The grievously wounded wraith, its appearance somewhat disheveled, with one half of its body a ghostly white and the other scorched black, looked rather peculiar and even somewhat comical. Yet, amidst the mocking laughter of the righteous disciples in the distance, this enormous and terrifying creature slowly raised its head and suddenly let out a roar. Its massive head opened its maw, and a black vapor like a whirlwind spewed forth, hurtling straight towards the three figures in the sky.
Cultivators of such high caliber as Daoxuan Zhēnrén and the others would not fall for such a trick so easily. Their figures rose several zhang into the air, and all around them shone a brilliant light of azure, gold, and red, protecting their bodies. Nevertheless, even against the fierce winds of the cloud sea, that black vapor did not dissipate, and a strange, noxious stench could be detected from a great distance, indicating that it was extremely poisonous.
At the same time, Shòushén, standing atop the gigantic wraith’s head, moved his hands in an expressionless and ancient manner, resembling the rituals of primitive ancestors venerating the heavens. As he performed these gestures, a mysterious force seemed to gather, and the black clouds in the sky began to congregate once more, as dark as ink, with flashes of lightning and strange radiance illuminating the layers of darkness.
The people on the ground were left in awe, unsure of what demonic spell he was casting. Since Shòushén’s appearance, all his eerie sorceries had been grand and awe-inspiring, instilling fear in the hearts of many.
In the air, Daoxuan Zhēnrén furrowed his brows and suddenly waved his hand, ordering all the elders to retreat.
The black clouds lowered, hanging oppressively low, and finally, someone noticed something amiss and cried out. In the stunned gazes of everyone, the dark clouds descended layer by layer from the lofty heights of the heavens, enveloping Shòushén and the colossal wraith.
The expanse of the black clouds covered an area of several tens of zhang, and the righteous disciples hastily retreated. Many of the beast demons lingering in the cloud sea were also shrouded within. Daoxuan Zhēnrén and the two others landed a short distance from the black clouds, their faces grim, staring intently at the swirling, inky mass.
On the Cloud Sea Square, a strange, eerie silence descended once more, but this hush could not last long. The speed at which the black clouds churned increased, and even those standing far away could feel the surging, malevolent energy.
Finally, the immense black vapor, facing Daoxuan Zhēnrén, slowly parted to form a small opening.
There was no light, only eternal darkness. This pitch-black orifice, cold and silent, faced forward, while the surrounding vapors started to spin madly, spiraling into the small hole, which continued to devour the black vapor, gradually expanding from a mere inch to a foot, then to a zhang. In a short time, the most terrifying, monstrous face appeared before the eyes of the three leaders of the righteous path.
From the deepest depths of the darkness, a wild, piercing shriek erupted!
Instantly, all the black clouds quivered and danced, causing the entire towering mountain to tremble. That terrifying figure, now entirely blood-red, emerged from the abyssal darkness, like a giant beast baying at the heavens, lunging towards Daoxuan Zhēnrén and the others.
Everyone’s faces turned pale!
The young Shòushén, standing atop the cloud peaks, let out a long, mournful cry, his robes flapping wildly in the stormy wind. Accompanying him, the ferocious roars of the gigantic wraith beneath him, much louder than his own, crashed down like a mountain, a spectacle unmatched in magnitude.
In just a moment, Daoxuan Zhēnrén, Pǔhóng Shàng Rén, and Yúnyì Lán, three of the foremost cultivators in the world, saw that the wraith was drenched in blood, its appearance hideous and fearsome. More importantly, its demonic power had surged, and the damage previously inflicted by Yúnyì Lán’s pure fire had vanished, leaving it even more powerful. Now, as the black clouds dispersed, one could faintly see the heap of dried, withered corpses of the beast demons behind the wraith, lying crumpled on the ground.
The enormous shadow, with its claws and fangs, blotted out the entire sky, and the shade enveloped the three high masters. Daoxuan Zhēnrén, his face stern, was about to act when he heard Pǔhóng Shàng Rén chanting softly, “Fellow Daoists, please step back.”
With that, Pǔhóng Shàng Rén moved forward a few steps, facing the monstrous shadow descending from the sky. From afar, he appeared as insignificant as an ant.
A golden light suddenly emanated from his hands, shining like a bright sun in the world of dark, malicious clouds.
The enlightened monk, his face showing a trace of compassion, clasped his hands together, and from the tips of his fingers, golden light bloomed, growing larger and more brilliant, emitting myriad beams of light, shooting straight up into the sky. In the golden light, a golden disc-shaped treasure gradually appeared, resplendent and golden, with a diameter of about a zhang. The edges were engraved with the golden statues of the arhats, surrounding the central image of the Buddha with his palms pressed together, radiating mercy and compassion.
Far away, countless people cried out in unison:
“‘The Great Compassion Golden Wheel’…!”
