Chapter 955: Super melee

Just as Li Qi was preparing to use the Desire Realm as his temporary Inner World to survive the period when his Inner World collapsed, a majestic voice from the Human Dao issued a command.

That voice was, without a doubt, the Human Emperor.

The Human Emperor commanded.

Annihilate Buddhism.

These two words even interrupted the thoughts in Li Qi's mind.

Wait, what's going on?

Wasn't the target himself? How did it suddenly turn into annihilating Buddhism?

However, the Human Dao was clearly not joking.

At this moment, the battle lines reopened.

“Wantonly killing the innocent, destroying the Buddha-Dharma, falling into the Avīci Hell, endlessly cycling… Humans, do you truly wish to do this?” A sighing voice came.

The Human Dao did not speak.

There was no need to speak, it was meaningless; they were not here to negotiate with the Buddhist Sect.

The war spread to the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom.

Almost instantly, the iron hooves and sharp blades of the Human Dao had stepped into the Buddhist Kingdom.

The beings of the Buddhist Kingdom were no match at all, and in the blink of an eye, twelve kingdoms had been successively broken through.

“Disbelieving the Three Jewels, destroying Buddhism, slandering monks, the Human Dao will sooner or later fall into the sea of suffering, trapped by demons, truly lamentable!” A Bodhisattva chanted this, throwing himself into the fray.

A Human Dao General descended, wielding a ge, initiating a First Grade battle.

Then, everyone immediately understood why the Human Dao wanted to annihilate Buddhism.

Because… the Demonic Army appeared.

Thus, the demonic multitudes filled the Void Realm!

The Demonic King army was boundless in number, with various terrifying and grotesque forms; all who saw them were not only astonished but also terrified, becoming frenzied or even dying. In an instant, within the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom, wind and rain poured down, thunder and lightning obscured the sky, fires flew with smoke, and sand and stones were stirred up!

The Demonic Army was equipped with contradictory tools, and used arrows with extreme string tension, among all kinds of gatherings, all kinds of worlds, all kinds of sentient beings, all kinds of Families, all kinds of desires, all kinds of karma, all kinds of languages, all kinds of root natures, all kinds of afflictions, latent tendencies, and habits among all sentient beings—!

The five uninterrupted karmas, all physical and mental illnesses in the world, all kinds of suffering, and even all evil karmas as numerous as the dust motes in a Buddha-land, all became rampant! The sky of the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom suddenly darkened, revealing an infinite number of Yakshas, Rakshasas, Kumbhandas, Pisacas, Bhutas, and other Demon Armies, blood-drinking and flesh-eating evil ghosts and gods covering the sky and earth, like a raging sandstorm!

Within the Buddhist Kingdom, from subtle Dao fields to vast Dao fields, whether a Dao field of one Yojana in size, or ten Yojanas, or even an unspeakably immense Dao field as numerous as the dust motes in a Buddha-land, all were destroyed. Only endless ghosts and gods were seen, consuming the flesh and blood of sentient beings as food, and after their retribution ended, they sank into the sea of suffering of Reincarnation!

This is the Demon of Death.

The Demon of Death made a move. These Demon Armies, and even the numerous Demonic Kings and Demonic Lords above them, were all under the Demon of Death's command.

This annihilation of Buddhism was the result of the Demonic Dao and the Human Dao joining forces.

However, Li Qi could not understand…

Why was he involved?

Why at this time? Was it because of the Desire Realm? But what did the Desire Realm being within him have to do with the annihilation of Buddhism?

Just as Li Qi was puzzled…

At the same time, Buddhist light appeared.

“Om!” A lion's roar, with a sound of Perfection, like a great thunderclap!

