Chapter 3103 - The Mountain of Tribulations

Su Yi gripped the Book of Destiny, pondered briefly, then opened to the first page.

Whoosh~

The clones of the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence appeared out of nowhere.

Practically simultaneously, Su Yi sealed the Book of Destiny for fear that it’d seize the opportunity to fly from his grip.

“The Realm of Endless Tribulations... I’ve finally returned...” The tall, thin, Monarch of Endless Tribulations looked around, a bit dazed. There was no hiding his excitement.

“It’s just as I remember it,” the Buddha of Non-Existence said softly. His robes were worn, and he had the countenance of a temple statue. His every movement was steady and imposing.

“Thanks to your help, Fellow Daoist Su, we made it back in time!” The Monarch of Endless Tribulations clasped his fist.

The Buddha of Non-Existence clasped his palms to express his gratitude.

Su Yi smiled. “No need for such politeness. Time is short, so let’s get to it.”

“Very well!” The Monarch of Endless Tribulations led the way, and the three of them shot off.

As they traveled, Su Yi noticed that the ambient calamitous energies receded wherever the Monarch of Endless Tribulations passed. Even the churning power of the natural order sank into stillness overhead.

He was like a ruler surveying his lands, his ministers stepping out of his path in deference!

Su Yi sighed to himself. He really is the ruler of the Abyss of Endless Tribulations!

“Fellow Daoist, the Threelives Buddha didn’t hurt you, did he?” The Monarch of Endless Tribulations suddenly transmitted into Su Yi’s ears.

Su Yi shook his head slightly, then realized something. Wait. The Monarch of Endless Tribulations transmitted that to me.

“You have to be careful,” the Monarch of Endless Tribulations continued. “The Buddhists of the Spirit Mountain Buddhist Court aren’t people to provoke lightly. Otherwise, I could never have fought the Buddha of Non-Existence for so long without a clear victor emerging.”

His words stirred Su Yi’s heart. Weren’t my past lives’ enmities with the Threelives Buddha much the same?

But then, Su Yi’s brow furrowed as he sensed something altogether strange. Why is he warning me about this now of all times? And by transmission instead of normal speech?

Could it be that he suspects that the Threelives Buddha will join forces with the Buddha of Non-Existence?

The Buddha of Non-Existence was the Threelives Buddha’s guide. They aren’t officially master and apprentice, but they share a similar bond.

Su Yi thought back to when he’d asked the Buddha of Non-Existence about the Threelives Buddha. The Buddha of Non-Existence responded with the utmost solemnity. He hadn’t accepted the Threelives Buddha as his disciple because of a major difference of opinion concerning the Grand Dao.

Those who walked different paths couldn’t work together!

Buddhists and their Daos came in all stripes, but none would make concessions when it came to their Buddhist practice or pursuit of the Dao.

That aside, the Buddha of Non-Existence expressed that he wouldn’t intervene in Su Yi’s enmity with his not-quite apprentice.

The Monarch of Non-Existence had been there to witness this exchange.

When Su Yi looked back on it now and considered the monarch’s warning, everything seemed altogether different.

In the end, Su Yi resisted the urge to ask any further questions. He already knew that the grudge between the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence was enormous and irreconcilable.

It was much like how he and the Threelives Buddha would have to end things between them sooner or later.

In the Cave of Obsession, the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence saw the Book of Destiny as the key to ending their ancient conflict.

That was true even now.

At the time, his first incarnation’s heart devil suggested that the two of them enter the Book of Destiny of their own accord. In exchange, Su Yi would bring them to the Abyss of Endless Tribulations to settle their enmity before he became a Heavenly Sovereign.

That meant that there were two things Su Yi would have to face upon arriving here with the Book of Destiny.

First, his existence would be key to determining the outcome of the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence’s ancient struggle.

Second, Su Yi would find himself in a rather unusual and dangerous situation. No matter who he helped, the other would see him as his enemy!

Admittedly, over the years, both had helped Su Yi on numerous occasions, and he’d now helped them in turn, but compared to the outcome of their ancient duel, those little kindnesses meant nothing at all.

Su Yi naturally understood that.

Just as Su Yi was pondering this, the Buddha of Non-Existence said, “I have a few things to say to each of you.”

Both Su Yi and the Monarch of Endless Tribulations were a bit stunned.

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations said, “Go right ahead, Fellow Daoist.”

The Buddha of Non-Existence said solemnly, “Something happened to our true bodies. I hope to resolve whatever it is first, then have Fellow Daoist Su bear witness as we end our ancient enmity.”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations smiled. “That would be best. Exactly what I had in mind! What do you think, Fellow Daoist Su?”

Su Yi subtly inclined his head.

The Buddha of Non-Existence gazed intently at the Monarch of Endless Tribulations as if he had something to say, but in the end, he sighed.

He looked at Su Yi. “A monk tells no lies. I began my cultivation at a young age, and in that time, I’ve never once said anything that goes against my Chan Buddhist Heart. The Threelives Buddha isn’t here to save me, and I won’t be joining forces with him. Please rest assured, Fellow Daoist.”

Su Yi was a bit stunned. “I understand.”

He hadn’t anticipated that the Buddha of Non-Existence would be so direct!

