Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 517 The True Self, Entering the Buddhist Kingdom

Doumu did not explain much to the Star Lord.

She did trust Ji Jingqiu, but not Ji Jingqiu himself; rather, she trusted the power itself.

Ji Jingqiu has no possibility of betraying the Heavenly Court now, unless he is willing to give up everything he has.

But if he gives up everything he has now, what could Ji Jingqiu possibly betray the Heavenly Court for?
"Unfortunately, you are still too kind."

The Star Lord said calmly,
“If you are ruthless and force him, he might risk merging with the Nether Sea and try to break free from the control of the Investiture of the Gods. In that case, the Nether Sea will return to the control of the Heavenly Court, and we will have another trump card.”

"As it stands, Di Yi's advice has worked. Even if he doesn't completely trust Di Yi, he's become more vigilant."

"No need," Doumu said dismissively. "I don't have time to deal with the Nether Sea. The return of those True Ones from later generations is within a thousand years. Besides, once Ji Jingqiu truly submits, the Nether Sea will naturally belong to us."

The Star Lord calmly said, "If you can merge the Nether Sea into the Investiture of the Gods, you might have unexpected gains."

Doumu paused slightly, seemingly tempted, but ultimately shook his head: "It's too risky. If we're not careful, the Nether Sea could turn into the Sea of ​​Bitterness."

"Even if you fall into a sea of ​​suffering, isn't there still this World Honored One Ji to bail you out?" the Star Lord countered.

Doumu suddenly said, "Go there yourself and see if you can sneak into the Netherworld. I want to know if Mu Shitian and He Donghuang are dead or have disappeared."

The Star Lord's gaze sharpened: "What are you doubting, or what did you see? Are two beings from later generations who haven't even attained the Transcendent Realm and are already half-dead, really worth our attention?"

Doumu coldly said, "Go when I tell you to. Don't underestimate these two. I have specifically reviewed the flow of time in the Netherworld over the years. Although these two are beings from later generations, they may be the only two in later generations to have glimpsed the other shore."

The Star Lord smirked: "You believe such rumors? If you can reach the other shore after cultivating for hundreds of years, then what is the meaning of our lives? Just to eat and wait to die?"

Doumu shook her head and said, "This matter may be related to the schemes of the Lord of the Underworld, and it may not be false. Among those who returned to the true world in later generations, the Lord of the Underworld is the most unpredictable."

When the topic turned to the Lord of the Underworld, Doumu rarely showed such a solemn expression:

"His ability to find the Land of Return to Truth on his own, snatch food from the jaws of those people, and seize a core piece of land, demonstrates his extraordinary skill! I suspect that before the Lord of the Netherworld went to the Land of Return to Truth, he had already glimpsed the other shore!"

"The best thing I ever did was to guide all the ancestors to hunt him down. Otherwise, if he had truly digested what he gained from returning to the true nature of the land and established himself firmly, he might have become the leader of all the ancestors in the future, another 'Heavenly Emperor'!"

The Star Lord suddenly said, "It seems that the Realm of Returning to Truth that the Lord of the Netherworld seized has now fallen into the hands of the World Honored One Ji?"

Doumu nodded: "I've checked it. That fragment of the Returning to Truth Land has been completely refined into a Dao Foundation by Ji Shizun. The cost of separating it would be too great."

The Star Lord looked at him strangely and said, "The Nether Sea, the fragments of the Returning to Truth Land... Ji Jingqiu is involved with so many 'strange things,' are you really willing to give them up?"

Doumu glanced at him: "You were once a True Person, and you will one of the Five Emperors and the Ancestor of the Divine Path in the future. Why do you still care about these external things? As long as Ji Jingqiu is still in the Heavenly Court, these things are the same to me whether they are on him or on you."

The Star Lord nodded, a hint of mockery appearing in his usually calm eyes.

In other words, as long as Ji Jingqiu betrays the Heavenly Court, Doumu will take action and retrieve these divine objects.
As the serene Buddhist kingdom before him grew ever more vast and magnificent, until it was completely finalized and its growth rate became almost imperceptible, the Star Lord finally spoke:

"That's it, this is the limit."

"Next, I will send people to promote Buddhism in the other realms."

Doumu nodded and said, "Then select sixty deities from the Heavenly Court to enter the Buddhist system and serve as Arhats and Bodhisattvas to share the burden of vows and incense offerings for Ji Jingqiu."

Upon hearing this, the Star Lord became interested. It seemed that Doumu didn't trust Ji Jingqiu that much. The transfer of sixty Heavenly Court deities to Buddhism to assume important positions was an attempt to separate power and maintain checks and balances.

He had originally planned to wait for Ji Jingqiu to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of incense offerings and prayers, forcing him to seek help from the Heavenly Court.

