TN: Change translation of [Vajra Acala Immovable Tathagata]to [Vajradhatu Acala Tathagata]
The World Honored One's enlightened manifestations generally fell into three tiers.
The first tier consisted of [Buddha Child], possessing a cultivation base at Foundation Establishment Perfection. While they exerted a certain level of pressure on lower-tier cultivators, they weren't completely impossible to contend with.
The second tier was the Tathagata Venerables.
Back when Lu Yang attained the [Heavenly Fire], it was an enlightened manifestation of this tier that was sent to deal with him. Strictly speaking, its combat power was already at the Golden Core Perfected Lord level.
The third tier...
This was also the most terrifying enlightened manifestation Lu Yang had ever seen.. a Titled Tathagata, rivaling a Great Perfected Lord. He had only encountered one once before, back in the Celestial Court.
The Titled Tathagata back then was named [Vajradhatu Acala Tathagata]. The World Honored One used the Spiritual Platform laws to guide Si Sui's remnant consciousness first, and only then enlightened it. It was unequivocally a Great Perfected Lord... This shows that the third tier of enlightened manifestations is different from the first two; they cannot be enlightened out of thin air.
A Dao Lord was ultimately not omnipotent.
Let alone the World Honored One.
Therefore, even the World Honored One couldn't spontaneously enlighten a powerhouse at the Great Perfected Lord level. He had to rely on a medium of extremely high stature.
Si Sui's remnant consciousness was undoubtedly a top-tier medium.
Compared to that, the stature of the three Pure Land Bodhisattvas was somewhat lacking—which was why the [Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata] that had just appeared was similarly much weaker.
In short...
Not a Great Perfected Lord!
In that split second, Lu Yang abruptly halted his instinctive step to flee into [Responding to Emperors]. Simultaneously, the Buddhist light had already torn through the [Sea of Bitterness] and arrived right in front of him.
Was it strong? Very strong.
But it didn't seem to have reached the point where he couldn't handle it and had to run for his life... although saying that might make him sound incredibly arrogant right now.
But he could fight.
"Hah!"
Lu Yang let out a long breath. He watched as the boundless Buddhist light rode the wind and broke the waves from below the [Sea of Bitterness], sweeping toward him. It illuminated the murky waters of the [Sea of Bitterness] until they were as clear as glazed glass. Zen chants echoed endlessly wherever it passed. It actually began drawing upon the waters of the [Sea of Bitterness] as well, threatening to swallow him whole.
Incredible... but I have to block it.
If he didn't block it and just let the other party manipulate the waters of the [Sea of Bitterness], watching it grow continuously stronger, it wouldn't be long before he couldn't block it even if he wanted to.
With this thought, Lu Yang immediately steadied his heart and quieted his mind.
The next second, he dashed forward, proactively placing himself directly in the path of the Buddhist light. He formed a hand seal, and a dull gray radiance instantly surfaced at his fingertips.
[Great Might Kui-Gang Righteous Qi]!
Rumble!
The howling dark light was like a drop of ink falling into the ocean, dissolving in an instant. Following that, the magnificent Buddhist light crashed down upon his Dharma Body.
Lu Yang held his Dharma Body steady, remaining entirely unmoving. He used the [Future Life Aspect] to redirect all the damage from the Buddhist light. He simply stood there, bathed in the Buddhist light without suffering the slightest harm. Only when the [Future Life Aspect] reached its absolute limit did he change his hand seal, striking out with another streak of prismatic light.
[Tribulation Evil Profound Light]!
This time, the gray light didn't shatter upon impact like the [Great Might Kui-Gang Righteous Qi]. Instead, it clung to the Buddhist light like a maggot.
The two forces devoured and wore each other down.
It was unknown how much time had passed before the Buddhist light was finally ground down entirely, revealing a towering Dharma Body that looked as if it had been rolled over hot coals, its skin split and flesh torn.
"Cough, cough..."
Lu Yang coughed up a mouthful of golden blood, but he caught it all and swallowed it back down. Immediately after, his Dharma Body began rapidly healing, inside and out.
Not bad. I only displayed the basic capabilities of the Dharma Body, exposing the [Future Life Aspect] at most. The secret of devouring the four elements hasn't been revealed yet. Taking a minor injury for this is worth it. Otherwise, if the Dao Lord finds out I only lack the Wood element to achieve perfection, my only option would be to restart.
His injuries weren't light, but he didn't regret it.
After all, he had thick skin and sturdy flesh; a little injury didn't matter. But if it ruined his grand plan to devour the Wood element, then the pages of [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] would have been wasted.
However, even so, the situation remained grim.
What do I do next?
Although the Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata hasn't reached the stature of a Great Perfected Lord—which is good news—it's still very difficult for me to go all out right in front of him.
