Inside the ruined monastery, Indra King Buddha walked barefoot, strolling leisurely, wandering east and west without the slightest urgency to find Great Brahma King Buddha.
"Junior brother, what trouble are you trying to stir up this time?" A voice called out from behind him.
Indra King Buddha turned around and saw a sweeping monk cleaning away his footprints. Indra King Buddha laughed, saying, "I walk without gathering dust, just as my person leaves no stain. I haven't left any footprints—why bother sweeping, senior brother?"
The sweeping monk replied, "You may not have left footprints, but your heart has left its mark. I am sweeping the dust from your heart."
Indra King Buddha said, "You call me heartless and insult me, but since I can't beat you, I'll let it go. Just hand over your cultivation method—once I've learned it, I'll leave and stop bothering you."
The sound of sweeping echoed again. Indra King Buddha followed the sound and saw another sweeping monk enter from the western gate, head bowed as he swept. He said, "You're always after my cultivation method, but do you still not see why I refuse to teach you? Junior brother, I didn't pass it to you, and that's why you've become Indra King Buddha—second only to me in the Buddha-Realm, your cultivation reaching the very heights. If I had taught you, you might never have achieved what you have today."
Indra King Buddha stared at the newly arrived sweeping monk and said, "Now I can't ascend any further; I can't reach the Emperor's Throne realm, so I'm here to ask for your Emperor's Throne True Sutra to study. You said you'd teach whoever entered—well, I've entered, so teach me, and I won't disturb your peace any longer."
More sweeping sounds came from behind. Indra King Buddha turned and saw yet another sweeping monk approaching. Now there were three sweeping monks in the courtyard.
His Dharma Eyes were unmatched; when he looked at the three sweeping monks, he found that each one looked different, yet every single one was Great Brahma King Buddha—and each was truly King Brahma himself!
Though their forms differed, in spirit they were all King Brahma.
He was only one realm below King Brahma, yet he could no longer comprehend King Brahma at all.
That single realm was like a heavenly chasm—King Brahma appeared unfathomable, while he himself seemed shallow by comparison.
A sweeping monk approached, never raising his head as he swept. "No one in the Buddha-Realm can surpass you now; you must have noticed something strange beneath the eye of the Keane clan’s child. I saw him in dreams while traveling through Youdu—he was devouring ghosts and gods there. I watched for a while, and he even tried to swallow me; he’s the most vicious and ruthless being in the world. I was present when Tu Bo sealed him, and I visited the Great Ruins to witness him grow from a mere mortal, sealed by Tu Bo and possessing nothing, into what he is now—from a common body to the Overlord Body. If you remove his Golden Willow Leaf now, you’ll likely unleash a great slaughter."
Indra King Buddha didn’t want to hear more; he simply strode forward, shaking his head. "You must also know that in recent years, the Heavenly Court has planted more and more agents in the Buddha-Realm. In the past, they sent accomplished Buddhas—at least they cared about appearances. But now they’re inserting talented youths who study only divine arts, not true dharma. When their cultivation matures, the Buddha-Realm will be hollowed out! I can already foresee our Dao-lineage destroyed, replaced by usurpers. Eventually, the Heavenly Court will blood-wash the Buddhas—there will be no Buddha left! You may wait for doom, but I refuse to let our Dao-lineage perish."
He walked a few steps and found another sweeping monk waiting ahead. Indra King Buddha ignored him and continued, "The Keane clan’s child entering the Buddha-Realm is a golden opportunity. Through him, we can uproot the Heavenly Court’s spies and their young generation all at once! You possess great wisdom—you must see my intentions."
He hadn’t gone far before there was another sweeping monk by the roadside. In the span of a few words, he passed more than a dozen sweeping monks.
Up ahead, a sweeping monk on the left side of the road raised his head, leaning on his broom. "Using the Keane child to wipe out the Heavenly Court’s agents is a clever move, but it will bring many changes to the Buddha-Realm. When the Heavenly Court investigates, they’ll come after you. Earlier, the Keane child said even the chamber pot would be dumped on your head—you may not be able to bear that burden. You still can’t let go of the past."
"If I forget the past, does it truly cease to exist?"
Indra King Buddha kept walking, sneering. "Your realm is high—you forget the past, thinking it’s illusory. But I remember every detail. Don’t worry, I won’t implicate the Buddha-Realm. Once I learn your cultivation method, I’ll leave before the chamber pot falls on my head."
