Chapter 1047: Unexpected suppression

All Heavens revolve according to Karma.

But the Karma controlled by the Demonic Prince pollutes all sentient beings, entangling them in karmic delusion and fear.

His heart pollutes the entire sea of realms.

His heart makes the sea of realms both defiled and pure.

His heart keeps the sea of realms eternally pure for kalpas.

The Demonic Prince softly chanted, “All sentient beings, from beginningless time, have ignorantly clung to the notions of self, person, sentient being, and life span, mistaking the four inversions for their true self. From this, the two realms of love and hatred arise. They cling to delusion within illusion, and these two illusions intertwine to create the path of deluded Karma. Because of deluded Karma, they mistakenly perceive transmigration; those who despise transmigration mistakenly perceive Nirvana. Thus, they cannot enter pure enlightenment.”

“It is not that enlightenment rejects those who can enter; rather, there are those who can enter but do not enter enlightenment. Therefore, both the stirring of thought and the cessation of thought lead to confusion. Why? Because of beginningless fundamental ignorance which serves as their Sovereign, all sentient beings are born without the eye of wisdom; their bodies, minds, and other natures are all ignorance. For example, a person does not take their own life. Therefore, it should be known that if one loves the self, the self will comply; if one does not comply, hatred and resentment arise. Because ignorance is nourished by the heart of love and hatred, the continuous pursuit of the Dao will not succeed.”

All karmic wisdom, if not self-perceived, will never be accomplished. Some sentient beings claim to have attained what they have not, to have realized what they have not, and to have eliminated what they have not eliminated. Greed, anger, love, arrogance, flattery, and jealousy do not arise when facing external objects, and all their attachments of love and hatred are extinguished.

All that exists in the world, with its various and differing retributions, is brought about by Karma. If Karma is extinguished, all these things cease. Therefore, regardless of status, regardless of resolution, actions of body, speech, and mind are all equal, and they also cause sentient beings to dwell in equality.

This is called ‘Equality of Sentient Beings’.

Overwhelming Karma covered Ashoka; even the Buddha's salvation would lead to sorrow in the abyss.

As soon as he finished speaking, the many First Grade Demonic Overlords who were fleeing had already been driven by the Golden Monkey and the Great Bodhisattvas, and they happened to encounter the Karma rushing towards them.

Among them, Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom stopped in place, looking at the surging Karma.

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom refers to one who takes all phenomena as a demon. It means that a practitioner, in their pursuit of the Buddha-Dharma, becomes intellectually attached to it, clinging firmly and unwilling to let go, thereby obstructing the Righteous Path and losing the life of wisdom. This is called Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom.

His name comes from mocking the pursuit of enlightenment. He likes those who pursue the Great Dao but are unwilling to abandon it. If there is such a person, he will appear before them, using their persistence to lead them astray onto the Evil Path.

However… Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom was once a practitioner himself.

He stopped in place, remembering things from many, many years ago.

That was truly… many years ago.

Can an immeasurable number describe it?

Probably not, because as a First Grade Demon, a single battle involving Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom would span countless spacetimes. So even he couldn't describe how many years ago it was.

If one were to use a number to represent it, the number of digits would likely be more than the total number of atoms in a sphere of nine hundred billion light-years.

At that time, the Universe had already undergone many, many Reboots.

However, he still remembered what it was like back then and its coordinates on the spacetime map.

At this instant, Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom returned to that time.

Although he knew that returning to that time wouldn't prevent others from catching up.

But if he couldn't escape, he hoped his possibilities would be sealed here.

Returning to this place, Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom transformed into a child.

This was an ordinary village, once just plain ordinary, working, surviving, giving birth to the next generation, and then repeating the cycle of their ancestors' lives.

However, a Monk came to this place a few years ago. Under his teachings, everyone in the village became happy and cheerful, kind and lovely. The previous conflicts were resolved one by one by him, and by organizing some activities, he also united the village, becoming the 'Great Master' admired by all.

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom followed by the Monk's side.

A gentle breeze blew from the east, caressing the old Monk's face, carrying the scent of the distant lake.

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom was a cowherd boy, young, dark-skinned, his clothes washed many times, but one could still faintly smell the livestock.

At this moment, Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom said, “Great Master, do you have any way to help me live a good life?”

The old Monk looked at the child before him and said to Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom, “Child, do not make wealth your life's goal. True richness is spiritual, not in your money bag.”

