Chapter 386: Clash of Fates in the Peach Grove

“Come!”

“Fight!”

Goldmane’s fighting spirit surged as he roared a shattered golden lion’s cry. His mane exploded outward, sustaining the phantom image of the Golden Lion King amid the Peach Grove!

Behind him, a mountain soared into the clouds as if ready to puncture the heavens, its swirling mass of mist exploding outward.

Invisible currents of matter and ripples of aura spread around him, as if a gentle breeze stirred his lion’s mane into flight.

His battle spirit was undeniably fierce!

Goldmane’s blood boiled; he unleashed his true cultivation without reservation, his prowess as a Martial Saint and peerless warrior shining through completely.

This was why he brimmed with confidence, sure to seize the champion’s title at the Heroes’ Gathering.

All his confidence sprang solely from strength.

When power is overwhelming, confidence naturally follows!

It’s an eternal truth!

Since staking his bet with Li Che, Goldmane had eagerly awaited this day, restraining his true power just to astonish everyone now.

At the last gathering, he had stalled at breakthroughs and ended up falling short of victory.

But this time, no one could stand in his way!

His wager with Li Che ignited his burning desire to win—like dry grass set alight in a flash!

Li Che had stirred his fighting will!

He would crush Li Che!

Then—he’d drag that disgraceful Jin Taisui back to Witch God Mountain to grovel before the Great Witch God!

Winds howled and storms raged.

Within the Peach Grove, trees trembled under the onslaught, their leaves rustling with a chaotic clamor.

Goldmane fixed his gaze on Li Che, who stood atop the little Yinglong King.

With arms crossed, Li Che’s glowing Mud Pellet on his brow shimmered, as if divine essence flowed like water, gradually forming the ethereal image of Fa Tian Xiang Di all around him.

It soared mightily, surveying the mortal realm with haughty supremacy!

This divine intent…

How domineering!

Goldmane’s body, as if cast in molten gold, stared fixedly at Li Che.

“Li Bansheng—let our wager be binding!”

“Before this fight, we agreed on the terms. Don’t try to weasel out afterwards!”

Goldmane expanded his figure, muscles and tendons resonating like a coiled dragon, each vivid vein pulsating across his lion-like form.

Li Che merely smiled and said with quiet confidence, “Of course.”

“If you win, you take Jin Taisui with you.”

“If you lose, you’ll become my servant and mount—just like Jin Taisui.”

The moment Li Che’s words fell, Goldmane’s aura swelled fiercely. His eyes blazed like fire as an indomitable martial will and earthshaking resolve radiated, coalescing into a terrifying pressure that spread outward.

“It may be an unequal wager—

but I, Goldmane, have bet everything!”

“Because—”

“I will not lose!”

Boom!!!

A long roar split the air; the lion’s cry shattered like gold and stone, exploding across the sky!

The ground trembled and the Peach Grove was plunged into a dark, murky haze as the sky dimmed in an instant.

The shockwave from the lion’s roar rippled through the air like layered waves.

Even the very air seemed to twist and pile up.

Then it coalesced into an invisible air cannonball, hurtling with terrifying speed toward the hovering Yinglong King whose wings flapped furiously.

Li Che, arms still crossed, narrowed his gaze as his focus shifted subtly.

In an instant, he manipulated one wing of the Yinglong King, dodging the twisting air cannon with a swift, graceful sweep.

A tremendous boom resounded!

The air cannon crashed onto a peach tree, instantly triggering its protective barrier and transferring its force to the ground.

The earth exploded into a crater a hundred zhang across, flinging countless clumps of soil as the ground sank and dust billowed!

At that very moment, as Li Che deftly steered the Yinglong King clear of the air cannon,

the transformed Golden Lion King, Goldmane, appeared before the Yinglong King with speed nearly akin to teleportation!

Only when he was airborne did a sound of tearing and exploding echoes resound!

BOOM!!!

Goldmane’s eyes blazed; with a single claw, he struck with the full might of a peerless Martial Saint, shattering everything in his path!

The Yinglong King’s eyes, like red agate, suddenly flared as countless engraved marks on its tail spun wildly, erupting with dazzling brilliance.

