Although Da Xing was known far and wide, and there was no one who did not recognize him, no one had expected him to come flying out from within a Desolate Ancient Ruin.
Clearly.
Most likely, Da Xing the Mad Monk had been hiding there all along, secretly observing like the other Great Dao experts. It was just unknown why he had suddenly revealed himself.
At the Mad Monk's abrupt appearance, Miao Tathagata's eyebrows faintly arched in evident surprise. Even Demon Emperor Blood River, who had been keeping his eyes closed while waiting for something, opened his eyes.
It was apparent that not only had the Great Dao experts secretly observing not expected Da Xing the Mad Monk to show up, but neither had Miao Tathagata nor Demon Emperor Blood River.
However.
If that were all, it wouldn't have been enough to make Miao Tathagata and Demon Emperor Blood River so surprised. The truth was, they hadn't even known Da Xing the Mad Monk was hiding within one of the Desolate Ancient Ruins nearby.
Not that they were completely unaware.
For Miao Tathagata and Demon Emperor Blood River, they knew perfectly well in their hearts how many people were hiding within each surrounding Desolate Ancient Ruin. The identities, backgrounds, cultivation levels, and strengths of those hiding—even what fortuitous encounters they carried—could not escape their notice.
Only.
Although Miao Tathagata and Demon Emperor Blood River were Great Dao Overlords, possessing profound fortuitous encounters, powerful Divine Sense, and unfathomable cultivation, they were not gods, let alone omniscient.
At the very least.
There were several existences hidden within the surrounding Desolate Ancient Ruins who were rather mysterious—so mysterious that they only knew these beings were hiding there, including within which specific ruin.
But that was all.
What their identities and backgrounds were, or what their cultivation and strength were, they could not discern.
"I was wondering who it was, so it's the Living Buddha of the Myriad Heavens, the Venerable Da Xing."
Gazing at the approaching Mad Monk, Miao Tathagata spoke in a rather peculiar tone.
Most who had heard of Da Xing the Mad Monk felt there was nothing particularly impressive about him.
Da Xing the Mad Monk had always been a grinning, unserious figure, utterly lacking in majesty. Called a Living Buddha, he seemed more like a disreputable monk who ate and drank his way everywhere, swindling and cheating.
Although legends said Da Xing the Mad Monk's Buddhist Dharma was boundless, especially the Great Compassion Fan in his hand, which was rumored to have been personally forged by the ancient Buddha Dipankara, possessing infinite power.
Yet, from ancient times to the present, no one had ever seen Da Xing the Mad Monk make a move.
However.
The higher one's cultivation, the more one felt Da Xing's existence was unfathomable.
Even those as powerful as Miao Tathagata and Demon Emperor Blood River were no exception.
The two of them had long known Da Xing the Mad Monk. When they first met him, they couldn't see through him, and even today, they still could not.
Da Xing the Mad Monk's existence was like a riddle.
"Miao Tathagata, you've really grown bold, kid!
Even an External Incarnation dares to make such a grand spectacle, with a golden scorching sun shining everywhere and ten thousand Buddhas paying homage. And you even have the gall to sit atop a Sacred Great Buddha."
Da Xing the Mad Monk walked forward, looking up at the golden scorching sun above Miao Tathagata's head and the countless Buddhas filling the sky, feeling quite displeased. Especially seeing Miao Tathagata sitting cross-legged on the palm of the Sacred Great Buddha, the Mad Monk couldn't help but deliver a scolding lecture.
"You've become more and more presumptuous, kid. At least you were born from the Buddhist tradition. Even if you've grown capable now, with greater power, in the end, the Buddha you pay homage to is our Buddha. Even if you don't revere our Buddha in your heart, you could at least put on a show of it on the surface!"
In response.
Miao Tathagata smiled slightly, placing his palms together as he looked at Da Xing the Mad Monk and said with a smile, "This seat clearly remembers a saying once spoken by the Venerable Da Xing: 'As long as the Buddha is in one's heart, the fleshly body may become a demon.'"
