Chapter 526: Protector of the Dao of the Sinking Clan

In the depths of Tianji Shengyu, beneath the shadow of the ancient pagoda, the monks of Xiguangsi were fiercely battling the aberrant beings.

However, as the battle deepened, a more eerie power began to spread across this land.

The monks' powerful Divine Ability not only broke the ancient pagoda's great defensive formation, but also awakened the ancient existence slumbering deep in the earth.

With the collapse of the defensive formation, the ground began to shake violently, and a dim light seeped from the cracks, as if something were about to burst forth.

The cultivators retreated in horror, their eyes fixed on those cracks, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.

Suddenly, strange statues rose slowly from the cracks, each taking a different form—some like twisted vines, some like ferocious beasts—and each statue emitted a chilling aura.

Within the statues' bodies, mysterious veins flickered in and out like living blood vessels, through which a mysterious power flowed, exuding terrifying force.

The cultivators' fear reached its peak; they had never seen such an eerie sight.

These statues were more than mere stone carvings; their eyes seemed alive, coldly gazing at every living being, sending shivers down one's spine.

"What... what kind of monster is this!" a young cultivator asked, trembling, his voice tinged with despair.

"They are the guardians of the ancient pagoda; their power far exceeds our imagination." an elder cultivator replied in a low voice, his tone laced with fear.

As the statues appeared, the aberrant beings seemed to receive new orders, launching even more frenzied attacks on the cultivators.

Under the statues' control, the aberrant beings' bodies grew stronger, each attack carrying destructive power.

The cultivators began to scatter and flee, but they discovered that no matter where they ran, they could not escape the statues' gaze.

The statues seemed to possess their own will, their eyes locked onto each cultivator, directing the aberrant beings to carry out frenzied assaults and encirclements.

"Run! These monsters are too strong; we're no match for them!" a cultivator shouted, panting, his face full of terror.

"No, we can't just flee like that!" a cultivator cried out loudly, his voice filled with resolve.

If we do not defeat these statues, we will never be able to leave this hell.

He drew a deep breath, began to mobilize his inner power, and behind him a massive vertical eye slowly appeared; this Dharma Image stood tens of zhang tall, flashing with golden light.

"Fight!" the cultivator bellowed, his body turning into a light-shadow as he rushed toward the nearest statue.

That statue seemed to sense the solemn challenge; its eyes suddenly burst with intense light, a powerful force surged from it, forming a huge shockwave that knocked him back.

Their powers collided in the hell, forming ripples of energy that spread outward.

In the hell, the magma, under the effect of these energy ripples, flew up, forming waves of molten rock.

"Be careful, these attacks are too powerful!" a cultivator shouted loudly, his eyes flashing with solemn light.

The cultivators immediately responded, joining forces to attack; various spells and treasures intertwined in the air, forming a powerful attack net that trapped the statues.

However, the statues' power was too great; each of their attacks made the cultivators' defenses tremble.

"These spells are utterly useless against it!" a cultivator shouted, panting, his face drenched in sweat.

"Look, the flame on that skull seems weaker than the others!" a sharp-eyed cultivator suddenly shouted, pointing at a part of one statue.

Everyone immediately focused their attention on that skull, discovering that its flame was indeed weaker than the rest.

A monk instantly seized the opportunity, his body turning into a light-shadow as he rushed toward that skull.

"Now, attack that skull!" the master of Xiguangsi bellowed, waving his Light Sword, tracing mysterious arcs in the air and forming a powerful sword qi that struck straight at the skull.

"Boom!" The sword qi collided with the skull, unleashing a thunderous roar.

The skull, struck, let out a painful roar, its flame quickly dwindling.

The statue's other parts immediately turned toward the cultivators, their eyes flashing with angry light.

The statue's body suddenly burst with great power, deflecting all surrounding attacks; it waved its sharp claws and launched a fierce counterattack against Longling.

"Watch out!" a cultivator shouted, his body turning into a light-shadow as he easily dodged the statue's attack.

His Light Sword waved, tracing mysterious arcs in the air and forming a powerful sword qi that struck straight at the statue's vital point.

"Boom!" The sword qi collided with the statue's body, unleashing a thunderous roar.

The statue's body was blown away, slamming heavily into the hell's rock wall, causing the entire hell to tremble.

However, the statue's body was extraordinarily hard; Longling's attack left only a shallow mark.

It quickly rose to its feet, its eyes flashing with even more ferocious light, as if stirred to greater power.