In a savage clash, his claw met Goldmane’s strike with ferocious force.

Within the Seven-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard,

the ground shook mightily as peach trees swayed violently; three-hundred-zhang tall trees crashed like unstoppable tidal waves.

The spectacle was as tumultuous as the ocean in full rage.

Dust and debris churned as explosions continued relentlessly.

The battle for the champion title raged on!

Fight on!

As the setting sun sank behind the mountains, the glow of the mortal realm slowly faded.

Yet the lingering dusk splashed the sky with its last defiant hues, heralding the return of the night.

In Divine Capital’s Second City,

the light over Jade Plaza dimmed with the twilight, growing ever fainter. Still, it only made the radiant splendor of the celestial water curtain below shine all the more brilliantly.

All eyes were glued to the explosive battle unfolding on the water curtain.

The screen split in two: one side showcased the clash between Li Che and Yu Guanyin, while the other displayed Goldmane versus the monk Karaku.

The fight between Li Che and Yu Guanyin captured widespread attention.

Yet no one expected it to end so abruptly.

From the Mystic Bamboo Grove of the South Sea came Yu Guanyin—mysterious and formidable. Despite only a single attendee from the South Sea’s Mystic Bamboo Grove, she managed to advance to round three of the Heroes’ Gathering.

Earning her shot at the champion’s title.

But how could she fall so quickly?

Cornered by Li Bansheng’s mechanical beast, a single axe strike shattered her proud defenses, leaving her at a total disadvantage.

A cascade of divine power rippled like intertwined waves.

Then, disheveled and with her white veil stained in blood, Yu Guanyin drifted onto Jade Plaza.

Her complexion grew pale, and her eyes held a tinge of resignation.

She bore no hard resentment; losing to Li Che was but a trial refining her spirit.

Li Che countered her effortlessly; whether with the mechanical beast or the dark axe that cleaved her veil, his superiority rendered her defenses moot.

When that mysterious axe appeared in Li Che’s hand, it meant he was untouchable. Her protective veil was utterly nullified before him.

Gazes from all around fell swiftly upon her.

Yu Guanyin brushed away the traces of blood and exhaled slowly.

Almost instantly, Eunuch Lian from the Purple-Clad Diao Si emerged with a kindly smile, offering a healing pill crafted by the Imperial Watch.

Without pretension, Yu Guanyin accepted the pill with thanks.

Once her injuries improved, she headed toward the main banquet area of the South Sea’s Mystic Bamboo Grove, amidst scrutinizing eyes.

The patriarch of the South Sea’s Mystic Bamboo Grove, a dignified woman draped in white, exuded an aura of serene calm.

“Master, I’ve lost—my veil too, and even that sacred bamboo has fallen.”

Yu Guanyin’s teacher finally relaxed his once tense expression after a long while.

Despite being one of the South Sea’s brightest talents at merely thirty-something, she had never before suffered such a heavy blow, having rarely left the Mystic Bamboo Grove.

Tears began to fall one after another.

But her teacher, Mistress Zi Yue, simply smiled and gently ruffled the hair of the little Yu Guanyin by her side.

“Losing is part of the journey. Take it as a lesson.”

“One setback is nothing. After all, our Mystic Bamboo Grove has long been the underdog. Making it this far is already remarkable.”

Mistress Zi Yue laughed softly.

Yu Guanyin soon accepted it: “I couldn’t beat him. Li Bansheng not only mastered mechanics but also wielded a peculiar dark axe that split my veil—”

“I was terrified. My veil, one of our four divine weapons, was shattered—”

Yu Guanyin shook her head, “Without my veil, I’m no match for him.”

Mistress Zi Yue’s eyes sparkled, “That dark axe which can break the veil is tied to his Dao Essence. Losing to a master of Dao Essence isn’t disgraceful.”

Yu Guanyin’s mood lifted considerably.

“Li Bansheng claimed he broke my veil and kept it for a while. I suspect he has no intention of returning it.”

Yu Guanyin remarked.

Mistress Zi Yue smiled, “And how do you know he won’t return it?”

