The immortal firmament?
This was what Gu Hai felt the most anticipation for.
As Gu Hai refined it, he mended the critical black lines.
Buzz!
An energy bubble finally appeared on Gu Hai’s palm ten years later.
“An immortal firmament? This is an immortal firmament that belongs to me?” Excitement flashed in his eyes.
Refining the immortal firmament was not difficult. The difficult part was restoring it. However, he had already fixed three thousand black lines. Although there were still countless holes in it, these were just the inessential parts that had yet to be mended; the energy bubble did not break.
The inessential parts could recover on their own.
“Go!”
Gu Hai tossed the energy bubble out.
Whoosh!
The energy bubble flew to another planet. The countless holes were like numerous small black holes frantically sucking up the surrounding dust, rocks, and light.
Gu Hai had a connection with the immortal firmament. Now that he had refined it, he could recall it with a thought. However, he did not do that.
Now that the critical damage had been restored, he planned to let the immortal firmament recover independently over time.
The Eyes of Life and Death?
The Spiritual Progenitor deity king immediately radiated a gentle light as it merged with Gu Hai’s physical body.
Buzz!
Gu Hai’s eyes immediately gave off black and white lights. His eyes had become the Eyes of Life and Death but tapped only the Spiritual Progenitor deity king’s energy.
Then, he looked at the Thirty-Three Line-Pair World Ritual Array in the sky.
The Thirty-Three Line-Pair World Ritual Array turned into countless white lines to his left eye. However, his right eye saw numerous, but fewer, black lines.
Gu Hai could see the comprehensive situation and the critical points of the Thirty-Three Line-Pair World Ritual Array.
Excitement flashed in his eyes. “So that is the case! So that is the case! This can significantly help me avoid the wrong path!”
Gu Hai sat down cross-legged and looked at the Thirty-Three Line-Pair World Ritual Array in the sky.
The ten millionth year:
Buzz!
Eighty of the one hundred small Go boards in Gu Hai’s forehead spaces suddenly started merging in sets of four.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The eighty Go boards became twenty large Go boards.
The large Go boards did not stay that way for long, just a year.
Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak!
The large Go boards quickly shrank, eliminating the unnecessary Go stones and turning back into small Go boards with nineteen line pairs.
Including the initial twenty more-complicated Go puzzles, only forty small Go boards remained. The Cycle Saber Technique could now use the Eighth Cycle because of these Go puzzles. Unfortunately, that was just the ideal. Gu Hai was far from strong enough to execute the Eighth Cycle.
“The Thirty-Three? It is truly complicated!” A grave look flashed in Gu Hai’s eyes.
Gu Hai could gain an initial comprehension of the Thirty-Three Line-Pair World Go Puzzle because of the Eyes of Life and Death. Even so, how long had it taken him?
Gu Hai smiled bitterly. “Is that Old Mister Guan Qi truly that talented? To think he reached such a level in Go skills in just a few thousand years?”
Just as Gu Hai mocked himself, the Essence from the Earthly Soul Register in his body stilled, and his earthly soul trembled. His expression suddenly turned startled.
Boom!
A loud sound came from Gu Hai’s body, followed by a powerful shockwave.
“I broke through?” Gu Hai felt startled. At this moment, he did not know whether to rejoice or grieve.
“Congratulations on the breakthrough in cultivation, Your Reverence!” Shangguan Hen said with a smile, having woken up in the nearby coffin.
Gu Hai smiled bitterly. “Indeed. I broke through. The Middle Heavenly Palace Realm’s second layer!”
“Huh?” Shangguan Hen’s expression turned stiff.
“I have been sleeping and waking up intermittently. This should make ten million years already, right? Your Reverence…Your Reverence has broken through only one layer?” Shangguan Hen said in confusion.
Ten million years of Essence was only sufficient for you to advance one layer?
Gu Hai sighed softly and nodded, too embarrassed to tell Shangguan Hen that he also had the advantage of the Earthly Soul Register. If not, who knew how long it would have taken?
Shangguan Hen’s face twitched, not daring to evaluate Gu Hai’s cultivation.
