Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 493 The Origin of Shinto
Returning to the source brings disaster...

"Are you a disciple of Wan Qianqiu?" Ji Jingqiu looked at Kong Ming.

Kong Ming raised his head, wanting to verify something. His gaze met Ji Jingqiu's, and he was instantly drawn into the scene in the latter's pupils, as if he had fallen into it and was drifting along with the world.

In that one glance, he saw churning evil clouds, lingering waves of fire, and endless projections of the mind lurking and wandering...

Kongming subconsciously took a step back.

The flickering Daoist aura around him finally pulled him out of this pull, filling him with inexplicable joy.

It really is him!

Back then, Master mentioned that when he looked directly into that person's eyes, even he was momentarily shaken, drawn in by the scene in those eyes, as if he saw the destruction of all worlds.

"This junior is a disciple of Master Miaofa, and greets the World Honored One," Kongming said respectfully, cupping his hands.

"A disciple of Fellow Daoist Miaofa?" Ji Jingqiu asked calmly. "Fellow Daoist Miaofa's 'Instant Shadow Splitting Light Sword Soul' is indeed exquisite, transcending time and reversing cause and effect. I wonder how much of it you have mastered?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Ming's expression became even more respectful.

This is Master's trump card, a deadly technique that he has rarely used since he attained enlightenment.

This supernatural power, besides the word "instant" representing extreme speed that transcends time, also contains the reversal of cause and effect, which is a closely guarded secret.

This person must have witnessed it firsthand, or even...

I've experienced it!
"I am ashamed to say that I was foolish and did not learn this move from my master back then."

At this moment, Fengming stepped back, and Ji Jingqiu opened his palm, a heart lamp igniting in his palm. Fengming's eyes flickered, and he guided the heart lamp into his primordial spirit.

Kongming and the other saints also noticed this action.

Everything concerning this person was investigated and clarified by them in a very short time.

What is most remarkable about this person is not only his speed of breaking through realms, but also the fact that he unexpectedly developed an innate divine power that could restrain the Nether Sea while still in the True Seed Realm.

But now it seems there was nothing unexpected about it...

In an instant, this faint lamp of the heart, based on Fengming's cultivation, ignited into a raging fire, burning away the remaining traces of Daoist energy around him.

Fengming was curious whether this Heart Lamp could merge with his Phoenix Fire.

Ji Jingqiu looked into the distance and slowly said, "Whether this place is a legacy of the Guizhen Sect is still hard to say, but it may be related to the origin of the Divine Path."

Kong Ming's expression changed.

The Holy King narrowed his eyes slightly. What had Ji Jingqiu figured out?
But why is the underworld related to the origin of Shinto?
The True Saints also couldn't sit still any longer.

They were initially somewhat reserved, letting Kongming scout ahead first, but now they all stepped forward, afraid of being left behind, and paid their respects to this living Buddha.

Ji Jingqiu remained calm and composed, merely nodding slightly in response to the greetings and salutations from the saints.

He only speaks to a select few.

Even when they do speak, they are concise and to the point, using as few words as possible.

The Holy King remained expressionless, quietly trailing half a step behind Ji Jingqiu, his eyes downcast, but inwardly he was extremely surprised. This boy was actually showing no fear whatsoever!
When Mu Shitian went against the current to meet them, he had already entered the True Saint realm.

Ji Jingqiu, despite being only at the Heavenly Venerable level, dared to put on airs in front of a group of True Saints who were top-tier beings even in the vast world.

And this score isn't just any ordinary score!

After all, according to Ji Jingqiu, he had indeed met the ancestors and addressed them as fellow Daoists. Now, facing the disciples of his former "friends," he felt quite confident.

Mu Shitian has truly taken on a good disciple.

The Holy King sighed inwardly, "My daughter is far inferior to me."

He actually intended to matchmake Akahime with Mu Shitian's disciple back then, but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances and Akahime's opposition, the plan was abandoned...

"May I ask, Venerable One, is this place truly related to the divine path?"

The saints couldn't wait to ask further questions.

In terms of its lofty path, the theory of Shinto is no less advanced than any other system.

Even though some people in later generations achieved transcendence through the divine path, none of them could unify this path and become the Great Ancestor.

The ancient Shinto tradition can be traced back to a hundred centuries ago, to the oldest known era, to that lost time.

The key is……

This Buddha was once said to have been asleep for a hundred centuries!
The timing is right!
Ji Jingqiu nodded slightly, but his expression seemed somewhat absent-minded. In the eyes of the saints, it was as if he was lost in memories, recalling that barbaric and lost era!

None of the saints urged them on; they waited patiently.

The inner world.

"Do you think this place is related to the Shinto?" Ji Jingqiu asked seriously.

"Didn't you say that yourself? I'm also curious why you think this place is related to Shinto."

"Didn't you use the word 'perhaps'? It doesn't matter if you're wrong."

Hela and Wuzhou replied separately.

The Moon-Slaying Sword, unwilling to see the unworthy disciples of the Human World Pavilion, entered Ji Jingqiu's inner universe, where it pondered:

"The ancestral land of the gods?"

