Chapter 316: Shattered Divine Might

Boom—!

Shattered Buddha light, exploding blood mist, and flying shards of flesh…

Like a blood-stained golden lotus swaying in a wild gale, emanating the stench of death and symbolizing life’s withering—Huang Tuo, the Divine Condor Half-Saint from Xiao Lingyin Temple…

Had his skull smashed by a single strike!

A terrifying explosion of sound shattered the air; a violent gust swept up countless torrents of blood and qi as they were vented from the club knocked from the Divine Monkey’s hand. That one strike unleashed an explosive force laden with an almost apocalyptic destructive power!

The very fabric of space fractured as though pierced by innumerable fine cracks, leaving a deep dent in its wake!

Huang Tuo’s head was blasted apart… yet this was only the beginning!

Beneath the shattered Divine Monkey mask, Li Che’s eyes burned with unbridled arrogance as he glared disdainfully at Huang Tuo!

After shattering Huang Tuo’s skull, the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff sliced through the air once more, lashing out at the headless corpse—its target being the spot where the heart of the six-armed Tathagata once beat!

Determined to pulverize Huang Tuo’s corpse into fragments of flesh!

Huang Tuo’s head was smashed to pieces and his inner spatial realm shattered! His divine fetus lost its anchor—but

Li Che noticed that Huang Tuo’s divine fetus had not escaped; it remained concealed within his corpse. Something was terribly amiss.

Normally, to harbor divine essences such as the Divine Essence Golden Pill or the divine fetus, one must use the inner mud realm as their vessel. Yet this blow not only shattered Huang Tuo’s skull but also obliterated his inner spatial sanctuary.

And still his divine fetus hadn’t broken free! “Divine backlash?”

“Or… a Divine Secret Technique?”

A hint of mockery flashed in the Divine Monkey’s eyes.

The staff became entwined with surging blood qi, its engraved pattern of a soaring azure dragon seemingly coming to life. In that instant, the Five Elders’ Divine Weapons flared into resurgence. Beneath the fragmented Qi Tian Face mask, Li Che’s eyes shimmered with a condensed golden mist.

Golden thunderbolts danced wildly as the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit within his chest roared in frenzy! A golden, brilliant eye erupted as his brow cracked open.

Star Plucking Gaze!

Infinite analysis to reveal the truth!

With a single sweeping glance, he noticed in the headless body of Huang Tuo that his divine fetus was ballooning like an inflated sac, expanding until it completely filled the corpse—as if reanimated to seize control.

Brilliant, overwhelming Buddha light burst forth from Huang Tuo’s divine fetus, an unholy Buddha nature surging out in all its perverse glory! Hummmm—!

In an instant, the once-still six-armed golden Tathagata form recoiled rapidly, as if clad in golden armor, covering Huang Tuo’s corpse. Then—!!!

The Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff mercilessly slammed into the golden body of the headless Huang Tuo.

It was like an ancient, dust-laden bell hanging atop a snowy peak suddenly being struck—the shattered bellwaves rippled and roiled, battering Huang Tuo’s headless form with a force so intense it nearly deformed it.

Yet after that deformation, the force transformed into a golden cannonball that smashed forcefully onto the blue stone pavement of Mo City with a resounding boom—!!

The earth trembled, stones scattered, and fragments of blue bricks flew in all directions!

The mud bricks, soaked by dark rain, were heaved high by the terrifying force, like a canopy ten meters high before cascading down like a waterfall!

The shockwave produced rippling circles across the ground. “So solid.”

Beneath the Divine Monkey mask, Li Che squinted. Had the divine fetus developed its own consciousness?

Li Che was certain that what he observed was not Huang Tuo’s original will but the eroded remnant of his soul, which lent the divine fetus a spark of sentience. After Huang Tuo’s will was extinguished, it started to possess his ruined body.

A truly bizarre force…

One that can exist without the inner mud realm.

“Is it because of that pervasive Buddha light and Buddha nature all over his body?”

Li Che recalled the Buddha Seal he had once suppressed within the Cosmic Chessboard, a thought that brought a new glimmer to his eyes. Indeed, these Buddhist divine natures were mysterious.

To cultivate such divine attributes, there must exist a Temple Spirit endowed with corresponding divine methods. “Six-Armed Tathagata… or perhaps the Evil Tathagata?”

