The immortal is beside me

Chapter 89: The Three Departments Gathered, the Battle between Immortals and Buddhas

Liangzhou, meeting room of the Environmental Sanitation Bureau branch.

There aren't many people sitting in the conference room today, but each one of them is a heavyweight.

Sitting at the front were the leaders of the three major supernatural units: the Environmental Sanitation Bureau, the Tianji Academy, and the Supernatural Research Institute. Looking further back, there were representatives of official monks, the security system, and even the religious/religious management system, etc. Almost all the official forces related to the supernatural were gathered together, and the lineup could be described as luxurious.

"Regarding the Buddhist matter, the Jiuli Sect has already responded, stating that they will soon be attending a meeting with the Immortals and Buddhas. Please refrain from interfering."

Sitting on the main seat, Lu Zhenhai put down the Feixin paper in his hand and looked at the people in front of him with a complicated expression: "What do you think?"

Looking down at the audience, everyone's expression was exactly the same as his, with deep thought written on every face.

Under normal circumstances, the fights between supernatural forces are not within the official jurisdiction.

After all, the history of most sects is several times longer than the founding of China. Against the backdrop of ever-changing history, it is possible that some forces have had old grudges hundreds of years ago.

If the relationship between various forces were drawn into a diagram, it would definitely be a huge ball of wool.

Whether as descendants or as the current managers of secular society, the government has no right to get involved in this mess of hatred.

As long as it does not interfere with social order, it is better to leave the ancestors' affairs to them.

However, the two protagonists in this fight are too special.

Buddhism, a sect with influence spanning several countries, is a huge organization that cannot be ignored in the world of cultivation.

Different from the immortal monks who are organized into various sects, the Buddhist disciples seem to be scattered, but in fact the connections between them are much closer than those between the immortal monks.

For thousands of years, conflicts between immortal sects over resources or manpower were common, but such incidents were very rare in Buddhism, especially after the ascension of Buddha Shakyamuni. Under his influence, the entire Buddhist sect was combined into a behemoth connected by the Dharma.

If the world of monks is an atomized society composed of sects, then Buddhism is a network woven by connecting every monk.

This network covers the entire world. Although there are differences in local ideas and strengths, they are all part of the big network. Even if a corner is cut off, the root cannot be damaged.

From ancient times to the present, the major dynasties in the Central Plains have carried out dozens of actions to destroy and promote Buddhism. The influence of Buddhism has risen and fallen, but has never truly disappeared.

It is also because of this that modern officials have always been extremely cautious on issues related to Buddhism. This is not only because of its ideological influence as a sect, but also because they are wary of its hidden strength. No one knows how big the iceberg under the water is.

However, this time their target was the Jiuli Sect. Considering its status as an official ally, even the capital had taken notice, leading to this meeting.

". All I can say is that at this point, there's a high probability that these two sides will have to fight."

The representative of the Super Research Institute sighed softly and said, "These two forces have fought a great war before... The hatred between them cannot be resolved with just a few words."

"In the world of cultivation, that war is known as the 'Shakya Rebellion.' Compared to the An Lushan Rebellion, it was a major upheaval rarely seen in thousands of years of history."

Due to the particularity and sensitivity of that period of history, and the fact that there is so little credible information left, even the Paranormal Research Institute, which specializes in studying extraordinary history, is unable to get a full picture.

But just by looking at the surface data, one can already feel its high intensity.

"Current data shows that during its heyday, the Jiuli Immortal Alliance had a full ten Divine Transformation cultivators, which almost included all the top powers in the Central Plains at that time."

"After the Sakya Rebellion, only four Divine Transformation cultivators remained in the alliance. Even at the top level, the losses among the lower-level cultivators are even greater."

"Of course, the losses to Buddhism were also extremely heavy."

"Although the exact number of casualties is unknown, from the late Tang Dynasty onwards, the influence of Buddhism in the Central Plains declined steadily, and its thought was gradually replaced by Neo-Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism. It did not rise again until the Mongol rule of the Yuan Dynasty."

"This is enough to show that the Buddhist forces, at least those near the Central Plains, are weakening. They have also suffered a heavy blow."

Everyone was speechless for a while, and then someone asked, "Why did they have to fight each other in the first place? Hadn't Buddhism and Taoism coexisted in the Central Plains for hundreds of years?"

"It's called coexistence, but in reality it's tolerance. In fact, as early as the Wu Zetian era, the influence of Buddhism was on the rise, but Buddhism as a sect could not be fundamentally eliminated, and the immortal sect could only turn a blind eye to it."

The representative of the Chao Research Institute said, "But by the middle of the Tang Dynasty, during the Tianbao period of Emperor Xuanzong, Buddhism, relying on the inheritance left by the Buddha, had already planned to seize the Central Plains from the perspective of faith."

"If they succeed, not only will the Immortal Alliance lose control of the Central Plains, but even the Central Plains Immortal Sect itself will become a complete vassal of the Buddhist Sect. This is something the Immortal Dao forces cannot tolerate under any circumstances."