Gu Hai looked at Shangguan Hen. “Since you are awake, continue cultivating. Now, you need to complete the seventh set of nine!”
“I’m still far from it. Right now, I am in the fifty-eighth layer. However, I have been cultivating after waking up, then going back to sleep after that, time and again. I feel like vomiting just thinking about it,” Shangguan Hen said bitterly.
“You are already more incredible than Sun Wukong. It is only in the fifty-fourth layer. Those who can endure suffering will do better. Cultivation is arduous. Continue cultivating. Only how long has passed? Continue!” Gu Hai said seriously.
Shangguan Hen nodded as he showed a faint, bitter smile.
“That’s right. Your Reverence, I wanted to ask the last time. There seems to be a black hole in the distant astral region sucking in the surrounding stars. Should we go over and investigate?” Shangguan Hen asked.
Gu Hai looked into the distance. Indeed, a black hole was sucking in a cluster of stars and triggering several novae around it.
“There’s no need. That is a ritual array that we set up. Just focus on cultivating.”
“Yes!” Shangguan Hen nodded, feeling slightly horrified.
That black hole was Gu Hai’s immortal firmament. After the immortal firmament absorbed countless stars, it had grown, and the holes in it had become like black holes—three thousand two hundred of them—consuming the stars to repair themselves.
Shangguan Hen resumed cultivating.
Gu Hai continued studying the Thirty-Three Line-Pair World Go Puzzle. While he thoroughly enjoyed this time, Shangguan Hen felt incredibly tortured. Shangguan Hen had spent sixty percent of the time using the Tortoise Breathing Technique. Now, Shangguan Hen’s Tortoise Breathing Technique had grown increasingly incredible.
Just like that, more than one hundred million years elapsed.
Nearly one thousand years had passed in the first layer of hell.
The Future Buddha looked coldly at the entry to the second layer. “Everyone, listen carefully. Tightly guard the entrances to the various layers. No one is permitted out. If anyone discovers Gu Hai, the heretic Buddhist, or Shangguan Hen, immediately report it.”
“Yes!” everyone answered.
“Lord Buddha, Gu Hai went to the eighteenth layer of hell. He should have turned into stone by now, right?” Bodhisattva Jie Dong smiled.
“Let’s see first. Also, the main thing is that heretic Buddhist. Search thoroughly!” the Future Buddha said.
“Yes!”
Nearly thirty million years had passed in the sixteenth layer of hell.
Kong Xuan gave off an overwhelming demonic aura. The mountains pressing on its back shuddered, apparently unable to suppress it for much longer.
Right now, black energy spewed out of Kong Xuan’s eyes. Over time, the demonic aura had dyed nearly half the sky black.
Kong Xuan’s pupils constricted with some difficulty.
“It is about time. The entrances to the eighteen layers of hell are about to open again?” Kong Xuan regained consciousness.
Kong Xuan glared ferociously at the entrance to the upper layer. “Humph! The Future Buddha? The Present Buddha? The Past Buddha? Your plan will fail! When I get out, I will eat you! Roar!”
Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!
The chains binding Kong Xuan shook intensely as it struggled against this restriction.
However, its figure paused as it looked at the passageway to the seventeenth layer.
“Gu Hai? Humph! You entered the eighteenth layer of hell, so you have probably turned into stone already. I won’t wait for you, then,” Kong Xuan said coldly.
However, it stopped again in the next moment and remained silent for some time, pondering its bet with Gu Hai.
“Very well. I will wait for a while. In any case, I don’t care about wasting time. Let’s see if you are still alive when the eighteen layers of hell open,” Kong Xuan said ferociously.
Kong Xuan gradually calmed down. However, it still felt extremely frustrated.
The overwhelming demonic aura was becoming irrepressible. While Kong Xuan’s Essence had increased significantly, the demonic aura twisted Kong Xuan’s mind. Although Kong Xuan had not lost itself, it would be affected in the long run. It could not remain in hell for much longer.
Boom!
As Kong Xuan waited, a loud sound rang out as the entrances to the eighteen layers of hell opened.
Whoosh!
In that instant, a beam of light rushed from the first layer of hell to the sixteenth layer.
