Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 524 A Thousand Prayers, A Thousand Answers; Even in the Sea of ​​Suffering, a Boat Will Be Used to Ferry People Away.

As his divine status from the Investiture of the Gods was stripped away, Ji Jingqiu inevitably felt a sense of weakness.

But what followed was an unprecedented sense of freedom.

It's like being trapped in a cage for a long time, only to finally break free one day!

Although he had previously reached the pinnacle of true sainthood through divine attainment, he had also received various offerings as a Buddha, taking another step forward.

However, the former originated from the Investiture of the Gods, which is tantamount to achieving enlightenment by relying on external forces, and is fraught with hidden dangers, which is not what he seeks;
The latter is a constant struggle against the erosion of the Great Dao, especially after declaring war on Doumu. It is more like a struggle for the Dao than an attainment of the Dao, or even a torment.

Now, all his external forces and shackles have gone with Hela.

Looking at Hela, who was holding him in her arms and soaring straight up the road, Ji Jingqiu suppressed his chaotic thoughts.

He saw the Four Guardian Stars and the truth behind certain arrangements from Hela herself.

The "divine form" that emerged from his temple was an important cornerstone that propelled Hela towards transcendence, but it was not the whole story.

Among the four guardian stars, the reason why the Heart Monkey left behind by the Wood Master disappeared was to fulfill Hela's wish, just like the Buddha's act of cutting off his own flesh to feed the eagle. Wu Zhou also fulfilled Hela's wish, laying the foundation for Hela to break through and transcend.

But for Hela, who lives in the sea of ​​suffering, to achieve transcendence, there is still a crucial step missing: "jumping out of the sea of ​​suffering."

This step is the only way to reach the other shore.

“Right here,” Ji Jingqiu suddenly said.

Hela stopped, having now reached the top of the True Spirit Heavenly Staircase.

"How are you?" Hela asked with concern.

"My cultivation level has dropped, but that's not a problem."

Without the blessing of the Investiture of the Gods, his cultivation level dropped, but his insights into the Great Dao and his experiences of heaven and earth during this period will not disappear.

Returning to true sainthood is only a matter of time and accumulation.

But with the decisive battle against the Heavenly Court imminent, time is what he lacks most, and he may need to resort to some unconventional methods.

"Who asked about your martial arts realm? No matter how high that is, it can't surpass mine!" Hela said with piercing eyes. "I'm asking about the Other Shore! How long can you hold back this True Spirit Heavenly Rank?"

Ji Jingqiu's lips twitched as he said, "Haven't you already reached the other shore? What does this have to do with you?"

"This Dharma Protector has only jumped out of the sea of ​​suffering and has seen your other shore. Strictly speaking, I have not yet seen my own other shore."

Hela said earnestly,
"But by forcibly holding onto the True Spirit Heavenly Rank and preventing it from dissipating, causing the Immortal Dao of True Spirit to fall into this place, I, the protector, have actually glimpsed the possibility of my own True Spirit returning to oneness! In addition to the Dao's feedback from my breakthrough and transcendence, I am becoming stronger every moment because of this!"

According to the agreement reached between Mushi and Hela, Hela, who has transcended the meditative state, is now the chief protector of the Buddha's lineage.

Ji Jingqiu understood that Hela, as the only one in the world who had transcended worldly constraints, was the closest person to the Dao.

Now that the True Spirit Immortal Dao has fallen into the Boundary Sea, it has caused turmoil in the Boundary Sea's Heaven and Earth Dao, with Hela bearing the brunt.

“You don’t have time to comprehend the True Spirit Immortal Dao.” Ji Jingqiu shook his head. “Doumu won’t stand by and watch me continue. You should go and deal with her.”

At this point, the battle against the Heavenly Court was on equal footing, and it had only just begun.

Hela sneered, "Don't worry, I'll treat her well!"

"Be careful! Even if you have already reached the Transcendent Realm, you must not be careless!" Ji Jingqiu said in a deep voice. "Doumu most likely has methods that rival those of a Transcendent Realm cultivator, and at this level, she possesses combat experience far exceeding yours!"

