My Dreams Connect to Ancient Times

Chapter 564: Chapter 24: Above the Three Pure Ones Is Purple Cloud

Taiyi was a bit stunned. ’That guy Lu Xuan... is he really that powerful?’

’Or is it not Lu Xuan?’

"So that’s how it is..."

Amitabha Buddha’s brow was tightly furrowed.

"The Purple Cloud Palace Master, Profound Origin Fusheng... just who is he? From the looks of it, I’m afraid he truly is a contingency plan left by The Three Pristine Ones."

Bodhi sighed at this moment as well.

"This has become troublesome. The situation is already chaotic, and now The Three Pristine Ones have pushed the Purple Cloud Palace Master to the forefront. This adds yet another variable. It’s possible they’re after the Six Paths of Reincarnation!"

At these words, Amitabha Buddha grew restless.

The Western Pure Land was truly on the verge of collapse. It was holding on for now, but if it suffered another blow, it would likely be annihilated completely. He himself would fall from his station, just like Houtu.

Taiyi then spoke up.

"The Purple Cloud Palace Master’s intentions are currently unclear, so it’s best to avoid him for now. The Six Paths of Reincarnation is of utmost importance to Amitabha Buddha, and now a new variable has suddenly appeared..."

After some thought, he added,

"I’m afraid this time, Amitabha Buddha may truly have to intervene personally."

Amitabha Buddha hesitated. Ancient Bodhi Buddha and the Demon Ancestor were also lost in thought. Taiyi continued to fan the flames with fervor:

"Judging from the Buddha Mother’s description, that Purple Cloud Palace Master is likely comparable to an Enlightened One. Even if the Buddha Mother and I were to face him together, we would be no match. Only Amitabha Buddha himself can confront him!"

The Buddha Mother was taken aback. ’Comparable to an Enlightened One?’

’Did I exaggerate that much?’

He started to speak but then recalled Ancient Bodhi Buddha’s earlier attitude, which was practically a decree, and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

’Although I felt that the Purple Cloud Palace Master was strange, seemingly able to contend with an Ancient One, yet also seemingly not quite their equal, but...’

Amitabha Buddha and Ancient Bodhi Buddha both fixed their gazes on the Buddha Mother. Seeing him remain silent, they were both slightly astonished.

’Does this mean that in the Buddha Mother’s estimation, the Purple Cloud Palace Master can truly rival an Enlightened One?’

This was utterly absurd, but the facts were right before their eyes!

Finally, Amitabha Buddha made up his mind.

"If a new variable truly does arise, I will personally enter the Late Han Dynasty and quell all disturbances."

"That is the only way to ensure complete success!" Taiyi clapped his hands in praise.

The Demon Ancestor, who had been deep in thought, looked up.

His well-defined nose twitched slightly as he said gravely,

"A mysterious figure, even more inscrutable than Hongjun and capable of battling an Enlightened One, has appeared. Pass this information down, lest the Daluo under our command inadvertently provoke him and bring disaster upon themselves."

"Good."

"Agreed."

"It shall be so!"

The various Dao Fruits nodded in agreement. The Buddha Mother felt a bit guilty, feeling that something wasn’t quite right. But just then, he saw the River of Time begin to shake violently. The great currents of history were shifting!

"It is the three thousand beings who entered the Purple Cloud Palace. They are returning to their respective timelines, causing this change."

After observing from above for a moment, Ancient Bodhi Buddha made his judgment, his brow furrowed slightly.

"The Celestial Book... I have observed this Dharma, and it is indeed wondrous, but... I can’t help but feel there is some hidden mystery within it that I cannot quite put my finger on..."

As he spoke, the waves in the River of Time grew even more magnificent, gradually becoming a great tide, a torrent.

At the dawn of the Human Race, Xuandu spread the Celestial Book, and everyone began to cultivate.

In the Era of the Three Emperors, Shennong and Xuanyuan also taught the Celestial Book far and wide. Many tribes erected memorial tablets to the Purple Cloud Palace Master or Profound Origin Fusheng.

Then came the Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties. The Monarchs, Great Virtues, and Elder Sages of every era all disseminated the Celestial Book to the world, making it possible for everyone to cultivate it!

Celestial Book Volume One expounded upon the Dao and its principles, taught Cultivation, and bestowed it upon others.

With the widespread dissemination of the Celestial Book and the changes in history, the Human Race underwent a monumental leap forward.

So much so that by the years of the Late Han Dynasty, generals who were originally at the Celestial Human Level had become Earth Immortals.

Great generals at the Earth Immortal Level became True Immortals, and famous commanders at the Grand Grade Level, such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, all attained immortality.

It was like this in the Late Han Dynasty, and it was like this in every moment of time.

...

