Chapter 2275 - A Lethal Weakpoint

Pale clouds hung over the sky. The atmosphere was solemn and oppressive.

A towering, ancient tree stood to the side of the jade platform, its leaves covered with jade-like leaves flowing with divine radiance.

Abbot Fa Zhen stood atop the jade platform and swept his gaze across the crowd. Then, with the countenance of a Buddhist statue, he announced, “Next, this lofty one has something major to announce.”

The crowd sank even deeper into silence. Everyone held their breath and waited, eager to hear what he’d say next.

“I won’t keep it from you. It involves Su Yi!” said Fa Zhen.

The crowd instantly burst into uproar.

Su Yi!

Who in the present-day God Domain

didn’t

know what that name represented, or what kind of legendary figure he was?

It was just that no one had anticipated that Cloudy Heights’ Temple’s announcement would point the spear at Su Yi.

What... exactly were they trying to do?

“Su Yi! So, it turns out that Cloudy Heights Temple’s announcement is about that unparalleled sword god!” exclaimed Bao Yun. She found it hard to believe.

After the battle at Skybright Mountain, she admired no one more than Su Yi. In her eyes, he shone as brilliantly as the midday sun, and she admired him from the depths of her heart.

Thus, when she heard that Cloudy Heights Temple’s announcement was connected to Su Yi, her heart inexplicably tensed.

It was amidst the resulting silence that Abbot Fa Zhen continued, “As you well know, Su Yi is the common foe of everyone beneath the heavens, a heretic all long to see executed. So long as he lives, the God Domain will never know peace, and the people will suffer turmoil and upheaval!

“Thus, Cloudy Heights Temple has spent years making arrangements. Now, we’ve seized Su Yi’s weak point! That is why we decided to convene this assembly and invite our fellows from all across the Southern Flame Divine Continent. We’d like to ask you to bear witness to what happens next!”

With that, Fa Zhen swung his sleeve through the air.

Boom!

An ancient treasure tower, a

sharira

relic, floated into the air.

Mystical, colorful light flowed from the top of the tower, producing ripples of spacetime power that contorted the surrounding sky.

A curtain of light appeared above the treasure tower.

The crowd instantly looked over and saw a grand, ancient building reflected within the curtain of light. A resplendent golden sign hung over the hall. The name “the Academy of Eternal Night” was written upon it in ancient characters.

The hall’s doors were tightly shut. A group of terrifying figures stood before the hall, like gods, yet also somehow demonic.

The leader of the group was a beautiful, dignified and reserved woman in a long dress.

When the crowd saw this scene, they were instantly baffled.

The Academy of Eternal Night? What’s that? Is there a place like that in the Southern Flame Divine Continent?

As if sensing their confusion, Abbot Fa Zhen said gravely, “The place reflected on the curtain of light is the Immortal Realm’s Academy of Eternal Night, a faction the heretic Su Yi established personally!”

The crowd was instantly in uproar. Many of their expressions shifted.

How could they possibly fail to understand after hearing that? The vision reflected on the curtain unquestionably implied that the temple’s forces had entered the Immortal Realm.

And they’d already made their way to Su Yi’s old home base!

Countless people felt chills course through their hearts.

What a ruthless move! It was risky, but it’s just as Abbot Fa Zhen said; they’ve successfully seized Su Yi’s weak point!

There’s no doubt about it. Cloudy Heights Temple has already seized control of Su Yi’s old home base and taken his friends there hostage!

Indeed, they’d only just thought this when Fa Zhen’s voice boomed once more.

“I’m sure you’ve all already guessed what this means. You’re right! The pawn we placed in the Immortal Realm successfully captured everyone connected to Su Yi!

“Take a look at the curtain of light. The woman standing before the main hall is called Ning Xiu. She was once one of Li Fuyou's legacy disciples. However, Cloudy Heights Temple reformed and redeemed her a long time ago. We convinced her to abandon the darkness and join the cause of righteousness.”

The crowd looked at Su Yi. Everyone reacted differently.

Li Fuyou’s disciple was naturally Su Yi’s disciple too! Who could have imagined that Cloudy Heights Temple had “redeemed” her and placed her in the Immortal Realm as a pawn a long time ago?

Fa Zhen waved his sleeve and put the treasure tower away. The curtain of light vanished with it.

The crowd’s mood had already taken a dramatic turn.

“Abbot Fa Zhen, forgive my boldness, but isn’t Cloudy Heights Temple afraid of Su Yi’s retribution?” an older-generation expert asked solemnly.

Many of the other prominent experts nodded, too. The whole world had borne witness to Su Yi’s strength at Skybright Mountain. Few would dare use hostages against him after that.

Yet now, Cloudy Heights Temple was doing just that. Moreover, they’d even convened this Dharma Assembly of Warding Evil and announced it to the public; it was as if they were terrified that people

wouldn’t

find out about it.

That seemed far too out of the ordinary.

“The Buddha once said, ‘If I don’t enter hell, who will?' If it means killing the heretic Su Yi, we do not fear any form of retaliation!” Abbot Fa Zhen said solemnly from atop the jade platform. “We convened this assembly so that you might spread word of what happens here today. That way, the heretic Su Yi will understand that it’s time he paid for his crimes!”

The crowd was in uproar. By now, everyone understood. Cloudy Heights Temple was declaring war against Su Yi!

