Taoist Myth: I am the last true immortal in the world

Chapter 869 Extinction and Rebirth

The fight between Banana Arhat and Li Qi has reached a fever pitch.

The two used their respective skills, causing changes to occur throughout the world.

Driven by a powerful force, thick thunderclouds filled the sky.

As streaks of lightning lay dormant, they released bursts of muffled thunder.

Suddenly, the Banana Tree Arhat was enveloped in a blazing light, shimmering like crystal.

A tremendous power surged from the banana leaf fan in his hand.

This great power is filled with Buddha-nature.

It was as if all living things within it had attained "annihilation".

The Buddhist concept of Nirvana is not the same as the state of perfect tranquility, but rather a transcendent state.

It roughly means that its essence is tranquil and detached from all forms, hence the term "extinction".

Silence, the extinction of the dead, the selection of non-action, is the essence of Nirvana.

Nirvana is the extinction of the cause and effect of birth and death, hence it is called extinction, and it is the ultimate goal of Hinayana Buddhism.

When this great power of "annihilation" was born, the originally turbulent sky instantly calmed down, and the trembling earth also became quiet in an instant.

No.

This applies not only to the heavens and earth.

To be precise, the entire world seemed to have returned to its primitive state under this "annihilation" power.

Enveloped by the great power, Li Qi felt a strong urge to convert to Buddhism, as if he wished he could shave his head and become a monk to pursue the true meaning of Buddhist nirvana.

He was a rogue immortal at the pinnacle of the divine realm, yet he was still affected by this.

One can imagine how miraculous the power of the Banana Leaf Arhat's use of the Banana Leaf Fan was.

Li Qi almost got lost in it.

Fortunately, just as this invisible force enveloped every inch of his body and spirit, another great force rose up.

This immense power surged forth from the top of Li Qi's head like a spring, manifesting as a dark, sweeping mass that instantly transformed into a cloud of auspiciousness covering an area of ​​over an acre.

Inside this auspicious cloud, what sits upright is not Li Qi's primordial spirit, but a "fire poker".

As this "fire stick" appeared, wisps of smoke and aroma wafted from the auspicious clouds, giving everyone the sensation of evening cooking smoke rising and the fragrance of food filling the air.

The aroma of fireworks and the vibrant life broke the silence!
The state of tranquility and peace, where there is neither birth nor death, is called Nirvana.

Now, this tranquility and peace have been shattered by the smell of fireworks, which is tantamount to breaking the mystery of the banana leaf fan.

That wasn't all. The fire sticks blazed with boundless light, illuminating the entire sky and earth with a dazzling brilliance, yet there was no heat, only endless tranquility.

This is the perception of the spectators.

In fact, when the Banana Arhat faced the firelight that represented the essence of fireworks, his hard-won tranquility almost shattered!

The Banana Tree Arhat's body trembled slightly, and his golden body was almost shattered.

In this critical moment, he quickly began reciting the Nirvana Sutra.

"You monks, you should know that the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the One Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Tamer of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, is also like this... Therefore, the Tathagata proclaims in the Dharma that there is no self, for the sake of taming sentient beings... Some say it is as big as a thumb, some as big as a mustard seed, some as big as a speck of dust... The non-self of all dharmas is not actually non-self. What is self? This dharma is real, true, constant, and constant, and its nature is unchanging. This is called self."

The Buddha's light formed individual characters, revealing the original text of the Nirvana Sutra.

At the same time, the Banana Tree Arhat shone with extremely bright Buddhist light.

Amidst this pervasive Buddhist light, a golden Arhat statue, hundreds of feet tall, rose spontaneously from within.

When the golden body of the Arhat first appeared, his eyes were closed, like a majestic and immovable mountain that has been lying on the earth since ancient times.

However, in the blink of an eye, it slowly opened its eyes.

A transcendent aura erupted, causing the entire world to freeze in time.

Immediately, the golden Arhat statue stretched out a large, radiant golden hand and pressed down on Li Qi.

This scene was as if a vast, sun-covering hand had suddenly appeared in the sky and was pressing down layer by layer!
Even with Li Qi's high level of cultivation, when facing this giant palm, he still felt as if time and space were completely sealed off with no way to escape, as if he would perish when the palm pressed down!
Chen Tuan, Yuan Chu, and Junior Brother Yun, who were watching the battle, sensed something was wrong the moment they saw the Banana Arhat reveal his golden body. However, they never expected that the situation was more than just bad.

When the golden Arhat statue stretched out its enormous palms and covered the sky, they felt as if the heavens and earth had collapsed and the sun, moon, and stars no longer existed.

This palm formed by Buddha's light seems capable of encompassing all the heavens and myriad realms, and of the birth and death of all living beings in a single thought!
The unleashing of that unparalleled power instilled a profound sense of despair.

