Chapter 168: Great Summer Kingdom's Fate Shield

The Eastern Sword Saint fled.

The core of the Unbeatable Sword technique is: if you can't win, run.

This move truly dazzled the whole audience.

Even Gu Jin Nian couldn't hold back at this moment.

Why did Uncle arrange such a piece for me? The sixth realm of sword Dao? Sword Saint?

Just this?

The scene became awkward for a while.

Even Su Huaiyu hadn't expected that such shameless people still existed in the world, even more shameless than him.

It would be understandable if it were someone else, but a dignified sixth‑realm Sword Saint being like this? Truly disgraceful, better not have come.

"Gu Jin Nian."

"Let the Heavenly Demon Elder come, you still have a sliver of hope."

At that moment, Pu Zheng's voice rang out; he clasped his hands, gazed at Gu Jin Nian, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Yet inside, his heart was cold.

The Buddhist sect had long set a heavenly net here; why does Guiyang County have so many temples? In fact, they form a formation.

Combined with the power of sentient beings' faith, all believers in Guiyang County have been nurturing the spirit of Pu Han Temple for decades.

When Gu Jin Nian spoke of destroying Buddhism, Pu Han Temple began reviving this Buddha true form.

The so‑called Buddha true form is nothing but forged by the faith of sentient beings.

Combined with one of the Buddhist sect's nine great Buddha implements, the Vajra Demon‑Subduing Pestle.

It can unleash incomparable power; even the Heavenly Demon Elder himself must submit.

Let alone Gu Jin Nian?

Of course, it doesn't rule out that Gu Jin Nian has other killing moves.

For example, something like the True Buddha Ancient Scripture.

But there is only one copy in the entire Western Desert, held by the Upper Path Esoteric School.

Gu Jin Nian could not possibly possess such a thing.

He is doing this on purpose now, hoping to anger Gu Jin Nian, make Gu Jin Nian summon the Heavenly Demon Elder and convert him, so that the Buddhist sect would achieve an unprecedented feat.

Of course, they have also heard rumors from the immortal martial world; Gu Jin Nian owes a favor to the Heavenly Demon Elder and has agreed to intervene once.

But they dare not gamble, fearing that if it's a deception, they'd be in trouble.

Therefore, preparing a foolproof plan naturally poses no problem.

Only Gu Jin Nian did not summon the Heavenly Demon Elder; instead, he quietly stared at the Buddha statue.

Gu Jin Nian is not stupid; the other side clearly wants him to call the Heavenly Demon Elder.

He believes the Heavenly Demon Elder certainly has a way to take him away.

But is this the result he wants? The answer is no.

He does not need such a result.

He wants the Buddhist sect to know how strong his desire to destroy Buddhism is, and also to know how disastrous the fate is for those who offend him.

"Om."

The Sanskrit chant sounded again; at this moment, the Vajra Demon‑Subduing Pestle appeared in the Buddha true form's hand.

Above the heavens, the Buddhist true form stood between heaven and earth, gripping the Vajra Demon‑Subduing Pestle, appearing even more solemn and sacred.

Its majestic appearance was resplendent, with countless overlapping shadows; golden Buddha light enveloped everything, various Buddhist divine beasts emerged, exuding an unparalleled aura that covered and suppressed all.

In the end, the Buddha statue grew three heads and six arms, wielding six sacred implements.

One hand held a Buddha bell, gently resonating; its sound rang across ten thousand miles, shattering clouds, deafening the ears.

Another hand grasped a Buddha drum; the drum's deep sound, like thunder, inspired dread.

A third hand held a Buddha bell; its clear tone was captivating, scattering ten thousand rays of light, cleansing the heart.

Another hand bore a Buddha slab; its majestic form, Buddhist law reaching the heavens, shook the world, five‑colored light illuminating the universe.

One hand wielded Buddha cymbals; combined, they possessed boundless power, vast and endless, shaking heaven and earth, Buddhist law boundless.

Finally, with one hand he held a Ruyi, entwined with Three Light Immortal Water, accompanied by wind, fire, and thunder, a series of wonders that astonished all.

This is the Buddhist sect's method.

It was also Gu Jin Nian's first real encounter with the Buddhist sect's might and terror.

The terrifying Buddhist power gave Gu Jin Nian an overwhelming sense of oppression.

At this moment.

Inside Pu Han Temple, fierce winds roared and sand rose; even the monks were deeply shaken before such great power.

In fact, the Buddhist sect in this world has a flaw.

A colossal flaw.

The flaw is that, if true Buddhist law truly exists.

If it didn't, it would be easy to control; throughout history, many incidents of destroying Buddhism occurred, ultimately a struggle between divine authority and royal power.

