Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 516 The Upheaval in the Netherworld, the Early Establishment of Buddhism (6.6k)

The two long rivers of the Netherworld that once made Ji Jingqiu feel so insignificant now stand before him, but they are no longer so majestic, lofty, and untouchable.

He forced his way into the water, plunging into the river of time and destiny.
Upon entering this place, Ji Jingqiu felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had seen it before.

Having once entered the Investiture of the Gods and experienced the Boundary Sea Mother River, he immediately recognized that this was actually the aura of the Boundary Sea Mother River!
The reason why the two long rivers in the Netherworld are so special that each river is equivalent to a transcendent divine weapon is because they are connected to the source of the Mother River.

Ji Jingqiu walked on the waves, and ripples spread out beneath his feet, creating shimmering waves.

Countless Dao patterns appeared and disappeared in the ripples, scattering and gathering again, stirring up the calm water surface and spreading a desolate and ancient aura, as if an immeasurable stretch of time was rushing towards us.

Ji Jingqiu's mind was completely absorbed in the experience, comprehending the fundamental principles contained within the two long rivers.

The last time I stepped onto the Investiture of the Gods, although I took the opportunity to sense the aura of the Mother River, the two were on vastly different levels, and the insights I gained were not as clear as they are now.

Ji Jingqiu quickly regained his senses, leaving the state of enlightenment behind. His gaze sharpened like a knife, stirring up the vast, boundless, and endless shimmering river.

The ripples quickly morphed into surging waves, a backlash spontaneously generated by the two long rivers, engulfing every corner of the boundless expanse.

boom!
When the giant wave swept by, Ji Jingqiu was not caught in the blast; instead, he froze on the spot, as if he were frozen in the depths of time and fate.

He appeared to be still in the same place, but in reality he had fallen into the endless depths of time and space, as if he were in the deep sea, where the immense water pressure made his entire body creak and groan.

There is no passage of time in this place; the darkness and nothingness are closer to chaos, and this darkness and chaos are solidifying and disintegrating everything, even the Daoist essence is being rapidly devoured.

"The end of all things is chaos, and the depths of time and destiny are also chaos?"

In the frozen space and time, Ji Jingqiu slowly raised his head, his eyes also flowing with light that never stopped, not just a simple reflection, but more like an inscription of the Dao.

next moment.

Ji Jingqiu's body surface shimmered with a dark golden light, resisting the pressure coming from all directions.

He lifted his foot and took the first step, symbolizing breaking free from the constraints here!

Eternal calamity and freedom!
This is the third level of "Walking Without Limits", which is said to "travel through all the heavens and myriad worlds as if walking in a courtyard, and sever cause and effect and destiny as if pulling away flying catkins".

In the final stages of cultivation, one can even reach a state of "no cause and no effect," a realm that even the patriarch Shouzhen could not attain.

The reason why the Dao Fruit of the Boundless Path was willing to favor Ji Jingqiu was because Ji Jingqiu showed it a brand new future.

At this moment, this "brand new future" is beginning to take shape, even though Ji Jingqiu is currently only at the level of a deity.

Golden light spread across the body of the Dao, resisting the endless water pressure. As soon as Ji Jingqiu had a thought, he raised his hand to grab it, as if he wanted to hold the entire flowing river, which was between illusion and reality, in his palm!
The slender, white hand pierced through time and space, rising step by step from the bottom of the long river, as if trying to touch the origin at the highest point.

The slender, white hand pierced through time and space, climbing higher and higher in the depths of the long river, as if it were at the very bottom, yet grasped the very source of the long river at the highest point.

After Ji Jingqiu made his move, the long river formed by the initial fusion of time and fate became increasingly turbulent and roaring, as if it could not tolerate any living beings resisting them.

This time, the darkness that engulfed Ji Jingqiu was even deeper and more terrifying!
It was a chaos so vast it could engulf everything, where time ceased to exist, fate vanished, and everything crumbled and dissolved back to its original form.