Li Che’s eyes turned cold.

The earth trembled as fissures crisscrossed and expanded—measuring ten, dozens, even hundreds of meters. Countless Mo City buildings collapsed under the seismic force, shrouded in dark dust!

The smoke and dust were blown apart by frantic winds.

Huang Tuo, though headless, stood amid the ruined deep pit of the earth, his legs embedded in the ground, his entire body glimmering as though cast in gold.

Muscles and bones quivered, his back arched; from his corpse sprang four bloodstained arms, which, combined with his original two, made six in total! Bathed in Buddha light and radiant golden gleam, he resembled a miniature sun.

Yet there was not even a trace of the sun’s heat—only an icy chill that cut to the bone. “Evil Tathagata…”

A slight curl appeared on Li Che’s lips beneath his mask. “Let’s see just how evil you truly are!”

Countless leaping thunderbolts suddenly swirled around Li Che, lashing out like whips; even the air gave off the sizzling tang of scorched particles—almost as if his nascent divine power, the Divine Snow, was taking shape!

The Divine Thunder True Technique roared into action, its righteous thunder enveloping him, rendering him untouchable by calamity! Divine Xiao Exorcism!

Boom!

Frenzied flashes of thunder coalesced around Li Che, gathering into an exquisitely crafted Thunder Armor. Every inch of his body was suffused with divine thunder, even his hair bore its mark!

Surging blood qi coalesced on the back of his Thunder Armor, forming a vivid crimson cloak. Boom—!

The air beneath Li Che’s feet compressed as if clutched by an unseen force. Then, an exquisitely resplendent sound of slicing erupted!

It was Su Lei Ba, the Qi Hai Martial Saint, who had been waiting for the right moment. As Li Che activated his divine thunder armor, Su Lei Ba descended from high above, simultaneously wielding the Golden Dragon Slayer Blade from a silent direction.

The divine seed exploded, and the brilliance of his blade reached its zenith!

As if a lifetime of blade intent ignited in a single moment!

The head-blasted, recently reawakened divine fetus–possessed corpse of Huang Tuo hadn’t expected another Qi Hai Martial Saint to ambush him. In an instant, Su Lei Ba’s perfectly timed, powerful, and precise strike landed—an upward chop defended by interlaced six arms!

Thud—!

A torrent of sweeping blade energy erupted like an unbridled dragon wind, bursting outward in all directions! The six-armed Evil Tathagata was sent flying by the force of that single stroke.

Immediately, the Divine Monkey, clad in Thunder Armor, descended…

Thunder mixed with raw energy—like the nine true thunders converging—while the Divine Monkey exorcised evil with Buddha-like force! A single strike burst forth behind the Divine Monkey like a peacock’s display!

Primordial Qi! A single strike aimed heavenward!

Behind him, a cloak of blood qi billowed like raging fire for miles, his eyes ablaze with golden light. Empowered by righteous thunder, he strode over life and death! One strike to exorcise evil!

An unrivaled martial will surged to its ultimate peak at that moment.

In an instant, he swept away the wind and thunder engulfing Mo City, clearing even the darkest, most oppressive gloom from a single blow! Heaven and earth lost their luster; the skies fell silent!

Boom—!

A harrowing cry, like that of a tormented infant, tore through the air!

It sent shivers down spines, evoking terror, unyielding anger, and insane fury!

Amid the exploding corpse of Huang Tuo, a twisted, malformed divine fetus throbbed like a heart.

Veins, blue sinews, and intricate vascular networks spread across the fetus, now a pulsating mass imbued with a trace of life. A chilling, radiant Buddha light seeped out.

It was as if an enraged Buddha within the gestating divine fetus let out a piercing scream! Then, with a tremendous explosion, both the divine fetus and its perverse Buddha nature were utterly annihilated!

Mo City fell into an eerie, absolute silence.

The inky rain splattered against the earth while the pools of accumulated dragon blood shuddered into ripples. The vicious Buddha nature dissolved into nothing.

Li Che, still wearing the Divine Monkey mask, floated above Mo City, gripping the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff over his shoulder.

Now, Li Che remained remarkably calm and confident even when facing ordinary Qi Hai Martial Saints and divine fetus transformations—capable of overwhelming them. Just like Huang Tuo, who had been effortlessly slain under the relentless barrage of Underworld fiends.