Generally, the divine authority fails.

After all, gods are false.

But the immortal martial world is different; gods exist, true Buddhas exist, so the common folk naturally believe in reincarnation, hell, and the Pure Land.

Faced with such a scene, if one dares to cross over, Gu Jin Nian, seeing such great power, honestly might not be able to stay steadfast, not converting to the Buddhist sect.

And precisely because of this, the Buddhist sect has many followers, fiercely loyal, because they have witnessed the terror of Buddhist law.

But all this is not reverence.

It is fear.

Mortals' awe of the divine.

The weak's reverence for the strong.

That's all.

"Gu Jin Nian, at this moment, the Buddhist sect is still willing to give you a chance, a chance to reform and start anew."

"Kneel, sincerely submit to the law, admit your faults, apologize to those you have harmed, renounce your Confucian and Daoist cultivation; I, the venerable monk, am willing to shave your head, induct you into our Buddhist sect, and from now on, all worldly matters are irrelevant to you."

"Thus, I, the venerable monk, will bear some karma for you and help you become a Buddha."

Chief monk Pu Zheng spoke, and at this moment his words were deliberately meant to humiliate Gu Jin Nian.

He knew Gu Jin Nian could never convert to the Buddhist sect, because Gu Jin Nian is a Heaven's Mandate Marquis of Da Xia, a Da Xia noble; how could he possibly join the Buddhist sect?

He intended solely to humiliate Gu Jin Nian.

The two are inherently incompatible; Gu Jin Nian, on his way here, may not have killed a monk on sight, but he has slaughtered many members of the Buddhist sect.

That is the fault, a grave sin.

He wants to leave Gu Jin Nian without a place to be buried.

"Brother Su, at this critical moment, can you take the two of them away?"

At that moment, Gu Jin Nian's voice rang out.

A raging wind blew his garments into a rustling clatter; Gu Jin Nian looked at Su Huaiyu, this was his request.

Su Huaiyu, as the top of the Heaven's Mandate ranking, hides countless secrets; he himself does not know who he truly is, nor his past, nor how many methods he possesses.

But subconsciously he still believed that Su Huaiyu could take Qing Jing and Yao Chi away.

"Do your utmost."

Su Huaiyu did not give a definitive answer, but offered an ambiguous reply.

"Thank you."

Gu Jin Nian nodded, and then said nothing further.

The Immortal King Jade Carriage appeared at that moment.

With Wen Mansion's blessing, Gu Jin Nian summoned a spectacular vision of thousands of troops galloping; the purple Wen Mansion shimmered with countless large stars, illuminating behind Gu Jin Nian.

Even with the Immortal King Jade Carriage's empowerment, it still could not match the deterrence of the Buddha's true form.

Nevertheless, compared to the vision, Gu Jin Nian feared nothing.

At this moment, the pen gathered in Gu Jin Nian's hand, condensing endless light; he intended to write here, using Confucian and Daoist teachings to surpass Buddhist doctrine.

However, Chief monk Pu Zheng and the two others had long anticipated this; seeing Gu Jin Nian wield the pen, the three hesitated little and immediately infused Buddha's power into the Buddha's true form.

In an instant, the Buddha's true form, now empowered, unleashed its true power.

Dong.

The Buddha bell rang, the sky clear for ten thousand miles, golden light covering the heavens and earth.

Countless forces felt the glare; they had been watching the great battle, fearing to miss any detail.

The unparalleled Buddha power descended, bringing terrifying, unparalleled destructive force.

If not for the special formation protecting Pu Han Temple, it would have turned to ash at this moment.

The Buddha bell's light fell, but inside Pu Han Temple, Gu Jin Nian stood atop the Immortal King Jade Carriage; this celestial artifact gave him great aid.

Yet the Immortal King Jade Carriage trembled, blocking one strike but failing to block the second.

After all, the disparity is too great; if this continues, disaster will ensue.

People watching all this also uttered many exclamations of awe.

"Such a celestial artifact is unlike any other."

"It must be a Seventh Realm artifact, right? Otherwise how could it withstand such power?"

"A Seventh Realm artifact? Gu Jin Nian truly has extraordinary luck, to obtain such a treasure?"

"It still depends on whether he can endure; if he can, all is well, but if not, this artifact may be seized by the Buddhist sect."

The strong onlookers debated, communicating with true qi while also watching the great battle.

It must be said, the Immortal King Jade Carriage became the focus; Gu Jin Nian's strength, at its limit, is the Martial King, which in normal terms is already the pinnacle of secular power.

But the problem is, the opponent Gu Jin Nian faces is the Buddhist sect.

Martial King.

Not enough.

Bang.

The Buddha drum sounded again; Chief monk Pu Zheng had no intention of giving Gu Jin Nian a chance to breathe.

