Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 474 Burning Incense, Where is the Sea of ​​Suffering?
After being released from confinement by Ji Jingqiu, Wu Zhou, who had been at the bottom of the social hierarchy since entering the Inner Realm, finally gained temporary freedom, regained his true appearance and demeanor, and could "turn" the world and all things at will.

Ji Jingqiu had already received a warning from Master Mu—

My cultivation in this life is not top-notch among the saints of the Realm Sea, but if it were a true life-or-death battle, regardless of location or time, more than 90% of the true saints would only face death.

The only difference is whether it's earlier or later.

Nine out of ten remaining cases will be a stalemate. If Wu Zhou is not confident of victory, he will not take the initiative to attack, and the other side will not be able to find Wu Zhou who does not show his face.

Unless I, Zhou, reveal myself, few can find my true form.

Only the last ten percent... has the partial control to suppress it.

The advantage of Zhou's way lies in its unpredictability; a mere wisp of consciousness can almost manifest the true form of the deity, which is nowhere to be found.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu truly witnessed a portion of Wu Zhou's power.

A fragment of spirit, meticulously crafted by the Wood Master, reached the Heavenly Venerable level after being completely unsealed, and even continues to rise, seemingly able to use it as a core to "regenerate" the original body.

Ji Jingqiu uses Wu Zhou as material for cultivation, while Wu Zhou is also encroaching on Ji Jingqiu's inner universe to elevate its own realm.

This was the first time Ji Jingqiu and Wu Zhouchu had a relatively fair discussion on the same level, akin to a debate on the great Dao.

Ji Jingqiu sat upright, his expression calm, and with a single word, he denied the Heavenly Magic Form evolved by Wu Zhou.

Wu Zhou, however, went with the flow, multiplying into millions. Amidst the rain of dust, countless faces surged like a tide, converging into a chaotic torrent that seemed poised to completely engulf Ji Jingqiu's spiritual world.

If Wu Zhou were to successfully swallow up the city, Ji Jingqiu might not be the one to escape in the end.

What made Wu Zhou frown was that Ji Jingqiu remained unmoved and unaffected by external things even without relying on the Bodhi tree.

Even the terrifying "truth" he revealed failed to shake his resolve in the slightest.

Wu Zhou chuckled. He really was an even more monstrous fellow than Mu Shitian was back then.

"If you want to sever the restless mind, how can you guard your heart? Naturally, you must enter the game yourself and see all the different faces of the world."

From a high place, Wu Zhou's voice carried far and wide.

Ji Jingqiu opened his eyes, stood up, and took the initiative to enter Wu Zhou's supernatural powers and techniques, using Wu Zhou's methods to refine his mind and seek the Dao.

The otherworldly demon is most skilled at refining the mind.

Thus, the two used this inner universe as their arena to wage an invisible battle of minds.

Even though Ji Jingqiu actively entered the realm of "supernatural powers," Wu Zhou still could not shake Ji Jingqiu's mind and transform into a celestial demon.

even……

He is being corrupted by Ji Jingqiu's nature!

During this stalemate, Ji Jingqiu slowly frowned. He had gradually loosened his defenses, but Wu Zhou still hadn't succeeded.

He suspected that Wu Zhou was deliberately setting a trap to harm him. As expected, not a single word from the Heavenly Demons could be trusted!
Ji Jingqiu thought to himself, "It seems this guy doesn't get rained on often."

At this time.

Hela's slow, deliberate voice came through:
"Ji Jingqiu, show him your Heavenly Demon Incarnation."

Ji Jingqiu was stunned. What did this have to do with his Heavenly Demon Incarnation?
"Heavenly Demon Transformation?" Wu Zhou became interested. He already knew that Ji Jingqiu had created a divine power called Heavenly Demon Transformation, but he had never seen the complete version.

After becoming the Heavenly King, Ji Jingqiu rarely used this supernatural power anymore.

After entering the Heavenly King realm, almost all the powerful enemies he encountered were those who had seen through their own destiny and whose Dao realm comprehension was comparable to that of the Forgetfulness Realm. It was extremely difficult to invade their mental world.

After all, the Path of the Heavenly Demon is never about direct, forceful attacks.

This is not a magical skill that excels at overcoming the strong with the weak.

"Try using it on me," Wu Zhou said, temporarily withdrawing his supernatural powers.

