Checking in for 100,000 Years Chapter 991: Root of No Birth Beneath the Formless Tree

A chilling intent to kill emanated from the silver sword's tip, now mere inches from Dragon Tree Buddha's brow. He sensed his life could be extinguished at any moment. This feeling had not surfaced in tens of millions of years. In the vast, ink-black night, that breathtaking, gleaming swordplay... it was so similar to the sword before him. Dragon Tree Buddha distinctly recalled the feeling of impending death after that particular sword strike. No more roots. He had not expected to live much longer, but fortunately, he encountered Lord Ancestor Dragon. Lord Ancestor Dragon had saved his life. Later, by chance, he obtained a mysterious purple Buddha light, marking the beginning of his true Buddhist cultivation journey. After cultivating Buddhism, all worldly attachments became empty. As his cultivation realm advanced, Dragon Tree Buddha's mindset grew more resolute and detached. In his perception, death was virtually non-existent. He considered himself an eternal, indestructible divine Buddha. As long as he remained within the sacred, pure expanse of Infinite Buddha Land, under the watchful eyes of the World Honoured One, he would never perish.

"What harm is there in ending your life?" Ye Yun's gaze was frigid as he looked at Dragon Tree Buddha, his sword tip advancing another inch. The icy point made contact with his forehead. Dragon Tree Buddha visibly trembled, a profound terror seizing his soul. He understood clearly that the white-robed youth before him was a formidable Sword Cultivator, whose swordsmanship could seemingly disregard the concept of distance. If he refused to confess, this sliver of his divine sense could be obliterated at any moment, thus failing the task bestowed by the World Honoured One.

"I..." Dragon Tree Buddha attempted to speak, but faltered. He desired to confess, yet hesitated, swallowing his words at the last possible second. He remained cautious. "Two questions..." Ye Yun offered a slight smile, raising the Eight Treasures Delicate Mirror. "The first is, how did you acquire this mirror?"

A deep breath escaped Dragon Tree Buddha. His countenance grew solemn, overlaid with a complex mix of emotions. "As that individual already informed you, millions of years ago, my true form, the Formless Tree, had its roots severed by a sword, separating the trunk from its roots. At that juncture, the roots were taken, leaving only the decaying trunk..." Dragon Tree Buddha commenced his tale.

Ye Yun’s eyes darted, and he inquired, "Shouldn't the Formless Tree possess potent regenerative capabilities?" Dragon Tree Buddha regarded Ye Yun and sighed, "In my ancient homeland, a common saying declared that beneath the Formless Tree lay the Root of No Birth, and within this Root of No Birth resided longevity..."

"Get to the point!" Ye Yun frowned, interrupting him. He had no patience for beating around the bush. "As the Formless Tree, the roots that sprouted beneath it were also quite renowned. They were known as the Root of No Birth, possessing the power to create longevity. As long as the root system persisted, the Formless Tree could continue to exist..." Dragon Tree Buddha elaborated.

"Intriguing..." Ye Yun smiled and nodded upon hearing this. He found the Formless Tree's nature somewhat reminiscent of ginseng. For ginseng, the roots are undeniably more vital than its upper branches, stem, and leaves. "In the Ancient Realm, numerous individuals would harvest the roots of the Formless Tree to concoct various potent elixirs, renowned for their remarkable life-extending properties..." Dragon Tree Buddha continued.

"Speak of the Divine Land!" Ye Yun commanded, his tone icy. He had noticed that once Dragon Tree Buddha began speaking, he tended to ramble, frequently straying from the main topic. "I was on the verge of death, with less than a century left to live, when I encountered Lord Ancestor Dragon. Witnessing my dire state, he bestowed upon me a drop of Dragon Blood, healing my injuries. That is how I survived..." Dragon Tree Buddha's voice grew emotional, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Ah, so Ancestor Dragon was the one who saved you..." Ye Yun mused. Ancestor Dragon, perpetually elusive, had suddenly appeared in this very Divine Land? "Observing my depleted strength, Lord Ancestor Dragon then gifted me an Eight Treasures Delicate Mirror for self-protection. For the subsequent tens of thousands of years, it was solely due to this mirror that I could evade the relentless pursuit of countless formidable adversaries!" Dragon Tree Buddha recounted. His gaze returned to the Eight Treasures Delicate Mirror held in Ye Yun's hand, his eyes conveying deep gratitude.

