In the heavens, people become emperors by being bad.

Chapter 598 [The Secret of Word Gnawing, the Realm Master Lin Xian]

The Bodhi tree stands atop Mount Sumeru, crystal clear and lush green, its branches shimmering with wisdom, each leaf sparkling with light. The Tao and reason intertwine, making it no less remarkable than the Enlightenment Tea Tree.

The immortal forest has been nourished by the ancient divine spring, the Heavenly Venerable's life spring, and the merit-based divine water. Now it stands tall and majestic, reaching a height of sixteen feet, resembling the image of the Buddha's enlightenment in the past.

In contrast, another ancient Bodhi tree, bearing the aura of time, had its bark cracked open like dragon scales. It was long withered and decayed, yet not a speck of dust was visible. Instead, wisps of the Great Dao's energy cascaded down, containing a trace of vitality within its stillness.

"Impermanence and pleasure, selflessness and purity, both withering and flourishing, neither false nor empty."

Lin Xian gazed thoughtfully at the twin Bodhi trees, then picked a Bodhi seed that was as smooth and lustrous as jade, put it in his mouth, and, with the aid of supreme wisdom, attained enlightenment.

This immortal tree has been passed down since ancient times. It is unknown how many celestial beings, ancient emperors, and great emperors stood under this tree to develop their own laws and paths, but the Amitabha Buddha Emperor is the most famous.

A strong wind blows, and the leaves of the azure tree rustle, as if three thousand Buddhas are reciting a celestial book. The Tao and reason intertwine and transform into one original rune after another, which falls down, sprouting new branches and tender buds, and enlightening the light of wisdom.

He sat cross-legged under the tree, deep in thought. As the sun rose and the moon set, chains of divine order fell one after another, almost enveloping him in a cocoon.

The hurdle of becoming a Quasi-Emperor has always been incredibly difficult. It's not possible for ten Great Saints from all realms to become Quasi-Emperors. It's not too late for a Great Saint to become a Quasi-Emperor at the age of eight thousand, and five or six thousand years old is considered an unparalleled genius.

Even the most brilliant emperors, the most gifted ancient emperors, and the most awe-inspiring celestial beings of all ages often spend a thousand or even several hundred years grinding away at the Quasi-Emperor realm before breaking through to a minor realm.

Lin Xian had just entered the Quasi-Emperor realm and wanted to break through again. Apart from various opportunities, the most important thing was that he sat on the Sacred Body Ancestral Star for ten thousand years and had the experience of achieving the Great Sacred Body. In addition, on Mount Sumeru, he sensed the universe again from the perspective of the Amitabha Buddha Emperor. With the convergence of internal and external, and the combination of reality and illusion, he had a different understanding.

It's like having an Emperor-level experience card, having touched upon a real realm, and then simulating it by copying its essence.

This kind of high-level behavior is not unique to Lin Xian; he simply brought it to its full potential and became a master of it.

Upon closer examination, divine prohibition is actually a kind of realm-based approach.

Each level of the Sendai can be subdivided into nine minor realms. If a powerful Immortal Level Two can trigger the divine restriction, transcend the nine minor realms, and touch the power of severing the Dao, theoretically he can possess the combat power of an Immortal Level Three King. This is the Pseudo-King Realm.

However, the effect of divine restriction diminishes as cultivation progresses. While a third-level immortal can still slay a saint and ignore the barrier of the saintly realm, a great saint under divine restriction can only barely protect himself in the face of a quasi-emperor barrier. If both are quasi-emperors, being able to defy three minor realms is considered the mark of a heavenly emperor.

“After the divine prohibition comes the sacrifice to the Tao, and after the sacrifice to the Tao comes the divine prohibition again. This cycle repeats itself. Isn’t this a kind of reincarnation?”

The Dao Cocoon radiated immortal light, and Lin Xian's eyes were filled with profound depth. With his supreme wisdom, he grasped a trace of the divine restriction and comprehended the ultimate mystery. Sensing something, he couldn't help but say in a deep voice, "System, add points!"

"Got it."

After years of silence, System 10086 has reappeared. Over the years, it has grown stronger and more agile, like a tornado, taking the fragments of laws scattered by the Bodhi Tree and refining them as if they were being absorbed into its body.

