mousepad-d2 Chapter 557 The Wheel of Time Rises
Chapter 557 The Wheel of Time Rises
Chapter 557 The Wheel of Time Rises
At the summit of the Great Snow Mountain lies the Kalachakra Palace.
Inside the magnificent golden hall, three hundred lamas sat cross-legged, chanting mantras that transformed into golden Sanskrit characters that traced beautiful trajectories in mid-air before finally landing on a lama at the far end of the hall.
The lama, dressed in a red robe with a yellow lining, sat cross-legged on the Vajrasana, his hands forming mudras, guiding the energy of the monks.
The soft light shimmered on his face, sometimes red, sometimes gold, giving the lama a sacred aura.
After the chanting of the scriptures was completed, the lama opened his eyes and asked, "What is it?"
A middle-aged lama, dressed in monastic robes and appearing to be around forty years old, approached from the side, looking worried, and reported on what had happened on the pilgrimage route.
Finally, he whispered, "Your Majesty, these must be martial arts experts from the association. What should we do?"
From the Four Venerable Ones downwards, there are eight Great Dharma Kings in the Kalachakra Palace.
They were all disciples of the Four Venerables, and even the weakest among them possessed the strength of a nine-star being.
Normally, the four venerable masters remain in seclusion, and the affairs are handled by the eight Dharma Kings. The one presiding over the chanting now is the strongest among the eight Dharma Kings, known as the "Red Sun Dharma King," Karma Norbu.
"Although there are many masters in the Martial Arts Association, no one can actually manifest the form of the Great Sun Tathagata, even if it is just a fake one."
The Red Sun Dharma King shook his head slightly, showing no sign of urgency, and said calmly, "These should be people from my Buddhist sect. They are most likely the group of thieving monks from Daxing Temple who are trying to seize the Buddha's faith."
"The thieving monks of Daxing Temple..." The middle-aged lama's face showed even more worry.
The Federation is currently engaged in a battle with the Divine Luo Empire in the Mountain and Sea Realm. It is said that there are also continuous battles in the Izumo Wasteland, with all the martial arts experts coming out in full force.
Given the current situation, the Federation is finding it difficult to spare any experts to deal with the Time Wheel Palace, but the situation is different for those unofficial sects.
Although they sent many experts to help, they probably still had a considerable amount of strength hidden behind their backs.
If it really is Daxing Temple that has come knocking, the strength of the visitors is probably no less than that of the Red Sun Dharma King.
"Your Majesty, why don't we leave too?" the middle-aged lama suggested.
"Where to retreat to?"
The Red Sun Dharma King countered with a question, then said calmly, "Once we leave Dongxia, our lineage will be severed. Although the environment in the Western Alliance is not bad, it is ultimately inferior to the Secret Realm that has been cultivated for generations. The Immovable Venerable can be free from the constraints of the lineage, but I cannot."
The environment in the Western Union is indeed quite good. Once there, there's no need to hide the process of making human bone rosaries and human skin thangkas; you can openly spend money to find talent.
But that place is ultimately not the realm of esoteric Buddhism; the land there, untouched by the nurturing influence of esoteric Buddhist beliefs, must start all over again.
The Acala's realm has long since transcended the constraints of tradition, and he has no intention of protecting the Tantric tradition; his only thought is to become an enemy of the gods.
The Red Sun Dharma King, however, could not do that.
So he chose to stay.
"Given the Federation's current situation, every single one of the Heavenly Gate Warriors has already gone to the Mountain and Sea Realm to fight their enemies, or confronted the experts of the Divine Luo and Western Alliance in other worlds. They cannot spare any Heavenly Gate Warriors to deal with us."
The Red Sun Dharma King closed his eyes slightly again, his lips moved, and he slowly said, "By using believers as hostages, defeating the uninvited guests, and stabilizing our position, even the Federation and the Martial Arts Association will not be able to break through my Kalachakra Palace in a short time. Once we pass this hurdle, I will be able to break through the Heavenly Barrier, and the Kalachakra Palace will still be able to stand on this land."
Seeing that the situation was not good, Acala decisively chose to abandon the Kalachakra Palace, which can be described as decisive.
The fact that the Red Sun Dharma King chose to take over the Kalachakra Palace at this time also shows great courage.
If he can hold on to the Kalachakra Palace and overcome this current difficulty, his state of mind, spirit, and will will be elevated as a result.
This is both a great calamity and an opportunity. If he can seize it, the heavenly barrier will surely be broken.
If he can become a Heavenly Gate, then even the Martial Arts Association will have to be wary of him.
If the Heavenly Gate warriors were to unleash their full power, it could trigger a natural disaster, affecting an entire state. For the safety of the people, and given that the Red Sun Dharma King is willing to make a sacred break with the Immovable Venerable, the Federation might be willing to accept a compromise.
The reason why the Acala Venerable left was because he had already committed a betrayal and was unwilling to take the risk.
