Secret Buyer

The fruit is gradually swelling and glowing,

with a boundless Buddha charm blossoming and emanating from within!

"It’s coming!" Hu Zhongli exclaimed.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the city.

A figure in a black robe gazed at the Buddha Tree, muttering:

"Shakyamuni Tathagata... could it be Him?"

"No, it can’t be. Such an existence cannot return so soon."

The shadowy figure narrowed its eyes:

"But if it’s not Shakyamuni Tathagata, then who is being born? A manifestation of His ego, a form of Him? Is He preparing for a true return? Or perhaps..."

The figure recalled the Tao Te Ching verses that echoed throughout the world earlier.

On that day, the scripture almost frightened him into sealing himself within the depths of the stars,

but later, the more he thought, the less it seemed right.

Was it really [Laozi]?

Was it really [Supreme]??

How could it be?

An existence on Laozi’s level couldn’t return so easily; it must be an impostor, or perhaps merely someone fulfilling the inevitable fate of the day of Passing through Hangu Pass.

If the guess is true,

the Buddha supposedly born today could not be the true Shakyamuni Tathagata, then perhaps...

The shadowy figure lightly licked its lips, breathing became somewhat rapid.

"What if I eat the descending Buddha Infant, what would happen?"

"Would the Tathagata be unable to truly return?"

"I really want to try it..."

The voice of the shadowy figure became increasingly deep, and the darkness on it grew heavier.

Coming early, opportunities are indeed everywhere!

He was ready to devour the Buddha Infant—unless the one descending is the true Shakyamuni.

Waiting, waiting.

The shadowy figure stared at the Bodhi Tree, seeing the Bodhi fruit on the tree suddenly fall to the ground.

The entire Chongyang was dead silent at this moment, and even the deities from beyond the heavens unconsciously stretched their necks.

Time passed minute by minute,

when the first ray of sunrise broke at dawn.

’Crack!’

The huge Bodhi fruit suddenly cracked a line.

All celestial humans, and even the deities beyond the heavens, were all focused, and the shadowy figure had already started moving forward, licking its lips.

"Devour him..."

"Buddha Infant..."

The fruit continued to crack.

No earth-shattering divine light, nor endless anomalies.

"A... serpent?"

Within the shattered fruit, half of a serpent’s body could be seen emerging, countless celestial humans and deities were stunned,

even the shadowy figure was taken aback:

"How could it be a serpent? Where is the Buddha Infant?"

He frowned, intending to make a move to quietly snatch away the serpent within the fruit,

and it was at this moment that the fruit completely cracked open.

Its scene completely revealed.

"Huh??"

Compassionate Buddha Son was astonished, eyes widened, looking at the ’serpent’ or ’person’ inside the fruit.

More accurately.

It was a half-human, half-serpent being, a stunningly beautiful woman, her abdomen high and swollen as if ten months pregnant.

Just as the shadowy figure was about to act, he suddenly stopped.

"Oh? Familiar..."

He looked and looked again.

His body rigid on the spot, sweat seeped from his forehead, falling in large drops.

Then came the chill,

chill exploded from the tailbone, instantly rushing to the back of the head, the entire body tingling and numb at this moment!

"Oh my god....."

The shadowy figure let out a near-groan of a whisper, dumbstruck:

"It’s, it’s [Wa]..."

He shivered, his legs going soft.

Indeed.

It’s Wa!!

What grew from the fruit was Wa!!!

The shadowy figure almost wanted to flee immediately, but stubbornly held his steps, his heart pounding violently,

he wanted to see clearly.

"Why would it be Wa??"

The huge confusion not only emerged in the shadowy figure’s mind,

but the many onlookers were also bewildered at this moment.

This half-human, half-serpent, stunningly beautiful woman... is she really the Buddha descending?

"No!"

Someone exclaimed:

"She’s pregnant, is it her child within her belly?"

Multiple gazes fell on the half-human, half-serpent woman, who at this moment, slowly opened her eyes.

Almost the instant she opened her eyes.

Mortals, Grandmasters, Innate Realm, Celestial Humans...

Each and every one.

Without exception, each and every one, even the deities beyond the heavens, and even two Great Divine Power Users.

As long as they were [human], as long as they were observing this place [human].

All uncontrollably, toward that half-human, half-serpent woman, bowed down worshiping.

Not due to any forced power,

but stemming from deep within their heart and spirit, an indelible, irresistible primal impulse!

"She, she..."

The few who did not bow, including the bewildered Old Bull in the sky, saw Kong Shentong below speaking absent-mindedly:

"She is... Mother?"

Kong Shentong didn’t know why he uttered the word ’Mother’—but it just slipped out.

As though it were always like this.

Between heaven and earth, it was a silence of ten thousand living beings.

All who gazed, all who were human, without exception were bowing.

Even the shadowy figure was now prostrated on the ground, sweat pouring heavily, mind utterly blank.

"It’s truly Wa..." he whispered softly.

Then, at this moment.

The half-serpent half-human woman being worshipped by countless people, suddenly held her massive abdomen,

skin began to crack little by little, with a deep, grand Brahma Sound ringing out, and Buddha’s Light piercing from within her abdomen!

"Waa--wah!"

A loud cry resounded.

Those prostrating struggled against Buddha’s Light, turning toward the sound of the cry,

the woman’s torn abdomen had somehow healed, shrunk down, while in her arms, a newborn baby was held.

With the first cry of the baby, the Brahma Sound rose vast.

With the second cry of the baby, golden lotuses began blooming everywhere.

With the third cry of the baby, countless Buddha’s Light rained down from the Celestial Vault, a golden river flowed from south to north, with heavenly flowers and Immortal Flowers gently falling.

Then, the infant halted his cry on the third sound, originally lying in the mother’s embrace, he suddenly manifested in a seated posture, face inexplicably solemn!

Under the terrifying gaze of countless eyes.

The newborn infant of three cries, leapt down from the mother’s embrace to the ground.

"A little slower," Wa softly beckoned.

The infant remained silent, solemnly majestic, only clumsily stepping forth,

each step planting a marvelous lotus and a golden spring!

He walked southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast, treading forty-nine lotuses and forty-nine golden springs,

then smiled, showing Great Compassion, Great Purity, Great Wisdom, Great Brightness.

At this moment.

The infant, face devoid of joy or sorrow, sighed with compassion, uttered one boundless.

Then, he spoke:

"The living call me [Tathagata], the followers call me [World Venerate]."

A gentle voice rose from here, echoing in Chongyang, then across eight hundred miles, throughout Chongyang Heaven and Earth!

In Chang’an Town, many formidable beings pricked their ears to listen to the spreading Brahma Sound.

Tathagata... World Venerate??

Some people gasped, hearing the still resounding Brahma Sound.

"Their cries are so loud, calling from the Sea of Suffering to the Other Shore, so——"

"So, I came, journeying from the Other Shore back to the Sea of Suffering, the living have no raft, hence I’m here to ferry."

As the infant spoke, reaching out, pointing to the heavens, also reaching to touch the earth.

One hand pointing to the heavens, one hand touching the earth,

as the morning bell and evening drum sound rang——

"Above the sky and beneath the earth, I am the sole revered."

The Brahma Sound vast, as if rightly, naturally,

heaven and earth trembled.