Born with immortal seed

Chapter 907 The Hidden Secrets of Mahayana Buddhism
The Martial Madman dispersed his black flames, remained silent, and tossed them into the boxes that were lighting up one by one in the sky.

From the time of the Heavenly Emperor to the present day, it has been millions of years. Continents have drifted and collided, sea levels have risen and dried up, and mountains have risen and then eroded into dust.

Even if they were to unite, they could not bear such loneliness.

Especially when there is the hope of survival on one side and the real risk of death on the other.

Even now, he still can't understand how someone in the early stages of the Fusion Realm could have achieved this.

Before the rise of the Heavenly Emperor, they were regarded as the hope for resisting foreign tribes and saved the human race from danger on several occasions.

He was executed by the Heavenly Emperor, and used every means to survive for millions of years, struggling to survive in the ever-growing gaps of the Execution Platform.

This lingering regret was worn away by the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife, which was equivalent to refining it time and time again, making it as pure as the gold from the heavens, the most immortal and difficult to harm.

Their remaining abilities are negligible, yet even if they were perfectly combined, it would be extremely difficult to destroy them.

Faced with reality, they had long since abandoned any airs of seniority and were focused solely on surviving.

"The Primordial Pure Qi that was born at the beginning of creation!"

Upon seeing the pure energy within the box, Wu Kuangtu's eyes lit up, and he charged straight into it.

The pure energy mixed with the crimson light, forming a physical body that actually stabilized.

"After Taiyi and before the Heavenly Emperor, the human race had several outstanding figures, all of whom were regarded as having the hope of reaching the Mahayana stage, and their strength was clearly superior to their peers. Even though it was ultimately proven that these people were so far from the Mahayana stage that they could not even see the threshold, they still left behind legends and biographies, and some sects even traced their lineage back to have intricate connections with them."

Back in the real world, the Night Lamp and the Jade Dial were much dimmer. Bai Zichen heard the curses from the Execution Platform again, and his mind was as weary as if he had just survived a long and arduous battle.

"If what this person said is true, then there is only one possibility for why he and Ling Su completely disappeared and their reputation was not passed down: the Heavenly Emperor directly took away that period of time, causing them to disappear in the river of time. Not only the two of them, but none of the major events of that period have been passed down, including how the Heavenly Emperor reached the Mahayana stage, which opponents he defeated in the process, seemingly achieving it all in one fell swoop and reaching the peak."

I think it's about 70-80% plausible, because besides the two elders of Yin and Yang, there's a lot of missing history from that period.

And it wasn't the kind of ban or destruction; not even a single word was passed down.

This kind of force can only erase time from everyone's memory, as if it had never happened in the Immortal Realm.

This is the true immortal of Mahayana Buddhism, who can manipulate time and reverse cause and effect with ease.

There is no fixed number in Him, no need to seek common sense, no need to calculate, and no need to deduce.

The thought of truly breaking free from his cage and facing the returning Heavenly Emperor made Bai Zichen feel a tightness in his chest.

He didn't know which step he needed to take to achieve perfect integration? To a Mahayana True Immortal, it was just a breath away, turning him to ashes.

Reaching the end of the river of time? The Heavenly Emperor controls time, and no corner of the past or future can escape his reach.

Seeking the protection of a great being? Across the myriad races of the Three Realms and throughout the ages, only a few true spirits can be compared to him.

But even the demon race can't contact the true spirit, let alone outsiders.

"Explain the details of the Heavenly Emperor's disappearance in detail."

In the celestial realm of Shaohua Cave, Bai Zichen moved Wu Kuangtu to the starry sky and said solemnly.

Since they merged, this place has changed rapidly, with the land continuously expanding outwards.

Overnight, hundreds of mountains and dozens of rivers may appear, and the terrain may be completely transformed.

The cave is filled with spirits, and life and death are entirely in their hands.

Unexpectedly, the other party might use tricks, and even if they were lying or bluffing, one could still sense it to some extent.

If the road ahead is uncertain, it would be ideal to have a cultivator from the same era as the Heavenly Emperor to offer guidance and answers.

Who knows, we might just discover a glimmer of light in the endless darkness.

"The four seasons are in sync, the moon waxes and wanes..."

Wu Kuangtu was a remarkable figure in his lifetime; he could tell at a glance that something was wrong with this cave.

The biggest difference between the grotto-heaven and the real world lies in the speed at which time passes, whether faster or slower.

Even in the later stages of fusion, there can still be subtle but noticeable errors.

Over three to five years, there will always be a few moments of separation.

Beings born and raised in the cave naturally cannot sense it; only he, being a newcomer and possessing an exceptionally high level of cultivation, is so perceptive.

According to Wu Kuangtu, no more than five people can achieve this level of skill upon entering the initial stage of the Integration Realm, including the two True Immortals, Taiyi and the Heavenly Emperor.

Unexpectedly, a million years later, I encountered one right after escaping my predicament. I don't know whether to call it a coincidence or fate.

"That person was born dazzling. He rose from fame to supreme status in just ten thousand years. Along the way, there were people who targeted him and set up sure-kill traps, but he always managed to get through them with incredible means."

Wu Kuangtu revealed a strange look of reminiscence, and subconsciously did not call him by his name directly, but used a substitute.

"He attained true immortality and made unparalleled vows, but he had no intention of dealing with me and Ling Su... Compared to others, we are more aware of the terror of Mahayana, so we would not resist and have always cooperated with the Dao Court."

"Until that epic battle, when that person returned, he was so weak that his body was shattered and his Dharma body was no more. He had to rely on the Xuan Tian Sword to escort me and Ling Su to the Execution Platform. In the past, he was a force to be reckoned with, but at that point, he truly needed the Execution Platform to kill us. We dared not push our source any further."

