Chapter 468: The Awakening of the Great Sage

Foolish disciple…

A soft, endless sigh reverberated throughout the entire Qitian Temple, as if an ancient deity, gazing upon the mortal world, had released a sigh that echoed like a relentless hurricane.

Leaning against a stone coffin, his arms were matted with monkey hair, bones so emaciated they barely held skin—resembling an old-fashioned wooden carving. Were it not for his dazzling golden eyes that radiated a brilliant splendor and unleashed terrifying divine might, no one would have believed this gaunt monkey was once a formidable Qitian who could challenge even the immortals.

No one could have imagined that this withered monkey had been a mighty Qitian who once soared to the heavens and overpowered countless deities.

The sigh carried a sense of profound sorrow, imbued with the pain and grief of twilight years.

He seemed to recall beyond the temple the figure who had transformed into the Temple Protection Corpse King, a child who severed all vitality, desperately shielding his master.

Within Qitian Temple, shrouded by endless grief and sorrow, who would claim that the Stone Monkey was heartless? His passion burned and boiled inside him.

The gaunt old monkey slowly closed his eyes, lost in silence as memories of the past surged before him.

He recalled the scene of that scrappy kid, bullied by his family’s firstborn, crying alone in a corner; the moment he emerged from the Treasure Stick and gently caressed the child’s head…

Alas, time—ruthless and unfeeling—had severed all those memories.

Thousands of years of silent waiting, unimaginable in their span.

When he was suppressed for five hundred years, he nearly succumbed to madness…

Panting heavily, the old monkey’s closed eyes suddenly snapped open. Unbounded grief transformed into a ferocious, intertwined killing intent that soared skyward!

At that very moment, the entire Qitian Temple seemed to freeze completely.

Former Great Jing Emperor Lü Wenchang, wielding his Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff like a long spear, forcefully pierced his own heart and slammed it against the gateway of the Bizarre Temple.

Blood spurted incessantly from his corpse, trickling down.

A Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elder, a master of harnessing catastrophic power through twice-over calamities—such a formidable being—was brutally slain at this very moment, his life force snuffed out in an instant.

Even his Heaven and Earth Soul was shattered beyond repair.

He didn’t even have a chance to struggle.

The disparity was as vast as the heavens!

Inside Qitian Temple…

A tidal wave of terror surged forth, and an icy chill enveloped everything.

The remaining three formidable warriors wore expressions that betrayed sheer horror.

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk, the Maiden Guanyin, and the Witch God Mountain Priest all shared faces drained of color in shock.

“Qitian…has truly awakened!”

The three were overwhelmed with violent emotions!

Everything was in chaos!

By all logic, Qitian shouldn’t be awakening at this moment; the time hadn’t come!

The deities of the Yulian faction were meant to awaken only once the divine tide neared its climax. Yet now… Qitian had resurrected prematurely.

Rising from the dead!

Surely there was something amiss—a hidden factor unknown to them—that led to Qitian’s early resurrection!

If Qitian could indeed revive ahead of schedule…

what of the other Yulian deities?!

And what of the Third Prince of the Eight-Armed Yulian…

What about the Mysterious Three-Eyed Truthlord, whose miraculous manifestations atop Mei Mountain once stirred the heavens?

Will all those titanic beings, deities who once instilled dread among all factions during the age of divine tides, also awaken ahead of time?

The situation was poised on the verge of a cataclysmic shift!

Li Che’s eyes burned with the Radiance of the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame, his gaze extraordinarily sharp as his heart swelled with exhilaration.

Qitian…The Great Sage!

A figure straddling two eras of myth, Li Che’s heart pounded with unparalleled awe and excitement at that moment.

Qitian!

A name etched deep in Li Che’s memory since he first heard it in Jin Guang Mansion, stirring tumultuous emotions in his soul.

Could it be that this world’s Qitian is connected to the Qitian of ancient myth?

But now is not the time for such questions.

For Li Che could clearly sense a drastic shift outside Qitian Temple!

