The immortal is beside me

Chapter 94: Immortals and Buddhas Discussing the Dao
"Team A59 reports that the barrier surrounding the Dojo has been completed."

"Team C62 reports: Three Buddhist temples outside Liangzhou have experienced extraordinary reactions. Our team is currently mediating with the nearby residents."

"F11 team reports that Buddhist forces and people from the Cangtian Sect have arrived near the Daoist Forum."

In the Liangzhou Environmental Sanitation Bureau, Lu Zhenhai held the earphone with one hand, turned on the full-channel reception, and listened carefully to every report in the earphone.

According to intelligence, today is the day when Jiuli and Buddhist immortals will hold a discussion. The location of the discussion is chosen in a valley surrounded by mountains 40 kilometers outside Liangzhou City.

There is a special isolation barrier around the Daoist Forum, and ordinary people cannot peek into it. But just as a stone dropped into water will always cause ripples, this Daoist Forum also affects the extraordinary situation around Liangzhou, and every change falls into the detection network of the Environmental Sanitation Bureau.

Lu Zhenhai walked to the window, picked up the spiritual imaging device on the side and placed it in front of his eyes, looking towards the southeast.

The green hills stretched out in a continuous line on the horizon, and the sky above them was faintly golden. In the imaging device, those golden rays were manifested as giant mountains floating in the sky, as if rising from the clouds.

That was the phantom of Mount Lingshan, a manifestation of the Buddha's might. The fact that these manifestations were so numerous and so frequent proved that the Buddha must have dispatched more than one powerful being.

Lu Zhenhai put down the imaging device, and his hands holding the device were slightly sweaty.

He knew that at this moment, countless people in China's supernatural system must be doing the same thing as him.

Although news came from the Tianji Academy a few days ago that the official did not need to interfere in the matter of discussing Taoism, and various units also responded immediately - but whether to intervene or not is one thing, and whether to pay attention or not is another.

Even if we put aside the issue of stance and just talk about the discussion itself, current news says that the leader of the Jiuli Sect and the abbot of Buddhism will appear, which means that the discussion will involve powerful people at the level of God Transformation.

With the barrier separating them, theoretically, even if a fight broke out between the two sides, it wouldn't affect the public. However, as the official umbrella, the Environmental Sanitation Bureau still had to shoulder the necessary supervisory responsibilities to minimize any potential impact.

He stared at the golden auspicious clouds in the distance, his brows tightly furrowed.

At the same time, right below the auspicious clouds, dozens of monks in robes stood in the mountains, waiting quietly.

In front of them, the old monk Hongyuan was standing there holding a Zen staff, his eyes slightly closed, as if he was feeling something.

Behind him were several Nascent Soul Realm Buddhist Arhats and several elders from the Cang Tian Sect. In terms of strength alone, the few at the forefront were enough to crush over 80% of the sects in China.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying a unique scent. Old Monk Hongyuan suddenly opened his eyes, and within his pupils reflected a line of figures wearing Jiuli Taoist robes.

There were also dozens of people, with the Jindan deacon at the back and the Yuanying elder in the front. They spread out in a fan shape, guarding the old man in the crane cloak at the front like stars surrounding the moon.

The man had white hair and a youthful complexion, with a simple brow. The moment he appeared, all the Buddhists in the sect invoked the power of Buddha at the same time, as if they were oppressed by an invisible might.

"Sect Master Yan Guoyun, I have heard of your great name for a long time."

The old monk Hongyuan stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and bowed. "We Buddhists have a long-standing bond with the Jiuli Sect. It is truly an honor for me to meet you all today."

Even though most people in Jiuli had no good feelings towards Buddhism and had already prepared themselves mentally, these words still made everyone feel disgusted.

"Killing my ancestors and destroying my foundation, is this what people in Buddhism call a bond?" An elder beside him replied coldly.

Monks were known for their straightforwardness. Normally, they would have paid attention to superficial courtesy, but now that everyone knew the true meaning of this "discussion," they naturally dropped the politeness altogether.

Faced with these thorny words, the old monk Hongyuan only glanced at them briefly.

"Master Yan, it seems that the Jiuli people under your rule are lacking in etiquette."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that." Yan Guoyun looked at him calmly. "As an outsider, trying to dictate other sect affairs, doesn't Master Hongyuan think that's truly disrespectful?"

Within a few breaths of their encounter, the atmosphere was already filled with a tense atmosphere. Anyone present would have noticed the air pressure plummet in an instant. A weaker cultivator would have fainted from the overwhelming pressure.

In such a low-pressure atmosphere, both parties slowly took their seats. When their eyes met several times, invisible sword lights and shadows arose.

