Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

The beggar talked to himself, "What a temper, all I did was leave a bit of my mark, and you get this angry, huh, looks like I can't go to the Underworld for a while." After saying this, the beggar seemed to be filled with regret.

Right after, the beggar fainted to the ground. It took a while before he slowly opened his eyes, feeling as if he had forgotten many things and had been in a daze for some time.

At that moment, several beggars came in from outside. As soon as they saw him, they rushed over and kicked him.

"Damn it, who let you take my spot!" The leader cursed and then followed up with a round of punches and kicks.

The intense pain reached his mind, causing him to subconsciously curl up and let the others' punches and kicks fall on his body. This scene had played out countless times on him, and he had grown accustomed to it.

But today was different from other days. For some reason, a nameless anger was ignited in his heart. His eyes started to turn red, and it seemed like there was always someone whispering in his ear: Kill them, and the pain will end.

By now, the group had already undone their belts, and a light drizzle of warmth showered on his face.

"Roar!" In the eyes of the others, the usually timid beggar suddenly stood up, emitting a strange roar. At that moment, the beggar's eyes were bloodshot, his mouth slightly open, saliva dripping uncontrollably from the corners of his mouth, and his hands, veined and exposed, became unusually large, their sharp nails shining with a ghostly cold light.

"A monster!" The beggars who were venting their discontent screamed in terror.

The scream seemed to catch the monster's attention as he roared and charged toward the people, his form as quick as lightning. His sharp nails slashed across their bodies as easily as tearing through thin paper, and blood spilled inside the abandoned house.

After a long while, the beggar's consciousness returned, only to discover bodies and blood everywhere. He looked at his hands in horror, still covered with traces of blood and flesh.

In a panic, he fled, but a strange voice kept telling him in the depth of his heart that only slaughter could make the world more beautiful. Gradually, a cruel smile appeared on his lips.

Within the Underworld, Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha looked at the already vacant hall, silent and speechless.

"My goodness, he finally left." A familiar voice echoed in the empty hall, it was Di Ting, who was lying beneath Ksitigarbha, speaking.

Ksitigarbha's face revealed a hint of a smile, "Look at you, quite frightened, aren't you!"

Di Ting rolled his eyes at Ksitigarbha and said irritably, "How can I not be afraid? This is the Demon Lord, master of manipulating the human heart, preying on the weaknesses of the soul. If one is not careful, the mind can be tainted, transforming one's nature and unwittingly becoming a puppet. I am adept in listening to all things, and facing such a foe, I had to force my soul into a deep slumber, or else I would easily lose myself."

Having said this, Di Ting let out a sigh of relief. Such an existence was simply his nemesis. Fortunately, this was the depths of the Underworld, protected by Emperor of Fengdu and Empress Hou Tu. The Demon Lord could only trespass in an avatar. With Ksitigarbha's Buddhist protections, Di Ting dared to lie beside him and sleep.

Ksitigarbha smiled and said, "True to the reputation, such methods are indeed tricky. I consider myself to have a strong mind and clear understanding, yet he almost found my weak spot. This power feels disjoint to the systems of power within the Three Realms, and I wonder where it comes from."

Ksitigarbha, through a brief mental skirmish, acutely sensed the strangeness and disparity in the Demon Lord's techniques. It felt as if a drop of pitch-black ink had fallen onto a blank sheet of paper, stark and discomforting.

Di Ting also pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Perhaps it's not a force from within the Three Realms." Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

"What do you mean by that?"

"As the saying goes, 'there is always someone better, and there are heavens beyond our own.' Do you really think the Three Realms encompass the entirety of the world?" Di Ting said in a low voice.

"It seems you're privy to some secrets, now spit it out quickly," Ksitigarbha urged.

"To my knowledge, although beyond the heavens and earth lies Chaos, it's not devoid of life. After all, Pangu the Great God was born within Chaos, and the chaotic creatures there possess tremendous and bizarre powers. They are constantly attempting to invade our world, and they also form the greatest hurdle for All Saints on their path to Transcendence," Di Ting said slowly.

"So, the Demon Lord's power comes from chaotic creatures?"

"It's highly likely. There isn't such power within the Three Realms, which can only mean he definitely comes from Chaos. However, how exactly he managed to come, and how he stays undetected under the watchful eyes of All Saints, remains a mystery. But it's most likely related to the Ancestral Master, after all, he is the first among the Three Realms to achieve Transcendence, and only he could achieve this," Di Ting explained.

Ksitigarbha nodded gently, acknowledging that only the Ancestral Master had such strength. At this thought, he couldn't help but sigh. Transcendence, the ultimate goal for cultivators now, has always been yearned for by countless individuals, yet the path to Transcendence is so arduous and difficult to navigate. The Saints had already glimpsed the dawn, whereas the likes of himself were still groping their way on this path.

However, the Ancestral Master who transcended became the best beacon, not illuminating the path but providing a direction for them to move forward.

"But with the Demon Lord causing such obstruction, and the real body of the Patriarch of the Nether River having left the Underworld, it's likely that this Demon Lord's incarnation was his doing," Ksitigarbha said with a slight frown.

"The Patriarch of the Nether River is indeed bold. To ally with a personage like the Demon Lord, isn't he afraid of being silently controlled? But come to think of it, it's rather amusing. The Patriarch of the Nether River always liked to control others. If he becomes controlled by someone else, the spectacle would certainly be very interesting," Di Ting said with a laugh, his eyes narrowing into slits with mirth.

"You!" Ksitigarbha said helplessly, shaking his head.

At this moment, the Patriarch of the Nether River, the very one Ksitigarbha and Di Ting were discussing, burst forth from the Underworld with boundless rage. The Sea of Blood, as if sensing his fury, churned with great tumult.

On Green Screen Mountain, everyone watched the Sea of Blood expand rapidly and furrowed their brows. Clearly, the Patriarch of the Nether River was preparing to take action himself.

By then, the Bull Demon King and his wife had exhausted their mana, and the Nether River had temporarily lifted their control. After all, at this point, the couple was no longer of any use but rather a burden.

Precious Moonlight Buddha quickly pulled out a yellow sack and tossed it into the air. The sack swelled with the wind, and in an instant, it enveloped the two who were faint from exhaustion and enclosed them within.

Li Jing looked on in amazement. He didn't know what this treasure was; by its mighty effect, it didn't seem like an ordinary Magical Treasure, yet he had never heard of its fame before.