Within the mirror world, Jiang Wang remained silent, observing the complete replay of events in the Land of Shenxiao.

Finally, he heard Chongxuan Sheng recount how, at the Yellow River Gathering, he had vied for supremacy with Huang Sheri. The astonishment etched upon his face when Huang Sheri unexpectedly conceded, appearing clumsy in the eyes of the audience, was a stark reminder of that time.

Initially, he had believed both acts were but one, the beginning and the end mirroring each other with only minor variations in detail.

But then came the appearance of the colossal golden hand, the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings” revealing the divergence. Zhulanruo slaying Zhuzheng, Zhuyi’s grand entrance – the narrative at its climax twisted and turned, reversing itself repeatedly.

Zhulanruo claimed that the golden hand represented a ‘player’ who had indeed manipulated time, though not perfectly, leaving flaws in the causal chain…

“What does this mean?” Chai A Si inwardly questioned his Upper Venerable. “What transpired that I am unaware of?”

“Silence,” the ancient god commanded. “Watch on, and you shall understand.”

The ancient god himself seemed to grasp only fragments, his current focus fixed on how this third ‘player’ had managed to manipulate time.

This involved the redoing of space surrounding the Unaging Spring, affecting eleven demonic creatures.

And the Land of Shenxiao was a place of such unique significance!

The opponent, who had yet to even manifest, had achieved such a comprehensive temporal rewind from the ethereal realm. If accomplished solely through their own power, what terrifying force must they wield?

He, at least, could not yet fathom it.

In his estimation, Zhulanruo’s beheading of Zhuzheng was likely an attempt to trace the source, to see if the ‘player’ was hidden within the competing factions.

Zhuzheng’s severed head, as it rolled, proved this was not the case.

Earlier, Hutaisui’s failed attempt to enter the Land of Divine Thunder was another piece of evidence – the Land of Shenxiao did not permit the personal descent of Tianyao-level existences, or at least not at this stage.

He understood clearly now.

The timelines of the Land of Shenxiao and the Demonic Realm were fundamentally out of sync.

The Tianyao gathered outside Moyun City could not, for the time being, find their way here.

Only Zhuyi, through some special connection with Zhulanruo or perhaps an innate divine ability, was able to exert influence through the temporary vessel of Zhuzheng’s body.

Perhaps Zhuzheng herself was simply a conduit within a pre-existing grand game, a channel of power now repurposed for a different end.

The Mistress of the Tianxi Wasteland, Tianzhuniangniang’s inquiry into the origin of the golden hand, particularly surprised several Demonic Kings present.

Aside from Mount Gunan and the Black Lotus Temple, the Demonic Realm had no truly formidable Buddhist sects. Only small temples and shrines dotted the landscape, easily swept away by any of the Demonic Kings present.

Looking across this world’s monks, who could possibly compete for the Zhiwen Bell?

Could it be… the legendary Xiangmi Fawang who penned the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings”?

To simply describe the difference between Mount Gunan and the Black Lotus Temple:

Mount Gunan embodied the belief that even after a glorious era was shattered, a new one would inevitably rise. The sun setting in the west tonight only promised a fiercer dawn tomorrow.

The Black Lotus Temple, however, saw no coming dawn. Instead, they sought to forge a new world within the perpetual night.

It was not difficult to discern their shared pessimism regarding the current state of affairs.

This was intrinsically linked to the history and present circumstances of the Demonic Ancestors.

Buddhism was an external transmission, but the Demonic Realm’s Buddhist gates were rooted in the local soil, born from within. Just as the Koulong Sect viewed the Demonic Ancestors as born prisoners.

Despite the efforts of successive generations of Demonic Ancestor sages, this grand world, though infinitely vast and ever-expanding, was indeed… confined.

A single Wan Yao Gate had held the entire Demonic Realm captive for how many years?

Human powerhouses of the present era could easily traverse to various heavens and worlds.

Yet, for Demonic Ancestor powerhouses to leave the Demonic Realm, they either had to pass through the Wan Yao Gate or brave the Sidu Hunhai to reach the outer heavens.

And the Hunhai was a cosmic enigma, the terminus of all chaos. It had no up or down, left or right, past or future, no boundaries. It was impossible to set markers, forever unmeasurable, a realm of infinite confusion and peril. No matter how mighty a powerhouse, the possibility of getting lost within it was ever-present.

