Chapter 1760 : Killing Is Also Mercy

Chen Xianzhu fell silent for a long moment upon hearing this, before finally speaking: "In that battle of yesteryear, every single 1 who struck—the Blood Dragon Buddha, Golden Dawn Arhat, and Celestial Tone Bodhisattva—was suppressed and slain by you."

"The fiendish leaders of the 3 great grotto-heavens have all been suppressed and slain by Your Excellency. Those who remain are no longer worth worrying about—I shall personally pay them a visit."

Eldrin (Person Name) fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then spoke: "If we repay grievance with virtue, what shall we repay virtue with?"

"The situation in the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain, I am aware of it as well, Father."

"Since you're heading to the Great Desert Sky Sand Domain, you might as well turn everything upside down."

"Rest assured, even if others intervene, your father will always be your most steadfast support."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xianzhu’s heart shook. In the end, he rose and cupped his hands in salute.

Between father and son, there were no sentimental words to be spoken—everything was understood in silence.

The Vast Azure Immortal Realm comprised 30-3 layered heavens. Among these celestial tiers, it was difficult to declare which stood supreme, yet when it came to identifying the weakest, the Great Desert Heaven-Sand Domain was unquestionably the most feeble.

The Great Desert Sky-Sand Realm lies in the western extremity, a land that was once a paradise of immortal practitioners in earlier times. Until several kalpas ago, when ancient demons traversed the primordial chaos and sought to refine the entire Qingcang Immortal Domain.

After that great war, not only did the Abyssal Inferno Sea fall into corruption, but the Great Desert Celestial Sands—1 of the core battlegrounds—was also grievously wounded.

It was said that the Heavenly Dao Source Artifact of the Great Desert Sky Sand Domain had been damaged. Not only had its power diminished beyond recognition, its grade had drastically declined, but even its speed of channeling chaotic energies and converting them into immortal spiritual qi had slowed by severalfold.

It was precisely for this reason that over the subsequent hundreds of millions of years, the spiritual energy in the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain grew increasingly sparse.

Moreover, the 4 great grotto-heavens channeled what little immortal spiritual energy remained entirely into their own domains to sustain the cultivation of celestial immortals and buddhas. This further exacerbated the already dire cultivation environment of the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain.

By now, the average concentration of immortal spiritual energy in the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain had dwindled to less than 30 percent of that in the Western Aether Divine Abyss Sea.

More importantly, nearly all of these 3 portions of immortal spiritual energy were concentrated within the blessed lands and grotto heavens, leaving the outside world so depleted of spiritual qi that cultivation had become impossible.

It was precisely for this reason that the Great Desert Heaven-Sand Domain became the sole desert heaven among all the realms of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

The heavens and earth lay barren and desolate, with yellow sands stretching as far as the eye could see.

Cavern heavens rise and fall, blessed lands lie in lofty slumber, where spiritual treasures and rare wonders are boundless. While Buddhas revel in the bliss of paradise, mortals bear the burdens of the mundane world.

In the vast desert, Chen Xianzhu, clad in monastic robes, trudged onward with the Immortal Iron Staff resting on his shoulder. He contemplated the myriad tribulations of the mortal realm, a flicker of killing intent sharpening his expression.

He could distinctly sense that this Desert of Heavenly Sands was practically a world devoid of spiritual energy.

You must understand, this was an immortal domain. Even if the Great Desert Sky Sand Realm's spiritual energy density was merely 1-third that of the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea, it still remained tens of thousands of times richer than the Violet World's.

Spiritual energy can nourish all living things. Even with just 1% of the Purple Realm's spiritual energy concentration, it could create a vast forest.

Yet under such circumstances, the Great Desert Heaven Sand Domain still became a sea of sand, demonstrating just how inequitable the distribution of spiritual energy was across this celestial realm.

Across the 4 100 and 80 temples in the vast desert, How many towers and pavilions stand veiled in the misty rain.

Those lofty immortals and buddhas not only plundered all the immortal spiritual qi transformed from the Primordial Chaos Abyss, but even seized every wisp of immortal spiritual qi drifting from beyond the Great Desert Sky-Sand Realm.

Thus, the vast world was left with nothing but a desolate landscape of yellow sand—a veritable doomsday scene.

A Golden Core cultivator could spend their entire life traversing the Great Desert of Celestial Sands yet never reach an oasis.

"Immortality attained, yet pilfering the breath of heaven and earth, leaving not a single thread of vitality behind."