Ye Yun nodded, finally grasping the complete origin of the Eight Treasures Delicate Mirror. "You were originally a grand demon; how then did you cultivate into a Purple Buddha?" Ye Yun posed his second question. "That pivotal moment occurred when I later chanced upon a wisp of purple Buddha light, receiving its inheritance. It was then I learned it was a fragment of the Infinite Buddha Light, originating from the Infinite Buddha Land itself, personally..."

"Uh..."

The Dragon Tree Buddha's eyes snapped wide open, his body freezing as if he had just witnessed the most terrifying sight imaginable.

"Huh?"

Ye Yun could only stare in astonishment.

WHOOSH!

A beam of purple Buddha light surged upward from the Dragon Tree Buddha's head, vanishing into the vast expanse of the void.

The speed of this Buddha light was utterly astounding.

Even Ye Yun found himself unable to react in time.

The Dragon Tree Buddha remained rigidly in place, standing like a lifeless tree stump before Ye Yun.

Several seconds ticked by.

"What happened? Why did the Dragon Tree suddenly flee?"

The voice of the youth in the cloth robe suddenly boomed out.

He stomped his foot, urging his stiffened body forward, his expression clearly one of displeasure.

"He went back..."

Ye Yun's gaze traced the direction of the void, his own expression gradually growing grave.

That streak of purple light had moved with incredible velocity, a sight rarely witnessed in his lifetime.

Even if he were to unleash the Sword of Death Realm, interception would have been impossible.

This implied a crucial truth.

Behind that flash of purple Buddha light, there existed a formidable figure in control.

And this figure was undoubtedly the Infinite Buddha Lord of the Infinite Buddha Land.

Ye Yun surmised that the escape of the purple light was triggered by the Dragon Tree Buddha uttering the Infinite Buddha Lord's name.

The mere act of speaking the name had apparently activated some form of restriction.

Consequently, this purple light had conveyed the Dragon Tree Buddha's divine sense out of the Divine Land and back to the Infinite Buddha Land.

"The name-incantation divine skill of Buddhism truly is inconceivable..."

Ye Yun mused over the passages within the Mahamudra Sutra, a genuine sense of admiration filling him.

The divine skill of name-incantation, when invoked anywhere, could establish a connection with the corresponding named entity.

Such a potent manifestation of Buddhist power was even echoed in the mythical tales from the world Ye Yun had originated from.

"Call my name, and all prayers shall be answered."

This phrase, it seemed, possessed a genuine origin and was not mere baseless fancy.

At this very moment, far removed from the Divine Land.

Within the hallowed grounds of the Infinite Buddha Land.

A streak of purple light descended from the heavens, entering a magnificent Buddha temple.

The overwhelming Buddha light flickered and stilled.

The Infinite Light Buddha Lord, in the midst of expounding Buddhist doctrine, abruptly paused, his gaze falling upon the Dragon Tree Buddha below.

All other Buddhas present also opened their eyes, turning their attention towards the Dragon Tree Buddha.

"World Honoured One..."

The Dragon Tree Buddha’s eyes fluttered open, a trace of apprehension coloring his look as he addressed the Infinite Light Buddha Lord.

Only moments ago, as his divine sense had spoken the World Honoured One’s name within the Divine Land, that specific strand of purple Buddha light had unexpectedly returned his divine sense to his Buddha body here in the Infinite Buddha Land.

It was evident that he had inadvertently breached a taboo concerning the World Honoured One.

"Dragon Tree, there is no need for you to speak, I already comprehend..."

The Infinite Light Buddha Lord's voice was soft and calm as he uttered these words.

He peered into the unfathomable depths of the void, his eyes radiating layers of Buddha light. For a fleeting instant, it was as if he traversed innumerable worlds, ultimately piercing the unyielding barrier of the Divine Land, his sight falling upon a lone figure clad in white robes.

The Infinite Light Buddha Lord could state with one hundred percent certainty that he had never personally transmitted the Mahamudra Sutra.

Yet, this youth in white, residing within the Divine Land, had somehow transcended his personal transmission – how had he achieved such a feat?

A truly profound enigma...