Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage-Chapter 29 - The Bodhisattva Stairway to Heaven Comes

“My name is Hong Hai’er, also known as the Great Saint Infant King. You must have heard of my title,” Hong Hai’er said to Emperor Chen, noticing his surprised expression.

Now that he had removed his headband, his wild nature fully emerged, and he reclaimed the title of “Great Saint Infant King” for himself.

Emperor Chen thought to himself, “So this child is the offspring of the Iron Fan Princess Rakshasi and the Mighty Bull Demon King. Truly gifted to possess such cultivation at such a young age. Alas, I must not neglect my Golden Crow Body and must endeavor to cultivate diligently!”

With that thought, Emperor Chen took a leap into the air and jumped onto the tenth step of the Heavenly Stairs.

Five hundred thousand catties!

Emperor Chen’s face immediately reddened, his bones creaked, and he nearly collapsed right then and there.

Hong Hai’er asked, “Are these stairs really that powerful?”

The Heaven-Defying Taoist said expressionlessly, “You try.”

Hong Hai’er, driven by a sense of competition, declared, “Fine, you protect the Taoist Master while I give it a go!”

Determined to prove himself and seeing that Emperor Chen, whose cultivation was not inferior, had turned red-faced and uncomfortable just by jumping onto the tenth step, he did not dare be careless. To maintain his dignity, he gingerly stepped onto the first step and instantly felt a force of ten thousand catties bear down on him!

Caught off guard, Hong Hai’er nearly toppled over on the stairs, hastily using his spear to steady himself.

“Is this the Heavenly Ladder that the Heavenly Emperor built so long ago? It’s so incredible!” Hong Hai’er knew not who the Heavenly Emperor was; at that moment, he even wanted to challenge him to a fight, but if it truly came to blows, Di Jun could likely kill him with just a flick of a finger.

Suddenly, the Heaven-Defying Taoist’s expression changed as he exclaimed, “Not good, Guanyin is catching up!”

Without delay, he grabbed Wukong’s left hand, swept them up with his horsetail whisk, and somersaulted them to the top platform in an instant.

Wukong, having already ascended these forty-nine steps, had left his mark on the Heavenly Platform. Since the Heaven-Defying Taoist originated from his malevolence, intrinsically one with his source, he could take others up without triggering the restrictive enchantments of the Heavenly Ladder.

Suddenly, Bodhisattva Guanyin arrived with her Liuli Bottle in hand and standing upon her Lotus Pedestal, gracefully approaching.

She was dressed in flowing white, stunningly beautiful, with a smile gracing her lips.

“Heaven-Defying, Buddha-Slaying, do you really think the two of you can escape?” Guanyin laughed.

The Heaven-Defying Taoist felt a strange force on the horsetail whisk in his hand that was similar to Guanyin’s Liuli Bottle and frowned, cursing himself for being careless. With a flick of his finger, he dispelled the energy.

Hong Hai’er was startled and said, “You’ve come again!”

Guanyin ignored him, speaking to herself, “So this is the Forty-Nine Heavenly Stairs erected by the Heavenly Emperor? I’ve heard much about it but have never visited.”

The Heaven-Defying Taoist sneered, “If you want to capture the two of us, you’ll still have to get past the Heavenly Emperor’s challenge!”

Emperor Chen’s expression shifted as he asked, “Is this Bodhisattva Guanyin?”

The Heaven-Defying Taoist replied, “What are you afraid of? She can’t come up!”

Guanyin smiled faintly, took a step onto the first level, and started ascending towards the top.

As she made her way to the tenth, then the eleventh step, where chilling winds blew, she formed a hand seal which immediately halted them.

Step by step, she ascended serenely, yet inwardly she marveled, “Di Jun truly is formidable to have set such a restrictive spell!”

By the twenty-first step.

She finally had to summon her Liuli Bottle, whose radiant light enveloped her, absorbing the gushing Heavy Water into it.

They ascended several more levels.

As the weak water surged, Guanyin finally showed a change of expression. The willow branch in her hand originated from the weak water itself, and she immediately offered it. With a sweep of the willow branch towards the weak water, she brushed all the weak water away.

Enduring the added weight of three million jins, Guanyin’s snow-white face instantly turned beet red. But her competitive nature prevailed; she didn’t want those above to look down upon her. She forcibly circulated her mana and charged upward, dissolving the flames above the thirtieth layer with her Pure Glass Bottle. Indeed, the bottle in Guanyin’s hand was an extremely powerful magical treasure!

