Primordial Era: A Counterattack Against Hongjun Daozu at the Start

The Six Paths of Reincarnation were transformed from the Ancestral Witch of the Thick Earth, and have never been involved in disputes. This reaction seems to be something that was prepared in advance.

"Please be at ease, everyone." Ksitigarbha tapped the jade chime lightly with his fingertips, and the chanting instantly cleansed the room of its malevolent atmosphere. "As for the cause and effect of this matter, this humble monk will personally go to the underworld to investigate it thoroughly."

At the edge of the Netherworld Blood Sea, Ksitigarbha's fingertips caressed a tattered fragment of a kasaya. This piece of fabric, from the Golden Cicada, was stained with strange witch runes, and when his ten fingers brushed over it, he could faintly feel the burning sensation of the ancestral witch's blood essence.

The strange robbery three days ago replayed in his mind like a revolving lantern. The Twelve Ancestral Witches Guard accurately intercepted the pilgrimage team, but only took away the merit treasures without harming any lives. This was not in line with the Witch Clan's style of exterminating everyone.

"The Yin energy in the Wheel of Reincarnation is 30% heavier than last month." Ksitigarbha suddenly spoke, and the Buddhist beads in his hand burst forth with seven-jeweled lapis lazuli light, illuminating the turbid dragon shadows wandering in the void.

He noticed that when the words "six realms" were mentioned, black blood seeped from Jin Chanzi's tattered brocade cassock.

The clamor of the monks froze instantly. The crystal cup beneath the Medicine Buddha's seat hummed without wind, and the illusory image of the twelve-petaled golden lotus flickered erratically beneath their feet.

Ksitigarbha's pupils contracted slightly; this celestial phenomenon had only appeared during the Investiture of the Gods.

"Senior brother, don't exaggerate!" Jin Chanzi suddenly shattered the lotus shadow beneath his feet, revealing a unique Pangu Palace totem tattoo on his neck. "The Witch Clan dares to steal even my personal magical artifact; they are clearly showing contempt for the majesty of a sage!"

When he raised his arm, the old wounds from Xing Tian's axe mark were faintly visible through the tear in his robe.

Suddenly, the tattered page of the Book of Life and Death in Ksitigarbha's sleeve trembled, revealing that a giant bronze gate deep within the sea of ​​blood was opening.

He suddenly realized that the location where Jin Chanzi's team was robbed was precisely the coordinate point where Hou Tu had transformed into reincarnation years ago. The magical treasures that were stolen were all spiritual artifacts containing the power of cause and effect.

"Immediately set up the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination Formation!" Ksitigarbha slammed his staff heavily on the ground, and in response, karmic fire and red lotuses surged in the Nine Netherworlds. "The magic treasure we retrieved has probably become the key to unlocking some kind of restriction."

Before the words were finished, a deafening roar, reminiscent of Gonggong crashing into Buzhou Mountain, echoed from the depths of the eighteenth level of hell.

The prayer beads in the hands of the Medicine Buddha's disciples shattered simultaneously, but Jin Chanzi revealed a sinister smile.

Ksitigarbha then noticed that the inner lining of everyone's robes had been embroidered with the hidden patterns of the Dutian Divine Array.

The Netherworld Blood Sea began to overflow, and the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc emitted an ancient pressure that made even the Quasi-Saint Capital tremble.

Ksitigarbha's face gradually turned frosty, and Jin Chanzi's hidden schemes were already exposed in his eyes.

This Buddhist saint suffered a defeat in the underworld, and now he clearly intends to drag his fellow disciples into the mire. If he cannot wash away his defeat, let alone establish himself in the spiritual mountain in the future, the fact that he has become a laughing stock in the three realms is enough to ruin his future on the path to enlightenment.

With Jin Chanzi's shrewd mind, how could he be willing to sit idly by and wait for death? This time, his incitement of his followers to conquer the underworld is ostensibly to uphold the dignity of Buddhism, but in reality, it conceals three hidden schemes.

If the Witch Clan can be suppressed and reincarnation regained, one can defy fate and gain immeasurable merit; even if the battle goes against them and everyone suffers setbacks, the principle of "the law does not punish the masses" can turn their sins into an opportunity; what's even more insidious is that if Ksitigarbha loses power as a result, the position of leader will be left vacant...

Beneath the lotus platform bathed in Buddhist light, undercurrents surged, and a glint of cunning flashed in the eyes of several true disciples. They were well aware of Jin Chanzi's strategy of leveraging the situation, yet they still feigned indignation and raised their arms in a shout.

However, in a short while, the thirty-three golden lotuses of merit responded in unison, forcing Ksitigarbha into a dilemma.

