Bitter Realm: My Feet Step Through the Flames of War

The Heavenly Cicada was severely injured and its whereabouts are unknown.

The god of shepherds himself fell into a deep slumber, and with his slumber and the disappearance of the Black Moon, the Heavenly Frontier was sealed in another realm.

"The Tianjiang people were tragically sealed away; it was all my fault, my stupidity!"

In the days since regaining his senses, the Pan has been filled with regret, reflection, and hatred every moment...

The door to the thatched hut was pushed open.

The two people inside the house are having a debate about faith. The demon is unaware that he is a demon, and the Buddha is unaware that he is a Buddha. The debate, which has no clear stance, is all the more thrilling.

Upon seeing someone approaching, the two people inside the house stopped.

"Who are you?"

“My name is Lin Mu. I was passing through this place when I heard your profound discussion, and I found it very interesting.”

Yan Da was overjoyed: "You've come at the perfect time. Be the referee for the two of us."

With his white hair disheveled and his arrogance fully revealed, Yi Yeshu said, "Wait a minute, do you understand Buddhist principles?"

Pan admitted, "I don't understand."

"You understand the demonic path?"

"I don't understand."

"Then what qualifications do you have to be the referee between me and him?"

"I don't understand Buddhism or demons, but I practice the kingly way and implement benevolent governance. Am I qualified enough?"

One Page Book pressed aggressively: "Oh? What is the kingly way?"

"Defending the land and ensuring the people's safety is the way of the king, expanding the territory and strengthening the country is also the way of the king, and educating the people is the way of the king."

"Hmph, looking at the dynasties of the Bitter Realm, they all suffer when they rise or fall."

"What does the master consider the true path of kingship?"

"Few truly protect the common people; to them, the path of the king is merely a tool for dominating the world. If you wish to follow the path of the king, you might ask yourself where your heart truly lies. A righteous heart leads to a pure heart, and a pure heart leads to a clear path."

"Master, what is benevolent governance?"

“A good warrior is not aggressive; a good fighter is not angry; a good conqueror does not fight; a good leader puts himself below others. This is called the virtue of non-contention, the power of employing people, and the ultimate principle of matching the heavens.”

The Shepherd was greatly shocked. According to Luo Hou, Yi Ye Shu and Yan Da were in a state of amnesia, so how could they express such sharp opinions?

Ask yourself where your heart truly belongs.

Pan scoffed.

His heart had already gone astray, become turbid, and vanished the moment it was betrayed by Yama and Tiandi.

Seeing that the two had been talking for a long time, Yan Da impatiently shouted, "Forget about the Way of Kings and the Way of Benevolence, we are talking about the profound meaning of Buddhism and Demonism, the foundation of the Taoist tradition."

"Appreciate further details."

“Lin Mu, let me ask you this: I say that Buddhism is not the way of humans. The reason is that humans have seven emotions and six desires, which is why we can create this world. Just like when people are hungry, they need to eat, and when they are tired, they need to sleep. This is nature.”

"I agree."

Yi Ye Shu retorted: "Human nature is inherently inclined to pursue beauty, to seek more beauty, to seek more sweetness. Such desires are like a deep, unfathomable sea, ultimately leading to utter destruction."

I agree.

Yan Da roared again: "The sage has no fixed mind, but takes the mind of the people as his own. Mara also has no fixed mind, but takes the mind of the people as his own. The Buddha has strict precepts and teaches people to stay away from greed, while the demon follows nature and satisfies the desires of the people. Therefore, the demon exists forever, while the Buddha perishes."

"indeed so."

Yi Ye Shu continued to refute: "Completely wrong! What I mean by Buddhism is the way of transcending humanity, the way of transcending the human world, saving oneself from destruction, and leading oneself to the other shore. This process of salvation and deliverance is cultivation; decisive action leads to rise, while letting go leads to sinking."

"The master's perseverance is admirable."

Yan Da gradually became vulgar: "Can one attain supreme wisdom by violating nature? It's like how Buddhists abstain from lust and sensual pleasures, but they don't realize that lust inherently means excess. Abstaining from lust means abstaining from excess, not complete prohibition. Buddhist disciples go to extremes, violating human nature. How can humanity reproduce? How can generations be passed down?"

“Those who cultivate themselves seek liberation and thus know that the Buddha, self, and physical form are all impermanent. Only by understanding this can one escape the sea of ​​suffering. Furthermore, even the Buddha was born from a human being and knows the principle of birth, death, and reproduction. Abstaining from lust is abstaining from excess and indulgence.”

Without allowing the god of shepherds to decide, Yan Da and Yi Ye Shu spoke faster and faster:

"Where Buddha is, there is demon."

Where the devil is not, the Buddha is.

"The devil follows the will of nature without going against human nature."

"Buddha exists in the world but transcends human nature."

"Buddhahood is achieved through karmic obstacles; karma is the parent of Buddhahood."

"The Buddha knows the suffering of sentient beings from greed and desire, and only by realizing their true nature can they attain supreme wisdom."

……

Suddenly, Yan Da shouted, "You monk, how annoying! Let's settle this with force!"

"Demon, I shall accompany you."

Seeing that the two had finally started fighting, Pan was secretly pleased and got up to stand aside and watch quietly.

Having first been struck by the critical impact of the beacon fire, and then engaged in a fierce battle at the Nebula River, both Yan Da and Yi Ye Shu suffered damage to their physical abilities. Although they were still fighting fiercely, they were not as strong as they usually were.

