Chapter 579

Especially Laozi and his companions, their faces were extremely grim. They had thought that giving the Grand Master of Profound Virtue two supreme treasures—the Linglong Pagoda of Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang and the Banner of Earthly Flame Light—would allow him to easily defeat the Ten Heavenly Kings of Golden Ao Island. After all, although those Heavenly Kings each had mid-stage Golden Immortal cultivation, they should have been unable to withstand the two supreme treasures.

However, the facts were not so. The Ten Heavenly Kings not only possessed extraordinary combat strength, but the Ten Absolute Formation they set up also had boundless power. In the end, both sides actually suffered mutual destruction.

This result was clearly not what Laozi wanted to see.

At this moment, the wounded Grand Master of Profound Virtue suddenly erupted, his killing intent soaring as he shouted: "Ten Heavenly Kings! You are now spent arrows; watch as I do not kill you!" Saying this, he was about to traverse the void to attack the Ten Heavenly Kings with the Banner of Earthly Flame Light.

Facing Profound Virtue's offensive, the Ten Heavenly Kings showed no fear. The Holy Mother of Golden Light cold-faced, she delicately shouted: "Do you think you can kill us just because of you? Then fight! Fight to the death!" Afterwards, the Ten Heavenly Kings again released a powerful aura, though somewhat weaker than before, still like a rainbow piercing the sun, shaking heaven and earth.

Just as Profound Virtue was preparing to continue fighting the Ten Heavenly Kings, Laozi softly shouted: "Profound Virtue, come back!" As his words fell, a force pulled Profound Virtue back, stopping their battle.

Profound Virtue shouted unwillingly: "Master, I have not yet been defeated, why withdraw?" He was truly unwilling, clearly the Ten Heavenly Kings were already about to collapse; he only needed to persist a little longer to defeat them.

Laozi looked at him with a bland expression, merely pressing down his hand to signal him to calm down. In his heart, he actually felt some worry, because the disciples of the Sect of the Cut were always unpredictable; what if they still had hidden moves, and with Profound Virtue losing the protection of the Xuanhuang Qi, wouldn't that be dangerous? Laozi had only this one disciple, Profound Virtue, and he did not want him to take any risks.

Afterwards, Laozi blandly looked at the Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching and proposed: "Sect Leader Chan, let this battle be considered a draw?"

The Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching pursed his lips and said indifferently: "A draw is a draw, anyway the Sect of the Cut has already won the first three matches."

However, at this moment, Qin Wan Tianjun suddenly stood up and shouted loudly: "Wait!" His voice attracted everyone's attention. Only to see his flesh body covered in cracks, his injuries extremely severe, yet he still firmly stood up.

"What else does he want to do?"

"I don't know, but looking at his injuries, he probably can't hold on."

"It's a pity, Martial Brother Profound Virtue was just a little short of killing him."

"Still, Martial Uncle's wisdom in giving Martial Brother Profound Virtue so many supreme treasures, otherwise we would have been deceived by the Sect of the Cut disciples again."

The disciples of the Chan Teaching discussed in a buzz, some gloated over Qin Wan Tianjun's injuries, some wondered what he wanted to do, and some envied Laozi's generosity toward Profound Virtue.

Qin Wan Tianjun difficultly exhaled a mouthful of turbid qi, as if forcibly suppressing his injuries. He looked at the Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching and firmly said: "Sect Leader, disciple has not yet lost!"

"Thinking of Martial Brother Mage Li Qing, Martial Brother Black Cloud Immortal, and Martial Brother Duobao, they all achieved complete victory in the Sect of the Cut battle. If we Ten Heavenly Kings merely end in mutual destruction, disciple is unconvinced and unwilling!"

Hearing this, the Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching feigned anger, glared at Qin Wan, and lowly shouted: "Battle naturally has wins and losses; you have not lost to Profound Virtue, but fought to a draw with him who possesses supreme treasures. Such a result, are you still dissatisfied?"

However, the Ten Heavenly Kings in unison shouted loudly: "Dissatisfied!"

The Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching laughed angrily: "Hey! Your temper! Then what else do you want?"

"Only battle!" Qin Wan Tianjun said in a deep voice.

"With your current injuries, still battle? Simply courting death!" the Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching said disdainfully.

"For the Sect of the Cut, what fear is there in death? If we cannot defeat Profound Virtue, our obsessions will be hard to dispel, heart demons will entangle endlessly, and will greatly affect our future cultivation!" Qin Wan's eyes were blood-red, he firmly said.

This scene shocked everyone. No one expected Qin Wan and his companions to have such a strong desire to win. Clearly a draw, yet they believed it would leave obsessions and heart demons, as if fallen into some madness.

The Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching fell silent for a moment, scanning the remaining nine Heavenly Kings: "Do you also think this way?"

"Sect Leader should know, we Ten Heavenly Kings are spiritually connected; Qin Wan Martial Brother's words are our thoughts." said the Holy Mother of Golden Light.

"Correct, and Sect Leader rest assured, we have also deduced an ancient formation. Once this formation appears, victory is certain!" Qin Wan said again.

The Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching did not immediately answer, but instead gazed at the Ten Heavenly Kings with his chaotic eyes. After a moment, he slowly nodded: "Good! Worthy of being my Sect of the Cut disciples, fearing no challenge, even if it means perishing in body and Dao, we do not hesitate."

"Very well, I will fulfill you!" Saying this, he looked at Laozi, his face grim: "Laozi, you also heard just now. To sever their obsessions, I agree to let the Ten Heavenly Kings battle Profound Virtue again!"

"Simply courting death!" Laozi coldly snorted.

Hearing the Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching's words, Profound Virtue could no longer restrain himself, roared angrily, his killing intent soaring. He was about to continue pursuing and killing the Ten Heavenly Kings, but did not expect them to actually dare to actively challenge—was this not clearly courting death?

Beside him, Laozi slightly narrowed his chaotic divine eyes, light flashing in his eyes, weighing pros and cons in his heart. The injuries of the Ten Heavenly Kings were obviously not feigned, indicating their cultivation was only so. Meanwhile, Profound Virtue's state of mind was clearly affected, producing obsessions; if not timely severed, it would be extremely detrimental to his future cultivation. Moreover, he still had many supreme treasures to protect Profound Virtue, and there were divine pills and elixirs to help him quickly recover from injuries.

"If the Ten Heavenly Kings truly had hidden means to defeat Profound Virtue, they would have used them already!" Laozi thought secretly, "Looking again at the Sect Leader's expression, it seems truly just because the Ten Heavenly Kings were unwilling to accept their battle results falling behind Mage Li Qing and others, thus producing obsessions."

"Good! I just don't believe, this time your Sect of the Cut still has a chance to turn the tables!" Laozi made up his mind.

"Good, Sect Leader Chan, I agree to let them continue another battle!" Laozi spoke, simultaneously releasing a gentle force to help Profound Virtue heal his injuries, and feeding him a divine pill; Profound Virtue's injuries quickly improved.

At this moment, another low voice sounded: "Wait!"

The speaker was actually Qin Wan Tianjun, which made the immortals even more puzzled.

"How? Are you regretting now?" Preparing to sneer mockingly.

"Nonsense! We Sect of the Cut disciples are pillars of heaven and earth, how could we regret?" Qin Wan retorted, then took a deep breath and loudly shouted: "This time, we Ten Heavenly Kings will alone challenge all disciples of the Chan Teaching, and also that brat Profound Virtue!"

For a moment, the scene fell into deathly silence. Everyone stared in shock at Qin Wan Tianjun, as if unable to believe their own ears. The Ten Heavenly Kings wanted to alone challenge all Chan Teaching disciples, and even include Profound Virtue? This was simply absurd!

Know that although the Chan Teaching had lost three matches in a row, they still had considerable combat strength. Eleven Chan Teaching Golden Immortals, each with Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation, mastered supreme divine abilities, their combat strength extraordinary. Not to mention the other Chan Teaching disciples, and Profound Virtue whose injuries were rapidly recovering.

"Nonsense! Nonsense! Simply nonsense!" the Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching shouted angrily, glaring fiercely at Qin Wan Tianjun: "Do you know what you are saying?"

"Reporting to Sect Leader, disciple knows." Qin Wan Tianjun smiled and replied, "But... if we do not create a greater commotion, even if we fortunately return to Golden Ao Island, we will still feel unwilling, our Dao heart harmed."

"Hope Sect Leader fulfills!" the other nine Heavenly Kings also shouted in unison, their voices like thunder piercing the ears, filled with the spirit of facing death as if returning home.

The Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching fell silent, closed his chaotic eyes, as if making a difficult decision. After a long while, he reopened his eyes and forced a smile at the Ten Heavenly Kings: "As teacher understands. The master once said, the Great Dao has three thousand, every living being has its own Dao."

"Since this is the Dao you have chosen, then go, leave no regrets." The Sect Leader of the Chan Teaching's words were like a father's admonition to a child about to go to the battlefield.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Yuanshi Tianzun, Laozi, and others exchanged glances, their eyes all flashing with ecstatic joy. They knew the Ten Heavenly Kings this time were truly determined to go to their deaths. Although their determination was admirable, it was undoubtedly seeking their own deaths.

Thus, Yuanshi Tianzun stepped forward, waved his hand, bestowed upon the Chan Teaching disciples all the treasures he had obtained from the Treasure Precipice Cliff, and solemnly instructed: "Since the Sect of the Cut Ten Heavenly Kings want to go on the Gods' List, then you will send them on their way!"

"Respectfully follow the Sect Leader's decree!" the Chan Teaching disciples cheered, leaping as they received the treasures. This time they not only could obtain the long-desired treasures, but also go into battle without any danger. Joining forces to deal with the already spent Ten Heavenly Kings was simply picking up a great bargain!

The Chan Teaching disciples each rubbed their palms, excited to the point of almost immediately acting, to behead the Ten Heavenly Kings under their swords.