“The veil is clearly meant for a woman. Li Bansheng wouldn’t use it himself. Likely, it was prepared for his daughter or wife.”

“I believe it was more for his daughter.”

“In dire moments, the veil can protect life. Li Bansheng’s affection for his daughter is well-known. Borrowing her veil is simply his way of ensuring her safety.”

“His daughter was targeted by the schemes of the Temple Spirit faction from Black Xumi, cursed with Yulian Fire. If her divine seed is impacted, she could be incinerated—”

“Thus, borrowing the veil gives his daughter a chance to survive.”

“It’s the simplest act of a caring father.”

“There’s nothing wrong with putting his daughter first.”

Mistress Zi Yue, also known as Zi Yue Zunzhe, smiled gently, her eyes reflecting worldly wisdom.

Yu Guanyin felt a wave of relief.

“So Li Bansheng’s claim is probably genuine. In a few decades, he might even return it.”

“With Li Nuǎnxi’s astonishing talent—a mere fledgling dragon—if she survives the Yulian curse, she could even thrust into a divine calamity. Under such circumstances, the veil’s protection would eventually become redundant.”

Zi Yue Zunzhe explained.

Yu Guanyin suddenly understood; her eyes shimmered with renewed clarity.

Li Bansheng—

What a devoted father he was.

Yu Guanyin’s spirits lifted noticeably; she no longer wept. Even if Li Che stole her veil or the Purple-Clad Diao Si fell, she felt an unexpected fondness for Li Che.

Turning her gaze toward the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, she sought the expressions of heroes like Zhang Xuanlei, Zhang Xuanhe, and Zhang Xuanyu.

To her shock, none of the three were in sight.

“They’re dead…”

“All of them are dead.”

“Annihilated by Li Bansheng… all wiped out.”

Mistress Zi Yue murmured softly.

Yu Guanyin was struck dumb—her delicate frame stiffened as a wave of dread soaked her clothes.

How good it was to be alive.

Suddenly,

a clamor erupted at Jade Plaza. A sudden, resounding noise drew countless gazes.

Yu Guanyin couldn’t help but look over.

“Karaku has fallen! Goldmane crushed him in an instant. Now it’s clear: the championship is down to Goldmane and Li Bansheng!”

“On Witch God Mountain, Goldmane has reached the unparalleled realm of a four-tier Martial Saint. How can Li Bansheng fight that?!”

“Before fifty, to touch that peak is unimaginable. With a peerless warrior in the fray, what hope does Li Bansheng have?”

“Don’t be so pessimistic. Li Bansheng’s mechanical beast is near-legendary—it can rival even the very peak itself. He still has a chance!”

“Bull! You know nothing! Mechanicals can’t compare to a true peerless warrior. They lack the agility of a living opponent!”

Shouts, clamor, and cries filled the air.

After Yu Guanyin’s loss, the contest between Goldmane and Karaku reached its climax.

Ultimately, the fight for champion’s title came down to Li Che and Goldmane.

For the many cultivators who had journeyed from the Eleven Routes of Dajing, it was clear: support lay with Li Che.

Li Che was the epitome of a true Dajing man—pure and untainted.

His origins were no secret; his meteoric rise was an inspiration.

From a humble woodcarver in a remote Lingnan town, supporting a family single-handedly, he had ascended to represent Dajing and contend with Witch God Mountain’s cultivators for the champion’s title.

Who else would Dajing’s warriors rally behind?

Even those who had once criticized Li Che for striking Yu Guanyin now fell silent, fearing rebuke.

For Li Che was fighting not only for himself, but for Dajing!

BOOM!!!

His colossal form crashed down with tremendous force, sending a tidal wave of debris, flinging earth and stone, and even reducing frostgrass to nothing!

The Yinglong King slammed to the ground, its four mechanical claws carving deep furrows.

Barely landing, as its wings slashed like blades, it was met by a savage lion’s claw.

A deafening boom sent it tumbling like a cannonball.

Truly a peerless Martial Saint, a fearsome warrior wielding demonic power—the extraordinary Goldmane now embodied the Golden Lion King, his might monstrous compared to ordinary four-tier Martial Saints.

