At this exact moment, Immortal Reverend Linglong finally took action to rescue the Scarlet Abyss Demonic Reverend. Though her intervention lacked any grand and imposing display, much like a gentle breeze and mild rain, she immobilized the God Immortal Envoy's Second Universe. That Wish Fruit emitted light, appearing to be the sole entity in the center of the universe. Only when it operated did the universe operate; when it ceased, the universe halted.
Once the Scarlet Abyss Demonic Reverend, the Heart Demon Old Man, and the Human Emperor Pen broke free, the three formidable entities united again. True qi communicated, and vitality fused into one. Within the demonic energy lay immortal energy as well as the energy of good fortune, rolling and scattering, forcing away the residual magical power of the God Immortal Envoy.
That Wish Fruit spun round and round, emanating a majestic power of wishing in mid-air, and then suddenly exploded, resounding with the voice of the "Hongmeng Great Wish."
"I vow that the living beings of heaven and earth shall achieve eternal life. When I attain eternal life…"
"When I attain eternal life…"
Immortal Reverend Linglong's voice could simply rival the sound of Fang Han burning all his lifespan to execute the Minor Destiny Technique, and was even far mightier.
No one anticipated that the Wish Fruit would transform into the Hongmeng Great Wish. Countless powers of wishing surged and roared, forming an ocean in the span of an instant.
The vow of the "Hongmeng Great Wish," comparable to karma, shook the universe and struck the gods.
"Bang!"
Impacted by that "Hongmeng Great Wish," the divine rainbows on the Heavenly Immortal Envoy's body immediately began to explode. The eighteen Peerless Dao Tools locking down the sky, along with the Immortal Tool "Heavenly Scourge Token," were all blasted apart. All blockades exploded in succession, and the tightly solidified void was unexpectedly dashed to fragments.
A sky full of blossoms rained down. Amidst the flurry of petals mixed with white jade, the earth revealed a reddish-gold hue. Immortal Reverend Linglong flew out slowly from the Sumeru Golden Mountain, walking over step by step. With every step she took, a patch of reddish-gold appeared beneath her feet. That reddish-gold color was not an illusion, but authentic true gold!
The supreme method she employed possessed a kind of demonic power, an immortal power, capable of transforming all the void wherever she passed into reddish-gold, into true gold. The kingdom of gold, like the Paradise World, the Eternal Kingdom, the Pure Land of the Lotus.
According to legends, the world where the World Honored Free King Buddha arrived would transform into the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Within this pure land were nothing but jewel trees, fragrances, and Udumbara flowers… a Kingdom of Gold.
Now, Immortal Reverend Linglong's appearance brought the same effect. Wherever she tread, the void was wholly true gold. The sky fluttered with white jade pieces and various glazed heavenly blossoms. Jewel trees blossomed upward, blooming with holy flowers, and in the center of those flowers sat Buddhas. Those Buddhas were all reciting mantras; some were the Six-Syllable Mantra, and some were scriptures of the past, present, and future. Meanwhile, above Immortal Reverend Linglong's head, an entity resembling a lotus placenta emerged, its fragrance spreading and sweeping across the entire universe.
This was unexpectedly the "Karma Lotus Placenta."
The absolute Number One divine ability of the Buddhist sect, ranked second among the Three Thousand Great Daos, secondary only to the supreme Great Dao of legend, the Great Destiny Technique—the Great Karma Technique!
All divine abilities and various cultivation methods of the Buddhist sect were evolved upon the foundation of karma.
"Every action inevitably has a cause. The cause originates from the unknown. The effect is produced after the retribution. The retribution of cause and effect is unerringly precise. It fits flawlessly, covering heaven and earth. The past and the future are tied together by a single thread. The power of karma is exactly that thread of predestined affinity…" Immortal Reverend Linglong slowly approached without making any particular gestures, just walking like this, while her mouth recited rolling scriptures. Those scriptures expounded upon the supreme mysteries of karmic affinity and retribution. Like a Buddha giving a sermon, it brought sudden enlightenment to a person. Any attack in the face of these scriptures appeared so weak and powerless, dissipating in succession.
