he would definitely discard the donkey once it had served its purpose!

【"No! You cannot do this!"】

Looking at this cold gaze, the White Tiger Lord's emotions became even more agitated: 【"You have already occupied my identity! You owe me a great Causality! You cannot kill me?"】

This time, the Fozhu finally spoke to give a response.

He said:

"Because you are also Buddha."

【"..."】

Just this one reason caused the White Tiger Lord, who had been desperately trying to struggle, to calm down and completely give up struggling.

As a bystander who had witnessed the Fozhu's actions over these years, and as a participant who had acted according to his orders, the White Tiger Lord knew better than anyone how intense the Fozhu's malice toward Buddhism was.

He would absolutely not let go of any cultivator related to Buddhism.

His own ending had long been set; there was no need to continue struggling.

It was time to give up illusions and completely accept his fate.

Then, in the very end, how he should act seemed to have already had an answer.

Although he had been suppressed for a hundred years... he still had the dignity of a powerhouse.

He was the Fozhu of the Western Desert, the White Tiger Lord of the Butian Alliance; he should not wait for death in humiliation!

He wanted to master his own destiny!

【"You will go to hell..."】

With a sense of vengefulness, White Tiger Lord finished this sentence viciously, completely gave up resistance, and at the cost of self-destruction, forcibly severed the connection between himself and Fozhu.

White Tiger Lord could have done this long ago, but he had always held onto hope in his heart, wishing that one day he could break free from his shackles.

But now, there was no need to continue waiting any longer.

A black shadow fell from behind Fozhu, and then it landed directly in front of the Divine Dao Bell that had been pursuing relentlessly behind.

Although Yaoyue was somewhat hesitant, she did not waver, directly sucking it in and choosing to kill it mercilessly.

Just like that, White Tiger Lord, who had taken another half-step at the Ask Dao Peak and entered the Half-Immortal realm, was instantly shattered under the great power of the Supreme Treasure, the Divine Dao Bell, and his soul was completely scattered.

It was just that simple, without even leaving behind a single last word.

When the backup plan prepared by Jiexing was activated, upon hearing those chants, he briefly regained clarity, understood his current predicament, and realized what he had done under the temptation of power... and understood even more what he had to do now.

The first half of his life had been diligent and earnest, cultivating for the sake of all living beings in the Western Desert, guarding a pure land.

But the approach of death caused him to fall into an evil path in the second half of his life; for the sake of Chang Sheng, he sold his soul, split off the evil thoughts that became White Tiger Lord, and became an evil wretch wielding a blade against the innocent.

In the end, he was even possessed and suppressed by another, completely reduced to a shadow beneath the other's feet.

Respectable, hateful, pathetic.

Perhaps these three words could be the epitome of his life.

Or perhaps that is not enough; his life was far more spectacular than that.

But regardless, these things can only be left for future generations to judge; he has already ended his journey.

He is Wunian.

The last Fozhu of the Western Desert Divine Continent.

After going astray for hundreds of years, slaughtering countless innocent cultivators, and being suppressed for a hundred years, he finally chose his own way of nirvana.

He welcomed the death that should have arrived long ago.

"This is?"

Arriving outside Spirit Mountain, Ren Yidao's expression remained unchanged as he blinked.

He knew that the evil thoughts of White Tiger Lord had been taken into the Divine Dao Bell by Yaoyue, and he was also clear that she had already dealt the killing blow.

Regarding this, Ren Yidao was not surprised, and even gave a fairly high evaluation of his master's decisiveness.

This kind of situation cannot be dragged out; one should cut the Gordian knot and be done with it!

The longer you drag it out, the worse it gets; if you develop real feelings, it becomes difficult to take action... hmm, for example, someone like Ren Huan who is still hiding in his Consciousness Sea.

We are too familiar; there is no way to pretend to accidentally strike a blow in the dark.

It is truly a pity.

【"Hmm?"】

Hiding in Ren Yidao's Consciousness Sea, Ren Huan felt that someone behind her back was discussing her; she pondered carefully... no, the only person present who knew of her existence was him.

【"Hey? Are you looking down on me?"】

"Hahaha, how could that be, it's all your imagination."

