Supreme Sword Exalt

Inside the Tianlong Temple in the Western Desert, several young monks lowered their heads in shame before a middle-aged monk. “Our cultivation of the mind is insufficient. We failed to grasp the true meaning of the Buddha’s Dharma and thus could not withstand the trial of the third pass. The only one of us still on the Gold List is Senior Brother Hui Ren.”

The middle-aged monk shook his head without a hint of reproach. “It does not matter. Buddhist cultivation emphasizes clarifying the mind and seeing one’s true nature. You are still young, so a lack of mental fortitude is understandable. Remember, no matter how wonderful the Gold List is, it is ultimately an external thing.

“Nothing good will ever come from getting attached to it. Just work hard and cultivate in the future. Awaken to your original mind, and you will attain enlightenment and perceive the Buddha’s truth!”

The monks pressed their palms together and bowed. “Understood.”

Just then, a monk hesitated. “We saw Wu Xin. He seemed to have gone mad again.”

The middle-aged monk seemed concerned. After a moment, he looked up at the Gold List, gently brushing his monastic robe. “Enough. You may go for now. I will inform Senior about this matter myself—hmm?”

Just then, his expression changed slightly. Light shimmered faintly around him, and he vanished in an instant.

***

The area outside the Tianlong Temple was enveloped in light, peaceful and serene. However, something seemed to affect the light as it flickered slightly. On the distant horizon, dozens of dark dots approached rapidly from afar. In the blink of an eye, they landed outside the temple. Although they weren’t deliberately urging their cultivations, their auras intertwined, exerting immense pressure.

Among the group, Yun Tu stepped forward, beaming. “Everyone, we’ve arrived.”

Just then, the middle-aged monk landed before everyone. He pressed his palms together. “Amitabha. Who are you, and what brings you here?”

Besides Yun Tu, there were seven or eight Feather Transformation cultivators, while the rest were Saint and Transcendent realm cultivators. No power within the five domains, except for the Central Dao Palace, could withstand such strength. Moreover, these people vaguely gave him a very strange feeling.

Yun Tu smiled sincerely. “Master Yuan Jue, I am Yun Tu, sect master of The Resurrect. I have come today to welcome the return of my god. I hope you will make things easier.”

Yuan Jue was the middle-aged monk’s name. Upon hearing this, he suddenly understood and finally realised where that strange feeling came from.

Over a decade ago, a group of people attempted to force their way into the God-Slaying Formation. By the time he discovered them, they were already dead for reasons unknown. The feeling they gave off was almost identical to what these people before him were giving off now.

***

As usual, inside the God-Slaying Formation, the old monk sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, quietly chanting sutras. He stopped as if sensing something. After a moment of silence, he sighed softly, looking bitter. Just now, he faintly perceived that the light he had left inside Wu Xin had been broken.

He knew very well what this meant. “Man proposes, but heaven disposes.”

His Buddhist Dharma was profound, his origins mysterious, and he had spent over a hundred years with Wu Xin. Of course, he understood that no matter how much he schemed, he could only delay the demon fetus’ complete awakening, not prevent it. He just hadn’t expected this day to come so quickly.

He then glanced outside, the bitterness on his face deepening. “Great disaster is approaching.”

The old monk vanished, leaving only the thousand-zhang severed head floating silently above, its state unknown.

***

Upon seeing Yuan Jue silent, Yun Tu maintained his cheerful expression. “Please, don’t cause more trouble for us.”

All the cultivators behind him stared intently at Yuan Jue. Although they weren’t deliberately displaying their cultivation, the auras of dozens of people connected gave Yan Jue immense pressure.

Although he didn’t know what Yun Tu was trying to do, Yan Jue wasn’t going to lower his guard since it involved the God-Slaying Formation. He immediately shook his head. “Benefactor, please go back on your way.”

Yun Tu raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Please die.”