Without so much as a chance to fight back, they were obliterated by Li Che.

Sniping, teleportation, ambushes, divine abilities, and empowered divine weapons—none of these ordinary Qi Hai Martial Saints could withstand the combined onslaught of Li Che and Su Lei Ba.

Moreover, the penetrating might of his newest sniping mechanism, the Nameless Xiangong Super Electromagnetic Cannon, had even pierced through the supposedly impregnable defense of the six-armed golden Tathagata—proving the formidable strength of Li Che’s newly developed Xiangong Dao Fruit contraption!

Floating midair as Mo City’s dark rain washed over him.

The sizzling, intermittent energy of his Thunder Armor gradually dissipated, his five fingers slowly spreading out.

The cracked Qian Kun Jade from Huang Tuo suddenly appeared in Li Che’s open palm. Realizing it was still intact, Li Che exhaled a long breath of relief.

That was a priceless resource—if the Qian Kun Jade were shattered, its precious spirit wood would be lost to the chaotic space within. Li Che was relieved he wasn’t crying over it.

He carefully stored away the Qian Kun Jade.

Li Che wasn’t in a hurry to tally his spoils; both Ao Lie and Huang Tuo had been slain in Mo City, yet the chaos outside was far from over. The dark rain pelted the ground with crackling sounds.

The air was thick with an intense, searing stench of blood.

His gaze swept over and landed on the shattered dragon corpse, blown apart by You Liqing and Dragon Queen, and he gave a slight nod.

Although Ao Lie was one of the Dragon God’s nine sons, his strength was barely at the first-stage Martial Saint level. While the Dragon God lineage boasted formidable defenses, that was about all it offered. Under Li Che’s continuous nurturing, You Liqing had already reached the zenith of first-stage Martial Saint, barely a hair’s breadth away from entering the Qi Hai realm.

Unlike conventional martial cultivation, the art of Spiritual Confinement was far more relaxed and odd: by devouring another’s confined spirit, one could absorb and refine that power to further one’s own strength.

In other words, Spiritual Confinement had no real cultivation bottleneck—provided one could digest enough of it, one could rapidly reach astounding heights. Still, Li Che thought it wouldn’t be that easy; later on…

The demand for devoured spirit energy would only grow. “My Lord.”

You Liqing clasped his fists respectfully.

Dragon Queen, having transformed into a voluptuous human form, bowed and ceremoniously presented Ao Lie’s Qian Kun Jade to Li Che. Li Che, still behind his Divine Monkey mask and carrying the Treasure Stick, gave it a calm once-over.

Without a word, he pocketed the Qian Kun Jade offered by Dragon Queen.

Then he said coolly, “How does it feel? Does it not unsettle you, having to slay your own blood-brother?” As his words faded,

You Liqing’s Spiritual Confinement faltered for a moment though he maintained his bowing stance.

Meanwhile, Dragon Queen’s voluptuous form trembled as her deep blue eyes shrank in shock, and with an icy chill spreading through her, she hastily shook her head, “Not at all! Ao Lie’s attempt on our Lord’s life was only natural—our hearts are filled with nothing but exhilaration!”

Li Che smiled faintly.

He had no doubt about the unwavering loyalty of Spiritual Confinement; his question was merely casual banter. After all, the power of Spiritual Confinement stemmed from the Dao Fruit, perhaps tied to one’s innate dao.

With the might of Dragon Queen and You Liqing, resistance was futile.

With five fingers like divine spears, he pierced the air, directing his gaze at Ao Lie’s corpse. His eyes burned with intensity.

It was unlike the last time with Dragon Queen.

That time, the Princess had strained every last bit of two divine seeds to break through to the Martial Saint level, only to have her flesh crumble back to dust. But now, Ao Lie was a bona fide first-stage Martial Saint from the Dragon God lineage—a living treasure in his decimated dragon corpse!

Crackle, crackle, crackle—

It sounded like burning paper, charring and curling as it emitted a barely audible rustle, as if countless tiny insects were feasting.

In a deep, resonant tone, Spiritual Confinement rumbled from Li Che’s throat, “Spiritual Confinement—”

Like the hoarse chant of an ancient tribal shaman, it flung open the gateway to death and summoned the souls of the departed from both netherworld and hell. In Mo City, innumerable rivulets of rain began to slant and twist.

