Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao-Chapter 1355 - 97: The Boundless Soul Sea, Eternal Life as the Shore
"Just like you saw back then, amidst the heavenly fire, I stood high above, while you and the woman beside you were all filthy and fallen into the mundane world.
This is indeed the difference we were born with."
"You strive so hard, yet my efforts are minimal. You bear so much, and if there’s any aberration, many from the Human Clan will hunt you down, insult you, betray you, while worshiping the Heavenly Immortals and Buddhas, and you might be notorious through Wannian and beyond. Will you still persevere? Is it worth it?"
"The Eight Great Immortal Kings under my command, each one, possesses combat power comparable to yours, and among them, some even rival Yanyan.
And around you, do you have any strong allies? Even if you do, in my eyes, they’re not even worthy foes..."
Hua Qiudao was stating the facts.
Yes, the facts.
These were facts, very real facts.
Hua Qiudao wasn’t embellishing with extra words, nor was there any pretense or exaggeration.
What he spoke was the bare naked reality.
But such reality was so cruel.
Yes, Zhou Yan paid a tremendous price, his talent top-notch, his smart brain comparable to the endless light brain, unmatched in calculation and plotting abilities, yet so what? Hua Qiudao inherited the Merit Power of Ten Thousand Immortals and Buddhas, enough to suppress Heaven and Earth, and with a wave of his hand, had the power to make the Void rise and fall.
If there truly is a protagonist in Heaven and Earth, then Hua Qiudao is undoubtedly the real protagonist.
As for Zhou Yan, perhaps in Hua Qiudao’s eyes, he’s just a, a minor character, occupying a certain status, providing Hua Qiudao with opportunities and some assistance, nothing more.
This is the reality, deeply impacting Zhou Yan’s heart with Hua Qiudao’s words.
These are calm and indifferent words, but such words carry immensely cruel and scorching power, almost capable of destroying a genius’s most steadfast will.
Because when a genius is completely crushed in every way, they will truly lose themselves! And indeed, never recover!
Not only that, when a genius’s perseverance is seen as the funniest joke in others’ eyes, this situation actually becomes more evident.
This was Zhou Yan’s situation at this moment.
But Zhou Yan merely took a deep breath.
If he hadn’t truly gained the ultimate inheritance of Ten Thousand Immortals and Buddhas, if he hadn’t truly met Yanyan Hou Chen and Sisi, without these two conditions, Zhou Yan would certainly crumble upon hearing Hua Qiudao’s current words, feeling deeply powerless and questioning the significance of his persistence.
But now Zhou Yan was not in such a state, because he knew very well whose hand held the ultimate inheritance of Ten Thousand Immortals and Buddhas.
Because he also understood the implications of the gaze from Zhou Wangchen, Emperor Lei Yan, and even Lee Ran.
Furthermore, Lee Ran’s comforting words further indicated that in some matters, Zhou Yan stood in a favorable position.
Likewise, Hua Qiudao, perhaps, wasn’t aware of certain dangers he didn’t know about.
Therefore, after taking a breath, Zhou Yan calmly faced Hua Qiudao, smiled, and said, "Yes, but even so, I won’t give up. The path that must be walked, I will continue. Of course, this time, through my abilities, you’ve obtained the information you hoped for, but similarly, through your hand, I’ve also gained the information I needed. This is a win-win situation, yet also a mutually damaging one."
"Indeed. Zhou Yan is Zhou Yan, after all, cannot be easily destroyed in spirit. But it’s not that I’m malicious, it’s simply that I don’t desire to oppose you. Our stances don’t inherently conflict, but the opportunity for Nine Origin Reincarnation to emerge, there’s only one, that is the opportunity for the inheritance to rise as the foremost in Domain World contention. I can’t let that go, so even if unwilling, I must act against you."
Hua Qiudao explained.
This was also his final explanation.
After this, when they faced each other, Hua Qiudao’s action might be extremely ruthless, without mercy.
A person who is extremely kind and amiable to friends would be extremely ruthless to enemies, using every conceivable measure.
In this regard, Zhou Yan is so, and Hua Qiudao, how could he not be?
Zhou Yan had long considered that opposing Hua Qiudao was likely the most unwise thing, because one could only imagine the brutality of someone like Hua Qiudao, the good guy, towards enemies.
But now, this was something that could no longer be avoided.
Zhou Yan sighed and said, "I understand, so in our future battles, let’s give our all, and in the meantime, let’s try not to target those around us too much."
"Rest assured, I will do so, not just for your sake, but also considering our friendship and for the sake of Yanyan."
"Speaking of Yanyan... alas, if there was no responsibility, no burden, perhaps we could still be a family, but once there’s burden, that possibility is forever gone. Perhaps Yanyan saw this point early on and always kept a distance from me, so when the time truly comes to act, it won’t hurt."
Hua Qiudao forced a bitter smile and sighed.