The drumbeat thundered, exploding in Gu Jin Nian's mind.

The Immortal King Jade Carriage trembled incessantly.

Fortunately, the Ancient Chronicles and the Holy Ruler appeared, hovering above Gu Jin Nian's head, blocking the terrifying murderous intent.

The Buddhist sect calls it salvation? Yet in reality it already harbors murderous intent.

Dong.

When the second strike fell, the brilliance of the Ancient Chronicles and the Holy Ruler waned greatly; although they are sacred artifacts, they are still objects that require a wielder of sufficient strength to unleash their true power.

Thus, as the second strike fell, the two sacred items returned to Gu Jin Nian's body.

"Gu Jin Nian."

"At this point, why haven't you summoned the Heavenly Demon Elder?"

"This is merely the Buddha's true form's second strike."

"After six strikes—no, you don't need six; the third strike alone can leave you without a burial place."

Moreover, this is not the Buddha's true power; when it truly erupts, it will be invincible to the world.

Abbot Pu Zheng spoke.

At this moment, he was not satisfied with merely exterminating Gu Jin Nian; he also wanted to eradicate the Demon Elder, wiping him out in one fell swoop.

The Demon Elder is a giant of the demonic path; killing him would be a boon to the whole righteous sect, and the Buddhist sect could also diminish some of his influence.

After all, exterminating Gu Jin Nian is no small matter.

Abbot Pu Zheng's voice resonated throughout the temple.

In fact, the major forces were also curious whether the Demon Elder would appear; he is the foremost figure of the demonic path, and his appearance could certainly alter the situation.

After all, rumors aren't necessarily true; during this period the major forces have indeed become quieter, at least for Gu Jin Nian, and that is why they are so silent.

It is because of the Demon Elder that they fear being entangled by him.

Now, we can see whether the Demon Elder will actually lend Gu Jin Nian a hand.

Three hundred li away.

On a desolate mountain.

The Demon Elder was indeed watching this great battle; he had long known the Buddhist sect had prepared a backup, yet he was utterly unafraid.

He had been waiting for Gu Jin Nian to crush the second jade pendant.

What surprised him was that at this moment Gu Jin Nian still hadn't crushed the pendant, which piqued his curiosity.

Logically, having given Gu Jin Nian three jade pendants, the second one could indeed be crushed.

But Gu Jin Nian did not do so; he could not understand, and if forced to explain, there were only two possibilities.

First, Gu Jin Nian holds an absolute trump card that could turn defeat into victory.

Second, Gu Jin Nian fears the Buddhist sect's killing technique is too strong, and his own appearance would endanger himself.

Rationally speaking, the Demon Elder believes it is the second possibility.

"My disciple, you are truly overly filial."

The Demon Elder spoke calmly, his heart full of satisfaction; of course, taking action was impossible—people of the demonic path keep their word, and having given three jade pendants, he would never act unless Gu Jin Nian needed him.

Even if Gu Jin Nian truly died, he would not act.

That is the rule, and also morality.

More importantly, it is Gu Jin Nian's own choice.

Inside Pu Han Temple.

The Buddha's true form struck again, the Buddha bell trembled, the mountains and rivers across ten thousand li fell silent at this moment, the terrifyingly supreme Buddhist law engulfed everything; this was the third strike.

Abbot Pu Zheng was not wrong on this point; the Buddha's true form's power would only grow stronger.

By the third strike, it was essentially unsolvable.

However, when the dreadful bell rang, a soaring sword aura sliced through, directly splitting the terrifying Buddha light in two.

"Sword qi stretches three thousand li."

A cold, sharp voice sounded.

It was the voice of the Eastern Sword Saint.

This time the crowd could not help but be astonished again.

That guy actually came back?

Everyone thought he had fled, but they never expected him to return at this crucial point. Playing around? In such an intense battle, to cause trouble? Are they sick? Abbot Pu Zheng and the two others frowned; although the Buddha's true form possessed absolute suppression, they could not sustain it for long.

Furthermore, the later the battle, the more terrifying the mental energy consumption; resolving Gu Jin Nian within three strikes, unless the Demon Elder arrives, they do not wish to drag it to the sixth strike.

That is not a good thing for them.

"Did you really think this Sword Saint fled?"

At this moment, the Eastern Sword Saint's gaze was full of contempt as he looked at Abbot Pu Zheng and the others, his demeanor haughty.

It must be said, the Eastern Sword Saint's counterattack indeed disrupted Abbot Pu Zheng's plans.

They hoped the one who appeared would be the Demon Elder, not the Eastern Sword Saint.