“No matter how rich we are, we differ from beggars in only one way: a beggar thinks of the next meal, while I think of the last meal. Child, do not single-mindedly pursue wealth, do not be enslaved by money. Strive for happiness, to love and be loved, and also for enlightenment and liberation. Most importantly, seek inner peace.”

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom had ten thousand ways to refute him.

But he still, as before, said in a childish tone, “But without money, everything you say is empty talk! Who can be penniless and at peace? Who can be hungry and happy? If one cannot support their family and live in abundance, how can one feel tranquility?”

“Only the incompetent and Monks are suited to live a hard life. Because they care about nothing but Buddha statues. But I am different. To me, poverty only means incompetence and weakness, and I am not such a useless person! What's wrong with me wanting to become a rich person!?”

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom uttered these words.

Many years ago, he said the exact same thing.

After saying that, the Great Master educated him for a long time, but he still stubbornly chose to enter the city.

Once in the city, he became wealthy relying on that obsession, but he still frequently returned to the Great Master's side to practice Buddha-Dharma.

However, as he practiced, driven by his desire for money, everything went awry.

He fell to the Demonic Dao, distorting the Buddha-Dharma, and ultimately the Great Master died because of it.

A Demonic Overlord watched all this with a smile, finally intending to absorb Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom's demonic thoughts into his possession.

But he overplayed his hand.

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom was even more suited for the Demonic Dao than he imagined. In the end, Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom was the victor, devouring all of the other's legacy.

This was also the beginning of Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom's cultivation.

After all this happened, Karma descended.

Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom had destroyed so many people similar to him, shattering their Dao Hearts and refining their demonic thoughtss. The Karma from this was now condensed into one, returning to him.

Looking at the corpse of the elderly Monk, Demon of Bodhi-Wisdom sighed at Karma.

Immediately, the possibilities were sealed.

Most of the other Demonic Overlords did not wait so peacefully but resisted with every means.

However, due to the numerical disparity, the karmic backlash, and the spreading power of the Heavens of the Formless Realm, in the end, none of the First Grade Demonic Dao practitioners escaped.

Then, it was the Second Grade practitioners.

The First Grade began to hunt down the Second Grade Demonic Dao practitioners.

Evidently, there was no chance of resistance.

The Second Grade practitioners were sealed one by one in isolated spacetimes, no longer able to interfere with the outside world, their possibilities reduced to zero.

It went so smoothly that Li Qi felt it was somewhat unreal.

He actually had many contingency plans, many ‘compromise solutions’.

He had tailored corresponding solutions for whoever among the Four Demons might act, or if the Demonic Dao had some hidden ultimate move, to ensure that a portion of the results could be preserved.

But, surprisingly, none of the Four Demons made a move.

Moreover, the Demonic Dao's backup plans were also successfully dealt with.

All substantial existences had disappeared.

Then the rest was simple.

Subsequently, Qi Palace was activated again.

The task was clear.

To eradicate all Demonic Dao practitioners in this Universe.

From Fourth Grade to unranked, all Demonic Dao practitioners, regardless of good or bad, regardless of virtue or evil, none would be spared!

But at this moment, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva held back Li Qi and the Demonic Prince.

“The substantial existences of the Demonic Dao, except for the Four Demons, have already been destroyed. There is no need to create more slaughter. The remaining Demonic Dao can be reformed,” she said to Li Qi, holding him.

Li Qi smiled, “Bodhisattva, I want these sentient beings to be free from demonic disturbance.”

With that, Li Qi broke free from Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva's hand, transforming into billions of Incarnations, and began to destroy all Demonic Dao practitioners.

There was no need to worry about any backup plans; if there were any, let them come.

There was no need to fear any conspiracy; if something wanted to use this to fish, then let them try if Li Qi could drag them down.

Why be hesitant? Why be afraid?

Li Qi was already a top First Grade, holding powerful treasures, and followed by many First Grade practitioners. If anyone truly wanted to act, then let them come.

To be hesitant and worried about conspiracies at this point, what kind of appearance would that be?

Have you not seen, when Zhu Fengdan acted, when Shamansan plotted great things, did they worry about any conspiracies or traps behind them?

In fact, this isn't even called worrying, because they were bound to encounter conspiracies and traps targeting them.

Then why didn't they worry?

Because they had sufficient confidence to flatten these traps and to contend with those who opposed them. Even if they failed, it was nothing; they wouldn't lose completely, and they would succeed one day.

Just like Li Qi's own existence.

The Heavenly Demon used Li Qi and the Demonic Prince to contend with the Buddha and Shamansan, and ultimately won.

Shamansan lost this round, so what?

