Ch. 2681..2690
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2681
Thud!
Water splashed everywhere.
“Alex Rockefeller! How… how dare you snatch away my ring?!” Luneth yelled.
Alex’s voice came down. “If we are still friends in the future, I’ll return it to you.”
He was implying that becoming enemies were out of the question.
Luneth was furious, but since she had immediately disappeared in the Pool of Afterlife, she had no way to reverse the situation. After that, one after another went in.
Finally, only Dorothy and Daya remained.
“You guys should go in as well!”
Alex said, “I’ll go in a little later.”
In the face of his two closest people, Alex did not conceal the matter. He told them that there were many treasures here that Grand had left behind, but one needed a key to see them. Afterward, he wanted to see if he could take the treasures here.
Dorothy was shocked. “Only you can see the exotic treasures. It looks like Buddhism still has some tricks up its sleeve. I’m afraid that the treasures are placed in the void. Just like an alternate dimensional space, you can only obtain them once you meet certain conditions.”
Alex nodded.
Dorothy said, “Alright. You’ll have to be careful then. We’ll go outside and wait for you.”
After Daya hugged him, the two women left together.
After everyone left, Alex returned to the tableside. Simply by touching the teapot, he knew about the trick within it. As long as he used the Grand Bodhisattva’s Key Of Will, he could touch it and even take it out.
Thus, he stood in front of the table. After a full hour of experimentation, however, he only managed to squeeze the handle of the teapot. However, it was extremely difficult to take it out of that void.
‘D*mn it. Is it so hard to take a sip of tea?’
Alex was so tired that he was about to collapse. He realized that taking an item from the void was an extreme test of mental strength. He did not know where the alternate dimensional space had originated from either.
He could try to break real space and go to the void to grab it, but he would suffer severe damage once his mental strength entered the void. It was only after resting for a long while that he tried again.
This time, he dragged the teapot out little by little. Then, he rested again.
Just as he was elated after seeing the teapot almost dragged out through his repetitive actions, the gate of the ancient temple, disguising itself as Shoraionji Temple, was abruptly knocked open. A group of trialists in different attire suddenly barged in.
“Huh..?”
“Did I leave the door open?” Alex asked, puzzled, as he faced at least thirty trialists.
The leader replied, “Do you think we wouldn’t open the door? Haha! Guys, look! The legendary walkthrough is real! The Pool of Afterlife is really here. Guys, go forth now! Resurrection itself is before us, so what are you waiting for?”
Alex froze. To his surprise, someone else knew that the Pool of Afterlife was here.
Could those people before have had to pass through this place every time they came for trials?
But the Grand Bodhisattva and the Underworld God were here. Who could have succeeded?
Nobody, right?!
However, it turned out that their success rate wasn’t too disappointing.
Hence, the Grand Bodhisattva had done that simply for the sake of taking in more trialists and building a team in the Underworld to increase his strength.
“Who’s said you people can use the Pool of Afterlife as you please?”
“If you wish to use the Pool of Afterlife, leave behind whatever valuables you’re carrying!”
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2682
The trialists would be cleared out of the realm soon.
Facing these trialists full of malicious intent, Alex had no intention of carrying the mentality of an overly kind person. Before sending these people away, milking them dry would rake in a decent income.
This pseudo Shoraionji Temple of the Grand Bodhisattva was equivalent to Alex’s backyard. He could control everything here at will, including the Pool of Afterlife.
“Hahaha!”
Someone laughed heartily. “We know that you are the miracle doctor who caused the Underworld God to commit suicide a few days ago, but we aren’t about to. The Pool of Afterlife is right here, and once we jump into it, we can leave this hellish place and rebuild our physical bodies. Do you think you can stop us?”
Alex pointed at the Pool of Afterlife. “Are you guys talking about this?”
That person said, “Isn’t this the Pool of Afterlife?”
Alex nodded. “This is the Pool of Afterlife, just like you said. You can be reborn once you jump into it, but now it’s gone with a swish,” he said as he snapped his fingers.
In the next instant, the 328 foot wide Pool of Afterlife suddenly disappeared into thin air.
“F*ck..! What’s going on..?”
“Is that an illusion?”
Someone immediately rushed out but found nothing as a result.
All but an expense of flat ground remained. Nothing appeared, no matter how much one stomped and knocked on it.
“Where is the Pool of Afterlife?”
“Brat, where did you move the Pool of Afterlife to?”