The opponent is ultimately a righteous cultivator, and one of the top sword cultivators; to strike him down would be to make an enemy of a sword cultivator without cause.

"Eastern benefactor."

"You should not get involved in this matter."

"The Buddha's true form has already emerged."

"You can block the third strike, but can you withstand the fourth and fifth strikes?"

Abbot Pu Zheng clasped his hands together, looked at the Eastern Sword Saint, and said thus.

However, the latter dismissed him with disdain, his demeanor even more arrogant.

"But I am confident that before your fourth strike, I can safely take Gu Jin Nian away."

His confidence and arrogance were evident on his face as he spoke.

The only flaw is that, though he is clearly fleeing, he can speak so confidently; such a thing is indeed rare in the world.

Nevertheless, despite sounding odd, the Eastern Sword Saint's strength truly cannot be ignored.

"Jin Nian."

"I owe Your Majesty a favor; today I will act for him, protect you completely. The Buddhist sect has laid a heavenly net; if you keep draining like this, you will certainly encounter trouble."

"Leaving now is the wise choice; the Buddhist sect shouts loudly, but they would never dare strike those two."

"The Qingqiu clan, the Linglong Fairy Palace, are not to be trifled with; if you truly dare act, the Buddhist sect will suffer a great loss."

"I'll take you away first; your own safety is paramount."

The Eastern Sword Saint transmitted his voice: he does not want Gu Jin Nian to waste away here; the Buddhist sect's methods are strong, even though he is a sixth‑realm cultivator, it is hard to resist.

Of course there is another issue, namely that he has no kinship or personal tie with Gu Jin Nian.

Saying something unpleasant, personally showing up is also giving face to the Yongsheng Great Emperor; protecting Gu Jin Nian's safety is his duty, but if Gu Jin Nian insists on seeking death, or implicates him, he naturally won't exert his full effort.

"Eastern Senior."

"I have a way to solve it; Senior, can you buy me fifteen minutes?"

Gu Jin Nian responded; he indeed has a way to solve it.

Daoist scripture.

That's right, it's Daoist scriptures; Gu Jin Nian has read countless books and has looked at some Daoist and Buddhist scriptures.

He hasn't read many Buddhist scriptures, and now he doesn't have a strong impression of them; normally he wouldn't even think about Buddhist or Daoist scriptures.

So he needs fifteen minutes to carefully recall, choose the Daoist scriptures he has read, and they must be useful.

As for the Dao De Jing, Gu Jin Nian has read it, but he couldn't possibly remember it all in a short while.

For now, he can only try hard to recall, see what he remembers.

Fifteen minutes of time, if he recalls it, that's enough.

If he can't recall it, then it's gone.

"Fifteen minutes?"

"I can at most help you block the fourth strike; that's the most I can do, the rest is up to you."

Eastern Sword Saint gave a reply.

The fourth strike is basically his limit; he can only help up to here.

"Good."

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior."

Gu Jin Nian didn't waste words; his mind raced, thinking about those classic scriptures.

Faced with Buddhist Dharma, he could only resolve it this way.

Confucian-Daoist writings are also useful, but his realm is too low to unleash the power of timeless writings; even if the writings are timeless, their power may not necessarily resolve this trouble.

Immortal Dao, Confucian Dao, and Buddhist Dao are all kinds of righteous qi, merely differing in branch.

Naturally, Confucian-Daoist timeless writings can let Gu Jin Nian slay demons and monsters, but cannot let him slay immortals and buddhas.

Just like the Kong Family's Main Residence back then, if Confucius had not appeared in the world, even if he wrote two or three timeless pieces, he could not cause actual harm.

Unless it is weakening others' fortune or the nation's fortune.

Whereas Daoist and Buddhist scriptures differ, these things should be of combat type.

Thus, Gu Jin Nian feels somewhat uneasy; he hadn't properly studied Buddhist scriptures nor Daoist scriptures before, merely glancing at some classics, and has mostly forgotten them.

Who would bother to remember this in their spare time?

For now, the only hope is to remember it, to recall it.

"Since all you benefactors are obstinate and unenlightened, then I cannot be blamed."

Abbot Puzheng spoke.

The sound fell.

The fourth strike also fell in an instant; Buddhist Dharma surged heavenward, the True Body of the Buddha raised a fist to strike, destroying everything, heading toward Gu Jin Nian.

"Sword Qi vast."

At this moment, Eastern Sword Saint indeed did not act recklessly; his crimson flying sword transformed into myriad sword gleams, bombarding the Buddha's fist.

Two terrifying forces formed rippling shockwaves, layer upon layer undulating, affecting a range of a thousand li.

Eastern Sword Saint nearly exhausted all his internal mana, barely managing to block this strike.

