The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 301 Various Inheritances
Before long, they arrived at the front of the grand hall in the distance.

This palace is no smaller than the Dragon God's Palace, and may even be slightly larger.

Moreover, the exterior of this palace is magnificent and luxurious, even surpassing the Dragon God Palace.

Inlaid with various gemstones, shimmering with seven colors, and adorned with mysterious patterns and dazzling designs, the hall exudes a grand and magnificent atmosphere.

If you look closely, you can see that there is a mysterious atmosphere surrounding the outside of the hall, which is both beautiful and subtly sublime.

Zhao Ti thought for a few moments, then walked to the palace door and pushed it open.

Without making a sound, the palace doors were opened, revealing a dazzling spectacle. The palace was magnificent amidst the rising smoke of incense, and the environment was elegant, as if various exotic flowers and rare herbs, as well as jeweled pavilions, were hidden within.

Zhao Ti squinted and, through the layers of smoke, saw that every side was inlaid with precious stones and jade, shining brightly.

Deep inside the hall, at the front, stands a tall statue, neither a Buddha nor a Bodhisattva nor an Arhat, but one with an extremely majestic appearance, seemingly possessing boundless magical power.

He recognized it immediately upon close inspection; it was none other than Indra, the leader of the Devas and the Eight Guardian Kings of the Eight Legions of Heaven and Dragons.

Indra is incredibly powerful. The Buddha realm is divided into twenty-eight great heavens: six heavens in the Desire Realm, eighteen heavens in the Form Realm, and four heavens in the Formless Realm, totaling twenty-eight.

Indra rules over the second heaven of the Desire Realm, the Tripitaka Heaven, which is further divided into thirty-three lesser heavens. These are what Buddhism refers to as the Thirty-Three Heavens, which actually refers to the Tripitaka Heaven.

Indra is the ruler of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, residing in Sudarshana City atop Mount Sumeru. He is attended by eight heavenly ministers on each side, and holds an extremely high position among the guardian deities.

Indra's supernatural powers are among the best of all the gods. He can command heavenly soldiers and generals. In addition to his combat skills, he also has various amazing abilities, such as being able to think and understand a thousand principles in a short time. Therefore, he is also known as the Thousand-Eyed, Thousand-Thought God-King.

As for lifespan and blessings, Indra considers a hundred years as one day in the human realm and has a lifespan of up to a thousand years, which is equivalent to 36.5 million years in the human realm. He possesses a long life and profound karmic rewards.

Indra once protected the Buddha. When the Buddha was meditating under the Bodhi tree, Mara attacked and disturbed his meditation. Indra blew a conch shell to summon the heavenly beings to protect the Buddha. After the Buddha entered Nirvana, Indra appeared again to recite a poem to protect the Buddha's relics. This shows his status and position in Buddhism.

However, although Indra is powerful, he is not the most powerful god-king among the guardian gods.

For example, many of the heavenly beings reside in the Buddhist realm. Some of the divine kings, although nominally belonging to the heavenly realm, are not actually in the Tripitaka realm, nor are they under the jurisdiction of Indra, the leader of the heavenly beings.

There are even a very few whose status and magical powers surpass those of Indra, and whose lifespans are also longer than Indra's, almost endless.

These celestial beings are not protectors among the eight classes of beings, and are not listed among the eight classes of celestial beings and dragons.

Like Brahma, he resides in the third heaven of the Form Realm and is the principal deity of the first dhyana heaven of the Form Realm. In terms of both status and supernatural powers, he surpasses Indra.

The Twenty-Eight Great Heavens are arranged from bottom to top according to their status: the bottom is the six heavens of the Desire Realm, the middle is the eighteen heavens of the Form Realm, and the top is the four heavens of the Formless Realm.

The Form Realm is higher than the Desire Realm, and the Formless Realm is higher than the Form Realm.