The Yinglong King was completely overwhelmed.

Li Che’s ink-black robe billowed as he landed—a steady, deliberate step atop the Yinglong King’s head.

Boom boom boom—the air twisted continuously!

Air, distorted and piled like void fragments, erupted as lion’s roar cannon fire, pummeling Li Che perched above the Yinglong King.

Goldmane wasn’t foolish; he knew that Li Che, who controlled the mechanical beast, was the true core. Once that core fell, the Yinglong King would be no match at all.

Although straightforward in character, Goldmane was far from ordinary in battle!

Li Che ceased his idle stance, his eyes flashing with a strange light.

Though Goldmane had only just broken through to the peerless realm, he remained considerably stronger than typical four-tier giants.

Is this what they call a genius?!

In truth, every warrior reaching the four-tier Martial Saint level is a genius, though even geniuses vary in caliber.

Slightly shifting his focus, Li Che commanded the Yinglong King, whose mouth gaped open like a bloodied pit, unleashing a super electromagnetic cannon.

In midair, the lion’s roar cannon clashed with the super electromagnetic blast.

A horrifying explosion erupted—the flames and shockwaves colliding in a wild, spiraling chaos.

Even the entire Seven-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard seemed instantly awakened; every peach tree’s hidden barrier was triggered.

Light shimmered as if in a dreamlike forest.

The explosive shockwave tore through the wind and waves as Goldmane, transformed into the Golden Lion King, surged downward, as if traveling through the void with golden radiance blazing at breakneck speed.

It was as if he were a streak of flowing gold—a phantom slicing through light—emerging right before the Yinglong King.

Now nearly equal in size, the transformed Goldmane and the Yinglong King battled like titanic beasts!

Goldmane’s target was unmistakable—the Li Che atop the Yinglong King.

Li Che raised a hand, tapping his glowing Mud Pellet as divine energy roiled.

Images of divine seeds appeared; divine essence intertwined, merging into a threefold Heaven and Earth Soul. The apparition of Fa Tian Xiang Di soared over two hundred zhang high.

It was his strengthened transformation that had also empowered Fa Tian Xiang Di!

Fa Tian Xiang Di flowed like Li Che’s own ethereal shadow, jet-black and vigorous, lashing out at the void.

Fingers clenched and palms pressed, Fa Tian Xiang Di moved in unison with Li Che—its spine twitched like an enraged dragon.

With a twist of his waist, Fa Tian Xiang Di struck a fierce punch. Countless divine energies and gusts collided like an army in full charge!

Goldmane glanced upward; his mane streaming as he unleashed a claw imbued with demonic energy and blood—transforming into the Golden Lion Claw as it collided with Fa Tian Xiang Di!

Li Che and the Yinglong King separated; Li Che controlled the beast to launch an attack while Fa Tian Xiang Di, like a two-on-one siege, pounded relentlessly!

Over the Peach Orchard, thunderous roars shattered the skies as every wind and wave broke apart.

Crushing, reverberating, undulating—obliterating everything in its wake!

The indomitable martial will of the Golden Lion King descended like an invincible desert king, pressing down upon all.

Li Che floated amid Fa Tian Xiang Di, lifting a hand to tap his brow.

A sizzling cascade of thunder erupted, pulsating rapidly, and in the next moment, Li Che’s two fingers split the air.

A dark Peachwood Sword emerged in his grip—the Thunderstruck Peachwood Seven-Star Sword!

Perfectly attuned to the Thunder Magnetic Conduit, Li Che couldn’t help but cherish it.

This sword was not a Temple Spirit weapon; it was a sacred divine weapon forged by the master of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect!

Li Che wielded it as if it were an extension of his arm.

The Thunder Magnetic Conduit quivered as countless bolts of lightning surged into the Thunderstruck Peachwood Seven-Star Sword.

Lv Xuan Sword Immortal’s divine seed still glowed as divine energy vibrated!

Countless slivers of sword intent, compressed tumultuously, flowed into the dark Peachwood Sword.

On the sword, a single star shimmered to life!

