LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 78 Ksitigarbha
As a person of significance in the Three Realms, being suppressed by a junior like Ksitigarbha to such an extent, you can imagine the frustration in Patriarch of the Nether River's heart. He had originally planned to stealthily replenish his Sea of Blood, only to encounter someone like Lu Yu, a brash young man, who dared to make a move under his imposing pressure.
This also ignited a nameless rage within him; otherwise, with his current status and position, it would be beneath him to strike against someone like Lu Yu.
After suppressing Patriarch of the Nether River, Ksitigarbha turned to Lu Yu and said, "Patron Lu can close the rift here to prevent the aura of the Sea of Blood from polluting the Mortal Realm."
Lu Yu was startled. How did this Bodhisattva know his identity?
"You bear the great duty of Divine Enthronement for the Underworld, and we are all naturally aware of you. It is only because the elder has been in seclusion for many years that he did not know of your origins. As soon as you began to fight, Empress Hou Tu sensed it and thus sent me to relieve you from your plight," Ksitigarbha said, noticing the confusion on Lu Yu's face and explained. Stay tuned with empire
Then Lu Yu suddenly realized why this Bodhisattva had arrived so timely. Although the Sea of Blood was indeed the territory of Patriarch of the Nether River, it was located within the Underworld after all, and the Empress is now the incarnation of the Underworld. How could she not sense what was happening?
"I am deeply grateful for the Bodhisattva's life-saving grace!" Lu Yu said, thanking him. To be honest, he had great respect for this Bodhisattva. After all, not every powerful being is willing to make such a grand vow, and regardless of the motive, one who makes and is willing to follow such a path is truly compassionate.
"Your method as a City God has also come to my ears as a positive influence on all beings in this world. Go back and continue to manage it well; when your efforts bear fruit, there will be rewards for you," said Ksitigarbha, looking at Lu Yu with a strange smile, as if he had seen something amusing.
Lu Yu withdrew from the Sea of Blood, activated his mana to mend the fissure, and cleansed the earth with the trifold divine water, eradicating the pollution caused by the aura of the Sea of Blood before he quietly heaved a sigh of relief.
After all, he had just faced an entity as powerful as Patriarch of the Nether River. With his current realm and cultivation, if he had truly come to blows with such a being, he might never know how he died.
"Alas! I was impulsive. The issue with the Monkey has indeed planted anger in my heart, and unexpectedly, I couldn't hold back this time. It was lucky that this Bodhisattva came to the rescue; otherwise, I really wouldn't know how I would have died," Lu Yu reflected on the events that had just unfolded, feeling frightened in retrospect.
In fact, from the moment Patriarch of the Nether River appeared, he knew he could no longer kill Xue Wuyi, yet he couldn't quell the rage in his heart, ultimately leading him to act irrationally.
"Cultivation is about cultivating the mind. I have not polished my spirit well during this period, and I didn't expect such a hidden danger to remain," Lu Yu murmured to himself.
In the time he had been busy running around, he indeed had not settled down to meticulously refine his spiritual cultivation.
Fortunately, this incident had exposed hidden dangers and served as a reminder that one must not relax for a moment on the path of cultivation, especially in cultivating one's disposition, where one cannot afford to be negligent, as a moment of carelessness might plant the seeds of death.
Thinking of Ksitigarbha's meaningful smile at the end, Lu Yu could not help but furrow his brow. "Did that Bodhisattva see something in me? Before the ancestor dissipated, he had severed my ties with Buddhism; could it be that he hadn't severed them completely?"
After all, Buddhism is skilled at manipulating karma. If there were even a trace left on him, it would certainly be exploited by these people. Yet, considering the karma remaining on him was minimal, even if Buddhism asked him to do something in the end, it probably wouldn't be too difficult. Thinking this, he finally felt at ease.
"It seems I need to go back and polish my disposition. That was truly a close call!" Lu Yu said, still shaken, and then he returned to his abode.
News of the turmoil in Zhongzhou quickly spread in all directions. Lu Zhang, of course, would not let such an opportunity pass and mobilized a large army to attack Zhongzhou.
The Black Armored Army was already in complete disarray by this time, with deserters everywhere. Hei Bei, the man Xu Jianglin trusted most, decisively fled upon learning that his family head had fallen in battle, vanishing into the mountains of Great Chen.
Without a leader, the Black Armored Army thus dissolved into nothingness, as did the White Lotus Sect. With the departure of Xue Wuyi and the White Lotus Holy Maiden, they were powerless to contend with the now mighty Lu Zhang.
Lu Zhang and his subordinates stepped onto the land of Zhongzhou for the first time, but the scene before him deeply stirred his heart. Although the world had been in chaos for some years, the extent of desolation in Zhongzhou, which he and his men now saw for the first time, was unprecedented.
Other regions had also been affected by the flames of war, but none had suffered as Zhongzhou had, where the Black Armored Army and the White Lotus Sect had clashed in mutual hostility, turning what was once the most prosperous land into a hell on earth.
Bones were visible everywhere, and as Lu Zhang led his troops for days, he saw not a hint of human habitation.
"Alas! Zhongzhou, once the most flourishing part of Great Chen, has turned into such a state, truly sigh-inducing!" Hu Shengliang, who had passed through Zhongzhou in his youth and witnessed its bustling activity and splendor, couldn't help but lament the impermanence of life, shocked at the tragic sight wrought by the chaos of the world.
"How is the resettlement of the refugees going? I hope there hasn't been any trouble," asked Lu Zhang.
Now that they had taken Zhongzhou, the most urgent matter was to settle the refugees, ensuring they could quickly find stability and resume production. Otherwise, it would be problematic if someone incited further unrest.
"My lord can rest assured, grain from the three states has already arrived in Zhongzhou, and porridge sheds have been set up in each city, at least allowing these people to have a full meal!" said Hu Shengliang.
Lu Zhang nodded. Hu Shengliang was always reliable and thorough in his work, so Lu Zhang was confident entrusting matters to him.
"This is the place where Mr. Lu battled the Sect Hierarch of the White Lotus," pointed out Chang Chunzi, referring to the land ahead.
Everyone immediately directed their gaze forward, where the once verdant land had been flattened, scarred with gullies carved by Sword Qi. Even now, remnants of Sword Qi lingered.
"Such terrifying Sword Qi, to remain so chilling after so long a time... Mr. Lu's strength is indeed unfathomable!" exclaimed Chang Chunzi, feeling the power of the residual Sword Qi.
"I wonder how my uncle is now, whether he has been injured!" Lu Zhang was filled with anxious concern, knowing that judging by the remnants of the great battle, Lu Yu must have faced no ordinary opponent.
Unbeknownst to him, his uncle was at that moment looking at his own body with a gloomy expression.
"Ah! This vital energy is so troublesome!" sighed Lu Yu. It wasn't until he returned to his own cave that he realized the seemingly light strike from the Patriarch of the Nether River had left a seed of vital energy in his body, which could have controlled him and turned him into a puppet had he been careless.