The universe where Gu Xiechen and the others resided was hidden somewhere within the boundless, stellar expanse.

A realm of pure light, embraced by golden radiance and verdant energy, drifted slowly and immeasurably across the cosmos. This pure land spanned trillions of miles, an immense sight stretching as far as the eye could see, yet it seemed utterly ethereal, gliding through star systems like a phantom.

Upon this pure land, countless pagodas pierced the sky, enveloped by endless greenery. When the wind blew, the rustling trees sounded like distant thunder, and countless golden bells on the magnificent pagodas rang out, their gentle, chiming echoes spreading throughout the entire realm.

Innumerable Buddhist cultivators sat in silent meditation beneath the pagodas, within groves of Bodhi trees, silently contemplating some ineffable profundity within the pure land.

A faint, barely audible chanting drifted from all directions. Each cultivator heard a different scripture, prompting different insights in their hearts. Their faces showed traces of sorrow, joy, anger, or resentment, as faint auras of Buddhist light emanated from them, merging seamlessly with the golden light and green energy of the realm. Like small pine trees clinging to a high cliff, these cultivators were deeply rooted in this pure land. At the core of the realm lay a luminous pond, spanning many miles.

The pond was paved with the Eight Treasures at its bottom. The clear water revealed a dense carpet of pearls, colored glass, and relics—countless rare and precious artifacts amassed at the bottom. Scattered sparsely across the water's surface were golden lotus blossoms. Their green leaves and golden blooms cast reflections onto the water, transforming the ordinarily crystal-clear depths into a rich expanse of golden luminescence and vibrant green life.

In the very center of this immense pond stood a colossal rock formation, a majestic peak of pale gold, standing proud and solemn.

From its base to its summit, a staircase paved with gold ascended, studded with hundreds of Zen monasteries that seemed to drift like clouds among the slopes. The scent of sandalwood permeated the mountain, accompanied by unending Vāṇic chants. In the void above, dozens of gigantic golden Garuda soared, their razor-sharp golden gazes sweeping everywhere, intimidating any being that dared approach this great mountain.

A long stretch of the golden staircase extended from the base of the mountain down into the waters of the pond. On that submerged section of golden steps, Banruo sat cross-legged, clad in a pale yellow kasaya, a vivid, crystalline, ruby-red mole adorning the space between his brows. A few golden water lilies floated above his head, while large schools of goldfish swam silently around him.

Near Banruo, the water stirred gently, occasionally flashing with brilliance. Boundless seas of blood and hellish landscapes of mountains laced with blades would abruptly manifest within the ripples beside him. Amidst these bloody seas and bladed mountains, countless figures of the Luoman people, the Spirit Race, and various strange subservient clans writhed and struggled, continually emitting sharp, piercing cries toward the heavens.

Banruo recited sutras for salvation in a low voice. Specks of golden light sprayed from his mouth, transforming into tens of thousands of Buddha-seals that flew, embraced by the golden lotuses and colorful radiance, into the scenes unfolding beside him. A torrential downpour of golden rain fell over the mountains of blades and seas of blood. Whoever was struck by these golden raindrops—be they Luoman, Spirit Race members, or any of the other servant races—their expressions immediately eased, and their spirits grew immensely invigorated.

Occasionally, a flash of light revealed, beneath the endless seas of blood and mountains of blades, a place of truly vicious Avīci Hell.

In this Avīci Hell, there was only the delicate figure of a single woman. She was a Luoman female, suspended above crimson karma fire, enduring the endless agony of being burned. Occasionally, lightning would strike her body, and countless flying daggers and swords would pierce her all over. Giant saws would periodically slice her body in half, only for the karma fire to instantly restore her to wholeness.

Overwhelmed by boundless suffering, the woman let out hysterical screams. She looked up at the sky with confusion, seemingly unable to comprehend how she had fallen into such a state. Limitless resentment coalesced into heavy black clouds that enveloped her entirely. Within these clouds, the faces of countless Luoman people, Spirit Race members, and other Luoman servant races flickered.

More than half of the suffering endured by all other Luoman, Spirit Race members, and Luoman servant races was transferred onto this single woman. Countless Luoman, Spirit Race members, and Luoman servant races deeply cursed this woman in their souls, cursing the one who allowed them no peace even in death.

