Volume 4: The Revelation Unveiled Chapter 462: The Warrior Rises

On Kunlun Immortal Island, mist and clouds shone brightly, with the sun and moon perpetually glowing. Along the paths, exotic flowers vied in beauty, and precious herbs bloomed in profusion. Looking down from above, one could sense the grandeur of this place, its majestic presence encompassing all around. Countless colorful clouds covered the island, and vibrant red mists swirled around it. The island was filled with rare flowers, exotic plants, precious trees, and rare birds and beasts wandering freely.

Though the island was vast, there were few people on it even on this day—only a few immortals patrolling it on clouds. At the center of Kunlun Immortal Island stood a towering city with nine layers, each layer higher than the last, known as Zengcheng. All the immortals on the island gathered around Zengcheng. Some were originally from Kunlun Immortal Island, while others had come from the Ten Continents and Three Islands to seek refuge here, such as the Nine Elders of Yingzhou, the Stars of Fortune and Prosperity from Penglai, and most of the island lords from the Ten Continents.

Although Taoism had declined, it still served as a powerful force for them. Moreover, Kunlun Immortal Island was rich in natural wonders, with endless immortal herbs and elixirs that greatly aided in cultivation. More importantly, they had grown accustomed to relying on others and were unwilling to fend for themselves in a dangerous world.

A few immortals knew that Kasyapa had visited three days ago and that they might face Buddha today. Some asked anxiously, “With just us, isn’t this like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?” Others said, “Of course not. The Heavenly Emperor will surely send reinforcements.” Still others recalled, “I saw the Great Emperor Zhenwu that day—he was truly awe-inspiring. His glaring eyes could scare anyone to death.”

The Stars of Fortune and Prosperity stood in a quiet corner, worried. They had once led a comfortable life on Penglai Immortal Island, but that was now gone. They had only been on Kunlun Immortal Island for a few days, yet peace was absent here as well. This was far from their original intention of cultivating in tranquility.

Prosperity asked, “Will they really fight?”
Fortune frowned deeply. “Buddhism and Taoism have always had mutual hostility, though they’ve managed to keep up appearances. It would be best if they didn’t fight.”
Prosperity said, “That day, many unseen masters were sent by the Heavenly Court. It seems the Jade Emperor is serious now.”
Fortune sighed. “Let fate take its course. We’re both old now—why bother fighting?”

Just then, a white light shot straight up from the ninth layer of Zengcheng, reaching all the way to the Jade Pool in the Thirty-Six Heavens. The immortals realized that this white light was a passage connecting the island below with the heavens. If only one person traveled, the light would be thin, but today it was as thick as a hundred zhang—something unseen in ten thousand years.

Plumes of auspicious clouds slowly descended from this passage. Those with sharp eyes observed closely and exclaimed, “Those are the twenty-eight constellations of the Ziwei Palace! And there’s also the Big Dipper’s seven stars, along with the Imperial Lords of Left and Right Aids!” On the second cloud stood the twelve astrologers, the gods of the Five Great Mountains and Four Great Rivers, the nine luminous stars, and other immortals.

These two clouds descended and formed two rows, arching to welcome those behind them. On the third cloud stood seventy-two Hunyuan Golden Immortals. For the people of Kunlun Immortal Island, these were beings to be revered from afar. As soon as these seventy-two appeared, the morale of the island’s inhabitants soared—with so many Golden Immortals present, how could there be any reason to lose?

These seventy-two Golden Immortals also stood respectfully to greet them. On the fourth cloud were thirty-six sages. This time, the Queen Mother deliberately created a grand spectacle, making the thirty-six sages descend with radiant halos around them and cloaked in clouds, presenting a truly awe-inspiring sight.

Upon seeing these thirty-six sages, the people of Kunlun Immortal Island were terrified, their legs turning weak. Some immortals had never even seen a sage in their lives, so naturally they felt fear. Another reason was the intimidating presence the thirty-six sages deliberately projected, which further strengthened their confidence in the Heavenly Court.

The thirty-six sages stood in front of the seventy-two Golden Immortals, leaving a path in between. On the last cloud were only five people. The first two were the All-Seeing Eye and the All-Hearing Ear. In the middle was the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother, followed by the Great Emperor Zhenwu and the Great Emperor Ziwei, with the Old Mother of Lishan as the fifth. The Jade Emperor exuded great dignity, yet inwardly he was uneasy. This day’s plan carried significant risk, and they had come in great haste. But if they succeeded now, there might never be another such opportunity.

When the immortals saw the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother arrive, they all knelt on the ground and cheered “Long live!” The Jade Emperor calmed himself down and, using his magic, said, “My loyal subjects, rise!”

Above the Nine-Layered Zengcheng Fortress, a golden throne had already been prepared. The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother sat on it, surrounded by skilled warriors. Looking down at the countless immortals and heavenly generals below, they felt filled with ambition and pride.

The ruler of Kunlun Immortal Island was a middle-aged man with a thick beard. At first glance, he didn’t resemble an immortal but rather a woodcutter or butcher. His name was Lu Wu, though it wasn’t his real name—it came from the Mingming Beast Lu Wu he raised.

The Queen Mother called Lu Wu over and asked in a low voice, “Are all the Mingming Beasts ready?”

Lu Wu replied, “Your Majesty, they’re all waiting inside the city for orders.”

The Queen Mother nodded and said, “These Mingming Beasts have been raised for tens of thousands of years, consuming countless elixirs and immortal herbs. Don’t disappoint me today.”

Lu Wu said, “All these years of preparation were for just this day!”