In the end, he retreated several hundred zhang, leaving Puhan Temple, his complexion also somewhat unsightly.

"If I had known this would happen, I should have brought the Azure Cloud Immortal Sword and the Vajra Subduing Demon Pestle; they truly are one of the nine great Buddhist implements."

Eastern Sword Saint spoke; he showed no fear or shock, only some reluctance and unwillingness to accept.

The Buddhist Sect had prepared for a long time, even bringing forth the True Body of the Buddha, plus the Vajra Subduing Demon Pestle.

Naturally terrifying beyond compare, Eastern Sword Saint's inability to match it is no disgrace.

"Jinian, I can do nothing; the fourth strike has already exhausted my mana."

"You'd better leave quickly; I can still take you away now, but if you wait for the True Body of the Buddha to gather its faithful power again, you won't be able to escape."

Eastern Sword Saint spoke, speaking frankly, not hiding anything; if he can't win, he can't win; he wants to leave, flee this place, and at the same time hopes Gu Jin Nian leaves with him.

But Gu Jin Nian fell into deep thought, ancient scriptures surfacing in his mind.

But only fragments, a few vague lines, which is completely insufficient.

He must turn the tide from a desperate situation.

"We can't give him a chance; just kill him."

"This person hides too much; perhaps he really has a slim chance to turn the tide." "Our means are few; after six strikes, only the last move remains."

"If we use that move, we too will have to pay a huge price."

"Kill."

At this moment, Monk Puhui spoke; he stood to the left of Abbot Puzheng, his voice firm, letting Abbot Puzheng act.

Upon hearing Monk Puhui speak thus, Abbot Puzheng nodded, and then a soaring golden Buddha light radiated from his body, sinking into the True Body of the Buddha.

Moreover, taking Puhan Temple as the center, it spread over a thousand li; the faithful power of all believers in Guiyang Commandery was also bestowed upon this True Body of the Buddha.

This is the fifth strike.

Destroy Heaven and Earth.

Countless forces stared intently at all this, not wanting to miss a single moment.

Even the mighty Eastern Sword Saint of the Sixth Realm is now powerless; they wonder what other means Gu Jin Nian has.

"Young Master, don't worry about us; leave first, then speak—the Buddhist Sect dare not deal us a lethal blow."

At this moment, the Jade Pool Immortal Maiden's voice rang out, her eyes full of worry, hoping Gu Jin Nian would leave quickly and not linger here.

"Brother Gu Jin Nian, I am the Holy Maiden of the Green Hill Lineage; the Buddhist Sect dare not lay a hand on me from start to finish—you must leave quickly."

The Clear Shallow Immortal Maiden's voice also rang out; although she sounded somewhat weak, her demeanor was resolute.

Upon hearing their words, Gu Jin Nian did not retreat a single step.

Because fragments of scripture were gradually surfacing in his mind, and the scripture kept increasing.

He was confident and would launch a desperate counterattack.

Boom! The Buddha's fifth strike descended, several times stronger than before.

However, at that very moment, a black true dragon surged out of Gu Jin Nian's body.

Roar.

The dragon's roar echoed across ten thousand li.

The true dragon, a thousand zhang tall, lifelike, its eyes filled with anger and boundless might, collided with the Buddha's true form.

Thud.

A terrifying sound rang out, echoing across ten thousand li.

"Da Xia's national fortune."

"It's actually Da Xia's national fortune?"

"Emperor Yong Sheng truly dotes on this nephew, even sharing Da Xia's national fortune with Gu Jin Nian."

"No wonder he dared let Gu Jin Nian come here alone—it turns out Da Xia's national fortune is backing him."

"With Da Xia's national fortune backing him, he indeed has the confidence to come here."

Voices rang out one after another; none of the major powers expected that Emperor Yong Sheng would actually bestow Da Xia's national fortune upon Gu Jin Nian.

With this national fortune, one can indeed stand invincible.

At this moment, the senior monks of Puhan Temple frowned; they too had not expected such a thing to happen.

"Amitabha."

Abbot Pu Zheng pressed his palms together, but other thoughts arose in his heart.

Bestowing the national fortune upon Gu Jin Nian—that is entirely a different matter.

Da Xia's destruction of Buddhism is known to all; related to Gu Jin Nian, although the Da Xia court agrees to his destroying Buddhism, its exact stance remains ambiguous.

Just like the Eastern Sword Saint, he was sent by order to protect Gu Jin Nian, but he could judge according to the actual situation.

Now that the national fortune has been given to Gu Jin Nian, this proves that destroying Buddhism is not as simple as Gu Jin Nian wishing it; Emperor Yong Sheng also wants to destroy Buddhism, and he surely has his own reasons for doing so.

This is not good news for the Buddhist Sect.

