Legend of the Great Sage

heir mutual interests and threats.

If they truly believed the Black Sun Demon Heart could allow them to become the lord of the Demon domain, then they would be no different from the regular demonfolk that fought over demonic seeds.
An extremely horrific struggle would definitely erupt, and the entire Demon domain would fracture.

If the Desireless Heavenly Palace launched a full-scale assault then, they would have to regurgitate everything they had swallowed.
They would not recover even in ten thousand years.
Once the Demon domain shrank in overall size, it would not be able to sustain twelve Demon Gods anymore.
Someone would have to go.

After all, a legend was just a legend.
There were many, many legends in the Demon domain.
Even if a small fraction of them came true every now and then, it was not worth forsaking the bigger picture.
They would even have to risk their lives in the process, so it was far too foolish.

However, if they could get their hands on it secretly somehow, they would never let the opportunity slip by.
The Demon domain only needed to shift its expanding momentum in a different direction.
Regardless of whether they could find the Black Sun Demon Heart, they needed to eliminate Black Cloud city anyway, so it was merely bringing their plans forward a little.

Secretly, several dozen Demon Sovereigns and an army of millions had been mobilised.

Right before a storm, it would always be unusually calm.

Li Qingshan’s Yin Soul roamed through the Demon domain easily.
Perhaps because he had rejected the Black Sun Demon Heart, the Heavenly Tome of Liberty circulated even more smoothly.
It was not a direct conversion into power, but the path ahead of him had become clearer.

As it seemed, this heavenly tome was truly suited for him.
He basically encountered no bottlenecks as he practised it.

However, it was not completely devoid of downsides either.
The figure of Maheśvara on his back had become even more life-like and vivid.
He wondered whether it would actually turn into a moving image at this rate.
He traversed through the tundra as he contemplated how he would deal with this problem.
He could not help but think of the glowing monk from the pure land school.

He asked Xiao An, “The figure of Maheśvara seemed to have a very violent response to that monk’s techniques.
I wonder why.
Maheśvara was subdued by the buddha.
Can I borrow his power as well to use the buddha to subdue the demon?”

Xiao An nodded.
“It’s worth a try.
The method of cultivation of the Pure Land sect is to utter the buddha’s name.
They hope to venture to the western pure land Sukhāvatī after death, which is why they’re called the Pure Land sect.
They use chanting as their inner driving force and the power of belief of the buddha as the external driving force, complementing each other and extending to the pure land…”

Li Qingshan scratched his head.
“Can you put it in simpler terms?”

Xiao An smiled.
“The buddha swore a compassionate vow to bring salvation to all living things through the buddhist dharma.
That wasn’t just for say.
Even for common people, as long as they sincerely chant the buddha’s name, they can avoid the cycle of rebirth and end up in the western pure land of bliss.
That is probably the teachings of the Pure Land sect.”

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Li Qingshan expressed his doubt, “Is the western pure land Sukhāvatī really that great?” He was suspicious about everything that came too easily.
There was no free lunch.
The only thing that would fall into your lap was a mess.

Xiao An smiled.
“Ascetics are forbidden from lying.
Do you really think the buddha lies? The promise of paradise is definitely not an empty one.”

Li Qingshan sighed.
“If you can find paradise just by uttering a few words, then why would you still go to such great lengths to cultivate? Even the schools of chan require understanding your true self, while the schools of esoteric buddhism require constant rebirth, which cannot be achieved without great wisdom and great willpower.
None of them have it as easy as the Pure Land sect, where they can become buddhas even without hard work!”

“That’s the exact reason why the Pure Land sect is the greatest sect of buddhism in the world.
Their followers surpass all other schools and sects, and their abilities and techniques don’t pale in comparison either.
They’re most skilled in borrowing power from the buddha, which possesses wonders that other sects aren’t capable of.”

Li Qingshan curled his lip. The buddha has prepared everything for you.
You just need to strike the pose.
Of course, kneeling will be necessary as well.
Though, just kneeling definitely won’t be enough to undergo the fifth heavenly tribulation and attain the fruit of Sakridāgāmi.
Even at minimum, you gotta know a good few forms, maybe some fancy ways to bow and kneel as well.

It was no wonder Maheśvara hated the Pure Land sect so much.
They were a group of mindless bastards, so they were very worth testing.
What he loathed was what he feared, and the enemy of an enemy was a friend.
Once he returned, he could pay a visit to the Pure Land sect and get rid of the image of Maheśvara.

As someone who practised the path of great liberty, he utterly hated someone strutting around on his back.