A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 620 A Few Words of Deceit

"Fellow Daoist Jiufang, have you also noticed my current situation?"

Guan Luoyang said slowly, "Then you should rest assured. I just ate a tender one, and I feel much better. I'm not so hungry for now."

"You have shown me kindness by passing on your teachings, which I will never forget. I will certainly not harm you unless absolutely necessary."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain hesitated for a moment.

If he leaves now, wouldn't that mean he's reached a point of "last resort"?

"Hahaha, since the master has so kindly invited me, wouldn't it be too impolite of me to refuse repeatedly?"

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain tightened his grip on the Muni Bead in his sleeve, but his expression softened as he slowly descended toward the purple continent.

On that continent where purple energy condensed, dragons and snakes, winding and crawling, lay prostrate on the ground and transformed into countless mountains, babbling brooks, and flowing streams, where purple bamboo also grew.

Guan Luoyang built a stone table and a set of teacups in the Purple Bamboo Grove and invited the Master of Jiufang Mountain to sit down.

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain appeared to sit down calmly, but in reality, the power of the sacred land behind his head was supporting his entire body, isolating him from the outside world, and he did not relax for a moment.

"If I am not mistaken, Master Qingdeng must be carrying the remains of two realms. The first realm has been decaying for so long, and the turbidity has become increasingly heavy. Master Qingdeng was able to withstand it. His profound cultivation is truly astonishing."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain spoke first, saying, "But the five turbid energies harm the body and disturb the mind; they are ultimately not good things. If there is a chance to get rid of them, I'm sure Master Qingdeng wouldn't refuse?"

Guan Luoyang sighed softly, "Mountain Lord, you truly have discerning eyes. The main reason I've come to visit you is to ask when we will be able to attack the human world and restore our origins."

"Unfortunately, after my memories returned, my turbidity deepened, which is why I was somewhat impolite when I came to visit. Please don't take offense, Mountain Lord."

Lord Jiufang laughed heartily, feeling much more relaxed.

It seems that this Supreme Master Qingdeng knows what's important and is not planning to turn against him for the time being, in order to seize the opportunity to jointly attack the human world and completely reshape the origin.

Moreover, when Master Qingdeng first set foot on Jiufang Mountain, there was a tendency for some turbid energy to overflow, but now it has been contained very well.

It seems that after taking Jin Bixian's medicine, his turbid qi was indeed relieved to some extent, so he was not as anxious as before.

Venerable Bixian was a great help.

The master of Jiufang Mountain began to think. Since he wouldn't turn against him for the time being, this Master Qingdeng might become an even greater ally.

"This old man dares not blame the master for his actions, however, the fellow Daoists in the Underworld have now all submitted to the senior I have been in contact with..."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain said meaningfully, "Master, you should be more patient and not arbitrarily encroach on the territory of other fellow Daoists, lest you displease the senior."

"What? So this means we've already joined that senior's sect? We haven't even accomplished anything yet, how can we accept this?"

Guan Luoyang was both surprised and delighted, nodding repeatedly, "I understand. Next time I want to eat someone, I will definitely consult that senior first."

The smile on the face of the Nine Directions Mountain Master froze.

"Alas, I am truly ashamed to have troubled you with such a small matter."

Guan Luoyang continued, "By the way, I wonder how I should contact that senior? If the means of communication are inadequate and the transmission speed is too slow, by the time the senior replies, I will have already finished eating. Wouldn't that be extremely bad?"

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain became alert again.

Is this person's body filled with too much turbid energy, and their mind not fully recovered, which is why they can't understand what I mean? Have I made myself clear enough?

Or is he deliberately misinterpreting things? Does he not believe that the powerful figure behind me can punish him in the eighteenth level of the underworld?

"While the Quicksand Technique is ingenious, you can't prove whether it was a gift to you or whether you obtained it from some relic. Therefore, this person still has some doubts about the power behind you!"

From within the Mani Bead, the voice of the fake Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva emanated: "Heh heh, it seems he's really impatient. Fine, I can't unleash my supernatural powers in a grand manner right now, but merely revealing a fraction of my aura so that he can experience my true level is not difficult."

After hearing these words, the Lord of Jiufang Mountain calmed down.

"Because of my ancient background and the many merits I have accumulated, I was valued by my predecessors and bestowed with a method that can reach the ears of the heavens. I cherish it and am not willing to show it to others easily."

"But the master is no ordinary person. Since you have asked about this matter, why don't you come with me to consult him and see what your opinion is?"