"All you so-called immortals and buddhas, lording over the 9 Heavens Above—you are but cosmic parasites feasting upon this realm! Every last 1 of you deserves death!"

Chen Xianzhu advanced unhurriedly, and after an indeterminable period of brewing, an unprecedented battle intent abruptly erupted.

Suddenly, heaven and earth roared, and the mountains and rivers trembled.

An iron staff swept across the 6 directions, shattering the celestial heavens. 1 blessed realm after another turned to dust, while countless Buddhas vanished without even a chance to cry out.

"Ah—"

Countless monks wailed in agony, even the 4 great Buddhist grotto-heavens were stirred.

Several Faluo Bodhisattvas rose into the air in succession. An ancient Buddha with compassionate features gazed at Chen Xianzhu and declared, "Great Thunderclap Tathagata Buddha, why do you perpetuate this slaughter? Cease at once."

Boom—

Chen Xianzhu remained unmoved, his Immortal Iron Staff shattering the heavens and earth. 1 ancient temple after another exploded into dust, as Buddhist pure lands and blessed realms were utterly annihilated. Countless Bodhisattvas and Arhats returned to the Dao, transforming into the purest primordial qi that rejoined the cosmos.

"Cease at once!"

The Golden Lion Arhat from the Vajra Ancient Temple intervened, blocking the frenzied Eldrin (Person Name).

The Bodhisattva Wenxin from Wenxin Ancient Temple sighed deeply and could not help but saying, "Foolish child, why have you taken more lives?"

陈贤逐收回仙铁棍，无边业煞之力顺着铁棍席卷而来，化作一道道业煞之光加身，当真是煞气冲天。

Yet Chen Xianzhu remained utterly composed. Facing this figure who had once been half a teacher to him, he spoke for the first time, his gaze turning to Wenxin Bodhisattva as he said, "Killing to preserve life, the blade falls not upon a person."

"Today, I shall shatter all blessed realms and conquer the 4 great cave heavens, all to carve a path of survival for the countless souls of the Great Desert Celestial Sand Domain."

"Insolence!"

The Golden Lion Arhat roared, his eyes blazing with baleful aura. "The blessed paradise is the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, a creation of heaven and earth, nurtured by the virtues of the cosmos."

"You have slain Buddhas and destroyed blessed paradises—do you not fear divine retribution from the Heavenly Dao?"

"Ha ha ha!"

Chen Xianzhu laughed maniacally, the Immortal Iron Staff in his hand quivering faintly as boundless baleful energy swept across the mountains and rivers.

He pointed his staff toward the myriad celestial beings and Buddhas, his eyes icy as he declared, "If this Paradise is the very root that has turned the Great Desert Sky Sand Domain into a living hell, then it should have been shattered long ago."

The Bodhisattva from the Divine Melody Pure Land spoke, her countenance compassionate as she declared, "Mahāvīra Thunderclap Tathāgata, you have succumbed to demonic corruption! Awaken at once!"

"Falling into Demonic Cultivation?"

Chen Xianzhu laughed heartily, the baleful aura around him nearly solidifying into substance, transforming into a towering crimson lotus of karmic sin.

The Karmic Blaze Lotus hovered behind his head, casting its glow upon mountains of corpses and seas of blood, where countless Buddhas lay fallen and ancient temples crumbled into ruins. It was as if boundless sins weighed upon him, yet an inexplicable compassion emanated from the scene.

Borne upon this Karmic Flame of Crimson Lotus, Chen Xianzhu truly seemed both demon and Buddha, exuding an indescribable aura of majesty.

"You so-called celestial beings and buddhas are the epitome of hypocrisy—luring devotees to sacrifice themselves under the guise of ascending to the Western Paradise. In my judgment, you all deserve death."

"If slaying you could restore life to this Great Desert Heaven-Sand Domain, then what does it matter if I, this sovereign, descend into demonhood?"

"At times, killing is also an act of mercy!"

"Today, I shall become this 'Demonic Tathāgata'."

Boom—

In the blink of an eye, the Immortal Iron Staff swept across the firmament.

Chen Xianzhu gripped his immortal iron staff, sweeping it across to strike in all directions as he hacked toward the myriad Buddhas filling the sky.

"Wretched fiend."

The Golden Lion Arhat spoke, immediately clashing with Chen Xianzhu, yet was forced back several steps in an instant.

His face instantly paled as he stared at Chen Xianzhu in horror, then he shouted to the others, "The fiend is too fierce—we cannot face him head-on!"

"Everyone, strike swiftly! Let us join forces to vanquish demons and eradicate evil."