“Hurry up and hand over the Pool of Afterlife.”
The crowd was infuriated. They had suffered many hardships in the Underworld and had wanted to escape for a long time. The Pool of Afterlife was right in front of them, and they could’ve gone back soon to meet their loved ones and friends again. It could’ve even pushed their root bones to reach new heights. Everyone was on cloud nine and full of anticipation, but all they got was cold water poured on them.
“Go!”
“Kill him!”
Unable to bear the injustice, several people flew into a rage.
However, a ray of golden light abruptly lit up in the middle of both parties, forming a belt of isolation. Like a layer of golden film, it separated the people on both sides. No matter how hard the group of trialists tried, they could not break the belt of isolation.
Alex was the master of this place. He more or less had the intellect of the Underworld God.
“The Pool of Afterlife has one day left at most before it completely disappears. You people should go outside and gather more trialists.”
“Ask them to leave behind all the storage rings, magical treasures, and resources on them. They can be reborn then.”
“Remember. I will only wait for a day. I will be gone after that, and you people will never be reborn!”
After Alex finished speaking, he took a step back and disappeared in front of the crowd.
Previously, the trialists could still see the situation on the other side through the translucent golden force field, but it had now turned entirely opaque, seemingly creating a golden wall. It forcibly separated them, so they could no longer see anything.
Of course, Alex had done that on purpose. He intended to keep getting the teapot out while attempting to conceal his fatigue and weakness.
***
Meanwhile, every trialist on the other side of the golden force field was about to go insane.
“What a sh*tty miracle doctor! I thought he was a good guy, but he looks like a scarnmer!”
“What a lunatic! He actually wants all the treasures and resources in our hands! Can he take them all?”
“The problem is, what should we do now? The Underworld God died by suicide, and there is no longer a reason for the Underworld to continue existing, so this world will likely collapse in advance. We and all the bone demons will have trouble predicting the way to get home. If everything will be wiped out for real, then we…”
When insight of such manner was offered, their hearts instantly sank. As if the Swords of Damocles were hanging over their heads, no one knew when they would come down.
“He said that the Pool of Afterlife will have one day at most. After that, the Pool of Afterlife will never appear again. He seems to know something, doesn’t he?”
“The Buddhist lotus has entered his body. Based on my guess, the Underworld God must have left something to him… Forget it. We can find magical treasures and resources again later, but now I just want to leave this hellish place as soon as possible.”
Some people started compromising, feeling that their lives were still the most important.
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2683
As long as they were alive, everything was possible. If they lost their lives, however, everything would be impossible.
“Sir, I’m willing to hand over all my resources and magical treasures, including my storage ring. Please let me enter the Pool of Afterlife!” that person shouted at the golden wall thrice.
However, there was no reply, as if he had already left. Five minutes later, a few sentences appeared on the golden force field, ‘Spread the news there and gather more trialists. I will open the door for you when you pick a thousand people’.
“F*ck!”
When the trialist saw that kind of written description, they were all dumbfounded. All they wanted was to curse Alex.
Could he be any more shameless?
All he did was open his mouth and ask for one thousand people. This excluded the fact that they were only given a day. Where could they find so many trialists for him?
However, no matter how the others protested, Alex did not make another sound.
He began absorbing the holy energy of this place, allowing himself to recover as fast as possible… In fact, the best effect was the aroma wafting front the teapot. A mere sniff would refresh him and wipe out fatigue. After taking a few breaths and his mental strength had recovered a little, he immediately dragged it again. Then, he rested again before he dragged it again.
The aroma of the immortal tea containing holy energy Alex had inhaled became denser. Eventually, he dragged it while inhaling it using his mental strength, forming an equilibrium on both sides. Finally, he dragged out the pot of fragrant tea that was still emanating heat.
He held it in his hand. It was no longer an illusion but rather a tangible object. The purplish-black teapot was plain, devoid of any patterns, texts, or symbols.
What wafted out of the teapot was a distinctly clear aroma. ‘It’s really a wonderful object!’
Inhaling it hard while facing the mouth of the teapot, Alex became a little intoxicated. He instantly felt as though he was about to transcend and become an immortal.
The pores all over his body seemed to be relaxed.
Oh, he had pores already?
Surprisingly, Alex found that a layer of membrane had begun to grow on the surface of his skeletal bones.
‘No way. Am I going to become as ugly as the Corpse Princess?’
