The Eternal God Emperor and the Demon Ancestor

Chapter 34 Subduing Dragons and Tigers

The Dragon-Subduing Venerable's face was like ancient jade, lean yet with a rugged, angular frame. A golden band bound his head, and a crimson kasaya stretched for ten thousand feet across his divine body. The edges of the kasaya were embroidered with gilded swastika Buddhist patterns, shimmering with layers of Buddhist light in the starry sky. A five-clawed golden dragon coiled around his shoulders and neck, its scales as if forged from pure gold. Its head was lowered, absorbing the dragon energy of the heavens. With each breath it exhaled, the space around the star field trembled slightly.

He held a purple-gold demon-subduing seal in his right hand, its surface engraved with twelve demon-subduing patterns. The seal was surrounded by immeasurable Buddhist power. With a furious roar, he shattered the clouds of the Saha Heaven, his voice sweeping across countless stars: "Our Western Heaven Buddhist Realm is devoted to pure cultivation, with no intention of strife or violence. The world has forgotten that even Buddhas have fire, forgotten the supreme divine power our Buddha once possessed in subduing demons! Koro, as the master of the Temple of Light, has cultivated for over a million years, yet he so shamelessly lays down such a ruthless attack on a junior of our Buddhist Realm. Does he truly believe our Western Heaven Buddhist Realm is without talent?!"

"Amitabha."

Xuan Dao suppressed the surging divine blood within his body, wiped the Buddhist energy from the corner of his mouth, and bowed to the two divine venerables. His Buddhist voice was calm and steady, without the slightest timidity. "Xuan Dao greets the two senior uncles."

Jianglong and Fuhu are direct disciples of the Fifth Patriarch of the Western Paradise Buddhist Realm, far above him in seniority. They are also the main combat force of the Buddhist Realm's Boundless Realm, pillars of strength supporting the heavens. With the arrival of his two uncles, today's matter is no longer one he must face alone, but a direct confrontation between the Western Paradise Buddhist Realm and the Heavenly Realm, with no turning back.

The Venerable Tiger Subduer, his body radiating tiger-like aura, transformed into countless golden tiger stripes that swept across the starry sky. His Vajra pestle, as thick as a pillar of heaven, was inscribed with demon-subduing mantras. A yellow divine tiger rode beneath him, treading on stars. His Buddha-like eyes, cold as icy stars, swept over the direction where Koro had fled, and he said in a deep voice, "Koro injured the head of the Great Demon-Subduing Academy of my Buddhist Realm and insulted my Western Heaven Buddhist Realm. This blood debt will be repaid a hundredfold by my Buddhist Realm! And the Heavenly Realm, it's time to settle accounts for what you've done over the years!"

Upon hearing this, War God Bian Zhuang inwardly cursed the situation. Within the Western Buddhist Realm, there were factions. One faction, led by the Buddha Brahma, favored peace and was close to the Heavenly Palace, advocating for a united front among all realms to set aside past grievances and jointly resist the invasion of Hell. The other faction, led by the Xuandao Master Dorje, was the war faction, upholding the principle of strength above all else. They argued that the Buddhist Realm should focus on developing its own power and prestige to remain invincible amidst the turmoil of the realms. The two Venerables, Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger, were the core figures of the war faction.

After the fall of the God of Doraemon, Subduing Dragon and Tiger became the leaders of the pro-war faction. Xuandao was able to successfully take over the position of Dean of the Great Demon Subduing Academy entirely thanks to the strong support of the two in the Buddhist realm.

Since the passing of the Sixth Patriarch, the Buddhist realm in the Western Paradise has maintained a benevolent relationship with all other realms. This is all due to the Sixth Patriarch's compassionate heart, and his vision of "equality for all beings" was not merely empty words. The Sixth Patriarch traveled throughout the heavens for hundreds of thousands of years, converting demons, saving sentient beings, and accumulating immeasurable merit, earning him the reverence of all the gods and deities. It was precisely because the Sixth Patriarch was alive that no demon in the heavens dared to challenge the Buddhist realm, which is why the Great Demon-Subduing Academy was once closed in seclusion.