Not long after, the Chan Teaching crowd and Profound Virtue again faced off against the Ten Heavenly Kings, but the auras of both sides were completely different. The Chan Teaching side's morale was like a rainbow, battle intent full; while the Ten Heavenly Kings' side had unstable breath, each person carrying injuries.

At this moment, the powerful beings of all realms and worlds were all watching the battle, none unmoved.

The Lord of the Wasteland sighed: "The Sect of the Cut disciples actually have such steel-like will, facing death as if returning home!"

The Rascal Dragon then said doubtfully: "The Sect of the Cut Ten Heavenly Kings are truly tough fellows! However, I somehow feel the background of the Holy Mother of Golden Light resembles that of the supreme goddess who slaughtered in all directions in the Nine Heavens..."

The Elec Market praised: "Knowing death is certain yet bravely pressing forward, Sect of the Cut disciples, I admire you!"

Xiao Huohuo also sighed: "The Sect of the Cut disciples are actually so formidable? Even facing death they can be so calm, even actively seeking death, truly shocking!"

Li Biwang then said: "This fearless will is indeed worthy of praise. However, Qin Wan... how does he have the same name as that guy I heard stole my sheep?"

For a moment, the powerful beings of all realms and worlds were even more focused on watching this battle, or more accurately, preparing to see how the Ten Heavenly Kings heroically sacrifice themselves.

The tragic spirit of the Ten Heavenly Kings infected every observing powerful being.

However, within Golden Ao Island, the situation was completely different from what the powerhouses of the myriad heavens and worlds had seen.

Millions of Chan Sect disciples had grim faces, their eyes filled with resentment as they stared at the Ten Heavenly Lords outside the island, like wronged wives.

"So despicable! Shameless!"

"These ten senior brothers of the Ten Heavenly Lords are clearly aiming to end the game outright!"

"You guys enjoyed yourselves, but at least let us junior brothers have some fun too—how could you just end the battle like that?"

"And that acting—so lifelike, even a movie emperor would feel ashamed!"

"Poor Jie Sect disciples, still unaware they're about to be trapped and killed!"

"Alas, the game is over, no more fun to be had!"

In fact, the millions of Chan Sect disciples weren't just unafraid that the Ten Heavenly Lords would die and vanish—they were instead complaining and griping in various ways. Yet from their complaints, one could hear that all of this was merely a performance by the Ten Heavenly Lords.

Including deliberately revealing their cultivation level, deliberately getting injured, and finally displaying a tragic, death-defying spirit—all of these were carefully planned by them.

Of course, only the Chan Sect disciples themselves knew this.

At least Yuanshi Tianzun and the other three Heavenly Dao Saints, as well as the Jie Sect disciples, were completely unaware.

Therefore, when they surrounded the Ten Heavenly Lords, they all revealed ferocious smiles.

As soon as the great battle erupted, they would be able to slay the Ten Heavenly Lords and then present their achievements to Yuanshi Tianzun!

"Xuandu, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and deal with them—you still need to fight afterward!" Laozi said calmly.

"As you command!" Xuandu Dafa Shi responded with a bow.

No sooner had his words fallen than he swiftly produced the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda and the Liudi Yan Guang Banner.

Moreover, beneath Xuandu's feet appeared a supreme treasure—a golden lotus blossom with twelve golden petals, radiating boundless Buddha-light, swirling around him together with the Xuanhuang Qi of merit.

This supreme treasure was none other than the Twelve-Brand Merit Golden Lotus, a top-grade innate spiritual treasure temporarily lent to Xuandu Dafa Shi by Jieyin.

The Buddha-light emitted by this golden lotus had extraordinarily strong defensive power, nearly matching that of the Xuanhuang Qi.

Clearly, Laozi was still worried that the Ten Heavenly Lords might launch a desperate counterattack, so he specifically asked Jieyin to lend this treasure to Xuandu for use.

Although Xuandu Dafa Shi could not fully refine the Twelve-Brand Merit Golden Lotus in a short time, he could at least exert some of its power.

"Kill!"

After producing the treasure, Xuandu Dafa Shi let out a great shout and led the charge toward the Ten Heavenly Lords.

Hundreds of Jie Sect disciples followed closely behind, brimming with endless killing intent, shaking the heavens and scattering the dark clouds, causing stars to shift and the sun and moon to lose their light.

They surged forward in mighty numbers, their battle spirit blazing!

On the other side, seeing Xuandu and his allies charging, the Ten Heavenly Lords all wore solemn expressions.

"Fellow junior brothers and sisters, form the array!" Qin Wantiangjun shouted.

"Good!"

Immediately afterward, the Ten Heavenly Lords, in unison, formed hand seals and cast forth profound mystical incantations into the void.

Not long after, the void trembled slightly, and then ancient array patterns began to appear around them.

Each array pattern shimmered with misty divine radiance, containing endless transformations of the Dao.

However, although Xuandu and the Jie Sect disciples saw the Ten Heavenly Lords setting up the array, they still charged forward with murderous intent, paying little heed.

They thought this was merely the dying struggle of ten spent crossbows—what threat could it possibly pose to them?