Hela nodded slightly: "Rest assured, I, the protector, know what I'm doing."

"Do you know?" Ji Jingqiu was still a little uneasy.

The stereotype left by a certain foolish woman in the past was too deep, and even now that he has transformed himself and transcended worldly concerns, it is difficult to change.

Clearly seeing the suspicion in Ji Jingqiu's eyes, and perhaps even sensing what Ji Jingqiu was thinking, La Jiang snorted coldly, dropped Ji Jingqiu from her arms, and re-entered the Boundary Sea.

Ji Jingqiu didn't pay any attention, and sat down cross-legged, but his body was falling endlessly.

The True Spirit Heavenly Staircase, which had been gradually becoming illusory and seemed to be about to disappear, stabilized again as he fell!
He had no time to concern himself with the duel between Hela and Doumu. The most important thing at the moment was to further solidify the True Spirit Heavenly Rank and allow the True Spirit Immortal Dao to truly settle in the Boundary Sea.

Just as Hela said, he completely abandoned his own other shore, but found another ferryboat adrift on the sea of ​​suffering. His spiritual practice entered an incredible realm, surpassing all living beings in this world.

Life is like a sea of ​​suffering. He no longer clings to or seeks to escape this sea of ​​suffering, but instead seeks his true self within it, using the salvation of others to save himself.

At this point.

Ji Jingqiu once again felt the spontaneous resonance and echo from the Nether Sea and the Sea of ​​Bitterness.

So clear, so intense.

He suddenly realized something.

At this time.

On the Bodhi tree, one fruit grew increasingly plump, while another, already full, teetered on the brink of falling and eventually gently touched the ground.

The former is the Dao Fruit of "Unfettered Actions," while the one that fell to the ground is the Dao Fruit of "Fire House and Buddha Prison."

It had already taken true shape, gradually perfected over the years, and now, with Ji Jingqiu's heart, it broke through the shackles and barriers, taking root here, representing that Ji Jingqiu had completely surpassed his predecessors!

The Dao Fruit landed, but instead of being planted on Mount Wuwang in the inner universe, it rolled down to the confluence of the Bitter Sea and the Nether Sea below.

In the blink of an eye, a towering tree stood tall, its roots extending deep into the ocean.

It shares some similarities with the Bodhi tree, but seems to have evolved from it, with a hazy blue light, drawing water from the sea of ​​suffering and the sea of ​​darkness, and growing many branches.

Every branch exudes the feeling of a real universe, and every leaf is hazy and misty, as if it contains infinite possibilities!
It stands silently, its deep and secluded trunk seemingly burning at all times, radiating pure white light that illuminates everything within its inner universe.

That was the light of wisdom, the true light of boundless wisdom. It seemed to be only a single ray, yet it conveyed boundless meaning, covering all the universes, so heavy that it seemed to be the very essence of all the minds that gave birth to all things at the beginning of the universe!
It can illuminate all dharmas, and also the boundless, reaching straight to the other shore!

At that moment, the ever-growing Great Tree suddenly stopped and sent a longing message toward Ji Jingqiu.

"So this is... the strongest in the end times." Ji Jingqiu murmured.

Feeling the echo from the same sea of ​​darkness and sea of ​​suffering, he no longer hesitated, and with a flick of his sleeve, he threw out a relic that pierced through the boundless void and landed in the Buddha's land.

From the moment he embarked on the path of martial arts, he heard that the ancestor of the Mu family had connected the inner world with the sea of ​​the mind, and single-handedly shouldered the burden of the sea of ​​suffering.

today.

As the Buddha of this world, he too must weigh the weight of this sea of ​​suffering.

In an instant, a channel of resonance was truly established, and Ji Jingqiu invited "you" into the trap, as the sound of the surging tide rose.

The waters of the Nether Sea and the Bitter Sea surged into the inner universe at the same time, transforming into two streams, one representing the past and the other the future. They formed a small and incomplete river of time, shimmering with light, and faintly revealing an aura similar to that of the Mother River!
At that moment, it was as if two channels had been opened in the sky, and the waters of the real Nether Sea and the Bitter Sea flowed endlessly into this world, the sound of the tides rolling like thunder.

