Everlasting Immortal Firmament
chapter-057

Kong Xuan caused a commotion in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, angering the Present Buddha.

Initially, the Present Buddha had planned to make Kong Xuan submit to him. However, since Kong Xuan did not know what was good for it, he could only use force and declare Kong Xuan a buddha. Whether it agreed or not, it had no choice.

Demon? Did you think that you would be a demon like this? You are still too inexperienced before me. Do you know how I got the title of Gautama Heavenly Demon back then?

The Nine-Petaled Golden Lotus that the Present Buddha sat on suppressed Kong Xuan. The gargantuan peacock struggled but could not get free.

“Roar! Let me go! Baldy! Roar!”

Kong Xuan roared, and an overwhelming demonic aura appeared around it. However, the Nine-Petaled Golden Lotus’s golden light melted the demonic aura, transforming it into Buddhist light.

“Kong Xuan, you are still being stubborn?” the Present Buddha said coldly.

Boom!

Blargh!

The Nine-Petaled Golden Lotus became heavier, weighing Kong Xuan down and causing it to spew another mouthful of blood.

When the Buddhist light entered Kong Xuan’s body, it felt unbearable, like millions of ants gnawing on its body. This sensation was even more painful than the sixteenth layer of hell and brought indescribable despair.

This felt worse than dying, yet it could not die.

“Argh!”

Kong Xuan felt a golden lotus growing in its body amid the pain. Many golden lotuses took root in its body.

“Lay down the butcher’s knife and immediately become a buddha!” The Present Buddha pronounced the Buddhist quote again.

“Argh!” Kong Xuan screamed in pain.

Far away, the Past Buddha said, “Lord Buddha, the demon Kong Xuan is stubborn and unrepentant. How about Lord Buddha just purify it?”

“Purify? How dare you?!” Kong Xuan exclaimed as its expression changed.

Purification was the most horrifying torture of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. It was brainwashing, completely turning one into the other party’s puppet. One would forget one’s past and only remember devotion to the Lord Buddha.

How could Kong Xuan tolerate becoming a lackey of the Present Buddha?

“Let go of me! Roar! Roar!”

Kong Xuan struggled with all its might. However, it only realized that the Present Buddha was much more horrifying than it thought. At the very least, it could not do anything about him. Its body numbed slowly as though letting the other party do whatever he wanted.

The Present Buddha’s voice rang out again. “Be the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Matron Buddha, Peacock Great Light Sovereign. Or would you rather this venerable purify you? Kong Xuan, the sea of bitterness is endless. Salvation can be found by turning back.”

Coo!

Kong Xuan let out its resentment, dissatisfaction, and hatred in one miserable cry.

The countless buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats, and monks chanted scriptures in the surroundings to assist the Present Buddha in purifying Kong Xuan.

Kong Xuan’s eyes filled with sorrow, hatred, and despair.

Just as Kong Xuan was at the end of its rope, a cold voice suddenly rang out in the distance, echoing everywhere.

“Is the Spirit Mountain Holy Land planning to subordinate itself to my Han Imperial Dynasty? My Han Imperial Dynasty is picky about who it recruits, you know!”

All the monks in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land raised their eyebrows and turned their heads to look.

They saw a black-robed man standing on a distant summit.

“Gu Hai?” The Past Buddha’s face suddenly sank.

The surrounding buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats felt slightly startled.

Everyone had heard of Gu Hai before. Those in authority know the Present Buddha had been searching for Gu Hai recently.

He is not afraid of death, running over here by himself?

The Present Buddha looked at Gu Hai with some shock.

“Imperial Emperor Gu? It has been some time!” A dignified voice came from the Present Buddha as a grave look flashed in his eyes.

“Your…Your Reverence?” Kong Xuan’s expression changed.

Although Kong Xuan had submitted to Gu Hai for fifty years because of a bet, it still resisted him in its heart. However, when Gu Hai appeared, it felt a strange feeling. Is he here to rescue me?

“Han Imperial Dynasty’s Gu Hai greets the Present Buddha and the Past Buddha!” Gu Hai said.

It was like Gu Hai did not even see the others.

“Gu Hai, what are you doing here?” the Past Buddha shouted coldly.

“Me? Here? I also would like to ask the Present Buddha the same. You are a man. What are you doing, sitting on my Han Nation’s corps commander? He is a man, and you are a man, yet you are riding him without letting him go, even forcing him to admit to being female. Hah! Hahahaha! What a great joke!” Gu Hai sneered, not polite at all.

“How audacious!” the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats shouted while glaring.

Is Gu Hai humiliating the Lord Buddha?

“The Han Imperial Dynasty’s corps commander? Are you referring to Kong Xuan?” The Present Buddha’s face sank as he looked at Kong Xuan.

The Present Buddha knew about Kong Xuan’s pride. He had tried speaking cordially with it, taking the soft approach. Even so, it refused to submit. Yet, Gu Hai wanted it to become the Han Imperial Dynasty’s corps commander? This was preposterous.

“That’s right. The Han Imperial Dynasty’s Fifth Corps commander, Kong Xuan, is that you?” Gu Hai looked at the distant Kong Xuan.

Kong Xuan’s expression turned stiff. “Yes, Your Reverence!”

Kong Xuan’s salute set the surrounding monks abuzz. Did Kong Xuan truly submit to Gu Hai? This does not make sense.

Kong Xuan publicly acknowledged that it had submitted to Gu Hai. One of the reasons was that this was true. The other reason was that it felt touched that Gu Hai had come to save it.

This is the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. Nevertheless, Gu Hai barged in recklessly to save me, declaring an enmity with the entire Spirit Mountain Holy Land?

