RNP Chapter 11 Bloodbath 3
Chapter 11 Bloodbath 3
Upon seeing this, Master Shenmeng knew that Hanji's conviction was not something he could easily shake, so he no longer clung to the idea of saving him. He uttered a clear and resonant Buddhist chant that echoed throughout the surrounding area: "Amitabha."
He suddenly recalled the great vow made by the holy monk Sumeru years ago, the vow "I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty." The higher one's cultivation, the more one can appreciate the immense weight it carries. Buddhist light flowed around him, yet it could not wash away the compassion and solemnity between his brows: "Killing a person is only a matter of a single thought, a snap of the fingers; but to save a person requires a lifetime of effort, guiding them back from the wrong path. And the most difficult thing in 'saving all of hell' is never saving all the demons and monsters of the nine netherworlds, but saving the endless hell deep within people's hearts, which breeds greed, anger, and ignorance."
"Since you are so stubborn, I have no choice but to risk my life."
As soon as he finished speaking, Master Shenmeng's holy aura exploded outwards, sweeping in all directions like a raging sea. His originally kind and gentle face suddenly turned into a wide-open, furious expression, revealing the fierce and demon-subduing nature of a Vajra. His hands flew like butterflies, forming an extremely profound Buddhist mudra, which was none other than the Fearless Lion Mudra, one of the eighteen ultimate techniques of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Path in the Kunlun Realm!
This mudra is derived from the Fearless Mudra, one of the Seven Great Mudras of Buddhism. It is a truly supreme and perfected sacred technique. Once the mudra is completed, the dazzling Buddhist light soars straight into the heavens, actually condensing into a ten-thousand-foot-tall divine lion in the void. The lion's mane burns like golden flames, its head is ferocious, its huge mouth is wide open, and it lets out a roar that shatters the soul. Wherever the sound wave reaches, the space within a radius of ten thousand miles is completely reduced to ashes. The Buddhist light also sweeps away evil spirits from all directions like a tide. Wherever it passes, evil and filth are gone.
"Good timing!"
Seeing this, Han Ji was not afraid at all. Instead, he laughed wildly to the sky. The blood blade in his hand suddenly burst out with dazzling holy runes. On the blade, supreme inscriptions swam like dragons and snakes. It was actually a supreme holy artifact!
He raised his hand and unleashed a slash, pouring all his holy rules and holy energy into it. The blade's light swept across the sky, cleaving through heaven and earth. It was a sword technique he had painstakingly cultivated—the Overlord Demon God.
This strike, imbued with Han Ji's lifelong mastery of the sword, represented his ultimate achievement in the art. Its power was so immense it could split the heavens and earth, tearing apart the universe. A crimson sword rainbow streaked across the sky, leveling the clouds and mist that swept through it, cracking the earth, and causing mountains to crumble. Even the ten-thousand-foot-tall divine lion-like Buddha light condensed by Master Shenmeng trembled violently under this strike, showing signs of dissipating!
Between heaven and earth, the power of Buddha and sword collided violently, and the resulting energy storm was enough to make even ordinary Great Saint Realm experts fear and avoid it at all costs!
The wisps of smoke dissipated with the wind, and two figures faced each other in the sky above the canyon, while the strong wind swirled the remaining clouds, making a rustling sound.
Master Shenmeng's monk's robe was torn in half by the chilling blade energy, revealing a withered yet upright body beneath. That body seemed to be cast from multicolored glazed glass, with fine blade marks faintly visible on its surface, yet not a trace of blood seeped out. This was the Great Floating Pagoda Glazed Body, one of the eighteen ultimate techniques of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect. This body was based on Buddha bones, tempered by Buddha light, indestructible through countless eons; even the most powerful holy weapons could not harm its very essence.
"Fortunately, your swordsmanship has not yet reached the divine realm." Master Shenmeng's voice boomed like a bell, shaking the void. "Otherwise, even my crystal body would not have been able to withstand this single strike."
Master Shenmeng was a senior member of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect in the Kunlun Realm. He had read all eighteen unique skills of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect. Among them, the Great Floating Pagoda Glazed Body and the Fearless Lion Seal were his main unique skills, which he had already perfected to the point of being supreme holy arts.
Opposite him, Han Ji stood, sword in hand, his body stained with blood, his face ashen and iron-like. His hand, gripping the blood-soaked blade, trembled uncontrollably, the blade humming as if venting its resentment. He had poured all his sword cultivation into that final strike, expecting to cleave the old monk's defenses in one blow. But he hadn't anticipated that the old monk would have mastered several supreme-level techniques, including swordsmanship, hand seals, and a body-refining method, managing to withstand his deadly attack.