Indra is the lord of the second heaven of the Desire Realm, the Trayastrimsa Heaven, while Brahma is the lord of the first dhyana heaven of the third heaven of the Form Realm. Brahma's status is higher than that of Indra, and his supernatural powers are also stronger than those of Indra.

It is also like the Great Free Heaven, which resides in the Akasagarbha Heaven, the highest realm of form.

The Form Realm Heaven is the eighteenth heaven of the Form Realm, and also the highest heaven of the Form Realm.

In Buddhism, Mahadeva is regarded as the lord of the three thousand great chiliocosms and possesses great supernatural powers. In terms of both status and ability, he surpasses Indra.

While Mahakala, an incarnation of Shiva, is not as high in status as Indra and is not the ruler of any particular heaven, his combat power and supernatural abilities are no less than those of Indra.

There is also Narayana, also known as Vishnu, who resides in the sixth heaven of the Desire Realm. He is not the lord of the Great Heaven, but his power is mysterious and wondrous. He has incredible abilities such as the ability to contain all the heavens and can even fight against Indra.

Besides the divine kings who are nominally considered celestial beings but have long since transcended the celestial realm, there are other guardian deities, such as Vajrapani, Yamantaka, Kundali, and Acala among the various Vidyarajas. Some of these are incarnations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and a small number possess supernatural powers exceeding those of Indra, or are even capable of fighting Indra.

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment, then looked at the statue of Indra. He saw that Indra existed in human form, wearing a magnificent crown inlaid with various precious jewels that shone brightly, draped with necklaces of jewels and jade, and dressed in flowing brocade robes.

His appearance was incomparably majestic, masculine yet feminine, with deep and profound eyes, as if he were contemplating countless things.

The statue of Indra holds an unnamed magical weapon in his right hand, which can make people dizzy at first glance. It seems to contain invincible power and wisdom, capable of subduing all demonic obstacles. His left hand forms a complex mudra, as if it contains infinite magical power.

He rode a six-tusked white elephant, which was enormous and imposing, adorned with magnificent decorations and jewels. He was surrounded by thirty-two celestial ministers and their retinues, highlighting his extraordinary status and noble identity.

Zhao Ti took a deep breath. This was it. Di Shitian was one of the best among all the gods and kings, so obtaining this inheritance was enough for him.

He made up his mind and stepped into the hall, but at that moment, a change occurred. The hall, which seemed to be directly accessible, was actually blocked by a layer of power that prevented him from taking a step.

Zhao Ti frowned slightly and circulated his inner force to walk inside again, but this time the power inside the hall actually rebounded, not only blocking his entry but also pushing him back a step.

Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows. There was no sound inside the hall, which meant that the position of Emperor Shitian was vacant and no one had received the inheritance. If someone had entered and was receiving the inheritance earlier, the hall door should not have been able to open.

So why prevent him from entering?

He pondered for a few moments, then took another step. As before, he was stopped by the mysterious force. This time, the force was not as gentle as before; it was even somewhat violent and seemed to be angry, which bounced him three steps away.

This… Zhao Ti stroked his chin, now certain that the Emperor Shitian Temple was refusing him entry.

Logically, this situation should not occur. As long as one ascends the trial steps, arrives within the Buddhist Kingdom, and finds an empty Divine King's Temple, then the inheritance of the Divine King's Dharma Protector should be obtained.

The divine kings and Dharma protectors are different from Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. Being able to step onto the trial stage already requires sufficient Buddhist mindset. Just as Qingyangzi said, they should naturally inherit the Dharma lineage.

But at this moment he is blocked by the Temple of Emperor Shitian, there must be some reason, but what exactly is the reason?
Zhao Ti pondered for a moment, realizing it couldn't be due to a profound Buddhist state of mind, as he hadn't sensed any profound tests of mental state in the temple.

What could be the reason? Thinking of the force that had just been unleashed, which actually contained a hint of anger, he was speechless. Could it be that his family had some kind of grudge against the Temple of the Gods?
How could that be? They've clearly never met before. Not to mention the Devas, they have no connection with the other eight classes of beings.