Then,

One after another, black silk-like threads emerged from Ao Lie’s and the distant fragments of Huang Tuo’s shredded corpse, slowly intertwining to form two swaying, ghostly silhouettes.

“Roar—!”

In a moment of clarity, Ao Lie’s Spiritual Confinement flared; his eyes burned red as torrents of anger, betrayal, and pain surged within—“Ao Yuxin!”

“I’m going to kill you! You wretched spawn!”

Ao Lie bellowed, his gaze catching sight of the Divine Monkey. His body trembled as rage overwhelmed him; he roared at the Divine Monkey but was promptly smacked aside, flying off like a cannonball.

“Enjoy your treat!”

After his calm declaration echoed,

Li Che’s eyes landed on a pair of clasped, praying hands from which emanated an all-encompassing Buddha light—almost as if resisting the encroachment of Spiritual Confinement from Huang Tuo’s disintegrating corpse. A hint of regret crossed his gaze.

“You two sure have a knack for mischief today,” he said hoarsely before snapping his fingers.

“Kids, come out and enjoy a feast.” Hummmm—

Soon, one after another, black chess pieces swirled about Li Che like a raging storm.

Figures like Su Lei Ba, Su Daoling, Huang Jianjiu, Xue Dufu, Long Tai, Blue Bird, and Divine Guardian materialized swiftly, their eyes alight with excitement and anticipation—as though a swarm of flies eager for a piece of cake.

Li Che smiled, letting them have their fun, even feeling a trace of anticipation himself.

You Liqing and Huang Jianjiu—his two fierce lieutenants—had devoured Huang Tuo’s Spiritual Confinement; they should now be able to break into the realm of the Qi Hai Martial Saint, right? Su Daoling was a bit behind, having never tasted Qi Hai Martial Saint-level Spiritual Confinement before. But that wasn’t a major concern.

For a creative mind like Su Daoling’s, a slightly weaker cultivation wasn’t an issue; after all, his focus was on research rather than constant bloodshed. All the while, the miserable moans of Huang Tuo echoed…

Amid the clash of heaven and earth, creaks and groans sounded.

Like the gruesome noise of flesh being chewed, it sent chills down one’s spine.

The gnawing didn’t last long—Su Lei Ba devoured the bulk of the spirit energy, soon followed by You Liqing and Huang Jianjiu snatching their portions. The remaining Spiritual Confinement was divided among them, their energies ebbing and flowing.

Li Che then turned his attention to Su Lei Ba.

Understanding his cue, Su Lei Ba strode over swiftly while clutching the Golden Dragon Slayer Blade.

In Li Che’s eyes, a flicker of contemplation passed as he weighed the feasibility of his second-phase plan, his mind stirring.

Then, through the Cosmic Chessboard, he glimpsed the state of affairs outside.

Lü Taibai, still wearing the Hunt King Assassin Mask, clashed midair with two figures—one was the past incarnation of Huang Mei Great Master, and the other was Ji Mo Li’s celestial manifestation, his own offspring as its vessel.

To Li Che’s surprise, both Huang Mei’s past self and Ji Mo Li’s heavenly avatar proved staggeringly powerful—able even to contend with Lü Taibai without faltering. Their true forms, though merely avatars, exploded with might!

One was a past incarnation, the other an offspring-embodied bloodline manifestation.

Lü Taibai had warned Li Che not to underestimate these avatar forces. Although they weren’t as formidable as their originals, their unleashed power was nearly as potent. “We can’t rule out… that the Sect Master might be fishing,” he mused.

After all, these two were just avatars—not the true essence. Even if one were slain, the damage would be far less than imagined…

Perhaps the Sect Master’s real target lay elsewhere.

Li Che spread his fingers across his mask, a subtle stirring in his heart. If it were Lü Taibai in person, he might have shown restraint.

But Lü Taibai, donning the Hunt King Assassin Mask now, was no longer the venerable Sect Master of Qianyuan Divine Sect—instead, he was the Hunt King Assassin of Lie Shen Pavilion! He was out for blood!

Everyone knew that behind the Hunt King Assassin Mask was Lü Taibai,

Yet knowing wasn’t enough—without seeing the mask shattered, one could only refer to him as the Hunt King Assassin.

“Is the Sect Master waiting for Dao Master Yue Huanglong or some hidden traitor to make a move?”