The golden rain formed by Banruo’s sutras for salvation could not reach this woman; she had to rely entirely on herself to resist the unending pain. Her piercing shrieks seemed capable of tearing through spatial barriers to reach Banruo’s very soul. Her screams, saturated with malice, often rent the void, threatening to invade this Buddhist pure land.

However, no matter how desperately she shrieked, just as her cries neared tearing open the void and disturbing the pure land, the myriad accomplished Bodhisattvas and Arhats residing in the hundreds of Zen monasteries on the mountain would chant sutras in unison. Boundless serenity transformed into clusters of golden, auspicious clouds that drifted down from the mountain, firmly mending the space torn by the woman’s cries.

If a few screams managed to pierce the void and reach the pure land, they were instantly shredded by the sharp cries issued by the dozens of golden Garuda circling in the air, unable to shake the peace of mind of the numerous cultivators within the realm.

Only Banruo, seated underwater, would bleed faint streaks of blood from all seven orifices whenever the woman let out an utterly heartbreaking scream. At such moments, Banruo would take out a sharp, small knife and cut away pieces of his own flesh to feed the passing goldfish. As the goldfish consumed Banruo's flesh and blood, the karma fire surrounding the woman would slightly diminish, allowing her a brief respite to breathe.

Beneath the pale yellow kasaya, Banruo's body was already mutilated, his flesh ragged, revealing patches of purplish-gold bone in many places. His muscles were regenerating rapidly, but the speed and frequency with which he cut his flesh far outpaced his regeneration rate. He was being carved down to little more than a skeletal frame.

On the golden steps near the water's edge, the Shengsha Buddha, clad in a saffron robe and holding golden prayer beads, stood silently, his face grim as he watched Banruo meditating underwater.

Several Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, standing on lotus blossoms and radiating immeasurable divine light, stood near the Shengsha Buddha. One Buddha softly praised Banruo’s actions: “To alleviate the suffering of his mother currently enduring the Avīci Hell, he spares no effort in offering his own flesh through this blood-flesh almsgiving. Such filial piety from Banruo is enough to move heaven and earth. Once his mother escapes that hell, Banruo will surely achieve Buddhahood based on this merit.” The Shengsha Buddha’s face twisted in a smileless grimace, and he responded with a few faint words.

He stared at Banruo for a while longer, then let out a long sigh, turned, summoned a wisp of cloud to cushion his feet, and rose into the air, flying toward a temple on the mountaintop.

In a dense grove behind that temple, the Shengsha Buddha walked respectfully before two Daoists sitting in meditation beneath an immensely large Bodhi tree.

Both Daoists were equally emaciated, both possessing waxy yellow complexions. The one on the left was nearly ten feet tall, his hair tied into two topknots adorned with a few red flowers, his face fixed in an expression of kind amiability. The one on the right was also nearly ten feet tall, his long hair unbound save for a small topknot secured with a golden lotus. His withered face was etched with profound bitterness; any ordinary person looking at him would instantly feel a wave of sorrow well up from their core, so intense it brought tears to their eyes.

Both wore ragged Daoist robes that appeared unwashed for years, making them look dirty and disheveled at first glance.

However, upon closer, focused observation, one could see that both Daoists radiated immeasurable bright light. Their bodies were spotless; even their tattered robes shone with boundless golden light, marking them as treasures of the highest order. Behind them, purple qi soared, within which countless Buddha images faintly materialized amidst the golden light. A refreshing, subtle fragrance diffused from the purple qi, capable of calming the mind and freeing it from all worldly attachments and worries upon contact.

Seeing the Shengsha Buddha enter the grove, the Daoist with the twin topknots squinted and smiled: “What matter brings you here?”

The Shengsha Buddha respectfully circled the two Daoists three times, prostrated himself in the five-point salute, and then glanced at the bitter-faced Daoist before softly asking the smiling Daoist: “Master, how much longer until the Great Prosperity, Great Wisdom, Great Insight, Clear Nature, Clear Virtue, Clear Dao Emperor Venerable King Buddha emerges?”

The Daoist closed his eyes and casually countered: “Still unable to let go of the child practicing blood-flesh almsgiving? You, your heart has wavered?”

The Shengsha Buddha took a deep breath, pressing his palms together: “Master is insightful. My disciple holds only this one attachment in his heart now.”

The bitter-faced Daoist suddenly shouted in a low voice: “One thread of attachment breeds a thousand worldly obstacles; one worldly obstacle summons countless demons. Wake up quickly!”

