Bu Tian Gang

The abyssal passage was finally sealed, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

If everything went as planned, the key point of the formation would be thoroughly closed. Additional sealing techniques could be applied later on, followed by burying and strengthening to ensure complete security.

However, He Yu, Li Han’er, and others had red eyes; no one felt like celebrating.

Li Han’er couldn’t help but whisper, “If… if Dong Zhi and the others are still alive, can they come back?”

Song Zhicun paused for a moment, then replied, “Theoretically speaking, the main formation point is connected to the other positions of the array.”

This meant that there were other paths between the abyssal hell and the human world, not just the main point in Kunlun Mountain. The mountain’s main formation point stabilized the entire magic formation. However, this was purely theoretical. No human had ever returned safely from the abyssal hell.

Li Han’er looked up.

Though the main point was sealed, the gray mist lingering inside and outside the gorge didn’t dissipate. It continued to hover in the sky, even covering the sunlight, casting a persistent shadow over the entire canyon. It felt like a weight on Li Han’er’s heart.

“What’s going on?” Liu Qingbo’s furrowed brow was so tense that it seemed like it could be tied in a knot. Nobody in the group was in a good mood.

Even though Liu Qingbo often found Dong Zhi annoying and griped about him privately, those who knew him understood his stubborn nature. He treated those he liked even worse, making harsher comments.

In the past, when Liu Qingbo was still a young boy, his temperament was even worse. On a whim, he attacked a spirit creature that he had been cultivating for several centuries. As a result, he almost lost his life. Fortunately, Long Shen happened to pass by at that moment and saved him. As time had passed, he now naturally realized that such malicious practices were extremely reprehensible, not only unacceptable in the cultivation world but, had he truly lost his life then, he would have deserved it.

Apart from the mistakes made in his youthful recklessness, Liu Qingbo never regretted any of his actions, including joining the Special Administration Bureau, wanting to take Long Shen as his master, becoming acquainted with Dong Zhi through conflicts, risking his life with comrades, and emerging victorious from the World Exchange Conference. He believed his life should be lived with such intensity and grandeur. Thus, for the second time in his life, he felt regret—regretting that he was a moment too late and didn’t make the split-second decision to jump down with Dong Zhi. Even if it meant death, he preferred a glorious end over the passive torment of waiting and passively accepting fate now. Such passivity wasn’t in line with his usual character.

“Good people are under heaven’s protection. The boss will be fine,” Yang Shouyi whispered.

Liu Qingbo snorted. “If he doesn’t come back, I’ll dig up his ancestors’ graves!”

Yang Shouyi was puzzled. “Do you even know where his ancestral grave is?”

He also wanted to add, “Did you go grave visiting with him?” but stopped himself upon receiving Liu Qingbo’s deadly glare.

……

Compared to Dong Zhi’s immersion in the demonic illusion of another life, Yu Buhui and Liu Si’s current situation wasn’t pleasant.

Dark clouds filled the sky, and the fierce wind stirred terrifying waves, enough to darken the world. Yu Buhui and Liu Si, on a small battered boat, struggled amidst these monstrous waves, almost capsizing several times.

Their hair and clothes were plastered to them, looking miserable and panting heavily.

Yu Buhui yelled, “What did you think of to suddenly have a tsunami?”

In the roaring wind, if they didn’t shout, they wouldn’t be heard.

Liu Si, equally exasperated, replied, “I just felt the fires were too hot. I thought it’d be nice if a big wave would come and put out the fire. I didn’t expect the wind and waves to become so relentless!”

The heart moved as it willed; a single thought could give birth to a myriad of visions. Malicious thoughts deep in the human psyche could manifest as dark qi, a gathering of all kinds of desires. Both Liu Si and Yu Buhui had their own likes and dislikes and emotions of love and hatred. It was impossible for them to have minds as still as water, devoid of any thoughts. But the moment a thought arose, all negative information would flood in, magnified countless times, drowning them within. It became difficult to discern if one’s physical body was still alive or if only their thoughts remained.

