Chapter 340: Chapter 134: I Underestimated You (Seeking Monthly Votes)
They faced each other, only three inches apart.
Suddenly, the frozen atmosphere became violent, and a terrifying power rampaged through the hall. All the Elders of the Myriad Buddhas Sect were forced back by this power. Only Xuankong remained unmoved.
Their eyes met.
One breath.
Two breaths.
Three breaths.
Shimohe’s palm slammed out suddenly. The rampaging, terrifying power around seemed to be completely suppressed before this palm. Seeing this, the Eternal Alliance Master also struck out with a palm.
BOOM—
The two palms collided. Power burst forth. Waves surged like tides, shaking the millennia-old hall incessantly. The power subsided. The Eternal Alliance Master stepped back three steps, his internal qi and blood churning endlessly.
Shimohe stood still, his hands behind his back, looking down on the opponent with disdain, "Is this the confidence that brought you to my Myriad Buddhas Sect to behave so presumptuously?"
Silence. A deathly silence. After a long moment, a deep voice emerged from behind the Eternal Alliance Master’s mask.
"I underestimated you. The renown of a strong person from eight hundred years ago is well-deserved. Your strength is much greater than that of the average King Rank Defender Envoy. But you must understand that the true strength of the Demon-Subduing Division does not lie in the King Rank Defender Envoys. A few months ago, a Great Demon broke its seal in the Capital City, but in the end, it was driven into a panicked flight by Dongfang Zhao. He is the true pinnacle existence within the Demon-Subduing Division. Even if you could handle the Demon-Subduing Division of the South Nether Prefecture, you could not possibly contend with the entire Great Qin’s Demon Suppression Division."
Upon hearing this, Shimohe remained expressionless, "Only the weak fear; the strong remain ever strong. Since eight hundred years ago to this day, I have encountered countless strong people, yet eventually, I alone reached the pinnacle. Whether it’s the Demon-Subduing Division of the South Nether Prefecture or the Great Qin’s Demon Suppression Division, my Myriad Buddhas Sect is resolutely unafraid."
Some time had passed since he came out of the Heavenly Realm. He had a fair understanding of how strong Great Qin’s Demon Suppression Division was. But what of it? If you retreat upon meeting the strong, you will never become strong yourself. In Shimohe’s eyes, the Demon-Subduing Division was nothing more than a stumbling block. Since awakening from the Heavenly Realm, he considered this life a second chance. This time, his aim was to break through the barriers and reach a higher plane. If he couldn’t even deal with the Demon-Subduing Division, what else was there to aspire to?
The Eternal Alliance Master said, "It’s good that Sect Master Shimohe is confident, but you must act according to your strength. If we cooperate, my Eternal Alliance can help you alleviate much of the pressure from the Demon-Subduing Division. This is a win-win situation, why not do it?"
"Amitabha Buddha!" Shimohe chanted the Buddha’s name in a low voice, his gaze towards the Eternal Alliance Master becoming indifferent.
Seeing this, the Eternal Alliance Master shook his head and said no more. The next instant, his figure silently disappeared from the hall.
On the meditation cushion, Shimohe’s figure abruptly appeared, while the figure that had been standing in the middle of the hall slowly dissipated like an afterimage. All the Elders of the Myriad Buddhas Sect wore expressions of awe. This technique alone, to them, was already shocking and awe-inspiring.
At this time, Xuanye pressed his palms together and asked, puzzled, "Sect Master, why did you let the Eternal Alliance Master go?"
It was clear to anyone with eyes that Shimohe’s strength was much greater than the Eternal Alliance Master’s. The Myriad Buddhas Sect had always been hostile to Demon Evils. Letting the Eternal Alliance Master go now seemed akin to releasing a tiger back to its mountain. Especially after they had already clashed. This was akin to indirectly offending the Eternal Alliance. Who knew when the Eternal Alliance might set some traps in the shadows.
Shimohe spoke indifferently, "The strength of that Eternal Alliance Master is not weak. Although he has not ascended to Great Grandmaster, he possesses a mysterious power that makes his strength comparable to that of an average Great Grandmaster. Moreover, he dared to come here alone because he has his own trump cards. Forcing a confrontation might not ensure we can keep him here. With a great battle imminent, let him jump around for a few days for now!"
"Amitabha Buddha!" Xuanye chanted the Buddha’s name.
Afterward, Shimohe turned to Xuankong, "Keep a close eye on the Demon-Subduing Division’s movements, and notify all the Sects that have arrived to get ready for battle. In the first fight, I do not wish for any accidents."
"Yes," Xuankong nodded.
Then, Shimohe waved his hand, and everyone rose and left.
When the hall was empty, Shimohe stood up and looked at the giant Buddha statue erected in the Mahavira Hall, his expression becoming subtle.
If there is no Buddha in the world, then I shall be the only Buddha!
Once the Demon-Subduing Division is dealt with, it will be the time for the rise of my Buddha Sect!
「 」
On a rather inconspicuous mountaintop, the Eternal Alliance Master who had left the Mahavira Hall now appeared. Behind him stood Elders of the Eternal Alliance.
"Alliance Hierarch, how did it go?"
"He doesn’t agree." The Eternal Alliance Master shook his head slightly, looking at Buddha Palm Mountain before him, his tone revealing no fluctuation.
