Chapter 98: Extinction Enters the Buddhist Path

"Amitabha Buddha."

Under Lu Yang's gaze, the fair-lipped, white-toothed boy smiled faintly, then clasped his hands together, his eyes glowing with Jin Guang as he stared fixedly at Lu Yang:

"Disciple, your natural talent is extraordinary—truly a delight to this humble monk."

"Buddhist cultivator?"

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow; he had heard Chen Xinan say that there were no Buddhist cultivators in Jiangnan or Jiangbei—even if any existed, they were merely scattered practitioners like Ming Chan.

True Buddhist cultivators were all in Jiangxi.

They did not cultivate the "Refining Form Ascension Dao," but the "Profound Joy Extinction Dao," said to hold unique mysteries utterly distinct from those of Jiangnan and Jiangbei.

Especially the current Panlong True Person—his cultivation level neared that of the Baitian Peak Master, yet unlike him, he had never been severed by Jin Dan sword qi; his spirit and body remained intact, fully in his prime, his aura encompassing the cosmos, vast as heaven itself—immediately making Lu Yang understand why the Baitian Peak Master had felt so stifled before.

"This humble monk is Arhat Fu Long."

The boy exhaled softly and said: "Panlong has perished, reborn in the Pure Land; all past deeds are now irrelevant to this humble monk. In this world, only Arhat Fu Long remains."

Lu Yang's expression remained calm: "Then, Venerable Arhat Fu Long, why have you come to me now?"

Even as he continued building his Dao foundation, he found the foundation he had just formed now felt agonizingly heavy, as if carrying an immense burden.

'Is that dragon?'

Lu Yang shifted his gaze to the small dragon coiled around Arhat Fu Long Luo Han—only to find its golden dragon eyes fixed unwaveringly upon him.

Arhat Fu Long Luo Han smiled slightly at this.

His accompanying dragon appeared alive, but was in truth a superior spiritual treasure called the "Dragon-Encircling Ring," whose power, named "Eyes Encompass the Cosmos," meant that once seen by it, one was locked within its field of vision—unable to flee or shift position.

Because when Lu Yang had first been seen by it, he had not yet established his Dao foundation.

Thus now, no matter how Lu Yang channeled his techniques, his foundation remained pinned by its gaze, unable to coalesce or slip away to another location.

"I have come this time to offer you an opportunity."

Arhat Fu Long Luo Han studied Lu Yang and continued: "After entering Extinction, I attained the state of Luo Han and established a stupa-temple in the Pure Land, named the 【Arhat Fu Long Temple】."

"The temple is newly erected and lacks Buddhist followers."

"Disciple, your true qi has reached the pinnacle—enter my temple and become a Guardian Jin Gang. From now on, cultivate the Extinction Dao alongside me. Would that not be splendid?"

Boom!

Before Arhat Fu Long Luo Han finished speaking, Lu Yang's figure flashed and vanished from his spot, replaced by a bewildered Wu Gui.

Arhat Fu Long Luo Han froze in surprise—he had not anticipated Lu Yang could break free from the Dragon-Encircling Ring's restraint—but soon his brow relaxed, and he laughed aloud: "Disciple, why cling to delusion? You cultivate the Nine Transformations Dragon Decree; by nature, you are destined to be connected to me, to the Pure Land."

"Destiny? Screw destiny!"

Within the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lu Yang fled while cursing inwardly: Arhat Fu Long Luo Han clearly meant harm—he would never surrender!

"I was too careless!"

As he fled, Lu Yang regretted: he had indeed suspected the Nine Transformations Dragon Decree might be flawed, given Liu Xin's precedent.

But first, Panlong True Person had seemed dead to him; second, in his past life, he had attempted Foundation Establishment—and back then, Panlong True Person had never come to him—so he let his guard down. Now he realized: perhaps because in his past life, he had broken through inside the Holy Sect!

"Damn it, they're all beasts!"

"Has the Holy Sect no one who truly cares for future generations? Guardian Jin Gang? You're probably going to turn me into a puppet!"

Lu Yang's mind shifted—he immediately left the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The next instant, Lu Yang erupted forth with the power of "Heaven Collapsing," and the eight-hundred-li Skull Mountain trembled violently, as if a subterranean dragon had turned over.

"Fighting within the Foundation Establishment Realm means certain death."

Lu Yang accepted reality: he had not yet established his Dao foundation; within the Foundation Establishment Realm, he spent every moment resisting its mental demon invasions.

How could he fight under such conditions?