When he met the Corpse Princess for the first time, he was shocked to the core by her ugliness. That layer of muddy film was discouraging no matter how he looked at it. A mere glance would truly send a chill down his spine. However, he was actually changing in that direction now.
‘Did the Corpse Princess become like that because she had inhaled the aroma of this tea?’
‘What if I drink it? What will happen?’
Once the thought crossed his mind, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was because the tea was truly tempting.
‘I don’t care about it anymore! I’ll try taking a few sips first! It shouldn’t be poisoned!’
Alex directly picked up the teapot and poured its contents into his mouth.
That water, which was clearly visible, entered Alex’s mouth. It soon overflowed and dripped down his chest, but then it disappeared instantly. However, Alex could clearly feel that he had drunk the tea.
Potent energy exploded in his body.
It was soothing! It was wonderful!
As the holy energy surged even more, he felt his body changing. First, a membrane layer, flesh, and blood soon followed. Finally, there was skin.
He had not jumped into the Pool of Afterlife, but his physical body was already recovering.
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2685
He shouted, and his heart raced as if he had seen a ghost. He jerked his hand away vigorously.
To his surprise, not only did his hand fail to escape the grip, but he even pulled a person out of the talismans.
‘Did the talismans become spiritual beings?’
“Ah?!”
Alex was shocked. He slammed that person hard on the ground, to which a loud bang ensued.
“Stop! Stop! It’s me! Ouch! My crotch!” that person shouted in pain.
That voice sounded familiar.
After taking a closer look, Alex discovered that it was an old monk, Revealer Maha.
“Ah! So it’s you, Master Maha! Why is it you who’s come out of the talisman? You freaked me out. I thought some heinous female bodhisattva came out of it… Is your crotch alright?”
Alex pulled up Revealer Maha and noticed that he was covering it with one hand, his face filled with pain. When Alex pulled him and slammed him on the ground, he seemingly fell flat on the face with his crotch first to touch the ground.
It should be excruciating.
Revealer Maha gasped repeatedly, and his face even flushed. Trembling, he said, “It’s fine. It’s fine. It’ll be over slowly.”
Alex replied, “Master, luckily, you’re a loner and a votarist. Otherwise, my sin would’ve been serious.”
Finally, Revealer Maha let go of his hand. He looked like he was still in pain, but as a Revealer, he would be rude to cover his crotch in front of Alex all the time, making him think that the old monk was disrespectful.
“Master, why don’t I treat you?! You may not be able to use it, but its existence is the truth…”
Revealer Maha looked at him in dejection. “I still need to use it occasionally.”
“Oh..?”
Alex opened his mouth wide. “Master, could it be that you aren’t considered a votarist? By the way, I just read that book, Buddhism Is Initially a Way. I think it makes sense. Buddhist cultivation doesn’t necessarily require one to be indifferent and reject love. Marriage and giving birth to children are natural, colossal paths. Buddhist nature can’t erase the truth of the reproduction of living beings, so we should cherish it even more. Master, I think you can still be saved. If you don’t have an heir, you can consider getting married and giving birth to a child. Don’t the Five Revealers lack four members? Bear a few more children so you can gather them.”
Revealer Maha rolled his eyes. “I was talking about going to the bathroom.”
“Oh. Hehe, but my suggestion wasn’t bad, right?!” replied Alex.
Revealer Maha hurriedly said, “Amitabha. My willpower isn’t strong enough, so I can’t simply involve myself in love affairs.”
Alex nodded. “That’s true. The love affairs are too enchanting. Revealer, I’m afraid that you won’t be able to come back… But that’s not right. Experiencing love affairs is Buddhist cultivation in itself. Master, you’re too narrow-minded.”
Revealer Maha froze.
Finally, he waved his hand. “Let’s talk about it again. I’m going to discuss some serious business with you.”
“Oh, Master specifically came to find me?”
A few days ago, Revealer Maha was injured from the battle with the Underworld God. Hence, after Shelly and Alex went to fight, he retreated into Shoraionji Temple. After the Underworld God died by suicide, Shoraionji Temple suddenly disappeared as well.
In fact, because of the Underworld God’s death, Dairaionjii Temple sensed the situation and called Shoraionji Temple back.
Revealer Maha told Alex that the suppression of Dairaionji Temple on the Underworld would soon be lifted. The Underworld would return to the nether realm, whereas Revealer Maha would also go to the nether realm and temporarily take charge of the Underworld’s order. Hence, this place would be cleared out soon.