Ji Jingqiu raised his hand, and a thought, like a seed, took root within Wu Zhou without his knowledge.

I sat cross-legged in the void, refining the seed of inner demons within my heart.

His expression gradually changed from initial curiosity to a furrowed brow.

Wu Zhou suddenly opened his eyes and asked, "Have you used this magical technique on yourself?"

After a slight hesitation, Ji Jingqiu nodded.

When he used the technique of transforming one's Qi into three pure beings to slay Wutian, he also added the supernatural power of the Heavenly Demon Transformation.

He reversed the transformation of the Heavenly Demon and, with the help of several divine lords, managed to create a clone within the Celestial Realm.

“No wonder I couldn’t arouse the demon in your heart just now. It is your inner demon, your inner ape.” Wu Zhou shook his head. “You cannot sever a second inner ape before it completely disappears.”

Ji Jingqiu was stunned, which meant that he had already severed the Heart Monkey?

Wutian is the restless mind.

So, is the Daoist of Extinction a horse?

Or is the Supreme True Buddha the true mind-matter?

"How long has it been since you last saw your clone?" Wu Zhou suddenly asked again.

"What do you want to say?" Ji Jingqiu asked in return.

Wu Zhou slowly said, "You should understand the true difficulty of dealing with the extraterrestrial demons."

The terror of the extraterrestrial demons lies in the fact that they are boundless beings, completely mirroring the original entity itself.

No matter how strong he is, the extraterrestrial demon will only become stronger.

Ji Jingqiu was naturally aware of this and said, "With the help of several divine lords, I combined the One Qi to create the Three Pure Ones and created a body for him. It is no longer a pure Heavenly Demon body and no longer conforms to the characteristics of the Boundless Realm."

Wu Zhou thought for a moment and said, "Mu Shitian's method may not be suitable for you. You can either learn from He Donghuang back then, or find your own way."

Ji Jingqiu slowly nodded, also pondering the question.

The key for a woodcutter to cross to the other shore lies in subduing the restless mind and tethering the wandering will. But what is the key for oneself?
In any case, on this trip back, I'll first meet with Wutian and the Supreme True Buddha.

Ji Jingqiu suddenly said, "Next time you can't say so earlier, I'll think you're trying to harm me. I've already figured out where to hang you next."

Amid Hela's giggles, Wu Zhou paid no attention. His magical powers were suppressed once more, and his aura slowly dropped, returning to the mountain peak.

"Ji Jingqiu, have you ever thought about letting me out?" Wu Zhou suddenly asked.

"Feeling bored here?" Ji Jingqiu comforted him, "I've already entered the eighth realm. Wait a little longer, and I'll bring Yan and Taiyi in. The four of you can play mahjong together, and then you won't be bored anymore."

Wu Zhou smiled and said, "Why don't you hand over those three people you've detained to me? I'm good at interrogation, and I'll get everything you want out of them."

Ji Jingqiu was stunned for a moment, then his eyes showed relief.

This guy finally found a job!

One of his avatars was "training the eagle," but even Qingyu, among others, showed no sign of revealing it.

It seems that for them, revealing information about the person behind them is far more terrifying than having their cultivation diminished or even perishing here.

Ji Jingqiu considered taking the initiative to search for the information he wanted, but all three of them had special restrictions on them, making it difficult to invade their minds; these restrictions were left by someone of a higher position.

If you choose to force your way in, it could lead to uncontrollable consequences.

For example, he can still suppress all the actions of the three people now, but if this restriction is triggered, it may cause the three people to explode and die, and he will not be able to suppress them.

A Daoist patriarch uncontrollably self-destructed within his inner universe...

This is not a good thing.

Now that Wu Zhou has taken on this task, his workload has eased considerably.

Thinking of this, Ji Jingqiu glanced at a certain "homebody" who was bored out of her mind.

The latter immediately glared back: "Who just told you it was [Heavenly Demon Incarnation]?"

Ji Jingqiu shook his head, too lazy to argue with this guy.

"Have you been to the mountains recently?" Ji Jingqiu asked. "Did you find anything?"

He was asking about Mount Wuwang beneath his feet.

Wu Zhou asked, "Are you worried about your tiger cub and that wisp of formless wind?"

Ji Jingqiu remained silent. Wu Zhou pointed to the threshold beneath the dilapidated plaque:

“If you look closely, you can find a footprint there.”