This was just the beginning, merely a spark. Soon after, Mount Sumeru shone brightly, illuminating the ten directions of the Pure Land. The golden bell tolled, echoing in temple after temple, and all Buddhist practitioners felt its presence.

One after another, Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and ancient Buddhas emerged, joining their palms in reverence and praising, "May this merit adorn the Buddha's Pure Land, repay the fourfold kindness above, and relieve the suffering of the three lower realms below." "May all who see or hear this awaken the Bodhi mind, be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and repay this life all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, all the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas, and the Mahaprajnaparamita."

The Buddhas are of one mind and all Buddhas are one body. This is the supreme truth of Buddhism. No matter how many people come, we Buddhists will fight as a group. We emphasize the sharing of Dharma power, rebirth in the Pure Land together, and the joint creation of the Buddha Kingdom.

It doesn't matter if you lack magical power; all the Buddhist temples can contribute. It doesn't matter if you lack wisdom; all the sentient beings can contribute. It doesn't matter if you lack spiritual attainment; you can borrow from Amitabha Buddha.

All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtues of the Tathagata, but they cannot realize it due to their delusions and attachments. Therefore, all sentient beings have Buddha-nature.

Points of light flew from the mountains and rivers of the Western Desert and poured into the Pool of Merit, blessed by boundless magical power. Lin Xian looked solemn and made a great vow: "If I become a Buddha, all sentient beings can become Buddhas and be reborn in the Western Paradise."

The quasi-emperor's golden body was as brilliant as crystal, radiating billions of divine lights, and contained a luminous Buddhist kingdom. Within the Buddhist kingdom, a human emperor's banner fluttered, guiding all beings to the Western Paradise.

This banner is unpredictable and is a supreme treasure. In the netherworld, it is the Book of Life and Death; in the Heavenly Court, it is the Investiture of the Gods; and in the West, it is the Western Paradise. It has unparalleled and wondrous uses and can save countless lives!

With a rumble, the Devouring Word Secret activated, the system exerted its power, devouring the Amitabha Buddha Emperor above and the billions of living beings in the Western Desert below. Lin Xian's aura grew stronger and stronger, with an incredible power, and strands of imperial might flowed, shaking Mount Sumeru.

“This works!”

The Great Peacock King Bodhisattva was dumbfounded. When he thought about how he was still half a step away from becoming a Quasi-Emperor, and then looked at Lin Xian's relaxed demeanor, a strange emotion arose spontaneously.

"Because sentient beings are ignorant, the Buddha became a guide; this is called the Awakened One."

The Victorious Fighting Buddha spoke calmly, without any airs of superiority. The Buddha was not a ruler, but a pioneer and an enlightened being.

The Buddha and all sentient beings are equal; one enlightens wisdom, the other offers faith, one worships devoutly, and the other gives back through their thoughts.

Essentially, it's a transaction where no one owes anyone anything. Therefore, when the Buddha used faith, there was no backlash; the debt had already been settled.

Those who are high above all beings, who call themselves gods, will be overthrown sooner or later; it's only a matter of time. People love to create gods, but they love to destroy them even more. They cannot tolerate the slightest flaw. Only through equal exchange can things last.

"We come from all living beings and go back to all living beings. You may not believe in the wisdom of living beings, but you must believe in the power of living beings."

"We do not produce faith; we are merely carriers of thought."

Lin Xian sighed. The Buddhist sect also has a grand ceremony called the Cause and Effect Ceremony. Today's result is the cause of yesterday, and today's cause will be the result of tomorrow. When the cause and effect are sacrificed, it is retribution.

Today, he borrowed the Dao Fruit to attain enlightenment!
The aura of the Quasi-Emperor's Golden Body grew increasingly vast, covering the heavens and earth, and continued to rise until it encountered a bottleneck and could no longer rise.

The system manifested its divine power, drawing upon its profound insights accumulated over many years. In an instant, chaotic energy surged, forcing it to break through the barrier!
With a snap, he achieved the second level of Quasi-Emperor!
At the same time, a corner of the Buddha's golden body also broke off, and glass-colored fragments scattered across Mount Sumeru. Lin Xian's body suddenly trembled, and a little blood stained the corner of his mouth, gold with a hint of red!

(End of this chapter)