Xianye

Chapter 485 The Power of Destiny

In the blink of an eye, the sword energy approached the face of Monk Tansu, its chilling light piercing his brows, moving faster than lightning!
Knowing the danger, Tan Su did not dare to underestimate this move. She slowly made a hand seal, her lips moved slightly, and she exhaled a wisp of white breath.

The white mist rose into the sky and in the blink of an eye transformed into a white lotus flower as large as a bamboo basket, its color smooth and lovely, holding the sword energy firmly in mid-air.

With a "bang," it was as if a small shower of light exploded in the air!

Although the white lotus was slashed in half, with its petals and leaves flying everywhere, countless tender stamens grew wildly from the damaged area, fearlessly coiling around the sword energy.

In just a few breaths, the sharp, crimson sword energy on the lotus gradually faded away, its form and substance largely destroyed.

The white lotus inexplicably took on a scarlet hue, and several lotus petals suddenly turned crimson. At the same time, an incomparably sharp sword aura emanated from the lotus, which was truly bizarre.

"As expected of a Dharma heir of Dasui Temple, truly remarkable skills."

Before Tan Su could make a move, he swallowed the lotus flower that had changed shape after absorbing the sword energy. Suddenly, a voice rang out in the distant sky, sounding as if the speaker was quite interested.

Tan Su's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he had no time to see who the voice belonged to.

Almost at the same time the sound was heard, the originally dim and incomplete sword energy suddenly shone brightly, as if it had received some great boost, and broke free from the lotus stamen's restraints.

With a few flashes, the white lotus was shredded to pieces, and with a leap into the air, it disappeared without a trace.

Tan Su chanted a secret incantation and pointed his hands repeatedly. One by one, white lotuses took root in the void and bloomed slowly, decorating the place where he stood in a very beautiful and magnificent way.

However, as the lotus leaves burst into light and swayed gently in the wind, countless tender buds within them seemed to flicker and contract like the tongues of venomous snakes, adding an eerie atmosphere to this beautiful scene.

Seeing Tan Su's response, Chen Heng smiled, flicked his hand, and thirty-six sword lights split out, attacking all at once.

For a moment, all that could be seen was a chilling red light, swirling together in a chaotic mess, making it impossible to discern the exact number of beings within, a truly terrifying sight!

Although Bai Lian could not find an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, she guarded the gate tightly, preventing any leaks and not allowing Tan Su to retreat even half a step.

After a fierce battle that lasted for a while without a clear winner, Tan Su suddenly noticed a glint of golden light in her eyes. Her expression changed, and she decisively flipped over and jumped out of the lotus bushes.

The next moment, a burst of purple lightning shot out from behind him.

A tremendous tremor resounded, shaking the mountains, as if thousands of armored celestial horses were galloping in, smashing the white lotus to pieces!
Following the thunderbolt was an Abyssal Killing Sword, which slashed fiercely but struck empty air.

If Tan Su hadn't dodged in time, without hesitation, he would likely have suffered some hidden loss in the face of this sudden attack.

Seeing that its first strike missed, Abi Sword did not retreat. Instead, it turned and slashed at Tansu, who was not far away!

“This broken sword… could it be Avici?” Tan Su frowned slightly.

The flying sword was incomplete, resembling just a few pieces of iron roughly glued together, much like a novice craftsman's trial work.

However, Tan Su did not dare to underestimate the indistinct images of demons, immortals, and Buddhas on the sword. After a moment's thought, he recognized this ancient killing sword that had once been renowned throughout the world.

A burst of Buddhist light appeared behind Tan Su's head, and a white bone alms bowl flew out to meet it. Although it was cut open by the Avici Sword, he took advantage of this slight delay to cover his arm with a layer of hazy black light, clench his five fingers, and then slammed it hard against the Avici Sword!

The clash between the palm and the flying sword produced a deafening metallic clang, sparks flying everywhere!
When Tan Su exerted his strength to shake off the Abi Sword, although there was a deep, bone-revealing sword wound on the back of his hand, no blood flowed from the wound. Instead, it only looked ghastly. With a flick of his wrist, the wound was covered back up and healed completely.

Then he summoned a vajra wreathed in flames, brought the white bone alms bowl to the top of his head, his expression turned slightly solemn, and took the initiative to launch an attack, wanting to see what kind of helper Lü Rong had found.