Five Supreme Elders, their positions determined by the strength of their respective legacies, surged forth from the Bizarre Temple, their overwhelming pressure descending outside Qitian Temple—intent on seizing Qitian’s remains!

They aimed to harness the Qitian legacy!

Meanwhile, the patriarch of the Fang Family had transformed into the Temple Protection Corpse King, forsaking life and death as he single-handedly defied five Supreme Elders!

He was living his vow and relentless determination to guard Qitian, both in life and beyond!

Li Che suddenly understood why Fang Han Shu chose a path of self-sacrifice and righteousness in pursuing the Fang Family patriarch’s will.

Truly, it was profoundly admirable.

“Ah, Little Fang…”

The old monkey sighed softly; he, too, sensed and understood the resolute, self-sacrificing resolve of his once-beloved disciple.

“Flee!”

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk, Maiden Guanyin, and Witch God Mountain Priest all shared a single thought at that moment:

Flee at all costs!

Even if it meant facing a freshly resurrected Qitian—a being on a divine level!

At the very least, his supremacy was indisputable!

They were no match for a Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elder at that level!

Moreover, Qitian, once responsible for earth-shattering calamities in the Yulian faction, belonged to the highest echelon of deities!

Facing such a being, they wouldn’t even dare to attempt resistance.

Bang, bang, bang––

Three surges of overwhelming energy erupted as the energies behind the Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk violently pounded against the temple’s gateway.

Yet the gateway remained unyielding, as if sealed by an indomitable will, trapping them with no escape!

“Shatter the void and break free!”

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk roared, his monk’s staff thrust forward as if to rupture the very fabric of space.

But with Qitian’s resurrection, a terrifying divine might swept through Qitian Temple, rendering the space as solid as unbreakable stone!

Even the combined efforts of the three Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders could not even create a crack in space.

Cold sweat dripped down as these three mighty warriors from different factions felt an overwhelming dread seizing their hearts!

And the old monkey in the ancient coffin didn’t even spare them a glance; he raised his fuzzy five-clawed hand and slowly closed it.

The Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff that had pierced Lü Wenchang now hovered before the old monkey as if beckoning him.

The old monkey reached out and grasped the Treasure Stick.

In an instant, the Treasure Stick trembled violently, its surface etched with countless streaks of blood. These bloodlines entwined, disintegrating Lü Wenchang’s corpse until it transformed into pure energy that surged into the old monkey’s body.

Despite his gaunt and withered frame, the old monkey’s fur now shone with a new, vibrant luster.

“He…ingested it?!”

Even the Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monks, and even Li Che, couldn’t help but narrow their eyes in astonishment.

Lü Wenchang hadn’t even had a chance to be restrained by Li Che’s Spiritual Confinement before the old monkey had completely devoured him—flesh, blood, and bone dissolved away like melting ice sculptures in mid-summer.

Everything melted away, leaving nothing behind.

Only a Divine Dragon Flag Spear remained on the ground, its glow dim and fading.

With his five fingers clutching the other end of the Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff, the old monkey then reached out and snatched the Divine Dragon Flag Spear into his hand.

“The aura of the Ju Xian Flag…”

“The hair of the Dark Heavenly Court…”

The old monkey spoke casually, his gaze now settling on Li Che.

“Little brother, you carry a strong Yulian aura… so intense. Is the Daughter of Yulian connected to you?”

The old monkey’s eyes, aglow with golden brilliance, seemed to see through the disguise of Li Che’s Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame.

Upon hearing this, Li Che nodded slightly.

“The current Daughter of Yulian… is my daughter.”

Li Che recalled that XiXi was identified by all as the Daughter of Yulian.

So, Li Che laid his cards on the table.

The old monkey was momentarily taken aback: “Ah, my apologies.”

Then, a majestic divine aura surged from his five fingers, washing over the Divine Dragon Flag Spear before he tossed it to Li Che.

It was the old monkey’s token of greeting.

Li Che caught the Divine Dragon Flag Spear, his heart trembling with excitement.

