Evolution Begins With A Big Tree

Chapter 1361, The Invasion List

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silvain

“You’re not afraid we might steal your Buddhist inheritance?” A faint smile appeared on Yu Zi Yu’s lips as he asked in a playful voice, sitting upon his throne.

“Why would I fear that?” The Bodhisattva before him smiled serenely, his palms pressed together as he frankly answered, “The Buddha only offers salvation to those who have the necessary affinity. If Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor, should one day comprehend the Dharma, then you too would be a child of Buddha. For us, that would be a blessing beyond words. How could we possibly mind?”

“…” Yu Zi Yu fell silent, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the old monk before him.

He had to admit, Buddhists were truly masters of eloquence. Everything they said sounded so reasonable that even he found himself pausing for thought.

“The Buddha only offers salvation to those who have the necessary affinity, hmm…” With a faint chuckle, Yu Zi Yu shook his head, but didn’t give it much of a serious consideration.

The meeting concluded soon after. Yu Zi Yu instructed Nine Tails and the others to host the Bodhisattva with proper courtesy. As for him, he was planning to deal with the affairs of the Demon Court.

As the Demon Emperor, he naturally had a lot on his plate.

The fact that he had even made time to meet the Master of the Buddhist Sect was already a courtesy afforded to the man’s status.

But before leaving, Yu Zi Yu offered one final assurance, “If the Buddhist Sect ever finds itself in need, we shall lend our aid. Of course, the premise is—”

Before he could finish, the Bodhisattva interjected with a knowing smile, “Our Buddhist Sutra Hall shall forever remain open to the Demon Emperor.”

“Ha ha…” Yu Zi Yu’s laughter echoed like rolling thunder. And before the Bodhisattva could even blink, his figure had vanished, disappearing into thin air.

“Truly… unfathomable.”  Suppressing the awe rising in his chest, the Bodhisattva stared at the space where Yu Zi Yu had sat.

Only now did he realize that the one who had spoken to him moments ago was not Yu Zi Yu’s true self at all, but merely an afterimage he had left behind.

This was the power of the present Demon Emperor.

*Hoooo…* Taking a deep breath to steady his heart, the Bodhisattva stepped onto a golden lotus and left the Demon Court.

[Now that everything is settled, we just have to wait for that accursed devil to appear. The day he shows himself will be the day of his death!]

A rare glint of killing intent flashed deep within the Bodhisattva’s tranquil eyes.

…

At that very moment, within one of the Demon Court’s council halls…

“Nine Tails, Ling Er…”

“At your command…”

Two soft voices answered in unison as Nine Tails and Ling Er slowly appeared in the hall out of thin air.

Upon seeing them arrive, Yu Zi Yu calmly commanded, “Investigate everything you can about the Celestial Clan, the Zombie Clan, and the Darkest Reach of the Universe. I want to know everything about them.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “And remember, keep it a secret. I want no one to know.”

“Yes, Master.” Nine Tails and Ling Er exchanged a glance, both understanding the gravity of his words.

[This task… must be of great importance. It’s likely tied to one of Master’s grand schemes. Otherwise, he would never have spoken so cautiously.]

“I trust you both,” Yu Zi Yu stated with a slight nod as a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

These three places were the location of the remaining stone steles of the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones.

He had heard of the Zombie Clan, but the Celestial Clan and the Darkest Reach at the end of the Universe, those were unfamiliar even to him.

So, he had asked Nine Tails and LIng Er to find out about them.

However, investigation was one thing. Taking action against them was another matter entirely. After all, if someone discovered that the Demon Court was seeking information about these forces, and if the Void Clan happened to strike them soon after, it would draw suspicion.

So, to prevent such unwanted speculation, Yu Zi Yu decided to act under his other identity, the Soaring Purple Dragon, and launch an assault across the universe.

Perhaps, he might attack ten or twenty forces.

But among all these targets, the only ones Yu Zi Yu really wanted to attack were those possessing the stone steles.

The rest were merely decoys, to misdirect.

“The powers of the Western Sector can’t be spared either… we can’t show favoritism,” Yu Zi Yu mused softly, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“The Angel Clan has been behaving rather well lately… then let’s move on to the Titans.”

With a faint chuckle, he added another name to the growing invasion list, the mighty Titans.

But he did not stop there.

He included yet another name: the God Race.

The Gods were terrifying beyond measure, but they had made a grave mistake: They had dared to provoke the Demon Court.

And worse, they possessed the Spear of Fate, a Supreme Imperial Artifact.

That alone was enough reason for Yu Zi Yu to send his Soaring Purple Dragon to probe their foundations.

As for whether the Purple Dragon would be erased by the Spear of Fate? That was impossible.

Yu Zi Yu’s Second Form, the Soaring Purple Dragon, had already undergone a complete metamorphosis.

Its power rivaled that of true Hegemons, even approaching the Level-1 or Level-2 Hegemons who had broken through the Heaven’s Door.

If he were to awaken the Infinite Dragon God and draw upon the might of his True Body and the Dragon of Heavenly Dao through One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones, his power would ascend even further.

At that point, even if he could not defeat the Spear of Fate, he should be more than capable of defending himself.

Besides, sending the Soaring Purple Dragon was far wiser than revealing his true self.

Even if the Purple Dragon got gravely wounded, it could retreat into the depths of the Void and recover. But if Yu Zi Yu’s True Body were to be injured, it would surely attract countless greedy eyes, hungry powers waiting for him to falter.

That was something he would never allow.

Just then, as if a sudden thought crossed his mind, Yu Zi Yu asked, “Anzuiel, do you know what kind of race the Celestials are?”

“The Celestials are quite mysterious,” came the calm reply of Anzuiel, “but they are not to be underestimated. It is said their lineage once produced a being who transcended all, who saw through the nature of all things, who surpassed life, surpassed death, and even transcended reincarnation itself.”

Hearing this, Yu Zi Yu couldn’t help but be stunned.

“Transcending life and death… transcending reincarnation…” murmuring those words, he understood what Anzuiel implied.

Such a being was likely on par with the Lord of the Angel Clan, or the Primal Creator of the Titans, an existence beyond measure.

Only those who stood at such heights could be said to have surpassed life and death, and even reincarnation itself.

“In that case,” Yu Zi Yu remarked cautiously, “this Race is indeed not to be taken lightly.”

He made a small note in his mind, placing the Celestial Clan at the very end of his list.

After all, even when plundering the Myriad Races of the universe, one should start with the soft targets first.