On the Avenue.

Chapter 672 Complaint
Looking at the ashes of the Sutra of Eternal Attainment after a Thousand Kalpas, Venerable Ananda felt a mix of emotions. He admired the Tathagata, the Great World-Honored One, but was also somewhat apprehensive.

"World Honored One, the Western Paradise is not only Mount Ling, but also Mount Vulture of Dipankara Buddha and Mount Xuedou of Maitreya Buddha. If our Mount Ling cannot protect the Bodhisattvas, Venerables, and Arhats under our command, I fear they will go to Mount Vulture and Mount Xuedou! The calamity may not even have arrived before Mount Ling is destroyed!"

He paused for a moment and said, "Chen Shi hasn't left yet, so there's still time. Let him write another copy of the Sutra of Enduring Freedom Through a Thousand Tribulations. I am willing to cultivate this sutra and bear the infamy for Mount Ling."

The Great World-Honored One, Tathagata, smiled and said, “Ananda, Mount Ling is not that important to us cultivators. I am not that important to you either. Do not be attached, and let go.”

Venerable Ananda's words grew increasingly vehement as he advised, "World Honored One, although you are currently the most revered in the Western Paradise, Maitreya Buddha and Dipankara Buddha are also World Honored Ones! They also possess immense prestige! I have even heard that some in the Western Paradise have joined forces with the Celestial Court, not only to borrow the Celestial Court's power to overcome this Yuanhui calamity, but also to seize this opportunity to drive the World Honored One down! If the World Honored One cannot employ swift and decisive measures, I fear the Western Paradise may fall into the hands of others!"

Since destroying the Sutra of Freedom, the Buddha's mindset has reached a new level. He laughed and said, "The Western Paradise is not that important to me. Ananda, let this matter go."

Venerable Ananda could only agree.

But after he left, he immediately thought, "The Great World-Honored One may disregard the lives of the Buddhist disciples of Mount Ling, but I, Ananda, cannot. Since he will not take the Sutra of Passing Through a Thousand Kalpas to Attain Eternal Freedom, then I will! For the safety of Mount Ling and the legitimacy of the Great World-Honored One, I will be the one to commit this heinous crime!"

He immediately went to find Chen Shi.

Zhong Wuwang bid farewell to the old monk and returned to his residence.

He lived with the old monk on Yandang Peak in Lingshan. The old monk liked to live in a bird's nest, while Zhong Wuwang lived in the Dapeng Mansion built for the old monk by the believers.

Perhaps out of resentment that he was being treated as a roc when he was clearly an eagle, the old monk rarely came to this mansion.

Zhong Wuwang came to the study, breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately began to write down Chen Shi's deduction of the Sutra of Eternal Freedom through a Thousand Tribulations.

He had a photographic memory and was one of the most insightful people. When Chen Shi first revealed this technique, the three of them worked together to analyze its flaws, and Zhong Wuwang had already memorized the technique.

But a bad pen is worse than a good memory, and he was afraid of forgetting the contents of the exercise.

This is an incredibly powerful technique, a method of the Great Luo Golden Immortal. At the same time, the technique itself is a supernatural power, making its power unbelievably great!

"Most importantly, this technique can transfer one's bad luck."

Zhong Wuwang said in a low voice, "Perhaps in the future, I will need to use it..."

His expression shifted between light and shadow as he gazed at the Sutra of Enduring Eternal Freedom through a Thousand Tribulations.

After a long while, a voice came from outside, saying in a low voice, "Erniu, if you cultivate this skill, I will definitely kill you. I can kill the Great King of Freedom, so I can kill you too."

Zhong Wuwang's body trembled violently. With a flick of his sleeve, the doors and windows opened wide, and Chen Shi appeared in the courtyard of Dapeng Mansion, standing outside the study door.

Zhong Wuwang said in a deep voice, "Chen Shi, no one can escape during the tribulation. I obtained this technique only to protect myself, and I will never abuse it!"

