Start getting stronger by modifying your breathing method

--boom! ! !

The Lion Camel Cave suddenly trembled violently, the rock ceiling cracked, and huge rocks poured down like rain.

Amidst the surging, dense demonic energy, the lesser demons around them, whose cultivation was of little value, didn't even have time to scream before their bodies exploded, turning into a cloud of blood mist, dying instantly.

Just for a moment.

The three peerless demon saints—the green-haired lion, the six-tusked white elephant, and the golden-winged roc—whose power was feared even by ordinary immortals and gods, were all severely injured and their auras were weakened!
--puff!

At that moment, the image reflecting the calamity of the human figure shattered.

Only then did that terrifying gaze, which sent chills down one's spine, finally dissipate.

The Lion Camel Cave, which was once like a hellish place, is now pitch black and deathly silent.

Only three heavy, labored breaths could be heard echoing in the darkness.

next second.

The light comes on.

Wow!

The blue-haired lion stood up.

Its eyes, glowing with a bluish light and resembling lanterns, swept around the surroundings.

There was nothing unusual about it.

Only then did he breathe a slight sigh of relief and speak.

"My two brothers... do you know who that person is?"

Its voice was low and deep, trying its best to suppress a trace of barely concealed fear.

As the mount of Manjushri Bodhisattva, it was originally a lawless and top-level demon before it converted to Buddhism.

He once swallowed 100,000 heavenly soldiers whole, displaying terrifying power and unparalleled tyranny.

However, in that brief moment, it truly felt an indescribable fear.

It was a dangerous aura far more terrifying than facing the Buddhas of the Western Paradise directly.

At this moment, rocks flew up from one side, and the huge body of the yellow-tusked old elephant stepped out of the ruins. Its graceful posture was gone, and its body was covered in dust and dirt, looking utterly disheveled.

A lingering trace of horror remained deep within his pupils.

"I have devoured immortals and gods, and gnawed on Arhats, but I have never seen such a ferocious being..."

That wasn't celestial aura, nor Buddhist light; it was pure destruction!

"Such beings are definitely not to be trifled with!"
However, this place is ultimately at the foot of Mount Ling. Since such a figure has appeared in the world, regardless of his origins, we don't need to take action. The Bodhisattva will naturally notice and unleash his thunderous power!

Hear the words.

The Golden-Winged Roc beside it slowly opened its mouth. As a descendant of the Golden-Winged Roc, it was extremely fast and had a more acute sense of danger.

Although they also suffered some injuries, they were undoubtedly in much better condition than the Green-haired Lion and the Yellow-toothed Elephant Demon.

While talking.

A faint, elusive glint flashed deep within his dark golden pupils.

"Third brother is right!"

The blue-maned lion nodded slightly, and the last trace of worry in his heart vanished.

These three demons did not descend to the mortal realm on their own initiative, but rather followed the decrees of the Buddhas, just like the celestial officials who descended to earth as demons from the Heavenly Court; they were destined to face calamity.

In the Lion Camel Ridge region, even if a city is massacred and a country is destroyed, and the sins are heinous, the great calamity will cover it up and wear it down. There is no need to worry at all. In fact, once you help the pilgrim complete the journey to the West, you will gain merit.

Unless someone is willing to wage war against Buddhism, even the top immortals and gods would not dare to take action against them.

Yet at this moment.

"What...what is this?!"

The terrified roar of the old yellow-tusked elephant abruptly shattered the silence inside the cave.

Upon hearing the sound, the Golden-Winged Roc and the Green-Haired Lion looked over, their pupils shrinking sharply.

Without warning, a wisp of dark flame shot out from the old elephant's long, white trunk!
The flames seemed to have a life of their own, growing rapidly in the wind until they instantly transformed into a raging black inferno that completely engulfed the massive body of the white elephant.

"Zizzi——!!"

The ear-piercing burning sound, accompanied by the stench of burning, filled the air.