He doesn’t agree! The Eternal Alliance Elder looked shocked, then his face turned to anger.
"The Myriad Buddhas Sect truly doesn’t know what’s good for them! They think they can contend with the Demon-Subduing Division with their own strength alone. Without the support of our Eternal Alliance, they’re definitely on a path to death!"
"We’ll see. The strength of that Mahavairocana is indeed impressive. It won’t be easy for the Demon-Subduing Division to deal with such a powerful being. Since he’s unwilling to cooperate, so be it. With the Myriad Buddhas Sect drawing the Demon-Subduing Division’s attention from the front, our Eternal Alliance will find its actions much more convenient," the Eternal Alliance Master said indifferently.
His purpose in coming to the Myriad Buddhas Sect was merely to attempt to win them over. If he could do so, all the better; the force opposing the Demon-Subduing Division would be stronger. Similarly, if he couldn’t win them over, it would not affect the Eternal Alliance much. After all, having the Myriad Buddhas Sect engage the Demon-Subduing Division from the front also considerably benefited the Eternal Alliance. It was certain that the Demon-Subduing Division’s current control over South Nether Prefecture would definitely be significantly reduced.
Afterward, the Eternal Alliance Master turned to look in the direction of Luoyang City.
"Has there been any news from Xu You?"
"He has already infiltrated Luoyang City. With the Blood Soul Pill, that Demon Evil in Luoyang City should have no trouble breaking through. Furthermore, the Demon-Subduing Division has lowered its guard over Luoyang City, so it won’t take long before Xu You can bring back a Demon Evil!" the Eternal Alliance Elder replied, though not with complete certainty.
Upon hearing this, the Eternal Alliance Master nodded.
"Keep a close eye on the movements in Luoyang City. Provide necessary support when needed. If we can recruit a Demon Evil into our Eternal Alliance, the benefits will be considerable."
"Yes!"
「 」
HUMM—
An extremely sharp knife intent burst forth, and the Yin Evil Aura blocking the way scattered and vanished. The Demon Evil enveloped at the very center by the Yin Evil Aura offered no resistance and was completely eradicated by the knife intent.
A familiar sensation surged forth. Shen Changqing glanced at the panel; his Slaughter Value had increased somewhat.
"Done!" Pulling out a scroll, he squeezed out a drop of blood to make a mark on it, then nodded in satisfaction.
Ever since his Spiritual System reached its peak and the Hundred Battles True Intent transformed into pure knife intent, dealing with Demon Evils had become much simpler. All Strange Monsters below Fiend Level existed purely as forms composed of Spiritual Power. Conveniently, knife intent was also a manifestation of Spiritual Power. As a result, handling those lower-rank Demon Evils became a lot simpler.
Shen Changqing hardly needed to act himself. With just a thought, knife intent would slash out, cleanly eradicating any Demon Evil it touched. He didn’t know how much of an advantage knife intent held against opponents of equal strength. But against weaker Demon Evils, knife intent was indeed much more convenient. To put it bluntly, it was like a harvester; he could slay enemies with merely a thought.
No wonder it’s said that Grandmasters at the peak of the Spiritual System have the power to form an army alone; this mysterious and unpredictable force is enough to face a multitude!
The more Shen Changqing used his Spiritual Power, the deeper his understanding of it became. If the Physical System was the strongest for one-on-one battles, then the Spiritual System was the most powerful means for group attacks.
His Divine Sense spread out, and after confirming no Demon Evils remained, Shen Changqing left the place. He first found members of the Heavenly Inspection Guard to report the extermination of the Demon Evils here, then proceeded to the next location.
Now, Shen Changqing wasted no time at all. Apart from necessary rest, he had virtually become an unceasing machine. Upon exterminating the Demon Evils in one area, he would immediately move to the next. This was unlike before, where, although he also slew Demon Evils, his actions were not so urgent.
He couldn’t quite explain this change. But there was always a subtle, lingering sense of crisis in his mind that wouldn’t dissipate. It might have been due to the current situation in South Nether Prefecture or perhaps because of information obtained from the Demon Evil in Luoyang City. Regardless, he didn’t dwell on it too much now. Right now, what he could do was slay Demon Evils—as many as possible.
Speaking of which, the Demon-Subduing Division must be close to war with the Myriad Buddhas Sect by now! Shen Changqing suddenly recalled. According to information from the Heavenly Inspection Guard, the battle between the two forces was likely to occur within the next few days. Truth be told, he somewhat wanted to participate in this battle. However, his current location was completely opposite to where the Myriad Buddhas Sect was. If he were to set out now, it would take several days of non-stop travel to arrive. In that case, it would be too much of a waste of time.
Shaking his head, Shen Changqing dismissed the thought.
In this battle, the Demon-Subduing Division has indeed mobilized considerable forces. If the Myriad Buddhas Sect is extinguished, the other Jianghu forces will also become much more subdued.
By then, the Demon-Subduing Division will surely free up its forces, and there probably won’t be many unexterminated Demon Evils left in various places.
He couldn’t let such a ripe opportunity slip away.
After recalling the information in the scroll, Shen Changqing changed direction and headed elsewhere. To maximize his gains, he now changed his plan, deciding to start with Fiend Level Demon Evils and work his way down, clearing them out one by one.