Chapter 103: The Xiaoyue Yaowang's Nemesis!

If they were to face each other directly, Master Jueming would naturally not be a match for the Xiaoyue Yaowang.

Xue Chengkong shifted his gaze and looked toward the innermost black iron cage.

There, Master Jueming wore a kasaya and turned his prayer beads in his hand.

Even when mentioned by Xue Chengkong, he showed no intention of opening his eyes, wholly absorbed in chanting the Buddha's name.

Seeing that Master Jueming ignored him, Xue Chengkong did not mind and said to himself:

"The Xiaoyue Yaowang had its demon core shattered by the Longxiang Monk, its fleshly body torn apart, yet it has managed to cling to life until now.

Aside from the life-preserving pill I initially fed it,

the main reason is still its possession of powerful demon spirits and continuously regenerating bloodline power."

"The physiques of the demon race are inherently formidable, their vital energy exuberant, making them extremely difficult to kill. Moreover, this Xiaoyue Yaowang has condensed demon spirits, its strength comparable to that of a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Although it has now suffered severe injuries, it still retains strength comparable to the peak of the Condensing Truth Realm.

However, if it wishes to unleash its full power, it must possess the Yaowang's true body.

With its current human vessel seized through possession, it fundamentally cannot withstand the complete release of its demon spirit power.

Once it exerts its full strength, its human fleshly body will collapse first."

Having said this, Xue Chengkong paused, then looked at Qin Shuo and said: "This is why, when you caused a ruckus in the Sky Wolf Gang, it only used attacks comparable to the early Condensing Truth Realm in the form of moon-blade strikes.

Exceeding this limit would cause his fleshly body to collapse.

Although it possesses extraordinarily strong regenerative power, each regeneration consumes its bloodline power.

If its fleshly body is killed too many times, causing severe depletion of its demon spirit power, it will likewise die."

"What does this have to do with Master Jueming?" Qin Shuo asked, puzzled.

"Of course it is related."

Xue Chengkong glanced at Master Jueming, who continued to silently recite sutras, and went on:

"As I just said, the Xiaoyue Yaowang is difficult to kill precisely because of its powerful demon spirits and continuously regenerating bloodline power.

And Master Jueming's profoundly studied Vajra Buddhist Dharma happens to be the nemesis of all demonic powers.

Given the Xiaoyue Yaowang's formidable vitality, if it were not for the Vajra Dharma Mantra of the Longxiang Monk injuring it, damaging its bloodline power and causing it to lose self-healing ability,

Even after a year, even if its demon spirits suffered severe damage and could not fully recover to peak condition, it would not be left with only the strength of the Condensing Truth Realm's peak.

The reason it has been unable to recover is precisely because the Vajra Dharma Mantra left by the Longxiang Monk within its true body is eroding its Sky Wolf bloodline.

If Master Jueming spares no effort, using his own cultivation to draw forth the Vajra Dharma Mantra within the Xiaoyue Yaowang's true body, there is a certain probability of killing that old demon.

Of course, it is only a certain probability.

After all, given the old demon's cunning, it certainly will not sit and wait for death.

Once it discovers that Master Jueming attempts to draw forth the Vajra Dharma Mantra within its body, it will surely retaliate desperately.

With Master Jueming's cultivation at the Tongmai Small Accomplishment, wanting to withstand the Xiaoyue Yaowang's wrath is nearly impossible.

But even the smallest probability is still a probability.

The Xiaoyue Yaowang is the most crucial step in my refinement of the Ten Thousand Spirit Blood Pill; any factor that could possibly kill it should be eliminated.

Just like the two of you."

Saying this, Xue Chengkong smiled brightly and said:

"Well, it's getting late. Given that old fellow's cunning and suspicious nature, he is probably already impatient to activate the Ten Thousand Spirit Array.

You two, together with Master Jueming in this dungeon, will become nourishment for my ascent to Martial Arts Grandmaster! Hahaha..."

Having said that, without waiting for Qin Shuo and the others to react, Xue Chengkong laughed loudly and walked out of the earth cave.