The jade elephant skin, which was originally indestructible by heavenly tribulation and comparable to a celestial artifact, was now like snow meeting the sun in spring. Under the scorching black flames, wisps of foul smoke rose up, and the skin tore open holes at a speed visible to the naked eye. The flesh inside melted and collapsed, revealing the charred bones and tendons underneath.

"Roar!!"

The yellow-tusked elephant let out a heart-wrenching howl, its massive demonic body tumbling wildly among the pile of skeletons, shaking the entire Lion Camel Cave as if it might collapse at any moment.

"Second brother!"

"Second brother!"

The green-haired lion and the golden-winged roc cried out in alarm and were about to rush forward to help.

laugh!
A chilling soft sound, like a red-hot iron being pressed onto flesh.

The massive body of the blue-maned lion suddenly stiffened, and a wisp of dark black flame shot out from its heart without warning!
The azure demonic flames surrounding it, powerful enough to incinerate mountains and boil seas, seemed to encounter a natural enemy in the face of this wisp of black flame, emitting a series of sizzling moans.

They were swallowed up and annihilated in an instant.

boom! boom!
The two enormous creatures could no longer maintain their form, and their ten-thousand-foot-tall demonic bodies suddenly manifested in the cave and crashed wildly!
The Skull Mountain range collapsed in large sections, the sinewy forest was torn to pieces, and the entire Lion Camel Cave was wailing.

The splashing black flames were like seeds of death; the monsters that touched them didn't even have time to scream before turning into a handful of charred ashes, leaving not even a trace of their souls behind.

The golden pupils of the Golden-Winged Roc suddenly contracted into thin lines.

It sensed a strange heat quietly growing deep within its indestructible demonic body.

"We can't stay here any longer, let's go!"

The moment this thought arose, it completely disregarded the two demons. Its body transformed into a dark golden beam that tore through the void, smashing through layers of rock walls and soaring straight into the heavens!

However, just as it broke through the demonic clouds and was bathed in the sunlight,

Snapped.

A faint wisp of black flame, like a venomous snake that had been waiting for a long time, ignited on the dark golden feathers.

"Ugh—!"

Its divine metal body, comparable to a postnatal spiritual treasure and tempered by countless thunder and fire, was as fragile as rice paper in front of this black flame!

The Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle, the immense demonic power, the innate divine ability refined over countless years, and even the noble bloodline originating from the ancient phoenix—all of these have lost their meaning at this moment.

It had absolutely no effect on the black flames.

The black flames were burning, and the soul, demonic power, and physical body were constantly disappearing.

A bone-chilling fear, like a tidal wave, surged forth for the first time within the immortal demonic heart of the Golden-Winged Roc.

Disregarding any semblance of demonic majesty, it mustered all its strength to flap its wings, tearing through the clouds and transforming into a streak of light trailing ominous dark gold and black marks as it fled desperately toward the western horizon, disappearing in an instant from the Lion Camel Ridge region.

Now, perhaps only that person can save it.

……

Lingshan, Daleiyin Temple.

From the outside, it appears to be bathed in golden light.

Gentle and peaceful.

But once you go inside, you'll find...

This light did not bring any sense of warmth, but rather felt like a viscous, flowing, tangible light, pressing down on every inch of space.

The air was filled with a rich sandalwood scent, so sweet it was almost suffocating. Yet, beneath the surface of that scent, there was a faint hint of burnt incense and a metallic rust, like the patina of old gold paint peeling off.

The Mahavira Hall is suspended in the void, not situated on the ground.

The palace was forged from countless wishes, faith, and gold, and was magnificent and dazzling, yet it exuded an aura of annihilation that was neither alive nor dead.

What surrounds the temple is not auspicious clouds, but a sea of ​​vows formed by the convergence of millions of distorted, devout human faces.

Inside the Mahavira Hall.

Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats, layered upon layer, sat serenely on lotus pedestals on both sides.

Some sat cross-legged, some leaned back, some held lotus flowers in their hands, and some lowered their heads and eyes, each with a different posture.

But there's one thing: the corners of his mouth always retain an unchanging, compassionate smile.

