To say this Pure Robe Bodhisattva was truly treacherous would be an understatement. His words sounded like congratulations to the Eternal Life Pavilion, but in reality, they were deliberately spoken for the ears of Eastern Peak Great Emperor and the others, aiming to provoke them into action.
His intention was obvious. In the Present Era, the Eternal Life Pavilion had already gained immense prestige by producing a Floating Life Emperor. If they were to produce a second Floating Life Emperor, it wouldn't be impossible for the Eternal Life Pavilion to become the leader of the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands.
But that was secondary.
Pure Robe Bodhisattva compared the Seven-Colored Lotus to the Lotus Throne of the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva, and hinted that if one obtained this opportunity, they might very well become the second Floating Life Emperor.
Every single person present, upon hearing Pure Robe Bodhisattva's words, felt their hearts stir.
Especially Eastern Peak Great Emperor Zhuge Yun.
He had become famous earlier. Although his prestige remained formidable in the Present Era, compared to Floating Life Emperor, he fell far short in both fame and influence. Most importantly, Floating Life Emperor was a junior who had risen later, yet his current status and position now surpassed his own. This had always left Eastern Peak Great Emperor feeling stifled and resentful.
However.
Eastern Peak Great Emperor was no ordinary figure either. Naturally, he could hear that Pure Robe Bodhisattva's intention was to provoke them into action. Although he desired the Seven-Colored Lotus before him more than anyone else, he also knew that the more critical the moment, the calmer one must remain to avoid being used by others. Everyone else was also calculating their own schemes.
"A petty man remains a petty man. If you covet the Seven-Colored Lotus, come and seize it yourself. Why must you incite others to do the work for you?"
A voice came through. Pure Robe Bodhisattva, wearing a smile, looked over and said, "I wondered who it was. So it's Water Moon Bodhisattva."
"And what if it is me?"
Water Moon Bodhisattva's tone was unfriendly, her gaze icy as she stared at Pure Robe Bodhisattva.
To put it plainly.
Pure Robe Bodhisattva might not be considered Water Moon Bodhisattva's personal enemy, but he was absolutely an adversary.
The reason was simple.
Pure Robe Bodhisattva was a senior elder of the Pure Land Sect and one of the Eight Marvelous Dharma Bodhisattvas under Miaorulai. Both the Pure Land Sect and Miaorulai had, over the years, been coveting the Zen Sect's supreme treasure and even wanted to permanently erase the Zen Sect from the Western Buddha Realm.
"Heh heh, it's been many years, yet Water Moon Bodhisattva's prejudice against this humble one remains so strong."
Pure Robe Bodhisattva chuckled, but his gaze never left the Seven-Colored Lotus suspended in the air.
Clearly.
He also wanted to obtain this Seven-Colored Lotus, but he understood even more clearly that the current situation wasn't one where you could just seize it. Otherwise, when he arrived earlier, he wouldn't have deliberately tried to provoke Eastern Peak Great Emperor and the others into action.
Within the scene.
Originally, with Water Moon Bodhisattva and the Black Mountain Five Monsters stepping forward to aid the Eternal Life Pavilion, Eastern Peak Great Emperor and the others dared not act rashly. However, with the appearance of Pure Robe Bodhisattva, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense again, as if a bloody battle could erupt at any moment.
The Eternal Life Pavilion's Founding Elder, Lixin Xianzi, and the others were all on tenterhooks, gripping their magical treasures tightly. If these people truly dared to make a move to seize the lotus, they would have no choice but to fight to the death; there was no other way.
Time passed bit by bit. Not long after Water Moon Bodhisattva's arrival, two or three more groups of people arrived one after another. Although their fame wasn't as great as Pure Robe Bodhisattva or Eastern Peak Great Emperor, they were all elders from various major powers of the Great Wilderness. Among them were also a few mysterious, bizarre, and unfathomable existences.
At this point, even Lady Water Mirror's heart couldn't help but grow somewhat panicked.
