Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 458 This is the past World Honored One
A dazzling light of light shone forth, seemingly splitting the heavens and earth in two. The old man, who called himself Mo, swept his hand down as if splitting the heavens, severing not only the void but also the principles of the Great Dao.

The place before him was like the end of the Dharma, the annihilation of all laws and rules, becoming a completely transcendent vacuum zone, imprisoning Ji Jingqiu within it.

Feeling the prison-like magical power, Ji Jingqiu felt solemn. As expected of a master, he had never seen such magical power before.

With a single step, Ji Jingqiu turned the world upside down. His heart shone brightly, and boundless wisdom illuminated the heavens and earth. Divine light, like crashing waves, filled this vacuum, like a vast ocean.

The laws of heaven and earth are absolute; he himself is the very essence of the Great Dao and its principles!

Ji Jingqiu pushed out with a palm strike, creating a world of endless layers with a single thought. The destructive power unleashed by his palm shattered heaven and earth, sweeping away everything in its path!
In Mo's eyes, the entire world was pressing in on him, which made him sigh softly.

It is unclear whether the World Honored One's method is due to a special control over this place of returning to one's true nature, or whether it can transform all places one is in and stands in into one's own pure land domain, using the power of heaven and earth to suppress all enemies...

Ji Jingqiu thrust his palm horizontally, the lines on his palm subtly conforming to the laws of heaven and earth, his power unparalleled. Even the people behind him couldn't help but twitch their brows and feel complicated emotions.

The power of this palm strike not only broke through the threshold of the third rank, but it was probably close to the peak of the third rank!

Ji Jingqiu's palm pierced through the Great Dao's vacuum, landing directly on Mo's body. The absolute power of the Dao crushed him, leaving him with almost no chance to recover before he exploded completely.

Moreover, as Mo wished, Ji Jingqiu did not hold back. The blood-red Realm of Truth was fully unleashed. He stood as if amidst the blood rain of heaven and earth, overlooking the ages like a demon god. Within the Realm of Truth, all of Mo's power was suppressed and his Daoist essence was eroded.

Before this clone perished, Mo shouted:

"Brother World Honored One, in today's battle, it was my avatar that was defeated, not my true self. I look forward to meeting you again at the end of the True Realm, so that we can fight in our true forms!"

Ji Jingqiu nodded and personally saw Mo off.

Afterwards, Ji Jingqiu, along with the Sword Master, Cang, Ning, and Yuhua who had chosen to follow him, stepped onto the stone bridge to explore the other side.

The disciples and followers of Yu Hua and Mo, carrying with them the fragments of their own memories, embarked on their journey home.

On their journey home, their disciples encountered some patriarch-level figures who had also embarked on the path of returning to their true selves, as well as disciples from various schools like themselves.

As instructed beforehand by Ji Jingqiu and the others, they concealed the existence of the World Honored One, only saying that someone had rebuilt the stone bridge, but the path to the other side was extremely dangerous, and that they should proceed with caution...

……

……

"Hmm, another clone has perished. What happened to it that it didn't even have time to transmit its memories? I wonder how Qingzhou and the others are doing..."

An old man frowned as he stared at the mysterious portal before him.

Logically, this shouldn't be the case. He had explored the area several times and should have figured out the rules. Even if he encountered other True Ones, they shouldn't have had to fight to the death.

Otherwise, why would he have brought his disciples inside?

"Master, have you failed again? Once Jiuzhou breaks through to the Heavenly King realm, I'll go inside and take a look for you."

The old man with the Taoist name Wuque looked down, and the boy at his feet clenched his fists and said earnestly.

He was speechless for a moment, then stroked the boy's head and sighed:
“I was worried about your senior brothers and sisters. I've explored almost the entire Path of Return to Truth, except for the other side. This time, I was just taking your senior brothers and sisters to take a look. I thought there wouldn't be any risks, but who knew…”

Wuque stopped abruptly and looked towards the doorway.

Qingzhou and the others are still alive!
He hurriedly created another clone to enter the portal and provide support, but he was met with a wall, as if this world no longer accepted him.

He could only wait anxiously for his disciples and followers to return safely.

Fortunately, after more than ten days, his disciples and followers returned safely, with only one person killed. Although it was heartbreaking, it was the best possible outcome.

"Master! We've brought back your memories!"

The eldest disciple, Wulou Daoren, spoke in a deep voice. After handing over his memories to his master, Mu Jiuzhou quietly grabbed the hem of his senior brother's robe:
"Senior Brother, where is Seventh Senior Sister?"

Master Wulou's expression was grave. He gently stroked Mu Jiuzhou's hair and shook his head slightly.

The boy, precocious as ever, immediately guessed the answer. He lowered his head dejectedly; his seventh senior sister had always been the kindest to him. He sniffed deeply and asked:
"Senior Brother, is it the one who killed Master's clone and also killed Seventh Senior Sister?"

If that's the case, he probably has no hope of revenge in this lifetime. The only one who can defeat the patriarch is the patriarch.