This was a terrifying situation. Perhaps the real abyss, the true hell, wasn’t filled with endless corpses as they had imagined or with ferocious demons. Instead, it was an unending state where everything you could imagine existed. Even if you yearned for beauty or fame and fortune, it could be granted here. But when one became deeply engrossed in such temptations and couldn’t pull away, their body could have already been consumed bit by bit by the dark qi. Eventually, even their consciousness would become part of this dark qi, disappearing entirely, with their soul scattered and lost.

A frog slowly boiled in tepid water wouldn’t realize the danger until it was too late, and by then it would be unable to escape and could only wait for its demise.

Otowa Yasuhiko’s illusionary power was undeniably strong. But the power Otowa inherited from the stone box wasn’t innate but acquired. If they were careful, they could have a chance to escape. Yet now, as Yu Buhui found himself in this abyss, he saw no glimmer of hope for escape.

Dark qi was omnipresent, always lurking and ready to pounce, as if there were eyes in the endless darkness watching and controlling everything, treating them as toys to play with, until they lost interest and decided to end it.

Yu Buhui held his forehead. “Why didn’t you think of a bigger boat? Can this small one withstand the storms?”

Liu Si, tired of his complaints, responded irritably, “Then you come up with something! Don’t rely solely on me!”

Not long after, the waves gradually subsided, returning to calm. Using a dilapidated wooden boat, they strenuously paddled from the middle of the sea to the shore. Exhausted, both lay on the ground, panting heavily for a while before regaining their strength.

“What were you thinking?” Liu Si asked.

Yu Buhui replied, “…I wasn’t thinking of anything specific. I just recited the Diamond Sutra*.”

*Mahāyāna (Buddhist) sutra from the genre of Prajñāpāramitā (‘perfection of wisdom’) sutras. Translated into a variety of languages over a broad geographic range, the Diamond Sutra is one of the most influential Mahayana sutras in East Asia, and it is particularly prominent within the Chan (or Zen) tradition, along with the Heart Sutra.

Liu Si pondered. “Given the dangers we’ve faced since entering this place without completely losing our consciousness, it’s possible that Boss Long and Dong Zhi are still alive. What if we both focused our energy on thinking of Dong Zhi or Boss Long? Could we quickly reunite with them?”

Yu Buhui shook his head. “How can you be sure that the Dong Zhi you see is the real Dong Zhi?”

If what they perceived now was merely an illusion born from dark qi, then the Dong Zhi that could appear might also be an illusion. Liu Si couldn’t refute this.

Yu Buhui continued, “When I was silently reciting the Diamond Sutra, I remembered a line from it.”

Liu Si thought for a moment, then asked, “Is it ‘All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, and a shadow, like dew and lightning. Thus, one should contemplate them’?”

Yu Buhui nodded. “Maybe by seeing through the nature of all things, we can find the weak point of this place.” He then scratched his chin and joked, “Who would’ve thought that after living a life of luxury outside, I’d come here and turn into a monk that believes in the impermanence of everything!”

Regaining some energy, Liu Si stood up, intending to scout the area. He noticed a small hill in front of them with a distinct peach tree blooming brilliantly. The falling petals illuminated his sight.

“What’s that?” Liu Si asked, but before he could turn around, he noticed Yu Buhui had already stood up, gazing at the peach tree, showing an indescribable expression, a mix of many emotions.

“I had a fleeting thought, and it immediately picked up on it and magnified it,” Yu Buhui said with a bitter smile. “Weren’t you surprised when I recognized your true form? It was a moment of joy.”

Liu Si inquired, “Is it related to this peach tree?”

Yu Buhui explained, “At that time, I hadn’t taken a physical form but had consciousness. The previous Sword Master buried me under that tree. I was on the brink of taking form, and I faced several tribulations from lightning. One of those times, the power of the heavenly lightning was immense. With my abilities then, I couldn’t withstand it. If I hadn’t endured, my consciousness would have scattered, and I wouldn’t know how many more years it would take to cultivate a sense of self again.”