Ji Jingqiu's gaze sharpened, and following the direction Wu Zhou pointed, he saw a slightly smaller tiger paw print!

He looked at the door, his heart filled with surprise and doubt. Had Fat Tiger entered the world behind the door?

"What leads do you have regarding 'burning incense'?" Ji Jingqiu asked, looking at the plaque on the door.

He suddenly tensed up, noticing that the words "burning incense" were actually in Federal script!

"You noticed it?" Wu Zhou said slowly. "I noticed it at first glance, but you, as a member of the Yanhuang Federation, have overlooked it. If I'm not mistaken, the foundation of your Yanhuang Federation's civilization must be related to this place in some way, so I need to ask you about the meaning of the words 'burning incense'."

Ji Jingqiu's thoughts were in flux.

Burning incense...

In the federal civilization system, both Taoism and Buddhism have the concept of burning incense, firstly to communicate with the gods, secondly to make offerings to the gods, and thirdly for self-cultivation.

Among the many traditions within the Federation, burning incense is a key aid to spiritual practice.

When Ji Jingqiu first entered the martial arts world and joined the Yangyan Martial Arts School, Master Yang lit a purifying incense on his first day, guiding them to lay the foundation for their spiritual cultivation.

In Buddhism, the swirling incense smoke is also seen as a symbol of communication between the Pure Land of Buddha and the Saha world.

In Taoism, burning incense and worshipping gods is itself a way to accumulate merit.

Could it be that the threshold for entering this place is... merit?
Ji Jingqiu temporarily suppressed all her thoughts.

The ancient texts he had consulted in the past did not contain much information about burning incense, so he needed to go back and look up relevant materials.

The Federation's civilization system clashed with the plaque atop Mount Wuwang...

This matter must also be related to the Netherworld's predecessor, the Nether Palace!

It seems he really needs to return to the Netherworld.

"I wonder if I will be able to venture deep into the ancient road again this time and find the location of Wuwang Mountain."

Ji Jingqiu felt at ease and had made a decision.

"I wonder how that fat tiger got in there." Ji Jingqiu looked at the small tiger paw prints on the ground.

Zhou Ping said calmly, "Your tiger cub is no ordinary creature. It has already communicated with the will of the Bitter Sea and carries its true meaning. You don't need to worry about it."

Ji Jingqiu, lost in thought of the tiger's roar at the end of the Guizhen Road, shook his head and said, "But the place it went to might be very dangerous."

Wu Zhou said meaningfully, "After you went to the Road to Return to Truth, you started to worry about it. Could it be that you found proof of its possible existence at the end of the Road to Return to Truth? Then you have even less to worry about."

"How to say?"

"Ji Jingqiu, where exactly is the Sea of ​​Bitterness?" Wu Zhou asked rhetorically.

sea ​​of ​​bitterness?

The Eye of the Bitter Sea is now suppressed by the Wood Master and is naturally in the Netherworld.

Wu Zhou tucked his hands into his sleeves and laughed, “Do you know how vast the Sea of ​​Suffering is? Even those who have transcended can only transcend the Sea of ​​Suffering, but cannot shake it. The Sea of ​​Suffering of all worlds is no joke. Can a mere Netherworld contain it? The Sea of ​​Suffering is as vast as all worlds.”

Ji Jingqiu immediately understood what Wu Zhou meant.

What exists in the Netherworld is merely the eye of the sea of ​​suffering; the true sea of ​​suffering lies beyond it... But where does it lead from there?

Why did the former Lord of the Netherworld abandon the Nether Sea and forcibly merge with the Sea of ​​Suffering?
Ji Jingqiu frowned and said, "You mean... the Sea of ​​Bitterness comes from the Land of Return to Truth?"

“You should ask the former master of the Netherworld about this,” Wu Zhou said. “Once things are settled here, go back to the Netherworld and ask your good master.”

Ji Jingqiu suddenly asked, "Among the three invincible figures of [This Shore], one is called the Master of the Four Demons. What is his background?"

“You probably guessed it,” Wu Zhou said calmly. “The one who guided me onto the path of ‘oneness’ among all beings was this person.”

Ever since hearing about the concept of "returning to one's true self," Ji Jingqiu has become very interested in Wu Zhou's path.

The path of my Zhou is that all beings are one.

It can multiply into billions, and it can also gather into one.

