Liang Pan looked at Zhu Hongwu, "Hongwu, you have been delaying in the Immortal Soul Stage for too long, but this has also increased your accumulation. With your talents and the resources of the Great Zhou Empire, it is only a matter of time before you reach the Immortal Soul Stage."
"But if you have to push now to reach the Immortal Soul Stage, you may fail."
Zhu Hongwu said, "Your Majesty, please rest assure. I know my condition very well. To me, pressure is only a form of motivation. The more pressurizing it is, the faster I will be able to overcome the barriers."
"Without the pressure brought about by the Celestial Sect of Wonders, I feel like I will spend more time and effort to reach the Immortal Soul Third Level."
Zhu Hongwu’s face was like a piece of white jade, as it flashed with a bright glow. His gaze looked deep at the same time.
He said peacefully, "My unfilial son formed the Immortal Soul and helped Lin Feng to achieve victories in Mount Shu and the Barren Expanses. But he can’t forget about doing the same to me and climb all over my head."
"In the past five years in the Greater World, he will return to my mansion once every year, hoping to carry out some unfilial action. But because I have been cultivating in retreat, he returned empty-handed on every occasion."
"Whenever he comes, he is very disrespectful to his elders, step-mother, brothers and acts very arrogantly. For someone like him, I feel like he deserves death as a punishment."
Liang Pan said, "I know about this naturally. But you have been retreating for the past few years, thus I did not inform you because I did not want to disturb you."
Zhu Hongwu stood up and bowed, "I appreciate Your Majesty’s thoughtfulness. Although I did reap great benefits during my retreat, I was stuck in the last step. But after I heard this news, I managed to overcome my bottleneck. I am only one step away from the Immortal Soul Third Level now. He must not have expected this."
His fingers opened wide apart in a seemingly miraculous rhythm, "If that unfilial child returns again, I will capture him and teach him a good lesson."
Liang Pan said, "All these years, Zhu Yi must not have stagnated. I believe he would have improved too."
"Now that the situation is delicate, Hongwu, tolerate a little first. Reaching the Immortal Soul Third Level is more important."
Zhu Hongwu answered, "If I capture that unfilial child, my mind will be clear and I can reach the Immortal Soul Third Level. I shall take care of him one-on-one. And with Lin Feng’s character, I don’t think he will interfere."
Liang Pan shook his head, "We have to prevent any incidents from happening, especially since Lin Feng’s attention is on the Great Void Sect and demon clan now. This is our chance."
"I know that Zhu Yi came to find you time and time again, disrespecting you and making you unhappy. But the War of the Two Worlds may erupt and we have to be prepared."
Zhu Hongwu was silent for a while before he replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Liang Pan asked, "Hongwu, will this affect your bid to reach the Immortal Soul Third Level?"
Zhu Hongwu shook his head, "Your Majesty, your instructions and the development of the Great Zhou is more important than my dignity. Although I am indignant, I won’t let this affect me."
"Even without killing Zhu Yi, I am confident of reaching the Immortal Soul Third Level. And I don’t think I will take a long time either. But I just need to reference to some concepts and will not be able to succeed immediately.
A light projection was revealed over his head and it consolidated to form real entities. They were like real worlds in the shape of wheels. Amidst these worlds, there seemed to be Buddhas holding the fort and chanting the way of Dao.
The countless worlds then formed a bigger wheel that spun over Zhu Hongwu’s head.
Countless worlds and countless Buddhas.
Zhu Hongwu gripped his fist and the wheel above him spun even faster. He seemed to be controlling the wheel of destiny on behalf of the Heavens and Earth.
That huge wheel represented Zhu Hongwu’s physical martial arts will, the principles of the Heavens and Earth and the destiny of countless lives. It couldn’t be doubted or resisted.
Liang Pan looked at the physical martial arts will of Zhu Hongwu and nodded his head, "Using karma to understand life, using the wheel of the Heavens to propel all life, using the might of the Heavens and Earth to control all life and helping all life to spin the wheel of destiny. Hongwu, you are about to succeed."
Zhu Hongwu knelt down, "I am helping Your Majesty to dominate the world and spin this wheel to support the Great Zhou."
"It’s not easy to combine Buddhism, mantras of the Heaven’s Gate and Emperor Tai together." Liang Pan said, "However, as I sense it now, I can discover some discrepancies that still need to be adjusted. You still need more time indeed."
Zhu Hongwu answered, "The mantras of these three powers are indeed special and I’m not exactly in a position to combine all of them together. However, I don’t need to do so either. I just need to pick the concepts that are suitable for myself."
Liang Pan said, "That should be the case."
He then looked at the wheel above Zhu Hongwu’s head and creased his brows, "The problem seems to lie in the way of karma that originates from Buddhis?"
Zhu Hongwu nodded his head, "The way of karma is more complicated. When the Great Thunderclap Temple was destroyed, the Vairocana Sutra went missing. The Acalanatha Tathagata Mantra also lost its outline, the Seal of Acalanatha Supreme Secret Manual of Mantra Origins. Thus, I am still not fully in control of my understanding of the way of karma."