"These monsters' power keeps growing!" the cultivators' eyes flashed with vigilance; they immediately reacted, joining forces to attack, various spells and treasures intertwining in the air to form a powerful attack net that trapped the statues.

The statue let out a roar, its body suddenly bursting with great power, deflecting all surrounding attacks.

It waved its sharp claws, launching a fierce counterattack against everyone.

Yet the cultivators did not retreat; they knew that if they did not defeat this statue, they would never be able to leave this hell.

The battle dragged on for a long time, both sides paying a heavy price.

Although the statue's body was hard, under the cultivators' combined assault it began to show signs of damage.

Its claws were torn, its body covered in wounds, yet it stubbornly fought on, each attack still carrying violent force.

Finally, after a fierce assault, the statue's body was utterly shattered, turning into countless fragments that dissipated in the air.

The hell returned to calm, but the cultivators' hearts could not find peace.

The appearance of this statue might merely be the tip of the iceberg of the mysterious power of this hellish world.

"We must be more cautious; there may be greater dangers hidden." someone among the masters of Xiguangsi said in a low voice, his eyes flashing with determined light.

"Rumble..."

Beneath the shadow of the ancient pagoda, as the last statue shattered, an unprecedentedly powerful aura surged up from the abyss.

The earth trembled, the sky changed color, as if the whole world were shuddering at the impending arrival. Suddenly, a huge figure slowly rose from the shattered statue, clad in blood-red battle armor, his visage ferocious, his eyes flashing with monstrous killing intent.

One of the eight clans of the ancient pagoda, the Protector of the Dao of the Sinking Clan—Blood Slaughter Demon Lord.

The appearance of the Blood Slaughter Demon Lord was like the opening of the gates of hell; endless blood slaughter power surged across the land, and each of his steps made the earth tremble.

His appearance caused the countless cultivators present to lose their composure, losing themselves in an illusion of sinking.

Their eyes grew vacant, as if their souls had been sucked away, leaving only walking corpses.

The masters of Xiguangsi, facing such a terrifying existence, had solemn expressions, yet their eyes flashed with determined light.

They know this is a life-and-death struggle between righteousness and evil; they cannot retreat.

Huiguang Dashi, as the leader of Xiguangsi, his eyes flashing with compassion and resolve, he knew only supreme Buddhist Dharma could counter this raging ferocious force.

Huiguang Dashi recited the Avalokiteshvara Heart Sutra, his voice calm and strong like a clear spring nourishing everyone's hearts.

Threads of feeble power collided with the ferocious force, terrifying ripples spreading, as if to tear the whole world apart.

Though Huiguang Dashi's Buddhist Dharma seemed weak, it held endless potential; in the air they wove into golden beams striking the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's true form.

The Bloodfiend Demon Lord, facing Xiguangsi's master's attack, showed a faint sneer.

He fiercely waved the Sinking Seal in his hand; a huge demonic shadow surged from his body, towering a hundred zhang, blotting out sky and earth, as if to devour the world.

The demonic shadow wielded a huge blood-colored scythe, each swing sounding a tearing-through-space blast, striking Xiguangsi's masters' defense.

Xiguangsi's masters, facing such a powerful attack, did not retreat.

They jointly unleashed the Vajra Wrathful Eye, Golden Buddha True Heaven Divine Ability.

Golden Buddhist light wove in the air, forming a huge golden Buddha.

This golden Buddha stood tens of zhang tall, its body formed of countless golden light, its eyes flashing with compassionate light.

The golden Buddha held a huge monk's staff; each swing sounded a tearing-through-space blast, fiercely clashing with the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's demonic shadow.

The battle erupted instantly; the golden Buddha's and demonic shadow's forces collided in the air, forming energy ripples that spread.

Each collision made heaven and earth change color; each impact made space tremble.

The golden Buddha's monk's staff and the demonic shadow's scythe intertwined in the air, emitting a thunderous roar.

Though the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's power was great, the golden Buddha's Buddhist light held endless compassion and wisdom; in the air they wove into golden beams striking the demonic shadow's vital points.

Seeing this, the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's face flashed with anger.

His body suddenly burst forth a stronger force, forming a huge blood-colored storm sweeping the battlefield.

In the storm, countless blood-colored lightning bolts intertwined, each carrying extreme heat, as if to burn everything to ashes.

Xiguangsi's masters, facing such a powerful attack, did not retreat.

They jointly exerted supreme Buddhist Dharma, forming a solid Buddhist-light barrier that blocked the blood-colored storm's erosion.