Doesn't this align with the idea of ​​returning to one's true nature?
But in the end, even with my abilities, I was still unable to break through the transcendent realm.

It's impossible to say that Zhou Tian is not talented enough; it can only mean that there's a flaw in his path.

Ji Jingqiu suddenly said, "Is he using you guys to try out all sorts of new paths?"

He suddenly understood the purpose of "this shore".

As Jian Guang mentioned, the Great Dao has changed, and the world has "changed." The methods of transcendence used in the past are no longer effective in this era.

These people are probably searching for and experimenting with methods that can truly lead to transcendence!
For example, in the past, the Chaoxia Realm forced Chaoge to take the path of forced breakthrough.

At the same time, they may also be eliminating potential competitors in advance.

Wu Zhou said calmly, "The Four Demon Masters are absurd and laughable. The four of us rarely stand on the same side, but we are unusually united in killing these people who have misled our path."

"Which of you four was confident of defeating him back then?" Ji Jingqiu asked, wanting to know what level the so-called invincible one actually belonged to.

As for the Four Demons, they can hide in the Nether Sea and roam the worlds. Even in the entire Boundary Sea, they are absolute powerhouses, a fact he already knew.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou shook his head and said:

"It's not on the same level. He has already merged with the Dao through some unknown means and stepped into the pseudo-transcendence level. Even if he leaves the realm of merging with the Dao, he still has the strength of half-step transcendence, surpassing all true saints."

"To deal with such people, one must either merge with the Dao and stay in one's own territory at all times, or possess a transcendent divine weapon bestowed by a transcendent being, such as the River of Time controlled by He Donghuang."

"Similarly, I will not fear him even if I am stationed in the Nether Sea."

Ji Jingqiu understood that the reason why the Pantheon and its allies were able to contend with this side was because they had mastered such methods.

But divine weapons are still divine weapons, and cannot compare to the power one wields; they are subject to many limitations.

During the war of the Federation, Master He descended upon the world, and it is unknown how much of his power he borrowed from the River of Time.

"Those three are yours to interrogate as soon as possible. I want to know everything about this shore and the red lotus."

Ji Jingqiu gave his final words before returning his attention to the river of fate.

An indescribable thrill came from the hilt of the knife he held in his hand.

Time does not flow in the river of fate. Qingzhu has been tempering himself for an unknown amount of time. As the river washes over him, the outline of the blade transforms into a breathtakingly cold glint.

It reveals a chilling and sharp intent to sever destiny and tear apart cause and effect, seemingly enough to cut through all "fixed fate".

Its very existence is the biggest variable.

Ji Jingqiu gently stroked the blade. The spirit of the divine weapon had already partially merged into Qingzhu, allowing this Heavenly King-level divine weapon to leap to the Dao Ancestor level and become extremely close to the True Saint level!

Although it is not yet comparable to Uncle Qin's Heavenly Blade, it is only a matter of time before it surpasses it.

After being tempered by the karmic fire, Qingzhu already possessed some of the aura of a calamity weapon. Now, after being washed by the long river of fate in the Taixu Realm, this aura has become even stronger.

The so-called "weapon of calamity" possesses the immortal quality of being impervious to the erosion of time and fate.

Ji Jingqiu pondered that with his current cultivation level, he should be able to contact Master He after returning to the Netherworld.

Then, by using the transcendent divine weapon "River of Time" from the Netherworld as a whetstone, we might be able to smoothly overcome the hurdle of the tribulation weapon.

Even if it doesn't work, once the spirit of the divine weapon is fully integrated, the Azure Lord can still advance to the level of half-step returning to truth.

"On the way back to the Netherworld, I should be able to break through to become a True Saint Divine Weapon..."

Ji Jingqiu gripped the knife handle tightly with his five fingers, feeling the cold, heavy, and real touch.

The long, narrow blade flowed with a profound light, and its sword intent contained the Daoist essence that had been refined and settled after being swept away by the endless torrent of fate.

He slowly raised his sword and, from within his own harmonized inner universe, unleashed the first strike after the Azure Lord's transformation.

The so-called earth, fire, feng shui are the product of the coming together of causes and conditions.

This strike, based on the principles of cause and effect and destiny, reopens the earth, fire, wind, and water.

The arising and ceasing of conditions are the rise and fall of the world.

(End of this chapter)