ebookslot Chapter 24: The Demon Race Imprisoned, Retreats to the Four Seas, and Strikes in the Underworld! The
Chapter 24: The Demon Race Imprisoned, Retreats to the Four Seas, and Strikes in the Underworld! The
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva stopped twisting his staff.
Guanyin opened her eyes.
King Puji instinctively grabbed the armrest of the chair.
Not from this world?
What does this sentence mean?
Among the Three Realms, the Heavenly Realm, the Human Realm, and the Earth Realm are all part of "this world".
Beyond the Three Realms lie the Four Seas, and beyond the Four Seas lie the Eastern Continent of Victory, the Western Continent of Bullishness, the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa, and the Northern Continent of Uttarakuru.
These are all part of "this world".
What is the "not a person of this world" that Samantabhadra spoke of?
"Senior brother," Manjushri frowned, "you mean...?"
"I don't know," Puxian shook his head. "But junior brother, think about it."
"A person, with a mortal body, without any cultivation."
"But they can replicate our techniques."
"To know secrets that we've never told anyone before."
"They were able to recall details that even we ourselves had forgotten while fighting against us."
"This has already transcended the scope of any existence within the Three Realms."
"He's like—"
Puxian found a word.
"The people standing outside watching us."
The air in the main hall seemed to freeze.
"The people who stand outside watching us."
This claim is too bizarre.
It was so bizarre that no one dared to think about it too closely.
Because if such a thing truly exists, it means there is an even larger world beyond the Three Realms.
That means that from a higher perspective, all of them—Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, gods, demons, the Three Pure Ones and the Six Emperors—are merely beings who are "being watched."
This realization sent chills down the spines of everyone in the hall.
"Bodhisattvas," Guanyin spoke slowly, her voice much lower than usual, "what you say, this humble monk needs to see for himself."
"Is Guanyin Bodhisattva going too?" King Puji was taken aback.
"We must go." Guanyin's gaze was as cold as ice. "Based solely on the testimonies of Manjushri and Samantabhadra, this humble monk dares not fully trust Samantabhadra's judgment."
"But if I, Guanyin, were to go again—"
"Since all three experienced it firsthand, there is no doubt about it."
"Only then will Buddhism be able to provide a real response."
Guanyin herself will have to get involved.
This news sent a collective gasp through everyone present.
Ling Shan's assessment of Lu Chen was officially recorded for the first time.
From "an ordinary person with no background".
It has been upgraded to "a mysterious entity of unknown level".
In a corner of the main hall, King Puji Mingwang circled the name "Lu Chen" heavily with cinnabar in his progress book.
This vermilion pen was previously only used to mark the most powerful demons in the eighty-one tribulations.
For the first time now, it has been used on a "mortal".
Taiqing Palace.
Grand Master Xuandu knelt before Laozi.
"Master."
"Um."
"Disciple has returned."
Lao Tzu sat cross-legged on a futon, his teacup already cold.
"He fought to a draw even when he joined forces with Manjushri and Samantabhadra."
"Yes." Grand Master Xuandu bowed his head. "This disciple received the news on the way back."
Lao Tzu remained silent for a long time.
He just sat there, stroking his beard.
The Sanqing Communication device vibrated slightly within the jade slip in the Taiqing Palace.
That was a message from the Primordial Celestial Venerable.
He already knew about it.
He said one sentence in the jade slip, which consisted of only four words.
"I've gone into seclusion."
Laozi looked at those four characters.
Put the jade slip down.
He sighed.
"That is, reaching the heavens."
He turned to ask the breeze beside him.
"What's the reaction from the Tongtian Sect Leader's side?"
"Biyou Palace said that the leader hasn't spoken all day," Qingfeng replied. "Last night, he had his disciples dig out all the old files related to the Chan Sect and the Western Sect."
Lao Tzu nodded.
The Tongtian Cult Leader was known for his sharp tongue and love of watching others make a fool of themselves, but this time he didn't say anything sarcastic.
He's investigating.
He was also worried.
Laozi poured out the cooled tea and brewed a new pot.
The pot contained a rare old tea that he treasured, which he rarely brewed.
He's going to soak today.
"Gentle Breeze".
"Disciple is here."
"Go and retrieve all the legends, records, and ancient books that relate to anything outside the Three Realms after the Investiture of the Gods."