The Queen Mother nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the Thirty-Six Saints and Seventy-Two Hunyuan Golden Immortals, as well as those from the Jade Pool. She had already given them all instructions in advance, and the Tian Gang Di Sha Creation Array had been practiced countless times—there was no way it could fail.
Zhenwu, Zi Wei, and the Holy Mother of Lishan appeared calm, lost in their own thoughts.
Thousands of immortals hovered in the air above Zengcheng on Kunlun Island, not making a single sound—utter silence.
Wukong and Xuan Nu stood above, watching as almost the entire Heavenly Court came out. The more Wukong saw, the happier he became. He said to Xuan Nu, “With these 108 people here, no one will be guarding the Peach Tree. This is a great opportunity.” Xuan Nu did not reply. After thinking for a moment, Wukong added, “Wait, there’s also the Yellow-Horned Great Immortal… Strange. Such a powerful person—why didn’t the Jade Emperor send him too?”
Xuan Nu smiled and said, “The Queen Mother naturally wants to keep a trump card. Otherwise, would she send everyone out just so you could steal the peaches?”
In the west, auspicious clouds surged like tides, carrying Buddha and Ni Li and their group away from Eastern Victory Continent, across the southeastern seas, straight toward the Ten Continents and Three Islands.
The immortals on Kunlun Island stood in neat rows, all looking west. They saw the auspicious clouds carrying murderous intent approaching from the west. Even from a distance of thousands of miles, strong winds hit their faces, causing everyone’s expressions to change.
Zhenwu and Zi Wei, upon seeing these clouds and taking a closer look at the forces led by Buddha this time, were greatly shocked. Buddha had brought out all the top experts from the Buddhist hell! The Boundless Bodhisattvas had finally revealed their true forms!
The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother exchanged a glance, feeling a sense of concern. In terms of sheer strength, the Heavenly Court was now at a disadvantage. The only thing they could rely on was the Tian Gang Di Sha Creation Array. But even if this array could trap Buddha, who among these Buddhas and Bodhisattvas could then control them?
The Jade Emperor thought that Buddha, the Three Pure Ones, and Qi Tian Ling had already been battered in battle, which was why he had changed his mind. Yet he didn’t realize that even after two upheavals in the Buddhist hell, it remained so terrifying. With this in mind, the Jade Emperor began to back down. He glanced sideways at the Queen Mother, who also thought to herself, “This is bad.” In the face of absolute strength, no strategy could matter. Yet she still harbored a faint hope—after controlling Buddha, could she claim this power for herself?
Now that things had reached this point, with both sides exposed, it was too late to back out. The Queen Mother steeled her heart, cleared her throat, and called out, “Buddha, long time no see!”
A moment later, Buddha and his group stopped within a hundred miles. Buddha alone stepped out of his formation, floated up to the ninth layer of Zengcheng, sat on the lotus platform, and said with a smile, “Long time no see! How have you two been?”

“Young friend?” These words left everyone in the Heavenly Court utterly confused. How could Buddha use such a title in front of the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother? What was the reason behind this? Upon hearing the term “young friend,” the Jade Emperor immediately felt ashamed. Years ago, Buddha had abducted them from beyond the heavens, trapped them here for tens of thousands of years, and deceived and exploited them to carry out many deeds. If not for the fear deep in his heart, the Jade Emperor would have long shattered Buddha to dust.

The Queen Mother, however, remained calm and replied, “I address you as Venerable Buddha, yet you show disrespect to your elders. In front of the Supreme Heavenly Emperor, isn’t this impolite?”

Buddha was taken aback. He pointed at the Queen Mother and said, “I knew it. You girls are far better than boys. Indeed.”

As soon as he spoke these words, the Jade Emperor’s face turned red. He wanted to say something but stopped himself.

Buddha smiled slightly and said, “Boys can’t stay calm. Hehe, Supreme Heavenly Emperor, haha, Supreme Heavenly Emperor…” Standing high in the clouds, Buddha laughed loudly, “What a Supreme Heavenly Emperor! I taught you to be an emperor, and you became one. I taught you to be a mortal, and you became one. Have you even forgotten this truth?”

“Dare you!” A voice came from the immortals on Kunlun Island below. The speaker was You Hua Xian, who excelled in teleportation skills. His magical weapon was a landscape painting, and his cultivation level was close to that of a Taiyi Golden Immortal. But because he always changed sides like a weed on a wall, people called him the Smooth-Talking Immortal. Today, seeing the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother arrive and the grandeur of the Heavenly Court, coupled with his belief that the Jade Emperor was the supreme being in the world, he decided to take a chance. If he could win their favor, he might one day become an immortal official in the Heavenly Court.

As for the true strength of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Buddhism, his cultivation level wasn’t enough for him to discern. Seeing that Buddha’s group was far fewer in number than those on Kunlun Island, he dared to speak up.

His outburst startled those around him. The Queen Mother and Buddha exchanged glances—was it his turn to speak? Immediately, many immortals instinctively rose into the air, moving far away from this troublemaker, leaving only You Hua Xian behind. He looked around and felt some regret, but knowing it was too late, he leaped forward and stood high up, saying to Buddha, “Buddhism is Buddhism, Taoism is Taoism. How dare you be disrespectful to the Supreme Heavenly Emperor?”

Buddha shook his head and said softly, “I do not kill.”

As soon as he spoke, You Hua Xian’s head flew high into the air, blood spraying out—his life was gone. Then, a sinister figure leaped out of the formation and stood beside Buddha, saying viciously, “I will kill!”