Liu Si nodded in understanding. Being cultivated from a willow tree, he naturally understood what Yu Buhui was saying.

At that time, the peach tree was just a few hundred years old, beginning to have its own consciousness, barely stepping into the realm of spiritual beings. Buried beneath it was the Yuchang Sword, a masterpiece crafted by Ou Yezi. Forged from the tin of Chijin Mountain and the copper of Ruoye River, and tempered with rain and thunder, it might not have been as powerful as the Seven Stars Longyuan Sword, but it was still a rare and renowned blade in history, naturally granting it unique transformative potential.

Over time, the peach tree and the sword developed a deep bond. When the fifth tribulation approached and the Yuchang Sword had exhausted its ability to protect itself after the previous four, the peach tree, without hesitation, used its own trunk to shield the sword from this life-threatening trial.

Liu Si knew that for any monster that had cultivated into a sentient form, the thunder tribulation was an unavoidable and fatal disaster. Many couldn’t withstand it; the luckier ones reverted to their original forms and started their cultivation anew, while the more unfortunate ones were obliterated, never to exist again.

However, this was the inevitable will of the heavens. Because for a spirit to transform, it was already against the natural order. Therefore, their path of transformation was more challenging and tortuous than other creatures. Both Zong Ling and Long Shen went through the same process.

Only the strong could survive to the end.

At that time, the Yuchang sword, though invincible in the mortal realm, was still somewhat vulnerable in front of the heavenly thunder. To shield against the tribulation, the peach tree took the hit, with half of its body charred, losing most of its cultivation. It took many years for it to slowly recover.

“It should have transformed before me, but in the end, I did it before it did,” Yu Buhui said. “Yet, it comforted me, saying that this was a test from the heavens and asked me to travel on its behalf to the Wushan Mountain—a place it always wanted to visit but never got the chance to see its beautiful clouds and mist.”

Liu Si asked, “Did it eventually transform?”

Yu Buhui shook his head. “I left for ten years, and when I returned, it was gone. A war had turned the nearby village into ashes, and it too was consumed by the flames. Its centuries of cultivation went to waste because it couldn’t transform and escape. It burned for three days and nights, with only a bit of its roots left connected to the soil. With a pinch, they turned to dust.”

An ordinary human might not feel the weight of this story, but Liu Si, who transformed from a willow tree, knew the agony. To be conscious but trapped in fire, unable to move, was like being burned alive.

Yu Buhui walked towards the peach tree, but Liu Si grabbed him. “Even if you feel guilty, that’s just an illusion. It’s in the past! Remember what you just said—all conditioned things are like dreams, illusions!”

Yu Buhui turned to look at him with a strange expression. “It’s not an illusion. My story isn’t over. The peach tree died due to human-caused disasters. Holding onto its grudge, it turned into a demon, causing havoc everywhere. By the time I found it, it didn’t recognize me, filled with the intent to kill, even wanting to kill me. I had no choice but to end its life with my own hands.”

Liu Si was taken aback and his grip on Yu Buhui loosened.

With a wry smile, Yu Buhui said, “It protected me during my transformation, yet I repaid his kindness with betrayal. Maybe, as the sword master Xue Zhu said, I’m naturally rebellious and unyielding. Anyone associated with me meets a tragic end.”

Liu Si responded, “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known!” Even though they hadn’t known each other for long, Liu Si observed that Yu Buhui, being a sword, lacked the typical arrogance and coldness. He always chatted incessantly, not minding that Liu Si’s experience was lesser. But now, Liu Si was seeing a darker side to him.

Presumably, everyone has an indelible past. Even a tiny thought could provide an opening for demons to exploit.

Liu Si warned, “Remember, this place is full of demons. They can see the weaknesses deep within everyone.”

