Ning Baiyi, still shaken, hurriedly jumped out of the battle.
Quan Suhuan stood outside the door, peering in, her gaze fixed on Zhong Xiang Sheng's face.
It was vaguely as she remembered him.
Then she frowned in disgust and cursed, "You bringer of bad luck! You can't even die in peace!"
Mo Yun swung his long sword, leaped up, and the next second, a heavy punch slammed into the ground, shattering the fine bluestone slabs.
Zhong Xiang Sheng let out a muffled roar, the blood flow from his severed left wrist stopped, he picked up the severed palm, pressed it to the wound, and ghostly faces converged, trying to reattach the sinews and bones, but a sharp sword intent lingered in the wound, preventing it from healing.
"Excellent swordsmanship! To enter the gap with no thickness, like a butcher dismembering an ox, nothing more!"
This statement, coming from a wealthy young master who had never learned any martial arts, seemed very incongruous. The mutated Quan Hongming, or rather, Zhong Xiang Sheng, was not merely a physical mutation; he had another personality and soul within him!
Mo Yun walked up to Simon, staring at the young monk with a cold and calm gaze.
"Miaoji, let me tell you, I didn't take the path you chose for me."
Simon nodded, smiling peacefully, "You're doing very well. Go fight with confidence; leave the rest to me."
Mo Yun casually flicked his sleeve, holding his sword to block a sharp nail behind him.
It was hard to believe that Zhong Xiang Sheng's massive, ten-foot body could launch such a silent attack, but it was true. As time passed, this monster was still growing stronger; a layer of protective true qi had begun to cover his body, actually developing internal energy!
Mo Yun's steps were like a dragon's as he swung his sword at Zhong Xiang Sheng from a distance. The formless, invisible sword qi only showed its presence when it struck Zhong Xiang Sheng.
The demon pursued relentlessly, but each time it leaped a certain distance, it was struck in the foot by sword qi, stumbling and struggling to move.
This repeated, like playing with a monkey.
Zhong Xiang Sheng's rage grew even stronger, ghostly faces on his body glowed with blood-red light, stretching out crimson threads as he moved. Soon, Zhong Xiang Sheng resembled a red-furred ape, or rather, a red ghostly shadow, floating forward. Mo Yun's sword qi cut through his red fur without effect, unable to cause any further injury.
Mo Yun sheathed his sword, standing still, staring intently at the red demon before him.
Within it, a stronger aura was brewing—no, it was descending!
The ghostly faces wailed without sound, yet their terrifying shrieks echoed in everyone's minds. The monks of Great Xiangguo Temple, still chanting, fainted without a sound. Ning Baiyi, outside the battle, saw Quan Suhuan swaying and quickly went to transfer qi to protect her mind.
Simon chanted softly, "Amitabha!" The ghostly wailing immediately ceased.
Zhong Xiang Sheng burst into laughter, like two giant stones clashing in his chest, and two majestic gazes shot out from the head wrapped in red fur.
Above the sky, dark clouds gathered, and a chilling wind and cold snow fell rustlingly.
"Young monk, you're quite good!"
A strange voice emanated from the red furred mass.
It had mutated again!
Simon also smiled, "I've finally been waiting for you!"
The next moment, the red fur on Zhong Xiang Sheng's body receded, revealing a completely new body. What stood there was a tall, muscular man, still ten feet tall, but no longer a monster's form, but a divine demon!
He wore a beast-skull helmet, two pairs of pale, sharp long horns like sky-piercing torches, a resolute and handsome face, a wild and fierce bushy beard, a bare torso, a bronze-cast body covered in crimson ancient abstract patterns, a tattered cloak billowing like a battle flag, a savage beast-hide armor on his lower body, a long wooden saber at his waist, red iron boots on his feet, and a crimson long python coiled around his right arm, flicking its tongue, its snake eyes fierce.
The incarnation of Xiang Shu, the reincarnation of Chi You.
Xue Feng!
"What a weak body!" Xue Feng clenched his fist, "However, to kill you, it's more than enough!"
He drew the long saber from his waist and charged forward, his first target surprisingly being Simon!
However, Xue Feng stopped midway, suddenly turning back, as two streaks of sword qi, like frost flying from under leaves, flashed into light and pierced Xue Feng's eyes.
Mo Yun's eyes streamed with blood.
Eye-witnessing technique, Heart Sword unsheathed!
