Chapter 84: Dragon-Subduing, Tiger-Vanquishing

At the same time.

Above Han Hu, Lin Yutang stood with his sword on his back. Before him, only two of the Fo Men Golden Core cultivators remained, yet all flesh and bone was gone from them, leaving only cicada-shedding-like husks.

Behind him.

Two golden phantom figures manifested, their forms occupying the sky. Their vast kasaya seemed about to gather every mountain peak into their sleeves!

In but an instant, the Time-Stop domain was forcibly burst open!

"Young benefactor, cultivation is not easy. Why must you annihilate my Buddhist disciples?"

The voice was ancient-well-without-ripple, yet accompanied by drifting Buddhist chanting, transmitted from the depths of the heart.

"You know perfectly well, yet ask anyway!"

Lin Yutang gave a contemptuous laugh,

"You two, as Arhats, your disciples all speak of mercy with their lips, yet took advantage of my tribulation to launch a fierce assault on my sect — are they not fit to be annihilated?"

He spoke with full confidence.

Now, Yue Guo's Spirit Pulse was still third-grade; in terms of cultivation, no one could surpass him.

Though these two had touched upon the unspeakable realm, they had after all lain dormant for endless years, their qi and blood utterly decayed.

Looking closely, specks of Buddhist light streamed off the phantom figures, as if weathered by wind.

Lin Yutang had some understanding of this.

For great powers of this realm, Heaven and Earth could no longer contain their true bodies.

So long as they did not appear, once sensed, their strength would temporarily plummet, until they could exist within this realm.

In short, like Lin Yutang, they too were limited by the Spirit Pulse, unable to bring forth their full strength.

"Fo Men disciples spread virtue and teach, what fault is there in that? To kill without discerning right from wrong — how does that differ from the Tuoluo Sect?"

"Young benefactor, lay down your butcher's blade, take refuge in our Buddha, and your life shall be spared."

One Arhat, a crimson dragon coiled about his body, uttered a Buddhist name.

"What a fine perversion of right and wrong — no wonder you sheltered your discarded disciple and founded a sect here!"

Lin Yutang laughed aloud, lightly tapped with the long sword in his hand, pointing it at the two,

"Our Daos differ, we cannot plot together — I ask the two seniors to grant me instruction!"

Within the sword-gleam, ten thousand star rivers revolved, then suddenly burst forth in a barrage!

At this moment.

The masses of Yue Guo saw with their own eyes the Silver River spreading from the edge of the sky, its appearance so familiar, like the night sky of every evening.

"So, it is your Sword Qi."

The Dragon-Subduing Arhat gazed at this sword that spanned past and present, yet was not alarmed.

He lightly formed a hand seal and uttered the word "Condense."

In an instant.

Within Yue Guo, birds and beasts all halted, every sound ceased; only certain dormant beings could still perceive.

The three were seen battling as one. Each time Buddhist light collided with sword-light, the surrounding scenes shifted at tremendous speed, then froze upon a single instant.

At times it was Sword Qi sweeping across the middle layer of Fulong Mountain, some restriction suddenly sheared off a corner, and ghastly Evil Qi poured forth.

Or Buddhist light suddenly leaked, transforming into trickling sweet dew; some county magistrate led the people in kneeling, raised his brush and wrote the two characters "Lin Tai."

The next breath, some ten-thousand-zhang mountain range was swept by the aftershock and instantly leveled; some secret realm's Array shattered, revealing its form, and it fell into the Hong Jing Kuang Mai below.

The scenes before their eyes grew ever more ancient; no one knew how many exchanges had been fought.

Lin Yutang, after all, had just entered Nascent Soul; fighting two alone, he grew increasingly unable to cope.

Yet a smile lingered at the corner of his mouth as he formed hand seals, constantly shifting time and space.

Until.

In ages past, in a certain earth cave.

All was pitch-black; only one cave mouth emanated a pallid green ghostly light, upon which two lines of vermilion characters were written, to wit:

"Empty nature unattained, in vain becoming dust and ash."

The two Arhats remained utterly unaware, still pressing Lin Yutang to take refuge.

The next second.

A snake's hiss deafened the ears. The Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Subduing Arhats felt their spiritual power within stutter, their arts no longer able to circulate!

"The place where the Mysterious Serpent is imprisoned?!"

The two had heard certain secret lore, and even dared not meet its edge.

Looking back, they saw Lin Yutang twist a hand seal and vanish in an instant; behind him the Mysterious Serpent rose upon its body, ancient and majestic, bearing not the slightest wound!