Chen Shi looked at him through the window and shook his head, saying, "Erniu, you can't control yourself. Sooner or later, you will activate this technique, unleash your supernatural powers, and make countless people die in your place."

Zhong Wuwang remained calm and composed.

He was not afraid of Chen Shi.

Over the years, he has cultivated himself on Mount Ling and learned many advanced Buddhist teachings. His skills have become exceptionally powerful, far surpassing those of the disciple from Despair Slope back then.

He has mastered all kinds of golden bodies and divine bodies of Mount Ling, and is proficient in both Taoism and Buddhism, as well as immortals and gods. He may not have been as good as Chen Shi back then, but after years of training, he is confident that he can fight Chen Shi without being at a disadvantage!
Moreover, the old monk lives in a bird's nest in a tree outside the mansion. If I am no match for Chen Shi when we fight, the old monk will definitely help me and even kill Chen Shi!

"You're mistaken, Chen Shi. I won't take this credit without authorization!"

Zhong Wuwang did not call out to the old monk, but shook his head and said, "In this world, there is not only the 'Sutra of Eternal Freedom Through a Thousand Tribulations' that can help one avoid tribulations, but also earth-treasure spiritual roots that can resist the opening of tribulations. I will not use this technique when I am at the True Immortal, Golden Immortal, and Taiyi Golden Immortal realms!"

"and then?"

Chen Shi pressed further, "If you were to cultivate to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, could you guarantee you wouldn't use this technique?"

Zhong Wuwang was silent for a moment, then said, "I might use it, but I will seek out the most vicious and ruthless people and use this method on them. You know, although I come from Despair Slope, I have principles in my conduct, and I will never do anything that is immoral or immoral."

Chen Shi shook his head and said, "That was the you before. The temptations you faced before weren't strong enough, but now the temptations are strong enough. Erniu, you can't resist this temptation. You know, even if you cultivate to the point of eternal freedom through a thousand tribulations, you will still die by my hand."

Zhong Wuwang's expression shifted between anger and rage as he said in a hoarse voice, "Chen Shi, don't force me! This is Mount Ling!"

Chen Shi said, "I killed the Great Bright King who had undergone tribulations at Mount Ling. If I can kill him, I can also kill you. Erniu, don't force me."

Zhong Wuwang's hands trembled slightly, his heart torn between two conflicting emotions.

Chen Shi looked at him quietly without saying a word.

Zhong Wuwang suddenly shouted, took out the sutra he had copied, and burned it to ashes.

Thunder roared in his mind, obliterating all his memories of the Sutra of Eternal Freedom through a Thousand Tribulations!

Zhong Wuwang braced himself on his knees, nearly collapsing to his knees, panting heavily. He looked up and glared fiercely at Chen Shi: "Chen, it's not that I'm afraid of you, it's that I'm afraid I really won't be able to hold back!"

Chen Shi smiled, stepped forward to help him up, and said with a smile, "I also know that you will definitely not be able to resist in the future. I am afraid that you will fall into the same trap as the Great King Zizai, so I am giving you this kind advice."

Zhong Wuwang snorted and pushed his hand away: "I don't need you to pretend to be nice!"

He straightened up, his expression turning cold: "You also copied a scripture and gave it to the Great Buddha. How do you know the Great Buddha can tolerate it?"

Chen Shi laughed and said, "I don't gamble on human nature."

Zhong Wuwang sneered, "But you still passed on the technique of enduring countless tribulations and attaining eternal freedom to the Great World Honored One. If the Great World Honored One were to see this technique, he would inevitably be tempted to try cultivating it when facing the tribulations! Do you dare to kill the Great World Honored One? If you don't dare, you are nothing but a cowardly rat who bullies the weak and fears the strong!"

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Does the Great World Honored One dare to cultivate the Sutra of Enduring a Thousand Kalpas and Achieving Eternal Freedom that I gave him?"

Zhong Wuwang was slightly taken aback.

At this moment, Venerable Ananda also arrived outside the Garuda's mansion. He overheard the conversation between the two and stopped to listen intently.