"Old monk, you are truly remarkable." Han Ji licked the bloodstains from the corner of his lips, his eyes filled with even more killing intent. "You have actually mastered several supreme-level holy techniques at the same time. No wonder you dare to block my way."
"Amitabha." Master Shenmeng clasped his hands together, and Buddhist light emanated from his crystal-clear body, transforming into countless golden lotuses. "Benefactor, the sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore. Since you are surrendering now, this humble monk can still decide to spare your life. To be honest, my strength is not the strongest in the Kunlun Realm. If the other fellow Daoists had arrived, you would already be a wisp of a dead soul."
"Trying to scare me?" Han Ji threw his head back and laughed wildly, his laughter so shrill that it rippled through the surrounding void. "Old monk, I'll kill you first, then raze the Kunlun Realm to the ground, dig three feet into the earth, and find out the secrets hidden within your Kunlun Realm! All the gods of my Temple of Destiny are already outside the Kunlun Realm. Sooner or later, the Kunlun Realm will be mine!"
Upon hearing Han Ji's words, Master Shenmeng's pupils constricted sharply. As a high-ranking member of the Myriad Buddhas Path, how could he not know the secrets of the Ancient God War? A God Venerable was the strongest being in the God Realm, capable of destroying a great world with a mere flick of the wrist. After the Ancient God War, all the gods of the Kunlun Realm perished, and even True Gods were now legends. Now, let alone the descent of a God Venerable, even a single True God could turn the Kunlun Realm upside down.
The last true Buddha of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Path, "True Buddha Yuanji," left a prophecy before his death: "There is great terror outside the Kunlun Realm. Cultivators must not step out of the realm gate even half a step, otherwise, they will surely invite calamity from beyond the heavens." At the time, he thought it was just the old Buddha being overly cautious, but now he realizes that True Buddha Yuanji had already foreseen today's situation. This Kunlun Realm has long been surrounded by the powerful forces of the Hell Realm, like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
"Amitabha!" Master Shenmeng uttered a low shout, his body radiating a burst of Buddhist light, five-colored glazed holy light soaring into the sky and condensing into a ten-thousand-foot-tall Dharma image. The Dharma image was surrounded by nine-grade golden lotuses, its Buddhist and Taoist divine aura spreading for tens of thousands of miles. His palms were clasped together, his compassionate face revealing a chilling killing intent. "Benefactor Hanji, although your Deity of Destiny Temple is powerful, the Kunlun Realm is protected by the Great Array of Heaven and Earth. Even the might of a Deity cannot penetrate my realm! You should first ensure your own safety!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the ten-thousand-foot-tall Dharma Image thrust out with both palms.
Boom!
The palm strike was like a celestial river overturning, shattering thousands of miles of void. Cracks spread across the void like a spider web, and the violent Buddhist power transformed into a golden torrent, carrying the power to destroy everything, and crushed towards Han Ji.
"You're courting death!" A fierce glint flashed in Han Ji's eyes. He raised his blood-red blade high, its blade surging with murderous aura that coalesced into a long, crimson river. "Asura Annihilation Slash!"
With a single horizontal slash, the long river reversed its course, the blade's energy tore through the heavens and earth, and collided violently with the golden torrent of Buddhist power.
A deafening roar shook the heavens, and a terrifying shockwave swept in all directions, instantly leveling the already barren canyon. The earth cracked open, and from the bottomless fissures, crimson magma gushed forth, transforming into pillars of fire that shot straight into the sky. The canyon, which was originally hundreds of thousands of miles wide, was forcibly expanded to a million miles by this single blow, a truly horrifying sight.
Unlike this earth-shattering battle, in another corner of the endless abyss, the clamor of the battlefield seemed to be isolated by an invisible barrier.
On a suspended blue stone platform, two figures sat facing each other, playing chess.
Beside the stone platform, a chilling wind blew, and ghostly energy swirled around, but it was kept at bay by a layer of righteous energy, preventing it from getting close.
The one holding the white pieces was Shen Wencang, a venerable Confucian and Taoist elder from the Kunlun Realm. His hair and beard were entirely white, and he wore a blue Confucian robe. A righteous aura emanated from him, transforming into a thin, star-like veil that shielded him from the ghostly energy of the underworld. He moved his pieces with lightning speed and fluid grace, laughing, "Brother Chu is actually a direct disciple of the Southern Ghost Emperor of Fengdu Ghost City. No wonder your cultivation is so profound; you're already a peak Great Sage at such a young age."