Moreover, the Dragon God Temple had previously demonstrated that if you stood outside the door for too long, you would be actively drawn in by the other party in order to inherit the legacy, while here you would be pushed out.

There must be some cause and effect at play.

Zhao Ti couldn't figure out the reason, so he glanced at the hall's entrance one last time, then turned and continued walking. If he couldn't obtain the inheritance of Indra, he would look at others. It wasn't just this one lineage; the Eight Legions had other protectors, and besides the Eight Heavenly Dragons, there were other divine kings.

After a short while, we passed a grand hall, which was built in a very strange and bizarre way, even somewhat ugly. The roof ridge was white and seemed to be made of bones, and it was hard to tell whether it was made of human or animal.

Zhao Ti approached and pushed open the palace door to look inside. The statue inside was ferocious and ugly. Although it had a human form, it was not human at all. It had blue skin, distorted features, sharp fangs, protruding eyes, and a cruel appearance. It was the Yaksha King of the Eight Legions.

He closed the palace door expressionlessly. This was not a good successor. Even the Dragon God Palace had no successor, let alone this Yaksha. Putting aside the Yaksha King's combat strength and supernatural powers, he had committed many evil deeds. Moreover, his supernatural powers and spells were not good, and learning them would not be of much benefit.

Zhao Ti continued walking and saw an elegant hall. The top of the hall was carved in the shape of seven lyre, but there were no strings inside. Only the breeze rippled like water inside the body of the lyre, seemingly there and not there, like a dream.

The entire hall shimmered with a soft light, appearing somewhat indistinct than other halls, as if it were an illusion.

Zhao Ti smiled as he looked at the grand hall. If he wasn't mistaken, this should be the Hall of the Eight Guardian Gods, the Gandharva Kings.

Gandharvas are also known as the gods of music and fragrance. Moreover, the name means "unpredictable" in Sanskrit. Magicians are also called Gandharvas, and mirages are called Gandharva cities. Fragrance and music are both elusive and hard to grasp.

He walked over and gently pushed open the palace door. A soft, cheerful, yet urgent melody came from inside, as if the music was excited and welcoming him.

Zhao Ti smiled slightly, his expression unpredictable. A mirage?

The aroma wafts out, intoxicating the senses and creating a feeling of comfort and relaxation, as if one were in a gentle, tranquil haven.

He looked inside and saw a beautiful human-shaped statue deep inside, handsome and dashing, with an unrestrained expression and a slight smile on its lips.

Zhao Ti looked closely, squinted his eyes, and thought, "It does look a bit like me, especially that smile. Could it be a sculpture modeled after me?"
He stepped inside, and the fragrance in the hall grew stronger. Everything around him seemed like a dream: the bright moon over the sea, the rising palace, the magnificent buildings, all breathtakingly beautiful.

At this moment, the music became increasingly intense and powerful, deeply moving. He thought for a moment, then sighed softly and turned to walk outside.

The lineage of the Gandharva King is very suitable for him. He possesses the Illusionary Yin Sutra, which is extremely compatible with the lineage of the Gandharva King.

However, he wanted to take another look to see if there were any other more powerful divine king lineages to inherit. After all, he hadn't accepted the Dragon God's inheritance, so he would definitely need to make more choices.

As Zhao Ti stepped out of the Gandharva Temple, the music behind him turned somewhat sorrowful, as if trying to persuade him to stay.

He paused briefly outside the hall and said, "If I truly cannot find a better successor, I will return to inherit your mantle."

After saying that, he walked forward again, passing several more halls, including halls of Arhats and halls that appeared to be halls of the Eight Gods.

However, voices could be heard coming from within the Temple of the God King, it was unclear whether it was the reign of the god or someone in the process of passing on the throne.

After walking for a while, they finally saw an empty hall. Zhao Ti stepped forward and opened the hall door. It turned out to be the hall of Mahoraga, the god-king. This god was a great serpent god with a human body and a snake head. He was an earth dragon that corresponded to the heavenly dragon.