"Great Karma Technique!"
As the God Immortal Envoy retreated to dissolve the power of the Hongmeng Great Wish, he saw Immortal Reverend Linglong stepping out from the kingdom of true gold. She still bore the appearance of a youth dressed in men's clothing, but much more holy, brimming with an ancient aura, a flavor of Hongmeng. Furthermore, behind her, the God Immortal Envoy seemed to faintly perceive a tall Daoist protecting the main body of Immortal Reverend Linglong.
That tall Daoist wore a chaos-colored Daoist robe. His facial features could not be seen clearly, but there was an aura about him that compelled even the God Immortal Envoy to worship.
Deep down in his heart, this God Immortal Envoy even felt that even the ancient Heavenly Monarchs mentioned in the legends of the immortal world—Disaster, Eternity… these Heavenly Monarchs—would have to bow their heads before the shadow of this Daoist. This Daoist was the embodiment of Hongmeng, the origin of the universe.
With a casual motion from this Daoist, it seemed as though the entire immortal world could be obliterated and covered up, beating the immortal world to pieces and ruining its form. All manners of majesty of the immortal world fundamentally failed to manifest any prestige or momentum in front of this Daoist.
"Daoist Hongmeng!"
Four terrifying words flashed through the mind of the God Immortal Envoy.
Indeed, behind Immortal Reverend Linglong, that tall Daoist, the Daoist wearing the chaos-colored robe, was precisely the shadow of the legendary Daoist Hongmeng. It was unkown how Immortal Reverend Linglong managed to manifest it. His power was as boundless as the sea, as ubiquitous as the void. It could not be destroyed.
"Terrible, how could this be. If it is Daoist Hongmeng, even the supreme Heavenly Monarchs of the immortal world descending are not his matches. This Linglong Immortal Reverend acquired treasures from the Secret Treasure of Hongmeng, but the will of the immortal world clearly revealed she only had a minor lucky encounter. But now…" The God Immortal Envoy pondered swiftly and, in an instant, shrank his body: "Unless the supreme ruler, the Ancestor of Good Fortune, the Good Fortune Immortal King descends, it is impossible to deal with Daoist Hongmeng. But in ancient legends of the immortal world, the Good Fortune Immortal King had long since entered the Gate of Eternal Life and vanished without a trace."
"God Immortal? Today, a God Immortal will also be buried here. I said I would kill you, and so I shall." Linglong took a full seven steps before pausing in mid-air. Her eyes trembled slightly as she looked directly at the Envoy of the Immortal World: "Your cultivation from Heavenly Immortal to God Immortal was part of the immortal world's plan, but the immortal world miscalculated. I obtained the Wish Fruit and entered the Secret Treasure of Hongmeng once again, obtaining the inheritance of Daoist Hongmeng, and even acquiring the Buddhist sect's supreme Great Karma Technique… Back then, Daoist Hongmeng made a bet with the World Honored Free King Buddha and won his Great Karma Technique. And now, I have finally mastered this Dao technique. Do you know why I delayed coming out earlier? It was because I went to cultivate this Dao technique. Furthermore, I obtained numerous treasures from the Secret Treasure of Hongmeng."
While speaking, Immortal Reverend Linglong suddenly pointed a finger.
A resonant voice that shook the universe rang out anew: "The power of karmic affinity and retribution. Hongmeng Great Wish, God of Wishes… All of these are but branches. What I, Linglong, seek to obtain is the True Intent of the Great Luo. Across all space and time, eternal and perfectly free, boundless eternal life. Heaven and earth may decay, but I am immortal."
A chessboard, crisscrossed by countless lines, appeared in her palm. This powerful woman who always preferred to dress as a man finally revealed her true nature of dominating the world alone. This chessboard was the Dao technique she created herself—the "Linglong Great Luo Heaven."