Raising his right hand, the bitter-faced Daoist struck the Shengsha Buddha’s head with a single palm. A surge of purple qi shot into the air, sending the Shengsha Buddha tumbling backward several times. When he rose again, his eyes held no trace of hesitation or confusion, only an inhuman calm and clarity.

“Disciple thanks Martial Uncle!” The Shengsha Buddha bowed respectfully to the bitter-faced Daoist before asking calmly: “When will the Great Prosperity, Great Wisdom, Great Insight, Clear Nature, Clear Virtue, Clear Dao Emperor Venerable King Buddha emerge? We need her to divert Amitābha Buddha. We have been unable to maintain suppression since this Third Yuan Meeting.” The two Daoists exchanged glances and simultaneously shouted: “When the time is right, she will emerge.”

Before their voices faded, in a Bodhi grove on the back slope of the mountain, a beam of purple qi shot straight into the sky, accompanied by a loud, soaring infant’s cry. A colossal pressure burst forth from the grove, causing the winds and clouds in the pure land to change color. Countless Buddhist disciples immediately prostrated toward the mountain. Heavenly flowers rained down everywhere, and countless Vāṇic chants surged upward, transforming into shimmering golden Buddhist scripture characters that slowly drifted down.

“Excellent, excellent!” The Shengsha Buddha’s expression shifted, and he clasped his hands, chanting the Buddha’s name. “Excellent, excellent!” The two Daoists smiled at each other, suddenly rising and heading toward the Bodhi grove on the back slope. The Shengsha Buddha hurriedly followed.

Clusters of radiant light flew through the void. Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and numerous high-ranking golden Arhats arrived, stepping on lotus blossoms or riding on clouds, gracefully approaching the area. They arranged themselves according to status behind the two Daoists, forming ranks as they moved toward the back slope.

In the back slope's Bodhi grove lay a clear pond spanning only about a hundred acres. In the center of the pond was a golden lotus platform, a hundred feet in diameter. Upon this platform, Fu Ya7Ming sat cross-legged, while an infant radiating golden light and purple qi floated before her, weeping with piercing intensity.

This infant was born with the terrifying cultivation level of the peak Great Overarching Golden Immortal. A slight push of his arms caused the surrounding void to tremble violently. If Fu Ya7Ming had not used vast swathes of purple qi from her hands to seal the void around him, this child would truly possess the power to shatter space and destroy stars.

Not only was his cultivation at the peak Great Overarching Golden Immortal level, but the infant’s physical strength was also unimaginably immense, and he was born with boundless divine abilities. His eyes were neither black nor white, but entirely the color of chaos. The four elements—water, fire, wind, and earth—ineffectually swirled around him, making every movement he made possess infinite, terrible power.

Hearing the sound of the two Daoists leading countless Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats approaching the grove, Fu Ya7Ming did not even blink. But the infant curiously stopped crying, turning his teary eyes to look at the two Daoists.

The two Daoists showed no outstanding features, so the infant grumbled dismissively. His gaze then snapped to a Buddha among the group following the Shengsha Buddha—a Buddha shining with brilliant golden light, holding a Vajra pestle and a lotus, and adorned with dozens of rare Buddhist treasures. With a giggle, the infant reached out and tugged at that Buddha.

With a single grab, the Buddha groaned, his twelve-foot golden body involuntarily lunging forward several steps. The dozens of rare Buddhist treasures on his body clattered noisily, and he was nearly snatched away by the infant from afar. The Buddha was terrified and quickly used a Vajra-Immobilization technique to steady himself. Just as he prepared to unleash a Lion’s Roar divine ability to repel the immense force pinning him down, the infant suddenly began to cry.

A loud wail erupted. The Buddha felt as if a hundred celestial dragons and a thousand male lions were roaring simultaneously in his Sea of Consciousness, shaking him into a stupor and causing his body to tremble violently.

The surrounding Buddhas and Bodhisattvas watched as streams of golden blood began to flow from the Buddha’s seven orifices. Several of his Buddhist treasures detached from his body with a swoosh and were snatched up by the crying, screaming infant.

With a cackle, the infant laughed excitedly upon obtaining the treasures. He casually picked up a three-foot-long, shimmering golden Māra-subduing pestle and gleefully smashed it forward.

