In the great hall, numerous divine statues were enshrined on altars, with wisps of smoke rising from censers at their feet.
The environment, once broken, now reformed. The divine hall, tens of feet in height, was restored to its original state, with four guardian arhats on each side, and eight wrathful vajras behind them.
Everyone's gaze swept across them, finally settling on the bodhisattva statue in the center.
This bodhisattva statue, robed in flowing garments, stood upon the coiled body of a dragon, holding the dragon's head in its hand. Though awe-inspiring, its face bore a benevolent and compassionate expression, as if intending to redeem the evil dragon.
However, the specific meaning behind it was of no concern to those present.
In their eyes, a fleck of dark golden light pulsed within the statue's body, drawing in spiritual energy from all directions.
Once the statue accumulated sufficient spiritual energy, the illusion they had previously encountered might reappear. Regardless of whether illusions descended, they could not allow it to absorb the spiritual energy.
Thus, Zhao Yuansong's mind stirred, and his long sword shot through the air, impaling the dark golden light within the divine statue.
As a few wisps of sword energy fell, this light spot immediately dissipated. Even the divine statue, over ten feet tall, crumbled into fragments in an instant.
"Amitabha, you have committed an immense sin by destroying the bodhisattva statue."
A sigh echoed through the hall.
Ji Yuan and the others turned towards the sound and saw a benevolent-looking monk slowly approaching from the back door of the hall. He lowered his head, one hand cradling a brass alms bowl, the other held before him.
He was an aged monk, clad in yellow robes, with a hundred and eight prayer beads around his neck. His face appeared kind and compassionate, his eyes filled with pity as he looked at everyone.
He scanned Zhao Yuansong and the others one by one, finally resting his gaze on Ji Yuan. A flicker of unbearable sorrow crossed his benevolent face.
"Why did you have to come here? You could have stayed quietly in the Taoist temple to cultivate. Whatever happened in the end, this old monk would have guaranteed your life."
The old monk sighed, his tone carrying a hint of reproach, like a senior member of a family chiding a junior.
Looking at the old monk before him, Ji Yuan was filled with a surge of emotion. He longed to ask "Why must it be so," but for a long time, no words could escape his lips.
Finally, he let out a soft sigh and asked, "Master Wuhai, may I ask if Huixin is still alive?"
The old monk smiled in confusion and replied, "Huixin is my disciple. Of course, he is alive."
Ji Yuan nodded, a murderous intent suddenly erupting in his eyes, "Then I ask Master to pass on to the afterlife!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he lunged forward at the fastest speed, his long sword piercing directly towards the old monk's heart.
Towards this highly respected monk, who had watched him grow up, Ji Yuan harbored a myriad of complex emotions. However, he knew that once one entered the path of demons, they became a different person.
Wuhai was no longer the Master Wuhai of the past, so despite his turmoil, he could only deliver a fatal blow.
Behind him, Zhao Yuansong let out a low cry, rapidly forming hand seals. He then lightly tapped his long sword before him.
With this tap, the sword shot forward, swaying and splitting into several sword shadows, releasing sharp sword energy.
In a flash, a single sword carrying four shadows pierced through the air, aimed at Wuhai's brow and vital points around his body.
At the same time, Ji Yuan appeared before him, his long sword thrusting towards the monk's heart without any pause.
"Amitabha."
Wuhai chanted softly, and a dark golden light flashed in his eyes.
Silently, a golden light surged from his body, inscribed with Sanskrit characters and accompanied by the sound of chanting.
At this moment, both the sword shadows streaking through the air and Ji Yuan's sword froze mid-air, unable to advance an inch.
Zhao Yuansong snorted coldly, his hand seals changing rapidly. Sword energy, heavy as mountains, descended from his blade.
Yet, even so, it only caused the layer of golden light to indent slightly, failing to break through completely.