The ridiculous thing was, Di E and his allies, many of them Nine-Tribulation Master Gods, had failed to defeat Su Yi not long ago. Where on earth did Cloudy Heights Temple get the courage to declare war on Su Yi like this?

Was it simply because they had hostages? Weren’t they worried that Su Yi would disregard the hostages’ lives and lead another group of terrifying old monsters to attack the temple?

The crowd simply couldn’t make sense of it.

“The battle at Skybright Mountain serves as an example. We’ve naturally learned from it,” the Skywalking Monk, Mo Ye, suddenly chimed in.

His skin was like ancient copper, and his features were coarse and firm. He stood there like an infuriated Golden Vajra, even more imposing than Abbot Fa Zhen.

“There’s no need to hide it from you. We made this decision precisely because of the lessons we learned from the battle of Skybright Mountain.” Mo Ye’s eyes flashed like torches as he swept his gaze across the crowd. “You needn’t worry about Cloudy Heights Temple’s safety. Even if Su Yi finds out about this, it’ll be too late for him to do anything about it, and he can forget about seeking revenge on Cloudy Heights Temple!”

“You sound so confident, Senior. Have you perhaps long since made arrangements?” someone couldn’t help but ask.

Mo Ye disregarded him, but Abbot Fa Zhen took over and inclined his head. “That’s the second thing this lofty one would like to announce. As soon as the curtains fall on this assembly, everyone in Cloudy Heights Temple will depart the Southern Flame Divine Continent and proceed to the Ancient Nirvana Divine Continent. We’ll continue our cultivation in the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains!”

Boom!

Sometimes, a single rock could create a thousand waves.

Even some of the Cloudy Heights Temple Higher-ups were stunned; they hadn’t known anything about this, either!

It was thus obvious that this had been top-secret.

Now, everyone finally understood Cloudy Heights Temple’s plan.

First, they’d publicly declare war against Su Yi. Then, to avoid retribution, they’d immediately seek refuge in the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains!

If Su Yi wanted revenge, he’d have no choice but to go to the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains directly.

It was just... would Su Yi dare? If he did, he’d effectively be throwing his life away!

After all, the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains were the ruling faction of the Ancient Nirvana Divine Continent, and they had the Dipankara Buddha to oversee things. Who in the God Domain would dare to make trouble there?

It was fair to say that Cloudy Heights Temple had both seized Su Yi’s weakness

and

forced him to remain a bystander.

They’d left him with only two choices. He could back down, or he could let them force him into battle! No matter which path he chose, Su Yi was sure to lose.

For a moment, many of the prominent experts were shocked. Cloudy Heights Temple had planned this meticulously indeed. It was seamless!

Just about anyone on the receiving end of this would have given up and come quietly. They’d be like fish on the chopping block, totally helpless.

“Everyone, you don’t know this, but we predicted that the heretic Su Yi would one day seek revenge against Cloudy Heights Temple over his disciple, Ning Xiu, a long time ago,” said Abbot Fa Zhen. “We began preparations a long time ago. So long as he dares to show himself here, he’s sure to perish.

“But against all expectations, he never flung himself into our net. Moreover, he revealed all of his cards at Skybright Mountain. It’s because of this variable that we realized we had to speed things up. Thus, we decided to convene this Dharma Assembly of Warding Evil.”

Many of the onlookers felt chills course down their spines. Who could have imagined that Cloudy Heights Temple had been plotting this for so long, all to defeat Su Yi?

“Buddhist Brother Fa Zhen, you’re far-sighted indeed. There’s just one thing this old man doesn’t understand. Why tell us all of this?” an old man asked out of nowhere.

Fa Zhen smiled slightly. “Cloudy Heights Temple has always conducted itself forthrightly and openly. We have nothing to hide.

“We decided to announce this operation against Su Yi simply because we wanted all of you to bear witness to it, and we hoped you could help us spread the word.

“We want Su Yi to know that he cannot possibly escape catastrophe this time!”

“Now, it’s time for our third announcement!”

Here, Fa Zhen’s countenance grew increasingly solemn. “In my capacity as abbot of Cloudy Heights Temple, I issue Su Yi a decree.

“If he doesn’t come to the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains to repent within one month, all of his friends and allies will be consigned to the Sinners’ Purgatory. There, they’ll long to die, yet be unable to do so!”

Silence fell over the crowd. Even the birds ceased their song.

The only remaining sound was Fa Zhen’s dignified voice still echoing throughout the surrounding area.

The higher-ups from all across the Southern Flame Divine Continent realized that if word of what had happened here spread, it would send a storm sweeping across the world. It would shake the entire God Domain!

And no matter how Su Yi chose to respond, he was sure to lose!

As for those attending this assembly? The temple might have called them “witnesses”, but in truth, they were effectively messengers.

“Despicable! Far too despicable! Why didn’t I realize that the ‘lofty, honorable’ Cloudy Heights Temple, the greatest Buddhist holy land in the Southern Flame Divine Continent, would resort to such insidious schemes just to defeat Su Yi? Don’t you think so, Xinlan?” Bao Yun transmitted to Zhong Xinlan.

Zhong Xinlan sighed to herself. She felt the same way. It was just that none of the prominent attendees dared to say anything.

But then, a calm voice suddenly rang out.

“Why do I get the sense that this plan of yours has a fatal flaw?”