Now, more than two hundred thousand years have passed, and the world has changed drastically. Chaos abounds in the universe, and even more than one ancient, indestructible world has been destroyed. God-level powerhouses have fallen one after another, and the Western Buddhist Realm has also lost a large number of gods in the past tens of thousands of years. This was especially true of the Kunlun Realm battlefield fifty thousand years ago. Unlike the feigned compliance of the Heavenly Realm, the Buddhist Realm truly sent more than a dozen ancient Buddhas of the Great God Realm, and even more powerhouses of the Immeasurable Realm to the battlefield. In the end, they all perished on the star field battlefield of the Kunlun Realm.

Such a painful lesson led to a rapid rise of warlike forces within the Buddhist realm. Moreover, after becoming the dominant world in the Western Universe, the actions of the Heavenly Realm became increasingly despicable, displaying no sense of responsibility as a world ruler, focusing only on expanding its own power and suppressing dissent. While Buddhism seeks tranquility and non-contention, it does not seek to evade the world and live in peace. Ultimately, the Heavenly Realm's behavior is more of a curse than a blessing for the Western Universe.

Bian Zhuang, the God of War, wanted to ease the tension, but recalling Ke Luo's arrogant and bullying manner, his anger surged. He cursed inwardly: "That disrespectful old man, all he knows is fighting among the heavens. With that kind of free time, why doesn't he challenge the Nine Deaths Heavenly Emperor? Instead, he bullies the weak and fears the strong, hurting people and then running away, leaving this mess for me to clean up!"

"Amitabha, God of War, there is no need to worry." Xuan Dao noticed that God of War Bian Zhuang's expression was uncertain, and slowly spoke, his Buddhist voice peaceful, "Although Palace Master Ke is not a man of martial virtue and attacked this junior monk, all the gods of our Buddhist realm know to consider the overall situation."

Upon hearing this, War God Bian Zhuang felt even more favorably disposed towards Xuan Dao. Although the Heavenly Palace resided high in the Nine Heavens and seemed transcendent, its ability to navigate between realms and mediate conflicts was, in reality, like walking on thin ice. If all the powerful beings in the myriad realms could be as reasonable and mindful of the big picture as Xuan Dao, what was there to worry about in joining forces to resist the Hell Realm?

The Venerable Dragon Subduer's eyes flashed with Buddhist fire. Recalling past grievances, his voice deepened: "The grudges between my realm and the Heavenly Realm were destined to be settled sooner or later. If the Heavenly Realm hadn't spread false battle reports back then, misleading my Buddhist reinforcements, my junior brother and my disciple Yuan Ding would not have perished in the Kunlun Realm! And that rebellious disciple Yuan Yi, who associated with the wolves of the Heavenly Realm, if he hadn't been killed by Huang Tian, ​​I would have personally cleansed his sect."

"Amitabha, Senior Brother." Upon hearing this, Venerable Fuhu sighed softly, reaching out to stroke the string of purplish-red Buddhist beads on his chest. Each bead was crafted from divine bone, imbued with boundless Buddhist power. His figure was as imposing as an ancient divine mountain, stretching across the starry sky. Beneath him, a magnificent divine tiger with wings on its back, its wingspan covering the sky and sun, like two floating great worlds, enveloping half of the starry sky of the Saha Heaven Domain. His immeasurable divine might remained dormant. "Nephew Yuan Yi is dead, so there's no need to pursue the matter further. It seems he was also misled by the Heavenly Realm and went astray for a time."

War God Bian Zhuang's doubts deepened, and he finally asked, "Weren't you two Venerable Ones stationed on the battlefield of the Taiwei Star Region? Why have you suddenly returned to the Heavenly Court Realm?"

He himself was unable to go to the Taiwei Starfield because he was guarding the vital passage of the Milky Way, but all the war gods of the Heavenly Palace except him had rushed to the front line. The Taiwei Realm is a key gap in the Star Array, and its location is extremely dangerous. Once it is captured by the Hell Realm, it will be equivalent to opening a door to the heart of the Western Universe for the Hell Realm. At that time, the Hell Iron Cavalry will drive straight in, and the Western Universe will be doomed.

At this moment, all the powerful forces from the Western Universe and the Underworld have gathered on the battlefield of the Taiwei Starfield. As a top combat force of the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm, Jianglong Fuhu should be fighting on the front line. Why is he appearing in the Posuo Heaven Domain? Unless... War God Bian Zhuang had a terrible guess in his heart, but he was reluctant to accept it.

