Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
The words of the Shakyamuni Buddha spread far. Almost every Buddhist cultivator and believer heard it in their hearts.
Every Buddhist cultivator and mortal believer started to smile. They closed their palms together and said, “Welcome, Cosmic Marble Buddha! The Vaidūryanirbhāsā World is upon us!”
In the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World in the black hole, on top of the Heavenly Stupa, a white light appeared and descended onto it.
When the light first appeared, Lin Feng saw a shadow flitting past on the top of the Heavenly Stupa.
That was the golden form of one of the Ten Great Disciples. While it disappeared almost instantly, Lin Feng recognized it. Because of his powerful spells and attacks, he was viewed as the strongest Buddhist cultivator. That was the golden form of Maudgalyayana.
Earlier, Lin Feng guessed that three golden forms were required to complete the ceremony.
Looking at it now, the Heavenly Stupa was formed from Maudgalyayana’s golden form, combined with the spiritual energy he absorbed from the sea of purple light and the ruins of the Great Thunderclap Temple.
Liang Pan sat in the Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai and communicated to Lin Feng and Yan Nanlai telepathically. “We should ally to fight him. The coming of the Buddha will not benefit us.”
“The destruction of Buddhism is written in the stars. By doing this, the Buddha is going against the will of heavens. The implications are too serious to ignore.”
“Furthermore, the coming of the Buddha will not benefit us. If we send him back to Nirvana, we still have a chance at harvesting the spiritual energy from the Heavenly Stupa.”
Yan Nanlai said nothing. Lin Feng looked at Liang Pan with a half-smile on his face.
Liang Pan smashed down on the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World with his Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai. He then communicated to Yan Nanlai, “Sect leader Yan, the Buddhists’ attempts at passing their cultivation to the demons were unwise moves. After I destroyed the Great Thunderclap Temple, I discovered some clues about their attempts. They were shocking indeed.”
“When the Golden Cicada cultivated with the Great Thunderclap Temple, the Buddha and your sect’s founder had already entered the Death Sea. However, before that, he was no more than an ordinary mortal with a short life-span. My sources tell me that it was the Buddha who initiated him into the cultivation world and helped him shed his mortal body.”
“Other than him, there are many other demons who have been instructed by the Buddha. The Golden Cicada is only the most famous and most powerful one.”
Liang Pan said expressionlessly, “Since the Buddha, the Buddhists had tried to pass their cultivation to the demons. Their plans are grand, like their ambition. However, it is perilous path indeed. They thought that they are saving them from Hell, but they had never thought that their actions would drag humans into Hell with them.”
Yan Nanlai stared at the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World and said nothing.
Many years ago, the Great Void Sect had this suspicion. During the War of Buddha Annihilation, the Great Void Sect was able to obtain sources that confirmed their suspicions. Today, the words of Liang Pan only served as double confirmation.
Liang Pan looked at Lin Feng and said, “Your sect’s Karmic Theory Debate with the Buddhists shook the very foundations of Buddhism. Hence, they could not progress much after the Age of Vipralopa. Many Buddhist cultivators felt at loss and hence, doubts bit at their hearts. Coupled with the incense of the ordinary mortals, they are able to bring about the third coming of the Buddha.”
“Perhaps your disciple has enhanced the workings of Karma. However, as you have both good and bad deeds on you, why leave it up to Karma instead of ending it now?”
Lin Feng replied plainly, “Let’s not talk about our ties with Buddhism. Daoist Liang, you should care about yourself first. The Great Zhou Empire led the destruction of Buddhism and started their Age of Vipralopa. Not only did you massacre many Buddhist cultivators and believes, you even took away their sariras. The renovation of your Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai was done with a large number of sariras, right?”
“Furthermore, the next biggest culprit in the destruction of Buddhism is the Hades Emperor.”
Lin Feng did not say anymore. However, as he said that, Liang Pan’s eyes flashed, and a look of shock and realization crossed his face. He was evidently troubled.
Yan Nanlai’s expression was calm. Without joy or anger, he stared at the Heavenly Stupa within the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World. He looked around him and finally sighed, “This is the most powerful spell of the Buddha. It formed over a long time and hence, even though he isn’t here himself, it is incredibly powerful.”
“The ceremony is complete. Not only did he use the power of the sea of purple light and the black hole, he caused the entire Greater World to tremble by temporarily distorting the flow of space and time in void space.”
“Attacking the stupa at this time is like fighting against the Greater World.”
Yan Nanlai said slowly, “Initially, the Greater World will not react. However, the more we attack, the more the Greater World will react to us.”
Liang Pan stood in the Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai with a heavy face. As he directed the Imperial Palace to attack, he could feel that what Yan Nanlai said was true.