On the other side, Ji Yuan's expression was also grave. Although he had not yet cultivated mystic power and could not unleash the full might of Yuan Bao, its inherent sharpness should have been able to pierce anything.
However, the sword edge, capable of severing magical artifacts and formidable weapons, was now trapped within the brilliant golden light. Not only could it not advance, but it was almost torn from his grip by a suction force.
He let out a low growl, slapping several talismans onto the golden light before him. Using the force of the fiery explosion, he managed to pull his sword free and rapidly retreated.
"That is the White Cloud Temple's secret 'Body-Protecting Sanskrit'!"
Shen Lang shouted, then tossed the book in his hand.
Pages turned in the air as if by wind, and characters leaped out, forming the opening of an article of only a few dozen words.
Once this opening was formed, dozens of words transformed into thick ink, eventually condensing into the shape of a slender sword, which then slashed towards the Sanskrit golden light not far away.
As the ink sword whistled forward, Wuhai glanced up, then raised the alms bowl in his hand.
He chanted incantations, and as torrents of mystic power poured into it, the alms bowl released a clear light. With a mere sweep, it absorbed the ink sword, the long sword, and the sword shadows into its body.
"Stop struggling. If you are willing to let go of your obsessions, this monk can guide you to convert to Buddhism."
Wuhai recited a Buddha's name softly, addressing them thus.
However, the Buddhism he spoke of was clearly not the true Dharma of the world, but a distorted demon path.
Upon hearing this, Shen Lang snorted, "Master Wuhai, do you truly believe that the righteous words of my Confucian school are so easily suppressed?"
Before his words finished, he pointed forcefully at the book before him. A surging righteousness erupted from it, as if stirring some unknown entity.
In mere moments, even Ji Yuan felt as if something inexplicable had glanced in their direction, causing them to feel a tremor of fear.
At the same moment, Wuhai's expression changed drastically, and a look of deep apprehension appeared in his eyes.
Then, as if sensing something, he lowered his gaze to the brass alms bowl in his hand, within which immense righteous energy was churning.
**Boom!!!**
Before Wuhai could cast aside the alms bowl, seemingly endless righteous energy erupted from it, engulfing him in an instant. The layer of Sanskrit golden light shattered simultaneously.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan immediately leaped forward, flicking out a dozen talismans while slashing his long sword towards Wuhai's neck amidst the surging righteous energy.
Zhao Yuansong also acted decisively, forming hand seals and causing his sword to shoot out from the alms bowl with hardened intent. After circling in the air, it plunged directly towards Wuhai's head.
Even Shen Lang, after a low murmur, manipulated the ink sword within the alms bowl to disintegrate, transforming into streaks of thick ink that firmly locked the alms bowl like chains.
However, after a brief moment of disorientation, Wuhai merely smiled at the trio's combined assault.
He caught Ji Yuan's sword with his palm, and the prayer beads on his body flew up, rotating slowly above his head, emitting a soft Buddha light that blocked the sword and sword shadows aimed at his crown.
"Little one, you seem to have forgotten that Buddhist cultivators, besides possessing profound mystic power, also have bodies comparable to warriors of the same realm."
Wuhai smiled slightly, gripping the sword's gleaming edge with his five fingers.
He appeared relaxed. With only one hand, no matter how much Ji Yuan mustered his strength, he could not pull the sword from the monk's grasp.
Even when Ji Yuan attempted to sever the monk's hand with his sword edge, his attempts were in vain, and he could only temporarily abandon the idea.
However, as he looked at Wuhai, he suddenly smiled, "But have you forgotten, we are not just these few people?"
"Oh, right. She doesn't seem to be human either."
As his words fell, Wuhai's brow furrowed, and then a whistling sound of breaking air erupted behind him.
A ferocious surge of energy roared, and a bone fist, glowing with a crystalline sheen, smashed down, striking Wuhai directly on the back!
A golden light surged. Even with the body-protecting divine ability of Buddhism, it was difficult to fully negate the force of this punch, causing Wuhai to stagger and involuntarily shift forward several steps.
