bioinnovel Chapter 311 Buddha's Ruins, Vajra Trial!
Chapter 311 Buddha's Ruins, Vajra Trial!
Wanjian Pavilion.
Su Fan sat in the main hall, looking at the gods before him.
The Great Emperor Ziwei, the Heavenly Venerable Taiyi who Saves from Suffering, the Goddess Houtu, the Thunder Lord, the Goddess Doumu, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, the Yan Emperor Shennong, Chi You...
Nine cultivators at the third level of the Dao Realm gathered together.
If other forces in the Outer Heavens saw this scene, they would probably be terrified to death.
Jian Wudi stood to the side, his legs still a little weak.
He looked at this and that, with only one thought in his mind—my life has been worthwhile.
Su Fan took out the golden light given to him by the Primordial Celestial Venerable and studied it carefully.
The next world is called "Saha World".
There's a statue there, is it... Medicine Buddha?
Su Fan raised an eyebrow.
Medicine Buddha, also known as Medicine Buddha Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata, is an important Buddha in Buddhism, in charge of eliminating disasters, prolonging life, and curing diseases.
Although his status in the Buddhist system is not as high as that of the Buddha, he is still considered a powerful figure.
Su Fan looked at Emperor Yan.
"Emperor Yan, do you know this Medicine Buddha?"
Emperor Yan shook his head.
"I don't have much contact with Buddhism. However, I've heard that the Medicine Buddha is a compassionate Buddha, and he shares some similarities with me."
Su Fan nodded.
"Then we should definitely invite them."
He looked at the gods.
"Who's coming with me this time?"
The Yellow Emperor stood up.
"I will go. I know a little about Buddhism."
Emperor Yan also wanted to stand up, but Su Fan held him down.
"Take good care of yourself and recover well. Last time it almost turned into a major accident, so this time you should just stay home and rest."
Emperor Yan had no choice but to sit down.
Chi You spoke.
"I'll go too. I've heard that the Buddhas of Buddhism are quite formidable fighters, and I'd like to see for myself."
Su Fan smiled.
"Alright. Then let's go with the Yellow Emperor, Chi You, and the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden."
Emperor Ziwei thought for a moment.
"Su Fan, be careful this time. The Saha Realm is Buddhist territory. Although it has declined now, it was once very glorious. There might be some remaining restrictions."
Su Fan nodded.
"clear."
……
the next day.
In front of the teleportation array.
Su Fan, the Yellow Emperor, Chi You, and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady stood in front of the gate of light.
Behind them, the gods saw them off.
The Ziwei Emperor spoke.
"Su Fan, remember, the Pohan Realm is different from the previous world. It used to be one of the major bases of Buddhism. Although it has declined now, there may still be Buddhist masters left."
Su Fan nodded.
"Don't worry, senior. We'll be careful."
He turned around and stepped into the portal of light.
……
The Saha World.
A piece of peace.
When Su Fan stepped out of the portal, the first thing he saw was a golden world.
The sky was golden, the clouds were golden, and even the distant mountains were golden.
The sunlight shone down, and the whole world was bathed in its warm glow.
The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood.
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"This place is nice."
The Yellow Emperor nodded.
"It's really nice. Buddhism emphasizes purity and solemnity, and this place fits that description."
Chi You curled his lip.
"Too bright, I don't like it. Blood red is much more pleasing to the eye."
The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden smiled.
"As a war god, of course you like red."
The four of them took to the air and flew towards the coordinates.
……
After flying for about an hour, a huge mountain range appeared ahead.
The mountain range stretches endlessly, and on the highest peak, a huge temple can be faintly seen.
Su Fan took out the coordinates and checked them.
"The statue of Medicine Buddha should be in that temple."
The four flew towards that mountain peak.
But halfway through the flight, Su Fan suddenly stopped.
His expression changed.
Something's not right.
The Yellow Emperor looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
Su Fan looked down.
There's something down there.
The four of them looked down.
Below is a valley filled with various flowers and plants, which looks no different from other places.
But Su Fan's Investiture of the Gods list was slightly shaken.
He raised his hand, and a beam of golden light shot into the valley.
As the golden light fell, a beam of Buddhist light suddenly shone in the valley.
A massive ruin slowly emerged from the Buddha's light.
It was the ruins of a temple, covering an area of at least a hundred miles, with collapsed Buddha statues, broken sutra pillars, and fractured stone pillars everywhere.
Although it has been abandoned for three thousand years, its former grandeur can still be seen.