That compassionate smile contained no warmth whatsoever, only an unchanging indifference.

At the very center, atop a nine-tiered golden lotus, sat a figure as large as a small mountain, draped in a kasaya.

Its appearance is perfect, its virtue and fortune are solemn, and it has a fleshy protuberance on its head, with inner radiance.

The white hair between his eyebrows spirals to the right, like the void encompassing all things.

Behind his head, a large, round sun radiated a faint glow, within which the phenomena of the birth and death of the three thousand worlds could be vaguely seen.

This person is none other than the World-Honored One, Tathagata.

Do you know why we strive to save all sentient beings?

The voice echoed through the empty hall, answering itself without waiting for a response.

"Because all beings suffer too much." "This suffering is boundless and endless. They are born from separation from loved ones and die from unfulfilled desires."

When hatred and resentment meet, the five aggregates are ablaze.

This sea of ​​suffering is vast and turbulent, churning with karmic forces; those struggling within it wail with a deafening cry that disturbs the peace.

"If you want to save all sentient beings, you need the Buddha's teachings. The Buddha's teachings are a boat, a raft, and a lifeline to cross this sea of ​​suffering."

But it is also a shackle, a rule, the greatest order in this world…

As he preached, golden lotuses sprang from the ground, and the laws of the Great Dao intertwined.

The Buddhas listened with rapt attention.

Yet at this moment.

The sermon stopped.

A sharp, piercing scream rang out at the same time.

"World Honored One, save me!!"

A beam of dark golden light flew into the hall.

The visitor was none other than the Golden-Winged Roc.

Due to its bloodline, it could move extremely fast, and since Mount Ling was not far away, it arrived here in just a few breaths.

However, its current appearance is extremely miserable. Half of its original immortal demon body has been stained with black flames and carries a faint smell of burning.

The Buddha's gaze fell downwards.

A strange light flashed in his eyes.

He raised his palm and gently brushed it away.

A vast beam of Buddhist light, like a reversed Milky Way, instantly enveloped the Golden-Winged Roc.

The soul-consuming and bone-corroding black flames were extinguished in response.

Why have you come here?

The Buddha's Dharma voice echoed in the Great Buddha Hall, and all the heavenly bodhisattvas and arhats stared intently at it, yet not one of them uttered a sound.

This maternal uncle of the Buddha was not easy to get along with.

"Ugh..."

However, the Golden-Winged Roc, which should have been unharmed, was still convulsing violently and screaming in the Buddha's light.

It was as if they were being subjected to the agony of being slowly sliced ​​to death.

puff--!
Suddenly, the black flames burst into flames again!

This time, even the protective light of the Great Sun Buddha was ignited, and the golden Sanskrit characters crumbled inch by inch in the black flames, as if falling into a furnace.

The Buddha's image slightly darkened, and he raised his hand again to suppress it.

"what--!"

A piercing scream echoed throughout the hall.

Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the indescribably noble Golden-Winged Roc was burned to ashes in the Buddha's light, leaving only a few clusters of black flames that fell onto the lotus platform like maggots clinging to bones.

It's sizzling!

The golden brick floor of the main hall was instantly eroded into a bottomless hole, and the black flames continued to spread in all directions.

"Humph!"

Thunderous sounds erupted from the Buddha's nostrils.

The entire burning ground was peeled away as if gouged out by an invisible blade, along with the raging black flames, and was annihilated in the void rift.

After doing all this.

A shadow crossed the Buddha's face.

In the beginning of time, all things were divided into birds and beasts.

Among birds, the phoenix is ​​the most revered.

The phoenix has two sons, one is the peacock, and the other is the roc.

At the top of the snow-capped mountain, the peacock is at its most ferocious when it is born, capable of devouring people from thousands of miles away.

Even the Buddha, who had attained a golden body sixteen feet tall, was swallowed up from the top of her body by her.

Later, the Buddha originally intended to exit through the side gate, but felt it was unclean, so he split open the peacock's back and stepped onto Mount Ling.