"However, after obtaining the Seal of Acalanatha Supreme Secret Manual of the Mantra Origins from the Great Void Sect, my understanding of the way of karma has improved significantly. With more time, I can succeed. That will also be the time when I will reach the Immortal Soul Third Level."
Liang Pan sighed, "It’s a pity that the Vairocana Sutra had completely disappeared ever since the last War of the Two Worlds. I heard that even the Golden Cicada Master does not have the complete version. He lacks the Vairocana Zen Palm Fist Print."
"With it, your powers can be upped by another level. Also, with the Tathagata Dharmas of the Compass around, it will be much easier for you to reach the Immortal Soul Third Level."
Liang Pan was calm, "The Cang Heaven Spell Blade has also landed in the hands of the Celestial Sect of Wonders. It should also contain the Great Nine Heavens Holy Sword Technique. If you can obtain it, it will be beneficial in your comprehension of countless mantras in the Heavens and Earth."
Zhu Hongwu said, "There will be an opportunity in the future, Your Majesty."
Liang Pan gestured, "Regarding Zhu Yi, you will have to tolerate for a while more."
Zhu Hongwu bowed his head and replied, "Since you have instructed me specifically, that unfilial son is lucky to live longer."
"Continue with your cultivation. When you succeed, I will celebrate for you." Liang Pan nodded his head and Zhu Hongwu’s light projection also disappeared from in front of him, "Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty."
Liang Pan sat on the dragon throne and remained silent.
After a moment, he said, "Come in."
A monk with the look of a middle-aged man and was flashing with Buddhist lights appeared. He clasped his palms together and greeted Liang Pan, "Da Kong greets Your Majesty."
He was Monk Da Kong, a powerful cultivator from the Great Thunderclap Temple who was in the Golden Form Second Level.
His expression was gentle and the Buddhist lights around him were glowing. He revealed a deep understanding of Buddhism, but in front of Liang Pan, his current weakness was exposed.
Seven years ago, in the Greater World, Monk Da Kong was struck repeatedly in the Scramble of the Ying Sea. His Amoghasiddhi Spell Body was even almost crushed.
Previously, he managed to comprehend the Zhi Guang Zen Master’s Sukhavati through the illusory realm of the celestial mountain. Following that, if Monk Da Kong put some effort into figuring things out, he would be able to form the Golden Form Third Level.
But as he was repeatedly struck by injuries, it was already his fortune not to fall back into the Golden Form First Level.
But if he wanted to reach the Golden Form Third Level, his hope was all but extinguished. In the short-term, it was definitely impossible. In the long-term, it was almost impossible, unless there was a miracle.
This was a huge loss for him.
Liang Pan asked, "Is there anything, zen master?"
Monk Da Kong said, "My senior from before, the Virtuous Zen Master, is now an honorary elder at the Celestial Sect of Wonders."
Liang Pan did not speak. Regarding this, he was naturally kept in the loop. After the Virtuous Zen Master joined the Celestial Sect of Wonders, he contributed greatly to them. When Lin Feng destroyed the Yu Family’s ancestral ground, the Virtuous Zen Master aided him in stopping the leader of the Shi Family, Shi Wu.
After the Celestial Sect of Wonders controlled the Celestial Wonders World, the Virtuous Zen Master had always been holding the fort there. During the Anti-Celestial Sect War after that, he was even hurt by Jie Luoshi, the Supreme Elder of the Great Void Sect.
Monk Da Kong continued saying, "All these years, Senior Virtuous Zen has also been actively finding the rest of us. I received news that he managed to establish connection with another senior of mine, the Da Ning Zen Master.
"Da Ning?" Liang Pan’s expression did not change, "I remember that he was the First Disciple of the Tripitaka Pavilion? He’s like you, as he is also in the Golden Form Second Level. The both of you were the frontrunners to reach the Golden Form Third Level first."
Monk Da Kong nodded his head, "Senior Da Ning’s cultivation is above mine. He is obsessed with Buddhism. Normally, he will always be in the Tripitaka Pavilion and is unconcerned about the matters of the world. He has always been very dedicated, trying to restore the Vairocana Sutra."
"However, he has always been carrying a grudge regarding the destruction of the Great Thunderclap Temple. I have been contacting him all these years. Over these years, he has softened his stance by a lot."
"But now that he has been discovered by Senior Virtuous Zen, it has added a lot of variables into the equation."
Liang Pan thought for a while before shaking his head slightly, "Don’t intercept him. Let him do what he wants temporarily. I believe that the DA Ning Zen Master won’t make decisions rashly. After this, you will tell him about the Golden Forms of two disciples that we have been keeping. With these two Golden Forms, it will be easier for him to restore the Vairocana Sutra."
Monk Da Kong clasped his palms, "I will carry out your orders, Your Majesty."
And right now, on the peak of Mount Baiyun, a few human figures were shaking.
The leader of them was an elder with his eyes shut. He was he Tai Yi Holy Man. Opposite him, it was another elder who had white hair too. He was the Zheng Yi Holy Man.
The Zheng Yi Holy Man’s body was shining with the miraculous yet indescribable Cheng Heaven Great Void Celestial Light.
The spells in the hands of the Tai Yi Holy Man kept on changing and he looked serious too. It seemed like he was going to try something.
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