But now that Doumu is willing to share power, he will place his own people in charge and let Ji Jingqiu go for the time being.

of course.

Before that, he would make Ji Jingqiu understand that without the Heavenly Court, he was nothing.

Just as the Star Lord had made up his mind, he suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp, locking onto the endless void beyond, his face stern, and finally he coldly said:

"What a trick!"

……

……

"We humbly beseech Brahma Tathagata to return to his position, to establish the pure and blissful Buddha-land, so that all sentient beings may be freed from fear, escape the suffering of the five defilements of this evil world, and attain the ultimate bliss of Nirvana; to break through the net of ignorance and darkness, and enter the ocean of Prajna wisdom. May all sentient beings ascend to the Pure Land together and attain Bodhi together..."

The chanting of Buddhist scriptures continued endlessly, vast and melodious. Countless beings were burning incense and reciting sutras, and the sound reached Ji Jingqiu's ears through the power of their faith and prayers.

At first, he was able to control himself and not be disturbed by the numerous prayers. He had some experience with the example of the Supreme Buddha before.

But gradually, as the prayers became more numerous and chaotic, his mind also became confused.

Ji Jingqiu's expression turned slightly unpleasant; this Doumu had indeed studied the scriptures of the World Honored One's lineage.

Brahma is the creator of the world.

Brahma Tathagata is the Buddha who created the world.

The prayers just now were probably sermons prepared by the Heavenly Court, who identified him as Brahma Tathagata. This is why believers earnestly requested him to create a pure and blissful world for all beings, guiding them to enjoy great bliss, purity, and freedom.

Ji Jingqiu's aura suddenly surged outwards, as if it had gone out of control!
next moment.

His mind sits at an infinitely high place, a point of true spirit hangs high, returning to a state of clarity.

With his current mindset and will, he almost lost his focus just now amidst the prayers of all beings, and directly responded to their call to become the Brahma Buddha.

Actively attaining enlightenment and responding to the call of sentient beings to attain enlightenment are two completely different concepts.

If it is the latter, even if he attains Buddhahood later, there is a very high probability that, like the divine system of the Federation, he will be greatly influenced by the faith and aspirations of sentient beings, until he gradually descends into a state of ignorance.

Ji Jingqiu sat cross-legged again and quietly activated one of his innate divine abilities, the True Self.

Throughout his cultivation journey, this supernatural power, which requires no active practice from him but passively enhances his true self in a gradual and continuous manner, has been refined and deduced by him over the years.

He combined this supernatural power with the "Eternal Freedom Form," emphasizing the uniqueness of the true spirit, which remains high and unyielding, thereby further enhancing his own true self.

Now, the third level of [Xing Wuji] is almost completely different from the original. If the Patriarch Shouzhen were here, he might not even recognize this supernatural power.

As his true self operates, the endless chanting of sacred prayers is like a world away, making it difficult to shake his mind or pull him into the sea of ​​worldly karma.

Ji Jingqiu then slowly exhaled and reopened his eyes.

"The path of faith, vows, and incense offerings is the easiest method to achieve 'quick success' among all the heavenly lineages."

Hela's voice rang in my ears, telling the story in a gentle and soothing tone.
"But this path is also the least free."

“A deity like you, who suddenly rises to prominence and soars to the heavens, is deeply entangled with the worshippers at the bottom of society, and is therefore very easily influenced.”

"Do you still remember the Divine Path of your Federation? The reason we regard this path as an evil path is because those few Divine Lords and Divine Sovereigns are too deeply involved with the power of faith and will of all living beings, and their core divine power has been obscured."

"Your primary task right now is to ensure the purity of your divine power and spiritual attainment, and to prevent it from being tainted or corrupted by faith, prayer, incense, or other offerings."

Ji Jingqiu still believed Hela to some extent.

After all, this woman herself entered into an unconventional and incomplete path of transcendence through the path of divinity.

However, how difficult it is to ensure that one's own divine power core remains uncontaminated.
If he hadn't recently gained some insights and inspiration regarding his "true self," the mere clash of faith and incense offerings just now would have been enough to completely lead him to the path of the gods, with no turning back!
However, the pursuit of the "True Self" can only be postponed. As the Heavenly Court spreads its teachings, this faith and aspiration will only grow stronger!

“Simply rejecting and running away will never solve anything. I suggest you seriously try to be the Buddha.”

Hela not only did not advise Ji Jingqiu to escape, but instead encouraged him to take over the divine position.

"Since you're here, you might as well make the best of it. Doumu dared to offer you the position of Buddha, and you, Ji Jingqiu, dare not accept it?" Hela sneered. "We can both guess what Doumu is planning. It's hard to say who will win or lose!"

Ji Jingqiu slowly rose, and for the first time in many years, he left the river of time and destiny and stepped into the vast universe.