Having failed in his first attack, Ji Jingqiu realized that it was still difficult to truly subdue these two long rivers at present.

But also—

He walked slowly forward, a wisp of true spirit rising high above the infinite sky, as if suspended outside the long river of time and the long river of fate, no matter how it was washed away or worn down by countless eons, it could not destroy him.

To not apply any law is called being without restraint.

Only by enduring countless eons can one attain true reality.

He was helpless against the other party, unable to capture Changhe's true form, while Changhe was also powerless against him at this moment.

Driven by the full force of the Eternal Freedom Form, Ji Jingqiu stepped out of the bottom of the long river and coldly observed its counterattack and roar.

As expected, something unusual happened here. All traces of Master He disappeared, as if he did not exist in the world. Similarly, he was unable to find the whereabouts of the Lord of Taiyou.

But at this moment, the two long rivers of time and destiny have merged, showing signs of becoming one!
If these two long rivers were merged, would it be possible to reach the level of a transcendent being?

Ji Jingqiu traced the source of the river, walking the path that only the ancients could tread, until he arrived at the source of the long river.

The ripples here are the smallest. He sat cross-legged at the source, suppressing the surrounding turbulent ripples with his body, allowing the source to return to tranquility, and then began to sort through the long river of time in the Netherworld.

“Master He could not have disappeared without a reason, and neither could Taiyou. Since the Wuque lineage’s artifacts are unwilling to tell me, I will sort it out myself.”

Ji Jingqiu's eyes were deep and unfathomable, reflecting a shimmering pool of water.

Rumble!
As the river of time was shaken, the entire Netherworld trembled violently, as if the very foundation of the Great Dao at its core was being shaken.

Some of the saints who were hidden deep within the Great Luo Heaven looked up in alarm at the heavens. Could it be that even after hiding there for so long, that person still wouldn't let them go?
"Azure God Lord! It's time for us to leave!"

"With our combined strength, we can now elevate the Great Luo Heaven; it's time to leave the Netherworld!"

All the saints shouted in unison.

However, Cang Qing, who sat atop the Great Luo Heaven, remained silent and indifferent.

He gazed at the figure at the end of time, his expression complex.

In such a short time, this person has already become so powerful that he has forcefully shaken the river of time, but unfortunately, he was still a step too late.

……

As Ji Jingqiu delves deeper into the past, flowing against the current of time, scenes of time unfold before his eyes.

Amidst the shimmering water, a figure stood tall and imposing, his face sharply defined, his body slender and his bearing majestic. The mere sight of him caused Ji Jingqiu's pupils to shrink, and he instinctively cried out:
"Master He!"

That was the figure of Master He standing in the long river of time, looking as if he had returned to his peak, his golden years.

His opponent was a man who looked somewhat similar to him, who slowly pressed down with one hand, his aura even stronger than He Donghuang's!
Upon seeing this powerful figure who resembled the Lord of the Taiyou God, Ji Jingqiu was shaken.

In the flow of time, this person sometimes appears as a blurry outline, and sometimes reveals their true form, as if existing between reality and illusion, not existing in the long river of time.

"Transcendence!" the sword light of the Moon-Slaying Sword blurted out. "This person is close to transcendence! He's only half a step away!"

A thought instantly flashed through Ji Jingqiu's mind—

If Di Yi and Dou Mu had known about Tai You's existence beforehand, how could they have just watched him reach the Transcendent Realm without any hindrance?
unless……

boom!
He Donghuang, wielding his sword, launched a fierce attack, slashing down with a single blow, and an earth-shattering battle erupted!
This was a true cataclysmic event, but with the passage of time, the battle has become blurred, as if most of its traces have been erased, leaving only fragmented images.

The scale of this battle surpassed the limits of what time can leave its mark in this world, undoubtedly reaching a transcendent level!
In the few remaining images, even Master He was caught in a fierce battle.

The universe of the Netherworld was on the verge of collapse during their battle, and the will of the universe was powerless to stop it. Even though the will of the Netherworld could be regarded as a being who had merged with the Dao in terms of power alone, it still seemed futile in their battle.