Four-Yu Divine Weapon!

This Divine Dragon Flag Spear, one of the Four-Yu Divine Weapons, was a treasure indeed—activated by Former Great Jing Emperor Lü Wenchang to emit formidable divine energy.

Li Che received it with a satisfied grin.

The old monkey no longer paid Li Che any heed. His dazzling golden eyes burned like twin fires in the dark.

He spread his arms wide.

Instantly, within Qitian Temple, innumerable divine energies, spiritual essences, and cosmic powers surged wildly.

An endless torrent of celestial energy cascaded, converging upon the old monkey seated in the stone coffin.

The emaciated old monkey gradually swelled under the overwhelming influx of spiritual energy—his withered monkey hair loosening and softening.

Boom––

Even as the old monkey spread his arms, the terrifying range of spiritual energy, divine might, and cataclysmic power expanded beyond Qitian Temple, reaching into Qitian Inner City and the entirety of Qitian City!

Like an endless sea of divine power, spiritual energy, and cosmic force, it surged in tidal waves, converging relentlessly toward Qitian Temple.

Inside Qitian Inner City,

Lü Taibai, Lü Qiankun, and Zhang Wuji—among other formidable experts—stood aghast near the city gate.

All directions were swarmed by energy, forming a terrifying vortex, as if a tornado made of divine force was spiraling in the sky!

It was as if a slumbering, timeless force was slowly awakening.

Even the slightest stretch stirred the heavens and the earth!

“Qitian…has truly awakened!”

“It is absorbing the energy of heaven and earth to restore its resurrected flesh!”

Zhang Wuji took a deep breath, raising his silver talisman in bitter shock.

Without a doubt, Qitian City had undergone a monumental upheaval—one beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations.

Qitian had indeed awakened prematurely!

If word got out, it would send shockwaves through all the divine factions within the Bizarre Temple.

Boom––!!!

Above Qitian Inner City,

A miasma of death and decay surged like a swirling fog—an outburst of power from the extreme state of the Temple Protection Corpse King’s self-immolation.

In the midst of battling the Temple Protection Corpse King, the five Supreme Elders had their own divine prestige reignited, unleashing formidable pressure.

Even as they clashed, they sensed the bizarre changes occurring within Qitian Temple.

The roiling energies of heaven and earth, and the swirling spiritual essence, forced their faces to harden with concern.

Their power, both domineering and unyielding, aimed to forcibly suppress and shatter the Temple Protection Corpse King, then step into Qitian Inner City to subdue the resurrected Qitian!

A just-awakened deity, having slumbered through an entire divine tide, would need time to rebuild his strength and combat power.

This was their best chance; if they misjudged it and Qitian fully recovered…

Even with ten thousand heartened souls, none would dare challenge or suppress him!

…

…

Inside Dajing Divine Capital,

in the First City, the entire Divine Capital trembled violently, as if vast fissures were emerging from the earth and the stones bearing scars of the quake.

Buzz, buzz, buzz––

Inside the Divine Capital, waves of heaven and earth energy swept relentlessly.

In the Palace Shrine,

the Emperor, clad in a brilliant yellow dragon robe and shrouded in divine aura, exuded an otherworldly demeanor.

He walked slowly, with eyes deep and enigmatic.

Beside him stood the Empress in all her regal splendor, along with the enchanting Su Da—a woman so bewitching and yet exuding a fragile divine charm that evoked an urge to protect her.

Both the Empress and Noble Consort Su Da lagged several paces behind the Emperor, silently seething with tumultuous emotion.

Such omens…

Signified the fall of a key pillar within the Great Jing royal line—one of the most distinguished Emperors blessed with vast fortune!

A figure who, even after abdicating, had achieved breakthroughs and ascended to lofty heights among the Great Jing royal warriors.

The dragon robe on the Emperor billowed as divine energy and Taoist aura surged, revealing an unmistakable mix of anger and sorrow.