A tremendous sound exploded outward. The surrounding Bodhi grove was instantly pulverized. Rays of destructive purple qi and golden light surged outward in a frenzy. The massive mountain, spanning tens of thousands of miles in height and millions of miles in breadth, shook violently. A wave of crumbling courtyard walls swept through the hundreds of Zen monasteries. The immense pond at the mountain’s base suddenly erupted in colossal waves tens of thousands of feet high, which rushed outward in torrents centered on the mountain.

Everyone except the two Daoists turned pale. This infant possessed such terrifying power right at birth; what would he become once he matured and mastered divine arts and spells?

Fu Ya7Ming let out a soft hum. Her hands moved like lightning, tapping points on the infant’s body. Where her hands passed, specks of golden light and purple qi transformed into seals imprinted upon the infant. As Fu Ya7Ming worked, the fluctuation of magical power radiating from the infant weakened. It dropped from the peak Great Overarching Golden Immortal level to Taiyi Golden Immortal, Golden Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, and finally, the fluctuation barely sustained the level of the Void Realm. The infant could still wildly swing the heavy Vajra pestle, but without the massive magical power as support, though he could still wield the immensely heavy weapon, he could no longer unleash the awe-inspiring strike from before. However, having just been born, the infant understood nothing; he only sought something to play with in his hands and paid no mind to anything else.

Using profound divine abilities to seal the infant’s inherent, massive power, Fu Ya7Ming coldly glanced at the blood-secreting Buddha and sneered: “So grown up, yet arguing with a child? Is this what a Buddha amounts to?”

With a wave of her jade hand, the Buddha suddenly shrieked. All the Buddhist treasures on him shot out into the air and fell into Fu Ya7Ming’s grasp. A mighty force struck him head-on, sending the Buddha bouncing back like a ball, tumbling off the mountain peak and falling far into the pond below.

A clear, purple light flowed from her palm. The dozens of Buddhist treasures rapidly shrank, transforming into sizes manageable for the infant’s small hands. The residual aura of the Buddha struck down from the mountain was completely wiped clean from these treasures by the purple light. The fallen Buddha managed to rise from the pond only to vomit blood and fall back in disgrace, unable to move for a long, long time.

Dozens of Buddhist treasures, cultivated over lifetimes, had been violently seized by Fu Ya7Ming, who had also erased the shred of divine consciousness the Buddha had embedded within them. Fu Ya7Ming’s assault nearly caused the Buddha’s cultivation to drop an entire major realm.

Gently cradling the infant, Fu Ya7Ming kissed his fair little cheek and hummed softly: “Good child, good… None of these bald monks are good people. In the future, if you fancy anything they have, just take it. If anyone dares refuse you, Mother will fight for you and help you snatch it!”

Hearing Fu Ya7Ming’s coaxing words, not only the faces of the Shengsha Buddha and the other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas twitched, but even the complexions of the two Daoists suddenly stiffened. The smiling Daoist’s face turned incredibly bitter, and the one already contorted in misery seemed on the verge of squeezing bitter gourd juice from his wrinkles.

Clearing their throats, the two Daoists stepped forward in unison and smiled faintly at Fu Ya7Ming: “Congratulations to the Great Might, Great Wisdom, Great Insight, Clear Nature, Clear Virtue, Clear Dao Emperor Venerable King Buddha on the joyful birth of your noble son today. With this, the Emperor Venerable King Buddha can take his seat today.”

Fu Ya7Ming softly sang a lullaby, then coldly swept her gaze over the two Daoists, as if just noticing them, and sneered: “Oh, look, Saints Jieyin and Zhunti have arrived? Today, Fu Ya’s child is born—surely the esteemed presence of the two Saints does not come without a congratulatory gift?”

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a look, then smiled sheepishly and reached into their sleeves, pulling out nearly a hundred Buddhist treasures entwined with golden light. A swath of purple qi held these nearly hundred treasures, all of the Innate Grade, transforming into a cloud of vibrant, colorful mist that flew toward Fu Ya7Ming.

Looking at these rare Buddhist artifacts with a cold eye, Fu Ya7Ming shook her head and sneered: “Acceptable. They will make perfect toys for the child.”

With a cold snort, purple qi and golden light flashed in Fu Ya7Ming’s eyes. She glared fiercely at the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas following behind the two Saints and sneered: “And what about you lot? What are you all doing here? You see my child, and you have no interest? Especially you, old bald donkey!”