Zhao Kuangyin and the other generals of the Later Zhou Dynasty were all ordinary people and could not see the mystery of the golden hand that blotted out the sky. However, they were all terrified when they saw the palm dominating the entire sky and suppressing everything.

Such a huge hand, even without any other divine power, would be enough to destroy the world if it were to strike the ground.

Zhao Kuangyin and the generals of the Later Zhou Dynasty instinctively believed that they too would be wiped out in the next moment.

Those who shared the same senses included Huangfu Hui, Yao Feng, and a group of Southern Tang generals.

Huangfu Hui felt as if everything in the world was being manipulated by that giant hand, and all the power was concentrated into one, making it difficult to breathe.

Yao Feng and other Southern Tang generals also felt an awe-inspiring power suppressing them from the shadows.

The heavens and earth were collapsing, mountains roared and seas surged; all sorts of apocalyptic scenes were already appearing in everyone's minds.

powerful!
The Banana Tree Arhat is truly powerful!

This power was something Li Qi, a rogue immortal, had never experienced before in his cultivation.

He finally understood that cultivation level did not represent strength; the extraordinary spells possessed by prestigious sects were the true key to determining the outcome of a battle.

Li Qi couldn't help but give a wry smile.

He knew that from the moment the Banana Tree Arhat revealed his golden body, he had already faced a tragic fate.

If it were just a crushing defeat, that would be fine. But if the Banana Arhat really didn't hold back, Li Qi would definitely die here today, the kind of death where both body and soul are destroyed!
These thoughts flashed through everyone's minds like lightning.

In less than a moment, the golden palm that blotted out the sky had already suppressed everything.

Li Qi was powerless to resist and was about to close her eyes in despair.

Chen Tuan, Yuan Chu, and Long Nu San Jiu, among others, were also so shocked that their eyes widened in disbelief.

These cultivators or saints possessed powerful abilities, yet they were still so shocked by such a perilous scene, let alone the soldiers of both the Later Zhou and Southern Tang, who were all mortals.

Some soldiers were so terrified that they wet their pants!
Everyone understands what fate awaits them in the next second; they may very well perish forever.

At this critical moment!
At this critical moment!
Suddenly, a loud laugh echoed from a distant mountaintop, "Banana Tree Arhat, don't be so arrogant! Watch how I break your Arhat golden body!"

Before anyone could even turn to look at the source of the sound, they saw 108 different colors of divine light suddenly burst forth in the sky.

This divine light was incredibly intense, and once it erupted, it immediately swept across the entire world!
The next moment, the incomparable golden body of the Banana Arhat was completely swept away by the divine light and vanished without a trace!

Pfft!
Having lost the support of his primordial spirit, the Banana Tree Arhat's physical body fell to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

"Huh?" "What?"

"This……"

No one expected such a strange turn of events. They were all astonished and looked in the direction of the sound, wanting to know what had happened.

The next moment, everyone saw it.

In the sky, a tiny gaze was gathering the 108 colors of divine light.

Within the divine light, the primordial spirit of the Banana Tree Arhat was still struggling desperately, but to no avail.

The power of the divine light was so immense that the primordial spirit of the Banana Tree Arhat could not possibly escape it.

In less than a moment, the Banana Tree Arhat's primordial spirit was absorbed into his tiny gaze.

Immediately, the thin wooden stick flew towards the distant mountaintop and disappeared completely from everyone's sight.

Of course, Zhao Kuangyin, Huangfu Hui, Yao Feng, and a hundred thousand other ordinary people could not see the specific scene.

The two holy monks on the city wall of Chuzhou, Chen Tuan, Yuan Chu, and Yun Shidi, who were on Zhao Kuangyin's side, could see them clearly.

They all saw a great demon with a bull's head and a human body standing atop a distant mountain peak.

The two holy monks did not recognize this great demon, nor did most of the talented and extraordinary people in the Later Zhou Dynasty, such as Chen Tuan and Mr. Geng.

However, not everyone is unfamiliar with them.

At least Yuan Chu, Junior Brother Yun, and Dragon Girl Sanjiu all showed joy upon seeing the great demon's face.

Niu Dali!
The person who arrived was none other than Niu Dali!
Yuan Chu, Junior Brother Yun, and Dragon Girl Sanjiu, among others, had visited Sun Moon Lake Grotto-heaven. At that time, their cultivation levels were relatively low, while Niu Dali had already cultivated to the Human Immortal Realm and fought against Monk Daoyuan for a whole month.

For them at the time, the battle between Niu Dali and the monk Daoyuan, who were at the level of immortals, was truly spectacular, leaving a deep impression on them. Even after decades, they still remember it vividly.

In addition, Yuan Chu, Junior Brother Yun, and Long Nu San Jiu would visit Qingcheng Mountain during festivals, so they naturally knew that Niu Dali had long since become Chen Yun's disciple.