Everyone pondered in silence. As ordinary people of the new era, they didn't really have much empathy for this historical struggle. Their main connection to the "Sakya Rebellion" came from the "An Lushan Rebellion" that it spawned.

As one of the most famous dynastic disturbances in the history of the Central Plains, the eight-year-long Anshi Rebellion did not directly kill the Tang Dynasty, but it left an indelible wound on the dynasty. The glorious and brilliant scene of the prosperous Tang Dynasty was gone forever, leaving only sighs in history books.

"If the Jiuli Immortal Alliance had not resisted, and had simply allowed Buddhism to settle in the Central Plains like the neighboring countries of Tubo and Huihe, what would have become of the mortal world's dynasty?"

"History has no ifs, only maybes. In this case, the most likely scenario is that the Tang Dynasty perished 140 years earlier, replaced by the Great Yan supported by An Lushan. Or perhaps some other regime."

The representative of the Chao Research Institute said, "No matter which regime comes to power, the Central Plains Dynasty will inevitably become a religious dynasty dominated by Buddhism, with numerous religious sects as subordinates. Just like in Western countries today, theocracy will be above monarchy, and the vast majority of the people of the Central Plains will become Buddhists."

Everyone exchanged glances, and as soon as these words were spoken, they felt the same way.

In the official context, religion is an absolute red line area, and most people do not have a good impression of this kind of religious sect, even if it is just a piece of history from 1,200 years ago.

With this said, the scales in everyone's hearts, which were already tilted, tilted a little more towards Jiuli. But no matter how tilted it was, they still had to return to reality in the end.

"This," another person asked, raising the common question in everyone's mind, "So, in this discussion between the immortals and Buddhas, can the Jiuli defeat the Buddhist sect?"

This time the silence in the room lasted for a full minute.

Twelve hundred years ago, the Jiuli Immortal Alliance was several times larger than the current Jiuli Sect, yet it still nearly perished in the Sakya Rebellion.

Even if we put aside the size, in terms of top-level combat power alone, the Jiuli side, even with the "old senior" Zhou Qing who is wandering on the edge, has only two powerful people above the level of God Transformation.

The Buddhist sect holds the Hedao-level inheritance, and the top-level combat power it has cultivated in the past thousand years must be several times that of Jiuli. It is not surprising that there are even cultivators in the upper three realms.

What's more, according to intelligence, the Buddhist side even has several allies this time, and they are not insignificant small shrimps, but the Cangtian Sect that possesses the Lianxu inheritance.

The result seems to be self-evident.

"We must provide some assistance to the Jiuli," one person whispered. "This isn't a discussion of doctrine; this is a drive to root them out. If the Jiuli truly fall, we won't be in any good situation." "But if we commit ourselves to helping the Jiuli, our relationship with Buddhism will be completely broken. They must know this, which is why they sent us a letter asking us not to interfere."

Another calmer person said, "Although the support provided by the Buddhist sect is not as great as that provided by the Jiuli, at least normal communication is maintained for now, and its reputation among the people is very high. If they were to fall out, it's hard to imagine the impact on society given the size of the Buddhist sect. Even if they want to provide assistance, they have to use a more roundabout method."

"Is it possible to mediate? Even if it's possible to contribute some resources, so that both sides can make concessions?"

"It's difficult. They've already put one foot in front of the other, and neither side will back down."

"Has there been any news from above? This kind of thing will have to be dealt with in the capital, right?"

"This is an internal matter among the monks. We have no position in this matter. Even if it is the capital, I am afraid it will be difficult to intervene."

"."

"."

The meeting dragged on for over two hours, filled with debate and still no conclusions were reached. Everyone dispersed in a depressing atmosphere, brainstorming ideas and continuing tomorrow.

Buddhism, pure land space.

The pitch-black dome pressed down overhead, and beneath the sky was an explosion of fire and wind.

The condensed wind and fire stretched for thousands of miles, thousands of human figures gathered in the sky and on the ground, the humming sounds of countless spiritual weapons resounded through heaven and earth, and countless spiritual lights merged into a huge wave that rushed into the sky, sweeping forward with the force of an overwhelming force.

Before the "huge wave" stood a towering golden Buddha, standing before the crowd with his hands clasped together, and behind him was a mountain of countless Buddhas.

The majestic Buddha's power turned into a giant peak that reached the sky, connecting with the waves formed by the monks. The sound was earth-shaking, making people wonder whether the world had been shattered by the impact.

A fishy wind blew in their faces, and the Cang Tian Sect members standing in the Pure Land were all stunned. Even though they knew it was just a bygone scene, a product of karma in the Pure Land, a history long buried twelve hundred years ago, the sight of the earth shaking still shook them.

In front of the overwhelming Buddha's light and spiritual light, even the light of the sun and the moon seemed so small. As the lights collided, countless flying pieces of flesh and blood fell, like a torrential rain washing the earth.

In their centuries of existence, they boasted of having participated in several earth-shattering battles, but before the scene before them, all those so-called wars they had experienced seemed as ridiculous as a brawl between local thugs.