After using the form of the Ucchub Treasure Canopy Vidyaraja, Tansu felt as if he had been freed from a heavy constraint, feeling carefree and unrestrained. He possessed immense strength in every movement, and with the powerful Buddhist treasure, the Yama Vidyaraja Vajra, by his side, he was displaying divine wonders.

This makes him look even more like a Dharma protector king who has stepped out of an ancient mural, majestic and awe-inspiring!
Anything that stood in Tan Su's way, whether it was sword light or lightning, was swept away one by one by him using the Yama King Pestle, and none of them could stop him.

After a while, just as Tan Su was about to reach the highest point in the sky, a faint golden light appeared in his eyes again. Tan Su suddenly changed his attack, abandoning his original plan to attack with his bare hands, and seemed to be deep in thought.

"May I ask who you are?"

Tan Su paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice.

At that moment, under Tan Su's watchful gaze, the clouds in the sky suddenly dispersed and drifted away, and then a young Taoist in black robes and a golden crown slowly descended.

Tan Su saw that the Taoist was calm and composed, with an outstanding demeanor. Behind him rose a cloud of mysterious energy, like the source of a river, vast and boundless.

This was a strange phenomenon brought about by profound magical power, which made people realize its divine nature at first glance. However, Tan Su could also see that the fundamental true scripture that this Taoist was studying was no ordinary superior book. It must be an unparalleled true scripture that directly pointed to the root of the Great Dao. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to have any different thoughts.

"A clear and bright aura; this is a member of the orthodox immortal sect, not from the demonic sect?"

Upon seeing this, Tan Su couldn't help but think to himself.

Those whom Lü Rong could bring to help were no ordinary cultivators. Tan Su had anticipated this, since if it were an ordinary Golden Core cultivator, they probably wouldn't last more than a few rounds against him.

However, the fact that Lü Rong, a Blood River cultivator, had found someone who seemed to be a true disciple of one of the Eight Schools of Xudu surprised Tan Suwei.

He had long heard that although the eight sects and six factions of Xudutian were divided into Xuan and Mo, they were not without their share of petty squabbles and intrigues.

However, the closeness of the alliance between the two sides far exceeds the imagination of other great heaven forces. They always advance and retreat together on important matters, and they even have a special Qian Yuan Si Chen Palace, which is the place where the patriarchs of each family usually discuss matters.

Although Tan Su heard this, he was only half convinced and did not believe it completely.

Even the few Zen sects in the Boundless Light Heaven that claim to be the orthodox lineage of the Buddhist order might not be able to achieve such harmony, let alone the Xuanzong and the Demonic Sect.
But after witnessing Chen Heng and Lü Rong join forces with his own eyes, Tan Su began to believe the rumors to some extent.

At this moment, Chen Heng looked at Tan Su, observed him from behind for a moment, and said with great interest:
"Yu Chen Chen Heng greets you."

"I wonder if what this Zen master just displayed was the supernatural power of knowing past lives, one of the six transformations in Buddhism?"

……

……

Its perfect clarity and purity are renowned throughout the ten directions, immeasurable and boundless, beyond comprehension.

Supernatural powers: divine foot, divine ear, telepathy, divine eye, knowledge of past lives, and the elimination of all defilements.

These six supernatural powers are known as the Six Divine Transformations of Buddhism, and are also called the treasures that seal the minds of all Buddhas.

To attain this state, one must dispel eighty thousand obstacles and traverse countless thorny thickets. It is the manifestation of the power and virtue emanating from profound samadhi and wisdom, a supreme means that is rare and unfathomable in the three realms!

Among these, those with supernatural powers can understand cause and effect and karmic retribution. Like observing sand and seeing waves, they can see the light of countless minds in the smallest detail, and thus foresee good and bad fortune.

Legend has it that when the ancient Buddhas, possessing great power and virtue, activated their supernatural powers to know past lives, they could see the entire river of life and death as clearly as the lines on the palm of their hand. All the countless eons of karma and the ebb and flow of life could not escape their thoughts!
Although the battle just now was brief, Tan Su seemed to have foreseen it both times and dodged Chen Heng's hidden tricks.

Such an unusual phenomenon naturally arouses curiosity.

"Yu Chen? This person is actually one of Yu Chen's men?"