A ripple stirred within Li Che; Vital Radiance surged as bloodlike streaks danced along the blade, rapidly elevating its quality!

Sword intent intertwined and clashed, with the air groaning under the strain.

Endless bolts of lightning erupted from the sword.

The Thunder Magnetic Conduit opened fully as Li Che patted the sword’s hilt, and the Thunderstruck Peachwood Seven-Star Sword sliced out, trailing a tangle of weblike lightning!

Without employing full martial might, Li Che still faced a monumental challenge against Goldmane, who had reached the peerless realm!

But Li Che was in high spirits—he wanted to test his limits!

The Thunderstruck Peachwood Sword streaked out at an incredible speed, its lightning dancing and flashing in a dazzling, spectacular display.

Goldmane transformed into a human form, his body cast in solid gold, with the Golden Lion King’s phantom roaring behind him.

With a single strike, a massive golden halberd landed in his hand, radiating a piercing, icy brilliance as it clashed with Li Che’s slicing Thunderstruck Peachwood Sword!

For a moment, Goldmane’s eyes narrowed, as an ominous thunderous energy, laden with desolation, surged through him, making his golden fur stand on end with dread!

Then the Peachwood Sword erupted with countless gleaming sword beams, merging with lightning to form a gigantic electrified cage!

A Thunder Cage!

A Prison of Thunder!

The golden halberd swept forth, shattering the Peachwood Sword, but the black-gold Thunder Cage completely ensnared him, sealing his body!

BOOM!!!

Goldmane’s halberd sliced along the edge of the cage, vibrations of thunder and a disastrous aura surged back through him, making his golden skin scream in pain.

“What is this?!” Goldmane bellowed in astonishment!

“And this sword—it’s Zhang Xuanlei’s sword?!”

Goldmane instantly recognized the sword, his heart trembling with shock.

“Zhang Xuanlei… he has been reincarnated.”

Li Che smiled faintly as he extended his fingers. Divine energy rippled, guiding the returning Thunderstruck Peachwood Seven-Star Sword.

Once more, he manipulated the thunder as the Thunder Magnetic Conduit roared with wild vibrations!

Divine Technique: Prison Thunder!

BOOM!!!

On the Peachwood Seven-Star Sword, it was as if seven stars lit up one by one!

An endless brilliance erupted—agonizingly dazzling!

As Li Che’s jet-black hair whipped about, his dark robe fluttered wildly.

Li Che fixed his gaze on Goldmane.

In the next moment, his palms struck together with force!

Boom, boom, boom—the seven stars flared as if fully triggered, unleashing a fearsome surge of sword qi: Divine Xiao Jail Thunder Sword!

Not some detached phantom sword but one rooted in Peachwood and empowered by Prison Thunder!

A devastating sword blast erupted!

In that moment, countless bolts of lightning, like raging tornadoes, intertwined and roared forth. Wave after wave of air, resembling tidal surges, exploded from the sword’s surroundings!

Every peach tree’s barrier in the orchard flickered as the ground rumbled, soil blasted upward in towering columns!

Li Che had no intention of a drawn-out duel. He was set to utterly devastate Goldmane!

He wanted his steadfast steed to finally yield in defeat!

With Prison Thunder sealing Goldmane, Li Che launched a final assault using the Thunderstruck Peachwood Seven-Star Sword!

In that one explosive strike lay a trace of Divine Xiao Thunder!

Li Che’s fingers spread wide as he unleashed a powerful sword strike.

Ink-dark, the sword light twisted like a roaring dragon—an exquisite sword qi lotus blossoming, spiraling as the Divine Xiao Jail Thunder Sword carved a long, relentless scar across the Prison Thunder!

Goldmane’s golden eyes widened as the strike overwhelmed him; he felt as if his spirit was being torn away. In a flash, everything went dark—his senses were obliterated!

It was as if he were severed from Heaven and Earth, his cherished martial will and bond with the cosmos ruthlessly extinguished!

That single strike—

so completely devastating!

Goldmane’s blood roiled and boiled, his entire being convulsing with fierce intensity.

“Divine Xiao Thunder?!”

