Chapter 678
The trajectory also shifted slightly.
They turned into clusters of tragically beautiful blood mist and bits of flesh, even their true spirits were pulverized in the aftershocks of the violent dragon power! In just one exchange, hundreds of low-level cultivators from the Western Heaven perished on the spot, their bodies and souls annihilated!
"How dare this wicked dragon!!"
Amitabha Buddha was shocked and cursed Lin Zhu a thousand times in his heart, but he had no time to think about it! He suddenly stood up from the lotus platform, his hands quickly forming mudras, and the Sanskrit chants from his mouth surged out like a tsunami!
"Buzz—!!!"
A magical lamp, with an ancient design, a warm and jade-like color, twelve lamps, and pure, glassy flames burning in its wick, appeared out of thin air above his head, spinning rapidly and shining brightly! It was his natal treasure, the Guiding Lotus Lamp, which he relied on to attain enlightenment and contained part of the true meaning of the Great Dao of the Sage!
The light of the precious lamp shone down, forming a soft yet incredibly resilient glassy shield that seemed capable of encompassing all things and dissolving all sharp edges, enveloping Amitabha Buddha himself and some of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the core area behind him.
"Boom boom boom...!"
The Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor's tail, the Platinum Dragon Emperor's claws, and several other dragon attacks landed on the glass light shield almost simultaneously!
However, the terrifying power that was enough to shatter stars and tear apart the world was like a mud ox sinking into the sea when it landed on the light shield, or like hitting the softest cotton candy. The immense power was dissolved, transformed, and deflected layer by layer by the seemingly gentle Buddha light, leaving a feeling of suffocation with nowhere to exert force!
Moreover, the Buddha's light emanating from the exquisite lotus lamps carries a strange power that seems to cleanse the soul, diluting the joys, sorrows, greed, anger, ignorance, and resentment in the hearts of living beings, and involuntarily giving rise to a sense of tranquility and longing to let go of everything and take refuge in the Buddha.
If an ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal were enveloped by this Buddha's light, he would probably lose his composure in an instant and be converted to Buddhism!
However, he was facing the Dragon Clan! Ancient true dragons who had endured the most brutal battles of the primordial era, whose wills were as unwavering as ancient black iron, and whose bloodlines were incomparably proud! Their will had long been integrated with the rise and fall of their race and the glory of their bloodline; how could they be shaken by the mere light of Buddha? Even if a sage were to personally descend, it would be no easy task to subdue them!
However, this Buddha's light was equally threatening to the people in the Nine Heavens Prison who were not the target.
The power of tranquility and refuge permeated indiscriminately, causing Nezha, the Golden Turtle from the Abyss, and others to feel their minds swaying, giving them a drowsy feeling and the illusion of wanting to give up all fighting.
"Humph!"
The Jade Emperor snorted coldly. He had been on guard the whole time, and seeing this, he didn't hesitate to wave his hand back!
A golden pagoda, exuding imperial majesty and possessing nine stories, seemingly capable of suppressing all realms, appeared out of thin air, firmly protecting the people in the nine-story heavenly prison! It was none other than the Haotian Pagoda, another treasure of the Heavenly Court, on par with the Haotian Mirror! Streams of imperial golden light emanated from the pagoda, completely isolating the eerie Buddhist light from the outside.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Nezha and the others immediately felt their minds clear and quickly thanked the Jade Emperor, feeling lingering fear.
"The Guiding Lamp? Hmph, Amitabha, is that all you've got?"
The old voice of the White Dragon Emperor rang out again, tinged with disdain.
Its massive, jet-white body twitched slightly, and a palm-sized scale, its color deeper than the other scales and its edges swirling with chaotic energy... suddenly fell off!
The reverse scale seemed to have a life of its own, tracing a mysterious and unpredictable path in the air, instantly transforming into a gray-white sword light that seemed capable of severing cause and effect and destroying all laws. Ignoring spatial distance and the layers of dissipation of the glazed Buddha light, it shot straight at Amitabha Buddha's face at an incredible angle and speed!
"what?!"
Amitabha's expression changed drastically! He never expected that the Black White Dragon Emperor's attack would be so strange and fierce, able to directly penetrate the defensive aura of the Guiding Linglong Lamp and strike directly at his body!
He could no longer care about maintaining the perfect defense of the lantern's protective shield. He hurriedly withdrew most of his magic power and concentrated it in front of him. At the same time, the exquisite lantern tilted sharply, and the flame surged, trying to block the gray-white sword light!
"laugh--!"
A soft sound, like a sharp blade slicing through tough leather.
The gray-white sword light was blocked by the exquisite lamp flame, greatly reducing its power and slightly deviating its trajectory, but it still grazed Amitabha Buddha's protective light and struck his... left shoulder!
No blood or flesh flew, no bones shattered. But on the spot where it was struck, on that sixteen-foot-tall golden body formed from immeasurable merit and pure Buddhist teachings, there was... a clear, grayish-white mark...!
