Chapter 119 - 117: Drawing the Bow Like a Full Moon
The Daoist Equal to Heaven beheld the profound secret of the Middle Ancient Period within the Hate Heaven Secret Realm and came across a black coffin identical to the one he saw beneath the Peach Garden. The owner of this black coffin had presented to him a Swallowing Dragon Stele.
The origins of the Hate Heaven Secret Realm were mysterious, and since its existence, outsiders have found it difficult to enter, while the Ancient Hate Heaven Clan inside could not leave. Therefore, the Four Great Continents knew nothing of the Hate Heaven Clan, let alone the specifics of their existence. The great massacre of the Middle Ancient Period was clearly related to the Ancient Hate Heaven Clan, but it was unknown whether this clan had died out; within this secret realm, not a single person had been found.
This altar was arranged according to the Bagua, and within it lay a Divine Bow and a Divine Arrow. The Daoist Equal to Heaven took but one glance to realize that these treasures were extraordinary, thinking to himself, "Could it be that this bow and arrow were also crafted by that Ancient Hate Heaven Clan? Such artifact refining prowess, I fear, is hardly inferior to that of Laozi."
He had witnessed the Ancient Hate Heaven Clan’s method of crafting Magical Treasures, where countless masters from Ancient Times absorbed Dragon Qi from their stone statues to heal their wounds.
"With this bow and this arrow to pierce through the prohibitions over the ocean, such methods are truly defiant of the heavens," the Daoist Equal to Heaven thought as he approached the altar.
There stood a stone statue beside the altar, which, unlike a suit of battle armor, seemed to serve merely as an object of veneration. The figure held a longbow, with its arrow pointed towards the sky, which naturally meant the sea above.
The Ancient Hate Heaven Clan, due to their duty of guarding the Ruins, lived perennially without sunlight, thus fostering resentment and taking the name "Hate Heaven," signifying their bitterness towards the heavens for their birthplace.
The Hate Heaven Clan was originally tasked with guarding the Ruins. However, that responsibility bred hatred within them, and they crafted this Sky-Breaking Divine Bow and Sky-Breaking Divine Arrow. These weapons were specifically designed to shatter the ocean’s prohibitions, the culmination of an entire clan’s blood, sweat, and tears. This statue seemed to represent the ancestors of the Hate Heaven Clan.
The Daoist Equal to Heaven bowed to the stone statue at the Bagua Altar, saying, "I, the Daoist Equal to Heaven, have come upon this noble clan’s secret realm by chance and mean no disturbance. To find a way out, I humbly seek to borrow the Magical Treasure for a time. I request the forbearance of the forebear." Inside, he couldn’t help but think, "This clan is named ’Hate Heaven,’ and their weapons ’Sky-Breaking.’ They must indeed hold profound resentment towards the heavens. I wonder if using these treasures will entangle me within some tremendous karma!"
As the Daoist Equal to Heaven entered the altar, he felt waves of power surging into his body. The Bagua Altar, gathering the vital essence of the Ruins, flooded his being, making him instantly feel overwhelmingly energized, as if he needed to find a way to release it lest he burst at any moment.
"Imitating Heaven and Earth, Buddha’s Golden Body!" the Daoist Equal to Heaven roared, transforming into a giant thousands of feet tall, with a point of golden light at his brow. In an instant, his expression became one of immense compassion for all beings, a Divine Skill found in the Sutra of the Other Shore that allowed one to morph into a towering Buddha.