Whether it's Master He or Taiyou, their understanding of the Great Dao and their control over the power of the Dao have surpassed the limits that a single realm can restrict.

Even though the battle was fragmented, Ji Jingqiu still couldn't bear to miss a single scene.

"A battle of the highest order! Without a doubt, both reached a transcendent level!"

"If we can get those two involved, we might be able to forcefully break into the Heavenly Court's ancestral temple!"

The light of the Moon-Slaying Sword flickered incessantly, awakening past memories in this battle. It felt a surge of heat and light, and wished it could join in.

Ji Jingqiu shook his head.

Di Yi and Dou Mu couldn't possibly be unaware of the situation here.

But the fact that they were completely unprepared only proves that they were absolutely certain that neither He Shi nor Tai You could threaten them.

And this... is perhaps the reason why both He Shi and Tai You ultimately disappeared without a trace!
Ji Jingqiu did not miss a single image of time flowing by, whether clear or blurry.

He traced the truth back to its source and finally pieced it together.

At the end of the battle, both He Shi and Tai You stepped out of the River of Time and Destiny, their true forms clashed, and the battle ended in a draw where both were severely injured.

This battle caused the universe to be shattered and restored several times.

By the end, Taiyou was preparing to retreat temporarily.

However, despite his severe injuries, Master He held on tightly to Taiyou, preventing him from retreating back into the River of Fate.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, the previously quiet Four Guardian Stars suddenly erupted!

The Bitter Sea uprising broke through the blockade of the Four Guardian Stars, dragging He Shi and Tai You into the Bitter Sea together!
In that fleeting moment, though it was just a glimpse, Ji Jingqiu saw a massive shadow emerging from the sea of ​​suffering—

Chaos, formlessness, disorder, rage...

It was like a concentrated sea of ​​suffering, easily engulfing the already weakened He Shi and Tai You, and then disappearing without a trace.

This is the end of it all.

After watching the passage of time, Ji Jingqiu remained silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on the location of the Four Guardian Stars.

This is the "reliance" that Di Yi and Dou Mu have in no way fearing He Shi and Tai You Fan Tian.
Is the reason why the divine weapon left behind by the flawless Taoist does not enter the Netherworld also related to this thing?

Ji Jingqiu tried to trace the figure in the sea of ​​suffering, but there was no trace of it.

The traces of He Shi and Tai You have all been scattered fragments in the long river of time.

All other traces of existence have vanished, as if erased from the world.

After an unknown period of silence.

Whether in the heavens or on earth, whether in the Great Luo Heaven, the Great Universe, the Three Thousand Jambudvipas, or even Mu Jiuzhou and the others outside the Netherworld, they all felt a chilling aura!

Ji Jingqiu slowly stood up.

His cultivation had reached its peak, emanating a powerful and terrifying aura that swept across the Netherworld!
He went straight to the Four Guardian Stars and gazed at the place where the Sea of ​​Bitterness was sealed.

Despite his imposing aura, the four guardian stars remained completely still.

He could no longer sense the aura of the Wood Master, nor could he sense the aura of the He Master.

What exactly happened in there?
He suddenly felt an urge to comply with Di Yi's request, break the seal of the Sea of ​​Bitterness, and enter to explore.

Ji Jingqiu had another important purpose for returning this time.

Listen to the opinions of the wood master or the herbalist.

Trapped in the Heavenly Court's machinations and under the suppression of the Investiture of the Gods, he is now finding it extremely difficult to extricate himself.

Should they continue to feign compliance with the Heavenly Court and seek a way out of the impasse, cooperate with Emperor Yi, or simply break off relations altogether?

He wanted to hear the opinions of Master Mu and Master He.

But at this moment, at this level, it seems that no one in the world can give him advice.

"I understood a principle a long time ago—all helplessness stems from a low level of understanding."

Hela's voice softly sounded in his ear.

“You are, He Donghuang is, Mu Shitian is, and so am I.”