Seeing that Chen Heng had immediately pointed out his destiny ability, Tan Su showed no surprise on his face. He frowned slightly, glanced at Lü Rong and Xiao Lingji, and then nodded, saying:
"What this master said is correct; he is indeed a master of predestination."

"The iron law of cause and effect, the power of karma is obvious. This is truly a wonderful method of divination. No wonder when Mei Gongxing was compiling the 'Golden Chapter of the Earthly Palace,' he listed the 'Destiny Insight' as the highest level. Today, I see that it is indeed well-deserved."

Chen Heng gave a thumbs-up and said:
"To have attained such an achievement, the Zen Master is truly worthy of being a Dharma heir of Dasui Temple."

"You flatter me, Master. While the ability to foretell destiny is good, if I had a choice, I would rather have lived a few hundred years later, otherwise I wouldn't have suffered so much." "I would like to hear more about it."

While Lü Rong and Xiao Lingji were clearly locked in a fierce battle, the atmosphere on this side became relaxed, and the two of them suddenly started chatting as if nothing had happened.

Tan Su sighed and said truthfully:

"Although the ability to see past lives is good, with my current level of understanding, when I activate it, I can only see some blurry traces by following the flow of karma. It is difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is fake. If I choose the wrong one, I will undoubtedly be courting death."

However, the most embarrassing thing is that the power of predestination is not entirely under my control...

Rather than a supernatural power, it is more like a kind of intelligent living being residing deep within my mind, which occasionally takes matters into its own hands, observing my karma and seeing the consequences for me.

The immense energy required to expend such supernatural power must be something even a true master is aware of.

Under normal circumstances, this would be fine, but in a critical moment, such an action is tantamount to deliberately tripping me up and ruining my skills.

At this point, Tan Su gave a self-deprecating laugh and said helplessly:
"Both are Buddhist supernatural powers. If I had a choice, I would prefer to have attained supernatural powers or divine eyes. Although these two types also have various obstacles, they are not as troublesome as the supernatural powers of knowing past lives."

In the Buddhist Six Transformations, apart from the last one, the Extinction of Defilements, the other five transformations are of equal status and have no distinction of superiority or inferiority.

At this moment, Tan Su smiled slightly at Chen Heng and asked:

"Because it is for peeping into the secrets of heaven, in this vast universe, all the most sophisticated divination methods have some drawbacks. As for your sect's Plum Blossom Divination, which is also a top-grade method in the Divination section of the 'Golden Chapter of the Earthly Palace,' I wonder what kind of difficulties it presents?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Heng also answered truthfully:

"The Plum Blossom Divination method is based on the idea that all things are numbers and that all things are analogous."

Not only the sun, moon, stars, celestial bodies, geography, insects, fish, people, birds, and beasts, but also objects, strokes of a brush, and even sounds can be used as numbers for divination. Its scope is so broad that it is truly an anomaly in the field of divination.

However, precisely because of this, the use of Plum Blossom Divination often results in "innate obstacles" that confuse the primordial spirit and its true nature. If one cannot overcome these obstacles repeatedly, the spirit will dissipate and the soul will vanish, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the bones.

Upon hearing this, Tan Su seemed intrigued and asked what the "innate obstacle" in Plum Blossom Divination was and how it should be resolved.

Chen Heng understood his inner thoughts, so he pretended not to know and answered them one by one.

And this question and answer took about half an incense stick's time to pass quietly.

Seeing Chen Heng standing calmly in the clouds, showing no sign of anything amiss, Tan Su frowned slightly, feeling puzzled.

At this moment, Chen Heng, with his hands behind his back, suddenly said in a calm voice:
“If the Zen master wants to wait for my injuries to flare up and my internal organs to be destroyed, then there is no need to go to such lengths. Now that I am prepared, you will have no chance of succeeding.”

There was no particular inflection in his voice, but the confidence and composure in his words caused Tan Su to change her expression slightly.

He paused for a moment, then shook his head:

"From the very beginning, you noticed my wonderful eloquence and ability to reverse speech?"

It seems all my calculations have come to nothing..."

Tan Su knew that Xiao Lingji was no match for Lü Rong. Although her younger sister was also a true disciple of a major sect, she was still somewhat inferior to a fierce person like Lü Rong of the Blood River.

Therefore, Tan Su naturally wouldn't stand idly by while Xiao Lingji was struggling; instead, she started chatting idly with Chen Heng.

