Chapter 269 : Deception
Chapter 269: Deception
The Tianshu Demon Lord looked at Li Tianwei through that projection and spoke matter-of-factly.
As for the Evil Manifestation Demon Lord, seeing that the Tianshu Demon Lord did not believe him, he could not help but become interested. At that moment, he even began to understand why the Red Demon had fallen into the hands of this unknown fellow.
The Tianshu Demon Lord and the Red Demon were simply far too arrogant.
However, the Evil Manifestation Demon Lord did not think there was anything wrong with that. If not for the restrictions imposed by the Heavenly Dao of the cultivation world, the four Demon Lords would have been able to completely devour the entire cultivation world in a very short time.
Still, they could not be too blatant.
After all, the Immortal Realm was still watching from above!
“Are you sure you want to test him? Don't come asking us to save you when the time comes.”
The Evil Manifestation Demon Lord looked the Tianshu Demon Lord up and down, his words carrying a hint of provocation.
“Hmph. Do you think I'm that Red Demon? He clearly knew this world had restrictions, yet still personally descended.”
“Compared to that, what I excel at is deception. I won't even need to make a move. I can make the entire Western Spirit Domain unite against him. By the time I personally step in, he won't pose much of a threat anymore.”
The Tianshu Demon Lord replied matter-of-factly.
As his words fell, the eerie Heavenly Eye hanging high in the sky slowly closed.
Li Tianwei, who had been staring directly at that eyeball, also seemed to perceive something and casually muttered,
“So, you're finally making your move against me?”
Li Tianwei's voice remained remarkably calm, showing not the slightest reaction to the Evil Demons' threat.
At that moment, the banner of the Sun–Moon Banner beside him fluttered loudly in the wind.
Compared to Li Tianwei's relaxed composure, the Sun–Moon Wheel, which was controlling the Soul Banner and commanding so many Evil Souls, was on the verge of collapse.
Before it had taken control of the Soul Banner, the Sun–Moon Wheel had watched Li Tianwei command the Evil Souls within the Soul Banner with effortless ease. Even back in the Demonic Sect Territory, it had only managed to command so many Evil Souls because it had Li Tianwei's power supporting it.
Now, even after being refined and strengthened by Li Tianwei, the number of Evil Souls inside the Soul Banner had multiplied by an unknown amount.
Moreover, those Evil Souls were far from having a smooth time in the Western Spirit Domain. There was a reason why the Evil Demons had been able to wreak havoc throughout the cultivation world—they possessed overwhelming strength.
It could be said that every so often, the Sun–Moon Wheel received news of Evil Souls being destroyed. At this very moment, there were even signs that the rate at which the Evil Demons were being exterminated was continuously increasing.
“What's going on? Aren't I exterminating the Evil Demons? Why are they interfering? What are those bald monks trying to do?”
The Sun–Moon Wheel processed the information transmitted back by the Evil Souls.
It immediately understood why such a large number of Evil Souls had been lost in such a short time.
The monks from the various temples throughout the Western Spirit Domain had taken action.
Moreover, these monks acted with clear purpose. They did not care what the Evil Souls were doing. The moment they encountered them, they unleashed a barrage of demon-suppressing and evil-expelling techniques.
It had to be admitted that the monks of the Western Spirit Domain truly excelled at expelling and eliminating Evil Souls.
A set of Buddhist incantations combined with Buddhist Treasures completely suppressed every Evil Soul.
After the Great Lotus Temple received the Buddha's Decree, countless monks poured out in full force.
At that moment, the Great Lotus Temple also contacted the other forces of the Buddhist Sect and launched a campaign throughout the entire Western Spirit Domain to exterminate what they believed to be the culprit behind the Buddha-Demon Manifestation.
Countless cultivators surged forth, demonstrating just how terrifying the Buddhist Sect's foundation truly was.
It could even be said that, aside from the Buddhist Sect's many temples and monasteries, the other Three Sacred Lands also maintained close ties with them.
Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, Union Realm cultivators, Out-of-Body Realm cultivators—countless cultivators rushed toward every corner of the domain, intercepting the Evil Souls commanded by the Soul Banner.
“Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth. I'll send you to meet the Buddha.”
“Namo Amitabha.”
Several monks wielded Buddhist staffs, swept their prayer beads, and unleashed several great incantations.
Before long, more than half of the Evil Souls before them had been eliminated.
Scenes like this unfolded constantly throughout the Western Spirit Domain.
Meanwhile, within the Great Lotus Temple of the Buddhist Sect, the Golden Dharma Body standing at its center became increasingly solemn and majestic, while the Buddhist light surrounding it grew ever denser.
The monks dressed in magnificent kasayas beneath it also raised their heads toward the golden Buddha statue.
“Namo Amitabha. Excellent, excellent.”
“The Buddha's Decree was correct. Those Evil Souls truly are the culprits behind the Western Spirit Domain's downfall.”
“Our followers are out there exterminating evil and destroying wickedness. The Buddhist light grows purer by the moment. Before long, we should once again be able to establish communication with the Immortal Realm.”
The Abbot of the Great Lotus Temple looked upon the Buddhist light surrounding them, pressed his palms together, and spoke softly.
The other monks beside him also pressed their palms together and nodded. “Excellent, excellent. Those Evil Souls have already gone to the Western Paradise.”
Just as the monks were celebrating, the towering golden Buddha statue gently trembled.
At the same time, countless Dharma inscriptions emerged.
The golden Buddha seated upon the lotus platform seemed to awaken with sentience.
Within its lowered eyes, a faint glimmer flickered.
Witnessing this scene, the Abbot of the Great Lotus Temple could not help but tremble slightly, his eyes filled with excitement.
“A message has arrived.”
“A message has arrived from the Upper Realm.”
As his excitement grew, countless Dharma inscriptions appeared before transforming into swastika symbols, continuously revolving and eventually forming a decree suspended in midair.
“All evils descend upon the world. Supreme wickedness has arrived. The foremost priority is the extermination of demons. Here dwells a great evil...”
As the decree manifested in the sky, every monk within the Great Lotus Temple heard the Sanskrit chant echoing beside their ears.
“Amitabha.”
“Exterminate demons. Eliminate evil...”
“Excellent, excellent...”
Upon hearing these words, countless monks instinctively pressed their palms together, while some continuously rolled the prayer beads in their hands.
The renewed Buddhist light and the new decree further convinced the monks of the Great Lotus Temple that their connection with the Upper Realm was about to be restored.
“Eliminate evil, everyone.”
As the Abbot of the Great Lotus Temple spoke, the surrounding monks all nodded.
Yet in a place beyond their perception, the Tianshu Demon Lord watched the entire scene coldly, seemingly mocking their ignorance.
“Next... the other places.”
“You are the greatest evil among all living beings.”
“And I shall descend as the Buddha.”
The Tianshu Demon Lord thought to himself.
He was not like that clueless fool, the Red Demon.
Nor was he like the Evil Manifestation Demon Lord, who was timid despite harboring ambition.
He bore the name Tianshu because he intended to make everything revolve around himself. Whether through fraud, deception, control, or weaving illusory consciousness to make others lose themselves within it, any means was acceptable so long as the objective was achieved.
“No matter what you are, under my deception, you will become the enemy of the entire Western Spirit Domain.”
The Tianshu Demon Lord gazed toward the Western Spirit Domain through the intangible barrier and thought to himself.
Throughout the Western Spirit Domain, after the Great Lotus Temple entered the conflict, the Evil Souls that had originally been continuously exterminating the Evil Demons were completely branded as the greatest and most sinister evil.
Compared to the Evil Demons hidden deep within human bodies, the aura of the Evil Souls was simply far too sinister. The Evil Demons could not be distinguished, while the Evil Souls commanded by the Sun–Moon Banner appeared to the other cultivators to be indiscriminately slaughtering people. If they were not evil, then who was?
For a time, under the organization of the Buddhist Sect, the cultivators of the entire Western Spirit Domain completely branded the Evil Souls commanded by the Sun–Moon Banner as Evil Demons.