“But Ji Jingqiu, you have already cultivated very quickly. Even if we don’t mention you, the cultivation speed of He Donghuang and Mu Shitian alone is enough to make it impossible to find a third person who can stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the entire Hundred Eras of the Realm Sea.”

"But in the end, it was 'too late'!" "Perhaps if the three of them had been willing to bow their heads and turn a blind eye to the riots in the sea of ​​suffering, they could have gained enough time to grow, but they didn't."

"This is not bad luck, nor is it being born in the wrong era; it is fate!"

"This is your doom!"

Calamity... Ji Jingqiu's expression grew increasingly calm.

Someone once told him, "Ji Jingqiu, don't be anxious. Before you become a mountain you can rely on, there will always be someone willing to be your mountain."

And without realizing it, he gradually earned the right to become a towering figure behind others.

This day came too quickly; now there is no one left to protect him or to be his support.

He can only rely on himself.

Ji Jingqiu gazed deeply into the silent sea of ​​bitterness one last time, suppressing the urge to shatter everything. He turned and stepped into the river of time, searching for a long time before finally retrieving a broken fragment of the blade.

This is a weapon of the He Master, the remains of Senior Xuan Yi.

At this moment, there was no sword intent in the blade; it was like a completely washed-out sheet of paper.

Ji Jingqiu paused, then merged the blade into the Azure Lord. He did not choose to leave, but instead walked back to the source of the long river, waiting for the two long rivers to merge.

He sat upright at the source, took out the Azure Lord, and used the power of two long rivers to wash the blade, filling it with Daoist rhyme and tempering its intent.

The Azure Lord's blade plunged straight into the River of Time, where the two Great Daos clashed. As a result, at their point of contact, countless oppressive auras of the Great Dao's true meaning appeared, and the blade continuously emitted sounds like shattering ice. Under the pressure of the River of Time, the Azure Lord's blade was on the verge of breaking.

Under this immense pressure, the blade became increasingly solid and dense, incorporating more and more of the power of time, aligning with the original path of destiny, like another merging of destiny and time.

During the tempering process, Ji Jingqiu was also comprehending the ways of time and destiny, and coming into contact with the origin of the Mother River.

Among the powerful figures from the Netherworld, some attempted to contact him, but he ignored them all.

Until this day.

Ji Jingqiu took out the Azure Blade, finished tempering it, and the blade burst forth with boundless light, extremely dazzling, exuding a terrifying pressure, having already reached its current limit.

At this moment, Qingzhu is only half a step away from transcending the divine weapon. His mere existence is enough to stir up the invisible river!
Ji Jingqiu opened his eyes, feeling the final collision between time and fate beneath his feet, about to merge completely.

He stepped out of the water, looked down at the whole process from his vantage point, and waited for the two long rivers to merge and finish.

Since both He Shi and Tai You are no longer here, does the position of You Zhu still exist in these two long rivers?
He quietly awaited an ending.

finally.

The light and fate of the Netherworld merged perfectly, forming the embryonic form of a mother river that spread throughout every corner of the Netherworld, suppressing all beings below the level of transcendence, yet without ever showing any trace of the Dao Fruit appearing.

Ji Jingqiu summoned Zhang Tiancheng and said calmly, "Go back and inform Yuanjun that the whereabouts of the Netherworld Lord's position are unknown."

Zhang Tiancheng was stunned. He had waited here all this time, only to find that the Netherworld Master's position had vanished without a trace?!
He subconsciously thought that Ji Jingqiu had hidden the position of You Shi, and was about to speak when he suddenly fell silent.

Today, he no longer has the right to question Ji Jingqiu!
Suppressing his emotions, Zhang Tiancheng could only calm his restless heart, turn around and leave, hoping to report the matter to the Heavenly Court as soon as possible and that the Heavenly Court would deal with this person!
Ji Jingqiu did not care about Zhang Tiancheng's departure.

His gaze was deep and unfathomable, finally settling on the dark sea.