Because she knew that if they remained deadlocked like this, more and more people would be drawn by the Seven-Colored Lotus. By then, their Eternal Life Pavilion would inevitably become the target of everyone's attacks and suffer a joint assault.
What to do?
Lady Water Mirror didn't know either. Right now, Qingqing seemed to be fusing with the Seven-Colored Lotus. This situation absolutely could not be disturbed by any external interference; otherwise, the consequences were unimaginable.
Just at this moment, two more figures flew towards this area.
One was a monk wearing tattered gray robes, a worn-out hat, and holding a broken fan. The other was a plain-looking man in white robes.
However.
Upon seeing this white-robed man, the expressions of Lady Water Mirror, Water Moon Bodhisattva, and even Pure Robe Bodhisattva and the others changed repeatedly.
The group of eminent monks and arhats behind Pure Robe Bodhisattva looked as if they had seen ghosts or gods, their faces turning unnatural, their bodies involuntarily retreating a few steps. When the Eternal Life Pavilion's Founding Elder, Lixin Xianzi, and the others saw the white-robed man, they were also terrified, their faces turning deathly pale, their eyes filled with despair.
They all recognized this white-robed man. It was none other than Gu Qingfeng.
A legendary existence, a being like a myth.
"Well, well, what a coincidence. Didn't expect to meet again so soon."
Gu Qingfeng, holding a wine gourd in one hand, leaped down and landed.
Opposite him.
Lady Water Mirror stared fixedly at Gu Qingfeng as if facing a great enemy. Although she had never had any contact with Gu Qingfeng before, she knew just how mysterious, bizarre, and terrifying his existence was.
Lady Water Mirror might not fear Lingyin Gong, nor Eastern Peak Great Emperor. Even if Pure Robe Bodhisattva came, she did not fear him. Although she had no absolute certainty of protecting Qingqing, if she fought to the death to protect her, she believed there was still some hope.
But now, with Gu Qingfeng's appearance.
The last shred of hope in Lady Water Mirror's heart also vanished like smoke.
A being who had once dominated the Nine Nethers. A being who had once set the Nine Heavens ablaze. A being who dared to obliterate a Heavenly Mandate right in front of the Heavenly Dao. A being viewed as a thorn in the side by all the major powers of the Great Wilderness, the Cave-Heavens and Blessed Lands, the Holy Lands and Forbidden Grounds, by every existence in the heavens above and the earth below. A being recorded in the Book of Fate as the True Lord of Original Sin.
If such a person wanted to seize the Seven-Colored Lotus, Lady Water Mirror truly did not know how to protect it, nor how to resist.
Not far away, Eastern Peak Great Emperor, Lingyin Gong, including Blue Tusk Ghost Emperor and Blood Toad Monster King, none of them recognized Gu Qingfeng. However, they all recognized Da Xing the Mad Monk and knew he was not someone to be trifled with. Discovering that Lady Water Mirror, Water Moon Bodhisattva, and even Pure Robe Bodhisattva were particularly wary of Gu Qingfeng, Eastern Peak Great Emperor's heart was filled with curiosity.
Observing that Gu Qingfeng had no discernible cultivation or destiny aura whatsoever, he thought carefully for a moment, then his expression changed dramatically, as if he had remembered something but didn't dare be certain. Eastern Peak Great Emperor immediately spoke up and asked, "May I ask your esteemed name, sir?"
"Me?"
Gu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes and smiled. "My surname is Gu."
As his words fell, Eastern Peak Great Emperor sucked in a cold breath, pointed at Gu Qingfeng, and blurted out, "You are... the Nine Nethers Emperor?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
A person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
The name 'Nine Nethers Emperor' was known throughout heaven and earth, known to all, unheard of by none.
From the highest Nine Heavens to the deepest Nine Nethers, everyone knew of it.
Precisely because they all knew what kind of existence the Nine Nethers Emperor was, when they confirmed that the white-robed man before them was the famous Nine Nethers Emperor, whether it was Eastern Peak Great Emperor, Lingyin Gong, Blue Tusk Ghost King, or Blood Toad Monster King, they were all terrified, filled with shock and awe.