piratefiction Chapter 560: The 8-Phase Advent of the Tathagata
Chapter 560: The 8-Phase Advent of the Tathagata
"Amitabha!"
This was a voice that had never appeared in the [Pseudo-History]. It was so unfamiliar that even Hongtian was stunned, utterly failing to grasp the True Intent behind this single word.
The next moment, however, he felt a ripple in the fabric of karmic links.
And it wasn’t just him. All the other Perfected Lords, Lü Yang, and even every Foundation-Stage Cultivator capable of sensing shifts in karmic links felt it too.
’It’s coming...’
’Something... is coming!’
An indescribably vast karmic link was descending from a place beyond knowledge and reason. In that instant, its name was imprinted upon everyone’s Spiritual Space.
[Descent to the Tusita Heaven]!
Lü Yang stood on a high platform, looking out over the world. He saw the teeming masses and the Foundation-Stage Cultivators, all with slack-jawed expressions, chanting the same words in unison:
"All Buddha Bhagavats, who achieved Attainment over kalpas as numerous as dust motes in a sea of worlds, appear in the world for one great purpose: to open the Buddha’s wisdom to all sentient beings, allowing them to attain purity..."
Amidst this chorus of praise that filled the heavens, inside a secluded courtyard in the Immortal Court Imperial Capital, Heaven and Earth manifested a vision: a Six-tusked White Elephant, a lotus flower in its mouth, entered the left side of a woman in labor, filling her with a joy as sweet as heavenly dew.
[Pregnancy]!
The next second, the woman gave birth. A newborn’s piercing cry echoed throughout Daqian. The infant landed on the ground, and with each step, a lotus bloomed. Behind him, a Bodhi Tree swayed.
[Birth]!
In that instant, all the heavens and worlds were filled with brilliant light. A five-colored beam shot straight into the high heavens. Within a few breaths, the infant had transformed into a heroic young man.
Immediately after, the young man’s hair and beard fell away. The five-colored light flowed back, draping over him and forming into monk’s robes, making his appearance all the more solemn and magnificent. He sat down directly under the Bodhi Tree that had manifested at his birth, forming a Vajra seat from auspicious grass as Buddha Light materialized around him.
The Buddha Light formed a halo, pure and perfect.
At that moment, countless shadows and demonic obstacles seemed to appear between Heaven and Earth. The wails of ghosts and howls of gods echoed out, only to be completely dissipated by this single ray of Buddha Light.
Then, a sound filled Heaven and Earth.
Just as before, the masses remained oblivious, yet they all began to chant Scripture, praising the Bhagavat and glorifying the Buddhist Dharma. The sound was majestic, yet also eerie to the Extreme.
"What is this!?"
At this moment, even with Hongtian’s strength of will, he felt a bone-deep chill as he saw all the mortals below raise their heads to look at him.
His gaze fell upon the heroic young man beneath the Bodhi Tree. He couldn’t comprehend the man’s identity, nor could he discern his state of being. He could only form a Finger Technique within his sleeve and continuously perform divinations. The result, however, was the sight of eight great karmic links, all intertwining at this very moment.
[Descent to the Tusita Heaven], [Pregnancy], [Birth].
[Renunciation], [Subduing Demons], [Attainment].
[Preaching the Dharma], [Nirvana].
Eight karmic links, eight Dharma Appearances, intertwined together, solidifying into an unshakable, irreversible "result" named—
"The Bhagavat descends to the world to become the Tathagata!"
The instant he divined this karmic link, a burst of Buddha Light erupted from Hongtian’s fingertips, causing the skin on his five fingers to split open and blood to gush out.
"RUMBLE!"
At the same time, the heroic young man who had just been born suddenly aged, living through the entire cycle of life, aging, sickness, and death within a few short breaths. He closed his eyes beneath the Bodhi Tree, his body dissipating with the wind... Yet after his death, a single point of pure Buddha Light instantly flared with brilliance.
Within the Buddha Light, the figure of a Buddha appeared.
His entire body was like lapis lazuli. He had forty-eight thousand arms, and in each hand was a Dharma Eye brimming with Wisdom Light. His broad, Buddha-like face seemed to be smiling.
"Good! Good!"
