Buyan and the old monk in red looked up at the sky. The warhorses beneath them neighed in panic. The sky, which had been dim, became bright, but it was not the scene of clouds parting and the sun rising. Instead, it was a dense expanse of lightning and thunder, forming a dazzling sea of thunderous light that illuminated the entire mountainous world beneath the heavens!
Riding the clouds for ten thousand miles, returning alone to the East Sea, carrying astonishing thunder!
"Great Khan, retreat quickly!" Facing the sky that had turned into a sea of light with thunder, the old monk in red did not forget to protect Buyan, the "inheritor of the Great Yuan." He pulled him down from his horse and pushed him backward. Although Buyan also held a divine position, the Mongols were in constant internal strife. After the Yuan Dynasty was destroyed and the Northern Yuan also perished, the national destiny had almost collapsed. The great deities they had enfeoffed in the past had all fallen from the clouds to the bottom, no longer enjoying the prosperity of two hundred years ago during the Yuan Dynasty.
Moreover, he had never seen such a grand display of lightning and thunder in his decades of life!
"The Shaman's thunder-summoning technique is not this powerful!"
"This is not something our Mongolian Shamans can compare to. This is the thunder array of the Shangqing Sect!"
The old monk in red raised his hands, and the four strings of skull prayer beads flew into the sky, transforming into a red light screen that covered the mountains below. The thunder, thick as dragons and snakes descending, had already struck the mountains and rivers!
In the past, he had only seen torrential rain, but never torrential thunder!
The lightning struck down as densely as heavy rain. The light screen was pressed back by the thunder. The old monk in red clasped his hands together, his eyes filled with increased fighting spirit, and said to Buyan, "This person uses the Shangqing dharma, and can set up such a massive thunder array with a wave of his hand. Perhaps it is the Mountain Master of the Shangqing Maoshan Sect who has personally arrived."
"He is a Pure Yang master. His reputation is not great, and I have never met him. But after much thought, in the 'Table of Mountains and Rivers,' only their own Mountain Master can use the Shangqing dharma to its extreme."
"The Taoists are skilled at commanding thunder and rain, and fighting with them is like fighting with heaven and earth itself. Their magical power originates from the yin and yang of heaven and earth, while my Buddhist sect is quite different in comparison."
"The Eight Schools of Han Buddhism forge golden bodies with vows, unlocking many wondrous uses. Their power comes from faith and their pure land Buddhist kingdoms. As for my Tibetan Buddhist sect, the source of its magical power comes from the cycle of life and death."
What the Tibetan monks cultivated was the lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. From Us-Tsang in the south, to the Mongolian deserts in the north, and to the Western Regions in the west, all possessed the dharma of Tibetan Buddhism. Although there were differences in detail due to local conditions, their fundamental origins were the same, and their faith was extremely prosperous in these places where it spread.
"Skeleton Sage, life and death are impermanent!"
The old monk in red displayed his dharma. A white bone Buddha gradually rose from his body. This Buddha was clad in a blood-red kasaya, propping up the thunderous sky. Streams of the most powerful Buddhist aura flowed, forcefully creating a Vajra Pure Land within the thunder array!
However, within this Vajra Pure Land, a sinister ghost aura also floated, and waves of fierce resentment lingered, merging with the most powerful Buddhist aura to form this strange protective divine ability.
Endless Buddhist chanting was uttered from the mouth of the white bone Buddha, spreading in all directions. The soldiers under Buyan were all covered by the Buddhist chanting. The old monk in red then said to Buyan, "Great Khan, I will borrow three thousand of your warriors."
With that, out of the ten thousand soldiers, three thousand suddenly trembled. Following that, their flesh and blood dissolved, transforming into blood-red kasayas and revealing skeletal forms. They clasped their hands together, chanted Buddhist names, and their bodies also radiated the most powerful aura!
Three thousand Buddhist disciples, Skeleton Sages. Tibetan monks, using human bones as magical artifacts, often gave people a terrifying impression. However, the essence of these magical artifacts was to better expel evil spirits and heretics, a model of using poison to attack poison.