"If I cooperate with the national fortune, I can block the sixth sword."

At that very moment, the Eastern Sword Saint's apparition appeared once again.

This person has come and gone twice.

Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, he fled immediately; seeing it reverse, he appeared at once—truly embodying the idea of invincibility to the fullest.

No, it is embodying a winning streak to the fullest.

If he can win, he fights; if he cannot, he flees—having no losses, he is truly an ever-victorious sword immortal.

What a fine fellow.

Not fearing cultivators who hide, but fearing the strong who hide.

But regardless, the arrival of the Eastern Sword Saint is also a good thing, adding another strength.

The premise is that he not run away again.

"Gu Jin Nian, how much longer do you need?"

At this moment, the Eastern Sword Saint stood proudly in the void, but also sent a mental transmission to Gu Jin Nian, asking how much longer he needed to recover.

"Soon."

"Half an hour."

Gu Jin Nian gave his reply; a passage of scripture had already surfaced in his mind, but it was incomplete, and mainly he felt this scripture was inadequate.

For a moment, he also felt somewhat unable to grasp it.

But just as Gu Jin Nian had finished responding, the voice of Abbot Pu Zheng rang out.

"If that is the case."

"Then do not blame me for being ruthless."

"Eastern Sword Saint, three strikes and you're out—I have already given you two chances, yet you persist in error, aiding the tyrant."

"Since that is so, let you all witness the might of the Buddhist Sect."

Abbot Pu Zheng opened his mouth.

Having said this, golden Buddha light burst from his eyes, ten-thousand-character Buddha seals appeared around him, and the spectacle was mighty.

Terrifying power of belief was bestowed upon the Buddha's true form.

"Monks within the temple, heed the order: burn Buddha power to resist demons."

Abbot Pu Zheng opened his mouth; having come this far, he no longer concealed anything.

Gu Jin Nian's lingering departure meant he surely still had some tricks; he did not want to waste time wrangling here.

He wanted to directly resolve this calamity.

As his voice rang out, the monks immediately began chanting sutras; Buddhist echoes resounded, filling heaven and earth, and streams of Buddha light welled up from their bodies.

They merged into the Buddha's true form.

As the terrifying Buddha light surged in, the Buddha's true form swelled again, covering the sky and earth; the Buddha light shot upward, causing countless common folk to kneel in devout worship.

Strands of faith's power surged forth.

The Buddha's True Body grew ever more terrifying, far stronger than before, and its mere aura caused all living beings across tens of thousands of miles of mountains and rivers to feel fear.

In the Western Desert.

The three senior monks quietly watched it all.

They gathered inside the Upper Ascending Esoteric Sect's main temple.

"The Buddha's True Body's sixth strike, combined with the Vajra Demon‑Subduing Pestle, can cut down all people below the Seventh Realm."

The senior monk of Great Sound Temple spoke, his gaze steady as he said.

"Regrettably, the Heavenly Demon Elder did not appear; otherwise, eliminating the Heavenly Demon Elder would also count as a great merit for our Buddhist sect."

The senior monk of Small Fate Temple also spoke, feeling a slight regret.

It seemed like using an ox‑cleaver to kill a chicken.

"The rumors are correct: the Heavenly Demon Elder merely repaid a favor from Gu Jin Nian; during the Ata Temple incident, the Heavenly Demon Elder had already returned that favor."

"He could not possibly care about Gu Jin Nian; moreover, Gu Jin Nian is a Confucian‑Daoist, and could not get too close to the Demon sect."

"This is a good thing."

The Eight Grievance Divine Monk spoke slowly.

"However, we did not expect Da Xia to share its national fortune with Gu Jin Nian; the amount given is truly excessive."

"Does our Buddhist sect have a way to reclaim this national fortune?"

The senior monk of Great Sound Temple stared at the True Dragon; they all opened their Buddha's eye and could see the situation at Universal Cold Temple.

"This is somewhat difficult, but after Gu Jin Nian's demise, we could seize this portion of national fortune; when a great calamity arrives, it might indeed be possible to take back these fortunes, giving a part to the Xiongnu Nation and a part for the Buddhist sect to absorb."

The Eight Grievance Divine Monk thought of a possibility, and his words revealed his true nature: he clearly wanted to seize, yet from his mouth it sounded like reclaiming what originally belonged to him.

He considered this national fortune as something the Da Xia Dynasty had taken from the Xiongnu Nation; now that they are helping the Xiongnu retrieve it, they naturally intend to claim a share.

"Demise? May I ask, Divine Monk, do you truly intend to execute Gu Jin Nian? If we were to execute Gu Jin Nian, the Buddhist sect's establishment in Da Xia would become even more impossible."

