Chapter 1689 : A Father's Vengeance at the Shattered Temple

However, the present-day Ancient Temple lay in utter ruin. Its Grand Hall was naught but shattered walls and broken pillars, the surrounding mountains had been sundered and sunk, and even the Bodhi tree before the temple had been cleft in two. Only upon the remnants of a broken plaque could the four characters 'Literary Heart Ancient Temple' be discerned. Eldrin Chen stood beside the ruins of the Literary Heart Ancient Temple, his countenance dark as still water, a chilling glint hidden deep within his gaze. "Show yourself." "So the renowned Abyssal Daoist has arrived. This old monk failed to welcome you from afar. My apologies." At that moment, an aged monk emerged from a shadowed corner, his face etched with a profound sorrow as he regarded Eldrin Chen. Eldrin Chen's expression remained placid as he spoke with detached calm. "You know me?" "Naturally. This humble one has heard of the young friend's feats—toppling the Six Celestial Domains of the Western Pole and defeating the combined might of the Twin Imperial Sons of Tai Cang." The old monk replied, his demeanor turning solemn. Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and pressed on. "Are you Bodhisattva Wenshin?" "I am," the old monk affirmed with another nod. Seeing this, Eldrin Chen continued, "I heard you once saved Xander. Why then did you betray him this time?" Upon hearing this, Bodhisattva Wenshin's face shifted through several shades of emotion. This time, he had known from the start he could not protect Xander Chen, yet he had not warned him in advance. Instead, he had let him remain at the Literary Heart Temple, leading to his encirclement and attempted slaughter. This was a thorn in his own heart, and he had not expected Eldrin Chen to voice it directly. With this thought, Bodhisattva Wenshin asked, "What, pray tell, is your relationship with Xander?" "I am his father!" *Boom—* Bodhisattva Wenshin felt the blood drain from his face, a sensation of vertigo washing over him instantly. After a moment, he replied with a bitter smile, "He had offended too many. The Celestial Xuan Ancient Sect and the three great Buddhist Sect sects all sought to use this chance to eliminate him. The three Buddhist Sect sects are all Buddhist Grotto-Heaven [powerful Buddhist paradises], and the Celestial Xuan Ancient Sect is a Great Luo Ancient Sect [a sect of immense, primordial power]. Had this old monk refused, the Literary Heart Ancient Temple would likely have ceased to exist." "I understand," Eldrin Chen nodded, saying no more. This Literary Heart Ancient Temple had only Bodhisattva Wenshin, a single Heavenly Immortal Paragon [a peak-stage Heavenly Immortal], and he was merely at the Second Heaven of the Heaven Immortal realm. Under those circumstances, even his full strength would not have been enough to protect Xander Chen. With this in mind, Eldrin Chen rose to his feet, his face an emotionless mask. "For the sake of you once saving Xander, I will not hold you accountable today. The karmic bond between you and him ends here." With these words, Eldrin Chen shot through the skies, arriving outside the Blood Dragon Ancient Temple. The Blood Dragon Ancient Temple was one of the four great Pure Lands among the Buddhist Sect sects of the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain. This lineage practiced the Blood Dragon Secret Art, said to require feeding one's life-bound Blood Dragon with human blood to achieve the Dao. Such a secret art seemed no different from the demonic path, yet because this lineage did not refine Baleful Qi [malevolent energy] and instead cultivated orthodox Buddhist Sect great dharma, it was still classified as Buddhist. Such a Buddhist Sect was utterly different in nature from sects like the Western Pole Tranquil Spirit Temple from the lower realms, yet it was not an isolated case within the Buddhist traditions here. In the world of Eldrin Chen's previous life, Buddhism had not originally forbidden marriage, drinking wine, eating meat, or even such atrocities as crafting drums from the skin of young maidens. Not only did they not engage in productive labor, but they also frequently seized farmland and oppressed men and women. It was only after several Martial Emperors suppressed Buddhism and emperors decreed prohibitions against wine, meat, and marriage that it gradually transformed into the Buddhism later generations knew. In this realm, the Buddhist Sect lacked a Dao Ancestor Immortal Sage [a supreme sage who has comprehended the fundamental Dao] to unify it. Although many Great Luo [a supreme cultivation realm] Ancient Buddha had arisen, they had given rise to different factions within Buddhism. There were virtuous Bodhisattva [enlightened beings on the path to Buddhahood] of profound virtue like Bodhisattva Manjushri, but also those of immense blood-soaked sin like the Blood Sea Ancient Buddha, and even those who attained the Dao through lust and depravity like the Joyful Buddha. Under the doctrinal lineages passed down by these Buddhist Sect Great Luo figures, different sects of Buddhism had naturally diverged. The Purple Realm's Western Pole Tranquil Spirit Temple inherited the lineage of Bodhisattva