He let out a long, roaring lion’s cry that shattered the sky!

From behind, divine seeds ignited two consecutive golden halberd strikes that collided fiercely with the sword strike!

A thunderous series of explosions followed—

the violent noise roared as shockwaves burst like boulders into a lake.

Goldmane’s entire body exuded a deep red vitality as a blood mist erupted, and his body was soon marred by countless wounds.

The Peachwood Sword ruthlessly stabbed into his shoulder; its grim, fatal energy disrupted his innards like a curse!

Goldmane’s body launched like a projectile, rolling across the earth, bombarding and carving deep craters, ripping the battered land into deep fissures!

“Pfft…”

Goldmane’s golden fur dulled as he struggled to stand from the crater, his body marred by vast wounds. The thrusting, lightning-laden Peachwood Sword remained embedded in his shoulder—a harbinger of ruin that ravaged his insides!

“So strong… cough, cough—truly relentless!”

Goldmane cried out, tilting his head in feverish awe.

“I haven’t suffered such grievous wounds in ages—the last time was during my trial on Witch God Mountain.”

Goldmane lifted his head, his expression contorting, his lion’s mane fluttering slightly.

His eyes opened and closed steadily, a faint golden aura emanating from him. Behind him, as if a mountain had materialized, a multicolored, glazed figure loomed—a Golden Glass Lion King, sitting imperiously with a dispassionate stare!

“Witch God Bloodline!”

A low roar escaped from Goldmane’s throat.

But before his roar ended, he looked upward with a sudden, fierce lift of his head.

Above him, the Yinglong King’s wings beat powerfully, its bloodstained mouth gaping wide—within its narrow cannon barrel, an image of a seated Guanyin on a lotus unfurled!

From its cannon emerged a beam of radiant gold!

The Guanyin Lotus Main Battle Tank and the hovering Yinglong King were in perfect fusion, unleashing a barrage from their mechanical cannons!

In that moment, Goldmane felt completely enveloped by an all-consuming golden light!

There was nothing but explosion!

An endless cascade of explosions!

With the transformation of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit, the divine abilities of Great Avalanche and Black and White Collapse, stemming from Chess Sage Dao Fruits, surged in tandem!

Within the Guanyin Lotus Bullet, countless divine chess pieces burst forth in a cataclysmic explosion!

Goldmane sensed that for several dozen li around, space itself solidified under a dreadful pressure, impassable by any means.

But Goldmane had no intention of retreating.

He charged headlong into the radiant Guanyin, reversing the flow with dazzling brilliance!

For a moment, time and wind stood still!

A terrifying golden radiance expanded across the Seven-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, forming an inverted, expanding wrist-like structure that pulverized all dust and annihilated everything in its path!

In the silence beyond the clamor, the explosion’s sound resounded as if it were the very voice of creation itself!

Scorching, burning, annihilating—the shockwave rippled through the air, transforming the explosion zone into a vacuum!

Even orchards from previous years were affected, with dust and stones swirling uncontrollably!

Boom after boom, the shockwaves finally let out the explosive sound, a howl of the entire Peach Orchard!

A gigantic mushroom cloud burst forth from where Goldmane had been blasted, rising over three hundred zhang high, towering above every peach tree!

For tens to hundreds of li away, one could clearly see a colossal mushroom cloud rising in the Peach Orchard!

Li Che’s black robe whipped in the wild wind as he stood firmly, his gaze cold and stern.

He crossed his arms and, standing atop the Yinglong King’s head, surveyed the mushroom cloud below.

With a single press of his five fingers, Fa Tian Xiang Di slammed down, dispersing the mushroom cloud’s dust around the crater.

It revealed the vast, tangled network of peach tree roots sprawling in every direction, their barriers flickering in and out.

Many of those barriers had shattered, leaving the peach tree tendrils in ruin.

Amid the wreckage, heat, blaze, distortion, and complete obliteration reigned—

Goldmane knelt on the ground, panting heavily. The form of the Golden Lion King could no longer be maintained.

Mechanical parts…

they were failing again.

Goldmane felt utterly drained.

