Chapter 275: Immortals Fight, Mortals Suffer

In an instant, Wang Ping, Xianfu, and Kunlun, along with the fleeing Jin Hai, Wu Chi, Nurong, Suoze, and the others, all lowered their heads.

All divine sense was entirely retracted into their seas of consciousness, shutting out the outside world.

They didn't dare to look! They couldn't look!

In the face of a True Person's radiant might, only qi refining practitioners possessed the means to remain unaffected. They could project their divine sense without fearing the fallout of a True Person's magical clash.

However, for Tribulation Transcending cultivators like them, the moment they released their divine sense—even if they avoided looking directly at the True Person—that supreme power would instinctively track them down. It would incinerate their divine sense and destroy their seas of consciousness. Their only option was to abandon all spiritual perception and observe the world solely with their mortal eyes.

"Hss...!"

Wang Ping pressed his fingers to the center of his brow and felt a damp stickiness. Only then did he realize his glabella had already split open, sending blood streaming down his face.

'One strand, two strands... a full twelve strands!'

Just from glancing at that twenty-four-colored radiant light and those four towering figures—without even seeing them clearly—he had lost twelve strands of divine sense!

The might of a True Person was just so...

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, Wang Ping's body swayed again as yet another strand of divine sense exploded. His face instantly turned deathly pale. 'Damn it, I can't even think about it?!'

He had merely recalled the image subconsciously, but a strand of divine sense had immediately detonated, unable to withstand the sheer weight of that memory. If he hadn't reacted swiftly to sever that specific recollection, his entire sea of consciousness might have shattered by now!

What did it mean when immortals fight, mortals suffer?

This was exactly it!

After quite a while, Wang Ping finally managed to steady himself. He locked away all his divine sense and looked up at Xianfu and Kunlun beside him.

These two were faring much better than he was.

However, since they couldn't project their divine sense, both were clearly unaccustomed to the restriction. Without its assistance, the circulation of their magic and Divine Powers had become sluggish...

'...Hm?'

Suddenly, Wang Ping narrowed his eyes.

He realized that although his divine sense was forcibly sealed, his imperceptible martial Divine Intent remained completely unaffected, circulating just as smoothly as usual.

His Martial Dao vital blood... was also fine.

Heavenly Martial Campaign Profound Armor... normal.

In the next second, a concerned smile spread across Wang Ping's face. Deliberately displaying his damaged immortal dao qi signature, he stumbled toward the other two.

"Senior Brother Kunlun, Senior Brother Xianfu, are you two all right?"

Bang!

Radiant light erupted as Wang Ping slashed his blade straight at Kunlun's neck. Kunlun yanked the Vajra Ring from his collar to counterattack, while Xianfu decisively formed hand seals and chanted an incantation.

A massive collision boomed outward with the three men at the center, sending rolling shockwaves into the air. They remained deadlocked for a brief moment before Wang Ping was the first to sheathe his Battle-Victorious Demon-Quelling Blade. "It seems you're both fine. Especially you, Senior Brother Kunlun—where did you get this dharma treasure?"

"You flatter me."

Kunlun's eye twitched as he recalled the Vajra Ring, returning the smile. "Just a mundane protective treasure, that's all. Thank you for your concern, Junior Brother."

"Good, good, good."

On the other side, Xianfu released his hand seals and affectionately patted both of their shoulders. "Such fraternal harmony—this is the true demeanor of our Immortal Gate."

"Hahahaha..."

For a moment, all three burst into laughter. The atmosphere between them was incredibly harmonious, as if they weren't the same people who had just tried to kill each other without a second thought.

Immediately after, Wang Ping lowered his voice. "This True Person's battle severely wounded everyone's divine sense. That Jin Hai should be in the same boat... He definitely couldn't have run far."

Xianfu's eyes lit up. "Chase him?"

Kunlun nodded firmly.

The three exchanged glances and quickly reached a consensus. They each summoned their escape lights and rapidly gave chase in the direction Jin Hai had fled.

...

At this moment, high above the firmament.

The twenty-four-colored radiant light was dazzling, as if it truly encompassed the Twenty-Four Qi of heaven and earth. It manifested countless profound visions, radiating supreme Daoist attainment.

Under the illumination of this light, the towering phantoms originally surrounding the Brahma Nation's Eight Treasure Table in four directions were revealed in their true forms. They were four incomparably grand domains, and within each sat a golden avatar of a Wisdom King, smiling down at the realm they ruled.

A battlefield of eternal, unceasing war.

A garden of festering decay.

A palace of carnal lust and entwined flesh.

A scripture pavilion holding infinite tomes.

Four domains, four entirely distinct concepts. They were laid completely bare under the radiant light. The scale of the clash between both sides could be glimpsed just from this spectacle.

Because the radiance had illuminated the true forms of the four Wisdom Kings.

And despite the four Wisdom Kings joining hands—their combined Buddhist light outshining even a star—they could only illuminate an expanse of twenty-four interwoven colors.

Not a single figure could be seen.

'Hanguang!'

An invisible, furious roar echoed through the Cosmos. In response, a trigram aligned itself in the deep void—three tiers, one yang and two yin, suspended high like a towering mountain.

Gen Trigram!

Almost simultaneously, a similarly inaudible Daoist voice drifted from the radiant light. It gently swept the manifested Gen Trigram toward the four Wisdom Kings.

"Walking in the courtyard, seeing no one. No blame."

