Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 709: Heavenly Demon Papiyas

“About Yuxu... There are indeed old grudges, but they go back many years,” Yuan Xing explained. “In the early days, before even the Four Idols Cult rose to prominence, the world’s established faiths were dominated by Buddhism and Daoism; thus, conflicts were inevitable. Back in those days, Yuxu and Senior Brother Yuan Cheng were rivals, competing fiercely across the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, then the Ranking of Man, then the Ranking of Earth, much like Tang Wanzhuang and Vermillion Bird...”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “That’s quite an apt comparison. But if we were to follow that comparison, Yuxu later became fourth on the Ranking of Heaven, while your senior brother kind of... fell behind. Did Yuxu feel upset about that?”

Yuan Xing chuckled helplessly. “Well, they never formed a bond as close as First Seat Tang and Venerable Vermillion did. So, why would either of them feel upset? The fact that Yuxu didn’t kick him while he was down is a testament to his magnanimity. As for falling behind... in this world, only a handful of people can break through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries, and the fact that my senior brother couldn’t isn’t surprising. Of course, if you insist on looking for an excuse, there is one—it’s well known...”

“The late emperor’s campaign against Buddhism caused your Buddha to fall, severing the lineage and disrupting the qi veins entirely.”

“Indeed.”

“And now, believing the Four Idols Cult to be lacking universal appeal, you’re looking to rebuild... And that means that you’d inevitably end up in conflict with Daoism again.”

Yuan Xing hesitated briefly before saying, “Given the current state of affairs, we’re not qualified to clash with the Daoists. We’re not even a match for Gui Chen’s Taiyi Sect, let alone Yuxu.”

Zhao Changhe had been puzzled about this as well. Buddhism had declined significantly in recent times, so why would anyone provoke a conflict between Buddhism and Daoism? A strategy like driving a tiger to devour a wolf required both sides to be evenly matched. There was no point in setting up a cannon to fight a mosquito.

The only thing that made sense was that the Buddhist sects still held some underlying power, perhaps involving the revival of a Buddha, and possibly more than one. Stirring up conflict with Yuxu might then have some purpose. But right now, their Buddha was little more than a statue... Perhaps precisely because it was still just a statue, it was susceptible to being manipulated, which led to this entire situation that Zhao Changhe got involved in.

That seemed to connect the dots. If this was the case, then either Snow Owl might return to steal this Buddha, or it meant he had other targets and did not necessarily need this particular one.

As for the method of using chaotic demonic intent to corrupt a Buddha, it bore a striking resemblance to the legendary Papiyas...

Yuan Xing continued, “Heavenly Demon Papiyas is indeed mentioned in scripture and widely known in the world. But to be honest, King Zhao, we’ve never encountered it. We don’t know if it’s merely a myth or an actual being.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. In the modern world, it would undoubtedly be regarded as a myth. But here, it was highly likely to exist. Moreover, a demon recorded in the scriptures under this name could only be someone of true caliber, possibly comparable to the Sea Emperor or the ancient four idols. At worst, it might rival the Night Emperor, and in any case, it was far beyond the likes of Desolate Calamity.

By now, Zhao Changhe had pieced together the broader picture. Beings like Desolate Calamity seemed to belong to a lineage of calamities—entities that did not exist originally but manifested as embodiments of apocalyptic-level forces before the collapse of an era. Among them, the flame of oblivion had the misfortune of being slain immediately by Piaomiao’s Qinghe Sword. The rest—Desolate Calamity, Hidden Wind, and Dark Oblivion—remained to this day.

In theory, beings of this kind carry an inherently high status; they could be termed innate demon gods. Yet, for some reason, Zhao Changhe could not shake the feeling that they were nothing more than glorified natural treasures. He felt no reverence, only detachment, as though these mighty beings were mere objects to be harvested.

Another category of beings included figures like Duoluo, Xue Wu, and the Sword Emperor—ancient leaders of their respective factions. For instance, Xue Wu served as a beast spirit protector for the Spirit Tribe, holding a revered position, while Duoluo was likely a high-ranking abbot or protector in an ancient Buddhist sect. Lie, too, could be considered part of this group—a mortal who cultivated to dominate a region, eventually becoming worthy of being referred to as a god. This category varied greatly in power: at the lower end, there were beings like Xue Wu, while the stronger ones were as formidable as Lie or the Sword Emperor.

Finally, the highest echelon of divine beings were those such as Papiyas, along with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Tngri, the Sea Emperor, the Night Emperor, the four idols, and Piaomiao. These were the true gods and Buddhas... and one blind woman. This group not only possessed the highest stature but also brought the most trouble. The Sea Emperor, for example, survived only by sheer luck, having been struck down by a greater anomaly—Xia Longyuan. In a proper duel, Xia Longyuan would definitely obliterate him without much trouble.

Zhao Changhe wondered which category the one Yuxu was once wary of belonged to.

