The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 376 I am but a lone boatman crossing the river!

A chill permeated the cave. The flames on the fire qilin encased in ice were frozen for a moment, but the extinguished dark red flames on its mouth, nose, and mane instantly surged back up, spreading like wildfire. In the next instant, the ice was shattered, and the ice scattered, turning into rising specks of mist.

The raging flames were like a sea of ​​fire descending upon the world, as if they were compressed and then expanded. The flames swept through all the passages of the dark cave like a tide. The ground where the fire qilin stood was almost glassy, ​​and the mountain walls on both sides were blackened by the scorching flames.

"Ow!"

Being frozen in one move, and even being countered by an attribute he hated, a hint of anger appeared in the Fire Qilin's eyes. It couldn't help but let out a violent and terrifying roar, which echoed in the narrow passageway like thunder in its ears.

His eyes narrowed. The flames before him were not crimson but dark red, their temperature intense and domineering, unlike any ordinary flame.

Su Ming pointed his fingers into a sword shape, and a pale white sword aura suddenly appeared in the sea of ​​fire. Wherever it passed, the flames were cut in two and split apart by the sword aura, like waves parting.

"Ding!"

The sword energy arrived in an instant, landing on the fire qilin's shoulder. The two clashed like metal striking metal.

The sharp sword energy sent the fire qilin staggering backward, spraying out a stream of bright red blood, and its painful roars echoed throughout the mountain cave.

"This body is so tough."

Su Ming was slightly amazed. The demonic dragon in the Twin Dragons War God Hall of the Tang Dynasty was barely able to carry its shoes. This was a genuine Qilin bloodline. Even though it had become a demon and its strength was not as great as before, it was still incomparable to those dragons with thin bloodlines.

These mythical beasts possess powerful bloodlines and contain profound energy. Phoenix blood can grant immortality, dragon essence can make one strong and grant longevity, and the Xuan Turtle has similar effects. Only the Qilin is the weakest, as its blood can drive one into demonic possession.

Bright red blood dripped continuously from the gaps in the scales, corroding the ground and creating pits.

Just as Su Ming was about to draw his sword again, the fire qilin seemed to remember something, let out a whimper, flicked its tail, and ran away in a flash.

Seeing this, Su Ming chuckled, the sword energy emanating from his fingertips slowly dissipating. "Fine, I'll spare your life."

Although the Fire Qilin is a menace, its mission is to protect the underground dragon veins. If it weren't for its existence, the underground dragon veins of the Yellow Emperor might have been discovered by others, causing turmoil in the destiny of the land.

This world is a world of gods and warriors, where destiny and fate are personified.

Just like Xiong Ba, a golden carp is no ordinary fish; it transforms into a dragon when it encounters wind and clouds.

The clay bodhisattva's comment truly laid a strong foundation for the World Society.

Xiong Ba is not a particularly powerful character in the world of Feng Yun. Many people could kill him, such as Wuming, Shen, Mo, Di Shitian, and so on.

Even though the Sword Saint had mastered Sword Twenty-Three and intended to use it to kill Xiong Ba, he still failed at the last moment, his physical body destroyed by Bu Jingyun. Even Di Shitian disguised himself as Wen Chou Chou and infiltrated the World's Number One Restaurant to poison him, daring not to confront him openly.

This is because Xiong Ba possesses immense fortune, making him difficult to kill before his fortune runs out, and he can only be defeated by Feng Yun.

Su Ming walked slowly forward through the dark passage, passing many forks in the road. Nie Renwang and Duan Shuai were nowhere to be seen, and he had no intention of looking for them, since neither of them was dead anyway.

As he rounded a bend, his eyes were suddenly opened to a bright light. On the wall ahead, some blood-red fruits were growing, illuminating the area.

Without even looking, he knew that this was the rare treasure that everyone in the martial arts world coveted—the Blood Bodhi!

The Blood Bodhi is a rare and extraordinary fruit that grows on the ground where the blood of the Fire Qilin drips. It is said to have the effect of healing serious injuries and increasing one's power even when unharmed. However, most people in the martial arts world have only heard of it and have never obtained it.

Many audacious individuals ventured into Lingyun Cave to investigate, but none of them found anything.

Su Ming walked closer, picked a Blood Bodhi, and felt a slight burning sensation from the bright red fruit. He swallowed it and refined it in a few breaths. The Blood Bodhi was not of much use to him; it could only be used to replenish his energy.

……

Outside Lingyun Cave, the floodwaters have receded, but the wounds they left behind cannot be erased.

Countless animal carcasses and human corpses floated in the murky muddy water; they were all villagers from nearby villages, swallowed up and submerged by the sudden flood.