“So, you will get promoted and gain wealth?” Alex asked.
“Ahem… ” Revealer Maha coughed for a while.
“Congratulations. After you reach the nether realm and become a judge, you won’t be far away from meeting Hades then.”
Revealer Maha wanted to beat him to death.
Were those human words?
“These few talismans are a bit related to me. They are called Talismans of Equality. Keep them just in case,” the Revealer said.
“What is a Talisman of Equality?”
“All the sentient beings are equal!”
After hearing that, Alex’s eyes immediately gleamed.
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2686
Alex’s memory of the killer weapon, Byodo, was still fresh in his mind.
When he had first arrived at the Shoraionji Temple, the old monk had offered him the weapon. It allowed him to challenge Immortal Monarchs, who were far more powerful than he’d ever been, granting him victory.
Such a weapon was like a guarantee of a second life.
“What’s the effective time of this Talisman of Equality? How do I use it?” Alex asked.
It was best that he knew the details of this critical, life-saving talisman.
Maha then told Alex that he only needed to awaken the weapon with holy energy and focus on his target with mental strength. With that, his opponent’s powers would be decreased to the same level as his. The range of mental control was about 500 meters, and each talisman could only maintain its power for ten seconds.
“What? just ten seconds?”
“Then what’s the use?”
Alex was very disappointed. He couldn’t possibly finish off an opponent on the same level as him within ten seconds.
Maha said, “Isn’t ten seconds enough? How long do you need, ten days? I relied on this talisman to roam the Buddhist Realm freely back then.”
Alex wasn’t convinced. “Are you sure?”
Maha patted his chest proudly. “Of course, I’m sure! Why else would I be the only one remaining among the five Revealers? And why else would the Dairaionji Temple take me in?”
Alex realized something from his words.
“The Dairaionji Temple has treasured your abilities… Wait, Master, who’s the current head of the Dairaionji Temple?”
“Uhm…” Maha was stunned as he heard the question. Then, he laughed sheepishly and looked around. Anyone could tell that when it came to the temple head, the monk would become cautious.
Alex knew how useless it would be pressing further. He’d rather ask something else that was useful.
“Master, you’re a living legend of the Byodo! The time for the talisman’s effectiveness is too short. Can’t you just make it longer?”
“I’m obviously not thinking ten days because I know that’s unrealistic. How about ten minutes then? That shouldn’t be difficult, right?”
Maha shook his head. “It’s impossible.”
“Huh, you can’t? Perhaps a little less. How about eight?”
Maha still shook his head.
“Five. Would five minutes be possible?”
To Alex’s surprise, Maha still shook his head.
“What about one minute?!”
The answer was still no. Alex was furious. “So you can’t even take it for one minute. Just how weak must you be? No wonder you’re still a Revealer. You should reflect on yourself.”
The old monk was rather calm, not the least mad at Alex’s harsh words. He reiterated to Alex, “Ten seconds, that’s the greatest limit of this talisman. One second longer will cause it to self-destruct.”
Then, he slowly took out a few more talismans from his chest. “Fine. It’s only because Rachel has her eyes on you. It means you have fate with Buddhism… So I’ll grant you a few more!”
He then presented seven more talismans. Alex took them over and immediately placed them in his ring. He didn’t mind having more of these.
At the time, Maha intended to leave. Once the trialists here, along with everything in the Underworld, were taken care of, he would head over as a judge.
“Wait, so… You mean that you’re in charge of getting rid of the trialists?” Alex asked.
“Yes. Apart from me, try naming one person more suitable for this,” Maha gloated.
“Then… Have you been given a deadline?”
“Within three days. I’ll be taking action on the third day.”
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2684
Buddhist tea, a certain tea of enlightenment that contained holy energy and Daoist principles.
After Alex drank it, the bones all over his body cheered in excitement. It wasn’t only the enlightenment of Buddhist cultivation. Still, the immortal Chi, ancient Buddhist intent, and the energy of Daoist principles greatly enhanced his root bones, making the path of Buddhist cultivation easier for him.
Buddha. One could be a Buddha if the Buddha existed in his mind.
After drinking the Buddhist tea, Alex’s mental strength doubled, and he could see this place more clearly. The surroundings were filled with Buddhist factors, which were absorbed by his body.