Ji Xiang observed this scene from afar. Seeing that the white bone Buddha could sit naturally within the thunder array, and that the thunder dharma could not approach him, the area supported by the dharma form became a forbidden zone for thunder. He couldn't help but grin.
He had fought with Buddhist sects many times, but this was his first time fighting with the Tibetan Buddhist sect. However, no matter what tricks they had, the immortal path could break all external dharma below the immortal path, and he himself was blessed by several immortal scriptures. Curses that did not reach the immortal path would not have much effect on him.
"One thunder array is not enough."
"Let's have another one."
Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations, mastering the Five Thunders!
Ji Xiang raised his hand again. This time, a giant hand appeared in the sky, with its fingers spread open, and lightning flashing at the tip of each finger! The so-called Five Thunders were the Heavenly Thunder, Divine Thunder, Dragon Thunder, Water Thunder, and Command Thunder, corresponding to the five types of beings in heaven and earth and the five phenomena they caused. With the mastery of the Five Thunders, another strike descended!
The thunder hand smashed onto the head of the Skeleton Sage's dharma form with the force of conquering the earth. In an instant, the dharma form almost showed signs of collapse. The old monk in red was also shocked by this blow. The strength of the "Shangqing cultivator" using the thunder dharma from afar was far beyond his imagination!
"Pure Yang peak? Quasi-immortal?"
The old monk in red's expression became solemn. If a quasi-immortal were here, victory would not be so easy this time. He would have to send someone to find reinforcements. The royal court was established in the east, and other places naturally had red-robed monks stationed there, to defend the stability of the eastern royal court and prevent sudden attacks from the south and north of the desert.
But at this moment, alone, he feared he could not win easily in a short time.
"Fortunately, I have the illusion of the immortal path on me. At critical moments, I can borrow the true form of my Buddha."
The old monk in red glanced at the people behind him. Buyan, the Great Khan, had also gradually recovered from his fear. Then, his appearance also began to change. Although he knew that his participation at this moment was of little help, in a battle at the Pure Yang level, even the intervention of a Xiantian realm cultivator would be the last straw that broke the camel's back.
"My God blesses! Sulidai, Jenggeri!"
Buyan Chechen Khan was in charge of the eastern royal court. After the Northern Yuan imperial seal returned, he could again communicate with the Eternal Heaven and draw down the divine positions that his country had previously shaped. And this Jenggeri god was the god of the Mongolian battle flags and the protector of all people. Like the Six Great Gods of the Ming Dynasty's military banners, he was worshipped in the military temple behind the Five Military Commissions, and was the highest god of war in charge of the country's wars in the current dynasty!
However, Mongolia was severely fragmented, and the power of Jenggeri had also been greatly lost. Now, displayed by Buyan, it appeared as a heavenly god wearing a wolf-faced iron mask, clad in heavy armor, and draped in a white cloak. Although imposing, the increase in strength did not reach the Pure Yang level.
The highest god of war of a country, for the increase in the ruler of a country, only stopped at the peak of Spirit Refinement.
"The divine position's increase to oneself is limited. Now that the eastern royal court's control over the southern and northern deserts has decreased, even the country's highest god of war has fallen to such a state. During the Great Yuan, the power of this heavenly god's blessing could allow ordinary Great Yuan cultivators to advance three realms, and even break through the barrier between mortals and immortals, allowing cultivators at the Spirit Refinement and Pure Yang levels to fight against immortals."
The old monk in red saw that Buyan, the legitimate Great Khan, used this once immeasurably powerful divine position, but it only reached the Spirit Refinement level. He couldn't help but shake his head, but a strange look flashed in his eyes, which he couldn't quite explain.
Buyan also gave a wry smile. This was not what he wanted. The glory of the past was difficult to再現. Without the blessings of the supreme heavenly gods, his strength had declined to this point...
"If I could control the Mongolian tribes like my father, I would have the protection of the Great Lion. But now I can only control the eastern royal court. You say you will help me regain the power of the Great Lion, and I look forward to that day, so I cannot stand by and do nothing here!"
"What if it's Spirit Refinement, it's still better than Xiantian."
He was unwilling in his heart, thinking that if he had the divine favor of the Great Lion, he could easily break through this predicament.
