Chapter 87: The Twenty-Four Heavens

Lin Jiufeng stared at the Buddha and Daoist figures being formed by the Taohua Mountain Taoist, his eyes bright and piercing to the very core, seeing through the fact that this Buddha was, at its root, Dao.

Buddhism and Daoism share the same origin!

The Taohua Mountain Taoist, with his absolute dominance and terrifying comprehension, had fused the distinct practices of Buddhism and Daoism. He used Daoist techniques to enhance Buddhist methods, increasing their power, and ultimately reaching an invincible realm.

Thus, he declared: "Buddha is Dao!"

His insight was profound, and Lin Jiufeng, intrigued, didn't rush back to the Sutra Pavilion. Instead, he turned his gaze to the silent, handsome monk standing next to the Taohua Mountain Taoist.

The Infallible Zen Master.

Previously, he had visited the Great Thunderclap Monastery to inquire about Buddhist teachings. With his strength, he single-handedly broke through the eighteen Arhat Formation of Buddhism and came to the Central Plains to quietly cultivate. Although people knew his name, few had seen him in person.

Lin Jiufeng had never met him before. But now, seeing him, he realized this Infallible Zen Master was tall, with an elegant face, a dot of cinnabar on his forehead, and dressed in a white monk robe that gleamed like jade, pure and unsullied.

He stood quietly beside the Taohua Mountain Taoist, and though he made no sound, he drew the attention of everyone around him. He was also a peerless genius.

Seeing the two of them together, Lin Jiufeng became curious and said, "Since that's the case, I look forward to seeing what kind of surprise you two can bring me."

The Taohua Mountain Taoist nodded, "We will not disappoint you, senior!"

The Infallible Zen Master also nodded lightly.

Lin Jiufeng glanced at them, but did not speak further.

The Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master, likewise, said nothing.

A breeze swept through the air, and peach blossoms fluttered down. But the scene was far from beautiful. Instead, there was a sense of looming danger.

The crowd watching sensed the impending peril and began retreating with caution.

If these three fought, the aftermath would be enough to sweep them all away.

In the next moment, Lin Jiufeng, the Taohua Mountain Taoist, and the Infallible Zen Master moved simultaneously.

The difference was that they chose to move away from the Yu Hua Mountain gate, transforming into streaks of rainbow light that cut through the sky and arrived in an open area.

Lin Jiufeng landed on a large, solid boulder and stared at the Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master, who had encircled him on either side.

"Attack!" The Taohua Mountain Taoist called lightly, his body glowing with a blend of deep violet and gold that merged seamlessly. At that moment, both the Buddha and Daoist figures struck out toward Lin Jiufeng.

At the same time, the Infallible Zen Master also acted, softly chanting, "Amitabha."

Boom!

Behind him, a majestic Buddha Hall materialized.

Inside the hall, countless Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Buddhas sat in a perfect line. Their radiance was blinding, their fierce gazes fixed on Lin Jiufeng, and they roared in unison, a thunderous and deafening sound, as a terrifying energy surged toward him.

This was the Sacred Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, a secret technique the Infallible Zen Master had comprehended.

To face Lin Jiufeng, he held nothing back.

Boom!!!

From the left and right, the Buddha and Daoist figures, along with the Sacred Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, pressed in with overwhelming power. The surrounding area was filled with explosive sounds and waves of pressure, closing in on Lin Jiufeng.

Both the Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master were known as two of the top ten kings in this realm, and their power was undeniable.

Yet, Lin Jiufeng, undeterred by the two-pronged attack, remained calm. Energy surged from within him, and with a thundering sound, it expanded outward.

It was an ocean.

A full moon rose slowly.

Under the moonlight, Lin Jiufeng appeared noble and extraordinary. Facing the Buddha and Daoist figures, he smiled faintly, then gently struck. In an instant, the Other Shore exploded, shattering both the Buddha and Daoist figures.

Turning around, Lin Jiufeng reached into the ocean and retrieved a golden lotus. This golden lotus radiated an overwhelming aura of suffering—representing the Eight Sufferings of Buddhism: birth, aging, illness, death, separation from loved ones, unfulfilled desires, hatred, and the suffering of the five aggregates.

The Eight Sufferings of Buddhism were vividly embodied in this golden lotus.

Lin Jiufeng cast the lotus into the Sacred Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. As the lotus passed, the suffering it embodied seeped into the Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Buddhas.

They cried out in agony.

They wept.

They begged for mercy.

The suffering of the mortal world had become their own. Stripped of their divine powers, they could no longer endure it.

As a result, the Sacred Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas collapsed, succumbing to the weight of the suffering.

The Infallible Zen Master was stunned. The golden lotus, with its aura of suffering, terrified him. But Lin Jiufeng held it with ease, letting the suffering flow as if it were nothing. How strong must his primordial spirit be to do such a thing?

As the Buddha and Daoist figures shattered, a tremendous rumble echoed across the sky. The terrifying energy waves began to spread, threatening to cause an energy tidal wave.

But in the next moment, the ocean beneath Lin Jiufeng surged, and nine colossal waves rose, subduing the expanding energy.

Everything returned to calm. In this realm, only Lin Jiufeng, standing under the moon, seemed untouchable, transcendent, and independent of the world.

The Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master both took a deep breath, their hearts shaken beyond words.

So powerful!

The Daoist rhythm surrounding Lin Jiufeng's form was so potent that even a cultivator at the peak of the Eighth Heavenly Level would directly break through to the Ninth Level by simply taking a sip from it.

Lin Jiufeng looked at the Infallible Zen Master and the Taohua Mountain Taoist and asked, "Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?"

After ten years of cultivation, Lin Jiufeng's Dao rhythm had become much more refined. His Dao was near perfection.

Thus, the Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master could gain no advantage in front of him.

Lin Jiufeng, eager to see more, did not act immediately. Instead, he silently observed the two.

Many of the spectators, either gathered nearby or watching from afar, eagerly awaited what else the Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master might reveal.

The Taohua Mountain Taoist and the Infallible Zen Master exchanged a glance. They closed their eyes, their bodies emitting brilliant light, and soon, shadowy figures emerged from their Ming Men.

The two cultivators' primordial spirits left their bodies.

Lin Jiufeng watched quietly, not taking advantage of the moment. He wanted to see what these geniuses of the Daoist and Buddhist sects had comprehended.

In truth, the act of separating their primordial spirits was extremely dangerous. Neither of them was a body cultivator; their physical forms were fragile, and once their primordial spirits left their bodies, they became even more vulnerable. If someone were to attack them at this moment, they would be forced to take another's body.

But a borrowed body could never compare to one's own. Once they took another's body, they would fall to lower realms, and if the body wasn't compatible, it would lead to irreparable damage.

However, seeing that Lin Jiufeng would not strike at their physical bodies or primordial spirits, they dared to take this risk.

They didn't expect to defeat Lin Jiufeng, only to wound him and test the limits of their joint research.

Boom!

After the primordial spirits left their bodies, the two began to meditate in mid-air. Their energies fluctuated, emitting an indescribable Daoist rhythm.

Then, their Dao rhythms fused right before Lin Jiufeng's eyes.

Suddenly, a deafening sound echoed, and around Lin Jiufeng's body, massive worlds began to materialize.

Lin Jiufeng observed calmly. He counted—there were twenty-four of them.

These were the Twenty-Four Heavens.

They were not perfect. Some were Buddhist realms, some Daoist, and some demonic, with many void realms, empty of life.

Even so, the appearance of these twenty-four worlds caused a tremendous surge of energy, shattering the moon that had been hovering behind Lin Jiufeng.