Longyou Circuit, Prefecture.
Baosha Temple's back mountain, Forbidden Land.
It should have been a pure land of Buddhism, but at this moment, it was permeated with a sickening, sweet, and bloody stench.
Three figures stood guard outside the pitch-black cave entrance, arranged in a triangular formation.
"It's been three days."
Forgetting the Mundane stared intently at the deep, dark cave entrance, his throat dry.
"Senior Brother, is that Forget-Infatuation... truly reliable?"
Forgetting Thought, standing beside him, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, the flesh on his plump face trembling incessantly.
"What if he isn't reliable?"
"Abbot Senior Brother is already nearing the end of his Lifespan. If we take a gamble, perhaps there's a sliver of hope, but if we just wait for death..."
Before he could finish speaking.
ROAR—!!!
An extremely mournful beast roar suddenly exploded from the depths of the cave.
Immediately following.
RUMBLE—
The entire back mountain seemed to be shaking.
A plume of black smoke, accompanied by Demonic Qi, surged wildly from the cave entrance.
The originally withered yellow vegetation instantly turned into ash upon touching this black Qi.
"This... this is..."
All three of their expressions drastically changed, and they subconsciously retreated several steps.
"Damn it!"
Forgetting Thought gritted his teeth, "I knew Forget-Infatuation was a lunatic! How could the Spirit Seizing Technique be that easy..."
However.
Just as the three of them were filled with worry.
"Vile beast! How dare you still act fierce?!"
Judging by the voice.
It was precisely that Young Monk, Forget-Infatuation!
Immediately after.
BUZZ—
The Demonic Qi that had been rampaging wildly.
Instantly froze solid.
Roar... howl... whimper... The mournful beast roar rapidly changed from initial rage to terror, and finally to a pleading whimper.
Eventually.
It gradually weakened until it completely vanished.
The Forbidden Land on the back mountain returned to deadly silence.
"Suc—... succeeded?"
Forgetting the Mundane swallowed, his eyes wide, staring disbelievingly at the pitch-black cave entrance.
Forgetting Thought and Wang Jue exchanged glances, not daring to breathe loudly.
After a few breaths.
Steady, powerful footsteps slowly emerged from the darkness.
A powerful and peerless Aura surged out explosively!
BOOM—!!!
Waves of air rolled, and dust flew everywhere.
The three felt a tightness in their chests, forced to continuously retreat by this Aura.
When the dust settled.
A tall, slender figure stood before the cave entrance, hands clasped behind his back.
"This..."
The moment they clearly saw the person.
The three were struck dumb as if by lightning.
They saw the newcomer was wearing tattered kasaya robes, his posture as straight as a pine tree.
Where was the slightest trace of the decrepit, dying old man they knew before?
His face was like polished jade, and his eyes were like bright stars.
His skin was smooth and luminous; only the hint of vicissitudes etched between his brows retained a familiar shadow.
Returning to youth!
"Abbot... Senior Brother?"
"What is it?"
The Young Monk raised his eyes slightly, lifted his hand, and gazed at his powerful palm, his eyes filled with intoxication.
"Don't recognize this old monk?"
Although his appearance had completely changed.
But this voice, this tone, clearly belonged to Abbot Worry-Free!
"Congratulations, Abbot Senior Brother! Heartfelt congratulations, Abbot Senior Brother!"
Wang Jue reacted fastest, dropping to his knees with a thud, trembling with excitement.
"Divine skill Major Achievement! Lifespan renewed! My Baosha Temple... is destined to flourish!"
Forgetting the Mundane and Forgetting Thought awoke as if from a dream, hastily kneeling down and burying their heads deep into the dirt.
"Rise, all of you."
Abbot Worry-Free waved his hand casually.
Following his movement.
ROAR—
A low roar sounded behind him.
The three subconsciously looked up.
They saw light and shadow distorting in the Void Realm behind the Abbot.
The phantom image of a Leopard Demon, covered in coin patterns, with a lithe physique and radiating fierce hostility, slowly emerged!
The Leopard Demon's eyes were blood-red, and its fangs were sharp and dense.
Spiritual Seal!
He truly refined the Great Demon!
Forgetting the Mundane felt his scalp tingle.
This is... the method of the Immortal Burial Pass?
This is Spirit Seizing?!
"Ink Dot Realm has been achieved."
Abbot Worry-Free took a deep breath, feeling the majestic power surging through his body like a great river.