Su Fan's eyes widened.
"This is……"
The Yellow Emperor was also stunned.
"What a huge temple. It's even bigger than the one we just saw."
Chi You frowned.
"This is the real Buddhist site? Was that one a fake?"
The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden shook her head.
"Not necessarily. It might have been one of the major centers of Buddhism back then."
The four landed in front of the ruins.
At the entrance to the ruins stands a huge stone monument.
The stone tablet is inscribed with four large characters: Great Thunder Temple.
Su Fan gasped.
Great Thunder Temple?
Isn't that the sacred site of the Buddha?
The Yellow Emperor was also stunned.
"The Great Thunderclap Temple? The sacred site of the Buddha?"
Chi You raised an eyebrow.
"The Buddha? That leader of Buddhism?"
The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden nodded.
"Yes. The Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is a being at least at the fifth level of the Dao Realm."
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"Could this be the site of the Buddha's tomb?"
He looked into the depths of the ruins.
Deep within the ruins, a vast and powerful aura faintly emanated.
That aura was stronger than that of the Purple Emperor, the Yellow Emperor, and the Flame Emperor.
He is even stronger than the Primordial Celestial Venerable.
Su Fan swallowed.
"Shall we go in and take a look?"
The Yellow Emperor thought about it.
"Since we're already here, let's go in and take a look. Maybe we'll find something."
The four entered the ruins.
……
The ruins were filled with broken walls and rubble.
The collapsed Buddha statues were missing their heads, hands, or just their bases.
On the broken sutra pillar, one can still faintly see some Buddhist scriptures.
Su Fan walked and looked around.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Ahead, a huge Buddhist temple appeared.
Although the Buddhist temple is dilapidated, the main structure still remains.
Above the main gate hangs a plaque that reads: Mahavira Hall.
Su Fan pushed open the door and went inside.
Inside the main hall stood a huge Buddha statue.
The Buddha statue is ten zhang tall. It is a seated statue of the Tathagata Buddha, sitting in the lotus position with his hands in the meditation mudra and his face compassionate.
Although covered in dust, its former solemnity is still evident.
Su Fan walked up to the Buddha statue and stopped.
Looking at that compassionate face, he felt a surge of respect.
This is the Buddha.
The founder of Buddhism.
The object of faith for countless Buddhist disciples.
He took a deep breath and was about to speak when suddenly, the Buddha statue lit up.
A beam of golden light shot out from the Buddha statue and shone on Su Fan.
Su Fan was taken aback.
Immediately afterwards, a voice rang in his mind.
"Your destined one has finally arrived."
Su Fan's expression changed.
"Who?"
The voice laughed.
"This is the Tathagata."
Su Fan's eyes widened.
"Buddha? You're still alive?"
There was a moment of silence.
"Alive? I suppose so. This is a divine thought I left behind, waiting specifically for a destined person."
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"Senior, were you waiting for me?"
The Buddha smiled.
"Yes. The fact that you've made it this far means you've passed my first test."
Su Fan was taken aback.
"The first test? I didn't do anything."
The Buddha explained.
"My Great Thunderclap Temple is hidden in a spatial rift within the Saha World. Ordinary people simply cannot find it. The fact that you have found it means that you have an affinity with the Buddha."
Su Fan scratched his head.
"But... I don't believe in Buddhism."
The Buddha smiled.
"Whether you believe or not is not important. What is important is that you have a benevolent heart. I have also witnessed the test that Emperor Yan put you through. In order to experience the hardships he endured back then, you tasted more than three thousand kinds of herbs. This benevolence is more important than believing in Buddhism."
Su Fan remained silent.
The Buddha continued speaking.
"However, if you want to see my divine presence, you must pass my second test."
Su Fan looked at him.
"What kind of test?"
The Buddha spoke slowly.
"The Trial of Diamond".
As soon as he finished speaking, the surroundings suddenly went dark.
Su Fan found himself standing in a void.
There was nothing around, only endless darkness.
A voice came.
"The Vajra Trial, First Stage: The Tribulation of Inner Demons."
The darkness dissipated.
Su Fan found himself standing on a battlefield.
All around, countless people were fighting.
There were Chinese, god hunters, and cultivators of various races.
Blood flowed like rivers, and corpses littered the fields.
Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in front of him.
Lin Qingge.
She was covered in blood, her face deathly pale, as she looked at him.
"Su Fan...save me..."
Su Fan's expression changed.
"Qingge?!"