He had just tapped into his Witch God Bloodline, trying to rally for one last push, only to be struck by a mushroom bomb—a move he recognized as one once deployed by Li Nuǎnxi.

And though Li Che, as Li Nuǎnxi’s father, wielded it with ease, Goldmane knew full well the two mushroom bombs were leagues apart!

Yet—

the gravest internal injury came from the Peachwood Sword piercing his shoulder—the tiniest ember of Divine Xiao Thunder within it was the true source of his spreading damage!

The blast of the Guanyin Lotus Bullet forced him to desperately resist the sword’s force, only to have Li Che seize the moment and trigger a chain reaction…

One linked event after another, nearly snuffing out Goldmane!

This fight…

was utterly terrifying!

Winds swirled and dust subsided.

Goldmane, battered and burned, staggered to his feet.

His jaws opened as he let out a guttural roar,

“You want me to admit defeat? I won’t!”

“Li Che!”

“Come on!”

“Fight on!”

Goldmane roared like a madman. His once thunderous lion’s cry had diminished, yet his wild defiance blazed on.

Suddenly,

ten li away, beneath layers of ruined dust, something began to tremble.

Then the dust exploded.

Goldmane suddenly noticed blood-red Buddhist scripts swirling around him, rotating rapidly like chained links.

Clinking and clattering,

Goldmane’s eyes narrowed; in the next instant, those Buddhist chains snaked around his neck.

Creak—

a chain tightened sharply as the scripts, as if endowed with life, struck into his flesh like cursed marks, aiming to burrow deep within.

In that instant, Goldmane understood everything!

“Baldy!”

Just then, as dust exploded, the once defenseless monk Karaku—barely clinging to life—stepped forward with a serene smile.

Clad in a radiant kasaya, his face bore no trace of injury.

Unscathed, as if reborn, he advanced with one single, measured stride.

In less than a breath’s time, monk Karaku appeared at Goldmane’s side as if he had shrunk the distance to mere inches.

With a kindly smile on his face, monk Karaku raised his hand in a mudra and lightly patted Goldmane’s forehead.

“Donor Gold, the Golden Lion King shares a great bond with our Buddhist path. You are destined to join our fold as my divine mount, securing untold merit on the path to enlightenment.”

Monk Karaku’s kasaya fluttered as the sacred scar on his head shimmered.

His eyes blazed with fervor.

Goldmane’s eyes almost burst into flame.

This couldn’t be—it was impossible! He’d clearly defeated that bald monk!

“It’s merely the Three Lives Technique of Buddhism,”

“You’ve only slain his past life. He lives now and will in the future.”

Suddenly,

a faint voice echoed in Goldmane’s ears.

Both Goldmane and monk Karaku fixed their gazes on the figure who had materialized from the head of the Yinglong King—a figure that now stood by Goldmane’s side: Li Che.

“See? I told you they would join forces,” Li Che said with an indifferent shrug.

Goldmane froze in place.

Meanwhile, monk Karaku squinted and said, “After that titanic battle, it’s time for this humble monk to show his true power.”

However,

just as monk Karaku clasped his hands, he noticed intricate chessboard lines forming beneath his feet.

He glanced at Li Che.

Li Che looked back, calm and detached, his five fingers spreading as if seated high above the clouds—a celestial sovereign!

An overwhelming aura cascaded over every inch of monk Karaku’s body, freezing his very blood, sinew, and divine energy!

Resistance was futile—

simply futile!

What kind of power is this?!

“Is this… the Divine Domain?!”

Monk Karaku struggled to speak, his gaze fixed on Li Che in incredulity.

Divine Domain—that was the signature divine technique of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, wasn’t it?!

And could it really be this terrifying?!

Yet Li Che offered no comment.

With a snap of his fingers, a condensed golden sword pellet flew forth and struck right into monk Karaku’s brow.

In an instant, it exploded—the poor monk’s head shattered like fireworks!

Li Che then turned his gaze toward Goldmane.

“Do you submit?”

Goldmane stared dumbfounded at the monk who had been obliterated in a flash.

After a long, hoarse roar of defeat, he finally answered,

“I submit.”