"It is time to make the Demon Suppression Division give my Baosha Temple an explanation..."
...Longyou Circuit, Huangsha Ridge.
"CLANG—!!!"
Several figures moved and stumbled amidst the wind and sand.
"ROAR—!"
An Iron-Backed Azure Ape, easily two people tall, roared toward the sky, its eyes blood-red.
"CLANG!"
As the Azure Ape smashed out a punch.
A burly figure was sent flying backward, retreating dozens of meters before barely managing to stop.
Chen Tong shook his numb arm; faint cracks were already appearing on the horizontal saber in his hand.
"Shit!"
"This beast has thick skin and tough flesh; it must be in the late Bone Resonance Realm! My saber is almost dull, yet I haven't even broken the surface!"
Not far away.
Liu Ke moved nimbly, the long sword in his hand darting out like a venomous snake's tongue, focusing on the Azure Ape's lower body.
Although the beast was massive, it was not clumsy.
Whenever the sword edge approached, a rock-hard tail would sweep over, forcing Liu Ke to withdraw his sword to defend himself.
"Chen Tong, attack its armpit!"
Liu Ke's expression was grave, and his breathing was already somewhat ragged.
"Attack my ass!"
Chen Tong cursed, "This beast's defense is airtight, and those useless Wang Xiaoer and his crew are hiding behind playing dead. It looks like the three of us are going to die here today!"
Behind the massive rock.
Wang Xiaoer poked his head out, trembling as he said, "Hold on! All of you, hold on!"
"I've already sent someone for help! Reinforcements will be here soon!"
Chen Tong laughed in furious disbelief, "By the time reinforcements arrive, we brothers will have long turned into this beast's droppings!"
"Amitabha."
No Abstinence the monk sighed, "How about we retreat..."
As he spoke.
The Azure Ape seemed annoyed by the disturbance of a few flies and let out another furious roar to the sky.
The Demonic Qi around its body surged violently.
It violently pounded its chest with both fists, producing deep, muffled thuds.
Following that.
This behemoth actually leaped high into the air, obscuring the dim yellow sun above, and smashed down fiercely toward the three men.
Shadow enveloped them.
"Let's risk it all!"
A fierce glint flashed in Chen Tong's eyes; he gripped his saber with both hands, his blood and Qi surging throughout his body.
Liu Ke also held his long sword across his chest, his face showing grim determination.
The Azure Ape sneered.
Ridiculous.
A few Black Skins who weren't even in the Bone Resonance Realm dared to come looking for trouble with it.
"Die for me!!!"
The massive palm descended.
A bloody stench rushed into their faces.
Just at this critical moment.
NEIGH—!!!
A high-pitched, excited horse neigh instantly tore through the wind and sand covering the sky.
Immediately after.
A streak of rainbow light suddenly appeared from the edge of the horizon.
Everyone only felt a black shadow flash past.
BOOM—!!!
The ground shook violently.
Dust and smoke rose everywhere.
Chen Tong subconsciously raised his hand to shield his face.
"..."
Once the pervasive dust dispersed slightly.
The few people were finally able to see the scene before them clearly.
A figure that wasn't particularly tall was pressing his hand onto the Azure Ape's thick neck.
Yet, with this simple action.
The Azure Ape was forcibly pressed deep into the sand by this terrifying immense strength!
"Ugh... roar..."
The Azure Ape's eyes bulged out, and its limbs thrashed wildly, trying to escape the hand gripping the nape of its neck—the hand that held its destiny.
However.
Although the palm was fair and slender, with distinct knuckles, appearing as delicate as spring onion.
It was motionless, as if cast from iron and poured with copper.
The figure lowered his head.
Black hair danced, and a red cloak fluttered fiercely.
His cold, clear eyes watched the Demon struggling beneath him with indifference.
The next instant.
The fair hand tightened slightly.
CRACK.
A crisp snap.
The Azure Ape's struggle came to an abrupt end.
Its massive head flopped limply to the side, the fierce light in its eyes rapidly dissipating.
"This... this is..."
Wang Xiaoer poked his head out from behind the boulder, his eyeballs nearly popping out of their sockets.
Before anyone could react.
In the blink of an eye, the Demon's corpse vanished.
Following that.
The figure slowly turned around.
A slight smile curved up the corner of his cold, stunningly beautiful face.
"What a coincidence..."
"Long time no see."