Chapter 115: The Horror of the Myriad Spirits Banner
Chapter 115: The Terror of the Myriad Spirits Banner
"Don't panic! This is merely one of the opponent's magical treasures! No matter how powerful a treasure is, it requires sufficient qi to activate—he's still just one man!"
As a fellow monk of Fulong Temple, Guang Hui proved far more capable and composed than Guang Ming. At least he stabilized the situation immediately instead of resorting to deception and fleeing like Guang Ming. Soon, the assembled Buddhist cultivators formed defensive lines centered around him.
The next moment, thousands of witch-ghosts surged forward.
"Amitabha!"
The monk at the forefront immediately emitted a thunderous chant, golden light erupting from his body as he threw a punch that instantly cleared the witch-ghosts before him.
Yet it was all futile.
The subsequent witch-ghosts showed no hesitation—some even devoured the corpses of fallen comrades to strengthen themselves before charging again.
Boom!
The witch-ghosts didn't even engage in direct combat. Upon closing in, they simply self-destructed, their exploding yin-energies corroding the monks' golden bodies like potent poison.
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, the heavenly beings in my land are not all golden in hue, may I not attain perfect enlightenment."
At the center of the formation, Guang Hui channeled his qi with full force, reinforcing the surrounding monks with the "Great Mantra of the True Golden Body." Vast Buddhist radiance instantly vaporized all the yin-energies.
"Hold the line! These witch-ghosts aren't strong!"
Guang Hui could no longer afford compassion—his face twisted savagely as he desperately tried to rally morale. And he wasn't speaking without basis.
In truth, while the Myriad Spirits Banner housed an enormous number of witch-ghosts, only eight were comparable to perfected Qi Refining cultivators—all key components of the Yama Palace formation Lü Yang couldn't afford to deploy. Thus far, only witch-ghosts below perfected Qi Refining had attacked, no match for the monks.
But... with hierarchical empowerment, that was another matter entirely.
The next instant, a mid-stage Qi Refining witch-ghost pounced on a late-stage Qi Refining monk. Its relatively weak baleful aura surged forth.
Squelch!
The late-stage monk's supposedly indestructible golden body seemed weakened countless times over, splitting apart under the shredding force of that baleful energy.
"Ah—!"
The monk screamed, erupting with qi in a desperate attempt to shake off the witch-ghost. But a dozen more swarmed over him, drowning him instantly.
"How could this be...?"
Guang Hui nearly shattered his teeth in frustration. With his insight, he recognized immediately—the witch-ghosts' ability to breach golden defenses effortlessly came from higher hierarchical empowerment. Meanwhile, his side's insufficient hierarchy had drastically reduced their combat effectiveness.
At this moment, Guang Hui was utterly perplexed.
By the True Lords above, Foundation Establishment True Persons shouldn't be permitted in the secret realm! At the very least, no True Person could possibly evade a True Lord's detection.
Does that mean... this demon before us isn't at Foundation Establishment?
Then what the hell is he if not Foundation Establishment!?
Yet the situation allowed no further contemplation. The outermost monks were already collapsing, their golden bodies crumbling under the corrosion of yin-energies.
"The only way... is decapitation!"
Guang Hui raised his head, gaze locking onto Lü Yang beyond the sea of witch-ghosts. A bitter smile flickered across his lips before vanishing into resolute determination.
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, there remain hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, or beasts in my land, may I not attain perfect enlightenment."
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, heavenly beings in my land fall back into the three wretched paths after death, may I not attain perfect enlightenment."
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, the heavenly beings in my land are not all golden in hue, may I not attain perfect enlightenment."
His lips parted as Guang Hui uttered three great mantras in succession. Majestic Buddhist radiance erupted from him, rapidly spreading outward.
Within the light, the faint outline of a temple emerged.
Monks chanted morning sutras within, thunderous dharma teachings resonating—a venerable bell-ringing monastery. Above its main gate, three bold characters danced across the plaque:
[Fulong Temple]!
The next moment, all monks dissolved into the Buddhist light, vanishing without trace. Countless rays converged, coalescing into a towering golden dharma form.