Thoughts spread out like a net, enveloping the deep sea, and a sense of complete control arises spontaneously.

It seems that he can merge with the Dao at any time if he wants.

But Ji Jingqiu did not try at this moment.

Why did Emperor Yi repeatedly try to prevent him from merging with the Dao in the Nether Sea?
Doumu invited him to the Netherworld, but was it really just to ask him to reclaim his position as the Netherworld Lord?

If I were to merge with the Dao at this moment, would it play right into the hands of Doumu and the Heavenly Court?

Ji Jingqiu sighed softly.

No wonder he was so thoughtful and worried. At this point, every step was a major decision, and there was no turning back.

The slightest misstep could lead to falling into a trap set by others, with no chance of escape.

"The other shore... perhaps only the other shore can help me break out of this predicament."

Ji Jingqiu whispered.

He has no plans to leave the Netherworld for the time being.

With fellow Daoists of the Wuque lineage guarding the gates of the Netherworld, the Heavenly Court's influence cannot reach into the Netherworld for the time being, and Doumu's ability to spy through the stars will likely be greatly hampered.

This is the best place for him to stay temporarily.

With his mind made up, Ji Jingqiu used the Nether Sea as his training ground to continue his comprehension of the mysterious and profound Other Shore.

He did not choose to return to the Federation, unwilling to have too much causal involvement with the Federation at this time. However, in a moment of thought, he engraved all the Federation's many books and heritages in his mind and read them one by one.

Ever since the Heavenly Court stepped out of the mythology of the past and into reality, Ji Jingqiu had a vague suspicion in his heart.

The Federation's culture is extremely unique, and it shares many similarities with the previous world, especially the Federation's ancient times, that is, before the Seven Marshals.

Many cultures can be traced back to similarities or prototypes in their past lives.

Ji Jingqiu had also discovered something else: the two characters "burning incense" on the plaque at the top of Wuwang Mountain were written in the same script as those in the Federation.

He later learned that the Seven Marshals were actually related to the reincarnation of the Lord of the Underworld.

From this perspective, it is evident that the Federation's cultural heritage, especially its written language, is inextricably linked to the Lord of the Underworld!
So, were the many cultural heritages of the Federation, as well as some classics and legends of Taoism and Buddhism, also left behind by the Lord of the Underworld?

Is this related to his past life?
The Boundary Sea is vast, encompassing countless worlds. Ji Jingqiu had long wondered if Earth, where he lived in his previous life, was merely a corner of some other world.
With many questions in mind, Ji Jingqiu specially took the time to compile and integrate many ancient books of the Federation, selecting the parts that were similar to those from his previous life.

During this process, he discovered many familiar legends from his previous life.

One is a coincidence, two might also be coincidences, three, four...

Ji Jingqiu shared this question with Wu Zhou and the others.

Ultimately, the light of the Moon-Slaying Sword articulated a conjecture held by the ancestors: the more powerful a being is, the greater the range of influence they can exert.

For example, starting from the Celestial Venerable, the extraordinary phenomenon during a breakthrough is the beginning of a new realm.

At the level of transcendent beings, even if they are "low-key," the extraordinary phenomena that occur during their breakthrough will radiate across the boundless sea of ​​beings, attracting the attention of countless creatures.

This is only "passive".

Among them, there are many who actively spread their own Dao and fame, using it as a stepping stone to climb to a higher peak of the Dao.

This makes the scope of influence and radiation even more exaggerated.

Many living beings will know his name and proclaim his immortality.

"If this is true sainthood, and even more so transcendence, then what about those who unite heaven and earth?"

Jian Guang said solemnly,
"The universe has no boundaries and is constantly expanding. According to this theory, the Boundary Sea is also like this. So, is there also 'endless' beyond the Boundary Sea? Space is infinite, so what about time and destiny? What is the end of the Great Dao? Is it also endless?"

"The ancestors discovered these problems long ago and have been exploring them ever since, eventually arriving at a relatively universally accepted conjecture—if spacetime is infinitely parallel, then the Great Dao is the vertical 'height'."