He looked at the two rows of bookshelves. He had an eye on that multi-colored scripture at first glance. Upon seeing that book title, Alex shuddered all over. Buddhism Is Initially a Way was surprisingly written on it.
‘Seriously?’
He remembered that it was a novel of some sort!
Could the Grand Bodhisattva have loved reading novels?
However, the moment he picked it up and flipped it open, Alex knew that he had overthought the whole thing. It was not a novel at all but Buddhist enlightenment Buddhism was initially a path. An entirely new system would form when one walked a different path, but the essence remained the same.
Although this book was not some secret manual for cultivation, Alex suddenly felt certain enlightenment. Previously, he was a little resistant to Buddhist cultivation. Through thousands of years, America’s inherent mentality was that Buddhist cultivation was equivalent to becoming a monk and a votarist and would become a bachelor for the rest of his life. However, its essence, the true Buddhist cultivation, that this book pointed out had nothing to do with arty of those.
Those were shackles that mortals put on themselves. Thus, with those shackles, it would be harder for one to become a Buddha.
Buddhism was initially a patch that could change fate by defying natural order, the heart of everything.
After putting down the multi-colored scripture, Alex looked at an ancient book made of the skin of a mythical creature. The moment he touched the creature’s skin, he sensed something. He seemingly saw a dragon soaring above the sea of clouds and looking down its nose at myriads of creatures.
The Boundless Buddhist Creature!
‘What book is this?’
‘There was actually such a title? This is the skin of a mythical creature. It is a dragon’s skin. Moreover, it’s clearly different from other dragons, as if it has a life of its own.’
When Alex reached out to flip open the book, a sudden change occurred. To his surprise, the book turned into a stream of light with a swish and rushed into his mind palace, settling down in it.
‘What’s going on?’
‘This book…’
The next second, he thought he heard a deafening dragon’s howl.
After a string of information fed into his sea of consciousness, and he instantly knew the book’s function… The Boundless Buddhist Creature wasn’t just a book, but it was a Buddhist tool. It could capture the mythical creatures and transcend them using the holy energy, turning them into subordinates and making them obedient.
‘Isn’t this… The ability of the Beast Tamer Sect?’
‘No. This may be more powerful than the Beast Tamer Sect. I heard the sect’s basic manipulation techniques are very troublesome and require various processes. This, however, is simple. I’ll directly capture them and throw them into the book before transcending them using the holy energy. If it’s fast enough, I can finish it within one minute without taming them. It’s sitnple yet brutal!’
Alex smiled in satisfaction. He intended to give it a try after going out later.
Alex casually flipped through the many books on the bookshelves. Now that his mental strength had greatly improved, he could easily get them. He no longer had to be as laborious as before, an act more tiring than sleeping with someone. That said, he found nothing new in the few books that he read later.
Alex saw the last book. After Alex flipped it open, he discovered that several golden talismans were stuck inside the book. Those talismans were different from the normal ones. There were no runes and words on them but a mass of indistinct energy that incited a perilous feeling.
‘What… Are these talismans?’
Alex was shocked and hesitant. Finally, he decided to take them away.
He was cautious and well-prepared, with Athena’s shield blocking him. When he reached out, an anomaly occurred. A hand emerged from those few talismans and grabbed Alex’s hand.
“What the…?”
“D*mn! This is really ominous!”
“Let go!”
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2687
Alex clapped his hands. “You won’t need three days. Just deal with it today! I don’t mean to interfere, Master, but once you’re working in the Underworld, you won’t be as relaxed as you are here!”
“You’ll have to learn how to act according to your boss’ mood and kiss his a*s! You have to know everything, even if your boss doesn’t. Only then will you be a qualified employee!”
“So, if your superior asks for you to finish a task in three days, it actually means it’s got to be done as soon as possible! You’ve got to get the underlying message! If you really wait till the third day, your boss will think that you’re incompetent and bench you.”
Maha frowned, “Are you sure?”
Alex nodded. “Of course! That’s the spirit of serving… Don’t you know? Modern folk have practiced it well! When you have the time, you should learn it, it’ll lead you to success.”
As he spoke, Alex glanced to the other side of the hall that the golden barrier separated. When he saw how crowded it was, Alex almost thought that something was wrong with his eyes.
‘It haven’t been that long, yet so many people have come?’
Alex wouldn’t know that his words had frightened the trialists, especially the last few sentences of that conversation. It simply sounded like a nightmare to them.