Swish!
Carrying unparalleled prestige, the Linglong Great Luo Heaven descended to envelop everything. Meanwhile, the phantom of Daoist Hongmeng standing behind Linglong continuously stared up at the sky, seeming to monitor the immortal world. The moment the immortal world dared to make a move, the phantom of Daoist Hongmeng seemed ready to strike once more.
Indeed, the immortal world seemed to calm down. No aura, neither intent was transmitted down. It appeared that, imperceptibly, Daoist Hongmeng's surveillance took effect.
"Break for me!"
In the face of the suppression from the Linglong Great Luo Heaven, the God Immortal Envoy suddenly let out a grabbing sweep. Unexpectedly, he withdrew all eighteen Peerless Dao Tools and the Immortal Tool, that "Heavenly Scourge Token", back into his body. Immediately, his power soared wildly again. With a single grab, he tore apart the chessboard of the Linglong Great Luo Heaven. His body shot forward, directing a palm strike right toward Immortal Reverend Linglong's face.
With a tearing sound resembling thunder, the kingdom of true gold surrounding Immortal Reverend Linglong was broken through in one swoop by the God Immortal Envoy. No protective astral energy could withstand his assault.
Immortal Reverend Linglong, however, showed not the slightest fear. With a calm expression, her body moved slightly, and her slender palm extended out, easily catching the God Immortal Envoy's palm strike with a gentle motion.
The God Immortal Envoy's expression shifted drastically. Suddenly letting out a long roar, he transformed into thousands of fist shadows, each fist laden with the power to blast completely through a great world.
"Thousand-Hand Tathagata." Immortal Reverend Linglong remained unperturbed. Suddenly, three thousand palms materialized, each pinching a holy seal, and in the center of every seal sat a Buddha. Swiping continuously, tens of millions of Buddha phantoms shot forth, akin to ten thousand Buddhas paying homage to their ancestry.
Energy dynamics intersected, and in a fleeting instant, the God Immortal Envoy and Immortal Reverend Linglong clashed an innumerable amount of times. The power of each clash was strong enough to directly jolt a True Immortal to death.
Figures in the Longevity Mystic Realm could not even survive in the residual shockwaves of this energy.
Uniting once again, the Human Emperor Pen, the Heart Demon Old Man, and the Scarlet Abyss Demonic Reverend took advantage of the clash between Immortal Reverend Linglong and the God Immortal Envoy to suddenly execute a combined attack technique. The three merged into one, coalescing into a single strand. Surging waves of pure yang vitality burned ardently. Then, with a weng, they vanished, arriving directly behind the God Immortal Envoy and ramming him with all their might.
"Pop!"
Struck by this collision, the God Immortal Envoy's vitality scattered immediately. A chill flashed in Immortal Reverend Linglong's eyes, and a vertical eye unexpectedly opened at the center of her brow. From that vertical eye, a beam of sword light shot directly into the God Immortal Envoy's body.
"Sword of the Heavenly Dao!" Just upon being penetrated, agonized expressions surfaced on his face. Trembling violently all over, he abruptly erupted with immortal energy, reversing the laws throughout his body. Following a cough, he surprisingly spat that sword light back out, and subsequently dashed upward. He actually intended to walk simply away from it all.
"Since you are already here, be at ease." Having succeeded with one move, Immortal Reverend Linglong swiped her hand upward. The sounds of countless Great Wish Techniques and Great Karma Techniques rang out once more. In the void, the chessboard of the Linglong Great Luo Heaven appeared, ready to ensnare the descending God Immortal Envoy.
Just at this moment, Huala! The massive Gate of the Immortal World reappeared in the sky. Reaching forth directly from the Gate of the Immortal World, an ancient, colossal hand lunged downward and shielded the body of the God Immortal Envoy.
"The inception of Hongmeng, the beginning of Taiji."
At that precise moment, the phantom of Daoist Hongmeng hovering behind Immortal Reverend Linglong made its move.