He rushed forward, trying to save her.
But at that moment, Lin Qingge suddenly turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared.
Immediately afterwards, another figure appeared.
Sun Wukong.
It was covered in wounds, and its bright eyes were dull and lifeless.
"Kid... I, Old Sun, am done for..."
Su Fan gritted his teeth.
"Great Sage!"
He reached out to grab it, but Sun Wukong also turned into black smoke and disappeared.
Following that, the Purple Emperor, the Flame Emperor, the Yellow Emperor, Chi You…
One familiar figure after another appeared and died before him.
Everyone was calling his name.
Each and every one of them was begging him to save them.
Su Fan's eyes reddened.
He knew it was an illusion.
But he still couldn't help feeling heartbroken.
Because those people were the people he cared about most.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"They're all fake."
He opened his eyes, his gaze returning to calm.
He looked at the illusions and spoke, word by word.
"You're all fake. Qingge is doing well on Blue Star, Dasheng is doing well in the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, and all the seniors are doing well too."
"Trying to fool me with this? Dream on."
He threw a punch.
A burst of golden light erupted.
All illusions vanished.
The void returned to calm.
The voice rang out again.
"First hurdle passed."
"Second challenge: The Vajra Formation"
The void changed once again.
Su Fan found himself standing inside a massive array.
All around stood countless golden-armored deities.
Each one of them is at the first level of the Dao Realm.
At least three hundred.
Leading the group was a golden-armored general, at the third level of the Dao Realm.
He looked at Su Fan and said coldly.
"Those who dare to challenge, take this!"
He waved his hand.
Three hundred golden-armored deities attacked simultaneously.
Countless golden rays bombarded Su Fan.
Su Fan drew his Immortal Execution Sword and unleashed a single strike.
As the sword flashed, more than a dozen golden-armored gods were sent flying backward.
But even more golden-armored deities surged forward.
They formed a battle formation, cooperated seamlessly, and executed offense and defense in an orderly manner.
Su Fan was trapped in the formation, struggling to break through but unable to escape.
His expression changed.
This formation is incredibly powerful.
Although those golden-armored deities were not real people, their teamwork was even more seamless than that of real people.
Three hundred Dao Realm Level 1 experts, plus a Dao Realm Level 3 commander, are enough to trap a Dao Realm Level 3 master.
Su Fan took a deep breath.
He sheathed the Immortal Execution Sword and sat down cross-legged.
The golden-armored gods were taken aback.
But their attacks did not stop.
Countless golden rays bombarded Su Fan.
Su Fan neither dodged nor evaded.
His Pangu Armor shone with golden light, blocking all attacks.
But he did not retaliate.
He just sat there with his eyes closed.
The golden-armored general frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Su Fan opened his eyes and smiled.
"I'm observing your formation."
He stood up.
"I understand."
He unleashed a sword strike.
This sword strike did not target any of the golden-armored deities.
Instead, it aimed for the core of the formation—the golden-armored general.
The golden-armored general's expression changed.
He hadn't expected that Su Fan could see through the flaws in the formation.
He quickly defended himself.
But it's too late.
The sword light was too fast.
He was struck directly.
The golden-armored general let out a miserable scream and vanished in golden light.
His death caused the entire formation to collapse instantly.
All three hundred golden-armored deities vanished.
The void returned to calm.
The voice rang out.
"Second hurdle, passed."
"The third challenge: The battle of wits."
The void changed once again.
Su Fan found himself standing on the edge of a cliff.
On the other side of the cliff, stood a person.
That person looks exactly like him.
Same face, same figure, same clothes.
He even held a Zhuxian Sword in his hand.
He looked at Su Fan and smiled.
"You've arrived."
Su Fan smiled too.
"Are you me?"
The man nodded.
"Yes. I am your inner demon. I am the embodiment of all your negative emotions."
Su Fan raised an eyebrow.
"So, I'm going to defeat you?"
The inner demon laughed.
"Defeat me? You can't kill me. Because I am you. If you kill me, you kill yourself."
Su Fan remained silent.
The inner demon continued.
"How many people have you killed? Have you counted them yourself?"
"The people from the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance, the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect, the Ten Thousand Demon Cave, the God Hunters... you've killed at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand."
"Your hands are stained with blood. What's the difference between you and me?"
Su Fan looked at him.
"There is a difference."
The inner demon raised an eyebrow.
"What's the difference?"
Su Fan said calmly.
"Everyone I killed deserved to die."