"Amitabha, the Buddha taught us to save the world with compassion. This old monk did not come here to engage in battle, but rather to resolve the issue peacefully."

At the Buddhist table, Hongyuan spoke up, "I know the Jiuli have had some issues with the Buddha, but I believe this is mostly a misunderstanding. Today, I'd like to invite you to listen to the Buddha's vision. If the Jiuli truly care about the common people of the world, I'm sure they'll agree with us after hearing it."

He chanted a Buddhist name before continuing, "The Jiuli people have a history spanning thousands of years, so they are well aware of the changes in the world."

"Throughout history, the landscape has undergone countless changes, dynasties have come and gone, but when a country prospers, its people suffer; when a country perishes, its people suffer; no matter how the world changes, the suffering of the people never changes."

"The Buddha established the Dharma to enable all people in the world to transcend the suffering of desire and to free all living beings from suffering. In this way, this world can achieve bliss, free from chaos and pain."

The words echoed in the field, like the sound of a striking bell that echoed for a long time.

"Buddhism says that it is necessary to eliminate the desires of the common people and free them from suffering," a Jiuli elder said solemnly at the banquet. "May I ask, Master, has Buddhism consulted the common people before taking such action?"

"The common people are so foolish, unable to sever their ties to the mundane world and unable to let go of their myriad obsessions. Only the Buddha can enlighten them."

"Is this so-called enlightenment going to cause unrest in the world and cause the deaths of tens of millions of people?"

"My Buddha has no such intention." Hong Yuan smiled faintly. "But if we want to pacify the human world, compassion won't convince everyone. We need to be fierce and wrathful even when we encounter obstacles. If the Jiuli people had chosen to convert to Buddhism like the Tubo and Huihe peoples did, how could there be such chaos and suffering in the human world?"

The already low air pressure dropped again. Several people from the Jiuli tribe sitting on both sides had secretly mobilized their spiritual power. Golden light also overflowed from the Buddhist seats in front of them. The invisible momentum counteracted each other in the air, causing ripples.

"Of course, the Buddha doesn't blame you for your actions." Hong Yuan shook his head. "After all, although the Jiuli people have traveled through thousands of years and embraced countless cultures, they have never seen a legacy of the upper three realms. Since you haven't climbed to the top of the mountain, you naturally don't know the scenery from up there."

"But since you are here to discuss the Dao today, I wouldn't mind demonstrating it to you all."

The sound of Buddhist scriptures like a huge bell suddenly rang out in the venue. Amid the sound of chanting, rays of Buddhist light bloomed from the monks at the table, like the petals of a golden lotus, instantly overwhelming the aura of the Jiuli side.

The faces of the monks at the banquet changed slightly. The Buddhist chanting seemed faint and ethereal, but to the ears it was like the roar of the ocean waves. An incomparable sense of oppression emanated from it, as if it penetrated directly into the soul, causing everyone at the banquet to break into a cold sweat.

Is this the inheritance held by Buddhism?
At the same time, in the Environmental Sanitation Bureau.

The spiritual power monitor suddenly began to flash violently and issued a warning beep. Lu Zhenhai, who was sitting at the desk, was checking the local surveillance while pressing the earphones and listening to the specialist's surprised shouts on the other end of the earphones.

"Report! Violent spiritual energy fluctuations are occurring around the Lun Dojo!" "A resonance reaction is occurring at Xingshan Temple!"

"Qingshan Temple also responded!"

“Eianji Temple also has it.”

Big data from all directions poured into the computer, and red dots representing fluctuations were quickly marked on the map. With Lun Daochang as the center, all the temples within a radius of 50 kilometers were included.

The flashing red dots reflected in Lu Zhenhai's eyes, causing him to squint immediately.

Although temples are visible to ordinary people, they are places where incense and faith gather. They had thought that Buddhism might start from these places, but they had no idea of ​​how.

Now it seems that the means mastered by Buddhism can directly transform invisible beliefs into its own use. Within its scope, there are all laws constructed by Buddhism!
If he had traveled with the people of Cangtian Sect before, he would definitely be able to see that the law space currently activated by Buddhism is actually very similar to the spiritual space of the Pure Land of Bliss!
It was as if fragments of the Pure Land had fallen into the human world, and the illusory rules were manifesting in the real world.

"Is there any movement from Jiuli?" Lu Zhenhai asked into the headset.

"The disciples waiting outside are making their way in, seemingly trying to enter the arena, but they haven't succeeded yet. The barrier surrounding the arena seems to have been sealed."

The hand holding the earphones suddenly tightened. Lu Zhenhai stared at the golden cloud outside the window and was trying to say something when another scream suddenly came from the other end of the earphones.