"Dragon-Elephant Vajra Body!"
This was the Pure Land Buddhist cultivators' ultimate combat method.
The Pure Land cultivated the "Path of Profound Joy in Nirvana"—extinguishing the self to realize one's ephemeral nature as merely another "I" being liberated by the World-Honored One from worldly dust.
Thus, the more a monk realized the "Original Self," the closer they approached that World-Honored One who founded the Path of Profound Joy in Nirvana—and the greater their divine powers became.
This unique characteristic granted Buddhist cultivators an ability distinct from other Dao lineages: when multiple monks jointly performed esoteric methods, unifying their consciousness into a single "I," they could transcend realm constraints to borrow higher hierarchical authority from the Profound Joy Pure Land!
The higher the hierarchy, the more monks required.
For Qi Refining-level monks, all Eight Divisions of Buddhist Hosts needed assembling to borrow a single Foundation Establishment hierarchy.
A single division could at most approximate Foundation Establishment hierarchy—the Guardian Vajra—representing the pinnacle of Qi Refining hierarchy.
Now, Guang Hui unified the entire [Dragon Division]. Over a hundred monks merged their selves into one, manifesting the preeminent "Dragon-Elephant Vajra"!
"Evil spirits and demons—perish!"
As the words fell, the Vajra form assumed by Guang Hui revealed its wrathful visage before charging into the witch-ghost horde, fighting through the waves toward Lü Yang.
Yet the next instant, that wrathful expression twisted into inexpressible despair.
For at the heart of the witch-ghost swarm, a magnificent palace erupted from the earth—commanding the underworld and harnessing the arcane—from which emerged a stunning woman of noble grace.
Guardian Deity Su Nu!
Though deprived of Skeleton Mountain's earth meridian empowerment here, Su Nu remained a Foundation Establishment hierarchy—far beyond Guang Hui's ability to challenge.
Boom!
With a gentle raise of her jade hand and a light downward press, Guang Hui's Dragon-Elephant Vajra form was sent flying, crashing into the dust.
The once-resplendent golden body cracked apart under that palm, Buddhist light bleeding from the fractures. Each drop of "blood" that spilled transformed into a monk who died with unclosed eyes. Once drained, the "Dragon-Elephant Vajra" would collapse without further attack.
In that moment, Guang Hui felt plunged into an icy abyss.
Even resentment toward the external Buddhist True Lords surfaced—damn you! How could you oversee the battle so poorly? How could a Foundation Establishment expert infiltrate the Dao-Seizing Battlefield?
Beasts!
Now, Guang Hui could no longer even see Lü Yang's figure—only endless yin-energies, witch-ghosts, and the majestic Yama Palace filled his vision.
"Demon! Face me one-on-one if you dare!"
Beneath the Myriad Spirits Banner, Lü Yang idly toyed with his sword pill while listening to Guang Hui's roars. Deathbed taunts were merely the wails of the defeated.
Besides, when Guang Hui led over a hundred monks to attack earlier, he hadn't proposed any one-on-one duel. Only now did he remember fairness?
"I am facing you one-on-one right now."
You alone, against my legion.
Soon, fifteen minutes later, the Buddhist radiance extinguished completely—only corpses remained.
"Such talents... mustn't go to waste."
Lü Yang activated the Myriad Spirits Banner. The dead monks rose anew—even Guang Hui, who had been roaring at him moments ago, now stood among them, his face etched with loyalty.
Behind Lü Yang, Qin Tianhe came trotting over cheerfully, dragging a bald head by the scalp.
"Senior, caught one trying to flee."
After speaking, he cautiously glanced at the resurrected monks behind Lü Yang. While marveling at the sight, he couldn't help but muse inwardly:
We're truly formidable, the two of us.
"...There's actually an escapee?"
Lü Yang ignored Qin Tianhe's admiration, focusing instead on the bedraggled Guang Ming in his grip. Seeing this, Guang Ming immediately raised both hands in surrender:
"Don't kill me! I have vital intelligence to offer!"
"Spare this humble one, exalted cultivator!"