Although it was just a mark and did not truly break through his defenses, it was still an unimaginable shock to Amitabha Buddha! This was the first time in countless years since he took charge of the Western Paradise, no, perhaps since he manifested as the incarnation of the saintly good corpse... that he had been attacked and his physical body had been directly hit, leaving a mark!
This means that the dragons' attacks can truly threaten him! The defenses that the Western Paradise is so proud of are not invincible!
"Roar--!!!"
The successful strike further enraged the other Dragon Emperors! The attack by the Ink White Dragon Emperor seemed to sound the horn for a general offensive!
Without further probing, the nine true dragons unleashed their primal dragon power, with crimson flames scorching the sky, mysterious water annihilating everything, sharp metal slicing through everything, and thick earth suppressing everything... terrifying divine powers and pure physical strength poured down on Amitabha Buddha and the Western Paradise camp behind him like a raging storm!
At this moment, the war between the Dragon Clan and the Western Paradise has truly begun, a war that will never end!
The mastermind behind all this was now standing leisurely within the protection zone of the Haotian Tower, grinning with an undisguised, wicked smile on his face, thoroughly enjoying watching his enemy suffer.
[Ding! Hidden side quest "The Scales of Cause and Effect" completion assessment in progress...]
[Assessment complete! Successfully instigated significant conflict between the Western Paradise and the Dragon Clan, causing severe mental turmoil on both sides. Mission rating: S!]
[Task reward issued. 100000 Merit Points. Temporary "Cause Disruptor" status activated.]
[Additional Note: The system has detected that the host is actively seeking revenge, driving the situation forward, which aligns with the system's core principles. Therefore, a reward of 1 "Primal Stone" is given. An additional 100000 Merit Points are awarded. Current total Merit Points: 200000.]
[Note: Well done, Master! The chaos has begun, and our room for maneuver has greatly increased! Please seize the opportunity!]
[Hint: A fight has broken out! There might be something even more interesting to come, Master. Would you like to... find out more?]
A series of system notifications rang cheerfully in Lin Zhu's mind, the rewards were so generous they were astonishing.
However, Lin Zhu frowned slightly, looking at the last prompt that clearly conveyed enticement and a sense of incompleteness, and silently recited it in his mind.
'System, explain yourself clearly. What do you mean by "in-depth understanding"? What comes after that?' [Ding! The system has detected that the host dislikes pointless guessing and riddles. A clear instruction will be issued.]
[Triggering an instant opportunity quest – "Taking advantage of the chaos... Exploring the mysteries of Mount Ling."]
[Mission Requirements: Take advantage of the full-scale war between the Western Paradise and the Dragon Clan, the tyranny of their core forces, and the resulting internal weakness and chaos, to infiltrate the interior of Mount Ling and conduct limited exploration and 'treasure hunting'.]
[Mission Rewards. During the exploration, the host may independently acquire no more than three items that are "destined for you" and determined by the system to be "not a fundamental treasure of the Western Paradise's destiny." The specific grade and type will depend on the host's exploration results.]
[Note: It is recommended to immediately activate the 'Heaven-Covering Talisman' at its maximum power to completely conceal your own divine secrets and disrupt related causal lines. Mount Ling is a sacred place, and even in times of war, there are unknown surveillance and restrictions. Please be extremely careful and avoid being targeted by any party.]
The system's prompts are clear and direct, the task objectives are well-defined, the rewards are enticing, and even the precautions are thoughtfully provided.
Lin Zhu nodded inwardly; that made sense, saving them from guessing.
With a thought, the incredibly profound "Heaven-Covering Talisman" that he had obtained from the system was immediately activated to its limit! A strange fluctuation, invisible and intangible yet seemingly capable of distorting light, confusing perception, and even briefly interfering with some causal relationships, rippled outwards from the bamboo forest like water ripples, obscuring and disrupting his aura, traces, and connection to the heavens with the outside world, as much as possible.
At this moment, unless someone deliberately scans inch by inch with their divine sense, or possesses heaven-defying methods such as the Haotian Mirror or sage calculations, it would be extremely difficult to detect Lin Zhu's subtle movements and true intentions.
Just as Lin Zhu was preparing to hide, he felt a violent tremor beneath his feet, as if the entire Ling Mountain was groaning in pain.
Looking up, one could see that the already dilapidated Great Thunderclap Temple was even more shaky and on the verge of collapse under the terrifying aftershocks of the fierce battle between the nine true dragons and the Buddhas of the Western Paradise. Countless huge bricks, carved beams, and Buddha statues were peeling off and falling from the heights, crashing to the ground with a dull thud and raising clouds of dust.
In the sky, the battle had reached a fever pitch.
Although there are only nine true dragons, their strength is simply too formidable! Lin Zhu observed them while quickly analyzing and assessing them in his mind.
These primordial dragons are all at least at the "quasi-saint" level!
The so-called "upper-level Quasi-Saint" refers to a powerful individual who has reached a considerable level of expertise, is close to perfection, or has even touched upon the threshold of a higher level within the Quasi-Saint realm. Someone like the White Lotus Child, who has just entered the Quasi-Saint realm and whose realm is not yet stable, would probably not even last a single move against them.