As soon as this Buddhist treasure appeared, the golden light became even more dazzling. With Pǔhóng Shàng Rén’s single strength, this golden light curtain was as magnificent as the one created by the combined efforts of a hundred righteous disciples. Within the golden light, various Buddhist mantras appeared and disappeared, illuminating everything with a solemn and compassionate aura, contrasting sharply with the malignant force ahead.
However, despite the presence of this unparalleled Buddhist treasure, the vengeful spirit emerging from the deep black clouds, driven by Shòushén, showed no sign of retreat. It continued to descend, crashing into the golden light.
Unexpectedly, when the huge shadow collided with the resplendent golden light, there was no sound, no cataclysmic scene as anticipated. The golden light suddenly reversed, surrounding the black vapor, which gradually shrunk, but still surged forward, compressing the wraith’s massive figure to a mere fraction of its original size.
Yet, the remaining black vapor grew even darker and more malevolent, roaring and screeching. This black arrow tore through the sky, piercing through countless golden barriers, and astonishingly, reached Pǔhóng Shàng Rén.
A chilling aura and a grotesque visage, seemingly right before his eyes, emerged from the deepest darkness!
Pǔhóng Shàng Rén closed his eyes, clasping his hands, and recited a low, fast chant, like a song and yet not. The Great Compassion Golden Wheel, slowly spinning and emitting myriad rays of golden light, descended and landed before Pǔhóng, the Buddha and the arhats facing the ancient, malevolent beast.
In the golden light, their expressions were both merciful and severe, one showing compassion for all beings, the other fierce determination to vanquish evil. Who could tell which was the true face of the Buddha?
The low Sanskrit chants, growing louder, instantly filled the skies!
Brilliant golden light shot forth, making it impossible to look directly, like a vast sea of Buddhist flames, engulfing all the blackness and creating a massive golden aura in mid-air. Such a spectacular sight was truly rare, and the crowd on the Cloud Sea was deeply awed by the boundless power of the Buddhist dharma.
However, just as everyone was in awe, the seemingly subjugated blackness stubbornly reappeared from the golden light, like a slender black needle piercing the Great Compassion Golden Wheel.
On the surface of the precious golden wheel, the usually compassionate Buddha’s face suddenly flashed with a streak of black. At the same time, the majestic Sanskrit chants abruptly stopped, and the noisy world suddenly fell into an eerie silence.
All eyes immediately focused on the two figures within the golden light.
Pǔhóng Shàng Rén’s face showed a hint of pain, while the black vapor, rejuvenated, rapidly grew larger, forming the shape of Shòushén.
As the black vapor rose, the righteous ones changed their expressions. From afar, Shòushén’s face remained expressionless, his eyes still cold. The Buddha’s image on the golden wheel began to darken, becoming increasingly fierce and menacing.
Pǔhóng Shàng Rén’s face changed drastically, his complexion darkened, and he let out a low growl. His monk’s robe billowed without wind, and his figure expanded in an instant. Stimulated, the golden light suddenly turned, emitting a sharp whistling sound, rushing back to Pǔhóng Shàng Rén, quickly condensing into a golden sphere the size of a palm, with golden light shimmering, like a miniature sun, exuding overwhelming Buddhist power.
Once again, the sound of solemn Sanskrit chants filled the sky.
The golden sphere, emitting dazzling light, slowly advanced, and under the solemn power of the Buddhist dharma, the black vapor on the Great Compassion Golden Wheel gradually faded, returning to normal. Shòushén, sensing something, changed his expression slightly.
As the golden sphere finally touched the Great Compassion Golden Wheel, the golden light suddenly converged, and the entire wheel seemed to become transparent, like a burst of radiant light, with Buddhist power flowing like a long-dormant volcano, emitting countless golden beams and mantras.
In an instant, the entire sky turned into a golden ocean, with golden light flooding everything, leaving no other colors. In this supremely resplendent light, it seemed nothing evil could survive.
Except for a faint finger!
In the world swallowed by infinite golden light, a wisp of black vapor, as fine as dust, floated upward, intermittently appearing and disappearing, hovering before the Great Compassion Golden Wheel and gently touching the Buddha’s benevolent face between the eyebrows.
That tiny touch, like a grain in the vast ocean, insignificant compared to the boundless golden light, caused Pǔhóng Shàng Rén’s face to pale, his countenance turning ashen like death.
Thus, everyone saw the golden brilliance, the sudden shaking of heaven and earth, and the trembling of the golden light. The monk, who looked almost like an immortal, coughed out a mouthful of blood, staining the golden wheel before him.
The howling wind quietly ceased, and the chaotic world fell silent. The golden light, swaying and flickering, gently dissipated. Pǔhóng Shàng Rén’s lips trembled, and his body staggered slightly, retreating. Fǎxiàng and others rushed to support him.