She pointed at the Shengsha Buddha, and an invisible force instantly bound his entire body. With a series of sharp cracks, countless bones in the Shengsha Buddha’s body snapped. More than ten points of golden light burst forth from his body. These lights were surrounded by seven-colored Buddhist radiance, and the purple qi and golden light shot out like streaks of a rainbow—each one a top-tier Buddhist treasure, and all of them Innate-grade items.

Blood flooded from the Shengsha Buddha’s seven orifices. He stared at the dozen-plus treasures with agonizing pain, screaming in his heart: “Master!”

The Daoist Zhunti slapped the top of the Shengsha Buddha’s head and said with a forced smile: “External possessions come and go; one’s own cultivation and abilities are what truly matter! Hurry up and thank the Emperor Venerable King Buddha for removing these obstacles on your path to the Great Dao!”

The Shengsha Buddha choked on a mouthful of blood, nearly spitting it out.

He had been robbed, and yet he was expected to thank the robber for clearing his path to the Dao? He felt utterly debased!

But this was the command of Saint Zhunti; the Shengsha Buddha dared not disobey. He could only reluctantly clasp his hands toward Fu Ya7Ming and respectfully thank her for the “great favor” of robbing him of all his magic treasures.

The Shengsha Buddha’s heart wept. These dozen-plus Buddhist treasures were personally refined for him by the two Saints after he returned from that universe, as a reward for his great merits—each one a masterwork of the highest quality, possessing immense power.

Because the treasures were so powerful, it took the Shengsha Buddha three Yuan Meetings to barely finish refining them completely. Now, before he had used them even once, Fu Ya7Ming had seized them. Three Yuan Meetings of painstaking effort turned to naught. How could the Shengsha Buddha bear this situation?

Yet, judging by Fu Ya7Ming’s demeanor, she had clearly attained the Saint Realm! He dared not oppose a Saint. Before the Third Yuan Meeting, Fu Ya7Ming had been but a hair’s breadth from sainthood due to her connection with Gu Xiechen. Upon arriving in this universe, she dedicated herself to quiet cultivation, thoroughly integrating the profound essence of the Heavenly Dao imparted by Gu Xiechen, and receiving the incessant instruction on various Buddhist divine methods from Zhunti and Jieyin day and night. By the time her child was born, she naturally ascended to the Saint position smoothly and successfully.

Due to the relationship between the spiritual energy density and the Heavenly Dao laws of this universe, the child that Fuya?Ming would have taken three Great Cycles to birth in her original universe was fully gestated and cried out in a mere three Yuanhui.

The child's birth dissolved the last residual obstacle preventing Fuya?Ming from achieving Sainthood, and the pervasive purple qi, the immense pressure, and the myriad celestial phenomena witnessed just now were the world's natural responses to her ascension.

However, because of Zhunti and Jieyin, all these manifestations were confined solely within the Pure Land; those outside felt absolutely nothing.

Having attained the status of a Saint, Fuya?Ming showed no restraint, thoroughly ransacking the countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas brought by the two Saints. The gifts she set aside for her newborn son alone amounted to hundreds of thousands. While one couldn't definitively claim this child of Fuya?Ming and Gu Xiechen possessed the most powerful magic treasures, in sheer quantity, perhaps even Duobao Tathagata couldn't surpass him. Hundreds of thousands of Xiantian-grade Buddhist profound treasures—that number, if spread, would terrify the world.

The assembled Buddhas and Bodhisattvas present felt their hearts ache to the point of nearly fainting. These ultimate Buddhist treasures were the very life-bound artifacts they had painstakingly refined over the years by scouring every corner of this universe. Yet, Fuya?Ming had seized them all. But when a Saint showed such blatant shamelessness, forcibly extorting gifts, which fool among them would dare refuse?

Fortunately, Fuya?Ming’s actions were not excessively cruel. She only caused trouble for the Shengsha Buddha and a few other Buddhist cultivators who displeased her. The rest of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats, on average, only lost a few artifacts each—nothing that truly crippled their foundations.

Casually scooping up a piece of purple-gold lotus root from the pond, Fuya?Ming waved her jade hand. She drew out countless purple-gold root fibers from the lotus root, tempered them with her primal True Fire, and in the blink of an eye, refined them into a palm-sized brocade pouch, into which she stuffed all the treasures, hanging it around the infant's neck.

Gently stroking the baby's smooth bottom, Fuya?Ming sighed softly, “Poor child. Your name… that will have to wait for your father to bestow upon you. Until I thoroughly examine your father, you shall remain an unnamed, nameless one.”

