Chapter 1047: One Step to Becoming an Immortal

The entire Buddhist nation was awakened by a mysterious power, beginning to tremble faintly as though a colossal beast were struggling beneath the earth, the tremors growing ever more violent.

Sand and stone flew through the air as dust cloaked the realm, and from the abbots of the twelve topmost monasteries down to the commonest folk, none had any inkling of what was transpiring.

A blinding radiance erupted from beneath the dunes, shooting toward the heavens without harming a single soul or damaging a single thing, piercing through the scorching sunlight to point straight into the firmament.

Had a mighty cultivator soared into the cosmos to look down upon the nation, they would have discovered countless pillars of light spanning the realm, infinitely extending, curving, and flying toward the center of the Buddhist land—the West Heaven Temple.

From antiquity to the present day, no such thing had ever occurred!

"It is a grand vow; someone has fulfilled a supreme grand vow!" The oldest monk of the Tribulation Transmutation stage within the nation finally recalled a scene that felt vaguely familiar, for this was precisely the sign recorded in ancient texts denoting the fulfillment of a supreme grand vow.

One hundred thousand years ago, Master Zhengde had made a supreme grand vow to "spread the Buddhist Dharma across the Central Continent."

To fulfill that supreme grand vow, Master Zhengde founded the Hanging Temple, which became the fountainhead of the Dharma in the Great Xia, and it was from that moment onward that countless temples sprouted from the earth across Great Xia, becoming an alternative form of power alongside the orthodox sects.

When Master Zhengde fulfilled his supreme grand vow, the Buddhist nation shook, and the event was inscribed into the annals of history.

Yet the spectacle of today was far grander than when Master Zhengde fulfilled his vow, so much so that the ancient Tribulation monk failed to make the connection at first.

"Just which eminent monk made this supreme grand vow, and how on earth did they fulfill it?" The old monk’s lips trembled, his face a mask of utter shock; he knew only too well the difficulty of achieving such a feat—it was nigh impossible, yet the truth lay bare before his eyes, achieved by some hidden master.

Amidst the shock, there was an even greater sense of fortune.

He counted himself fortunate to witness such a spectacle within his own lifetime.

Boundless incense power surged toward Lu Yang, and using that very force, he constructed an inconceivable physical form!

The body of an Immortal!

In a place hidden from all sight, the embryonic form of an Immortal Dao Fruit merged into this immortal physique.

It was the very same one bestowed by the Immortal Fairy during the New Year!

Lu Yang felt the boundless power coursing through his form, and in order to control this immortal body, he shared his immortal consciousness with the Fairy; otherwise, his own divine sense alone could never hope to govern it, though this body was merely a temporary construct, lacking stability and unable to leave the Buddhist nation.

But here, sustained by the incense, he was an Immortal!

Just as he had anticipated, he was the most orthodox of Buddhist cultivators; to the Buddhist sects, the existence of the Immortal Fairy was of paramount importance, and by resurrecting her, he naturally garnered an endless torrent of incense.

Lu Yang slowly opened his eyes, a glint of cold light flashing within his pupils that sent a violent shudder through Lord Sichen, whose entire frame began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Child of Great Gan, why must you force my hand?"

Lord Sichen’s legs shook violently, never imagining that the Soul Transformation cultivator from a moment ago could instantly raise his realm to such an inconceivable height.

He had been too caught up in the thrill of battle just now, swelling with arrogance, believing himself omnipotent and looking down on everyone else.

The opponent possessed an immortal sword capable of blocking the Sky-Cleaving Axe, so how could he possibly be an ordinary figure?!

Who on earth was this person, and what did he mean just now by resurrecting the World-Honored One?

Lord Sichen’s mind was a tangled mess, stripped of his ability to think straight.

"Who... who exactly are you?"

"You are not worthy to know my name."

"Buddhist Nation in the Palm." Lu Yang coldly uttered five words, and though they were simple, they carried immense pressure.

With the possession of an immortal body, the Township in the Palm had finally transformed into the Buddhist Nation in the Palm.

Lord Sichen foresaw the future, but the future he glimpsed was filled with utter despair.