Nie Feng and Duan Shuai, the two children, remained intently guarding the entrance to Lingyun Cave, seemingly hoping for a miracle to happen.

The Leshan Giant Buddha still stands, and the river flowing beneath its feet recedes into the distance, its turbulent waves seemingly subsided, unusually calm compared to usual.

On the deserted riverbank, a powerful and domineering voice rang out, "I never expected the Fire Qilin to disrupt my plans!"

A towering figure approached from afar, clad in a purple satin robe, its smooth surface like a mirror. Embroidered with nine golden dragons, their forms menacing and coiled, gave the impression of a ferocious dragon about to pounce. Behind him followed a large, imposing entourage.

This man is none other than Xiong Ba, the current leader of the World Society.

He arrived at Lingyun Cave, gazing at the deep cavern with a mixture of eagerness and apprehension. The thought of the Blood Bodhi, the Fire Kirin Sword, and the Snow Drinking Saber—two peerless divine weapons—within the cave filled him with an irrepressible greed.

But thinking of how many heroes had perished at the hands of the Fire Qilin, he hesitated again, only taking a deep look at the Lingyun Cave before turning his gaze to the two children beside him.

"Come with me."

The two children looked exquisitely beautiful and were full of intelligence, which made him feel a strong liking for their talent.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Duan Lang refused without hesitation, “No, I want to wait here for Father and Master to come out!”

"Child, do you know who is standing in front of you?"

Before Xiong Ba could speak, a thin, strangely dressed man jumped out, fanning himself.

This man wore a tall hat with a cap, a wide robe with wide sleeves, and his face was covered with powder, making him frighteningly white, as if he had been smeared with a layer of plaster. He was dressed in apricot-yellow clothes, and his face was half-hidden behind a fan, as if he was peeking and looking around. He also occasionally let out a few strange laughs, which made him look really ridiculous, just like a so-called clown.

Before Duan Lang could speak, he said smugly, "He is the leader of our Tianxia Society. As long as you follow our leader, you will enjoy endless wealth and glory. This is something that many people would rather die than have."

Xiong Ba glanced at him expressionlessly, "Chou Chou, step back!" His voice was full of authority, as if he were ordering a servant.

But the man showed no reluctance whatsoever, only smiling obsequiously at him and bowing his head low, "Yes, Chief."

Even if Xiong Ba was petty, he wouldn't argue with a child. He turned his gaze to Nie Feng and asked, "If he won't leave, how about you come with me?" Seeing Xiong Ba, Nie Feng looked troubled. He remembered his father saying that his mother seemed to be with someone named Xiong Ba, but his good friend Duan Lang wanted to stay here. What should he do?
After the devastating incident of the Buddha's knees being submerged in water and the loss of his father, Duan Lang matured considerably. "Nie Feng, don't worry about me. My home is right here. Go if you want. I'll keep watch for you. I'll definitely tell you if I hear any news about your father."

Nie Feng's eyes reddened slightly as he cupped his hands in thanks, "Thank you, Duan Lang!"

Duan Lang reached out and patted his shoulder, saying in an adult tone, "You're welcome, we're good friends!"

After that, Xiong Ba left with Nie Feng, leaving only the young Duan Lang guarding outside Lingyun Cave. Because Duan Shuai was nowhere to be found, the servants of the Duan family absconded with the family's wealth, and the Duan family's prestige plummeted.

But for Duan Lang, this was actually a good thing. With the Duan family in decline, no one paid attention to him anymore.

……

Meanwhile, before the mountain wall covered with blood-red bodhi trees, Su Ming swept the dust away with a flick of his sleeve, sat down, and immersed his mind in his sea of ​​consciousness:
Mirror owner: Su Ming

World: Storm

Identity: Broken Waves' Army

The origin of the world: 13,700

World Collapse Level: 1.3%
Number of times the spacetime reflection was captured: one
Number of times: zero
The world of Fengyun is very complex, and he must increase his strength in the shortest amount of time. Su Ming silently recited in his heart, "Capture the reflection of time and space."

As Su Ming's mind stirred, the Kunlun Mirror, which was suspended in the dark sea of ​​consciousness, trembled slightly. Ancient seal characters appeared on the mirror, and then these seal characters collapsed, turning into a sky full of stars.

These starry rivers float in the sea of ​​consciousness, dazzling and brilliant. Upon closer inspection, one will find that each star represents a world, rising and falling and vanishing with the rotation of time and space.

Immediately afterwards, these starlight points shattered like bubbles, and a figure appeared in front of the Kunlun Mirror.

This person was dressed in a white robe with a blue lotus gemstone inlaid in the center of his chest. He exuded nobility and was sacred and inviolable. He had an ethereal and otherworldly aura about him, and seemed to be a hermit master who had hidden away in the world.