The True Man of No Leaks revealed a cold glint in his eyes:

"No, we were ambushed on our way back! We were carrying important memories of our master, so we dared not linger in battle. Our seventh junior sister sacrificed herself to cover our retreat!"

"Although the other party concealed their true appearance, aura, and magical techniques, I recognized one of them: the Heavenly Tribulation Child of the Heavenly Prison Palace!"

Heavenly Prison Palace... Mu Jiuzhou etched this name into his heart forever.

At this time.

After digesting the memories, Wuque opened his eyes, his gaze deep, and murmured to himself:
"World Honored One..."

"There are such powerful figures in this world, capable of easily defeating our avatars in the Heavenly King Realm. Even if it wasn't their true form, they still possessed 80% of their strength. Even if their true forms were to face them..."

It was also a situation where they were completely overwhelmed by the opponent.

Wuque's eyes showed solemnity; the status of this person was simply unimaginable.

A century of slumber, connected to the other side...

"World Honored One."

Wuque kept repeating this title in his mind.

He gazed intently at the gate before him, realizing that the opportunity to explore it had been lost, and with no more lingering, sealed it away.

He then sought out a fellow Daoist who had ascended to immortality from the [Intercepting Heaven Sect], but unfortunately—

“Fellow Daoist Wuque, my avatar has not yet returned and is unaware of what has happened.”

Wuque waited to return to the dojo first and leave a way to contact him later.

Not long after, he received news of the ascension of the [Intercepting Heaven Sect]:

"I received the memory fragments brought back by my disciple. Also, my clone has perished."

Wuque's expression was solemn. His transformed avatar had chosen to travel to the other shore with the World Honored One, but now it too had perished?!
Was it the World Honored One who intervened, or was there a formidable enemy on the other side that caused them to perish even under the World Honored One's leadership?
Wuque began trying to contact the other True Immortals he knew, but received no response.

And so, countless years passed.

The ancestors of the Boundary Sea finally reached a consensus and set off together to explore the true land of return to truth.

On this very day, Wuque set off on his journey, instructing his disciples before departing to stop when they encountered the "World Honored One".

But even Wuque himself didn't know that his obsession with the "World Honored One" had actually transformed into a trace of existence, remaining in the world, walking through the world, only stopping when he encountered the "World Honored One".

And so, countless millennia passed.

Years later.

Light suddenly rose between heaven and earth, illuminating the endless darkness.

A majestic ancient tree, verdant and serene, stands tall and graceful, its clear, crystalline light piercing the sky, supporting a sacred divine land that transcends countless eons, illuminating the three worlds and ten directions.

Someone took an incredible step in the realm of true holiness during the era of silence!
Even the invisible constraints between heaven, earth, and the sea were forcibly broken through by him.

And it was on this day.

The traces of the immortal Daoist's lingering attachments to the mortal world have finally led him to this place.

He entered this supreme pure land encompassing the three worlds and ten directions, his face showing regret.

No matter how magnificent this pure land may be, it is on the verge of decay.

This person's mindset is like a three-year-old child trying to lift a bronze cauldron. Even if he is exceptionally talented and has the strength to uproot mountains, it is premature and hasty. He should not be lifting the cauldron at this time.

The price is that the almost predetermined state of transcendence will be unattainable, and one may even perish.

He stared intently, wondering if this was the Buddha.

Beneath the tree stood a middle-aged man with gentle features, a pure and untainted aura, and a handsome face with a touch of heroic spirit. His deep eyes seemed to hold the weight of time, and the ground beneath his feet was a supreme sanctuary.

His gaze was always the same gentle when he looked at the heavens and earth and all living beings.

Such demeanor and bearing are unparalleled in the world, yet they are far removed from, and even contrary to, the image of the Venerable Daoist brother he remembered.

Only this pure land bears a resemblance to a certain aspect of the latter realm.

Wuque stared for a long time, until his gaze finally dimmed.

The man under the tree laughed and asked, "Why is this, fellow Daoist?"

"I searched the entire world and finally met the 'World Honored One,' but you are not the one I am looking for..." Wuque did not hide anything and said frankly.

“I see,” the man said with a smile. “All Buddhas and World Honored Ones appear in the world for one great purpose. What you are seeking may be from the past or the future.”

Wuque looked at the man intently, then suddenly said, "Seeing your true face reminds me of someone from the past, and coincidentally, that person also came from..."

The man under the tree interrupted him and laughed:

"To recognize one's past life and seek one's future life is like talking about a dream within a dream."

"It is nothing more than the mind that governs the three realms, and the self that governs all phenomena."

Wuque was speechless, and took another deep look at this person who bore a resemblance to the former Lord of Youfu.

He calculated the causes and destinies, trying to find out if this person was the reincarnation of You, but the answer he got was—something that seemed to be true but was not.

What's the explanation?

"Do you think our meeting is a closed loop?" Wuque suddenly asked.