If he were to go all out, he could indeed inflict considerable losses on the Federation, but he himself would most likely die in the subsequent reckoning.
In the eyes of the Immovable One, this was not worthwhile, and it would be better to leave voluntarily.
Four Dharma Kings followed Acala. They brought with them some of their disciples and some treasures, and entered the ancient land of India half a day earlier.
Of the remaining three Dharma Kings, one had previously gone to the Flame Desert on a mission, while the other two chose to follow the Red Sun Dharma King.
"That's right, that's exactly it."
"Karman Norbu, help us gather faith, and we will help you take control of the Kalachakra Temple."
A hollow voice echoed in his ears. In the divine perception of the Red Sun Dharma King, two skeletal phantoms were standing behind him, whispering in his ear with their white bone skulls.
It's not just Tantric Buddhism that can't leave this land; evil deities like the Lord of the Sita Heaven and Palden Lhamo are also inseparable from it.
Thus, the two sides reached a certain consensus.
He seemed not to hear the whispers around him, but simply used his divine sense to send a message: "Have your people keep a close watch on all the key roads; the uninvited guests will be here soon."
The use of the manifestation of Vairocana Buddha was intended to attract pilgrims, reduce the number of hostages, and simultaneously provide an opportunity to approach the Kalachakra Temple.
A clever trick, but useless.
With the help of an evil god, no movement could escape the notice of the Red Sun Dharma King. The opponent couldn't even reach the summit of this snow mountain. The Red Sun Dharma King's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. He suddenly opened his eyes, his expression showing surprise.
The person arrived, and was in the Kalachakra Palace.
"I've been discovered."
"In the square, Bai Ze, who had just stepped through the gate, looked up in surprise at the majestic palace perched atop the mountain."
.....
.....
After displaying the image of Vairocana Buddha to attract pilgrims, he went straight to the Kalachakra Temple.
There were naturally many checkpoints along the way, but none of them could stop Bai Ze.
He passed by as if he were invisible to the lamas around him, and the crowded believers spontaneously parted to make way for him.
Everything happened naturally, and no one thought there was anything unusual about it.
It wasn't until he entered the area of the Kalachakra Palace that Bai Ze keenly sensed the attention he was receiving, even the targeting he was being directed at.
The entire Kalachakra Palace seemed to come alive, like a giant beast perched atop a mountain, watching Bai Ze, this uninvited guest.
The plaza beneath their feet, the stone steps ahead, and the towering palace walls—the gaze was fixed on every corner of the Kalachakra Palace, and malice was omnipresent.
"It's a magical artifact."
Bai Ze discerned the source of that malice and finally realized why he had been discovered.
Items made from human bones, human skin, and other materials are called ritual implements by the Kalachakra Temple.
The palace before us, its foundation, high walls, and stupa, all contain blood and bone. The entire Kalachakra Palace is a living artifact.
When Bai Ze entered the area of the Kalachakra Palace, it was as if he were stepping on the back of this "giant beast," and naturally he could not hide it from this "giant beast."
"Is this also the foundation of the Kalachakra Palace?" Bai Ze showed a hint of disgust.
He controls the entire Ying Kingdom and can brainwash people at will, making him a villain in the traditional sense. Even when faced with the power of the Shirin Palace, he realizes that he is not so evil.
Bai Ze, who has always been labeled as having "unparalleled talent," felt for the first time that his talent was not comprehensive enough.
But it must be admitted that this "foundation" is quite substantial.
With the home-field advantage it creates, it can even prevent some martial artists from even entering the field.
It's quite remarkable that the Immovable One was willing to relinquish such a profound foundation.
Or does he think he can come back?
Unable to conceal his presence any longer, Bai Ze revealed himself, unleashing a vast aura that collided violently with the omnipresent "malice."
"boom"
The invisible impact emitted visible sound waves, causing the monk soldiers guarding the square to fall over.
Further away, the pilgrims also cried out in alarm, creating chaos.
But the next moment, someone shouted, "It's a miracle! The Bodhisattva has appeared!"
The invisible energy permeating every corner of the Kalachakra Palace was compressed by external forces, coalescing into form and burning as light and flames on the highest palace. A colossal phantom slowly rose within those flames.
"The Kalachakra Palace has risen up."
Even the lamas who arrived at the scene instinctively knelt down and cried out in celebration of the miracle.
In their perception, the Kalachakra Palace had come to life and stood up.
That enormous phantom was the embodiment of the Kalachakra Palace.
As believers continued to worship and lamas offered their devotion, the phantom gradually solidified, its blue body as majestic as a mountain range, its face shrouded in flames, appearing both sacred and terrifying.
An overwhelming pressure poured down as the phantom materialized, accompanied by a fierce wind, as if an invisible palm was pushing in.
"Bang!"
The roar returned, the violent wind crashing against a towering peak, producing a dull sound.
Bai Ze slightly raised his head, and endless light burst forth from the acupoints all over his body, forming one large star after another outside his body.