Under the lion's roar, in the Dharma Realm, the Void Realm, and the ten directions of the Buddha-lands, all sentient beings, with their various differences—whether born from eggs, from wombs, from moisture, or by transformation; or those who dwell relying on earth, water, fire, or wind; or those who dwell relying on space and all plants and trees; all kinds of living beings, all kinds of physical bodies, all kinds of shapes, all kinds of races, all kinds of names, all kinds of Heart-Natures—even all Devas, Dragons, and Eight Legions, like a Lion King subduing a multitude of beasts, all prostrated!

The Void Realm ended, the Realm of sentient beings ended, the karma of sentient beings ended, the afflictions of sentient beings ended.

Thus, the Demonic Army also ended!

Following this lion's roar, a Dharma Aspect also appeared in the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom.

The Dharma Aspect stood on one foot, with snakes binding its hair on its head, wearing a five-skull crown, and having black skin with six arms.

Each of its six arms held a Spiritual Artifact.

The three left hands held a kapala bowl with boiling demonic blood; held a hooked lasso to bind all Devil Heads; and held a trident, as if to pierce the Three Realms.

The three right hands held a rosary of five bones, symbolizing the five wisdoms; held a drum that could play the grand Dharma sound; and held a moon knife, vowing to cut through all obstacles.

Upon the appearance of this terrifying Dharma Aspect, Divine Abilities immediately erupted, spreading widely, entering all seas of Dharma, turning all great wheels, giving rise to all worlds, entering all seas of vows, cultivating throughout all kalpas, illuminating all Realms, nurturing all faculties, acquiring the pure light of all wisdom, universally illuminating the ten directions, removing all dark obstacles, with wisdom pervading the Dharma Realm, appearing universally in all Buddha-lands and all existences, pervading everywhere, entering unhindered Dharma, and destroying all obstacles!

“Mahakala…” Li Qi immediately recognized the origin of that Dharma Aspect.

Mahakala is a Dharma Protector of the Buddhist Sect, and at this moment, he should naturally come out to protect those Bodhisattvas who are not skilled in combat.

Other Dharma Protectors also descended, each in their own way.

Various Vajras, Devas, and even Asuras, and a portion of True Dragons also joined the battlefield.

Other Bodhisattvas made a move, joining the timeline battle, and in an instant, all endless future kalpas were fully known, inexhaustible and insatiable; this is the seventh ocean-like wisdom.

Bodhisattvas Mahāsattvas entered the present world, observing and contemplating, and in every thought, universally saw immeasurable categories of unspeakable worlds in the ten directions, all with Buddhas who had attained, were attaining, or would attain unsurpassed Bodhi, proceeding to the Dao field under the Bodhi Tree, sitting on auspicious grass, subduing the Demonic Army, attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, manifesting Divine Abilities, and taming all demons.

Such various scenes, the battle between Buddha and Demon, unfolded at this moment.

Buddhas see sentient beings constantly in fear, cycling in the great sea of Reincarnation.

The vast and countless Demonic Army was completely destroyed in an instant.

The Heart-Nature, unmoving and immeasurable, is the skillful means of the Vajra's wondrous topknot.

Universally manifesting wondrous sounds in the ten directions, their sound pervades the entire Dharma Realm.

This is the samādhi Realm of the Tathagata, the place where the tide-sound deity acts.

The conflict between Buddha and Demon began.

However… Li Qi discovered that it was not only the Demon of Death lineage that joined the battle.

At the same time, the Demon of the Five Aggregates also appeared.

Immeasurably inconceivable, manifesting all forms, each unaware of the others.

Just as a painter cannot know his own mind, yet paints by means of the mind, so too is the nature of all phenomena.

The mind is like a skilled painter, capable of painting all worlds; the five aggregates all arise from it, and there is nothing it does not create. Karma is the field, consciousness is the seed, ignorance covers it with darkness, love-water moistens it, self-conceit irrigates it, the net of views grows, giving rise to the sprout of name and form. Name and form grow, giving rise to the five senses; the senses interacting give rise to contact; contact gives rise to sensation; after sensation, desire for craving arises; craving grows, giving rise to grasping; grasping grows, giving rise to existence; once existence arises, the five aggregates arise in various Realms.