Chen Shi's laughter rang out: "The ancient scrolls of scriptures I presented were so flawless that even the Great Bright King couldn't see through them. These scrolls killed the Great Bright King. How could the Great World-Honored One know that I didn't tamper with the scriptures I gave him?"

Zhong Wuwang exclaimed, "You dare to tamper with the scriptures given to the Great Buddha?"

Outside the palace, Venerable Ananda's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Chen Shi laughed and said, "I wouldn't dare. But would the Great World Honored One dare to believe me?"

Zhong Wuwang exhaled a breath of turbid air and said, "Even the Great Ming King thought you wouldn't dare to do anything, but he died anyway."

Venerable Ananda remained silent, his face dark.

Chen Shi said, "Even if I didn't tamper with it, the Great World Honored One wouldn't believe me. What's more, I did tamper with it."

Venerable Ananda wished he could rush in immediately, grab him by the neck, lift him into the air, and demand to know whether the brat had tampered with the equipment or not.
"But how do you know that when I asked you and your master to help me find the flaws in this technique, I passed on to you the true 'Scripture of Enduring a Thousand Tribulations and Proving Eternal Freedom'?" Chen Shi laughed. "And how do you know that I didn't tamper with this technique back then?"

Outside the mansion, in a bird's nest on the Bodhi tree, the old monk Yun Cheng, who was meditating and refining the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle, suddenly stood up, his eyes wide with surprise and doubt.

He naturally heard the conversation between the two in the mansion. He had been listening to it while refining the treasure and hadn't thought anything of it at first, but Chen Shi's words almost made him lose his temper.

Chen Shi continued, "Your master Yun Cheng is very calm. He disdains practicing this technique and must have forgotten about it long ago. In this respect, he is much more astute than you."

"A bastard from the countryside!" the old monk Yun Cheng cursed under his breath, and hurriedly searched his sea of ​​consciousness for memories of the Sutra of Enduring a Thousand Tribulations and Achieving Eternal Freedom.

He did indeed have the idea that if he were to cultivate to the level of a Great Luo in the future and encounter an insurmountable tribulation, he would use this power to overcome it.

Chen Shi's words immediately extinguished his hopes.

"This kid is remarkable. The prestige of his first place on the Immortal Execution Ranking is far greater than mine!" The old monk Yun Cheng thought to himself.

Chen Shi's voice came: "Moreover, I think this technique is only the second volume. The method in the second volume was passed down from the creator of this technique to his disciples. He used his disciples to overcome his tribulation. The master of this technique is still alive. How do you know he won't come to harvest you?"

Upon hearing this, Venerable Ananda completely abandoned his idea of ​​forcing Chen Shi to write another version of the Sutra of Enduring Freedom Through a Thousand Kalpas, and turned to leave.

Inside the bird's nest, the old monk also erased all his memories of this technique and continued to diligently refine the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle.

Zhong Wuwang said, "But in your sea of ​​consciousness, there is also a sutra that allows you to attain eternal freedom through countless eons. Can you guarantee that you won't cultivate it when you face the beginning of the tribulation in the future?"

"No."

Chen Shi shook his head, "But my place of merging with the Dao is in Xiniu New Continent in the Dark Sea, so I may not have started the calamity."

Zhong Wuwang remained silent for a moment, then said, "You may have been corrupted by heretical teachings. No, you have definitely been corrupted by heretical teachings!"

Chen Shi laughed and said, "All masters study unorthodox methods. The Great World Honored One is no exception. If Mount Ling cannot overcome the tribulation, the Great World Honored One might even borrow the power of the Dark Sea to fight against it. Erniu, farewell."

Zhong Wuwang saw them off, and the two arrived outside the mansion.

Chen Shi cupped his hands towards the bird's nest in the tree and said, "Brother Dao, I'll take my leave now."

The old monk Yuncheng looked down, stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "Forgive me for not being able to see you off. Fellow Daoist Chen, if I ever have any questions about Yin and Yang energies in the future, I hope you will not hesitate to enlighten me."

Chen Shi said solemnly, "Brother, rest assured, it is my duty."