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain stretched out his hand, back of his hand facing up, with the Muni Bead in his palm, and slowly reached out towards Guan Luoyang.

Guan Luoyang reached out and took it, his two palms overlapping each other. The Mani Bead immediately revealed a great majesty and great concentration that commanded countless ghosts and held the Vajra Bodhi.

The three thousand dignified aspects of Buddhism are contained within this faint aura; it is the power that only a nine-star expert, truly equivalent to the Buddha, can exude.

Although this wisp of energy was small, the vast and boundless purple bamboo forest simply could not contain or restrain it.

Many unusual fluctuations immediately arose in the void surrounding the Purple Qi Continent.

Those who were originally guests at Jiufang Mountain did not actually leave; they merely hid in the surrounding area, observing the situation.

Leaving the other party in the open while hiding oneself whenever possible, turning the light into darkness, is a habit of many in the eighteenth level of the underworld.

Because currently only the Lord of Jiufang Mountain can contact the force that created "Jufa Liusha", and only he knows when is the right time to attack the Underworld.

Therefore, these people did not dare to let the Lord of Jiufang Mountain face a deadly situation alone.

They had originally planned to join forces and help the Lord of Jiufang Mountain escape if necessary.

However, when they sensed the aura of majesty emanating from the purple bamboo forest, they immediately forgot their original plans, and even their supernatural abilities to conceal their presence revealed flaws.

"Could a True Buddha-level powerhouse capable of infiltrating the Underworld be the current Netherworld Lord, Ksitigarbha?"

"If he really is Ksitigarbha, then this guy is really, really... too good at putting on airs. No one has noticed a single flaw in all these years. If Jin Bixian had even a fraction of his ability, he wouldn't have had his secret affairs exposed and been banished to the underworld."

"Even Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has harbored rebellious thoughts. I'm afraid that many of the Ten Kings of Hell and the Buddhas of Mount Ling will also take advantage of this great calamity to make some moves."

"Very well, since Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is leading the charge, then we certainly have a chance to take advantage of this great calamity to storm the underworld and rush into the human world! Good! Good! Good!"

Not to mention the emotional fluctuations of these people.

In the bamboo forest, Guan Luoyang felt that aura, but his smile became even wider.

"Is this the senior who's willing to help us escape the underworld?"

With a flick of his wrist, Guan Luoyang somehow managed to get the Muni Beads into his hand. "Senior's cultivation is indeed superb and unfathomable. However, in my opinion, Senior is a bit too lenient towards these people in the Underworld."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain had not intended to let go; he only wanted to use the aura of the fake Ksitigarbha to intimidate the other party. Unexpectedly, the other party actually took the Mani Beads without any scruples and sent a message to the fake Ksitigarbha.

"Master, what are you doing? Don't speak nonsense and offend your senior!"

"Don't be nervous, Master. I just want to repay your kindness."

As Guan Luoyang spoke, countless golden rays of light suddenly burst forth across the entire Purple Qi Continent.

Large and small swastikas and freehand patterns of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, as if naturally grown, appeared on the purple bamboo, together forming a great barrier that resembled a golden womb of the universe.

Those people hiding in the nearby void were immediately cut off from their senses and could no longer perceive the specific situation inside the Purple Qi Continent.

However, they could still vaguely sense that there was no sign of a battle between the two sides within the barrier, so they temporarily held back and waited for the outcome.

"After I cultivated the Bodhi of the Flowing Sands of the Dharma, I regained many memories and was able to observe the operation of the Great Dao of the Underworld and realize how powerful the Underworld is as a whole."

Guan Luoyang continued to transmit the message using the Muni Bead, saying, "Although there are quite a few Underworld Emperors, they are all of the Five Turbidities and cannot withstand prolonged battles. If we allow them to be like a disorganized mess, each researching their own cultivation techniques and preparing for battle on their own, we will be in trouble."

"When the great calamity truly erupts, I fear they will miss their best opportunity. We can't expect you, seniors, to stand in front of us and buy time for those of us who have received your kindness, can we?"

The fake Ksitigarbha remained silent for a moment.

That's exactly what he thought.

Honestly, without a true nine-star powerhouse leading the way, even if the underworld were to experience turmoil during the great calamity, these lowest-ranking emperors of the underworld wouldn't be able to break through.

Moreover, the true purpose of these underworld emperors is not to be used when they storm the underworld, but rather after they go to the mortal realm...

However, if they could play a greater role in the underworld, making things easier for themselves, the fake Ksitigarbha and others would be happy to see it happen.

"How could I not have foreseen what you're talking about?"