The world seemed to become illusory, with inner and outer water realms; blazing great elements forming inner and outer fire realms; fluttering great elements forming inner and outer wind realms; colored, segmented great elements forming inner and outer earth Realms.

Separated from the Void Realm, due to clinging to erroneous views, the five aggregates gather and the great elements create forms, loving life and fearing death, constantly shifting in thought, unaware of the dream-like illusion, suffering Reincarnation in vain, mistaking eternal bliss for suffering, and seeking all day without attaining.

The appearance of the Five Aggregates Devil lineage made the battlefield almost indistinguishable,

However, the Five Aggregates Devil lineage did not directly attack the Buddhist Sect; instead, they muddied the entire battlefield. They even helped the Shaman.

Has the Demonic Dao… not yet become one?

The battlefield was incredibly chaotic.

The Human Dao was fighting against Li Qi, but after Li Qi chose to accept the Desire Realm, they began to attack the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom, a joint effort between the Demon of Death lineage and the Human Dao.

But at the same time, the Five Aggregates Devil lineage seemed to have reached an agreement with the Shaman, launching an attack on the Human Dao. Countless Human Dao Generals found themselves entangled by Demon of the Five Aggregates thoughts, with all their good and evil karmic affinities appearing before them, some joyful, some fearful. The six Realms and five aggregates simultaneously appeared, forcing them to deal with their own Heart-Nature and preventing them from launching a complete strike against the Buddhist Sect.

Thus, the Human Dao abandoned its attack on the Shaman, and the burden on Li Qi’s shoulders suddenly lightened. The Human Dao no longer attacked Shaman Dao, but instead attacked the Buddhist Kingdom.

And the Buddhist Sect's counterattack followed swiftly.

Fortunately, the Demon of Death lineage intercepted these counterattacks, and both sides were still evenly matched.

Which side does the Demonic Dao… truly stand on?

Moreover, why hasn't the Heavenly Demon appeared yet? It's already reached this level.

However, none of these matters concerned Li Qi. At this moment, Li Qi could only observe the battle and could not intervene. He had to first quell the Desire Realm within him.

Yes, quell it.

At this moment, the Desire Realm was already out of control.

Unlike the Inner World, which was as easy to command as an arm and finger, the Desire Realm itself began to expand.

Li Qi was also very clear about the reason.

Death, the five aggregates, and even the manifested afflictions of sentient beings and the illusion of all things, all ignited a massive amount of demonic thoughts.

As thoughts were revealed, the desires of sentient beings began to swell.

The appearance of the Demonic Army stimulated the Desire Realm.

Therefore, the Desire Realm absorbed endless nourishment from it, and Li Qi's cultivation also expanded along with it.

The Desire Realm was growing vigorously, growing uncontrollably.

Was this battle between Buddha and Demon also part of the Human Dao's targeting of Li Qi? So, was Li Qi's current situation also part of this struggle?

But Li Qi had no time to think about these things. He had to control the expanding Desire Realm, otherwise, when his Dao could not control such an inflated cultivation, it would be his death.

When power goes out of control, the terrifyingly vast power of the First Grade will immediately backfire. Li Qi will be enveloped in his own power, and these powers will eventually curl up, pinning Li Qi in place, unable to go anywhere or interfere with anything. He wouldn't die, but he wouldn't live either.

He would be encased in that place until he could control those powers, but… would he, constrained by power, truly have the ability to continue progressing, to continue comprehending the Dao, and thus control these powers?

It was very uncertain; only a very small number of people could do it.

Knowing the consequences, Li Qi found it difficult to spare attention for those battlefields. What he needed to do now was to secure his position, and after actively shattering his Dao foundation from the Seventh Grade until now… to reshape it!

The Desire Realm could only substitute for a while, not for a lifetime.

Thus, the war continued to advance.

Li Qi fully maintained his existence and used every method to deduce how to reshape his Inner World. As he did so, the war outside also intensified.