"Amitabha." The Dragon-Subduing Venerable looked at War God Bian Zhuang, his Buddhist voice heavy with sorrow, "We have indeed lost."

Upon hearing this, the starry sky of the Vast Heaven suddenly fell silent, even the wind seemed to freeze.

"The Three Fiend Emperors of Hell, Gong Xuanzang and their ilk laid out a net of heaven and earth. Taiwei God Venerable self-destructed his divine body and used his Great Freedom Boundless Realm cultivation to shake the powerful forces of Hell, but it was still to no avail."

Shang Zu was relentlessly entangled by Qing Zu, unable to break free; Senior Brother Fantian was intercepted by the Undying Blood Clan Chief in the void outside the Buddhist Realm, and a fierce battle had raged on until now. The Hell Realm's attack this time was premeditated and well-prepared. The voice of the Dragon-Subduing Venerable was like a hammer, striking everyone's hearts. "In this battle, we suffered a utter defeat. The Taiwei Realm was destroyed, and along with it, twelve other great worlds, including the nearby Ziyang Realm and Lingxi Realm, all fell. Dozens of True Gods perished on the battlefield, and fourteen Great God Realm experts died in battle."

"How could this be!" The God of War, Bian Zhuang, stared bloodshot, his divine body trembling slightly, nearly spitting out a mouthful of divine blood. Dozens of true gods, fourteen great gods, and twelve fallen great worlds—behind them lay the wailing of countless lives. He seemed to already see the races of the Hell Realm entering those great worlds, burning, killing, and looting, turning countless lives into food. The anger and grief in his heart clashed, almost overwhelming his reason. "Since the battle of Kunlun Realm, my Heavenly Court and my allies have never suffered such a loss!"

"Fortunately, Haotian intervened in time, repelling Gong Xuanzang and the others. Otherwise, if the Starry Sky Array had cracked, the iron cavalry of the Hell Realm could have easily advanced, and our Western Universe would have faced a cataclysmic calamity from Hell." Venerable Fuhu sighed, his eyes filled with helplessness. "We only just withdrew from the Taiwei Battlefield. At this moment, the gods on the front lines are all vying for the Taiwei Divine Cauldron, each displaying their supernatural powers and refusing to yield to the other. We were worried about the safety of Senior Brother Fantian, so we rushed back to the Buddhist Realm overnight. But as soon as we arrived in the Saha Heaven Domain, we ran into that old man Keluo, who was bullying a junior even with a formidable enemy at hand. Such behavior is unworthy of a Lord of a Palace!"

Recalling the fierce battle at the front, Venerable Dragon Subduer's eyes flashed with a hint of solemnity: "On the battlefield, the two of us fought against the ferocious deity of the Temple of Destiny. That fellow's cultivation has improved several levels since ten thousand years ago, his Buddhist essence and death energy have merged, and his combat power is terrifying. It seems that in the past tens of thousands of years, the Hell Realm has been waging wars everywhere and plundering the resources of all heavens, and the cultivation of all the deities has advanced by leaps and bounds."

The thought of their impending death battle with the Ferocious God Venerable filled the two with a strong sense of urgency. If even the Ferocious God Venerable had made such progress, what level of cultivation must the likes of the Nine Deaths Heavenly Emperor and the Fengdu Emperor have reached? With this shift in power, the Heavenly Court and its allies were now facing the looming threat of annihilation.

"Amitabha, everyone, please do not underestimate yourselves." Xuan Dao stepped forward, his Buddhist voice steady, calming everyone's minds. "In my humble opinion, the most urgent task at this moment is to stabilize the defenses left vacant after the destruction of the Taiwei Realm. The Starry Sky Array set up by the Lord of Fallen God Island is profound and powerful. It will not be easy for the powerful forces of the Hell Realm to break through it in one fell swoop."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xuan Dao waved his hand, and a wisp of Buddhist energy merged into the void, instantly revealing a vast star map. On the star map, billions of stars twinkled, and a turbid current meandered across the star field—the River of Three Crossings, separating Heaven and Hell. On one side of the river lay the deathly stillness of the Hell Realm, and on the other, the dazzling stars of the Western Universe. A grand star array, centered on the Kunlun Realm, acted like a chasm, separating the slowly approaching Hell Realm, leaving only a few key nodes, such as the Boundless Divine Sea, as the meeting points between the two realms.