From the moment Alex was lost from the others’ sight, things went way out of his expectations. These people were trialists who wanted to go back to the real world through the Pool of Afterlife. Immediately, they dispersed to spread the news and call for help.
When it came to gathering enough trialists, these people had no limits. It was obviously unrealistic to search for help one by one.
Luckily, someone had an ancient Mystical Conch, a communication tool belonging to an ancient family from another galaxy. The person blew into the conch and sent out his message.
In an instant, dozens of disciples received it and they spread the news even further.
“The Pool of Afterlife is at the Corpse King City! There’ll be more news tomorrow.”
“This is your last chance at escape. After today, the Underworld will self-destruct.”
Anyone who received such news would definitely get out, unless they had a death wish, of course. Hence, a large group of people had arrived outside, waiting for Alex to open the gates so that they could jump into the pool.
At the time, Alex was searching for the treasures and resources Grand Bodhisattva had left him. Alex looked at Maha and said, “Master, give me an hour. You can start after that!”
Maha didn’t know what Alex was going to do, but he didn’t ask either. He just stood and watched silently at the side. He then noticed that Alex was using the pool to collect treasures and money.
“Amitabha!”
“Alright… Being a modern Buddhist isn’t easy.”
“After The Bodhi of the West was exterminated, the disciples no longer had a master, like an orphan without a home. It’ll be sensible to get some resources while you still can.”
He could only watch as the people slowly placed their storage rings and treasures where Alex requested, they wanted to enter the pool after all. After doing so, they went inside the gold barrier.
However, Alex still didn’t allow them into the pool, so they could only wait by the side. Then, at last, Maha started helping Alex collect the things too.
In less than an hour, the possessions of thousands of trialists were in Alex’s hands. Many were furious with Alex’s request, tens of years of hard work were just taken away like that because of him.
On the other hand, some thought that they’d break his hand if they had the chance next time…
Luckily, once they were in the pool, they could rely on their bone patterns and strengthen their bones and powers. That was their main priority as of now.
However… this might all just be wishful thinking.
Seeing as it was almost time, Alex turned to Maha. “Master, do it. Kill them…”
Maha was stunned. “Aren’t you letting them into the pool?”
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2688
Alex rolled his eyes. “Do I look like I’m crazy? These people have been robbed today, and they’re probably thinking about revenge. Do I look insane enough to give them a chance to enhance their powers?”
Maha opened his mouth to speak, but he didn’t know what to say.
‘Such actions… Don’t they defy Buddhist principles?’
However, he immediately found another excuse for Alex.
‘Buddhism isn’t popular nowadays, and our disciples are scarce.’
‘We’re at the verge of extinction, and Rachel is counting on him. He might be the only one that can save the Siddhartha realm.’
‘Such rare potential, it’s truly right to be cautious. Besides, in order to become the best of all and rebuild the Buddhist world, his ruthlessness is needed…’
‘Amitabha, I’ve said it wrong, I meant his intelligence and bravery are needed.’
“I should feel proud and relieved!”
Maha adjusted his posture. By clearing his thoughts, he felt uplifted, and it put him in good condition to cast his skills.
This was just like when he was practicing the Divine Byodo back then, at first, he couldn’t succeed no matter how he tried. One day, he was suddenly enlightened. All his nerves and veins had become tremendously pure.
‘Yeah, that’s right!’
‘Buddhism needs a leader like him. Rachel’s choice wasn’t wrong.’
‘Even if extreme measures were taken within this period, it’s all for the greater good of the Siddhartha realm.’
‘A man of great ambition does not bother about trivial trifles. As long as it’s a good ending, anything’s worth it.’
Right then, those trialists who handed in their rings and treasures were all shouting at Alex to open the pool and let them in so they could recover their bodies.
Alex grinned brightly and appeared in front of the crowd. He chirped, “Everyone, settle down! Don’t be worried. I’m a man of my word, and I only make fair trades. Honesty’s my motto! Since I’ve received everyone’s payment, I’ll open the gates.”
Maha, who had been hiding on the sides, felt his face turning red.
Even though he had sorted out his thoughts and supported Alex, it didn’t mean he could cooperate naturally.
Deep within his heart, he felt ashamed… His emotions were obvious since his cheeks were burning up.
‘Can’t I calm down and act along with Alex?… This is all for the rise of the Siddhartha realm! How am I face Buddha ifI act like this?’