On the Buddhist-light barrier, countless sutras flashed, each flash bearing strong power, blocking the blood-colored lightning's attack.

Seeing this, the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's face showed a hint of surprise.

He never expected these seemingly weak monks could actually block his power.

His eyes flashed with even more ferocious light; his body suddenly burst forth a stronger force, forming a huge blood-colored tornado charging straight at the golden Buddha.

The golden Buddha, facing such a powerful attack, had eyes flashing with resolute light.

He fiercely waved his monk's staff; a huge Buddhist light surged from the staff, forming a solid Buddhist-light wall that blocked the blood-colored tornado's erosion.

On the Buddhist-light wall, countless sutras flashed, each flash bearing strong power, blocking the blood-colored tornado's impact.

The battle grew fiercer, both sides continually consuming their strength.

Though the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's power was great, under Xiguangsi's masters' joint attack his strength began to gradually wane.

His eyes flashed with anger and reluctance; his body, bathed in Buddhist light, began to gradually dissipate.

Finally, in a thunderous roar, the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's body was utterly shattered, turning into countless blood-light that dissipated in the air.

With the Bloodfiend Demon Lord's dissipation, the Sinking Clan's power also began to collapse; their strength, bathed in Buddhist light, began to gradually dissipate.

Xiguangsi's masters stood on the battlefield; though their bodies were weary, their eyes flashed with the light of victory.

Though the battle was arduous, they finally won, using supreme Buddhist Dharma to defeat the powerful enemy and protect Tianji Shengyu's peace.

With the battle's end, the surrounding sky gradually cleared; sunlight pierced the heavy clouds, falling on the weary masters, bringing them warmth and hope.

The battle's aftermath here gradually subsided, yet the cultivators of Tianji Shengyu could not calm their hearts.

The Ancient Pagoda's true threat was far from eliminated; as people began returning to their own sects, a more solemn atmosphere spread through the air.

The Ancient Pagoda's new attack was about to begin again; all cultivators felt tense, the future full of confusion.

"Although we defeated the Bloodfiend Demon Lord, the Ancient Pagoda's power is unfathomable; we cannot slacken in the slightest." Longling of Lihu Cheng stood on a high platform, his gaze sweeping over every cultivator present, his voice firm and strong.

"Lord Longling, the Ancient Pagoda's cultivators are so brutal; what should we do?" a young cultivator asked, his eyes flashing with fear, but more with a steadfast belief.

"We must unite to jointly resist the Ancient Pagoda's threat." Longling replied solemnly, "As long as we are united, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome."

"But what about our sect, our family, what will become of them?" another cultivator said anxiously, his voice trembling, "If the Ancient Pagoda's cultivators keep multiplying, how shall we protect them?"

"We cannot let the Ancient Pagoda's cultivators keep growing; this is a great calamity for Huanyu cultivators." An elder cultivator said solemnly, his eyes flashing with resolute light, "We must guard our homeland, even at the cost of our lives."

"For home and country, even death brings no regret!" a female cultivator shouted, her voice tinged with resolve, "Our sect is our root, our family our soul; we cannot let the Ancient Pagoda's cultivators destroy our homeland."

"Well said!" a cultivator in battle armor stepped forward, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit, "We have fought this long; we cannot give up now, we must protect our sect, protect our family."

"Yes, we have lost too many comrades; we cannot let their sacrifice be in vain." A young cultivator's eyes welled with tears, his voice tinged with sorrow, "We must continue fighting, for our homeland, for our future."

"Moreover, the sect is our faith." An elder cultivator said solemnly, his eyes flashing with resolute light, "We must guard it, even at the cost of our lives."

Under this steadfast belief, the cultivators of Tianji Shengyu began tense preparations.

"We must strengthen our sect's defenses, prepare more treasures and elixirs." A sect elder said solemnly, his eyes flashing with vigilance, "Prepare for the worst."

"Yes, we must strengthen our cultivation, raise our own strength." A young cultivator said, his eyes flashing with resolute light, "Only thus can we survive the Ancient Pagoda's attack."

"The sect is our reliance; we must guard it." A female cultivator said, her eyes flashing with resolute light, "Even at the cost of our lives, we cannot let the Ancient Pagoda's cultivators destroy our homeland."

"We must unite to jointly resist the Ancient Pagoda's threat." Longling emphasized again, his eyes flashing with resolute light, "As long as we are united, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome."

"Yes, we have fought this long; we cannot give up now." A young cultivator said, his eyes flashing with resolute light.