While Fuya?Ming was amusing the child, one obtuse Buddha standing behind Zhunti and Jieyin stepped forward, chuckling as he addressed her, “There is no need to wait for the child’s father to name him. With the two Saints present, it is only right to let…” Before the words left his mouth, Fuya?Ming let out a cold snort.

A powerful, lion-like figure swooped in from an oblique angle. A Vajra Demon-Subduing Pestle smashed down hard onto the bald head of that Buddha, causing brilliant golden light and raging flames to erupt from his forehead, sending him tumbling hundreds of miles away. He spun dizzily several times on the ground before finally steadying himself.

Mugalian, one of Fuya?Ming’s senior disciples, rolled his eyes and charged out, pointing toward the direction where the Buddha vanished, unleashing a torrent of curses: “Nonsense! How noble is my Honored Master! What right does any bald donkey have to bicker about what she personally decreed?”

The enraged outburst, calling him a ‘bald donkey,’ was certainly memorable. Mugalian himself had a bald head, yet here he was, before so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, repeatedly hurling the insult. This scene caused the corners of Zhunti’s and Jieyin’s mouths to twitch, and ripples disturbed the stillness of their ancient wells of equanimity.

Jieyin managed a wry, sorrowful smile and said mournfully, “Great Mighty Wisdom Brilliant Enlightenment Monarch Buddha, the gifts have been accepted. You may now take your rightful place.”

Lightly patting her child’s bottom, Fuya?Ming did not raise her head and sneered coldly, “For me to take this so-called seat of the Great Prosperous Wisdom Brilliant Enlightenment Monarch Buddha? Perhaps. But first, present the benefits! To expect me to exert myself for you ancient Buddhas for no reason requires sufficient reward.”

Idly hooking her finger around the infant’s neck, making the child giggle, Fuya?Ming stated calmly, “My child doesn't even have clothes to wear yet. Pity the heart of a parent! My child is so lovely; if a single strand of his hair were harmed… how could I possibly have the mind to become a Buddha?”

Zhunti and Jieyin’s bodies convulsed; they instinctively sensed an unfavorable omen approaching.

Zhunti asked dryly, “The Emperor Monarch Buddha desires what kind of garment for her child?”

Fuya?Ming swept a cold glance over Zhunti and sighed deeply, “The child’s father is absent, and as a woman, I shouldn't be excessively demanding. This garment… hmm, it will require the two Saints to expend some of their vital essence.”

Zhunti and Jieyin’s hands trembled. They exchanged a look and reluctantly nodded their assent, having braced themselves for a massive sacrifice.

However, the condition Fuya?Ming set forth, which was decidedly not excessive in her own view, stunned the assembled Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into silence.

Upon hearing Fuya?Ming’s demand, Zhunti and Jieyin looked up and smiled bitterly. Purple Qi shot forth simultaneously from above both their heads. From Jieyin’s purple qi emerged an incomparably vast Golden Lotus, stretching across hundreds of millions of miles. Golden stamens, golden stems, golden petals—everything was brilliantly golden and dazzling to behold.

From Zhunti’s purple qi appeared an equally enormous Bodhi Tree, spanning hundreds of millions of miles. This tree possessed seven-colored luminosity throughout; every leaf, every branch, every part of the trunk was crystalline and appeared forged from pure glazed tile. The two Saints looked at each other, shook their heads, and pointed a finger towards their respective manifested forms above.

As they pointed, both Saints shuddered slightly, and a trace of blood trickled from the corners of their mouths. From Jieyin’s Golden Lotus, the most profusely blooming golden lotus, along with nine adjacent petals, gracefully detached and drifted down. From Zhunti’s Bodhi Tree, three hundred and sixty thousand Bodhi leaves, shimmering with seven-colored Buddhist light, detached, and a massive branch abruptly broke off and fell.

Fuya?Ming happily swept her hands, grasping the single golden lotus, the nine petals, the branch, and the three hundred and sixty thousand Bodhi leaves. She sprayed a stream of purple Pure Fire from her palm, roughly refining those golden lotuses, leaves, branches, and twigs.

Jieyin and Zhunti trembled again. They proactively severed their spiritual connection with the lotus, leaves, and branch—an act equivalent to cleaving a large piece of flesh from their own bodies.