He didn't feel there was any problem. He still preserved a portion of his spoils and immediately plunged into the next plan. No one could stop him from continuing to plot what he wanted to do, and he wouldn't have any psychological fluctuations because of one failure.

Li Qi was like this at the moment too.

No matter who was waiting behind, no matter what traps lay ahead, Li Qi had already prepared contingency plans and countermeasures. Just come.

But don't expect to scare Li Qi away, to make him afraid to act.

That was impossible; the initiative was with Li Qi.

If you didn't act, Li Qi would gradually achieve his goal. If you did act, then let's see.

For many, this was a natural disaster.

For the entire Universe, this meant a gradual shrinking of possibilities.

So, at this moment, when the slaughter was halfway through…

The power of Haotian descended before Li Qi.

The Emperor of Heaven's decree arrived.

A high-ranking Heavenly God, Taibaijinxing, one of the Five Stars, descended before Li Qi.

Taibaijinxing wore a white-gold robe embroidered with golden threads, holding a whisk, riding a white camel, arriving gracefully.

“Ordained Invoker Li Qi, it's time to stop. If you continue to kill, the possibilities of the Universe will shrink, and creating slaughter to this extent, beware of karmic backlash later.”

Li Qi turned to look at Taibaijinxing, “Does Haotian even manage this?”

“The Emperor of Heaven does not wish to see any possibility sealed. The Demonic Dao also has a space to exist; do not exterminate them completely,” Taibaijinxing advised, “Why bother? Now that all substantial existences of the Demonic Dao, except for the First Grade, have disappeared, why must you also cut off the other Mortals?”

“This… is truly a persuasion befitting the Emperor of Heaven, but please forgive my refusal. Some possibilities should be sealed,” Li Qi refused Taibaijinxing.

Taibaijinxing sighed, “In that case, the Emperor of Heaven may have to act. All possibilities have a need to exist. All things live under the Emperor of Heaven's gaze. Extinguishing any one of them is a destruction of this Universe. The Emperor of Heaven helped you before for this very reason, and now to stop you, it is naturally also for this reason. You know this, right?”

“Must the Emperor of Heaven stop me?” Li Qi frowned, “Aren't there still four First Grade practitioners in the Demonic Dao? It's far from being completely cut off, isn't it?”

“First Grade practitioners no longer care about the appearance of this Universe. The Emperor of Heaven never considers First Grade practitioners, because they actually cannot be counted as things of this Reality Universe anymore,” Taibaijinxing shook his head, “Ordained Invoker, stop. You also know that continuing will not lead to a good outcome.”

Upon hearing this, Li Qi temporarily stopped his actions and then looked at the Demonic Prince beside him.

The Demonic Prince saw Li Qi's expression and smiled, “I thought our personalities had truly swapped. It seems they haven't changed after all.”

Just before, the Demonic Prince was considering the consequences, while Li Qi charged forward bravely. The Demonic Prince even joked about it, saying their personalities had reversed.

But looking at it now, they hadn't actually reversed.

Li Qi's courage and forward momentum were reflected in his sufficient backup plans and confidence. When it came to truly confronting Haotian, Li Qi still had to think it over.

However, the Demonic Prince was different.

Facing Haotian, everyone lacked confidence, everyone was helpless.

So what?

The Demonic Prince wouldn't only do things with backup plans.

He pushed Taibaijinxing aside. His great cloak was blown by the airflow. While maintaining the slaughter of the Mortal Demonic Dao practitioners, his main body rushed towards Haotian's location.

Taibaijinxing sighed.

Li Qi waited in place.

But then the entire Universe trembled for an instant.

Suddenly, the Demonic Prince flew back.

Defying Haotian was not that easy.

Along with the Demonic Prince's failure.

Li Qi suddenly remembered something.

The brutal faction of Heavenly Gods wanted to replace Haotian.

Before that, Xi, after her recovery, had already sought out Li Qi and promised that after replacing Haotian, they could help Li Qi destroy the Demonic Dao.

Li Qi wanted to destroy the Demonic Dao; they wanted to exterminate Mortals.

Such exterminations were things Haotian would not accept.

“Ah, so, this is their plan? Or, has my Demonic Dao destruction plan progressed so smoothly because of their help?” Li Qi walked to the Demonic Prince's side and said this.

The Demonic Prince struggled to stand up.

But the destruction of the Demonic Dao had stopped.

Haotian suppressed them, interrupting Li Qi's Demonic Dao destruction operation.

This was also a Dao struggle.