novelraw Chapter 1290 685: The Battle to Ascend to Heaven
Chapter 1290 685: The Battle to Ascend to Heaven
Western Regions, Buddhist Ancestor Court.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, sprinkling on the glazed tiles of the Golden Light Temple built on the mountainside, gleaming with a golden glow on the mountainside.
The once constantly chiming grand temple was exceptionally quiet at the moment.
Under the decree of the Dharma King, all the monks of the Western Regions had rushed to the battlefield, leaving this vast holy land of the entire Western Region deserted with hardly a trace of life.
Yet at this moment, on the central axis paved with pure white jade stones from the main entrance directly to the deepest Great Hall of Golden Light Temple, a monk clad in pure white monk robes was rushing in haste.
Bian Ji, with both hands lifting the hem of his monk robe on each side, leaped great distances with each stride on the stone slabs.
Finally, he arrived at the deepest part of Golden Light Temple, where the gigantic hall under the Five Directions glazed roof had its closed majestic doors.
Bian Ji's steps halted; he stood outside the door with some trepidation, took a deep breath, and loudly said:
"Abbot!"
Inside the hall, there was a brief silence, then Xuan Yin's aged voice came through:
"I have said, do not disturb during seclusion."
Bian Ji hastily defended:
"Something urgent has happened! The Buddha's Talisman that Da Jing Master placed in the temple has just shattered, leaving not even a soul behind, probably killed by the Empress of Great Yu."
The hall fell silent once again, with no response for a long time.
Bian Ji, bending over, stood outside the hall, while fine beads of sweat began to seep out on his bald head.
He tentatively called out a few more times, "Abbot," but received no answer.
An indescribable fear began to grow wildly in his heart.
This former "heir" of the Divine Dragon Temple cautiously lifted his head, looking at the towering vermilion doors before him.
It was like an ant standing outside the Southern Sky Gate of the Heavenly Court, feeling immensely small and humbled.
Bian Ji couldn't recall when he began to fear Xuan Yin, whom he considered his mentor.
His previously unfathomable yet ever-guiding mentor had become increasingly unfamiliar since coming to the Western Regions, and the occasional glances cast toward him sent chills down Bian Ji's spine.
"Abbot! Have you encountered a mishap in cultivation? If you do not respond, I shall take the liberty to come in!"
Bian Ji shouted loudly, yet still received no response.
He took a deep breath, finally raising both hands, pressing them firmly against the towering door, and exerted his strength.
"Creak—"
The heavy door finally opened under his push.
Eastern sunlight bypassed his thin body, casting into the dark hall.
At first, it drew a bright line on the ground, gradually unfolding, everything inside the hall becomes visible to Bian Ji's eyes.
The Buddha Temple, which should have been dignified and filled with righteous aura, was filled with an unsettling, ominous atmosphere.
The merciful faces of the Buddha statues on both sides of the hall appeared fierce amid the shift of light and shadow.
On the lotus pedestal in the center, at the deepest part where the Dharma King sat, dressed in magnificent colorful robes and adorned with a crown inlaid with various gems, the Western Regions Dharma King opened his robe, as did Xuan Yin in his brown monk robes, and they embraced each other.
Their flesh and bodies fused together like deformed conjoined twins.
More than half of Xuan Yin's body had already merged into the Dharma King's chest and abdomen, as if he were being consumed!
The Dharma King, appearing middle-aged, and Xuan Yin, with his elder appearance, bit each other's shoulders.
In the thick smell of blood, the Dharma King and Xuan Yin released each other simultaneously, turning their heads, four eyes stared deeply at the white-robed monk who intruded.
"Ah—"
Bian Ji screamed, indescribable fear exploded in his heart, nearly scattering his soul!
He wanted to flee, yet was horrified to find that his body was immobilized, as if frozen, only able to watch the scene inside the hall where the two embraced and devoured each other.
It was uncertain how much time passed before Xuan Yin's entire body had fully melded into the Dharma King.
The blood-painted face of the Dharma King twisted and transformed, their facial features interlaced and overlapped into an entirely new face!
A grand Buddha Light unfolded behind the Dharma King, who smiled as he stood up, stepping down from the lotus pedestal, walking barefoot to Bian Ji, and spoke slowly:
"As Buddha returns today, I permit you to enter Sumeru Heavenly Kingdom."
Then, the chest of the Ksitigarbha who returned to the mortal world split open, his body swelled, and in Bian Ji's despairing gaze, he was consumed.
When only a blood-stained white monk robe remained on the ground, Ksitigarbha staggered out of the hall, gazing toward the east at Yumen Pass.
A boundless joy spread across his face at first, then gradually unease emerged between his brows.
"I am a Human Immortal now, who in the world can challenge me?"
...
...
Yumen Pass.
The Empress of Great Yu, Xu Zhenguan, stood alone atop the city walls, charred and mottled by the fires of war.
Before her sight lay the expansive fields outside the city, surrounded but not attacked by the Monk Soldiers of the Western Regions and soldiers from various countries.
Her Dragon Robe remained spotless, the imperial beads atop her head still shining brilliantly, and the Taia Sword at her waist as sharp as ever.
Yet, on her face, beautiful enough to cause the downfall of cities, was a tightly knitted brow, her eyes reflecting the sorrow of a shattered land.
The morning sun rose behind her, illuminating the armor on the court's remaining experts within the broken Yumen Pass city and the blades in their hands, then the tattered Dragon Flag fluttering on the city wall.
In this city, long fallen, there was no life left except for them.
Yet the Dragon Flag on the city wall continuously proclaimed that this was still the territory of Great Yu.