Ten stars rose up and formed a powerful gravitational field.
The invisible yet substantial gravitational force clashed with the oppressive aura of the blue giant, causing thunder to roar across the sky, the wind to howl, and the sound to be incessant.
"Step back."
Bai Ze gave a soft shout and stepped forward, the gravitational field moving forward like a mountain.
Boom—
Amidst the continuous, surging explosions, the invisible pressure collapsed like a mountain falling, causing the entire Kalachakra Palace to tremble, and the enormous azure phantom also shook violently.
But in the next moment, a red sun rose from the Kalachakra Palace, and the unstable blue phantom, as if it had found its backbone, immediately stabilized.
The collision of energies arose once more with the sounds of wind and thunder, and red light filled the sky, guiding the vast power.
The oppressive force that had begun to collapse stabilized again, and amidst a roar, the red sun descended upon the square.
"Kalachakra is a sacred Buddhist site; no disrespect is permitted."
A deep, resounding voice, carrying a solemn Buddhist aura, accompanied a figure emerging from the crimson sun. The figure's robes fluttered, forcibly halting Bai Ze's advance.
At the same time, two more streams of energy rose up, one agile and the other hard, both landing behind the red sun.
A large number of lamas descended from the long steps on both sides, all behind the three.
"Um?"
Bai Ze looked at this situation with a hint of surprise. "They didn't think about escaping, but chose to put up a stubborn resistance?"
He thought the people of the Kalachakra Palace were already preparing to escape, so he wanted to infiltrate directly and carry out a decapitation strike, and then slowly deal with the rest.
It now appears that the situation is quite different from what was expected.
Instead of fleeing, the opposing side held firm at the Kalachakra Palace, intending to violently resist the law.
This is no ordinary traitor; we must strike hard.
"This is the ancestral home of my Tantric sect, why should we flee?"
The Red Sun Dharma King answered solemnly, and stepped forward at the same time.
Its majestic form stands like a mountain peak, and its youthful face exudes a dignified and imposing aura that is difficult to look directly at.
Behind him, two figures, one on his left and one on his right, followed in sync.
The figure on the left was thin and wiry, cold and hard as iron. His dark facial skin clung to his bones, yet it did not appear terrifying, but rather revealed a kind of unwavering strength.
Before arriving, Bai Ze had already reviewed the information on the high-ranking members of the Kalachakra Palace and recognized this as the Benevolent Law King of the Kalachakra Palace.
The other one had a face like a full moon, wore white robes, and possessed a lively and elusive aura, yet also had a calm and hidden presence. He was the Wish-Fulfilling Dharma King among the Eight Dharma Kings.
Apart from that, no other Dharma Kings appeared.
Both the Benevolent Law King and the Wish-Fulfilling Law King are nine-star warriors, while the Red Sun Law King is undoubtedly a ten-star warrior. The three of them advance and retreat together, and with the help of the Azure Giant Spirit of the Time Wheel Palace, they are like an insurmountable chasm standing in front of Bai Ze.
Tantric practice belongs to Vajrayana in Buddhism. It emphasizes the cultivation of wisdom and power that are non-dual, inseparable, indivisible, and indestructible. It lacks the gentleness of Zen. Where power is applied, its power and might arise spontaneously.
With the three Dharma Kings' auras linked and the advantage of home field, even if a Heavenly Gate warrior arrived, their momentum would be no more than this.
"The sacred ground of Kalachakra Palace does not welcome unwelcome guests. Please leave."
The voice of the Red Sun Dharma King was like a heavenly drum, shaking the mind and spirit, and spreading the sound waves in all directions to demonstrate his power and intimidate other enemies.
"No need to look anymore, there's no one else here."
Bai Ze spoke calmly, gently waving his hand to suppress the heavenly drum's chanting. The radiance of the sun and moon was reflected in his eyes as he gazed at the people of the Kalachakra Palace.
"It's just me."
"I will come alone to wipe out your entire family."
The stars revolve, their gravitational forces intertwine, suppressing the oppressive force and attempting to capture the entire mountain.
Gravity is in conflict, in flux.
The gravity from the planet beneath their feet and the alien force of the star that Bai Ze had transformed into countered each other, pulling in different directions and causing the great snow mountain to shake.
His words filled the Red Sun Dharma King with both surprise and anger.
The surprise was that the opponent only had one person, while their own side had a large number of people and the advantage of playing at home.
Bai Ze's tone was naturally angry.
Even though he's not a martial artist from the Heavenly Gate, he dares to speak with such arrogance.
Although the Red Sun Dharma King spends most of his time practicing in the Kalachakra Palace, he is not entirely ignorant of the outside world. After a brief exchange, he recognized Bai Ze.
After all, he is the most famous young talent in the Federation.
Judging from the confrontation, this person truly lives up to his reputation and is not to be underestimated. However, to say that he wiped out the entire Shilun Palace would be an overstatement of arrogance.
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