The inner demon laughed.
"They all deserve to die? How do you know they deserve to die? What gives you the right to decide their life or death?"
Su Fan smiled too.
"With the sword in my hand."
He unleashed a sword strike.
The inner demon was also slashed out with a single sword strike.
The two swords clashed.
boom--!!!
The two of them backed away at the same time.
The inner demon looked at him and sneered.
"You can't beat me. Because I am you. I know all your moves. I know all your weaknesses."
Su Fan smiled.
"Yeah?"
He put away the Immortal Execution Sword.
The inner demon was taken aback.
"What are you doing?"
Su Fan didn't speak.
He succumbed to his inner demons.
Step by step.
The inner demons retreated a step.
"What are you doing?"
Su Fan walked up to him.
Then, he opened his arms and hugged him.
The inner demon was stunned.
"you……"
Su Fan smiled.
"You say you are me. Then you should know what I'm thinking."
The inner demons fell silent.
Su Fan continued.
"I killed people because they deserved to die. I saved people because they deserved to be saved. I have a clear conscience."
"If you are my inner demon, you should know that I have never regretted it."
The inner demon remained silent for a long time.
Then, he smiled too.
"You win."
His body transformed into a golden light and merged into Su Fan's body.
Su Fan was startled.
He could feel that his state of mind had become more complete.
The voice rang out.
"Third level, passed."
"Congratulations, you have passed the Vajra Trial."
The void dissipated.
Su Fan found himself back in the main hall.
There was one more person in front of the Buddha statue.
He was an old monk wearing a kasaya, with a compassionate face and deep eyes.
His aura was unfathomable.
Fifth level of the Dao Realm.
The divine image of the Buddha.
He looked at Su Fan and smiled.
"Congratulations, Envoy of the Gods."
Su Fan bowed respectfully.
"I have met the Buddha."
The Buddha nodded.
"No need for formalities. Your ability to pass the Vajra Trial shows that you have an affinity with the Buddha."
Su Fan scratched his head.
"Senior, I really don't believe in Buddhism."
The Buddha smiled.
Whether you believe or not is not important. What is important is that you have a compassionate heart.
Su Fan was taken aback.
"Buddha-like compassion?"
The Buddha explained.
"The heart of Buddha is not the heart of believing in Buddha, but the heart of compassion. You tasted more than three thousand kinds of herbs to experience the hardships of Emperor Yan. You fought to the death against the God Hunter at the fourth level of the Dao Realm to save Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang. This is the heart of Buddha."
Su Fan remained silent.
The Buddha continued speaking.
"Back then, I was just like you. I didn't believe in Buddhism, I only believed in myself. But later, I discovered that believing in oneself and believing in Buddhism are not contradictory."
"Buddha is an enlightened person. If you are enlightened, you are a Buddha."
Su Fan looked at him.
"Senior, what are you doing here?"
The Buddha sighed.
"In that great battle years ago, I was severely injured and had to leave. Before departing, I left this divine image here, awaiting the destined one."
Su Fan asked.
"Where did you go?"
Buddha looked at him.
"The realm of gods."
Su Fan's eyes lit up.
"The realm of gods? You're really in the realm of gods?"
The Buddha nodded.
"Yes. I and other Buddhist disciples are in the realm of gods. But the realm of gods is sealed, and we can't get out."
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"How can we break the seal?"
Buddha shook his head.
"I don't know. That seal is too strong; even in my prime, I couldn't break it. Unless we can find enough gods and gather their power, it's not possible."
Su Fan remained silent.
Buddha looked at him.
"Envoy of the Investiture of the Gods, are you collecting statues of Chinese deities?"
Su Fan nodded.
"right."
The Buddha smiled.
"Alright. I'll help you."
He raised his hand, and a beam of golden light shot towards Su Fan.
As the golden light entered his body, countless pieces of information flooded Su Fan's mind.
The locations of all the statues are related to Buddhist deities.
The Buddha spoke.
"These are the locations of Buddhist deity statues that were lost and scattered back then. Go and retrieve them."
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"Thank you, senior."
The Buddha waved his hand.
"No need for formalities. There's something else I need to tell you."
Su Fan looked at him.
"What is it?"
The Buddha spoke slowly.
"The God Hunters don't just hunt down Chinese deities. They also hunt down Buddhist deities. I was seriously injured when I was ambushed by the Grand Elder of the God Hunters."
Su Fan's eyes turned cold.