At this moment—

At the uppermost layer of the battlefield, six First Grades were in a standoff.

Shamansan, the Human Emperor, Yellow Dragon, the Demon of Death, the Demon of the Five Aggregates, and Amitabha.

Clearly, the True Dragons also participated in the war, but on a battlefield that Li Qi had not yet perceived.

The area swept by this war was already too vast.

Although it initially was just an action targeting Li Qi, the commotion it ignited seemed incredibly large.

The six First Grades were merely in a standoff, but none of them directly made a move. In such a subtle standoff, it was truly difficult to find an opportunity to act.

In this state, Amitabha sighed, “How surprising… The Human Dao just suffered a loss from the Heavenly Demon, yet they still choose to help the Heavenly Demon this time. Wasn't the Human Dao rebel army also a scheme laid by the Heavenly Demon last time?”

Then, he looked at the Demon of Death, who appeared in the form of a little girl, “The Heavenly Demon also once lured you, didn’t he? Do none of you have a memory?”

The Demon of Death and the Human Dao joining forces to attack the Buddhist Kingdom seemed to exceed the expectations of this True Buddha.

After that, there was no more dialogue.

Neither the Demon of Death nor the Human Emperor responded.

As for Shamansan, he had projected a part of his consciousness to Li Qi's side.

Being here was merely to guard against others making a move; it wouldn't yield any results. It's better to look at Li Qi.

After all, he was the key.

——————————

Li Qi, struggling within the Desire Realm, vaguely saw Shamansan's figure appear beside him.

Xian (咸) actually means ‘all,’ ‘end,’ and ‘together.’

Therefore, what the name ‘Shamansan’ represented also became clear.

Li Qi gathered his remaining consciousness, forming a Dharma Body, and landed next to Shamansan, “Shaman God… I seem to be unable to participate in the battle.”

“No, you are doing very well. The Desire Realm expanding within your body is the reason the Demonic Dao made a move. The Demonic Dao still very much wants a new Desire Realm, but there’s a problem: can you… endure it?” Shamansan looked at Li Qi and asked.

Li Qi did not speak for a moment.

Originally, Shamansan was going to tell Li Qi how to use the Desire Realm, but at that time, Li Qi told Shamansan that he would find a proper way to use it (see Chapter 929).

Thinking about it now, he might have been a bit overconfident.

Perhaps directly following Shamansan's instructions would have been better.

As if sensing Li Qi's thoughts, Shamansan smiled, “It’s good that you have your own ideas; there’s no need to blame yourself. Your Master is just like you; if something wasn't his decision, he'd rather have nothing at all.”

“My Master is truly too willful, causing the Shaman God to laugh,” Li Qi immediately bowed his head in apology.

“You are too polite. It's good that you all have such strong opinions. If everyone listened to me, that would be terrible. And it seems your choice isn't bad, as long as you can accommodate the Desire Realm,” Shamansan replied.

“However, before that, I think it’s necessary to tell you the current situation.” Shamansan continued without waiting for Li Qi to reply.

Li Qi, of course, dared not interrupt him, and naturally listened attentively.

Besides, he was also very curious about what the ‘current situation’ actually was, and what role he played in this war?

“The Desire Realm within you is something the Demonic Dao desires. I originally intended for this thing to be on you, undisturbed by the Heavenly Demon, so it could serve as a bargaining chip. However, you, young man, were incredibly bold and directly absorbed it. Now, the outcome depends entirely on whether you can withstand it.”

“Leaving that aside, even if you die, the Desire Realm will not disappear. A great tree that has sprouted from a seed will not stop. It will take root in your corpse and continue to grow, so you don't have to worry that your life or death will affect the plan,” Shamansan kindly informed Li Qi.

Li Qi gave a wry smile.

Alright, although he felt a bit strange hearing that, it was best if it didn't affect the overall situation.

“Then I’ll tell you about the Human Dao’s objective,” Shamansan continued.