At first, the Buddha wanted to kill the peacock, but was dissuaded by the other Buddhas.

The Buddhas believed that a peacock emerging from its body is like being born from its mother's body, and killing a peacock is like killing one's mother.

Therefore, the Tathagata honored the peacock as the Buddha's Mother Bodhisattva and bestowed upon it the title of Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva.

Since the Buddha revered the peacock as his mother, then the peacock's younger brother, the Garuda, naturally became the Buddha's uncle.

In truth, Buddha did not like this 'uncle'.

But given the status of their relationship, the other person died right in front of him.

Naturally, it was impossible for them to remain indifferent.

Moreover, in a sense, this is also a slap in the face to Buddhism.

Just at this time.

"The Blue Lion also met with misfortune!"

A clear shout came from the left. Manjushri Bodhisattva was seen holding a blue lotus, his appearance as pure as the autumn moon, yet his lotus eyes rippled with emotion.

Because that blue-maned lion was his guardian deity.

The words have not yet fallen.

A surge of light appeared on the right side, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's brows were furrowed.

"The white elephant has also perished!"

In an instant, the entire Mahavira Hall fell silent.

Then, one of the Arhats lost his voice.

"These three demons were destined to face tribulations on their journey to the West, and were blessed by the great calamity! They were also protected by the fortune of our Buddhist sect. Now that their journey to the West is not yet complete and their karma is not yet fulfilled, how could they die prematurely..."

The Great Calamity, to put it bluntly, is essentially the cyclical order of heaven and earth.

When internal conflicts accumulate to a certain extent, energy becomes stagnant, karma becomes heavy, and order becomes rigid, it is necessary to release pressure, clear space, and redistribute resources through the great catastrophe—a garbage recycling mechanism and system restart procedure—in order to ensure the healthy operation of the entire universe.

For the beings caught in the calamity, cooperating with it is to follow the natural order and to fight for a chance of survival.

The great calamity of the westward journey was a reshuffling of the deck.

Everything in it was already destined.

The Buddhist and Taoist sects are betting on this, working together to gain a larger share of the profits.

But now, the great calamity has encountered a problem.

The three demons, who were supposed to face their tribulations, perished so early, leaving no trace of their souls, which means they have no chance of being reincarnated.

The Buddha did not say much.

His eyes were slightly closed, his fingers formed a Buddhist mudra, and countless Sanskrit characters flowed around his body, deducing the mysteries of the universe.

A moment later, his golden body suddenly trembled violently, and his eyes opened.

A look of horror flashed across his usually placid face.

"Heaven has unleashed its killing intent, and immeasurable calamity is about to begin. The terror of this calamity far surpasses that of the journey to the West!"

The sound of Buddhist chanting reverberated, causing the entire sacred mountain to shake.

His next words caused all the Arhats and Bodhisattvas to change their expressions drastically.

"This time, the entire Three Realms and Six Paths are plunged into calamity, from the lowest mortal ant to the highest immortal Buddha and saint. No one can escape, and no one can be spared!"

The Buddha's words had just faded.

The six-zhang-tall golden body suddenly ignited a wisp of black flame from its lotus throne, initially like a thread, then spreading like a net.

"Amitabha Buddha, you may all depart."

The Buddha sighed softly, as if he had glimpsed something terrifying, and thus abandoned all resistance.

He clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged amidst the black flames, letting them consume him.

Before the Buddhas could fully comprehend its meaning.

In the next instant, his six-zhang golden body suddenly shattered and disintegrated, transforming into thousands of rays of Buddha light and relics that exploded.

Where the black flames scorched the sky, only the nine-tiered lotus platform remained, silently rotating in the void, engulfed by the black flames and turning into ashes.

Even these Arhats and Bodhisattvas, who had endured countless tribulations and reincarnations to attain enlightenment, were shaken and lost their composure at this moment.

They stood frozen on the lotus platform, watching in disbelief as the thousands of relics disappeared into the void.

The World-Honored One has passed away! (End of Chapter)