"If we forcefully suppress them now, it might discourage the disciples from pursuing the Dao." Ksitigarbha's prayer beads spun swiftly like a shooting star. "However, the Witch Clan has been making frequent unusual moves recently, and there must be a shocking plot deep within the Thick Earth Palace..."

His gaze swept over the fluttering banners in the distance, and he suddenly noticed that the turbid air of the underworld had condensed into the shape of chains of the Netherworld, which startled the Buddhist fire in his eyes and made it tremble violently.

Jin Chanzi seized the opportunity and shattered the void, his gilded cassock fluttering in the eerie wind: "Since we have inherited the lineage of the sages, how can we allow villains to dishonor the Buddha's majesty? Today, I will use this eight-treasure lapis lazuli body to testify to the Three Realms the Great Way of the West!"

As the compassionate chants of the Buddha resounded throughout Fengdu, the eighteen vortexes of reincarnation suddenly erupted, and the faint images of twelve ancestral sorcerers rose from the sea of ​​blood.

The cold moon was like a knife, and the north wind whipped up withered leaves that swept past the robes of the Westerners.

Jin Chanzi lowered his head and stared at the Buddhist beads in his palm, his voice hoarse as if it had been soaked in the waters of the underworld: "Our fellow disciples were betrayed and killed; this is an irreconcilable enmity."

He suddenly turned to face the dark sky, his robes fluttering in the cold wind.

A dozen or so young disciples, their eyes red with tears, gathered around. One of the novice monks, holding a vajra, choked out, "We're going with our senior brother to seek justice."

The crowd instantly erupted like a swarm of bees, with the sounds of clashing magical artifacts and angry shouts rising and falling.

As Ksitigarbha watched the out-of-control scene, his fingertips almost dug into his palms. He clearly saw the cold smile on Jin Chanzi's lips as he turned away.

"Step back, all of you!" Ksitigarbha's staff slammed heavily on the ground, causing the bluestone slabs to crack with spiderweb-like patterns. "When did I ever say I would stand idly by?"

He suppressed his anxiety, and his golden-red kasaya moved without wind.

But the disciples were still eager to try, their usually docile eyes now brimming with doubt.

Under the dark sky, Jin Chanzi stood with his head bowed, like a clay sculpture bathed in moonlight.

When the local deity finally led everyone onto the road to the underworld, the instigator who had caused the commotion suddenly retreated to the back of the line, as if he had never spoken.

Deep within the netherworld, Zhou Yi leaned against the Well of Reincarnation and chuckled softly, toying with half a tortoise shell between his fingers: "Jin Chanzi's trick of using someone else to kill has saved us a lot of trouble."

Yu Qiang, the Ancestral Witch, wiped her bone battle axe, the cold light reflecting the doubt between her brows: "How could you be so sure they would walk right into your trap?"

"The human heart is deeper than the eighteen levels of hell." Zhou Yi flicked his finger, shattering the tortoise shell. The shards fell into the Well of Reincarnation, stirring up specks of phosphorescent fire. "Order Xing Tian to place the prepared 'generous gifts' on the Bridge of Helplessness."

As he turned around, the hem of his robe swept across the Three Lives Stone, and the stone's surface was clearly reflected with the image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva crushing the Manjusaka flowers.

The eerie winds of the underworld suddenly became thick and sticky, and the wailing of countless wandering souls was mixed with the sharp sound of weapons rubbing together.

Twelve bronze cauldrons were lit one after another along the road to the underworld. The liquid boiling inside the cauldrons was neither Meng Po soup nor the water of the River of Oblivion, but a kind of scarlet liquid specially made by the witch clan.

Seeing this, the Wu tribe members were both excited and even more impressed with Jiang Ziya, secretly marveling at how insightful this strategist truly was.

"We'll see soon enough, so please just enjoy the show," Jiang Ziya said, gently waving his feather fan, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

Ksitigarbha led his fellow disciples straight to the Six Paths of Reincarnation. As soon as they entered the Netherworld, they encountered a strange sight: several ghost messengers with ox-headed and horse-faced appearances were escorting wandering souls towards them.

These grotesque ghost messengers were actually transformed from the witch clan, but they took this form to make it easier for them to perform their duties.

The leading bull-headed demon, tilting his head, glared at the crowd, slamming his steel fork down heavily: "I wondered who had the audacity to trespass into the forbidden land of reincarnation. Turns out it's just another bald monk from the Western Paradise. What's wrong? Didn't you get enough of a beating the other day? Now you've gathered your fellow disciples to ask for another beating?"

As the shaman spoke, he pointed his nostrils at the Western believers, spitting almost onto Dizang's face: "Grandpa will stand right here today and see if you spineless cowards who only know how to chant scriptures have any guts to actually fight."