For one whose inner cultivation wasn’t deep, his rise—backed by factions like the Dark Heavenly Court—meant that the demise of a Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elder had an enormous impact on the imperial might.

The downfall of an Elder carrying the aura of Great Jing, which embodied the nation’s fortune…

was a pain unlike any other!

“What is happening inside Qitian Temple?”

“A Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elder, once an unrivaled force on earth—even in the Bizarre Temple—has suddenly perished. How could that be?”

The Emperor’s heart ached.

After all, a Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elder was indispensable to the Court.

More importantly, that Elder carried the very aura of Great Jing. With his demise, that fortune had dissipated, eroding the nation’s destiny…

This was agony beyond measure!

“Grand Inspector said that Great Jing was finished… Could it really be the end?”

“I refuse to believe it! One man’s words do not dictate destiny. Predictions can be wrong—how can a mortal truly fathom a nation’s fate?”

The Emperor clenched his fist.

“I refuse to believe it!”

…

…

Inside Qitian Temple,

the interior was saturated with surging divine energy and potent ethereal forces, as though every corner brimmed with the very power of calamity.

The stone coffin was overwhelmed by boundless energy, obscuring even the old monkey’s silhouette.

An immense, oppressive force shook the entire Bizarre Temple, permeating every nook and cranny!

Li Che’s eyes shone brilliantly. Suddenly, he sensed something and turned to look at the Divine Eagle on the altar of the Bizarre Temple.

The Divine Eagle, clad in armor and wielding a Treasure Stick, wore a crown adorned with phoenix plumes. Its knees slightly bent, its hand cupped, exuding an aura of sublime grace.

Previously, a shroud of divine mist had obscured its features, but now, every detail was crystal clear.

The mist was gradually dissipating, unveiling a spirited, majestic monkey visage—an embodiment of Qitian’s former glory!

The confluence of abundant essence, divine aura, and spiritual energy signaled that Qitian was slowly reviving.

And that torrent of heavenly energy sent shudders through Li Che’s very flesh.

Stirred, he sat cross-legged, every pore agape, as his Pure Martial Arts and Martial Immortal Golden Body began to absorb the celestial energy.

It was merely an opportunity to bolster himself using the energy stirred by Qitian’s revival.

Having just broken into the Martial Immortal stage, Li Che still needed a vast reservoir of energy to perfect the fusion of his martial essence and physical body.

Thus, drawing upon Qitian’s resurging power brought no misgivings.

Within Qitian Temple,

the Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk, Maiden Guanyin, and Witch God Mountain Priest from the Western Lands of Buddhism each wore ghastly expressions.

Facing Qitian’s awe-inspiring pressure, they exchanged glances and communicated telepathically.

“Let’s join forces! Qitian’s divine aura is overwhelming… if he fully recovers, we stand no chance—only despair and death await us.”

“Now that Qitian has just awakened, his state is not yet at its peak. Perhaps this is our sole chance to survive!”

“Kill! Let’s combine our might and break out of this Bizarre Temple!”

…

In the blink of an eye, the three reached a consensus—to join forces, to strike together against Qitian, to delay his full recovery, and to seize their lone chance at survival!

Boom––!!!

The three Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders almost instantaneously made their decision.

United, they unleashed a radiant Buddha light. The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk from the Western Lands of Buddhism, without a moment’s hesitation, launched a world-shattering assault. His monk’s staff even manifested a swirling golden dragon shadow, and his golden pot trembled ferociously, triggering the divine aura of the Four-Yu Divine Weapon!

However…

Countless surges of divine essence, spiritual energy, and cosmic power roiled like a seething, molten fog.

Through the rift in the fog, a gigantic, furry hand burst forth with a resounding thud.

The Buddha light in the golden pot, emanating divine aura, was brutally smothered by that massive hand with a crisp, resounding crack. The golden pot flew out like a ball, bouncing fiercely on the ground.

Li Che sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes briefly opening to take in the scene before closing once more.

For he knew…

From now on, he wouldn’t need to interfere. He would simply watch the spectacle unfold.

