It is widely known that the Heavenly Mandate has three non-bestowals.
The first is not bestowed upon the Heavenly Dao, the second not upon the Earthly Dao, and the third not upon the Buddhist Dao.
Therefore, throughout the ages, there have never been any Heavenly Mandate individuals, whether in the Heavenly Dao, the Earthly Dao, or the Buddhist Dao.
However.
Although there is no Heavenly Mandate, the Western Heaven Buddhist Dao has the concepts of Arhats and Bodhisattvas, signifying the attainment of the Arhat fruit and the formation of the Bodhi seed.
Attaining the Arhat fruit makes one an Arhat; forming the Bodhi seed makes one a Bodhisattva.
In the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm, Arhats who have attained the Arhat fruit are not numerous, but they are certainly not few either.
But Bodhisattvas who have formed the Bodhi seed are absolutely few and far between.
This Pure Robe Bodhisattva originated from the Pure Land Sect and later received enlightenment from Miao Rulai, becoming one of Miao Rulai's Eight Marvelous Dharma Bodhisattvas.
Not only in the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm, but across the myriad realms of the Great Desolate, she is quite renowned—profound in Buddhist Dharma, vast in cultivation, deep in fortune, and formidable in strength, surpassing even the Five Sacred Mountain Emperors under the Great Sun Radiance Emperor.
Under the Western Heaven Buddha Emperor Miao Rulai, there have always been Four Dharma-Protecting Golden Buddhas, Eight Marvelous Dharma Bodhisattvas, Twelve Indestructible Vajras, and Thirty-Six Golden-Body Arhats.
At this moment, one of the Eight Marvelous Dharma Bodhisattvas, Pure Robe Bodhisattva, has arrived, and one of the Twelve Indestructible Vajras, the Red-Faced Vajra, has come.
As for Dharma King Jiujie, although he is not directly under Miao Rulai, now that Miao Rulai dominates the Western Heaven and is hailed as Buddha Emperor, disciples of the eight Buddhist sects all pay homage and submit. Dharma King Jiujie is also a ruling elder of the Pure Land Sect, so in a sense, he can be considered Miao Rulai's man.
Moreover, Dharma King Jiujie himself had long ago attained the Arhat fruit and also formed the Bodhi seed; he too is a Bodhisattva. However, his status in the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm is esteemed, his title of Dharma King is widely known, surpassing even the name Bodhisattva, so he is respectfully addressed as Dharma King.
Such a lineup cannot be said to be weak. At least within the Desolate Ancient Nine Palaces, as long as they do not encounter great Dao overlords who shake heaven and earth like the Great Sun Radiance Emperor or the Blood River Patriarch, they fear nothing.
However, when the more than twenty Original Sin individuals beside the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor saw Pure Robe Bodhisattva and this group of Western Heaven Buddhas, each of their faces revealed a trace of apprehension.
To be honest.
If the newcomers were Great Dao Imperial Seals bearing the Heavenly Mandate, even the Five Sacred Mountain Emperors under the Great Sun Radiance Emperor, they would not be so flustered.
After all, their cultivation bases are not ordinary, each possessing their own fortune, some even bearing the Heavenly Mandate. Most importantly, they have cultivated Original Sin Manifestation Bodies, even Original Sin Dharmakayas. Although these are Original Sin bodies obtained through possession and fusion, with the power of Original Sin, they are qualified and have the strength to battle the Five Sacred Mountain Emperors under the Great Sun Radiance Emperor.
But the newcomers unexpectedly are a group of Buddhas from the Western Heaven Buddhist Dao, and moreover, the famously renowned Dharma King Jiujie, Pure Robe Bodhisattva, and the Red-Faced Vajra.
This made their hearts somewhat uneasy.
It wasn't because the strength of Pure Robe Bodhisattva, Dharma King Jiujie, and the others was greater than that of the Five Sacred Mountain Emperors under the Great Sun Radiance Emperor, but because they were all Buddhas cultivating Buddhism in the Western Heaven.
The world knows that Buddha represents sacredness and light, the bane of all demons, ghosts, and monsters.
Original Sin individuals, though not demons, ghosts, or monsters, are darker and more evil than them.