Maha continuously convinced himself to go along with Alex’s act. It was his main task right now, for the sake of Buddhism. Finally, Maha got rid of the burdens in his heart, turning them into motivation for his sacrifice for Buddhism.
After that, he walked out from the shadows.
Alex smiled and said, “See! This is the host of Shoraionji Temple. In order for everyone to smoothly head back to their original worlds through the pool, I’ve specifically invited the master to summon the entire pool.”
“When you all are on your way back, you’ll achieve greater powers.”
The trialists were unsure of what to believe.
Maha’s face wasn’t unfamiliar to many of those who were there. Appearing during the great fight with the emperor of the Underworld, everyone still remembered him.
Someone asked, “Master, can you really summon the entire pool?”
Maha looked at the crowd and started to convince himself again.
He said with a sincere face, “I’ll try my best for everyone. Now that the emperor of the Underworld is defeated, this world is unstable. As the defender of this place, I’ll send everyone safely back home, even if it means sacrificing myself. I’ll even try hard to strengthen everyone’s powers.”
Maha looked like a virtuous monk with a righteous aura, which made people trust him. Upon hearing this, everyone felt less worried.
“It appears we can only count on you, master.”
“You are indeed an honorable monk, your far-sighted views are to be respected.”
“Master, when we’re home, we’ll definitely build a temple for you and worship all year long.”
The crowd spoke nonstop, buttering up to Maha as much as they could.
“Amitabha!” Maha felt slightly embarrassed again.
Despite this, Alex reminded him that time was tight, and he should summon the pool now.
By using telepathy in secret, Alex was actually telling Maha to kill them. Thus, after giving it some thought, Maha activated his divine energy.
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2689
In the eyes of the crowd, Maha was an honorable monk. He seemed to be chanting Buddhist incantations while bathing in golden light.
One of his hands pointed at the sky while the other pointed to the ground as he shouted out. A rainbow-colored cloud then landed from the skies.
“Hmm?”
“Master, what are you doing?”
Even Alex was taken aback. He questioned him telepathically. “What are you summoning the cloud for?”
Maha replied. “It’s better to put on a full act. I’m doing it for you, so these people won’t know that you’ve lied to them from the start. Even if they don’t get into the pool, in the end, they’ll still be grateful to you.”
Flabbergasted by Maha’s words, Alex looked at him in disbelief.
“Are you… Really one of the five Revealers? Are you even slyer than me?”
Maha was pissed. “And who am I trying to help here?”
As the cloud landed, it burst, and a pool materialized. Within the pool, rainbow colors swirled and glowed. The trialists erupted into excitement.
“It’s here, it’s here! The pool has appeared!”
“Who would’ve known that the pool would appear in such a way! No one knew before, but now I’ve learned something new.”
“We’re about to go home. Oh, how I’ve missed home!”
“My fellow friends, we must be the last batch of trialists in the Underworld. We have made history since the start of our friendship! I believe this isn’t the end…”
“Since we’re fated to meet, I’ll let everyone in on some news! Recently, America, the hometown of Grand Emperor Rowan, has been due for a revival! I believe many have heard of the news. Once I head back, I’ll go to America. Then everyone can group up for a treasure hunt and conquer it!”
“Yeah, I’ve heard about it,” another one chimed in. “I was planning to head there, then grab all its treasures, not leaving a single piece for the natives! Those native Americans, they’ve affected the whole universe for their revival! How selfish! Screw them!”
Alex was shaken by the crowd’s conversation.
‘Seems like Luneth’s warning wasn’t wrong. Many people of the universe are planning to go after America. It seems there’s going to be a cruel war when we’re back.’
‘When we get back, we might have to experience another tough fight.’
“Hmph, if that’s the case, you can’t blame me!”
Alex immediately asked Maha telepathically, “Can we just leave all these people here?”
Unfortunately, Maha couldn’t do so. The Dairaionji Temple’s command was irrefutable.
Alex frowned as his confusion with the temple deepened.
Just then, Maha shouted, “Oh no! Something’s wrong with the Underworld! The pool is going to depart, and this world will be destroyed!”
“Huh..?” The trialists all felt like going crazy the moment they heard that.
If this world was really destroyed, all their work would vanish as well.
“Kid, come help me, quickly!” Maha shouted to Alex. “Now that there’s still time, I’ll send you into the pool so you can leave first.”