“Trying to force those lurking in the shadows to expose themselves might also help deal with them…” Li Che’s eyes flickered.

But Dao Master Yue Huanglong might not even intervene.

That old schemer…

Li Che had long witnessed his sly, vicious, cunning, and ruthless ways. The battle raging in the Heavenly Dome continued for ages.

Huang Mei’s former self and Ji Mo Li’s celestial avatar seemed to understand something—they received no signal from Yue Huanglong and recognized his decision.

Their hearts burned with unbridled fury.

Neither wished to continue, fearing that their avatars might shatter right here in Mo City.

Li Che’s eyes then locked onto Su Lei Ba. With a clenched fist, an enormous scroll unfurled.

In an instant, the entire scroll engulfed Su Lei Ba; by the time it unfurled again, Su Lei Ba had transformed into an image of Huang Tuo. In that moment, Su Lei Ba clearly understood his role.

He tugged at the disheveled remnants of his monk’s robe and crimson kasaya, looking rather untidy. Then, clasping his palms together, his kindly smile shone forth.

“Amitabha…” he said. “My Lord, I’m off.” Li Che smiled and nodded slightly.

He then removed the Qi Tian Face mask from his features, revealing his straightforward, earnest visage as he clenched his fist.

Five Temple Spirit Divine Chess Pieces—drawn from the Two-Hearted Great Sage Bizarre Temple—hovered around him, their Buddha light collapsing into the void. In all, the Two-Hearted Great Sage’s temple chess pieces numbered ten.

They were enough to empower him to activate the Underworld Yama’s Ascending Stance twice. Li Che’s eyes shone darkly…

Even if he activated the Yama Ascending Stance—endowed with peerless combat prowess…

Participating in battles at that level would still be extremely perilous. However…

Had the previous Yama been involved, he might have shown more restraint. Now that his cultivation had breached into Martial Saint territory…

Li Che’s confidence had grown immensely.

“Does the Sect Master wish to see if the Underworld Yama merits an alliance?” “If so, let’s take a look…”

Li Che chuckled softly.

He pressed two fingers together and tore through the air.

A mask, split starkly in black and white like a swirling cosmos, sprang forth from Qiankun Space and settled over his face. His aura shifted in an instant.

He opened his eyes once more.

Deep and enigmatic as if the mysteries of the netherworld were incarnate.

Daocheng.

Fierce winds howled, and turbulent currents surged!

Above the clouds, only a handful of figures clashed—a battle whose true outcome no one could discern.

Fang Han Shu’s scholarly robe fluttered as he looked up; his magnificent beard whipped about in the furious wind. In one glance at the skirmish in the heavens, he understood…

The Sect Master was fishing.

His target… was probably Dao Master Yue Huanglong, or perhaps someone else hidden, waiting to strike.

It was just that the Sect Master hadn’t included him!

Fang Han Shu frowned slightly…

Knowing Lü Taibai well, and seeing him don the mask today, he thought… someone was bound to pay.

Yet the Sect Master hadn’t invited him…

Could it be that the Sect Master had other accomplices outside?!

Fang Han Shu kept his composure, guarding behind Li Che as his gaze shifted toward the Dao Master Residence.

There was not even the slightest movement.

He shook his head. “That old fox sure is hard to rouse…”

Perhaps he had sensed something as well…

Fang Han Shu stroked his beard.

Then he smiled softly.

Behind him, an aura of righteous energy rippled like a silken flag.

He was curious to see…

Who had the Sect Master taken along behind his back?

Dao Master Residence.

Snowflakes, as delicate as blooming flowers, fell—each one as if sculpted with divine precision, flawless and pure!

The drifting, swirling snowflakes landed upon black tiles.

They alighted on the plump belly of Dao Master Yue Huanglong, who stood with his hands clasped behind him.

“Father, aren’t we… going to act?”

“Taibai.”

“If we are to take on Lü Taibai… unless Huang Mei’s threefold incarnation or the four celestial avatars of King Ping Luan and Ji Mo Li come together—at least three forms would be needed to stand against him.”

“Now, with the one body of the Great Master and the heavenly avatar of King Ping Luan, it seems nearly hopeless…”

“But Father, perhaps your intervention could change the tide…”

In the Pavilion, a charcoal stove radiated intense heat, boiling water as tea leaves unfurled languorously in it.