Bai Zichen keenly grasped the key point and asked, "So, after the battle with the sacred beast, He didn't disappear immediately, but returned to the Earthly Immortal Realm and killed the two strongest human beings at that time who were at the Fusion Stage?"

This differs from past legends, which state that the Heavenly Emperor disappeared along with the Azure Dragon after the great battle, becoming the greatest mystery in the Three Realms.

"That's natural. I know that He has never appeared again... Besides the Azure Dragon, there are also seven great demon gods and five alien powerhouses participating in the battle. Each of them is no less powerful than me. With the advantage of home field, they are already able to hold their own against the Mahayana cultivators."

Wu Kuangtu never imagined that someone could continue to act in such a wounded state, and even lead him and Ling Su to the execution platform without any resistance.

With the seven great demon gods all fallen and five powerful alien beings removed from the list, the Azure Dragon, a true spirit on par with the Mahayana stage, disappeared first, demonstrating the full extent of the Heavenly Emperor's power.

However, his injuries were so severe that only a few strands of golden energy drifted around, barely held together by the river of time.

In this state, it would be impossible for him to force himself back to the Immortal Realm to sort things out without falling into a deep sleep.

"What's so special about you that He needs to drag his crippled body back to the Immortal Realm to exterminate you all?"

Bai Zichen frowned.

"During the slumber, the Great Dao lost its master. If someone ascends to that realm, there will be a true threat to Him in this world."

Wu Kuangtu laughed helplessly and said:
"It seems that I have taken a step beyond the perfect integration stage, but in reality, I am still thousands of miles away from the Mahayana stage. It's just that that person is about to fall into a deep sleep, and I need to clear away all unstable factors."

“That makes sense… Do you know when He will return?”

On the surface, Bai Zichen accepted this explanation and was also led astray, not daring to address the Heavenly Emperor directly, as if he would break a taboo.

"Haha, as expected, he hasn't awakened yet, otherwise how could this old man have survived! The return of that person is not about the length of time; at any point in the future, when he reunites with his golden nature, he can instantly restore him to normal at all points in time along the river of time, meaning he will wake up the moment he falls asleep."

Wu Kuangtu's words were incoherent, but upon careful consideration, their deeper meaning became clear.

"He has not yet returned, which means that He has not yet found the way and is still sleeping in the untouchable extremes of the universe... Remember, time has no meaning for that person, and it is more likely to be understood by abandoning the thinking of ordinary people."

"Once awakened, He will awaken from every moment of the past and change the history that has already happened... This is the Great Vehicle True Immortal, this is omnipresent and omnipotent."

Bai Zichen felt a chill run down his spine. In just a few words, he glimpsed the terrifying power of Mahayana Buddhism, which could not be described by mere strength.

In particular, the Heavenly Emperor also controls the Great Dao of Time, and can tear you to shreds in the blink of an eye while you are still in your swaddling clothes.

"You say it involves the chance of immortality, I'd like to hear which path it takes."

Wu Kuangtu's expression was slightly complicated. He hesitated and said, "Why is it that, apart from True Spirits, among so many outstanding individuals from all races, not one can surpass the Perfected Integration Realm... No matter how much progress they make, they are all stuck in that framework?"

"The Heavenly Dao has not left any path for living beings to cultivate to the eighth level. Immortality and longevity are inherently contrary to the laws of the universe."

"Those few true spirits are less special beings above the level of demon gods, and more like carriers of the Great Dao because their physical bodies are so powerful that they have become vessels for the Great Dao."

"Everyone says that person is the greatest cultivator of all time, but they don't know that it was even more difficult for the Taiyi True Immortal to open up a path from nothing. Without the experience of predecessors to refer to, one wrong step will lead to certain death."

Bai Zichen listened intently, realizing he had never thought about it from this perspective before.

Before the Taiyi era, it wasn't that the human race hadn't produced Mahayana practitioners; this was true for all races.

True spirits and such beings are not something that can be cultivated; rather, it seems to be a creation of the Heavenly Dao.

"What is Mahayana? It is to become one with the Dao, to unite the primordial spirit with the true self, and to break free from all rules and limitations... But no matter what stage a cultivator reaches, he cannot compare with the true spirit in terms of physical strength, and over time, he will inevitably worry about the Dao turning away."

As expected of Wu Kuangtu, the strongest human cultivator below the Mahayana stage, this information would never appear in any jade slips or classics; it would only be passed down orally.

"Therefore, Mahayana practitioners must transcend and leave this world, otherwise they will become part of the Heavenly Way."

"At this moment, the Earthly Immortal Realm is essentially without a Great Daoist seat, and the Dao Fruit is suspended in vain. If someone can take that step, they can seize the realm that billions of cultivators yearn for, and from then on, they will live forever... That person is essentially occupying a position in the Heavenly Dao and then temporarily leaving. It will be much easier for future generations to sit on it than at other times. This is also why He is willing to sleep for a longer period of time to deal with me and Ling Su."

"That's it, that's it..."

Bai Zichen murmured to himself, these secrets answered his doubts from another perspective.

It seems that the only way to break the deadlock is to either do what Wu Kuangtu said or push someone else up.

In short, they wanted to seize the position of the Heavenly Emperor and prevent Him from returning.

Although he was unable to ask the Heartless Sword Immortal about the reason for leaving so many treasures in the Hidden Dragon Realm, his conversation with the Martial Madman provided him with a deeper understanding of Mahayana Buddhism from a higher level.

This trip to the Execution Platform was definitely worthwhile.

(End of this chapter)