Lu Yang extended a single finger that blotted out the sky, pressing Lord Sichen directly into the dirt; with a miserable shriek, Lord Sichen was crushed into the ground, his limbs snapping in a horrific display.

"I will leave! I will leave right now!" Lord Sichen screamed in terror; what use was foreseeing the future when faced with absolute, crushing dominance? He could not dodge it at all!

Lord Sichen scrambled up from the ground, his limbs regenerating instantly as he sought to flee the area.

To his eyes, the West Heaven Temple was now a living hell, a restricted zone of life, a place never to be stepped into again; he had to flee as far away as possible!

"World's Time, decelerate!"

"My own Time, accelerate!"

Lord Sichen desperately invoked his embryonic Fruit of Time; he only cursed that this embryonic fruit had been condensed through the power of incense rather than his own comprehension, leaving him unable to exert its full capabilities.

Faced with the slowed passage of time, Lu Yang remained unmoved, his gaze devoid of a single ripple, speaking only in a voice that sounded as ancient and unchanging as eternity: "Did I permit you to leave?"

"One Sword Transforms into Myriad Swords."

Lu Yang lightly gestured with the Qingfeng Sword, and it multiplied into hundreds of millions of blades; within West Heaven City and the neighboring major cities, every single sword answered the call, soaring toward the West Heaven Temple.

These originally ordinary swords, once baptized by the immortal sword-qi, saw their quality leap by one or even several major grades!

As far as the eye could see, the entire West Heaven City was carpeted with swords, packed densely upon the ground and across the sky.

This could no longer be described as a mere Domain of the Sword; it ought to be called a World of the Sword!

Trapped within a universe of blades, Lord Sichen wished to flee, but where could he possibly go?

Shadows of swords flew in a chaotic blur, utterly impossible to evade; he attempted to use the Sky-Cleaving Axe to defend himself, but though he might block one strike, how could he block thousands or tens of thousands?

With every passing blade, a piece of Lord Sichen’s flesh was sheared away, yet as a Tribulation cultivator, his severed flesh regenerated instantly.

Yet this very ability plunged him into a ceaseless abyss of agony.

With the world's time slowed down, his perception of pain was amplified geometrically, his wretched screams echoing continuously.

Lord Sichen had intended to poison the populace to distract Master Mingyu; against such a person, Lu Yang saw absolutely no need to stay his hand.

Xinding raised his head, staring blankly at the scene; was this the true strength of the Tofu Heavenly Venerable? How magnificent, how terrifying.

Mingled within the crowd, Ye Zijin’s jaw dropped so wide it could not close.

Others might not recognize the Qingfeng Sword, but how could he fail to?

"No wonder Eldest Senior Sister wasn't worried about Little Junior Brother’s safety."

The Immortal Fairy resided within the spiritual space, and as Lu Yang stepped into the outside world, the small world of the Qingfeng Sword was once again left with only the three individuals, including Venerable Qingyan.

The trio trembled in fear, their hearts pounding violently; they seemed to have learned a monumental secret, and they wondered if they would be silenced to keep it hidden.

"Kneel."

Though Lu Yang's voice was not loud, it reverberated clearly across the entirety of West Heaven City.

The word "kneel" carried the absolute weight of a divine decree; Lord Sichen felt an nameless force pressing down upon the crown of his head, his body moving beyond his control as he collapsed heavily onto his knees.

"Spare... spare my life, otherwise my Master and Lord Siming will never let you off!" Lord Sichen cried out in his terror, losing all coherence, unsure whether he was begging for mercy or issuing a threat.

He had lived a blessed life since birth, chosen by Siming to be the Lord who governed time, and after mastering the embryonic Fruit of Time, his rise had been meteoric; within the Great Gan Dynasty, his every whim was granted, and wherever he walked, he was a figure of supreme reverence—never had he encountered such a plight.

As Lord Sichen knelt upon the ground, the Sky-Cleaving Axe flew off to one side; Lu Yang strolled over, his Dao rhyme striking awe into the surroundings, as though heaven and earth vibrated in tandem with his footsteps.

Lu Yang picked up the Sky-Cleaving Axe, his eyes harboring a chill that had remained frozen for ten thousand years.

"For this intervention, I have acted against the terrifying currents of cosmic karma; do you truly believe I would let you live?"