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations got straight to the point, too. “The Threelives Buddha is Fellow Daoist Su’s irreconcilable enemy, and both of us value Fellow Daoist Su highly. Will you really be able to remain a bystander if the Threelives Buddha attacks him?”

The Buddha of Non-Existence just said, “I can stay out of it, but I won’t let Threelives steal the Book of Destiny.”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations laughed. “Ol’ pal, not even I would believe something like that. How do you expect Fellow Daoist Su to trust you?”

The Buddha of Non-Existence frowned and was just about to respond when Su Yi said, “No need to say any more, you two. I understand. Throughout my lifetime of cultivation, I’ve always upheld a certain principle: actions speak louder than words!”

In other words, “say whatever you want now, but what matters is what happens later.”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations nodded. “Well said.”

The Buddha of Non-Existence nodded in silence.

As they conversed, the three of them faded into the distance.

Fifteen minutes later, a strange vision appeared beneath the dome of heaven.

A barren peak rose out of the barren ground, piercing the clouds, like a craggy pillar or a spine propping up the firmament.

A waterfall of tribulation light poured down on the mountain, bathing it entirely.

The surging tribulation light flowed onto the ground, rippling in all directions before gradually vanishing into the depths of the earth.

It was indistinct, but a mysterious black palace stood on the peak jutting beyond the cloud cover. However, it was so far away that, combined with the endless tribulation light enshrouding it, it was only visible as a fuzzy outline.

“That’s the Mountain of Tribulations. The palace on the peak is my personal cultivation ground, the Palace of Endless Tribulations.” The Monarch of Endless Tribulations placed his hands behind his back and explained before Su Yi even needed to ask. “It’s also the site of our true bodies’ duel. They’ve been fighting there throughout the ages, but even now, they’ve yet to determine a victor.”

His voice was full of ruefulness.

The Buddha of Non-Existence frowned. “Don’t you think it’s strange? We’re already here, but there’s no sign of our true bodies’ presences.”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations narrowed his eyes, then said gravely, “It really is unusual. Never mind my true body. There’s no sign of my subordinates, either.”

Su Yi knew of the Monarch of Endless Tribulation’s subordinates. They were the Harbingers of Tribulations, each a master of calamitous power. All were utterly terrifying.

River Ancestor Lu Shu was one such Harbinger of Tribulations.

“Come on, let’s have a look,” said the Monarch of Endless Tribulations. He was already walking toward the Mountain of Tribulations.

Su Yi and the Buddha of Non-Existence followed.

Boom!

As they drew near, they both sensed the calamitous power pouring down from the Mountain of Tribulations. It shook the entire stretch of heaven and earth.

The air was plunged into disarray on all sides. Calamitous energy surged, terrifying beyond measure. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

Unbelievably, as the Monarch of Endless Tribulations advanced, the calamitous power cleared a path for him.

The Buddha of Non-Existence remained silent. It seemed he’d grown accustomed to such things.

But Su Yi frowned. As they neared the mountain, the Contented Heart Scepter silently shifted, taking on the form of the Umbrella of Tribulations.

The Umbrella of Tribulations’ wonders lay its ability to clearly sense, elude, and block all manner of tribulations.

It was understandable that the Contented Heart Scepter would take this shape. After all, a boundless, terrifying flood of calamitous power was pouring down the mountainside.

But just a few blinks of an eye later, the scepter transformed once more. It went from the Umbrella of Tribulations to the Realm-Demarcating Ruler to the Book of Karma, flitting through one shape after another.

Su Yi had never seen it act like this before. Nothing so strange had occurred in all the time since he’d first fused the Nine Mysteries of Chaos into one.

As he pondered, his heart soul silently opened its eyes, then took the rapidly shifting scepter in hand and asked, “What’s going on here?

A miniature man appeared atop it. This was the spirit of the Contented Heart Scepter, a wildly arrogant little fellow who’d once mocked Su Yi for his ignorance.

But after the Big Boss’s heart devil taught him a lesson, he became as meek as could be. He’d cultivated quietly inside the Contented Heart Scepter ever since.

According to him, the landscape of Su yi’s heart was a first-rate blessed ground for cultivation, the type that could only be happened upon by chance!

“‘What’s going on here?’” The little man in Daoist robes looked utterly astonished and overcome with excitement. “Your Excellency, I ought to ask you that. Have you perhaps entered a place full of source energies of destiny?”

Source energies of destiny? Su Yi couldn’t help but recall the Source of the River of Destiny. But no... this is the Realm of Endless Tribulations, not the Source of the River of Destiny!

The miniature man said excitedly, “That’s got to be it! Only source energies of destiny could resonate with the Contented Heart Scepter’s source like this! It’s like... it picked up the scent of its home.”

Its home? Su Yi found this hard to believe. After all, the Contented Heart Scepter was formed out of the Nine Mysteries of Chaos and born of the chaos of the Immortal Realm.

How could it possibly have any connection to the Realm of Endless Tribulations?

Su Yi had a strong premonition that, regardless of whether the miniature man was right or not, the scepter’s strange movements were connected to the Realm of Endless Tribulations!

Strange. Earlier, the Book of Destiny reacted. Now, the Contented Heart Scepter is reacting, too. Just... how many secrets is the Realm of Endless Tribulations hiding?