Miao Tathagata's retort left Da Xing the Mad Monk red-faced and quite embarrassed. Still, he rebutted, "Nonsense!
When did this old monk ever say such bullshit!"
The Great Dao experts hiding within the Desolate Ancient Ruins, witnessing this scene, all exchanged glances, even feeling secondhand embarrassment for Da Xing the Mad Monk.
What kind of person was Da Xing the Mad Monk? Everyone knew.
Eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, swindling, cheating, killing, and plundering—there was nothing he didn't do. Wearing the title of Living Buddha, he committed acts befitting a demonic fiend.
And yet he still had the face to lecture Miao Tathagata.
In everyone's minds, within the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm, anyone had the right to accuse Miao Tathagata of disrespecting the Buddha—except for Da Xing the Mad Monk, who had no such qualification.
When it came to disrespecting the Buddha, Da Xing the Mad Monk and Miao Tathagata were absolutely half a catty to eight ounces, ten steps laughing at five—neither had any right to criticize the other.
Although Miao Tathagata, bearing the title of Buddha Emperor of the Western Heaven, had cultivated an Original Sin Dharma Body and was preparing to vie for the position of Original Sin True Master, which could be considered a great rebellion.
As for Da Xing the Mad Monk, he hadn't cultivated any Original Sin Dharma Body, nor did he intend to vie for the Original Sin True Master position. But the deeds he had committed were even more detestable than Miao Tathagata contending for the Original Sin True Master.
Especially for those Great Dao experts who wished to protect the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, their loathing for Da Xing the Mad Monk far exceeded that for Miao Tathagata.
It wasn't because Da Xing the Mad Monk wore the title of Living Buddha while doing the work of a demonic fiend—those were minor matters. What truly made him detestable was the rumor that Da Xing the Mad Monk personally brought You Di into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole.
Within the Myriad Heavens and Worlds, there were many Great Dao experts who coveted the position of Original Sin True Master.
But if one asked who was most likely to become the Original Sin True Master recorded in the Book of Fate.
It was neither Miao Tathagata nor those Great Dao Overlords like Old Man Black Mountain.
It was You Di.
The world knew that You Di's existence was not only the greatest variable of the Current Ancient Era but also the one who had fallen deepest into Original Sin.
Moreover, back in the Mortal Realm, You Di had once fused with a drop of True Blood of Original Sin.
Not to mention his exclusive mastery over the three forbidden Daos: Absolute, Death, and Slaughter.
He also possessed the Evil Asura of Avici Endlessness, the Ascent to Heaven and Descent to Hell, and it was said that after entering the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, he had also fused with a Blood Glutton that Devours Heaven and Earth.
All the Great Dao experts who had entered the Desolate Ancient Black Hole knew that whether it was the Evil Asura of Avici Endlessness, the Ascent to Heaven and Descent to Hell, or the Blood Glutton that Devours Heaven and Earth.
These were all supremely evil, heinous Divine Sense Demonic Thoughts.
Moreover, all of them had fused with True Blood of Original Sin during the Desolate Ancient Era. In other words, the three Divine Sense Demonic Thoughts You Di had fused with were all Original Sin Divine Sense Demonic Thoughts.
The greatest variable of the Current Ancient Era, the deepest Original Sin, three forbidden Daos, plus three Original Sin Divine Sense Demonic Thoughts.
If one said You Di was not the Original Sin True Master recorded in the Book of Fate, probably no one would believe it.
No matter how one looked at it, You Di was the most suspicious and the most likely to ascend to the position of Original Sin True Master.
It was said that when the Desolate Ancient Black Hole appeared, You Di had no intention of entering at all, perhaps not even knowing the black hole had manifested. Later, it was Da Xing the Mad Monk who brought You Di in, reportedly coaxing and tricking him into entering.
Whether this matter was true or false, no one knew for sure. In any case, that was how everyone spread the rumor, and it was passed on with vivid detail.
If that were truly the case, then what were Da Xing the Mad Monk's intentions in bringing You Di in?
Did he want You Di to ascend as the Original Sin True Master and slaughter the Three Thousand Great Daos?