Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: The Terror of the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner
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"Don't panic! This is just one of their treasures! No matter how powerful the treasure, it still needs enough true qi to drive it. He's just one man in the end!"
Among the monks from the Dragon-Subduing Temple, Guang Hui was clearly far superior to Guang Ming, and far calmer too. At least he was the first to steady the situation, without resorting to Guang Ming's tricks of deception followed by flight. Soon, the group of Buddhist cultivators quickly formed a defensive line centered around him.
The next moment, thousands of witch-ghosts surged forward.
"Amitabha!"
The Buddhist cultivator at the forefront immediately let out a thunderous chant. Golden light erupted from his body as he threw a punch, instantly sweeping away the witch-ghosts before him.
But it was all for naught.
The following witch-ghosts showed no hesitation. They even devoured the corpses of their fallen kin, growing stronger before charging again.
Boom!
The witch-ghosts had no intention of engaging the Buddhist cultivators in battle. The moment they closed in, they detonated themselves. The exploding yin baleful qi corroded the Buddhist cultivators' golden bodies like deadly poison.
"When I become Buddha, if there are heavenly beings in my land not of pure true gold hue, may I not attain supreme enlightenment."
At the center of the group, Guang Hui poured all his true qi into channeling the "True Golden Body Great Incantation" to empower the surrounding Buddhist cultivators. Vast Buddhist radiance instantly vaporized all the yin baleful qi.
"Hold the line! These witch-ghosts aren't strong!"
Guang Hui had no time for compassion now. His face twisted into a savage grimace as he desperately tried to rally morale. And he wasn't exaggerating.
In truth, though the witch-ghosts from the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner were vast in number, only eight matched the peak of Qi Refining—and those were key components of the Yama Demon Hall. Lu Yang wouldn't deploy them lightly. So far, only those below peak Qi Refining had attacked, no match for the Buddhist cultivators.
But with a status infusion, it was a different story.
The next moment, a mid-Qi Refining witch-ghost lunged at the forefront late-Qi Refining Buddhist cultivator. Unremarkable baleful qi surged forth.
Pfft!
The late-Qi Refining cultivator's supposedly indestructible golden body weakened countlessfold in an instant. It shattered under the tug of that baleful qi!
"Ah!"
The cultivator screamed, erupting true qi in a desperate bid to shake off the witch-ghost. But soon a dozen more piled on, instantly overwhelming him.
"How can this be?"
Witnessing this, Guang Hui nearly ground his teeth to dust. With his insight, he could tell the witch-ghosts' feeble power shattered golden bodies only due to a higher status infusion. Their own side, lacking sufficient status, saw their strength plummet.
In that moment, Guang Hui was utterly baffled.
By the True Lord's grace, Foundation Establishment cultivators shouldn't be allowed in the secret realm! At least, none could slip past the True Lord's divine sight.
So... this fiend wasn't at Foundation Establishment?
This wasn't Foundation Establishment!?
But the situation left no room for further thought. The outer line of Buddhist cultivators was crumbling, their golden bodies corroded by yin baleful qi and collapsing.
"Only... decapitation will do!"
Guang Hui looked up, his gaze locking onto Lu Yang behind the thousands of witch-ghosts. A bitter smile tugged at his lips, then vanished, replaced by resolve.
"When I become Buddha, if there are hells, hungry ghosts, or beasts in my land, may I not attain supreme enlightenment."
"When I become Buddha, if heavenly beings in my land, upon lifespan's end, return to the three evil paths, may I not attain supreme enlightenment."
"When I become Buddha, if there are heavenly beings in my land not of pure true gold hue, may I not attain supreme enlightenment."
His lips moved as he intoned three great incantations. Majestic Buddhist light spread from him in all directions.
Within the light, a temple faintly emerged. Monks chanted morning lessons amid thunderous sermons, bells tolling in an ancient monastery. Above the main gate hung a plaque with three bold, dragon-and-phoenix strokes:
Dragon-Subduing Temple!
The next instant, all the Buddhist cultivators melted into the light, vanishing without trace. The myriad rays converged into a towering golden body dharma image.
"Dragon Elephant Vast Strength Vajra Body!"
This was the Pure Land Buddhist cultivators' strongest combat method.
Pure Land cultivators followed the "Deep Joy Nirvana Path," extinguishing the self to realize the ephemeral nature of existence—a mere facet of the Supreme World's salvation in the red dust.
The more a cultivator comprehended their "true self," the closer they drew to the World Honored One who founded the path, gaining greater divine abilities and spells.
This trait granted them a unique divine ability unlike other traditions: when multiple cultivators merged their consciousnesses via secret art into one "self," they transcended realm limits, borrowing higher status from the Deep Joy Pure Land!
Higher status required more cultivators.
For Qi Refining cultivators, all eight divisions of the Buddha host were needed to borrow a single Foundation Establishment status.
A single division could at best form a near-Foundation Establishment status—the Guardian Vajra, a high-rank among Qi Refining.
Now, Guang Hui unified the entire Dragon Host. Over a hundred cultivators merged into one, manifesting the pinnacle: the Dragon Elephant Vast Strength Vajra!
"Demons and ghouls, you shall be purged!"
With those words, the Vajra body assumed a wrathful visage and charged into the witch-ghost horde, battling the tide toward Lu Yang.
But the next moment, that wrathful face twisted into indescribable despair.
For amid the thousands of witch-ghosts, a grand hall rose from the earth, commanding the nether and grasping the profound. From within emerged a regal, peerlessly beautiful woman.
Guardian Deity Su Nü!
Though away from Skull Mountain and lacking leyline empowerment, she held Foundation Establishment status—far beyond what Guang Hui could challenge.
Boom!
Su Nü lightly raised her jade hand and pressed down. The Dragon Elephant Vast Strength Vajra hurtled sideways, crashing into the dirt.
Its once-radiant golden body cracked inch by inch from the blow. Buddhist light oozed from the wounds like blood. Each drop birthed a wide-eyed, dead monk. As the blood drained, the "Dragon Elephant Vast Strength Vajra" crumbled.
In that instant, Guang Hui felt as if plunged into an icy abyss.
He even harbored a flicker of resentment toward the external Buddhist True Lord. Damn it, how are you overseeing this? How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator infiltrate the Dao-Seizing Battlefield?
Beast!
Now, even Lu Yang's figure vanished from sight, replaced by endless yin baleful qi, witch-ghosts, and the imposing Yama Demon Hall.
"Fiend! If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!"
Beneath the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, Lu Yang listened to Guang Hui's roar while calmly toying with his sword pellet. Deathbed rants were the loser's wail.
Besides, when Guang Hui led over a hundred to attack earlier, he hadn't offered one-on-one. Now he wanted it?
"I'm already fighting you one-on-one."
You alone, against my horde.
Soon, a quarter-hour later, the Buddhist light fully extinguished, leaving only strewn corpses.
"Such fine talent... can't let it go to waste."
Lu Yang activated the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner. The fallen Buddhist cultivators rose anew—even Guang Hui, who had just roared at him, now bore a face of utter loyalty.
Behind Lu Yang, Qin Tianhe happily trotted over, dragging a bald head.
"Senior, caught a runner."
He glanced warily at the revived cultivators behind Lu Yang, marveling inwardly while sighing to himself:
We're amazing.
"...A fish that slipped the net?"
Lu Yang ignored Qin Tianhe's感慨, eyeing the disheveled Guang Ming in his grip. Guang Ming promptly raised his hands:
"Don't kill me! I have vital intelligence to offer!"
"Spare me, superior cultivator!"
(End of chapter)