“If the Supreme Heavenly Mirror were still in the Divine Lands, it could manipulate the Greater World and stop this change,” said Yan Nanlai as he shook his head. The Supreme Heavenly Mirror was formed directly from the Greater World and hence, it could manipulate it.
On the other hand, if the Supreme Heavenly Mirror were still in the Divine Lands, then the Golden Roc Grand would not dare to activate the black hole. The ceremony would lack its final step and remain incomplete.
Yan Nanlai stared at the Heavenly Stupa inside the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World and said, “The coming of the Buddha cannot be stopped.”
Liang Pan exhaled and said, “There’s one last chance!”
“The moment the Buddha descends on the Heavenly Stupa, the ceremony will be complete. It will no longer be able to protect itself.”
“The Buddha will surely not be as powerful as he was all those years ago. He needs time.”
Liang Pan’s face turned grimmer and darker. “We cannot give him this chance!”
As Lin Feng, Yan Nanlai and Liang Pan thought, a dot of golden light landed on the Heavenly Stupa and occupied its right-most seat.
The moment it appeared, bright and pure light started to shine. Compared to the Heavenly Stupa and the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World, it was even brighter.
In the light, one could see another smaller light flashing like the stars.
The light faded, and a Buddha appeared, seated, on the right-most seat. His entire body was like liu-li (Translator’s Note: Liu-li is a form of crystal in Ancient China) and he had 48000 arms. Each of his palms was open and in each of them, a single star shone.
The Buddha appeared calm and emotionless. He appeared to be slightly smiling.
“Good, good. After experiencing countless rebirths, I shall once again come and relieve Mankind of his suffering. The Six Paths of Reincarnation have fallen, and the Sea of Bitterness is limitless. What s a shame.”
“Good! Good!”
That was the third incarnation of the Buddha, the Cosmic Marble Buddha, who descended onto the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World!
With the coming of the Buddha, in the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World, ten light shadows appeared around the Heavenly Stupa. Together, they gave off a sleek light.
While they were still shadows and had yet to take actual form, Lin Feng could recognize one of their shapes. It looked like a dagger but it was not one. It looked like a gavel but it was not one too. It was a Buddhist Thunder Staff, one of the Ten Defenders of Buddhism.
When Lin Feng first came to this world, the first Buddhist cultivator he met wielded a weapon fashioned after the Buddhist Thunder Staff.
The Ten Defenders of Buddhism were all powerful weapons. When all ten were combined, they were known as the ‘Ten Corners of the World’. They were the most powerful magic treasures of the Great Thunderclap Temple, ranking right behind the Destiny level Mount Meru.
Now, in the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World, the ten light shadows that surrounded the Heavenly Stupa were evidently the Ten Defenders of Buddhism. Together, they protected the coming of the Buddha.
Out of the black hole, every single Buddhist cultivator and devotee could feel it. Together, they chanted, “Good, good, the Buddha is compassionate!”
“Hail the Amitabha Buddha! Hail the Shakyamuni Buddha! Hail the Cosmic Marble Buddha!”
To the many Buddhist cultivators and devotees, this was the most excited they had been in years. Their hearts and minds were clear.
To Liang Pan, it was the best time to strike!
As this Buddha descended, brimming with a brilliant radiance, everyone in the black hole could feel that the connection between the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World, black hole and the sea of purple light and the Greater World was fading.
The arrival of the Buddha signified the end of the ceremony.
Liang Pan, who had been waiting for this opportunity, directed his Imperial Palace straight into the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World.
Yan Nanlai stared at the Cosmic Marble Buddha and said quietly, “Teaching Buddhism to the demons is too dangerous. Leader of Buddhism, I respect your ambition, but I cannot agree with you. Sorry for the offense.”
With that, Yan Nanlai too charged toward the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World.
Lin Feng did not move. The Golden Roc Grand Sage escaped and left his gate to the Starry Sea behind. The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage too escaped the moment the Cosmic Marble Buddha came. She no longer cared for the spiritual energy here.
He did not chase the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage but instead, looked at the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World which was being attacked by Liang Pan and Yan Nanlai. Lin Feng helped neither side. Instead, he appeared slightly dazed.
“Something is not right!” Lin Feng thought. “According to Buddhist teachings, his future form should be the Medicine Buddha, not the Cosmic Marble Buddha.”
“However, this is the right Buddhist spell. It is Emperor Ru’s true return, and definitely not hijacked by someone else. Only with the future incarnation of Emperor Ru could he trigger this reaction from all Buddhist cultivators and devotees.”
Among non-Buddhist cultivators today, Lin Feng’s understanding of Buddhism was ranked as one the best. His knowledge of Buddhist canons and scriptures could rival Liang Pan’s and Yan Nanlai’s.
“Where did the change come from?” Lin Feng thought. Then, he realized that the first person the Buddha looked now was Lin Feng, not Liang Pan and Yan Nanlai who were rushing towards him.
