The Chan Sect, also known as the Buddha Heart Sect, ranks among the Eight Buddhist Sects of the Western Pure Land and is one of the oldest Buddhist sects in Heaven and Earth.
The Chan Sect possesses an ancient scripture called the 'Ancient Chan Buddha Heart Sutra.' It is said this Buddhist sutra originates from the 'Source of Karma.' It can peer into celestial secrets above and divine terrestrial fortunes below, observing fate and divining Heaven and Earth—it is especially miraculous.
Therefore, members of the Chan Sect are all relatively proficient in the art of divination, claiming to be the greatest in Heaven and Earth.
To be honest.
Just what terrifying existence Gu Qingfeng carried upon himself, Da Xing the Mad Monk did not know.
He only knew it was a taboo, a very, very terrifying taboo.
As for what kind of taboo, he also did not know.
He still clearly remembered that when the Great Calamity occurred, the Chan Sect Ancestor had used the Ancient Chan Buddha Heart Sutra to divine a hexagram for Gu Qingfeng.
After just one divination, the Ancient Chan Buddha Heart Sutra nearly disintegrated, and the Chan Sect Ancestor himself almost turned to dust and vanished!
No one knew why. No one knew why, after just one divination for Gu Qingfeng, the Chan Sect Ancestor—who was said to be indestructible and possessing boundless Buddhist power—almost turned to dust. Even more, no one knew why this Ancient Chan Buddha Heart Sutra, born from the 'Source of Karma,' nearly disintegrated.
Why?
This answer, Da Xing the Mad Monk still did not know to this day.
But he clearly remembered that after the divination was completed, the Chan Sect Ancestor, who had nearly turned to dust, spoke only four words.
Taboo. Do not defy.
As for what taboo lay upon Gu Qingfeng, and why it must not be defied.
Da Xing the Mad Monk also did not know.
But he believed the Chan Sect Ancestor's words. Not only he, but everyone in the Chan Sect believed them. Therefore, upon learning that several other Buddhist sects of the Western Heaven intended to obliterate Gu Qingfeng, they rushed over immediately to dissuade them and relayed those four words: Taboo, do not defy.
Da Xing the Mad Monk had thought the several major sects of the Western Heaven would heed the advice, would deliberate, would proceed with caution.
But when he saw the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata and the Great Sun Demon-Subduing Seal, he knew the several major Buddhist sects of the Western Heaven ultimately had not listened to the advice. In the end, they could not resist, unwilling to miss this perfect opportunity to obliterate Gu Qingfeng, and decided to gamble.
But could they win this gamble?
What if they lost?
He did not know.
Da Xing the Mad Monk truly did not know what awaited the Western Pure Land if they lost this gamble.
Now, the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata had already awakened. The Great Sun Demon-Subduing Seal had also begun to envelop the space. The Great Sun Tathagata's Purifying World Deliverance had already commenced.
As long as demons and fiends remained undead, the deliverance would not cease.
Even if Da Xing the Mad Monk did not wish it, he was powerless.
After all, he was merely a Buddha of the Chan Sect, utterly incapable of halting the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata.
He glanced at Fa Zheng and the others, but it was only a glance. He said nothing more.
Say?
What else was there to say?
Even if he spoke, these people would not believe him. Even if persuaded, they were merely minor Buddhas of the Eight Buddhist Sects of the Western Pure Land, equally incapable of halting the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata.
"Da Xing, the elders of your Chan Sect have already left the Western Pure Land. You should stop spreading alarmist talk, saying he is some taboo, hmph!
Even if he truly is a taboo, so what? Under the Purifying World Mantra of Great Sun Tathagata, he will inevitably be delivered. Just wait and see!"
"Delivered…
Heh heh heh!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk shook his head and laughed bitterly. Perhaps because he had been too furious earlier, or perhaps because he had already despaired, he appeared listless. Closing his eyes, he murmured, "Fine, I'll wait…
I'll definitely wait."
In the Great Sun World.