The Tree of the Great Way throbbed and took root in the waters of the two seas, beginning to take root and sprout further.

As the sea of ​​bitterness and the sea of ​​darkness merged, a heavy feeling gradually spread from the heart to the body.

It was this heaviness that held back the True Spirit Heavenly Rank, which had been trying to detach itself from this world.

It was as if Ji Jingqiu's body was the medium, and the weight of the sea of ​​suffering brought the ethereal and unattainable True Spirit Heavenly Rank to the mortal world.

A thousand prayers are answered; even in the sea of ​​suffering, a boat is used to ferry people across.

“It’s still a bit short…” Ji Jingqiu murmured.

With his current spiritual cultivation, he is fully capable of supporting the weight of the Nether Sea and the Sea of ​​Suffering for a short period of time, ensuring that he does not fall into them.

However, what is lacking for one to fully align with the Dao is the cultivation of Dao and the power of Dao.

……

"madman!"

Doumu suddenly stopped in the Sea of ​​Great Void, her expression twisted.

She vaguely understood what Ji Jingqiu was doing. This man had somehow started to worship a god in his heart, and it was not his own "god," but an external god!

Isn't he at all afraid of being usurped?!

Now, this god in her heart has broken free from all barriers and shackles, stepping on his "other shore" and ascending to the true spiritual heaven she has longed for!
At this moment, Doumu noticed something unusual.

Why did the Heavenly Staircase remain standing even after this lucky female deity ascended to the True Spirit Heavenly Staircase?
Doumu's pupils constricted as she witnessed something unbelievable.

The True Spirit Heavenly Rank, perched high above the infinite world, seemed to have been forcibly dragged to this realm!
The True Spirit Heavenly Staircase remains intact, like a path to heaven, clearly appearing before the eyes of the world, allowing all spirits who originally did not know where the other shore was to clearly find the direction to move forward and see where the other shore is.

If this continues, all living beings in this world will be born close to the other shore!
Even if it doesn't reach the beginning of time when all spirits were on the other side, it is still an unimaginable overall elevation!

Most importantly, the True Spirit Immortal Path will truly spread throughout this world, creating a path to heaven!
The one who started all of this seems to be... Ji Jingqiu! But before she could investigate further, a deadly pressure had already locked onto her.

It's that newly transcendent one!
Doumu suddenly realized something.

Ji Jingqiu relinquished his position as Buddha, giving it to that lucky woman. Will the oppression of the Investiture of the Gods also be transferred to this newly transcendent being?
Logically speaking, even those who transcend would find it difficult to resist the constraints of the Investiture of the Gods, as this object represents the most fundamental Dao of Heaven and Earth in this Boundary Sea!
Doumu suddenly looked toward the location of the Buddhist Kingdom.

As the deity from Ji Jingqiu's inner temple emerged, merging with Hela and attaining divine status, this Buddhist kingdom was like having its most important foundation stone removed, after which it began to collapse in a chain reaction.

But at this moment, a golden relic pierced through the void and fell into the central Buddhist kingdom, taking root in the place where Ji Jingqiu used to sit cross-legged. The Buddhist kingdom, which had been gradually losing its luster, suddenly shone brightly and was tinged with a pale gold color.

The withered Bodhi tree continued to sprout new branches and leaves, growing ever more lush. Golden Bodhi flowers bloomed brilliantly, radiating vitality. Everything returned to its former glory, and flourished even more magnificently.
From the soil where the relic was embedded, a seed sprouted and blossomed into a golden lotus flower, its petals pure white, exuding a profound Zen-like tranquility, pure and refined, transcending worldly concerns.

The aura of life and death flowed, transforming into a black and white lotus seed.

As the lotus seeds fell, a gushing spring gushed forth, from which emerged a golden Buddha, a swastika of azure color gathered between his brows.