"Ah!—"
Xue Feng's head throbbed with pain; he fiercely pounded his own head three times, "You brat are seeking death! Then I will kill you first!"
Before he could finish speaking, at this moment, Kun Qing Daoist stumbled out of the Buddhist hall. He was disheveled and wild in demeanor, "Five Thunders, come!"
He threw out a talisman, which exploded in mid-air.
Boom!
Lightning struck!
Directly hitting Xue Feng!
Simon shook his head and chuckled, "What reincarnation of Chi You, simply the weakest of the weak." He threw the epiphyllum ghost fruit in his hand, which collided with the continuous lightning energy.
A strong light erupted!
Simon activated his Heavenly Eye.
Xue Feng's superior affinity orb was completely filled with grey traces.
It could be confirmed that these grey traces represented the power of Xiang Shu, representing the power that deviated from the operation of the Heavenly Dao.
Death energy and lightning energy clashed, the superior affinity fluctuated, washing away the grey traces.
A point of spiritual light burst forth from The Core of Xue Feng's superior affinity orb, temporarily dispelling the grey traces by the opportunity of creation.
In the lightning, Xue Feng strode forward. His body was covered in dense cracks, but his eyes showed no pain, only a heroic exhilaration.
"Not bad, it's rare to have a chance to break free from Xiang Shu's control," he said to Simon with his arms crossed, "I can only be clear-headed for a little while. I have a few useless words I want to say to you. Whether you listen or not is up to you; I won't force it."
The others watched the giant warily, fearing he might suddenly attack, while Simon gestured for Xue Feng to speak, his gaze, however, followed the departed souls.
After the lightning baptism, they shed their resentment and death energy, their superior affinity orbs as pure as living beings, only becoming exceptionally ethereal. Now they could enter reincarnation.
Of course, they could also enter the Pure Land Pearl.
The souls of several monks who believed in Lu Yuan Bodhisattva circled around Simon like pilgrims, unwilling to leave, and eventually flew into the Pure Land.
The remaining ones dissipated into the air, their superior affinity orbs merging into the entire vast superior affinity, going to be reborn.
Xue Feng said in a deep voice, "In ancient times, there was a demon god causing havoc, named Shu. Later, an extraordinary person cut down Shu at Mount Kunlun, staining the sky with blood. People at the time thought this demon was dead and the world was at peace, but unexpectedly, the demon's blood seeped into the origin of the Divine Land through the geomantic dragon veins, and evil qi grew in heaven and earth. Human hearts have good and evil; evil tendencies gathered the evil qi, transforming into a heart demon, which is Xiang Shu. The pivot of a hundred forms, without a physical body, existing in the dark corners of all beings' hearts."
Kun Qing Daoist couldn't help but nod, "No wonder those who are extremely sad fall into evil and become demons; so, demons arise from the heart!"
Xue Feng nodded, "To curb Xiang Shu, high-ranking individuals throughout history have delved into extraordinary methods, and the most successful was a tenth-generation extraordinary person. In each life, he would forge a Divine Sword, each with its own divine abilities. By the tenth generation, he even forged the Fu Yu Divine Sword." He sighed regretfully, "It truly is a divine artifact. The Fu Yu Divine Sword can gather all of the sword master's internal energy, martial arts, and memories, passed down through generations, to reach the peak of strength. Furthermore, combined with secret methods and incantations, it can awaken those who have lost their minds and dispel demonic nature."
Kun Qing asked, "Where is the Fu Yu Divine Sword now?"
"I sensed that not long ago, the Divine Sword was born, but it broke immediately, presumably because the sword master was killed by Xiang Shu."
Everyone sighed upon hearing this.
Simon watched as the grey traces gathered again in Xue Feng's superior affinity orb, trying to suppress them with his mind.
The moment he touched the grey traces.
The world before his eyes inverted.
...
Dark void.
A pair of pale eyes lit up, with colorful, intricately patterned rings rotating around them. In the center was a clear mirror, reflecting the myriad forms of the mortal world, like two wondrous and extraordinary thangkas.
A faint whisper.
"This Seat... sees you... you will eventually..."
Simon struck out with a palm, and Mount Sumeru pushed horizontally, crushing the eyes.
"Ah!"
The darkness dissipated.
Xue Feng frowned, "Are you listening? My time of clarity is running out."
"Of course, speak," Simon blinked, a half-smile on his face.
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