"A thousand years of shared cultivation, yet a single boat adrift. Boundless sinking into depravity, yet navigating the sea of ​​Dharma."

The poem's melody resonated in Su Ming's heart with an inexplicable rhythm, leaving him utterly astonished. The figure projected this time was actually him.
As the figure gradually solidified, Su Ming saw his true appearance. This person was handsome, dignified and elegant, dressed in white with white hair, and his hair crown was like a lotus and the moon. Two silver hair ribbons hung down from the hair bun hidden behind his ears.

Holding a white jade flute in his hand and carrying the Manjushri sword on his back, he walked steadily with a gentle and otherworldly aura. The moment he saw Su Ming, the space of his consciousness under his feet changed dramatically.

His eyes shone with a swirling aura, and light and shadow were outlined. Under the dark night sky, the full moon hung high, and beyond the cliffs, there were layers of clouds, like a vast ocean. On the cliffs, there was a stone table with an exquisite tea set on it.

"I am Que Zhou Yi Fan Du!" His voice was gentle and refined, humble and polite.

Startled from his mental turmoil, Su Ming returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying, "I am Su Ming, greetings to Mr. Que Zhou."

[Character: Que Zhou Yi Fan Du]

Age: Over a thousand years old

[World: Jin Guang Puppet Theater]

[Martial Arts: Sattva's Twelve Evils Are All Empty, Salak Shakya Seal, Great Thousand Light, Flower-Picking Hand, Sacred Lotus Transforms into the Great Thousand Worlds, Maha Five Realms, Dharma Protector Heavenly Special, Tathagata's Forbidden Sword - Dreamlike Bubble...]

[Spell: None]

[Rank: Near God]

He had considered that it might be someone else from the Golden Light World, but he never expected that Que Zhou Yi Fan Du would be brought over this time. Moreover, it seemed that the other party was still in his prime. Even if it was just a projection, it could turn the tables in an instant and pull him into its space of thought and consciousness.

All I can say is that Que Zhou truly lives up to his reputation as a cultivator with a thousand-year history!
Que Zhou sized up Su Ming and extended his hand in invitation, "Mr. Su, would you like some tea?"

If it were anyone else, Su Ming might have already drawn his sword by now, but facing a bug-level character like Que Zhou, he couldn't defeat even a hundred of him. He should wait and see what the other party has to say first.

"it is good."

The two then sat down at the stone table. Que Zhou skillfully brewed and poured tea, and in no time, a cup of tea was placed in front of Su Ming. "Please."

Su Ming looked at the tea on the table and a faint smile appeared on his lips. How many people in this world are lucky enough to drink Que Zhou's tea?

Without a second thought, he picked up his teacup, took a few sips, and savored the taste of the tea.

Que Zhou put down the teacup. "How does it taste?"

Su Ming replied in a deep voice, "Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty—all five flavors are present, leaving an endless aftertaste."

Que Zhou smiled faintly, "Ha, what a perfect blend of flavors! It seems you are quite satisfied with my tea."

After saying that, he added, "I see striving, obsession, and even greater aspirations in you, sir. These obsessions may turn into suffering in the future. Are you still willing to bear them?"

Various thoughts flashed through Su Ming's mind. He replied in a deep voice, "Why wouldn't I be willing? Everyone in this world is struggling to cross the river of life. You and I are just ordinary people. Attachment is suffering, but isn't letting go also suffering? I have heard that Buddhism has a saying that one can become a Buddha on the spot by laying down the butcher's knife. What do you think, sir?"

Que Zhou put down his jade flute. "The difficulty lies not in the perpetrator, but in the victim. The true executioner's knife is the cycle of revenge. The reason those who have been victimized cannot easily give up is not because they are incapable, but because they still have those painful memories."

"So, you believe that as long as those painful memories are erased, they can truly let go?"

"Indeed, the root of all this suffering lies in these memories."

Su Ming shook his head. "Does the gentleman think that letting go and erasing memories in this way is their own will, or is this what true letting go is?"

"For a thousand years, the Earth Gate has been brainwashing people, eliminating human malice, modifying their memories, creating the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and helping them attain enlightenment throughout their lives. But it has forgotten a crucial issue: everyone is born different, and everyone has their own path to follow. With their thoughts controlled, their thinking is limited to the framework set by Great Wisdom, and even their way of thinking is controlled by Great Wisdom. How can they possibly comprehend their own path?"

"There are countless paths to enlightenment, but the gates controlled by the Great Wisdom's brainwashing will never change, never progress, and remain unchanged. How can one attain enlightenment without change? This means that the path to enlightenment has been limited. If you want to attain enlightenment, you can only follow the path that the Great Wisdom has set for you, even if this path is not suitable for you."

(End of this chapter)