Chapter 89: The Incomplete Relic

The Old Buddha had held Jiang Li in high regard, yet he did not wish to face him in direct combat. He assumed that since Jiang Li was not proficient in the Dao of Space, trapping him in an infinite space would be enough to contain him.

Who would have thought that the very space capable of imprisoning an immortal would be shattered by Jiang Li in the crudest of ways—and far faster than he had broken through the first technique!

Jiang Li understood that if a Mahayana Stage cultivator and an immortal fought without restraint, not just Mount Sumeru, but the entire Nine Provinces could collapse.

Thus, after breaking through the Buddha’s World in the Palm, he tore through the fabric of space in the Nine Provinces, dragging the Old Buddha into the void—forcing their battle to take place outside reality itself.

The Old Buddha’s golden body radiated brilliance, his face a picture of compassion. Whether it was due to the profundity of Buddhist teachings or the accumulation of karmic merit, even he himself could no longer distinguish the truth.

The Sixteen-Foot Golden Body of Buddhism had been cultivated by the Old Buddha to its absolute peak, rendering it nearly indestructible. In theory, even an immortal of the same level would struggle to break through it.

Yet Jiang Li, wielding the mystical Dao, reversed the technique Turning Stone to Gold, using a single finger to transform the Old Buddha into a sixteen-foot stone statue—before shattering him into dust.

A Tribulation Stage cultivator could regenerate from a single drop of blood—let alone an immortal. Every single particle of dust transformed into a copy of himself, golden light illuminating the void as millions of Old Buddhas attacked Jiang Li simultaneously.

The Dao Sect’s One Qi Splits into Three Pure Ones technique allowed a cultivator to create two identical copies of themselves, with three being the absolute limit. Jiang Li knew there was no way there were truly millions of Old Buddhas—at most, only three real ones.

He exhaled mist, transformed rain into soldiers, and fought against the endless Old Buddhas.

A modified version of Scattering Beans into Soldiers—Transforming Rain into Soldiers.

The Dao Sect had always welcomed Jiang Li to study Daoist techniques, as he would return them twofold for every technique he learned.

A single exchange of blows was enough to distinguish truth from illusion. Soon, Jiang Li pinpointed the three true bodies of the Old Buddha.

The Old Buddha sighed. “Jiang Li, do you know that your talent terrifies me?”

Even as he fought with divine techniques, he continued speaking, “I have lived for nine thousand seven hundred years. In my first seven hundred years, I met immortals—but not a single one was as powerful as you. In the following nine thousand years, I witnessed countless prodigies, yet none could surpass you. Neither could I.”

“Do you know? Every time you lectured on the Mahayana Stage—on how to achieve it—I listened. Whether in the open or in secret.”

The Old Buddha’s aura surged again, his expression contorting as he roared:

“But I couldn’t understand! I couldn’t understand a single thing you said! If I could have reached the Mahayana Stage, why would I have needed to kill?! Why?!”

Jiang Li roared back, “What do you expect me to do?! I’ve explained it as clearly as I could! What more do you want from me?!”

The Old Buddha exhaled True Samadhi Fire, aiming it at Jiang Li. The flames vanished upon contact.

Jiang Li felt his Dao Heart being consumed by a raging fire, like iron being tempered a thousand times—burning hot and excruciatingly painful.

True Samadhi Fire ignites from within, using the Dao Heart as fuel, consuming the body and soul alike. Even if one’s Dao Heart was firm, the fire would continue to burn long after the body and soul had turned to ashes.

Jiang Li wielded his Heart Sword, slicing himself apart—his sword intent shattering the True Samadhi Fire.

The Old Buddha attempted to trap him in Reincarnation once more.

But this time, Jiang Li was unaffected. He simply walked out and resumed battle.

Both were masters of divine abilities, but Jiang Li had the superior edge—he defeated the Old Buddha.

He pressed a single finger to the Old Buddha’s forehead, prepared to shatter his divine consciousness at the first sign of resistance.

The Old Buddha coughed up golden blood, unstable in the void, exploding upon contact with space.

He let out a bitter laugh. “You entered Reincarnation on purpose from the start, didn’t you? You just wanted me to hear those words.”

Jiang Li remained silent.

The Old Buddha coughed twice, struggling to steady his breath before continuing.

“You held back against me. The Outer World Demon was as strong as I am, yet you slew them with ease. But against me, you fought evenly.”

“Then why, after becoming immortal, did you not leave the Nine Provinces for another world?”

Now that the Old Buddha had ascended, the chaotic storms of the void were no longer a threat. Moreover, he was proficient in the Dao of Space—escaping elsewhere would have been effortless.

Yet he remained in the Nine Provinces, on Mount Sumeru, as if waiting for Jiang Li to come for him.

“……Yes, why?” The Old Buddha muttered. “I don’t know either… If I had fled to another world… You wouldn’t have been able to find me… Maybe… Maybe it’s because I thought I was not in the wrong… That you would understand… That you would forgive me… After all… I saved the Nine Provinces…”

Jiang Li was silent for a moment before asking, “Who is the Divine Repository Sovereign? Where are the Outer World Demons?”

The Old Buddha shook his head.

“What you saw in the Divine Repository Sect… That was all I knew… The demons only told me that if I worshipped the Divine Repository Sovereign and killed people, I would gain karmic merit. Everything else about the sect—I made it up based on the demon’s name… What it is… I do not know… Perhaps a faith of the Outer World Demons…”

“As for the Outer World Demons…” The Old Buddha pointed to his throat. “I was cursed with the Sixfold Confinement Mantra… I cannot speak of them… Even as an immortal…”

The Sixfold Confinement Mantra could only be broken in one way—if the cursed individual ascended to the same realm as the one who cast the curse. Then, it would break on its own.

“Do you understand, Jiang Li? The demon is an entire realm above me… Yet it only dares to act in secret… It fears you.”

The Old Buddha was an Earth Immortal.

The demon infiltrating the Nine Provinces was a Heavenly Immortal.

Yet a Heavenly Immortal feared a Mahayana cultivator.

The Old Buddha gave a self-mocking smile. He recalled how timid and cautious the demon had been, sneaking around like a common thief—then suddenly, he stopped laughing.

For in that moment, he realized—he himself had done the same.

He had hidden the truth from Jiang Li, founded the Divine Repository Sect in secret, and stolen karmic merit for himself.

The demon had known he wouldn’t dare tell Jiang Li the truth.

Because, in its eyes—was he truly that afraid of death?

“……”

“…I know you’re investigating who introduced Jiang Yixing to the Demonic Path… It was the Outer World Demon.”

“Have you ever considered… what the Outer World Demons truly are?”

“Jiang Li… Immortal Changcun is lying. He is hiding something about them.”

“…Maybe you trust him. I do not.”

“…Jiang Li… You were right… The heavens have changed… The heavens want to destroy us… Only you can protect the Nine Provinces.”

The Old Buddha forced himself into a meditative position, hands pressed together.

His body self-immolated—and from his ashes, a single incomplete relic remained.

…Where had things gone wrong?

Ah, that’s right… It had all started when he sent assassins after Jiang Li from Heaven’s Kill Pavilion…

Why had he done that?

…It seemed that ever since he had endured fifteen Immortal Ascension Tribulations… His actions had changed…

Was that for the better… or…?

Jiang Li held the incomplete relic in his hand, overwhelmed with emotions, unable to speak.

Without a word, he returned to the Nine Provinces.