“Amitābha! Imperial Emperor Gu, Kong Xuan brought great calamity to the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. How can we let him go with just a few words from you? Now, Kong Xuan is my Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Matron Buddha, the Peacock Great Light Sovereign!” the Present Buddha said coldly.

“Kong Xuan caused great destruction in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land today. My Han Imperial Dynasty will compensate you for that. I have to bring Kong Xuan away today!” Gu Hai said seriously.

“Hah! Haha! Gu Hai, where do you get your courage for you to be this confident?” the Past Buddha in the distance scoffed with a cold expression.

The Present Buddha revealed a cold smile. He extended his hand, and an alms bowl appeared on his palm. It was the Reincarnation Pool enchanted treasure.

Whoosh!

The Present Buddha tossed out the Reincarnation Pool, and a strong suction appeared. Just like in the Western Sea, he wanted to pull Gu Hai into the Reincarnation Pool.

“Your Reverence, leave quickly! This subject has implicated Your Reverence!” Kong Xuan yelled as its expression changed.

Whoosh!

A gust curled around Gu Hai.

The mountain under Gu Hai trembled as the wind drew it into the Reincarnation Pool.

However, Gu Hai remained unmoved in the wind, standing still. The strong wind could not budge him at all.

“What?” the bodhisattvas and arhats cried out, their expressions changing.

The Present Buddha narrowed his eyes.

“You are there but not there?” The Present Buddha looked at Gu Hai in puzzlement.

Gu Hai smiled faintly. “It is just an insignificant trick, unworthy of your attention.”

Far away, the Past Buddha’s face sank. He did not know how Gu Hai achieved this.

“How about I use this as compensation for Kong Xuan’s earlier destruction?” Gu Hai waved.

Buzz!

A golden statue hovered in the air.

“The Future Buddha?” The expression of the Past Buddha changed.

The Present Buddha’s face sank.

Whoosh!

Moving especially fast, the Past Buddha instantly arrived before the Future Buddha and tried to grab him.

Whoosh!

The Past Buddha grabbed nothing.

“What?” The Past Buddha’s face sank. How can this be? The Future Buddha is clearly right before me. Why can’t I touch him?

“There’s no need to try. The Future Buddha is not in this space-time,” the Present Buddha said to the Past Buddha. At the same time, he stared coldly at Gu Hai.

“Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Gu Hai, how excellent! To think that you gained such means after one trip to hell?” the Present Buddha said sullenly.

“Where is the Future Buddha?” The Past Buddha glowered at Gu Hai.

“Hand Kong Xuan to me, and I will hand the Future Buddha to you,” Gu Hai said with a firm tone.

“How audacious! Do you know who you are trying to negotiate with?” the Past Buddha retorted coldly.

“I do. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land. I am not blind!” Gu Hai said with a smile.

“Hah! Do you know the consequences of going against my Spirit Mountain Holy Land? You are just an insignificant imperial dynasty. To think that you dare to cause trouble at my Spirit Mountain Holy Land! Do you believe I only need to issue a call, and your Han Imperial Dynasty will be reduced to dust?” the Past Buddha said coldly.

“Hah! Hahahahahaha! Past Buddha, do you think we will be afraid?” Gu Hai suddenly glared.

“Huh?” The Past Buddha’s face sank.

“We are currently speaking cordially with you, even lowering ourself, yet you don’t know what’s good for you, continuing to threaten me? Humph! Do you really think that the Spirit Mountain Holy Land is unrivaled? An upper-tier sect? So what? We have established an imperial dynasty. If I did not have the courage to carve out new territory, how could I dare call myself an imperial emperor? If you have the courage, you can come and try at the Han Imperial Dynasty. Do you think you can make us kneel before you by trying to scare us?” Gu Hai said coldly.

“You!” The Past Buddha glared.

Indeed, the masters of most imperial dynasties were all incorrigible people. Previously, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu dared to go against Sect Master Heavenly Access and the Supreme Singularity. Why? A sovereign could make use of their nation’s power in their dynasties. They would not fear anyone.

However, that was a mature imperial dynasty with a strong sovereign. Gu Hai’s Han Imperial Dynasty had just gotten started.

“The Future Buddha to compensate for all of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s losses. Present Buddha, Past Buddha, your Spirit Mountain Holy Land is not losing out in this deal,” Gu Hai offered once more.

“Humph! What if this venerable is not willing?” The Present Buddha’s frosty voice rang out in the sky.

The Present Buddha observed the surroundings, trying to find Gu Hai’s weakness.

However, Gu Hai’s state was simply too strange. He merely stood there, but others could not touch him—as if he stood within an immortal firmament. However, how could Gu Hai have an immortal firmament?

“You are willing. The Future Buddha is one of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s three pillars. If I cannot bring Kong Xuan away today, I will stay in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land and learn about the Future Buddha’s benevolence and compassion with the various buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats, and monks.” Gu Hai smiled.

“Benevolence and compassion?” The Past Buddha frowned slightly.

“I have a bunch of eagles that have been hungry for a long time. If they do not eat soon, they will die of hunger. The Future Buddha is benevolent and compassionate, feeling compassion for the masses for their hard lives. I believe he does not care for a small portion of his flesh and blood, right? He will use his flesh to feed the eagles to show his benevolence and compassion! Amitābha!” Gu Hai said indifferently.

As Gu Hai spoke, he waved his hand.

Reee! Reee! Reee!

Many eagles appeared out of nowhere. They circled Gu Hai’s head as if starving.

The Past Buddha extended his hand but could not touch them. Are these eagles also in another space-time?

Then, he saw Gu Hai pull out a crimson sword—the Life Killer Saber.