Buddhist radiance filled the sky, Buddhist chants filled the air.
The Buddhist light continued to shine universally, the Buddhist chants continued to recite sutras.
The Great Sun Demon-Subduing Seal hung in the sky like a tyrannical sun, radiating wave after wave of Buddhist light, endless as ripples.
The Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata glimmered with golden light, hands clasped together, eyes closed, chanting sutras.
The Buddhist chants were vast and majestic, as if from ancient times. Each word was a Buddha, each sound a sutra. Every word seemed to herald the descent of a Buddha, every sound like a scripture of deliverance.
The Buddhist light burned, incinerating the entire Great Sun World. The Buddhist chants delivered, delivering all things within the Great Sun World.
Time seemed to halt, ceasing to flow. Space seemed to disintegrate, crumbling and regenerating.
Here.
Gu Qingfeng stood tall, hands behind his back. His cold, stern face wore an aloof expression; his dark eyes held a gaze of contempt.
His white robes billowed.
His black hair danced wildly.
He gazed at the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata, just watching, not uttering a word. Then, in a flash, he appeared beneath the great tree. At this moment, under the universal shine of the Buddhist light and the deliverance of the Buddhist chants, the weakened Jun Xuanji's body had already become faint and indistinct, like a flickering flame in a raging storm, as if she might vanish into smoke at any moment.
Gu Qingfeng picked her up, cradling her in his arms, and said softly, "Come, I'll take you away."
"You…
Do you truly…
seek causality?"
Jun Xuanji was lost. She had forgotten everything, remembering only Gu Qingfeng.
She wanted Gu Qingfeng to abandon causality.
As for why.
She did not know.
She had forgotten.
"My causality is naturally mine to decide. I will seek it if I wish, abandon it if I wish. Whether seeking or abandoning, I alone have the final say. No one in Heaven and Earth can stop me!"
"But…
But…
Why am I so afraid of you seeking causality…"
Gu Qingfeng smiled, looking at Jun Xuanji in his arms, and said, "That is a question I would like to know as well."
"You…
You can still laugh? That seems to be the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata…"
Gu Qingfeng declared arrogantly, "It is merely the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata. Even if the true body of Great Sun Tathagata came personally, I would not fear him."
"These Buddhist chants seem to be the Purifying World Mantra of Great Sun Tathagata… delivering…
They want…
want to deliver you…"
"Who delivers whom today is not yet certain."
Gu Qingfeng, holding Jun Xuanji, took a step forward, treading upon the void, and roared sternly, "Want to deliver me?
If I don't wish to die, no one can do anything to me!"
As the word 'I' fell, BOOM!
CRACK!
It was as if a thunderclap exploded, as if the firmament collapsed from the blast, or as if the earth shattered from the detonation. The shockwave caused the pervading the sky Buddhist light to tremble violently and the pervading the sky Buddhist chants to become intermittent.
"Western Pure Land, all you Buddhist sects, prick up your ears and listen well."
As his words fell, when Gu Qingfeng lifted his foot to take the second step, the Demon-Subduing Seal hanging in the sky like a great sun suddenly trembled violently, uncontrollably beginning to descend.
Instantly, the Great Sun World turned dim, as if the sun were setting in the west, or as if the great sun were falling. Immediately after, twilight descended, and dead silence enveloped all.
The twilight was a twilight devoid of any vitality.
The dead silence was a silence filled with death.
Whoosh!
Flames suddenly ignited around Gu Qingfeng's body—a kind of solitary, cold, dark flame, also a purplish-azure flame.
The flames were cold and dark yet supremely domineering, incinerating the Buddhist light and emitting crackling sounds.
Seeing this scene, the complexions of Fa Zheng and the other several Buddhas hiding within the Great Sun Demon-Subduing Seal changed repeatedly. Beside them, Da Xing the Mad Monk closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and murmured, "The great sun descends, twilight envelops, darkness approaches, the You Di descends, the twilight of gods and demons…"