Yan Da shouted angrily, "Formless Void, Buddha, please."

Immediately, with a flick of his left palm, a powerful, wind-breaking force, carrying a muffled thunderous sound, surged and crashed towards Yi Ye Shu.

Within the palm strike, demonic energy surged forth like a raging river.

Yi Ye Shu retorted: "Great Brahma's Holy Palm, the demon shall respond."

Holy light surged forth, and a vast and powerful Buddhist force erupted forth with unstoppable force. The thatched hut trembled from the palm strike, and the surrounding soil churned up, creating a terrifying spectacle.

The Shepherd watched intently. The demon was domineering and fierce, while the Buddha was deep and powerful. Both of them moved with great force and their palm shadows filled the air. The two figures transformed into a storm, leaving him unable to keep up.

"All things in the universe return to evil, drink!"

"The Great Vehicle's single sail leads the way, ha!"

The two palm techniques collided in mid-air, unleashing an astonishing shockwave that whipped up the surrounding dust, forming a massive vortex.

In the vortex, the two figures clashed, each move deadly.

Demonic energy and holy light intertwined, yet remained distinct.

With equally profound foundations and equally extraordinary martial arts skills, both men were covered in blood and gore as time passed, yet they refused to admit defeat and continued to fight desperately.

The god of shepherds was so engrossed in the battle between the demon and the Buddha that he forgot everything around him and kept refining his moves in his mind.

So it turns out that a demon is a demon, and a Buddha is a Buddha; at the pinnacle of martial arts, the mind's methods are natural.

"The saying goes, 'Seeing beauty reveals the mind, hearing sound brings enlightenment.' This trip has indeed been worthwhile. These two are worth a meeting with, Lin Mu, hmm?"

After pondering for a long time, Mu Shen suddenly raised his hands and forcefully inserted himself between Yan Da and Yi Ye Shu: "A duel between two people is not as lively as a duel between three. Here I come, Fang Tian and Bing Liu will cross Xuan Feng!"

Although Mu Tian Jiu Ge was not in his hands, Mu Shen Zhang used a sword-style technique, transforming his qi into ten thousand swords, instantly pushing Yan Da and Yi Ye Shu away.

Sword shadows flashed, air surged, and holy light flowed.

The martial arts of the Shepherd God are created from the heart. The purer the heart, the more exquisite the swordsmanship. Once the sacred heart is tainted, the body will be greatly damaged.

Just as Yan Da was obsessed with demons and Brahma was obsessed with Buddhas, the Shepherd God realized that his path of martial arts was closely related to the Six Treatises of Shepherd God—

Shepherding the heavens is done by the earth, shepherding the land is done by the people, shepherding the people is done by the heart, and shepherding the heart is done by benevolence.

The way of benevolent governance lies in benevolence, and the path to saintly conduct lies in the heart.

The sudden attack from the Shepherd God drastically changed the course of the battle. Instead of being angry, Yan Da laughed: "That's great! Hahahaha!"

“Buddha, please confess.”

After retreating, the two simultaneously lunged forward, unleashing their unparalleled power and bringing a devastating impact.

"The raging sea demolishes the mountain!"

"A single breath can move mountains and rivers!"

The demonic sea surged like a raging tide, and the holy energy shook mountains and rivers. The demon and Buddha joined forces to strike, and the Shepherd God felt his breath catch in his throat, instantly finding himself amidst the raging waves.

"Six Paths of Wind and Cloud, Dual Skills in Circumstances, Yuan Wushe, Hah~"

Amidst a deafening roar, the three of them were sent flying backward, and the thatched hut, along with all the flowers, trees, and plants in the wilderness, were completely destroyed.

Pan fell to the ground and vomited a mouthful of crimson blood.

Yan Da and Yi Ye Shu were equally disheveled. After several hours of sparring, both of them had exhausted their Qi and were unable to fight any longer.

Yi Ye Shu suggested, "Why don't we write down today's moves and then study them in detail? I believe we'll see a significant improvement soon."

"Fine, I will prove that the devil is superior to the Buddha."

The two looked at the god of shepherds and said in unison, "We will dictate, and you will write it down."

Chapter 227 Kou Yinzi opens the Golden List, where does he rank in Tiandu?

The intermediate state is the hell of Nirvana.

Luo Hou looked up at the sky. The sky was clear and blue, and the sunlight danced among the treetops, illuminating the leaves, as if each leaf contained the hope of life.

The terrifying forest shrouded in gloomy energy had vanished, and along the way, no ghosts or monsters were seen.

Light and darkness, humans and ghosts, are inherently in a relationship of waxing and waning.

"Wu Jun, you've arrived."

Emperor Tathagata remained seated cross-legged by the lake, and the lake, which had been filled with filth and deathly energy, actually had water.

“The Buddha’s abilities are indeed extraordinary. In less than a hundred years, the hellish realm will become fertile land in the intermediate state.”

"You flatter me, Lord Wu. There is more to this lake than meets the eye. A chilling force bursts forth from it from time to time. I have fought against it several times, but I have not been able to subdue it."

Luo Hou naturally knew that beneath the lake lay the Black Sea Forest Prison, an underground city that needed serious attention and remediation.

"It's alright. How is the Buddha currently?"

Emperor Tathagata stretched out his hands, and in each palm sat a Buddha the size of a pea, which was none other than Louzhi Weituo and Yunguo Dihun.

Upon seeing Luo Hou, the two seemed to sense each other; one bowed his head and clasped his hands together, while the other nodded and smiled.