A green light suddenly rose from him. It was hazy and dim, enveloping the entire sky above the Tianlong Temple. The green light transformed into boundless green flames, scorching hot. Wherever they spread, be it light or space, everything cracked and broke.

With a cry, a hundred-zhang-sized green dragon head appeared within the flames. As the flames continued to gather, an equally colossal body grew behind the head. With its might shaking the heavens, the dragon lunged at Yuan Jue, intent on tearing him apart.

The green dragon, Yun Ao, said, “Bald donkey, move aside quickly! Don’t ruin my important business!”

Yuan Jue’s expression changed slightly. Oh no!

This green dragon’s cultivation far surpassed his, nearly reaching the Ascension realm.

Still, he couldn’t possibly just leave?

As he pressed his palms together, boundless light surged from him. “Amitabha.”

The light condensed into a thousand-zhang swastika Buddhist seal. Carrying an aura of tranquility and peace, it imprinted toward the dragon head.

The green dragon spat. “Enough. Since you’re asking for death, don’t blame me.”

A hazy green light scattered down, erasing the swastika Buddhist seal. The green light paused briefly, then continued to fall toward Yuan Jue.

Enveloped in the green light, Yuan Jue felt as if he was trapped in a mire, unable to break free. He felt like he was about to be dragged into another space.

Just then, three Saint realm monks from the Tianlong Temple came to help. “Abbot!”

Yuan Jue’s heart dropped and he quickly shouted, “Fall back!”

Yun Tu smiled, and the people behind him understood what this meant. A Feather Transformation cultivator’s form trembled slightly, and a dark light descended toward the three monks.

Just then, someone chanted in an aged voice, “Amitabha.”

What had seemed unremarkable at first suddenly swelled into a thunderclap, striking everyone’s ears. That dark light exploded violently. The Feather Transformation cultivator turned pale as a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

The Buddhist chant did not cease. A several-thousand-zhang Buddha projection rose and landed before Yuan Jue, carrying grief and bitterness. As boundless light condensed around it, it gently swept its palm through the air, forming a massive hand that met the green light head-on.

The green light trembled for a moment, then shattered to pieces. At the same time, the Buddha projection retreated over a hundred zhangs. Clearly, although its cultivation surpassed Yun Ao’s, taking on a strike from the Dragon Seal was not easy for it.

With a roar, the green dragon transformed into Yun Ao. He smiled at the Buddha projection. “Bald donkey, stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you anyway. Why come and wade into these muddy waters? The ancient path is already open now. I advise you to go back where you came from. Or would you rather stay here to die.”

The Buddha projection dispersed, transforming into boundless light that sank into the old monk. “Benefactor, please think thrice. If the God-Slaying Formation stirs, it will surely lead to widespread suffering, and peaceful days will be hard to come by again.”

Yun Ao put his hands behind his back. “How is that my problem?”

Yun Tu also smiled at the old monk. “I take it you’re determined to stand in our way?”

The old monk didn’t budge.

The smile on Yun Tu’s face gradually faded, and he sighed softly. “IIf you make the wrong decision here, every monk of the Tianlong Temple will perish because of you. Even then, would you still insist? Could you still call yourself a monk?”

His followers pushed their cultivation to the extreme. The momentum was so great that even space shattered.

Yuan Jue’s face turned pale. “Senior, what should we do now?”

The old monk pressed his palms together and lowered his eyes. “Dismiss the monks. Evacuate the cultivators and mortals for ten thousand li. Quickly send word of this to the fellow daoists of the Western Extreme Holy Demon Sect, and evacuate everyone from the Western Desert region.”

“Even those demonic cultivators?”

“Demonic cultivators are not demons.”

Yuan Jue’s face showed shame, feeling his own state was far inferior to the old monk’s. “Okay, I understand. Senior, but you—”

“Go.”

Yuan Jue’s gaze dimmed as he understood the old monk’s choice. At the same time, he also knew he could be of no help here. Suppressing his sorrow, he returned to the temple.