Throughout history, countless Tianyao powerhouses who had sought to forge a path outward for the Demonic Ancestors had been lost within its depths.

Whether the Buddhas of Mount Gunan or the Black Lotus Temple, all were born within the soil of the Demonic Realm, all seeking a path to redemption for the Demonic Ancestors on their cultivation journey.

But at this moment, the golden hand appearing within the Land of Shenxiao belonged to a third kind of Buddha.

Its golden radiance was similar to Mount Gunan’s Buddha light, yet more vibrant, like wild spring grass. Its Buddha rhythm echoed the Black Lotus Temple’s birth in the end times, but it clearly held more hope.

The original Xiangmi Fawang was also different from Guangwang Rulai, different from Yaoshi Rulai, traversing the Bowl World alone. Perhaps Xiangmi Fawang had truly achieved sitting transformation!

Lu Shi Qi Lang’s innate inspiration was momentarily blank.

The “Taigu Jingchuan” held clear records; this matter had been witnessed and broken by many Tianzun, there would be no falsehood.

Could Xiangmi Fawang still have true successor disciples in this world?

But he had clearly lived a life of no teaching, no disciples, embracing hardship alone, dedicating his life’s learning entirely to the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings”!

At this moment, the boundless golden light, the golden hand grasping the Zhiwen Bell, was locked in a stalemate with the spider silks weaving the heavens and earth.

The “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings” flying from Zhuzheng’s body was locked in a stalemate with the hand that gripped it tightly.

His own “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings,” sensing the danger early, had been swiftly cast out by him. At this moment, it too hung suspended in the air, fixed in the center of the net.

Treated in the same manner was Chai A Si’s copy of the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings.”

Compared to him, Chai A Si had let go even earlier, more decisively. Did this not suggest that Chai A Si had foreseen all of this?

The two books shimmered high in the air, one in the southeast, one in the northwest, calling out to the one in the hand of the headless Zhuzheng.

But time and space were tightly locked, and Zhuyi had questions.

No connection for the Buddha light, no escape for the outside intruder!

Amidst this, a sigh echoed: “Alas.”

This single sigh seemed to reach the depths of the listeners’ hearts. It sighed out endless past events, sighed out infinite legacies!

The voice seemed to ring beside the ear, yet also in any corner of the heaven and earth. Those with fate could hear it, those without had no entrance.

The voice said: “Since the Heavenly Venerable has chosen to make a move at this time, you must recognize this poor monk. Why then must you knowingly ask?”

Within the body of the headless Zhuzheng, a resonance was born.

This was a form of connection established through the cause and effect of the spider lineage within this place, producing a strange unity with this world.

Through this resonance, a voice almost akin to the principles of the Dao was emitted.

Naturally, it was dignified, noble, possessing Zhuyi’s unique self.

This voice responded: “Though I have some conjectures, I cannot fully ascertain. Master should know, my move at this time involves a great sacrifice, a great price paid. Why not compassionately cross the world, resolve the doubts before my eyes, end the confusion in my heart?”

That ethereal voice said: “Recite my name, and you shall have no regrets!”

These eight words truly possessed a sense of grandeur. Though the voice was not loud, it seemed to touch the heavens’ peak, soaring into the clouds.

Looking across the various heavens and worlds, how many could utter such a sentence in front of Zhuyi?

“Before this, some specific details remain unclear to me. Can Master resolve my doubts?”

The spider silks across the sky, like jade threads, continuously sealed, locked, and strangled further possibilities.

The spider’s voice said: “For example… how did you manipulate the time of this place?”

The ethereal voice, conversely, was not taboo, and genuinely answered: In the late period of the ancient era, the Demonic Ancestors made many counter-attacking efforts.

For instance, they once constructed a temporal treasure ship, loading it with many powerhouses, intending to rewind the glorious era of the Demonic Ancestors and preemptively erase the rise of humanity. Later, it was shattered in the river of time.

Within this Land of Shenxiao lies the wreckage of this ship, named ‘Feiguang’.

Though it has decayed, it still possesses divine uniqueness in this place.

This poor monk merely found the wreckage of the Feiguang, turned the ship’s rudder, and moved the world’s wheel.

This allowed the time of this place to trace back, letting everything restart.

It confused the time of the Land of Shenxiao, causing the Land of Divine Thunder and the Demonic Realm to be out of sync, losing temporal contact.

It has caused the donor to laugh.