After Xue Chengkong left, He Mingjing immediately became like ants on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the black iron cage and saying:

"What should we do? We have all taken the Sky Wolf Gang's Blood Boosting Pill; once the Ten Thousand Spirit Array is activated, there will be no way to turn back."

Then he looked again at Master Jueming, still sitting cross-legged in meditation, and said: "Master, I have heard you have achieved the Arhat Golden Body; do you have a way to help us escape this place?"

Originally, Qin Shuo thought Master Jueming would ignore He Mingjing as before.

But unexpectedly, the old monk slowly opened his eyes, shook his head, and said: "Just like the two of you, I have been poisoned by Lord Xue, my qi and blood cannot circulate, and I cannot break open this dungeon cage."

Although I had anticipated this, hearing Master Jueming personally admit it made He Mingjing even more desperate.

Qi and blood sealed, trapped in the cage, having also taken the Xiaoyue Yaowang's Blood Boosting Pill...

No matter how you look at it, we are surely doomed to die!

He Mingjing's face was full of despair, his whole body like a deflated leather ball, he weakly slumped onto the ground, murmuring to himself:

"It's over, my knife-nurturing technique is not yet complete, I have not yet become a Cloud Dragon Captain of the Demon Suppression Division, Xiao Cui is still waiting for me at the Fragrant Drunkenness Tower...

I never imagined I would meet my end in this little Heishui City..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Shuo couldn't help but roll his eyes—what time is it now, and this fellow is still thinking about going to a brothel?

But he also knew that the current situation was urgent, and he must seize every moment.

Thus, he directly addressed Master Jueming nearby: "Master, I have a way to break through this black iron cage; may I borrow your bodhi prayer beads for a moment?"

"You have a way to break open the cage?"

Just moments ago listless and utterly hopeless, He Mingjing, upon hearing Qin Shuo's words, immediately jumped up, his eyes blazing as he fixed his gaze on Qin Shuo.

He knew that Qin Shuo had encountered something extraordinary on Old Ginseng Mountain.

That was why, in an extremely short time, he had grown from an ordinary person into a formidable expert at the Tongmai Realm.

But he had not expected that the other could even neutralize the poison Xue Chengkong had administered and still have a way to escape this place.

This made him feel as if he had seized a life-saving straw, and hope for life instantly ignited within him.

Qin Shuo did not answer He Mingjing, but instead turned his gaze toward Master Jueming, who had just been preparing to re-enter meditation.

"Young donor, do you truly have a way?"

Master Jueming's eyes flashed with an unusual light, and ripples appeared on his previously calm face.

Originally, he and He Mingjing were the same, both thinking they could not escape the calamity, but unexpectedly, they encountered another variable.

"I want to try!" Qin Shuo said firmly.

Master Jueming hesitated for a moment, stood up, and handed the prayer beads over from between the two black iron pillars.

"Thank you, Master!"

Upon obtaining the Bodhi prayer beads, Qin Shuo immediately beamed with joy.

Finally got it!

From Erlong Mountain to the prefectural city, then from the prefectural city to Mingwang Temple...

Now, finally, in this dungeon, the last condition for refining the Longxiang Relic has been met.

【Ingredients: Vajra Bodhi Prayer Beads】

【Refining Conditions: Recite the Diamond Sutra thirty thousand times】

【Refining Effect: Vajra Buddha Nature Perfected!】

【Current Refining Progress: /】

Seeing the refining progress prompt pop up on the panel, Qin Shuo immediately smiled.

Indeed, preparation prevents trouble; the ancients truly do not deceive me.

The next second, he sat cross-legged directly, imitating Master Jueming's manner, turning the prayer beads, and began reciting the Diamond Sutra.

"Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in the country of Shravasti... together with the great assembly of bhikkhus..."

As Qin Shuo's devout sutra-reciting voice slowly echoed in the dungeon, He Mingjing and Master Jueming were instantly stunned.

No...

Brother, what happened to the promised breaking of the cage?

You damn fool, why are you starting to learn how people recite sutras?