This deity is a protector who attained enlightenment through cultivating compassion and wisdom. The Shurangama Sutra says that Mahoraga, which means earth dragon or python god, was born into this body due to ignorance and anger. Therefore, he is happy to escape from the cycle of rebirth, cultivates compassion and wisdom, reverses his past causes, and escapes from that cycle of rebirth.

This means that Mahoraga was an earth dragon, but he was born into this body due to ignorance and anger. Because of his deafness and stupidity, he was able to find joy in transcending worldly desires, cultivate compassion and wisdom, and ultimately redeem himself from his past actions, free himself from the cycle of rebirth, and be reborn.

In Buddhist scriptures, this deity is often associated with the image of the pipa (a Chinese lute) and is often referred to as the Rakshasa deity. The Mahoragas clan is also known as the Rakshasa clan.

Zhao Ti looked at the image of the god, realizing that it was not easy to pass on the tradition, shook his head, closed the temple door, and left.

He continued onward, passing by countless halls, most of which housed Arhats, with only a handful of Dharma Protectors. Some of these halls were unidentifiable, while others were filled with the sounds of sutras and music, indicating that the Arhats were in power or that their lineage was being passed down.

Zhao Ti wasn't in a hurry. This Buddhist kingdom was vast and boundless; he could search for it slowly. He couldn't be too hasty and just casually inherit a lineage.

He wandered further and further away, taking detours and turns. Time passed little by little, and several days went by in the blink of an eye. He no longer knew where he was in the Buddhist kingdom.

That day, he saw a small blue mountain in the distance. The mountain was extremely bright in color, a bewitching and vibrant blue that made people dazzled.

Right in front of the hill stands a hall, also in this shade of blue, with intricate carvings and a flame-shaped decoration on the roof, symbolizing destruction, also in a dark blue hue.

This is… Zhao Ti examined it and realized it should also be a temple of a god-king, but he couldn’t identify which god-king it was just by looking at the exterior.

He observed for a few moments, and when no sound came from the hall, he stepped forward.

Upon arriving at the palace gate, a destructive and chilling aura immediately enveloped them, as if it were a palace of destruction, poised to annihilate everything in the world.

Zhao Ti took a breath. This kind of atmosphere was indeed rare. Most of the atmospheres he had encountered before were either gentle and compassionate, wise and enlightened, or majestic and violent, but none of them had such a destructive intent. He wondered what kind of god-king was enshrined inside.

He reached out to push the palace door, but it felt incredibly heavy. Unlike the previous doors that could be opened with a little internal force, this one was extremely difficult to open.

He secretly circulated his inner energy and increased the strength in his arm before slowly pushing the palace door open halfway.

Looking inside, one could see various mysterious patterns carved throughout the hall, with a tall statue of a deity enshrined at the far end.

The statue is also predominantly dark blue, exuding an aura of majesty and unique strangeness.

Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes and stepped inside.

He walked closer to the statue and saw that it actually had five faces, four arms, and three eyes.

Its facial expressions range from gentle to angry. Its four arms hold a tribulation cup in one hand, a three-pronged sword in another, a trident in another, and a conch shell in yet another. Small dragons hang from its neck and shoulders, and it rides a white, bull-like divine beast below.

The statue wears a jeweled crown with two crescent moons in the center, and its body is adorned with flames of destruction, with various scenes of world-destroying destruction carved within the crown. Four celestial maidens attend to it, holding flowers.

Zhao Ti stared intently at the statue, wondering to himself, "Is this the Great Free Heaven God King?"
The five heads of the Great Deity represent his rule over the five directions of the world, and his three eyes symbolize his ability to see the past, present, and future.

Among the Dharma Kings, only Maheshvara has this kind of image. Maheshvara resides in the highest heaven of the Form Realm and is the lord of the Form Ultimate Heaven.

(End of this chapter)