"The height at which the true spirit of the seeker resides determines the influence on spacetime within a corresponding radius."

"Under this hypothesis, the being at the very top of the Dao can influence all of space and time!"

"Even if he has never been to certain places, his legend will be projected into those coordinates, giving rise to all sorts of rumors about him. Perhaps they are myths and legends, or perhaps they are novels, movies, games, or even... real events that are written from a flash of inspiration in the mind of an ordinary person!"

The mention of the Moon-Slaying Sword Light was like opening a brand new door for Ji Jingqiu.

According to this conjecture, perhaps in some boundary sea, there is a "Heaven and Earth United" or even a "Heavenly Court" of a higher level!
This Heavenly Court sits atop endless space and time, projecting its influence across all realms and shaping the course of civilizations.

Similarly, the myths and legends of Taoism and Buddhism are also like this.

Ji Jingqiu suddenly understood.

Wasn't his naming of the guardian deity of the underworld as Ksitigarbha also influenced by this?

He suddenly remembered that Ji Shuai seemed to have always believed that his past life was related to the other side of the world.

No one can describe where the other shore is or what it is.

Even the Wood Master and the He Master, who claimed to have comprehended the other shore.

But Ji Shuai, who first proposed the idea of ​​the other shore, stubbornly believed that he, Ji Jingqiu, was born on the other shore...

Could the other side be a specific geographical coordinate?
For example, at a point perpendicular to the main road... what is the "height"?
Upon realizing this, Ji Jingqiu's mind was filled with endless inspiration. He combined the techniques he had learned from the Moon-Slaying Sword Light with the methods he had used in his previous life and began a new round of experimentation!

I do not know how long it has been.

Ji Jingqiu suddenly looked up and felt a vast and terrifying power of faith and will sweep across the void and surge into his mind!
The sheer magnitude and suddenness of this power of faith and will caused even his divine status to tremble instantly, leaving him unable to adapt!

Ji Jingqiu followed the power of these beliefs and instantly found the source.

It's the Heavenly Court!
Buddhism has been established!

Doumu's words are all true; the Heavenly Court truly intends to elevate him to the position of Buddha!

……

……

heaven.

Doumu Yuanjun looked at the illusory world before her with great interest.

This is an exceptionally clear world, free from suffering, sorrow, and pain, filled only with great purity and joy.

Those who suffer from the pains of birth, old age, sickness, death, being with those they hate, being separated from those they love, not getting what they want, and the burning of the five aggregates, are completely unaware of these in this place.

"Is this the pure land of Buddha that the entire lineage of the World Honored One sought throughout their lives?" Doumu asked.

The Star Lord nodded: "It is named the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss so that all sentient beings may be free from suffering and enjoy only bliss. According to your meaning, Buddhism has already begun to spread in several realms. This is the Buddhist kingdom imagined by the believers of these realms according to the doctrine, which has begun to become a reality through the power of the Investiture of the Gods."

Doumu praised, "With this Buddhist kingdom as its foundation, Buddhism is complete. It will only be a 'heavenly court' when it transforms from illusion to reality."

The Star Lord was silent for a moment, then said, "Excuse my bluntness, but the authority you have given to that person is a bit too great."

Doumu, however, didn't take it to heart and laughed:
"As long as the Investiture of the Gods remains in our hands, all the 'high houses' built on the foundation of the Investiture of the Gods will not be a threat."

"Once Ji Shizun gets used to the benefits brought by this Buddhist kingdom, he will have no chance of betraying the Heavenly Court in the future. Everything he does will be tied to the Heavenly Court."

The Star Lord said quietly, "Your Ji Shizun sent word that the Nether Lord's position has disappeared. What are you planning to do?"

Doumu squinted and said, "There is indeed something strange about this matter. It may not be that Ji Jingqiu deliberately concealed it."

The Star Lord remained noncommittal; he had no idea that Doumu's trust in this person had reached such a level!

(End of this chapter)