The forty-first layer.

“What is karma?” Di Jun asked.

“Past actions beget present consequences,” Guanyin replied.

“Correct. The Great Dao of the Western Religion, proceed to the next layer,” Di Jun said, his voice cold and detached.

The forty-second layer.

The Heaven-Defying Taoist watched with a cold gaze, his expression unchanged, while both Hong Hai’er and Di Chen’s faces grew increasingly grim.

“What does not lie within the domain of karma?”

Guanyin answered, “Nirvana.”

The forty-third layer.

“Where is the heart?”

“The heart…” Guanyin suddenly stammered, “If Buddha is in the heart, where is the heart?” She found herself caught in a conundrum.

“The heart is in the Bodhi,” Di Jun said, “That’s barely acceptable as an answer. You may proceed to the next layer.”

The forty-fourth layer.

“If Nirvana lies outside of karma, then where is Nirvana?” Di Jun inquired.

Guanyin replied, “Buddha attained Nirvana, obviously it is with Buddha.”

Suddenly, Di Jun spoke in a cold voice, “That is the path of another, not your own. How dare you deceive me? Begone!”

With that, a ray of golden light descended, striking Guanyin squarely on her forehead. She had already been pushed to her limits upon reaching the fortieth layer by the immense pressure and had to mobilize her mana to ward off the wind, water, fire, and other prohibitions. Now, struck by the golden light, she immediately spat out fresh blood and was sent flying backwards, appearing rather disheveled.

The Heaven-Defying Taoist couldn’t help but be shocked. He knew well of Guanyin’s prowess, but he didn’t expect her to be sent flying without resistance by a single sweep of the golden light from the prohibition.

Guanyin shouted in anger, “What’s wrong with that? The Buddha attained Nirvana, reborn from the flames, beneath the Bodhi tree he sought the Dao for five hundred years! What’s wrong with saying Nirvana is with Buddha?”

Di Jun asked, “What does Buddha’s Nirvana have to do with you? Is it your path? Your law? Keep clamoring, and I shall kill you!”

The majesty of the Heavenly Emperor brooks no disrespect. Even though it was just a divine sense sealed within, it was still incomparably powerful. Moreover, this Forty-Nine Heavens’ Ladder was all about the intent of the Great Dao. Even if a Saint came here, not adhering to the rules would still get them flung out.

Guanyin didn’t dare say another word; that stroke of golden light had already wounded her Primordial Spirit. Perhaps Di Jun had held back; otherwise, her spiritual platform would have likely been shattered with a single hit.

Hong Hai’er laughed uproariously from above, “Guanyin, you lowly woman, weren’t you capable? Come up here if you have the guts and face off against this great king!”

Enraged beyond measure, Guanyin couldn’t believe that Hong Hai’er, who was once a well-behaved apprentice, now dared to insult her so openly. In her fury, she spat out another mouthful of fresh blood.

“Ha ha, keep spitting. Better yet, spit to death!” Hong Hai’er taunted.

Guanyin formed a hand seal and said, “Don’t think for a moment I can’t handle you!”

“Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva, Golden-Winged Great Peng King protector, where are the Four Great Vajras! Come quickly to the top of Heaven Pillar Mountain!”

Upon hearing Guanyin’s call, the Golden-Winged Great Peng King immediately stood up from his lotus pedestal, spread his wings, and transformed into a streak of light, heading towards Southern Ridge Demon Mountain, and he arrived in an instant.

Kong Xuan, the Peacock Great Bright King, summoned the Five-Colored Divine Light, stepped on it, and swept over.

The Four Great Vajras were a bit slower, but upon arrival, they immediately trapped Heaven Pillar Mountain with their net of heaven and earth, forming a grand formation.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng King stood proudly and, upon seeing the people on the platform, asked, “Have you found them?”

Guanyin nodded, “These people, driven into a corner by me, ascended the ladder built by the Demon Emperor. I, however, cannot ascend it.”

The Golden-Winged Great Peng King snorted and immediately took flight, not bothering to adhere to the Heavenly Emperor’s rules and ascend step by step.

“Begone!”

A cold, ice-like command sounded. A flash of golden light struck, and the Golden-Winged Great Peng King was sent tumbling down head over heels, his mouth full of blood.