He stood still in the vast universe for a moment, then took another step and left the vast universe, heading beyond the Netherworld.

At the entrance to the Netherworld, Mu Jiuzhou was still gazing into the distance. This Buddha light came from afar, piercing through the boundless void, yet it was still so vast. It was hard to imagine how profound and powerful the source of this Buddha light must be!
"Lord Ji?!" Mu Jiuzhou turned around, and the guardian deity also awoke, witnessing Ji Jingqiu voluntarily enter the Boundary Sea and receive the Buddha's light into his body.

Leaving the Netherworld and standing in the Boundary Sea, Ji Jingqiu felt more clearly the billions, even countless, of believers who belonged to him, far beyond the boundless ocean!
As long as he is willing... no, whether he is willing or not now, he is destined to become the Buddha revered by these endless believers!
But what will Buddha himself bring to these believers?
A phantom image of a pure and blissful Buddhist paradise was projected before him.

Ji Jingqiu narrowed his eyes, discerning the true nature of this Buddhist kingdom.

Is this the Heavenly Court's "Investiture of the Gods" method?
This is a method that almost reverses cause and effect!
Before his thoughts could even fully form, Ji Jingqiu had already walked towards the illusory Buddhist kingdom, much to Mu Jiuzhou's astonishment.

Hela is right.

Doumu dared to give it, but Ji Jingqiu dared not accept it?

The thought arises.

Beneath the endless dark sea, a Bodhi tree, which had been in a state of withering and flourishing for many years and had long awaited the World Honored One, rustled and moved, echoing the Bodhi tree in Ji Jingqiu's inner universe!

Above Mu Jiuzhou's head, the guardian deity sighed, "The World Honored One's return to his position, it is hard to say whether it is a blessing or a curse."

Just now.

Suddenly, boundless light burst forth from the boundary sea, as if someone had attained enlightenment and transcended the world. The clear, luminous light surged forth, engulfing heaven and earth.

Ji Jingqiu stepped through the Boundary Sea, each step a golden lotus, and entered the illusory Buddhist Kingdom. Behind him, a towering tree had risen up without anyone noticing. Its entire body was crystal clear, with both withered and flourishing parts, shimmering like glass, and radiating purity.

At this moment—

In the several missionary realms under the rule of the Heavenly Court, countless believers saw a Bodhi tree that connected heaven and earth, scattering crystal light in all directions, and below it appeared a Buddha who pointed to the heavens and touched the earth, neither defiled nor pure.

"I am the only one in heaven and under heaven."

The resounding voice, locked in by this faith and aspiration, spread to the ears of countless believers. At the same time, the Bodhi tree radiated a clear, luminous light, illuminating the hearts of all beings, conveying a profound and timeless Zen-like tranquility.

In that instant, many Buddhist believers were captivated, captivated by the Dharma, captivated by the sudden awakening of the "I am the only one who is supreme"!

The "I" here is not Ji Jingqiu's powerful self that makes mortals unable to look directly at him, but the "I" of all living beings!

The Heavenly Court wanted to rule its many subordinate realms with Buddhism, and Ji Jingqiu also wanted to take this opportunity to spread the true Dharma.

It is not written down, but transmitted outside of the established doctrines.

It directly points to the human heart, leading to enlightenment and Buddhahood.

……

heaven.

"What kind of method is this?!"

The Star Lord's pupils shrank sharply. He had originally intended to control Ji Jingqiu, but the methods this person was currently displaying were beyond his comprehension!
The Bodhi tree, having just entered the Buddhist realm, instantly usurped the throne, transforming itself into a part of the Great Dao's laws, maintaining the operation of the Great Dao here. It was omnipresent, inseparable, and forcibly seized some of their authority within Buddhism!

Such methods are truly terrifying!
Strictly speaking, they were able to establish complete control over Buddhism by basing their actions on the Investiture of the Gods.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu can be said to be vying for authority with the Investiture of the Gods!
Doumu gazed at the withered yet flourishing Bodhi tree radiating a clear, glassy light, and after a long while, she smiled faintly:

"Interesting, as expected of the World Honored One I value in this lifetime."

The Star Lord suddenly looked at Doumu, wanting to ask if she understood the true meaning behind this scene!

This means that Ji Jingqiu may possess the seed of power to rival the Investiture of the Gods!
Even though it is far from being able to compete with the Investiture of the Gods right now, its ambition lies in the future!

Doumu said calmly, "Wei, with the Buddhist Kingdom ruling over its subordinate realms and gathering the incense and prayers of all living beings, the Investiture of the Gods' blessing on the gods should be further enhanced. In the next battle, you have no reason to lose."

The Star Lord remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Even without the Buddhist Kingdom, we will not lose this battle!"

