Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

”Amitābha!”

This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was a voice that had never before appeared within the 【Pseudo‑History】, so much so that Hongtian was stunned, completely unable to comprehend the true meaning behind these four words.

Yet ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍in the very next moment, he felt the stirrings of karmic resonance.

And ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not just him—every Golden Core True Lord, including Lü Yang, and all Foundation Establishment True Persons capable of sensing changes in karma were stirred to action.

‘It’s ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍coming.’

‘Something… ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is coming.’

An indescribably vast karmic force was descending from a realm of the unknowable and inexpressible. At that instant, the name of this karmic force imprinted itself into everyone’s sea of consciousness.

【Descent to Tuṣita】!

Lü Yang stood atop a high platform, overlooking all below, and saw that the masses—Foundation Establishment True Persons—all wore vacant expressions, and uttered in unison a sigh:

”All Buddhas and World-Honored Ones, through as many kalpas as there are dust motes in a sea of worlds, accomplished the path for the sake of one great cause—to awaken beings to the Buddha’s knowledge and insight, and thus bring them purity, and therefore appear in the world.”

Amidst this universal hymn of praise, within a secluded courtyard in the Immortal Court’s imperial capital, Heaven and Earth manifested a vision—a six-tusked white elephant, lotus in mouth, entered the body of a laboring woman from her left flank. She received it as sweet dew, and joy spread across her face.

【Dwelling in the Womb】!

In the next second, the woman gave birth, and the infant’s first cry resounded across Great Qian. A baby was born, with every step sprouting lotuses beneath, a bodhi tree swaying behind his back.

【Birth】!

In an instant, the heavens and worlds radiated great light. A five-colored radiance pierced straight into the Taiwei. In merely a breath, the infant transformed into a heroic youth.

Next, the youth’s hair and beard all fell away. The five-colored light reversed course and draped over him, forming a robe like a kāṣāya. His presence grew ever more dignified and radiant. He sat cross-legged beneath the bodhi tree where he had manifested, a vajra throne formed from auspicious grass beneath him, and all around him shone with the light of the Buddha.

Buddha light formed a ring—pure and perfect.

At that moment, it was as though the world filled with shadows and demonic obstructions. Wailing and howling of spirits echoed forth—yet were utterly dissolved by this radiance.

Then, the whole world spoke.

Just like before, the masses, unaware, all chanted scriptures aloud, praising the World-Honored One, exalting the Dharma. Majestic—yet eerily uncanny.

”What is this?!”

Even with Hongtian’s willpower, seeing all beings below raising their heads to look at him caused a chilling dread to seep through his bones.

His gaze fell upon that heroic youth beneath the bodhi tree. He could not understand the youth’s identity, nor grasp his state. All he could do was form seals within his sleeve and continuously divine—only to see eight immense karmic threads intertwining before his eyes.

【Descent to Tuṣita】, 【Dwelling in the Womb】, 【Birth】.

【Renunciation】, 【Subjugation of Demons】, 【Attainment of the Dao】.

【Preaching the Dharma】, 【Nirvāṇa】.

Eight conditions. Eight forms. Interwoven in this moment into an unshakable, irreversible “result,” bearing the name—

”World-Honored One Descends, Manifesting as the Tathāgata!”

The instant he divined this karmic outcome, a burst of Buddha light erupted from Hongtian’s fingertip, splitting the skin of all five fingers, blood gushing forth in torrents.

”Rumble—!!”

At the same time, that heroic youth who had suddenly descended… aged.

Within a few breaths, he traversed the path of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Beneath the bodhi tree, he closed his eyes, and his body scattered like dust in the wind.

Yet after his passing, a single speck of pure Buddha light flared forth in brilliance.

Within that radiance, a Buddha figure emerged.

His body was as glass, possessing forty-eight thousand arms, each hand bearing an all-seeing Dharma eye glowing with wisdom. His broad Buddha face seemed to wear a faint smile.

”Well done! Well done!”