While the [Divine Firmament Thunder]'s power is impressive, it relies on my stature. At its core, it's still an Unorthodox Dao Fruit and hasn't birthed any true profound wonders. It probably won't be very effective against him. Under these circumstances, self-preservation is definitely not an issue, but winning will be exceedingly difficult, let alone killing Bodhisattva Precious Vajra Victory...
Thinking of this, Lu Yang felt a wave of exhaustion.
This shouldn't be happening. In his previous life, the World Honored One completely ignored Bodhisattva Precious Vajra Victory and let him fend for himself. Why was this lifetime different?
Was it because of him?
That didn't make sense either. He hadn't exposed the bottom line of his Dharma Body Dao. How did the World Honored One determine that his primary target this time was Bodhisattva Precious Vajra Victory?
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Little friend, let us have a chat."
Lu Yang immediately lowered his gaze. He saw the three Bodhisattvas within the Pure Land all resting with their eyes closed. Only Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata was looking at him with a smile.
The next second, Lu Yang put on a look of panic.
"...Du Ye greets Senior."
"No need for formalities."
Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata raised his hand, a compassionate smile on his face. He then spoke a sentence that nearly caused Lu Yang's heart to stop:
"I said we would have plenty of time to converse."
"..." Lu Yang was horrified inwardly.
Those were the exact words Ming Feng had said to him when they parted ways at the Star Palace! Now, Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata was repeating them... Was he not even pretending anymore?
However, while the other party could just lay their cards on the table, he absolutely couldn't do the same. Therefore, upon hearing those words, Lu Yang immediately put on an expression of utter bewilderment. He tilted his head, looking as if he were trying to recall something, before suddenly acting as if he had an epiphany, his face turning pale with terror. "Y-Y-You... you are Fellow Daoist Ming Feng!?"
"I am, and I am not."
Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata nodded, then shook his head. "Both Ming Feng and I are manifestation bodies of the World Honored One. Strictly speaking, we are colleagues."
"But that is of no importance."
Having said that, Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata spoke serenely. "I observe that you are a rogue cultivator from outer heavens, Benefactor. Although your talent is peerless, you lack a true Dao lineage."
"The World Honored One cherishes talent, and thus sent me to this world specifically to guide you, Benefactor."
"The World Honored One has long prepared a lotus platform for you within the Vajradhatu. As long as you are willing to take refuge and enter our Buddhist path, Benefactor, there will certainly be a place for you beneath the Tathagata's seat."
"By doing so, you can obtain supreme true methods. From then on, the late stage of Golden Core, and even the [Paramita], will be within your reach. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Why not accept it joyfully?"
As his words fell, Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata condensed Buddhist light in his palm, transforming it into a thick Buddhist scripture. He smiled faintly. "This is the [Mahayana True Enlightenment Fundamental Sutra]. If you do not believe me, Benefactor, you need only recite it for three days. You will surely gain something and be able to enjoy the scenery of the [Paramita]."
Lu Yang: "..."
Who the fuck are you trying to trick? a kid!? Do you really take me for an Unorthodox native?
Saying I'll 'surely gain something'? More like the only thing I'll gain is the urge to shout 'Ah!', right? As for the scenery of the [Paramita]... if I become the World Honored One, of course I'll be on the [Paramita].
"You need say no more, Senior."
Lu Yang didn't even look at the Buddhist scripture offered by Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata, shattering it instantly with a burst of force. His eyes were resolute. "I do not negotiate terms with invaders."
"Those on different paths cannot plot together!"
He hadn't forgotten his persona. At this moment, he was fully in character. As a native cultivator of the Mystic Spirit World Realm, his love for the Mystic Spirit World Realm was deep and profound!
As soon as he spoke, Lu Yang immediately felt a resonance from the weakened Mystic Spirit World Realm, as if it were cheering for him. Without hesitation, his figure flashed, and he descended into the Mystic Spirit World Realm. Instantly, countless anomalies surfaced around him, revolving around him like stars around the moon.
"It seems you have not thought this through clearly, Benefactor. Since that is the case, we can only settle this through combat."
Hearing this, Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata shook his head. With a serene smile still on his face, he took a step forward, crossing into the sea of light.
The three Pure Land Bodhisattvas followed closely behind him.
Buddhist light connected them. It was obvious that Vajradhatu Ratnasambhava Tathagata's foundation of existence in this world was those three Bodhisattvas, which was why they couldn't be separated.
It seems he's not entirely flawless either...
Lu Yang took a deep breath. When he decided to make a move against Bodhisattva Precious Vajra Victory, he had actually anticipated today's predicament, so he wasn't panicking.
"...Then bring it on!"