"I have now descended to this world. Having completed the cultivation and proof of the eight phases of Attainment, I have passed through hundreds of thousands of millions of nayuta asaṃkhyeya kalpas to permanently reside in the Sahā world and become the True Body Tathagata!"
In an instant, the Buddha Light soared, connecting Heaven and Earth.
Lü Yang gazed into the distance and instantly sensed the intensity of the being’s Qi trace. ’A Perfected Lord... Not a Fake Holding, but a genuine, honest-to-god, real-deal Perfected Lord!’
At that moment, his mind was filled with nothing but curses.
That goddamn Bhagavat!
’Other Masters of Dao are all about this grand scheme or that intricate plot. But when it comes to Him, all He fucking does is find new ways to come down here and stomp on newbies!’
A "Dharma Appearance" comparable to Foundation Establishment Perfection wasn’t enough for him.
This time, He sent a "Tathagata" that’s on par with a Perfected Lord!
But in the next second, Lü Yang realized something. ’Wait a minute... How can the Bhagavat be in the [Pseudo-History]? Shouldn’t He have already left after achieving His Attainment?’
’Unless...’
At this thought, Lü Yang held his breath. His true body, hidden in the Zouyu Ruins, curled up even tighter, not daring to reveal the slightest Qi trace.
’...He’s from the Current World!’
’This is the real Bhagavat descending! Not some counterpart from the [Pseudo-History]... What the hell is He doing in the [Pseudo-History]? And why is He targeting Hongtian...’
Despite his confusion, Lü Yang already understood.
What else could it be?
It was just like with [Ang Xiao] back then. Before coming to the Current World to deal with Lü Yang, He was using the Hongtian of the [Pseudo-History]—who was so similar to him—for a little target practice!
’That bastard...!’
’So this is what the Saint Sect Ancestral Master wanted me to see? That goddamn Bhagavat... So what if I destroyed the Pure Land in the West and severed your Buddhist Lineage? Setting the facts aside for a moment, are you completely blameless in all this? To make such a huge fuss over it, you’re really determined to see me dead!’
This was the real reason his death was certain!
’No, wait. If the Bhagavat can so casually send down a being at the Perfected Lord level, why didn’t He do anything back when I destroyed the Pure Land?’
At this thought, Lü Yang’s head snapped up.
At the same time, Hongtian finally came to his senses. Just like Lü Yang, he turned his gaze toward the Immortal Court. "Was this your doing?"
’It’s the Dao Court!’
Lü Yang understood instantly: the Bhagavat’s descent of this "Tathagata" was related to the [Immortal Dao Law]!
In the [Pseudo-History], from Hongtian’s perspective, this was all the handiwork of a few Perfected Lords from the Immortal Court. But in the Current World, it had to be related to the Daoist Court Daoist Lord!
’Without the permission of the Daoist Court Daoist Lord, the Bhagavat could never have borrowed the Mighty Power of the [Immortal Dao Law] to send down this True Body Tathagata, a being comparable to a Perfected Lord!’
The implication of this sent a chill through Lü Yang, as if he had been plunged into an icy cavern.
The Bhagavat and the Daoist Court Daoist Lord... had they joined forces?
Why?
’No, this is what’s normal... A grudge? What kind of grudge between Masters of Dao can’t be set aside! As long as the benefits are right, they would cooperate even if their hatred was as vast as the heavens!’
So, what were the benefits?
’The Dao Court wants the [Fruit of Celestial Fire], and the Bhagavat probably wants me. Didn’t He previously offer to let me take charge of the West and rule the Pure Land on His behalf...’
Therefore, their interests did not conflict.
A surefire deathtrap!
’I’m so dead...’
Lü Yang sighed inwardly, knowing that Hongtian was now powerless to turn the tide. And yet, he somehow knew exactly what Hongtian would do next.
Because if it were him, he would make the same choice—
"KILL!!!"
High in the sky, watching the True Body Tathagata that had suddenly descended—its form wreathed in Buddha Light as it calmly strode toward him—Hongtian showed no hesitation. He formed a Daoist Hand Seal, changing his Fake Holding of the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire] to a Fake Holding of the [Fruit of Celestial Fire]. Then, manifesting his own grand vision, he charged forward to meet his foe without a second thought.