At this moment, the various sects, recalling the great battle in Tianji Shengyu, gained a deep awareness of the Xiguangsi masters' strength and role, and began to court them.

Those masters not only displayed astonishing strength in battle, but also used Buddhist Dharma after the battle to soothe many cultivators' spirits, giving them new hope in despair.

Therefore, the various sects actively courted the Xiguangsi masters, and in the upcoming great battle, they each sent elite disciples to ensure their safety.

"Masters, you displayed supreme wisdom and strength in the last battle; the Profound Heaven Sect is willing to provide all needed resources, only hoping you may stand with us." The Profound Heaven Sect's Supreme Elder Xuanji Zi said sincerely, his eyes full of expectation and respect.

Huiguang Dashi smiled faintly, his eyes flashing with profound light: "Elder Xuanji Zi, the monks of Xiguangsi are willing to contribute their strength to world peace, but we must also follow the Buddhist Dharma's guidance."

"Master, although the Netherworld Palace differs from the Profound Heaven Sect, our respect for the masters is the same." The Palace Master of the Netherworld Palace, Youming Laozi, also spoke, his voice carrying a rare gentleness: "As long as the masters are willing, the resources of our Netherworld Palace will also be open to you."

Huiguang Dashi nodded, knowing that behind these sects' proposals lay recognition of Xiguangsi's strength and concern for the impending great war.

He replied in a deep voice: "The monks of Xiguangsi are willing to fight side by side with the various sects, but we must ensure our actions conform to Buddhist doctrine."

In the ensuing battle, the cultivators of the various sects began consciously forming a defensive perimeter around the masters of Xiguangsi.

They knew that the masters' safety was vital to the entire battle situation. Whenever the fighting intensified, cultivators would step forward, using their bodies and spells to shield the masters from attack.

"Master, be careful!" A disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect stepped in front of Huiguang Dashi at a critical moment, using his body to block a deadly attack.

His body turned to dust under the attack, but his face bore a satisfied smile: "Being able to block that strike for the master is my greatest honor."

A flicker of sorrow passed through Huiguang Dashi's eyes, but he knew that this disciple's sacrifice was worthwhile.

His voice echoed across the battlefield: "Amitabha, may the Buddha's compassion bless all warriors who fight for peace."

However, at this very moment, the tranquility of Tianji Shengyu was shattered by a sudden terrifying force.

In the sky, the once azure canopy seemed to be torn apart by a gigantic demonic hand, revealing the blood‑colored firmament behind.

It was a deep, bottomless red, like an endless sea of blood hanging inverted at the horizon, every cloud dyed blood‑red, as if an omen cursed.

The earth began to tremble, as if countless resentful spirits were awakening underground; their howls and wails pierced the crust, turning into terrifying sound waves that made all living beings' hearts and souls shudder.

Mountains twisted as if gripped by an invisible giant hand; lava surged from the cracked earth, forming blood‑red fire pillars that shot straight to the horizon, complementing the blood‑colored sky.

The ancient trees in the forest began to wither; their branches and leaves instantly became dry and lifeless, leaving only bare twigs swaying in the wind, emitting mournful cries.

The bark of the trees split open, and what flowed out was not sap but bright red blood, as if they were weeping or accusing the impending disaster.

The water of rivers and lakes began to churn, with blood bubbles rising to the surface, as if countless blood‑filled mouths beneath were breathing.

Aquatic creatures began to mutate, their bodies twisting, their eyes flashing with madness; they surged onto the land, drenched in blood, launching an attack.

At the heart of the Blood Slaughter Land, the ancient pagoda loomed like a massive blood‑colored altar, its silhouette flickering in the bloody sky; each appearance was accompanied by stronger tremors and more terrifying aberrations.

Around the pagoda, space began to warp, forming blood‑colored vortices that emitted heart‑pounding howls, as if countless demons were about to burst forth.

"What the hell is going on?!" a cultivator shouted in terror, his voice drowned out by the aura of the blood slaughter.

"This is the pagoda's power—it is far stronger than we imagined!" another cultivator's voice carried a hint of despair.

Cultivators began to gather, their powers intertwining in the air to form protective shields, attempting to resist the terrifying force of the blood slaughter.

However, the blood slaughter's force was too strong, and their protective shields began to crack under its impact.

"Look, what are those?!" a cultivator pointed at the sky and shouted in terror.

Everyone looked up to see the blood clouds in the sky beginning to coalesce, forming grotesque faces that twisted and emitted shrill screams, their eyes flashing with blood‑red light, as if seeking to devour the whole world.