From the very beginning, he secretly activated the secret art of eloquent speech of Da Sui Temple, incorporating it into his words.

This is an extremely subtle sonic attack technique. It is activated silently and can damage a person's internal organs and take their life without them even realizing it!

While Tan Su appeared to be discussing various divination methods with Chen Heng, she was actually waiting for Chen Heng's injuries to flare up so that she could easily make her move.

Who can know...

"The power of knowing past lives is not always accurate, so this scene was not what I expected... That's right, karma and retribution. Even the Buddha of Thunder Sound Staff, who was once famous throughout the heavens for his divination skills, could not foresee the calamity of his own disciple, let alone me?"

After a moment of reflection, Tan Su suppressed her laughter and spoke calmly:
"Master Chen, do you really intend to help Lü Rong? Is there no room for maneuver in this matter?"

"When someone entrusts you with a task, you should do your best."

Chen Heng remained calm: "Zen Master, let me see the methods of Da Sui Temple."

"That's fine."

Tan Su sighed, then suddenly roared like a lion, as if a tsunami or a mountain collapse!
Amidst the swirling winds from all directions, where Tan Su stood, he saw a black sun rise, its eerie light flickering and shimmering. A chilling wind howled, and though it was clearly shaped like the sun, it instantly frosted the earth, chilling him to the bone!
Chen Heng did not move. He reached out and made a grasping motion, and a huge five-colored hand, wrapped in rolling clouds, slammed down on the black sun!
The moment the giant hand collided with the black sun, a deafening explosion erupted, accompanied by a violent surge of wind!
However, this battle of wits did not last long.

A short while later, Xiao Lingji was nearly knocked off the clouds by Lü Rong's move, her face turning deathly pale, and Tan Su finally lost some of her composure.

To Tan Su's surprise, Chen Heng did not seize the opportunity to attack her. Instead, he transformed into a sword light and rushed towards the mountain that sealed off Yuan Zuo Wang Zhi.

Yuan Zuo Wang Zhi was naturally aware of the precious materials.

If Xiao Lingji obtains this item, it can make up for a deficiency in her current cultivation level. Tan Su would not let Chen Heng take it, so he quickly activated his escape technique and chased after him.

At the cost of enduring a thunderous strike from Chen Heng, Tan Su finally used a secret technique to retrieve the Yuanzuo Wangzhi from afar.

He dared not delay, and quickly summoned the Yama Vajra, piercing through the dense blood shadows in the air. Then he called to Xiao Lingji, who was bleeding from her mouth and nose, and told her to retreat first to avoid the attack.

However, after Tan Su finally obtained the Yuan Zuo Wang Zhi, she wanted to throw it to Xiao Ling Ji and tell her to take it quickly to avoid any further complications.

At this moment, Tan Su's keen intuition finally made sense of it.

"..."

He suddenly stood still, but with a slight squeeze of his five fingers, he gently pinched Yuanzuo Wangzhi.

With a crisp "crack," under Tan Su's gaze, what he held in his hand was only a small, incomplete piece of a golden-red medicinal herb shaped like a pinky finger.

Sap still slowly seeps from the broken part of the Ganoderma lucidum, emitting an indescribable fragrance that brings a sense of clarity and tranquility to the mind and body when inhaled.

Tan Su thought he had successfully captured the complete Yuan Zuo Wang Zhi.

Unexpectedly, despite taking the full force of a lightning strike, he only managed to obtain a little over 20% of the prize.

"A brilliant move..."

Tan Su's expression was somewhat complicated as she said to Chen Heng:
"How did you manage to do that in such a short time?"

Before Chen Heng could answer, Lü Rong, who was calm and composed not far away, sneered. He flew over, stepping on a thick blood-red light, and said indifferently:
"Master Chen's methods of deception are far superior to mine. Although you, monk, are capable, you are not skilled in this art, so how could you possibly see through its mysteries?"
Besides, how could someone who can compete with me for the Great Elixir of Xudu be an ordinary person? Tan Su, don't you know that you will soon be fighting against two future Daoist prodigies?"

"Will this person be the next Jade Emperor Dao Child?"

Tan Su and Lü Rong exchanged a glance across the distance, then their gazes fell on Chen Heng and paused solemnly.

At this moment, he felt the pressure increase sharply, and he secretly gripped the Yama Vajra even tighter, feeling quite helpless.

(End of this chapter)