Fuya?Ming, however, smiled sweetly and nodded towards the two Saints, “Very well. Seeing the sincerity of the two Saints, what is the harm if Fuya peacefully accepts the title of the Great Mighty Wisdom Brilliant Enlightenment Monarch Buddha? With garments made from the material of the two Saints’ very bodies for my child, perhaps few in this universe will be able to harm him?”

Deliberately leaving the end of her sentence open to questioning, Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged helpless glances and promised, “If the future Buddha-Son ever faces peril, our two brothers will personally go to his aid. No one shall touch a single hair on his head.”

Staring coldly at the two Saints, Fuya?Ming was silent for a long moment before finally sneering coldly, “Very well. Seeing as you were cornered, I suppose I should accept this and cease pressing further.”

With a light tap on the top of her own head, three beams of brilliant light shot out from Fuya?Ming. Her Three Corpses Primordial Spirits soared heavenward amidst vast auspicious light. Accompanied by countless Sanskrit chants, the three spirits rapidly transformed, manifesting as three Golden Bodhisattva statues, each ten thousand miles tall.

Fuya?Ming’s main body’s long hair moved without wind, rapidly coiling atop her head into a massive bun shaped like Mount Sumeru. Various luminous pearls and sariras spontaneously materialized, embedding themselves densely throughout the updo. Layers of shimmering golden gauze rapidly enveloped Fuya?Ming’s original form, transforming in the blink of an eye into monastic robes and a kasaya. These robes and kasaya were adorned with an incalculable number of jewels and precious items, bathing the surroundings in so much radiant light that it caused sharp pain to the eyes.

Amidst the immense chorus of Sanskrit chanting, Jieyin and Zhunti stepped forward personally, circling Fuya?Ming three times before bowing first, addressing her collectively as, “Great Prosperous Wisdom Brilliant Enlightenment Monarch Buddha!”

All the other Buddhist cultivators—Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats—circled the Buddha three times, chanting Fuya?Ming’s true Buddhist title repeatedly. Fuya?Ming’s Three Corpses Primordial Spirits chanted the title in unison. Bright light and purple qi erupted once more from above their heads. Within that boundless purple qi, thirty-six smaller female Bodhisattva golden forms manifested. These were Fuya?Ming’s myriad myriad manifestations, each possessing inconceivably vast power.

Among them, one female Bodhisattva golden form, standing a hundred miles tall with a majestic, kingly countenance, possessed especially immense power. With merely a slight glance from this golden form, countless Buddhist cultivators in the vast Pure Land lost their footing and sank to their knees, just as numerous vassals paying homage to their emperor. The surrounding cosmos echoed with endless praise for the supreme might of the Emperor Monarch Buddha.

Fuya?Ming, embracing her child, suddenly manifested a Nine-Grade Purple-Gold Lotus Throne beneath her. Countless purple-gold luminous rays flew erratically around her on the lotus platform, coalescing into a banner of Buddhist light resembling fierce flames, shielding her entire body.

Daylight Bodhisattva, Moonlight Bodhisattva, Mugalian, and the other direct disciples of Fuya?Ming manifested within the luminous rays. They all seated themselves upon the lotus throne, pressing their palms together, and repeatedly chanted the title of the Emperor Monarch Buddha for Fuya?Ming.

Fuya?Ming gazed coldly at Jieyin and Zhunti, sneering, “You Saints, scheming and plotting against each other, you have ultimately schemed against yourselves.”

After several cold laughs, Fuya?Ming stated in a low voice, “When my husband arrives, be careful he doesn't smash all your bald donkey heads.” Jieyin pondered for a moment and stated calmly, “We can only take things one step at a time. It must be so.”

Zhunti could only shrug helplessly and said gravely, “If we were not forced into a corner, given our status, why would we scheme against a mere weak woman? Since you are here, settle in. Remain on this lotus throne; perhaps you too have future destiny, who knows.”

Fuya?Ming merely sneered and remained silent. She swept a cold gaze over the multitude of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas standing behind the two Saints and casually pointed a finger toward them.

The multitude of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas bowed to the two Saints before immersing themselves into the boundless bright light emanating from the lotus throne beneath Fuya?Ming. A colossal Buddha Wheel suddenly materialized within the purple qi rising above Fuya?Ming’s head. It was inlaid with countless tiny shrine niches, and in slightly less than half of these niches, faint figures were already appearing—some of which resembled those very Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

However, when the Shengsha Buddha attempted to enter the bright light of the lotus throne beneath Fuya?Ming, he was violently repelled by a colossal force. Shaken, the Shengsha Buddha spat blood and was forced to retreat behind the two Saints.