In the next second, one of the four Wisdom Kings vanished from his spot. It was the Great Golden Wheel Wisdom King who had just roared. He had disappeared entirely!

Instantly, an even more tremendous might howled through heaven and earth. Someone seemed to be bellowing in fury, finally causing the twenty-four-colored radiance to dim slightly. Yet even so, it stood tall and immovable in the Cosmos, single-handedly suppressing four Wisdom Kings at once!

Almost simultaneously, Wang Ping, Xianfu, and Kunlun—who had just intended to hunt down Jin Hai—froze in place. A subconscious thought sprang into their minds:

'What was I just about to do?'

It seemed they were going to hunt someone down.

Hunt who down?

They weren't the only ones experiencing this anomaly. Across the entire Brahma Nation, all Brahma Cultivators looked up in bewilderment, staring at the empty lotus platforms beside them.

Wasn't there... supposed to be someone here?

Where did they go?

...

"Rumble!"

Within the Cosmic Deep Space, Mingyou casually pointed a finger. Flames immediately crawled over an Ascetic Monk's face, blasting him backward step by step until his aura withered to the extreme.

This was none other than Jin Hai's master, Yishi.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

The Ascetic Monk looked completely disheveled, unable to hide the terror on his face. Ignoring his severe injuries, he stared blankly into the distant Cosmos.

"The Wisdom King... has disappeared?"

At this very moment, all the anomalies occurring within the Brahma Nation were due to the sudden disappearance of the Great Golden Wheel Wisdom King. This had caused all cultivators under his rule to vanish from existence, erasing even the memories associated with them. Only an Ascetic Monk like him could barely maintain his own existence.

But... why?

"It's simple."

Mingyou's leisurely voice drifted over. "Because that Wisdom King was first reduced to a 'false entity' by the True Person, and then suppressed within the Gen Trigram."

"Unless the trigram breaks, he cannot escape."

"Given enough time, the falsehood might even become reality, turning the four Wisdom Kings into three forever... It's not as if the True Person hasn't done something like this before!"

Hearing this, Yishi felt his scalp go numb.

"How is that possible?!"

The Wisdom Kings wielded unimaginable divine might. Since ancient times, they had never been replaced. Ever since the Bodhisattvas secluded themselves and the Arhats took over ruling the Brahma Nation, the Wisdom Kings had been their right-hand men.

It wasn't as if the Immortal Gate hadn't produced True Persons before, but the Wisdom Kings had never been the slightest bit inferior when fighting them... So where did this current one come from?

Right at this moment.

"Amitabha."

Suddenly, a flicker of firelight illuminated the world. It absorbed all the toxic flames clinging to Yishi before revealing a figure.

It was an old monk with white eyebrows and a white beard, wearing a compassionate, peaceful smile. Resting in his palm was a brilliantly glowing Golden Lamp—the very source that had drawn away the toxic flames. Seeing him, the relief of surviving a calamity flooded Yishi's face.

"Senior Monk Xianming!"

Without daring to delay, he quickly flew to the old monk's side. As the old monk watched him approach, the corner of his eye twitched imperceptibly.

"There's no need for formalities, Fellow Daoist Yishi. You may step down."

The old monk first took a step back before speaking softly, "There are quite a few qi refining practitioners invading this time. Leave Mingyou to me; you go deal with the others."

Overjoyed upon hearing this, Yishi didn't make any excuses. He instantly summoned his escape light and vanished, leaving the old monk alone in the Cosmos to confront Mingyou.

"...So it was you."

This time, Mingyou was in no rush to attack. Instead, he stared coldly at the old monk. "Surprising. You're actually still not dead?"

"It's nothing unusual, really."

The old monk chuckled. "Those of us who defect to the Brahma Nation generally receive preferential treatment. The Wisdom King is merciful and granted me an extra three thousand years of lifespan, allowing me to live to this day."

"I was originally on the verge of passing away. But a few days ago, you committed that grand act of Wood-Damaging Lifespan-Seizing, which inadvertently forced the Brahma Nation to raise our lifespan limits as well. This gave me enough vigor to walk around again. Strictly speaking, I owe you quite a large favor."

"My good disciple."

Rumble!

As soon as the old monk's words fell, waves of fire instantly erupted throughout the Cosmos. This was the fluctuation of Mingyou's mind, causing the world's qi to respond naturally.

The old monk remained entirely unfazed. Instead, he observed the erupting flames with keen interest and gave a slight nod.

"Chongming Candle Illumination Scripture."

"You really did use Earthly Yin Fire for your Qi Refining Entering the Dao. No wonder with your talent and temperament, you haven't cultivated to the True Person stage after all these years, but have instead grown old just like your master."

"How does it feel?"

The old monk looked at Mingyou and chuckled. "You should now understand my reasoning back then, when I used you as a chess piece for my plans. It seems you've done the same thing yourself now, haven't you?"

"A pity it's too late."

"Now that I am in the Brahma Nation, I still have a thousand years of freedom. Even though you seized some lifespan, you likely only have three or four hundred years left. I'm afraid you'll end up dying before your master."

Mingyou's gaze was frigid. "Living under someone else's roof—how can you call that freedom?"

"Argue it however you please."

The old monk couldn't care less as he slowly raised the Golden Lamp in his hand. "Regardless, with our master and disciple reunion today, this karma remains unfinished."

"Perfect. Let me see exactly how much you've grown compared to back then."

Mingyou sneered.

"Courting death!"