The one holding the black pieces was Chu Lan from Fengdu Ghost City. He wore a black brocade robe, had a handsome face, and looked to be no more than twenty years old, yet his brows revealed a composure beyond his years. His chess style was ethereal and unpredictable; every time he placed a piece, a chilling wind would accompany it. He chuckled lightly upon hearing this, "Kunlun Realm truly lives up to its reputation as an eternally indestructible great world. Even after the ancient war of gods, when all the gods perished, it still managed to produce a peerless figure like Mr. Shen. His righteous aura is as blazing as the sun, and it even managed to suppress the ghostly aura of the Yellow Springs surrounding me. I, Chu, admire you."
He picked up a black chess piece with his fingertips and gently placed it down, his tone tinged with regret: "It's a pity that Mr. Shen was born at the wrong time. If it were in the Kunlun Realm fifty thousand years ago, you would probably have already attained godhood and been revered by cultivators from all the heavens and myriad realms."
One move, and the world changes.
On the chessboard, a sudden, eerie wind arose, and endless ghostly energy from the underworld condensed, transforming into a terrifying ghost realm. Within this realm, ghosts howled and wolves howled, and countless ferocious ghostly figures darted about, aggressively spreading towards the area occupied by the white pieces, attempting to devour them completely.
Shen Wencang stroked his beard and smiled calmly, then raised his hand and placed a piece on the board.
hum!
A majestic and righteous aura rose from the chessboard, transforming into a towering tree. The tree was lush and verdant, its righteous energy shining like the blazing sun. Wherever it passed, ghostly energy dissipated, and ghostly shadows howled. With a crack, the tree pierced through the entire ghostly realm, shattering it into pieces.
Chu Lan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not panic. He placed another piece on the board.
The scattered ghostly energy of the Netherworld regrouped like a tide, coalescing into a ball of pitch-black will-o'-the-wisp. The will-o'-the-wisp rose, the temperature plummeted, and even the void itself emitted wisps of black smoke. The moment it appeared, it reduced the towering tree formed from righteous energy to ashes. The flames then spread, transforming into a ferocious dragon of ghostly flames, which, with a single swipe of its claws, devoured the white pieces on the chessboard.
A glint flashed in Shen Wencang's eyes, but he showed no sign of panic. Holding a white piece, he pondered for a moment before placing it on the chessboard.
This move, once placed, was like a stabilizing force.
Boundless righteous energy erupted from the chessboard, condensing into a blazing sun that hung high above it. The sun shone brightly, its radiant light unleashing a torrent of righteous energy that extinguished ghostly flames and caused the dragon to wail in its wake. In moments, the ferocious dragon of ghostly flames vanished without a trace under the sun's rays.
Chu Lan looked down at the chessboard and saw that the large black group had been cut off by the white pieces, unable to support each other, and the game was already lost.
Shen Wencang put the white pieces back into the chess box, stroked his beard and laughed: "The large dragon has been broken. This game is won by this old man. Brother Chu, it seems that your trip to Kunlun Realm this time will be fruitless."
Chu Lan lowered his gaze to the unfinished game on the chessboard. The black and white pieces intertwined, resembling a battlefield where two armies faced off. Although the large black group had been cut off, the outcome seemed uncertain. He gently stroked a black piece that had not yet been placed, remaining silent for a long while before suddenly looking up at Shen Wencang opposite him. A meaningful smile played on his lips: "Mr. Shen, I'm afraid you're speaking too soon. A game of chess is like a battle; until the very last piece is placed, who can truly predict the outcome?"
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Wencang stroked his beard and chuckled, his aged voice carrying a hint of knowing mockery: "Oh? Is that so? Then take a closer look."
The moment he finished speaking, Shen Wencang picked up a white chess piece with his withered fingers and seemingly casually placed it in the center of the chessboard.
This move, once made, was like a thunderclap breaking the silence!
The black stones, which had just managed to breathe a little, had their path to survival completely severed by this one white stone. The crisscrossing white stones instantly formed an impenetrable net, sealing off the entire board. The struggling black stones were immediately trapped in a desperate situation, with no chance of escape whatsoever.
Chu Lan's pupils suddenly contracted, his gaze fixed on the chessboard, and the smile on his face instantly froze. He subconsciously reached out to move a chess piece, his fingertips hovering in mid-air, but then he abruptly stopped.
In the deathly silence, he looked at the white piece that had decided the outcome, then swept his gaze over the black pieces that represented a dead end on the board. The shock on his face deepened, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.
"How could this happen?"
He had clearly calculated a way out three steps away, so why was he completely blocked by this one move?
A chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Chu Lan stared blankly at the chessboard, unable to utter a word for a long time. All the resentment and astonishment in his heart turned into a blank look on his face.
Before the words were finished, a deafening explosion suddenly came from the distant horizon, and a terrifying pressure descended, causing even the stone platform that isolated the battlefield to tremble violently.