The leader, the Mo Bai Dragon Emperor, possessed unfathomable cultivation. Lin Zhu couldn't even accurately determine its specific level. He only felt that each of its seemingly simple attacks contained terrifying power that could disrupt space and time and cause the Great Dao to tremble. Its aura was obscure and ancient, seemingly no less than that of the later Earth Goddess, who transformed into a saint through reincarnation. It even possessed a greater sense of arrogance and domineering nature belonging to the dragon race!
It occasionally made a move, either by whipping its tail or exhaling its breath. Its attacks were not fancy, but they seemed to be able to directly cleave the sky and annihilate the laws. Amitabha Buddha had to mobilize most of the power of the Lotus Lamp of Guidance and even rely on the combined power of the three thousand Buddhas behind him to barely resist it.
The Purple Gold Dragon Emperor and the Platinum Dragon Emperor, though slightly inferior to the Ink White Dragon Emperor, were still in the terrifying realm of "upper-middle level of Quasi-Saint" or even "upper level". Every time they swung their dragon claws or swept their dragon tails, they carried the power to shatter stars and reverse the universe, forcing Amitabha Buddha and Tathagata Buddha to concentrate fully and be on high alert.
The remaining six true dragons, each of a different color, were slightly weaker than the three dragon emperors in front, but they were still firmly standing on the threshold of "quasi-saints". Their original dragon power was vast and surging, and they fought fiercely with several reclusive ancient Buddhas and powerful Bodhisattvas in the Western Paradise camp, except for Amitabha Buddha and Tathagata. The scene was equally intense.
On the other hand, the situation in the Western Paradise is precarious. Apart from Amitabha Buddha, the incarnation of a saintly being with unfathomable cultivation who can barely hold his own against the Black White Dragon Emperor, the only one who can truly be considered to have "upper-quasi-saint" combat power is probably the Buddha Tathagata. Moreover, he seems to have only barely reached this level. Faced with the fierce attacks of the Purple Gold and Platinum Dragon Emperors, he already appears to be struggling, and the light of his golden body flickers uncertainly.
Among the three thousand Buddhas, only a dozen or so could reach the Quasi-Saint level, and most of them were only at the early or middle stage of Quasi-Saint. Faced with the attacks of the other six true dragons, they could only rely on their numerical advantage and the abundant Buddhist energy and formation of Mount Ling to form an array and struggle to hold on. The signs of defeat were already showing.
At the Quasi-Saint realm, every step forward creates an insurmountable gap in strength! As a Quasi-Saint, the Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor could easily crush several White Lotus Children!
If it weren't for the fact that Mount Ling in the Western Paradise was the fundamental place of practice established by the two sages over countless years, with its Buddhist energy and faith as vast as the sea, its array formations and restrictions endlessly in place, and the fact that the defensive power of the Linglong Lotus Lamp, a treasure used by the sages to attain enlightenment, was truly profound, it would probably have been breached by the nine true dragons long ago.
Even so, the twelve lamps that guided the exquisite lotus lamp began to flicker with uncertain light, clearly under immense pressure.
The attack of the Mo Bai Dragon Emperor, especially the attack formed from its reverse scale containing chaotic energy, reminded Lin Zhu of the feeling when he faced the Sage Hou Tu, but it was more direct and more domineering!
Each time it makes a move, it's as if it's cutting away the very essence of the world. Amitabha Buddha often needs to gather the power of all Buddhas to barely manage to resolve it.
'So there's such a vast world beyond Quasi-Saints…' Lin Zhu felt a chill run down his spine, and at the same time, a strong desire welled up within him. Witnessing a battle at this level only strengthened his resolve to prove himself through strength and ascend to the pinnacle of the Great Dao!
Having a system alone is not enough; one's own cultivation is fundamental! The Queen Mother's peaches of immortality... we must find a way to get our hands on them! That's one of the shortcuts to quickly accumulate power.
Isn't this the perfect opportunity? The Dragon Clan and the Western Heavenly Dogs are locked in a fierce battle, so who has time to worry about the interior of Mount Ling? If not now, when?
Lin Zhu quietly took a few steps back, increased the output power of the Heaven-Covering Talisman even more, and almost turned himself into a blurry shadow that blended into the environment. He began to carefully sense and search for the aura of any treasure land that might exist inside Mount Ling—such as the Scripture Pavilion, the Treasure Vault, the Herb Garden, or the secluded cave of some powerful beings.
"My dear minister, what insightful opinion do you have?"
Just as Lin Zhu was focused on his search, the Jade Emperor's voice suddenly rang out not far beside him, transmitted through telepathy. The Jade Emperor had been paying close attention to the battle and also to Lin Zhu's movements. Seeing his furtive and concealed manner, he couldn't help but feel curious.
In the Jade Emperor's view, Lin Zhu should either take this opportunity to make some "compensation" demands to the dying Western Paradise, or perhaps consider helping the Western Paradise quell the Dragon Clan's anger. But unexpectedly, he seems to be... looking for something? (End of Chapter)