This time, the head of Small Fate Temple couldn't help but be curious; he had not expected the Buddhist sect to be aiming to execute Gu Jin Nian.

"Not so."

"The greatest purpose of the Buddha's True Body is to enlighten Gu Jin Nian; if Gu Jin Nian is willing to lay down his butcher's knife and convert to our Buddha, the Buddha's True Body will not execute him."

"But if Gu Jin Nian remains obstinate, then it is a demon extermination, not a killing."

"As for the Da Xia Dynasty, although Gu Jin Nian is extremely important to the Yongsheng Emperor, this realm of Da Xia may not be firmly secured by the Yongsheng Emperor."

"He always thinks only Prince Ning is vying, but he does not realize that the one truly seeking the throne is right beside him."

The Eight Grievance Divine Monk spoke calmly, yet revealed a colossal secret.

It caused the two senior monks to be outright astonished.

Sensing their surprised gazes, the Eight Grievance Divine Monk did not continue, but slowly said.

"These matters, you should not intervene for now; as long as Gu Jin Nian is either enlightened or meets his demise, immediately exert all effort to bring about a heavenly disaster."

"When that time comes, Da Xia will be unable to act against our Buddhist sect; once Da Xia falls into complete internal chaos, the Buddhist sect and the Immortal sect will join forces to support a new emperor's ascension."

"For the Immortal sect, they also have designs; our Buddhist sect only needs to establish a presence in the Da Xia Dynasty, and after that, the Eastern Wilderness will be considered fully unified."

"Then we will have the qualification to negotiate terms with the Central Continent Dynasty."

The Eight Grievance Divine Monk, upon saying this, clasped his hands together and uttered "Amitabha."

"Amitabha."

The two senior monks also spoke, their eyes filled with anticipation.

However, the senior monk of Small Fate Temple suddenly frowned and said.

"This Gu Jin Nian lingers without leaving; why is that? Why do I feel he still holds a trump card?"

The Small Fate Temple monk spoke.

He is indeed very curious about the reason Gu Jin Nian hesitates to leave; logically, at this point the Buddhist sect has set up a heavenly net, yet Gu Jin Nian still does not act, which is indeed odd.

"The biggest trump card still cannot block the Buddha's True Body; if it truly were to resist the…"

"However, I think the issue of Su Huaiyu is huge."

The Eight Grievance Divine Monk did not think Gu Jin Nian could turn the tide, yet his gaze remained fixed on Su Huaiyu.

He always feels Su Huaiyu is the most deeply hidden person, because he cannot see through Su Huaiyu.

Hearing the Eight Grievance Divine Monk's words, the two became curious and also turned their gazes toward Su Huaiyu.

However.

At this very moment, above the heavens, the Buddha's True Body has already launched its sixth strike.

The winds and clouds shift, and the world trembles.

Within Da Xia, all ancient temples burst forth extremely powerful light, empowering the Buddha's True Body.

The aura that destroys heaven and earth enveloped the entire Universal Cold Temple.

Under the radiant heavenly might.

Everything transformed into the most blazing light, slashing toward Gu Jin Nian.

"National fortune blessing is upon me, Jin Nian."

At this moment, the Eastern Sword Saint no longer hesitated; he slowly spoke, and the immortal sword in his hand erupted with incomparable power.

Gu Jin Nian did not hesitate; under the national fortune's blessing, the True Dragon instantly coiled around the crimson flying sword, colliding with the Buddha's great power.

Thud.

The muffled sound rang again, but this time there was no good outcome.

The immortal sword was struck away, losing all its spirit; the True Dragon was shattered, unable to withstand such great power.

This is only a portion of the national fortune, not all of Da Xia's national fortune.

"Not good."

"The Buddhist sect's Taiyin is too dangerous, with six‑realm strongmen empowering the Demon‑subduing Pestle."

The Eastern Sword Saint's expression changed instantly; he guessed the possibility, his gaze fixed dead on the Diamond Demon‑subduing Pestle.

Indeed.

Within the Diamond Demon‑subduing Pestle, three figures emerged, all six‑realm strongmen; they are the Buddhist sect's three Venerables.

Their spirits reside within, causing the Pestle's power to surge enormously.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to directly fling his celestial sword.

A terrifying crisis spread instantly at this moment.

This is the place everyone had imagined.

After all, this is merely Da Xia Dynasty's eradication of the Buddhist sect, not Da Xia Dynasty's extermination of all Buddhist sects worldwide.

Having the Buddhist sect's three Venerables intervene costs too much, comparable to Da Xia Dynasty dispatching four million troops to campaign against the sect.

Da Xia Dynasty.

Emperor Yongsheng also watches this great battle; when the nation's true dragon suffers damage, Emperor Yongsheng hesitates hardly at all.