Yu Buhui closed his eyes, calming himself. “Whether it’s an inner demon or not, its death was indeed due to me. Since it has become a demon, it might be suffering in this hellish abyss. I’ve never met another transformed tree after that, so when I saw you, I naturally thought you might be its reincarnation.”

Liu Si replied, “I’m sorry, I’m not.”

Yu Bu Hui said, “I know, but I still owe it a life. No matter what, I have to go see.”

Liu Si sighed. “I’ll go with you.”

……

Yu Buhui thought he was sober, while Liu Si believed he was trapped by his inner demons. However, for those who believed they were clear-minded, in reality, they were just blinded by their involvement.

After Dong Zhi broke free from his illusory life, he was again engulfed by a pervasive demonic qi, along with enemies from his past.

Stealthy Yashka, Yamamoto Kiyoshi, the disciple of the sorcerer Songen, even the unborn demonic fetus in the belly of the actress Han Qi—enemies who once fell under his sword were revived by the demonic energy, coming at him from all directions, their faces twisted in rage, seeking revenge.

In the abyss of hell, these demons possessed powers many times stronger than those of the human world. Dong Zhi, wielding his Changshou Sword, paired it with the power of the Bu Tian Gang. His sword qi was fierce and surged like a violent storm, causing his enemies to scream and explode into nothingness.

However, specks of demonic qi quickly reignited, recongealing and soon merging into a giant figure that loomed over Dong Zhi. With a roaring dragon neck and sharp claws cutting through the dense demonic qi, it attacked him with unstoppable force.

It was the Bone Dragon of Changbai Mountain!

By now, Dong Zhi was unfazed by any manifestation in the abyss. Even if ten dragons suddenly appeared to attack him simultaneously, he wouldn’t be surprised.

But one battle after another, seemingly endless, finally made him weary. The power he had been silently accumulating was now ready to be unleashed. Holding a talisman in one hand and his sword in the other, he leaped into the air using the momentum from the dragon’s tail.

“The four great enlightenments, heaven and the earth are eternal, by the Jade Emperor’s orders, clear the three realms—”

He remembered Long Shen saying that in the three realms and six paths, where there was good, there was evil; where there was darkness, there was light. Even in the abyss of hell, far from the mundane world, righteous qi exists. What he needed to do was harness the power he had cultivated, the healing qi given to him by Che Bai, the half soul of Long Shen in his sword, and even the exorcism power passed down from the Hezao Sect. With these forces, he would invoke the Five Thunder Dharma and summon heavenly thunder.

“The mighty sword of the Divine King, slay evil and destroy its traces. The purple qi ascends to heaven, the landscape collides—”

Who said that once in the abyss, one could never return? He had already overcome numerous tribulations. From a regular person to where he was now, he had endured unimaginable hardships and fears, growing stronger each day. What drove him was Long Shen, his comrades, the predecessors of the Special Administration Bureau who sacrificed themselves, and the countless ordinary people who needed protection!

“Swallowing demons and ghosts, and drinks the wind—”

Where there was heart, inner demons would rise, but along with inner demons, there was also faith. Who says that within the demon realm, all righteousness is obliterated? Dong Zhi refused to believe. Even if he stood alone, he intended to strike at the heart of the issue and bring Long Shen back to the human world safely! Even if there was no righteous qi here before, from his arrival onward, there would be!

“With the sound of wind and thunder, startling ghosts and spirits for thousands of miles…”

The world had righteousness, naturally taking various forms. Below it formed rivers and mountains, above it formed stars and suns.

Amidst a deafening boom, a streak of light pierced the foggy horizon, startling all the demons in the realm. In an instant, the ground shook, and all the demons were alarmed!

The lightning, like a giant blade, shattered the Bone Dragon. The demonic qi scattered in fear, the monsters wailed in terror, and the thunder cleansed, turning the eternal night into daylight!

The dense fog was finally split open by the heavenly thunder, revealing a tall staircase.

And atop the stone steps stood Long Shen, with one eye half-closed and the other half-open, a familiar figure with an eerie gaze.