Within the restriction, time and space were firmly locked. The two men's faces instantly darkened, and they could only meet the battle.

"This is before the great tribulation, the Spirit Pulse still exists — quickly join me in striking the restriction; there may yet be a slim chance of survival!"

The Tiger-Subduing Arhat gave a sharp shout and punched forth.

The space above shook violently, as if a small crack truly split open!

But just at this moment.

The cave interior suddenly darkened. He turned his head to look, only to see the serpent's belly bulging, half a golden Buddhist foot still struggling within.

The original time and space.

Within Ban Ruo Men, two Arhat statues toppled for no reason.

A wisp of qi, seeming to exist yet not, drifted out, wanting to fly toward Tiankui Sect.

But when it had traveled halfway.

It suddenly turned and poured into a faceless divine statue.

The statue's golden robes grew ever more gleaming, and the qi of the followers beneath it likewise increased.

"The Arhat is dead, Tiankui is leaderless—indeed, we are the beneficiaries. Soon, the Holy Mother will bestow her teachings again."

Kong Jue lowered his gaze and smiled lightly, his tone teasing.

"Liu Yicheng stole the serpent-controlling art and should have reaped the greatest gains, but he was undone by greed, his body perished and his Dao ended."

This body long ago achieved Foundation Establishment; though cultivated through greed, it could be suppressed at will—truly convenient.

"Striving for dominance and violence leads ultimately to but a handful of yellow earth."

Liang Chenfeng nodded in agreement, deeply convinced.

Yet he seemed to recall something and changed the subject:

"Next time, won't it be your turn? Do you have confidence in your infiltration of Tiankui?"

The main headquarters has ordered us to steal Tiankui's greatest treasure, but the experts cannot cross Jie Hai to descend upon Yue Prefecture.

The branch Hall Master is still in Nascent Soul formation and cannot restrain Lin Yutang; the serpent's gallbladder is also missing—this mission is surely doomed.

How can this man still laugh?

Kong Jue waved his hand.

"A man of the mountains has his own clever plan."

……

"Our sect has fifteen Foundation Establishment survivors, three escaped; ten Golden Core survivors. The enemy's Foundation Establishment and Golden Core practitioners were all slain."

Inside the Discipline Hall, Chen Zhao unfolded the battle report, surrounded by Elders and Hall Masters, yet he alone wore a white robe, standing out incongruously.

Yet all the Elders knew full well.

This youth did not retreat before a powerful foe; instead, he crossed his Foundation Establishment Tribulation at the heart of battle, luring the enemy while holding out until the Sect Master achieved Nascent Soul.

He is truly a model disciple, worthy of being recorded in grand detail.

As expected.

"All of you here who did not flee in battle are pillars of Tiankui—when the time comes, great rewards await."

Lin Yutang glanced around, then his gaze settled on Chen Zhao.

"You displayed great valor and achieved Foundation Establishment. Beyond your reward, I grant you the privilege of becoming a direct disciple under any Hall Master."

The Elders were stunned upon hearing this.

To take a master is not merely to receive teachings—it is to inherit karmic lineage.

In future travels through the cultivation world, when matters of gratitude or vengeance arise, master and disciple are one.

Once a master, forever a father—this is no trivial matter.

Only those with a Heavenly Spirit Root are qualified to take a Hall Master as master—even Zhang Sifan must be taught by his own father.

One reason is that the disciple's chance of forming a Golden Core is vanishingly small; if strength and talent are insufficient, it brings shame upon the sect.

If the old man has such boldness, how come the Hall Masters also tacitly approve?

Of course.

If the Elders knew about the Transformation-Dispelling Talisman, they might resent the old man for being too stingy.

"This youth shows promise in Alchemy—why not let him join my sect?"

Mo Shouzhuo, recalling the sect's Pill Tribulation, suddenly spoke up.

But before he could finish, Chen Zhao stepped forward quickly, bowed deeply, and said:

"Thank you, Sect Master, for your favor."

"But this humble disciple is dull-witted by nature; achieving Foundation Establishment was already a near-impossible feat. With current morale unstable, I humbly beg the Sect Master to defer this matter for now."

At these words, all present were stunned!

Even Lin Yutang was greatly surprised.

It is known that a Dao Foundation can still be formed solely through pills, but a Golden Core, if sought in isolation, is unattainable in a lifetime!

Truly, difficult, difficult, difficult—the Dao is most mysterious. Do not treat the Golden Core lightly; without encountering a true master to transmit the secret art, your mouth grows dry and your tongue grows weary.