Even if it's a last-minute hugging of the Buddha's foot, there's no such way of hugging!

Even if the Buddha really intervenes, it should be Master Jueming who recites for it to work!

You, a half-monk who took up the robe midway, bah, not even a proper monk, are you here to amuse me?

In an instant, He Mingjing's heart died and died again.

Before, he still thought this Qin brother was quite reliable.

Now, hehe...

Master Jueming beside him was also dazed by Qin Shuo's antics.

But his composure is obviously far beyond that of the young He Mingjing.

Seeing Qin Shuo reciting sutras obliviously, he actually shook his head self-mockingly and said: "It is I who am attached to form!"

"I did not expect that the young donor, despite his youth, actually knows the Buddhist truth of 'the body is not me'.

At the point of death, he is carefree, not bound by worldly cages, seeking transcendence of Buddha-nature, taking the opportunity to see through the four appearances, not bound by the cycle of rebirth—it is the old monk whose practice is shallow..."

In Master Jueming's view, Qin Shuo's bizarre behavior is more like knowing he is doomed, so he thinks of temporarily cultivating Buddhism, hoping his soul will transcend after death, receive the Buddha's protection, and escape the cycle of rebirth.

After all, with his cultivation, even without poisoning, it is absolutely impossible to rely on the Arhat Golden Body to break this black iron cage.

Yet just now, he actually believed this youth had the ability to break the cage.

This is obviously due to his failure to see through life and death, giving rise to delusive thoughts.

"I did not expect that after decades of cultivation, the old monk still falls short of the young donor in seeing through things clearly and departing carelessly—truly ashamed!"

Master Jueming's expression fell, he returned to his original seat and sat down slowly, continuing to recite sutras, awaiting the arrival of the calamity.

Meanwhile, He Mingjing opposite had completely given up, his eyes silently gazing into the void, his whole heart like dead ashes.

"... All forms are illusory. If one sees all forms as not-forms, then one sees the Tathagata..."

Ignoring Master Jueming's murmuring.

At this moment, Qin Shuo devoted his whole body and mind to refining the Vajra Buddha Nature within the Bodhi prayer beads.

With his memory, plus nearly thirty thousand recitations, he had long memorized this five-thousand-plus-character Diamond Sutra backward and forward.

Now, as the number of recitations of the Diamond Sutra increases, golden light begins to emanate from his entire body, just as if he were activating the Longxiang Golden Body.

In fact, at this moment his flesh and blood are sealed, so he fundamentally lacks the power to activate the golden body.

These golden lights are all emitted from his soul, causing his physical body to exhibit phenomena.

"Roar!"

I don't know how long passed.

Suddenly, a wild wolf howl shocked Qin Shuo awake from the process of refining the Bodhi prayer beads.

He snapped his eyes open!

Only to see that opposite, He Mingjing, at some point, had already transformed into a ferocious wolf demon covered in dense fur.

A pair of scarlet vertical pupils, glowing with bloody and cruel light.

He kept attacking the black iron cage in front of him with his claws, sparks flying everywhere.

Qin Shuo turned his head to look at Master Jueming beside him.

Only to see that the other, like himself, was emanating golden light all over.

His snow-white eyebrows were furrowed into a knot, as if struggling with something, veins bulging on his forehead, sweat dripping profusely.

"Not good, the Ten Thousand Spirit Array has been activated!" Qin Shuo's heart jolted.

Although unclear why the Xiaoyue Yaowang did not trigger the wolf demon remnant soul within him, but at this moment he could not dwell on much, only able to seize the speed and continue refining the Bodhi prayer beads.

【Current Refining Progress: /】

【Current Refining Progress: /】

【Current Refining Progress: /】

【Current refinement progress: Completed!】

……

Boom!

When the last prompt lit up on the panel before his eyes,

Inside the Taotie Cauldron, in Qin Shuo's sea of consciousness……

That Saint Relic Bone, the Longxiang Relic, suddenly erupted with a torrent of golden light, like the blazing sun, dazzling and piercing.