Boom, boom, boom––

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk stared in dismay, his eyes fixed on the scene within the coffin, now shrouded by countless energies.

Then, the emaciated old monkey slowly rose from the coffin.

Gripping a slender Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff with one hand over his shoulder, the old monkey—short and unassuming—exuded an overwhelming, terrifying divine might, surging like a vast ocean.

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk raised a hand, and the flung golden pot returned, hovering above his head. Bathed in radiant Buddha light, the golden pot imbued him with divine energy, as if entwined by the aura of the gods, and he ruthlessly dashed forth.

The aura rose rapidly, merging him with his divine weapon, as though all his life force was being expended in a desperate, all-out battle!

Maiden Guanyin, her hair disheveled and barefoot, emanated crystalline radiance as she held aloft a jasper bottle. She appeared as if she had stepped straight out of legend—a true incarnation of Guanyin.

From the jasper bottle, a slender willow branch emerged, which she brandished and lashed at the robed old monkey.

The Witch God Mountain Priest transformed into a menacing demon, sprouting six wings from his back, each feather morphing into a razor-sharp sword sword-beam!

Clashing sounds filled the air as the six wings flailed wildly, resembling a storm of thousands of swords!

Kill, kill, kill!

The three Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders expended every ounce of strength in a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

However…

Just when terror gripped them, the robed old monkey stepped out of the stone coffin, leaving it behind. With one firm step onto the ground of the Bizarre Temple, the entire structure trembled violently.

It was as if the very will of heaven and earth had been shaken by the awakening of a divine being!

His overwhelming divine might threatened to subdue everything beneath it.

The three Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders poured every last drop of life into fusing with the Four-Yu Divine Weapon, striving for a final, desperate attack—a bid for survival from the brink of death.

Thud––

The old monkey stepped out of the coffin—a deity awakened from endless slumber—and it sent chills down everyone’s spine as they witnessed myth come alive!

The Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff he carried now hung at his side, its other end scraping the ground, producing clashing sounds of metal against stone.

Lü Wenchang’s death had placed immense pressure on the three warriors!

Thus, these three powerful figures no longer held back as they had before—earlier, they had been cautious, saving some strength for later when contesting Qitian’s remains.

Now, there was no room for reserve!

Survival itself was a victory!

Kill!

The three surged forth in succession.

Yet, in the face of the resurrected Qitian and his overwhelming aura, they felt an inexplicable paralysis—their strength dwindling, and a deep-seated terror gripping their hearts.

Once fear took hold, one loses the will to confront even the direst odds!

Thud!

The Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff was casually swung by the old monkey, carving a sweeping arc in midair.

Numerous sword-beams from the flung feathers scattered wildly, embedding themselves densely on the ground.

The Witch God Mountain Priest’s heart sank.

In that moment, the frozen void around them seemed to crack open as the old monkey stepped out of the stone coffin, each measured step shattering the stillness!

The old monkey moved at a leisurely pace—as if his path were unchallengeable—because he was unstoppable!

The Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff struck again. It appeared slow, but there was no avoiding it.

The Witch God Mountain Priest cried out in anguish as blood flew, his form violently torn asunder. His unleashed divine aura was utterly obliterated.

Thud––

Another strike from the staff swept over him. Amid his desperate resistance, the blow landed squarely on his shoulder, cascading into his flesh—a horrifying force erupting from an otherwise ordinary stick.

It shattered his flesh into countless fragments!

Explosions of blood erupted in every direction, a red mist swirling violently!

Inside Qitian Temple, the entire hall was transformed into a crimson sea, haunted by the stench of death!

The Heaven and Earth Soul surged upward in despair—trapped with no escape.

The old monkey opened his mouth wide and inhaled deeply, devouring the blood mist along with the fallen Witch God Mountain Priest’s Heaven and Earth Soul.

Yet, the old monkey merely shook his head, displeased—in swallowing that essence, he felt no recovery in his strength.