"The Lord of the Underworld had little connection with the divine path back then, but if we had to pinpoint a connection, the spiritual system and the divine system are indeed somewhat related..."

"But why do you feel this is so related to the divine path? Is it because the Yin Fire Dharma Form just now displayed divine methods?"

Faced with the question of the two people and one sword, Ji Jingqiu was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to answer.

As the Holy King mentioned before, a being who called himself the Ancestor of the Great Dao once descended upon the Netherworld, and not long ago, the Void Emperor found the location of the [Old Heavenly Court] through the coordinates left by this person.

And the Heavenly Court...

In Ji Jingqiu's understanding, the Heavenly Court was related to the divine way.

The appearance of that Dharma image just now served as a reminder to him.

Ji Jingqiu suddenly frowned and said, "Actually, I suspected that the person who buried the sea was the 'Phoenix King' before, but now it seems that the one from the Heavenly Court is more likely. Or are they the same person?"

A flash of sword light appeared suddenly as he asked, "You mean the Phoenix King among the Transcendent Ones? Why?"

“In the deepest part of the Nether Sea, drawing upon the five poisons and five turbidities of all living beings, there is a true phoenix.” Ji Jingqiu said frankly, “If I remember correctly, this is also one of the founders of this shore.”

Sword Light fell silent before slowly saying, "The Phoenix King is a primordial bird, the first true phoenix to attain enlightenment in the Boundary Sea. The path it has taken has no connection with the divine path, and it is even less likely to be the Great Dao Ancestor. The two are unlikely to be the same person."

Ji Jingqiu nodded: "Let's take it one step at a time. No wonder the Azure God Lord never returned. This place is no longer the Netherworld. The changes are earth-shattering. Even I can't sense the exact location of 'Earth Treasury'. I can only sense a general idea."

His gaze fell on the hazy realm ahead, unsure whether Ksitigarbha was in that realm.

Faced with the doubts of the saints, Ji Jingqiu did not choose to answer, but instead muttered to himself:
"Who is this old friend who has returned?"

The saints were horrified. There was an old monster too?!
No wonder this person went so far as to reveal their identity to lure them into the trap!

Could it be that they are to use them to eliminate their enemies ahead of time? In the arena, Takumi seemed to be deep in thought. It seems that it is not only "World Honored One" who has returned this era.

As long as there isn't a single dominant player, there will always be options.

Ji Jingqiu stepped forward and whispered, "I wonder if our next meeting will be filled with laughter and wine, or swords drawn. If I could, I truly wouldn't want to kill you all again..."

Kong Ming and the others looked solemn, while the saints led by Tuo Hai had a slight change in expression, and their hearts were already shaken like a tsunami!
Kill them again?!

Could it be that the era a hundred centuries ago was lost because the strongest beings of that time engaged in a full-scale battle?

The saints' expressions turned solemn upon considering this possibility.

The patriarchs of various schools have deduced the final outcome of "unification". The most likely outcome is that after one patriarch breaks the deadlock and returns to the world, the other patriarchs are forced to follow suit. In the end, only the patriarchs remain in the world. Under the guidance of the Great Dao, they engage in a final battle until the world is unified and the beginning of a new era begins!
"Has the same thing already happened?"

At this moment, some true saints felt a chill run down their spines, as if they had guessed the tragic truth from a hundred centuries ago!

Once a full-scale war breaks out among the ancestors, all beings below the Transcendent level will be nothing more than cannon fodder. True Saints will be nothing more than slightly larger cannon fodder, and may even become the primary prey of other sects' founders...

This dire possibility plunged the saints into silence.

"Returning to one's true self..."

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Ji Jingqiu added fuel to the fire, seemingly muttering to himself.
"In the end, this is the end of everything. I hope that this century will bring new changes as I predicted. As for the old friends... will they wake up again and repeat the same mistakes?"

The Holy King, who was acting as the protector behind him, felt a deep sense of regret. He believed that in the future, the words of the World Honored One's lineage should not be easily trusted, unless both sides maintained the same stance.

The saints followed Ji Jingqiu with somber expressions.

Even Fengming and the others followed closely behind, looking preoccupied.

The group quickly arrived at the edge of the hazy realm, and Ji Jingqiu could step into it in one step.

But he suddenly stopped.

The Holy King transmitted his voice: "The Netherworld has indeed undergone earth-shattering changes. Are you sure you want to go in?"

"Can you confirm one thing?" Ji Jingqiu suddenly asked, "Is the time when the great changes occurred in the Underworld close to the time when the Void Emperor found the [Old Heavenly Court]?"

The Holy King's aura suddenly became imposing, like a divine blade drawn from its sheath, causing the previously heavy-hearted saints to look up in awe.

"...Cang Qing did indeed lose all contact with me after that period of time," the Holy King said in a deep voice. "Before that, the problem in the Underworld stemmed from those Yin spirits!"

Ji Jingqiu nodded, "That makes sense."