The young Dao Master Yue Weizheng stood respectfully in the Pavilion and said in a low voice.

Dao Master Yue Weizheng stood with his arms crossed; in the palm of his hand, he caressed a mask that seemed to shimmer like the flowing currents of a starry river…

Had Li Che been there, he would have undoubtedly recognized that mask…

It was none other than the Hunt King Assassin Mask from Lie Shen Pavilion!

A hesitant expression crossed the kindly face of Yue Weizheng.

Gazing at the battle overhead, where thunderous pressure and swirling qi carved deep furrows among the leaden clouds—it felt eerily wrong…

Yue Huanglong squinted, his plump face trembling.

Clutching the starlit mask, his chubby fingers gently caressed its icy surface as the chill seeped into his very being. “Wait… just a bit longer.”

“Forget it… no more waiting.” Yue Huanglong said gravely. “Let’s just sell it.” Yue Weizheng winced.

“But Father… that is Huang Mei Great Master’s one incarnation and King Ping Luan’s celestial avatar!” Yue Weizheng’s body shuddered.

“So what? Hesitation will only harm you. Something’s very wrong—Huang Mei Great Master’s past self has been exposed too soon.” “I refuse to believe that Lü Taibai, daring as he is, has no hidden trump card.”

“But… but Fang Han Shu isn’t wearing a mask either.”

Yue Huanglong narrowed his eyes, as if answering Yue Weizheng while mumbling to himself. Yue Weizheng felt a twinge of regret…

“Huh? And what does Fang Han Shu have to do with it?”

Although Fang Han Shu was a senior disciple of Qianyuan Divine Sect, could he possibly have hidden strength enough to interfere in battles of this caliber? “So…”

“Who did Lü Taibai enlist as his aide?” “The Underworld…”

Yue Huanglong’s round face trembled. Could it be…

“Underworld Yama?!”

Time ticked by. Boom—!!!

The leaden clouds dispersed instantly, exploding like a massive mushroom cloud that spanned the heavens, blotting out the sun!

Elsewhere, countless dragon silhouettes intertwined in the air, transforming into a terrifying display of fists, blades, swords, halberds, and axes; finally converging into a spear—a collapsible umbrella-spear that snapped open and closed midair, its myriad spear shadows fanned out like a peacock’s plume, as if a million spear rays were howling like dragons!

The dreadful explosion, resembling countless thunderclaps, resounded above the leaden clouds with a deep rumble. The deep night abruptly transformed into day.

The piled-up snow within the leaden clouds melted as if scorched by an inferno, flooding down like the celestial river onto the mortal world! Clang, clang—

A torrential downpour lashed the ground, shattering everything into fragments before scattering brilliant splashes of water! In Daocheng…

Numerous martial artists and cultivators from various clans found themselves drenched by the rain.

Yet they simply looked upward, filled with feverish excitement and anticipation. True Martial Saint experts…

They clashed high in the sky—as if immortals were sparring!

Right above their heads.

Alas, they couldn’t pierce through the heavy leaden clouds; all they felt was the overwhelming pressure of the torrential downpour, its shockwave splintering like an explosion! Suddenly,

In Daocheng,

A violent gust of wind burst forth, setting off cries of alarm!

Caubsiksa

Several cultivators, drenched like soaked chickens under the relentless rain, gazed upward in astonishment as a dark Mo City pavilion reappeared above a collapsed crater—marking the spot where the Divine Monkey had vanished along with Huang Tuo, and where Ji Li Shou’s celestial avatar had failed to capture the Divine Monkey’s position!

Mo City… reawakened!

An ancient pavilion drawn as if in ink wash, its mottled bricks and dark city gate, its ancient, gracefully upturned eaves—all in resplendent Mo ink! Suddenly,

The gates of Mo City slammed open!

Every gaze seemed to lose focus.

A disheveled figure, clad in tattered clothes, burst forth from Mo City and flew out with a resounding thud. Landing awkwardly, he shattered the torrential rain and coughed up blood. Huang Tuo!

It was Huang Tuo, the priest from Xiao Lingyin Temple—the Divine Condor Half-Saint! He had somehow…

Suffered grievous injuries!

Huang Tuo clutched his chest, as if his heart had been ripped out, his face twisted in agony and ferocity. “Underworld Divine Monkey—!!!”