He had previously told the old monk in red that he could not break through the Great Ming because he lacked the power of the Great Lion, and even some residual power.
"Of course, once you become the King of Mongolia, the power of the Great Lion will return."
"Since that is the case, please exert your full strength, Great Khan, so that I may spare some thoughts to perform my dharma."
The old monk in red said so.
Buyan's magical power joined the battle, slightly tilting the balance of the war. However, Ji Xiang had already taken all their actions into account, and this old monk in red had not yet used his divine position.
"If you don't use your divine position soon, you won't have a chance."
Ji Xiang's voice pierced through the sea of thunder, passed through the powerful wind, and reached the ears of the old monk in red accurately. This was a warning, which made his heart suddenly tighten, and a sense of crisis suddenly arose!
He looked intently at the distant mountain peak, his gaze also piercing through layers of thunder sea!
Ji Xiang's black robe fluttered in the wind, and thunder surged. The mountain peak rumbled and vibrated incessantly!
"Five Sacred Mountains True Gods, hear my command!"
Ji Xiang flicked his hand, throwing out the Five Sacred Mountains divine position he had recently acquired. He used the "Central Jade Book" to shape the wind and thunder as their form, and condensed the essence of mountains and rivers as their flesh and blood. In an instant, five great mountains rose from the ground, were swallowed by the Five Sacred Mountains divine position, and then the Five Sacred Mountains True Gods reappeared in the human world!
The Five Sacred Mountains True Gods raised their hands in unison and pushed forward together!
Destroying all heretical and evil arts, demonic poisons, and curses in the world!
The Five Sacred Mountains True Form Diagram!
"Five Pure Yang Qi machines?! How is this possible!"
The old monk in red was greatly shocked and couldn't understand why Ji Xiang casually threw out five heavenly gods. The situation was critical, and illusions floated from his body. First, streams of Buddhist light and shadow danced out!
The Mind-Born Body!
Buddhist cultivation is somewhat different from Taoist cultivation. Reaching the Pure Yang level is called "complete fusion" in Buddhism. The eighty-four thousand Yang God incarnations are only possessed by Taoists, Fangshi, Dharma Masters, and some Confucian scholars who also cultivate Taoist arts. For orthodox Tibetan Buddhism like the Tibetan monks, they do not pursue the path of unifying Buddhism and Taoism.
Therefore, they do not have eighty-four thousand Yang God incarnations. Instead, at this level, the divine ability that appears is the Bodhisattva's "Mind-Born Body."
Classic Buddhist vows gather into incarnations with spirit. Their forms are ever-changing, flowing with thoughts, originating from vows, unhindered by stone walls or restricted by regions, freely coming and going without hindrance.
Unlike Yang God incarnations, the eighty-four thousand Yang God incarnations are attributed to the inherent power of the Pure Yang realm itself, and having too many incarnations has a weakening effect on the main body. However, the Buddhist Mind-Born Body can borrow the vows of others to enhance its combat power. The greatest limitation it receives is the "mental thoughts" of the one who generates the Mind-Born Body.
A person cannot do two things at once; doing two things will inevitably lead to insufficient strength. However, there are also exceptionally gifted individuals who can multitask. A great Buddha can create and destroy thousands of worlds in a single thought, with various scattered thoughts residing in different parts of his sea of consciousness, ready to be mobilized at any time.
At this moment, with a single thought, it splits into thousands of thoughts, thus appearing thousands of Mind-Born Bodies, which continuously strengthen as faith and vows increase!
Thirteen hundred old monks in red appeared in the world before Ji Xiang. They chanted Buddhist scriptures in unison, and the three thousand Buddhist disciples contributed powerful vows to them, causing their bones to almost turn into dry bones, their marrow to be sucked dry, and the blood-red color on their kasayas to dim.
"Transforming life into vows, offering to the Mind-Born Bodhisattva. When the vows are strong enough, they can gather together, and thousands of Mind-Born Bodhisattvas can even suppress immortals!"
