"To expel you from the Sect is to send you forth to find him. No matter what means you employ, or what price you pay, you must ensure this person enters the Buddhist Sect. If not, he must at least be able to lend strength to our faith in the future. Jingyin, are you willing to dedicate yourself to the Buddha?"

Jingyin did not immediately agree, instead falling into deep contemplation. After several breaths, she spoke again, asking, "Jingyin wishes to know the reason. Even if this person has established the Dao foundation of Boundless Light and Endless Darkness, he need not necessarily join our Buddhist Sect."

"The reason?"

Linghai paused for a moment, somewhat taken aback. In his view, given Jingyin's piety and lifelong indoctrination, she should have agreed without hesitation.

He then also began a long period of consideration. After an unknown length of time, he seemed to finally reach a decision and spoke, "Jingyin, do you know of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Sukhavati world?"

"I know!" Jingyin nodded. "Ultimate Bliss is defined as the cessation of all suffering, the foremost state of peace and security. The eight sufferings include birth, aging, sickness, death, encountering what one detests, separation from what one loves, failure to obtain what one desires, and the five aggregates—all forms of intense suffering. While the Saha world endures these eight sufferings, the Land of Ultimate Bliss is forever free from them. Peace and security mean tranquility without any hidden worries. The Land of Ultimate Bliss is the foremost place of safety."

However, this Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Sukhavati world, was an idealized realm. It was merely a concept proposed by Amitabha.

Even the so-called Western Pure Land currently presided over by this Buddha Venerable was nothing more than a false prototype.

"Correct!" Linghai nodded. "Rebirth into the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the fundamental doctrine of our Buddhist Sect, and the ultimate pursuit of all Buddhist followers. Yet, for these ten thousand years, the supposed Pure Land has remained as illusory as a dream, a phantom—visible, but unattainable. Thus, the Buddhas have long since made a decision: to open up an entirely new cosmos beyond these myriad worlds!"

Jingyin could not help but be astonished, staring fixedly at Linghai. She knew his identity meant he would not speak falsehoods. Nor did she doubt how Linghai had come to know such a profound secret.

Though he resided in the Cloud Realm, appearing as an ordinary, plump, white-robed old monk, Jingyin knew that Linghai had actually already attained the Arhat fruit status.

He was the de facto presiding figure of their Pure Land Sect within the Cloud Realm.

Reflecting on his preceding words and connecting them to the collapse of the Northern Wall, Jingyin gradually understood why Linghai required her to undertake such an absurd task.

"Originally, all the Buddhas were supremely confident in their ability to carve out a complete world. But it was only three days ago that they suddenly realized that the Great Dao grasped by our Buddhist Sect was actually missing an element—the most fundamental oversight—"

Jingyin now understood, yet a sliver of doubt remained in her heart. "Since the reason is known, surely someone within our Buddhist Sect can be found to cultivate this Great Dao? If word were spread, our disciples should flock to it eagerly?"

Linghai sighed again. "It is not so easy. While the few Buddha Ancestors possess boundless authority, they are not omnipotent. Your Senior Martial Uncle has attempted to deduce this over the past two days, only to find it hopeless. To practice this method, one must first possess a special constitution capable of housing both the true powers of Light and Darkness, as well as Yin and Yang, simultaneously. Furthermore, they must be extraordinarily gifted, capable of condensing at least eighteen True Talisman Spiritual Seals, incorporating nearly all the world's constitutive laws. These two conditions alone bar one hundred percent of our Sect's disciples. As for the necessary foundational cultivation techniques, there is nowhere to even begin—it is utterly intractable! Success will likely require waiting tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of years."

A trace of horror flashed across Jingyin's pure eyes. She mused that these requirements were indeed excessively harsh.

If it were not for the edict issued by the Buddhas following the strange occurrence three days prior, she would never have believed that anyone could achieve this fundamental Great Dao.

Light and Darkness occupying the same body was simply impossible.

Her expression somber, she looked up at the three solemn Buddha statues before her. Jingyin finally let out a long, soft sigh. "Jingyin will do her utmost. Whether it can be accomplished depends on karmic affinity."

Hearing this, Linghai was unexpectedly pleased, showing no hint of annoyance. "That is very good!"

He added a reminder, "From today onward, although you have returned to lay life, our Pure Land Sect remains your home and your backing. You may seek aid at any time. If you feel it is impossible, you may return."

Seeing Jingyin silently nod once, Linghai's expression became infinitely complex. He then shouted loudly toward the outside, "Zhiyuan! Why haven't you crawled over here yet to escort your Junior Sister to the Myriad Buddha Vault Realm!"

After a while, there was no response. Just as Linghai frowned, another disciple's voice answered, laced with a slight fear, "Grand Ancestor! Martial Uncle Zhiyuan left for the All-Sentient Vault Realm a quarter of an hour ago. He should be over there watching the battle—"

Linghai's thick eyebrows shot up, his face filled with rage as he cursed loudly, "That stinking brat, he has some nerve! He cultivates Buddhism, what possible use is it for him to watch others duel with swords?"

Jingyin let out a small laugh, the gloom and bitterness in her heart slightly receding. She was secretly curious what kind of person this Tan Qiujue was, who inspired such devotion.

Was he truly the pinnacle swordsman in the Cloud Realm for the last hundred years, as Zhiyuan claimed?