The Taiwei Realm is one of the key nodes of this star array, located at the junction of the western and northern universes, and is a vital passage.

"Please look, everyone." Ling Che's voice suddenly rang out, and with a flick of his finger on the star map, the Taiwei Star Region, which originally belonged to the Western Universe and was almost embedded in the Hell Realm, suddenly dimmed and shattered. A crack appeared between the Star Array and the Boundless Divine Sea. On the star map, that crack was emanating a faint aura of death. "With the destruction of the Taiwei Realm, the Hell Realm now has a fortress to advance into my Western Universe. This crack is the most crucial point of contention between the Heavenly Court and Hell at this moment."

"The dozen or so great worlds of the Taiwei Star Cluster have all fallen into the hands of the Hell Realm. Now, the most crucial issue is the ownership of the Heavenly Crafting Realm." Xuan Dao continued, his fingertip landing on a dazzling star on the star map. "As long as the Heavenly Crafting Realm is not conquered, our Heavenly Court Realm can rely on it to reorganize the star field's defenses. The Heavenly Crafting Realm is a great world with an ancient heritage, and its World Lord, the Heavenly Crafting God King, is also a powerful being of the Boundless Realm. With him guarding it, it will be no easy task for the Hell Realm to conquer it."

War God Bian Zhuang stared intently at the location of the Heavenly Craft Realm on the star map, nodded emphatically, and said solemnly, "The Master of the Mysterious Path Academy is right. As long as we hold the Heavenly Craft Realm in our hands, the Hell Realm will still be unable to invade the heart of the Western Universe. At that time, we can set up a divine array to connect the Heavenly Craft Realm with the star array of the Kunlun Realm, which will temporarily resolve this crisis and buy all the realms a chance to breathe."

"Delay will only bring trouble!" Before Bian Zhuang's divine words had even finished, his divine body transformed into a surging celestial river, carrying boundless divine power, flowing into the vital celestial river channel within the star field. "While the powerful beings of the Underworld are still vying for the Taiwei Divine Cauldron in the Taiwei Star Field, I will immediately rush to the Heavenly Craftsmanship Realm to lend a helping hand to the Heavenly Craftsmanship God King! Hopefully, it's not too late!"

The voice faded away, and the Milky Way disappeared into the horizon.

The two Venerables, Subduing Dragon and Subduing Tiger, exchanged a glance, then turned to Xuan Dao and said in a deep voice, "Amitabha, Nephew Xuan Dao. We two must also rush to the outer void of the Buddhist Realm immediately to lend a helping hand to Senior Brother Brahma. Although the Undying Blood Clan Chief is old and his lifespan is not long, his cultivation is still among the strongest in this universe. Senior Brother Brahma will face risks alone."

Xuan Dao bowed respectfully, his Buddhist voice resolute: "My two senior uncles, please go with peace of mind. After I have dealt with the aftermath of this Saha Heaven, I will immediately lead all the Buddhas of the Great Demon Subduing Academy to the front lines. The safety of the Western Universe ultimately depends on our Buddhist realm itself. Only when all Buddhas are of one mind can we subdue demons and protect the righteous path."

Upon hearing this, the two Venerable Ones nodded slightly, and their bodies radiated a burst of Buddhist light. The five-clawed golden dragon on the shoulder and neck of the Dragon Subduer roared, while the divine tiger beneath the Tiger Subduer neighed and stomped on the stars. The two stepped into the void and transformed into two golden streaks of light, rushing towards the void outside the Buddhist realm. Wherever their Buddhist might passed, the starry sky trembled.

Meanwhile, in the Saha Heavenly Realm, the gods of the Heavenly Realm still stood in the void, gazing in the direction where the powerful beings had just fought, their hearts filled with shock. They were still marveling at Xuan Dao's strength, that he could fight the Lord of the Koro Palace for several moves without being defeated, unaware that a shocking defeat concerning the survival of the Western Universe had already quietly spread.