Another sweeping monk on the right side of the road looked up and said, "And what about the Keane child? I watched him grow in my great dream—I know how hard he worked to break through Tu Bo’s seal, step by step, from someone who could never cultivate to where he is now. Yet you want to push him to the front. You’ll bring him great danger!"
"Senior brother, I want to stand at the front, but no one ever pushed me forward!"
Indra King Buddha retorted, "Then tell me—do you have a better way to preserve the Buddha’s Dao-lineage?"
Up ahead, another sweeping monk raised his head: "No."
The road ahead was a straight line, endless and unreachable. On both sides, countless old monks swept with their brooms—so many that their numbers defied counting, stretching beyond sight!
Each sweeping monk’s face was different—there wasn’t a single duplicate among them!
Indra King Buddha walked on, expressionless. "Whether you choose to fight or not, even if you claim to be empty of all attachments, others who see you as a threat will still want to destroy you—not just your disciples, your achievements, your life, and your Dao-lineage, but your name as well, trampling you so you’ll never rise again. Since that’s the case, why not fight? Senior brother, you can dream away the ages here, but I cannot! Will you teach me your cultivation method or not?"
His voice rang out like thunder, but it didn’t pass beyond the monastery—it only echoed within.
A faint sigh drifted over. The road ahead and all the sweeping monks along it gradually blurred, then vanished one after another.
"I will teach you."
Indra King Buddha smiled.
Prince Moonlight looked at Quinn Shepherd, his eyes flashing. "You ambushed me and nearly killed me. Now that I'm ready, I'll subdue demons and slay evil!"
Behind him, the full moon glowed, and a pillar of sword-light surged toward Quinn Shepherd with a buzz. At the same time, beams of light shot from the moon in all directions—each one a sword ray, folding in midair to block every escape route Quinn might take.
His sword technique was vast and majestic, truly peerless. Moonlight flooded the sky; sword glow danced among the clouds. Compared to the sunset sword arts of Claire and Evan Yu, his style was more refined and carried a distinct Zen-like grace.
Quinn Shepherd opened all three eyes, pointed a finger, and his Sword Pill vibrated with a buzz. A thick sword pillar erupted—pure winding sword form, with eight thousand flying swords swirling in flight. Though it was the same move, every sword had a unique shape.
Indra King Buddha hesitated, then asked, "May I ask, senior brother, just how big is the blame?"
Bigger than you imagine.
Outside the ruined monastery, Quinn’s third eye at his brow was half-open. With this eye, his Divine and Demon-Path Divine Treasuries were unexpectedly harmonious, gradually merging into one.
Before, he could only use a single Divine Treasury—if he activated the Divine-Path Treasury, the Demon-Path Treasury had to close; if he used the Demon-Path Treasury, the Divine-Path Treasury had to close. Using both at once would trigger a clash of gods and demons.
Brother Brightheart was startled, shrinking his neck. "Quinn Shepherd killed again… This is bad. I really don’t know why Tathagata sent him. I can’t get involved in this…"
Quinn Shepherd swept his gaze over the hundreds of Buddha-Children, caught his Sword Pill, and said calmly, "Once my killing intent rises, it’s hard to restrain myself. My inner demons surge, and I long for slaughter. Friends, you may all attack together—help me suppress the demon in my heart, and thus fulfill your own merit!"
Now, with his third eye open, Quinn Shepherd achieved what once seemed impossible—a true union of god and demon powers.
Outside the monastery, the Buddhas fell silent in thought. Suddenly, Yama King Buddha laughed, "Void Buddha-Child, we’re done competing."
Void Buddha-Child was briefly startled, bowed, and said, "I accept the Buddha's decree." With that, he withdrew.
Dragon King Buddha Sagara summoned his disciple and said, "We will not contend today."
Other Heaven Buddhas summoned their disciples as well, declaring they would not compete. They laughed, "Our Buddha teaches emptiness; not contending is its own kind of contention. Today we yield—let others strive."
Though puzzled, the Buddha-Children all obeyed, returning to stand beside their masters.
These Buddhas recalled only their own disciples from the Buddha-Realm. Those left were all young talents sent by the Heavenly Court, or disciples of Heavenly Court-aligned Buddhas, each eager to prove themselves.
Dharma King Morlun laughed, "My senior brothers are generous, but how can we let the Great Brahma King Buddha's Emperor’s Throne True Sutra slip away? If we do, outsiders will profit."
Another Buddha laughed, "That's exactly right."
Several Buddhas echoed, "Our senior brothers speak truly. We can't let Buddha dharma be handed to outsiders so cheaply."