Jieyin and Zhunti praised in unison, “Excellent, excellent. All Buddhas have returned to their stations. The Emperor Monarch Buddha still owes the Heavens’ Guardians.”

Fuya?Ming let out a cold laugh. The lotus throne beneath her suddenly ascended high into the sky. She glanced coldly at Prajna, who was sitting cross-legged in the water, slicing off pieces of his own flesh one by one. Shaking her head, Fuya?Ming sneered, “Such a faithless wretch—is he worthy of anything?” Boundless purple qi shot from her fingertips, instantly tearing open the void and launching toward a certain inscrutable world.

Suddenly, a burst of cheers erupted from the void. Countless wandering souls, overjoyed and invigorated, poured through the rift torn by the purple qi emitted from Fuya?Ming’s fingertips and arrived in this Pure Land. Upon entering, these souls all emitted sighs of profound relief. They writhed and jumped with abandon, prostrating themselves before Fuya?Ming, who sat enthroned above them.

Fuya?Ming looked down upon these souls and suddenly spoke, “My true self achieves Buddhahood today and still lacks the Heavens’ Guardians. Are you willing to submit?”

From among the billions of souls, two figures suddenly rushed out: they were Sagson, the Mother God of the Roman people, and Aerloli.

Aerloli stared at Fuya?Ming and shouted fiercely, “Becoming your Guardians—what benefit is there for us? We Roman people are…”

A bolt of thunder struck down directly upon her, instantly shattering Aerloli’s soul into pieces. It took a considerable time before she could barely manage to reassemble it. Fuya?Ming coldly sneered, “If you refuse, I will send you back to the Avici Hell. Since I saved you from Hell using the immense merit gained from my Sainthood, I can just as easily send you back. Either become my Guardians, or return to suffer endless torment. What other choice do you have?” The lightning strike left Aerloli scorched and bewildered, nearly resulting in her soul scattering completely. Terrified out of her wits, Aerloli knelt respectfully in the void, worshipping Fuya?Ming endlessly.

Sagson immediately knelt obsequiously, crying out to Fuya?Ming, “Honored Master, I am willing to offer you everything!”

With the Mother God of the Roman people having made such a declaration, the other Roman people, the Elves, and the Roman people’s vassal races had no other choice. They all knelt in the void, performing the full prostration ritual before Fuya?Ming, chanting her revered title aloud.

Fuya?Ming took a deep breath. She extracted half of the Purple Qi Merit descended upon her after achieving Sainthood and synthesized it in her palm into a piece of purple, mud-like substance that radiated dazzling light. She casually tossed this light-blinding, mud-like object into the clear pond below. With a wave of her jade hand, countless Roman people and their vassal races plunged into the pond.

As these souls merely rolled about in the pond, all their resentment and disaster were washed clean by the pure water. Every single soul received a particle of the mud and sand condensed from Fuya?Ming’s merit. Combined with the fact that the clear spring itself originated from the Eight Treasures Merit Pond of Buddhism, which possessed the divine power to forge forms, the synergy of both effects allowed every soul to gain a brand-new body in a mere instant.

These bodies retained their original appearances, yet they were neither gods nor immortals, neither demons nor monsters, neither spirits nor specters. They contained immense merit, possessed the divine power of flight and evasion, held boundless strength, and were proficient in all manner of divine spells—truly, they were exceptionally powerful bodies suited for combat.

The billions of Heavens’ Guardians bowed once more to the manifestation of Fuya?Ming before merging into the bright light emanating from the lotus throne beneath her. Fuya?Ming nodded to the two Saints. With a flash of light around her, the lotus throne descended toward the pond. Prajna, who was sitting cross-legged and cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes and flew upward in rage. He pointed at the Shengsha Buddha and roared, “Why is my mother still suffering in the Avici Hell?” The Shengsha Buddha stared at Prajna, remaining silent. Daoist Zhunti chanted a soft Buddhist phrase and said quietly, “There are reasons woven within the causality.”

Looking at Prajna, Daoist Zhunti stated calmly, “To truly liberate your mother, you still need to accomplish one more deed.”

Zhunti quietly spoke a few words, and Prajna froze on the spot. This pig-headed fellow has been so sleepy these last two days; the more he writes, the slower he gets. His eyelids won't stay open while he’s writing.

Winter is the perfect time for sleeping after all—isn't it?! D