Zhou Yan fell silent for a moment and said, "Actually, you may not necessarily represent the inheritance of the Ten Thousand Immortals and Ten Thousand Buddhas. Perhaps, you’ve overthought it. Perhaps you have already been manipulated."
Zhou Yan revealed part of the truth.
Hua Qiudao looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise, an expression of wisdom that made Zhou Yan’s heart tremble.
Zhou Yan felt a chill in his heart and immediately knew that Hua Qiudao probably knew some secrets.
Sure enough, Hua Qiudao said, "I didn’t expect you to know this too. It seems that the Eternal Mantis’s layout is truly laughable, isn’t it, Zhou Yan?"
Hua Qiudao asked, half smiling, leaving Zhou Yan somewhat stunned.
But Zhou Yan did not answer.
Zhou Yan just calmly watched Hua Qiudao, waiting for him to continue speaking, because Hua Qiudao was confident.
Once Zhou Yan hinted at some secrets he had uncovered, Hua Qiudao would inevitably explain to show a form of intellectual dominance.
But is that really the case?
Zhou Yan also had some doubts in his heart.
"You probably think I’d be the Mantis’s second life? Third life? That after growing up, I’d definitely be controlled by the Mantis?"
Zhou Yan remained silent, for that was what he thought.
Though, thinking this seemed to underestimate Hua Qiudao, yet it was the truth.
But Hua Qiudao merely scoffed and said, "That is indeed the truth, but in reality, some things, even if they are facts, can be changed. If I were to rise, it would be very difficult, so some means are very necessary. I wonder if you’ve thought of that?"
"This aspect has actually happened to you too. The so-called Three-Life Soul Nourishment is an external force, a means. Utilizing a genius’s talent to grow, then extract it and integrate it onto other perfect life forms. Isn’t this a profoundly transformative method and also a very time-saving and effort-saving method? Although this is extremely cruel to those whose capabilities are stripped away, for those who are nurtured, it saves a significant amount of time."
"Before achieving immortality, nothing is more important than time, which I’m sure you agree. It was precisely for this reason that I originally considered achieving self through similar means, but after thinking about it, for the inheritance of the Ten Thousand Immortals and Ten Thousand Buddhas to come to me and allow me to grow incomparably smoothly, the best way was to place myself in an exceptionally dangerous environment.
So now you should have figured out the result."
Hua Qiudao laughed.
Zhou Yan’s heart suddenly shrank, and his pupils contracted; at that moment, he felt that Hua Qiudao was not only insane but also extremely terrifying! 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
The Eternal Mantis wasn’t dead; Hua Qiudao, an inheritor who wasn’t immortal, managed to live out another life with the Eternal Mantis’s bloodline and then, through the awakening of an independent will, devoured and refined the Eternal Mantis, seizing its slaughtering abilities while also inheriting the endless merit power of the Ten Thousand Immortals and Ten Thousand Buddhas...
This result made Zhou Yan’s heart twitch.
This approach is undeniably insane.
But this method is almost destined to fail, for to let an eternal strongman live out an independent next life and then replace it, what a terrifying method this is.
Isn’t it fearful of being trapped instead, refined by the Eternal Mantis, and having all its merit power seized?
Zhou Yan’s heart started to tremble slightly, his emotions becoming somewhat unstable.
Hua Qiudao’s method could be said to be alarmingly ruthless.
Zhou Yan never imagined that when he thought Hua Qiudao was parasitized and controlled by the Mantis, Hua Qiudao was instead plotting against the Eternal Mantis.
However, the Eternal Mantis, after all, is a complete immortal slayer. How could it be so easily reverse-controlled?
Zhou Yan showed a solemn expression, but Hua Qiudao seemed aware of Zhou Yan’s doubts and said: "Yes, the Eternal Mantis isn’t stupid; why would it be easily calculated? Therefore, at that time, it will come down to whose will is stronger, who can devour whom. But when it comes to willpower? Zhou Yan, I, Hua Qiudao, dare to say, in this world, even you, even Zhou Gucheng, even Yanyan’s will, cannot surpass mine. In terms of will, I can crush everything."
When Hua Qiudao said this, the kind of willpower, that kind of confidence, was simply astonishing.
Precisely because of this, Zhou Yan knew there was no suspense about Hua Qiudao suppressing the Eternal Mantis.
Zhou Yan thought of the inheritance of the Ten Thousand Immortals and Ten Thousand Buddhas, couldn’t help but smile bitterly, and agreed with Hua Qiudao, saying, "Indeed, the Buddha says, I am the Tathagata."
"Yes, Tathagata is not the Tathagata, just named ’Tathagata.’ In my view, the Bitter Sea is boundless, but turning back is the shore. The Soul Sea is vast; eternal life is the shore."
"In my eyes, the Eternal Mantis can’t make any waves, but will, with exceptional humility, be refined by me, be enlightened by me, and willingly become my avatar, to be commanded by me. Buddha enlightens those with destiny, after all, Mantis has become one of my true selves. To take it down, how simple that is."
Hua Qiudao said.