The old monk in red revealed a strange smile. His spirit manifested into thirteen hundred thoughts, each of which converged in his mind. This vast mental babble was unbearable for ordinary cultivators. Only Tibetan monks who enjoyed arduous cultivation could withstand it.
"My Buddha's True Form, respectfully descend." More illusions appeared from the old monk in red, but this time it was not the Mind-Born Body, but a vast Buddhist light!
This great Buddha's halo was bestowed upon him, actually possessing the power of the immortal path! His appearance also changed. The so-called true form was to temporarily borrow the image of an immortal, thereby forcibly elevating his dharma and divine abilities to the immortal path level for a short period!
This temporary burst of power, because it was the true image bestowed by an immortal Buddha, was even more powerful than a false immortal who had immortal power but no immortal form for a short time!
The old monk's appearance changed, transforming into a ferocious giant Vajra!
"Yamadaka, the Great Vajra of Terrifying Wrath!"
"Great Sun Buddha, Supreme Jewel-Born! I am the teacher of the Mongolian tribes, the Sage of the Great Yuan. All Buddhist disciples, advance with me!"
The old monk in red's appearance completely changed, transforming into a terrifying Vajra with a blue-green ox head, exposed sharp teeth, wearing a crown of five skulls, and possessing nine heads, thirty-four arms, and sixteen feet!
Following his command, the Mongolian Buddhist disciples who had turned into dry bones came back to life, flying up into the sky. Thousands of white bones clad in blood-red kasayas, accompanied by the Vajra's light and waves of ghostly howls, filled the valleys and the sky. Under the control of the terrifying Vajra, their vows once again gave rise to countless white bone illusions!
And the white bone Buddha and the Five Sacred Mountains True Form Diagram clashed head-on. Although protected by the true Buddha, it was almost shattered on the spot!
"Sage?"
Ji Xiang disdained his shouts.
Ji Xiang merely pointed his hand towards the face of the terrifying Vajra and said from afar:
"If you are a sage, today it is not the sage subduing demons, but the demons destroying the Buddhist dharma."
With that, the Sea of Suffering world unfolded, and one hundred thousand lost demons flew down from the sky. The sound of white bone ghostly howls was immediately suppressed by the roars of the demons. Not only was the number of three thousand white bones and one hundred thousand demons disproportionate, but their combat power was also vastly different!
The lost demons invaded the bodies of the white bone monks and immediately took their place, turning everything into food for their existence. The three thousand white bones thus vanished into nothingness, and the thirteen hundred Mind-Born Bodies unleashed their divine power at this moment. A thousand gazes converged, sweeping away all the demons in front of them!
The white bone Buddha also took action, reshaping its dharma form under the command of the Vajra, rumbling forward!
Ji Xiang waved his hand.
Behind the Five Sacred Mountains True Gods, another divine light erupted and soared violently into the sky, causing the old monk in red's face to tremble. Immediately after, he saw dozens of heavenly gods appear from within!
The Thirty-Six Mountain River Gods of the World!
Take-Mikazuchi-no-Kami!
Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto!
Hachiman Daibosatsu!
Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto!
Sea Dragon King God!
Hayagriva!
Mountain Mother of Boiling Stream Country!
The divine positions plundered from Japan appeared one after another at this moment, shaped with wind and thunder as their form and mountains and rivers as their flesh and blood. The giant god legion advanced, each radiating the aura of Pure Yang! This was not the power bestowed by Ji Xiang; it was the power generated by the combination of heaven and earth and their divine positions!
This was the strongest level below the immortal path. Although it did not last long, they were now the embodiments of heaven and earth!
Ji Xiang looked at the astonished expression of the terrifying Vajra, and then suddenly revealed a strange smile. He then flicked his sleeve, and a blue-green Buddhist sword instantly slid out, entwined with blazing flames!
The moment this sword appeared, the old monk in red felt a sudden sense of crisis!
He heard Ji Xiang's voice in his ear:
"The Great Vajra of Terrifying Wrath form, this Vajra is the wrathful form of Manjushri Bodhisattva."
"Do you recognize this sword!"
The old monk looked forward.
The divine sword let out a sword cry, and in an instant, knowledge was transmitted from the netherworld. The old monk's expression also changed drastically.