"Team Lulu! D90 team reports, a special target has appeared outside Xingshan Temple!"

The surprise in those words made Lu Zhenhai slightly stunned. Seeing a new red dot appear on the map, he thought for a moment and clicked it, watching a surveillance picture appear on the screen.

The background of the picture is an old temple surrounded by woods. There is a long stone path in front of the temple. A figure in casual clothes is strolling on the path. At first glance, he looks like a pilgrim who has come to burn incense.

The surveillance footage wasn't clear, only a blurry profile could be captured. But just this profile was enough to make Lv Zhenhai's scalp explode.

Is he here too?

As if sensing his thoughts, the figure on the screen turned and casually glanced in the direction of the surveillance camera. Even though there was a screen between them, the gaze seemed to penetrate the air and reach directly to his face.

Lu Zhenhai only felt a buzzing sound in his brain. By the time he reacted, he had hurriedly turned off the surveillance and was covered in cold sweat.

That person appeared in the surrounding temples, does this mean that
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with one hand, turned his gaze again, and stared deeply at the golden auspicious cloud in the sky.

Under the golden clouds, Buddha's light shines everywhere.

Yan Guoyun, seated at the table, raised his eyes slightly, his pupils reflecting the enormous golden lotus before him. Beneath the lotus, the old monk Hongyuan stood with his hands clasped together, his figure gilded by a golden aura.

"Just now, the old monk said - let go of desires, cut off obsessions, that is the great way of our Buddha. Now, you, the Jiuli, can also integrate into the great way."

A hush fell over the Jiuli banquet. Even those seated there, all Nascent Soul-level elders, felt a sense of breathlessness before the might of the Golden Lotus. The waves of Sanskrit chanting seemed to shake the very souls of the heavens, forcing them to focus on defending their spiritual altars to resist.

This was already a blatant demonstration. Despite having prepared themselves mentally, when the moment finally arrived, they were still shocked by the might that stemmed from their inheritance.

"The bond between our Buddha and the Jiuli people began twelve hundred years ago. To this day, our Buddha still has a sacred relic left among the Jiuli people. This is the result of past karma, which should be resolved."

A faint voice echoed throughout the banquet: "You have all witnessed the power of the Buddhist heritage and are undoubtedly aware of its significance. If the Jiuli are willing to return the relics today, we will no longer pursue past grudges and may even lead you into the path of Buddhism."

"Sect Master Yan, what do you think?"

The wind blew his robes, and everyone's eyes were focused on the leader before them. On the seat illuminated by golden light, Yan Guoyun slowly stood up.

"As Buddhism says, returning to karma and letting go of grudges—this is indeed what our sect means."

Hong Yuan showed a barely perceptible smile in the Buddha's light and was about to speak when Yan Guoyun in front of him spoke again.

"—Then, I ask the Buddhist sect to return the lives of the 60,000 ancestors of the Immortal Alliance and the souls of the 30 million people of the Tang Dynasty."

"Otherwise, how can we let go of the past grudges on behalf of our ancestors? How can we sever this blood-forged karma?"

The light of the golden lotus rose again, and the Buddha's light shone into Hongyuan's eyes. The look in his eyes was indeed as if he were detached and empty.

"It seems that Sect Master Yan is unwilling to sever the ties of the past."

"Is it the past that ties us?" Yan Guoyun whispered, with a hint of smile in his voice.

".Just as the host said."

A strong and sharp energy suddenly broke through the sky, like thunder in the clear sky, or like a raging fire.

In the blink of an eye, the scorching hot wind turned into a sword energy as powerful as a bamboo breaking through a bamboo fence, slashing directly at the golden lotus in front of him. Suddenly, the Buddhist sound was like a bell, and golden petals fluttered in the sky. Several monks who formed the golden lotus fell to the ground with blood in their mouths and noses.

"you!"

Hongyuan's eyes suddenly widened. Before his eyes, a long sword was glowing with spiritual light.

The spiritual patterns on the sword blade extended, and the momentum was quite great. Looking closely, the red-gold light was swirling in the sword body, as if there was a flame rolling in it.

The treasure of the Jiuli clan, left by Zhou Wuqing.

A wave of dizziness washed over him, and in a trance, he felt as if he had crossed twelve hundred years of time and was now facing the red-robed Taoist priest holding a longsword. The mere power emanating from the blade made him shudder.

"Inheriting the aspirations of the past, commanding the troops of our ancestors—"

The sword blade slowly rose and pointed directly at the golden lotus of Buddhism blooming in front of him.

"Yan Guoyun, the 53rd generation leader of the Jiuli clan, is here to test the true meaning of Buddhism!"

(End of this chapter)