"Alright." Doumu nodded. "I hope the day when the Heavenly Court once again stands atop the Boundary Sea will come soon."

……

……

Beyond the Azure Sea Realm.

"What kind of trick is this from the Heavenly Court?"

A man in blue robes scrutinized the illusory image of the Buddhist kingdom blocking his way.

Behind him stood more than a dozen True Saints from various schools.

The Heavenly Court and various other sects have been at war for nearly a century.

During this period, in addition to the endless stream of dead gods and star officials, some truly high-ranking deities gradually emerged in the Heavenly Court.

Each of these deities possesses unparalleled strength, and their supernatural abilities and even killing power are incomparable to those of divine generals.

They are the pillars that hold back the powerful forces of the Heavenly Court.

Although such high-ranking deities can be resurrected after death, the time it takes them to return to the battlefield is more than ten times that of other deities.

Meanwhile, each faction also saw the emergence of a number of supreme experts who reigned supreme in the realm of True Saints during this war.

Ignore rank and paper strength, only look at pure battle record.

Among them, the Heavenly Prison Palace, as the leader of all factions, produced three supreme experts.

At this moment, the man in blue robes at the head of the group is Qu Liushui from the Heavenly Prison Palace. He has a top-notch record of slaying two high-ranking gods of the Heavenly Court with his sword.

The Canghai Realm before him had become a subordinate realm of the Heavenly Court thirty years ago.

The current allied forces unanimously believe that in order to completely defeat the Heavenly Court, they must first solve the Investiture of the Gods, and in order to solve the Investiture of the Gods, they must cut off its incense offerings and deprive it of its source of worship.

By destroying all the realms under the Heavenly Court's jurisdiction one by one, and depriving the Heavenly Court of its source of faith and incense offerings, the Heavenly Court's strength can be weakened step by step!

Qu Liushui led thirteen True Saints to infiltrate this place as the vanguard of the allied forces, to test the Heavenly Court's defensive strength and attempt to break through the boundary.

"Could this be a defensive formation of the Heavenly Court?"

Behind Qu Liushui, an old man said uncertainly.

Another woman frowned and said, "Fellow Daoist Qu, do you really intend to directly destroy the core of this realm? Countless lives will perish, and we will commit unimaginable atrocities—"

Before Qu Liushui could answer, another young True Saint said in a detached tone, "Fellow Daoist Piaomiao, do not be merciful. The beings of this realm have already committed a capital offense by assisting the Heavenly Court in wreaking havoc in the Realm Sea. Now is not the time for womanly compassion."

The ethereal True Saint remained silent.

"I'll test the Heavenly Court's methods." Qu Liushui's expression was cold, and killing intent gathered in his eyes.

Suddenly, he took a step forward, flicked his sleeve, and drew his sword. At first, the light was faint, but in the blink of an eye, it swept across the Buddhist kingdom. A sword cry resounded in all directions, and the sword intent suddenly rose, showing its domineering and unparalleled power!
The sword light struck the illusory Buddhist kingdom, stirring up vast illusory ripples. For a moment, the Buddhist kingdom teetered on the brink of collapse, causing widespread panic in the realm below.

"That's all."

Qu Liushui said calmly, his sleeves billowing as if in the wind, revealing an unruly dragon trapped within. This dragon was released at this moment, its sword intent soaring into the sky. The pure blue sword light, carrying an extremely fierce aura, swept across the heavens and earth, its killing intent chilling!
This sword strike further shook the already crumbling Buddhist kingdom, yet it still failed to breach it.

Qu Liushui's gaze sharpened, and he reached out from his sleeve, unleashing a series of vast and pure cyan sword lights, fierce and soaring into the sky, like a sea of ​​swords!
This time, everyone's pupils contracted. Under Fellow Daoist Qu's all-out attack, the illusory Buddhist kingdom blocking the Canghai Realm was like a lone boat in a storm, swaying precariously but never capsizing, protecting the Canghai Realm behind it.

That sword light, capable of slaying high-ranking deities, was utterly useless against this illusory Buddhist kingdom!

Qu Liushui's aura gradually surged, revealing his whereabouts and triggering the celestial generals to descend from the sky.

He ignored everything else, his gaze fixed on the front, where sword light surged and condensed into a lake, mysterious and profound, seemingly connected to somewhere. The lake of sword light slowly overflowed, and endless sword light engulfed the heavens and earth, instantly killing the two descending divine generals and rushing straight towards the Buddhist kingdom!
As the sea of ​​sword light dissipated and the sword shadows faded, Qu Liushui turned and left.

The saints gazed at the still intact Buddhist kingdom, their hearts heavy. At this moment, the question was no longer whether the method of breaking the boundary would cause a great massacre, but how to break the boundary!

(End of this chapter)