This poor monk is old, the treasure ship is decayed, unable to move the power of the two masters, Banfa Yuan and Lu Xingkong. This has caused loopholes in the redo of the story, leaving a gap for you to kill your way into this interval.

“This is a legend left in the world by my Demonic Ancestors. I have planned for this for many years. But that the remains of Feiguang were here, I also did not know!”

Zhuyi’s voice held a sigh: “Master can still penetrate its secrets, lead its power, and instead speak to me of history! Your cultivation truly shocks me!”

Hearing these words, Lu Shi Qi Lang’s brows furrowed tightly, his heart already in a frenzy of shockwaves.

How could he understand these words? This third-party Buddhist sect powerhouse was not a Demonic Ancestor? But the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings” was precisely transmitted by Xiangmi Fawang, it is a clear Demonic Realm Buddhist scripture.

How could an outsider borrow this to lay out their plan?

“Donor jests,” the ethereal voice said. “It relies solely on the special nature of this place. If this world were not so, how would this poor monk have come?”

The five fingers of the headless Zhuyi, their bone joints turning white, almost sunk into the cover of the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings,” leaving indelible dents. The intensity of the struggle between the two sides was evident.

But Zhuyi’s voice remained very calm, a thread of pleasure emerging within the calmness: “Five hundred years ago, within the Tian Yao Pavilion, the ‘Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings’ was stolen. A total of twenty chapters flowed out into the Imperial City. The world of the Taigu Imperial City was alerted, and later it was discovered that you of Mount Xu Mi had colluded with those within the Demonic Ancestors to achieve this. At that time, you had already killed a great Bodhisattva. But only seven chapters were recovered, with thirteen chapters still unknown. We generally believed that you of Mount Xu Mi had already sent them back. A great Bodhisattva in exchange for thirteen chapters! At that time, Qi Guan Ying even left a book in the Five Evil Basin, calling for you and others to come exchange for it. Unexpectedly, you did not send these thirteen chapters away, but scattered them throughout the Demonic Realm, hiding them in the market. To think… this was all for today?”

In the mirror world, Jiang Wang, listening more and more intently, suddenly stood up.

He had originally thought this was merely a struggle between the major powerhouses of the Demonic Ancestors within the Land of Shenxiao.

He was even happy to see the Demonic Ancestors consume themselves internally, to watch them overturn the chessboard.

But how could a Mount Xu Mi suddenly appear?

Is it the Mount Xu Mi that I know?

Master Bitterjue once said he wanted to take me to kick up a fuss at that abominable donkey pen? Ah, no, Master Bitterjue once said he wanted to take me to visit that brother sect, the Western Holy Land of the Buddhist Gate in the present world?!

Never mind Jiang someone on this side packing his bags and preparing to go home.

On that side, Zen Master Xingnian placed his voice upon the chessboard, dropping a piece upon Shenxiao. Regarding Zhuyi’s self-reported origins, he spoke a single sentence, “See over donor.”

Originally, the spider silks across the sky wove a cloud brocade, locking all the golden light.

But following the fall of his voice, the white spider silks suddenly became dyed with gold lines!

Discussing the boundless golden lines weaving a golden canopy, for whom was this wedding dress made?

Wandering through the endless future, one path became clearer and clearer, one picture was already fully outlined, and thus it transpired.

The past is past, the future has already arrived!

The headless Zhuzheng actually conjured an illusory head. Its hair was pinned up in a cloud chignon, adorned with golden hairpins. Its face was dignified, its eyebrows and eyes luxurious – clearly Zhuyi’s face!

Zhuyi had only been able to exert influence through this temporary vessel by borrowing the connection of cause and effect. At this moment, cause and effect were reversed, and the caged bird was transformed.

Her true body in the Demonic Realm could not move, yet her true life had already been detained.

Xingnian said: “Today, one bell shall be seized back, and one path of Yan shall be killed back!”

This highest achiever of the “Future Xing Xu Scripture,” with the thirteen chapters of the “Fifty-Eight Chapters of the Buddha’s Sayings” scattered throughout the world, had laid out this plan for five hundred years, merely borrowing from Shen’s grand game to collect the scattered pieces.

Lu Shi Qi obtaining the book was a manifestation of spiritual awareness. Chai A Si obtaining the book was a manifestation of fate and law.

Zhuzheng obtaining the book was even more so arranged by Quan Yingyang personally.

Zhuyi’s move at the Yantian Emperor’s forum was also within his calculations!