Pǔhóng Shàng Rén smiled bitterly, facing the void, and clasped his hands, saying, “Master, your cultivation is profound, truly unparalleled in my life. I am in awe, in awe!”
On the Qingyun Mountain, the righteous disciples buzzed in shock.
In the sky, the golden light faded, and the black vapor reemerged, leaping from the void, letting out a shrill scream. The enormous, malevolent beast reappeared, and no one knew why such a massive creature could not be seen during the intense battle, and now it had reformed.
On its head, the person who had shocked and frightened the righteous path, his face even paler, and for the first time, a hint of fatigue appeared on his cold face. Only his eyes remained as cold as ever. However, when his gaze met Pǔhóng Shàng Rén, he finally showed a slight change, letting out a cold snort.
“The cultivation arts of the Central Plains are indeed extraordinary.”
Pǔhóng Shàng Rén shook his head slightly, intending to say something, but seeing the other’s demeanor, he knew it would be futile. With the support of Fǎxiàng and others, he retreated.
Among the three great leaders of the righteous path, two had already suffered at the hands of this mysterious and sinister demon, and the Qingyun disciples on the peak were all in shock. Meanwhile, the beast demons roared in unison, their momentum and power rising.
Just then, a roar erupted from behind the crowd, and a huge vortex appeared in the Cold Ice Pool below the Jade Clear Palace, the water swirling faster and faster, with a roar like a dragon’s roar or a tiger’s growl, overpowering the cries of the beast demons.
From the Cold Ice Pool, a column of water shot straight up, reaching several zhang high, remaining solid and unbroken, like a wild flower blooming. The mighty Water Qilin, the guardian beast of Qingyun Mountain, appeared.
The Qingyun disciples on the peak were first shocked, then ecstatic, cheering loudly, their spirits lifted. Under the watchful eyes of all, the Water Qilin roared to the sky, shook its head and tail, and flew forward, landing on the clouds.
The water column finally fell with a thunderous crash, drenching the surrounding area of the Cold Ice Pool, and the righteous disciples, unable to dodge, scrambled for cover, looking rather flustered.
But most of them, at this moment, cared little for their disarray, their eyes fixed on the sky. The Water Qilin, its eyes blazing, roared continuously, hovering in the air. A deep green figure slowly descended, landing on the Water Qilin, facing the nearly invincible Shòushén.
Daoxuan Zhēnrén!
Shòushén’s cold face remained unchanged, his eyes locked with Daoxuan Zhēnrén, while the wraith beneath him roared fiercely at the Water Qilin, which, in turn, showed no friendliness, baring its fangs and roaring.
Amidst the roars, the Water Qilin raised its head, a faint blue light flashing, and spat out a long sword, not of stone but similar, flying through the air. Daoxuan Zhēnrén extended his right hand and caught it.
At that instant, the entire Qingyun Mountain fell silent, and a moment later, cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
The Zuxian Ancient Sword!
The legendary, peerless, and indestructible Zuxian Ancient Sword, the supreme divine weapon of the righteous path, had reappeared in the world after ten years.
A beam of light, soft and gentle, flowed from the legendary ancient sword, passing onto Daoxuan Zhēnrén. Amidst the jubilant cries of the crowd, as Daoxuan Zhēnrén’s hand grasped the hilt, his body, for some reason, trembled slightly. Then, he gripped the Zuxian Ancient Sword firmly and steadily.
“Heaven-bestowed divine sword, to slay evil!”
Daoxuan Zhēnrén’s face remained calm, and holding the Zuxian, he pointed it at Shòushén, speaking softly, yet appearing to the multitude as an unassailable immortal.
Beneath the Zuxian Sword, the people cheered, but in front of the divine blade, Shòushén gazed at the ancient sword for a long time, then scrutinized Daoxuan Zhēnrén, and suddenly, his cold face changed. He laughed, a loud, incredulous laugh, echoing through the heavens, interspersed with a few low coughs.
“Good sword, good sword!” Shòushén clapped his hands in admiration, though his tone carried a hint of mockery, “Such a formidable, malevolent sword, even I feel a bit afraid. I didn’t expect it to appear in your hands, truly… hahaha…”
He didn’t continue, but instead, like seeing the most ridiculous thing in his life, burst into uncontrollable laughter, leaving everyone bewildered.
Facing the arrogant figure, Daoxuan Zhēnrén’s face remained unchanged, and he said nothing. He took a deep breath, closed and then opened his eyes, and a dazzling light burst forth from the Zuxian Ancient Sword.
The Water Qilin roared to the sky!
Shòushén’s laughter abruptly stopped, and his face grew serious, facing the front.
All the people below held their breath, knowing that the final battle between these two had begun. The ultimate outcome of this calamity was about to be decided!
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