「The Netherworld.」

Emperor Fengdu rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath.

"After this great change in the Years, have you tallied the True Spirits that have vanished from the Book of Life and Death?"

"The tally is complete. There are two thousand nine hundred and eighty-three in total. Coincidentally... they are all from the Human Race who went to hear the sermon."

"Hm?" Emperor Fengdu was slightly startled, then asked again, "Weren’t there three thousand and one who heard the sermon?"

"Among those who heard the sermon, figures like the Earth Emperor, the Human Emperor, and Emperor Xuandu... their True Spirits were never on the Book of Life and Death to begin with. If you exclude them, the numbers match up perfectly."

"I see..." Emperor Fengdu was lost in thought, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.

Normally, even after a being’s soul is scattered, they can still be reincarnated. This is because a sliver of their True Spirit is entrusted to the Book of Life and Death.

As long as the True Spirit is unending, the living being is immortal...

Unless a being of Great Magical Power also shatters the True Spirit engraved upon the Book of Life and Death, it is impossible to completely annihilate a being.

And now...

Emperor Fengdu seemed to have an epiphany. He looked up toward an unknown place, toward a terrifying Daoist Palace that shook the soul, and murmured to himself,

"Does this mean... that as long as the Purple Cloud does not fall, those who heard the sermon are... unending and immortal?"

...

「Deep within the Chaos, in the Great Void.」

The Purple Cloud Palace still connected all Years and all Time, existing simultaneously in every moment and at no moment.

But the Chaos Ladder leading to the Human World had already dispersed. Only Xiaohuo’er would occasionally sneak off to the Human World of a certain era to play for a while.

「Meanwhile.」

Lu Xuan sat cross-legged in the Daoist Palace, silently receiving the endless feedback from across all of time.

Those who cultivated the Celestial Book all gained its wondrous Dharma.

And he, in turn, gained wondrous Dharma from those who cultivated the Celestial Book.

At this very moment, Celestial Book Volume One had already spread throughout the entire Ancient History of the Human Race. The number of Cultivators was unknown, and the wondrous Dharma fed back to him was likewise infinite!

Moreover, every person’s understanding of the Celestial Book was different. Each one could use the Celestial Book as a foundation to walk their own unique path.

One or two was one thing, but when the base number expanded to the entire history of the Human Race, the Dao that countless humans comprehended from the Celestial Book...

...nearly encompassed every conceivable Dao!

Although the vast majority were very faint, but...

He didn’t know how long he had been sitting, how long his eyes had been closed. Lu Xuan had more or less comprehended and understood every Dao in Heaven and on Earth.

The Dao Rhyme that permeated the entire Ancient History of the Human Race naturally converged, surging and roiling around him, before weaving itself into an illusory Feather Robe that draped over his body.

A long time passed.

Lu Xuan opened his eyes. Xiaohuo’er seemed to sense something and looked over, freezing on the spot.

In its eyes, the Daoist seemed to be the Dao of fire, and yet the Dao of water; the Dao of yin, and yet the Dao of yang; like life and yet like death; like cause and yet like effect...

As far as the eye could see, every Dao the mind could conceive was, to some extent, reflected and imprinted upon the Daoist’s body!

This was especially true of that illusory Feather Robe, woven from infinite Dao Rhyme. Draped over the Daoist, its myriad Dao Rhymes shimmered and resonated with each other in a display of ultimate splendor, making Xiaohuo’er’s very soul tremble!

It bowed its head, ecstatic.

"Master, you’ve really become a Daoist Ancestor!"

"The Daoist Ancestor has truly become a Daoist Ancestor!"

Lu Xuan exhaled a breath of pure air and tapped Xiaohuo’er on the forehead with a smile.

"I am still far from the realm of a Daoist Ancestor."

"All the myriad Daos are already within you, how are you not a Daoist Ancestor?" Xiaohuo’er said indignantly. "You’re now one of the top six super-great figures in Heaven and on Earth! You’re even more of a Daoist Ancestor!"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Lu Xuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Who came up with that ranking?"

"That’s what they’re all saying outside."

Xiaohuo’er answered honestly. It thought for a moment, then began to sing a children’s rhyme it had heard during its recent jaunts into the Human World:

"Yuqing in front, Taiqing in the middle, Shangqing Celestial Venerable at the rear; Bodhi on the left, Sumeru on the right, and the Purple Cloud Palace Master is on top..."

Lu Xuan’s eyelid twitched violently. He suddenly seemed to sense something and looked up to see the great doors of the Daoist Palace pushed open. Three Daoists walked in.

"Ah!"

Xiaohuo’er clapped its hands gleefully.

"Master, Master! The Three Pristine Ones who are below you are here!"

Lu Xuan choked violently.