The fake Ksitigarbha chuckled softly, and said calmly as if he had calculated everything perfectly, "Jiufang had some merits in ancient times. Choosing him as the leader is precisely to share a greater share of the credit with him."

"However, his strength is ultimately insufficient, making it difficult to truly integrate these emperors of the underworld. He needs more powerful helpers, so I have already made arrangements."

The fake Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's voice deepened as he spoke.

"Do you really think that, given the vastness of the Boundary Sea, your being drawn to the eighteenth level of the Underworld, and then receiving the invitation just as the Nine Directions were about to unleash the Flowing Sands of Dharma, was all purely coincidental?"

Guan Luoyang was slightly moved: "Could it be that everything was part of Senior's plan?"

The fake Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva let out another unfathomable chuckle.

"As long as we grasp the general trend of cause and effect, why bother to calculate the exact details? The people I have chosen are not just you, not even Jiufang knows them all, but now, you are the first to stand out, so I will temporarily entrust this important task to you."

"You should join forces with Jiu Fang to consolidate the forces of the Underworld. When the time is right, step into the mortal realm, reshape your origins, and follow us to lead this great calamity. At that time, if you wish to break through the final barrier and reach a higher realm, it will be just around the corner!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Muni Bead spun around once and suddenly split in two.

One remained in Guan Luoyang's hands, while the other flew back to the hands of the Lord of Jiufang Mountain.

Seeing that they had settled the matter in just a few words, the Lord of Jiufang Mountain felt rather uneasy.

In this matter concerning the underworld, the Lord of Jiufang Mountain should have been the number one contributor.

Having experienced the great calamity of antiquity, he knew that once he went to the mortal realm and was formally involved in the calamity, the extent of the benefits he could receive would be related to his merits.

This Master Qingdeng, who had only been there a short time and hadn't yet accomplished anything, was instead taken advantage of by Jin Bixian, who was trying to curry favor with Jiufang Mountain.

How did he receive such attention after just one sentence?

'This Ksitigarbha from outside the realm is far too pragmatic, lacking any human touch whatsoever. Even those in the demonic path are usually protective of their own, unlike him. Sigh, when I see the Buddha in the future, I must pour out my grievances to him.'

Lord Jiufang only dared to say these words to himself.

Guan Luoyang had anticipated these developments.

This is how those who reincarnate do things.

It's not simply about the difference between benevolence and selfishness, but rather that the entire Reincarnator system exudes an aura of pursuing efficiency.

Even Guan Luoyang himself, after becoming a reincarnator, would sometimes keep some people who should have been killed immediately, and then deal with them after they had been fully exploited and had reached their maximum value.

In Yu Ding Zhenren's evaluation, the things he did in the mission world were considered to be among the most morally upright of the Reincarnators. One can imagine what the other Reincarnators are generally like.

"The Dao Fruit is still just a prototype. Even if it becomes a nine-star Dao Fruit, it cannot completely correct the rigidities that occurred during the growth of the Main God Space system..."

Guan Luoyang's mind stirred slightly at this thought.

"However, given the God Realm's consistent approach of treating its flaws as guiding lights, these deviations caused by its extreme pursuit of efficiency might very well be the very guidance left by the founders of those supreme warbands for their descendants."

By recognizing and correcting these deviations, one can assist the person in the cycle of reincarnation to engage in more effective spiritual practice.

When Guan Luoyang's Vacuum Demon first emerged, it was essentially an insight he gained while oscillating between being satisfied with the status quo and still dissatisfied with the outside world.

Because of contentment, one can uphold the bottom line; because of dissatisfaction, one always wants to improve. This profound understanding is precisely the path that best corrects deviations.

"Oh!"

Guan Luoyang was lost in thought, but on the surface he only smiled.

"Mountain Lord, since you agree with my view, let's not delay and begin the first step in integrating the Underworld."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Of course, we should give them more benefits."

Guan Luoyang laughed and said, "You're just giving them the techniques and telling them to figure it out themselves? How can that be enough?"

"You need to broaden your mind before extending an invitation to them, and tell them that you want to pass on all your insights about the Dharma of the Flowing Sands through the method of mind-to-mind transmission."

The Lord of Jiufang Mountain hesitated and said, "What great benefit is this? They don't have as much turbid energy as you. Even if they achieve some success in their comprehension, they can't possibly devour other emperors like you. Besides, they're not that easy to trust..."

"Don't worry, they'll understand once you meet them."

Guan Luoyang flipped his sleeves, his figure leaping up from the ground with incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye, he had already placed a palm on the head of the Nine Directions Mountain Master.

(End of this chapter)