The old monk Yuncheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhong Wuwang escorted Chen Shi out of Lingshan and brought him to the nearest Tianhe Ferry.

Chen Shi said, "Even after a thousand miles of seeing you off, we must eventually part ways. Erniu, you can go back now. There's no need to see me off."

Zhong Wuwang asked, "If Li Tianwang wants to kill you, even the Heavenly King himself can't save you. Why do you want to return to the Heavenly Court?"

Chen Shi shook his head and said, "The blame is still in Heaven, so I have to go back."

Zhong Wuwang said, "If Li Tianwang's first plan fails, he will devise another. You may escape this time, but you may not be able to escape next time. Leaving the Heavenly Court as soon as possible is the way to protect yourself."

Chen Shi stopped and turned around to look at Zhong Wuwang: "Erniu, was your purpose in ascending to the Earthly Immortal Realm to protect yourself?"

Zhong Wuwang laughed and shook his head, saying, "True King, why say such things? We are immortals, and of course we are pursuing freedom when we ascend to the Immortal Realm."

Chen Shi laughed and said, "I feel the same way. If I were to be trapped by others after ascending to heaven and couldn't even protect my own life, I might as well go home and be my true king."

Zhong Wuwang was silent for a moment, then said bitterly, "Chen Zhenwang, you can still go back, but I can't. In Xiniu Xinzhou, besides you, I only have one disciple who I'm somewhat familiar with. I can never go back to Xiniu Xinzhou."

He turned and left, his voice drifting from afar.

"In the realm of immortals, there are many, many immortals like me. They have been far from their homeland for too long, and most of the people they knew have passed away. For them, their homeland is still their homeland, but there is no one familiar with it. They can no longer return to their hometown."

He waved his hand: "No matter how bad things get in the Immortal Realm, we must persevere, we must survive! Chen Zhenwang, see you in the future!"

Chen Shi waved to him, boarded the star raft, and embarked on the road back to the Heavenly Court.

On the star raft, he was lost in thought.

He can go back; his roots in Xiniu New Island have not been severed.

In Xiniu New Island, he had parents, a wife, friends, and many other acquaintances.

But most of the immortals in this world, like Zhong Wuwang, can never go back. They drift in the Earthly Immortal Realm like rootless duckweed, hoping for the protection of various powerful forces, only to be exploited and oppressed.

Whether it was the Celestial Court, the Heavenly Court, or the Western Paradise, none of them ever truly paid attention to these people.

They were just consuming one batch of consumables after another; someone would always ascend and replace those discarded immortals.

He gazed silently at the streaks of light outside the starry raft.

Several days later, the Star Raft arrived at the Heavenly River Ferry in the Heavenly Court. Chen Shi jumped off the Star Raft, left the ferry, and crossed the Western Heavenly Lake.

In Xitiandang, Li Tianwang returned wounded but made great contributions. However, he was a diligent person, and not long after recovering from his injuries, he went to Xitiandang again to supervise the army and watch the heavenly soldiers and generals train.

"Has Chen Shi's primordial spirit been summoned?" Every so often, Li Tianwang would summon the divine general to ask this question.

"Has Chen Shi's primordial spirit been summoned?"

He would ask every few days, which annoyed the gods, but they dared not get angry, so they could only reply, "Heavenly King, not yet."

At this point, Li Tianwang would become somewhat listless and say lazily, "Then let's continue waving the soul-summoning banner."

That day, Li Tianwang had just asked the divine general, who replied, "Your Majesty, not yet."

“Then let’s continue waving the soul-summoning banner,” Li Tianwang said listlessly.

The divine general agreed and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped and stared intently behind Li Tianwang.

Li Tianwang was puzzled. He turned around and looked back, and was terrified, as if he had seen a ghost.

Chen Shi walked through Xitiandang and headed towards the command platform, holding an incense stick in his hand and chanting incantations.

"Godmother, your prince has been bullied." Li Tianwang vaguely heard Chen Shi's voice.

(End of this chapter)