"The Grand Elder of the God Hunters? What realm is he at?"
Buddha paused for a moment.
"Sixth level of the Dao Realm."
Su Fan gasped.
Sixth level of the Dao Realm?
He is only at the late stage of Sainthood, and with the power of the gods, he can barely kill someone at the fourth level of the Dao Realm.
The sixth level of the Dao Realm is far too far off.
Buddha looked at him.
"You don't need to worry too much. The Grand Elder of the God Hunters was also severely injured by me back then, and he probably hasn't recovered yet. You still have time."
Su Fan nodded.
"clear."
The Buddha smiled.
"Very well. You may leave. My divine shadow should also dissipate."
His body began to become transparent.
Su Fan quickly asked.
"Senior, will you come back?"
Buddha looked at him.
"Yes, I will. I will return the day you break the seal on the divine realm."
After he finished speaking, his body transformed into a shower of golden light and vanished into the air.
Su Fan stood there, silent for a long time.
Then, he bowed deeply to the Buddha statue.
"Thank you, senior."
……
Outside the ruins.
The Yellow Emperor, Chi You, and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady were waiting.
When they saw Su Fan come out, they went to greet him.
The Yellow Emperor asked.
"How is it?"
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"I saw the Buddha."
The three of them were taken aback.
The Yellow Emperor's eyes widened.
"The Buddha? He's still alive?"
Su Fan nodded.
"Alive. In the realm of the gods."
Chi You raised an eyebrow.
"The realm of gods? The realm of gods again?"
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden asked.
"What did he say to you?"
Su Fan briefly repeated what the Buddha had said.
After listening, all three fell silent.
The Yellow Emperor spoke.
"Sixth level of the Dao Realm... The Grand Elder of the God Hunters, that strong?"
Su Fan nodded.
"Therefore, we need to collect the statues of the gods more quickly. Only by combining the power of all the gods can we break the seal on the divine realm and deal with the God Hunters."
Chi You laughed.
"I love fighting the most. That so-called Elder, once I recover my strength, I'll find him and have a match with him."
Su Fan smiled too.
"Okay. Let's go together then."
He looked into the distance.
"Let's go. Let's finish this mission first. The Medicine Buddha statue is still in that temple."
The four of them took to the air and flew towards the mountain peak.
……
on the mountain.
A huge temple stands on the mountaintop.
Although the temple is dilapidated, the main structure is still intact.
Above the mountain gate hangs a plaque that reads: Liuliguang Temple.
Su Fan went inside.
Inside the temple, there were collapsed Buddha statues and tattered scriptures everywhere.
Deep inside, there is a grand hall.
Inside the main hall stood a statue.
The statue is three zhang tall and depicts a Buddha wearing a kasaya, holding a medicine bowl in his left hand, making a mudra with his right hand, and with a compassionate expression.
Medicine Buddha.
Su Fan walked over and placed his hand on the statue.
Golden light surged in from the Investiture of the Gods.
Inside the statue, there was also a cloud of black mist.
But it's a bit lighter than the previous ones.
Su Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems the God Hunter didn't place a very heavy seal on this statue.
He took a deep breath and began chanting the incantation.
"I am the Medicine Buddha, the Venerable One of Lapis Lazuli Light."
"Twelve great vows to save all sentient beings."
"To cure illness and disaster, and to prolong life."
"Medicine Buddha, please reveal your true form."
The statue shook.
Golden light surged.
A beam of golden light shot out from the statue.
Amidst the golden light, a Buddha dressed in a kasaya emerged.
He looked at Su Fan and clasped his hands together.
"Amitabha. Thank you, Envoy of the Conferred Gods."
Su Fan returned the greeting.
"I have met the Medicine Buddha."
The Medicine Buddha nodded.
He looked at the three people behind Su Fan.
"I have long admired the Yellow Emperor, Chi You, and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady."
The three returned the gift.
Medicine Buddha looked at Su Fan.
"Envoy of the Gods, I wish to form a contract with you. Are you willing?"
Su Fan nodded.
"I couldn't have gotten it."
A beam of golden light shot towards Su Fan.
Su Fan was startled.
Another Dao Realm Level 3 expert.
Including the previous nine, the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion now has ten members at the third level of the Dao Realm.
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"Thank you, Medicine Buddha."
The Medicine Buddha waved his hand.
"No need for formalities. I will follow you from now on."
He looked at the temple.
"I have stayed at this Ruriko-ji Temple for three thousand years. It is time for me to leave."