He clasped his hands together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and sat in the spot where the Buddha had once sat. His breath was perfect and flawless, full of redemption. Behind his head, layers of Buddhist light shone, each layer a world unto itself.

He took the place of the Buddha, sitting in the center of the Buddhist kingdom, with a compassionate expression and eyes full of pity.

He was once Ksitigarbha, and also the supreme true Buddha that Ji Jingqiu had slain.

But from this day forward, He is Ji Jingqiu's Dharma body, born from the aggregation of all dharmas, representing the Buddha Dharma in Ji Jingqiu's heart, and also the Buddha that exists in everyone's heart.

At this moment, He formed a mudra with His hands, and a wisp of spiritual light ignited in His palms, like a great sun illuminating the hearts of all beings in the heavens. The light of wisdom filled the heavens and the earth, permeating everything, making everything hazy and dreamlike.

The grand and solemn voice of the vow resounded throughout the heavens and the ocean, causing golden divine flowers to bloom, resonating with the Buddha's vow, and eradicating the sins of all beings.

That is neither the golden lotus nor the Brahma, but the other shore.

Flowers bloom on the other shore!

"From this day forward, for countless eons, in every world, in every hell and in the three evil realms, I vow to deliver all sentient beings suffering from sin and to liberate them from hell, the evil realms, the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, and so on. May all such beings, who have suffered such karmic retribution, attain Buddhahood..."

"From this day forward, all beings in the four realms and six paths will be answered if they feel gratitude; all requests in the three realms and ten directions will be granted."

……

When that grand aspiration reached my ears
Doumu Yuanjun's breathing became heavy for a moment, and her face was covered with frost.

She once "warned" Ji Jingqiu that even the real Buddha Shakyamuni would not dare to respond to any living being in the world.

But this grand ambition at this moment felt like a resounding slap across her face.

"Insanity!"

Doumu Yuanjun coldly rebuked,

"It's easy to make grand wishes, but difficult to put them into practice. Let's see how long you can keep granting every request!"

"Issue the order! Accelerate the 'divine punishment' on all realms! Isn't he supposed to grant every request? I'd like to see whether he can save us faster or I can destroy us faster!"

Doumu immediately issued an order to notify all departments of the Heavenly Court to use swift and decisive measures to completely suppress Ji Jingqiu.

at the same time.

Doumu then turned around and headed straight for the Netherworld!

That newly transcendent being has already set his sights on her.

As someone who was once born a saint, Doumu was confident that she understood the mysteries and secrets of this realm far better than this newcomer.

Even if her opponent's current cultivation level is higher than hers, and they have the blessing of the Investiture of the Gods, she still has a greater chance of winning than losing.

However, after realizing that Ji Jingqiu had been in contact with that person and witnessing Ji Jingqiu break free from the control of the Investiture of the Gods, Doumu felt a sense of crisis and no longer fully trusted the Investiture of the Gods.

External things are external things after all.

So she went straight to the Netherworld and, before Hela returned to the human world, arrived before the four guardian stars of the Netherworld. She made a bold move to break the seal of the Sea of ​​Bitterness before her and obtain the position of Netherworld Lord!
Zhang Tiancheng, who had come to the Netherworld with Doumu earlier, was looking excited as he waited outside the gate.

The situation had been changing rapidly, and he was still unable to see it clearly with his current level of understanding. However, he knew that the situation seemed to have been reversed. The person who had achieved transcendence seemed to be Hela, one of the four demons!
The thought that Hela had already been captured by the Federation made Zhang Tiancheng's heart sink.

The appearance of Doumu at this moment rekindled hope in Zhang Tiancheng's heart.

Once he attains the status of a Netherworld Master, he too can achieve transcendence!
"boom!"

Doumu Yuanjun's all-out attack at this moment not only destroyed the defense of the four guardian stars, but also brought the entire universe to the brink of destruction in an instant. This has exceeded the destructive power of the True Saint level!
The layers of barriers collapsed, revealing the Eye of the Bitter Sea behind it, with the boundless, clear sea tide sweeping across the sky and the earth.