Now that Niu Dali is here, they can guess that he must have been sent by Chen Yun.

Upon realizing this, Yuan Chu hurriedly flew into the air, bowed, and said, "Senior Niu, this junior greets you. May I ask if you are Chen Zhen..."

Before he could finish speaking, Niu Dali interrupted him, saying, "I have already left Huangting Temple. This matter has nothing to do with Master Chen. I just didn't like the bald monk, so I used a magic weapon to capture his primordial spirit. You all should take care of yourselves. I'm leaving."

After speaking, he transformed into a long rainbow and disappeared before everyone's eyes.

Niu Dali successfully transformed into a rainbow and left, but the remaining people couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.

Originally, the Banana Arhat manifested his golden body and crushed everyone with unparalleled power, so everyone thought Li Qi was bound to lose.

Unexpectedly, Niu Dali suddenly appeared and, with an extremely powerful magic weapon, directly took away the primordial spirit of the Banana Arhat, causing the entire situation to reverse.

Although Niu Dali denied that he was sent by Chen Yun to help, and that he had already left, Chen Tuan, Yuan Chu, and Junior Brother Yun were not fools who had cultivated to such a level. They understood that now was the best time to help Zhao Kuangyin seize Chuzhou City.

Therefore, Chen Tuan, Yuan Chu, and Junior Brother Yun, without thinking too much, looked directly at the two holy monks on the city wall.

The two holy monks' expressions changed drastically. They had experienced the power of Chen Tuan and Yuan Chu before and knew they were no match for them. Moreover, there was now an even more powerful Li Qi here. If the two of them resisted stubbornly, they would probably be beaten to a pulp.

They were relatively rational and did not necessarily want to help the Southern Tang army.

The two holy monks sighed deeply, and their figures vanished from the city wall.

Along with it, the stinking skin of the banana tree Arhat on the ground also disappeared.

Clearly, their departure signaled their stance, informing Chen Tuan, Yuan Chu, and Yun Shidi that they would no longer hinder the Later Zhou army's offensive.

Without divine assistance, Huangfu Hui, Yao Feng, and the other Southern Tang generals immediately turned pale.

They knew full well that the tide had turned against them!
……

the other side.

With the help of the "Binding God Stick" given to him by Chen Yun, Niu Dali captured the primordial spirit of the Banana Arhat and flew south.

From the moment he left Qingcheng Mountain, he knew he could never go back, and he was also aware of his future fate.

Niu Dali kept flying south, just to get away from the noise and find a suitable grave for himself.

Soon, he arrived at a small hill.

The area boasts beautiful mountains and clear waters, with stunning scenery.

Niu Dali hovered in mid-air for a while, surveying the area, before landing on the ground. He found a rock, sat down quietly, as if waiting for something.

Sure enough, a slightly surprised voice arose from the void, "You little demon, you actually knew that this humble monk had been watching?"

Niu Dali smiled slightly, "From the moment I prepared to make my move, I already knew my fate."

The voice sounded very calm, "If you are willing to join my Buddhist sect, this humble monk can spare your life."

Niu Dali said calmly, "What joy is there in living, and what harm is there in dying? I have cultivated to my current level through Taoist mystical arts, so naturally I cannot abandon Taoism for Buddhism. You... do it!"

"Ah, what a man."

The voice was filled with regret.

After speaking, Niu Dali fell to the ground, and the Binding God Staff on his body flew out and was shattered by a great force, freeing the primordial spirit of the Banana Arhat.

……

Qingcheng Mountain, Huangting Temple.

Chen Yun gazed at Niu Dali from afar, his soul seemingly scattered, filled with immense grief.

He sat in the quiet room, recalling his first meeting with Niu Dali.

At that time, he was in the Sun Moon Lake Cave when Niu Dali, covered in wounds, rushed over. Upon seeing him, he appeared extremely nervous and said, "Little boy, don't be afraid. I know you are a member of the orthodox Xuanmen sect. As a demon, I dare not be so reckless as to provoke the majesty of the orthodox Xuanmen sect."

Decades have passed since this incident, but Chen Yun still remembers it clearly.

The once spirited and powerful demon sage has now perished, his soul scattered and his life extinguished.

Chen Yun and Niu Dali had a friendship that lasted for decades.

Seeing this scene, he naturally couldn't remain unmoved.

Even though he had cultivated to the half-step Great Luo realm and his Dao heart was so firm that it would not be affected by the collapse of all the heavens and myriad worlds, he was overcome with grief the moment he learned of Niu Dali's death.

As sorrow rose, a strand of white hair appeared in Chen Yun's originally jet-black hair.

In addition, his aura was also changing at this moment.

The original harmony with heaven and earth has become very disharmonious.

It was as if he had severed a trace of his connection with this world.

Because of this slight withdrawal, the true qi within his body boiled, as if undergoing a transformation!

(End of this chapter)