Alex immediately understood what Maha was up to. He truly admired how cunning the monk was and quickly answered, “Then… What about these trialists?”
Maha said, “I couldn’t care any less. You’re a Buddhist, so you’re the most important one.”
The trialists on the side all screamed and begged, so scared they almost wet themselves.
Alex said, “No, I’ve taken their things, so I’m responsible for their lives. Even if I’m sacrificed, I’ll try my best… Come, let me help you, we must send these people to safety.”
Seeing Alex standing out in the face of trouble, the trialists all trembled with gratitude under the rainbow light.
‘He’s a good man!’
‘He’s a responsible one, a man of his word!’
The Pinnacle of Life Chapter 2690
“I’m actually touched, the genius doctor is indeed a great man!”
“How could’ve I have suspected him and slandered him in secret! I’ve even loathed him and thought about killing him when I had the chance!”
“I’m such a short-sighted man! He treats me better than my parents do! What’s the use of a little treasure compared to my life? It’s bulls*it!”
Maha forced Alex’s acting skills out.
‘Who would’ve thought that an old monk would be so talented at acting. He’s a natural!’
Alex didn’t know that Maha was just busy convincing himself.
“Oh no, the Underworld is collapsing. All trialists’ lives are threatened, and there’s not much time left!”
“Kid, you’re a Buddhist, so I’ll have to guarantee your safety, Run. Flee before it’s too late!”
“You escaping is better than all of us dying here. You don’t know them anyways, they might even come for you when they’re out!”
When the trialists heard that, they almost fainted.
“Master, no. Please!”
“Isn’t kindness and saving lives the principles of Buddhism? All of us here are living humans, can you bear to see so many lives lost?”
“We won’t trouble the genius doctor, he’s our savior. We swear that we’ll definitely protect and love him. From now on, he’s our second parent!”
There was only one chance at life, and nobody wanted to die. Right at that moment, everyone was thinking about what death would be like. These trialists were all elites, saints, and geniuses of their worlds. They came from high social statuses and treated commoners as if they were ants.
They came to the Underworld with the guarantee of evolving. If they knew that they were going to die, they would’ve never come… In the end, they were about to die here. They couldn’t accept such a fate.
Alex turned back and looked at those nervous trialists who spoke such sincere words.
He smiled lightly and said, “It’s not like I want y’all to be my children from now. I just don’t wish to pay such a heavy price-getting attacked after saving you…”
“Okay, might I suggest this? Each of you will have to swear a spiritual blood oath. You will have to refer to me as your big brother and put me as your priority. You’ll always have to put yourself in my shoes too.”
“If I’m in danger, you guys have to help me immediately. How’s that?”
“Uhm…”
“You want us to swear… A spiritual blood oath?”
“I mean, isn’t such an oath too extreme?”
Once the trialists heard that they needed to swear such an oath, many became unhappy. They were all trialists who had to go through tribulations. Thus, their spiritual blood oath would be very effective, meaning they had to follow religiously everything they swore.
If they ever betrayed the oath, the consequences were severe. A lightning tribulation would punish them when it was time for them to pass a trial.
Almost three quarters were unwilling to make an oath. Even though they’d said sweet things before this, going as far as comparing Alex to their parents, those were just empty words. When it came to a critical time, they were also the ones to refuse.
Maha immediately said, “You all can’t even make an oath. It’s also obvious that you’d look for trouble in the future.”
“Alex, I know you follow the Buddhist way of kindness, but sometimes, too much kindness results in cruelty upon yourself. The Siddhartha realm is in such a state today because of this, so… Let it go.”
“If you save them today, they might kill you in the future.”
Alex was ultimately impressed with Maha’s acting. He must be truly great, going to such extremes.
“Master, I still believe that humans are inherently kind creatures.”
“Humans can be both kind and evil. It all depends on their experiences. Ksitigarbha had a great wish, he refused to become a Buddha unless hell was empty. Bodhis, however, can only be created once all lives are saved.”
“I may not be as great as Ksitigarbha, but I wish to keep some of my kindness. So, those who are willing to take the oath can come over once. I’ll let you leave first, but I’ll be staying back to protect you all… Be quick!”
As soon as Alex finished speaking, Maha started his convincing act again.
There were illusions and smokescreens of all manner, even random earthquakes, and tsunamis…
He was the controller of Shoraionji Temple, hence he had a better understanding of this world than these trialists.