Before his unexpected journey to the Primordial Palace, he had caught a glimpse of Ksitigarbha from afar, and now…

"If behind this barrier lies the [Old Heavenly Court], then everything will become clear."

As soon as Ji Jingqiu finished speaking, he stepped over the barrier.

The saints hadn't yet realized why this place was connected to the [Old Heavenly Court].
The latter is far away in the Chaos Sea, where powerful figures from various factions are currently stationed, awaiting changes.

"Zheng——"

The sword had barely rang out when it cleaved through Ji Jingqiu's body, cutting him in half at the waist!
It was so fast that even the Holy King couldn't react in time, and he couldn't even figure out where the sword came from!
It's as if drawing its sheath cleaved the gap between the present and the future, allowing death to arrive first.

"Bastard!"

Kong Ming and Feng Ming were instantly enraged. Only after stepping into the boundary membrane did they realize that the sword originated from a mountain infinitely high above...

The God-Slaying Platform!
"Quiet."

Ji Jingqiu's voice came in a neutral tone.

The Holy King frowned and said, "This sword strike couldn't even hurt you? Was it Youhai?"

This sword strike was not only fast, but also extremely powerful. Even if he were caught off guard and took the strike head-on, he would not dare to say that he was unharmed.

Ji Jingqiu looked up at the God-Slaying Platform high in the sky.

A divine sword floated in the air, seemingly the center of the place, drawing in and condensing everything around it. A grand chanting arose, capable of influencing the creation and destruction of the void and suppressing all laws.

Upon entering this world, he felt a strong sense of rejection and hostility.

If that sword strike had been delivered by Heavenly Venerable Ji Jingqiu, he would have perished completely. But now that he has merged with the Nether Sea, as long as the Nether Sea remains, his path will not perish.

At this moment, on the God-Slaying Platform, the divine sword hummed and trembled slightly, and then unleashed another slash!
This time, the saints saw the sword's trajectory clearly, but they were even more terrified. Some even felt a chill for the first time in a long time and got goosebumps.

In their pupils, they all simultaneously saw the illusion of their throats being pierced.

This sword strike was guaranteed to hit its target, and it was so fast that it was impossible to block!
Ji Jingqiu, who was chosen...

The Holy King made a move in an instant, but failed to stop the strike. It was as if they had just "brushed past each other," yet it was also destined.

Takumi's eyes gleamed with anticipation; it would be wonderful if the World Honored One could die here!

"It's somewhat similar to Fellow Daoist Miaofa's [Instant Shadow Splitting Light Sword Soul], but upon closer inspection, it's completely different—"

Kong Ming, standing to the side, twitched. He had just witnessed Ji Jingqiu disintegrate and reassemble once again, but Kong Ming seemed completely unconcerned and even had the mood to comment.

"The God-Slaying Platform?" The Holy King's gaze sharpened, and he slowly said, "In terms of power alone, it is not just a name."

Ji Jingqiu looked at Kong Ming: "Did you bring your sword?"

The Dark Sea is gradually returning to its state of decline.

He needs to thoroughly win over a group of loyal supporters before that.

Kong Ming was taken aback. After realizing what was happening, he was deeply moved and quickly took out his natal artifact, a short sword.

Ji Jingqiu took the short sword, and at that moment everyone seemed to hear the sound of the rolling tide. The surging and magnificent power penetrated the void and poured into Ji Jingqiu's body, supporting him to unleash this sword strike.

At an infinite height, the divine sword emitted a third hum, seemingly determined not to stop until all its enemies were vanquished.

The status of Youhai bestowed upon Ji Jingqiu instantly elevated his perspective to an unparalleled level; in a sense, this was a transcendent perspective!
All the myriad paths of the Dao were analyzed in his eyes into their most primordial form, which he could easily grasp.

He was also able to capture the true trajectory of that wisp of sword light.

As if severing the veins of the river of time, creating a rift between the present and the future, this sword light pierced through from that point.

Ji Jingqiu made his move, the short sword in his sleeve seemingly moving only slightly. Apart from Kong Ming, no one could clearly see Ji Jingqiu's attack. This sword strike was as if it had no "process," yet it struck precisely the weakest point of the sword light that pierced the crack, as if it were also...

It was destined!

The two sword lights collided, unleashing a tremendous fluctuation of Daoist energy!

But the sword light that Ji Jingqiu unleashed suddenly split into three thousand, slashing towards the God-Slaying Platform from different points!
This sword strike is a sword of transcendence, the [Instant Shadow Splitting Light Sword Soul].

"I have only learned about four or five tenths of the profound mysteries of the wondrous Dharma, Fellow Daoist."

Ji Jingqiu sheathed the short sword and returned it to Kong Ming.

Kongming suppressed his turbulent emotions and respectfully said, "It has been a long time since I have seen the Three Thousand Sword Lights. Thank you for passing on the Dharma, World Honored One."

"Just in place of your master."

Ji Jingqiu said casually, and then stepped onto the God-Slaying Platform.

(End of this chapter)