Doumu's expression was cold.

At this moment, it wouldn't matter if all the beings in this world were to perish with us.

"Huh?!" Doumu suddenly realized something was wrong.

The seal of the Four Guardian Stars has been broken, and the last obstacle preventing the Sea of ​​Bitterness from descending into this world has disappeared, so why... not a single drop of water from the Sea of ​​Bitterness has been spilled?!

It is as vast as the ocean, boundless and limitless, yet not a single drop of its bitter water falls into the human world.

But Doumu had no time to investigate; she immediately imprisoned Zhang Tiancheng.
"Where is the Lord of the Underworld's position?"

In the face of life and death, Zhang Tiancheng disregarded everything and revealed the Taoist techniques that Master You had personally taught him, which quickly resonated with the depths of the Sea of ​​Suffering.

Deep within the sea of ​​suffering, a dark Dao fruit floats, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden, as if it does not fully exist in the world. It is supported by a wisp of its own spiritual light so as not to fall. It is in the sea of ​​suffering, yet it illuminates all the heavens.

"At this!"

Doumu's gaze was deep, and she immediately summoned Zhang Tiancheng to attract the Netherworld Lord's position.

Zhang Tiancheng was also looking forward to the arrival of this Dao Fruit, intending to launch a counterattack at the crucial moment. This was his, and even the Netherworld's, last chance!

The Dao Fruit floated leisurely, seemingly drawn by some great Dao, causing the two to feel either heavy-hearted or expectant.

But the next moment, the Dao Fruit suddenly sank into the depths of the Sea of ​​Bitterness, its whereabouts unknown.

"waste!"

Doumu suddenly dropped Zhang Tiancheng from her grasp, her eyes filled with disgust.

She had already sensed that deep within the sea of ​​suffering, a passage had appeared, its destination unknown.

It was this passage that prevented the Sea of ​​Suffering from rioting, even after its seal was broken, because it had found its "place of refuge".

Zhang Tiancheng trembled all over; all his perseverance, all his expectations, were shattered in this moment.

Master You, why... why wasn't it me?!
……

Following the waters of the Bitter Sea, a dark, swirling, and chaotic Dao Fruit hung above Ji Jingqiu's head, dangling Dao power at the peak of the ninth rank.

The source of this power was all too familiar to Ji Jingqiu—

Master He!

Ji Jingqiu took a deep breath. He didn't trust the power of the Investiture of the Gods, but could he not trust Master He's power either?
However, the Dao Fruit ultimately landed not on Ji Jingqiu, but rather on a certain spot in the void beside Ji Jingqiu.

Ji Jingqiu drew Qingzhu from the void.

The fragment of [Xuan Yi] that he had once collected into Qing Zhu now comes back to life and spirit, like an immortal sword soul resurrected and transformed into a vast stream of time, plunging into Qing Zhu.

this moment.

Holding the Azure Lord, Ji Jingqiu seemed to sit outside of time and fate, his entire being resembling a constant, unchanging, and unyielding "otherworld".

As Ji Jingqiu himself said.

He is—the other shore!
At this moment, Ji Jingqiu drew his sword, the curve of which resembled the other shore at the end of the sea of ​​suffering, capable of encompassing all things in heaven and earth, and also able to bear the weight of the sea of ​​suffering!

The blade flashed across the boundless sea of ​​suffering, suppressing the last ripple and bringing tranquility back to the sea.

As the Sea of ​​Suffering fell completely silent, the Dark Sea, which had been waiting for a long time, was eager to push this World Honored One to the place he should be.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu officially began to merge with the two vast oceans that symbolize the way of all living beings.

The most direct manifestation of this is that the True Spirit Heavenly Rank, which he forcibly dragged here, has become more and more real, residing in the very center of this Boundary Sea, as if it is about to become a real boundary pillar that reaches the heavens and the earth!
……

Ji Jingqiu's gaze was calm and deep as he looked into the depths of the omnipresent Mother River.

Fellow Daoist, I have won this debate.

(End of this chapter)