"Revive the ancestral great sword."

A roar sounded.

Emperor Yongsheng's expression darkened; the Buddhist sect's move is truly ruthless, actually hiding the three Venerables' spirits inside the Diamond Demon‑subduing Pestle to amplify its power.

This is something they hadn't anticipated.

A misstep.

His only option now is to revive the ancestral great sword; only this can save Gu Jin Nian.

Otherwise, something truly disastrous would happen.

Inside Puhan Temple.

An aura that destroys heaven and earth pervades.

The entire temple is about to collapse; although protected by a formation, it still appears insignificant against the Buddha's true body sixth strike.

Under the raging wind.

Heaven and earth change color.

Fairy Qingqian and Fairy Yaichi's faces are filled with worry.

"Jin Nian."

"Heir."

"Run quickly."

These are the two voices together; they hope Gu Jin Nian leaves quickly, without concerning themselves.

However, as soon as their voices fade.

An intensely blazing light completely engulfs the place where Gu Jin Nian stands.

No one knows what happened.

Countless gazes converge.

The outcome is unclear.

Although it's highly probable that Gu Jin Nian might encounter trouble, they still feel Gu Jin Nian could never be executed in this way.

For some unknown reason, there's an indescribable intuition.

"Release."

Yet, while everyone watches curiously, a faint voice sounds.

However, this is not Gu Jin Nian's voice.

It is Su Huaiyu's voice.

A faint voice sounds.

In an instant, a massive Bagua formation appears, spreading beneath his feet, turning a thousand li into a battlefield.

Only then.

Inside Puhan Temple.

Su Huaiyu points a single finger with Buddhist Fist, blocking this terrifying great force.

The Buddha's sixth strike.

It is repelled by Su Huaiyu alone.

This! Unbelievable.

From pair after pair of eyes, everyone cannot believe that the Buddha's true body sixth strike was actually blocked by Su Huaiyu.

The three Puzheng also feel astonishment; they stare at Su Huaiyu, their eyes' shock impossible to conceal.

Pfft.

Yet the next moment, Su Huaiyu spits blood, his face turning ghastly pale, his whole body seeming drained, appearing extremely weak.

A Heaven's Mandate seal appears on his forehead.

"He used his own lifespan as a price, employing the Heaven's Mandate seal to block this strike."

Someone speaks, revealing what Su Huaiyu relied on to block the strike.

"To withstand this strike, at least a hundred years of life essence are consumed."

"Having such a companion beside Gu Jin Nian is truly enviable."

"The Buddhist sect has no other means now."

Voices rise one after another.

At this moment, everyone's gaze once again converges on the Buddhist sect.

The Buddha's true body's sixth strike has ended, and for now there should be no other means of attack.

If there were any, the price to pay would surely be enormous.

The Buddhist sect also has to weigh gains and losses.

And within Pu Han Temple, after this strike fell, all the Dao scripture characters in Gu Jin Nian's mind vanished.

In their place appeared another sutra.

Gu Jin Nian also did not know what was happening.

The sutra he recalled was the Daoist "Pure Clean Mantra", but he could only recall fragments, not even half of it.

However, now a new sutra floated into his mind.

And it was the whole text.

But it was not a Dao scripture.

It was a Buddhist scripture.

It was the Medicine Buddha Empowerment Mantra Sutra, one of the ten major Buddhist sutras.

What is this?

Gu Jin Nian did not quite understand.

But he remembered that he had indeed read the Medicine Buddha Empowerment Mantra Sutra before.

It was at that moment.

A voice sounded.

It was the voice of Abbot Pu Zheng.

"Amitabha."

"Su benefactor, Gu benefactor."

"Heaven possesses the virtue of fostering life; the two benefactors have come this far, and this old monk feels deep respect."

"But this is not the Buddhist sect's final measure."

"If the two benefactors immediately convert to my Buddha,"

"this old monk is still willing to give the two a final chance."

"Gu benefactor, now issue a command: have Da Xia soldiers withdraw from all major Buddhist temples, and there is still a way back."

"Otherwise, there will be no salvation to speak of."

Abbot Pu Zheng spoke, looking at Su Huaiyu and the two benefactors as he said.

His words clearly indicated that he had a trump card.

It was nothing more than weighing gains and losses.

If Gu Jin Nian and Su Huaiyu were willing to stop, the two sides could shake hands and make peace; that is not impossible.

But at that moment, Gu Jin Nian's voice rose.

"Issue the command, Duke."

"Exterminate Buddhism."

"All monks who do not obey, kill."

The voice sounded.

In an instant, Abbot Pu Zheng and the others' faces turned extremely grim.

(End of chapter)