He must return to the mortal world first—escape or repel Arhat Fu Long Luo Han—before he could resume his Foundation Establishment attempt; otherwise, death was inevitable.

"Escaping is unrealistic. I have divine talismans masking my karmic traces, yet this bald monk still found me—he must have a way to bypass karma and lock onto me directly through cultivation technique links. Under these circumstances, I cannot flee. Besides, Skull Mountain is my stronghold; fleeing would only make me more vulnerable."

At this thought, Lu Yang made his decision: "Fight!"

Though he could still reset, the 【Book of a Hundred Lives】 had limited pages—he would not lightly reset unless utterly cornered.

Moreover, even if he reset, for the sake of his next life, he should test Panlong True Person's methods as thoroughly as possible.

The next instant, Arhat Fu Long Luo Han's figure materialized, also wielding the power of "Heaven Collapsing"—but he was a true Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the phenomenon he created differed from Lu Yang's.

He lowered his eyelids and calmly scanned the Skull Mountain.

Instantly, the entire eight-hundred-li Skull Mountain lay within his sight; the invisible pressure of a Foundation Establishment True Person crushed down upon every cultivator within the mountain.

Boom boom boom!

Cultivators below Late Qi Refining were instantly crushed to dust; those at Late Qi Refining collapsed to the ground, vomiting blood.

Only those at Peak Qi Refining—perhaps deemed still useful—escaped serious injury, instead suddenly clasping their hands together and inexplicably chanting sutras.

Meanwhile, Lu Yang shook the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner; the Guardian Spirit Su Nü immediately appeared, summoning eight red-robed ghosts to activate their power. The majestic 【Yanmo Palace】 rose from the earth, dominating the heavens, while the yin-sha from the Skull Mountain's earth veins were continuously drawn forth to empower the technique.

Arhat Fu Long Luo Han watched and clucked in admiration:

"Once you enter my temple as a Jin Gang Guardian, this one may become a devotee of my temple, sharing ultimate bliss with you—what a fine karmic connection."

Boom!

Lu Yang paid no heed to Arhat Fu Long Luo Han's words; the moment the 【Yanmo Palace】 appeared, he hurled it upward, smashing it down upon Arhat Fu Long Luo Han's head!

Arhat Fu Long Luo Han did not dodge or evade—only raised a radiant aura from his crown, shaped like a canopy, which firmly caught the falling 【Yanmo Palace】. At the moment of collision, shooting stars and flaming sparks erupted in all directions, causing Arhat Fu Long Luo Han's previously relaxed brow to furrow slightly.

"It seems ordinary methods won't subdue this one."

Yet despite this, Arhat Fu Long Luo Han was inwardly overjoyed—he had left behind the Nine Transformations Dragon Decree with no expectation of catching a big fish.

After all, the Baitian Peak Master knew his true nature; he would never let a Foundation Establishment seed cultivate the Nine Transformations Dragon Decree only to be snatched away by Jiangxi Buddhist cultivators. So his initial expectations were low: even if he caught just one cultivator attempting Foundation Establishment, even with only a one-percent chance, he wouldn't mind.

But Lu Yang far exceeded his expectations.

He saw at a glance that Lu Yang was a true Foundation Establishment seed—even among the elite. If he could convert him, the benefit to him would be immense!

Not to mention the free gift of the Guardian Spirit Su Nü.

Pretending to be Foundation Establishment, though not as good as true Foundation Establishment, is still quite good; sending it all into his 【Arhat Fu Long Temple】 is enough to advance his cultivation further!

"Very well, then I shall exert a bit more divine power."

Thinking of this, the Arhat Fu Long Arhat immediately straightened his expression, then clasped his hands together; golden light surged from beneath his feet, instantly filling more than half the sky.

In an instant, the eight-hundred-li Skull Mountain, once thick with dark yin spirits, became a vast expanse of golden ground.

Within the golden ground, a towering temple, like a mountain, rose from the earth, its gates wide open, revealing the main hall, where at the front stood a lotus platform.

Then the Arhat Fu Long Arhat flashed forward and landed upon the lotus platform within the temple.

Instantly, brilliant light blazed forth; the Arhat Fu Long Arhat sat upon the lotus platform, his right hand resting on his right knee, fingertips touching the ground in a seal, and in an instant, countless rays of radiant light poured down.

Wherever the radiant light passed, impurities scattered, and all phenomena dissolved.

The eight-hundred-li yin spirits of Skull Mountain were entirely swept clean, and the 【Yanmo Palace】 collapsed like summer snow beneath the radiant light!

(End of Chapter)