Damn, there are a lot of these entities... No wonder the heavens wanted to get rid of them all. Even after culling so many, there are still quite a few left. Then again, all the four idols were killed—so there might not be that many gods and Buddhas left after all.

As Zhao Changhe fell into thought, Yue Hongling, who had been quietly drinking her congee and eating her steamed buns, suddenly spoke up, “There was an ice crystal mirror that could reflect one’s inner demons and draw out one’s soul... as well as various beasts or spirits capable of mimicking others based on what they saw inside someone’s heart. Could that be Papiyas?”

Yuan Xing’s expression changed dramatically. “Absolutely! The mirror may not be a mirror at all—it could be the Eye of Papiyas. As for those so-called beasts or spirits, they are either Papiyas’ incarnations or fragments of his soul.”

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Yue Hongling responded with a calm indifference. “Then it’s not that impressive.”

Yuan Xing froze. “What?”

His mouth opened and closed as he struggled to find words. The tension in his chest seemed to hang midair—his heart neither racing nor calming down.

Yue Hongling did not think her ability to break free from her inner demons was particularly remarkable. Although it had been a close call, once she realized the truth, it was not all that difficult. She was unaware that her clarity of mind and steadfast resolve had already reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, referred to as Sword Heart Illumination. Across the entire world, there were fewer than a handful who had achieved such mastery. Even those stronger than her might not necessarily possess it.

For most people, Papiyas’ methods would be nearly infallible. But against Yue Hongling, they were utterly useless. Illusions, deceptions—none of it mattered. Her Sword Heart would effortlessly cut through them all.

Zhao Changhe also came to a realization and grinned. “Well, I guess we can at least conclude that Papiyas is actually quite weak. It relies solely on innate powers of manipulation over the human heart and cannot directly harm Hongling. Knowing that, I feel much more confident.”

Yuan Xing was at a loss, his mind filled with ellipses. That’s the Heavenly Demon Papiyas! The one who stood against the Buddha himself! Do you even understand what that means?

After a brief hesitation, Yuan Xing finally spoke, “If the opponent truly is Papiyas, then Heroine Yue might be fine, but you, King Zhao... Given that your foundation lies in the Vicious Blood Art, you face significant risk when facing them. You need to make thorough preparations in advance. My personal suggestion is for you to study the Diamond Sutra from our temple.”

Zhao Changhe shot him a sidelong glance. “Your vajra was turned into a puppet. What good would studying his sutra do?”

Yuan Xing looked a bit awkward. “That vajra is not the same as the one I’m referring to. The sutra I’m suggesting is about fortifying the heart, rendering it impervious to demonic influence. As for that Buddha you mentioned, the so-called vajra state he attained was more on the ultimate refinement of one’s physical form—a martial concept of body tempering, unrelated to inner demons.”

Zhao Changhe paused, falling into consideration.

Yue Hongling could not help but chuckle. “It seems he’s actually quite interested in that body cultivation technique.”

Zhao Changhe lowered his head and continued drinking his congee, thinking, big sister understands me best...

Yuan Xing sighed. “The Golden Bell Barrier is foundational to our sect. It absolutely cannot be taught to outsiders. I ask for your understanding, King Zhao. Besides, you lack even a basic grasp of Buddhist teachings. You wouldn’t be able to learn it anyway.”

Zhao Changhe had anticipated this outcome, but he was still somewhat disappointed. Damn it. Guess I’ll keep living like a battered dog for a while longer. He grumbled, “I don’t understand Buddhist teachings, but I can learn the Diamond Sutra?”

Yuan Xing blinked, a sly smile crossing his face. “The Diamond Sutra itself is among Buddhist teachings... In a way, this would be like us initiating you into the faith.”

Zhao Changhe mulled over this for a moment, and then a thought struck him.

He was not particularly concerned about the issues stemming from the Vicious Blood Art anymore. He was already working on breaking through to the Profound Control Realm, and just about all vicious blood would submit to him. At this stage, the idea of worrying about backlash or someone exploiting his vicious blood qi seemed almost embarrassing. By this point in his cultivation, all vicious blood should bow to him.

But what suddenly came to mind was the blind woman.

The more he used the Heavenly Tome, the deeper he was being drawn into it. A heart of diamond, impervious to all... Would this have any significance in a future confrontation with the blind woman?

Furthermore, if the Heavenly Tome analyzed the Diamond Sutra, could it possibly deduce the Golden Bell Barrier? It was a long shot, but there was a chance.

With that in mind, he finally nodded. “Alright, but don’t consider it as my initiation into Buddhism. Instead, consider it a favor I owe you. If your sect wishes to repay the kindness of my assistance, let’s call it even.”

Yuan Xing let out a long sigh of relief, a smile breaking across his face. “King Zhao, you are indeed straightforward.”

At that moment, a young monk came running in from outside. “Uncle-Master, the abbot has sent me to report that the secret realm has shut itself. There’s no longer any other way out.”