"Master?"
"I want to see," Lao Tzu said slowly, taking a sip of his freshly brewed tea. "Beyond the Three Realms—"
"Is there anything at all?"
The Heavenly Palace of Lingxiao.
The jade ruyi in the Jade Emperor's hand.
Click.
A crack appeared.
It was a priceless treasure crafted from Kunlun jade, which had been with the Jade Emperor for thousands of years. He usually treated it like a toy, holding it in his hands and polishing it, and it had never broken.
Now, a crack has appeared on this jade ruyi from his grip.
Venus knelt below, not daring to breathe.
The Jade Emperor remained silent.
long time.
long time.
"Venus."
"Your subject is here."
"Have the Day Wanderer and Night Wanderer returned?"
"I'm back."
"What did they say?"
"..." Taibai Jinxing swallowed hard. "They said that Lu Chen doesn't seem to have any problems. He's just an ordinary person."
"But he can go toe-to-toe with Manjushri and Samantabhadra when they team up."
"right."
The Jade Emperor slowly placed the jade ruyi, which already had cracks, on the armrest of the dragon throne.
He stood up.
"Issue my decree."
"Your Majesty, please speak."
"The register of the three realms, the book of life and death, and the register of souls."
"From ancient times to the present, all records have been turned over."
"I'll flip through it again, even if it takes forever."
"I need to know—"
"Where did this Lu Chen come from?"
For the first time, the Heavenly Court used its most core archive system.
Northern demon race.
The demon kings didn't put down their wine cups for a long time.
The enthusiasm for watching the excitement has completely disappeared.
The old fox, Nine-Tailed Fox, rushed back from near the pilgrimage route and entered the cave where the demon kings were gathering, trembling.
"My lords—"
"Speak," the great demon king at the head of the table said.
"That person—" Nine-Tails swallowed hard, "is really just a mortal. I tried using the Nine-Tails' Bewitching Technique, and he didn't react at all. But—"
"But what?"
"He saw right through me and knew I was a fox."
The cave fell silent.
The Nine-Tailed Fox's Nine-Tailed Bewitching Technique is one of the highest-level illusion techniques of the demon race. Even the heavenly generals can fall for this illusion.
This mortal saw through it.
"This person is not to be trifled with." The Great Demon King slammed his wine cup down, spilling wine all over the table. "Send word that all demons are forbidden to approach within three hundred miles of the Journey to the West."
"Anyone who wants to cause him trouble will have to get past me first."
The demon race has officially withdrawn.
The most cautious they'd ever been in their lives.
The Dragon Palace of the Four Seas.
Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, read through all the ancient dragon scrolls he could find.
There is no mortal named Lu Chen.
There is no record of any "mortal who could go toe-to-toe with the Monkey King".
"Interesting." Ao Guang crushed the luminous pearl in his hand. "Interesting."
He neither retreated nor continued to monitor the situation.
He simply issued an order.
"All the dragons of the East Sea retreated three steps."
"We're not getting involved in this."
Hell.
Di Ting is back.
It prostrated itself before Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, its eyes gleaming with complex light.
"How is it?" Ksitigarbha asked.
Di Ting lowered his head.
"Can't hear me?"
Di Ting shook his head.
"Can't you hear me?"
Di Ting shook his head again.
"What is that?"
Di Ting looked at Ksitigarbha.
A fleeting emotion, one that it itself was unaware of, flashed in its eyes.
That was fear.
"..." Ksitigarbha remained silent for a long time.
The Di Ting (谛听) can hear the origin of all things in heaven and earth. Its ears can hear the "voice of origin" of any living being that exists within the three realms.
Only today.
It heard nothing from Lu Chen.
It's not that he's too weak to hear.
It's on that person—
There is absolutely no original voice of "the beings of the three realms".
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva closed his eyes.
"That's enough."
He sighed.
"Let Buddha and the others worry about this."
"We, the underworld, will not get involved."
Overnight.
All the forces in the Three Realms withdrew from the matter without prior agreement.
It's not that I don't want to care.
It's beyond our control.
Each side saw in this mortal a possibility that terrified them.
"He is not from this world."
These words were like a thorn, piercing the hearts of every power in the Three Realms.
No force dares to confront this possibility head-on.
They reached their first consensus.
We need to find out who this person is.
No matter what method is used.