It was this punch that weakened the grip in his hand, allowing the long sword, gripped by his five fingers, to break free.
Ji Yuan's eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he twisted his sword, and as he passed Wuhai, he struck at the monk's waist.
However, he had not expected that the yellow monk's robe on the other party was also a magical artifact of decent quality. Despite being torn open by the sword, it protected the body, preventing it from being cut in half on the spot.
"Retreat!"
Seeing Wuhai suddenly turn, his benevolent expression replaced by boundless rage, Ji Yuan grabbed Su Hongzhu, who was about to charge forward and confront him with her fists, and quickly retreated.
"A mere ghost, daring to injure this monk's Dharma body!"
Wuhai roared, torrents of demonic energy mixed with Buddha light surging from within him.
This roar was clearly the Buddhist Lion's Roar divine ability. Its sound, vast as a lion's roar, swept out in all directions.
Ji Yuan and the others felt only a shock to their minds, with no other abnormal sensations. It was Su Hongzhu, however, beside him, whose face turned extremely grim.
Even in her true form as a crimson-powdered skeleton, her innate characteristic of being impervious to all spells caused her essence to fluctuate under this Buddhist divine ability, nearly causing her to dissipate.
At the same time, Wuhai reached for his head, gathering the prayer beads into his palm, and then flung them forcefully towards Ji Yuan and Su Hongzhu.
As they hurtled forward, the one hundred and eight prayer beads shone with Buddha light, their majestic momentum pressing down like mountains.
Undoubtedly, if struck by this attack, Ji Yuan would be crushed into a bloody pulp on the spot. Even Su Hongzhu, in her crimson-powdered skeleton form, would have her bones shattered.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan immediately flicked his sleeve, and three copper coins dropped out, forming a triangle around the two.
In an instant, the spiritual energy accumulated within the three copper coins surged, transforming into a semi-transparent light screen that protected Ji Yuan and Su Hongzhu.
The next moment, the one hundred and eight prayer beads pierced through the air, crashing heavily onto the light screen supported by the three copper coins.
For a moment, a heavy sound echoed, causing even the ground beneath their feet to tremble.
A grave look flashed in Ji Yuan's eyes. With just one collision, the light screen was on the verge of collapse, and the spiritual energy within the three Three-Talent Treasured Coins had been consumed by a third, their spiritual light dimming considerably.
Looking at the situation, the three copper coins could withstand only two more attacks from the prayer beads before their accumulated spiritual energy would be depleted, and even their inherent spirituality would be greatly damaged.
"Scram!"
After throwing the prayer beads, Wuhai roared again. He tore off his monk's robe and then flung it forcefully upwards.
With the swirling of the robe, Zhao Yuansong's long sword was instantly knocked away, and even the four sword shadows collapsed in an instant, their resulting sword energy scattered.
Wuhai flung his robe, his face contorted with rage. The benevolent expression was gone, and after shedding the robe, the surging demonic energy within him became uncontrollable, sweeping out mightily.
Ignoring Zhao Yuansong and the others behind him, he strode towards Ji Yuan. With a beckoning gesture, the prayer beads suspended in mid-air flew back into his palm.
"Amitabha, why must you continue to struggle..."
Wuhai sighed, but as the words left his mouth, his brow furrowed.
The talismans Ji Yuan had previously thrown rose from the ground, encircling Wuhai.
As the talisman cores were ignited by the pre-infused essence, the dozen or so talismans transformed into various attacks, engulfing Wuhai in an instant.
"Heavenly Sword Talisman... Slash!"
Ji Yuan's eyes gleamed as he tossed out a talisman radiating a brilliant rainbow light. Once its core was ignited, surging spiritual energy condensed into a giant sword, about ten feet in size.
Countless sword energies churned on its blade. With a brief pause, it slashed down from the air towards Wuhai not far away!