Manjushri, a path emphasizing the cultivation of virtue and merit, attaining the Dao through great wisdom—all were cultivated, self-restrained individuals of profound attainment. This Blood Dragon Ancient Temple, however, inherited part of the lineage of the Blood Sea Ancient Buddha. Their methods were close to the Demonic Path, yet in some ways more insidious. They kept followers like livestock, draining their blood for cultivation, luring and deluding them with promises of union with the Buddha and ascension to the Western Paradise, enticing them to sacrifice their own flesh, blood, and souls. In doing so, they bore only minimal Karmic Burden [the metaphysical weight of negative karma from sinful actions], thus their Karmic Burden never exceeded their accumulated merit, allowing them to avoid classification within the Demonic Path. The Blood Dragon Ancient Temple boasted three Heavenly Immortal Paragon, one of whom had even reached the Mid Celestial Immortal Realm [Middle Heavenly Immortal realm], making their strength the foremost in the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain. "The Blood Dragon Ancient Temple, cultivating through human blood—how is that different from demons?" Eldrin Chen let out a cold snort, his eyes instantly blazing with overwhelming killing intent. Without the slightest hesitation, the Chaos Heaven Halberd in his hand descended with a world-shattering force, piercing through the vast mountain ranges and utterly demolishing the massive temple complex. A tide of murderous aura swept across the Firmament [the heavens]. *Rumble...* After the deafening roar, several figures flew out from the ruins of the Blood Dragon Ancient Temple. The leader wore a compassionate expression—precisely the Buddha [an enlightened being who has attained Buddhahood] who had once been listed among the pursuers of Xander Dao Chen. He looked at Eldrin Chen and spoke with benevolent kindness, "Benefactor, who are you? Why do you cause trouble at our Blood Dragon Ancient Temple?" Given the circumstances, this site may close at any time. Please move quickly to the permanent alternative site. "Your executioner!" Eldrin Chen's killing intent engulfed the cosmos. A single sweep of the Chaos Heaven Halberd shattered all in its path, reducing the Blood Dragon Ancient Temple to a field of rubble. His hatred still unquenched, he struck until the Buddha coughed blood and was sent flying. Seeing Eldrin Chen's divine might unleashed, the Buddhist Sect hurriedly activated a string of Prayer Beads [a Buddhist enchanted artifact] for protection, then cried out in shock and fury, "Who exactly are you, sir? I have no grievance with you. Why not seek peace and harmony?" "Take your questions to Hell." Eldrin Chen raised his palm to suppress the heavens, intent on utterly annihilating him. Unable to match this power, the Buddha hastily summoned a Blood Dragon to shield him, his face twisting into a snarl. "Do you truly believe This Sovereign [a self-referential title used by powerful cultivators] is easy to bully?" *Clang!* Eldrin Chen offered no reply, only unleashing a heaven-scouring tide of Sword Qi [sword energy] that swept through the stars. The Supreme Unity Ethereal Void Sword Qi [a supreme sword energy technique] surged through all directions, cleaving straight down. The Buddha defended with all his might, but he was merely at the First Heaven Celestial Immortal [First Heaven Heavenly Immortal] realm. How could he withstand Eldrin Chen in his full fury? In less than a hundred exchanges, his Physical Body [cultivated physical form] was reduced to dust, and even his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] was suppressed beneath Eldrin Chen's palm. Facing imminent Life and Death [a matter of life and death], the Buddha was seized by terror and immediately begged for mercy. "Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for a fellow cultivator], spare me! This humble monk knows not how I have offended you. If you but let me go, I am willing to offer heavy compensation." As he spoke, he drew from his sleeve a wisp of Innate Qi [primordial energy that existed before the cosmos]. "I offer this in exchange for my life." "Innate Qi?" Eldrin Chen's gaze grew even darker. He finally asked, "Where did you obtain this?" "From the Celestial Xuan Ancient Sect. They gave this in exchange for my hand in encircling and killing the 'Maha-Vajra Thunderclap Tathagata' [a Buddhist title meaning 'Great Diamond Thunderclap Thus-Come One']." "So it is true!" Eldrin Chen's eyes blazed with unveiled killing intent. With a lift of his palm, he utterly extinguished the Buddha's Primordial Spirit. Almost simultaneously, Lyra Jiang, Verdant Consort, and the others arrived. Lyra Jiang looked at Eldrin Chen and said, "The forces the three Buddhist Sect sects have committed to this tribulation are not fearsome, but the Celestial Xuan Ancient Sect cannot be underestimated." Lila's face was filled with profound worry. She clutched Eldrin Chen's sleeve, her voice choked with sobs. "Husband, you must find Xander." Eldrin Chen said nothing more. He merely gazed into the depths of the Void [the formless, primordial emptiness] and declared, "We will settle this debt, item by item."