In his eyes, this fellow Daoist was "covered in wounds," all of which came from the long river of time and the long river of fate. They were all backlashes caused by going against the flow of the past and changing the variables of cause and effect.

And the long river of time in this world...

Wuque sighed inwardly. So this was the core artifact left behind by You back then. It was a pity and a shame that they discovered it too late; the true body had already embarked on its journey.

He looked at the man in front of him, wanting to know the answer from this fellow Daoist who was extremely knowledgeable about the "Great Dao of Cause and Effect" and had considerable experience in altering the destiny of time.

The man clasped his hands together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and focused on the Buddha in his heart. He didn't look at Wuque, but at the world, and whispered:
"All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and lightning, they should be viewed in this way."

Nothing is missing and nothing is unsolvable.

The man smiled and said, "So what if it is, and so what if it isn't? What's done is done, there's no need to care anymore."

Wuque remained silent.

After a long while, Wuque finally said, "Fellow Daoist, you are about to die. Why don't you have a discussion with me before you die?"

"I can't die." The man shook his head, then nodded. "It's a pity I'm going to die. Well, before I die, I want to see true transcendence."

Wuque heard it clearly: it was that he could not die, not that he did not want to die.

But how could this person not die?
Even if he himself were here, or if all the ancestors were here, they would have no power to help him return to heaven.

This person not only suffered severe Dao injuries, but his true body also bore the weight of the sea of ​​suffering for many years. It was something that only the Youquan Emperor dared to merge with the Dao during his heyday. Yet this person was merely a True Saint when he merged with the Dao!

Just then, the man summoned a being whose aura was no less than his own.

It was an old ape, with a kind face and a peaceful and serene demeanor. Its Buddhist teachings were profound, as if it had fully expressed the true meaning of "the mind is boundless, and the Dharma is immeasurable".

The man clasped his hands together, bowed his head, and said, "If I don't go to hell, who will?"

The old ape clasped his hands together and calmly accepted the bow.

Wuque's pupils constricted sharply: "This is... a mind ape born from a demon within? You actually managed to subdue it at the True Saint Realm?!"

Just now.

As Mu Shitian reached the summit, a man in the distance seized the opportunity to take a crucial step and ascended into the sky—

With the roar of the Great Dao, a chilling creaking sound echoed throughout the entire realm, as if it could not bear the weight!
Then countless supernatural powers and spells rained down, trying to stop him from achieving enlightenment!
Looking into the distance, Wuque's pupils constricted in shock as he saw the man's face clearly. He abruptly turned to look at the man under the tree.

"You he……"

If we were to say that the man beside him bears only a slight resemblance to You from back then.

The man in the distance, striding towards the heavens, is... seven parts?!

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to worry about him. Please let me see the true splendor of a transcendent being."

The man under the tree gestured, his smile tinged with regret, wanting to see the true transcendent scenery before he died.

The Buddha spoke the Dharma in just two words:
"Please take a seat."

"Please!" Wuque said in a deep voice.

……

The discussion of the Way is silent.

When Wuque is completely satisfied, the traces of his existence formed by this obsession will disappear.

Although the person he met was not the one he wanted to see, he still... learned something new once again.

The man under the tree seemed to be deep in thought, as if he was thinking, "So this is what transcendence is."

like……

Is that all there is to it?
He chuckled to himself, and looking into the distance, it was as if he could see the past and the future.

Perhaps, long before him, a so-called "World Honored One" had already been born in the world.

Or perhaps, in the future, he will have a very interesting disciple.

after all--

The lineage of the Buddha is most adept at reversing cause and effect.

In this way, he was able to do some things without hesitation.

The man chanted Buddhist prayers again, as if forcibly giving this sacred land, which was on the verge of collapse, a breath of fresh air.

"what?"

He suddenly looked surprised, as if talking to himself, or perhaps to the Bodhi tree behind him, and to the restless mind.

"It's as if I've seen a newly blooming lotus flower in the sea of ​​human suffering again, so pure and untainted by the mud—"

The Bodhi tree's branches and leaves droop gently, scattering the light of supreme wisdom, silently bidding farewell.

The mind-monkey chants a prayer, reciting the name of the Buddha before him.

“It’s me!”

The man laughed heartily, then closed his eyes and sat quietly under the tree, as if in an endless slumber, until he transformed into a shower of light, silently nourishing all things and calming the turmoil of the sea of ​​suffering, allowing the sea of ​​suffering that should have seen the human world in this lifetime to be delayed for another ten thousand years.

But the ape-like creature that had been transformed from the inner demon had, unknowingly, quietly taken his form.

No, it is him.

The man under the tree had a compassionate expression. He chanted a Buddhist prayer, turned around, and walked into the sea of ​​suffering. The Bodhi tree, which encompassed the three worlds and ten directions, withered and sank into the depths of the vast dark sea. As one of the pillars of the dark sea, it quietly awaited the next incarnate Buddha.

This is--

The Buddha of the past.

(End of this chapter)