Ren Yidao laughed, gave a perfunctory reply, and then looked at Fozhu, who had stopped running and was no longer fleeing.

Why did he stop chasing?

Fozhu noticed his gaze, did not turn his head, and said softly: "Fellow Daoist, we are not enemies."

Are they enemies?

Are they friends?

This question is not important.

The real question should be what that thing in the sky is, right?

Ren Yidao looked at the other Spirit Mountain floating in the sky, his brows slightly furrowed.

The Blood Bodhi could no longer be caught; its speed erupted to a limit, and after shooting into the sky, it rushed all the way toward the peak of the bloody Spirit Mountain.

And when Ren Yidao's gaze fell upon the peak, his expression changed uncontrollably.

There was another Fozhu there!

His evil thoughts.

That Blood Bodhi was heading straight for him.

And...

Damn, is this bald muscle-man this fierce?

The Chijiao monk smashed his fists one after another against the invisible wall in front of Fozhu's evil thoughts, and the surrounding space showed signs of shattering.

Boom, boom, boom!

It's a good thing I didn't choose to go head-to-head with him earlier!

And just as Ren Yidao was sighing, that Blood Bodhi suddenly slammed on the brakes halfway there.

Hmm?

Not to mention Ren Yidao and the others, even the creator of all this was confused.

This is?

Before anyone could guess, that Blood Bodhi suddenly changed direction and rushed toward the depths of Spirit Mountain!

Its speed was even faster than when it came!

What is it going to find!?

Inside Spirit Mountain.

Mingxin did not leave with Ren Yidao and the others, but remained where he was, bowing to the flesh-and-blood creation that Jiexing had become, and asked softly: "Lord Fozi, do you have any final wishes?"

"Take over... my position." Upon hearing Mingxin's words, Jiexing slowly opened his eyes, and the faces on his body also opened their eyes, pairs of hollow orbs staring at the young monk before him.

He said:

"Buddhism must not perish!"

Inherit my mantle, take the baton from my hand, and continue our mission.

No one is young forever, but there are always those who are young.

As long as we can persist generation after generation with unwavering determination, we will surely achieve final victory.

The distorted flesh on Jiexing's body split down the middle like a blooming lotus of flesh and blood, and from the fissure, a crystalline, blood-colored crystal tremblingly emerged.

"This is the... contingency plan I prepared." Jiexing was very proud when mentioning this, and his twisted face could not hide his excited expression.

"The essence blood used to irrigate the Blood Bodhi, cough cough! It was all collected by me; do you think I wouldn't know about this?"

"Without this Dao Fruit of flesh and blood, the Blood Bodhi He cultivates can never truly mature... Take it and completely destroy Fozhu's plan! Buddhism must not perish!"

Mingxin was silent for a moment, looking up amidst a dozen expectant gazes, but he did not reach out to take the Dao Fruit of flesh and blood that Jiexing had produced; instead, he took a step back.

"You! Why won't you take it? Why!?" Jiexing's expression changed, and he wished he could shove the Dao Fruit of flesh and blood into Mingxin's hands.

"No, Lord Fozi, you are wrong."

Mingxin retreated again to avoid it, not frightened by Jiexing's terrifying appearance, and pressed his palms together in a salute, speaking firmly: "Buddhism may perish, but the living beings of the Western Desert must not all die."

"This disciple cannot let the living beings of the Western Desert die along with you all."

Unwavering determination is indeed precious, but if the path was wrong from the very beginning, then this persistence is the greatest mistake.

"No! We..."

Jiexing wanted to say something more, but was directly interrupted by Mingxin: "The living beings of the Western Desert Divine Continent do not necessarily need Buddhism, but they definitely need to live."

"If they absolutely need a place to place their faith, it does not necessarily have to be Buddhism!"

Is this also a madman who wants to destroy Buddhism!?

Jiexing's already fragile spirit nearly collapsed at this moment.

And just then, Mingxin suddenly stepped forward, took the Dao Fruit of flesh and blood, and said: "Lord Fozi, disciple Mingxin is willing to seek a path of survival for the living beings of the Western Desert."

Then, he shoved the heart-sized Dao Fruit of flesh and blood into his own mouth!

Crack!