”I now descend to the world, having cultivated the eight aspects to attain enlightenment, traversed beyond hundreds of trillions of asaṃkhyeya kalpas. I shall abide eternally in the Saha world, manifesting the true form of the Tathāgata!”

In that instant, Buddha light surged to the heavens and deep into the earth.

Lü Yang, staring far into the distance, instantly perceived the intensity of this aura:

‘True Lord… not pseudo-possession, but a proper, genuine, veritable True Lord!’

At this moment, all he had in his heart were curses.

Holy crap, it’s the World-Honored One!

‘Other Dao Lords are scheming this or calculating that. But when it comes to Him, it’s just a damn parade of disguises and surprise debuts to fish people out!’

As if a “Dharma Form” comparable to Foundation Establishment completion weren’t already enough.

This time, it was a full-fledged Tathāgata on par with a True Lord!

But the next second, Lü Yang caught on: ‘Wait a sec—how could the 【Pseudo‑History】 have a World-Honored One? Didn’t he already attain Dao and leave?’

‘Or… wait.’

Thinking this, Lü Yang instantly held his breath. His true body, hiding in the Zouyu ruins, curled up, not daring to leak out a single trace of qi.

‘…He’s from the real world!’

‘This is the true World-Honored One descending—not a counterpart from the 【Pseudo‑History】… Damn it, what’s He doing here? And targeting Hongtian of all people?’

Even as he thought that, Lü Yang already understood.

What else could it be?

Just like what 【Soaring Sky】 did back then—before heading to the real world to deal with Lü Yang, first practice by beating up Hongtian here in the 【Pseudo‑History】!

‘You beast!’

‘Is this what the Founding Ancestor of the Sacred Sect wanted me to see?! Damned World-Honored One… Just because I destroyed Jiangxi’s Pure Land and cut off your Buddhist cultivation lineage—putting aside the truth—do you really think you’re totally innocent?! And now you pull a stunt like this to kill me off?!’

This was the reason he was doomed to die!

‘Wait—if the World-Honored One could casually descend with a True Lord-level incarnation, why didn’t He do anything back when I destroyed the Pure Land?’

As this thought struck him, Lü Yang suddenly looked up.

At that moment, Hongtian also recovered his wits, turning his gaze—just like Lü Yang—toward the Immortal Court: “Was this your doing?”

‘It’s the Dao Court!’

Lü Yang understood clearly: the descent of this “Tathāgata” had to do with the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】!

In the 【Pseudo‑History】, from Hongtian’s point of view, it seemed to be the work of the Immortal Court’s True Lords. But in the real world, it had to be tied to the Dao Court Dao Lord!

‘Without the Dao Lord’s permission, the World-Honored One couldn’t possibly have borrowed the power of the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】 to manifest a true form Tathāgata on par with a Golden Core True Lord!’

The implications of this chilled Lü Yang to the bone.

The World-Honored One and the Dao Lord of the Dao Court… had allied?

Why?

‘No—this is the proper way of enemies. What grudge between Dao Lords can’t be settled? As long as the interests align, even a blood feud can turn into cooperation!’

Then what were the interests?

‘The Dao Court wants the 【Heavenly Fire】. The World-Honored One probably wants me. Didn’t He offer before to have me rule Jiangxi and control the Pure Land for Him…’

So, their interests did not clash.

A death trap with no hope of survival!

‘Dead for sure…’

At that moment, Lü Yang sighed inwardly, knowing Hongtian could no longer turn the tide. Yet despite that, he somehow knew what Hongtian would do next.

Because if it were him, he’d do the same—

”Kill!!!”

From the dome of the sky, seeing the Tathāgata who had suddenly descended, enshrouded in Buddha light, walking calmly toward him—Hongtian didn’t hesitate at all. He formed a hand seal, shifting his pseudo-possession from 【Overturning Lamp Fire】 to 【Heavenly Fire】, then burst forth with vision and charged forward without looking back.