The Witch God Mountain Priest, once a towering figure who forged legends in the Da Li Wangting, had been struck down by a single blow.

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk and Maiden Guanyin from South Sea Purple Bamboo Grove shuddered.

However, when they resolved to fight, it was as if they had foreseen this outcome.

“He has not yet fully regained his divine power…”

“Kill!”

In desperation, the two launched a counterattack.

There was no escape—for the doors of the Bizarre Temple were sealed tight, the void suppressed, leaving only the grim prospect of facing Qitian’s fate.

Yet, these were not mere mortals—they were Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders, the pinnacle of mortal might, determined to fight until the very end!

A dense fog of divine energy roiled, intertwining with the catastrophic power, as bolts of calamity—lightning, wind, and fire—flared in a mesmerizing, otherworldly display!

Boom––

To them, the once-durable void now crumbled like fragile paper, easily torn apart by a simple strike!

A plain stick lashed out!

The golden pot split as if a golden Buddha was wailing in agony!

The willow branch shattered, dispersing into a cloud of green dust!

Maiden Guanyin, disheveled and bloodstained, looked utterly miserable!

Invincible, unmatched!

Yet there was nothing they could do. In their despair, even facing a newly awakened deity, a true divine who ruled over heaven and earth, they stood no chance!

The Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk and Maiden Guanyin had suffered little in experience or pain because Qitian never deigned to torment them.

Even though these individuals had once coveted His remains and sought to seize them—

Boom––

Both disintegrated into mush; even the bewitching Maiden Guanyin, in the eyes of the old monkey, was nothing more than a mere decorative skull.

Under one strike, men and women alike were equal; all beings became the same.

Two splashes of blood erupted!

Both Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders perished on the spot, leaving only Zhang Wuji—the lone survivor from the previously invincible group determined to seize Qitian’s remains—from the Purple Mansion Divine Sect.

The other four fell where they stood.

Li Che ceased absorbing the energy of heaven and earth. His eyes flickered brilliantly as he surveyed the burst of blood—a trace of regret on the faces of the fallen mighty.

These deceased Two-Calamity Divine Calamity Elders were all qualified to become his Spiritual Confinements.

Alas, Qitian had devoured every bit of their energy—soul power, even the marks between heaven and earth, leaving nothing but dust.

All reduced to oblivion.

Such a death… even Spiritual Confinement would be impossible under these conditions.

After all, Spiritual Confinement requires certain prerequisites.

The old monkey, dragging his bloodstained Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff, opened his mouth wide and inhaled deeply—sucking dry the Heaven and Earth Soul along with divine aura, blood, and energy…

His monkey hair shimmered faintly. Hoisting the Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff once more, he glanced at Li Che, as if perceiving the regret within his eyes.

Qitian paused for a moment.

Then he bared his teeth.

“I will repay you later.”

Li Che hardly cared.

He stood up and looked toward the still gaunt old monkey.

The old monkey kept moving, stepping slowly but surely toward the outside of the Bizarre Temple.

Each step set the temple trembling.

Countless traces of blood lingered about him as wild spiritual energy, divine aura, and catastrophic power clung relentlessly.

Boom––!!!

The sealed doors of Qitian Temple burst open!

A violent gale howled in from outside.

Then…

The old monkey looked at the open doorway.

Clutching his Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff, he walked out.

With each step, his cloud-worn Divine Boots shimmered with brilliance.

Another step revealed golden armor etched onto his plain clothes—a scaled chainmail covering his body, while a vibrant crimson cape cascaded like a banner across the sky!

On his head, a golden crown materialized; twin phoenix plumes pierced the heavens like divine spears!

In just three steps, he broke free from the confines of the Temple of the Divine Spirit.

Standing before the doorway, he grabbed his Treasure Stick with one hand and pointed toward the sky.

It was as if the gods themselves were reduced to mere weeds before him.

Just like the Divine Eagle atop the altar!

Who else but him could claim, ‘Who else but me?’

This was the resurrection of Qitian!

In other words…

The Great Sage had returned!