"This is the Jiuli Demonic Path."

Under the glittering sky, the old monk Hongyuan stood with a staff in hand, and the falling blood rain passed through his body without leaving any trace.

"A hundred years. After entering the Central Plains, we have been locked in a fierce battle with the demons for a full hundred years."

"Led by the Venerable Kāśyapa, who inherited the Buddha's true will, and accompanied by the 108 Arhats, we will confront the Nine-Li Demonic Path, annihilate all demons, and save all evil ways."

A green light cut through the sky and earth. Everyone in the Cangtian Sect followed the light and saw a Taoist in green clothes walking in the air. He swung out the wine gourd in his hand, and the gourd poured out a green rain that covered thousands of miles. The Buddha melted as soon as it touched him. The brilliance of the sacred mountain in the rain seemed to be dimmed.

"The demon 'Zuixiao', one of the ten great demons of Jiuli, was skilled in using alcohol as a means to incite death, and considered breaking precepts as merit. He was truly an evil demon—ultimately, he was saved by the Buddha."

Hongyuan looked up at the green rain in the sky, his voice still calm.

The moment he finished speaking, a giant golden lotus blossomed and rose from behind him, bringing with it a Buddha's light that covered the sky and shone towards the green-clothed figure holding the gourd.

Buddha's light flashed and green rain poured down. The battle lasted for hundreds of rounds until the last drop of green rain flowed away and the gourd fell to the ground, breaking into flying pieces.

The people from the Cangtian Sect in the back watched the scene in front of them in silence.

Although everything before their eyes was just an illusion condensed by the Pure Land cause and effect, and had no actual momentum, just by looking at the picture, they could tell that the Drunken Demon was clearly a powerful being at the level of a God Transformation.

The two sides fought for hundreds of rounds, which in reality might have lasted for several days or even dozens of days, but in the Pure Land, those hundreds of rounds of fierce fighting were condensed into half an incense stick of time.

In just half an incense stick of time, they witnessed the fall of a god.

Like a moth to a flame, like a candle that has lost its light.

"The demon lord 'Tianlu' has countless magical weapons and is unpredictable."

"The demon 'Lingyi', with his strange wood technique, can spread his poison over a thousand miles."

The sky suddenly began to flicker, and stars lit up one after another above the canopy. Looking closely, each star was a magical instrument surrounded by spiritual light. Thousands of magical instruments formed a giant net of light and darkness, illuminating the figure of Tianlu Taoist in front of the net, like the arrival of a king.

Beneath the shimmering net, the scent of flowers and plants surged. Lingyi Kundao, dressed in white, stepped forward. With each step, a sapling sprouted from the ground beneath her feet, growing in a matter of seconds into a towering tree, blocking the advancing Buddha's light and strangling the approaching Buddha.

Before them, the Buddha holding up the sky chanted the Buddha's name, and stretched out his giant palm like a mountain. The swastika seal on the palm lit up, and with a flip of his hand, the spiritual weapons and giant trees were all shattered.

Spiritual light intertwined with Buddha's light, and the sun and moon shifted in the fierce battle. When the moon rose for the thirty-fifth time, the two figures, along with countless surrounding monks, were submerged in the Buddha's light. Magical instruments lost their color, and the flowers withered.

"After that, there were the demons Xuan Yi, Xuan Ji, and Wang Yan."

As the words drifted, countless days and nights had passed in the scene before him. Amidst the changing circumstances, several powerful figures had fallen, but the Buddha before him remained as glorious as ever.

Everyone in the Cangtian Sect fell into silence. They had already figured out the true meaning of the historical scene that Hongyuan showed them.

This is a gesture of goodwill and also a demonstration. On the one hand, it allows them to confirm the merits of the Pure Land, and on the other hand, it uses the history of that year as evidence to make them fear Buddhism. It is a means of killing the chicken to scare the monkey.

They saw through Hongyuan's plan, but had to admit that it did have some effect.

Under the effect of the Pure Land, in just a few sticks of incense, they witnessed how the Buddhist sect had killed many powerful people of the Immortal Alliance. Seeing those scenes, everyone was unconsciously awed and had a deeper understanding of the background of Buddhism.

Before the power from the Buddha, even the Jiuli Immortal Alliance, which has most of the powerful people in the Central Plains, did not have the manpower to fight against it.
The dark sky suddenly brightened up, and the dazzling flames pierced into everyone's eyes, causing them to subconsciously raise their heads. They saw a ball of fire breaking through the clouds in the sky, and a figure in red clothes was vaguely visible in the firelight.

"The demon leader 'Wuqing' is adept at wielding demonic flames, brutal and wanton, bringing destruction upon all living things. Among all demons, he is undoubtedly the leader in terms of tyranny."

Hongyuan raised his head slightly, his face glowing red in the engulfing flames.

"This man, who had committed so many evil deeds, was finally saved by the Buddha."

P.S. This chapter is from February 2th. I will post one chapter first and there will be another 8 words later.

(End of this chapter)