In other words, Original Sin individuals fear Buddhist Dharma even more than demons, ghosts, and monsters do.
Fortunately, the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was here. Although they were uneasy in their hearts, it was merely unease, far from fear, because they all knew the terror of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor and had personally witnessed him obliterate a Bodhisattva of the Western Heaven Buddhist Dao.
And that Bodhisattva obliterated by the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was precisely an elder of the Pure Land Sect.
Thinking of this, the two Great Dao Thrones, the three Great Dao Star Lords, and the more than twenty Original Sin Manifestation Bodies all moved closer to the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's side.
Here.
The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor still had his eyes closed, one hand behind his back, the other toying with a black glass bead. This calm and composed demeanor did not mean he was unaware of the newcomers, but that no matter who came, he did not take them seriously.
In the void.
When Pure Robe Bodhisattva, Dharma King Jiujie, and the group of Buddhas clearly saw the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, their hearts also slightly jolted, filled with both shock and anger.
They were shocked because they had not expected to encounter the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor in this Kan Palace; they were doubtful because they did not know what the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was doing here.
Their anger stemmed from the fact that the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor had previously obliterated a Bodhisattva of the Pure Land Sect. That Bodhisattva was both Pure Robe Bodhisattva's martial uncle and Dharma King Jiujie's senior brother. This debt had been firmly etched in their hearts.
The reason it was etched in their hearts.
First, they knew the existence of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was not to be trifled with. That he could obliterate a Bodhisattva was enough to show how powerful his strength was. Both Dharma King Jiujie and Pure Robe Bodhisattva were somewhat wary of him.
The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor possessing the Heavenly Dragon Supreme Body was already immensely powerful. Coupled with having one of the four great bloodlines, the Dark Bloodline, and having cultivated an Original Sin Dharmakaya, it was like adding wings to a tiger. Leaving aside his cultivation and strength, just these few fortunes alone were enough to make experts across the myriad realms wary.
Another reason was that now the Desolate Ancient Nine Palaces had already appeared, and the moment deciding the fate of heaven and earth's great Dao was imminent. At this critical juncture, it was best to prioritize the greater matter.
So when they discovered the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, Pure Robe Bodhisattva and the others discussed whether to leave. After all, if they went to join the commotion now and ended up clashing with the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, the consequences would likely be unimaginable.
But soon.
Pure Robe Bodhisattva proposed going over to take a look, because he discovered the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was only an incarnation, not his true self.
They feared the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's true self, but if he was merely an incarnation, that was a different matter altogether.
Thus.
Their group descended upon the Desolate Ancient Ruins.
First, they glanced at the mist-like Taixu Sword Formation. Seeing the seven or eight unconscious individuals within, they were somewhat puzzled, not knowing what had happened here. Upon closer inspection, when they saw the sword suspended at the very center of the Taixu Sword Formation, Dharma King Jiujie immediately recognized it as one of the Taixu Nine Swords—the Life-Transformation Sword—and also knew it belonged to Elder Tongbei of Taixu Grotto.
Thinking of this, Dharma King Jiujie and Pure Robe Bodhisattva exchanged a glance, their hearts roughly arriving at an answer.
Not long ago, they had also heard that people from Taixu Grotto had accidentally obtained a Primordial Pearl from a Desolate Ancient Ruin.
Now, with the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor watching covetously from outside, it seemed they must be trying to seize that Primordial Pearl obtained by Taixu Grotto.
And they likely had not succeeded.
Although everyone inside the Taixu Sword Formation had fallen unconscious, the Taixu Sword Formation had not yet collapsed. Elder Tongbei, having transformed into a sword, was still single-handedly supporting the formation.
Considering this.
Pure Robe Bodhisattva and Dharma King Jiujie very tacitly revealed a hint of a smile.
The Primordial Pearl was a treasure of heaven and earth, containing the essence of the cosmos. If one could claim it for oneself, soaring to become a great Dao overlord was not impossible.
Pure Robe Bodhisattva and the others had originally not planned to clash with the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor. Even after discovering he was only an incarnation, they still had no intention of fighting. But when they learned that those inside the Taixu Sword Formation were from Taixu Grotto, killing intent stirred within the hearts of Pure Robe Bodhisattva and Dharma King Jiujie.