“I, Xiao Lingyin Temple, will not rest until I’ve taken you down!”

“One day, Xiao Lingyin Temple… will trample the Underworld!”

Huang Tuo crashed through the rain, staggering as he ascended into the sky. Suddenly—

The leaden clouds in the heavens exploded.

A ray of Buddha light descended straight down.

A Divine Wooden Sculpture, etched with intricate silver sword qi over its entire surface, floated beside Huang Tuo. “Great Master, save me!”

Huang Tuo coughed up blood continuously, his face contorted in grief and fury.

The past incarnation of Huang Mei Great Master’s Divine Wooden Sculpture cast a wary glance at Huang Tuo, sensing the faint trembling of Buddha nature within his body. Any lingering doubt quickly faded. “That old fox Yue Huanglong… has betrayed us!”

“Let’s move!”

A deep, resonant voice echoed from the Divine Wooden Sculpture.

Then, as if cloaked in a dense, dark cloud, Buddha light enveloped Huang Tuo.

“Lü Taibai… as vast as the mountains and rivers, until our next meeting—I, a humble monk, eagerly await the day when our three incarnations converge upon Kunlun to face you in earnest.” A calm voice resonated from the past self of Huang Mei Great Master.

In the very next moment,

It seemed as if Huang Tuo would be swept away beyond Daocheng, carried off by the overwhelming force.

But just as he was about to surge skyward,

A solemn voice emerged from Huang Tuo’s lips, “Great Master… did you sell me out? Will your disciple live?” “What?!”

Hummmm—!!! Hummmm, hummmm—

At that moment, a dazzling Golden Dragon Slayer Blade materialized suddenly in Huang Tuo’s hand! With a horrifying counterattack, it carved out a vicious blow!

Two divine seeds exploded simultaneously, as if shattering manacles in rapid succession! His aura surged exponentially!

The blade’s radiance was blinding—as if the midday sun descended upon Daocheng. In an instant, dazzling blade light bathed the entire city for dozens of miles!

“How dare you!”

The invincible Divine Wooden Sculpture of Huang Mei Great Master’s past self roared with anger, its features animated with ferocious intensity. “Such childish tricks!”

Even though Su Lei Ba’s strike, honed to perfection after years of cultivation, was meant to sever the heavens, before Huang Mei Great Master’s past self it was no more than a feeble insect’s scratch!

A mere Qi Hai Martial Saint… dared to challenge his past incarnation with a mere blade? What nerve!

With a single snap of his fingers, Huang Mei Great Master’s past self unleashed a Buddha light that struck Su Lei Ba’s form a hundredfold faster than his blade, shattering the image of Huang Tuo’s Su Lei Ba in an instant!

Exploding him into a burst of dense, inky black mist! Yet—

At the moment Su Lei Ba was obliterated by the counterattack!

Huang Mei Great Master’s past self felt an unprecedented, overwhelming sense of mortal peril! It was a force of…

The ultimate threat of death!

From where…

From where?!

A vortex of black mist roared as torrential rain pounded down!

Huang Mei Great Master’s past self, shrouded in Buddha light, whirled midair. In a radius of a hundred zhang, his formidable soul of heaven and earth locked onto its target in an instant.

He had yet to perceive the source of this lethal threat! Suddenly,

At the very moment when death loomed overhead,

Huang Mei Great Master’s past self seemed to glimpse another world—decaying, desolate, collapsing…

“Yonder in the Netherworld?” he murmured.

Then, a black-robed figure wearing a mask reminiscent of swirling stars appeared within ten chi! Clutched in his hand was the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff.

Behind him—

Five explosive Qimen Divine Seeds detonated! Five Qimen Divine Seeds?!

From the burst of five whirling Qimen vortices emerged one after another, each revealing a benevolent Two-Hearted Great Sage, his kind eyes emerging!

Adorned in the enigmatic mask of Black and White, split by yin and yang, his eyes as deep as the starry night, he glared sideways before gripping the fully ignited Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff!

In a flash!

It was merely a swing of his staff—five Qimen Divine Seeds, five Temple Spirit Divine Chess Pieces, all detonated simultaneously! With one movement, it was as if heaven and earth shattered!

Underworld Yama… marched forth from the shadows! One strike! Shattered! South! Heaven!

……