The Lord of Void and Real
Chapter 988

Chapter 988: 985 Chapter 988: 985 Shen Luo's gaze swept around, and he found the surroundings pitch black and very quiet. He didn't see the black vortex that had previously sucked him in, only feeling as if he were suspended in a realm of nothingness.

“Come over here.”

At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from afar.

Upon hearing the voice, Shen Luo turned his head and saw a faint light shining in the pitch-black space not far behind him.

He walked slowly toward it and gradually saw that, in that corner, there was an old man sitting cross-legged, his clothes tattered and emanating a deathly Qi.

“Bodhisattva…” Shen Luo tentatively called out.

“Your weapon is quite remarkable; it's not inferior to the Victorious Fighting Buddha's Ruyi Golden Cudgel,” the old man said.

As Shen Luo approached, he saw the old man holding his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, gently caressing it.

The old man was Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

However, unlike the one he had seen in the Sea of knowledge, who emanated white light and had a compassionate appearance, the Bodhisattva before him was ragged, and although there was still some light on his body, it was already as faint as the glow of fireflies.

“Bodhisattva, what's happened to you…” Shen Luo asked, looking at Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who appeared to be at death's door.

“This celestial body has long been decayed. Hiding inside the body of the Ruin Kun is merely to avoid the demon's pursuit and cling to a miserable life,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a smile, handing back the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod to Shen Luo.

“Bodhisattva, since you haven't perished, why not contact Town Primordial Great Immortal and the others? It's surely better than being here alone, consumed by the Ruin Kun,” Shen Luo squatted down, took the long stick, and asked.

“It's not that I don't want to, but I cannot. That traitor is still lurking within the resistance team of the Human and Immortal Clans. If I recklessly return, it is bound to bring disaster upon them, and the hope of sealing Chiyou to restore the Heavenly Dao would also be destroyed,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva shook his head and spoke bitterly.

“Traitor?” Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise.

“Indeed, the Underworld was not so easily defeated back then because that traitor was there. Half of the Ten Yama Kings were either sabotaged or turned by him, and we had already suffered great losses before facing the Demon Clan's attack. Furthermore, it was because of his leading that the defenses laid by the Underworld were easily breached, leading to its eventual fall and the near-extinction of the resistance,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva explained, his eyes not filled with hatred but with compassion.

Shen Luo thought back to the terrible situation at Wuzhuang View and immediately understood.

With Town Primordial Great Immortal in charge, the fall of Wuzhuang View, even with the addition of the Bull Demon King and others, must also be the work of that traitor.

“Bodhisattva, who exactly is this traitor?” Shen Luo promptly asked.

“To my shame, I only have a guess about that person's identity but cannot confirm it. That year, he personally attacked me with Demonic Powers. I originally thought he was a member of the Demon Clan, but it was revealed later that he might be from the Immortal Clan. Unfortunately, before we could confirm his identity, the one who discovered it, was killed in battle,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a sigh.

“Bodhisattva, even a guess should be shared with everyone, so that we can all be on guard,” Shen Luo thought of the possibility that this individual could still be together with the Bull Demon King and others, and that Nie Caizhu might also be there, and felt a sense of panic.

“`

“Monastics don't tell lies, how can one recklessly speak of things that cannot be proven? Moreover, the Human Immortal Alliance is already not monolithic; if word were to spread that there is a spy within…”

Before Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva could finish speaking, Shen Luo understood. Once everyone knew that there was a traitor among the Immortals, doubt and suspicion would surely grow between them, ultimately leading to the failure of their union and the Demon Clan slaughtering them all.

Such a situation was likely what the traitor anticipated.

“Bodhisattva, we're truly at the final moment. Once Town Primordial Great Immortal and the others are slaughtered, the last hope of the Three Realms will be completely extinguished. Do you know how to escape from the belly of this Ruin Kun? I must meet up with them as soon as possible,” Shen Luo urgently said.

“You also have a part of the Heavenly Book, right?” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva did not follow up on the previous topic, but instead said.

Hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated slightly but did not hide anything. With a wave of his hand, a golden book appeared beside him, emitting waves of a golden halo.

“That's right, it can now be basically confirmed that you are that variable,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva nodded and seemed somewhat pleased.

“Elder, you've mentioned a few times that I'm a variable, but what does that mean exactly?” Shen Luo frowned.

“A variable… is just that, a variable. You don't need to worry too much about it. When the time comes, you'll understand. Do you know what the purpose of this Heavenly Book is?” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva continued.

“Junior only knows that the Heavenly Book is created as a response by the Heavenly Dao, and it contains the true names of all heavens' immortals and Buddhas; it is an extremely important weapon against the Demon Clan and even the key to suppressing Chiyou,” Shen Luo said.

“What you said is correct. Indeed, the book was created in response to the Heavenly Dao. After it was split into five parts, it means that the Heavenly Dao has been fragmented, and the laws of the Heavenly Dao cannot circulate normally; therefore, we cannot use the power of Heavenly Dao to suppress Chiyou,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva explained.

“Using the power of Heavenly Dao to suppress Chiyou? Does that mean, if we gather the five parts of the Heavenly Book and recombine them, we can turn the power of the Heavenly Dao and suppress Chiyou anew?” Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, asking immediately.

“It's not that simple. If merely by the power of the Heavenly Dao Chiyou could be suppressed, how would he have been able to break the seal when the Heavenly Book was still intact?” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva countered.

“Then what else is needed?” Shen Luo asked, puzzled.

After thinking for a moment, he remembered something and continued, “Could it be that it also requires the Map of Mountains and Rivers?”

“You are very smart. Indeed, the Map of Mountains and Rivers is needed as a vessel. Chiyou cannot be killed, only the Map of Mountains and Rivers can seal him. In addition to that, there is another thing needed,” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva continued.

“What is it?” Shen Luo asked, still confused.

“The human heart, or one could say faith. The Human Race may seem caught between Celestials and Demons, yet they are actually capable of influencing the balance of the Three Realms. The first to defeat Chiyou and seal him was none other than the ancestors of the human race, Huangdi Xuanyuan and Yandi Shennong, and the role of the human heart is crucial,” the Bodhisattva answered.

“So, the journey of Master and Disciples of Tang Monk to the West to obtain the true scriptures and later spreading Mahayana Buddhism extensively was actually also to rectify human hearts, to break human desires like greed, hate, ignorance, and desire, to correct the qi of the Human World, and thus to strengthen the seal?” Shen Luo muttered.

“Unfortunately, the Human World has been peaceful for too long, and they have already forgotten the terror of the Demon Clan, trapped in an overpowering tide of material desire, unable to extricate themselves. Even with the spread of Buddha Dharma, it was too late to turn back the tide. I realized it was too late when I noticed the increasing number of Evil Ghosts in the Underworld…” Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a bitter smile.