It was the Future Buddha arriving at the earliest possible moment.
The boundless demonic aura had already dyed the sky black in the sixteenth layer of hell.
The moment the Future Buddha entered, he felt an intense bloodthirst coming from Kong Xuan. This bloodthirst was so fierce that it sent chills through the Future Buddha’s heart.
“Kong Xuan, have you thought it through?” the Future Buddha asked with an unsightly expression.
“Future Buddha, how about you just send me to the seventeenth layer of hell?” Kong Xuan countered with a ferocious expression.
“Something’s not right. The demonic aura coming from you? I can see it now. Hahahaha! You cannot last much longer, am I right? You cannot suppress the demonic nature in your heart for much longer?” the Future Buddha laughed.
“Humph!” Kong Xuan snorted coldly.
Indeed, it could not last much longer. However, it had not been driven mad yet.
“Kong Xuan, what is bad about being my Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Great Light Sovereign Buddha? The Present Buddha will not restrict your freedom,” the Future Buddha coaxed.
“Scram! You are not worthy!” Kong Xuan said coldly.
“Hah! Hahahaha! Not worthy? Keep waiting, then. I can sense that you cannot last much longer. There’s no need for the seventeenth layer of hell. Let’s see how much longer you can last here!” the Future Buddha snorted coldly as he flung his sleeves out.
The Future Buddha turned his head and stepped into the seventeenth layer of hell.
Many monks flew over, following the Future Buddha into the seventeenth layer.
However, they found nothing there.
The Future Buddha went to the entrance to the eighteenth layer of hell and looked inside. However, he did not dare to go in.
“Humph! It looks like Gu Hai has already turned into stone. Humph! That’s good!” the Future Buddha snorted coldly.
The Future Buddha flew back to the sixteenth layer of hell. He again tried to convince Kong Xuan. However, Kong Xuan simply ignored him.
The Future Buddha could only leave with the monks, feeling depressed.
Kong Xuan watched coldly as the Future Buddha left, revealing a cold smile. “The Future Buddha? Just you wait. I will break free from the Nine-Petaled Golden Lotus Seal soon and come and eat you.”
Kong Xuan endured the demonic nature as it struggled against the chains.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a figure flew out of the nearby entrance to the seventeenth layer.
“Huh?” Kong Xuan frowned and turned its head to look.
“Shangguan Hen? The Black Tortoise Prime? Why are you here?” Kong Xuan said in surprise.
Shangguan Hen exhaled deeply. “I simply could not stand the eighteenth layer of hell anymore, so His Reverence sent me to the sixteenth layer to accompany you.”
The surrounding flames burned Shangguan Hen, but they did not harm him at all.
“You were sleeping in Gu Hai’s coffin, and Gu Hai brought you in? Gu Hai is alive?” Kong Xuan exclaimed in shock.
“Indeed. His Reverence is still in the eighteenth layer of hell. Previously, the Future Buddha did not go in to search for him. That was lucky for the Future Buddha. Otherwise, he would have fallen into His Reverence’s Go Dao ritual array trap,” Shangguan Hen sighed.
Kong Xuan’s eyelids twitched wildly.
“Gu Hai is really not dead? Where is he?” Kong Xuan asked with a sullen expression.
Kong Xuan had already been locked up in hell for over sixty-odd million years, and it was on the verge of falling. Gu Hai had been in the eighteenth layer of hell for one hundred thirty-odd million years—double Kong Xuan’s time—yet Gu Hai had not gone crazy?
My endurance is already about to fail, but Gu Hai is still alive? Doesn’t that mean that I lose?
“His Reverence? He said the time was insufficient and wanted to stay in the eighteenth layer of hell for another round. Can we trouble you to wait for His Reverence?” Shangguan Hen forced a smile.
“Insufficient time?” Kong Xuan looked at Shangguan Hen with confusion.
I did not study much, so don’t cheat me. What do these words mean? Does Gu Hai not want to come out?
“His Reverence does not want to leave the eighteenth layer of hell just yet. Worried that you can’t wait, His Reverence told me to come and accompany you if I was bored,” Shangguan Hen explained.
Kong Xuan: “…”