※ ※ ※ ※

Within the spatial rift of the Azure Heaven Vault Realm. The number of figures gathered here was steadily increasing.

In the beginning, there were only a few thousand who had arrived early to watch the battle, plus over ten thousand disciples who had rushed out from the All-Sentient Palace.

But as time passed, more and more cultivators flocked to the area. Twenty thousand, thirty thousand, fifty thousand, seventy thousand—

If there was no good vantage point, they carved out temporary spaces! Some even disregarded the spatial turbulence, positioning themselves directly among the countless black rifts, desperately trying to get as close as possible to the two combatants.

"Within ten feet is the Indestructible Sword Domain! This Tan Qiu speaks with incredible arrogance!"

"And can you break through it?"

"I cannot, but don't forget we still have the foremost of the Three Absolutes Sword Masters!"

"But don't forget, this Tan Qiu is only sixteen years old—"

"So strong! This time, it truly wasn't a wasted trip; this is indeed a peak sword battle! Hmm? This Tan Qiu's mastery of the sword is actually superior to that of Young Master Jueyu!"

"This is the Great Annihilation Sword! Truly worthy of its name. Even though I am Eighth Order, I might not withstand a single strike from this man—"

"Even a Ninth Order expert would be no different!"

Discussions buzzed, but everyone tried to keep their voices low, or more often, used spiritual methods to isolate their conversations. However, the majority remained fully absorbed, as if trying to sear the scene before their eyes into their very memory.

Even if they could not grasp the subtleties immediately, they could study them carefully later.

Observing the scene firsthand, feeling the fluctuations of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and the rise and fall of the forces where two supremely powerful sword intents collided, was infinitely superior to watching recorded images afterward.

"How is the Destiny of the demonic and heretical path of the All-Sentient Dao so dense? First Shui Lingbo and Fang Wen, and recently Xue Xi escaped the Grand Spirit Sect. Rumor has it he broke through to Ninth Order that day. Two decades later, there is another monstrous genius in the Way of the Sword—"

"With this child present, his strength is equivalent to half a Ninth Order expert. He is also said to be an unparalleled military talent. For the future, the Three Sects and Six Schools of the All-Sentient must be extremely cautious!"

In mid-air, several elders of the All-Sentient Academy all wore strange expressions; excitement mingled with concern.

Zong Shou and Jueyu dueled for three hours, exchanging thirteen thousand two hundred and thirty-four sword strikes, ending in a draw. No matter how Jueyu attacked within the ten-foot radius around Zong Shou, he could not penetrate an inch—solidifying the name 'Indestructible Sword Domain'!

Such an achievement was indeed cause for great joy and brought glory to the All-Sentient Dao. Even these elders benefited immensely from witnessing the pinnacle clash of these two sword intents.

But when they looked at the tens of thousands of cultivators gathered below, still growing in number, they truly could not feel at ease.

"No need to worry. Three hours ago, Martial Uncle Master Wei Tian has already returned to the Sect!"

Perhaps sensing what the elders were worried about, Fang Wen spoke with a placid expression.

However, he was forcing a calm facade. As the Palace Master of the All-Sentient Palace, he knew better than anyone the significance of this battle for the All-Sentient Dao. The benefits—uniting the hearts of the Three Sects and Six Schools, attracting more disciples, deterring other sects and schools—were countless.

The expressions of the elders eased somewhat. Since two Divine Realm experts were present and utilizing the Vault Realm, they could remain safe even if all the sects in the Cloud Realm attacked them simultaneously.

"After today, the world will know that our All-Sentient Dao has gained another Grand Primordial Boundless Form Sword Art—"

"What worries me are the disciples below Seventh Order. Their Dao foundations are not yet set; observing this battle might not be a blessing for them."

The speaker was a grizzled old man with a thick beard. He used his finger like a sword, tracing the sword styles displayed by Zong Shou and Jueyu in the air, his expression one of intoxication.

Both Zong Shou and Jueyu were merely at the peak of Sword Intent, yet many Spirit Realm cultivators had not even reached that level. The unorthodoxy, the transcendent artistic conception, and the mastery displayed across varying levels of Sword Intent astonished even someone of his stature.

"It's fine!"

A voice suddenly rang out. Two figures then appeared beside these elders.

"Those with poor aptitude, who cannot break through Seventh Order, will not break through even if they retreat. Conversely, if they can gain enlightenment from this battle, it is a massive opportunity for them. Those with good aptitude will benefit infinitely more. In martial contests, a slight difference can mean a thousand miles. Often, a victory or defeat is decided within a few dozen exchanges. Finding opponents of comparable skill is exceptionally rare. Such a splendid sword fight is indeed a sight rarely seen in a century."

The speaker was none other than Wei Tian. Those around him, including several Third Generation elders, prepared to bow, but he waved his sleeves to stop them.

Fang Wen, however, showed a hint of worry. "Martial Uncle Zong Shou will certainly astound the Cloud Realm with this battle, but this momentum is perhaps too strong! As the saying goes, the tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be battered by the wind—"

"If one cannot withstand the wind and rain, how can one grow into a towering tree?"

Han Fang scoffed dismissively. "Since his sharpness cannot be concealed, there is no need to hide it. Let those petty fellows test his sword. After this, he can roam freely within the Cloud Realm!"

Fang Wen started, then suddenly understood. Being able to battle Thunder Roar without defeat meant that before the Spiritual Tide, Zong Shou could indeed move unimpeded in the world!